Don't be Afraid to Embrace a Little Failure

June 21st, 2011 It's the new "F" word. "Failure" is a word no one ever seems to want to mention or discuss, yet we all deal with it on a constant basis.  I get so burned out reading people's Facebook status updates and 90% of the time it's about how successful they want everyone to think they are, when you can easily see that they aren't really getting anywhere.  When the only mouth you are hearing about someone's greatness is from their own, you know they aren't turning any heads.  No one can stand the idea of admitting, "I'm struggling right now."  "Times are tougher." or "I didn't get the job."   But you know what?  It's okay to admit defeat now and then.  No winner in life has a perfect record.  It's okay to embrace failure, no one ever said you have to be prefect all the time.  Failure is a part of succeeding, and you might as well get used to it because there's plenty of failures that are going to happen.  Victories and successes wouldn't be worth striving for if all you had to do was apply for it.

If there's one thing I learned from being a pilot, it's for sure that when you screw up, you analyze the mistake, and apply the necessary corrections for the next time.  It's the only way to get better.  But never admitting fault is a critical mistake all it's own.  One has to be okay with saying they didn't make the mark.  It's what allows one to see the measure for improvement, or plan a strategy to meet the goal on another attempt.  It's not cool nor progressive to just put on a fake personification that you are always winning.  It's a diminishing quality, a sign of a insecurity and no one respects someone who has to lie to look important.

So stop worrying about what others think.  Everyone is in the same boat.  Everyone has stories to tell of failures.  Don't be afraid to let people see the real you.  Life isn't all about who is the most perfect, it's more about taking the good with the bad, and building yourself into a better person with both.

My Philosophy on Retouching Models in Photos.

March 19th, 2011

Wow!  It's been awhile since I last posted but it's been a busy start to 2011.  Since a large part of digital photography these days is image retouching, and the over-use of it, I thought I would offer some insight into what my particular thought process and goal for retouching a photo is.  As you can see by my high-tech illustration above, that seeing a person in real life verses in a digital photograph are two very different things.  I was on a commercial shoot awhile back and the owner of the company I was shooting an ad campaign for was there to supervise the shoot which involved a model wearing the company's products.  I had a monitor set up to show what the camera was capturing so the client could view as we went along.  After a few shots, the owner told me, "I don't like the photos, she looks better in real life than in the pictures."  Yikes! (pulling my collar)  Every crew member in the studio just looked at me at the same time- and the air in the room got real heavy and silent. I quickly had to give a short explanation to the client that the camera "sees" differently than we do, and that the post-production process fixes flaws that happen in camera.  It wasn't a problem with the lighting or the camera settings, we got it right in camera, it was just the circumstances of the strobe lighting that resulted in different capture image vs. real life image.  Of course in other situations, lighting/exposure  can be manipulated to hide flaws in a subject, but this was one of those cases where it just was going to take retouching to fix the digital side effects of high-resolution capture.   Check this out.

"THE CAMERA DOESN'T LIE."     Oh yes it does.  (FYI, it also loves to make you look fat.)

When we view a person, our eyes and brains adjust to the light we are in and we usually aren't standing 6 inches from someone's face examining them.  We just see them normally and they look fine in general.  However, when you put someone in front of a high-resolution camera, an expensive lens designed to magnify detail, a big bright strobe light (or multiple strobes) and zoom in on them for a closer, larger image; what happens in the 1/3000th of a second while that strobe light fires and the camera clicks is not in any way the same as what you and I see normally.   For that split second, the model or subject is in front of a magnifying glass and a super-bright light.  The camera is set to capture a normal exposure of that light, but it's also capturing an enormous amount of detail that we don't see when the strobe is off and there is normal light on the subject.  Skin pores, wrinkle lines, dark tones under the surface of the skin, makeup particles, red veins in the eyes, and small bumps and blemishes on the skin are just a few of the things that are brightly exposed like a dermatologist's lab.  It's not the way a person normally looks at all.  It's the way they look with that much light power hitting them, a powerful lens taking in that light and putting it on a powerful digital sensor that records every detail and assigns it a binary number, then picks a color for each pixel and sends that all through a computer for more processing, then to a monitor where either LED's, or phosphorus crystals render the digital numbers into electronic light amplitudes for you to see.  Not the same as just saying "hi" to someone in a room standing a few feet in front of you.

Furthermore, I can swear that the camera makes stuff up and throws it in as well.  You've heard of that word "photogenic" right?  Or "the camera loves you".  It means someone who looks good in pictures, versus someone who doesn't.  How can it be that some people don't look as completely accurate in a photo as they do in person?  It's beyond science I think, but it is a real phenomenon.   I think that somewhere between the lens slightly distorting the light passing through it, the camera capturing and recording that light into pixels or the computer's handling of the image, a person's image can become misrepresented.  I've seen it thousands of times.  When I shoot with a beautiful model with perfect features and in the photos her nose looks like a potato, even with the most pleasing focal length and lighting, something's up.

