Olivia - Fairport HS Senior Portraits

Olivia was the first of this year's model reps. in the studio for the upcoming HS Senior portrait season.  While I had alot of high school athletes come through the doors of the studio last year, I wanted everyone to know that there are many more looks that can come out of the studio.  This is why I requested that Olivia be one of the studio's representatives this year.

Digital Photo Restoration

A client that I had done portraits for two years ago came to me with a beat up photographic print of his wife's parents that they wanted restored.  It was the only print of this photograph that the family had, and it was a treasured heirloom.  They were from South America, and although the print only was estimated at 50 years old, it was hand-colored, textured, black and white print.  They wanted the retouched print to be as close to the original as possible.

The print had various amounts of surface damage, but had no major tears or missing pieces, which significantly increases the level of difficulty during restoration.  But because the print measured at least 11x14 inches, it was also too big to be scanned all in one piece, so that notched the level of difficulty right back up there.

Photographing Beer

I recently started photographing various trademark beers for Fairport Brewing Company, a local microbrewery.  Although all the foods and beverages that you see in magazine and television advertisements look deliciously steamy hot or refreshingly cold, nothing could be further from the truth.  There is an art to making month-old, cold hamburgers look lip-smackingly good.  And in this post, I’ll show you what makes you want to dive into room temperature, flat beer.

With the exception of some English beers that are preferable served less than cold, most beer is served cold, so that is what advertisers want you to see and crave.  But again, what you see is rarely what it really is.

Curling is "Chess on Ice"

Stones in the house

The Rochester Curling Club held a free hands-on curling demonstration at the Fairport Junction ice rink in the Village of Fairport over the weekend.  I’ll admit, I’ve been intrigued by the sport…often referred to “chess on ice”…after watching it on the Olympics three years ago.  “Just how hard can it be?

18-Mo. Old Toddler Photos

Every once in awhile, you see a child and think, "She must have everyone she meets wrapped around her little finger."  Mattingly is one of those special children.  She's an adorable 18-mo. old little flirt who recently came in for her third visit to the studio.  

Lighting a Gymnasium for Sports

Nikon speedlight, battery and wireless sync

When HS seniors that are athletes come through the studio for their senior portraits, I like to support the teams they play for.  During this time of the year, I am fairly active with winter sports.  Because a large majority of the HS seniors that came through the studio this year were athletes, I find myself out many nights or weekend mornings at boys' and girls' basketball games, hockey games and wrestling matches.

Even thought modern SLR cameras work extremely well in low-light conditions, I am not thrilled with the quality of light that most high school gymnasiums provide, so I like to supplement the existing light with my one.  This does two things: 1) help stop the action; and B). helps to add definition to the athletes, depending on where the lights are placed.

DIY Bare Bulb Attachment

This attachment is meant to expand the capabilities of your shoe-mounted flash by giving it the appearance of being a bare bulb, which spreads light in 360 degrees, not just in the direction the flash is pointed.

You can buy similar attachments that cost upwards of $100 or more that do the same thing.  I made this one for about two-and-a-half bucks and maybe 15 minutes of time.  You do the math.  Then go spend that saved money on something worthwhile, like a couple of new games for your X-Box.

10 Resolutions to Keep This Year

Forbes magazine's web site has an excellent article on new year's resolutions.  And not the ones that you've already abandoned by the 2nd week of January.  These are resolutions that will likely make you more efficient and successful in 2013...or any year, for that matter.

Ten Resolutions The Most Successful People Make And Then Keep

Hand-Built Video Dolly

Finished Video Dolly

Now that I have a digital SLR that will record high-definition video, I want to take advantage of it and produce video pieces for my clients.  However, as most photographers know, the shape of dSLRs does not always enable steady hand-held use, and if you want to introduce intentional camera movement, most results look like they came from the cutting room floor of The Blair Witch Project.

This has spawned a whole new-fast growth industry in accessories for video dSLRs that allow the photographer/videographer to get better footage with motion effects, which add impact to the resulting video.  One such accessory is the video dolly, which allows the camera to be moved laterally in a smooth motion.  Like any new cottage industry, the prices of said accessories tend to be outrageous.  And as many of my peers will attest, said author of this blog will likely come up with a unique, hand-built, inexpensive solution that will operate at least as well as its over-priced brethren.  My peers have dubbed me “MacGyver” and it is a moniker that has to be earned…and it is not just thrown around like a party favor.  Here is my story...and my honey of a dolly.

The Hall Family Portraits

One of my new favorite families called to have a family portrait done with their four kids over the Thanksgiving weekend.  This weekend is one of the busiest travel weekends of the whole year, and it also brings some of the most family portrait requests, because all the grown kids convene back in town to eat turkey, give thanks for what they have, and watch and argue over football.  The oldest of the kids in this family lives and works in NYC, two are in college, and the youngest is a senior in high school, and came through my studio once already this year for her senior portraits.  That's when I met and started really liking the Hall family.