The last image was taken in color, but I just noticed that the texture of the stone tile is brought out better in black and white - adding a little bit of mystery to the image.
7/27/10
Its been a sad day - I lost a friend yesterday and it hasn't fully sunken in. Today, two friends lost a parent as well.
Seeing the newness and limitless potential in a tiny child's face, somehow restores my optimism in people, in the future and in life.
8/3/10 Summer family shoot
In July, Jason and Melissa brought their family out for some outdoor pictures and playing with bubbles.
This is one of my favorites from the session.
8/3/10
The band returns, this time with a slightly different look and a new member (welcome Jeremy)
8/22/10
Last Saturday was Rachel and Brad's wedding. It was as beautiful as it was organized. They allotted a lot of time for pictures - and opted for a First Look, where we captured them seeing each other for the first time on the wedding day. The ceremony took place at Montrose Zion United Methodist Church and the reception was at
Todaro's in the valley.
Even though Brad was feeling a little under the weather - the mere mention of the words 'fashion look' brought out the inner super model that wasn't too far beneath the surface.
8/29/10
Lighting for formal Wedding Pictures
I'm often asked "why do you bring a whole trunk load of equipment to a wedding?" Is it really necessary?
Part two of this question is, 'how come you (and Laura) are always sweating so much?"
I thought I'd showcase some formal pictures from Brad and Rachel's recent wedding. Rather than go into a long technical explanation of equipment and settings, I'll just show you some comparison pictures.
Here is the bridal party during the actual ceremony. I happen to like this picture - considering it was a candid capture with no flash, I think its fine (sharp, contrasty, well exposed). Rachel and Brad (the bride and groom) look relaxed, happy and confident. But notice how the bridesmaids and groomsmen are in 'shade', and the lighting on Brad and Rachel is a little too high up, hiding their eyes a little bit in shadow. Disregarding composition, lets compare this to a formal photo lit with studio lights, below.
Nikon D700 with 24-70mm f2.8 zoom. Available light is a central skylight and some overhead flourescents.
Here is a formal picture taken before the ceremony. It was lit by two studio strobes (large flashes) in white umbrellas. Notice a few things about it:
-The picture has the right amount of contrast, color and sharpness to give it some 'pop'.
-The outside brightness is tamed down, which focuses more attention on the bridal party and brings out the whimsical colors of the dresses, ties and flowers.
-The lighting is relatively even on each bridal party member, but the lighting shapes their faces because the light comes in from the side slightly.
-If you were to zoom into the image to 100% magnification (or print it very large), you'd see that there is a bright sparkle in the eyes and lips and the skin tones look great.
-I said ignore composition, but on second thought - note that my camera position (2 feet off the ground on a step-stool) is more flattering to the people in the photo. Especially Cari (far left) who got 'stretched' in the first picture. This was because I was using a wide angle lens and she was at the very edge of the frame. Sorry, Cari - I would have backed up if I could have to allow some more room on the left side of the picture.
Nikon D700, 24-70mm f2.8 at F8, ISO 320, 1/160s shutter speed with 2 B800 Alien Bees strobes. 1/2 power. 1/4 power left. Triggered with Pocketwizard plus II transceivers.
So, there you have it. Is it worth the extra time and effort to set up the lighting? I think so. More importantly, my wife and assistant Laura loves the look of the studio lighting and she's willing to haul, move, set up and break down the lighting so that I can capture the day's events as they unfold.
10/2/10
Senior Pictures
Here are a few favorites from recent sessions with Adrienne and Spencer
04/02/11
A few not-so-recent images.
Wedding season is nearly here and its an exciting time. Brooke and Michael have a real chemistry that I think shows in this session.
This session was last October in Cuyahoga Falls near the Sheraton Suites. I really look forward to
their May wedding.
Images shot with D700 24-70mm f2.8 and E3 50-200mm f2.8 lenses.
April 03, 2011
Sometimes I work with ultra wide angle lenses - They provide interesting angles and distorted perspective.
Here are a few shots from a recent test of the Nikon 16-35mm f4.0 AF-S lens.
This young lady was dancing at a party at the Chenoweth Country club 2 weeks ago.
I was initially attracted and intrigued by her substantial camera gear, but her 'Staying Alive'
disco moves sealed the deal.
Here is a different perspective on a small building at Wadsworth High School.
Seniors have been decorating and personalizing the wall for a number of years.
This is the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wadsworth. It is pretty close to the street,
making it difficult to avoid phone lines and other distractions in the picture.
The Nikon ultra wide allowed me to get close enough to the church to include these interesting
trees and avoid clutter.
(A vehicle was removed on the far right side in Photoshop and an antique effect was applied.
I wanted to make this image look like it was from a different era)
The verdict on the lens is that it is highly recommended. I used to use a similar lens
(the Olympus 7-14mm f4.0) and this Nikon is in many ways comparable. It is very sharp at
its widest aperture, and it focuses quickly. The Olympus had almost no distortion, but
the Nikon has silent focusing, and it can accept filters.
Brooke and Michael May 21st
Just a few images from last weekend. A beautiful wedding at St. Francis de Sales, outdoor pictures at Canton-McKinley, and the reception was at 356 Fighter Group.