The Mayor

USU is working on a campaign to show off their satellite campuses all around Utah, and they've asked me to help. I make portraits of students and faculty and staff and graduates, while a video crew does interview with all the same. The campuses are really wonderful and are fully equipped--students don't go there because they couldn't get into USU Logan; they go there because they are good schools, and I've enjoyed getting to know them all and photographing all around the state.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 70mm, f/6.3, 1/200s, ISO 100.

This is my favorite picture from the five campuses I've visited so far. This is the previous mayor of Vernal, photographed in the bookstore/cafe he and his wife run on Main Street.  My wife and I arrived first (the rest of the crew was lost in the desert after our session with the wild biology teacher) and we got to spend a few minutes with this great couple. We came in, ordered sandwiches (best lunch in town by a long shot!), coaxed his wife into being in the picture with him, and we were finished shooting before our delicious paninis were ready. They had a portrait on the wall of their progenitors, and I hope this one goes up, too.

I loved setting up this portrait. From the moment we walked in I knew I was going to photograph them in front of the books. I chose the 70-200mm lens because I wanted a little more environment than the 105mm would give me and I was already standing in the bathroom to get a little more space as it was. I could have used a wider lens, like a 50mm, but that would bring too much other stuff into the picture and make it too busy for the graphic designer to use and too busy for me to love. Aperture was set at f/6.3 in order to have enough depth of field to get both faces in focus, but still have some blur to the background and save my flash batteries a little. There was a window behind me to the left and another waaaaay at the front of the store to the right, and florescent lights over head. That means three colors of light and none of it very flattering. I used a small speedlight behind and to the right to put a pop of light on the bookshelf and as a gentle hairlight. The main light is a speedlight through a white umbrella from directly over the table. I wanted it to feel like the kind of light you often see over tables in a cafe, and I think it worked out nicely. The fast shutter speed ensured that those other lights in the room wouldn't influence this picture.

This picture is presented just as I got it from the camera, including the black and white; which just shows how silly it is to brag about not using Photoshop. I shot this image as a RAW image, which always comes to the computer in color no matter the settings on the camera. However, I wanted to leave a print with them, so I needed a jpeg image I could take to Walmart and have back immediately (my first, and hopefully last, experience printing at Walmart. I made two prints in black and white; one was yellowish and the other wasn't. I'm a snob about my prints for a reason.) so I used the in camera RAW processing to create a BW image with a red filter applied to add contrast and ease the skin tones and I brightened it a touch, then saved a jpeg copy. So, my camera has photoshop built in...but it's still right out of the camera! Sigh.

Circumnavigation

Things--life--seem to move in cycles and patterns and rotations. I feel like I'm coming around again and it's a nice way to wrap things up. I'm moving to Portland, Oregon later this month, if you hadn't heard, and everyone is saying goodbye to me. JM is one who has come cyclicly through my photography and this blog. She's been a real friend, always supporting me, and a joy to have in front of the camera, too. 

She and her brother came to classes in 2010 for the first time, and everyone had a great time making pictures with her and N. This is one I didn't share back then. The doorway in the background is my first Studio over on Church Street!

Nikon D90, 85mm f/1.8 D lens, f/6.3, 1/80s, ISO 800.

Looking at that picture now, I realize that I was still frequently shooting jpegs only. Now I shoot everything in RAW, and occasionally RAW with an additional jpeg file (for black and whites, as described in the post below). 

This shoot above was really an auspicious day, too. While we were walking the streets outside the Studio I met my pal Sam, made this picture, and started a friendship thats going strong to this day.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @140mm, f/2.8, 1/100s, ISO 400.

What's more, Sam obliged the next session of my classes by coming and modeling for us--and this while rehearsing and playing violin in the orchestra for the Utah Festival Opera everyday. As I recall, he had to boogie from the studio and run across the block to rehearsals as soon as class was over. He's a true friend to spend energy helping us create when he still has creating of his own to do.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 98mm, f/3.5, 1/80s, ISO 320.

