Most of the information about the ring light project is in the video. I did forget to mention that the lights I used, LED, are 2700K so I had to set my white balance to manual and 2700 or the whole video would have been as orange as my shirt.
Always consider new ways to light a subject and have fun doing it!
As always, I'm open to any questions...just let me know below.
Dave
In financial news we hear of once great marketing giants now merging to stay alive and some dying all together. Office Max merged with Office Depot to become one company and now Staples is merging with them to try to survive. And Radio Shack is closing up all together with some of its stores becoming Sprint stores. Some would say they already were phone stores.
I worked for Radio Shack when it was growing fast, making a LOT of money, and it was seemingly endless on where they could go. Now they can't even afford the cost to close their remaining stores. Half the number they once had as it is.
They lost their edge. They used to have their own brands of stereos, antennas, parts, pretty much everything electronic was found at Radio Shack. They lost sight of who they were and who they were competing with. They became, over time, non-competitive and no longer the place to go to see unique and interesting products. They tried to keep their margins up but that too was a problem now that they sold the same thing everyone else did. Mainly the cell phone craze killed them. They rode the wave...until it broke on the shore.
And how is this related to photography?
As a photographer one needs to find new and unique ways to make the business work. If you sell prints you need to sell something better than you can get from Costco for $3. Metal prints? Canvases? Or, sell digital files in a creative enough way to survive and thrive. Find new ways to market, keep a keen eye on the competition but NEVER assume they are doing it right or that you need to follow their foot steps. Watch them for failures too. See what's not working for others and consider why. Was it a good idea but executed the wrong way? And don't assume anything you do today that is successful is going to be that way in a year. Be flexible. We've never been in a more fluid time when it comes to sales and marketing.
Unique looks are sought after
Most important of all. BE UNIQUE!! That's your edge. One that no one can take from you. It's like your personality. That is what will help you survive, make a living, and it's the most important asset you have. People will pay for something unique and come back for more. They will talk about your uniqueness with friends and family. If you just took pictures they could have gotten anywhere, how excited do you think they will be to come back, or give you the word of mouth advertising that is worth so much. And with social media that word of mouth is so much easier to spread.
So, be special. Be unique. Stand out. And you'll be sought after.
One of my favorite sayings, that I made up myself from years of experience goes like this:
"Always remember to backup after every crash!"
Yep, that sick feeling is either the flu coming on or your computer telling you in the unfeeling tech verbiage, "What drive? I don't see any drive here."
Yeah, backup often or feel the pain!!
As a photographer I take hundreds of images in every shoot. And every shoot takes a lot of time for me, the model, or models, and any other staff. And possibly special wardrobe or a long distance trip to get to the location. Yeah, it's true what they say, the data is more valuable than the computer. Especially tough today is the size of the images. Each time I take a shot I use twice the storage space as my wife's 12meg hard drive back when we met. (yeah, it's been a while)
So, here's what I have came up with for storage redundancy and the process for each shoot to keep it all organized and duplicated as I go along.
First, the camera. I don't have one of the cameras that has dual cards. If I was doing weddings or rocket launches, or anything else that just can't be done again, I'd have one of those cameras. I'd call it imperative. If not, I'd have a pocket full of 4gig cards and switch them out often so any one card could go bad and I'd still have most of the event. Okay, maybe not for the rocket launch.
So, for me, the most vulnerable moment is when my entire shoot is on that one little SD card. Freaky at times. The very first thing I do is upload that to my computer. Depending on just how important the shoot was, I then manually start up a back of my computer to the dedicated drive I backup to every night. Yes, I do a nightly backup of my Macbook Pro Retina 1tb to an external 2tb USB3 drive. I use a program called SuperDuper that makes not only a bootable backup, but it has a way to do smart backups where it only copies and delete files on the external drive so that it matches the main drive. Much quicker and I'm not without a full backup at any time. Rewriting over the old backup means, for a period in time, I have no backup. Not good. So I don't.
So, I like to edit my shoots on the internal 1tb solid state drive on my laptop. Nice and fast and plenty of room for 10-20 shoots before I have to move them off for new shoots.
When I download a new shoot I use Lightroom and create a new catalog for that shoot. That creates a new folder too so everything is nice and neat. BUT, I use a feature in Lightroom Import that allows me to download to two different locations at the same time! Yes, this is exceedingly handy!! So, I download to my local drive and at the same time it goes to my NAS (Network Accessible Server) if I'm at home, or to a 1tb external USB3 drive if I'm away from home. So, I automatically have the shoot in two places from the point the download is finished.
Whew!
If I'm at a hotel room I make sure I place the external drive somewhere else in the room if I leave so a theft of my laptop doesn't mean I lost my shoot. I'm still going to be pissed...just slightly less so.
My NAS is a Synology 4 drive system with four 4tb drives giving me a little over 10b of storage space. It's connected to my network and I can access it from anywhere in the world or any computer I have, including my iPad and iPhone. Very cool indeed.
So, since it's not connected to any specific computer it simply becomes a drive like Dropbox. I can save to it, download from it, and it's a safe place to put shoots.
Ahhh, you probably did the math and 4x4 is 16TB, not 10TB. Well, this is something called RAID where the drive magically does something with the data so that any one drive can fail totally and I haven't lost anything. I can even eject the bad drive, replace it with a new drive, without ever turning the system off or telling it anything. It's actually very cool little bit of technology. This is where my last couple years of shoots live until such time as I have wrung them out of any great shots and I move them to a single external drive for long term storage. This makes the shoots vulnerable to loss if the drive fails, but by this time it's not nearly as important.
