Ricky Davis 8/31/15 Ricky Davis 8/31/15

WWII/Vietnam Veteran Master Sgt. Cletis Bailey, Air Force - Photographer Ricky Davis

WWII & Vietnam Veteran - Master Sgt. Cletis Bailey

Meeting Mr. Bailey has been one of the most pleasurable experiences that I have had. This man is so good natured and friendly. His was a very interesting story and actually spans two of America's biggest conflicts as he served not only in World War II, but he also served two tours in Vietnam.

"I was drafted and took my basic training in Camp Blanding, Florida. About seventeen weeks of intensive training and pretty soon I found myself in Germany. I was assigned to the 84th Infantry Division and that was at the tail end of The Battle of the Bulge. I think I joined up with them in Belgium and then we went into Germany, up on the Roer River. We kinda dug in there and waited for the crossing. It had flooded. I joined as a replacement. Later on, when the situation had normalized, we made that river crossing and headed on into Germany. :

WWII & Vietnam Veteran - Master Sgt Cletis Bailey - Air Force - Photo by Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Canon 6D.

"Being in infantry, we did a lot of walking. The main activity that I was involved is was there was three of us after we finally took this town. We had lost 8 or 9 men taking that town. It was well defended with German paratroopers. After we had finally crossed the field, there was three of us assigned to go back across that field because we was short of ammunition. I didn't volunteer for that either. I didn't have a chance to back out. So anyway, we made it but there was a German sniper firing at us all the way over there. You could see the bullets hitting in between us. So one of the guys said I ain't about to go back over there. We'll get killed. But with all the stuff happening over there, tree bursts and mortars we'll surely get killed if we'd stayed over there. So we made it back across the field. But with all the shelling coming in, when we were heading out one of the guys up ahead got decapitated. "

Original Paper from 1945 of the Chattanooga Free Press - Photo by Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Canon 6D

"At the end of the War I was at the Elbe River. I came back to the States in 46, and stayed in the reserves for a little bit. I was working in Chattanooga but all of my friends had gotten out or left, so I decided to get back in the service. I went and got a little better education and then I was able to get in the Air Force. I still keep in contact with two or three guys I served in the 84th with. One of them was talking about when we shared a hole on the river. The Germans were across the river and they'd take shots across the river. They called us 'Roosevelt's Henchmen'. They say 'Roosevelt's Henchmen we're going to annihilate you.' So that was interesting. The was my introduction to German soil. That's where I earned my combat infantry.

I feel like I really played a small role. We had lost so many men, that's why I was selected as a replacement because we'd lost so many men at the Battle of the Bulge. They are the ones the did it. It was tragic as it was getting close to the end and losing so many men. I loved the old timers. One fella that I had hunkered down with the night before taking one stinking town, he got killed. Another one told his buddy that he had a feeling that he wasn't going to make it. They called him Chief because he was Indian. He got killed taking this town. They told him to just stay back, but he said no. I've been with you this long. He had been with them a real long time. That's the way it happens some times. "

Master Sgt. Cletis Bailey - Air Force holding a photo from his younger days. Photo by Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - FIlm - Tmax 100

"In Vietnam, it was a lot different. I didn't have to go on any patrols or anything like that. It was a different story in Vietnam though. I had a desk job, I was in accounting and finance taking care of military pay and travel. I needed some information from personnel next door. I walked over there and was talking to the sergeant and got what I needed. I stepped back outside and a rocket came in and took off the whole end of the building. It killed him. That was pretty close. So you never knew when you were gonna get it over there. Whether you were at a desk or out with the infantry in the field. The rockets were always coming in. But I led kind of a charmed life over there. I'm glad to be here, I'm glad to be anywhere, I enjoy living. "

Master Sgt. Cletis Bailey - Air Force - Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Canon 6D.

To finish talking with Mr. Bailey I asked him "with serving in both World War II and in Vietnam, what was the difference in the way that the soldiers were treated coming back from the war."

"That was a different story wasn't it? That war just wasn't accepted. So Vietnam Veterans just got the short end of the stick so to speak, they got mistreated. Through no fault of their own, we were just doing our job. It was a lot of politics I think. We lost a lot of men over there. I went to Washington DC and visiting the Memorial. I found Sgt. Dark's name, the fella that got killed, and I made an impression. "

I thoroughly enjoyed my time speaking with and listening to Mr. Bailey. He had so much life and zeal about him. He really brought a ray of light into my world and I hope that his story resonates with you and touches you as well.

If you know any World War II Veterans, Korean Veterans, or Vietnam Veterans, I would love to include them in my project and share their story. Please email me at trd@trdphotography.com

Ricky Davis 8/30/15 Ricky Davis 8/30/15

Spirit of 45- 70th Anniversary of V-J Day.

21 Gun Salute and Taps - Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 203 - Bugles Across America - David A. Cox - Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Tmax 100

Spirit of 45 - The 70th Anniversary of V-J Day - August 14 2015

As those of you that have been reading a lot of my recent posts, I've begun work on a WWII Veteran Photographic Series. Recently a friend of mine shared with me information about a V-J Day event taking place here in Chattanooga, TN. I'm so glad that she did! I hadn't heard of the event but it really had an amazing impact on me.

