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ContactMonika Petroczy2024-02-29T07:24:51+00:00

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Perhaps my most amazing and theatrical studio phot

Perhaps my most amazing and theatrical studio photo shoot to date..I got to meet Pamela Anderson! Actually talented Moorpark College actor and theatre student Briana Gonzalez fully in character. I got to bring together the whole semester with a fantastic 9-light studio set up and we even tested out the 'smoke'! IG is cropping the bottom of these images with her fierce heels ..yet the stars aligned in spades today! I'd love to keep experimenting in a studio. Also inspired by the vivid colors of @lindseyadler_photo and the larger than life @pamelaanderson !#studiophotoshoot #barbwire

I was so fortunate to get to practice beauty light

I was so fortunate to get to practice beauty lighting studio photography with the extraordinary Arrow! (This is her look daily). I lit her hair with a teal light for that comic book jet black hair effect. Sometimes the stars align when every frame is beautiful and curating is impossible. #studiophotography #gothmodel

I made this portrait of my neighbor in bright sun

I made this portrait of my neighbor in bright sun while she entertained me with lots of stories ...she cracked herself up! Indeed it's advised to make portraits in open shade but this lady prefers the sun and the light shows a face that has enjoyed the sunny days her whole life. #canonr6ii #portraitphotography

The Comet viewed from Ojai end of September ...wro

The Comet viewed from Ojai end of September ...wrong lens right place! #canonr6ii #astrophotography

Frienahip Park Diande Los Muertos Chalk Festival;

Frienahip Park Diande Los Muertos Chalk Festival; Familia with @artbyswain who chalked the lady & I made kitty #chalkmafia

Kind of a ridiculous piece, but why not?

Kind of a ridiculous piece, but why not?

Greetings from Lompoc chalk festival 2024 !#chalkm

Greetings from Lompoc chalk festival 2024 !#chalkmafia

My most elegant cat yet. The central Coast is wine

My most elegant cat yet. The central Coast is wine country and also lion country. #orcuttchalkfestival #orcuttchalkfestival2024 #chalkmafia

I love the 90s! photo shoot with Briana, theater s

I love the 90s! photo shoot with Briana, theater student at Moorpark College today. I'm soooo fortunate and thrilled with the results, she rocked it! Plus I got to assist other students with variations of background lights. Now that I've gotten to experiment with background lights in a photo studio, I'm amazed! I was captured in a teal phase. #ilovethe90s #photostudio #catchlights #portraitphotography #canonphotography

@melodymclns ! Light painted portrait of Melody Co

@melodymclns ! Light painted portrait of Melody Collins ...if you could see her music..or just a regular night out for Melody playing jazz! My top three, plus some outtakes with my trusty assistant Frank! Canon R6ii, 35mm, 5-8 secs, ISO 100, w/the smallest Godox flash/umbrella I can carry, tripod, Canon app, homemade lights, ninjas. #lightpaintingphotography #nightportrait #canonr6ii #jazzflutist #santabarbarajazz

Full moon capture

Full moon capture

mn I've been wanting to shoot a portrait of a pilo

mn I've been wanting to shoot a portrait of a pilot in flight...this was much more difficult than I thought it would be with radically dark and light areas through the windows and cockpit and the most cramped space possible. I could use a wider 'real estate' lens maybe (But I don't want the 'clown nose' effect) , more exposure bracketing and to have the pilot fly at certain angles to the the sunlight..it was sure fun trying this out..takeoffs , landings and 360s are fun roller coaster ride to me! Any pilots out there want a portrait? This pilot has been hard at work becoming an instructor and lands planes perfectly.

Silly Instagram - I cant mix a landscape & portrait photos without it cropping weird. #pilotphotographer #the99s #womenpilots

Astrophotography album #2 at Pine Mountain last we

Astrophotography album #2 at Pine Mountain last week! So much more fun when you finally have a decent tripod! Time lapses & extra batteries possibly later. There are better cameras for this but the R6 has been great. Next up Astro with light painting portraits #astrophotography #canonr6markii

Astrophotography album #1 at Pine Mountain last we

Astrophotography album #1 at Pine Mountain last week! So much more fun when you finally have a decent tripod! Time lapses & extra batteries possibly later. There are better cameras for this but the R6 has been great. Next up Astro with light painting portraits #astrophotography #canonr6markii

