my stuff

March 24, 2010

Lex..It is not like that...Andie was very sweet to work with...

March 24, 2010

I have so many stories about my life from the Fashion Battle Field, I don't know which one to share first. Should I do my Kim Alexis story, Bert Stern story, Andie MacDowell story or the Janice Dickenson story? Ok here goes "She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me.." Well the flower petals have chosen the Bert Stern story. You probably all know who Bert Stern is. If not, he did the last sitting with Marilyn Monroe and has shot for everyone from Bazaar to Vogue and everything else that is considered credible. Several years ago when I was living in Mid Town New York on East 58th Street and only in New York for about 6 months, I got a call from an Art Director named Michael Aprigliano who I had shown my portfolio to several weeks before. It was quite late in the evening and his voice sounded quite frenzied and panicky. I said "What's wrong Michael?" He asked if he could come and see me with a colleague of his from the Ad Agency and said that he had an urgent problem to solve. It was already 10:00 PM and I was sufficiently curious to comply ad said "Sure, no problem, come on over…" Michael arrived at my place around 10:30 PM with his female associate and sat down and spurted out, "I have a serious problem and we are hoping that you can help us out..." I sat and listened. The next thing that came out of his mouth was a question. "Ben, have a look at this image and tell me honestly what you think of it." He went in to his attaché case and pulled out several Medium Format slides and select one for me to have a look at. I asked him to wait a moment and brought out a small light box to have a closer look. On the slide was a very pretty model standing against a grey back drop with a tiny squiggle of light that kind of looked like a light worm just slightly off center from where she was standing. I looked closely at the image and felt rather embarrassed and didn't quite know what to say. I looked at Michael and asked, "what do you want want, a diplomatic answer or my personal opinion?" He looked at me for a moment and said, "please, tell me what you think of this?" I starred at the image for what seemed like a very long time and said, "Michael, I don't really know how to say this, but, ah, well, ah, it kind of looks like a first year student in photography school attempting to shoot a fashion story…" Michael desperately looks at his colleague, glances at me, looks at her and starts to speak really quickly with her almost forgetting that I am in their presence. "What are we going to do, we have already shot three days and it is costing us a fortune, what should we do?" She looked at him and said with a very firm voice, "We have to pull the plug!" Michael with a grave look on his face says , "Ben, how quickly could you be available to shoot for us?" But before I could answer, they commence a flurry of back and forth dialogue at 100 kilometers a second and finally blurts out, "We Can't Continue with Bert!" The room fell in to total silence. You could hear a feather drop. I felt sick to my stomach and could hardly believe my ears and responded, "Bert Reynolds…" just to lighten things up and the first Bert that came to mind and honestly not really wanting to believe the Bert he was referring to. I could not even imagine that the Bert that they were referring to could be the Bert I knew as a celebrity. Michael looked me straight in the eyes and said, "No Ben, not Bert Reynolds…Bert Stern." I screamed out "No way Michael, there is no way I am re-shooting for Bert Stern, are you crazy!" he said "You have to…Please!" I said "Bert Stern is one of the greats, this can't be happening!" Michael said, "Look Ben, we want exactly what you showed us in your portfolio that you did for "New York Fashion District News", that is the atmosphere we need for this shoot. I asked, "What is the shoot?" Michael "It is one of our biggest clients 'Dayton Hudson's' and it is the Dayton Hudson Christmas Book." You will be shooting with Elle MacPherson, Andi McDowell, etc..etc..etc..It is a seven day shoot and you need to start tomorrow. I looked at him and took a deep breath and said "Ok on one condition…" he said what's that? "That I can get my assistant John Naschinski in LA to fly in to assist me." He said, you got it. I picked up the phone, called John and got him on a flight from LA that evening for our shoot the next morning. We shot at the Broadway Studios at 19th and Broadway. I had to stay up till four in the morning preparing for the next day discussing the shoot with Michael. Everything was prepared for the shoot except the painted backdrops which we ordered first thing in the morning for that day and commenced hair and make-up and all the other stuff that one does for a fashion shoot. The morning was moving along quite smoothly until…Are you read for the punch line? Next door, there was another shoot happening. I think it was for New York Times Fashion Magazine. I went in to the hall way and looked on the blackboard to see who was shooting that day. My jaw hit the floor! It was Bert Stern shooting for them and to add to that it was Bert Sterns Birthday, because on the blackboard it said "Happy Birthday Bert." I guess he was on second option and was cancelled the evening before, opening him up for New York Times. A couple hours later, I see a guy walk in to my studio. I look at him and know his face right away. I think to myself, "Oh My God, what am I going to say?" He speaks to someone in the studio who points at me and Bert turns towards me and approaches me quickly. He puts out his hand and says, "Hi, I'm Bert Stern." I stutter out, "Bert…Bert, I am really sorry I had nothing to do with this, I am so sorry really I am…" I could see in his eyes that he knew how uncomfortable I was feeling and said "Don't worry kid, we all have our bad days and anyways it's my Birthday!" I looked at him, took his hand, shook it and said "Happy Birthday Bert, have a Happy Birthday." I think I got a piece of cake during the day. The shoot went really well and the catalogue is still in the archives of Target Stores who purchased Dayton Hudson's. I am trying to get a copy from their archives department, which has been a logistical nightmare. The good news is that it has been archived. So, is there a lesson to be learned from this? I think so. We all have good and bad days. Learn to turn the page. Have dignity and try to remain humble. One more thing. Bert was a true Gentleman and showed no malice towards me and that in its own right was a valuable lesson for me. Well there you have it. Just one of my many stories from the Fashion Battle Field.

