Concept Shoot, Part Deux

return to the earth
Originally uploaded by bongopix

In another effort to prevent my creative energy from stagnating, I recently collaborated with model/makeup artist Katie for a concept shoot. We discussed a bunch of possible ideas, and then Katie mentioned her admiration for Tim Burton imagery. Okay; gothic. Scary. Cryptic... I haven't done that before! I immediately fell in love with the idea. The concept naturally morphed into shape. She was going to wear an old wedding dress and a small-town Ontario church was going to host our location.

As hard as I tried to get my strobes to create some interesting lighting effects, I kept leaving them behind. This church and graveyard were defeating my lighting ambitions. I wasn't getting the kind of light I wanted. In my head I was telling myself, "Not scary enough!" This shoot was an important learning experience for me because I approached it with a "this will definitely look better after post-processing" kind of attitude.

The instantaneous results displayed on my camera's tiny LCD screen were not exactly flattering. The combination of my model and setting, I told myself, would materialize into a successful shoot. I was going to entrust photoshop to help get the kind of gothic effects I was aiming for. And I suppose (you be the judge) that's what I achieved in the end. So there are three things I learned:

1. Strobes aren't always going to do the trick.

2. I am a "one-trick pony" strobist. I need to learn to do more.

3. Photoshop is a natural and necessary part of the process.

All in all, another great experience. Thank you Katie for modeling and Gary for driving.

forest shoot - July 11th

don't be afraid
Originally uploaded by bongopix

On a very hot day in July, I met with Steph and Mel for a concept shoot in Toronto's High Park. It would be my second time collaborating with Mel. We met earlier in March for a fall fashion shoot in Kensington Market. We decided to approach our next project from a different angle by adding a second model and basing the shoot around a creative concept. I had expressed my desire to do something ironic with a forest theme, and Mel supplied a ton of ideas that would fit perfectly into the plan.

As I’m finding with every project that I do, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had never shot in such a shady area before, let alone in a forest. I found myself using my 18-55mm more often than I ever had for a shoot like this. The 50mm, coupled with the cropped sensor of my rebel xti, just wasn’t fitting as much scenery in the frame. I used a mix of natural light and my sb28 strobe. I briefly tried incorporating a second strobe, but it didn’t seem to be necessary.

I’m really beginning to appreciate the sun. Being able to read natural light is proving to be very useful. For instance, we had one planned shot with one of the models holding a picture frame and poking her head out. The strobe was lighting the frame and her face. I dunno, it just wasn’t working for me. I didn’t have a snoot to isolate the flash solely on the model’s face. The picture frame shots looked a lot better in a nearby field under the muted sunlight (it was extremely cloudy). I’ve always loved looking at clouds, and now I can appreciate them even more!

All around, I am very happy with the results. This shoot officially marks the beginning of my creative projects. I’ve got one more coming up tomorrow, and another one that is waiting to be edited in Photoshop. I would appreciate any feedback that you might have about the results.

The Genre of Pet Photography: Dog Portraits

winston
Originally uploaded by bongopix

It's more than obvious that people photography is one of the king genres of this hot medium. Some of the best photographers that shoot portraits are practically household names. And the celebrities and royalty that these lucky bums get hired by pay them a handsome sum! I suppose when it comes to pet photography, you need to know the right kind of pet owner if you're looking for that fat paycheque. Otherwise the pooch don't pay much.

By the way, I've made a mental pact to upload more results from my shoots. In the past I've merely uploaded a few random selections from every shoot. I'm going to shift my flickr habits and upload a larger selection from every shoot that I do. So for now, please indulge in this current barrage of bow-wow.

If used correctly, the camera certainly has a magical quality to really "expose" the subject. If one's eyes are the window to the soul, a successful portrait is a sliding door to that person's self. Dogs have personality. Some might argue that they have souls. And that might be what I'm trying to attempt to do with this series. This isn't a spiritual journey by any means, but I want to approach these dogs the same way I would approach a human model. Can it be done? We shall see.