A WWII Veteran being brought to join fellow Vets before the ceremony. Photo by photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Kodak Tmax100

Growing up I've heard of different events such as this, but this is the first time I've gotten to attend. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I arrived about forty-five minutes before the ceremony was set to take place because I hoped to get to talk to some of the Veterans. When I first arrived I met David Cox, who happened to be performing Taps on the bugle for this event. Not only have I never been to a military event like this, I've never really shot at ceremonies other than weddings. I also shot this entire event in film only, which was another first. I was just crossing my fingers that they'd turn out.

Bugle Player - David A Cox. Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography. Film - Tmax 100.

Having no experience at an event like this, I didn't take as many photographs as I would have liked. So many of the parts of the ceremony we were standing, with our hand over our hearts. Sometimes these days we become so embittered with politics and bi-partisan fighting that we have forgotten what our country was founded on, what our men and women in the armed forces have fought for. It can be enough to really question what the whole thing is about anymore, and to be honest, I've been guilty of that myself.

V-J Day Anniversary - Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Tmax100.

Midway through the ceremony I had such a surreal moment that really just made me stop and question so much. A singer stood up and started singing our National Anthem, a song that we all have heard countless times before. Shortly into the song, softly I heard a raspy voice from where the WWII Veterans were standing start to sing. Slowly, more voices joined in. The voices weren't loud, but they were passionate. It was such a haunting experience for me hearing these men that are all pushing 90 or round about singing about their love and commitment to this great country that we have. That one moment stands out to me as not only a highlight of the event, but a highlight in my life.

Wreath Laying Ceremony - Spirit of 75 V-J Day Event - Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Tmax100

Originally I went to this event hoping to visit and talk with some WWII Veterans, and hopefully meet some men for my WWII Photographic Project. Both before and after though, I sat down and just listened. I listened to grown sons, one of which served in Vietnam, talking about their dads. One had brought framed flags and such that his dad had brought back from Japan. A local school attended as part of a field trip, and while a lot of kids were goofing off, I watched as this veterans son took the time to talk and show some of the kids these WWII relics and telling them stories of his dad, and I saw these kids eyes light up and take it all in.

Medal of Honor Recipient - Charles Coolidge - Photo by Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Tmax100

I watched as many of the WWII veterans gathered afterwards in the heat, waiting in a line to say a few words to Medal of Honor Recipient Charles Cooldige. He was a celebrity among these American Heroes. Look him up and read his story. It's amazing.

V-J Day Ceremony - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Film - Tmax100

So while I had planned on visiting, I took the day to just take it all in. It was such a privilege to see how happy these men were seeing each other and talking, at every turn someone was talking to someone else and waiting to give out hugs and pats on the shoulder. I feel so honored to be an American. Seeing these men, not fully understanding the sacrifices that they made for us, but starting to see a glimpse of that, really makes me want to do what I can to make a difference. I hope, I pray, that some of the stories that these men are sharing, that are out there will help make a difference in your life as it has in mine. Our country hasn't always been perfect, and it's not perfect now, but we are extremely blessed to be a part of it. And we owe the freedoms that we have, to these men and women. So next time you see a Vet, please be sure to thank them for their service.

If you know of someone that served in World War II, Korea, or in Vietnam - please send me an email to trd@trdphotography.com I would love to work with them on my Veteran project. Thank you!

Ricky

Ricky Davis 8/19/15 Ricky Davis 8/19/15

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Sgt. Ferdinand Moreno - Photographer Ricky Davis

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Sgt. Ferdinand Moreno

I've really been looking forward to this second entry in my series of WWII Veteran Portraits. This particular session was probably the toughest photo session on me personally that I've ever shot. When I first had the idea of doing this series, I pictured getting to sit around talking to veterans who were anxiously wanting to share their stories with whoever wanted to listen. With the first session, I was told that Mr. Davis had dementia. When I arrived he had forgotten a lot of things, but it was very pleasant conversation. With Sgt. Moreno, again I was told that he had dementia and I expected something similar to the conversation with Mr. Davis. I was mistaken.

When I arrived I found that his condition was a lot different than Mr. Davis. Sgt. Moreno's health is where he cannot speak. I found out from his nephew, who is his caretaker that he really hadn't been able to speak for a couple of months.. Even though he couldn't talk, I had a conversation with him, and his eyes, his eyes really reached into my chest and I felt like it was ripping my heart out. I've never been impacted by a session like I was by his. On his photos, I didn't shoot as many of Sgt. Moreno himself, because I wanted to capture his dignity and with his health, it was harder to do that. Please read further though as I was able to talk to his brother who shared with me some stories of his time in WWII, and Sgt. Moreno had some amazing war trophies that he brought home from the War that I photographed as well.

WWII Photographic Series - Sgt. Ferdinand Moreno - Photographer Ricky Davis - Film - Expired Kodak Tmax100

It took a couple of weeks but I was finally able to speak with Sgt. Moreno's brother, Malcolm, about World War II and what his brother did during the War. This is what I was told.