The only drawback to a network storage device is that I can't bring up a Lightroom catalog from a network device. If I want to work on an older shoot I have to drag it to my desktop, do my edits, then drag it back over the old one. It's well worth the peace of mind to have it so well stored and available to all of my machines.
Consider your storage situation. A few hundred dollars might prevent the flu like symptoms in the event of the inevitable disk crash. All disks fail...it's just a matter of when.
I've been lucky enough to live and breath my photography for five years without interruption. No other job getting in the way and not even a need to do things to 'make money'. No stress, just create, learn, and grow at a natural rate without limitations. Other than my old head not absorbing knowledge like it once did it's been wonderful.
Every so often I catch myself with feelings that I don't like. We all have them. Well, I'd like to think it wasn't just me. I'll see some work that rocks and I'd feel a little jealous. I'd feel I was competing with other photographers, or I'd feel depressed because I just wasn't 'feeling it' with my work for some reason and I was worried I had hit the top of my abilities.
Part of my growth has been my attitude towards pretty much everything.
Something I didn't do enough when I was younger, and should have, is sit alone, with no distractions, and consider why I feel like I do about something. For example, there was a time I was jealous when I saw another photographer just totally rock a shoot with certain models. I was more upset about being jealous than anything. It took me a couple weeks of contemplation to understand just why I was jealous, and why with only certain models. I came to the conclusion that these particular models had become personal friends and, of course, I wanted MY work to be the best they had. A bright light came on and I realized they were friends, and I wanted them to have the best that anyone could give them, not just me. The jealousy instantly vanished. Like I said, I was more upset that I WAS jealous because I knew it was wrong. Figuring out the root of that feeling solved the problem.
Other aspects have changed for me too. When I'd see someone else create something totally awesome, I would allow the inspiration I should have gotten from the work to be dimmed by a kind of regret that I hadn't thought of it. Really? I also knew this was a non-productive emotion. Over time I've been able to learn to love what I find as great and simply admire it. This wasn't a conscious effort to correct other than knowing it was wrong to feel anything other than enjoyment.
How others see my work? Anyone who says they don't care what others think of what we create is fibbing. A true artist creates from the heart to please the eye, mind, and heart. Art stirs the heart. But we all enjoy seeing or hearing that others like what we've created. It's part of our being to be accepted and appreciated. I now do my art more for myself than others. I share, but I'll also sit back and enjoy the creation myself without wondering what others will think of it.
If you have feelings of jealousy or feel you are competing, consider why and try to get over those feelings. Some believe that competition is as important in art as it is in anything else. I'd argue that anything that inhibits the creation process will, in turn, diminish how competitive the creations will be in the business end of art. The two should be mutually exclusive.
Compete with your yesterday. Be. Create. Love.
The most fun, for me, in any shoot is playing with the light. Be it natural, although I always have at least one light of my own, or a studio setting with an almost unlimited combination of lighting. The process of imagining the light I want on the model or set, and then lighting it up to get exactly that look, is very satisfying to me.
Even the simplest of shots typically involves a perfect combination of light and camera exposure. I've learned to imagine the image as I'd like to see it. It becomes almost a game. Making the lighting match what I imagine isn't always dead on first try of course. Re-adjusting the light, moving it just a little, using a grid, or not, and then seeing exactly how it looks when you shoot it. In studio it can be shocking because the ambient light is over powered by the strobes so everything could be very dark with a narrow beam on the model in the shot, but in studio everything looks fairly flat. Modeling lights help a little but frankly, I have learned over the last 5 years to 'feel' how the light should be.
Of course, I have a light meter and sometimes use that to get my camera close to the right exposure, or to adjust the lighting up or down to be what I'm looking for based on what I want to use for an aperture. I tend to shoot lower than observed typical. Often down in the f1.8 and f2.8 range since I'm usually leaning towards artistic. If it's fashion I might crank it up to f11 of course, and this is where the meter comes in handy.
When I started out I spent a LOT of time looking at ads in Elle, Playboy, and just about any magazine and often more at the ads than the content. (The ads in Playboy...really!) I would look very close at the eyes and shadows and see just how it was lit up. Looking at the eyes shows the highlights and often you'll actually see the octobox or ring light or even a pair of lights. It's pretty rare that I've seen the highlights in the eyes modified to hide the lighting scheme since it's not a secret. So, first the eyes, then look at the hair for highlights from overhead lights or even lights from behind. Rim light on the arms and face are the other clue.
The most interesting photographers that I follow are magical with their lighting. In their shots they are crisp, clean, and you can't really tell where the light is coming from. I think they use a large number of lights and have learned to be so subtle with them that they wash the subject without taking away the highlights. This, indeed, is an amazing talent and something I'd love to achieve someday.
Check out Gregory Moore's model shots (his landscapes are amazing too!)
We've always known exactly how light worked starting with the first time we opened our eyes. Now we have to control light to do our bidding. Not a hard task, just takes a lot of practice.
Yeah, bet that title got you wondering.
This episode is for models and specifically about posing.
First, let's look at an example of what we'll be talking about here. And this isn't to give one of my favorite models a hard time...she and I have done some wonderful work together. But she did give me a perfect example so I'm going to use the shot. Sorry Marcela, love you. ;)
Now, if you haven't seen the topic of this blog in this shot then, well, look harder.
When a shoot is going on, and everyone is doing their job, there is a lot going happening. The photographer is looking at the lighting, the general pose, and all of the technical things to get it exposed correctly. There is a reason everyone is exhausted at the end of a shoot.
The model, if she's doing it right, will have far more to do than look pretty and say cheese. (Okay, actually, if you have her say cheese stop reading right now)
The model needs to consider what the photographer is seeing from his or her perspective. That means everything from the tilt of the head to the tips of the fingers to tips of the toes. Everything. The angles of everything and what they should look like to the photographer.
