It's always a pleasure working with L., and even better when it's to celebrate her new life. N. and L. make such a great couple, and perfect subjects for my work, too. And did I mention they have a great temperament? Even after we got (gently) thrown out of this terrific location, we went on to make more pictures to commemorate their wedding.

L. is moving right along in her skills as a stylist and makeup artist, as well, so give me a call and lets put her to work! After a session making pictures with me and her, I'm sure you'll agree that she's an artist.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/4.5, 1/100s, ISO 400, Nik Color Efex 4, CS6.

Red, Gold, and Green

You know that song, right? It's a bit kookie, but it really sticks in your mind...and if you haven't seen the video--well, it's an early 80's British band, so be warned, but here you go.

What has it got to do with these colorless images I'm sharing with you here? You see, T.'s hair is hot red, and K.'s hair is blonde (gold?) and we were shooting on a beach in Oregon surrounded by the greenest greens on planet earth. "Karma Karma Karma Karma, Karma Chameleon..." See what I mean?

It was really a pleasure and an honor making pictures for these newlyweds. My wife and I were guests and photographers, so we were busy. We started by arriving early and scouting the beach to find the best place to have the ceremony; someplace with beautiful scenes and not too much noise from the surf. We built a walkway from heaps of drift wood for the bride to walk down on the way to the beach. This first image is shot on the same spot where the ceremony was performed.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 98mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 800, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

 A serene vista for the ceremony wasn't our only goal. We also need to find the perfect places to make portraits of the bride and groom. It's true that we're on the beach, and it's early September, but this is Oregon, not Florida: it was about 60 degrees in the sun...but there was no sun. So we needed to be ready to quickly make portraits of the bride and groom before she turned into a popsicle. Plus, there was the seafood dinner awaiting us, so we needed to shoot, you know, pronto.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 135mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 800, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

The bride loved this location for the lighthouse on the cliff (I think she's a Pete's Dragon fan), but she didn't know the lighthouse was closed for restoration. And in Oregon that means that it's covered top to bottom in a black tarp. Not exactly the picturesque backdrop we had imagined. Fortunately, the caretaker's house was in perfect shape and gave balance and interest to the background.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 180mm, f/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 800, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Still, it's just a background, and I'm always telling my students that backgrounds don't make good pictures: good light makes good pictures. And the thing about that house back there is that it's white, and surrounded by dark green, which really makes it pop. Add to that the sun setting behind dense diffusing fog, and it was pretty dark on that beach, and the light was totally flat. Looking at people there were no harsh shadows, but there was also no direction to the light on their faces and little light in the eyes--especially K.'s eyes which are rather deeply set. Without intervention we were doomed to pose people facing the beach to try and get a little light in their eyes, which left the highway dissecting the images in the back. 

This is where off camera flash saved my bacon. For all of these images I used a Nikon SB-900 in a 24" softbox to bring definition and contrast. It was controlled using the popup flash on the D800. The great thing about the Nikon CLS is that the brightness of that SB-900 can be controlled wirelessly from a long distance (Joe McNally recently tested it to 85 ft. is full sunlight). That means my wife can be anywhere on that beach and I can make the light brighter or darker by simply pushing some buttons on the camera. It's really a powerful tool and makes the images I have in my mind's eye possible. That first image above is totally lifeless without that flash, and the one below lacks definition without the light from behind separating K. from the trees.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 90mm, f/5.6, 1/100s, ISO 1600, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

This image was the one I was most excited about making. While we were scouting I saw the road coming out of the trees and the tunnel like nature of the branches overhead. I knew that right at the edge of that tunnel there would be great light, like a porch that shields the light from overhead leaving a directional brightness. I balanced the flash to add a little kick from behind and positioned the couple with cheesy thoughts about roads to the future running through my mind. Anyway, it's the picture I envisioned while scouting and it's a real pleasure to be able to make something in your mind into something shareable.

The dinner was wonderful, and we had a lovely evening--even the cop who pulled me over was kind enough to let me go with a warning. I do love Oregon, and being there with loved ones, doing some picture making for loved ones, makes it more memorable even than those Culture Club lyrics.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 180mm, 1/110s, ISO 1600.

Finally!

Last fall O. and S. joined my class as models for an evening. We made some great pictures for them, and were eagerly awaiting their wedding to do it again. Well, yesterday I finally got to make some formals for them in their wedding garb. Always a pleasure to make pictures fro such wonderful people.

This is just a quick sneak peek...

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @105mm, f/5.6, 1/400s, ISO 400, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Doppelgängers

Doppelgänger means someone who looks like you. Historically, it usually meant some kind of imp who had your form and did bad things and made people think it was you doing it. For this post, we're going with the first definition.

