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The Right Light

As a photographer I am always looking at other photographer’s work to inspire me and to learn what others are doing that is new and different in the photography world. Recently I have run across a lot of photographers that claim that they only work with “natural light” or say “I prefer the look of natural light and never use artificial lighting.” That is all well and good but what I think they mean is they don’t use studio lights or flashes. Let’s think about that for a moment.

If you only use natural light you only shoot outside, often use a tripod indoors, or shoot a lot of nature. If you shoot indoors and there is a light on you are using unnatural light; after all, anything coming from a lamp is manmade and therefore not ‘natural light’. If that works for the particular photographer that’s great!

Personally I use the right light to capture the image that I want to create. I often use flashes or other light modifiers to enhance the standard image that is created by the ambient light in a shot. Just as often I will use artificial light to create a mood or emphasize a part or all of an image. When the image I want to create calls for it I will use reflectors, bounce cards, and other things to modify the light that is already available.

The point here is that anyone who uses only one type of light may only be getting one type of result and in my case that is very limiting, and it stifles my ability to create the right image. I prefer to use whatever lighting tool is available to me to make an image say what I want it to say or convey a feeling that I need it to convey.

In the image below I have used only natural light and the image works well. The soft light in the shadows spreads an even light across Kat’s face, yet it is very bright just under the eaves of the fire escape and this allows for a great reflection in her eyes.

In this side by side image I used only a double sided reflector to modify the natural light. On the left side it appears that I did use a flash when in fact what I used was only the reflector to bounce the natural light coming from the window back onto the model’s face. On the right I used the same reflector to bounce the warm light of the setting sun back into the young woman’s face; this was to remove the harsh shadows that the bright sun was creating. In both cases the only light used was the sun and the only modifier was the 36” reflector, the left using the silver side to create a harsher light and the soft white side to create a softer fill light on the right. Is this still considered Natural Light?

To light this final image I used a combination of natural light and a single flash to gain the mood I wanted. This image is not Photoshopped other than a slight oversaturation of contrast and color. In fact if you look at the dancer you can see she has a sheen to her skin from having to jump over 40 times to get this image just right.

All of this means only one thing: that light is available to us to use and modify in any number of ways and, as a photographer, it is my job to use whatever tools I have at my disposal to make an image correctly. In my opinion if I ‘only shoot with’ anything I am limiting my opportunities to get the image you want. For me it isn’t a matter of what I use as long as I am using The Right Light.

Babies to Beauties

I am a lucky guy. I get the opportunity to photograph many things and many people. In most jobs a person is given a task and the satisfaction of a job well done is often the only reward. If you are lucky and you enjoy your work the challenge is also a pleasure, a stressful one but a pleasure none the less.

I have a job where I get to enjoy the challenge, the satisfaction of a job well done, the results, and the joy of those I work for. And I get to do it for years to come; I often revisit images that I created years ago and still remember the joy of my clients.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of creating images for new parents (and an aunt) of a beautiful 8 month old baby. This little guy was amazing to work with too. He was a bit surprised by the flash of the lights and the clicking of the camera but he never was scared or upset. He mostly wanted to know why this guy with less hair than he had was pointing this big round thing that kept clicking at him. 

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He was a good baby in many ways too. He would move towards the camera and try to grab the lens as you can see, but he was nice enough to not move so fast as to make it hard to focus on him. Of course being an 8 month old his attention was soon drawn away by his aunt and his Mommy and Daddy. After all they are the fascinating ones. They talk to him in his language and give him colorful toys to play with!

The joy of a happy baby is not the only advantage to my career. I also get to photograph wonderful buildings and structures like I talked about in my last two articles, “Urban Blight or Beauty” and “Blight or Beauty – Part 2.” On top of all that I have the chance to go out at sunset and create images of beautiful people in wonderful places like the Philadelphia Museum of Art!

Last night I had a portrait session with an aspiring model and we worked at sunset between Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River and the Art Museum. We were blessed with a warm glowing sunset and a perfect summer breeze.

 

 

Grace is actually the daughter of a former client who I shot back in January. At that time we were creating images of Grace and her mom Libby. Those two were fun to shoot then and Grace is still a joy to work with 6 months later. When I say they were a joy to work with I’m not kidding, I wrote about it in the article “It’s Also About Having Fun.” Well, we had fun last evening too and the images turned out wonderfully.

 

 

So I think I have a pretty good career, from Babies to Beauties. Share on Pin these images with your friends and let me know what fun we can have together.

