Not only is Jazba beautiful, she is also a very talented model (these are not one and the same).
Click to see more photos-->
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Beautiful Jazba
I wanted to do some more fashionesque photoshoots since I got to Mumbai. That's why I painted my walls white. Besides the few Couch Surfing portraits I did, I did not really take advantage of my situation. The friday before I left Mumbai to come back to the states for a visit I went to a party and met Jazba. I asked her if she'd be interested in doing a shoot before I left and she said she'd love to. Finally, on tuesday, our schedules lined up and she came to the studio, err, my living room. She brought a lovely black dress she had bought at a thrift store for $5 that was perfect.
Not only is Jazba beautiful, she is also a very talented model (these are not one and the same).
Click to see more photos-->
Not only is Jazba beautiful, she is also a very talented model (these are not one and the same).
Click to see more photos-->
New Washington Edits
I am finally getting around to editing more of my trip to Washington State. Here are some of the finals.
View from Mt. Erie near Deception Pass. It was a beautiful day and location to climb. Click on image to see large.
Mt. Erie from across the lake near sunset.
My favorite spot at Deception Pass.
The second peak of Big Chief in Squamish, BC shot from the bald first peak. That was a pretty incredible hike. Class 4 hiking.
The view from the first peak looking back over the Strait of Georgia which connects to the Pacific Ocean.
View from Mt. Erie near Deception Pass. It was a beautiful day and location to climb. Click on image to see large.Mt. Erie from across the lake near sunset.
My favorite spot at Deception Pass.
The second peak of Big Chief in Squamish, BC shot from the bald first peak. That was a pretty incredible hike. Class 4 hiking.
The view from the first peak looking back over the Strait of Georgia which connects to the Pacific Ocean.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A 10 minute head shot
I am glad to be working again.
Yesterday I did quick head shot of a business professional in Indianapolis. It's not the travel and adventure stuff I have been doing, but its still fun problem solving. This doesn't have a fun story to go with it, so I'm providing the How To...let me know what you think and if I should keep doing these.
I showed up about half an hour before the subject was supposed to arrive. I selected an open space in the office near a window for the location. The light spilling on the white background can only help, no negative. And since I'm shooting at f/8, 1/125s, and ISO100, my lights should over power any ambient lighting.
(A) I brought with me a travel background kit and a simple king size White bedsheet as the backdrop. Maybe its not "professional" but afterwards, no one can tell the difference. I also carry a black bedsheet for low key photos.
(B) I placed an AlienBee 1600 behind the sheet shooting back towards the subject. This will blow out the center more than the edges. It doesn't really matter since it's going to be an all white backdrop, but it reduces clutter around the "studio". This is roughly 2 stops above (F/16) the key light.
(C) Next I set up my White Lightning 1600x with the 42 inch Brolly Box, a shoot through translucent white umbrella with a reflective backing that keeps light from escaping out the back. I place this very close to the subject to get the best quality light from the brolly box. The subject has glasses so I have to adjust the height and position of the light above and further to the right. (f/8)
(D) I set up my Canon Speedlite 580EXII on my tripod behind and to the left of the subject. Using my Cybersync radio slave it will fire along with the studio strobes. I set it on 1/32 power which put it about a stop and half above my key light, the brolly box.
(E) I had a VALS (Voice Activated Light Stand) holding my 32inch reflector on the left side of the subject bouncing light into the shadow side of his face so it is not void of detail.
(F) The Subject stood roughly 10ft from the backdrop which minimizes the amount of spill light coming from the back light.
(G) And I shot with my 50mm lens which requires me to get pretty close to the subject for a headshot. I like the dynamic this creates with the subject, but it would be best to shoot around the 70mm range. Even though 50mm is normal and does not distort the subject, 70mm is a little bit more pleasing to the eye.
Yesterday I did quick head shot of a business professional in Indianapolis. It's not the travel and adventure stuff I have been doing, but its still fun problem solving. This doesn't have a fun story to go with it, so I'm providing the How To...let me know what you think and if I should keep doing these.
I showed up about half an hour before the subject was supposed to arrive. I selected an open space in the office near a window for the location. The light spilling on the white background can only help, no negative. And since I'm shooting at f/8, 1/125s, and ISO100, my lights should over power any ambient lighting.
(A) I brought with me a travel background kit and a simple king size White bedsheet as the backdrop. Maybe its not "professional" but afterwards, no one can tell the difference. I also carry a black bedsheet for low key photos.
(B) I placed an AlienBee 1600 behind the sheet shooting back towards the subject. This will blow out the center more than the edges. It doesn't really matter since it's going to be an all white backdrop, but it reduces clutter around the "studio". This is roughly 2 stops above (F/16) the key light.
(C) Next I set up my White Lightning 1600x with the 42 inch Brolly Box, a shoot through translucent white umbrella with a reflective backing that keeps light from escaping out the back. I place this very close to the subject to get the best quality light from the brolly box. The subject has glasses so I have to adjust the height and position of the light above and further to the right. (f/8)
(D) I set up my Canon Speedlite 580EXII on my tripod behind and to the left of the subject. Using my Cybersync radio slave it will fire along with the studio strobes. I set it on 1/32 power which put it about a stop and half above my key light, the brolly box.