Ok, so what do we do about it?

Digital retouching is the only viable solution for these instances where the subject's digital images, whether due to to technical side effects or mysterious gremlins in the camera, end up looking less accurate than the actual subject does in real life view.  Retouching has always had a sort of negative reaction from people, mainly because it's mostly used to make certain people (mainly celebrities) look better than they really do.   Furthermore, now that the internet has enabled all the amateur and hobby photographers to learn quick and easy retouching methods, everyone is out there snapping away pictures and over-glossing them up like crazy, to the point that it's not even about the photo anymore, but more about how much retouching was done.  That in turn makes the market flooded with photographer/retouchers, and lowers the aesthetic and monetary value across the entire board since everyone does it, and the quality is the same (poor).

When I retouch a photo, I'm essentially interested in just putting things back to the way I see the model with my own eyes, and removing all the digital flaws associated with the capture process.  Unless there is a specific look in mind for the retouch work such as a Dior ad where the models are supposed to look futuristic and sort of plastic, I want the retouch to not reveal retouching.  I find that to be one of the biggest giveaways of a non-pro photographer, is that they use massive retouching for their signature style and that's it.  You know it as soon as you see the photo, and people even commonly say "That looks so Photoshopped.".  Sure, I do plenty of post-production work such as compositing several images together, and special effect stuff, but as far as work on people, I just want the image to meet fashion standards but still keep the model real in the image's final form.   I've found that the best way to capture a subject and not have to deal with abnormalities, is by using natural light.  Most of the time, it just looks great as is and very little post work if any at all is required.  However, if I'm required to use strobes either for creative effect or job purpose, then I'm aware that there could be some artificial additives that are part of the capture process.  It's a mixed bag of elements that can determine how much or how little retouching is needed, but the best strategy is to avoid things that you know are going to lead down the path of a photo ending up looking fake.  For instance I follow a few simple rules:

1.  Use models with great skin.  Bam.  Done.  In the bag, no retouching needed when you have great skin.

2.  Whenever possible, use natural light.

3.  A few flaws are ok- leave them in.  I'd rather have a photo look perfect with flaws in than artificial with every flaw removed.

4.  Don't ever follow formula-matic retouching methods. Meaning, don't retouch every photo with the same procedure.  Each photo is different, retouch it to retain it's individuality.

5.  Retouching isn't what makes a photo compelling.  If you think it is, then go right ahead and keep thinking that it is.

So there ya have it, I prefer a cleaner approach to the whole retouching thing when it's my choice.  What goes in the camera isn't always what the human eye sees, so retouching can get it back to normal.  When used properly retouching is a great thing, but when used excessively for any other reason than creative vision, it can get pretty ugly.

Why iPads Won't Replace Magazines.

December 18th, 2010

There I was, eight months ago standing in line at the Apple store on the morning that the iPad was released.  Not because I wanted to be the first to own one, but because I didn't want the store running out of them before I went down later that afternoon to pick one up as originally planned.  It was (and is now even more) a pretty cool little gizmo.  I could jump online, do some emailing and a couple of other fun things, but not at all a necessity.  I only wanted one because I had the big idea of replacing my print portfolios with the iPad so that I could show off my photo work anytime anywhere, without having to carry big portfolios with me or constantly re-organizing my prints.  That really is a good thing about the iPad.

Eight months ago, the iPad was just kind of a novelty item that only die-hard Apple deciples had to have.  It didn't do that much.  Now, the tide of the entire print industry is changing because of this one device.  Magazines, newspapers and books are all reconfiguring their distribution to include applications for hand-held media displays such as the iPad, Kindle, or Nook.  In fact, an entire new industry is being born on the idea of bringing mass amounts of information and images to the public in the palm of their hand, instantly.   I could research numbers and facts 'n figures, but it's enough to say that some, if not all, of my favorite publications are now available exclusively for the iPad.  They also include really cool extra content such as buttons overlaying the images that when pushed, activate behind-the-scenes video from the photo shoot, or interactive information that can take you to where you can find and purchase the items used in the photos.  With all this changing current sending the print media into a frenzy to get their iPad apps developed and available, it looks like it could mean the beginning of the end of actual printed material.  Or is it?

