Epiphany!
I have never been a big fan of shooting portraits in a studio, and last night it finally hit me why. At our monthly OC Photo Club meeting, we had a themed photo shoot in a studio. I was working with a group of photographers on lighting setups and ratios, when it hit me. Studios are the perfect environment to create a perfect photo. You have complete control of light, and last night we had beautiful models, talented hair and makeup staff, and compelling wardrobes and sets. Basically everything you need to create a perfect image. Yet every image I took wasnt perfect and that, for some reason bothers me. But when I take away the desire to create a perfect image, I love photography. At the end of the night, as we were tearing down equipment and people were packing up their gear, I grabbed Jamie, one of the models and took her outside. It was 9:30 at night and in the parking lot of an industrial complex where the studio is located, I placed Jamie in front of a wall, in an area that was lit by an ugly security spot light. I knew it would be a grainy image because of the low light, and the color of light sucked but I knew it would look great in black and white. This, in my eyes, is a perfect image. One that is void of perfection, yet completely soulful and moody.
Debra Says…… (About an Engagement Session)
We met Fabiola and Rich near their Orange County home for their engagement photo session. What a cool, fun couple! Confession time. I love these engagement photo shoots. It is an interesting phase in a couples lives. They are no longer dating, but not married. Let’s face it, weddings may start out to be about the couple, but they end up being about everyone else. Usually there are social and religious customs that dictate a wedding.(which is special and sacred) As much fun as wedding planning can be, it is a bit stressful too. The engagement photo session is just about the couple. Capturing them in this in-between time is beautiful to me. It is a chance to see them, as few people get to see them, and to record those moments forever. Fabi and Rich chose a couple of different spots for their session, including the Montage in Laguna Beach. They were relaxed in spite of the chilly wind. They were laughing and smiling and just, adorable. Chris likes to get to know the couple more during these sessions, and they get to know him. That is important, since at your wedding, your photographer will stick to you all day, it should be someone you feel comfortable with. I am lucky to get to witness these moments. Thank you Fabi and Rich, see you at your wedding! xo Debra
MDA of So Cal
In the mail yesterday, I received a card from the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Southern California. They were thanking me for spending a couple of hours taking photographs at the awards luncheon they had with the Central and Southern California fire fighters for raising money for the annual 2011 MDA Bootcamp.
Brian and the Roadster
January 1, 2012
I am supposed to be working on a post about my favorite images for 2011, but I thought it would be easier to blog about my favorite photo from 2012. This is actually the only photo I have taken, after 12 hours into the new year, but I think its a good start. On a beautiful 80 degree January 1st, we took the bike out for a ride and met Brian. Brian had rolled into the parking lot of the Lookout, a popular stop for bikers on Ortega Hwy overlooking Lake Elsinore, just as Debra and I were finishing lunch and getting ready to head back down. Debra couldnt help but take some photos of his 1931 ford roadster. And when I say roadster, were talking the good kind. A dirty, grungy, greasy frame with wheels, and engine, a gas tank strapped behind the drivers stadium style seat, and an old soda bottle wired to the radiator for overflow. I couldn’t not engage this guy and introduce myself. I love the goggles.
Michigan Trip 2011
My favorite images from a recent trip
Ainia
I have rekindled a relationship that had fizzled out for a while. It is with Ainia, my 2003 SV1000. Now Ainia isn’t the most popular kid on the playground. She is a little heavier, and not as advanced as others in her class. She isn’t quite as fast, or as pretty either. And she doesn’t respond as well as others do. Its not her fault, she was built that way. Even when introduced in 2003, there wasn’t anything new or state-of-the-art with her. Her front end was taken from her sportier little brother, the 80′s cruiser round head light screams uncool, and the chrome mirrors mounted on top of the motocross style handlebars tell everyone she’s the last one picked for kickball.
I don’t care, none of those reasons were why I adopted her. Its her heritage that attracted me. Her engine was originally in the TL1000. Now this was a beast of a machine. Often referred to among riders as, “the Widow Maker”, this bike was discontinued by Suzuki due to what the manufacturer said was “handling problems”. So they tuned the engine down a bit, slapped it in a new aluminum frame, bolted on the other essentials and sold it as the SV1000.