Blight or Beauty – Part 2

I was discussing my post from last week “Urban Blight or Beauty“ on LinkedIn and a fellow photographer mentioned that in his city the urban blight is a severe issue. It has even attracted people from outside his area to come in and shoot these buildings, almost making it an attraction. I understand he feels that by making it an attraction it is doing a disservice to his city and showing the area in a negative light. Although some people feel this brings the issue into focus and makes it a public issue, he is of the opinion that it presents things in the negative, and therefore perpetuates the bad connotation of the city and the area.

I agree that when you show these areas from different cities in such a state of disrepair you can easily put forth a negative view of a particular city or neighborhood. However I don’t believe that is the only way they should be shown.  I wrote in the thread about my opinion and I am posting that below. I am blanking out the specific city for anonymity.

“I think it depends on how you do it. In my case I am shooting in a “recently acquired for restoration” abandoned building. That tells a different story. I rarely shoot abandoned buildings that have no hope or future and believe me when I tell you there are plenty here in Philly.

I also feel that these buildings are our modern day equivalent of ancient ruins. I would love to shoot Machu Picchu but the travel expenses are out of my reach. The point is that every building has a story and a history, what is the story of any particular structure?

Face it, [his city] has a ton of abandoned buildings and lost businesses. The issue isn’t that they are there, the issue is how [his city] is looking to grow the city and bring some of these building back to life again. At the same time to tell the history of an area or building you have to know where it came from.

I live in a building that was built in 1926 and there is no photographic history available. It’s a shame too because at one time this building had a ballroom, a pharmacy, hair salon, news stand and more. Now I can’t even gain access to those areas of the building because they are in disrepair and the owners feel it is too risky even though I have enough insurance to buy the place if anything happened.

History is being lost all over this country and that is a major issue for me. The fact that people are misrepresenting [his city] is the problem, not the blight or the temporary dip in the economic structure there. So rather than say it is sending the wrong message, use that soapbox to alter that message and correct it. Start documenting the history now, in a few years imagine the wonderful story of rebirth you will be able to present to your neighbors, your community, [his city] and this country.

Take the opportunity to rewrite the narrative and make what may seem ugly, into a beautiful future.”

How do you feel about abandoned spaces and buildings?

Feel free to tweet, post, or pin this post and invite others to join the conversation. Links are below.

Urban Blight or Beauty

This week I had the opportunity to shoot an abandoned building in Philadelphia for a company that is trying to rebuild parts of the city that have been forgotten and almost discarded completely. This group led by Ken Weinstein, has the goal of bringing life back to some of the areas in the city that are in decay and seem to be fading away. I spoke with Ken a couple of weeks ago at Moonlight Movies (sponsored by http://gomtairy.com and mentioned in my post last week) in my neighborhood and he mentioned that he had another building that he just acquired. The following Monday I was on the phone talking to his assistant Noah to find out when I could get in and photograph the location. We set a date for this past Monday and the wheels were in motion.

Whenever I am shooting for www.phillyofficeretail.com I don’t know what I am walking into but this time Noah was saying that the space has many interesting spaces and odd corners, rooms and interesting spaces. Was he ever right!  This space has so many different layers I could have stayed for a week and never stopped discovering interesting angles and textures. My main goal in this building was to document the space so that when Philly Office Retail looks at the images it can show them where they need to do work and how they can maximize the use of the space for any businesses moving in once the space is restored.

In addition to documenting the space I wanted to bring in a model so that I could take this opportunity to create some images that I have long been imagining, a dirty, run down space with wires exposed and rooms in disarray but in the middle of it all, a well-dressed woman. In my mind the contrast would be wonderful. What do you think? Does it work?

The images you see here are only 2 of almost 1500 images I created. These were both taken in the same space on the second floor of the main building. These images were created as you see them, no Photoshop and the only manipulation of the images is the conversion to black and white. This is the type of space that is made for this photographer’s idea of a studio. Huge natural light pouring in from one side yet dark on the other made this a perfect space to shoot. Between the space, the model and the wonderful light I was able to create in a way I have dreamed of for a while.

As I was reviewing this images I got an email notification that a new topic of discussion was posted on my LinkedIn group Photography: Clients and Professionals Networking Group, “Urban Beauty.” In this article Jon DeVaul discusses how in Photoshop he adds some skies to his images to make his images of some fairly stark power lines more interesting (you can see the images on his blog here: Jon’s Blog) and in fact they are really great looking images. However I think I found an easier way; just add a model and see how that perks up the urban environment.