The one thing that these hand-held computer monitors cannot and never will be able to reproduce is the beauty of a well-produced print magazine.  My attention to this fact was made apparent when I saw the December 2010 issue of British Harper's Bazaar featuring super model Natalia Vodianova on the cover.  It is a work of art in it's own right, with not only beautiful photography and styling, but the cover features a thick high-gloss paper stock, gold foil typesetting and a variety of colors and textures that reflect light in a way that a computer screen cannot reproduce.  Simply put, it's gorgeous.  In fact, many of the ads inside this issue as well as many other fashion magazines I frequent include gorgeous glossy three-page foldouts, smooth color gradients applied to specialty paper and brilliant color renditions to make the ad "pop" off of the page.  Great amounts of money are paid by advertisers in fashion magazines to make their ads more like a art pieces in their presentation to the reader, and I for one applaud it.  Sometimes holding the magazine in your hands, flipping the pages and feeling the smooth paper, sampling the scents of the included cologne samples, and being able to look closely at the images without pixelation is worth the price of the magazine.  It makes going to the local magazine or book store somewhat of an anticipated adventure to discover what ads and editorials are going to be featured and how they look.  This is especially true with large-size magazines like V, Interview, W and WWD.   Those are even more fun sometimes because you can clip out the pictures and it's like having a poster!  In fact, I have several folders full of magazine clippings that I want to keep just because they are so beautiful I can't bare to throw them away.

While I can't speak for newspapers and books, (and yes, it does look like the end for those if electronic media takes over in the next few years), I can say that as long as magazine publishers continue to display their products with regard to ascetic presentation, class, and include an inherent value for the product itself, I will continue my patronage.  The price of each issue may be a little more expensive, but I think that it's worth it.  Some magazines are in fact produced so well, that they are coffee table books in my home.   It's just something that an iPad cannot replace.   -M

Giving Back

November 24th 2010 Today I had the honor of having one of my photos hand-chosen by world class photographer Russell James for his themed photo entry, "Giving Back".  Russell hosts a friendly photo submission contest on his Facebook page which he created to give photographers a place for their work to be seen.  He will create a topic to be represented in photographs and then open his page to the public to post their photos on how they interpret that theme.

The theme this time was "Giving Back", since the Thanksgiving holiday was approaching and I believe the idea was to generate more awareness toward giving as opposed to self-indulgence.   I wanted to create and enter a photo that represented "giving back" in the usual ways that one thinks if giving back.  Perhaps a photo of someone shaking hands with a military person, or volunteering at soup kitchen or helping out at an animal shelter.  It can be  a real challenge to come up with a compelling image in a short amount of time, especially when you want it be a real capture of giving and not something "posed" or otherwise conjured-up.

I decided on an image I took in Pistoia, Italy of two older women walking down a street, one with a cane needing assistance from the other.  They were unaware I was taking their picture, but to me it represented a glimpse of a story.  I entitled it simply, "A Daughter Now Helps Her Mother".  In this case, it fits "giving back" perfectly.  I realized that one area we don't often think of when it comes to giving back is our own parents.  They help us throughout our lives, and there comes a day when they will need our help.  To me, this photo represents that change.  I'm proud to have it chosen among thousands of entries to be one of the final 30.

The public votes on their favorite photo, and the winner gets a copy of Russell's new V2 book. I'm not going to go fishing for votes though, because as much as I would love to have the book, I want this contest to be more about generating momentum in people to give, rather than me winning a contest.  I'm grateful and appreciative to have my photo chosen to represent this topic by the eyes of such a master as Russell James.

I hope that this holiday will start becoming more about giving rather than just a day of excess.  Gatherings of family, friends and love are important reasons for holidays, however I hope that we can start giving of ourselves as well.  When a whole bunch of people do this, it will really turn the world in the right direction.

"Giving Back: A daughter now helps her mother" Italy

Connecting in Vegas.

September 20, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of being flown out to Las Vegas' Photoshop World to help my LA photographer bud Nick Saglimbeni and his studio crew promote his Mastering Retouching series DVD and the launch of PhotoKamp- a 2.5 day clinic for photographers looking to improve their skills.  We stayed at the Mandalay Bay hotel, which is a beautifully designed adult playground complete with beaches and tropical sensations outdoors, with classy restaurants, clubs and shopping indoors. Photoshop World is in my opinion more about photography than software.  Most of the vendors there are photo-gear suppliers, print houses and instructional resources.  There are some great classes to take as well, with some being taught by world renowned photographers like Joe McNally.   Plus, there's a lot of great deals on equipment at the dealer expo, and I love good deals.  It's a great place for me to connect with my photography friends and colleagues whom I mostly get to "talk to" online, but rarely get to hang out with in person.

