Following Him...

"A lot of people who worship Jesus don't actually follow Him. ~Rick Warren"

Tyler Stableford: Dispatches From the Underground

Aspen, Colorado-based photographer Tyler Stableford generally shoots action and adventure, most of it aboveground. But this shoot for Timberland PRO would send him a half-mile deep into the earth.

That far down, before adding light it is absolutely pitch black. As in, you cannot see your hand in front of your face. And the lights the miners use while extracting coal there aren't much friendlier -- low-level, and a mix of tungsten and fluorescents.

So Stableford shot the entire campaign working on the edge of the quality envelope, and lighting with only a few speedlights. Read more »

Q&A: Dealing with Glare from Dark Wood Backgrounds

Reader Jefferson, from California in the US, asked via Twitter:

"How do you deal with glare on dark wood in background for portraits? Is this covered in Lighting 101 or 102?"

Actually, it is covered in L102, if a little obliquely. And yes, pretty much any time you light into dark wood as a background you are gonna get some blowback.

But rather than look at this as a problem, I prefer to think of it as a feature… Read more »

Ono Shouichi: The Spirit of a Century

Photos © Ono Shouichi

By Irwin Wong -- Multi-light setups, gear reviews and lighting tricks are all worthwhile food for thought. But when people are looking back at your life’s work, will you be remembered for your lighting or for what you tried to tell the world with your camera?

In a long-spanning portrait series, Tokyo-based editorial photographer Ono Shouichi has (to date) photographed two hundred Japanese centenarians. The lighting, while there, is subordinate to the message. As it should be. Read more »

QA: Down the Phase One Rabbit Hole

There were a few misconceptions (and a LOT of questions) that popped up in the comments after I wrote about ditching the D4 for a used Phase One camera and back.

Videos, answers to Q's and some specific things that convinced me to make the jump, inside. Read more »

Kodak Files for Bankruptcy

On the day when just about every photographer over 30 pauses to consider Kodak's filing for bankruptcy, a poignant video. The once-dominant company obviously knew it was already in trouble at this point, but still came out swinging in a refreshing appeal to the future.

Considering this was made in 2006 (and how quickly things have happened since) the video was pretty darn prescient. In the end, all of these things did happen. Just without the need for Kodak.

-30-

On Assignment: Dude for LumiQuest

I shot the original ad for the LumiQuest Soft Box III back in 2008, using a pre-production sample. I love that light mod, and use it all of the time.

So when Quest Couch asked me to shoot a second version for the bigger LTp and left the subject matter up to me, I eagerly started looking for a subject. Read more »

Gulf Photo Plus 2012: See You in Dubai

The best part about facing the oncoming winter in Maryland is knowing I am gonna bail for a week of 80-degree days in Dubai at Gulf Photo Plus. It's my favorite annual photo event of all, and the only teaching gig I am planning for the whole year.

Heisler's coming back. Dave Burnett is coming. Martin Prihoda, too. And of course many of the regulars will be there. On top of that, I'm especially excited to be teaching a completely different set of classes this year. Read more »

Miss America 2012 - Laura Kaeppeler

 
Miss America 2012 ( Laura Kaeppeler )

 
Miss America 2012 ( Laura Kaeppeler )
 
Miss America 2012 ( Laura Kaeppeler )
 
Miss America 2012 ( Laura Kaeppeler )

A Few Pointers on Beauty Photography

Ed. Note: For obvious reasons, do not try this at home without using extreme care. I'll say it again: do not try this at home without using extreme care. Seriously, kid. You'll put your eye out. -DH

Photos ©Ludovic Taillandier

By Sara Lando -- Paris-based photographer Ludovic Taillandier (NSFW-ish) specializes in advertising, fashion and beauty. (And occasionally, apparently, novelty electronics.) Today, a look at the making of his futuristic Tronized Beauty series. Read more »

BTS: Time Magazine's Protesters

Seldom do we get such a long-form look at the production of what is quickly becoming an iconic group of photos. The BTS video below is of Peter Hapak's assignment to cover the world-wide protester phenomenon in 2011, for the Time cover story in which they were collectively named Person of the Year.

I have watched it several times now -- as a journalist, a photographer, a lighting guy and certainly as a human.

There's a lot to learn. Read more »

Bailing on the Nikon D4

UPDATE: I answered many of your questions about the post below, here.

-DH
__________


Apologies for slightly off-topic post. But given my gear path to date, this is not exactly one I was gonna slip under the rug. I think every long-term photographer has an interesting and very personal journey leading to their current gear bag. Here's mine.


It was almost 30 years ago, but still remember the first day I stepped into the Nikon pro flagship line. At the time I owned a Nikkormat FTN, a 50/2 and a 200/4. And then I saw the ad in the classifieds of the Eustis News. Some guy was selling a Nikon F, with a full bag of pro lenses, for like $600. I couldn't afford it.

But my friend and fellow photographer John Ashley was also a young Nikon shooter, having gotten a job at the local Leesburg Daily Commercial right out of high school. And he was looking for some gear, too.

As luck would have it our needs were almost complimentary. So we pooled our money (mine from mowing lawns) and bought the bag together, divvying up the spoils. I forget all of the split details, but I think I walked away with a 24/2.8, a 105/2.5, a 300/4.5 -- and a Nikon F body. It was the happiest day of my life up to that point. I now owned a Nikon flagship camera and bag of lenses -- if only the 13-year-old versions.

Since then I have worked as a photojournalist with the F2, F3, F4 and F5 before switching to digital. Then it was the D1, the D2 and D3. So the decision to switch horses rather than go with the D4 was a big deal for me. Read more »

Layer Slayer Dave Hill Peels the Onion at Valio Con

More than a few of you can kiss your productivity goodbye for the next hour. From a tech/creative conference last summer comes this long-form video of a presentation by LA-based photographer Dave Hill.

It's a straight video grab from the conference room, so there is no contrast in the images. But still, great stuff. In the full-length vid after the jump, Dave talks about bootstrapping, five-finger optical discounts at prop shops, hand drawing curly beards on dudes in Photoshop and even his very first composite portrait. Read more »

Lighting in the Wild

Living at the edge of the woods is like living next to a zoo. We get a nonstop stream of animal visitors, perhaps none more majestic than this eight-point white-tailed deer.

Mature bucks are notoriously very crafty and skittish. That's how you live long enough to be a mature buck. But this guy visits us regularly, and has become a little more acclimated to the sound of my shutter release.

Enough so, that I am starting to plan how I am going to light him … Read more »