While I was making the above image of Sam, Erin Holmstead was also in the room shooting as one of my students. Another day we were making pictures of flowers in the Studio and I was so inspired by her image that I turned around and made my most favoritest rose picture.

Nikon D700, 85mm f/1.8 D lens, f/5.6, 1/100s, ISO 400.

Nikon D700, 55mm micro lens, f/5.6, 1/80s, ISO 800.

Well, about a year later, Erin started working for me as my intern at the new studion in the Thatcher-Young Mansion. She tried to help me get organized...but I was too much for even her skills, I'm afraid. She was a huge help getting things done, though, and we had a lot of fun times making pictures for people and trying out some wacky stuff occasionally. Eventually, she even let me make pictures for her new family!

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 50mm, f/11, 1/125s, ISO 200.

Well, right about the time Erin started working with me, another student asked me to help him one-on-one. J. needed some specific help just for himself at his own pace. So we headed up to USU to walk the walks and see what there was to see. Foolishly, I didn't shoot a single image of J. that day. However, while we were hassling people outside the campus library, cajoling them to be in our pictures, JM walked up and said hello! I hadn't seen her in quite sometime, and I was glad to talk with her a minute.

Naturally, I invited JM to be in a picture or two. She demurred, however, claiming that she wasn't really made up, and didn't think she was ready to be in a picture that day. I said she looked great, but I also respect someone who takes a picture seriously, so I said goodbye and got back to coaching J. on the use of a diffuser in bright sunlight.

You can imagine my surprise a few minutes later when JM tapped on my shoulder and said, "I decided I could be in a picture." She was so genuine and disarming, I couldn't help smiling as I invited her into our location studio on the planter by the sidewalk. I'm so glad that she stopped because it made for one of my all time favorite images.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 92mm, F/5.3, !/3200s, ISO 800.

I love to see the maturity in JM's eyes here, compared with the image made one year prior at the top.

In speaking of all time favorite images, although I didn't make a picture of J. that day, I did have the privilege of photographing he and his wife a little later on. I hope I can become half the husband and friend that J. is.

Nikon D3, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 105mm, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 200.

Oh, and one more all time favorite includes my man Sam. He was back in town again this last summer for the Opera and was, once again, good enough to indulge me in some creative activities. Fortunately, his stay overlapped the Cache Valley Cruise In, so we headed to the fairgrounds in search of the perfect automobile to match up with Sam. As we walked he talked about wanting a '69 mustang. We happened to find one.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 145 mm, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 400, Nik Color Efex 4, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

After convincing the owner of the Mustang to let us use his car for awhile, and after a few more days' break, I got Sam back into the Studio for some more portraits. If you're like me, you can help smiling when you see Sam laugh. That's the kind of treasure this black box I work with keeps for me, and lets me share. In fact, I can share it and share it and never run out.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 250mm, f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100.

Which brings us to today. I was texting with Erin and Facebook messaging with Sam, when J. surprised me by showing up right before my class to help setup for our club meeting this evening; and who surprised him but JM, who came to model. So, nearly three years and five cameras later, JM is with my class again, sharing herself and helping us learn to create, helping us to consider the importance of pictures. 

What was it Norman Maclean wrote?

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it."

As I sail through life, I find it all goes 'round, and friends come again, and the shutter records it.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens @90mm, f/5.6, 1/160s, ISO 800.

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.

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

A. and D. recently came for a portrait session, a little something to share with their families for the Holidays. Spending time with them was really a pleasure--they're friends of friends, and now friends themselves.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 100, Nik Color Efex Pro4, CS6.

One thing that is significant about this picture is the location. I'm standing in the canal bed along with A. and D. to make this picture, and this would be absolutely impossible two months ago. Because the canal is intended for irrigation (yes, even right in town people have water shares to water their lawns in the growing season), it only flows part of the year, and the rest of the time it may be found bone dry. 

