Private Pilot Photo Shoot

One of my recent stock photo shoots was a Private Pilot series of images shot at a local general aviation airport. I have a friend that is a pilot and he was able to let me shoot in and around the small Cessna he flies.

Before the official shooting began, the pilot and I took a ride around the Salt Lake Valley in the plane. Though the purpose of the flight wasn't to photograph, I did manage to get a few interesting shots that I will probably add to my portfolio. Here's a unique view of Herriman Utah.



The majority of the stock images featured Michelle posing as a pilot, complete with leather jacket and aviator glasses. There are a lot of images of male pilots on iStock, so I thought I'd go with a different angle and present a female pilot.

My good friend Harley came along and shot a few Behind-the-Scenes shots. As you can see in this example I kept the lighting pretty simple, opting to use a single speedlight to enhance the afternoon sunlight.



Why am I holding up one finger? That's a technique I frequently use when photographing to have the model follow my finger with her nose so I can position her face how I want it. It seems to work rather well and is a quick way to help get the shot I want.

All in all, I'm pleased with the images created in this session. Only time will tell to see how well they sell.

Hanging out with Cowboys

Being a stock photographer, I am always on the lookout for new subjects to shoot. Many times, these subjects are right under my nose - or in this case, right down the street.

I spent Saturday afternoon in the little town of Oakley Utah. The purpose of the visit was to photograph a group of cowboys. These particular cowboys all happen to belong to a family that literally lives right down the street from me.



I arranged with the family to do their portrait at their family cabin in Oakley, and then to spend a couple hours doing a cowboy themed stock photo shoot. Without exception, all the the men made great models. They were extremely willing to indulge me in my ideas for the shots. They even forgave the fact that I wore red tennis shoes - which I was told was a bit of a faux pas in cowboy country.



I left with a wide assortment of images on my camera ranging from action shots to portraits. I don't know how the market is for cowboy themed pictures on iStock, but I plan to soon find out.

In Flight

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/1000 second, f/6.3, ISO 160

Word Cloud of Yesterday's Keywords

I was playing around on the Wordle.net website last night. If you don't know what Wordle is, it's an online tool that creates word clouds out of text that you provide.

I couldn't think of any riveting text to enter, so I simply pasted in the search terms from my server log that web surfers used to find this blog yesterday. When creating the 'cloud', the size of the words are determined by how many times they are repeated in the supplied text.

Give it a try: www.wordle.net

Published: Ad in Cosmo

I've been hearing about one of my healthcare images showing up in both full and half page ads in national magazines, but I hadn't been able to track it down. That changed this week when Alyssa (a model I frequently work with) got a tip from one of her friends who saw the half page version in the current issue of Cosmopolitan. it was a bit awkward picking up a copy of my local grocer (thank you self checkout!), but here it is.

(Click here to see the original image on iStock)

Christmas in September

As I wrote about earlier this month, when shooting images for stock portfolios it's important to think ahead. With this in mind, I began shooting fresh Christmas images this week.



The first of these sessions happened yesterday with one of my regular models Alyssa in studio. The theme of the shoot was to have Alyssa in front of a Christmas tree with presents. As can be seen from the samples here, she did a great job and I've got some nice images to add to my portfolio on iStock.



The blurred lights and ornaments of the tree combined with a wide aperture made for a nice "Christmas-y" background in the shots. I did have a bit of a challenge locating seasonal wrapping paper this time of year, but I found a great source in a local paper company.

I'm going to finish up most of my new Christmas images with two shoots next week. The final shoot will feature a return of a famous model from last year.

Best Friends

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/100 second, f/4, ISO 100

Photowalking Utah Recap: Hangin' with Kenneth Linge

InStudio's Director of Seminars Julie playing the role of model for the group

Saturday's Photowalking Utah event was great. The two-part event started with a behind-the-scenes look at Kenneth Linge's new studio (InStudio) in Orem (Utah).


