Danboard and the Bokeh Dream
Danboard is pretty great on his own, but put him in front of a wall of small, out of focus lights and something special happens.
The beautiful, out of focus background is called bokeh. Bokeh has been defined as "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light". Using a wide open aperture (small number) increases this effect.
It's a Girl! Our First Newborn Shoot
Not wanting to turn down an opportunity to photograph something outside our comfort zone, we accepted a friend's request to photograph their newborn. I'm not much of a baby person, but It went pretty well. I think babies are a little easier to photograph than toddlers. They pretty much just stay were you put them, and they fall asleep really quick. Once they are sleeping, you can mold them as if they were made of Play-Doh. Here are a few photos from the shoot.
Little Stinker
Usually I hate when these guys come to visit, but after seeing them through my macro lens, I'm starting to really like them!
Danboard Plays in the Forest
I followed Danboard into the forest yesterday. He really seems to be in his element among the trees. Maybe it's because he is made from cardboard which comes from trees. Or maybe it's because he blends in so nicely. Whatever it is, he appeared to be really enjoying himself. I noticed that he is surprisingly nimble as he hopped onto logs and bravely crossed the streams. Water and cardboard are not a good mix, but that didn't stop him from exploring his surroundings. The poor little guy did get tired along the way, but he found some soft moss and a pine cone to take a rest on. All in all he had a great time, and I think he's already planning his next adventure!
Large Group, Small Space
Last week, I was hired to make a group portrait of 15 people. The client and her 4 siblings wanted this as a special gift for their parents upcoming anniversary. Such a great idea! The original plan was to shoot the group outside, but with arctic temps and fierce winds, typical February in New England, we had to bring the project inside. No problem...until I saw the space.
Due to the layout of the house, the largest and most open space was the finished basement, but it was still small and there was not a decent background. None of this was the clients fault. They had a really nice house, but finding space even in the open basement to group 15 people together for a pleasing portrait was going to be a challenge! Of course a wide angle lens would be able to fit everyone in the shot, but it's not a very flattering focal length and the distortion would make the final photo look odd.
The best option for this situation was to shoot small groups separately and them composite them all together later in Photoshop. I set up a white backdrop, a couple of flash units and we were finally in business! The nice thing about shooting a large group this way is that you only have a couple people at a time to manage poses, smiles, and non blinked eyes, especially when kids are involved. Plus, it's fun for everyone waiting for their turn to get the ones in front of the camera to loosen up and smile naturally.
When the white backdrop is not directly lit with the flashes, it turns gray. Once in Photoshop, the gray makes it easier to select the subject and remove them from the background. Next comes placing each group, now on their own layer, together to form the final photo, and adding some fake shadows so that it looks real. The new solid white background gives the photo a crisp, cheerful feel, and the panoramic 8" x 20" print when framed will make for a very special gift.
Misty River
Here is my favorite Instagram post from last week. The fog looked so nice settling on the small river here in Sterling, MA. I actually had to crawl underneath the bridge to get this shot. Not a whole lot of room under there!
Sunset Bridge
It was very mild in New England today. That plus the fact that my new Tokina 17-35 wide angle lens was delivered today, made it a no brainer to go out and shoot. This is my favorite of the day. I was in the woods mostly, but on the way back to the car the sun was setting so nicely at the top of the hill. I like how the bridge leads the eye right up to the sunburst.
Mean Streets of Webster, MA - Last Week in Instagram
Here is my favorite capture from last week. A frigid afternoon in Webster, MA.
In case you want to see my whole Instagram stream, please click here.
River on Fire - Last Week in Instagram
I have been trying to take at least one interesting photo each day via the Instagram app on my iPhone. Often, it is not convenient to carry around my "big" camera. And of course, as they say, "the best camera is the one that you have with you."
I might start posting on each Monday my favorite photo from the previous week. This is my favorite from last week. We were on our way to our friends house in NH and the sunset was stunning shades of orange and red. We passed by this little river and loved the way the sunset was reflecting on the water. My feet got wet, but I think it was worth it.
In case you want to see my whole Instagram stream, please click here.
DIY Photo Project - Magnetic Mugshots
Here's a fun DIY photo project. Start a collection of mugshots from all the friends that visit your place and stick them on your wall with magnets.
1. Have a stack of index cards and a Sharpie marker so everyone can write their name to hold up during their photo shoot.
2. Find a blank wall or backdrop where you can take a photo of your friends. Make sure you use the same spot for everyone, and remember your camera and lighting settings so all the mugshots look consistent.
3. Using your editing software of choice, set the desired effects and cropping and get the photos sent out for printing. For example, in Lightroom I set up a print template that fits six 3" x 3" black and white photos on an 8" x 10" print. Once I have 6 friends ready, I send the 8x10 out for printing.
4. Using spray adhesive, glue the 8x10 print onto a piece of foam board.
5. Carefully cut out the squares using a sharp X-acto knife.
6. Flip over the cutout and attach a magnet. I found a nice long roll of self adhesive magnetic strips at Michael's craft store. I recommend using some hot melt glue to secure the magnet to the back of the foam board.
7. Wall preparation. Home Depot sells a magnetic primer in the paint section. Apply a couple coats of this to the wall, and then cover with the desired wall color. It will look like all the other walls, but now magnets will stick to it!
The beauty of magnets, is that you can rearrange the photos however you like to accommodate the growing collection. It's a fun way to remember all of your friends and visitors. It's also interesting to see how creative everyone is regarding their pose and what they write on their card.
A Kitchen on Martha's Vineyard
I was commissioned by one of my clients, Kitchen Associates, earlier this week to photograph a kitchen that they designed and installed on Martha's Vineyard, MA. The newly built house had a nice bright and open layout with beautiful views toward the ocean. Unfortunately, the overcast weather was not the best for enjoying the island, but at least it made for nice photos. Arriving early for the boat back home gave me some time to play around with the new panorama mode on the iPhone 5 ... pretty amazing!