January 4, 2010

Here is Part 2

When attempting to control lighting, it is important to decide which part of the subject area you wish to light or which sector will have a greater amount of light to draw the eye to. Now this can also be perceived as, which part of the image will be shaded with less light. That is where the “Yin Yang” principal of lighting comes in. I believe that what makes images interesting is contrast. There are an infinite amount of ways of doing so.

In the last installment I suggested that I would delve into umbrella and light box lighting used creatively or selectively. When using a bare umbrella or light box, the light is distributed quite predictably. What I would like to suggest is the following; Go out and get some black velvet or thick black cloth that is large enough to cover the entire surface of the light box or umbrella surface. Also purchase some Velcro. Cut the cloth in to a circle for the umbrella and attach the Velcro to the periphery of the umbrella and cloth circle. Do the same for the light box. You may wish to cut holes in the circular cloth umbrella pattern to allow it to be attached to the umbrella rib tips.

Here is where some of the fun begins. Place the cloth scrim template cover over the entire umbrella or soft box and turn on the flash unit, with the modeling light on. Place the object or person you are wishing to light in the desired place and remove i.e. peel back a sector of the cloth scrim. See what the light is doing. Rotate the umbrella or soft box and observe the effects on your subject and don’t forget to play with the angle and distance of the main light from the subject. You might also consider allowing light to bleed from several sections of the soft box or umbrella, by peeling back different sections.

You may also consider applying the same technique for the background light as well. However, in this case you may wish to move the light source around to see the effect on the overall image. If there are ambient light sources, you may consider using them to add realism to the image.

In the next installment, I will continue with other types of less conventional modifiers.<div></div>

January 3, 2010

Sounds good to me :-)

January 3, 2010

Hello Gary Watson;

I do not think I have ever met someone so full of hate, disdain and bitterness. I hope you live a healthy and fruitful life...

Peace

Ben<div></div>

December 28, 2009

Moderator note: Moved from Beginner Photography Questions Forum. The beginner forum is for beginners to ask for help with basic questions, not for posting of articles, essays or blog entries. These types of posts may be more appropriate as articles for photo.net rather than the discussion forums.