Once the model is in a pose, he or she should make only small changes every time the flash goes off. This makes it easier to consider how things might look to the photographer with slight changes instead of drastic ones. What can be seen and what can't. Or, in some cases, shouldn't be seen.
When I'm shooting my art, the most important element to me is the shape of a woman's body. The lines of the hip, the legs, the curve of her back, and the way the light hits those areas. When I do that type of shoot it seems I'm constantly asking the model to move their arms to not take away from those lines. In artistic nudes it is super important that everything is exactly right for the art to show through. In other types of photography is just slightly less important.
Models should always keep in mind how they look to the camera. It's not easy. But it's your job. Every photographer I know will show the model the results from the last set of images taken on the back of the camera. Take that moment to look close at your pose and how you look to the camera. Not just how your face looks. Yeah, we know what you are looking at really. The photographer won't mind if you sit and take your time looking closely at the poses and even try some over again if you see where you can improve. Do it.
If you don't do any photography as a model you might want to take some time, and a willing friend, and using your phone, do a mini photoshoot with them. This would give you a chance to consciously spend time behind the camera and get a feel for what someone looks like from that vantage point. It seems silly because I'm sure you've taken hundreds of shots before, but this time, think about exactly what you are seeing. Even direct the person some to get an idea. It will most certainly help your thinking as a model in front of the camera.
And just maybe there will be fewer inadvertent penises in the shots.
The feeling of excitement, wonder, and even a little fear, that one feels when they start a project of art is universal. Maybe not to a full time and life time artist, but to those of us learning to create later in our lives, it's there. The nagging worry that even we won't like what we create.
This is normal and important to the evolution of ones art. That edgy feeling that works like adrenaline to the mind and opens our eyes to things we would not see otherwise. That's when we are the most creative.
When I sat down to do this piece I really didn't have a solid thought out plan. I wanted to do something with broken glass. That's about it. I brought in two images of Blonde Raven and just started poking around with my tools. There were some false starts and looks that were not going anywhere. By that I mean it wasn't moving me at all. After all, you have to love your own art.
I kept seeing my options and my eye kept me going because I saw something flickering in the pile and I kept fanning it until it started taking a shape I liked...then eventually loved.
It is hard not to doubt your own artistic abilities. And some days nothing exciting comes from a few hours of sitting at the computer. You eventually get to a point where you can feel when you will be the most creative and that's when you sit down and let your juices flow and create. The more you create over time, the more confident you are in your art. And the more confident you are, the more often those creative days will present themselves.
Play, enjoy your creations, and don't let the first tries or non-creative days get you down. Make art when the mood strikes and the more you do it, the more often the mood will strike.
At least this has been my experience.
In this last installment I’m going to discuss each person involved in the process of creating fine art nudes. As you would expect, this includes the model and photographer. But I’m going to include the ones equally important to the success of a great set of pictures. The model’s husband, boyfriend, parents, friends, and even the photographer’s wife or girlfriend.
Of course, there is no way I can solve the contrasting elements of jealousy, religious upbringing, or other emotions that are unique to each participant in a shoot. I’m not a psychologist by any means. Just an observer sharing what I’ve seen. If some morsel of this article opens the door to better understanding at some level then it was worth it.
Before I get started I’ll explain my situation. It’s important to know where I’m coming from because it will reflect in what I’m imparting.
I’ve been shooting for almost five years, and for the first two my wife of 30 years, Linda, wasn’t thrilled with the possibilities of me shooting nudes or even implied. No specific reasons, but I’m going to guess on some here. (note:she has read this and confirmed her side)
Possibly some misunderstanding that some women don’t mind being in front of a camera naked. She felt she’d never want to so why would another woman? Or she was afraid of what her family would think of her for letting me do that form of photography? Three things I’m sure of. She trusted me 100% and knows I love her with every fiber of my being. And there was zero chance of me running off with someone. A stable and loving relationship full of trust is a great place to start.
One day, before I was allowed to shoot implied, I was asked to do a shoot with a young woman I’d shot many times before. This was a shoot specifically for her new husband and she only wanted to wear her veil. I asked Linda what she wanted me to do and we eventually agreed she would actually help me with the shoot. You see, she’s a very good photographer herself. So, she helped and found out that the model was very comfortable, the pictures turned out great, and it wasn’t any different from any other shoot. The model even used 6 of Linda’s pictures for her book! From then on my wife has been my biggest fan and more supportive than I could have ever imagined.
The model
As a model, you are the one who feels the pressure from friends and family. They either support you or they don’t. And there isn’t much you can do about that either way. Often they don’t understand what the art is all about. Remember, a good number of people don’t see the art in the lighting and lines of a good artistically done nude. They think Playboy right away. Some will always see a dandelion as a weed and others see it as a wish. Art isn't for everyone.
Here’s where you find out who feels you need to live up to their standards. And think that you should not always do what makes you happy or fits your life goals and dreams if it is counter to their beliefs and wishes. There won’t be anything you can do to change their minds very often. Avoid arguments of course…those never solve anything. Sometimes the support comes later. Once you are actually portrayed in some great art and show them that it’s beautiful and not porn they may change their tune. People tend to expect the worst and will build it up to be far worse in their own mind than it is.
Some families are very close and if artistic nudes will cause problems it may be better to hold off and slowly get people to warm up to it. Frankly, I feel that if anyone should support your goals and interests it should be the family.
It’s very important to never do anything to prove something to someone else. Even more so to rebel against anyone. Dig deep into your goal for modeling, artistic nudes or otherwise, and make sure it is totally for you and no one else. The art won’t flow well if there is anger or grudges or an agenda other than satisfaction for yourself.
