San Diego
October 22, 2008
Venue: San Diego, CA
Details: First Come, First Serve– Almost all previous 300-plus workshops have all been sell-outs! Take advantage of the limited Early Bird pricing–it will go up ! Book now and save! Price goes up after first 5 attendees sign up, so hurry!
We’re back in San Diego, in a new studio for our first workshop of the area in 2009. Rolando’s "International Glamour, Beauty & the Nude" in San Diego, March. 7th & 8th, 2009, a Saturday and Sunday is back. This will be Rolando’s first San Diego workshop for 2009. A totally new format, limited in size with five models!
The workshop is roundtable in format and open to all experience levels –from beginner to advanced, with plenty of time to shoot –the workshop hours on Saturday are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Come with an open mind to learn–bring your camera, lenses and a portfolio (if you have one, not mandatory). We will have a networking dinner to follow after the workshop on Saturday–this is not mandatory, but a fun dinner. You may bring a guest to the dinner, dinner is pay as you go as it’s an optional get together for those interested..
Two full days of shooting and there will be plenty of models and everyone receives hands-on feedback –constructive not destructive–collaborative and individually. Special guests often appear! From Playmates to famous photographers! You will work with four or more gorgeous models, make-up, hair, lighting, lunch and more provided!
Join now. as with all of Rolando’s workshops space is limited and this workshops sells fast! Enrollment is based on a first come, first serve basis–guarantee your spot. All proceeds are non-refundable, but we will allow you to transfer your seat should you have to change your plans, provided you give us reasonable notification.
Rolando will cover many topics, from basics, fundamentals and concepts that you can use in glamour photography and other genres of photography. Emphasis on lighting, posing, and the ability to see and feel the light. You’ll get hands on instruction and demonstrations. 2008 is a new format than previous years, with heavy emphasis on digital photography and how digital has changed a few methods of accomplishing the same or better results than film. It’s about the "Art of Lighting for Impact."
Rolando will walk you through, step by step on some sets, showing you the in’s and out’s of the image, at the same time, every photographer will have his or her time to photograph lovely, photogenic models throughout the day. The emphasis is to take photographs not pictures, but at the same time showing you why we take pictures before we can create photographs.
Plus much, much more! Over 3,000 students have attended Rolando’s workshops and speaking engagements in the past seven years–many returnning for more than seven workshops–you just can’t get enough, and the key to succesfull photography is repetition and consistency. Don’t be discouraged, all workshops are open to all levels of photographers, from beginners to advanced–Rolando will take time to work with new photographers and will answer your questions before, during and after the workshop.
Use this special button above to reserve your "Early Bird" price at $299 today, price will increase to $349 shortly, then higher thereafter–limited time offer, regular price resumes to $449 before you know it! Save $150 now! Guarantee your slot!
Make-up will be provided and images maybe used in off-line, personal and web portfolios, however, you can, for an additional $50 (paid to the model by the photographer), secure an unrestricted release (except for adult pay-sites or membership sites), full use, including nudity. Release will be provided, this is optional and not mandatory but highly encouraged. Before you get stopped about the voluntary release structure, read this post and you’ll know why this has worked for us for over seven years successfully!
First Come, First Serve Basis–limited seating–Reserve Your Slot at the Above Link Now!
A minimum of eight people must attend, otherwise the workshop will be canceled and refunds will be immediately provided. No refunds allowed should your plans change. On a case by case basis, we will issue partial or full credit to future workshops held only by Rolando should you have a an issue arise that would cause you to cancel/postpone. Feel Free to email Rolando Gomez should you have any questions at rolando(at)rolandogomez.com
The Enigma of a First Time Shoot
October 8, 2008
Sometimes music and the viewing of music videos can help invigorate a model and photographer for a great shoot, especially when there is more music than words, as in the style of Enigma’s The Principals of Lust. Music also helps relax the model and photographer during their first shoot, especially if they’ve never met beforehand and their personalities are mysteries to each other.
