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: portrait
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, Photographers, Photographs, Photos, Photoshop, Portrait Session, Portraits, Rant, Rants, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Sessions, shoot, Shoulders, street, Street Clothes, Toe Nail, Tree, Walk, Wardrobe
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High-key portrait process
From my Flickr photostream of this image:
Mark Chamberlin says:
“This is a really strong effect. Would you mind divulging what you did to the original image to get it to this point? “
Well Mark, I start with a nice looking model.
Seriously, this photograph was taken almost as framed here. Sometimes when I really like the expression on a wider framed picture I will crop down to the face. this photo of Mona Marie was one in a series of tight shots I took over several minutes, I coached her to look here, there, up and down. I feel this image has the ‘strong effect’ you mention because she is looking pencefully away from the camera.
Orginal photograph
The original image is show here. The first step I took was to spot heal any blemishes (of which there were very few, Mona Marie has very smooth skin), then I did a general smoothing to accommodate the high-key effect. I try to leave enough detail to the face so the larger delicate features are not destroyed.
With this photograph I did add back a bit of color to her lips, but just color, I liked the formation and shape/size as it was. After several bleaching passes to reach the desired effect, I sharpened the image.
Normally I have to resist the urge to tweak more; here I did not.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 84°F;
- Humidity: 54%;
- Heat Index: 86°F;
- Wind Chill: 84°F;
- Pressure: 29.78 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., People
Also tagged art, Blemishes, Blog, camera, Cat, Coach, color, Colors, Delicate Features, Desired Effect, Expression, face, Flickr, Flickr Photostream, frame, High-Key, Image, Images, Lips, Mark Chamberlin, model, Modeling, Models, Mona Marie, one, People, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photos, Portraits, pro, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, shot, Smooth, Smooth Skin, Target, Thumb, Tight Shots, Urge
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Ultra close up portraits
I have had many comments on my close-ups. All but one was complimentary and it was because I did not high-key it.
I love the female face. I like to test the limits of beauty and recognition. I have said elsewhere that the eyes are the key to the personality and reveal so much about a person’s mood, emotional state and health.
I always take an extreme closeup during a shoot and/or look for the fuller photograph to crop. Granted, ultra close-ups do not with all models, but I do spent a lot of post processing time looking for an opportunity to display their beauty through its use.
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., People
Also tagged beautiful, beauty, Closeup, Closeups, Displays, Duri, emotion, Emotional State, Emotions, eyes, face, female, Female Face, Females, Flickr, Health, Heir, High-Key, Hoot, Limited, Lot, Love, male, man, model, Modeling, Models, one, person, Personality, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photos, Portraits, Post Processing, pro, Processing Time, Rant, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, shoot, Test, Ultra Close-Up, Ups
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Setting the mood in photography
Portrait photography is not photojournalism or even about realism; it is an attempt to portray an idealistic view of a person, place or thing. It is the way we see the subject or want the setting to be seen by the viewer of the photograph.
The emotions/memories/ideals we, as photographers, can draw from the viewer are powerful tools.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 31°F;
- Humidity: 58%;
- Heat Index: 30°F;
- Wind Chill: 23°F;
- Pressure: 30.12 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment.
Also tagged Attempt, Attempts, emotion, Emotions, Flickr, Memorial, Memories, person, Personality, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photography, Places, Portrait Photography, Portraits, Powerful Tools, Realism, Rig, Things, Tool
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Something soft & sexy, something mean and something in-between
Most every time I work with a new model I get asked the same question: What should I bring to wear?
There is no doubt that clothing, makeup and the ability to ‘strike a pose’ are important to a successful portrait/modeling session. However, the most essential asset a model can bring to the studio or location is the ability to interact with the camera.
My job at a shoot is to make them look as best I am able given my limited skills with lighting and equipment. I cannot, however, do it alone. You have seen that cell phone snapshot that drew you in; you have also seen a professional portrait that, although technically sound, just leaves you feeling that something misfired. A model must have an understanding they are not trying to tease/seduce/influence me as the photographer: They must make the connection with the viewer of the photograph.
They must make the connection with the viewer of the photograph.
My answer to the outfit question: Bring something soft & sexy, something mean and something in-between.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 50°F;
- Humidity: 53%;
- Heat Index: 50°F;
- Wind Chill: 48°F;
- Pressure: 30.18 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment., People
Also tagged Ability To ‘Strike A Pose’, Amp, camera, Cat, Cell Phone, Clothes, Clothing, equipment, Flickr, Hoot, Interact, Interaction, Job, Jobs, Light, lighting, Lighting Equipment, Limited, Lot, Makeup, model, Modeling, Models, Nap, new, New Model, No Doubt, one, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photos, Portraits, Pose, pro, professional, Professional Portrait, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Sessions, Sexy, shoot, shot, Snapshot, Stan, stand, standing, Strike A Pose, studio, Target, Tease, What Should I Bring To Wear?
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Playing with black and white again
I started in photography shooting only black and white on film while stationed in Schwäbisch Hall, West Germany at Dolan Barracks, with the US Army. I enjoyed the entire process of taking the photograph and then spending hours in the dark room developing the print. My mentor back then was a German WW II photographer, Herr Ritter. I would spend a lot of time selecting the paper, cropping the picture and playing with the time under the light and developer only to have Herr Ritter walk behind me and give me his, usually one word, assessment of my work. Now every time I start to produce black and white imagery I feel Herr Ritter in the next room; about to walk in.
