Shots and Thoughts

Photos and comments as I explore my passion for photography. Written to and for myself as a journal to track major moments and minor observations as I continue to evolve my visual art.

Suit Up !

Sometimes I still need to suit up for some corporate events, but need to learn how to not look cross eyed in an iPhone selfie!

Kino flo Lights

From a technical perspective, lighting is really a key fundamental in head shots. Many different approaches, different light modifiers, different locations, etc. all help make a photo unique. Also helps define the recognizable style of any one photographer.

New York City, 2015. Shot by Peter Hurley.

Every head shot photographer will instantly know this is a Peter Hurley head shot, with the distinctive Kino Flo lighting, white background and strong expression. I am proud to call Peter my mentor in the head shot business as we have worked together in LA, SF, Portland and several times in NYC. He is simply the best in the business.

Pro tip: The Kino Flows are very expensive and also not very portable, but provide an almost wrinkle free, even light. There is a new LED solution from Wescott out later this year I will take a look at in October when I am back in NYC. The Kinoflows are also super bright and make my eyes water, maybe the LED approach will be more gentle.

Strongest Side?

Every week I am in the studio or location shooting executive head shots. I try to get a range of looks with a client, with the foundation of looking Confident and Approachable. Early in the session I will shoot ever angle to see if there is a stronger side.

Jenny looks fine in the above photo, but she felt more comfortable and natural shooting from the other side.

Shooting tethered let's clients guide themselves into the right position naturally. I think Jenny looks younger, thinner and more confident on thie side above. She agreed and we proceeded to nail her head shot session with great results.

Pro tip: Listen carefully to the client. When they say the word "feeling" it is a clue your on the right track. Here Jenny commented that she "felt better" on her stronger side. Boom.

Thumbs Up for Leica Q

I am now using the new Thumbs Up grip from Tim at MatchTechnical. Like his other products it is machined perfect in fit and finish. The best part is that now my Leica Q is even more familiar to hold and shoot as I use the Thumbs Up on both the M240 and Monochrom. It just feels right in my hand, easy to grip and control.

It fits well and makes room for the back button that lets you switch from 28 to 35 to 50.

I am shooting the Q almost full time now for my street and travel shots, let's see how this new grip works over time. I does feel fantastic on the Q!

Epson P800 for Prints

To up my photography game I am now starting to print my best shots with the new Epson P800 printer. The first black and white shots came out fantastic.

There is an entire art to printing but as I learn this skill it helps build a better understanding of how to shoot the photo In camera. Having a tangible product in hand is so rewarding compared to digital files.

Pro tip: order more paper and ink, this is going to be fun!

Executive Head Shot with Dan

Every week I am in the studio or on location shooting my passion, executive head shots. I love taking people from feeling uncomfortable in front of the camera to showing up confident and approachable.

Dan did great in front of the camera and we got some classic executive head shots. A delight to work with on every level.

Pro tip: Shooting tethered is the only way to go, it takes the guess work out of shooting and let's me focus on expression with the client.

Jan and Jane

My long time friend Jan came over the Japan Town Studio this week with Jane, who is a high school photography teacher. We had fun discussing how kids learn and different ways to help them as they explore photography. I will help her teach a portrait class in January.

Pro tip: Expression is the ultimate goal in head shots. All else is fundamental. Shoot enough to let real expression come out.

The MET in NYC

Seiji and I spent the day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. An incredible place with all types of art, history and people. We spent most of the time in the ancient Egypt exhibit along with viewing 200+ oil portraits by John Sargent. His exhibit featured painting from about 1920-1935. They showed all the portraits he did of his friends in Paris/UK, mainly other artists, musicians and authors.

The building itself was also spectacular.

Pro tip: PRINT ! PRINT A LOT !

Peter Hurley in NYC

I spent the weekend with Peter Hurley and Anna Rowley in NYC working on a start up called "PsyPhotology", where there is an interesting mix of executive head shots and executive coaching delivered to a client. Some over the web via a new app and some in person. A great group of people, you could really feel the energy!

Both Peter and Anna are rock stars in their own fields and it was pretty cool to see how they can really compliment each other professionally. Peter has been my main head shot mentor and we have worked together in LA, SF, NYC and Portland.

Pro tip: Good to get out of your comfort zone and think new, both in business and artistically. Cool stuff can happen!

Herb in Kansas City

A quick visit with Herb Hall in Kansas City. He is 87 and doing well in a senior retirement home.