<hr>

I like to look at lighting in two ways. As sculpture or as painting. As sculpture when you start with an overall wash of light and like painting when you commence in complete darkness. It is for this reason that I would like to suggest lighting systems and accessories that may assist you in attaining your final goals in lighting your subject or scenario. These examples relate more so to interior lighting situations, but can also apply to close quarter outdoor scenarios. If shooting out doors, you will need a much more powerful lighting set up to compete with the light already surrounding you. There are several lighting systems out there and most of them provide a vast panoply of lighting accessories and add ons. If they don't have what you want, you can often use other manufacturers accessories and adapt them to your systems mounting hardware. However, I would suggest that you find a brand that have the modifiers available to achieve your present and future lighting goals. I have designed my own system for one of my lighting techniques and this system does not exist in the market place. You may wish to consider either getting the power pack system and flash heads with modeling lights that plug in to the power unit or several independent mono block flash heads with modeling lights. I would recommend getting at least to heads or mono blocks. Three would be better. As to which brand, again that depends on your budget. You can have a complete system for around 2000 dollars or euros. It also depends on the size of space you will be working in which will determine the output required for the job. My own personal kit which I use when not doing a job are the following. Two Multiblitz Profilux 600 ws monoblocs and two Multiblitz Compact Lite 200 ws monobloc units. I have 6 Honey Comb Grids, 2 snoots, 2 barn door modifiers, four 7 inch silver bowls as well as 4 Multiblitz umbrellas and a Multiblitz 60cm soft box which I have use only once. I have a multitude of black scrims which can cover any part of the umbrella I wish to cover or softbox, made of black material and velcro or gaffers tape to attach to the umbrella's or soft box. I have several home made scrims anywhere from 30cm to 1 meter as well as home made cones and black card mini scrim modifiers. A scrim is a panel that can be used to either redirect (white) or block (black) light from hitting an object. In almost every discussion I have had with photographers, the greatest frustration expressed is the lack of control over their light source. There is just too much light going everywhere. It is for that reason that I often opt for the paint with light rather than the sculpt with light approach. It is more akin to a half empty or half full approach to lighting. I prefer to build my scenario from complete darkness than to sculpt out the light from an existing light source. Umbrellas are akin to sculpting where highly focused snoots and honeycomb grids are more akin to painting. However, even those tools may not give you the desired effect, as they cast a very definitive circle on to the photo landscape. That is where the art of dodging with scrims come in to play. Scrims can be shaped in anyway you desire and can be done so using wire hangers or wires to construct the shape of the modifier you wish to employ. Of course, the distance from the light source will have a major effect on how soft or sharp the gradation from dark to light will appear in your image. That is where experimentation comes in to play. You may also wish to use another technique that I have used called "Controlled Vignetting" mixed with scrims to add further dimension to your image. By moving an opaque object near your lens you can add a further dimension to your photo. I often use my hands to do so, or plants, vases, glasses etc. I have also used semi opaque scrims to effect the softness and hardness of my light source. One of the problems with the use of scrims, is the need for stands to support them. So be prepared to buy several. You can purchase clips at most hardware stores. In my next part, I will discuss the use of scrims on umbrellas and soft boxes as well as other types of modifiers available to shoot with.<div></div>

December 13, 2009

Ahhhh...ummmmm...wellllllll...Ahhhhhhh. After over 25+ years in this Biz, I always thought that even if shooting topless, that the different designers get cited or at least a change of clothing. Oh well, live and learn ;-)

Oh and Gary...Have a NICE day :-)<div></div>

November 28, 2009

"Phashion Photographer Phalasies" I have been asked on many occasions about how one might embark in to the rocky road of the "Phashion" business. I discussed this topic from an academic perspective in one of my earlier essays. However, I feel compelled to discuss some of the "Phalasies" associated with breaking in to the "Biz". Do you have to be a good photographer to break in to the "Biz"? The answer in an unequivocal NO! It hasn't so much to do with talent, but with attitude, panache, perspective and audacity. How you perceive the social fabric (no pun intended) in to imagery is a very important part of the process. Do you need to be good technically to succeed? Again, the answer is a very adamant NO!!! As any photographer can ally themselves with a good post production company or individual, getting your images to look polished or really unpolished is not difficult. When I shot with film and photoshop was not as yet in the mainstream and in it's infancy, I actually had to get it right from the get go. If not, I wouldn't get past first base. Can I get the job once my Portfolio is ready? What is ready? Actually the answer is it depends. Unfortunately having a Great Book, will not do the trick. Networking is one of the most important aspects of getting a gig. Knowing the appropriate person in the right position to give you an opportunity is essential. Also knowing who not to ask is as important as knowing who to ask. If you did not know that going to the Art Director shows your naivety by not knowing that it would have been better to see the Editor for a specific magazine, that alone can ruin your chances of getting in to the circle. The inverse also applies in other cases. Going to see the Editor can real piss off the Art Director. They may think that you were trying to circumvent their authority. It is a very political business in that respect. Do your research and find out who can rally make the decision. It is often more than just one person. But none the less do you HOMEWORK. To succeed, do you need to be in the major centers? The answer is YES! If you are not in New York, Paris, London, Milan, Los Angeles or Tokyo and in some cases, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Chicago, Munich, Miami and Moscow, best to reconsider your goals. Be ready to pack your bags and prepare yourself for a fun ride. Do I need "Pro Gear" to break in to the business? NO, No and NO. Work with what you have and when you get the job, the client will pay for the rental of anything you might need to accomplish the completion of the project. I don't have a studio. I have some flash gear for my own personal work and to experiment. In all cases, the client has paid all of the technical support costs. I just have to bring myself to the shoot. If I want to use my gear and it is appropriate to get the job done, I will do so. It is you and not your gear that they are hiring. More "Photographer Phalasies" to Come...Moderator: Photo removed. From the "About" page for this forum: Pictures posted here should be solely for discussing specific techniques/issues.