Kenneth holding a discussion with Photowalking Utah participants in his studio

Kenneth, an international award winning photographer, spent two hours talking to the 50+ attendees about all things photographic. His sense of humor came blazing through as he kept the group laughing the whole time.


Kenneth demonstrating tungsten lighting techniques on the streets (literally) of Provo

After a dinner break (Cafe' Rio....yummmm!), over thirty of the photowalkers reconvened at the Historic Utah County Courthouse for an evening photowalk. With Kenneth in attendance, the "walking" part of the event turned into a lighting workshop on the streets (literally!) of Provo. Kenneth purposely didn't bring a camera but instead brought along reflectors and portable tungsten lights. He graciously worked with the group for over 2 hours showing different lighting techniques.

I count Kenneth as a good friend and am delighted that the photowalkers were able to find out what a great guy he is.


The group of photowalkers during the second portion of the event

One of the things I really like about Photowalking Utah is the willingness of the group to try different types of events. This 'walk was no exception as we didn't do much "walking" but we sure talked a lot about photography.

The next Photowalking Utah event will be on Saturday October 18th. The group will be exploring the halloween decorated streets of Gardner Village in West Jordan Utah. I will announce the details here at LeggNet.com as well as on PhotowalkingUtah.com when they are finalized.

Links:

Flickr photostream of the participants' Photowalking Utah images
David Terry's great recap of this month's event
Kenneth Linge, International Photographer
InStudio - A Photographic Studio by Kenneth Linge
Photowalking Utah

Brotherhood

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/100 second, f/4, ISO 100

Canon Introduces 5D Mark II. I Save $5,000

(photo courtesy of Canon)

It is no secret to followers of my photography that my workhorse camera body is the Canon 5D. I have used this camera exclusively for about a year and a half and it has served me well. With that being said, I have felt for some time that if I am going to keep ahead-of-the-curve in my photography business that I needed to begin shooting images in the 20+ megapixel range. The biggest reason for this is that iStockphoto seems to favor larger images in searches sorted by their Best Match formula (not to mention that larger images sell for more money).

Knowing this need, I had the purchase of Canon's 1Ds Mark III 21 megapixel flagship on my goal list to obtain before the end of the year. With a price tag of nearly $8,000, this was going to be an extreme stretch to meet. That all changed this past Wednesday with Canon's introduction of the 5D Mark II.

The new 5D features the same (some say improved?) 21.1 megapixel sensor of the 1Ds at a price of over $5,000 less. It didn't take long for me to make the decision and I immediately called my friends at Pictureline and put my name down for one when they arrive. In addition to the larger sensor, all indications are the the Mark II will handle low-light shooting immensely better than its predecessor. This will allow me to use a higher ISO when shooting reflector lit portraits and/or stock images outdoors and eliminate camera shake for sharper images.

Once I begin using the Mark II as my primary body, my existing 5D (with around 40,000 images shot on it) will move into the backup role in my bag. My current backup body, a 30D, will be sold (at a good price, email me if interested).

Now, I just have to patiently wait until November for the camera to arrive.

Links: Canon's official 5D Mark II press release, 5D Mark II on DPReview.com

In the Garden

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/125 second, f/4, ISO 200

Repost: Photowalking Utah This Saturday

(Note: this is a repeat of an earlier post to serve as a reminder of this weekend's event)

The next Photowalking Utah event has been set. The outing will be a 2-part walk on Saturday September 20th beginning at 3:00 pm. Participants are welcome to come to either or both parts.

The first part of the event will be a visit to InStudio, the new 8,500+ square foot photography studio of Kenneth Linge. Kenneth will give the attending photowalkers a behind-the-scenes look at Utah's largest portrait studio. In addition to the tour, he will provide lighting demonstrations with both ambient and strobes and do a Q&A session. And there might even be snacks!



