Reading is Fundamental

"Reading is Fundamental" We have being hearing that phrase I guess since grade school, but it is almost as if no one understands it. I am no exception for a while there I always looked for information the easy way or so I thought at the time. The easiest way to gather information is to read it, but in today's fast paced world reading has become defined as a slow annoying process, to which we cannot be bothered. Thus the invention of cliff notes and other such summarizing tools. 

Here is my point READ!!! now since this is a photography blog let relate it back. Alot of people ask me how I make my images so colorful, detailed, clear. And my usual response is I know my camera; thereafter I am followed by the question? how did you get to know about your camera, and I simply reply, I read the manual. 

Yes folks that is it, Read your manual, and not just once, keep reading it over and over again. Your manual is not a novel you do not have to read it in order. Use the table of contents find the information you want, camera in one hand manual in the other, and read; and as you read test what you have read with your camera, take test shots explore your camera, so that you can use it better. I always pick up my manual every once in a while and relearn some old settings and try out new ones, this is fun to me. Before I use any new equipment, I like to sit down with the manual and just teach myself, check out tutorials etc...  

So all who seek to better themselves and find information, you have heard it once, and you will continue to hear it "Reading is Fundamental" so read.

Strobist World

The world of the strobist is one that I am not new to, but I am still exploring. We have all been there, an outdoor shoot but you do not feel like lagging around all your outdoor equipment, so you just bring your camera and a flash. 

The Image to the right I took at Piedmont park. For the flash I only used the attached camera camera flash on my 30D and bumped up my ISO to 1200. The lens was a 50mm Macro lens.

For the image on the left, I used my canon 30D with my attached speedlite 430EX.  I took this image around Mid-Day with the hot afternoon early summer sun. Where the model shaded under a row of trees, and the Sun was great to illuminate the background and lend to the overall feel of the image.

The location for this image is Bicentennial Park, in Atlanta, Georgia... before the world of Coke and Georgia Aquarium were built. If I was to retake the picture today the world of Coke would be behind the Olympic Tower in the background.

Website, Still Need One???

I was thinking about the role of websites for todays photographer. With websites like facebook, myspace, twitter, and yes this one is there a real reason for a photographer to have a website. That is an easy one yes, because a website is part of your visibility and good website can bring you new clients while a bad one may lose you potential clients. However as a result of these social networking websites, you can now bring more traffic to your website. 

Currently I am in the process of having a website built, it is not a fun process but it is necessary. my social networking connections however have kept me going until its complete. Almost everybody is on atleast one SN site, majority of my clients I have met through Facebook and other such sites.  As the world continues to become smaller due to technology, I wonder what the future holds in its wake.

A list of my other social networking profiles are listed under links to the right of the page.

The image is a screen shoot of some of my old work on Modelmayhem.

Shooting With Animals

Now here is a fun topic for today's blog! Shooting with animals! for todays example I will be using as my example the most used animal mostly because it is so ready available, Dogs. We start with picking your model Canine depending on your shoot, you will select the breed, but in the breed of dog select make sure it is a stable one.  The last thing you want is a dog snapping at you or your model. 

After you choose your dog, think about your lighting equipment; Hot lights or strobe. Dogs overheat easily and strobes seem to be the obvious choice, but the flash from the strobes could scare the dog and take personality from its face. 

The images used for this blog were taken with three 1600 watt hotlights on 32' softboxes, with two settings, medium and full blast.  These images are about 4 years old and I cannot remember the brand of the hotlights. 

I used hotlights because that was all I had available to me at the time. The Dog named Cuervo is a very stable one. one of the disadvantages of the hot lights was that we could only shoot for a short periods at a time. The lights were too hot and Cuervo kept walking of the set too cool down. However the hot lights gave very vibrant color. If I had to redo this shoot I would again use hotlights. 

Thinking...

I woke up today in a thinking mood today... Really do not know what to think of, I mean going down the list it would be relationships, Finding something in marketing, my future, getting into Grad school, stuff like that. After a while of thinking, did some house cleaning, then sat down at my desk and started looking at my old pics. The pictures that I took with my Canon AE-1, which I still have, and some friends. Back before everything was so complicated. Back then all I cared about was taking a good picture, there was no politics, nobody beating down my door to get a pic, just fun. I remember I used to charge $70 plus the price of the film and developing. I did not have to worry about a make up artist, Hair stylist, stylist... it was just fun.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize how fun I am having now, sure back in the beginning it was simple and great, but I have grown from that, it is more, now as I continue to grow I can express myself better, I can do way more than I used to in tons of different ways; and I love that. I woke up this morning feeling like I had the weight of the world on me, which lead me to feeling nostalgic, but the thing about nostalgia is that when you look back things always seemed better back then than they were.

