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.

One Light, One Lens, Two High Schools

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/5.6, 1/160s, ISO 800, red filter in monochrome mode in the camera

Ah, high school. Remember how great it was? How free you were? How your only worries were about friends and home work that wasn't really that hard? How you went to an after school job to earn spending money instead of mortgage money? How you got to go to art classes and have a good time? Those were the good ol' days, eh?

Well, I went back yesterday. Twice. I spent the morning with Photography students at Fast Forward Charter High School were we set up a simple studio and made some simple portraits (still hoping to see their pictures of me on Facebook!). We did the same thing at Logan High in the afternoon. I talked about light and working with people and not sitting back in your chair so your legs don't look fat. Then--finally--I shut up and made pictures.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/4, 1/25s, ISO 400, red filter in monochrome mode in the camera

And I have to admit, this post is not normal for me: I haven't finished any of the images, they are straight form the camera. I normally adjust the exposure and do some touchups and add a vignette and maybe use the Nik software tools to really make them pop. But I wanted the students to see here that the photo as I shot it wasn't bad, and that I'm not using photoshop to completely change the picture. Most of the students have shot film and may be inclined to think that photoshop is a little bit of cheating: but I heartily disagree. I use photoshop (Actually, I use Lightroom4) to finish the image off, just as I would in the darkroom, brightening here and darkening there, and increasing contrast, and cropping. It's not rocket science, but it does finish my image to look the way I envisioned when I pressed the shutter button. That's the way photography has been for nearly 200 years!

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/4, 1/100s, ISO 400, red filter in monochrome mode in the camera

Besides that, digital camera all have significant photoshopping skills built right in. This black and white setting I use isn't one of them, however.

When we shoot black and white film, a red filter (red glass) placed in front of the lens makes pictures more contrasty and has an especially nice effect on skin tones. See, it evens the tones and makes blotchy skin more clear, and makes pimples virtually disappear. Now my digital camera does the same effect without the glass--it interprets the light coming into the camera as if there was a filter on the lens. This is great! Just go the monochrome settings in the Menu on your camera (not the shortcut to button on the outside of the camera) and go in and choose to use a red filter (ROYG are usually the options--red, orange, yellow, green). I love it, and I think you'll enjoy better black and whites from it, too.

Nikon D800, 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro lens, f/4, 1/100s, ISO 400, red filter in monochrome mode in the camera

Also, the students at LHS will remember that the above picture of J. (long haired male) was made when he was sitting farther from the light--that's why the background is more visible. When the students sat closer to the light the difference between the amount of light on the face and on the background was too much for the camera to distinguish and so the background is completely black. The the model farther away from the light, the difference in the light on the face and the background is similar and so the background is visible. Note also that image was shot at 1/25 of a sec--much slower, and much too slow for me to handhold, so I'm using the tripod. 

Also, these pictures are simply made. There's just one light to the side (at Fastforward we put four lights right next to each other to make a single source, and at LHS we shone two lights through a white sheet to make a single source), one lens, and the subject is turned so there is light on both sides of the face. We're lighting the short view of the face, remember?

In the end, I think everyone had a good time.

A Little Sunshine for the Eye Guy

I made this last night. Matt Hammond is a terrific doctor. You've probably seen his ads in the HomeTown Values Magazine each month: he's the Eye Guy. And he's really a terrific fellow; I love working for him and his family. 

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @

Last night we made some new head shots for Dr. Hammond, and as well as senior pictures for his son (those to come). I just couldn't pass up this picture, though, as he held his littlest girl in his arm.

These are some you may have seen in the HTV Mag. We made these last Summer. Let me tell you: Dr. Hammond's family is great to work with...but Big Blue is a riot!

Nikon D800, 28-300mm VR lens @250mm, f/8, 1/250s, ISO 100.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @62mm, f/9, 1/160s, ISO 100.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @250mm, f/9, 1/160s, ISO 100.

Nikon D800, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @96mm, f/9, 1/160s, ISO 100.

Ivan

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @155mm, f/2.8, 1/200s, ISO 800.

Ivan is one of a hundred terrific new friends I made this week at the newly established TAP! conference this week. We came together to make great content available in great packages--things like books and apps and blogs. I've learned loads, and I can't wait to get some projects finished off using my new tools. Ivan was good enough to let me make some pictures of him to use to create an app...it's in the works...I'll let you know when I've got some things ready to share with you. In the meantime, you should join me at the next TAP! conference in April.

Jack's Pizza

Perhaps it's a freudian trip of the shutter, but I seem to have a lot of clients with pizzerias. Could it be that I am drawn to them by their deliciousness, and the desire to spend more time in their establishments creates an affinity which leads to a business relationship? What's more likely is they think I'll finally leave if they hire me. Either way, I'm pleased as pop to spend time and the occasional trade for goods with these fine eateries.

