Quite often the In Between Moments of a photo assignment tell the most important and beautiful part of the story. I’ve been photographing the legendary ska band The Pietasters for over a decade and some of my favorite images aren’t the raucous and wild live shots, they’re the images in between shows, during down time and just hanging out. One of my favorite photographers once told me to look around the periphery of an event, that’s where the real story is. I try to remember this advice as often as possible.
Variations in a Photograph
I recently came across a similar, color version (above) of one of my favorite black and white photos (below). I completely forgot that I made this variation and it reminded me how much different a photo can feel just by changing the angle and making the choice to edit it in color rather than black and white. While the feeling of a photo is completely subjective, I personally get a very different narrative from the color image. The black and white version has a lost world, vintage, apocalyptic feel to it. While the color version seems slightly less ominous. The color in the grass and flowers gives the image a sense that nature has persevered and the soft green path gives an impression that humanity may still be coexisting. I enjoy both of these photos equally, but for different reasons.
Capture the Moment
A good friend once told me that “a camera is just a box with a hole in it”. What they meant is that you don’t need fancy equipment to make photos. Sure, it’s nice to have good, reliable gear. But the most important aspects of creating photographs is the way you see, being there for the moment and the way you show the world what you saw and felt. The equipment you use is secondary.
This image is one of my favorite recent portraits and it was made with my phone. I noticed Hannah lost in thought while we were enjoying cappuccinos at an outdoor cafe. The lighting was soft and luxurious and I only had a few seconds to capture this fleeting moment so I used the camera that was most accessible, my phone. I had my 35mm DSLR with me but if I had taken the time to pull it out, meter and focus the moment would have passed and the subject would have been more conscious of the fact that I was taking her photo, so the image likely would not have come out as spontaneous and natural.
A Learning Process Photographing Motion with off Camera Flash
I wanted to share this image because it was an interesting learning experience. While there are aspects of this photo that I enjoy, there are definitely parts that I would do differently. I’m happy with the direction of the main light source, which was a Canon Speedlight placed to the right and slightly behind the subject at a 45 degree angle. I’m not okay with the overall framing of this image and the way that the flash is visible in the frame as well as the poorly used space in the left 1/4 of the frame. I like the low point of view and how close the viewer feels (spatially) to the subject. I chose a slower shutter speed and captured a little bit of motion blur with the fast moving subject, I think that was successful. I also chose to have the flash slightly brighter than the exposure value of the ambient light, which created a darker and more dramatic background.
The most important thing to remember is to keep experimenting and trying new ideas and processes!
Tech info: This image was made with a Canon EOS 5D, 15mm lens, 1/160, f2.8, ISO 250.
Low Angle Dramatic Photograhy
This image was made in Dublin, Ireland using a Canon 5D camera and a 35mm lens at f1.4, 1/8000, ISO 400. (In hindsight I definitely should have lowered the ISO to 100 to get an even clearer and crisper image). The building is the Micheal Collins Barracks, named after the legendary Irish revolutionary soldier and politician who was a leading figure in the early-20th century struggle for Irish independence. I wanted to make a powerful and interesting image of this historic land mark so I put the camera on the ground and choose a 1.4 aperture to compress the space which also created a natural vignetting effect which I darkened a little bit more in post production to give the image an even more dramatic appearance.
Early Morning Portrait with Natural Light
When I woke up early one foggy morning I thought that the mood and light would be great to make a portrait. This image was made with an 85mm lens at f1.8, 1/640th, ISO 400. The lighting is completely natural. The fog diffused the morning light and created a soft lighting effect. By choosing an aperture of f1.8 I created a shallow depth of field and blurred out anything distracting in the background. This shallow depth of field also draws the viewers attention directly to the subject.
Nighttime Skate Photography with Off Camera Flash
I made this photograph at the legendary Team Pain Ulysses skate park in Golden Colorado. This image was made with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera and 15mm lens at 1/160th, f2.8, ISO 1600. To light the image I used two Canon speedlight flashes placed on either side of the frame on the ground at about a 45 degree angle. The most challenging part of this image was the timing and position of the subjects. Fortunately both skaters were not only talented but very patient and tried these tricks a bunch of times until we got an image that everyone was happy with!