Better painting with light..5 secs exposure. #ligh

Better painting with light..5 secs exposure. #lightpaintingphotography

"Jen Paints Light" with @artbycrush #lightpainting

"Jen Paints Light" with @artbycrush #lightpaintingphotography

I made a small set, fiddled with my high seed sync

I made a small set, fiddled with my high seed sync flash umbrella for about an hour, grew more gray hair, but finally figured out how to take kitten portraits of the three Keetonnes: Tonne-Tonne, Tiny Tonne, Gandi and high speed action shots! I could not use a reflector to improve light for this shoot b/c my grown cat peed on it . Thanks to @furryfritz for inspiration and @btpwithcarty for pushing me to try working with lighting...these aren't puurrrrfect so please - more reps! You won't see the cats hunting the set, the camera strap, and running in every direction away from the set. Portraits shot with Canon R6ii 85mm f4.5 at 1/3200 ISO 100, and high speed shots with 50mm f6.3 at 1/800 ISO 1000. #failforward #catography #morereps #invisiblebicycle

Final version of #p22 at #pasadenachalkfestival 20

Final version of #p22 at #pasadenachalkfestival 2024. Was a fun weekend with other chalk artists in the classic Pasadena temperatures. #chalkmafia

Pasadena Chalk Festival day 1 tribute to #p22 #cha

Pasadena Chalk Festival day 1 tribute to #p22 #chalkmafia #pasadenachalkfestival

It was a privilege to photograph MB Hanrahan @mbhu

It was a privilege to photograph MB Hanrahan @mbhuniverse painting *awesome* critters on those huge water tanks that you can see from Hwy 33 near Shell Rd..a long time pro muralist. Follow her to see progress....the sharks about to eat small fish are my favorites. MB even wore matching colors! I didn't know it at the time but I had made an #environmentalportrait. Thanks to @btpwithcarty for the assignment. #muralist #muralphotography

Goose the Flerkin at @jackalopeartfair finished. W

Goose the Flerkin at @jackalopeartfair finished. Was fun to meet @toniboller and other artists! Looking forward to making a portrait of #P22 for #pasadenachalkfestival #chalkmafia

Goose the Flerkin at @jackalopeartfair in progress

Goose the Flerkin at @jackalopeartfair in progress in Burbank today #chalkmafia

I got to do a 'fashion shoot' last semester and a

I got to do a 'fashion shoot' last semester and a neighbor and her amazing daughter showed up beautifully. I really enjoyed it. It was not the fashion that was interesting but how people show up in it. I have have 9,999 hours to go, who is next? #portraitphotography

This guy could be my bro! Well OK we had to create

This guy could be my bro! Well OK we had to create self portraits as the opposite gender which turned out to be one of the fumiest days of my life as every shot was followed by laughter. Frightening my instructor and shocking classmates was sooo worth the discomfort. The class critique was a comedy show...you're welcome.@jilian_adkins shot these. #selfportrait #portraitphotography #dragking #canonr6markii

Almost done! Thanks for thr help of @artbyswain an

Almost done! Thanks for thr help of @artbyswain and a fountain by @missingartist and moral support from @tntivy … my biggest piece yet. Naptime! At @imadonnari

Something Massive sleeps at iMaddonari

Something Massive sleeps at iMaddonari

This weekend! Come to iMaddonari at Old Mission Sa

This weekend! Come to iMaddonari at Old Mission Santa Barbara..especially Monday when the street paintings will be completed and Mezcal Martini will be playing at 2pm..it's a great festival. I have something MASSIVE planned. @fatcatart

There is something special about low light portrai

There is something special about low light portraits...and then there is the problem of capturing so many good shots that curating becomes difficult...when you have @ninjabarqueen (Neena Naghmeh Nejad - force of nature) as your model!

Part 2 of creating a series of portraits of my fat

Part 2 of creating a series of portraits of my father for my @venturacollegephoto class F/18 exhibition featuring his quirks. 1-Citroën mechanic 2-Dementia on a good day (bathroom mirrors) 3-Dad with tools 4-film from the photo shoots #minoltax700 #portraitphotography I enjoyed using my dads mechanics light for studio light

I created a series of portraits of my father for m

I created a series of portraits of my father for my @venturacollegephoto class F/18 exhibition featuring his quirks. Since I did steal his #minoltax700 to learn film, it was fitting. I will post the landscape images separately as these don't crop square #portraitphotography 1-Garage 'window' portrait Zsolt in his native environment 2-Cant' have too many Hawaiian shirts 3-F/18 poster designed by yours truly

I feel like have to choose my subjects more carefu

I feel like have to choose my subjects more carefully for film. ..I'd like to make some portraits with this #minoltax700 this summer. I have a nice 50mm for it that my dad never used. I know that the larger negatives produce better photos but that will be for a piggy bank breaker medium format camera down the road.

