New Family

This little family was so much fun to make pictures with. She's due in February.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro Lens, f/9, 1/200s, ISO 200.

Boys

NIkon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro Lens, f/4, 1/125, ISO 200. I love shooting on Collage Campuses, and am looking forward to exploring those in Lake Oswego.

I love photographing families. Look at these boys, and you know how that shoot went: lots of energy, lots of fun, and lots of running around and climbing in trees and hills. Really had a good time. I think even mom and dad had fun. 

I'm available to make pictures for your family, too!

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro Lens, f/8, 1/80s, ISO 400. These were the kind of kids who laugh when they're photographer is inflicting little bits of pain on himself...slapstick kinda stuff kept them laughing.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro Lens, f/8, 1/125, ISO 400. Naturally, they behaved for mom...

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro Lens, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 400. But these laughs only came when the boys picked on dad a little bit. 

Reminder: Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day this weekend, guys. Yeah, it's sneaks up on you. Here's a little something a couple of guys could give their lady love for the holiday.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 Micro VR lens, f/20, 1/160s, ISO 100.

Growing Family

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/7.1, 1/60s, ISO 100. Nik Color Efex Pro 4.

Man, Last time we made pictures for the J. family, that little guy was a newborn. I love this. Watching families grow through my lens is really a wonderful thing.

New Brother

This is Turbo. He's having trouble saying his C's, but it's cute 'cause he's two. The littler one is C., and she's 6...days old. Turbo is still adjusting to the situation, I think. In another picture he was supposed to give her a kiss, and he put his mouth right close to her head and then looked like he was about to bite into it like an apple...

He'll adjust.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @100mm, f/8, 1/160s, ISO 800, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Father and Son

Yep, it's another Cat Stevens quote. But what could be more apt? 

Having K. and little R. in the studio was such a pleasure. We played and played and played. I've just sorted through the images, and I've still got over 100 unique expressions from this kid! Man, that was fun.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 90mm, f/9, 1/200s, ISO 200, Nik Color Efex 4.

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.

Coming and Going

N. found me on Google. That never happens to me. Almost all of my clients are friends of my other clients. I'm not complaining, mind you, I'm just surprised and pleased. Very pleased, actually. N. is one of the funnest people to work with, and her family follows suit. Not only where they all looking great for pictures, but they were naturals in front of my lens. I gave directions and chatted with them and made pictures. 

See, many folks stop talking and freeze a smile on their face when I lift the camera to my eye. Or, even better, they talk through their teeth without moving their face. I also love it when people are quiet in the studio--like a library!--as if talking ruins the pictures. I'm not picking on people who do these things: I sincerely appreciate their efforts to make the best pictures of themselves. And we always end up with terrific images...once I convince them it's okay to keep on talking with me as I shoot.

Anyway, 'Coming and Going'. Little A. is only a week old--just came. Big T. on the end is heading to Europe to be a missionary. Going. I'd be happy if they came a little more often, actually.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @82mm, f/10, 1/200s, ISO 200.

Beware

See, these boys are dangerous. 

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 122mm, f/9, 1/200s, ISO 1000, SB-600 through umbrella

Every time I see them they are building something or crafting a new method for launching arrows or other projectiles. They are becoming increasingly accurate and powerful. Plus, the oldest brother, E., is a thinker; you can hear the gears of his mind turning from across the neighborhood. Then he's got the next boy, B., to refine thoughts and act as sounding board and executer. K. is dangerous just because he's fearless--he can literally do anything. Watch for him break dancing--he'll be famous and you can claim to have known him when. And don't let that little guy's innocent look fool you: he'll be joining the brothers in mischief in no time--just as soon as he can sit up on his own...

They think they have mom and dad fooled, too, but S. and S. are in the know, managing the boys and directing the mayhem in a controlled manner. They know what they're doing.

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 300mm, f/9, 1/125s, ISO 640, SB-600 through umbrella

We had fun making pictures together. I see the boys finding ingenius ways to haul one another around the 'hood on a single bicycle. I'm glad that we made these pictures before they kill themselves.

Nikon D3s, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 150mm, f/9, 1/125, ISO 1000, SB-600 through umbrella.

Fortunate Meeting

I was just thinking to myself, "I need a baby to try this look on..." and low and behold, W. & W. were introduced to me with their little J. Sure had fun making pictures with them in a hurry this morning!

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 110mm, f/5.6, 1/250s, ISO 640.

He's Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

This is my friend, R. I know him via a complex network of people who eventually lead his daughter to be one of my classes' favorite models. She and her friends often come to be in pictures for us during the sessions we learn to see light and make flattering portraits. It's always a hoot to have the studio full of teenagers--reminds you of how carefree life used to be.

Anyway, R. often comes along with his camera and makes fun images, too. Last night he was attending one of my classes as a student himself and we made these pictures together at the end of the day.

See, R. got some hard news yesterday, and was beginning to feel the gravity of it. I think it's important to record important events, and R. agreed, and the import of the event was showing in his face.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 135mm, f/2.8, 1/500, ISO 400.

However, one thing that always amazes me about R., is how quickly his face lightens when he talks about those girls of his. And this case was no different. As soon as he thought about the girls, a smile spread on his face and his whole demeanor changed. He's a caring dad, and nothing gets in the way of that.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens @ 110mm, f/2.8, 1/500s, ISO 400.

New Dad

K. is a new dad of just a few months. We got together last night and made some pictures for his little family, more of those to come soon. For now, I really enjoyed making this picture of him.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 82mm, f/8, 1/250s, ISO 200.

With Pops

I'd like to share another snapshot of this guy. Little E. gives his pops a hug when he gets home from work. It's cute, ya know? Plus, I'm still vetting one of my lenses, deciding whether I want to keep it. It's fast, which makes for sharper images at wider apertures. This one was made at f/3.5, and E. has nice crisp eyes, but pops is out of focus. This brings the viewers' eye right to E.'s eyes and smile, right where the focus should be. This shallow depth of field sets this sort of snapshot appart from the kind that has everything in focus--this type feels more composed even though pops just walked in the house. But hey, with kids this cute you can't make a bad exposure.

Nikon D90, 85mm lens, f/3.5, 1/160s, ISO 800, east facing window light in the afternoon (see the square catchlights in the eyes?).

Mother's Day Special

Gentlemen,
Mother's day is this week--don't forget!

You're still young...

Mother's day is coming up, but this photo still deserved a place this week. Here we reduced the exposure to highlight the faces, and minimize the impact of the background lighting. Dad doesn't care about that, however; playing with E. is far more important. Nikon D90, 50mm lens, f/1.8.