While I was there, I took some time to go check out City Center, a modern/futuristic hotel and residential complex with a beautiful shopping area featuring top designer labels.  I love how Vegas always has to "one up" the last hotel or shopping area that was built.  The style and panache just keeps getting better and better.  I didn't have very much time to shoot anything, and to add to my lame excuses, my feet were killing me after doing so much walking around.  But I did want to shoot the City Center area, and I did, until the tripod police ran me off- 3 times.  There's a lot of stuff to shoot in Vegas, but it can take some effort to not shoot the cliche', touristy-looking stuff.  So I'll climb around looking for a better angle until some security guard stops me.  They always ask me the same thing too, in the same, stern, accusing-type of manner:  "Who are you working for?"  For once I just want to answer with, "I'm on her majesty's secret service, and that's all you need to know."  Anyway, it's just pictures, mate.  Don't get your shiny fake badge all crooked on your donut-crumbed uniform.

So to my friends Clint Davis, Michael Green, Rob Humanski (long time no see!), and industry guys Jack Rezniki and Ed Greenberg, it was great connecting with you and I hope we can do it again in yet another city.  Oh, and thanks to the crew for introducing me to Korean barbecue, it was great!

Charity Bikini Bike/Car Wash at Twin Peaks this Sunday!

This Sunday from 1-5 pm at Twin Peaks restaurant there will be a charity fund raiser bikini bike/car wash to benefit one of the charities that I support, Watermelon Mountain Ranch. The girls are coming out in full-force to wash your car or bike to raise donations to help the ranch obtain much needed supplies, food, medicine and  shelter upgrades for the animals in need of homes.  Why not come down , get your dirty car cleaned up and maybe even find a new friend to bring home- I'm talking of course about a cat or dog that would love to have you as their friend!  There's also a charity raffle currently going on for a $100 gift certificate to Twin Peaks for $1- and all proceeds are going to WMR- ask your server for one!  Come out this Sunday and show the animals you care!

Project New Day Runway Photos!

August 2nd, 2010

For those of you who attended last week's Project New Day runway show, you know it was a great event.  Not only for the styles and production put into it, but for the cause as well.  Participating in a fund raising event for a well-deserved charity  is always high on my list of things to do.  I shot the "official" runway photos for the event, and am making the high-resolution images available to the models and their families for $25- and 100% of it is going to the New Day Youth and Family Services.  Check out the online gallery of the runway shots here: www.mtmstudios.com/pnd. If you would like to purchase the digital download of the file, which will be suitable for printing up to poster size, than email me the file name located below the picture (such as PND-253, etc.).    I will get back to you and we can go from there.  A couple of notes:

• There is a little white rectangle above the thumbnail images- click on that and you get a larger view of the photo, plus there are some forward/backward buttons too.
• The photos are $25 per full-resolution file- which means you can make as many prints as you want, at nearly any size.  100% of all sales are going to the New Day Youth & Family Services house.  I'll make them a check at the end of the month so I don't have to write a check every time someone buys a picture.  So you are directly helping them by buying a photo.
• All photos have been proofed for quality (took 3 days), some shots are a little soft on focus, but still good.  Anything that was less than usable was deleted.
• The runway shots are first, there are several hundred- I got everybody.  After those there are some backstage shots, hair/makeup behind-the scenes, and just general shots of the party.   It was a great event and everyone was looking fabulous!  It was fun to shoot it!  Oh- and sorry about the big, obnoxious watermark on them, you know how it is. ;-)

If you saw me running around with my camera taking pictures of you and friends, then I probably have shots of that too.  Check the end of the gallery for those.   Here's a shot of me and my crew taken by Thatcher Dorn, who is also offering photos from the event taken front of the event signage and also donating 100% of the sales to the New Day Youth & Family Services.  Way to go Thatcher!  You can see those images by clicking here.  I also want to say a big THANK YOU to my assistants Bryan and Sarah for taking some of the extra photos and helping out that day.  You guys rock non-stop!  Had a blast!  More to come soon!

An Evening With Mike Ruiz

June 29th 2010 I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Mike Ruiz, celebrity fashion photographer and one of my personal most favorite fashion photographers over the last few years. Mike has shot covers, editorial spreads, celebrity portraits and commercial ads for the largest magazines and companies in the world. You might have seen him on several cycles of Americas Next Top Model as photographer and judge. He was in town for the 2010 Pride events being held here a couple of weeks ago, and was chosen as the Grand Marshal for the event. I attended a fund raiser for New Mexico AIDS Services one evening in which Mike was offering to shoot photos of those who made donations to help find research for victims of AIDS as well as support for those living with the disease. I chatted with Mike a bit, showed him some of my work and just hung out and enjoyed the evening. He was a very friendly guy, and looks more like a model than a photographer. I made a donation and thought it would be more fun for me to shoot Mike instead of having my photo taken by him. He was up for it, gave me his camera and jumped on set. I snapped a few looks and a few days later received a couple of files from him large enough for high-quality print. I also saw that he used one of my shots for his Facebook profile picture- which really made my day! Here's the shot he used, and I just want to say thanks Mike for the opportunity!  It was good fun and for a great cause.

