Everyone is a Photographer Today

Technology today seems to make everyone a photographer, with inkjet printers and digital cameras in cell phones everyone can now contribute the to the royalty-free market. Many blame the current economic state, while it should take some credit, the real dilemmas facing photography started before digital cameras in the late 1970’s when the first one-hour mini-labs entered the market, thus creating a slow, chain reaction as photographers and the photo industry today scramble for new ways to survive.

When the first mini-labs entered the market, from the Nortisu QSS systems to the smaller KIS systems, the face of photography changed. Some may argue it all started with the Canon AE-1 a few years before, but in realty, the AE-1 only forced camera manufacturers to spend more money on research and development for cameras that provided more than manual modes of operation.

These one-hour, photofinishing, assembly-line machines opened the door for a new market, initially mom and pop photofinishing labs that would evolve into photo studios (by offering passport photos and baby pictures), photo copying factories and even camera stores. The long-standing camera stores, which rarely made profits on actual camera bodies (low turn-over inventory items) and only on point of sale and peripherals products like filters and frames were either forced into photofinishing and adding their own photo studios, thus ultimately competing against their own customer—the professional photographer.

The camera stores that didn’t add photofinishing mainly went out of business. Even the larger camera store chains like Fox Foto, FotoMat and even Kodak felt the competition of mom and pop mini-labs popping up everywhere. Some of the larger camera store chains bought out the smaller stores and even Kodak purchased Fox Foto only later to sell the camera stores back to Fox Foto while keeping their main photo lab.

Soon the mom and pop mini-labs and studios faced their own attacker, the large retailers, drug stores and even grocery store chains. K-Mart, Walmart, Sears, JCPenney, Walgreens, Eckards and large grocery store chains added one-hour photofinishing in their stores. This influx of these big chains in the photofinishing industry was based on the business methodology, “if we add photofinishing and drop the prices, people will come to drop their roll of film and while they wait they’ll spend at least an hour in the store shopping and the money is made up in volume sales of all our products.”

This “cheaper” photofinishing by the same quality mini-lab machines led to the original mom and pop and camera stores not being able to compete, many went out of business while others added other services like photo studios and photo copy services.

Perhaps this was one of those milestones along with fast food burgers that sociologists will say fell into the turning of America into a “convenience based” society—we want it now!

This increased popularity of photography, fast and inexpensive photofinishing led large studios, government entities (including the military) and even large corporations and industries to invest in their own mini-labs. Some invested to save time, some to save money, but all to do it “in house” especially where privacy and control was important. Some consider this the predecessor to desktop publishing, the production of the product moving closer to the creator.

Eventually the drug stores and super markets opened their own mini-labs on location, including Walmart, Eckard Drugs, K-Mart, Walgreens, super market chains and so forth. Then as digital photography came on board, the more “pro labs” and one-hour mini-labs were forced to create “products” and provide services that would cater to digital photographers. Tons of money was invested and the return (ROI) was slow that was further hampered by better-quality and lower-priced inkjet printers that became archival—the printing began to shift to the “home-lab” or “home-studio.”

At the same time, digital cameras became like computers, the market penetration became saturated with owners and products, thus the photo industry began to hurt, combined with the fact cameras now become obsolete as fast as they are introduced, unlike film cameras known for low-turnover inventory rates.

In the midst of all this, the God’s of stock photography, the Getty’s and the Corbis’s, began to swallow up the little agencies and even larger ones like Tony Stone and the Image Bank. Then royalty-free was introduced thanks to the Internet and cheaper broadband conduits of digital traffic. As bandwidth expenses and computer costs fell, Adobe Photoshop became more popular outside of professional hands, thus photographers soon were asked by editors to provide final images with post-production, gone were the film retouchers and some photographers became image-makers instead of creators of photographs. Evan photo stock agencies require special formats and sizes of images, noise and blemish free. Long are gone the 20-slides on one page.

While many photographers are facing hardships today, many fail to realize it’s not all the cause of the economy, high gasoline prices or even the digital evolution, but a combination of many factors.