November 9, 2009

Breaking Down the Walls of Predictability… On one of the photography forums a photographer who read my article “A Funny Thing Happened to Me in the Camera Store” responded by saying “ …Thanks for sharing. Still waiting on my accident.” I thought about her remark and my response was the following; Whenever you are about to do what you think SHOULD be done, stop yourself, take a deep breath and do the opposite. If you think you are coming in too close to the subject, come in closer. If you set up your lights for a subject with your intended orientation to be at point “x”, move to point “y”. If you are standing up to take the shot, don’t. Get up on a ladder or lay down on the floor to do your capture. If your images look too bright make them brighter. If someone tells you that your images are too dark, make them darker. If your images are looking too normal, fuck them up. If you are worried about camera shake, don’t. If the dress the model is wearing is begging for the classic accessory, don’t do it. Take that Lagerfeld dress and stick a 3,95€ tacky “Eiffel Tower” huge chain around her neck. Breaking down the walls of Predictability is a tough call. If all of the competing photographers are cropping one way that is in “Fashion” do it the other way. When I was using film, I would go to the store and ask, “what is the shittiest or most obscure brands that you have?” Ever tried Konicachrome or 3M or “CrappyChrome”. Everyone was shooting Ektachrome…BORING. I would use Agfachrome 1000 ASA film. Polachrome or anything that would make my stuff stand out from the norm. I would set up shots using totally insane Fashion Stylists, Make-Up and Hairstylists, telling them to fly and that fear is the greatest hindrance to creativity. Let accidents happen. That is how they happen. Better yet, don’t even worry about them happening, just be open to the possibilities. Don’t be AFRAID to be different. Just BE. Thanks for your inspiration “Becky T” Ben:-)

November 6, 2009

PS...

And of course, not to forget two of my favorite 3rd party lenses,

Tamron: SP AF 28-75 f/2.8 XR Di LD (IF) Tamron: SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro

November 6, 2009

My All Time Favorite Lenses As I have worked with many of the SLR's and Medium Format camera's out there, I want to share with you some of my favorites. In my career I used Nikon, Canon, Pentax SLR's and all of the Medium Format stuff out there. My choices are based on my most frequent go for lenses when doing actual projects in the past and present. Nikon: 85mm f/1.4 Nikkor Al-S Nikon: 28mm f/2.0 Nikkor Al-S Nikon: 50mm f/1.2 Nikkor Al-S Nikon: 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor Al-S Pentax: smc Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 Limited Pentax: smc Pentax FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited Pentax: smc Pentax DA Star 16-50mm f/2.8 ED AL (IF) SDM Pentax: smc Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 Pentax: smc Pentax DA 12-24 f/4.0 ED AL (IF) Canon: EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM Canon: EF 35mm f/2.0 Canon: EF 28mm f/2.8 Canon: TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Canon: TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Well, there you have it. Ben

October 26, 2009

Gary Watson also thinks so :-)

October 18, 2009

The End of the Print Portfolio? I was recently asked to share my portfolio with a magazine and asked how would they prefer to view it. To my surprise they said "just bring your laptop, that will be fine" and they added that "more and more photographers are presenting their work using this medium". I was pleased and disturbed at the same time. Being that the press are moving towards the internet and are losing millions in print media, I suspect that seeing the images on screen was more relevant than seeing my work in print. As a result of this changing paradigm, photographers will have to consider their output based on other conditions that were not considered even 2 years ago. Considering the price of constantly updating your book, as well as the environmental considerations, perhaps that is a good thing. I have considered printing books, as an alternative which costs about 4X -10X less than printing your portfolio yourself. Just check out the deals available on the Internet. Custom portfolio's can't compete.My leather bound portfolio and plastic sheet mounting cost around 450€ per book, not including the carrying case. I would like to hear your impressions regarding this subject and how you see where and how the presentation of commercial photography has changed and is going.