Sgt. Moreno was drafted into the Army. He didn't know which company or anything like that, but he said he was supposed to be in a tank. Sgt. Moreno had told him about the army showing photographs of what was happening with the German's armor piercing bullets. How they'd cut through the tanks and explode. Around that time they were asking volunteers to go into the infantry and Sgt. Moreno volunteered to go into infantry instead.

WWII Photographic Series - Sgt. Ferdinand Moreno - Photographer Ricky Davis - Shot with Canon 6D.

Malcolm told me that Ferd, as he affectionately calls his brother, didn't really like to talk about the war. He would only tell a couple of stories. He had a lot of demons from things he saw in the war. He helped to free a couple of the concentration camps and said that he would rather die than to ever surrender to the Germans. I'm going to share with you a story that I was told by Malcolm about a time that Sgt. Moreno was involved in an ambush.

One day in a village in France (he didn't know the name. Only that it was a really small village) Sgt. Moreno and one of his good friends were driving through in a military jeep. The town had been attacked and they were looking but they couldn't find anyone alive. Everyone was dead. They were debating what to do when from behind one of the small buildings, two Germans stepped out with guns trained on them and in perfect American English told them to get out of the jeep. Ferdinand was 6'4 and was crammed tightly into the jeep, which made getting out a little bit difficult. The Germans told them to throw down there weapons while they were getting out. They continued to move slowly...

Ferdinand's mind was racing and as he was moving to get out of the jeep, he noticed that the Germans had turned slightly and weren't paying close attention. He quickly grabbed his gun and fired a slew of bullets into the Germans, killing them. Sgt. Moreno and his friend had seen a ditch that wrapped it's way around the small village a little ways away and made a dash for it. As they reached it, more German's opened up on them. His friend was shot through the head and fell dead instantly. Sgt. Moreno had bullets pierce his shirt but didn't even get a scratch, just a few holes in his shirt. He hunkered down in the ditch and crawled down a ways. He peeked up, and saw German faces looking out of windows in some of the buildings. He fired, and the German dropped. He kept moving and firing at different Germans as they were trying to pinpoint his location, unsuccessfully.

Slowly, Sgt. Moreno made his way back towards his lines. I was told that he killed 40 Germans. I'm not sure if that was on this mission, or in total during the war. His nephew had told me that he heard he killed 28 Germans and that Sgt. Moreno was haunted by his past throughout his life. There's probably no real way to know, and that number isn't the thing that really matters.

I feel incredibly blessed to have gotten to sit and meet this American hero. It's still hard for me to look at the photos, his eyes still just cut right through me. When you think about the age that these men and women were living in, and the evil that was being wrought upon the world and spreading across the European continent at the time, you realize.he wasn't a hero for killing Germans, he was a hero for answering when his country called. He was a hero when he helped to liberate these camps where men, women, and children were emancipated, raped, and even murdered. I personally can't imagine the things he saw, nor can I imagine the things our servicemen see and deal with now. We have to hold onto our past and learn from it to get to where we need to be tomorrow, and grow as human beings. Sgt. Moreno also was honored with the Bronze Star for his service in WWII. I hope that you enjoyed reading a little bit about this man, and his service to our country. If you did, feel free to share this.

Ricky

Ricky Davis 8/17/15 Ricky Davis 8/17/15

Seeing Yourself in Beauty and in Decay...Photographer Ricky Davis

Beauty in the Decay Series - The Window - Model Liz Price - Photographer Ricky Davis - Shot with Canon 6D.

Seeing yourself in the Beauty and the Decay – By Ricky Davis

Back in 2013, I began a series which I titled Beauty in the Decay. I had been inspired by the work of the amazing Karen Jerzyk who goes into abandoned buildings and shoots nude models. The work is mind blowing and very powerful. Now I don’t shoot nude models, the most that I shoot is implied, but I really liked the idea of doing a series that pits beauty in the midst of decay, from my perspective. I feel that this can open up a lot of questions. What is beauty, really what is decay?

I shot two photos for the series in 2013, and none in 2014. I got a little off track. Recently I decided I wanted to began it again and had the opportunity to work with the amazing Liz Price for a new image to add into it.

A few weeks ago I posted the image above on Facebook and Instagram and I asked the question of what people feel, or what are their thoughts regarding what’s happening in the photo. I held my own opinion back until now. I wanted to share a few of the responses that I received about this photo.

“She feels alone in a society that says her body doesn’t fit the standards for beautiful.” Amanda C.

“Longing for her dreams, hope that’s lost” Carol Ann M.

“She’s feeling embarrassed or shunned. Lack of confidence, yearning to be accepted.” Kellie H.

“I see someone who has hit rock bottom, and this is the moment she decides to take her life back!
I feel like her thoughts are, “screw the world! Wait until they see what I have coming for them!” (In a positive sense)
For me, it seems like a moment of transformation!” Trevor L.

“Remembering what once was…” Christy G.

” I see someone reflecting waiting for a change who is to know if it is good or bad” Kennedy G.

“Loneliness looking out into the darkness for a single ray of light.” Gregory A.

Those were responses on Facebook, here’s some of what people on Instagram had to say.