Enigma itself is a word with Greek roots that means mysterious and ambiguous and also is used to name a machine that creates ciphers for the encryption and decryption of secret messages before and during World War II. While the machine was used commercially, as early as the 1920’s, many nations utilized the enigma machine for their government and military branches, including Nazi Germany that used the Wehrmacht Enigma Machine.
While the musical group Enigma is no war machine, its music is often a mystery to many, as Michael Cretu their group leader states in Enigma’s Virgin Records (Germany) bio, “No words can explain music, music explains itself." Cretu is steadfast to his philosophy that the Enigma type of music should not be tied to any one artist or even one language.
Photography should be similar, it should not be tied to anyone style, artist, or genre, not if you’re planning on being successful in your photographic abilities when working with a new model for the first time. Personalities vary and great photographers know how to adapt to various personalities. Herein is where music can save the day, by relaxing a new, nervous model and helping a photographer focus on a successful shoot and not a cryptic mystery.
Observing Model Leads to Photo
October 3, 2008
The Moab existing light, photographic experience continues as we discuss how observing models can sometimes lead to some great ideas or concepts in photography. In this particular image, the model, Jenni, decided to check her make-up while resting as I was off shooting model KT.
A photographer should always look around, sometimes you’ll even get ideas from an assistant toying around a photographic set or location, but in this case, what caught my eye was the reflected light on the model’s face. In fact, I even had KT hold the compact, make-up case mirror from a short distance out of camera view so it would reflect light back on Jenni. Ultimately the final image, shot in existing light with a Leica M8 digital rangefinder camera, was from what I originally observed, though I had the model standing instead of sitting on the ground.
The image was shot in existing light in the Moab, BLM Canyon Lands. Camera: Leica M8 Digital Rangefinder, Lens: Leica 21mm ASPH Elmarit, F/2.8, Aperture: F/11, Shutter-speed: 1/500th, White Balance: 6350K (Kelvin), ISO 160, Digital Media: Lexar SD 2GB Digital Film Card
For more on that shoot, visit the Existing Light in Moab page. Thanks, rg sends!
Glamorous
October 3, 2008
While I personally prefer listening to country music, most models today listen to various types of music, including the more hip music. While conducting my Virgin Islands workshops, we have the ability to plug-in an I-Pod, or in my case, my I-Phone, which has caused me to download songs from I-Tunes, more in tune with the younger model crowd
I often use music to get my creative juices flowing, whether writing articles or books, or when photographing models on location, especially in the Virgin Island, Glamour, Beauty and the Nude workshops. I tend to choose music that will relax the models and get them moving and with glamour photography, one song that seems to get the models, and even me, flowing, is the song by Fergie called Glamorous.
I’ve included the song below for your listening. Try songs like these and other hip songs and you’ll be surprised how it will liven up the set on location with your model and if you have them, assistants too. It seems the right music will get the energy flowing, and when people are physically tired or fresh out of ideas, songs like Glamorous will seem to bring everything to life. So it’s appropriate for the current blog pick, Glamorous. Go ahead, give it a try, play it on your next shoot and see how everything will synergize and come to life. Enjoy! rg sends!
Existing Light in Moab
October 1, 2008
This is first in a series of “How it Was Done” and I begin by taking you to the Moab, Utah’s Canyon Lands. While the concept of this section is to focus more on how a photograph is created, I decided for this first article I’d provide information on an entire photo shoot that created some wonderful images, rather than just one image. More of the images from the Moab Natural Light Portfolio are available for viewing in our portfolio section of this site, so here I’ll provide a couple of images and establishing shots to give an overview of the terrain and location involved for this one-hour shoot.
First, we flew three models into Utah, two to Salt Lake City, one to Grand Junction. All three I’d worked with before. The logistics to the Moab make it challenging at times, but since I had a fellow photographer and private instruction client, Brian W., who is more attune to the area, the trip was a bit easier. Brian picked one of the models up from the Grand Junction airport while I flew into Salt Lake City, where I’d pick up the other two models and the rental car.
