I’ve been really, really busy taking photos with my new camera (!) and editing backlog. I am showing some of my recent work tonight from 6-10 at the Pioneer Square Art Walk (Starfish Studios, 619 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA, 4th floor South by the freight elevator). Here’s a wee teaser:

Tomorrow Belongs to Me

Hope to see some of you out tonight, and I’ll see the rest of you online, here, tomorrow. <3

We’ll be hosting a gallery show with Margaret Killjoy (photography) and Noah Beasley (3-D printed jewelry). I’m really excited about this show, as Margaret and Noah are two of my favorite artists and equally stellar people.

Pioneer Square Art Walk
Starfish Studios, 619 Western Avenue, 4th Floor South
Seattle, WA
February 4, 2010, 6-10 pm.

Portfolio work by Marc17, Libby Bulloff, Angel Ceballos, Mearcair Studios, and Bloodengel Photography will be available for viewing and purchase. Facebook invite is here in case you desire to RSPV.

In other photo-related news:

There’s a teaser from the shoot I did yesterday with six-foot-tall model/writer Katie Blue, who used the power of the interwubs to find me. We used wheat paste and abandoned books to find her outfit. It’s so lovely to get to create temporary couture on strong people who not only tolerate the long hours in pre-production, but also appreciate it.

Makeup + hair by the incredible Lindsey Watkins.
Papier-mâché wardrobe by Lindsey Watkins, Libby Bulloff, and Noah Beasley.
Concept and photography by Libby Bulloff.

Looking forward to sharing more images with you, and experimenting more with natural light and color.

Thank you, and hope to see you tonight at the studio.

]]> http://exoskeletoncabaret.com/2010/02/04/killjoy/feed/ 1 http://exoskeletoncabaret.com/2010/02/01/zoe/ http://exoskeletoncabaret.com/2010/02/01/zoe/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:24:18 +0000 libby http://exoskeletoncabaret.com/2010/02/01/zoe/ Back from half a month of traveling…

Zoe, originally uploaded by exoskeletoncabaret.

Bellydancer Zoe Jakes on stage with Beats Antique at the Bad Faeries Ball, Eugene, OR. January 30, 2010.

Photo by Libby Bulloff.

Took this last night from the front row. Ye gods, this woman is gorgeous.

Also…See what you can do with the cheap-o kit lens? UH!

Bellydancer Heather Pund of Dark Side Tribal, goofing off in my old backyard and Kevin’s ridiculous cloak.

Bloomington, Indiana, December 2009.

I am smitten with Heather’s absolutely genuine smile. Hearing her giggle is one of my favorite sounds in the whole world. I am blessed to know her even if we only get to see each other once or twice a year.

I used to shoot out here all the time when I lived in Indiana. The skeletal woods shielding the railroad tracks and the brick-sided buildings of the neighborhood made excellent backdrops. I really miss taking pictures there.

It was wonderful to go back and play with the camera in a familiar place, with the same gear I’ve had for several years, with old friends. I’ve improved so much as a photographer since I took my first pictures at this site.

<3

2009 Retrospective, originally uploaded by exoskeletoncabaret.

2009 was definitely one of my most challenging, rewarding, and backbreaking years. Some of the crucial plot points:

+ I joined Starfish Studios, which taught me the finer details of using monolights and seamless backdrops, and coerced me into making more work this year than I ever have previously. I probably shot between 30,000 and 35,000 images this year. My top-viewed photo on Flickr has had 14,753 hits (as of this morning) since August.

+ By proxy, I did 11 art walk shows, 2 solo art openings, and a month-long group photography show. I shot two weddings. Also, I did not sleep.

+ In May, I lost my “real job” and have freelanced (read: struggled) since. However, as demoralizing as it’s been to be on a low income, it’s forced me to bust ass and really take the photography and design bull by the horns.

+ This year, I’ve had work published in the Brazilian Marie Claire, three issues of Filament Magazine, Morbid Outlook, and a steampunk jewelry book. I’ve started blogging about steampunk fashion weekly at the Steampunk Workshop. I was on television, too, for like, 8 seconds.

+ I met/re-met a plethora of wonderful creative people at the Bay Area Maker Faire. This weekend was probably the most joyous one I had all year.