“A very foreboding, dark, & sinister look. Emotionally I’m intrigued on what the subject sees outside the window.” VIntageterrance

“I feel sad. I feel like she got left at the alter and she is soo misrable she still has on her wedding crenlen slip, and is staring outside waiting for her groom to show up…..” Mrsham1993

“To me it feels forlorn…like she’s waiting on someone who never came” DarthCrowe

As I started reading the comments as they were being posted, the thought resonated with me, especially as I knew a few of the people commenting, with things that were going on in their lives. They weren’t necessarily just viewing Liz as a model in some far off photograph, some were seeing themselves in her place. My idea was justified a few minutes later when Carol Ann commented ” You know, after reading everyone’s response, I think that our critique is how we actually feel unsure emoticon or maybe it’s just me.”

So what is the purpose of art? Sometimes I think it’s helpful for us to grow and to sort through things that we are dealing with when we can step out of ourselves and see it in third person. Much the way that some were able to step into Liz’s position and relate.

For me, this photograph is a symbol of hope and beauty. Yes, the room is trashed, and it’s dark and bleak. Yes, she’s not airbrushed, liquified, and the like. It’s gritty and the location doesn’t seem too inviting. The curtains to the window are drawn, except for where she’s holding them apart. She’s not looking behind her at the disheveled mess that’s in the past, but she’s looking forward through the window into what’s to come. Too often we focus on the distractions around us instead of looking ahead. We don’t know what’s to come, but we already know what’s behind us. That’s what it makes me feel anyway.

I hope that you like the image and will stay tuned for more.

Ricky

If you’d like to work with me, trd@trdphotography.com

Ricky Davis 8/12/15 Ricky Davis 8/12/15

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Pvt. Ralph Davis - Photographer Ricky Davis

WWII Artilleryman - Pvt Ralph Davis - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Expired Kodak T-Max100 Film -

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Private Ralph Davis

Before I begin to share my experience with Mr. Davis, I’d like to share my inspiration for doing this portrait series. I have long been interested in military history, particularly Vietnam and World War II. As I’ve watched current events unfolding before our eyes, I feel that it is imperative that we chronicle and preserve the history of those in “The Greatest Generation” because we are losing a lot as a country and forgetting what has made us great. If we let these heroes that fought for our freedom pass on without learning the lessons that they can teach us, who knows if we will ever find our way back as a country. That is my ultimate goal with this series.

WWII Artilleryman - Pvt Ralph Davis - Photographer Ricky Davis - Photo taken with Canon 6D.

I had ultimately planned to begin this project when I returned home from Oregon but upon arriving I found out that my mother-in-law knew two local World War II Veterans living here in the area. I got to meet Mr. Davis, no relation to me, on Wednesday evening. When I was first told about Ralph, I was told that he doesn’t remember very much about the war because he is suffering from dementia a little bit. Upon getting to sit down and visit with him I was honored to talk about life, and a little more about the war than he had spoken about in the last thirty years.

Ralph enlisted in the Army soon after Pearl Harbor. He was assigned to infantry and was an artilleryman in Germany. I asked him when he arrived in Germany but he didn’t remember. He mentioned that he was in a few battles but not that many. He said ” I was scared. You didn’t know what was going to happen. But times are worse now than they were before. There’s no telling what’s going to happen.”

WWII Artilleryman - Pvt Ralph Davis - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Shot taken with Canon 6D.

One thing that was really important to Ralph, was that even in the height of the war, with the Army giving out cigarettes to all the soldiers, he never smoked or drank. He said ” I didn’t even drink coffee. It was way too bitter.”

When I asked Ralph about where he was at when the war ended, he said he was in Otterberg, Germany. He told me that memories of the war were hard, that there was so many things that happened that he just wanted to forget. From talking to family members, they said he never really talked about the war that much.

In conclusion with this this first blog in my World War II series, I really think I learned a lot with this first session and interview. In a lot of the books that I’ve read, and the documentaries that I’ve seen, and even letters I have received, most of the servicemen have wanted their stories known. But there are different faces, different stories, and different viewpoints, even among those that lived through those times. Some came home and dealt with their experiences by sharing, and some dealt with their experiences by trying to forget. Everybody is different and there’s no telling how we would react in those circumstances. One thing that is absolutely certain, when freedom was on the line, and our Country called, these men answered the bell. Thank you for reading, and thank you to the veterans that have helped to make our country what it was, what it is, and what it will become.

P.S.

I wanted to say a couple of more words. Originally I posted this blog on Wordpress site while I was still on vacation in Oregon. I photographed Ralph using both my Canon 6D and also I shot some expired Kodak T-Max film. Since I posted the original blog while on vacation, my film wasn't back yet, so I added some film shots of Ralph here, mixed in with the digital photos. Each one is marked. I really hope you enjoy his story, and the photos. Stay tuned for more in this series to come.

Ricky Davis 8/11/15 Ricky Davis 8/11/15

Keeping Portland Weird - Perspective with Film by Ricky Davis

Portland, Oregon - Street Photography by Ricky Davis of TRD Photography. Ilford 400 HP5 Film

Keep Portland Weird....