This is Tyler and Rachel, of TAustin Photography, based in Seattle. Yep, I met them while I was there for that creativeLive workshop I attended a couple of weeks ago. Tyler and Rachel attended as models for Bambi Cantrell to demonstrate posing and lighting techniques on, and we all had a great time learning together.

So, why the doppelgängers? Cause they're just like my wife and me! (Except, I don't have that "I'm-also-a-rugged-fireman-when-I'm-not-making-pictures" look that Tyler does...)

They were married just a few years ago, but they don't really have many pictures from the day, and neither do we. For our part, we hired a guy without any vetting or shopping, thinking, perhaps, that "Pictures are pictures." When he showed up at our reception with a print of of us from earlier in the day made on typing paper and showing the two of in a closeup with my eyes closed, we realized that not all pictures are created equal.

So, Tessa and I stuck around and made more pictures for them. Tessa is a terrific ball of photographic spunk from Texas who was also attending the workshop. Click on this link to see her take on our time with Rachel and Tyler.



I really enjoyed Seattle. the weather was wonderful, and I'm told I must be a leprechaun for how lucky I was with weather--each evening when I took people out to make pictures, it was gorgeous with great sunsets every time. I'm excited to be heading back there on May 7th to present to the Seattle SMUG. If you're in town, I hope to see you then!

A Few More, and Hanging Out

You saw a sample of A. and J. the other day here, and these are some more fav's from working with them. Can you see how much fun this job is? Sorry, there aren't any openings, right now, so if you'd like to be a photographer you'd better get another job and try again later.

Doesn't that sound ridiculous? As if all the pictures have been made, and there're none left for you! I'm absolutely against this type of thought, and I do my best to keep myself from getting down into that sort of thinking. It's hard, though, sometimes: I see someone else working with a talented model or a great looking family, and I get jealous, I get thinking, "They ought to let me make those pictures."

So, I do things to keep myself from having a pity party. Like asking A. and J. to come along for a class as I mentioned below. Like teaching at BATC, and the Bullen Center. Like hosting 363 club members at my studio twice a week. Like hosting a hangout on Google Plus to show how I finished the following images using Lightroom4.

That was an interesting thing, the hangout. I made it public, and bunch of strangers dropped in for a few minutes, watched me edit, then left myself and a couple of other photogs to ourselves. I'll have to try that again, and I'll let you know when I do it, too.

It's late, and I'm hurrying to get to bed, so I'm not putting all my exposure data with the pictures. Instead, I'll share a website I like to use to see what settings other photogs used when making a picture. First, click on the image to make it full size. Then, right click on the image and choose to "copy image address"or "copy image URL". Next go to this web page and paste the address in the first empty field and click "View image at URL". Voila! Enjoy peeping on other photogs' settings...unless they truncated them, which is always disappointing.

Still Crazy After All These Years

Photographer unknown. This was R. and I.'s original Wedding photo, and the only copy; I photographed it to preserve it for the future.

R. has been my student this last term, and he's been enthusiastic about learning photography; it's always a pleasure to have him in class. A couple of weeks ago he mentioned that he'd like to rent the studio to make some pictures for his 50th wedding anniversary. Ladies and gentlemen, I've only been married eight years, but one thing I've learned is that there is a time for self portraits, and a time for hiring the right person for the job. I suggested to Robert that perhaps I could make pictures for he and his wife; I may well have saved this marriage for one more year.

Anyway, they were wonderful. I. brought their original wedding picture from when they were married in Holland in 1962. She said that she has always loved this pose, and wanted me to recreate it if possible. Then, as we were making pictures, she mentioned that R. has a photo in his wallet that he has had there since 1963. This I had to see! Needless to say, it has probably seen better days. So, I recorded this one for them, too. 

Photographer unknown. It's been in R.'s wallet for 49 years.

Actually, I'm not really recording it for them--they've seen them, they've had them hanging in their home (or squished in his wallet) for fifty years. I'm interested in photographing their photographs so that their great-grandkids will know what they looked like!

I. told me that they have not had a professional photograph made since that day in 1962, and I'm so glad that they allowed me to  make these new images for them. I really think it's important to have the history, to have the images that show who you were--both for yourself as well as your posterity. 

Have a look at this little slideshow, and a few of my favorite images below.

                 

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 82mm, f/13, 1/160s, ISO 200.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 100mm, f/13, 1/160s, ISO 200.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 78mm, f/10, 1/160s, ISO 200.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 190mm, f/10, 1/160s, ISO 200.

Couples

Folks like these are just plain fun to work with. O. and S. are getting married, and making pictures for their engagement was wonderful--they're in love, and they're cute, and I just couldn't make a bad picture. 

I love working with couples, young and old. One of my favorite things about family pictures is making individual and couple shots of the parents--I get to see that old sparkle return and we have fun while they remember their first times together.