My First Double-Page Spread!

June 25th 2010 Check out the July issue of Albuquerque the Magazine and you'll find my first double truck ad for the Project Hew Day fashion show on July 30th. I was proud to shoot this ad for such a great charitable cause. All the proceeds from the show go to help A New Day Youth & Family Services, so check it out at projectnewday.org and come to the show!

Scenes from Italy

May 27th 2010 I was commissioned and flown to Italy this month to shoot some commercial work for Podere Gli Scassi, an organic olive farm in Northern Tuscany.  The owner, Lars, has been a long time friend of mine since back when we were in flight school getting our pilot's licenses (see it's always who ya know, right?).   The business needed new advertising photos for their website and brochures that go all over Europe.  They have won awards for the quality and natural growing process of their oil, and the taste is above anything you've ever tasted.  I encourage anyone to buy a bottle of their award-winning, healthy oil, and use it on pasta, pizza, salads, anything where pure extra-virgin olive oil is good.

I also shot some advertising work for rental properties in the Tuscany area.  There are these absolutely beautiful places that anyone can rent for a week or however long you like, and they are situated in some of the most gorgeous countryside you've ever seen (more on how you can visit these places in a future post).  Although being in Italy is a vacation in itself, I didn't find myself lounging around.  On any average day, I was up before sunrise, and the latest I ever slept was 7 am.  The best times to shoot are in the morning and evening, so I planned my days around best shoot times had to be ready when it was time to go.  Some areas could only be shot during certain times of day, because of the hillsides and sun angles, I had to be there when I could get the best light.  Then, the weather was also a factor.  It was beautiful most days, but sometimes we would get set up to shoot a location, and a huge cloud would come over and last for a couple of hours.  By the time it let the sun back through, the scene was in shadow.  So we try again tomorrow.

The time there was so educational, and I felt more familiar since it was my second trip to Italy.  My travels took me from Tuscany to Rome and Milan, and back to Tuscany.  The people are just so helpful and friendly, and of course the food is some of the best anywhere.  I would encourage anyone going there to at least learn some basic Italian, because they respect that you will try and most of them are happy to help you in English once you've reached the limits of what you know in Italian.

I also shot model comp cards for agencies and models in Rome and Milan, and will post up more about that in my next couple of posts.  I tried for the most part to avoid taking tourist photos, and therefore shot things that represented where I was and the stories of the real lives of the people who live there.  There are some tourist photos mixed in, just to document the location.

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Shooting in L.A.

May 7 2010 I flew out to Los Angeles for a couple of days to do some business, and also take some time for myself to see my old stomping grounds in Hollywood where I used to live.  Most of my time was spent around the Wilshire Blvd area of Beverly Hills with some meetings at Elite Model Management, Ford Models in West Hollywood, as well as Nous Model Management and Next Models on Rodeo Drive.  After the meetings, I went down to see some friends at Slickforce Studio in Downtown L.A. and go grab a bite and a beer.

I spent the night and headed out the next day to Hollywood to see my old place and where I used to go to school back when I was in the music business.  Actually, a lot was still the same, but I was pleased with the new Kodak Theatre that was put in next to Mann's Chinese Theatre.  Plenty of great shopping and food, all in one area with very clean decor and a welcome atmosphere.  Hollywood is a very touristy place, so I didn't want to stick around long.  My old apartment building was still there, and everything looked the same as it did almost 20 years ago when I was fresh out of high school and moved to L.A.  I even had dinner at one of my favorite pizza places, Shakey's Pizza.  They still got it.

I headed out to Rodeo Drive to shoot some back plate stuff for some upcoming projects and to enjoy window shopping in the perfect weather.  One of the most interesting things about this area is you never know who you are going to see.  I walked right past Perez Hilton, on his way to some thing he had going on involving calling the paparazzi down to hang out as background extras in a TV segment for some comedy show.  I'm not at all impressed by celebrities, nothing disrespectful to them, it's just that I'm not into that whole thing.  However, one thing that I do enjoy is seeing professional models and photographers at work.  While I was shooting, I noticed another shoot going on across the street involving a model, and several other personnel.  They were just shooting on the sidewalk in public without any interference from the public and no security.  I noticed that they were using a laptop on a tripod, So I walked over to what they were using to hold it on there securely.  I walked right passed the model (they were in between takes) and thought she looked familiar, but couldn't place her.  I'm pretty up on who most professional models are and since I didn't exactly know her, I figured she must be a local model.  It turned out to be Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, one of the 2010 Victoria's Secret models, as well as a fashion/editorial/catalog model from the U.K.  She's on the cover of the Victoria's Secret Swimwear catalog, as well as in photos all over the stores.  I knew she looked familiar!  They were shooting a fall catalog for a U.K. client, and were using Rodeo Drive as the background.