So like many other recent college graduates in this economy I look forward and see and uncertain future. I do not know what tomorrow or the next holds. What ever it is though, I am def ready...

Which brings me to the two pictures I posted on this blog. The one above to the left, I took it in an airport in Barcelona, as I waited for my plane to Zurich. The man in it seems so deep in thought, he looks like I felt this morning. As I look at it, I wonder what he was thinking about, if anything. The top picture on the right was my first paid photoshoot, back in The University of West Georgia. The final picture is special to me because it was from my first ever photoshoot, it was not paid, but got me started in the right direction. It also represents were I am in my life, starting a new journey...

Saul Williams: Afro Punk Concert, Nikon Coolpix Camera Test

Pictures taken at:
The Loft
1374 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta , GA 30309
Phone: (404)885-1365
Event: Afro Punk Tour





Last night I attended my first Saul Williams concert on the Afro Punk Tour. For this I did not want to bring my Bulky DSLR so I settled for my brothers Nikon Coolpix, which has nine megapixels, VR ISO of 3200 and a 3.0 inch LCD. and I have to say, it was much more fun than if I had brought my 30D. With the little Nikon I did not have to worry about people bumping into me dropping it, or getting a drink spilt on it, I actually had a great time.

I know the pictures would have turned out a million times better with my DSLR but then, I could have gone into camera mode and not really enjoyed myself and just been in the moment, it would have all become about getting the perfect shots.

For the images I set the Nikon's white balance to incandescent lighting, the shooting style to continuous, ISO sensitivity to 800, (which I later discovered I could go higher, >(.... a well maybe next time); the color option to Vivid Color, and finally the Auto focus to automatic. I am pretty happy with the pics, the down sided is I had to hold the cool pix up high and try to stand still in a crowd of dancing rockers but I think I got some good ones.




One feature that I have always enjoyed and now seems to come standard on almost all dslr's is the video feature. For the CoolPix this was a feature I enjoyed the most. Video took up most of my memory card space but it was well worth it. The video has great lighting and the sound was not bad.

The Coolpix retails for around $299.99 which is about average for the point and shoot market. For its portability,quality, and usability I give the Nikon Coolpix two thumbs up!!!

The concert it self was a blast, The four acts had great energy and the crowd more than returned it. All in all it was a great time, Thanks BG!

Strobes

What kind of strobes do you use? Now this is a question that I get alot!!! And I am always happy to answer. I use a pair 1600 white lighting strobes from Paul C Buff, I also have a AB1600 and AB800.

To me Paul C Buff products are great for the money especially when you add the cost of accessories. Now I would Love to use Profoto or Elinchrom; for myself I prefer Profoto, but the question of what is best between the two will always be a subject of debate, among photographers. There are other brands such as Bowens out there also, but I do not have experience with these products so I can offer my advice about them.

For strobes all I can say is do your research, check out online forums but at the end of the day its your money, make your decision, but make sure you can afford more than just the lights you will need a accessories... :-) Viel-glueck!

Hair

This past weekend, I did a hair shoot for Miss Briana Hickman. The shoot was relatively simple just you basic glam our shots focusing on hair. I decided to shoot with a black background because I thought it would bring out the hair better especially if there was color in the hair and I would like to think that I was right, you be the judge.

I used a to light set up with my WL x1600s and I had my AB's for back up just in case something went wrong with my white-lighting. For my main light I used a beauty dish with the diffuser sock, and for my hair light i just used a white diffuser umbrella. I had my Trusty canon 30d, My work horse, with a 17-85mm lens.

Now for the hair, I was very impressed, Briana did a great job, The hair photographed excellently and had an excellent shine to it. I do not know much about hair, but I do know about what looks good and her stuff works of art were great!

As a photographer in my images and hopefully in yours as well, or what ever your craft is, the key word is 'details' in alot of my images especially my commercial projects every detail is looked at twice. Everything has a meaning every letter, every syllable, every color, even the placing I love going over details in ads, and appreciate it more when I meet someone who shows the same detail in their work. And Briana showed the highest detail in their work and I appreciated that from them and enjoyed the full 4 hour shoot. If you are interested in having your hair styled by Briana Hickman, or for your next shoot you can email Briana at bxquisit@yahoo.com

Briana Hickman is pictured on the right in the middle. bxquisit@yahoo.com