Photo Shoot and Show

Corinne photo shoot—got a few good shots, her husband seemed decent, she seemed uncertain, required validation from him. Unproductive afternoon—Joey communicated late, couldn't make Mexico planning, disappointing, watched TV. Dinner with Cathy, Michael, Mary—Michael fixed cod, tasty. Diffusions concert at the PRAx with Cathy, Michael, Mary—saw Bob there, Quinn performed well with his Freddy Mercury look. Mixing problems—voices lost in instruments. Felt like I heard the middle of great pieces—beginnings and endings sometimes abrupt and weak. Elena Ralls performing "Divine" was amazing—voice and style evoked James Bond opening themes. Drinks at Michael and Mary's after the show.

Mixed Results

December 4, 2025

These notes describe the events of Wednesday, 12/3/2025.

Corinne

Did the photo shoot with Corinne in the morning. Got a few good shots. Her husband was present, supportive, comfortable with the process. She seemed uncertain—not quite sure what to expect, maybe nervous about being photographed, working through the discomfort that often comes with being in front of the camera. She required a lot of validation from him, checking in frequently throughout the shoot. The shoots that produce the best work often start with that uncertainty and work through it, but sometimes the uncertainty persists and limits what's possible.

The afternoon was not very productive. Joey didn't show for Mexico planning. She did communicate but it was late in the day and it was clear she couldn't make it in the available window. It was disappointing—had carved out time, prepared to work through logistics, coordinate plans. Eventually gave up and just watched TV. Sometimes disappointment means accepting the day won't be what you planned and finding something else to do rather than stewing in frustration.

Dinner with Cathy, Michael, and Mary. Michael fixed cod. It was tasty—well-prepared fish, good company, the kind of simple meal that works because the fundamentals are right. No need for elaborate preparation when the ingredients are good and the cooking is competent.

A show at the PRAx with Cathy, Michael, and Mary. The concert was "Diffusions: A Music Technology Concert - Fall," a student and faculty production from OSU's Music Technology program exploring electronic sound production and manipulation through technological experimentation. Saw Bob there—good to see familiar faces at these events. Quinn performed in the show—he did well. He's developed a Freddy Mercury look that works well for him. The show was pretty fun. The PRAx—Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts at Oregon State University—brings together different artists, musicians, performance pieces. The experimental nature means variable quality but also genuine surprise and discovery.

The mixing at the show was a problem. Too often the voices were lost in a cacophony of instruments. I need to ask Sam and Paul if the person doing the mixing is part of the performance—whether they're emphasizing what needs to be emphasized during each part of the performance, or whether it's just poor technical execution. There's a difference between intentional mixing choices that serve the artistic vision and technical problems that obscure what performers are trying to communicate.

I felt like I heard the middle of a lot of great pieces. The beginnings and endings were sometimes abrupt and weak. That sense of catching the good part of each piece but missing the full arc—compositions that didn't quite know how to start or how to finish, where the interesting material lived in the middle but the framing wasn't developed. It's a common challenge in experimental work: strong ideas in the middle, uncertain about entry and exit. The best pieces know where they're going from the start and stick the landing at the end.

The last vocalist was amazing. Elena Ralls performing "Divine"—her voice and the style of her tune evoked the opening themes for several James Bond movies, particularly from the Roger Moore era. That smoky, sophisticated, slightly dangerous quality, but also the pure and clear tonal qualities that many Bond themes share—evoking vulnerability and perhaps even innocence. She had the presence of a vocalist who could be performing in a casino in Monaco or a nightclub in Istanbul. Voice control, emotional delivery, style that evokes whole worlds. To be fair, there were mixing issues with her performance too, but she did a better job of transcending them. When performance connects that completely, it transcends the venue and creates atmosphere that lingers after the sound stops.

The day had clear highs and lows. Photo shoot produced some good work, a typical experience with a new model. Afternoon disappointment when Joey didn't show, forcing acceptance that the planned work wouldn't happen. Good dinner with friends. Evening show providing entertainment and that one standout performance that made the whole event worthwhile.

The photo shoot with Corinne represents ongoing work—creating images, working with people, managing the discomfort that often accompanies being photographed. Some shoots flow easily, model and photographer finding rhythm quickly. Others require more work, more patience, more coaxing to reach moments worth capturing. The uncertainty she felt is normal, the validation she sought from her husband understandable. These are the dynamics that come with the territory when working with someone new to the process.

Joey not showing for Mexico planning was disappointing but not a crisis. We were going to discuss things to do in Mexico and finalize logistics for getting there, but there's still time to do this. The disappointment was twofold—the wasted afternoon spent waiting instead of doing other work, and the personal disappointment of looking forward to interacting with Joey and having expectations not match reality. Such is life. Planning conversations will happen, just not on this particular afternoon.

The PRAx show demonstrates why experimental performance matters even when quality is variable. The Diffusions concert series, directed by Dr. Jason Fick, features student and faculty work from OSU's Music Technology program—a context that explains both the experimental ambition and the variable execution. It's easy to have good ideas, harder to execute a complete arc from introduction through development to resolution. The experimental context allows that incompleteness, creates space for trying things that aren't fully developed. But the contrast with the final vocalist showed what's possible when all elements align—voice, style, emotional delivery, a complete package that transcends the experimental label and just becomes excellent performance.

Wednesday moved from creative work through disappointment to social evening and performance. The photo shoot served its purpose, a typical experience working with a new model. The afternoon disappointment forced acceptance and adaptation. Dinner provided simple pleasures—good food, good company. The show mixed variable quality with a genuine highlight, reminding why it's worth attending even when not every piece succeeds.

Elena Ralls' performance of "Divine" lingering in memory—that's what live performance can do when it's done well. Create moments that stick, evoke whole worlds through voice and style, make you want to step into the atmosphere the performance creates. James Bond movie soundtrack quality—sophisticated, slightly dangerous, completely controlled, effortlessly cool. That's the standard that makes experimental work worthwhile: when someone transcends the experimental label and delivers something that would work anywhere, in any context, just because it's genuinely excellent.

After the show, hung out with Michael, Mary, and Cathy at Michael and Mary's house for drinks. Good conversation, good company, the kind of relaxed social time that caps an evening well.