Hannah Marks » Amanda Elkins Photography

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From the perspective of a client

"A portrait should be more than a passport photo. It needs a backdrop, an expression, a movement, and, in my opinion at least a little bit of natural light. Maybe even a dewdrop or a splinter. When by happenstance I found Amanda, I stumbled onto a visual biographer, someone who could capture the character within us, place it in time and space, and make it a memory.

"Unlike most of us who can detect a Kodak moment but not capture it, Amanda has fine-tuned her professional skills to bring it all together in a single frame. Perhaps it was her knowledge of being the subject that gave her an intuitive sense of what to look for.

"Amanda came into photography honestly, first as a model in Brazil, then as a parent trying to capture her own son's poignant moments. As a model, Amanda discovered the art of environment. As a parent, she learned to tune in to the emotion within a subject. Unlike studio photography where poses seem forced and smiles unnatural, Amanda's pictures reflect the nature of her subjects whether they capture an intimate moment between newlyweds or the fleeting sense of excitement in a toddler.

"Without a doubt, her Brazilian heritage emerges in the colors she captures with her camera. One wonders why we fill our frames with black and whites and sepia tones when there is such vibrancy in the things we take for granted everyday: an old straw broom, a loved leather chair, even the fringe of a much abused rug. I used to be a fan of sepia-toned family shots until I saw Amanda's work. Now they fade into a sea of lost faces compared to the rich intensity of Amanda's prints. Besides bringing life and vibrancy into the expression of the subject, Amanda sense of light and color also captures the subtle nature of distressed wood or rusted steel in the background. I had no idea how much energy a picture could possess. I caught glimpses of my son possessively reaching for his favorite toy, of my husband smirking from the corner of his eye, and of me delighting in a single moment of being a novice mom.

"A picture has a hundred reasons for being taken; to share with friends, to remember for when we are older, to reveal to our children when they ask about themselves. Amanda's pictures capture the weight of a newborn's head on his mom's shoulder, the delighted smile of a toddler jumping in the air, even the tenderness of a couple's hands touching. She finds these moments, as unique as they are to the individuals she is photographing. Each time I revisit pictures Amanda has taken I see something new, something that brings me into that moment even if I wasn't there to begin with."

Ruth Barbie, Los Angeles, CA

Tag Archives: Hannah Marks

Published – Brazilian magazine

Friday, June 11, 2010

Excited doesn’t even begin to describe the way I feel right now! Looking at this magazine spread and remembering that I was in the same magazine as a model before, is a little overwhelming! Being published in my home country is an honor! It allows me to feel a little closer to home and I also love that I am able to share what I do here with all the people I love back in Brazil! The feeling is a little bitter sweet however, as it makes me wish I was there too! Salada Magazine has been in my life since my modeling days, a long time ago. Now it seems like it was another life… I ‘ve since then learned another language, got used to a whole other culture and became a little bit American in a way. But, I miss Brazil with all my heart! So, doing something that reminds me I am still apart of it makes me feel beyond ecstatic!

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Posted in actress, articles and ads, celebrity, editorial, magazine, publicity shots | Tags: Amanda Elkins photography, Brazilian magazine, California editorial photographer, Hannah Marks, international photographer, publicity photography, published, salada magazine

The video

Friday, February 5, 2010

[vimeo width="600" height="400"]http://www.vimeo.com/9243063[/vimeo]

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Posted in Laura Paley, actress, celebrity, editorial, fashion stylist, publicity shots, slideshow | Tags: Amanda Elkins, Amanda Elkins photography, behind the scenes footage, california editorial photography, celebrity photographer, Hannah Marks, Laura Paley, los angeles photographer, natural light photographer, publicity shots

Hannah Marks – Amanda Elkins – Celebrity photographer

Friday, February 5, 2010

After maintaining this blog for nearly 4 years now, I often find myself struggling to find fresh and interesting ways to write new posts. So, for a change of pace and a bit of fresh perspective, I asked my dear friend and AE crew member, Laura Paley, to write about our experience shooting with Miss Hannah Marks:

“Amanda met Hannah Marks when she shot the February cover for Inspire Magazine. I knew that Amanda wanted to work with Hannah again by the way she talked about her. “She’s so nice. I wish there had been more time to work with her.“ “She has a fantastic wardrobe. You would love it, Laura.“ “I wish you had met her.” Hmmm. I saw the makings of another photo shoot coming.

16 year old Hannah Marks has been in numerous movies and TV shows, including “Accepted” with Justin Long and Jonah Hill, “Weeds“, “Ugly Betty“, “Private Practice”, and is soon to be seen on one of Amanda’s favorite shows, “Flashforward.” In addition, Hannah plays Tammy in the much anticipated Joan Jett biopic, “The Runaways” with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. Exciting Stuff!

Only a few weeks after their initial meeting, Amanda and I were in Hannah’s room chatting with Hannah and her mom about clothes, work, music, animals…you know, fun girl stuff. I was rummaging through the closet (love that part of my job) and saw that Amanda was right. Hannah has a great wardrobe. She describes her style as “Ballerina Punk.” Vintage lace baby doll dresses, clunky boots, funky hats, leather, denim…it was a Stylist’s dream come true. I must admit that I was a bit light headed from my giddy joy in getting to play with such a fun wardrobe. I love my job.

Amanda chose the Santa Monica Pier as our location and Ali Kazen and Caitlin Wallac e came along as our assistants for the day. Thanks, girls. What would we do without you?

I mixed items from Hannah’s existing wardrobe with pieces from my style closet to create her fun, feminine, and pretty “Ballerina Punk” look. Although some are a bit more ballerina than punk. Wouldn’t you agree?”