This is B., and he's been here before. A few years ago he bought a lens from me, joined the club, carried some great restaurants, and we've been pals ever since. Yeah, my Sigma 10-22mm is the one he bought; I never forget a lens face lens or a face.

Lately, B. and his partners are making great things happen at Jack's Wood Fired Pizza on main street. If you havent eaten here yet, you've got to buy yourself a little slice of Christmas and head down. Not only is the pie delicious, but the newly renovated atmosphere is terrific. I particularly enjoy the bike room. And the original tiles on the floor. And watching the cooking in the fire place. Just go check it out so I can stop listing things I like.

Nikon D800, 50mm f/1.4 lens, f/8, 1/50s, ISO 400.

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.

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.

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.

Enjoy

Sam has always loved the '66 Mustang. I must say, there is something very nice about it. It's the one without the bars surrounding the grille ornament, and it's got the pony interior...and this one happens to be red. 

Photographing someone who has a connection with a car like this is an experience itself. Maybe a little connection and nostalgia leaks into the images. Maybe a little lightheartedness emerges. Maybe some memories lighten the eyes. Maybe, if you can keep your head out of the lens bag, you'll catch a little of the wildness and passion for which Mustangs are known.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 145mm, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 400.

Margie Johnson

Don't you love Ella Fitzgerald? I love imagining that I'm at a party, and there's live music with a wonderful vocalist singing favorite songs. Well, that's what Margie does. She and Irv are just wonderful people who'd you want to have at a party anyway, but then they get together and make lovely music, too! You should book them for your next event--you'll regret it if you don't.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 200mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 200.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 102mm, f/13, 1/125s, ISO 500.

"Sing us a song, you're the Pizza Man"

It's just about lunchtime today. I'm gettin' hungry. I'm jonesin' for something tasty on a Saturday afternoon...and I reckon some sour dough pizza would really hit the spot. Maybe I'll go see Irv; it's only fair--he came to see me yesterday.

Irv Nelson is quite a fellow. I'm sure you've seen him around, maybe toting a bass guitar or other stringed instrument to support another musician. You'll see him supporting another singer at Summerfest (more to come). Maybe you've heard his classic rock band, The Fender Benders. Or maybe you take piano lessons from him--he's a passionate fellow and you can't help but become passionate along with him, which makes him a great teacher. 

And talk about Passion! You should try his pizza! He owns the Pier 49 Sourdough Pizza shop in Providence, and those pies are so good that I sometimes awake with a hankering. I love the Embarcadero...and the Tourist...and the Little Italy...and the Ghiradelli...

You've got to give it a try if you haven't yet. You really will "Fall in Love with Pizza again"!

Nikon D800, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens @ 155mm, f/10, 1/125s, ISO 200.

Track Track Track Track...

I have a friend, J. (you've seen him before) who is a bit of a nut about riding his motorcycle at the track. See, Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele invites amateur racers to use the track once each month during the summer months. I always know when it's getting close because J. starts posting on Facebook: "TRACKTRACKTRACKTRACKTRACK" and he starts inviting friends to barbecue during the day, and starts ordering new tires, etc. He's a bit of freak.

Which is why we're friends. I'm a passionate person when it come's to photography, and I love to work with other passionates because they put as much into their craft as I do. We relate to each other. I might exclaim, "You paid how much for tires you'll burn through in one day?!?!?!?!" and Jeremy might respond with, "You paid how much a camera strap?!?!?!?!?!" So, we're even.

Last week was the first open track day of the season, and I joined a few others from the Cache Valley Photographers to make some pictures of the event. 

Here's J. in his disco suit.

Guys and gals come from all around to ride. this is L., and he came from Colorado for the day.

Then I met up with L. later for a quick portrait.

L.'s brother C. also came out to ride that day.

One more of J. to wrap us up.

The South Fork

You know what those guys say, right? "A bad day fishing is still better than a good day working." Obviously those guys aren't photographers.

K. pounces on the pescados in a riverside pool. 

So a nice day fishing and photographing is pretty much the best thing ever. K. and I hit the South Fork of the Snake this morning, and spent the day stalking trout along some of the most beautiful stretches of river in the world. Yep, not a bad day.

Sometimes you fish in beautiful places...

...and sometimes you fix your line in beautiful places!

This kind of ethereal picture can only be made while fishing cause, you know, you gotta be in the zone.

We floated in K.'s drift boat, fishing from the boat and frequently stopping to walk the shorelines. K. loves pics of the boat--he took this one.

10 and 2, 10 and 2, 10 and 2...

K. turned the camera on me for a few frames, as well.

Whistling while I work? No: sound effects make me a better fisherman.

Man, it's tough spending the day up here.

I even caught a fish! The biggest brown I've ever landed.

Ready for his closeup.