Define Elegance

elegant African woman walking while on cell phone 

elegant woman captured by Peter Salama's camera Aug. 8, 2010 

"Elegance is captured by flames, and defined by character! 

~ Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 5.31.13 

elegant woman in purple !!!!

exquisite beauty of Sanaa Lathan, actress 

Youth, Culture or Connection?

Peter Salama Photography

August 8, 2010 · 

 

hat & suspenders modeled
©2010 Peter Salama. All Rights Reserved

Startling! With so many successful photographers obsessed with posturing, and abstraction and pretense for the sake of pretense I'd forgotten there were photographers able to take pictures of the truly hip: a cool cat, a hip stylish sista with cool collected thoughts circulating in the coquette of her eyes. Until now I'd lost that memory. This is memorable for me. It stands out in a time when the most unhip people are showing up in cities calling themselves 'hip' who are far removed from what hip is. 

In all the decades of hip cats, and their women one distinction they held was where and how they fit with their city's memories and contributed to the dynamic of their city's stream of consciousness. Hip cats not involved in crime were directing in the way of youth older and more conservative types towards freshness and re-engagement with the young of their community or at times with their own youth. Because 'youth' doesn't die but transforms hip cats, unbeknownst to them, kept that spark active in the cities they engaged life. 

Today's so-called hipster, more hamster like, are isolated, huddled lacking the skill set to engage people of color, and uncomfortable with eye contact they simply bring property values up, and herd their children if they have children. More distressing is their propensity towards isolation that aggravates even the most tolerant of the older set. They are good for outdoor cafes, not festivals, at least not in Washington DC.   

Enough of that. Peter, I appreciate what you captured and reminded me of about urban life, and the cool of and the dare of being hip, fit and young. ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 2.16.15

BLACK MAN WHITE PHOTOGRAPHER

It is not common for photographers to capture the images of Black Women skillfully for print media, or the fashion industry to respect the deep beauty of Black women who are studied, and imitated. Rare is the portrayal of Black masculinity in a pure form not surrounded by pretense, or the repulsive tendency to feminize men for public consumption, or the nasty impulse to denigrate the spiritual powers of the African soul of Manhood. 

This study of a man, a Black man in a pure form of intensity as a beautiful form who is strong within himself is an honoring of a heritage, a legacy of strength that pulled the best out of a people besieged by a society that feared, and distressed him historically, socially, and in his face over time. An intelligent face allows me to look and see a mother's touch, and a father's introspective insight into his son. A face shows the story of a people, and you respect that in this capture of a soul, a man's soul.

All sons are sent into the world as gifts or parasites. But every son sent into the world knows a period of time of being cherished, and here in this portrait of a Man is the reflection of not only a pensive beauty within, and of a man, but the reflection of being cared for into his adulthood as a gift you, the photographer captured thoughtfully, Peter Salama. For that I honor you, and your respect for the subject: the dignity of a Black Man.

~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 5.31.13

In the end it is about LOVE

"There are three steps of forgiveness I learned rather quickly in my living. They are simple to write, but hard to apply. The first one is the easiest for my personality: knowing I have been wronged. Giving up resentment is hard when it comes as a personal and direct and deliberate attack, and as I have aged and matured reaching out to the offender with love has become easier and easier and easier." - Gregory E. Woods 

©2010 Peter Salama Photography. All Rights Reserved
Jan. 13, 2010

Stephanie
©2010 Peter Salama Photography. All Rights Reserved

"I believe in something in the light. I've seen it and known it the length of my life. It was my childhood that graced it with play things making it volatile to teachers who were afraid of light, yet trembled in the darkness of non-creative forces. 

I remember so much."  - Gregory E. Woods 5.31.13

Stephanie by Peter Salama ©2010
Jan 13, 2010

Hold THEM

Peter Salama takes pictures for a living. Peter took a picture of Samantha Anne Kozcuh holding herself. It is a powerful, but simple thing she is doing that speaks to a story of the importance of being held in a time of life when adulthood is challenging. What will happen to our children who are raised in schools that shun the naturalness of human emotions? I know. Any thinking person knows what creatures come from the trenches of a childhood of mixed messages who are robbed of the basic release of being held.

Here is the picture: LOOK ~ Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 5.31.13

Elegant Reminder

©2010 Peter Salaman
August 8, 2012

"Elegance is captured by flames and defined by character." 

- gregory e. woods 

5.31.13

black elegant Annunarqui Neter sporting 

Portrait of a BLACK MAN

Eye of the Tiger. Copyright 2011 Peter Salama. All Rights Reserved 
Peter Salama Photography

 August 28, 2011

"It is not common for photographers to capture the images of Black Women skillfully for print media. Rare is the portrayal of Black masculinity in a pure form not surrounded by pretense, or the repulsive tendency to feminize. This study of a man, a Black man in a pure form of intensity as a beautiful form, an intelligent face allows me to look and see a mother's touch, and a father's introspective insight into his son.

All sons are sent into the world as gifts or parasites. But every son sent into the world knows a period of time of being cherished, and here in this portrait of a Man is the reflection of not only a pensive beauty with and of a man, but the reflection of being cared for into his adulthood as a gift you, the photographer captured thoughtfully, Peter Salama." ~ Gregory E. Woods 5.31.13