The photographer
I will admit, I felt a little strange the first few times I was shooting nudes. Nothing sexual by ANY means, but just the difference in capturing skin instead of clothing was new to me. Of course, lighting it to get the fine lines, get shadows to appear in strategic places, and just having a model naked took some getting used to. By the 3rd or 4th shoot it was just as typical and comfortable as any other shoot. So I went through that little transition.
My wife, Linda, is very supportive and, of course, has seen the creations from those shoots and now totally understands what my goals are. I do consider myself very lucky to have such an understanding wife who allows me to explore my artistic side.
Others are not as fortunate and their significant other isn’t as understanding. They just can’t get past the idea of their husband or boyfriend seeing all sorts of naked women. That, and the fear of what others might think of HER when they find out she let you take pictures of nude women.
You can’t tell someone they need to support you. They have to want to on their own. Some ways to help them feel better about the idea might be:
Of course, if you have a history of shooting ‘not so classy’ work its harder to explain why you want to suddenly shoot classic artistic nude work. If you are getting into this genre to see naked girls…well, please stop right here. You aren’t who this is written for. Wrong reasons!!
The significant other
Your husband or boyfriend wants to shoot nude models. If there was ever a situation that seemed threatening, this would be up near the top of the list. You need to have a talk with him about anything you have on your mind. Communication is the key to all good relationships and more so on this topic. Ask questions. Be honest with your feelings. Being supportive has to come from your heart, not your head. Be open-minded and ask to see examples of what he plans to create. Ultimately, you don’t have to agree with or support your partner.
You might agree on a slow process to allow him to move in that direction in steps. Maybe help out with a few shoots and see just how professional the shoot is. Set rules that you both agree on. For example, the model wears a robe when not actually posing. And the photographer looking away while the model gets into position. Whatever makes you more comfortable with the shoots should always be acceptable to your partner. Just communicate.
One last thing
I’ve noticed something interesting about jealousy. When I meet a couple where one is overly jealous, it usually indicates that person actually is at more risk of leaving a relationship than the partner who isn’t jealous. Jealously usually stems from, but not limited to, two things. Not feeling secure in a relationship. And not having that emotional bond and trust in the partner that is very much required in a stable relationship.
Always, always communicate!!
And interesting link to a model who does nude work - her perspective
The mind set Lurking in the back of your mind is always that 'taught' idea that nudity is bad. Sinful in some way. Even the most carefree among us knows that little feeling tugging at us when we are naked, even to get into the shower. It's there and to acknowledge it and know that it's just an embedded notion is important for some people.
There are two forms of Fine Art Nudes. Society has drawn the line for us. Oddly it's as simple as nipples and vaginas. One form of fine art, and what I shoot most, shows very little in the way of actual nudity, based on society's opinion. A shot like this for example shows no more than a bikini, yet it is obviously nude modeling.
Note that, for some people the simple lack of strings showing that there IS a bikini is objectionable. Those are the few that see something evil or nasty instead of the beauty of the skin tones, fine lines and curves, and often mood and emotion. Most of the time, any reluctance of a model to do fine art is based on what others may think of him or her if they posed like this. It's a valid concern. Without a supporting spouse or significant other, moving forward is nearly impossible. More on this in part 3.
The second form of fine art is full nudity, where we cross society's lines and open the body to a more free form of expression. Often this form alludes to a bit more confidence and allows for more freedom of expression because there isn't a need to cover certain body parts. In both cases the same basic beauty and art are present of course.
Here is where you do have a choice of how far you want to go as a model. And this usually depends on your life goals. If you are a teacher you probably wouldn't want to go beyond the implied most certainly, as an example. And maybe avoid this form of expression all together. If one of my images ever cost someone their job, career, or significant other, I would be devastated. This is a life choice that, unfortunately, could be a limiting factor in your future life so consider it carefully. I've found those that display full nudity are super confident and will never care what others think and aren't worried about it getting in the way of their careers.
The Studio
So, what is it like in the studio the day of the shoot? If you've never done fine art before it's always a bit stressful to start. Nervousness about the whole process. That little nagging feeling about being nude in front of a stranger. Well, here's how a shoot usually goes. First we will do some shooting with a simple top just to get you comfortable with the music, lights flashing, the sound of my voice directing you, we'll go over some modeling tips and basically spend the first 30 minutes warming up. It's an important time to get into the creative groove.
You'll find a large changing room for makeup, changing, and in the event you end up covered in baby oil there's even a shower. That's your room for the shoot. Most notably, there are robes. You are welcome to wear a robe when we aren't actually shooting. While doing light tests, or discussing the next pose, you can wear a robe if that is more comfortable for you. You will find a very creative, yet focused, environment once we start shooting. Especially with the fine art. Getting the lighting exactly right and getting every detail of your pose right is key.
You will be comfortable in no time and excited about what we are shooting. You'll also find I put my camera down unless you are in position and we are ready to catch the look. After 3-6 different looks or poses we'll be done. Exhausted. And 3 or 4 hours went by yet it will seem like just 1. And in the case of those who did fine art nudes for the first time, they wonder what they were nervous about in the first place.
So, that's what it's like from the models point of view. Based on my observations and conversations.
Next part I'll discuss the complications of model's and photographer's significant others and the huddles that often need to be overcome for everyone to be happy. It's about communication and understanding.