Ben

September 20, 2009

You can find a list of magazines in www.lebook.com

September 17, 2009

How to Break in to Fashion Photography? As I have been asked this question on a number of occasions, I thought I could attempt to tackle it. As everyone that has broken in to this business via several avenues, I will attempt to share some of the common means of doing so. There have been many stories of how those who broke in to the industry did so. Most of those were photographers who assisted professionals and learned the vocabulary by doing so. The apprenticeship route is a good one, as you are immersed into the business from the get go. There are also several examples of those entering the business via other means. One of note are models who wish to plan for their future and due to their being present during shoots (obviously) and if they are observant, can build a vast vocabulary based on those experiences. Hair and Make-Up artists have also broken in to the business and they have a very privileged relationship with the magazines and generally work with a vast range of different sorts and as a result have a lot more doors available to them by most. One example is that of "Tyen" who started as a Make-Up artist and eventually going on to become one of the most famous Fashion-Beauty photographers in the world. Another example of inner circle migration is the Fashion Stylist who has access to many magazines, especially if they are free lance. They know all of the Fashion and Beauty Editors and therefore are in a perfect position to solicit them. However, in all cases the photographer must put a book together. When I say a book (portfolio) together, I mean a book that replicates the look of Fashion-Beauty Still Life spreads. that is at least 6-8 fashion stories of anywhere from 6-12 pages each. Now this could be a mix of double and single page spreads and at least 2-4 Beauty stories of around 4-8 pages each. When putting these stories together I highly recommend you read some of my articles about the Fashion Biz. I don't wish to repeat what was said in those articles. When putting your book together, just remember the golden rule of the importance of the team and that is expressed in the articles I have written in my blog. Once you have put together your book from the tests you have done, mostly put together using the exchange system of images for services, you will be ready to hit the road running. I suggest you commence by contacting all of the hard copy and internet in your region as well as those that accept submissions. Send them samples of your work that you have done and ask if they would be interested in doing a story (editorial) with you. Tell them you have access to teams for your productions and would be willing to co-ordinate the shoots for them. this is important if your client is in Hong Kong and you are in Chicago for example. If they prefer having you do a submission, ask them how much they pay for stories that they accept. If you agree with the payment, ask them to send you their "Themes" schedule to know what are the directions of their future publications, so that you can plan the right theme that corresponds with the themes of the issues they will be publishing. Put your team together based on who would be best to serve the story that you will be shooting. Produce the story, do the Post Prod, send it to them and cross your fingers. If they publish, you will get paid in 60 days after the date of publication. You will also want to call all of the Ad Agencies, Press Agents of Designers of Clothing, Foot-ware, Beauty Products and anything that uses models for their productions. You may also go directly to the manufacturer if they don't have an agent representing their line. Your daily rate is based on supply and demand, your notoriety and what they are willing to pay for a production. If images are being used in multi media, print, posters etc. Ask about royalties. They may wish to do what is called a buyout, i.e. pay one set fee for "X" usage over "X" period of time. Depending on locality, these figures swing dramatically. This although a short primer will lead you in the right direction. How you get in to it has more to do with your knowledge of the business, research, luck and your own personal circumstances. However, always be diplomatic and attempt to put the shoe on the other foot when appropriate. But always go for as much as you can, as once you have set the precedent, it is always more difficult to go up than go down. Finally..."Good Luck!"

September 9, 2009

This image is on exhibit world wide at LUMAS Galleries and was published as an editorial call "In to the Shadows". Thus the reason for it being constructed from complete darkness. It was not a classic beauty shoot. The details that show are the details I wanted to show.

None the less thanks for your opinion.

Ben :-)

September 9, 2009

If you don't mind my input. Did you consider using a ration of around 1.5/1.0 between the foreground and the background? That might make the subject pop a bit more.

