June 30th, 2009

Here's the last of the model images from this weekend's workshop . . . love the look and feel of this image. Very stark, urban . . . this is a combination of great lighting, location and processing.

Shot with the Sigma 10-20mm lens. The funny thing about that lens, when used as a portrait lens, is that you have to be right on top of your subject when taking the picture - so here, I am practically toe to toe with the model, who looked like he could take me apart with his pinkies, but was super nice and very professional. The entire experience of this workshop was great! To see the rest of this shoot, you can visit http://www.pmkane.com/models.

June 29th, 2009

Here's another look at this weekend's lighting seminar with Joe McNally. This is Natalia . . . the first professional model I shot that day. She - and the other models on hand - were extremely professional and gave me new found respect for their profession. They hit their marks perfectly each and every time - it was hard not to take a great shot of them!

This was captured with the 70-200mm at f8 at 250th of a second, shot with a beauty dish and a tri-reflector set up just in front of her - you can just make out the reflector in the catch light in her eyes. My shopping list of camera gear got real long after this seminar!

June 28th, 2009

Today, I am off to my Photo Walk in NYC . . . but yesterday, I was in Dobb's Ferry with Joe McNally's lighting workshop . . . took a ton of great pictures, which I'll be posting here throughout the week. We shot 5 models in all different lighting scenarios . . . an amazing day of fun and learning!

This high-key shot was captured with the Nikon 70-200mm at 50th of a second at f2.8 with an ISO of 800.

June 27th, 2009

Off to my lighting workshop, but not before heading off into the garage for another form and color shot of a mundane object. These extension cords are bundled up in the corner of my garage and make for some interesting shapes - Orange is also one of my favorite colors!

Shot this with the Nikon 70-200mm VR lens at f2.8 at 250th of a second with a Nikon SB900 doing the lighting. ISO is set to 100.

Tomorrow should feature a shot from my lighting workshop!!

June 26th, 2009

I equate shots like this to fishing . . . takes a lot of time and patience, and when you get a bite, you still gotta fight it! This little guy just didn't want to poke his head out of the flower. I snapped away and got some great shots of his back end, but after what seemed an eternity, he finally backed out and gave me a decent shot!

Captured with the Sigma 70-300mm Macro at f5.6 at 400th of a second. Tripod mounted with an ISO of 100.

This weekend, I am off to not one, but two photographic workshops. The first is with Joe McNally and concentrates on small flash lighting. There will be models available and I'll be able to shoot them! On Sunday, I am doing a workshop at the Digital Photo Academy in NYC. All told, I should have some great shots to show off next week!

June 25th, 2009

Woke up this morning, took a look out the window and knew I had to snag another form and color shot - this time a natural one . . . funny thing about light - The further away the light source, in this case the sun, the sharper the shadows and the harder the light . . . add some clouds and some low hanging fog and you've got the world's biggest soft box! The light is soft and the shadows are softer . . . providing perfect light! Leave it to a photographer to justify some bad weather!

Took this at my favorite local spot, Heater's Pond. The lillys are finally starting to bloom. Captured on a tripod with the 70-300mm Macro. 80th of a second at f5.6. ISO is 100.

June 24th, 2009

Today is all about form and color . . . and I enjoyed this so much, I may be doing this for a few more days! Here was the challenge to myself - Take something mundane and make it interesting. So where to find something like this? A few steps from my office is my garage . . . a wealth of photographic opportunity if you know where to look. In corner of said garage is the plow for my John Deere tractor . . . my eyes gazed over it and saw the spring used to raise and lower the plow blade and I knew I had my shot! The great yellow background you see in this is the plow itself! So there you have it . . . something mundane, turned interesting by zooming in and using color and shape contrast to please the eye!

Captured with the Sigma 70-300mm Macro on the D2x. Lit with the SB900 firing straight up through a LumiQuest 80-20 flash modifier at a 60th of a second. f5.6 with an ISO of 100.

June 23rd, 2009

Part of my efforts as a photographer is to bring the viewer - you - into the picture. I want you to be able to experience the shot as if you where there . . . this image - I hope - pulls that off. Again, we're at one of my favorite shooting locations, Heater's Pond in Ogdensburg, NJ. It is just after sunset - a time referred to as the 'blue hour.'

This was captured with my Sigma 10-20 open full to 10mm . . . 500th of a second at f4.0. ISO is 100.

June 22nd, 2009

I love shots like this . . . or I should say . . . I love moments like this! I was shooting some flowers in the back yard - not really having much luck coming up with a decent shot of the day, when this little fella decided to see what I was up to! Behind the leaf he landed on - blurred in the background, you can see the flower I was shooting. This little guy made for a much more interesting subject!

Captured with the camera on a tripod with the Sigma 70-300mm attached. Shutter speed was set to 125th of a second at f5.6. ISO is 100.

June 21st, 2009

First up . . . thank you to my wonderful wife and baby girl for the best Father's Day morning ever! Nothing like hugs and kisses followed by pancakes and gifts! I am the luckiest guy on the planet!

