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Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Archive-John Denver 1995
The first State of the World Forum was held in San Francisco in October 1995 at the historic Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
It's All in the Details
Roll your mouse over the image to see the changes.
I bought a set of genuine handcuffs from Amazon.com and had a guy paint them with the stars and stripes. I then set up a white, tabletop studio-shot. Lighting was one main diffused light on camera right and two small diffused lights, camera rear, pointing back at the cuffs.
The real work began once the photo was shot. Moderate processing, consisting of a slight levels bump. The big deal was lack of contrast. By far the biggest pain was the amount of cloning needed. Small flaws in the paint required a tremendous amount of touch up. The area where the chain links rubbed together were the worst. Red paint was mixed with the blue and vice versa, making that section look muddied and worn. Stars were retouched as well.
The final step was to create a path around the handcuffs to mask the background 100 percent white and lastly add in a drop shadow.
I didn’t log the amount of time this image took, but it was a lot. Needless to say I haven’t even made back the cost of paying the guy to paint the cuffs. However, I do feel it was worth it in processing experience alone. I was able to hone a few techniques on path creation, masking and cloning. And that has made a world of difference in other illustrations.
I bought a set of genuine handcuffs from Amazon.com and had a guy paint them with the stars and stripes. I then set up a white, tabletop studio-shot. Lighting was one main diffused light on camera right and two small diffused lights, camera rear, pointing back at the cuffs.
The real work began once the photo was shot. Moderate processing, consisting of a slight levels bump. The big deal was lack of contrast. By far the biggest pain was the amount of cloning needed. Small flaws in the paint required a tremendous amount of touch up. The area where the chain links rubbed together were the worst. Red paint was mixed with the blue and vice versa, making that section look muddied and worn. Stars were retouched as well.
The final step was to create a path around the handcuffs to mask the background 100 percent white and lastly add in a drop shadow.
I didn’t log the amount of time this image took, but it was a lot. Needless to say I haven’t even made back the cost of paying the guy to paint the cuffs. However, I do feel it was worth it in processing experience alone. I was able to hone a few techniques on path creation, masking and cloning. And that has made a world of difference in other illustrations.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Liberty
“No one aspires as a child to grow up and enter into a domestic partnership. But they do aspire as children to grow up and be married.” --Ted Olson, attorney
click for more images
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Inspiration
Photo-illustrations most often begin with a discussion and this one was no different. For a story on how the California Judges Association blasted back against the Administrative office of the Courts, I had an inane discussion about judges at night with pitchforks and torches outside the building. I say “Well that sounds really fun, but we’re gonna need a permit for the torches.” Heads slump. Then I pitch a reasonable solution that involves a reshoot of the Hiram Johnson State Building and later I’m walking up the street with a 24mm and wondering if I should have brought the 16mm.When I arrive I realize I should have brought the 16mm. I can’t fit the building in and I decide to shoot multiple photos and stitch them together. I get on the horn and ring up a courtroom for a gavel and we’re in business. A little later a clip, a snip and were finished. I’m looking it and thinking there isn’t anything wrong with this, but I wonder what it would look like if the hammer was actually blasting out part of the building.
And that’s how it goes.
I thought I would talk about illustrations and how my thought process has evolved. Most of the time you start off with nothing more than an idea and that idea can be quite vague. The secret is to transform a vague idea into a concept that can be executed without becoming overly literal. The key is transitioning the concept into something realistically plausible within a given framework. Budget, cost, availability, and timeframe were all factors why the judges with pitchforks and torches idea wouldn’t work. Avoid ideas that become too factual or literal. Instead try to envision a hyper-real image of something that itself is a concept instantly understandable to the viewer.
The mechanics of the illustration isn’t as important as the concept, but understanding Photoshop and what you can do with it shouldn’t be underestimated. Lastly I’d add that your understanding of photography can help create better, more powerful illustrations. In the coming weeks, I’m going to go over some other illustrations and talk about my process and maybe I’ll throw in a few tips and tricks.
And that’s how it goes.