I asked the photographer, named Ben Watts (Australia, New York) if I could hang around and do my thing, and he didn't mind as long as I didn't take any hi-rez shots of Rosie.  I'm totally cool with that, but other's aren't.  It wasn't long before a few people gathered, which interested more people and soon there was a small crowd.  One guy was just sapping away with his DSLR, which really aggravated the photo crew.  He had every right t shoot, because they are in public, but it's just bad form to shoot someone else's project and have it all over the net before the client even has their photos published.  I watched for a while as Rosie did her thing, walking down the sidewalk, spinning, smiling a lot, and generally just trying to get the best shots.  It was fun to just hang out and watch the pro's do their thing.  I took only one picture- of the crew- with my iPhone and the quality is so bad that I'm not even worried about getting on anyone's nerves.  Rosie is in the shaded area, but again, you can't even see her so I'm cool with it.  All in all I really enjoyed getting back to L.A. and look forward to next time I'm out there.

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Portfolio projects-

March 5th, 2010 Part of loving creative work is that you get to do stuff you like.  It's always a good idea to shoot stuff for your portfolio and just get in and create new images to show your clients.  I found this mask back around Christmas time and it brought about ideas as soon as I saw it. We went in this past Sunday and shot it with model Audrey.  She has these amazing blue-turquoise eyes that I knew would just pop through the darkness of the mask surrounding them.  I came up with the makeup design including the lip jewels, and Audrey applied it herself as she is also a makeup artist on some of my shoots.  A big part of what I do is getting into the styling of a shot.  Wardrobe, makeup, hair, accessories- everything down to the shoes I get involved in.  It's more than just setting up lights and taking the picture.  Sometimes trying to direct the model to do what it is I see in my head can be a challenge, but with patience and a positive energy it can be done.  More to come soon...

We made it on the front cover of the Dex White Pages!

February 14th, 2010. Got a delivery at the front door today.  Turned out to be the 2010 Dex phone directories with my photo on the front appearing in an ad for Gertrude Zachary Jewelers.  Man, if ever there was a photo that is making it's rounds, this one is.  Billboards, magazine ads, digital billboards, banners, pretty much any print media- it's been there.  But I always love seeing my work anywhere I can- as long as I'm getting paid!  :-)  Much appreciation.

Happy New Year 2010!

Back in town now after visiting my folks for Christmas.  It was an unusual holiday scene this year because A. my folks are renovating their house and there's no where to sit, and B. we were snowed in from Christmas Eve for the next three days and couldn't leave the house.  Instead of visiting relatives and eating a big meal, we had our dinner from a toaster oven.  Thankfully, my Mom is a great cook and was able to make even that really good.  So despite their being abandoned cars strewn across the city imbedded in snow drifts and parts of the city without power, we made it through the "blizzard of ought-nine" I call it. We did get to do some things before the big one hit, including seeing "Avatar" (my second time) which is incredible and doing some holiday sight seeing around the city.  The big thing now that I see is the new LED lights being used for Christmas decoration lights.  And somehow, these people who decorate these trees were able to damn near light every branch of these trees.  Seeing it in person is really something else.

I hope your Holidays went well for you!

What Makes a Good Photo?

Simple question it would seem. But how many times have you looked at a shot that really blew you away? Was it a certain element that did it or the image as a whole? Did you know exactly why it was great or was it one of those situations where you didn’t know exactly why you liked it- you just did? Of course the terms “good” or "great" are interchangeable according to any given individual’s taste and preference. However sometimes a “good” photo can cross boundaries and inspire almost anyone to agree that it is impressive on whatever level or perspective that they appreciate. I think that a great shot is an amalgamation of several elements occurring at once. I saw a shot recently that impressed me and I asked myself why I liked it. It was by some no-name model mayhem photographer but it was just a beautiful shot. It was of a model, doing her model thing- but I wondered if had it been an average person in the shot would it have the same impact? If her hair wasn’t styled that way? If it would have been shot in a different environment? It was just a good shot all around. The model, her expression, the lighting, the location, the hair, the makeup, the wardrobe and the photographer’s vision were all elements that occurred at the split-second the shutter clicked. One can plan all-day to put together a great shot, but if all the elements (and frequently, luck) don’t come together at the button push, you could be looking at a lackluster performance at 1/125th of a second.

It's funny to me how much my "eye" improves the more I shoot. What used to be a great shot to me a year ago now falls short. And what is a great shot to me now falls short to someone else who has more experience than me. I love to see my work through the eyes and opinions of others because it helps me to see with less "tunnel vision" why my shot might not be so great, or just that I missed the mark here or there.

