Movement

It's not the forth, the fifth, the minor fall or the major lift, but it is movement. And capturing movement in a single still image is pretty fun.

Seniors, wouldn't it be fun to make some pictures with me with this much character to them? Give me a call.

I took the Cache Valley Photographers to the Fair in Tremonton, UT, last night to play around with movement and capturing it with different methods. Check out their results at this link.

This is one of my favorites from the evening. Emma is a singer, and sister to one of the club members and was good enough to model for us. Jacana Parties did the makeup--she is incredibly talented and can make anything happen. You should definitely look her up. We had fun with something like cowboys and aliens. I moved my camera, zoomed my lens, and lit Emma with a strobe all while making a single picture. Only some color adjustments have been made to this image.

Nikon D700, 14-24mm f/2.8 lens @15-24mm, f/5.0, 1/15s, ISO 400.

Trust

Few people have had as large an influence in my life as my Grandfather. Everything from my wife-infuriating-Scotch-thriftiness to my meticulousness in coiling extension cords to my knowledge of tree pruning and bee keeping can be traced to my Grandfather. 

I hope you know your grandfather, and I hope you have as good a relationship as J and P. These two are best buddies, and it showed during our whole photo experience. In fact, when the ladies in the family came over to choose their favorite images, they left J and P on the porch with knives whittling sticks. It's good to be buddies with an older generation.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 150mm, f/3.5, 1/500s, ISO 3200.

Flower Friday on Monday

I made this image during my children's photography class at Citrus and Sage on Saturday afternoon. It was a nice time teaching kids...at least, I think they learned something. We definitely hada good time making pictures together!

Nikon D7000, 50mm f/1.4 lens, f/2.2, 1/8000s, ISO 400.

Remembering Summer

Don't hate me, but i really think it's going to be an early Autumn. Which is fine with me--I love Autumn; I just hope it's as long as last year's.

So, as K. and her family were getting ready to move to the East Coast this week she called and asked me to memorialize their summe here. See, E. spent her days playing at the park and throwing rocks in the creek, and K. wanted to remember that. Well, my brain started churning, and for  a week I had an image in my mind that would exemplify that feeling.

This was it for me, and it is exactly what K. wanted.

Nikon D700,  70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 98mm, f/2.8, 1/1000s, ISO 500.

The days are cooler, and the grass is green, but the leaves may start turning shortly. Give me a call and we'll reserve your spot for Fall Family pictures. Talk to you soon. 435-535-1501

Feeling Down

T. was having a hard day. First of all, she had a rough time with mosquitos a few days before our shoot, so that wasn't fun for her. Then in the morning she just had a difficult time getting out of bed and moving. We've all been there, so that's totally understandable. Even after being awake for awhile she was still clingy and a bit groggy.

Nevertheless, she's a generally happy child, so even being under the weather couldn't keep her down for long. With the help of the dolls and big sister we did eventually get her telling stories and ended up having a good time. 

Oh, and we made pictures while doing it.

This is "Fun"?

Nikon D700, 400mm f/2.8 VR lens, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 1600.

Portrait of a Man

Nikon D700, 400mm f/2.8 VR lens, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 6400.

You may wonder why I post pictures from the fair, or the rodeo, or a rooftop in Saudi Arabia; aren't I a portrait photographer? Shouldn't I be showing you portraits so that you'll buy portraits?

The fact is, I'm a photographer. That's it. Anything with light on it falls under my purview, and anything with good light is likely to be photographed. I happen to be passionate about this stuff, though, and I'm also passionate about relating with people, so portrait photography is a good fit for me and I love it and it pays the bills (important for me, since this is my full time profession).

Still, a guy's got to stay on top of his game. I'm not as fortunate as doctors who get to 'practice' medicine on real people and that is totally acceptable. Nope, when I have you in front of my lens, I have to be ready to make things happen right away, and it's unacceptable for me to practice on a client. I have to know my equipment, know what will happen when I fire the shutter, and know that you will be pleased with the results.

That's why I go to the rodeo. We love pictures of us being natural, doing our thing, not too 'pose-y'. Well, as my friend Patrick Oden taught me, if you ever want natural expressions and true character to show through, do sports photography.

