Hula photography

I am sure all of you have seen Kim Taylor Reece's photography of Hula... I am curious to learn what you like and don't like of his work.

I am starting a project to do something similar and photograph Hula dancers in my area, and then possibly Hawaii as well. If the photos come out well I might offer them up here and elsewhere. I have always wanted to do this type of project and now that I am making it happen I am curious to hear opinions of what you all enjoy when it comes to the art of Hula.

Mahalo

Just do it Blowfish.
Hey I like the part where the girls shake their hips.

The thing I thought funny when I was at the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Mormons try to tell you that the hula girls are imitating fish swimming. Give me a break.

Go for it.

Mahalo Jungle Trader!

I may be getting this started as early as this weekend! The more I have thought about it, the more I plan on turning this into a large project that will involve many dancers, many styles, etc... and while I do hope to make a buck somehow I will also end up making a donation of the profits to help support something that is part of the culture that gives us Hula like the native Hawaiian schools on the islands.

Mahalo, and I will keep you posted!

If any of you would like to see certain types of photos of particular Hula styles please let me know.

Blowfish - just do it... but make it your own style. Just to warn you, Kim Taylor Reece loves to initiate lawsuits and legal battles every time he sees a hula girl. There was just an article about a month ago of an artist who does stained glass, and did a pane showing a hula girl in a traditional hula pose. KTR got his lawyers and made the gallery stop the sale of the window.

And don't think he won't notice if you are doing it on a small scale. I would randomly sell lots of stuff on ebay. I had a bunch of old KTR calendars, and took a few apart, framed the images and put them on ebay. Within the first day they were listed, he got ebay to cancel my auctions and then I got an email saying that I was selling illegal copies of his work.

So, find your own style, I'm sure it will be better anyway!!

Thanks Mo-Eye, I really doubt anyone has the legal right to have copyrighted all of Hula photography... that would be ridiculous. If that were possible we would only have one style phone, car, etc... I can only guess the guy he sued had an image nearly identical to the ones he is known for...?

Like you said I will have my own style and sell on ebay ond off of my own website.

I found the original complaint you mentioned: http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=5628631

and the judgement: http://starbulletin.com/2006/12/27/news/story09.html

To sum it up for people not interested in reading, Kim lost the suit. While I do agree the stained glass image looks a lot like the photo of Kim's it is still different and no one person should try to copyright a curtural form of expression.

Anyway, my project will NOT be a rip off of anyone else's work... original, artistic, and good for Hawaii since I plan on donating some of the profits to the Kamehameha schools.

Mahalo!

[ Edited by: Blowfish 2007-01-10 14:10 ]

Man - I wrote a huge reply to the above and my browser froze up! sigh...

Lemmie summarize. Just wanted to say: First off, KTR has not lost his suit - the suit hasn't gone to trial yet. He only lost a temporary injunction to stop showing the stained glass window.

Secondly, while I am in no way a fan of his work, I ask everyone to take a moment before jumping to conclusions that KTR is trying to copyright a form of cultural expression and take a good look at the two works of art side by side. Better yet - draw a grid on them if you have the means. You will notice that the composition, framing, and proportions of the model are virtually identical. Furthermore (and even more incriminating) the lay of the ti leaf skirt and lei around the neck are draped in an identical fashion. In my opinion, it is an obvious tracing of KTR photo - and I was sad to see so many people pointing fingers at KTR as someone trying to get a controling patent on hula.

Whew! THere are my 2 cents - :)

Sorry to go off topic - Blowfish - I can't wait to see what you shoot!

http://www.vantiki.com

[ Edited by: VanTiki 2007-01-10 15:29 ]

[ Edited by: VanTiki 2007-01-10 18:25 ]

No worries VanTiki, sorry your computer froze!

I do tend to agree... about the similarity. I just hate hearing about people sueing anyone for anything other than loss of limb, etc.

Anyway, I hope to have something to share with you guys as soon as next week from my new project... I will try to add a picture now from my trip last year to Kauai. This isn't exactly what is on the way, but I know you all like pictures, so there you go.

Sounds like a great project, and great subject matter!

My opinion – don’t just try and emulate the style of Kim Taylor Reece. His work looks great, but it feels very posed. I did a google image search on “hula” – Its basically all posed shots on silky white beaches, or snapshots of a hula display somewhere.