Shot at 1/400 sec., 28m, F 1.7, 1600 iso

A simple window portrait. Again the black tee shirt works well to frame the face. Expose for the highlights on digital.

Pro tip: With the Leica Q I really don't need to shoot that wide open, even 3/4/5 fs top would produce a similar shot and help with the focus.

Pedro in NYC

The 28m fixed lens on the Leica Q is really super for getting those wide angel street shots. It pulls in a lot with the full frame with some distortion around the edges, which looks cool on these black and white shots.

But this same distortion makes the 28m generally not a portrait lens. But if you keep the subject in the center of the frame then crop it down slightly, I think it works just fine.

Pedro is looking good in the above image. The Leica Q is turning out to be my new go to carry camera. Shot at 28m, 1/250 sec, F 3.2, ISO 3200 natural light.

Pro tip: I need to check out a 4x8 custom back drop like this one from Oliphant, very cool.

Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo

Just a post to see how the Lightbox feature works, ha!

The Word is Adorable.

Every week working in the studio or on location to hand craft executive head shots is the core of my commercial photography business. I love it for so many reasons. My work stands out as I not only technically get the shot but coach these non actors on how to show up for the camera.

Fe came into the Japan Town Studio in San Jose this week for a new head shot she needed for her position at Stanford University. Like most clients she was anxious about being in front of the camera. Often I will try to find a word that evokes a positive emotion and work that into our session. With Fe she was a lot of fun but initially a little stiff.

Then we found our word together: ADORABLE. Fe is ADORABLE! Bingo!

Pro tip: Every client is different, but taking the time to find what brings "that" look is key. Take the time. Also the black magic tee shirt works again!

San Jose Obon Series, 2015.

One of my current goals is to put together a series of shots, a portfolio if you will. This requires some forethought as I am shooting and also in post processing. It's like moving from one cool note to a phrase, verse or eventually a song. It varies but a series would be from 7-15 shots. It could even have a beginning and end to the sequence.

A series should hold together visually, tell a story and ultimately evoke an emotional response. I am just starting on this but it is the next step for my photography. Here is my San Jose Obon, 2015 series:

Pro Tip: These projects sometimes come together better looking backwards, even after the photos sit for awhile. Best to shoot a lot, then in the editing process get a feel for the story.

Post Processing Tweaks

Now working to improve my black and white post processing. I do like the stark high contrast images but it is easy to blow out the white resulting in no detail.

This image above is my usual post process set up, but you can see many places on the hat where the detail has been lost.

Now the above shot has more detail in the hat, still a few spots too white, but much better. I need to keep working on this for a better pre set, although I think each image will need a little tweaking.

Pro Tip: I need to get the exposure right in camera, for digital that means making sure the brightest part of the photo is not blown out. Shooting manual helps make this consistent and possible.

LA with Rinzi Ruiz

I spent the day shooting with Rinzi Ruiz in LA. We had a great day together discussing life photography, life and shooting on the street. I learned a lot.

Rinzi is well known for his black and white street shots. He shoots a lot for commercial clients, just had a solo gallery show and comes with a strong foundation in art and design. The jewlery district in LA is a spot he has shot often so we started there are worked our way around the immediate area. Warm summer day, typical for LA. Mid day shooting with bright light.

We had in depth conversations about camera technique, portfolio review, street shooting strategy and how he approaches life overall. Here are some notes to myself as a reminder on what to work on.

1. Light is the key. Find the light, stalk the light, a slice of light. Rinzi liked the direct light that can produce the aggressive shadows he is known for. Light is the first step. Shoot on the bright side of the street. Watch where the sun light falls off faces. Similar to my studio approach. Light before composition, subject, etc.