September 7, 2009

I have recently noticed several advertisements of those that are "teaching" photography. At a school of photography as a guest speaker I was asked what my thoughts were regarding the whole "I can teach you photography" thing. Well here goes. I don't subscribe to that concept for many reasons. One is how to stunt the growth of a new student by teaching them rules about what is and what isn't right for a starter. Another is the often over used formulas that in most cases these "specialists" teach the naive student as gospel I do however have no problem with a school that assists one in understanding technical issues or a school that deals with the historical and artistic aspects of photography. But a school that deals with issues such as cropping, lighting style etc...Well that's where I put my foot down and say an unequivocal NO, Nein, Non. I have had so many poor lost assistants whom I would rather not pinpoint specifically, that have no clue what so ever who they are. If they did come into a school of photography with the hopes of coming out an individual, well that notion was sucked out of them by the energy vampires. I'm not saying that all profs are frustrated unsuccessful photographers that couldn’t make it in their field. However from what I have seen and heard, one could not help but make that assumption. I am saying that guest speakers, workshops and specialized advise dealing with specific technical issues might be a reason to seek out advice or when a guest lecturer has come in to speak of his or her experiences, as I did at the Orleans School of Photography in France. Do your research. Read, experiment, take tons of photos inspire yourself and grow as a human. Build up your vocabulary in all disciplines and your life shall be richer as a result. It has been proven that the greater the vocabulary the richer ones life. Take a deep breath and do what comes naturally. If you get stuck creatively, take a short break. If you need some technical advice, just ask questions.

September 4, 2009

As I made several orthographic errors and when attempting to edit could not, here is the essay again:

The "How Did You Do That?" Question I am often asked the question, "How Did You Do That?" I could very simply answer the question which I often do and the results that person gets isn't what he/she was expecting. If I talk about post production, yes the actions on the image will be as I recommended, but when asked about the results of a shoot, I more often than not get a disappointing, "it doesn't look like yours...!" Now, I will not go in to a lengthly diatribe about what is required to put a shoot together, as I have covered that topic ad-infinitum in several of my articles. What I am trying to explain here will be quite difficult, but I will attempt to do so here. Imagine a huge globe and that globe is the culmination of all of the information you have accumulated over the many years of experience you have acquired in your craft. You might wish to call it a brain, but for my purposes, let's call it a huge floating globe. All of the information is stored in that globe and inter connected and accessible at any moment in time. The speed at which the information is accessed is astounding. So much so, that you are often not aware of the process for how you collected all of the elements to get to the final output or finished product. The more elements within the globe the more complex the output possibilities become. Let us call these elements in the globe "epiphany events". Epiphany Events are those events that occurred during a learning process that had a paradigm shifting effect on how you viewed your reality. These types of events will create a completely new subset of elements to draw from for future products creations, photos, music, dance, sports etc... You are probably wondering where am I going with all of this. Well just hang in there for a while and I may just get to the point. The more elements in your globe the more possible permutations and the more permutations the more potential elements that can be placed in to your globe for future use. Now, what happens during the act of creation when some element that has not yet been added to your globe is presented to you? You get what most of us would call disorientation. The time it takes to integrate this element could be from a nano second to the complete rejection of that element, or worse yet the ignoring of it all together. It is often under those circumstances that some of the greatest creations occur and the epiphany happens. I like to call them, creative accidents. When I am on a creative roll, I cannot recall all of the elements that are in action during the process until I take a break and stop to think about it for a moment. I don't know if any of you have ever thought about what is going on in your head during a photo shoot. The more elements in your globe the more complex the computations. You can never really be missing elements in your globe. You may have less or more, but there is no such thing as missing elements. Just less elements to choose from and what ever you create will be a direct reflection of the elements you had available to create what you did. What I have retrospectively recalled in thinking about my own process, is that I am dealing with literally thousands of considerations during the act of creating an image that come to light so quickly that if I were to stop during the process and think about it, I would stall to a HALT. It is never just the technique and it is never just the creation during the process. It is everything from thinking about the last time you cleaned your ears to is there enough fill light to I must try to stop being so self deprecating to I need to increase the speed of the Fan to get the hair moving a bit more. Your random thoughts will effect which elements you access as well and those thoughts are often what trigger the brilliant idea. The reason so many of you out there are not getting what you want has a lot less to do with technique than allowing yourself to be open to the possibilities of allowing elements in to your globe that may give you the freedom to fly. I know that sounds corny. But being creative is SO much more than the camera you use or all of that other stuff. I could show you what I did technically for a shoot and more often than not the results will not be satisfactory to you. Why? Because the elements I had to draw from are not as yet part of your Global Repository. Just to prove my point here. The other day I posted an image of a man on a park bench. Now, rather than presenting it horizontally, I presented it vertically, as it gave the impression of him being crucified. I would say that over 80% of the viewers could not handle looking at the image without crooking their heads to see it in a horizontal position. Now those that rejected it did not allow the "Element" to enter their globe. They will never see in another perspective until they let disorienting elements in to their globe. Those that did have added a new element and thus a new perspective for how to view "Reality". The old "How did you do that?" question never really suffices. It can introduce new elements in to your globe, but they will NEVER be exactly like the formula of another persons Global Experience. I would sum it up putting it this way. The greater the vocabulary the richer the experience… Now..."How did I do that?"

