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Adventures in Practice PhotographyTuesday, May 3rd, 2011

These are some photographs from a practice photo shoot next to Utah Lake. We found a few recently married couples to play engaged couples and model for us – and they did a great job!

The photographers (including myself) wanted to practice with our lighting gear and even some new gear. I was excited to use some colored gels for special effects like adding color to the couple while having the sky turn more blue. The more I can do this in camera the less time I need to spend in Photoshop.

A couple, a lake, and sunset

A couple, a lake, and sunset

The first couple is Jessie and Artem. The second couple was Alexi and Gregory. Many thanks to them for giving their time and putting up with some chilly weather. This was April but it was probably about 40 degrees outside. They were definitely troopers!

Black and white photograph

Black and white photograph

I hope to find that balance between practice, creativity and day to day regular work. Too often photographers do the exact same thing – because it is safe and expected. More and more I want to challenge myself – it is at that point that I find more creativity waiting to be captured by the camera.

Practicing creative lighting for couple's portraits

Practicing creative lighting for couple's portraits

Wide angle lens to capture the texture in the clouds

Wide angle lens to capture the texture in the clouds

Jessie's individual portrait

Jessie's individual portrait

Artem's individual portrait

Artem's individual portrait

Working with gels on lights to warm up colors or cool the background

Working with gels on lights to warm up colors or cool the background

Alexi & Gregory

Alexi & Gregory

Alexi & Gregory after the sun had set

Alexi & Gregory after the sun had set

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Practicing Lighting Techniques in Alpine UtahWednesday, March 16th, 2011

This past weekend about 8 photographers converged on the backyard of a photographer in Alpine, Utah. Our goal was to practice some lighting techniques with some models, photographers and some other victims. Practice makes perfect and we don’t want to be practicing during a wedding, engagement or other paid gig.

I was able to work with husband and wife Bryce and Emily. Emily is due with their first child in April! It was fun working with them and good thing it was a practice session – I was trying a few new lighting setups and some new gear. I want to be ready for the “real thing” and I don’t want to be fiddling with knobs, dials, and levers when it really counts.

Emily & Bryce are my models for this practice photo shoot

Emily & Bryce are my models for this practice photo shoot

Emily & Bryce are my models for this practice photo shoot

Emily & Bryce are my models for this practice photo shoot

Spring is here – although I haven’t seen much green buds or trees blooming yet. I have spotted some red breasted robins. Well, that means the only green are evergreen trees and it also means snow on the mountains.

Snow covered mountains act as a perfect backdrop for Emily & Bryce

Snow covered mountains act as a perfect backdrop for Emily & Bryce

Another shot of the couple and the mountains

Another shot of the couple and the mountains

After Emily & Bryce left I photographed Mimi (real name Janey). She is another photographer and it is always fun to put a photographer in front of the lens. She was a natural – although most photographers squirm and feel uneasy.

I really had a fun time turning this photograph into black and white. I am playing with some new software or at least the latest version of the software. It’s main goal is to turn photographs into black and white. I have a number of photoshop actions I can use to do the same thing but the photographs can look the same – and I want to be more unique in my photography.

Another photograph plays the role of model

Another photograph plays the role of model

Last photograph is really fun. I have a light directly behind Mimi that is being a rim light. I have a softbox to camera right and everything just makes Mimi look fantabulous! Photography is all about light – and masters of photography are masters of light.

Mimi (real name Janey) looks fantabulous with rim lighting and a softbox to camera right

Mimi (real name Janey) looks fantabulous with rim lighting and a softbox to camera right

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It’s New Camera Gear Monday!Monday, February 7th, 2011

No, I am not going to make it a habit to have new gear every Monday – I would be so poor so fast! And there can be something about too much gear. After a while photographers just need to shut up and photograph.

However, I decided to invest in some more lighting gear – these will be used for my creative lighting and they are back ups to my other lights. And I will be reading the manual for these while I am at the gym. And I will be using these everyday for about 2 weeks so I am familiar and know their features like the back of my hand. There is nothing worse than a photographer who doesn’t know how to use their gear and they are on a job fumbling with buttons. It should be second nature!

New Canon 430ex II speedlites

New Canon 430ex II speedlites

That I why I like to practice on my nephews and nieces and any friends who can tolerate me. And this is another reason I shouldn’t buy too much gear too often – I have to practice and get familiar with all the gear. I have two lenses I am still working with – and one of them has gone virtually unused.

So maybe I should wrap up this blog post and go photograph something – right after the gym.

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Practice is the Only Way to Break in New EquipmentSunday, January 23rd, 2011

Never stop learning. There is always something new to learn and there is always something old to relearn. With in the last 2 weeks I have been on a mini shopping spree of camera gear. I have invested in some PocketWizards, light meter, expodiscs and other photo tools. Well, I am not about to use this equipment at a wedding or bridal shoot without practicing and getting some experience under my belt.

What better way to practice than to photograph some wine bottles?! If I can photograph drunk I can photograph anything. And I am joking!! Although the chianti was awesome. However, I will be working with the new gear for quite some time because it is true – practice makes perfect. And I do like to practice.

Photographing wine bottles as practice. Breaking in my light meter and colorchecker.

Photographing wine bottles as practice. Breaking in my light meter and colorchecker.

No one wants a wedding photographer who doesn’t know what they are doing and just as important – no one wants a photographer who doesn’t know their gear inside and out. I think as the winter is just so cold and depressing I will be working on some mini photography projects to keep my skills at the top performance. I don’t want to get rusty.

I think for the next week I will use the light meter for every single photograph. (unless I am using my iPhone) And then after that I will use the expodiscs for a whole two weeks. Woo hoo!

Now I should go watch some football while I edit a wedding album.

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Fight the inversion and have a fun photo shoot just for funSaturday, January 16th, 2010

For about a week or two the Wasatch front has been blanketed in an inversion – aka smog. And it sucks! It isn’t good to breath and it is so thick sometimes you can’t even see the mountains. And it gets so thick that you can almost look at the sun – which isn’t recommended – you can still go blind.

But rather than moping around and watching TV it is important to go be busy and do things. So I escaped the house and took a break from reading Quickbooks for Dummies and I had a fun photo shoot with Steph and her friend Brady. We invaded the Salt Lake Library and photographed outside for the most part – braving the cold.

Salt Lake Library parking

Salt Lake Library parking

These are not engagement photos – they are just friends. These are just BFFs hanging out being cool, hip, and groovy. It was also a chance to use my portable Lastolite softbox which I love. In the first photograph I airbrushed out the softbox – it is giving them light in what would be a very dark parking garage.

Do not stare into the sun

Do not stare into the sun

I am hoping the weather warms up and that the inversion clears – I think we need a real good storm to get us out of it. But it is fun getting out and photographing – even in winter.

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Related posts:

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