2. Hunt the light, but Fish the shots once you find the light. Just a small patch of light really works.

3. Be relaxed, breath, stay upright when you walk and shoot. People pick up on this relaxed energy. Vertical alignment.

4. Happy energy, Smile!

5. GO SLOW

6. LET IT FLOW

7. Dance with the subject, anticipate their steps and movements

8. Pace, rhythm.

9. Don't stoop to shoot, spread legs.

10. Shot from the curb in.

11. Corners are often good. Settle in and be part of the scene.

12. Plane of the camera even, framing clear. Use practice shots.

13. Watch for too much foreground.

14. Weight of the shot.

15. Clear subject in every shot.

16. Fish vs. Hunt

17. Lean in when feeling time to move on.

18. Shoot manual to nail the exposure. We shot in direct sun with ISO 200/F8/1/500

19. Use technology (auto focus, tilt screen, etc.)

20. Find your style and then really drill and refine it vs trying some new every week,

21. FUN!

22. No chimp, no eye contact after shot.

23. If do engage, take the time to set up a great clean portrait. Give business card.

24. Hold camera in 1/2 ready position near upper body. Slowly bring it up.

25. Cut move, and keep shooting.

26. Shoot through,

27. You can only control your self and how you respond.

28. You have a choice to wake up happy.

29. Why not choose a story about happiness vs some sad, angry story.

30. People have all sorts of issues we can't control or change.

31. Portfolio review was most helpful.

32. Shoot, download, initial edit and favorites, then let them marinate long enough where you are no longer attached.

33. Killer vs. Filler. But super honest with yourself, then ask some one you really trust.

34. If your getting one keeper a day, then move bar up to only one keeper per week.

35. Feeling is the key on keeper shots, a must have.

36. 7-12 shots for a series. Some times you just shoot and then this story comes together in the edit.

37. Don't waste time on shots that have been done before, unless trying to copy master for technique.

38. My post process is too blown out, the details are missing. And it needs to be consistent.

39. Less is more with post. Good to see the subtle shades of grey.

40. Printing helps pull all of this together.

41. Have separate portfolio for unique stories.

42. Vertical vs horizontal, based on shot first then on format.

43. Let the photos reflect who you are. Must be authentic not just a copy.

44. Look at the photos on desktop, ipad and phone to see how they are really showing up. Do that in different light, different times of day.

Pro tip: It is invaluable to have a 1x1 relationship (apprentice/master) where you can get direct immediate feedback. There is a ton of great education on the web, but for me I also need hands-on work to bump to the next level.

PS. Rinzi fits my observation on all the great photographers I know: the special shots come from special people. Jay Maisel has often been quoted "If your shots are boring, then your boring". Truth.

Rinzi is the real deal.

A few of my shots from the day. No keepers but shots that are new to me, so my starting point. I am still tweaking my post to not blow out the details, more focus needed here. Also as I look at these shots, I think I need to be lower. Best to shoot a few frames to visually see how it is looking before the subject arrives. Need to work on getting lower with out stooping or acting too aggressive with the camera. I also need to be aware of the plane of my camera as I shoot.

Different, Not Better.

A key point for me in life is to not try to be better than someone else, but to be different. Stand out, be the exception not the rule.

In photography there are SO many super shots that on many levels they all looks the same. Check out the beautiful sunsets, the killer wedding shots, the vacation photos. But to me they all start to blend together, all good but all boring.

As I study the top photographers they are all on the edge of creativity, all doing new imaginative work. Some people will like it, some hate it. I am OK with that. Taking a strong fundamental base and then pushing your self to get a shot that no one else has done is quite a goal. After awhile this actually becomes your own style.

I am trying to do this now, especially at events like the San Jose Obon this weekend. So many many great photo ops, but how do I get a shot that is unique?

The above unique with the wide lens, low view, post processing, etc.

I love these shots where there are strong lines and hidden faces. An "open" shot if you will.

Ok to shoot the above shot especially if documenting the family/friends but no need to post or use in the portfolio.

Pro tip: To move from a good "different" shot to a portfolio (from a note to a song) I need to also keep the post processing close to the same. High contrast black and white works for me.

Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?

I love shots that seem timeless, ie could be taken 20/10/5 years ago.

For this shot I was watching the light, seeing how it wrapped around the buildings. The light rain and early morning light helped set up this shot as I waited for the decisive moment.

Pro tip: Get up early and go shoot, even if your tired and jet lagged. Good things can happen.

In the Zone

Sometimes photos show up when you are in the zone, the photo zone.

For me getting into the flow also means working the shot. I took 28 images in this space, playing with the light, shadows and people passing. This flow state is fun and easy, best for me when there is no expectations or time constraints.

Pro tip: iPhone shots are fun, the constraints lead to creativity.

Note this entire post was done with the iPhone!

Studio Work

Every week I am in the studio shooting executive head shots. I love this work as it is fun to meet these leaders and coach them on how to pose for a great photograph. They are not models so most appreciate the guidance and just love the results. I shoot tethered to the computer so together we can look at the images and make adjustments. They leave with the best photo they have ever taken and educated on how to appear in future images.

The before and after shots are always fun as it shows what coaching can do.

I also shoot executive head shots on location, same process, same results.

Pro tip: I need to keep the Phase One medium format camera firmware updated as there has been some buffering issues with the tethering.