It's so interesting that when I shot this I couldn't tell that the very front and back were out of focus in spite of what I thought was plenty of depth of field until I viewed the image full size. It was long exposure and I like the low light and scratches from use but I want to shoot it again with a different camera/lens/settings when I can get access to the product photo box.
#fromthemindofminolta

Julie Ann Wlasichuk has a most impressive collecti

Julie Ann Wlasichuk has a most impressive collection of collections! And she let me capture a few. She must let some go to move to a smaller space, but Darth Vader is going with her, of course. #portraitphotography She's a good egg that one. #itsallgood

Emily has THE most impressive collection of games,

Emily has THE most impressive collection of games, a very energetic retriever and guess what's her favorite color? And she's married to the really great guy in the previous post with the Flesh and Blood card collection.

People collect the most amazing things...my friend

People collect the most amazing things...my friend Steven has the most impressive collection of #fleshandblood cards printed with the finest gold leaf..and many colorful collectible playing mats with amazing artwork. #cardcollections

Reba McEggtire, Shania Layin, Betty Poop...my feat

Reba McEggtire, Shania Layin, Betty Poop...my feathered singer is a super star! Plus she tolerated transport to the @venturacollegephoto studio for handfuls of sunflower seeds. If I could figure out mini spotlights with colored gels, I'd re-shoot this one fancier! For Buttercup, it's not always easy to be an #emotionalsupportchicken ..she left a gift on the stage.

my photography portfolio website is live! https:/

my photography portfolio website is live!

https://photo.monidesign.com/

I'm sure I'll be super embarrassed by it in a few months and years as I improve, but I'm starting somewhere - from a humble AE1, Minolta X-700, darkroom chemicals, APS-C kit lenses to more sophisticated "pro" gear...but these tools don't make the artist, yet the artist is fortunate to have them available for failing forward faster...while appreciating the charm and effort of analog and the skills of the artists that used them.

This last semester I created some unique portraits

This last semester I created some unique portraits. Its harder than it looks but most rewarding. I intended to capture the essence of @toni_montana_406 @tntivy

More to follow....
#ᴄʀᴀᴢʏᴄʜɪᴄᴋᴇɴʟᴀᴅʏ

The rare and special tissue paper aurora was visib

The rare and special tissue paper aurora was visible in my bathroom with the naked eye!

This was a second attempt after a first attempt of a total crash & burn #photofail. It's improved but the tissue paper needs a little low light magic too.

Can you guess the theme? Hint: What remains? #ca

Can you guess the theme?

Hint: What remains?

#canonphotography
1 shavings at a metal shop 2 what remains behind 3 puns afoot statue 4 Urban Grow left this mural behind 5 The 80s called on Thompson by yours truly 6 It's For You on Borchard by yours truly 7 stone flower pot in Art City 8 foundation dweller in the remains of Golden China Restaurant

This young lady is the fastest 400m runner in the

This young lady is the fastest 400m runner in the county for 9-11 yr olds. I'm not a sports photographer but watching her leave her competition behind was fun to capture along with some athletic long jumpers

Taking a joyful tangent from photography to create

Taking a joyful tangent from photography to create this chalk mural tribute to #p22 the late beloved handsome mountain lion. Thanks to Riverside Unified School District for hiring me and @artbycrush amd @chalkmafia !

Cheap Chop the Black Australorp. She doesn't seem

Cheap Chop the Black Australorp. She doesn't seem to know to stay still for her #chickenportrait

Light painting portrait of a @melodymclns ! so blu

Light painting portrait of a @melodymclns ! so blur is a bit difficult to avoid with a looong exposure but worthwhile #longexposure #longexposurephotography #jazzfluteplayer

I got to help paint rhis mural today with @artbysw

I got to help paint rhis mural today with @artbyswain at The Bloc 7th/Metro Station follwed by an amIng dinner!!

light painting in the bathroom studio

light painting in the bathroom studio

Todays Flat Lay 🤣🐓 #flatlay

Todays Flat Lay 🤣🐓 #flatlay

This cactus is so gorgeous. I’ll have to come ba

This cactus is so gorgeous. I’ll have to come back here with a real camera.

Coming in this May 3 to Ventura's First Friday! Ve

Coming in this May 3 to Ventura's First Friday! Ventura College Applied Photography Exhibition at @643projectspace featuring stunning photography from 18 students including yours truly with time loop completion works. One night only.

Large format camera adventures....like finding old

Large format camera adventures....like finding old photos of @marisapasquini.sings in a time capsule; accidental double exposures, creatures at Vaquez Rocks and making friends with the 'portable darkroom' bag. I appreciate the effort and uniqueness of making photos decades ago. Thanks to @venturacollegephoto for lending me the bellows camera.

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