Telephoto Skate Photography
I don’t often shoot skate photos with a telephoto lens. I usually use a 35mm or 15mm lens and get close to the action so that the viewer gets a sense of what it was like to actually be there. For this photo I used an 85mm lens at f2.8 in order to get a shallow depth of field, compress the space, blur out any distracting information and direct the viewer’s attention to the subject. I was also further able to direct attention to the subject by photographing at a low angle and using the lines in the street. I made the decision to convert the image to black and white to simplify the composition and give it some added drama.
The Pietasters @ Montage Mountain
Last weekend The Pietasters headlined the Carve 4 Cancer benefit show and did an outstanding job of rocking the house for a really good cause. Thank you so much to everyone who came out to show support!
Self Portrait
I think it’s important for artists to make self portraits. It’s good practice to get on the other side of the lens every once in awhile. Here’s a photo we did a few weeks ago.
We made these portraits on a frosty winter afternoon using two speedlights. One light positioned behind the subject and the other off to the side. The top image was made with an 85mm lens and the bottom with a 35mm. I was really interested in seeing how the two contrasting focal lengths would portray the same scene in different ways.
The Shenandoah
A side lit pup on the side of a mountain. And a landscape snapshot. Although I’ve spent a considerable amount of time in and around the eastern part of north America, it wasn’t until recently that I started to appreciate the grandeur of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Snow Day
Yesterday we had a beautiful snowy day and experimented with some mixed light sources. The main light source was a Flashpoint 200 strobe with an umbrella. The fill light was daylight. The third photo was made using only natural light.
*tech notes 85mm lens , f2.2, 1/320, ISO 50.
Waterfalls
A few waterfalls we saw this past weekend. These images were made with a K & F Concept 5 stop neutral density filter. This filter allowed for a 30 second exposure in bright light. Also, this is one of the least expensive ND filters and I was really happy with the overall quality of the final image.
*tech notes: Canon EOS R, 24-105mm, 30 seconds @ f22, ISO 50
Night Session
A few images we made recently to test out the new Canon R series 15-35 lens. Overall I have nothing but great things to say about this lens. It’s super sharp and has very little vignetting even at 15mm. These images were all shot at f2.8, 1/200th sec, ISO 800. The main light source is two speed-lights. We had a halogen light lighting the session and that provided a little bit of warm fill light.
The Pietasters
1994 was the year that I truly discovered music. I would stop by Record Convergence on a regular basis and pick up what ever looked interesting. Within a span of about 4 months I had discovered Minor Threat, NOFX, Operation Ivy, The Toasters, Bad Religion, The Clash and tons of other great bands. Around this time, a friend handed me a Pietasters album. I basically had the same reaction as when I first heard Fugazi and remember thinking to myself “Whoa, music can do this?! “ What I didn’t realize at that time was that like a lot of the other bands I was listening to, The Pietasters had longevity. Their ability to transcend genres and speak to generations of fans that weren’t even born all those years ago continues to blow my mind. Not to mention the fact that they are beautiful and decent and kind human beings and I’m super grateful to call them friends. Here are a few photos from their epic performance at the legendary 9:30 Club this past weekend.
Shop 53
There are certain people and places that inspire creativity, Shop 53 Custom Tattoo and Art Studio in La Plata MD is definitely one of those places. Everyone who works there is super talented and fun to be around. Here are a few photos I made last week.
Studio Props
One of our lovely friends donated this fantastic old chair to the studio and we tested it out with this photo. I kept the lighting simple, one 36” soft box to the right at 45 degrees.
*tech info: Canon EOS R with 24-105mm lens at 80mm. F4, ISO 50, 1/200th sec.
Pet Dominion
Pet Dominion has always been a cutting-edge facility, with all the latest in veterinary technology. Whether it’s laser therapy, thermal imaging, or a routine dental, the level of compassion that these folks show their clients is remarkable. I recently had the pleasure and privilege of spending some time making photos of these people and the animals they care for. Here are a few images to give you a brief glimpse into a day in the life of these amazing care givers.
Lighting tests
Whenever we set up for a shoot I always take a few photos of my assistant to test out the lighting set up. Here are a few recent images I wanted to share. These were basically outtakes but I really enjoyed the way they turned out. These photos remind me that sometimes it’s good to not be too serious, to just play around and see what happens because that’s usually when I get the best results!