+ I had three friends hit the emergency room with scimitar wounds, appendicitis, and bike accident injuries, respectively. I’ve spent way more time than I’d like in nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. I’ve been sick constantly.  I’ve found that I am absolutely wretched at taking care of myself and terrible at remembering that if I don’t put myself first I’ll be useless at helping others. Figuring out how to adequately care for Libby is a major goal for the new year.

+ I truly learned the value of having a family I chose/an urban tribe. Without the support of my people, both in Bloomington/Seattle meatspace and online, I’d have failed miserably at 2009. I’ve had to rethink and inject a spirit of DIY into a lot of my relationships. A big thank-you goes out to everyone who brought me crack chai and samosas, came to my shows, defied gender and steampunk conventions, traded YouTube videos, electrocuted me for fun, cooked CSA potlucks with me, hauled frames and hung work, taught me the benefits of non-sexual physical affection, listened to my kvetching late into the night, accepted and discussed non-traditional and non-heteronormative behavior, etc. etc. etc.  Thank you to everyone who believed in me when I doubted myself and my work; thank you to everyone who didn’t mock me for obsessing about Lady Gaga or Turkish pop videos or bacon. Thank you for the endless screening and quoting of “Happy in Paraguay”. Faxing ham and apple juice to each other has been a high point. I am so proud of all of you guys, and so grateful for you.

Thank you.
Love, Libby

Back to editing my backlog…I’d like to share a few images I’ve finished.

Shoot with Jake von Slatt at Starfish Studios, Seattle, WA.
October 2009.

Makeup + hair: Lindsey Watkins
Photography: Libby Bulloff

http://www.exoskeletoncabaret.com
http://www.lindseywatkins.com

Shot on the century-old fire escape with half century-old gauze and natural light. Jake is a fantastic sexy grimy dude.

I believe I’ve shot about 10,000 images since May, and have been bustin’ out art shows like it’s goin’ out of style. I currently have photography up in four different places in Seattle. They are as follows:

Starfish Studios – 619 Western Avenue, 4th Floor South (new work from the last three weeks) – This show is TONIGHT ONLY. Come see my fellow photogs and I tonight from 6-10 pm.

Zero Zero – 1525 Summit Avenue, in Capitol Hill (with Angel Ceballos and Daniel McManus)

Kaladi Bros. – 511 E Pike Street, in Capitol Hill (solo show; Food Pornography Redux)

The LASTWEAR Store – 5459 Leary Avenue N.W in Ballard (older work, mostly studio and steampunk-themed)

All of the work at these locations is priced reasonably to move. I really do not need four shows’ worth of framed prints in my house! Go buy stuff, please! <3

Thank you.

Art walk arrives again! This time, Starfish Studios hosts two additional local portraiture photographers, Rayce Conway and George Vernon.

http://raycedesign.com/eyecandy/
http://georgevp.net/

Pioneer Square Art Walk
Thursday, September 3
Starfish Studios – 619 Western Avenue, 4th Floor South
Seattle, WA
6-10 pm

with Bloodengel, Angel Ceballos, Libby Bulloff, EyeCandy Photography, and George Vernon.

Expect 100% NEW WORK from yours truly! Hope to see you there.

TONIGHT! A brightly-colored portraiture show with myself and two of my friends/favorite photographers, Angel Ceballos and Daniel McManus!

at ZERO ZERO
1525 Summit Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98127
August 18 – September 21
Artist Reception: Saturday, August 22, 8-11 p.m.

I’m finishing up a batch of beet hummus right now! Come eat my food and look at all the shiny bits!

Thank you.

Images are from a shoot the three of us did Friday evening–we were in the studio until 12:15 a.m, and it took Lindsey just over two hours to flip Willow from an androgynous transhumanoid into an extreme drag queen. I just press a button; what can I say?

Also, used seamless paper is pretty much the best prop ever.

Willow’s photo set is here, though I haven’t had much time for editing additional images–tonight I install a huge photo show with Angel Ceballos and Danny McManus, and I’ve been up to my ears in wedding photography post- and pre-production. ‘Tis the season.

More to come!