It has been a number of weeks since I had a "pretty girl" shoot, and this girl, Felicia, and I have only shot together once before - and it was no bueno.
So I had this idea, and I figured, "Felicia would be perfect for this. I'll pitch it to her." She was all about it!
We scheduled for today (Friday) at 10am. She was relatively on time. My lights were already set up and metered. I just needed to do a bit of tweaking.
Then the fun began. The chocolate syrup began to rain, and soon she was covered.
Less than 30 minutes later, we were done, and I had some sexy and messy shots.
The lesson learned here - it is much easier and much more creatively fulfilling to have an idea and then find the model for it instead of finding a model and hoping to come up with ideas for her.
Felicia was perfect for the shoot. I couldn't have asked for anyone better. She hit the poses, played with the mess, and was just fun to shoot.
I feel revitalized and recharged.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Getting back into it...
I said I was going to blog more, and, judging from the lack of words on this page, I obviously haven't been doing that.
Let's give it a "half year gone" retry.
I haven't been shooting a lot of pretty girls of late. In fact, it has been more than a month since I had my last in studio photo shoot. I organized and oversaw this year's model shoot at the annual Rock and Roll Monster Bash, but I was too busy organizing to shoot. I seriously only fired off about a dozen shots of the pretty girls we had there. I have, however, taken pride in seeing the level of excellent work that came out of what I put together in less than three weeks.
I have been shooting roller derby every month for the Atlanta Roller Girls as their official photographer. I unknowingly stepped into the shoes of the much loved and respected Frank Mullen who died early this year. I regret that I never got to know Frank because by all accounts he was a friendly, kind, and overall Good Guy. I have made it my mission to photograph the Atlanta Roller Girls with as much love and affection as Frank did. I think I have been successful at that.
Back to the pretty girl shooting. I confess to be bored with and critical of the girls who have signed up on Model Mayhem, the free on-line talent source so many people use. Most of the girls are "pretty", but I want something different, something unique, something fun.
I guess I'm just missing out on the "fun" part of shooting pretty girls. So many of them on-line have a delusion of becoming a Model, and aren't in it to have fun, to be creative. I do get one or two of those from time to time, but rarely for more than a few shoots - then they're off to somewhere else, or I can't think outside of my own box to come up with something interesting to shoot.
It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess.
My other goal? Making $5000 with my camera this year? Um, yeah, about that. Let's just say that I am even less creative with business plans as I have been with my camera.
My wife and I talked about this. I think we both share the same fear. I'm too afraid that I won't achieve my goal, that I'll be turned down and rejected, to even try to achieve my goal. It is less of an ego burn to not even try to be successful. How's that for pitiful?
I haven't even been able to get a new website designed because I keep looking at my photos and saying, "These aren't good enough to bring in business." Then I see hacks and amateurs making damn good money shooting family and senior portraits just because they have more charm than I.
Okay - enough wallowing. I have to get to bed now. Tomorrow is another day......
The picture - Atlanta Roller Girls Rumble B's vs. Fayetteville Rouge Rollers. Look at the face of determination on that girl in gray. I need that face every day.
Let's give it a "half year gone" retry.
I haven't been shooting a lot of pretty girls of late. In fact, it has been more than a month since I had my last in studio photo shoot. I organized and oversaw this year's model shoot at the annual Rock and Roll Monster Bash, but I was too busy organizing to shoot. I seriously only fired off about a dozen shots of the pretty girls we had there. I have, however, taken pride in seeing the level of excellent work that came out of what I put together in less than three weeks.
I have been shooting roller derby every month for the Atlanta Roller Girls as their official photographer. I unknowingly stepped into the shoes of the much loved and respected Frank Mullen who died early this year. I regret that I never got to know Frank because by all accounts he was a friendly, kind, and overall Good Guy. I have made it my mission to photograph the Atlanta Roller Girls with as much love and affection as Frank did. I think I have been successful at that.
Back to the pretty girl shooting. I confess to be bored with and critical of the girls who have signed up on Model Mayhem, the free on-line talent source so many people use. Most of the girls are "pretty", but I want something different, something unique, something fun.
I guess I'm just missing out on the "fun" part of shooting pretty girls. So many of them on-line have a delusion of becoming a Model, and aren't in it to have fun, to be creative. I do get one or two of those from time to time, but rarely for more than a few shoots - then they're off to somewhere else, or I can't think outside of my own box to come up with something interesting to shoot.
It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess.