I thought I would talk about illustrations and how my thought process has evolved. Most of the time you start off with nothing more than an idea and that idea can be quite vague. The secret is to transform a vague idea into a concept that can be executed without becoming overly literal. The key is transitioning the concept into something realistically plausible within a given framework. Budget, cost, availability, and timeframe were all factors why the judges with pitchforks and torches idea wouldn’t work. Avoid ideas that become too factual or literal. Instead try to envision a hyper-real image of something that itself is a concept instantly understandable to the viewer.
The mechanics of the illustration isn’t as important as the concept, but understanding Photoshop and what you can do with it shouldn’t be underestimated. Lastly I’d add that your understanding of photography can help create better, more powerful illustrations. In the coming weeks, I’m going to go over some other illustrations and talk about my process and maybe I’ll throw in a few tips and tricks.
Saturday, April 02, 2011
-$250 an Hour
That’s how much I lost by waiting 3 hours to respond to an inquiry for a job. The kicker --- I didn’t want to sound desperate or overly eager so I sat on the email.
Fee negotiation remains one of the most important and challenging aspects of the business of photography. Buy camera, get good, get paid right? Not quite. Some hard rules to consider before you price any job are.
1) What’s your cost of doing business?
2) What’s the market I’m in?
3) What rights agreement and fee is right for my client?
4) What's my clients budget?
That’s a lot to consider and certainly it might seem daunting and there are many potential pitfalls along the way, like waiting 3 hours to not seem desperate.
Fee negotiation remains one of the most important and challenging aspects of the business of photography. Buy camera, get good, get paid right? Not quite. Some hard rules to consider before you price any job are.
1) What’s your cost of doing business?
2) What’s the market I’m in?
3) What rights agreement and fee is right for my client?
4) What's my clients budget?
That’s a lot to consider and certainly it might seem daunting and there are many potential pitfalls along the way, like waiting 3 hours to not seem desperate.
Don't settle for what doesn't seem fair or reasonable. Be willing to negotiate and perhaps even accept less, but don't accept less than your worth.
The photo above was a composite image of three shots. The $100 dollar bill bent on it's side to simulate swimming (later rotated in PS). The hook, poking through a hole in a piece of paper (no 100 dollar bills were actually poked in the making of this photo). Lastly, the line and hook were shot separately.
Lighting was one light camera bottom and beneath for 100 dollar bill to create camera-right light when rotated. Line and hook were both shot with one light as well.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Show me the Money
I have a few readers, maybe enough to count on one hand. Then I have the accidental, stumble in from the cold (there’s no cover charge is there?) kind of reader that stops by after looking at my main site.
I marvel at the world as it exists today. That I can even have a stumble in from the cold reader blows my mind. I remember back when I was using a dial up modem (no not DSL) to connect to bulletin board systems and I thought I was hot shit. Well I wasn’t then and I’m certainly not now.
So, where I’m I going with this? I have always wanted this blog to be about what it’s like to be a photographer; about thoughts, fears, breakthroughs and self-discoveries as a photographer. At times I think it’s worked profoundly well and others times it hasn’t.
Going forward, I’ve made a couple steadfast rules. 1. Always post a photo. No EXCEPTION. 2. Stay on topic. This blog exists to inform people of what goes on inside my head while I’m taking photos or talking about photos.
So I present you with this photo.
It’s my boy’s room. And that sock monkey was given to me by a friend. Now here comes the discussion. I hated taking that photo.
What?
It’s got the nice side-light, nice composition (sort-of) and it’s a touching image of a major event that happened in my life, but here’s why I hated it. I felt obligated to take the photo.
No one asked me to do it. I did it on my own and no one would even know about this now if it wasn’t for this blog entry. Here it is, the crux. I felt an overwhelming urge to shoot this image and send it to my friend to validate my appreciation for the gift, which I really do appreciate. The trouble is, I live and breathe images all the time. I am a photographer and the last thing I want to do is more work. Maybe this sounds trite, but I’m amazed at how often people ask “Wow you’re a photographer, what’s it like doing something you love and getting paid for it?”
