©2012 Paul Elledge

Team Elledge is excited to invite you to a special opening tomorrow evening displaying two of Paul’s images.   ”Test Shot: Unintended Portraits” is an exhibition that celebrates photography that missed the mark and was until now, unworthy of display.  Please join us!

©1988 Paul Elledge

Team Elledge has always had a love for Italy and now we have a new Italian Home! Well, at least a home for all of Paul’s Italian images.  lunabellaluna.com is the new internet home for the work Paul has created on his many journeys to Italy.  We are excited to launch this view into Paul’s love of all things Italy as seen through his eye.

©1988 Paul Elledge

Keep an eye open on the site’s growth as we edit the archive of existing images and see updates as Team Elledge continues this ongoing photographic study as they travel Italy.  For now, sip a latte in the morning and view a few galleries to start your day.

©2013 Paul Elledge

Team Elledge recently took a little road trip to the Louisiana Bayou.  We made many new friends, ate tasty local foods, and enjoyed the southern culture.  Relive our trip as you review the images!

©2011 Paul Elledge

For many years now Team Elledge has taught photographic workshops in various locations around the world.  Taking a week out of one’s busy life to devote focused time on creativity, craft and self discovery is a true treat.

Toscana Photographic Workshops provides an exceptional experience to every one attending.   The combination of Italy being one of Paul’s passions and the experience of teaching there for over 10 years gives students a rare personal educational and cultural experience not to mention that it is an ideal environment for studying by his side.  Together the exploration of pushing creative boundaries and creating images using the stunning settings, people and beautiful light is simply magical.

Treat yourself to a trip, an education and the chance to be inspired to create new and more powerful photographs this summer!

©1995 Paul Elledge

Team Elledge had the great pleasure of working with the spirited Roger Ebert many times through the years.  He was a pleasure to work with for many reasons.  First, we always learned from his vast knowledge of not only film but life itself.  He was very honest, open and kind.  Roger was always a good sport for Paul’s creative ideas and enjoyed the process of collaboration.  The world will certainly miss this great man, and his ability to share his wisdom in a clear and articulate manner.

Paul made many portraits of Roger for magazines and other publications.  This particular image was created for WIRED magazine and gave Paul the opportunity to create a more narrative portrait.   Paul multi-exposed on 2  1/4 B&W film projected images from some classic movies, a drawing of a movie projector, and portraits taken at the CBS studios on B&W Polapan film.  For those of you that sadly never worked with Polapan, it was an amazing B/W instant transparency film produced by Polaroid.  It had a lustful tonal scale and sharpness that was in a league of it’s own.

Paul used slide projectors to project the four movie images onto curved white tubes in order to bend the images.   He re-photographed the Polapan portraits of Roger and the projector diagram as flat art work.  This multi-exposed image was created using 5 Hasselblads to combine the five sets onto one frame of film.  It was totally created “Old School” without electronic aid.

For Team Elledge this image celebrates both the genuine love for life Roger had, as well as his great mind and intellectual knowledge as film critic, writer, and teacher.

Having worked with some of Chicago’s finest chefs, Team Elledge has been exposed to great food and great experiences.  Two of Team Elledge’s favorite ‘foodies’ have been nominated for great opportunities and they need our help! These people have contributed so much to our world and now we’re asking our friends to help contribute to their world on our behalf.

If you haven’t treated yourself in awhile, check out Topolobampo and indulge in the fantastic creations by pastry chef, Jennifer Jones.  This week be sure to cast your vote for Jennifer as the best new pastry chef in the nation by Food and Wine Magazine!

Rochelle Trotter is another familiar face who has Team Elledge’s support.  Running to be the next host of ‘Check, Please!‘, Rochelle has a one of a kind personality and vast knowledge of food that will not disappoint future viewers.  Please cast your vote through wttw to help Rochelle.

And don’t be shy–spread the word!

©Claire Ashley

If you find yourself ‘Under the Picasso’ later this week, you’ll find more than just the famous sculpture.  Chicago-based artist, Claire Ashley, will be adding some color to Daley Plaza with her inflatable sculpture making a performance larger than life. Team Elledge often looks toward other mediums besides photography for inspiration. We are so lucky to be exposed to such a large variety of art and venues right here in our own backyard.

©1999 Paul Elledge

Growing up, LIFE magazine was an inspiration to Paul’s photographic point of view.  The featured images always had the magical connection that arrives when great content and visuals come together.

From the Vault #10 hails back to 1999.  That year Paul had a wonderful assignment from LIFE.  He created images for a story on the Ohio Village Muffins.  The Muffins were a team that played mid-19^th century style baseball with an audience of vintage fans.

©1999 Paul Elledge

In keeping with the historical nature of the story as well as Paul’s love of antique images, Paul photographed the team with a 4 X 5 Deardorff.   He also chose an older Kodak Portrait lens shot wide open to greater illustrate the “old school” nature of the experience.  The results have a timeless painterly feeling.   The creative process on this project brought Paul’s childhood inspiration of looking at LIFE full circle to creating for LIFE.

©2012 Paul Elledge

Happy 50th to the Society for Photography Education!  What better place to celebrate than right here in Chicago?  If you haven’t gotten your tickets for the party, the SPE National Conference is right around the corner.  Next weekend, join photographers from all over the world to discuss photographic expression and practice, and of course to celebrate our common love for photography.

Glass Coach Louisville, Larry Poons ©2007

Team Elledge has seen what Larry Poons is capable of on the race track, and last week in New York we had the chance to see in person what he can do with a canvas.   Loretta Howard Gallery is showing “New Paintings”.  In addition to that body of work, we had the good fortune to be taken behind the scenes to view his early dot and texture paintings.  Talk about living the dream… At 75 years old, Larry is still producing world class art work and racing motorcycles.

Next up and in the same neighborhood is another great show-  Ezra Stoller’s ‘Beyond Architecture’.  His beautifully crafted images give you an inside look of a modernist period in America.  We also appreciate that this work illustrates how commercial commissions can cross the line into the fine art world.