About Me
My job as your photographer is to do more than just put a face to the name. I bring experience, professionalism, confidence, and a relaxed persona that produces photographs that instill a sense of trust and confidence in a potential client or customer. When you don’t do that, you will fail to get everything you can out of a brochure, website, or press release. The picture is critical.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but you rarely hear about the reactions to a poor quality photograph. Professional photography when presenting yourself or company to the public is a necessity.
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Tag Archives: Photographers
The Transformation
I have a wife and 5 kids, 4 of them girls. There are many, many reasons I am glad to be male. One of those, top of the list, reasons is make-up; selection, purchase, application and maintenance of all things make-up. Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the effort required and result of properly applied and the beautiful results (deceitful on some level) of cosmetics.
The Implements of Beauty
I have photographed a few females in my time as a photographer. As at home, I would only venture into and out of the room where the makeup artist makes magic happens – normally to inquire either “Are you ready yet?” or “How much longer?” or ” Have you seen my camera?” I never paid much attention to the details of the process, only the result as presented in the portrait session. Always impressed by the transformation from the girl next door to the wonderful creature standing in front of me.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to work with the wonderfully talented Jane Victoria Burch Professional Make-Up Artist and the Splice Girl Crystal (The Only Mufinhead). Jane and I are collaborating on an instructional presentation geared toward photographers and new models about makeup for portfolio building. We spent several hours in studio documenting the process from natural (no makeup) to natural looking (minimal makeup) through to glamour shoot ready.
Making the magic happen
It was, I must say, a very interesting experience. I watched, I shot, I asked questions. I won’t try to convince anyone that I followed many of the explanations; I was very much transfixed by the process. Jane and Crystal seemed to be in sync with each other, they had worked together before our studio set. I am no more ready to give up being male mind you, but I have a new found respect for the whole beauty makeup thing our women go through to meet our cultural definition of beauty.
The Transformation
If you ever have the chance to spent an entire makeup session watching the transformation that I, for the most part, took for granted; I highly recommend it. It’ll be an hour well spent.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 59°F;
- Humidity: 53%;
- Heat Index: 59°F;
- Wind Chill: 55°F;
- Pressure: 29.69 in.;
Posted in People, Things
Also tagged beautiful, beauty, Beauty Makeup, Cosmetics, Cult, Explanations, Females, Girl Next Door, girls, Glamour, Implements, Instructional Presentation, Magic, Makeup Artist, Models, Opportunity, Photographer, Portrait Session, Purchase Application, Sync, Transfixed, Transformation, Victoria
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Flash Above The Rest – Canon Speedlite 430EX
Canon has been at this for a long, long time and they realize what it is their customers want, need and expect from them as one of the most well known camera purveyors in existence today.
Click to continue reading “Flash Above The Rest – Canon Speedlite 430EX”
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 42°F;
- Humidity: 88%;
- Heat Index: 42°F;
- Wind Chill: 37°F;
- Pressure: 29.97 in.;
Posted in Guest Article
Also tagged art, Aster, Axis, Butt, camera, Canon, Canon Speedlite 430ex Flash, Cat, color, Curtain Sync, Custom Functions, digital, Digital Camera, Digital Slr, Eos 1ds Mark Ii, Eos Rebel, Eos Rebel T2, Eos System, Exposure Technology, face, Feet, film, flash, Flash Exposure, Flash Model, Flash Unit, Focal Length, frame, Fun, Head, Heir, Image, Ink, Iso, Lc, lens, Light, Long Long Time, Long Time, Love, man, Manual Flash, Maximum Guide Number, model, Models, Modes, Nap, Nef, new, one, Ounce, person, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photos, Places, pro, Rebel T2, Rechargeable Aa Batteries, Rig, Rotary Dial, Sb, Second Curtain, shot, Stan, stand, standing, Sync Function, technology, ttl, White Balance
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King Street Metro Station – Alexandria, VA
While in VA on business for 2 days I decided to walk over to the metro station one evening. Boring stuff, but I was bored.
I had always hesitated taking photographs of strangers on the street. I’m not sure what I expected by way of reaction from people but the truth is no one really seemed to notice. People would watch me take pictures of others, but when they thought I might take their photograph, they ignored me.
People are funny.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 63°F;
- Humidity: 29%;
- Heat Index: 63°F;
- Wind Chill: 62°F;
- Pressure: 30.06 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., Places
Also tagged Alex, business, Flickr, Fun, Heir, King Street Metro, King Street Metro Station, one, People, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photos, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Stranger, street, Stuff, Tree, Truth, Walk
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Nikon D700 vertical banding issue: It happen to me.
Response (Kevin J.)
11/15/2008 06:26 PM
Dear Ray,
This does in fact look like a banding issue and unfortunately there is nothing I can do over the phone.