Today, I shoot digital, have a computer, Photoshop and the associated plug-ins. The subject of my photography has changed, I enjoy portraiture, I like to simplify the female face to the essence of femaleness; to show basic beauty. Sometimes that is a hight-key process, sometimes an ultra close-up. This image of Barbara is another, different, attempt.
I wonder what Herr Ritter would say.
-- Weather When Posted --
- Temperature: 71°F;
- Humidity: 83%;
- Heat Index: 71°F;
- Wind Chill: 71°F;
- Pressure: 30.03 in.;
Posted in My Photo; My Comment.
Also tagged Amp, art, Attempt, Attempts, B&W, beautiful, beauty, black, black and white, Developer, digital, Dolan Barracks, Essence, face, female, Female Face, Females, film, Flickr, German Ww, Germans, germany, Hoot, Image, Imagery, Images, Light, lighting, Lot, male, man, Mentor, one, paper, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photography, Photos, Photoshop, Playing With The Time, Portraiture, Prints, pro, Rig, Ritter, Rkd, rkdauph, Schwäbisch Hall, shoot, Target, Ultra Close-Up, Us Army, Walk, west germany, WW II
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Contact Me
Suggestions & Contribution:
I’m open to any suggestions, comments, questions and contribution (ie. guest blogging). If you have ideas that would to share with me, please contact me here or send me a mention on Twitter @rkd_photography.
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Also tagged adult, Amp, art, background, beauty, black, Blogging, Blue, business, camera, caucasian, Communication, Connection, Contact, D700, digital, equipment, fashion, female, Flickr, hand, Help, holding, human, Image, information, isolated, Job, Light, Looking, male, man, model, nikon, occupation, Pace, People, person, Photo, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, photographic, Photographs, Photography, Photos, picture, professional, RKD Photography, shot, space, studio, Support, technology, Us, white, woman, Word, work, young
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$20 Homemade Beauty Dish
My $20 (+15) home made beauty dish.
14″ garden bowl from Home Depot, 12 ounce Tupperware container with the bottom cut out and a 3″ concave mirror in its place.
The additional mod I’ve made was the attachment of a Photogenic ring to the back of the dish. As add another $15 for the complete project.
The blue tape is to mask the paint transition touch up. It has been suggested that the interior of the beauty dish could be painted gold or silver to produce a more flattering effect.
The last photo is the result taken with homemade beauty dish. I now use it in about half of my portrait work.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/byrkdauph/sets/72157603903569410/ for full size photos
Posted in Lighting tests, People
Also tagged $20, beautiful, beauty, Blog, Complete Project, Concave Mirror, Dish, Flickr, Gold, home, Home Depot, homemade, Homemade Beauty, Homemade Beauty Dish, Image, Ounce, Paint, Photo, photogenics, Photos, Places, Portrait Work, Portraits, pro, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, Size Photos, Transition, Tupperware Container
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Nikon D300 & SB-800 Speedlight Flash Diffusion Test
On camera flash photography has always challenged me. I learned photography, in West Germany during the early ‘70s, using natural light only, black and white film and developed my own prints. My first experience, in the early ‘80s, with a flash gun was a reunion of flight school classmates and our families. We paraded the kids through the living room, onesies, twosies, you know the drill, and I took whole family photos too. The garish, over exposed pictures with that damn hard edged shadow (like the top center picture) was embarrassing when the color prints arrived. Who needs a flash? Not a REAL photographer anyway; so, back to natural light for more than 2 decades.
Click to continue reading “Nikon D300 & SB-800 Speedlight Flash Diffusion Test”
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- Wind Chill: 49°F;
- Pressure: 30.33 in.;
Posted in Lighting tests, Things
Also tagged 70s, af-s zoom-nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 if-ed, Amp, Aperture, Aperture Priority, art, background, Backgrounds, black, black and white, camera, Camera Flash, Camera Flashes, Cat, CLS, color, Colors, Couple, Crowds, D2x, d300, Developer, diffuser, Duri, education, equipment, eyes, Eyes Of The Devil, F1, face, family, Feet, File Test, film, flash, flash diffuser, flash gun, flash photography, flash test, Flickr, Flight School, Focal Length, germany, girl, Girl In The World, girls, hand, Head, Heir, human, Human Face, Image, Images, Ink, Inti, Iso, Job, Jobs, lens, Light, Light And Shadow, lighting, man, Manikin Head, Modes, Natural, natural light, Nikkor, nikon, nikon d300, omni-bounce om-sb5, one, Ounce, Outsider, People, person, Personality, Photo, Photo Tip, photogenics, Photograph, Photographer, Photographers, Photographs, Photography, Photos, picture control file, Places, Portraits, Pose, Prints, pro, Quick Test, red eye, Rig, Rkd, rkdauph, rs-df100 flexidome flash diffuser, Sb, sb-800, Sb5, School Classmates, Shadow, shot, Shoulders, speedlight, Stan, stand, standing, studio, studio lights, Target, Test, ttl, west germany, White Film
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Follow Me
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.
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