Jon, feel free to pipe in here. 😉

Dog Days of Summer

Last week I wrote that this Independence Day would mean many opportunities to shoot politicians and parades and fireworks. True to my word I did not get a chance to shoot any fireworks but I did shoot the Occupy National Gathering, but that isn’t all. I was able to catch Philly’s Finest and I even photographed a movie under the stars for my local Business Association.

Below are just a few of the things this wonderful but warm holiday had it store. These are the Dog Days of Summer!

Escaping the heat while marching the street.

Philly’s Finest have to eat too.

I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.

You can’t go to the Movies Under the Stars without Ice Cream!

How’s your summer shaping up?

PS – I guess if am going to use the title of Dog Days of Summer I should post an image of a dog!

Independence Day

I am sure that many of you have tried to take pictures of fireworks to capture those “Ooo’s” and “Ahh’s” we experience when we watch the colorful displays high in the sky. Chances are that you didn’t just capture the fireworks either. Your friends and/or family were there and you probably popped off a few of them too.

So what is a pro photographer doing talking about your images of your holiday celebration? Chances are you’re not going to hire a pro to shoot the fireworks. Well this is going to be a very busy holiday for many people and the fireworks are not just going to be in the sky.

 

I know that in an election year many of our local, state and national politicians are most likely going to be taking this patriotic occasion to get their point of view out there to all of us. No matter which side you take in the political debates you can pretty much guarantee that there is going to be some news happening. If you didn’t know, I shoot photo-journalistically too.

 

I live in Philadelphia and on the celebration of this country’s independence there is almost always something going on here. This year I have heard that the Occupy movement is going to have a “National Gathering” here to plan their future and their next steps. That most likely means that there will be some type of Tea Party demonstration too, or some type of opposing opinion at least. That should keep me busy and I wonder if I will even have a chance to point my camera up!

 

Needless to say it is going to be an interesting week that should keep us all busy and thinking. No matter what you are doing to celebrate this coming week, be sure to drink lots of water, don’t stand in front of that hot grill too long, and remember: on July 4th just after dark point that camera up!  (P.S. – Use a tripod for best results too.)

From Shy to Model

Sometimes when I am shooting someone I just feel that they have that special something that really grabs me. It can be the individual, or the lighting, maybe even the location, but it just gets my attention.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote in the article “Where Does the Time Go” about the family portraits I did of an old friend that I caught up with on Facebook. All the family members had that special something that just jumped out at me and that led me to ask the siblings if they wanted to sit for me again so I could concentrate on just them. The eldest is the one I knew when she was just a baby (she is 27 now) and although willing, our schedules just didn’t line up. The son was packing up to start his post collegiate life in Louisiana and had no time to even think let along sit for another photo shoot. The youngest, Katrina, though was able to schedule some time with me and it seems that fate just smiled down on us that day.

 

Katrina is a vibrant young woman with a smile that can light up a room and yet a certain shyness that gives her a special edge, at least in front of the camera. Like most people who are new to the professional’s camera she would bring out the canned smile that you know is just not going to work. That never stops me though and I was able to get her to relax after just a few minutes. Once she realized that this could be a bunch of fun she got into the whole thing and began taking direction and letting herself go a little at a time.

I specialize in getting to that side of a person; the side that really enjoys the attention and even a bit of flirtation with the camera. That is the part of a personality that can make or break an entire photoshoot and being able to bring that out in a person is part of what I enjoy about what I do. I say part because if I can get someone to be themselves I still have to be able to capture it and let it shine into the lens. For me, doing both is not just fun but exciting.

With Katrina it came almost easily and when she let it through it really came through! Once she was able to relax we could capture not just one side of her, but many sides of her multi-facetted personality. From the playful girl tossing her long red hair all about to the intense stare of a woman of mystery, all came from her and danced into my camera.

Katrina is thinking about doing some more modeling and perhaps making it a side career. I think with a few shoots under her belt she will be very popular and will win over the heart of many a photographer. From a person that was a bit apprehensive to do a photoshoot to an aspiring model, all in just a few days. You never know what is going to become of your next photoshoot.

 

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People First

It never ceases to amaze me the wonderful people I meet in this career of mine. Every type of person, business, charity, everything needs images of something and I am the lucky person that gets to meet the people seeking those images. Another example of great people doing great things is Anatomical Designs (AD) in Uniontown PA just southeast of Pittsburgh. I went there to create images for their brochures and marketing pieces but what I found was a fantastic group of people that really care about their patients and their families.