So onto the image . . . Sometimes, a sharp image isn't the best way to go - it's a concept I am trying to wrap my head around. The crow here is blurred, which implies movement - had I shot fast enough to capture it while in flight - I think the implication would have been spoiled

Shot on a tripod at 250th of a second with the Simga 70-300mm at f5.6 with an ISO of 100.

June 20th, 2009

You gotta get up pretty early to get a shot like this . . . The 'Golden Hour' is the time just before sunrise when the light is the most perfect it's going to be all day . . . until sunset . . . there are reasons the most successful photographers out there only shoot during this golden hour. Another benefit of shooting early in the morning is the calmness of water. The surface of lakes become like glass, or mirrors . . . and the reflection of the pre-dawn sky just can't be beat!

Shot with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at 185mm with a shutter speed of 125th of a second. ISO 100. Don't forget to click on the cropped image below to see the full shot!

June 19th, 2009

I think the really great thing about being a photographer is the ability to take any situation and find some beauty in it. Take this shot for example . . . it's pouring out. Can't see more than 20 or so feet in front of you with fog rolling in . . . what to do? Go in close-up! This was shot hand-held - not on a tripod! The trick? Set your camera to shoot at continuous high . . . which means it takes as many pics as the shutter and camera processor will allow - giving you the chance to capture at least one sharp frame!

Shot with my Sigma 70-300mm Macro at f5.6 at 300th of a second. ISO is 100.

June 18th, 2009

We seem to be plagued by some bad weather this June of 2009 . . . and while that doesn't make for a great start to the 2009 summer season, it does make for some great photography! I've been trying to nail a lightning exposure during the day since forever! A nighttime shot is easy . . . the lightning makes the exposure for you as long as it's dark and you have your shutter open. During the day is a bit trickier.

Shot this at 5 seconds at f5.6 with the Sigma 10-20 on the camera. On a tripod - or as I like to call it, a three legged lightning rod.

June 17th, 2009

This morning is a very exciting morning . . . My 4 1/2 year old is graduation preschool. I am geared up and ready to fill up some memory cards! They are doing caps & gowns - how great is that going to look!! In the mean time, here's a shot from Franklin Pond shot in IR. Love the lines in this shot - they lead you right into the image.

Captured on the Sigma 10-20 with me low to the ground. I tried putting the camera on the floor of the bridge, but then the floor took up too much of the shot. Shot at 400th of a second at f8 with an ISO of 100.

June 16th, 2009

Again with the old barns, I know . . . but these are the shots I live for. I especially enjoy focusing attention on a single fixture or detail to draw the eye in. This door looked like it had been ripped off the side of the barn. You can see it's missing a bolt to the left side of the door handle. That's the story . . . how did this huge barn door end up being torn off from the rest of the structure?

Shot with the very cinematic 10-20 Sigma lens at 1/250th of a second at f5.6 with an ISO of 100.

June 15th, 2009

I think one of the side effects of doing this photo-a-day blog is that I am very aware of how quickly time is passing. I can hardly believe that we're halfway through June already! A fitting image for today is an old radio, tucked away in a corner, forgotten and collecting dust . . . perfect subject for my lens!

Shot this with the Sigma 10-20mm, which is a very cinematic lens. The slight angle of the shot brings you into the image. I left my flash high up, casting the shadow you see under the dial - giving the impression that the antique is indeed tucked away. Shot at 250th of a second at f5.6.

June 14th, 2009

Shot this on the way into the Poconos on a roadside with a ton of 'no trespassing' signs posted about. I snapped this one pretty quick before I got myself in trouble - in today's day and age, the last thing you want to do as a photographer is get yourself into needless trouble.

Shot with the Sigma 10-20 lens at 25th of a second at f6.0 with an ISO of 100.

June 13th, 2009

So once again I find myself shooting something abstract . . . shapes and lines, this time. This is an exercise in thinking outside the box - as cliched as that sounds. This was captured at a park nearby, way low to the ground.

Shot this with the 10-20mm at f5.6 at 400th of a second. Processed as though I had the lab run color film through as slide film.

June 12th, 2009

The rain has been hitting us a lot these past few days, but I braved getting my d100 wet for this shot. I pass by this area every few days or so when I take a short cut to drop off my daughter at school. It's right next to a locally run coffee shop and while I am not a coffee drinker, I had to pul in and grab a quick shot of the vista.

Had my favorite lens, the Sigma 10-20 lens mounted on my Infrared converted d100 and captured this at 400th of a second at f8. Stripped out the IR color cast and hit it with a sepia tone.

June 11th, 2009

Curious subject for today's image of the day . . . let me explain. In looking at my skills as a photographer, I consider my weakest skill set to be shooting with artificial light - in other words, flash photography. I have a workshop scheduled with renown photographer Joe McNally later this month. Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that!

I think my problem with flash is that I look at it like a tool - and not a creative one. I had a break through while reading one of McNally's books on the subject - Hot Shoe Diaries - and I think I am on the right track now. I used the cool Batman statue you see below for the simple reason that I didn't have anyone around to try out my new found 'flash philosophy' – that being, you don't have to use the flash to illuminate the entire scene! You can feather the light . . . have it spill just where you want it . . . almost paint with it . . .