I think a better approach is to try and capture the Hula in as natural a state as possible. Capture the soul, the atmosphere of the Hula and the people who perform it, through stunning photography.

Take these two wedding photos. Both are of a high visual quality, no argument. But which one engages you with the people, the atmosphere of the moment? That is what will make your project stand out, and will also be something of value which can be used in something like an art gallery exhibition.

Thats my 2c :)

Kustom Kahoona* - Tiki and Hot Rod Art by Hewey*

[ Edited by: hewey 2007-01-10 17:25 ]

My favorite hula photo

Royal Lahaina Luah, Maui

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2007-01-10 17:41 ]

VanTiki,

I completely agree! That stained glass thing is a bit questionable. I just know that KTR has done that type of thing a lot recently. I also have some bad, personal experiences with him, so that sways me one way too. Anyway, that's enough of that. I'll worry when I start seeing Thor designs in stained glass!!

Blowfish - I think that would be really cool if you could incorporate the tiki bar feeling in your photos, as opposed to the traditional beach scene. I don't think many have done that before.

Good luck!!!

I can take or leave KTRs work, I agree that a lot of it is a bit sterile.

A few notes...

It is surprising that KTR never hassled Paradise Club Paradise in Chicago - they have a huge (15-foot tall-ish?) mural on the side of the building that is a direct copy of a famous KTR photo.

Someone mentioned the Polynesian Cultural Center - KTR's studio is on the corner of Rt. 83 on Oahu (the road to the PCC) and some side street, on the way to the PCC, for those who want to pay him a visit.

And finally, Blowfish, I agree with the other posters - just do it.
Keep at it, and you'll discover your own style, if you haven't already, that will be uniquely yours.
There is definitely never a surplus of pics of pretty hula girls postd on this board, so post 'em when you've got 'em!

Cool Hula shot man - the action and the capture of the moment is unique and yours - all yours. I agree, go for it, make it your own and never let the nay-sayers get you down! Let KTR play his game, what-ever it may be. Further investigation on my part of the aforementioned KTR photo and the stain glass piece, pisses me off even more - sure the pose is suspiciously similar - but anatomically reversed. The medium of stained glass versus photo further subjects the "copy" to its own uniqueness. How many versions of the Madonna and child or the "Pieta" by Michelangelo have been produced through the years. How many of those versions have been declared masterpieces!As an artist I respectfully say that KTR's lawsuit is bullshit!
Let your vision and your conscience guide you! Looking forward to your work!

Visit my Online Art Gallery at
[URL]http://www.jonmooers.com[/URL}
Just moved back to Amesbury, Ma

[ Edited by: jpmartdog 2007-01-10 19:51 ]

On 2007-01-08 16:30, Jungle Trader wrote:
Hey I like the part where the girls shake their hips.

I'm with you JT. In fact, I like everything about Hula dancers.

I also agree with what Hewey has to say about it.

Action shots, Blowfish!

Thanks for the support guys!

Hewey you are right on with that comparison.... I will not be doing posed shots... action is the name of the game for me. It looks like my first shoot with be this Saturday and I have been talking with more dancers who are interested. So I should be able to get a lot of variety going soon.

I will try to figure out how to 'Tikify' some shots... though those may come a little later. My own home bar is not as up to par as a lot of yours... so maybe once I make some Hula friens they will be willing to travel to more than one location.

TikiHula is going to be working with me on a website, so keeping that in the family is pretty fun too.

I will share what I have as soon as I can.

Mahalo!

Ojaitimo... here is one I took at a luau in Kauai last year... similar to the one you like... I hate the background, but the dancer was great! I believe this is more of a Tahitian costume. I should probably try to photoshop the background a bit.

Kim Taylor Reece..ok, was interesting 20 years ago, heavy YAWN factor today..same ol', same ol' b&w traditional posed hula shots. And he is sue crazy.
Amongst the tiki crowd, those pictures drawing the most praise tend to be of Tahitian type costuming...big headdresses, tasssles, coconut bras, etc. It's a very fetching look.
Personally, it would be refreshing to see some work which also celebrates the "undercelebrated" attractiveness of the male Polynesian dancers. Would be nice to see a book with both for all tastes. I've never understood why "kitsch" generally has such a large gay component to it, yet "tiki" seems to have remained very heterosexually oriented. So many of the artists, writers, etc who contributed to the "romance" of the South Seas were gay. I guess that's a subject for further socialogical study for someone.....sometime.