somewhere between a handshake and two kisses

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about

Paige Green is a documentary and portrait photographer, whose storytelling approach to photography frequently addresses issues involving agriculture, land use, and food. Her work is featured in nine books and has been published in Glamour, National Geographic Traveler, New York Times Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, Country Living, House Beautiful, and Culture. Paige lives in Petaluma, CA with a house full of boys.

  • What Happens Next…

    One…

    Photo…

    Isn’t…

    Enough…

    Because I always want to know what happens next.

    The same is true in life. I always want to know what is going to happen next. And what happens after photographing a ballerina on a roof top overlooking San Francisco? Hopefully more photo shoots with ballerinas on roof tops overlooking San Francisco. It was a photo shoot that I needed. A photo shoot to recharge my creative batteries. A photo shoot that was fun. Thank you, Terez, for sharing your incredible talent, and thank you, JC, for making it all come together.

    And I really hope more of this…

    …happens next.

  • Local Wisdom…

    Local Wisdom is a research project by Dr Kate Fletcher that aims to gather examples of clothes that are used in ways that save resources and give us satisfaction.

    The Local Wisdom process involves documenting the stories of clothes, through image and word. Photo shoots are advertised in local press, community notice boards and within established local networks.

     

    Volunteers are asked to bring along something that fits into one of the following categories:

    • Garments that are shared between people
    • Garments that are regularly worn and have never been washed (and aren’t leather!)
    • Garments that show or tell the story of how they have been used
    • Garments that are made up of interchangeable pieces that can be worn in different ways
    • Garments that are worn the same in different situations
    • Garments or elements of garments that make for easy repair
    • Garments enjoying a third, fourth or fifth life
    • Garments that catch your attention each time you wear them
    • Garments worn in ways that reinforce or defy the producer’s values
    • Garments that connect us to others and/or remind us of our potential
    • Garments worn in response to changing economic and environmental concerns
    • Garments that are adapted over and again to meet changing needs
    • Garments that are perfect for you

    To learn more and to see more images from the day, please visit the Local Wisdom website.

    Thank you to Rebecca for introducing me to Lynda. Thank you to Lynda for introducing me to Kate. Thank you to Kate for giving me the opportunity to document your project. Thank you to all the volunteers who became fabulous models, whether they wanted to or not. And thank you to Bridget for staying by my side all day and for helping make the photos even better.

  • I found the house that I want to live in…

    In this house tea and cookies are presented, when you walk through the door, by Anna’s dear husband with a British accent.

    I am a sucker for accents and cookies.

    The house also comes with two very delightful kids and a little dog.

    Love kids and dogs.

    Homemade soda bread is effortlessly thrown together in just a few minutes, and before you know it… you are eating a steaming hot slice with the perfect amount of butter.

    Homemade bread + butter = Heaven.

    And all this amazing-ness was created by the lovely Anna herself… who makes you forget time with her piercing blue eyes, captivating stories and big heart.

    It may be a little premature to say this, but I think I fell in love with this household and everyone in it… But since moving in with them is probably out of the question, I am happy to settle for the few moments that I had to document their lives last Sunday afternoon.

    And I am even more excited about the possibility of working with Anna on her documentary project. A few weeks ago, I received an email from Anna that said:

    I just got accepted for a proposal I submitted to Kickstarter and would love to have a few great photographs to add to the promotional pieces.

    The project I am working on is a photo essay/documentary called International Lunchbox, it is a collection of narratives from people, talking about what they feed their children, the issue, the histories, the stories and recipes.  I am trying to make some contacts to people who may be interested in participating in telling their stories.  It is a photo essay/documentary giving a very personal account from the vantage point of the parent or caregiver.

    I told Anna that her project is exactly the kind of work that I would like to be doing more of and to please let me know how I can help.

    So we started with tea, cookies, conversation and soda bread… and I can not wait to see what comes next.

  • Make Yourself…

    Recently I was asked to document a few Women’s Nike Training Clubs at local universities…

    The Nike Training Club workout is a free 6 week long fitness course that offers 60 minute full body, high intensity interval trainings that are designed to get you lean, toned and strong. Participating will not only get you fit, but also give you the opportunity to get a free Nike women’s tank top (if a women’s tank is not good for you, maybe re-gift to a friend) and put you in the running for $500. (Description from the UC Berkeley website.)

