"Work is Love Made Visible." --Kahlil Gibran
I love this photo but never really featured it. Emilie was just an awesome bride as you can plainly see. We took this at the end of the night, and Noel said “all I can do at this point is sit.”
“Good,” I said, “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”
Noel is lit by a simple speedlight, but Emilie got the big light treatment, a White Lightning 1600 blasting through a big octobox.
Stephanie finally gave in: "OK, you can do any weird lighting you want on me!" So we had some fun with light-painting. One exposure, painted with the Lowel ID video light.
Believe it or not, this was not the weirdest one we got. More to come.
Dara and Chris told me right from the start that they loved to jump, so even though we were shooting at night, I wanted to let them bounce around a bit. What I really love about the photo, though, is that Dara is being lit by the flashlight of a police officer telling us to “Move along.” Thanks, man, that helped a lot!
Ok, this one is just cute. Henry and Viviana told me that she used to wait for him at this restaurant every week before the dance class they took together, and he would come up and tap on the window. So we re-enacted it, with a twist.
This may be my favorite fashion photo of all time … which probably explains why I don’t usually work in the fashion world.
I knew, heading to Puerto Rico, that I would be shooting some fashion for a friend of mine. I knew that I’d be shooting in bright sun, which means counteracting with powerful lights, but that I’d rather not bring my White Lightnings through airport security, so I brought three speedlights and PocketWizards to trigger them, as well as a buncha gear. All of the lights were turned on to full juice in this shot, so I could evenly light two (really great) models through an umbrella at f/18, to keep the skies blue and make the sun an interesting starburst.
Well kids, remember this: Never challenge the ocean to a fight. It will win. As we moved a bit closer to the surf, one of my friends says — “Hey, look at that big wave!” Always a bad sign.
What was shore is no longer. What were speedlights, pocketwizards, batteries, etc. are now really fascinating paperweights.
But this tale is not a tragedy — remember, MacGyver can bounce back from anything. You’re just going to have to wait for part 2.
If I made any New Year’s resolutions, it’s that 2010 is the year I might finally start submitting photos to publications — you know, like every other photographer does. But for now it’s always great to be surprised when major media comes calling! One of my photos is in the New York Times’ Book Review this week. You can see the article here or click on the photo above.
Here’s one from the shoot I like even better:
I don’t do many kids’ photos professionally … though as more and more of my wedding clients start having children, that may change. I have always loved babies, but they certainly do present an interesting challenge. Usually a couple will not cry through 95 percent of a shoot.
Through the magic of technology, I am posting all of these photos even though I am currently on a short vacation in Puerto Rico with some friends, including Mae, pictured above. She’s more entrepreneur than model, though, and we’re spending most of today shooting other models for a great new project has going, so watch this space!
Who said that we don’t get into the holiday spirit?
The only Photoshop on this was high-pass sharpening for that contrasty look — that glowing door doesn’t lead anywhere, it was closed and only about four inches deep. The light was entirely accomplished by two SB-900s parked behind Brendan.
This has been the wildest year of my life by a very, very wide margin, and I have been blessed by being able to see and photograph so many great things. I’m already excited about the places 2010 is going to take me. Hope to see you along for the ride!
I think Stephanie looks awfully noble here. Lit by a low-powered Lowell ID in my left hand.
I did the first of three portrait shoots I have lined up to test the capabilities of the new Nikon D3s, and it was so much fun to work with Stephanie again! You may remember her from my initial tests of the D3.
I knew the D3s had done its job when she picked out her favorites today. She just cares about the image, not the technical aspects — and one of the choices was taken at ISO 12,800! That, and many more, to come.
I had a fantastic time shooting with Lydia yesterday. I’m prepping to do a review of my new video light equipment, but here’s a little taste:
Another from my shoot with Dr. Jim Fisher, author of the forthcoming “On the Irish Waterfront.”
Shooting notes: This shot uses the wonder of Auto-FP mode on the SB-900, which uses rapidfire pulses instead of a single flash to allow syncing at any shutter speed, even, as I used here, 1/8000th of a second (to get those ominous clouds really dark). You lose a lot of power, though, so I was holding the flash attached to a a Lumiquest Softbox III just an inch or so outside the frame, very close to his head. Fired at 1/2 power. Nikon D3, 24-70mm f/2.8.