I am sorry to say you will in fact have to send your D700 into our facility for evaluation:
Again, Thank you
The Nikon Team
I FedExed my D700 to California today ($87 overnight); Kevin, the Nikon rep I spoke to, tells me it’ll be 3-4 weeks to get it back. I purchased the camera in Albany, GA on September 26, 2008 while visiting my folks, so the camera is, what, 2 months old.
I first saw some vertical banding a couple of photographs I took at a local airport. The red (pink) vertical lines were in the gray overcast sky of two pictures. The sky was a bit overexposed and I ignored it, thinking it was something I did wrong.
Last Saturday I was asked to take a team photograph of my daughter’s (See “My Daughter the Ax Murder” article) high school girls LaCrosse team for their website. The coach was there with her young daughter and I took the opportunity to grab a couple of pictures of her with her little girl. (See attached photo – full sized). The banding was intense, bright and undeniable.
The banding was intense, bright and undeniable.
I checked the Nikon website, saw the support office was open and called. I spoke to Kevin who actually told me ‘he’ had not seen any red banding from a D700. I pushed and asked was there a known issue with banding; he again said he had not seen any banding or heard of many at all. We discussed the problem, he opened a trouble ticket, I uploaded the Jpeg to him. Well, I wish I had recorded him when he opened my file; “Wow, I’ve never seen red banding before; it’s usually gray.” No, I didn’t go there.
I have got to tell you: my camera bag full of lenses sure looks empty.
Only 3-4 weeks to go.
UPDATE: November 27: After speaking to a Nikon manager on Tuesday about the problem and possible solutions I arrived home yesterday to find a brand new D700. They replaced the camera.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 50°F;
- Humidity: 56%;
- Heat Index: 50°F;
- Wind Chill: 47°F;
- Pressure: 30.06 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment.
Also tagged art, Ascii, Blog, Break, Cambria, camera, Coach, color, Couple, D700, family, Fun, Fx, girl, girls, Girls Lacrosse, Girls LaCrosse Team, Head, Heir, High School Girls, home, Image, Ink, Last Saturday, lens, Light, Little Girl, man, Mso, My Daughter The Ax Murder, Nap, new, Night, nikon, Nikon D700, Nikon D700 Vertical Banding Issue, Nikon Website, office, one, Orphan, Overcast Sky, Overexposed, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photos, pink, Pose, pro, Reference, Rig, Rkd, Send Your D700 Into Our Facility For Evaluation, Style Definitions, Target, Team Coach, Team Photograph, The Nikon Team, Times New Roman, Track, Train, Trinity High School, Trouble Ticket, ttl, tx, Unfortunately There Is Nothing I Can Do Over The Phone, Vertical Banding A Couple Of Photographs, Vertical Lines
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Post processing; finding the edge
Before and after: Too much?
Sometimes I like to play with a photograph that doesn’t appeal to me in it’s original form. I see other’s work and like the processing or like the concept of it. I tend to get fixated trying new filter effects, crops or plug ins while trying to produce an artistic version that is like a gossamer thread in my mind’s eye.
Sometimes I get to the ‘ah ha’ moment – sometimes I don’t. I do however enjoy the journey to artistic expression.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 56°F;
- Humidity: 66%;
- Heat Index: 55°F;
- Wind Chill: 54°F;
- Pressure: 30.05 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment.
Also tagged Ah Ha, art, Artistic Expression, Crops, Expression, eyes, Filter Effects, Flickr, Gossamer Thread, Journey, new, New Crops, Oment, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photography, Photos, Plug Ins, Post Processing, pro, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph
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Cropping to change mood, attention or perspective
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 43°F;
- Humidity: 70%;
- Heat Index: 43°F;
- Wind Chill: 38°F;
- Pressure: 30.22 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment.
Also tagged Beach California, Flickr, focus, Highlight, Light, Perspective, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photography, Photos, Post Processing, Presence, pro, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Seagull, Taking Flight, Truth, Ventura Beach
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It ain’t easy being beautiful
I have been both pleasantly surprised and left speechless by the way some of the folks I have photographed show up for their portrait session.
‘Models’ show up with only the street clothes they have on. Personal hygiene, chipped and mismatched finger and toe nail colors, dirty feet, makeup, hair weren’t a consideration. When I’ve mentioned it they have done everything from just shrugging their shoulders to suggesting I ‘could’ have had an MUA and hair dresser for them to telling me to ‘fix’ it in Photoshop. And yes, I do mention the above to any model I shoot TFP – doesn’t seem to matter.
Others walk in just drop dead ready to go with makeup, hair, nails and wardrobe and most importantly – ideas.
