this is what i strive for in my doggie shoots...a connection with the dog that goes beyond the usual cute, energetic, "typical" stuff.  this image represents a look into the soul of a dog (in my opinion) and i'd like to be able to capture this emotion more frequently in shooting other people's dogs...

Just a couple more glass shots. In the second photo I originally wanted the red liquid pouring out of the bottle but it didn't turn out how I envisioned which frustrated me so I started slinging the liquid everywhere.

in viewing terry richardson's website, i found myself drawn to the rawness of his photographs. this one, in particular, drew me in...

i am drawn to the combination of motion and stillness in these images...

Strobe!

I have found that in my first photoshoot using strobe, I'm in love with it. There are many moods and definitions you can create using this form of light, as long as you understand it first. Practice makes perfect! :)

I just wanted to post some shots of Indira Cesarine. This photographer has a style that I would love to get somewhere close to (if I can ever find a damn model). The impact is really strong and in your face but she always showcases beauty without it ever being harsh. Incredible lighting.

sunflower seeds + strobes=fun!  grid on right/above...softbox to left.

Smoke

This weekend i mess around with lighting smoke.

in this picture i had the model lit with a light box from the left side closer to the front near the camera. the smoke coming from the pipe was lit with a grid from the left side, raised up to the level of the smoke.

playing around with flare in varying degrees.  flower placed in front of window, direct sunlight (morning) coming in from above, shooting slightly tilted initially and then angled up directly toward the sun.  the camera went nuts for a sec but i loved the outcome (silhouette)...

I saw this shot and it reminded me of Tyler's work. The use of glare, the girl in the car, the mood... and hey, it's a Mustang to boot.

Starting out with strobes

This week i started using strobes for the very first time. I had used studio lights before but never done anything serious with them.

For this shot i set up one strobe with a soft box right next to it.

My f stop was set to 32, blacking out all other light or any thing in the background that might have shown.

I shot from below the bottle, getting all of the light perfectly on the label of the bottle.

For this shot i set up one strobe with a small reflector to create more light. I put my face up close to my camera and the strobe next to the camera on my left side.

I really like how well lit my eye is in the shot.

Just a couple photos from a canoeing trip last weekend

 i was happy to come across this fashion/pup series in vogue magazine.  (photographer raymond meier).  the harsh shadows, as well as the cropping (of the humans) appeal to me as well.

On my son Timothy's second birthday I attempted to get better quality shots than the typical little kid birthday shots that I had took before. I turned off the flash and positioned him near a window. I made the family wait until the sun was about to go down to get that cool evening glow to come through the window panes. And I set the shutter speed to capture the candle's smoke. This was one of the better shots of the bunch.

Window light

I have been a fan of natural lighting since I picked up a camera. The sun is the biggest source of light possible, and I love organic feels to my photographs personally.