The human form I'll start by clearing up the basics. Fine art nudes is an art form. It has nothing to do with sex, exhibitionism, or voyeurism. It does not degrade, sensationalize, or prey upon any gender. The confusion comes from those that use the term 'fine art' as a gateway to shoot what is very obviously not art at all. I've met people who can ramble on for a while about the fine lines and subtle tones of an art piece and I've met people who look at the same piece, tilt their head and say 'cute'. Everyone sees art differently and in my experience it's not something you learn. You either like it, love it, or don't see it. I have never seen a 'face palm' with a shocked expression and exclamation of "NOW I SEE IT!"
Me
For as long as I can remember, I've always loved the graceful clean lines formed by the human body. Whether it is that of a soft beautiful female or a muscle filled shot of a male. All shapes, sizes, and ages. More recently very fit females have come to have the best of both soft lines as well as shadow from evident muscles. All beautiful, especially in the right light.
I'm sure there was a time in my life that I was taught to consider any form of nakedness as inappropriate. That is not a natural reaction, we are taught that nakedness is a sin somehow. Later in life, as we start to rebel, question, and venture out with our minds, and especially when we discover art, we then discover the beauty of the human body. And that it is not inappropriate to view them as the forms of art that they are.
I'm fortunate to have a very understanding and loving wife who understands my need to create. She trusts that models will be treated with respect and that the only goal is the finished project. That trust, from a partner, is important yet rare. I will discuss that in another installment of this series.
The introduction
When a model contacts me about creating some art I, of course, browse through his or her images. My mind immediately starts considering the options of what poses and lighting would work best for their body shape and attributes. I begin to imagine what the end result may be based on past experience as well as my ever present checklist of images I'd like to create.
I'll chat a bit to make sure the model understands the art we will create will involve nudity. I always feel a little creepy in that part of the conversation because of that early teaching that nudity is inappropriate and here I am talking to someone I've likely never met about shedding their clothes for my camera.
It is ultimately important that they are fully comfortable with what we will be doing. Most often I've found the promise of what may be created is a strong motivation to many to push themselves beyond their normal boundaries. And, to date, everyone has been very pleased with our results.
Parts 2 and 3 In the next installments I will cover the trust issues of significant others in your life if you want to shoot fine art and just how a professional shoot works with nudity.
In any profession that has a creative element, the only road to success is having a style of your own. Without it, you are like the 98% that have no style and compete strictly on price and quantity. Although this is true with many professions we'll talk about photography...naturally. First let me qualify the term success. To some it's a comfortable living (or lavish) from the income of selling your art or services. To some it's the feeling of being creative. Where money isn't the driving force. Of course, both are admirable excuses to getting out of bed and making things happen today.
Those with no style will tell you things like, "I like to get it perfect in the camera.", or "I never retouch my photos". What they are really saying is, "I don't want a unique style, that takes work and a lot of learning." They are usually the same people who compete at the low end of the pricing scale because their work looks exactly like everyone else's. The only reason they sell their product is because it's cheaper than the next guys.
So, what is this thing called STYLE and were can I buy some.
Yeah, sorry, that's just not going to happen. First, you really do need to get away from thinking your camera has the ability to make a perfect picture. I do know a few unique wedding photographers who have some amazing glass and know exactly how to get a fairly perfect shot pretty often. But, they take those same shots day after day. And they still warm them up, crop them, or do some other things to make them 'theirs'.
Figure it's going to take a year or more for your style to develop. That will include a lot of 'out of box' experiences. You need to venture into the world of Lightroom and Photoshop and have a good computer system to let you work without a lot of updates and delays. And a comfortable chair. Some good music. Turn off your Facebook and be ready to focus. There are plenty of great videos on how to do pretty much everything with any program. In Adobe's case their site has plenty and you can subscribe to Lynda.com for very well made and detailed videos on everything. Creative Live is also a wonderful source for learning.
With all this learning you'll be doing you might be asking yourself, how does THIS give me a style of my own. If I'm learning all the same things as everyone else how does that make me unique and give me...my style? This is the interesting part. It's a bit like walking into a kitchen full of every kind of food. If you go to make a meat loaf the chances are very good that your meat loaf will taste very different than the last 10 people who made one. Same ingredients. But different results. Here is where the YOU comes into the mix and creates a style.
Once you learn dodge and burn, layers, masking, building your own actions, and probably hundreds of other little nuances of Photoshop and Lightroom, you will start mixing them and applying them the way YOU love the look. You will learn just how much contrast or blend of color you like and after a while you will do the same thing to the next and the next and the next. Without specifically working on building your style you are doing just that. No two people will do exactly the same things to any given picture and the results may or may not look close in the end. They will never look identical. Ever.
Don't think you are done. Once you have a style and if it's one that sells, you may even build that into an action so it's one button to adjust that shot the way you love it. And for many, that is the end. They won't go farther because, well, they have found their success in the popularity of THAT style that is uniquely theirs. From a business stand point this is fine. Some famous greeting card artists and photographers like Andy Silvers and Ansel Adams have very specific styles that I can point to and tell you who did it. That made them a nice living.
Those of us who see the success as what we can create art wise will probably never stop tweaking with our style by learning more all the time. Just like how every friend and experience changes our personality just a bit and how we see life, every new thing you learn on your camera, or a software package will change, ever so slightly, your style.
Style is good. Style is something you can't buy. Style takes a long time to create. Style will be who you are and no one can take that away from you. If you want people to point at your work and that, 'Hey, that's a shot by (insert name here)!' then you'll be glad you took the time to develop your style.
Enjoy life...even that will reflect in your style!
Shooting in a pool is fun and often rewarding, especially if you shoot at night and have the lighting right. Water spray behind the model with a Speed Light hitting her from behind through the sparkling water is wonderful. But pools are not often available. And I've often wondered what it would be like to have studio lighting safely around a pool and have total control. Indoor pools are even less available. Sooooo..