She has a mere 110 horsepower, but she also has 100+ pounds of torque, which means she goes like stink when you turn the throttle, regardless of what gear you’re in. Roll the throttle long enough in first gear and a small rider will find the front end leaving the ground. Even a blip at 4000rpm’s in 2nd is enough to lift the front end of the bike with my fat ass on it. Keep on the gas and the front lifts higher as the back wheel tries to get in front of you.
And her big V-twin engine sounds really cool and pisses off the neighbors if I let it warm up in front of the house too long, thanks to the barely legal decibel rating of the aftermarket exhaust pipes I installed.
That being said, Im getting older, don’t heal as fast, and have more responsibilities. So I handle her with kid gloves. Ainia will run if I push her, but its no longer a race, its a journey.
Now there were a few years that Ainia didn’t get much attention. Photography had become my “thing to do”, so going for a ride became less interesting. Then, a couple months ago, Debra showed up at my house with the new motorcycle helmet she bought.
It took a couple outings for me to get reacquainted with Ainia, and for me to become accustomed to having a passenger, but now it is great fun. Ainia was born in twisty mountain roads, and her predecessor was a track star, so she is most at home leaned over in a sweeping corner. I like to lean the bike a little more than I need to with Debra on the back. I can feel her trying to be a compliant rider but if its long enough a sweeper, I feel her start to get nervous and try to fight my lean angle. Debra is just enough of an adrenalin junkie, that I think she likes the hint of danger. And when I get on the gas, charging well past the posted speed limit, passing slower traffic on a 2 lane highway, I can almost hear her squealing with joy.
Gold Mine!
So Debra says, “I want some apple pie”. An hour later she is at my house and I am packing my camera bag and we are off to Julian, California for pie. Its real easy to get to. Drive an hour south to San Diego, hang a left, and drive another hour. So we arrived and had some pie and coffee, and decided to check out Julian, while we were there. Walking past the town center we found a “things to do in Julian” map and decided to check out the local gold mine. It was awesome! Complete with a grizzled old prospector whos family owns the gold mine, and that gives the better part of an hour walking tour, stopping periodically to explain in great detail the whys and whats involved in an 1800′s gold mine. It was great but I was less interested in the gold mine, than I was in the workshop located just outside the mine entrance. I looked in the open garage sized door to see amazing collections of very old tools, and other gadgets, old and older, that may or may not have been used in the 1800′s mining process. I didnt care, it was dirty and rusty, and simply beautiful. I asked Mr. Grizzly if I could take a couple pictures in the workshop. He replied, “Why would you want to take pictures in here?” I smiled and said with no pun intended, “Its a gold mine!” We finished our day with a walk through a very old cemetery, a great bbq lunch, and a trip to the pie house with the best reviews found on Yahoo, for a couple of to-go pies, and headed home.
Debra Says…… (About a Family Shoot)
Last week we went to Laguna so Chris could do a family photo shoot. I got to go along as the ILS (Intelligent Light Stand). We found a new location that had nice rocks and easy access. The family was so adorably California, that the little bit of New Jersey left in me, started to hurt. The two little sisters were 5 and 2. That is a really fun age for kids. Getting both girls to look at the camera was the trick. The little one was amazed by the waves and the birds, and her big sister. The older sister, Lauren, was a natural at posing and at coaxing her sister to look at the camera. Singing “Dora the Explorer” seemed to help get everyone smiling, including grouchy old me. It is always fun for me to watch Chris work. He has a plan, but is flexible, adapting to the area and to the subjects of the photo shoot. Quick too, which is handy since the tide was coming in and trying to get all the gear. (although he did check the surf report and it was supposed to be low tide at the time of the shoot) We moved around the area taking over 300 photos in different spots and poses. The whole time Chris was coaxing the kids, and making the parents smile. As bossy as Chris can be (and that is really bossy) it seemed more like he was having fun than working. There was a real connection with the family. I occasionally get to snap a photo of him doing his thing. It makes me smile, because he looks happy, in a bossy sort of way.
Violin Performance
Tomorrow night my boy has his 2nd violin performance. So I thought I better hurry up and post some pictures from his last performance. (Way to wait forever to share dad!) I guess I dont have to take any pictures tomorrow since he will be wearing the same white shirt. (he and I both have 1 polo shirt and 10 t-shirts in the wardrobe rotation.)