    I didn’t get a free tank top, but I did get inspired by watching so many young women working hard to make themselves strong and healthy. And funny enough…  all the up and downs that I tried to keep up with throughout the one hour workout meant that I came away with sore legs too. Yikes. I guess I need a Nike Training Club to start in Petaluma… but that is wishful thinking. I don’t believe Petaluma is high on Nike’s radar. So I guess I will have to settle for the free workout app instead.

     

     

  • My Best Tip-Toe Forward…

    Last week I received a phone call from a well-known company asking to see my portfolio. They wanted to see still life, food and some people (because they don’t usually do much photography of people.)

    While that phone call was very exciting, the problem was that no one had ever asked me to send in an actual printed portfolio before… so I didn’t have a portfolio to send.

    Inspired, I started enthusiastically dragging out the hard drives and digging though the archives. Eventually I came up with a portfolio containing my most favorite 137 photos.

    Luckily my talented graphic designer and trusty adviser, Tyler Young, said 137 photos might be a tad too many. So reluctantly, I whittled the portfolio down and here it is… my best (abridged) attempt to tip-toe further into the commercial world of still-life and food… with just a few people.

  • You tell me… (contest below)

    I often get asked, “What is the difference between film and digital.”

    So I have a series of descriptive words that I use to try and convey why I love film so much.

    But it is hard… so I need help.

    I’d love for you tell me what you think the difference is.

    So… this is film.

    And… this (click here) is digital.

    Now you tell me what you think, by Friday the 18th, and I will pick one person to win a surprise film print.

  • Leslie and Sophia… and Andy Warhol

    Last week I got this email:

    Good afternoon Paige,

    I recently moved to the city with my 3 year old daughter and we would like to capture our love for life, SF and each other. We live near Baker Beach and spend hours there each week so the sand, ocean and bridge are symbols of our life. I have browsed your site and I’m all in! Are you available and taking on new clients? I look forward to your reply, Leslie

    I said, “Yes, please! I would never pass up a day at the beach and I am always accepting new clients.”

    So we made a date and in her final email she said,“You will go bizerk over my 3.5 year old daughter…Stunning and a personality that lights up the world.”

    She was so right.

    I did go bizerk over her daughter. And the love they have for each other and for life is contagious.

    What she didn’t tell me is that her daughter goes bizerk over her impersonation of Andy Warhol…

    It was hilarious.

    And informative…

    I had no idea that Andy Warhol had so many cats and that they were all named Sam.

    But Sophia did and it made her laugh every time.

    Thank you Leslie and Sophia… it was a pleasure to meet you and document your lovely SF life.

    And thank you Andy Warhol for being so amazingly funny to a 3.5 year old.

  • It’s All About the Family…

    Last week I received this email:

    I am looking for someone to take photos of my extended family (13 people ages 3 mos-75 yrs) in Bolinas. We are renting a house there for the weekend for my mom’s birthday. I think we would want some photos of everyone and some of the four nuclear families that make up the 13 people. Your photos are beautiful. I didn’t look at all of them but they seemed to be mostly one person. Do you have any examples of larger groups?

    Thanks,
    Deborah

    So, inspired, I decided to dig through the archives and share some of my favorite Rolleiflex “family”photos…

    To see what digital group photos look like click here.

     

  • The Final Push…

    My food photography has come a long way over the past six months.

    But my Town Hall cook book days are numbered.

    It is time to turn in what we have and let the editors work their magic.

    Thank you Bridget, Mitch, Mary and Michael.

    We make a good team.

    I will miss our long days fueled by sugary espresso shots and bread.

    But who knows, maybe we will get to do this together again someday.

  • Faces behind the food…

    Mitch wanted me to take portraits for the Town Hall cook book… I was more than happy to oblige.

    This assignment was the first time that I used my new Contax 645… but I couldn’t help but use my Rollei too. I am happy with the results but I still love the square best.