The fact is, long before the latter, many magazines, even [I]Zink[/I], have never paid their photographers as they know photographers want tearsheets in hopes of being noticed by those that do pay, like [I]Vogue[/I] and [I]Vanity Fair[/I]. The photographers who will survive are those that have known this has existed before and understand how the market is pyramid shaped–the leaders are at the top of the pyramid and it’s a tough climb.

It’s been that way even before the advent of digital, just like any corporate, military or even magazine staff structure. Some start their careers in the mailroom, very few if any start at the top, unless they’re born into family and the entity allows nepotism (think Playboy, Christy Hefner; Donald Trump and his four children; even Angelina Jolie, daughter of actor Jon Voight).

On the glamour side of photography, it’s was once viewed as a negative genre, now it’s “in.” Even the use of the word “glamour” is in. While the markets are tough, one must pay their dues and often it’s “connections” but more often luck, like in all artistic career fields, being at the right place at the right time. The “breaks” often come due to nepotism, race, religion, sexual orientation (yes it’s true), political connections and again, just mere luck, being at the right place at the right time capturing the right moment (think of a few, though not many, Pulitzer prize winners.) Actors, directors and filmmakers know this concept above very well–way before digital ever arrived. It’s often said, “Many actors even change their names and religious preferences to move forward.”

Digital photography has affected everyone, from portrait shooters to established professionals, much like graphic software programs caused many corporate executives to fire their graphic arts departments (graphic artists, typesetters, writers) because suddenly they thought they could design newsletters and brochures. Desktop publishing has killed many careers. Oh, not to mention, those same executives purchase royalty-free images instead of hiring photographers for content.

In a nutshell, whether it’s glamour, fashion, editorial, commercial, weddings, etc., the digital world we all enjoy has killed many photographer’s incomes and the survivors are barely surviving as they are still doing the same or less work for cheaper prices. Part of selling images and getting those commercial contracts isn’t always talent either, though talent helps. (see above reference to politics, religion, race, connections, luck, sexual orientation, etc.)

In fact, many of the people that purchase photography products today are not professional photographers, but those that can afford the “toys” to run their in-home studio and in-home print lab. Some have these toys just for their own family use, which also has impacted professional studios and photo labs.

My best advice to photographers today, keep shooting, keep your portfolios updated, knock on doors, send mail-outs, have a beautiful website and do a lot of praying. Digital has changed the face of the world in many ways, in fact, even the watch industry is hurting because people no longer wear watches to check the time, those that do own them wear them for fashion, as we all have “watches” and even “alarm clocks” on our cell phones. Which leads to ask, “How many people have turned off their home phones and use the now cheaper cell phone for everything?”

And if you read all of this, this far, then you have passion and are truly interested in your photography, now that’s a step up from those that just want to take pretty pictures. Just my thoughts, all the best, rg sends!

Evolution of the photography related dollars:

*Camera Stores and photo studios (prior to 1979) made the money as did a few top photographers.
*Mini-labs arrive, Mom & Pop photofinishing opens up and gluts the market.
*Mom and Pops add cameras, lenses, photo studios (think just passport photos, baby pics) etc., thus becoming camera stores with photofinishing and studios that leads to the “original” camera store declines.
*Large retailers (Walmart, KMart, Walgreens, etc.) add one-hour labs (and some even photo studios and copy stations) to keep the customers in longer, drop photofinishing prices, thus killing Mom & Pop labs and studios.
*Digital cameras arrive (digital revolution)
*Pro-labs create new products for digital shooters and the pro labs invest heavily in new equipment for specialized digital output, ROI not what expected, begin to go out of business.
*Royalty free invades, thus hurting small stock agencies.
*Large stock agencies buyout smaller agencies.
*Large agencies begin to suffer because of digital photography do-it-yourself, stock agencies change contracts, take more, pay less.
*Photo studios suffer because of DIY, print at home.
*Everyone is now a photographer, their own stock agency and are driven to save money.
*The established photographer makes less and less work is requested the market dwindles for stock agencies, photographers, labs and studios.
*Today’s main buyer of top photography products are the “haves,” that can afford the toys, the majority are not professional photographers but want to shoot and feel like when when they click that shutter.