Not only is the presence of water an obstacle in making this image in other seasons, but flow is another problem. See, right behind me is a race directing the water from the street level above twenty higher and it comes pouring down in a raucous slurry of white froth and foam that would knock me off my feet and carry me past the back of door of the now-closed Hostess Outlet (sigh). In fact, it's such a rush of water that I usually don't come down here in the growing season because I can't communicate with my clients for the noise.

My point is, keeping an eye on locations in different seasons and conditions makes allows me to make the most of all places. Plus, it keeps me excited about places that could otherwise be boring. Oh, here's another example of this same spot in high summer when the grass is up to my shoulders.

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.

Stealing Kisses

J. is a friend of mine, also a member of the Cache Valley Photographers, and a guy who is always learning stuff--reading and growing all the time. He's been on Facebook and Google Plus way longer than me, and has been on the internet since before there was an internet! I really enjoy associating with him.

Having spent time with him and his wife this afternoon, I've learned some funny things. M. was telling me about the first time J. tried to steal a kiss from her. Well, after 46 years, they are still trading kisses and enjoying each other's company. I feel honored that they allowed me to intrude and enjoy some moments of their relation. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Man, I love this job!

Nikon D3, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @105mm, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 200.

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.

Good Things Come To Those Who Ask

This morning I met A. and J. briefly--they were helping one of the club members make pictures while she rented the studio. Those pictures will no doubt become some wonderful works of digital art and compilation--the gal shooting is an incredible photoshop artist. Well, when they were leaving I  asked if they would care to come back and model for a class sometime. They're a cute couple, and that could be handy for helping teach students how to work with two people together. SInce they're married, much of the awkwardness is also eliminated and chances are good that they will still be married the next time I'm looking for a couple, so I won't feel uncomfortable asking for them and finding out they broke up last month, and could you please destroy the cute pictures you made of last time we modeled for you?

So, I told them I teach classes and we're always looking for people to work with, for instance we have a class tonight, and they said they'd be happy to come sometime. Then they called me back a few minutes after they left to ask if they could come for tonight's class. I'm glad that they came! The whole class loved working with them and we made some good pictures together. Sometimes, you just need to open your mouth and ask that question even when you think the answer will be no. Didn't you learn it's rude to finish other people's sentences for them? Ask and let them reject you. The fact is, they are at least as scared to hurt your feelings, and they rarely turn you down. Go ahead: ask.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 200mm, f/3.5, 1/1250s, ISO 400.

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.

Cruise In...Again

This is J.

He brought W. to the Cruise In on Friday night, and they two were good enough to oblige me with a few pictures. This was very fun for me: They just sat by a pretty car and talked and laughed, and I shot away. After a few minutes they seemed to remember that I was there and asked if they should move or pose, but they were looking so natural, I asked them to keep on keepin' on. I'm not a car guy, so this was really the best part of the Cruise-In for me, and I thank J. and W. again for a good time.

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.

Self Portraits

This is my wife. We headed out to take advantage of the last of the good weather this Autumn. It's rumored to begin snowing this week. So, we boogied up to one of my favorite spots for family pictures with tripod in tow.

Apparently, we weren't the only ones thinking that it was the last chance for Fall--we practically had to wait in line behind all the other photographers just to get in the parking lot at USU. However, no one else was carrying a tripod, and there's a good reason they always suggest that you buy the biggest tripod you can carry. Yep, one look at me bumbling along with my tripod, twisting and turning to look at leaves on trees, swingin that thing willy nilly, and everyone gave me a wide berth--after I accidentally swung 'round to look at Old Main and sent one smallish photog careering down the hill, everyone else got out of the way. (I apologized and offered to send pictures of him catching air before hitting the maple trees...)

Anyway, The great thing about this spot is that at any time of day, and at any time of year it has the same light! Sometimes it's a little brighter, sometimes it's a little bluer, but you walk up, set the camera to f/5.6, zoom in to at least 100mm and you've got yourself a nice picture. There's a background, but it's just back there; the focus is clearly the people. Even guys in goofy hats can't ruin this location.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 150mm, f/5.6, 1/80s, ISO 500.

Click through and you'll understand why J. insisted on the hat; not that I would argue...