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(Two of many photos from the location, all done in one hour! For more photos, click here!)
While there is a small airport in Moab, it’s limited in what it can provide and based on prior experience, the drive from Salt Lake City, about 240 miles, is scenic and well worth the savings of flying into a major airport than a small regional airport. Grand Junction is about 120 miles and located in Colorado, limiting the airlines and flight schedules, hence I chose Salt Lake City. It’s best if flying into Salt Lake City that you arrive early enough to claim your bags, get a rental car and be able to drive while it’s daylight. Make sure you have a full tank of gas and plan on stopping half way there for a refill just as a precaution.
Upon arrival in Salt Lake City, my camera gear case made it, but my suitcase full of clothes and essentials were diverted to Aruba by mistake, so I had to stop in Salt Lake City to purchase some clothes and toiletry items, but that’s another story in itself and I won’t bore you with it. My cameras, lenses, Lexar digital cards and accessories are always hand-carried with me on the plane.
There are the National Canyon Land Parks and the Public Lands, the latter governed by the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM. We elected to venture out in the BLM area, so as not to deal with as many tourists, in fact we saw a total of maybe 10 tourists during our three day shoot once in the BLM area. I’d also recommend a four-wheel drive truck to get to the better locations within the public land area and to have more room for equipment, model’s clothes, ice chest, etc.
(View of location from the left side)
There are several hotels in the area, but nothing 3- to 5-stars, probably the most are 2 1/2-stars, but when shooting in the BLM areas, you can count on at least a 45-minute to an hour drive, each way, which means by the time you get back to the hotel, you just need a nice bed and shower. Basically you’ll be up early in the morning and eating supper around 9 p.m., and hoping restaurants will be open that late for dinner.
Be prepared for lot’s of dust, I recommend some garbage bags to go over your equipment cases to and from the locations. There are maps, but if you know a guide to get you to top shooting spots, that’s even better. I was lucky, I had been there before with Brian earlier in the year so we had most of our photographic spots picked out and stumbled into other spots.
For supplies, bring an ice chest with ice, soft drinks, Vitamin Water, Red Bull, and plenty of water, as when we were there, it’s cool to cold at night and hot during the day. It’s important that you don’t dehydrate. For lunch don’t plan to drive off the BLM lands because you’ll lose too much time traveling, so bring snacks like nuts, chips, beef jerky, etc., to get you over while you’re in the canyons. Bring toilet paper and pre-moistened disposable cloths too.
For photography gear, besides your camera, lenses, Lexar Media digital cards and all necessary photo equipment to capture an image, you might consider battery-powered lights and/or a portable generator. I had brought a light kit and Brian’s California Sunbounce reflector with us, but ultimately chose to shoot natural, available light on this trip as I didn’t want to carry around heavy gear. Most of the time you’ll park in a suitable area and will do some hiking, so make sure and wear comfortable shoes that grip.
(View of location from the right side)
Now on to how I created my photographs at this particular location, as I decided to have the models on top of an interesting rock formation. Basically I packed light and focused on the Golden Hour as my main light source. My models, Jenni and Holley, trusted my judgment and had seen the location the day before. One problem besides the hike to get there, where I wanted one of the models to be positioned at, she’d have to climb vertically and the rock formation had an outward angle. Jenni, with outdoor hiking experience, expressed her willingness and eagerness, not to mention, the climb requires an initial long reach, of which she was capable of with her 5-foot, 10 1/2-inch height. She actually climbed it twice before I told her not to do it again, as I was afraid if she fell, it would be a destructive 50-foot fall on hard rock.
Once I had the models in place, I decided to take some establishing photographs for this blog and perhaps a future story about this shoot. I told both models that once in place there’d be about a thirty-minute wait before I’d be able to shoot, so they’d be stuck up on the rock formation in the heat and need to find a shady area to rest until I’d be ready for them to pose. I also told them that at most I’d have about an hour shooting window, so we’d work fast and they’d have to pay careful attention, as I’d be running all around the canyon and rock areas looking for various shots. Not to mention I didn’t want anyone falling off to the ground.