The Many Characters of Chairs

Chairs come in many shapes and forms and are constructed from an almost limitless variety of materials. This makes them a great posing aid for models. Don’t get caught up in believing all chairs have to have four legs. While working in the Virgin Islands, I recently photographed a model sitting on a palm tree that came out almost horizontally before it rose vertically—thus it was a great chair. (Though you must be careful when sitting a scantily clad model on a tree; there can be ants or other bugs!)

Chairs are filled with character. Sometimes the chair back itself has a nice carving that accentuates the model’s pose. If the back of the chair has vertical slats, they can literally point the viewer to the model’s face—especially when the model is straddling the chair and facing backwards (which is a great way to hide the tummy)!

The ideal chairs have a solid form, unlike beanbags. They have character in their wood, steel, or even fabric, that add to the image. Additionally, ideal chairs allow the model room to maneuver her body in various poses, including the ability to kick her heels up.

If you can place a bottom on it, it’s a chair! Please don’t forget our military service members, their families and friends, God Bless! rg sends!

Airline Industry Overview

Over the past 30 years, I’ve traveled the world to almost 40 countries and have witnessed the airline industry evolve, from a passenger’s point of view, into an aging fleet suffering from employee morale, antiquated equipment and the master of creating new revenue streams from preexisting, passenger perks.

It’s these perks that passengers now pay extra for that are affecting employee morale and creating passenger pains that are effecting the airline travel industry in many forms, as pissed off passengers combined with employees with poor morale is like a ticking time-bomb, someone someday is going to explode with emotions and I hope it’s not on my flight.

Speaking of flights, my latest experience is what finally became the last straw that caused this post. It all started with my normal flight to the Virgin Islands, a flight I take six times a year, starting out be loading my own bags into the bed of my truck at 3:00 a.m., then heading down to the airport for my early morning flight. All went well as normal, until we were asked to deplane because of mechanical problems with the aircraft. I can live with that as who wants an unworthy airplane transporting them at 35,000 ft. altitude without a parachute?

So coming off the plane was no problem, the problem was with all my Virgin Islands workshops I have assistants, make-up artist and models normally all flying in on the same day, so logistics is critical. First the gate attendant said, “You’ll have to try again tomorrow,” and of course my reaction was, “No I have to arrive today, find me a flight,” and of course the “gatekeeper” began researching for alternatives, which in turn irritated about 30 people behind me in line.

A little note here, by law, if it’s their mistake, they have to get you to your destination even if they put you on another airline at their additional costs. If it’s the passenger’s fault, showing up late at the gate, etc., then the passenger has to obey the airline’s solution, even if it means coming back the next day to try again. If it’s nature or weather related, they have no obligation other than to help you the best they can.

Fortunately, it was their mistake due to mechanical failure of the aircraft, something I’ve experienced more often than ever in my past thirty years of flying and I’m sure that statistic is because most aircraft fleets for the airlines are over 25-years old today. Sure, there are some new aircraft, but the chances of a passenger being on one of those planes is almost like bowling a perfect game when you consider the amount of airborne planes at any given hour. Airports like John F. Kennedy in New York and others are constantly making commercial, passenger jets fly in holding patterns because they are overloaded with traffic.

It’s not unusual today for a flight to land early due to a great captain with tail winds helping reduce drag, though in the old days, an early flight meant going straight to the gate and getting home early. Today, it’s the pilot coming across the intercom system stating, “We’ve arrived 15-minutes early, but they don’t have a gate ready for us, so please stay in your seats and keep your seatbelts on.”

