Many Thanks

So many of you have taken the time to contact me with warm thoughts, good wishes and words of encouragement. I am appreciative of your kindness. My heartfelt thanks for such sweet communications. You have been a wonderful reminder that we all have such an impact on each other whether we have ever met in person before or ever will.

It means the world to me when my images touch people and I am thrilled when people "get" my work. So, please feel free to continue to share your stories, comments and suggestions.

Precious Pups

Another fact about me is that I love love love dogs and I am crazy about Boxers. I have had pictures of my baby Roxie on my site and in my books. So, you can imagine me squeeling when I saw this YouTube video that a friend sent me.



I have been looking for my next Boxer baby and am very close to finding the one (or two) that belong with me. I want to adopt from Boxer Rescue Los Angeles.

Giclées

I am a traditional woman. I write everything long hand. I prefer a phone call to email. I don’t own a “crackberry.” I have an IPod sitting patiently in its’ original box. I loved spending 8 continuous hours in the darkroom creating the “perfect” photographic print by hand.

One of the life lessons I’ve been forced to learn is that the only constant is change…not easy for a rooted Taurus.

So, when I developed (no pun intended) a severe allergy to the darkroom photo chemicals I had no choice but to make a change and find a printer who had a similar feel and finesse for my fine art women images.


After years of trying just about every lab in southern California I finally found a master. She was a gifted printer who it turned out had no problem with change.
Her life took a completely different direction and she gave up printing forever.

By this time I was still shooting film and had no interest in even holding a digital camera. However, each new commercial assignment brought questions such as, “You shoot digital right?” and “Would you email me jpgs between 1 and 2 mgs.” You mean I have to get a computer?! Alright, you get the idea. Apparently I’ve come a long way. I even enjoy Photoshop now and think it is fun.

I have learned that Giclée is French for “sprayed ink.” It is a sophisticated technique and process that allows archival fine art photographs to be made from a digital source. I am unveiling a collection of new giclee images. Some were shot digitally by me, all were meticulously fine tuned in Photoshop by me, and printed-- by me!

Welcome to my new world…

Judy Francesconi



My giclées are all open edition. They are titled and signed by me, but not numbered. They are digitally printed with archival inks on archival museum quality matte paper.
This allows new collectors to own fine art at an affordable price.

My line of silver gelatin hand printed original photographs are available as signed, numbered limited editions.

TRANSFORMATION

How quickly and radically things can change in a few short days! This is a very personal blog entry today. Many of you know that my mom passed on unexpectedly 2 years ago August 4th. It was a shock and an event that I had dreaded as far back as I can remember. My mother was awesome, my best friend and the person who was always in my corner and vice versa. She was so sweet and giving, more often than not putting others ahead of herself. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Every coin has two sides and every personality characteristic has a positive and negative component to it. Anyway, my mom was my greatest role model and I miss her beyond description.

Since then my dad has been having some health problems and we have had to go through some very rough changes together. He too is very sweet, exceedingly generous, with a great sense of humor and on the other hand can have moments that are challenging to deal with. We have had the opportunity to discover each other and develop a relationship without the buffer of mom. It has been one of the hardest and most wonderful, rewarding, and heartbreaking times of my life. It has been stressful to be a caregiver, coordinate other caregivers, and generally take care of every aspect of his life, and to watch and worry as he daily makes a decision to participate in life to varying degrees. I have resorted at times to teasing, cajoling, screaming and crying to motivate him.

Many situations I have handled beautifully, many I have not, mostly from fear. As I was juggling this and all responsibilities and obligations in the other areas of my life I know I have been alternately stressed, sad, exhausted, stoic, hysterical, loving, giving, sometimes fun, and sometimes not. Through it all I have had the most wonderful support (particularly if I stretched out of my comfort zone and asked for it) from a precious relationship and dear friends.

Since life is full of change and transitions when you least expect it I am now a single woman again!


I find it fascinating how we are all such a product of our parents and environment. For better, for worse, how we are formed and shaped forever by our families. My greatest wish for all of us is to find that someone, our safe place where we can be accepted for who we are and become more of who we want to be because of each other. To have the strength and vulnerability to go through the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful and the mundane together. Just my humble opinion.

GoMag Pride Issue 2008

I am so rarely in front of the camera, but I needed a photo of myself for the Pride Issue of Go magazine. All I can say is Thank The Gods for Photoshop! I am included in their 100 Women We Love Issue which I am so excited about. Check out my page!

Same Sex Marriage in California!

I remember in 1989 looking at my girlfriend and saying, why can’t we have children together and she said, we can’t even get married! Today is one of the most historic and exciting days in my life! I am thrilled that California has recognized same sex marriages. For years I photographed my straight friend's weddings and then began only photographing civil union and commitment ceremonies...those were some of the most touching and uplifting events I’ve ever captured on film. I am thrilled to announce I will be offering wedding photography from this day forward!!!

One Minute of Beauty

Here is a beautiful sunset for your enjoyment taken with my new white Flip camera. I was in San Diego last weekend at Torrey Pines for an outdoor HBO screening of BACK NINE AT CHERRY HILL. It is a great documentary about the 1960 U.S. Open that pitted three golf legends: Hogan, Palmer, and Nicklaus against the same course.

San Diego Sunset from Judy Francesconi on Vimeo.