I captured this shot with not one, but two flashes - an SB800 and a SB900 . . . one was a master flash, while the other was utilized as a remote. Shot at 250th of a second at f7.1 with an ISO of 100. The remote flash was doing most of the heavy lifting and off to camera right. The SB900 was acting as a trigger for the other flash and I had that dialed way back so it wouldn't overpower the other light . . . crazy stuff that I can already feel seeping into my creative process . . . expect more of the same soon! Perhaps with real models?!?! Any volunteers?? :-)

June 10th, 2009

One of the things you'll see a lot of in my photography is decay . . . old buildings or structures. I find them filled with countless photographic opportunities at every turn. There is just something about the texture and mood of these places that I find fascinating! And let's not forget about the colors . . . it's amazing what plain old iron struts look like after years or decades of exposure to the elements.

This was shot with my Nikon 70-200mm VR at 150th of a second at f2.8. ISO 100.

June 9th, 2009

Today marks two months since I started my self-imposed photo challenge . . . I continue to have a blast coming up with images that are print worthy shots. The video below showcases images from the last month . . .

Today's image features one of my favorite games . . . chess. Shot with a Nikon 70-200mm VR at f2.8 at a 20th of a second. ISO 100.

June 8th, 2009

Sad to say, Dandelions were harmed in the making of today's image of the day! Can't believe how fast these things spout up! Just yesterday, I mowed a bunch of them down, but sure enough - there were several of these around this morning!

So I am reading a whole lot of photography books in preparation for some workshops I am taking later this year. Not technical manuals, mind you . . . more like photographic philosophy - or why we shoot what we shoot. One of the things I am trying to grasp is the concept of abstract photography - or trying to get my head around the fact that an image doesn't have to be sharp or technically made to be a pleasing image. Hence the dandelion's reappearance in the Photo-a-Day challenge! What do you think? Is this a pleasing image?

Shot with a sigma 70-300mm Macro set up on a tripod in my studio. Lit with a SB900 off camera at 60th of a second at f5.6. ISO is at 100.

June 7th, 2009

So Sunday is all about yard work for me . . . and boy, after all the rain this week, does the yard need a trim! So before I went out with the tractor and scared away all the critters in the yard, I grabbed the camera and the Sigma 70-300mm macro. This little fella was waiting for me and was kind enough to stick around for a little photo shoot!

I've shot dragonflies before - the IRM Foundation used a dragonfly for their Konxari Cards (www.konxari.com)set - the Life card, I believe. They are wonderful subjects and I never fail to get great work out of them! Love the detail in the wings.

June 6th, 2009

Another gem from Heater's Pond. I can't wait to go back there in a few days to see these things in full bloom! My daughter wanted to pick this, but the problem was, the flower was about 8 feet out in the water and neither of us was equipped to get wet.

Shot with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at 350th of a second at f5.6. ISO at 100.

June 5th, 2009

Right up above my house is Heater's Pond - it's a wealth of photo opportunities. My 4-year old and I went for a walk around the pond and came upon these mushrooms . . . she'd never seen anything like them and swore they were some sort of alien growing out from under the fallen tree. And they really do take on these other worldly type shapes and I knew I had my image of the day!

Shot with my Nikon 70-200mm at f5.6 at 200th of a second. ISO was mistakenly set to 800, but using Lightroom's built-in noise reduction, the image isn't overly grainy.

June 4th, 2009

It's a beautiful morning here in Northern New Jersey . . . some bad weather is clearing out - making room for what I hope is a spectacular day! That creates the perfect atmosphere for great images! And I didn't have to go far in taking this - in fact, I stepped right out onto my back deck to snap this beauty!

Taken with the Nikon 70-200mm VR lens at f8 at 1/200 of a second. ISO at 100. Processed in Lightroom. Don't forget to click on the cropped photo below to see the full image.!

June 3rd, 2009

Here's a first for my Photo-a-Day challenge . . . a NYC Pano! What you'll see below is but a small part of the larger picture. This is a series of 5 shots, captured at f5.6 at 1/1000 of a second. Batch processed in Lightroom so the picture quality would remain consistent throughout. I should mention that - contrary to standard practice, this pano was taken hand-held, not on a tripod.

To see the full panorama, click here!

June 2nd, 2009

What an amazing day here in Northern, NJ . . . perfect weather, perfect sky and best of all, perfect light! Nothing like natural lighting to make the colors of nature sing!

Shot with my Sigma 10-20 at f5.6 at 250th of a second. I actually held the flower's stem with one hand to steady it as the wind swished around the other plant life . . .

June 1st, 2009

First up, have to wish my beautiful Niece a very Happy Birthday! Can't believe she's growing up so fast!!

So I have this wooden car on display with my Clive Cussler first edition novels - his signature character, Dirk Pitt, collects antique cars - as does the author himself, so I thought this a fitting piece of shelf clutter. In looking for a subject for a Photo-a-Day, it's just perfect.

Shot with the Nikon 70-200mm VR at f2.8 at 125th of a second. Processed in Adobe Lightroom using a cross process technique.