My other goal? Making $5000 with my camera this year? Um, yeah, about that. Let's just say that I am even less creative with business plans as I have been with my camera.
My wife and I talked about this. I think we both share the same fear. I'm too afraid that I won't achieve my goal, that I'll be turned down and rejected, to even try to achieve my goal. It is less of an ego burn to not even try to be successful. How's that for pitiful?
I haven't even been able to get a new website designed because I keep looking at my photos and saying, "These aren't good enough to bring in business." Then I see hacks and amateurs making damn good money shooting family and senior portraits just because they have more charm than I.
Okay - enough wallowing. I have to get to bed now. Tomorrow is another day......
The picture - Atlanta Roller Girls Rumble B's vs. Fayetteville Rouge Rollers. Look at the face of determination on that girl in gray. I need that face every day.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Roller Derby Starts Again!
Another season with the Atlanta Roller Girls has begun!
Four years ago, I read an article in Prick magazine about one of the Atlanta Roller Girls, Demi Gore. I had to see this roller derby thing for myself. I grabbed my camera and headed to the very next bout.
I was hooked. Since that fateful day four years ago, I have been a dedicated and devoted fan of the Atlanta Roller Girls, and have become an official event photographer for them.
The Atlanta Roller Girls are a very interesting mix of women
- aged 21 to 40ish - straight, gay, and in between - black, white, asian - short and stout to tall and lean - and everyone of them, without fail, friendly, outgoing, and fans of their fans. They have provided me with some great photo opportunities and unique subjects. I am grateful to them for helping me with my creativity.
Shooting roller derby has been difficult at best, and downright brain hurting from time to time. "Spray and pray" is appropriate! The action is unpredictable, and the lighting situation, at least for the Atlanta Roller Girls is difficult. Atlanta Roller Girls skate in the Shriner's Auditorium, lit with tungsten, a few overhead fluorescent at one end of the track, and a few halogen work lights at the other end. Needless to say, ambient light is questionable.
I shoot with a Nikon D300 equipped with a variety of lenses and an SB800. I use the high speed ISO trick set to 3200 max and set the camera to shutter priority - usually around 125; however, I am a fan of shutter dragging, so I will frequently shoot at a slower shutter, sometimes as low as 1/30. Combine the SB800 set to TTL - and I tend to get some interesting action shots.
My lens choices range from a Tamron 17-35 (great for reportage shots between bouts), a Nikon 85 1.8 (when I really, really want to use existing light), and my go-to lens for 95% of my shooting, a Tamron 28-75 2.8. That lens is just about perfect for me.
For the March bout, I am going to try rigging my Alien Bees (safely out of the way) equipped with ebay triggers and see how that works out for me.
Pictures of the February bout.
Four years ago, I read an article in Prick magazine about one of the Atlanta Roller Girls, Demi Gore. I had to see this roller derby thing for myself. I grabbed my camera and headed to the very next bout.
I was hooked. Since that fateful day four years ago, I have been a dedicated and devoted fan of the Atlanta Roller Girls, and have become an official event photographer for them.
The Atlanta Roller Girls are a very interesting mix of women
- aged 21 to 40ish - straight, gay, and in between - black, white, asian - short and stout to tall and lean - and everyone of them, without fail, friendly, outgoing, and fans of their fans. They have provided me with some great photo opportunities and unique subjects. I am grateful to them for helping me with my creativity.Shooting roller derby has been difficult at best, and downright brain hurting from time to time. "Spray and pray" is appropriate! The action is unpredictable, and the lighting situation, at least for the Atlanta Roller Girls is difficult. Atlanta Roller Girls skate in the Shriner's Auditorium, lit with tungsten, a few overhead fluorescent at one end of the track, and a few halogen work lights at the other end. Needless to say, ambient light is questionable.
I shoot with a Nikon D300 equipped with a variety of lenses and an SB800. I use the high speed ISO trick set to 3200 max and set the camera to shutter priority - usually around 125; however, I am a fan of shutter dragging, so I will frequently shoot at a slower shutter, sometimes as low as 1/30. Combine the SB800 set to TTL - and I tend to get some interesting action shots.My lens choices range from a Tamron 17-35 (great for reportage shots between bouts), a Nikon 85 1.8 (when I really, really want to use existing light), and my go-to lens for 95% of my shooting, a Tamron 28-75 2.8. That lens is just about perfect for me.
For the March bout, I am going to try rigging my Alien Bees (safely out of the way) equipped with ebay triggers and see how that works out for me.
Pictures of the February bout.
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