After the InStudio portion of the 'walk, we'll take a break for dinner before heading out on an evening Photowalk in the historic district of downtown Provo. We will meet at the Historic Utah County Courthouse to capture some great architecture before heading West through the downtown area. Kenneth will be joining us on the photowalk and be available to answer questions and chat with the other photogs.

Here are the details for the September 20th event:

Part 1. 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Photowalking InStudio
40 W. Center Street
Orem, UT

Part 2. 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Downtown Provo Photowalk
Meet at the Historic Utah County Courthouse
51 South University Avenue
Provo, UT

As always, these events are open to photographers of ANY SKILL LEVEL. We have everyone from first time shooters to seasoned professionals join in. If you've ever wanted a chance to hang out with some friendly photogs, this is the chance to do it.

For up-to-the-minute details and to check-in that you're planning on attending, drop by the Photowalking Utah Flickr group at PhotowalkingUtah.com. Also feel free to contact me at rich(at)leggnet.com with any questions.

Farewell...

Canon 5D, Canon 25-105 f/4L lens - 1/60 second, f/5.6, ISO 50

Private Chef Photo Shoot

I spent Friday morning in a relatives' luxury home doing a Private Chef photo shoot for my stock portfolio. The goal of the session was to create both portraits of chefs (above) and photos of them "in action" (below). I'm partially through the editing of the images and like the results so far.



It seems that when I finish a shoot I often have a "DOH!" moment when I realize something that I should have done differently. This one was no exception. When reviewing the shots I found that I missed doing some of them with Jenna's hair pulled back. Even with the small oversight, I still will end up with a nice series.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/125 second, f/4, ISO 100

Morning Fog

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/50 second, f/6.3, ISO 100

The Unthinkable: 09.11.01

Jack-o'-Lantern Carving in September

Today's image is a sample from yesterday's stock photo shoot with Bethany and Michelle portraying a mother and daughter carving jack-o'-lanterns. I'm probably a little bit behind, but I figured it's time to get some fresh Halloween images added to my portfolio.

One of the challenges for this session was locating pumpkins in early September. Thankfully, a friend's parents own a nearby farm they allowed me to pick a few of their nearly-ripe pumpkins to use for the shoot. The pumpkins were still a bit green so I let them sit in the sun for a week to fully develop into a nice orange.

Instead of photographing this scene in the studio, I brought some lights home and we shot in our kitchen. Two large softboxes were all I needed to create the natural looking light for the scene. The 600 watt-second monolights were used at their absolute minimum power setting to permit a wide aperture (f/4) for a narrow depth-of-field.

Now, it's time to start thinking about some new Christmas images.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/100 second, f/4, ISO 100

Close

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/160 second, f/8, ISO 100

Photoshop World Recap by Dale Welcome

(Today's post is written by guest contributor Dale Welcome)

Paris, New York New York, Caesar’s, MGM, Bellagio’s, Mandalay Bay…..what’s happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right? Ah, but not this time!

Las Vegas was the site of last week’s Photoshop World conference hosted by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and its president, Scott Kelby. But what happened in Vegas just cannot just stay in Vegas…..its was all too good not to share!

What an extraordinary conference! Scott Kelby, world renowned instructors and artists and the NAPP staff put on quite a show, a tremendous learning experience, and truly a photographic inspiration.

By my guess, the conference had well over 3,000 participants and was hosted at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Resort. Aside from Kelby, instructors included the likes of Deke McClelland, Moose Peterson, Dave Cross, Matt Koslowski, John Paul Caponigro, Ben Willmore, Jay Maisel, Jeff Scheme, Joe McNally, and Corey Barker, to name a few. And the best part was that each was willing to share their knowledge, tips, experiences, and plenty of passion for the art and craft of photography.

