All posts filed under: Photography

Vary your Angles (Part 1)

I was talking to a student on last weekend’s Photography Fundamentals workshop about the importance of varying your shots. If you’re taking pictures for yourself it will add some interest to your photo album. If you’re working professionally, it will give photo editors and image buyers more options. Sometimes they need a photograph in a particular orientation, at a certain time of day, and shot from a specific angle. If you’ve only taken one pic, the chances you’ve got exactly what they’re looking for is going to be very small.

Joseph reaches Litespeed

Some might argue that Joseph is too big to be riding a bicycle, but I’d rather not argue with him at all. He crushes the competition in any sport he sets his mind to. It is rumored that he can pick up his opponents and pulverize them between his muscles, like walnuts in a nut cracker.

Princess Leia

Another image for Leia Heider’s model portfolio. We shot this look first in the studio, but I decided it would work better outdoors, so we stepped out into the garden and used some green foliage as a background. Model – Leia Heider MUA – Summer Johnson-Makeup Artist Hair Stylist – Aiasha Orick-Fleurantin Pentax 645D HD PENTAX-D FA645 MACRO 90mmF2.8ED AW S

In the Studio – Aino #2

Model – Aino Shimoji MUA – Mallika Sharma Pentax 645D HD PENTAX-D FA645 MACRO 90mmF2.8ED AW S Lighting – Charcoal background. Beauty dish powered by Profoto Pro-7a as the main light. Small softbox as low fill. Medium size strip softboxes on both sides adding rimlight (powered by Profoto compacts). A fifth compact aimed at the background. Strobes triggered with PocketWizards.

In the Studio – Aino

First image from a fantastic shoot with Okinawan model Aino. Model – Aino Shimoji        MUA & Hair – Mallika Sharma Pentax 645D HD PENTAX-D FA645 MACRO 90mmF2.8ED AW S Lighting – Charcoal background. Beauty dish powered by Profoto Pro-7a as the main light. Small softbox as low fill. Medium size strip softboxes on both sides adding rimlight (powered by Profoto compacts). A fifth compact aimed at the background. Strobes triggered with PocketWizards.

Clowning Around

It’s always important for models to practice their smiles. Otherwise, when under pressure during a shoot, things can suddenly go very wrong. Model & Funny Girl – Leia Heider MUA – Summer Johnson-Makeup Artist Pentax 645D HD PENTAX-D FA645 MACRO 90mmF2.8ED AW S

Organized Chaos – Driving and Riding in India

Organized chaos is the best term I could come up with for what happens on Indian roads. Millions of vehicles, people and animals, all using the streets at the same time. There is a hierarchy of importance loosely based on size, with the exception of cows. People move out of the way of bicycles, bicycles move out of the way of scooters. This continues upwards through auto-rickshaw, compact car, full-size car, SUV, light-truck and bus, to dump truck. Cows are the anomaly, as even dump trucks stop if these sacred animals are crossing the street. Very few vehicles have side mirrors, so you are expected (and in some areas obliged) to beep your horn while overtaking. As everyone is in a rush, the beeping is incessant. Accidents are very common, but not as often as I you’d expect (possibly due to the slow speed of traffic). You certainly learn to never make any assumptions. When driving on a 6-lane highway with a central divider, don’t assume that the vehicle in the inside lane is the …

Back in the Boat with Baba Jee

Having got some great shots at dusk the night before, I still wanted to take the boat with Baba Jee the following morning. The light at dawn is both a different color and from a different direction to the warm evening rays. You’d miss many great opportunities if you only shot at one time of day. The rowing boat allowed me to get the photos of pilgrims bathing in the river, and another nice portrait of Baba Jee the boatman.