How to improve your odds of getting the really great shots? Practice. Practice and knowing what elements you want to come together. Casting the right people, knowing what the vision is and how to light it. Directing those in front of the camera to perform what’s in your head. Making the photo instead of taking pictures. It’s a major factor in what makes photographers that are shooting commercially and those that are shooting as a hobby. Especially 5 years from now.

A good photo is still a good photo even if the only ones who tell you it is is your mom and your friends- or just yourself. But the shots that turn heads are the ones that just about anyone can agree that they are impressed by it in some way- or would pay money to buy it or have it advertising their business. Getting all the elements to come together when you click the shutter is the pathway to getting the shots that can cross visually-opinionated boundaries. Learn from others. Practice what you enjoy shooting. Get out of your comfort zone. Define your style. Feel free to make mistakes and just keep applying what you learn.

All great photographers sucked at one time, but I think that they figured it out, moved ahead and as a result we look up to them now. It's not impossible to conceive that many others may look up to you one day

Thanks Scott Kelby for including my idea in his book.

Back in June Scott's book, "Photoshop CS4 Down & Dirty Tricks" came out.  It's the 2nd book he's done purely on the topic of Photoshop tricks and graphic design.  I had sent him an email about doing a section on how to make fake "star brights" or lighting flair/sparkles that you sometimes see in ads and places where it looks like the lighting has reflected and dazzled a little bit.  I sent in an example of how I was doing it, but I wasn't satisfied with the way it looked.  The way I did it was somewhat cool, but not totally convincing of what a lens does when the aperture is closed down to around f22 and you are shooting directly into a bright spot.  So he liked the idea enough to include it in his book, and with the aid of graphic design super-genious Cory Barker, they dove into how it can be done more realistically.  So Scott sent me over a copy of the book with his thanks, and a phone conversation as well.  You can buy the book HERE and the trick is on page 256.  Thanks Scott for the acknowledgement.

The New Diggs!

Our new studio location!  It's a beautiful spot overlooking downtown Albuquerque right along Central Avenue.  There are several rooms, a kitchen and a full bathroom including a shower!  More pics to come once everything is set up, but for now here's a sneak peak. [gallery link="file"]

Over-retouching photos is becoming quite an epidemic.

Guilty. Been there, done that.  When trying out a new technique it's easy to get sucked in and begin applying it to every photo in heavier amounts.  It's Kinda like the Gun's n' Roses song, "Mr. Brownstone".  "I used to do a little but the little got more and more.  I just keep trying to get a little better, a little better than before."  Ok, now it's time for "Retouching Rehab".  More and more I see photos where there is way too much skin blurring, over-done eye whitening with no regard for realism at all; and the worst of all, over-cooked HDR.  It seems that someone gets a basic DSLR, a photo program and an article on how to smooth skin- and they create these Frankenstein images and start selling their services as photographers.

Now, it's understood that photography is an art form, and not everyone sees things the same way; but I'm only addressing the collective opinions that many of us share regarding techniques that are over-used.  Take wedding photography for example.  I don't do weddings, but in my opinion good wedding photos should be about the composition- the moment in time for that family's biggest day, and the bride whom has waited her whole life for it.  What I see out there all the time are boring photos that look like anyone standing around could have taken, but with the bride's face put through a blender of blur-filters and masking.  I feel that good image design is about a good capture first, and then the post-production is used to either fix problems or enhance the feel or mood of the image.  It's ok to remove some power lines in the background, or desaturate the image to convey a certain feel, just be careful not to forget about the photography part.

I wouldn't include things like digital art or compositing as retouching.  I do a lot of composite work as part of my art and services, so many hours are spent creating images that were otherwise impossible to happen.  It's just a creative thing.  However, in advertising we retouch "impossibly good" model's skin and facial or body features.  This is done on purpose, because in the advertising world there is a different psychology that makes people want to buy products and services where models are used. We make it look so real though, that there should never be anything that can be pointed out by the general public as fake or retouched.  However, I don't necessarily think this level of retouching should be used in portraits, since it's too easy to get trapped into over-doing it.  Plus, most non-professional models would very likely have their feelings hurt when they see their portrait come back looking like a cartoon character version of themselves.  They will think to themselves; "Do I really look that bad for all that Photoshop?".  Be mindful of defeating the purpose of retouching.

If retouching portraits is your thing, just try to "keep it real".  For instance, if you are shooting for a commercial advertisement, or even just for your own portfolio, avoid using a model with really bad skin in the first place.  Someone who has clear skin, but with just a few blemishes is much easier to make look good than someone who's face is going to have to be replaced.  Unless you like sitting in front of the screen for hours retouching, this is one of the easiest ways to avoid having an image come out "overdone".  The point of a good photo is that is does not look 'over-Photoshopped'.