I arrived in Uniontown late Sunday and checked into a hotel that was pre-booked for my assistant and me, a room for each. The town itself is much like most small towns throughout Pennsylvania but this one is special. Not far from where we were staying was the AD offices, a subdued little house like office but within is a place where wonderful work is happening.

We met the office manager and the owner then received the nickel tour to give us an idea of what and where we would be shooting. We saw the kitchen area, waiting area, the medical offices and therapy rooms; as we moved downstairs we came upon the workshop where the real magic happens. This is where they make the prosthetics join to the person in need of them. In this small lab skilled craftsmen labor over hot plastics and plaster molds to form a union between the person and the man-made. The work they do is not at all production line; everything is custom made and built to meet the needs of the individual. The work they do has to be seen to be appreciated.

Setting up lights and talking to the staff I learned about the advances in the technology and how each person can have completely separate needs even with the same type of amputation. I took great interest in what they told me because this was personal in a way. I still have all my limbs, at least for now, I don’t need a prosthetic. However my grandfather lost his leg in the early part of the 1900’s due to infection after a train accident. I never saw my grandfather use his prosthetic leg because he said it was heavy and uncomfortable. In fact I never saw the actual leg until years after he passed away and we were cleaning out his house after my grandmother had also passed.

I remember going up into the room on the top floor for the first time (I wasn’t allowed up there as a child) and in the corner was the wooden leg just standing there. I went over and picked it up and it was very heavy, probably 30 pounds or more. It was bent slightly at the knee but had no hinge or anything; it was one solid piece of wood carved to the height my grandfather needed. No wonder he never wore it. That thing had to exhaust him and I it had to be uncomfortable.

At Anatomical Designs the prosthetics were completely different. Some looked like a piece left behind by the robot in the movie Terminator, thin, and the skeletal structure exposed, but depending on the need of the patient they can be modified to do so many things. Each person is different and so is each prosthetic.

Of course photographing the lab would tell an incomplete story so the people at AD had arranged for a few patients to come in and act as models. Finding one legged models that also happened to be local to Uniontown would be darn near impossible. These were everyday people who for some reason had lost a limb at some point. One of them had a special electronic sensor in his leg to assist him with walking and another had a complicated spring and pressure design type of limb and the third, well the third was a young woman who at first I didn’t even notice that she had a false limb!

As Jessica and her mother walked into the office I looked down to see which person was the patient and the first thing I saw was 4 feet in sandals, all with perfectly painted matching toenails. Jessica also had some type of material over her thigh so it looked like, well, it looked like her. After a moment of thinking they were there for some other reason I notice the leg. There was no hint of it in her walk or her pace, in fact if she had jeans or a long skirt on I never would have been able to tell.

The youngest of the three patients, her accident (I believe) was the most recent; but there was no way to tell that though. The staff at AD had taken her into their care and they taught her how to not only walk in the new leg but she told me later she can dance in it too!

The work these people do is nothing short of amazing. As I needed to photograph all aspects of a patients care in only one day, I got to see the many stages of learning and more importantly, coaching that is needed.  From the fitting of the device, to the training, to the emotional and physical support, what these people offer is truly special. They aren’t there to just push patients through some system; these are craftsmen and healthcare workers that truly care about the wellbeing of the individual. They went so far as to help a young woman have a foot where she could paint her toenails!

Later in the day when I was packing up after the shoot one of the patients was still there and I mentioned to him how far the technology has come since my grandfather lost his leg. I also mentioned to him that if I ever lost a limb that I would make the 5 and a half hour drive to Uniontown just to have the people at Anatomical Designs take care of me. His comment was, “Do it! Having all your limbs isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.”

My hats off to all the folks at Anatomical Designs; bravo for putting the people first and delivering so much wonderful care.

Where Does The Time Go?

The past 10 days have been a whirlwind of shooting editing and delivering images. From a commercial shoot in Uniontown PA (near Pittsburgh) to a family portrait session this past Saturday; I have spent a lot of time with my camera in front of my eye and nothing makes me happier!  After all, I did get into this business to create images.

I will write more about the commercial shoot in Uniontown shortly but for now I want to focus (no pun intended) on the family shoot I did Saturday. Let me say first and foremost it was a pleasure to shoot the Lehr family and they are a great family. I met Teresa the mother, many years ago before any of the children were born actually, and lost touch with her over the years. The last time I saw her, the oldest girl Tara was 4 or 5 and Teresa just found out she was going to have another child. Well that other child was just one of two more children. Justin has graduated college and is on his way to start his engineering career in Louisiana. Where does the time go?

