Malissa Julian

Malissa came over Monday Morning for a quick headshot.  I lit her with a beauty dish boomed right over my lens, and a white reflector at her waist to fill in her eyes and under her chin.  Two heads shot into umbrellas are lighting the back ground, which is my living room wall.

I think this one turned out pretty nice.

Juliet Nguyen

My lovely wife and I drove back out to Seal Beach Saturday to photograph for make-up artist Linh Hoang again, yes dear readers as promised another wedding theme.  Juliet is a wonderful young woman, but not really old enough to be a real bride.  We shot a bunch, I filled up an 8 gig card over 500 images, not really my normal style.  T had her camera (back from Canon) on motor drive most of the day, I don't know maybe I was trying to keep up.

Linh kept us busy changing up the make up and styling several times throughout the shoot, and I shoot mostly with the available light but did throw the 580EX II on for a little fill cause that's how I like to roll.

Juliet's boy friend played our groom most of the shoot, and was a trooper.  They've been dating less then a month, but Juliet kept "hinting" which made T a bit anxious.

  

Wine on Tuesdays thanks to Quigley Fine Wines

I drove down to Oceanside today to photograph some fancy wine for Quigley Fine Wines, as hinted at last Wednesday, not a bad little gig.

Simple looking images, technically challenging, not bad for a days work.

From Friday

T and I will be shooting with the same Make-up artist today, another wedding theme ... it's not a trend I swear!

What I did on Monday (Jasmine Star workshop)

I'm not a wedding photographer, I was watching Zack Arias' Creativelive workshop there was mention of wedding photographer Jasmine Star hosting a future class.  I'd seen Jasmine's name around the web, but didn't pay much attention, what could I learn from a wedding photographer, but I signed up (it's free).  Watching the first day I purchased the class, high praise buying a free class.  How could this little woman bring so much excitement to wedding photography.

I've photographed four weddings, the first three were for friends and I didn't mind doing it.  They paid for film, and I hung out with my friends photographing for a day, not a bad deal.  The last one was a nightmare.  I didn't want to do it, but a colleagues daughter needed a photographer and they were on a tight budget.  Anyway I handed the film to the mother of the bride, walked away and said never again.

As a creative professional I'm always looking at how others creatives run and market their business.  I saw on twitter that Jasmine was hosting a branding workshop in Orange County, I thought, I can afford that it's close why not.  I love (I'm a guy when I use that word it says allot) how much joy and passion Jasmine brings not only to wedding photography, but her business.  It's contagious I sat in the workshop and thought I could do that (weddings).  I may never photograph another wedding, but T might, she'll need a second shooter, and I do heart working with my wife.  Which is probably one reason I connect with the way Jasmine runs her business.  It's not just the Jasmine show, her Mom helped out all day, and what a wonderful woman.  Her husband JD set up and organized the workshop, was there all day helping out, and is a friendly helpful guy.  Yes I write in run on sentences, and fragments.

We spent about an hour shooting, it was part of the branding workshop (branded photo's and creating signature images), and branding was why I went and I got more than my moneys worth.  

Thanks J*.

Putting time in the studio

The shoot I had planed for today was canceled kind of at the last minute, on the drive back I thought self, "what are you going to do with the rest of your day?"  Before I left to Los Angeles this morning I answered a Craigslist ad to photograph wine bottles.  What did I have that comes in bottles ... a couple of really nice beers called to be drank, I mean photographed.  A few hours later ...

Nothing too technical, but there were I few things about photographing glass I had forgotten since college.  All the experimenting would have taken boxes of Polaroid's pre-digital.  It is always good to brush up on those technical skills.

On beer.  My father and his wife are wine drinkers; many moons ago I had the good fortune of drinking my fair share of their wine cellar.  Oh college, I miss your care free days.  I still enjoy a nice glass of wine, but what I truly thank my Dad for is introducing me to quality.  Dad is also a Scotch drinker, and he taught his boys to love scotch.  We polished off a bottle of 18 year-old Talisker not long ago, the 10 year-old is fine, the 18 that is a wonderful scotch, and that is why I photographed beer today.  Beer, not domestic macro quasi-lager, but hand crafted ales, and lagers made by people with true passion for great beer that is what I drink, and so should you.  Yeah at your block party I will down a couple Tecate's, but only after I have forced you to try a unique craft brew I brought to share.

The Morning Birds

T and I drove up to Idyllwild Sunday to photograph Jenn, Sam, and Esteban.  Not only did we make some great photo's but I am pretty sure we made some friends.  It is nice working with good people.  Oh and T's camera was at canon being rebuilt, she shot film until she ran out then borrowed my camera and shot one of these.

T. and her Hasselblad.

Miguel Griffith Park

Since I'd never been to Griffith Park when Miguel suggested we shoot there for his portfolio I thought good lord no power again, but why not.  All natural light?  No I've got a 580EX II in a 28'' Westcott Apollo and a reflector for one and three, number two down there in the middle is all natural.  Not normally my style, but this boy's got to play once in a while. 

Wednesday's pick!

Since I hinted at it yesterday I'm tossing out a couple images I shot for Malus Adonis on Wednesday.  I found Leora and her partner Shannon on Craigslist, they brought their friends and we made some great photographs.

Behind the scene

A quick BtS on a shoot I did for Malus Adonis yesterday  Dig it!