It's a slogan you see everywhere in Portland, or at least in all the Made in Oregon stores. This summer I made my third trip to the City of Roses in the last four years. This time I really didn't have time to do a whole lot of anything IN Portland. Sadly, our plans got kind of redone when my wife's uncles unexpectedly passed away and we made a trip down to California for his memorial service. That was really unfortunate but it did allow us to see family that we wouldn't have had the chance to see.

I was able to make my way into Portland one morning for a couple of hours while I was out there. There were things that were the same, and things that had changed a bit since the last time I wandered around downtown.

Everyday Music Record Store - Downtown, Portland Oregon. Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Ilford 400 HP5 Film

One thing that has changed in the time I left, I went into some record stores in Portland, actually looking to pick up some records. In 2013, I actually had sold my records before going out because I didn't want to move them across the country. When we came back to TN, I didn't really think about albums but started picking them up again some last year. I honestly didn't want to pick any albums up this year because I didn't want to have to ship them back, but I found a copy of Shooter Jennings debut "Put the O Back in Country." and a Waylon that I didn't have, so yeah, I got them back.

Homeless girl sleeping on the sidewalk - Portland, OR - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Ilford 400 HP5 Film

Sadly, one thing that hadn't changed was the amount of homelessness in Portland. In 2013, it was bad. Under every bridge it seemed like a community. This year, when we first arrived I didn't see anyone. I thought maybe things had improved. When I went walking around downtown though, people were everywhere. Some were extremely nice and talked, some definitely had some mental issues. One thing that really impacted me was walking down the sidewalks and the amount of people just sleeping. All around them, people were walking by without seeming to notice. It was almost like two different worlds operating in the same vicinity.

Painting outside a Homeless Camp in Portland, OR - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Kodak Ektar 100 Film

This photo is one of the first color film shots I took. I definitely want to work more on color film, but this sign really stood out to me. I was walking by what I guess was a lot that had been converted into a homeless camp. There was a wooden "wall" built around and tents and lean-to's inside. Outside different people had made signs to put on the wall. This sign stood out to me, with the message of having the right to dream, too. If you think about it, it just seems to be very poignant.

Mural in Portland, OR - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Ilford 400 HP5 Film

I love seeing different murals, and graffiti. When I was in Portland before, I never was able to really find near as much graffiti and paintings as I'm accustomed to in Chattanooga/Nashville/Knoxville. As I was walking around I saw this, and it was just gorgeous. This was my favorite photo of it. Below is one that has a lady walking next to it, just for size comparison. Whoever did this did an amazing job.

Here's another mural that was farther down on a wall from the other lady. The detail and emotion in this paintings eyes I thought was really outstanding and just drew you to it.

Building in Portland, OR - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Ilford 400 HP 5 Film

I love checking out different buildings, in different places. I really love buildings that are designed in this style. It's just so much more interesting than typical square buildings.

I'll wrap up this blog with this last shot, another from my Ektar 100. No Boundaries. I guess that could mean a lot of different things, to a lot of different people. It can be a good motivator, and at the same time in the wrong hands "No Boundaries" can be a horrifying thing. I choose to think of it as we tend to set boundaries on what we can achieve, or we allow others to set boundaries on what we are capable of. Really it's all on who we give control. We can choose to believe it, or we can push ourselves beyond what we're told is possible. That choice is yours.

Ricky

Ricky Davis 8/10/15 Ricky Davis 8/10/15

Film in the Studio? Finally got to try it!

Model Krysten Barnes - Photographer Ricky Davis of TRD Photography - Fuji Acros 100 Film

Film in the Studio...Finally got to try it!

My apologies in the repost of this blog. I was cleaning out some older posts that were no longer applicable and somehow today's post got deleted as well.

Recently I have started working to learn more about film photography. When I first played around with photography it was all film. I had no idea what I was doing. When I got serious about photography, I learned by shooting digital. Now I'm increasingly interested in working to learning film. It's been an interesting journey so far!

A few weeks ago I was preparing to head off to Portland, OR for a couple of weeks, but I really wanted to try shooting film in studio before I left. That way when I got back, my negatives would be here and I could see how it worked. I was happy when an old friend of mine was able to work her schedule around and shoot with me a couple days before I was set to leave. Krysten and I have collaborated on some of my favorite photographs over the years.

Our shoot consisted of shooting two different films, expired Fuji Acros 100 and expired Kodak Tmax400. As I had no idea how film would work with studio lighting, we tried several different looks, just to make sure we tried different things to see how it would work.

The Fuji Acros 100 was my favorite film to work with that day I think. I liked the exposures on the Tmax too, but we had lighting issues where most of those ended up being scrapped. I started off shooting with high wattage constant light, and those were great! When I used my studio strobes, my shutter speed was too fast for the film to light up the whole frame.I really look forward to working on that next time.

These images haven't been edited, other than removing a few large scratches from processing. I'm really looking forward to working more with film in the studio and soon beginning to work on actual darkroom techniques and processing my own film. So stay tuned...