Paying clients generally do better but I’m still perplexed at times by some of the by what some folks consider ‘portrait ready‘ appearance for themselves and their family.
This is a small rant only, the majority of the many people I’ve photographed are very nice, ready for their session and know what they want from it. But some of them—-
People are funny.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 42°F;
- Humidity: 82%;
- Heat Index: 42°F;
- Wind Chill: 36°F;
- Pressure: 29.64 in.;
Posted in People, Rant
Also tagged Appearance, beautiful, Clothes, Clothing, color, Colors, Dirty Feet, family, Feet, Flickr, Fun, hair, Hair Dresser, Heir, Hoot, Lot, Makeup, man, model, Modeling, Models, Mua, Nail Colors, one, People, person, Personal Hygiene, Personality, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photos, Photoshop, portrait, Portrait Session, Portraits, Rant, Rants, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Sessions, shoot, Shoulders, street, Street Clothes, Toe Nail, Tree, Walk, Wardrobe
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Portraiture: The changing human face.
With every portrait session I use light, shadow and pose to portray a different mood, facet and aspect of the subject. I see it during the session, I count on it to produce the shoe-box photograph – the keeper.
During nearly every post production process I am pleasantly surprised how a single person can look so differently in a photograph. Soft, rough, hard, beautiful, thin, heavy – you name it. The human face holds a true fascination for me, the eyes – the eyes, expressing the wisdom of the ages or the delight of youth.
People are wonderful creatures.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 34°F;
- Humidity: 78%;
- Heat Index: 34°F;
- Wind Chill: 25°F;
- Pressure: 30.01 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., People
Also tagged beautiful, Creatures, Duri, Expression, eyes, F1, face, Facet, Fascination, Flickr, human, Human Face, Light, lighting, man, People, person, Personality, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photos, portrait, Portrait Session, Portraits, Portraiture, Pose, pro, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Sessions, Shadow, Wisdom Of The Ages
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Lincoln Memorial
On a recent trip to Washington, DC, see Hassled by the Washington, DC Park Rangers for taking photos, I did the tourist thing early Saturday morning before heading back to Texas. I went out at 7am to avoid the heat and the crowds.
I walked from the Washington Monument, past the World War II Memorial headed for the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool. There were a few joggers, a few Ron Paul supporters (interesting group of characters) and city workers. As I approached the Lincoln Memorial a small group of tourists were already starting to mill around. I noticed this black city worker mopping the steps, back and forth, back and forth and I knew right away I wanted to include him in the photograph.
When I got to the bottom of the steps the group of visitors were all over the steps and inside the memorial. The worker patiently continued his work, waiting when the people blocked his path.
Standing there with my Nikon D300, waiting for the moment I wanted to capture I was approached by, wait for it — a Canon shooter. He was carrying two cameras (a Rebel XT and a 5D). We had a brief discussion about the light and our shared hobby. Nice fella; other than the Canon part.
Just as we were parting ways I got this photograph. It’s the best of the three I took of this man maintaining the monument’s appearance. The fact that it is a black man working for the Federal Government at the Lincoln Memorial somehow struck a cord with me. I mean no offense to the man doing an honest job, the fact Lincoln’s eyes appear to be watching him, makes, to me anyway, this photograph sort of special.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 93°F;
- Humidity: 44%;
- Heat Index: 97°F;
- Wind Chill: 93°F;
- Pressure: 30 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., Places
Also tagged 5d, Amp, Appearance, art, black, Black Man, Blog, camera, Canon, Crowds, d300, eyes, Fella, Flickr, hassled, Head, hobby, home, Honest Job, Hoot, Job, Jobs, Joggers, Light, lighting, Lincoln Memorial, man, Memorial, Memories, Monument, Monuments, new, nikon, nikon d300, Oment, one, Park Ranger, Park Rangers, Parting Ways, People, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographs, Photos, pro, Rebel Xt, Reflecting Pool, Reflection, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Ron Paul, Saturday Morning, shoot, Shooter, Small Group, Stan, stand, standing, Taking Photos, Target, Texas, Things, Walk, Washington Monument, World War Ii, World War Ii Memorial
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Follow Me
The versatility of the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED
I was talking to a few photographers the other day and was asked what was my favorite lens to use in studio portraits sessions. I really wanted to say something cool like “My AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 IF-D is my best lens.”
Nikon D700 - Exposure 1/200 - Aperture f/13.0 - Focal Length 70 mm - ISO 200
Nikon D700 - Exposure 1/160 - Aperture f/20.0 - Focal Length 55 mm - ISO 200
Nikon D700 - Exposure 1/250 - Aperture f/8.0 - Focal Length 24 mm - ISO Speed 200
But the truth is on my D700, I really appreciate the versatility of the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED in the studio.
What’s your favorite studio lens?
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