One day I was helping Linda with some grocery shopping, now thinking of ice cream cones and pork chops, and I spied a display of lawn fun for the kids. Yeah, you can even buy motor oil in grocery stores these days. My mind is never far from photographic opportunities so when I spotted a rather large blow up pool I just had to investigate.
Last summer I looked for a pool that was inflatable yet tall enough to immerse a model. No luck. Now I'm looking at one that is exactly what I was hoping to find. If I'd had one built for the studio this would be exactly the size. Perfection!
I picked one up and set it up on the patio. I didn't want to fill the thing in the studio and find out it wasn't going to hold the water. Not good. So, filled it up and sure enough, it started bending on one side a bit and eventually let some water out. While draining it some I found the maximum fill line....about 6 inches below where I had filled it. Manuals? Who needs manuals?
So, next was to test out the sump pump. You need one of these to drain it from the studio. Mine needed work and after some poking at it I got it to work smoothly. Dropped it into the pool and it sucked all the water out about as fast as it filled it. About 25 minutes each way.
Now, to actually use it. I planned to shoot with a black sheet in it and then a white sheet so I could see how the water reflected and what options worked best.
On the black I used only Speed Lights around the pool for both safety and to keep the lighting more specular with smaller points to reflect off the water. On the white I assumed this wasn't really an option and I was right. Almost no reflection when shooting at a low angle. With white I found shooting straight down worked best AND I used studio lighting. BUT, the lighting was attached to the beam above with zero chance to fall into the water. If I'd wanted other studio lighting around the pool that ran from AC I would have run an extension cord from the ground fault outlet outside since that is designed to save lives with electricity around water. SAFETY ALWAYS FIRST!
So, setting it up and taking it down hasn't really been a problem. I use a battery operated inflator so even that part was just a bit time consuming but painless. Other than the models freezing their bottoms everything has worked as I expected. (and models in discomfort often have better expressions anyhow, so hey, win-win) Now to fine tune the angles and lighting to get as much effect from having water as possible.
Oh, and bringing in the hose with a sprayer to make it rain or mist around the model was also tried and should work well in future projects.
Thank you Alanna and Cassandra for humoring this old artist. Your goose bumps needed a workout anyhow.
After over four years of various photographic ventures into everything from weddings to babies to families to fashion I've come to the cross roads on just exactly how I want my photography, and hence, the rest of my life, to play out. And it's not any of those. I am totally in love with the fine art aspect of what photography can be. There are plenty of photographers out there that shoot all those other things and a few that devote their craft to the fine arts. I have the pleasure of going in whatever direction my heart and mind want to go. I should add that I have the most beautiful and understanding wife any artist could have. She wants me to be as happy as possible in my pursuits in the fall of my life. I love her so. Thank you Linda!
So, to make it more clear as to my direction I have changed the name of my 'business' from Dave Kelley Photography to Dave Kelley Artistics. The second being far less likely to be asked to shoot babies, puppies, or kids. I love them all, I just don't find any satisfaction in photographing them.
If you are looking for a great photographer for more common work check out these folks.
That leaves me with time to continue to learn about all of the tools I use to create my art. I'm a geek, so learning what I can about cameras and lighting makes my mouth water of course, and learning more about Photoshop, Lightroom, and now Final Cut Pro for artistic videos, I'm pretty much in geek heaven. My shooting schedule will go from 'hey, let's shoot' to a far more idea based approach. As I come up with ideas that intrigue me I'll plan them out and find models that fit the look and make it happen.
I don't really consider what I do a business. I am open for hire but only if I'm in control of the art created. Otherwise I will make available my art for purchase as I create it. Luckily I've had a lot of interest in people wanting my art on their walls.
So there you have it. A new name to signify the new direction.
My work will be edgier, probably a bit darker, and all over the board from vintage, to nudes, to cosplay, and even some short videos with either music or editorial or documentary feels to them. Whatever interests me.
If you want to model for one of my projects feel free to let me know. Understand that artistic work may very well include nude or semi nude poses. The finished product is always classy and edgy and rarely actually shows more than a basic bikini, but when I'm creating it's important that the model is 100% comfortable with whatever we come up with.
I want to thank those who have encouraged me, and worked with me as a model, makeup artist, or hair stylist. Your art is most certainly main ingredients in anything I've done or will do.
As I've stated many times here, I am an artist first and photographer second. But I certainly don't work alone. Models bring me their talents in the form of poses and of course the beauty their DNA has given them. The most important part of being a successful model actually comes from a mind set more than anything else. Even more important than DNA.
A model that is confident in herself is 90% of the way to perfection. Knowing her beauty, what angles look best, knowing how to move between shots and just how much, makes her a work of art before the camera is pointed her way. That self confidence is key. This is especially true in models who shoot implied nude or artistic nude. When there is nothing to hide behind, nothing to pose against, it's just her and a blank white studio, it could be very scary. If the confidence is there, it's easily seen because there is no hesitation, just a desire to give the best performance.
Another key ingredient is trust. Total and complete trust in the photographer and support staff. Trust that we are all there for the same thing. The perfect images. Without the trust no amount of confidence can overcome the moment of mediocrety. A lack of trust can actually sand down the confidence until it's impossible to continue.
Self confidence AND trust.
Yet another mark of a perfect model is one that is always, and I mean ALWAYS, thinking about how she looks to the camera. She's always considering that angle.
When I have a model standing sideways to me and I ask them to spread their legs a bit more, a good model will step forward with one foot instead of actually spreading her legs more. She knows that it's from MY vantage point I need her legs to move apart. This tells me she is thinking about what she looks like to me...very important.