Ricky

Ricky Davis 6/10/15 Ricky Davis 6/10/15

Abandoned Places - Oh My! TRD Photography & Liz Price

Model - Liz Price - Photo by TRD Photography

Abandoned Places -

Recently I had the opportunity to work with a killer model that I hadn't seen in quite a few years. She was getting ready to leave for Italy but reached out to me because of this insane location. It was such a pleasure to reconnect and make some killer work with Liz in this amazing location.

What type of abadoned places would you like to visit? Are you interested more for thrill seeking or the history? I personally don't shoot in as many abandoned type locations as I would like. I love the atmosphere and the historical aspect of these places. You can almost feel the life forms around you. I'd love to do more but I try to always get permission beforehand.

Be sure to stay tuned for more from this set! This is just a sampling of what's to come. I'm based in the Chattanooga, TN area and if anyone knows of any locations or would like to book a shoot with me. Feel free to shoot me an email. I'd love to work with you!

RIcky

trd@trdphotography.com

Ricky Davis 6/9/15 Ricky Davis 6/9/15

Photo of the Day - Leighann Word & TRD Photography

Model - Leighann Word - Photo by TRD Photography

Photo of the Day - 6/9/2014

Apparently, it's gotten to the point that I'm only gonna be able to share a few of my photos on Facebook going forward, as anything with shadows gets pixelated beyond recognition. So good news, it means I'll be sharing more here on my blog, which in reality I should be doing anyway.

Here's a sneak peek from a set I did recently with my pal Leighann Word. This set is going to be insane! This is a raw image, no photoshop except for b&w conversion.

As always, to book me, just shoot me an email to trd@trdphotography.com I'd love to work with you.

Ricky Davis 6/1/15 Ricky Davis 6/1/15

Tattoo Artist, Curtis Saffels. Tattoo Video by TRD Photography

Tattoo Artist Curtis Saffels live at the Chattanooga Tattoo Convention

Tattoo Artist Curtis Saffels is a local artist at Inked Expressions in East Ridge, TN. I've been a big fan of Curtis' for some time and back in 2013 he did a killer Humphrey Bogart portrait for me. During the Chattanooga Tattoo Convention last weekend I was talking to Curtis and watching him do a killer Skeletor tattoo on another local tattoo artist, Chris Adkins. I've never done video work of a tattoo but I took a few frames just to try it out and here's what we got. Hope you guys dig it.

Ricky

You can find more of my work below.

www.trdphotography.com

Instagram - @trd_photography (portfolio work)

Snapchat - @trd_photography (bts exclusives)

Twitter and Pinterest - @trd_photography

FB - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

Ricky Davis 5/22/15 Ricky Davis 5/22/15

Chattanooga Tattoo Convention - TRD Photography

Tattoo Artist Dietsch of Blackbeard Tattoo - TRD Photography

Chattanooga Tattoo Convention

Today starts the third annual Chattanooga Tattoo Convention at 2pm. Tattoo Artists and Tattoo Enthusiasts will be gathered at the Chattanooga Trade Center and I'm stoked to be a part of it this year. My friends, Tim Harden and Kellie Ruthless have invited me to hang out with them at the Revolution Tattoos booth. The convention has some amazing artists and a lot of cool shows planned. So if you have some time this weekend, come check it out.

As for me, I'll have prints on hand, many of which have never been in print form before, and I'm offering a huge print sale.

8x10's are $10 each or 2 for $15.

11x14's are $20 each or 2 for $30.

I'll also be booking shoots for June 2014, so come put down a deposit on that shoot you know you've been wanting to do!

Below are some more photos I took at last years convention.

The Enigma and Syrena Rose - TRD Photography

David Braden doing a hand poked tattoo on Kitty Konniption - TRD Photography

Tattoo Artist Lynn Buckner of Main Line Ink - TRD Photography

Ricky Davis 5/8/15 Ricky Davis 5/8/15

Nashville Full Moon Tattoo & Horror Convention

The 86'd invades Nashville

So today is the day! The 86'd will be at the Nashville Full Moon Tattoo and Horror Festival starting today. Several of our girls will be there for Saturday only. But come hang out and have a good time! We'll be doing a lot of bts stuff on Snapchat. I'll be posting exclusively on "TRD TV" at trd_photography on Snapchat. So be sure to check it out. Peace!

Ricky

www.trdphotography.com - trd@trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

IG - Twitter - Snapchat - Pinterest - @trd_photography

Ricky Davis 5/8/15 Ricky Davis 5/8/15

TRD Photography - Something New and Different

Model - Carey - Concept/Hair/MUA - Pamela Kibby - Photo - TRD Photography

Birds of a Feather - Concept by Pamela Kibby

Awhile back I had a client come to me that was entering NAHA in the student category. She wanted to do a bird themed set for her submissions. This was a lot of fun to do, as I don't do a whole lot in the high fashion type set.

Pamela did an amazing job on the hair/makeup, but sadly she didn't make it into NAHA this year, but next year you better watch out. Check out the rest of her creations as well.

Model - Makynna Rigsby - Hair/MUA - Pamela Kibby - Photo - TRD Photography

Model - Ashley Rigsby - Hair/MUA - Pamela Kibby - Photo - TRD Photography

Hope you enjoyed checking these out!