September 3, 2009

I made an error it should read "stop being so self deprecating"

September 3, 2009

The "How Did You Do That?" Question I am often asked the question How Did You Do That? I could very simply answer the question which I often do and the results that person gets isn't what he/she was expecting. If I talk about post production, yes the actions on the image will be as I recommended, but when asked about the results of a shoot, I more often than not get a disappointing, "it doesn't look like yours...!" Now, I will not go in to a lengthly diatribe about what is required to put a shoot together, as I have covered that topic ad-infinitum in several of my articles. What I am trying to explain here will be quite difficult, but I will attempt to do so here. Imagine a huge globe and that globe is the culmination of all of the information you have accumulated over the many years of experience you have acquired in your craft. You might wish to call it a brain, but for my purposes, let's call it a huge floating globe. All of the information is stored in that globe and inter connected and accessible at any moment in time. The speed at which the information is accessed is astounding. So much so, that you are often not aware of the process for how you collected all of the elements to get to the final output or finished product. The more elements within the globe the more complex the output possibilities become. Let us call these elements in the globe "epiphany events". Epiphany Events are those events that occurred during a learning process that had a paradigm shifting effect on how you viewed your reality. These types of events will create a completely new subset of elements to draw from for future products creations, photos, music, dance, sports etc... You are probably wondering where am I going with all of this. Well just hang in there for a while and I may just get to the point. The more elements in your globe the more possible permutations and the more permutations the more potential elements that can be placed in to your globe for future use. Now, what happens during the act of creation when some element that has not yet been added to your globe is presented to you? You get what most of us would call disorientation. The time it takes to integrate this element could be from a nano second to the complete rejection of that element, or worse yet the ignoring of it all together. It is often under those circumstances that some of the greatest creations occur and the epiphany happens. I like to call them, creative accidents. When I am on a creative roll, I cannot recall all of the elements that are in action during the process until I take a break and stop to think about it for a moment. I don't know if any of you have ever thought about what is going on in your head during a photo shoot. The more elements in your globe the more complex the computations. You can never really be missing elements in your globe. You may have less or more, but there is no such thing as missing elements. Just less elements to choose from and what ever you create will be a direct reflection of the elements you had available to create what you did. What I have retrospectively recalled in thinking about my own process, is that I am dealing with literally thousands of considerations during the act of creating an image that come to light so quickly that if I were to stop during the process and think about it, I would stall to a HALT. It is never just the technique and it is never just the creation during the process. It is everything from thinking about the last time you cleaned your ears to is there enough fill light to I must try to be so self deprecating to I need to increase the speed of the Fan to get the hair moving a bit more. Your random thoughts will effect which elements you access as well and those thoughts are often what trigger the brilliant idea. The reason so many of you out there are not getting what you want has a lot less to do with technique than allowing yourself to be open to the possibilities of allowing elements in to your globe that may give you the freedom to fly. I know that sound corny. But being creative is SO much more than the camera you use or all of that other stuff. I could show you what I did technically for a shoot and more often than not the results will not be satisfactory to you. Why? Because the elements I had to draw from are not as yet art of your Global Repository. Just to prove my point here. The other day a posted an image of a man on a park bench. Now, rather than presenting it horizontally, I presented in vertically, as it gave the impression of him being crucified. I would say that over 80% of the viewers could not handle looking at the image without crooking their heads to see it in a horizontal position. Now those that rejected it did not allow the "Element" to enter their globe. They will never see in another perspective until they let disorienting elements in to their globe. Those that did have added a new element and thus a new perspective for how to view "Reality". The old "How did you do that?" question never really suffices. It can introduce new elements in to your globe, but they will NEVER be exactly like the formula of another persons Global Experience. Now..."How did I do that?"