I feel every model should have the confidence in her own beauty to do whatever modeling she wants. This doesn't mean she has to model nude, but she should have enough self confidence, enough self esteem, to be able to do that if she wanted to. Even in runway modeling the same extreme self confidence needs to be there.
The trust issue is a little harder when it's a first time shooting with a photographer. That trust comes with time and more often with the first good shots. The trust will show in the finished work.
So, in a nut shell, modeling has very little to do with what dress you wear or how white your smile is. It's work, hard work, and rewarding work, when it's done to perfection.
When a model comes to a shoot with me I always hope that she's confident in herself, in the work will will accomplish, and be comfortable enough to do it all naturally and have fun with it.
I'm always asking everyone on set if they are having fun. It's not really a question as it is a reminder. We've heard all our lives that if we are doing something we love it's not work. We should all be enjoying the shoot and getting the art we expected...or better yet, better than we imagined.
So, come prepared with plenty of self confidence. And trust this photographer that if you work with me we'll get some great art out of the shoot.
I don't want your money. Not the most profitable way to run a business. But if I were to take people's money they would probably expect something in return. Therefore I would have to create pictures I don't necessarily want to create. (Hence the particular image...'confined and restricted'.)
That has become unacceptable to me . I love to shoot, and I love changing those shots into my style of art. With that and learning new skills to create with and teaching others what I've learned, I'm following what I love most in life.
We all hope there comes a time in our lives where we can do what we love and not one other thing...well, except taking out the garbage maybe. I'm there.
Someday I hope to be good enough with my art that people might want to put it on their wall. Or other photographers use it for inspiration for their own work. I'm working on a body scape book so maybe I'll generate a little income from that. But frankly, the joy of knowing someone is enjoying my art is infinitely more important to me.
For the models and hair stylists and makeup artist and designers who have and will be working with me, thank you! Without your talents and ideas my art would be very limited indeed. Thank you all and I hope we work together for many years to come. I assume you are wanting the same outcome...art.
The other part of photography I truly love is showing others what I may have learned that may enhance their experience. One on one workshops are amazing and I love the personal sharing that comes with that.
So, bottom line is...
If you come to me and want a family shoot, or a baby, or a dog, of senior pictures, or a wedding, or your gold fish shot, don't be offended if I thank you for thinking of me but I decline. It's not personal, it's just not what I do.
I hope you all get to that point in your life where you can let your heart lead you to your joys and leave logic and the need to make money behind. Meanwhile, if you have any ideas for creating some art with me, most certainly chat with me about it. THAT is what I do!
Have an amazing life!!
The life of an artist is constantly changing. Art is a reflection of feelings and desire. Those are required to create art. The art created under yesterday's sun was wonderful. But today the air seems fresher, the flowers more fragrant, and the sun just a little brighter. Art will change with the new day. I started doing photography as just something to do after I retired. I fell in love with it, and I sucked at it. Then I started playing, learning, enjoying what I could create, and everything started changing. It's not just something to do anymore. It's something I HAVE to do! The joy of sitting back after a special shot comes to life and feeling it stir my heart is like a drug. A runner's high.
Some might say I still suck at it. Don't care. I love it.
But, as I said, the life of an artist is always changing. My love for the art is over powering any desire to do photography that others want. I don't feel I have to do weddings, family pictures, or any of the 'typical' photography. I just want to create. Make my art. Learn. Excel. Grow.
So, don't be shocked when I turn down the opportunity to shoot, even for money. If it's an artistic project you are bringing to me I'll have a rate but at least I'll be loving it because it's art. If it's anything else I do know some of the best photographers in Arizona and can get you connected for what you want.
That leaves me to my final point.
If you want to model for me.
To be totally creative requires a model or models that are totally comfortable with everything. Looks that are not flattering, or pretty. Dark, bright, colorful, black and white, implied, nude, no makeup, outlandish makeup, whatever comes to mind or what idea is being created at the time. So, if you are someone who enjoys my art and wants to be a part of it, keep in mind that I expect you to be comfortable with whatever we need to do for any given concept. It's always classy of course, but I need a canvas that has no limits.
Before we were born we saw light. It was pink and out of focus, but it was there. We've had light all around us and for most people it's all about being able to just see in the dark, or it comes from the sky, or we flip a switch and we can see. It's as natural as breathing and we take it for granted the same way. Photography is all about the light. All photography uses it...great photography manipulates it, paints with it, makes us see what the photographer, what the artist, wants us to see.
It could be as simple as a black photo with a hint of an eye showing. It often uses light to draw lines with the shadows to bring out a shape, a form, or lack of one. Light is the essence of the art of photography.
If it's a bride we can wash her in warm pastels or put a baby in beautiful sunshine. Endless options.
When I have the opportunity to share my knowledge of photography I always show how everything I do revolves around the light. Studio lighting, location lighting for day and night, and playing with the light in all situations. I often find myself stepping back and wondering just how I can use the light I have to make this into an interesting picture. It's not like a math problem to me. There are no rules. Actually, there are plenty of rules and I break them every chance I get because I ignore them. Knowing your lights, modifiers, and gear to a degree where you just know what they can do is all you ever need. I light a subject with my gut more than my brain. What is going to make the shot just crawl off the page and grab you by the ears! Okay, maybe not that strong, but keep your eye on the shot and wonder.
So many people take pictures that are, well, just pictures. Selfies, but using a photographer. Sorry, but yuck.
If people look at a picture and they are moved by it. If they wonder what the person is thinking in the picture. If they feel what the subject is feeling then I think it was worth the time, the thought, or gut, that went into it.
When someone sees a picture I've taken of a nude or implied subject and the response is 'that's hot' then they aren't seeing what I intended at all.