Anyway, best wishes for O. and S. as they get started...

Nikon D7000, 85mm f/1.8 lens, f/3.2, 1/250s, ISO 400.

The Best Season

Spring and Summer really are a great time to get married. Everything is new, so making a new life just fits. In this image I love that B & D are wrapped around each other and shrouded in the new blooms and fresh greens of the season. We had a great time making these pictures right before the wedding. This was great because they knew they were ready, and were actually quite relaxed before the nuptials, and didn't have to worry about managing their time between the ceremony and luncheon afterward. I really like this pattern for making wedding pictures.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 200mm, f/3.5, 1/500s, ISO 640.

Periferals

Often, something going well goes even better when you can include stuff going on nearby. Yes, it's great to get clean teeth at the dentist, but the gift bag really makes all the difference. Meeting your favorite star on a set while filming--awesome; enjoying the delicious catering--awesomest. Like popcorn with a movie, cosy socks with a good book, and gatorade on your head after a great high school football game, it's little things that really make a great experience into the best experience.

So it is with these pictures. Had a blast and made some of my favorite pictures ever of a bride and groom recently. However, these two portraits of family members on the sidelines are also some of my favorites. Same thing with the figure skaters: portraits on the podium of the winners are good, but these individuals shot while we had a few minutes to spare really tied the whole thing together for me.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 70mm, f/8, 1/640s, ISO 500.

Nikon D700, 14-24mm f/2.8 lens @ 24mm, f/5.6, 1/2000s, ISO 800.

Nikon D700, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 300mm, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 400.

Nikon D700, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 230mm, f/14, 1/200s, ISO 400.

Nikon D700, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 150mm, f/16, 1/200s, ISO 400.

Pirate Party

B. & T. are getting married in a couple of months--you've never met two nicer people. It was a pleasure making pictures for their engagements announcements. It was useless, too, to try to get T. to stop smiling, or make a close mouthed grin. "Luckiest Man on Earth" was practically scrolling across his eyeballs in neon lights the whole night.

They're doing a pirate themed reception. Consider this an APB: we need a pirate-esque wedding dress, so keep an eye out for me.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @110mm, f/5, 1/125s, ISO 200.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @120mm, f/6.3, 1/100s, ISO 800.

An Evening Out

We had the pleasure of working with P and M during our photo class last Wednesday night, and it was fortunately warm enough to get a few pictures outside. This one is an idea brewing in my head, and i'm excited for warmer weather so I flesh it out. 

Today, with temperatures in the single digits and winds in the high double digits, is not the day to try this one again.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 125mm, f/3.5, 1/60s, ISO 1600.

Blizzard Wedding

This is about an hour before the hugest storm of the century. Pretty fun for a gal from Florida, and a guy who lives in Oklahoma.

How did they meet, anyway?

Nikon D700, 300mm f/4 lens, f/8.0, 1/400s, ISO 800. There'll be many more from this fun wedding fiasco soon.

Know Any Brides?

Wouldn't this look great as a wedding image, too?

Canon 1Ds MkII, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/160s, ISO 640.

Just One More...

I was saying that all day shooting these two...then I'd shoot ten more. It's not that I'm trying to fool them, or that I'm just not getting the picture. It's that they keep helping me make more and better portraits of themselves. Jay Maisel says that portraits are a cooperative effort between the subject and the photographer.  K. and A. were very cooperative.

Nikon D90, 70-200mm VR lens @150mm, f/8.0, 1/400s, ISO 200. 

Just the Boys

This was obviously fun to make. There we were, doing regular family portraits before the reception began, when A. says, "I really want one in your hat," and there are the brothers standing around, so this was the result. A.'s good at getting a stance and seems very comfortable in front of the camera. I was thinking that he looked a little mobbish in the hat, and he had two henchmen handy. I thought that a rim light would show his profile well, and by removing all the surrounding light we get a feeling like maybe we don't want to mess with these guys--which is impossible to feel around these fellows in person; the nicest crew you could imagine. Still, if you're short on funds, maybe they can help you out...just don't be late on payments.

Nikon D90, 50mm lens, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 400, one SB-800 and one SB-600 at +2 EV, fired through a white umbrella about five feet away. The light is far enough away that the intensity of the light is maintained across the first two guys, even though they are not the same distance form the light. It really starts to fall off by the time it reaches A., however.

Yep, this one's almost perfect.

To the Chapel!

I told you these two looked good! and now that their announcements are out there, and the date is almost here, I can share the rest of these with you. 

A. and K. are two of the nicest people in Cache Valley, and that's saying something. Why, just today another of their friends remarked to me about how good they are and are a good match. That's a good thing and a great way to start out. Congrats, you two.

Nikon D90.