Always Walking

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 48mm, f/11, 1/400s, 1/250s, 1/160s, ISO 400.

Made this on my way to work this morning. I used three exposures to reveal the high dynamic range of this image. I like it. It shows the temperamental weather we have around here in the Spring.

Walking and Classes

Wow. Just got back from Las Vegas where WPPI is going on. It's a big ole photography convention with education and networking opportunities galore. I learned loads and met so many wonderful people. It's amazing how giving and kind everyone is in this photography industry! I'm a lucky guy.

Here's a picture from my route to work this afternoon, followed by L., who is one of my new students this term.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 48mm, f/10, 1/30s, ISO 320.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 90mm, f/5.6, 1/125s, ISO 320.

Always Welcome

It was C's birthday the other day, so I invited her to come for pictures during my class last night. She's always a blast to have around--we get to talking and everyone enjoys getting to know her and making pictures. The time always flies with the shutter, and she's always welcome back.

On the Spot Portraits

D. called me up yesterday morning and needed a quick portrait made for a contest she's entering with Maurices, the department store. It's a model search, and sounds like fun...sorry, the deadline was yesterday at noon--which is why D. was a little frantic! Still, we got a couple pictures made and her submission was more than 15 minutes early--easy. I'll let you know if she wins.

Then, M. came to class in the afternoon with her hair significantly  shorter than last time I saw her. So, we made a quick portrait, too. I love this job--making pretty pictures of people is just plain fun.

This Is What I Bargained For...

It's been a busy time around here! We've had all kinds of wonderful opportunities coming into the Studio lately, from high class car shoots to corporate portraits to portraits of doctors to the Bald Eagles I'm photographing tomorrow with the Cache Valley Photographers. Whew! It's really been fun solving the problem of what kind of picture to make for each of these varied clients. And posing Bald Eagles is no picnic, I can tell you!

It's 2:15 am and I just finished some of these images for a client, and I should be in bed. But I've been looking forward to this moment for a week and a half. See, T. texted me the other day to make an appointment for her and her boys to come in for a portrait. ever since, I've been anticipating it. 

This is what drew me into photography nearly three years ago. I spent my class times in high school photographing landscapes and macros of tree leaves and reflections in streams--you know: art 'n' stuff. Little did I know what I was missing out on!

People is where the fun lies. I love making artful pictures of landscapes and trees and mountains and animals and bridges as much as anyone, and I love some of the images I've produced doing it (see tags at bottom of this post). Nevertheless, those things cannot compare with setting up the studio and photographing two brothers. I plan it like a playground: wide open. I just want those guys to have room, and they certainly took advantage of it tonight with twirling and leaping and doing the "shuffle dance". It was all I could do to make sharp images while giggling right along with these guys. They told me the Knock-knock joke about bananas and oranges five times...and got it wrong all five times! We never did figure out why the giraffe crossed the road.

So, I love the landscapes, animals, and the corporate work absolutely: but it's nice to relax a little and play with light every now and then, too.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 92mm, f/7.1, 1/200s, ISO 100.

Recent Ad

Let me know if you see my mug in the Home Town Values magazine this month...

Mild Winter

It's been moderate, not that cold overall. Last year I was walking to work in my vibram 5 finger shoes and freezing my piggies off. This year, I could wear shorts most days and survive. The low snow pack has the ski bums, ya know, bummed, and the warmth is already flooding a bit on the river bottoms. Still, it's extended the season for making pictures outdoors.

And that's been fun. Sometimes, kids just react better when you go outside. In the Studio, they may get the feeling that it's my space, but outside is a free for all. They don't mind bossing me about when we're out of doors, and I don't mind moving accordingly.

So we headed out to make pictures with this wonderful family. We went to one of my favorite places I've never been before: the USU campus. I love working there because we can always find good light and we can always find something new.

I love this one. For these we played around the Geology Building. I studied Geology in college, and there's something homey for me there, I guess.

These guys were a blast to work with. They came down from Alaska to visit, and were really enjoying the warmer weather and mild winter this year.

Yep, no complaints from me about the mild winter. Bring it on!