Ricky

www.trdphotography.com - trd@trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

IG - Twitter - Snapchat - Pinterest - @trd_photography

Ricky Davis 4/21/15 Ricky Davis 4/21/15

Tattoo Model - Photo of the Day - Raven Lee - TRD Photography

Tattoo Model Raven Lee

Raven has become one of my best friends over the years. She's such a sweet, authentic person and that's pretty hard to find. This set we shot in North Georgia. The above photo I wanted to keep a real, natural feel to it. The only photoshop work done on this was adjusting the colors. No airbrushing/liquifying type stuff at all. I hope you dig it.

Ricky - TRD Photography

Chattanooga, TN - www.trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

FInd me on Twitter/IG/Snapchat/Pinterest - @trd_photography

Ricky Davis 4/17/15 Ricky Davis 4/17/15

TRD Photography RAW - To Photoshop or not to Photoshop

TRD Photography - RAW - Photoshop or Natural?

Over the years my work has made quite a few transitions. Recently in the market there's been a step back to getting to more natural, more raw type of imagery. I've always been a huge fan of black and white gritty images. I love the natural look but haven't done much work that way.

A good friend of mine, the young lady above, model Dalis Connell, talked me into releasing some non-photoshop images. That's a big step for me as I've become known for the processed style that I do. It's been a liberating experience and I truly hope to do more "no photoshop" type work in the future.

The TRD Photography - Raw experience features natural work. These images haven't been airbrushed, or liquified. The only editing is b&w conversion.

I'm not here to bash Photoshop, it is an amazing tool that I use and will continue to use on a regular basis. I love many styles of work and they all have their place. So don't be concerned that I won't be doing my color popping stuff. I'm just adding a new element to my work and I hope that you enjoy it.

Ricky

www.trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography - www.facebook.com/rawtrd

IG - @trd_photography - @raw_trd - Twitter - @trd_photography - Snapchat - @trd_photography - Pinterest - @trd_photography

Ricky Davis 3/29/15 Ricky Davis 3/29/15

Faithmarks Chapter 2 - Tattoos of Faith event

Faithmarks Chapter 2 Event - TRD Photography - Chattanooga, TN - Faith Based Tattoos

Faithmarks Chapter 2 - Tattoos of Faith Event held in Chattanooga, TN

When people start talking about tattoos and faith, the conversations can get sordid pretty quickly in some circles. Last fall I was approached by Anna Golladay and Carl Greene of St. Marks United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, TN. Back in 2013 they held the first Faithmarks exhibit, which served to get people talking about faith and tattoos and the stories of their faith that led to the tattoos.

Anna and Carl were looking to do a "Chapter Two" event and were interested in me doing the photography for this project. I was extremely stoked to be able to do this as I've always enjoyed shooting projects to challenge ideals, such as when I did the "Equality Series" back in 2013.

We set aside four Sundays to do the sessions, which eventually became five, over this past winter. It was such a unique experience for me personally. Folks would come in and let me see their tattoo, what it was and location, and then would share with me their story while I was brainstorming where to shoot it and what kind of perspective to put on it. The stories were very touching and inspiring.

This weekend was a blur, as yesterday I had to get up at 4am to be at the church to see the canvas for the first time, as well as get to be a part of a great live interview with the Faithmarks team on WTVC Newschannel 9. I was nervous to see how my work flowed with the previous exhibit pieces and that was extremely important to me to keep them fluid with what was already done.

Last night we held the event and I was so pleased with the turnout. Fifty minutes into the event I was told we'd already had two hundred people come out. It was very inspiring to see people in my community come out and support this. I saw young children standing in front of my photographs just staring intently, while moments before they were running around playing. I saw elderly people looking at the photographs and reading the stories while wiping away tears. I had people thanking me for both how I shot these photos but bringing up past work that I did with the Equality Series. It was a very powerful experience for me.

Next up, the exhibit will still be at St. Marks on display for the next little bit, but then it'll be going back out on the road as a traveling art show. Last year it traveled across the country to different festivals and churches that wanted to use it as a talking point. This year, I'm not sure if it's been worked out logistically or not, but I know there were places overseas interested in bringing it over to show as well.

Some people don't think that tattoos and faith can mix. I'd challenge you to open up your mind, read the stories, get to know people for who they are on the inside and not what they look like on the outside. You might be pleasantly surprised not just by finding out their stories, but by the renewing of your spirit as well.

Ricky

Check out Faithmarks online at www.ourfaithmarks.com

www.trdphotography.com - trd@trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

IG/Twitter/Snapchat/ Pinterest - @trd_photography

Ricky Davis 2/27/15 Ricky Davis 2/27/15

Behind the Scenes at a TRD Photography Event

BTS at the Feb 22nd Blowout...

On February 22nd we offered a special event at the TRD Photography studio. We'd done some renovating and decided to celebrate by offering a big discount day. We had a great day with seven ladies booking slots. It got extremely hectic and I didn't get to video as much as I had planned, but we put together some short clips as well as some of the edited images from several of the ladies to kinda give a glimpse into the day.

