Just returned from a family vacation to the florida keys, nice after being on the road for more than a month. I promised myself I wouldn’t turn this family vacation into a ‘family stock shoot’, and I’m happy to say that was the case. That doesn’t mean I didn’t spend some time doing a little Read More
Blog
Quadra chronicles; shooting in the water
Somehow I seem to be shooting in or near the water for a lot of images…oceans, lakes and rivers…just can’t get enough time in the water. Naturally electronics (think flash and cameras) don’t like water, so I have come up with some techniques to keep my flash equipment dry should it go into the drink. Read More
Gobi Desert
The southern part of Mongolia contains the Gobi Desert, a vast high plateau characterized by camels, gers (circular dwellings) and sand dunes. This area is very remote and sparsely populated, and the endless skies are amazing. We visited many nomadic families in this area, including one near some sand dunes. Nikon D3, 24-70mm lens, 1/250 Read More
Mongolia part 1
Mongonlia was fantastic! Endless rolling grassy hills, huge sand dunes, pristine lakes and friendly people make this a varied and interesting photography destination. Our guide, Anand, was one of the best and deserves huge credit for arranging a lot of our photo ops. And this trip wouldn’t have happened without the hard work of Mirjam Read More
Introducing the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra…
Okay, I’ll admit I like new photo gear, but getting the new Elinchrom Ranger Quadra delivered to me in Wyoming while teaching a photo workshop was better than my first bike at Christmas! Yep, this lighting system is going to change the way you use flash. I’ve longed for more power and faster recycle time Read More
convertible cars
One sure sign that summer has arrived in Colorado are convertibles driving down the street with radios playing loud. This concept inspired me to create a dreamy summer shot. Photographing people in mirrors is a tried and true concept, so I thought I would spice things up some with interesting light. Katrina is a friend, Read More
lensbaby flash
A question that comes up on workshops is can you use a lensbaby with flash. The short answer is “Yes”. I really like the lensbaby, love that mysterious feel you get from the selective focus. I use the latest version, the Composer. This version has multiple lenses you can use to give different effects, as Read More
tin foil rules!
Most of my shooting occurs on the road, sometimes in very exotic locations with stunning backgrounds, other times in dreary hotel rooms that can’t get any uglier! So you learn tricks to come away with a decent image, even in uninspiring locations. Show your client some photo magic, and you will be hired again. I Read More
the elusive geisha
Just returned from Japan teaching a workshop for the mentor series (www.mentorseries.com), had a fun group of folks along. We started in Tokyo and ended in Kyoto, known for beautiful temples, traditional Japanese homes and geishas. Of course I was very excited to photograph a geisha with their intricate dress and makeup. But sometimes Read More
star trails
When I first started shooting digital, I quickly realized how many advantages it offered in terms of stock and assignment shooting. No more polaroids on commercial shoots, no more ‘in camera dupes’ or 70mm dupes from slides, no more “clipping” in developing to make sure the exposure was right. File quality quickly improved to Read More
Skateboarding
Maybe it is being born in California, I don’t know, but I spent a major part of my youth skateboarding in empty pools, dreaming about half pipes, watching Tony Alva tear it up. I still skate today on my 30 year old Alva board. The other day I met Eric, a high school student, Read More
in the cemetery…
I am working on a new how-to piece for PC Photo right now, and was trying out some new gear the other day. One item that I have really found useful is the grid for TTL flash made by Dave Honl. This little light modifier attaches to the front of your TTL flash using velcro, Read More