August 29, 2009

Which Lens and Shooting Space is Required for a Fashion & Beauty Shoot? Part 2 Part 2: Beauty Doing Beauty shots is sometimes more akin to doing still life, as the lighting is over a much smaller area and thus may be approached differently than fashion. The modifiers used and the placement of the model should be planned carefully if wishing to get something out of the ordinary. I often build a mini studio around the torso of the model and use tiny modifiers to reflect light where desired as well as focal lengths that work well for this type of configuration. I suggest setting up a frame where you can set up your reflectors around the model using small cardboard white modifiers of 3-9" or 8-25 cm square as well as snoots and honeycomb grids to direct the light to the modifiers. Use Hollywood Grids to be more dramatic and don't worry about the light drop off. That is what makes a close up shot have the contrast between shadows and highlights so interesting. Of course if that is not your cup of tea you can still use the classic modifiers to kick light in to the subject, but the gradations will not be as evident. I would recommend lenses allowing you to come in close enough to capture a lip, eye lash or eye detail. Many non-macro lenses with close focussing capability will do the trick, but if you need to get in real close without blocking the light by your close proximity, a 70-150mm Macro might be the way to approach this kind of set up. You can do wide angle close ups if that is the desired effect you want, but prepare your lights accordingly. Also, try to prepare the back ground for any eventual angle you wish to shoot at. A mini "Cyclo" (Curved Back Drop) might be a good way to allow you to shoot within a 180° area around the model. Make sure it is high enough to allow you to shoot up at the subject if so desired. When doing Beauty shots, the make-up must be as perfect as what the make-up artist wished to accomplish. I say this, as she/he may want a messy look. None the less, the better the make-up the less retouching time in Photoshop. Don't be afraid to come in really close. As one of my favorite Art Directors Jacques Michel Verger once said to me, "When you think you are in too close, come in closer..." <div>

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August 25, 2009

Paul & Joe are Clothing Designers based in Paris, France.

August 21, 2009

I have used my 12-24 and 16-50 lenses more often than not. Here is a sample of a 12-24mm image for West East Magazine...<div>

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August 20, 2009

Which Lens and Shooting Space is Required for a Fashion & Beauty Shoot? Part 1 The Studio for Fashion. When preparing to embark on a Fashion or Beauty shoot, it is important to know what the environment and shooting space you will be doing your project in is like. For the sake of clarity, I will commence with a classic fashion shoot in a moderately sized studio and will follow with the beauty shoot in the same environment. Location and Studio fashion shoots require very different approaches to the choosing of your focal length. In both cases however it is important to be sufficiently prepared for all of the possible permutations that you may consider during the shoot. However, when shooting in studio, you are often limited by the size of the workspace, the width of the background and the distance from the subject. If you are in a small space using the standard back drop, you may find that you are compromising between the distance of the model from the background and the focal length required to get the entire subject in to the frame. Not only is this a major constraint, but if you are thinking of back drop lighting as well as back lighting the model, the compromise between the focal length and getting the coverage required within the width and height of the backdrop may be very problematic. If you are in a position to work in a large space, these limitations will be pretty well eliminated except for the width of the backdrop. If you have the luxury to work with a full “Cyclo” studio where you can paid the backdrop, then the possibilities become pretty well limitless. In the most positive of conditions where space is not a limitation, the choice of focal length will have more to do with effect than necessity. Your only limitation will be the height of the studio. Ideally you will have a 5 meter high studio (18-20 feet). This will allow you to sit on the floor and shoot up in to the subject if desired, without having to photoshop in the backdrop above the models head. When shooting in a smaller studio using the standard backdrop and working within a distance of around 12-20 feet or 3-4 meters from the subject, I find that a 40-50mm APS or between approximately 50-80mm in Full Frame format to work very well for full silhouettes of a 178-180 cm 5′-9″-5′-11″ model to work quite well. You will find that the model will be around 6-10′ in front of the back drop, allowing you to light the back drop. This is usually what I find works when attempting to get the model and backdrop in to the frame without having to Photoshop in the background texture. Thus, a minimum of 25′ or 6 meters is the minimum for a classic studio set up, for me at least. More is always better of course. You will need at least 15′ in width or around 3.5 meters. In the classic fashion shoot studio situation, one can get away with just three focal lengths from 24 through 35 to 50mm in APS format or 36-75mm. Thus a good zoom might do the trick, like a Sigma 24-70 or any other brand with a constant aperture between 24-70mm. I also suggest that the backdrop go up a minimum of 9′ or 2.5 meters. Ideally 12′ or 3.5 meters would be better. I have just saved you a load of cash. Shooting with your 24-70 at the optimum performance of f5.6-f11.0 will give your 24-70 prime focal lens quality. You can show up to your shoot with a couple of bodies, one for back up, one lens and a flash meter, as I often do. End of Part 1<div>

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