In this case, I eventually I arrived at my destination, St. Thomas, about eight hours late, but what I realized in this adventure along with past experience is what I wanted to share so hopefully the word gets out and the more people getting the word out, hopefully will lead to improved legislation, rules, regulations, etc., that benefit everyone, from the passenger to the porter. Let’s look at what I observed in one day:

1. Porters are pissed because the airlines have enacted a policy where they charge for the curb-side baggage check-in perk, including at least three-dollars per bag for curbside check-in. What happens is that passengers automatically assume, I know, I have, that this new, mandatory fee is in fact the longstanding tip for Porters. Well it’s not, that fee the porters collect goes straight to the airlines not the porter’s pockets. The end result is killing the curbside check-in porters that rely on tips just like a waitress or bartender. Passengers’ believe the porter “has been” tipped by this mandatory fee when it fact, they have not, the result, low morale. If you’re reading this and are a frequent flier, please, please tip your porters in addition of the mandatory curb-side, check-in fee.

2. Speaking of porters helping passengers with bags, airlines are now charging for each bag checked in, something they never did before. Who travels without bags, after all, who doesn’t pack their toiletries, underwear and clothes? And I don’t mean extra bags, but all bags. Want the above essential items to accompany you, well then budget extra cash for all future trips as baggage today is considered like a passenger on the flight-you pay if you want luggage to get there with your owner. I don’t understand it, how can you fly somewhere without your shaving kit? Speaking as a man of course, but if I were a woman, how can you fly somewhere without your make-up kit and panties? And with today’s rules on liquids and gels, all make-up is practically part of your checked-in luggage.

3. Now that leads to “cost savings” passengers doing the wise and common sense thing, pack a legal, carryon sized bag, also know as a roller board, with all you can, besides liquids, so the passenger doesn’t have to pay the extra $50 for checking in a bag. The end result, especially in overbooked flights, is no overhead bin space for passenger’s carryon bags. The third-leg flight I was on from Miami to St. Thomas was only 50-percent full, but out of overhead space. The flight before, from Dallas to Miami, was sold-out and they ran out of overhead space that caused them to “jet-way check in” carryon bags, which in turn caused the flight to leave late, which almost caused me to miss my connection in Miami. I predict the future brings surcharges for any carryon bags.

4. With that much stress, where I’d be stuck between my departure location and my final location, while my crew waited for me, I was further appalled by the fact that airlines can show a movie, then collect several dollars from you to just listen to it. Every airline wants to sell you a headset for a few bucks. I don’t understand, it’s like a billionaire asking you to pay for your own drinks while visiting their home, ultimately this just spoils the movie for all passengers, besides, it’s a movie adapted for airlines. Yes it’s free in first-class, but does a three-dollar, free headset justify the double-in-fare difference for first-class, not at all. The airlines would probably save more money by turning up the volume and killing the headsets all together.

5. It’s all about creature comforts, speaking of the latest “point of purchase display add-on” for airlines, some are now charging for the standard free pillows and blankets. That’s like the doctor charging you for the plastic ear-piece cup when examining your ears, who knows, perhaps my doc does charge for that, but I haven’t had my ears examined in sometime because I hate going to the doctor and dentists like many people-is that where the airline industry is headed?

6. Well if it is, then I’m ready for a drink. Oh, that’s another story on airlines, drinks cost from $6 to $8 per drink, sometimes the same, sometimes more than what the local bar or club will charge. I have never two-stepped on an airplane and the dance floor is the perk when I go to a club, that’s why I pay so much for my drinks.

7. And it doesn’t stop with drinks, now the airlines are charging for “premium” coach seats, most about $25 and up. Basically the middle seats and seats in the back of the airplane are the cheap seats and the isle, window and exit row seats come with a premium. Delta recently reversed this for it’s top-tier frequent flier members after many complaints, but if you’re not in their top-tier, along with other airlines, you’ll pay premium for that coach seat. Airlines are becoming great at collecting a dollar here, a dollar there for any creature comfort, even in coach class.