I have attended many professional conferences, in photography as well as my various other “careers” over the last thirty years, and I cannot think of one in which I learned so much that “my head began to hurt!” I began the conference with a 4 hour Epson Print Academy workshop led by three artistic and technical masters; Jeff Scheme, Andrew Rodney and John Paul Caponigro. Over the course of the next 3 ½ days, I attended over 15 workshops ranging from still live studio shoots, portrait lighting techniques, retouching, Photoshop “jaw-dropping” tips, high dynamic range (HDR) imagery, color management, and fine art photography.

In addition to the sessions and great instructors, the tech expo itself was worth the price of admission. I spent over two hours talking and learning from Epson technical experts, doing hands-on demos of Wacom tablets (their 21” on-screen tablet is unbelievable!), trying the latest equipment, talking to print labs such as MPIX and listening to additional sessions sponsored by NAPP, Kelby Training and Microsoft on the expo floor.

However, with all of great instructors, equipment, demos, and photographic friends to meet, by far the most inspirational and capstone of the entire event was the 2 hour “digital panel” Friday night. After starting at 8:00 in the morning, I wasn’t sure I had the energy to make it through the last session of the day that ran from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. However, I am surely glad I didn’t miss this portion of the conference.

The panel consisted of some of the greatest digital photographic artists and teachers of our time. Each shared a slideshow or two of their personal work and passion as well spoke to the heart and soul they each put into their work. Words cannot describe the emotion these images evoked, the gesture they represented, the colors that impacted us, and visual stories they told. You simply had to be there to fully comprehend the significance of these works of art. These artists poured out their souls right before us.

I have returned from Las Vegas with a new sense of experimentation, inspiration and passion to this wonderful craft of photography that far exceeds the immense amount of learning I received from Photoshop World. We are truly blessed to be able to capture images with our cameras that tell visual stories, evoke emotion, paint palettes of color and record our reality as well an expression of what we might dream.

Go out and capture images!

Let's Hear From You: Choosing Between Black & White or Color

Today's post is a question for photographers: When presenting an image to the world, how do you decide between color or black & white?

In the stock photography venue making this decision is easy for me - I do all my images in color knowing that the buyer can covert them to black & white on their own if they want. But when it comes to portraits and/or fine art photos, I frequently have a difficult time deciding.

How do you decide? Do you go into the editing of an image already knowing or do you make the decision on the fly? I'd love to hear other photographer's thought process on the subject.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/160 second, f/4.5, ISO 100

On Guard

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/160 second, f/4, ISO 100

Save the Date: Photowalking Utah 09.20.08

The next Photowalking Utah event has been set. The outing will be a 2-part walk on Saturday September 20th beginning at 3:00 pm. Participants are welcome to come to either or both parts.

The first part of the event will be a visit to InStudio, the new 8,500+ square foot photography studio of Kenneth Linge. Kenneth will give the attending photowalkers a behind-the-scenes look at Utah's largest portrait studio. In addition to the tour, he will provide lighting demonstrations with both ambient and strobes and do a Q&A session. And there might even be snacks!



After the InStudio portion of the 'walk, we'll take a break for dinner before heading out on an evening Photowalk in the historic district of downtown Provo. We will meet at the Historic Utah County Courthouse to capture some great architecture before heading West through the downtown area. Kenneth will be joining us on the photowalk and be available to answer questions and chat with the other photogs.

Here are the details for the September 20th event:

Part 1. 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Photowalking InStudio
40 W. Center Street
Orem, UT

Part 2. 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Downtown Provo Photowalk
Meet at the Historic Utah County Courthouse
51 South University Avenue
Provo, UT

As always, these events are open to photographers of ANY SKILL LEVEL. We have everyone from first time shooters to seasoned professionals join in. If you've ever wanted a chance to hang out with some friendly photogs, this is the chance to do it.

For up-to-the-minute details and to check-in that you're planning on attending, drop by the Photowalking Utah Flickr group at PhotowalkingUtah.com. Also feel free to contact me at rich(at)leggnet.com with any questions.

Through the Looking Glass

Boy with Bicycle Photo Shoot

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/125 second, f/4, ISO 100