Well it’s a little like this. Imagine you love ice cream. Now imagine I’m going to pay you to eat ice cream all day long. Sound good so far? Well unfortunately this ice cream tastes like a sweaty CEO at some company and he needs a good portrait, so get right on that.
That’s the trouble.
You have to reconcile your love for the craft with the subject matter and while the sock monkey is cute and very unlike a sweaty CEO, at the end of the day I won’t even be getting paid for it.
I marvel at the world as it exists today. That I can even have a stumble in from the cold reader blows my mind. I remember back when I was using a dial up modem (no not DSL) to connect to bulletin board systems and I thought I was hot shit. Well I wasn’t then and I’m certainly not now.
So, where I’m I going with this? I have always wanted this blog to be about what it’s like to be a photographer; about thoughts, fears, breakthroughs and self-discoveries as a photographer. At times I think it’s worked profoundly well and others times it hasn’t.
Going forward, I’ve made a couple steadfast rules. 1. Always post a photo. No EXCEPTION. 2. Stay on topic. This blog exists to inform people of what goes on inside my head while I’m taking photos or talking about photos.
So I present you with this photo.
It’s my boy’s room. And that sock monkey was given to me by a friend. Now here comes the discussion. I hated taking that photo.
What?
It’s got the nice side-light, nice composition (sort-of) and it’s a touching image of a major event that happened in my life, but here’s why I hated it. I felt obligated to take the photo.
No one asked me to do it. I did it on my own and no one would even know about this now if it wasn’t for this blog entry. Here it is, the crux. I felt an overwhelming urge to shoot this image and send it to my friend to validate my appreciation for the gift, which I really do appreciate. The trouble is, I live and breathe images all the time. I am a photographer and the last thing I want to do is more work. Maybe this sounds trite, but I’m amazed at how often people ask “Wow you’re a photographer, what’s it like doing something you love and getting paid for it?”
Well it’s a little like this. Imagine you love ice cream. Now imagine I’m going to pay you to eat ice cream all day long. Sound good so far? Well unfortunately this ice cream tastes like a sweaty CEO at some company and he needs a good portrait, so get right on that.
That’s the trouble.
You have to reconcile your love for the craft with the subject matter and while the sock monkey is cute and very unlike a sweaty CEO, at the end of the day I won’t even be getting paid for it.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
My New Friends
I have a lot of time to stare at these guys across from where I now spend hours rocking back and forth. So let's welcome Explorer Pig, The Bumblebee Man and The Bear.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Who Are You?
It's 6am and I'm spoon feeding a 4-day-old baby. He's red from crying. I can't stop wondering how did this happen? It's surreal and awkward. I have no idea what I’m doing and that is exactly how it is supposed to be.
I can't stop thinking who is this little guy? What will he be when he grows up? Who will he love and who will break his heart? I wish my dad could have seen him. I wish my dad was more of a dad to me. And I wonder if I’ll ever be as good of a dad as I can be?
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Walking in LA
A one-day trip to the City of Angels for some portraits. I found time, along the way for some tourist snaps.
Hustler HQ
Wilshire
LACMA
Variety
405
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Connect U
This is from a few weeks ago. It was really great, hanging out with the Bay Area press photographers, waiting for the Winklevoss twins to leave the Ninth Circuit.
It was like old-school social networking.
I don't normally like doing these types of assignments as you never really get a great photo, but some highlights were the twins arriving on foot instead of the usual black Lincoln Town car and the press pack facing the wrong way. Them slipping past us. Later, while leaving they refused to comment and the pack chasing them down the street until a video guy trips on a curb and everyone, including the twins stops while he is helped up.
Good times!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Nico's Jacket
I find it amazing how the simplest of things can make the most powerful photogaphs. My son is coming soon.
It's strange and odd saying that. His arrival is less than five weeks away and I have trouble imagining what it'll be like, but seeing the jacket ... air-drying, I can almost picture it.
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