Sole Mate

Lately my son has been focusing a lot on his shoes so I thought I would too.  He got a new pair of basketball shoes for Christmas, and I got a new lens that allowed for the selective focus you see here.

Mother Knows Best

 

I took this Mother-Daughter portrait at the local park.  Mom thought the water would make a good background.  Once the pair was in place I saw what a good frame the reflected trees would make.

At Play

I decided to play with bold colors when  edited this photo.  The garish, poster-like feel matched the color palette of the ride itself.

Brighter than Today

Fall is coming, but I thought I'd revisit a shot from a past summer in Glen Arbor.  I chose this angle to show off the curves at the waterline, and create a graduated feel as you look up the picture toward the skyline.

Separation Anxiety

While this is not the composition I hoped for (I wanted the bee to land near the top of the stalk) it ended up the best of a series.  Once the bee landed on a flower it did not stand out nearly as much.  Of course this shot is only workable as a snapshot, the bee is too close to the bottom for my taste.

Scenic Elements Test Shot

Here is a shot testing my local park as a possible background for senior pictures.  The reason this photo ties together is elements at several distances from the viewer combine to form a complete scene.  A straight headshot with distant trees behind would be awkward.  This one was taken with my iPhone using an Aukey 2x lens attachment.

Summer Falls

Here's a shot I like just for the drama.  Since I don't live anywhere near falls like Niagara, this is a rare type of scene in my portfolio.

Get the Expression

Don't forget to interact.  If you're taking pictures as keepsakes you will want to get the expressions that you treasure.  Get talking with your subject and let them forget about the camera.

The Henry Ford

 

Since we couldn't get to our vacation destination due to the accident I wrote about we spent an afternoon the Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI.  Here are a couple of shots that will be printed from that day.

Patience is a Virtue

 

We were stuck in the Ohio Turnpike for two hours after a tragic accident a few miles ahead.  Like many other travelers we got out of our car to pass the time.  I used a long lens to get a few candid shots of the family.   Here's my favorite.

Which?

I think I prefer the color.

That's Cold

Photography the way Dad did it.  In the cold, facing the sun.  I didn't keep them out long.

Putting a Spin on it

I used this photo in a video.  It was one of a series for a case study.  The idea was to skirt the line between creepy and comical.

Bored?

Even when I can't get in the action, my camera keeps me busy.

Captured an Emotion.

Here's a pout.

A Lot of Help

A Lot of Help

This is really just a plain picture, straight on, of a long room.  What makes the shot is architecture itself, which even determines the lighting in the room.

Publicity Card

Just a Small Card

I am printing just a few of these up to hand out to potential clients as a quick way to show work and attract attention to my style.

Dynamic Angle

Dynamic Angle

Don't forget to have your subject lean into the frame once in a while.  Try a few shots with the camera held so the framing is diagonal.

Occasional Humor

Occasional Humor

This is my attempt at following the big head trend.  It was just a quick capture - I haven't even edited my own foot out yet!

Strong Eye Contact

Strong Eye Contact

One of the easiest ways to get viewers to focus on an image is to give them eye contact.  Make sure your subject looks directly into the lens for some of your pictures.

Traditional vs. Advertising Framing

Traditional Framing

For my preferred range of headshot framing I consider this "loose".  Other shots on this blog show just how close I like to get, using a telephoto lens rather than just moving in toward my subject.  This creates a favorable image, and gives the picture an immediacy that connects with the viewer quickly.  It also maximizes the effect of a smaller print.

Framed for Advertising

One way I keep my look from stagnating is to watch advertising.  Conversely, I sometimes want to use my work in my advertising.  That was the thinking behind this image.  There is plenty of lead space for type on the left side.  If I add copy to this picture I will probably keep is short, large, and widely spaced for an upscale effect.

Simple Portrait

Simple Portrait

This was taken in a living room with a simple light setup.  The background is just a light colored wall.  The camera was set for a black and white image, because I prefer to plan a black and white shot from the beginning when possible.  It is a bit harder to achieve the look you want when you convert your image from color.