I wanna thank my pal, Raven Lee, for assisting me that day. She was a huge help. Raven and I have a special video project of our own that'll be debuting here in the near future. Check out some of the final product below of several of the amazing ladies I got to work with that day!

much love and thanks for all the continued support,

Ricky

www.trdphotography.com - www.facebook.com/trdphotography

IG - Twiiter - Pinterest - @trd_photography - Chattanooga, TN

Lucia Silveria - TRD Photography - Her first ever professional shoot and she rocked it!

Model TIffany Merriman - TRD Photography

Ricky Davis 2/21/15 Ricky Davis 2/21/15

Photo of the Day - April Bijou - 2/21/2015

Model April Bijou - TRD Photography - Chattanooga TN - 2014

Photo of the Day - April Bijou - 2/21/2015 - TRD Photography

This was one of my favorites from 2015. I met April at the Chattanooga Tattoo Convention and she booked a session with me. She blew me away at our shoot! I'm really stoked as tomorrow I'll be getting to do another session with April as she booked one of my slots from my special studio session I offered recently.

So stay tuned to see some more killer work from this young lady. You can follow her FB page at the following...

www.facebook.com/pages/April-Bijou-Modeling/472890502857230

Follow more of my work at the following as well.

www.facebook.com/trdphotography - IG, Twitter, and Pinterest - @trd_photography

www.trdphotography.com - trd@trdphotography.com - Chattanooga, TN

Ricky Davis 2/20/15 Ricky Davis 2/20/15

Flashback Friday - Mandi Mayhem -

Model - Mandi Mayhem - TRD Photography - Photo of the Day 2/20/2015

Flashback Friday - Model Mandi Mayhem - POTD 2/20/2015

Let's face it, I've got some absolutely amazing friends. Mandi is just a mind blowing talented lady and all around awesome person. This was from our last set that we got to shoot. It was featured in Ink Revolution when I was still working with it.

Go check out Mandi's FB page at www.facebook.com/pages/Mandi-Mayhem/139923119450671

View more of my work at the following.

www.facebook.com/trdphotography - Twitter & IG - @trd_photography

trd@trdphotography.com - www.trdphotography.com

As always, I'm Ricky of TRD Photography and I'm based in the Chattanooga, TN area. My studio is a stones throw from Chattanooga in Cleveland. I specialize in model photography but I also work with bands and businesses in creating a unique look to help brand their image. Hit me up if you're interested.

Ricky Davis 2/19/15 Ricky Davis 2/19/15

Throwback Thursday - Hotels Project with Raven Lee

Model Raven Lee from the Hotel Series by TRD Photography - Photo of the Day 2/19/2015

Photo of the Day - 2/19/2015 - Throwback Thursday - The Hotel Series with Raven Lee

One of my absolute favorite people in the world happens to be Ms. Raven Lee. I met her back in early 2012 and have had so many amazing, artistic shoots with this lady. She's been one of the sweetest, most genuine souls I've ever met! One thing about Raven that I've not ever seen at her level is how prepared she always is. Her specialty is really in nailing artistic shoot and she goes above and beyond in planning. I've never seen anyone else like her!

I chose this photo to share with you guys today because this one came from one of my projects! It's a project that I've not really worked on since 2013 and I'd like to get it rolling again this year. It's what I called the Hotel Project. The basis of it came from the idea of working towards a book project featuring more character driven b&w shots done at hotels. Different places with different vibes.

Even though this was one of our lesser planned out sets, it's still one of my absolute fav sets. We went for more of the old Hollywood starlet feel, with her look and with the edit.

Be sure to go check her out on Facebook below.

www.facebook.com/theravenlee

Be sure to stay tuned to the blog as I have a video project coming up with her VERY soon. :)

You can check out more of my work at....

www.facebook.com/trdphotography - Twitter & IG - @trd_photography

Email - trd@trdphotography.com - www.trdphotography.com

I'm Ricky Davis and I'm based in the Chattanooga, TN area. .

WWII/Vietnam Veteran Master Sgt. Cletis Bailey, Air Force - Photographer Ricky Davis

Spirit of 45- 70th Anniversary of V-J Day.

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Sgt. Ferdinand Moreno - Photographer Ricky Davis

Seeing Yourself in Beauty and in Decay...Photographer Ricky Davis

WWII Veteran Photographic Series - Pvt. Ralph Davis - Photographer Ricky Davis

Keeping Portland Weird - Perspective with Film by Ricky Davis

Film in the Studio? Finally got to try it!

Abandoned Places - Oh My! TRD Photography & Liz Price

Photo of the Day - Leighann Word & TRD Photography

Tattoo Artist, Curtis Saffels. Tattoo Video by TRD Photography

Chattanooga Tattoo Convention - TRD Photography

Nashville Full Moon Tattoo & Horror Convention

TRD Photography - Something New and Different

Tattoo Model - Photo of the Day - Raven Lee - TRD Photography

TRD Photography RAW - To Photoshop or not to Photoshop

Faithmarks Chapter 2 - Tattoos of Faith event

Behind the Scenes at a TRD Photography Event

Photo of the Day - April Bijou - 2/21/2015

Flashback Friday - Mandi Mayhem -

Throwback Thursday - Hotels Project with Raven Lee

Search Posts

Featured Posts