8. Paying for premium seats, in coach or first-class and contributing to the extra baggage charges and curbside fees doesn’t guarantee your luggage will arrive with you either, as in my case on this travel experience to the Virgin Islands–I might add, I experienced this in my Moab trip experience when my bags arrived in Aurba while I arrived in Salt Lake City. This time, no one knew were my bags were, as they didn’t arrive with me, but since my original carrier was Delta and I was moved to American when the Delta airplane suffered mechanical malfunctions, every airline employee was pointing their fingers at each other. The most troubling statement that I heard over and over, from both sides, "Well someone didn’t do their job somewhere and if they had, your baggage claim tickets, all four of them, would be in the system." While I eventually received my bags almost 24-hours later, the moral of the story was that no seemed to care, even as a platinum, frequent flier member.

While those are some things I noticed on this flight adventure, there are others we sometimes take for granted. For example, most airlines charge at least $20 if you book your flight through the telephone or with a ticket agent at the airport. The fee is waived for Internet, on-line booking.

Additionally, since I was rebooked on another airline, I lost my frequent flier miles with the original carrier and while yes, I’m signed up in every frequent flier program, I fly certain carriers to maintain my premium level membership perks. I will admit, even with Platinum status with Delta, Delta no longer gives Platinum members a free Crown Room (private airport lounge) membership, another perk lost.

The booking on another airline when it was the original carrier’s fault opens you up to additional security screening. Basically the airlines automatically add “SSSSSS” to the bottom of your airline tickets to alert the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that you’ve been, get this, “randomly selected” for additional screening, think a pat down, feel around and reach around plus rummaging through your hand carried items. This random screening is mandatory for anyone that changes airline carriers on the same day because it’s considered the same as purchasing a ticket at the last minute. Purchase an airline ticket within 24-hours or less of your departure time, budget extra time for your extra security screening that is everything short of a strip search.

Now morale issues aren’t just with the airlines (carriers) and airline employees, much is faltering with the FAA and air traffic controllers and anyone involved with the airline industry in some form or fashion. Some of this deterioration of morale at various levels and professions trickles down from the fact that the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is also paid by the consumer, is being spent Congress on things that it wasn’t originally designed for, thus leaving many in the aviation professionals to work with antiquated equipment and the lack of improvements to things such as runways and traffic control computer systems.

The multi-billion dollar fund was originally set-up by Congress in 1970 to “provide a dedicated source for funding aviation programs.” Unfortunately the fund has been used for things it wasn’t intended for, such as to supplement “large portions of the FAA’s operating budget, the Essential Air Service
Program, and for one-time items such as security funding after the September 11th attacks.” This fund has shifted it’s original intent to fund the infrastructure and modernization needs of the National Airspace System, thus reducing or delaying something as simple as the upgrading of computers for traffic controllers. It’s really scary, considering as consumers we’ve paid into that fund with every airline ticket purchase in a form of an excise tax.

Now I can live with the fact that many flight attendants are aging with their tenure of employment, but I hope the computer guiding in the 757 I’m flying on isn’t controlled by an air traffic controller with low morale, operating an antiquated computerized system on a rainy day. I also hope the pissed off porter actually took my bags to the conveyor belt and that the flight attendant will give me the proper salutation of the day as it seems something as a simple common courtesy are becoming rare on the airplane. Soon they’re going to run out of common perks to charge for and you’ll be forced to ask the flight attendant for the bathroom key, of course, you’ll get it for a buck or too.

That’s my thoughts, please don’t forget your Armed Forces service members, their families and friends. God bless, rg sends!

Study Photojournalism Techniques

Today, both fashion and glamour photographers are employing more photojournalistic styles, producing images that stand strong and often make statements. I’ve been fortunate enough to have almost thirty years of photojournalism experience that often kicks in when I’m photographing glamour models. If you don’t have this type of training, I recommend that you study photojournalistic images by looking through news magazines and observing what you see printed in your local paper.

