From My Portfolio: Jessaca's Bridal Portraits

Over the weekend I and three other photographers shot Jessaca's bridal portrait session in my home studio. I've been editing her images this week. I found this photo so striking that I just had to post it.

I think her gorgeous eyes are really what make this image. The catch lights from my Alien Bee strobe inside a soft box and a Westcott Spiderlite TD5 lighting make her eyes pop. The expression on her face is filled with natural wonder because I took this shot while Jessaca was watching the two other photographers set up for their next photo. She was entranced by their work, and consequently was unaware I was taking this shot at the same time. Once she realized I was shooting, her expression got stiffer, more self-conscious and those shots didn't work. But this original one does. I often like to sneak in these kinds of shots while other photographers are holding a subject's attention. I think it offers a different perspective in the overall album a client might purchase from a shoot.

Here is a different take on a traditional wedding ring shot:

Get the Job Done: Harriet and Peter's Engagement Session

My favorite shot from Kim and Michael's fall engagement session

This evening, during the Golden Hour before sunset, I will take engagement photos of one of my upcoming May wedding couples, Harriet and Peter. I'm excited about this session for a couple of reasons:

1) It will be the first one I've done for a client that will combine ambient light with off camera flash. I started charging my Alien Bee battery pack Tuesday night which will allow me to take one of my AB1600 strobes on location with me. Thanks to attending several sessions with the Colorado Strobist Flickr group, I've gotten tons of practice getting great results from a very simple, my pared down "travel lighting kit," which consists of a shoot through umbrella, a light stand, a single strobe, a reflector and two Pocket Wizards. My friend and fellow photographer Christine will be assisting me with the shoot.

Lately, I've been using my Canon 580 II used off camera with a Custom Bracket and a off-camera shoe cord. So I'm very excited to be taking my portrait photography to the next level. And I'm confident that I'm more than prepared.

2) Harriet and Peter are home bodies, so they have decided to have me shoot them near their apartment complex. One of the things they told me during their consultation is how much they love having home movie nights. I think it would be so much fun to have some outtakes while they are watching their favorite flick on their living room couch!

When I shot Kim and Michael's engagement session during the fall, I loved being able to do some storytelling images explaining how their romance began through a shared love of skiing and bicycling.



For inspiration, I spent the evening looking at great shots from the E-Sessions and Engagement Photography group pools on Flickr. I loved this series of shots from Ryan Richard:

This Weekend: On Assignment in Snowmass!

Image by ultimatetaxi.com

My boss at the Denver Post has allowed me to take vacation time next week so I can photograph the National Brotherhood of Skiers summit in Snowmass! Not only was she agreeable to the idea and understanding of the late notice, but she offered suggestions on where I could find cheaper hotel stays and appropriate ski clothing. Plus, she told me to concentrate on taking some stock photography shots so that I might be able to leverage more money from the event other than what the association is paying me.

I think I am truly blessed to have that kind of support for my photography efforts. The only thing she asked is that I finish everything I needed to get done this week so I can have an article run on Feb. 12.



I'm looking forward to this year's event because I think I'm better prepared. I feel more comfortable working with the organization's media relations director since last year's event was so successful, and the attendees will recognize me as their official event photographer from the previous summit.

Most of my equipment has been updated to models that will help me get the kind of shots I need. The Canon XTi was replaced by the Canon 5D which has proven to be an extremely sharp camera with excellent results. My new 70-200 2.8 lens will make capturing those ski races a breeze, while my 24-70 2.8 will make it easier to get great results even in low light while shooting dinner receptions, meetings and parties. A new MacBook Pro purchased last spring will help take my business mobile, allowing me to upload photos, edit them right after an event and load them to my website so attendees can view photos quicker. I've spent the year learning how to work with my Mac and I feel proficient. I also purchased an Epson P-4000 Hard Drive to upload and view photos, clearing out my memory cards.

To help make finding my photos easier for attendies, I'm going to use a tip from friend and photog Mark Hayes. Mark suggested that I create an empty gallery on my website labeled "NBS 2009" or something similar so I can have a URL that I can give to attendees. Here is the place where my photos from the event can be viewed. I will write that URL on the back of my business cards and make sure everyone has one before they leave.

I'm also planning on bringing my Alien Bee and Vagabond battery pack so I can set up some "photobooth" stations where attendes can get portraits of themselves shot. I even have warming packs to keep my batteries from freezing and shutting down on me like they did last year.

The only thing I wish I had that I wasn't able to purchase this year was a compact printer so I can make prints of edited photos on the spot. That will definitely be a purchase I need to make this year as I prepare for future assignments where I will be shooting on location away from my studio.

Can you think of anything I've forgotten or have any tips on shooting this assignment?

This Weekend: Attending MHDPS photo session

Today I am very excited about attending a photo session with members of the Mile High Digital Photography School social group. I've been pleased with the photos and camaraderie that's resulted since I created this group last year. Our membership continues to grow and our planned meet-ups are becoming more detailed and well executed.



This afternoon, we will be shooting models, including the lovely Pinay Bella (seen above) and practicing our lighting techniques courtesy of my friend and colleague Tiffany Trott. Tiffany just became a member of the North Denver Photography Studio. As part of her membership, she pays for studio time, so the MHDPS members have agreed to divvy up payment for a share in her studio time this month.

Instead of feeling shaky and unsure about my equipment, I now feel confident that I can take my Alien Bees on location with me and know how to operate them since attending a Colorado Strobist off camera flash meetup. I am loving how everything I'm doing is building on itself to help me become a better photographer. I think I get just as much excitement from learning and educating myself in new techniques as I do from the actual act of photography.

This Weekend: Attending Colorado Strobist Meetup

Shane, Kim and Branden shot at a Colorado Strobist Meetup

Tomorrow, I will be attending a Colorado Strobist meet-up. It's been a while since I've had the time to participate in one of these, and I've been looking forward to it. OpticPixelWarrior has arranged this great shoot in a new local salon called Voila. A dress designer will be letting us shoot her clothing line, while the salon plans to chip in with hair and makeup for the models in trade for photos. The studio in historic downtown Denver is housed in a cool brick building and has a great basement for interesting shots. Plus, the streets of the city should be great for shooting in as well if the weather cooperates.

Continuing my education in off-camera flash is a priority for me. While I have been learning more how to control my Alien Bees in my home studio, I still want to learn how to combine flash with ambient light on location shoots. Plus, I have the AB Vagabond battery pack but have never used it, and I've never taken my AB's outside of the comfort of my home studio.

These informal Strobist meet-ups are the perfect time for me to practice using my equipment without feeling pressure to have to satisfy anyone but myself and my own professional growth. My only hesitation is that this group is so large that it doesn't necessary lend itself to a good teaching environment. Having 35 or more photographers in the same space can be overwhelming and taxing. But my plan is to get there early and set up my equipment in a private station so I'm forced to use it!

Here is a link to my Flickr galleries showcasing photos taken during previous Colorado Strobist meetups.