Cowboys, however, take it to the next level. This dude, for instance, is about to help a compatriot by steering a steer out of the chute so that it runs straight and the guy can wrestle it to the ground. (Note: rodeos are not for the tender hearted; both man and beast are beaten up pretty hard--though man certainly takes the brunt of it) Something about grabbing life by the horns....

Anyway, one minute he's helping a buddy, the next he's in the chute himself preparing to leap off a horse going 30 miles per hour onto a bull doing the same and drag it to the ground. By the way, these guys don't buy their jeans at Old Navy.

Nikon D700, 400mm f/2.8 VR lens, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 6400.

This reminds me of a few things relating to photography, as well. If you think photography is easy, then I should shoot more like you. For me, I have a lot of sweat into every shoot I do. First of all, I'm carrying about 20 pounds of lenses and cameras on my person, and my pants pockets alone weigh about a stone just with batteries and gels and memory cards. Next, I'm likely to lie prone on the ground one moment, climb a tree the next, and finish off by squatting up and down about a jillion times as we make pictures--and that's of mature adults. Don't get me started on a kids shoot. So, this work requires a certain level of fitness and flexibility. I'm still sore from a Swiss Family Robinson Shoot we did on Thursday!

Take a look at that first picture again, and then take a look at this next one. (Click on an image to make it larger)

Nikon D700, 400mm f/2.8 VR lens, f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 6400.

This guy is older than me, and I'm turning thirty something this month. This takes guts and determination at a level I completely comprehend. He puts his all into these five seconds of riding, and he's all in every time he gets on a horse. Is he nuts? You bet he is. And that's why he wins, even though the other contestants are younger and more spry.

I get that. That's why I shoot the rodeo. That's why I shoot the roof tops in Saudi Arabia. That's why I shoot the food my wife and I eat at the Tandori Oven. That's why when I join you on vacation, or you come into my studio, or we work in your home, or we shoot you doing what you love--anytime we make a picture I'm ready because I've practiced to be so. When I get a fast steer, or one with stamina, or one that's too tall, I'm ready. And if you think that's a parable of me working with your kids, you're right.

Let's make some pictures together. Bring me your worst. I'm ready.

Oh, and I recently bought my first pair of Old Navy Jeans--love 'em, but they're not holding up to the rigors of my life. Sigh.

Click on the tags below for more pictures of various styles and places. Then call me up and we'll make it happen for you. Oh, and if you know the cowboy in these pictures, please put me in contact.

Fair Weather

I love riding my scooter: it's a big one with a 400cc engine. That means it has power enough to go fast, even over mountain passes. And that's what I did on Tuesday. I drove a portion of one of the prettiest drives in this country, from Logan to Jackson via Mink Creek and Star Valley. I headed to halfway point in Montpelier in the morning to pass judgement at the Bear Lake County Fair photography contest.

Now, you may know that Bear Lake County boasts fewer than 6,000 people--even in Logan, that's only the student body of the high schools! Not a lot of folks. But you'd be mistaken if you thought that would affect the turnout for entries at the fair.

In photography alone, there were more than 250 entries! Now that's awesome. What's incredible is that they were entered by kids as young as 7 and adults well over 70! I had a blast viewing the wide range of work and chatting with the participants. I saw many truly stunning images, and the one I voted best of show really moved me. Trust me, if the beautiful drive itself weren't enough reason to spend your friday night in Montpelier, then the photography building should tip the scales for you.

Unless, of course, you're spending the evening at your local Fair. Like the Cache County fair in Logan that kicks off in full swing tonight. Rides and contests and rodeos will rule the night around here. Please eat some funnel cakes for me--I'm wheat intolerant, so I rely on your proxy in this. I'm headed over this evening, and will probably go back tomorrow, too. Heck, I made this image there last night with my photography class. Have fun, and take your camera!

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 28,,. f/3.5, 1/30s, ISO 1600.

Fibonacci iPhone Flower Friday

Say that title fifty-five times fast. This one is cropped to the Fibonacci Ratio, and is an example of the ratio within nature as the doohickies on the daisy spiral outward from the center. Geeky, eh?

iPhone 4, 3.85mm lens, f/2.8, 1/60s, ISO 80.