A great book I highly recommend, old but still available, is The Picture: An Associated Press Guide to Good News Photography (Associated Press, 1989). It’s thin, concise, and lays it out like a dictionary. This book covers terms used to describe photojournalistic styles of photography, which are becoming more popular in photography today, and also helps give you ideas for your poses and styling of the set.

A term that most photographers without photojournalism training do not know is juxtaposition. In juxtaposition, a photojournalist tries to add a second element in the frame to help tell the story–or sometimes just to add something funny or even serious. In glamour photography, this can be applied by keeping the main focus on the actual glamour subject, but adding another model, sign, or element to enhance the story. Normally, this element will be out of focus to prevent distraction.

Still another term used in photojournalism is the picture story. While every image tells a picture story, sometimes a series of glamour photos can tell a story too. Normally, I approach all my shoots like a picture story and previsualize various poses and scenarios to accomplish that feat. This often includes a headshot, three-quarter shot, bust-up shot, and some type of shot emphasizing more of the back of the model.

Photojournalists are trained to get the shot in any situation–to keep their eyes open and constantly be looking for ways to tell stories through images. In glamour photography (and many other genres), these skills are also invaluable and well worth fostering.

Top Friends? Myspace, Facebook, etc…

I’ve often talked about therapeutic photography, or photographic therapy, the power of photography to help build or rebuild self-esteem, but here recently, I’ve also noticed another power, the social networking power.

While that topic can encompass many areas, especially with Myspace, Youtube, Facebook and other powerful social network communities, one thing they have in common, is the ability to “tag” (comment) each member in your friends network. It’s not only addictive, but those members with marketing savvy use these peripheral options along with their blogs, bulletins, announcement, photos, tagging of photos, pets, walls, groups, etc. and more as great marketing tools within the network.

This marketing of oneself is not only the selling of one’s products and talents, but of themselves and often for their own ego and self-esteem. Often a popularity contest, I have more friends, comments and tags than you! In the Myspace “pets” application, the goal isn’t to be the owner of pets, but to increase your net worth, though this is often perceived as a popularity contest more than disposable income. Many members of these sites are not only concerned about how many friends they have, but if they are on, and in what order, their friends, “Top Friends” lists.

I’ve seen many models and photographers mad at each other because they take the ranking order of the top friends feature so personal, they actually believe the ranking judges their friendship relationship and their talent amongst their friends. Personally, I rank people in my top friends list on many variables, including loyalty, friendship, length of friendship, ethics, personality traits, integrity, reliability, etc., and rarely on their actual talent. Recently, I’ve removed my top friends lists from one model and photographer website, due to rumors, as some people even group members of your top friends with personal relationships and it’s often misconstrued.

Well that’s my rant for the day, please remember to keep our military service members and their families in your prayers. God Bless, rg sends!

Keep the Body Narrow and Parallel to the Camera

I always like to look at my models as being geometric
planes. If a person is standing facing the camera, the
model’s body creates a rectangle. However, that rectangle is
actually three-dimensional. If you were to measure the fur-
thest body point away from the camera to the closest body
point to the camera, you could determine the depth of the
form.

Now, if the model were to extend her arms outward on
each side, keeping them parallel to the rest of her body, the
width of her form would change, but the depth would not.
If, however, the model were to extend her arms so that one
was in front of her body and the other was behind her body,
the width of her form would not be changed, but its depth
would increase dramatically-it would probably at least dou-
ble from the original width.

It’s precisely this increase in depth that leads to a dis-
torted view of the human body when photographed through
a lens (especially a long telephoto). When working with a
shallow depth of field, you’ll also have out-of-focus hands
and arms if you focus on the face of your subject.

Imagining the model as a geometric plane helps me to
keep the plane as narrow and parallel to the camera as pos-
sible. This is critical to preventing distortion and eliminating
out-of-focus body parts. On occasion, of course, I might also
use a medium telephoto lens at a wide aperture to employ
this distortion to my benefit-but only if it enhances a mood
that I’m trying to convey.

The Enigma of a First Time Shoot

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

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

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

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.

(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!

Next Page »