(E) I had a VALS (Voice Activated Light Stand) holding my 32inch reflector on the left side of the subject bouncing light into the shadow side of his face so it is not void of detail.
(F) The Subject stood roughly 10ft from the backdrop which minimizes the amount of spill light coming from the back light.
(G) And I shot with my 50mm lens which requires me to get pretty close to the subject for a headshot. I like the dynamic this creates with the subject, but it would be best to shoot around the 70mm range. Even though 50mm is normal and does not distort the subject, 70mm is a little bit more pleasing to the eye.
Reliance
My grandpa is not who he used to be. I remember him always laughing, always pestering or pinching. I remember how hard he would try and to what lengths he would go out of his way to help someone. That seemed to be what he lived on: helping others. Over the past several years his health and memory were fading gradually enough, but suddenly in January he had a heart attack that put him in a nursing home. Now, at age 89, it is hard to recognize him as the same man sitting slumped in his wheel chair or fighting sleep in his recliner. It's been difficult for me to watch this once strong, proud man deteriorate. I tend to distance myself rather than watch up close. I would rather remember him as I did as a kid, riding in his horse drawn buggy or helping me to feed the neighbor's pigs.
Grandpa loved horses. Anyone entering his nursing home room could guess as much by the yellow plaid blanket inlaid with the heads of horses folded over the back of his chair and the multitude of horse posters covering the walls. He spent so much of his life caring for other people as well as his horses. Now he struggles to have enough strength to do simple tasks like shaving. He has to rely on others to take care of everyday needs. I know this is hard for him since he wouldn't let others help him if he could do it himself. I feel like it was yesterday my mother yelled at him for climbing into the attic to open the air ducts or trying to till his vegetable garden. No one could do it like he could.
This series speaks about self-reliance. You are never strong enough to do it alone forever.
I was unsure about going to see him. I did not know whether he would recognize me; grandma had warned me he may not. When I found my mom pushing him through the home in the wheel chair suddenly became a bit more alert. "What's with all that fuzz?" he asked in his typical jovial tone referring to my recently grown long hair. But that was the only coherent thing he said the entire time I was there. The nurses moved him into his recliner and he spent the rest of our time there moving in and out of sleep.
I am leaving again for India in a few weeks. I do not know whether I will see Grandpa again before he moves on. I do not know what the next few months hold for him or myself. His existence here is limited. It's no doubt hardest on my grandma. Living by herself is lonely. Separated from her love, she is unsure of her own existence or what to do next.
All of us have limited time. I'm ok with that.
Grandpa loved horses. Anyone entering his nursing home room could guess as much by the yellow plaid blanket inlaid with the heads of horses folded over the back of his chair and the multitude of horse posters covering the walls. He spent so much of his life caring for other people as well as his horses. Now he struggles to have enough strength to do simple tasks like shaving. He has to rely on others to take care of everyday needs. I know this is hard for him since he wouldn't let others help him if he could do it himself. I feel like it was yesterday my mother yelled at him for climbing into the attic to open the air ducts or trying to till his vegetable garden. No one could do it like he could.
This series speaks about self-reliance. You are never strong enough to do it alone forever.
I was unsure about going to see him. I did not know whether he would recognize me; grandma had warned me he may not. When I found my mom pushing him through the home in the wheel chair suddenly became a bit more alert. "What's with all that fuzz?" he asked in his typical jovial tone referring to my recently grown long hair. But that was the only coherent thing he said the entire time I was there. The nurses moved him into his recliner and he spent the rest of our time there moving in and out of sleep.
I am leaving again for India in a few weeks. I do not know whether I will see Grandpa again before he moves on. I do not know what the next few months hold for him or myself. His existence here is limited. It's no doubt hardest on my grandma. Living by herself is lonely. Separated from her love, she is unsure of her own existence or what to do next.
All of us have limited time. I'm ok with that.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Ring Flash Goodness
Sometimes I need inspiration to shoot. I have barely picked up my camera since I came to Indiana in March. I get stuck just doing my thing not looking for creative outlets, but my soul suffers. My good friend Katie Collins (katiecollinsphoto.blogspot.com) from Nashville, TN came up to hang out for a couple of days. One thing ALWAYS happens when we hang out. Photography. She's an incredible muse and encourages ideas. Even when I'm on the other side of the world I'm bouncing ideas off of her.
Friday night in Bloomington, IN Katie and I set out to attend a photo gallery opening and meet some friends near Kirkwood. I break out my Orbis Ring Flash and we go to work flagging down strangers and friends, asking if I can get entirely too close to them to take a portrait with my 16-35mm wide angle lens. With this absurd plastic dish inches from their face I ask the subject to make a funny face. People outside of bars seem to be much more willing to do funny, silly things than people in day to day life. I like shooting in this atmosphere.
Test shot #1
More Photos!! -------> Click to Continue
Friday night in Bloomington, IN Katie and I set out to attend a photo gallery opening and meet some friends near Kirkwood. I break out my Orbis Ring Flash and we go to work flagging down strangers and friends, asking if I can get entirely too close to them to take a portrait with my 16-35mm wide angle lens. With this absurd plastic dish inches from their face I ask the subject to make a funny face. People outside of bars seem to be much more willing to do funny, silly things than people in day to day life. I like shooting in this atmosphere.
Test shot #1
More Photos!! -------> Click to Continue