I'm thinking that great photography is broken down into two groups. People who know how to use the light to paint an amazing picture with their camera, and those that know enough about art to appreciate it for the art that it is.
If you are a photographer - know every aspect of lighting. Period. And you will be amazing!
One day I was driving along and the phone rang. I pushed the button on the steering wheel and said "Hello?". (that still sounds so scifi to me) The person on the other end introduced himself as a fellow photographer and how he was calling to help me out. I'd posted something somewhere about how I figured out a little quirk in Lightroom and passed it along. He'd obviously read my answer wrong and was planning to help me out of a problem I wasn't having.
Don't get me wrong, I love to see and hear how others practice photography and I still appreciate that he took the time to track down my number and call.
So, he starts in with camera settings, light meter readings, how to arrange the lights, and goes on and on about how to set up a shot. He kept inserting the line "I'm sure you do it this way" and then went on some more about arranging the lights and getting the sun at the right angle and the best times to shoot. Then he got back into measuring the light to the nearest quarter fStop and speeds.
He went on for about 5 minutes without really stopping to ask me any questions. He was telling me what he assumed I already knew and practiced I guess.
I waited and listened. And drove. Everything he said was completely right.
Then he finished and it was quiet.
I said, "Would you like to know how I do it?" and he replied, "Sure!"
"I wet my finger, stick it in the air, look to see where the shadow falls, and then do what feels right for the shot I want to get"
Silence.
He seemed a bit shocked that I 'shot from the hip' and didn't do all of the required steps to get the perfect picture.
My idea of a perfect picture isn't one like the camera sees, or even one I see with my eyes. It's just ever so slightly surreal or different that it's not just a picture anyone else could take going down a check list. Nothing wrong withthat of course...great work is produced that way and I'm not knocking it. I've tried it and it just didn't work for me.
Of course I rely on my knowledge of the camera. I know what 'most' of those buttons are for and how to get the camera to do exactly what I want it to. And yes, there is a light meter IN the camera, and yes I USE it for example. But everything else is gut feeling. I know what the lights going to look like at various angles, with a certain lens, I know how the exposure will look with the balance of speed and fStop a certain way. Not just text book 'know', but I can feel it. The camera becomes an extension of my thoughts and the flow of light is all I think about.
If I wanted a shot that looked dead on life like I'd do all of that technical stuff. I'm more of a shoot from the hip kinda' guy I guess. It takes a while to really 'feel' your camera and lights, but it's a real joy to me when I meet a new friend (camera) and get to know it deeply.
I've had some photographers tell me that it's great to get the picture perfect right in the camera. I agree. But I haven't found a camera that takes the picture the way I consider perfect so it's a combination of gut feeling and then seasoning the shot in post production.
I do think knowing how it works technically is very important. To many people THINK they can become great photographers without bothering with fStops and shutter speeds...whatever they are. I think shooting from your heart makes for a beautiful picture. You need to understand your equipment intimately, to get what you really want from it.
This, of course, is a blog, and my opinion. Not what's right or wrong. Season to your own taste. Always.
Being moody doesn't make you an artist. But almost certainly an artist will be moody. And by artist I mean anyone who creates. Writers have writers block, painters may sit in front of a canvas for hours just staring. Closer to home, a photographer may sit and stare at their last shoot and can't see anything they want to edit.
On good days the juices are flowing, planets are in line, wine is just the right year, something. Something clicks and you wake up and can't wait to get to it. Paint flies on the canvas, words flow like water, or Photoshop is so busy your computer fan is on high. The problem is, we can't control what days will be creative. We can't put a finger on the trigger for the same reason we can't control or really predict the weather. A lot of things can stop the juices and other things give it a fist full of pulp to give you special days.
The thing that keeps me sane during the down times is knowing it happens. It's not the end, it's how it works. Of course you should worry because, as we all know, if you worry about something it never happens.
I have found that the best way to come back strong is to accept the down days and go off to do something that's mindless or at least not creative in the same way as my photography. This is often when I come up with new ideas. Write them down for a juicer day. The more I accept those days the stronger the creative days seem to be.
I also have plenty of my favorite images hanging on the wall or popping up on screens to remind me that yes...I'm a creative...maybe just not today.
After taking a couple of weeks off from shooting over the holidays I discovered something interesting about just how I dived back in. It was different. In some ways drastic.
I've always been one to stand back once in a while and look at how something is being done and try to think of a better way, faster way, or a way that might come up with better results. It's almost always a fruitful exercise that doesn't take much work. Although a few face/palm V8 moments happen when you consider how wrong you might have been doing something. That just makes you consider what else to look at.
During the break I also sold a Canon 7D I wasn't using much and, to be fair and diligent, I found a program to give me the shutter count on my cameras. I found the 7D had far more shutter activations than I thought and I dropped the price I sold it at to be fair. It's when I checked the 6D and found 102,000 activations in just a little over a year that got me thinking. It's not that I'm now stingy with my shots BUT I do consider not wasting as many.
So, back in the studio and here's what I found different and interesting. Not all conscious efforts.
I think it's always a good idea to morph your techniques once in a while. It can change our perspective and even the outcome. As an artist this is something that should be constant in your life.
Enjoy! And please feel free to comment.
Artistic photography is what this site is all about. Creations made with the help of every day people. They provide their face, body, and often their soul, to the creation of art in their image. In the end it's about the beauty of art.
Be aware that some of the fine art on this site are fine art nudes. If you have chosen to be offended by nudity you should leave the site now.
Enjoy and please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions, request to work with me, or if you simply want to throw money at me for some art.
And here is the archives of every Museletter to date with the newest one at the top. Feel free to look over each one for that week’s art.