Family Picture

Five Bodies, four necks, four heads, only six feet. Yep, if your instruments are over one hundred years old, then I think they qualify as part of the family. The fifth body? That ones tucked away safely between Nadine and her cello for another few months.

Gil and Nadine are in town playing for the Utah Festival Opera, and they leave town in the next few days. I'm so glad that I had the privilege of shooting for them. They are incredibly talented. Check out there info and bios at their site, Nona Music.

I love to photograph musicians. I tell them it's because when they play they look completely comfortable and natural. I'll tell you, though: it's really just 'cause they play. They filled the Mansion with music this evening, and it was a pleasure.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 140mm, f/14, 1/200s, ISO 400. tow Paul C. Buff strip lights.

Socializing the Network

Social Networks. These things rule our lives--we do everything based on recommendations on someone's blog, or make plans by what we read from our 'friends' on Facebook. Heck, I'm going to Las Vegas next week to attend a conference based solely on the references I have made online.

The important thing is, I'm going to Skip's Summer School and so are the others I've built online relationships with; so now we'll begin making some real relationships! It's important to meet people, to get to know them, to laugh with them, to be concerned with them, to tolerate their over loud laughing, and deal with their manners that are different than yours. This is relationshipping, and I hope you're doing it. I hope you're getting out and seeing people you've met online. Meetup.com is really good for this, and I use it for building photographers in Cache Valley.

This week I met two new people through my networks. This is M., and I was pleased to get to know him and realize that we share some common passions. He's heading back to one of my favorite places in the world soon, and I look forward to seeing his pictures.

Nikon D7000, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 62mm, f/4.8, 1/200s, ISO 640.

So, get out there and meet some people! ON that note, you're always welcome to come by the Mansion. Wednesdays we have a our Brown Bag Lunch Forum, and Thursday nights is open lab for photography, so come on down!

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.

Forests and Trees

Ever hear the phrase, "you can't see the forest for the trees"? Sometimes we lose sight of the big picture because we're so focussed on what's going on right in front of us. Focus is especially important in photography. As such, there will be some changes coming to this blog and website. Stick around, don't leaf just because we're renovating...

Nikon D700, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens @ 230mm, f/11, 1/4s, ISO 200.

All Dressed Up...

A. is one of those people who just likes to look nice. She's always dressing nicely for work and play, and she has flair to go with the style. In fact, she often creates her clothing herself. I happened on her while she was working at Maya's Corner (an incredibly stylish women's clothing store located in the Mansion for the summertime) and we quickly made a few pictures in the Studio. 

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 190mm, f/9, 1/200s, ISO 400.

Flower Friday

After a little hiatus, Flower Friday is back!

Nikon D7000, 105mm f/2.8 VR macro lens with 1.7x multiplier, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 400.

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.

Can't Breathe...

We're shooting the Copper Cup, today, for the Utah Figure Skating Club...millions of skaters cruising through...no time to breathe...

Photo by Gary Bird, of gbirdphoto.com

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.

Cruising

While preparing for the Cruise-In photo contest, T. came to model for us and make some fun images. She was a blast to work with, but the credit here goes elsewhere. If Dan and J.R. hadn't been there heckling us the whole time, we wouldn't have made as much progress as we did. Dan owns the GTO in this image, and J.R. had the sweet '54 'Vette. Sure appreciate those guys letting us get hand prints all over their paint jobs.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 155mm, f/4, 1/800s, ISO 200, SB-600 through Cheetah Stands 16" QBox.

Nikon D7000, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 105mm, f/4, 1/1250s, ISO 200, SB-600 through Cheetah Stands 16" QBox.

Cruise In

Every Fourth of July, Passionate people descend on Cache Valley for the Cruise In. One of the largest classic car shows goes on here, and there are lots of beautiful things to see. Come on down, but you better hurry: people have been reserving their spots on Main Street for a couple of days for the parade.

Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens @ 70mm, f/4, 1/125s, ISO 200, Paul C Buff strip bank.