Teresa and I got back in touch a few months ago via my photography Facebook page and we have been talking on and off since. A couple of weeks ago she mentioned that she liked my work and she needed to get family portraits done as her middle child (who am I kidding, he is a grown man) was moving away soon. We set a date and the shoot was on!

Tara, the eldest, I have known since she was born and I kind of figured that she would be as attractive as her mother and I wasn’t disappointed. She has grown into a very intelligent woman like her mom. The other two, well I had no expectations. I knew and used to work with their father. In fact I was responsible in a roundabout way, for Teresa and Brian meeting. Actually I just let her know there was a job opening where I worked all those years ago and well, the rest is history. So I knew they all came from pretty good stock, two loving parents, strong and independent and an all-around good family.

 

What I didn’t know was how perfect and photogenic these people were! Wow! Talk about making my job easy; even when these siblings gave that “oh I am getting my picture taken, I better smile” sort of smile, they looked great. All I had to do was set the lighting and create the images, well and get their real smiles. On top of being hospitable, smart, engaging and photogenic, they all have the patience of saints. The location we chose was a local park that used to be called Turks Head Park, a block away from their home. Little did I know the first spot I chose as a backdrop was actually the breeding ground for every mosquito in all of the northeastern United States. If you ever want to attract mosquitoes, expose some skin, sweat a little bit from the warm summer sun and then pop off a few bright flashes. Sure enough you will have a few hundred in a few minutes. Did any one of my 5 subjects complain? Barely a mention; they were all wonderful.

The images here in this article are just a few of the images that we got. Although there was not a skin blemish amongst the 5, I think I did have to retouch a couple of mosquito bites but other than that, this is how beautiful the family is.

While typing this I just got a Facebook Message from the mom, Teresa.

“Thank you Michael for a fun relaxing shoot. I was a ball of nerves and you set me at ease. Also thank you for confirming what I already knew…..My kids are gorgeous outside and in!”

Teresa, No problem, it was my pleasure!

Pop’s Legacy

Perhaps you have looked at the Estate Legacy portion of my site and wondered where I ever got the idea to try to preserve the memories of others through photography and the written word. To be able to capture the feelings of a home, the essence of what makes an estate a subject worthy of a book, you have to understand what a house, a home, can mean to someone. When it comes to the estate legacy products I do understand the value, the meaning and the memories of a family legacy. I understand because I know what it is like to no longer be able to hold the dream of passing or the receiving, of the torch to the next generation. For me it is personal.

 

The image below is a bad shot and I will never claim otherwise, but it is a snapshot of a memory I will carry with me forever. You see I took this snapshot a long, long time ago before I had good equipment or how to use it, before I knew the value of what an image can do. This shot was the beginning of my need to become a better photographer. This image is the one that got away; the one that made me realize that moments don’t repeat themselves and that the memories we carry can either fade in time, or become the only thing that we have left.

 

When I took the image I had woken up early one summer morning some 20 or 30 years ago and I saw the sun shining through the trees in a magical way. I ran and grabbed my camera, I don’t even remember which one it was, and I took at least two rolls of film trying to capture the feeling of the sun warming the country air the glow of the day beginning. This is the only one I still have from that morning. Not my best shot but one of my best memories because nothing mattered but the sense of warmth, safety and serenity I felt at that moment in time.

 

I have spent hundreds of days since then up at the crack of dawn waiting for the light, waiting for the sun to stream through the trees and those feelings to come back to me. All that waiting has been in vain. I have yet to see the sun through the trees like that again.

 

That image was taken from the back yard of my mother’s home, the home she inherited from her father. My grandfather built the house in 1939 and lived there until he suffered the stroke that would take him to the hospital for the last time. He didn’t return to the place he loved so. He did remain a part of the place however and as I write this, I can still feel his presence there. However it won’t be for much longer. You see the house is being sold and the buyer is intending to tear down the house my grandfather built 73 years ago. The land, the property, and the legacy is about to change forever.

 

All I have are the images I took through the years, the snapshots my family has accumulated and the stories we all remember. That and the memories of the sun shining through the trees, the misty mornings, and the feelings of serenity that place brought me.

 

I have less than 4 days to go and capture any other images I want. I have only a short time to find the sun calling to me through the trees again. I must put it in a book before it is gone forever.  I understand what it is like to have to say goodbye to a legacy that I just don’t want to let go of.