I basically ran around the area, avoiding drop-offs, brush, any snakes, as snakes tend to come out at sundown. I also avoided cactus in the area and basically, as they say in the Army, “humped” my gear, shooting from spot to spot as I went almost completely around the rock formation they were positioned on. I also told the models to watch out for scorpions or other dangerous creatures. Ultimately we were all hot, sweaty and exhausted, not to mention hungry when the shoot ended and to make matters worse, it began to cool down.
The plan was to capitalized on the Golden Hour for my light source as it’s a sweeter light, that doesn’t cause the models to squint as much from other daylight hours. I carried two cameras, a Canon 5D with a Canon 70-200mm F/2.8L USM image stabilized lens, a Canon 85mm F/1.2L USM lens and my Leica M8 digital rangefinder camera with a Leica 21mm F/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH lens.
(Models get in position for the upcoming photo shoot.)
The latter lens requires a special viewfinder that mounts on top of the Leica M8 hotshoe slot and since I’d forgotten the viewfinder back at the hotel, when I’d use the Leica, I’d guess at the composition, view the LCD screen, then adjust until the image was cropped properly. Since I’d done this technique before, I never looked at the situation as a hindrance as once you’re accustomed to your equipment, it’s all a matter of gut instinct and for the most part my composition was right on when I used the Leica camera.
I stayed cognizant of the fact that when changing lenses in a dusty environment I have to let the camera sensor cool-off, simply by shutting the camera off for a few minutes, then switch lenses quickly while protecting the digital image sensor. Basically, when a camera is operating, the image sensor heats up, thus if you change lenses right away, the heat will attract dust particles in the air. Therefore, when I wanted to switch lenses on my Canon 5D, I’d turn the camera to the off position and shoot mainly with my Leica digital camera, allowing the Canon 5D image sensor to cool down. I also photographed with the Leica for my wide-angle photos since I wanted to use that specific wide-angle lens during the shoot.
I maintained a white balance on both cameras at 6,000K (Kelvin) as I always set my white balance manually in my cameras, rarely will I use auto white balance, unless it’s my kids birthday party pictures. I like to control the camera and I like to see what I’m getting in the camera as shot, not worry about another post-production step. While my cameras were set at RAW for the highest digital quality capture without compression, I know I’d rather not rely on computer software interpolation based on rounded off algorithms for the color in the images, besides, I want to know what I’ve captured on the spot and not worry about it later.
Models take a break just before the Golden Hour.
Most of my images were photographed with a 1/640 shutter speed, at around F5.6 with manual adjustment to wider apertures and slower shutter speeds once the sun began to set and lose it’s intensity. My ISO was set at 100 for the Canon 5D, but at 160, the lowest setting, for my Leica M8. I carried no tripod or monopod, all photographs were shot handheld because I wanted to work fast. Thus no light meter was used, as I tend to work off gut instinct and many years of experience, not to mention that with digital, I can just take one shot, that I often call my light check, then view the histogram of the image and make spot corrections, as time is very critical during the Golden Hour. There is no time to rely on light meters, especially since the terrain at this location makes it difficult to keep measuring the light as it changes fast during this critical hour.
Once we were done, we headed back for dinner in Moab then for a good night’s rest so we’d be ready to do it again the next morning. We spent a total of five days, two of which were for travel on this photographic journey. Ultimately, the excitement of the photographs made for a nice drive back to Salt Lake City where we’d catch our planes back home. I hope to do this trip again next year as the Moab area has so much ground to cover, it’d take months to just capture all the beautiful locations. For more of the images from the Moab, and I’m sure I’ll add more later, please go to the Moab portfolio. Thanks, and remember to say some prayers for our military service members, their families and friends, God Bless, rg sends!