Take a break.  Too often we get into a "must have it finished now" thing, and the more you look at the photo, the more "fixing" it needs.  If you just go to bed and look at it the next day, you might see that it didn't need anymore retouching.  This depends of course, but too many times I've finished a photo only to look at it the next day and realized that I grinded it to a pulp in post production, thinking that it needed more retouching.

The worst I've seen is the HDR stuff.  It's like a virus that gets in to every photographer who uses it and they have to keep turning up that effect more and more.  It's great if that's the "art" that they want to create, but just realize, everybody else can -and are- doing it.  Hitting the "Auto Destroy" button on every photo isn't necessarily a unique art.  I love HDR when it's done to make an image look like it did when it was taken (since cameras aren't nearly as sophisticated as the human eye), but that's just my opinion on what I like, even though I've never used it (yet).

So the next time you pick up that mouse or tablet pen to get to some serious retouching, try to think about whether or not you are helping the image, or trashing it.  The pro's know the difference, why not you?

My interview with Jason Anderson of CannonBlogger.com!

Last week I had the pleasure of being asked to do an interview with photographer Jason Anderson on his increasingly popular blog site, CannonBlogger.com .  The focus of the interview was mainly on the business side of commercial photography, with a few bits and pieces about my equipment list and lighting preferences.   We both had fun doing the interview and it went really smoothly (especially since sometimes I have a tendency to ramble).  In addition to being an avid blogger, Jason is also a very creative landscape photographer.  You can check out his portfolio and blog at www.canonblogger.com. The interview is available via podcast and also online (the title is, "Holy Hybrids- It's High Fashion!") at http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=271139084.  Thank you Jason for an interview that was more like a couple of blokes just sitting at a bar!

Photo Contests & the Acid Trip Theory

Ok, don't take this too seriously, but some people out there may know where I'm coming from.  Have you ever seen a photo that you just didn't understand or think had any ascetic value to it whatsoever, yet it won "top prize" in a photo contest? Maybe something that wasn't even in focus or made any sense at all. Or even looked like a pre-frame 1 advance exposure from back in the film days...but there it is- being awarded thousands of dollars in prizes and prestigious alcolades for it's creator. How does this always seem to happen? Is this what great photography is?  Is what most of us think of a compelling photo made up of something that the "elite society of photo evaluators" whom determines what is great and what is not would never agree with? Are these photo contests just rigged so that the judge's friend can get some free stuff and share it with them?  Well, even though I've never entered a photos contest, I've seen these same types of photos always winning.  So I think I have finally found something that makes sense.

You see, these "photo judges" usually hang out with some sort of elitist crowd. They obviously know they are supreme beings and are therefore the authority on what is "good".  These people consider themselves the "upper society" and usually take part in various "mind exploring" substances.  I believe that in their past (or even still in their present) they have dropped a lot of acid, done a bunch of 'shrooms and definitely tried some LSD while zoning out to The Doors albums deep into the night. Those experiences have left them with a new sense of vision and self-elevation that does not seem apparent in their everyday demeanor, but it's always there.

Now, when anyone who has never done acid sees a blurry, underexposed black and white photo of a stick laying on the ground, they (we) think anyone could have taken that photo and even done a better job at getting it in focus. But someone who judges photography and of course has 'been to the other side' sees the face of God on that stick. The more out of touch with anything that makes any sense at all the photo is, the more the judge "sees what no one else can" as the senseless photo "speaks" to him and tells him that "the snake is long....seven miles....feed your head....catch the dragon." Then the photo judge of course, knowing that the photographer who took it must be a like-minded genius to have known that that wasn't just a stick on the ground, but rather a representation of the universe against what is known and all that is unknown, then awards the top prize to the photo...while the rest of us observe in bewilderment. You could have a picture of the sun exploding and to a photo judge it's, "just another ordinary picture of the sun exploding". So friends, the rules of how to win any photo contest are as follows:

• Always shoot black and white.
• Always shoot out of focus or with slow shutter speeds to purposely make the image unintelligible.
• Make sure it's not anything beautiful.
• Most importantly, make sure the photo makes no sense at all whatsoever- just spin around in a circle and take pictures. Because if the photo has a subject, or makes any sense at all, the photo judge won't be able to "understand" it, and it will be discarded.

I hope this has helped make some understanding of why photo contests always end up the same way. Now, with the knowledge about how it works, you can go out and shoot dark, totally incoherent blurs- then be awarded expensive prizes and given high-society accolades. All because you know about that wonderful mind-altering drug called "acid" that the 'important people' who judge creativity use.