Photo #12 Holiday Preparations

I had to do a holiday themed picture for this post.  It brings back memories of childhood for me.  I used to love cleaning the pumpkin "guts" out.  Funny, when we grow up, it just seems a mess.  Where does that creativity and joy of discovery go.  Take some time this weekend to squish some pumpkin guts in your fingers and be a kid again.

ISO 200, 1/60 sec f5.6  lit by an sb28 strobe and umbrella, 7feet up, behind camera.

Picture #11

Picture #11   Today I just decided to use a simple portrait.  I was shooting a bunch of these portraits, and really liked this one.  I like the harsh side lighting and subdued color. 

ISO 100  1/20  f2.8  28mm lens,  natural light, handheld.

Photo #10

Photo #10 of my Challenge.  For this one I wanted to do a still life, but not a bow of fruit kind of still life, something that reflected me and would be of interest to me.   I decided to shoot film!!!   I wanted to pay homage to the medium I learned on and all the hours and hours (and money) I spent shooting, developing, printing, and hunched over a light table looking at slides through a loupe.  The setup was a white seamless background I have made from some bathboard I bought at lowes.  I used two 500watt photoflood studio lights to light it.  The first was placed to my left and behind the film.  It was about a foot above the table.  Its job was to light up the bakground, illuminate the slides, and give some nice shadow detail on the front.  The second studio light was just to the right of the camera and back a couple of feet.  It was about 8 feet high and shining down.  I wanted this fill light to be less bright, but still give some detail to the front of the objects and bring some detail to the shadows.  The camera settings were ISO 100, f16 and 1/8 second, tripod mounted, incandescent wb setting.


In photoshop I made a duplicate layer, removed color from the top layer, erased that layer from the slides revealing the color base layer below.  I then bumped up contrast saturation, etc... to get the look I wanted.

Hope you enjoy the picture as much as I enjoyed making it.

#9 Semifore Flags

I love the color of these flags against the dark blue sky.  The breeze gave the flags a nice sense of motion as well.  I used a circular polarizing filter to darken the sky, then punched up the saturation, and contrast in photoshop.  I also cloned out a couple of additional cables which I found to be distracting.  Overall I love the colors in this shot.  ISO 100 f5.6, 1/500

Photo #8 Zebras Stripes

I love the pattern of the zebras stripes.  I did a bit of touch up in photoshop with contrast, removed the color, burning in shiny spots, etc...  great background I think.

Details  ISO 100 1/60 sec, f2.8,  lens at 200mm

Photo #7 Old tall ship

We took a harbour cruise on an amphibious vehicle on Sunday.  While out looking at the sealions and such we saw this tall ship coming into port.  I have always loved sailing ships, and especially the old tall ships.  When I shot this photo, I knew right away what I wanted to do with it in photoshop, I wanted to make it look like an old time photograph.  I think it turned out well.  Notice the sailors in the rigging along one of the top yard arms?

Details;  ISO 100,  Exp 1/1000, f5.6  70-200mm f2.8 lens at 200mm

Photo #6 Don't monkey with him

Saturday we went to San Diego zoo, and I found this wonderful male colubus monkey.  I spent a good ten minutes waiting at his enclosure for this shot.  He had been yawning, and every shot I got just wasn't right, until I got this one.  It turned out great.  Not such a cute cuddly little monkey now, is he???

Details;  ISO 100  exp 1/200 sec f 2.8,  lens at 200mm  manual exposure.

Photo #5 Starry Night and Palm Tree

I started this evening out shooting the lights along the bay, then the moon behind a palm tree, when I had an idea for this shot.  Just as I was getting set up, Carrie came to the door and told me it was time to go, I only had time for one shot.  This is a classic one shot challenge.  It would not be easy working with long exposures and two very different lit areas.  I did manage to get one shot, (and only one shot) and it turned out perfect. The palm tree was lit by our small porch light.  Possibly one of my favorite pictures.

Details: ISO 400,   Exp 30 seconds, f 3.5  lens at 18mm, all settings in manual.  White balance incandescent.

Photo #4 Sleeping beauty Castle

I had spent the day at Disneyland friday, and wanted a picture of the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle.  I shot this with my 18-135mm lens set at 24mm lens, used a Nikon circular polarizing filter, aperature of  f4 exp of 1/4000 sec. ISO 200.

Photo #3 Pumpkins

I thought since it is almost Halloween, I needed a pumpkin picture on my blog.  I shot this one at the pumpkin patch here in Corona California.  I used bounce flash off of the top of the tent.  I had on my Nikkor 18-135 lens exp 1/25 at f 5.6 Flash on manual 1/4 power.

Photo #2 of my Challenge, Playing With Light

Today I found myself in downtown Riverside California at night.  This time over on University avenue at the Thunderbird Lodge.  Those who know me, know I love shooting old travel lodges and motels,  I find them fascinating and fun.  Long before all the hotels and motels were the same, they had character and were unique.  The neon sign at the thunderbird is one of my favorites, and I had been wanting to shoot it for some time.  But I didn't just want a plane picture of the sign, so I started playing with the light.  I used a 2 second exposure and while the image was exposing, I would zoom the lens out.  This is what gives it the look it has.

ISO 200, exp 2 seconds, f 16, manual exposure Nikkor 18-135 lens soomed out durring exposure.

Photograph #1 in my Challenge.

This is the first of 365 photos I will post over the next year in my personal challenge to develop my creativity and skills as a photographer.  For my first shot, I decided to go to downtown Riverside California at 11:00 at night, and brave the weirdos to get a few shots of town by evening light.  My first stop was the Chinese pavillion.  I knew with the wonderful cloud cover, I wanted a long exposure to give the clouds some defenition and color.  I used an off camera flash about fifteen feet to the right of the camera, about seven feet high, set off with a radio slave.  ISO 200, Exp. 25 seconds, f11  28-105mm Sigma lens at 28mm.  Manual exp, and focus.

One a Day Challenge.

I have challenged myself to creat one new photograph per day that will challenge my creativity and develop personal growth in my photography.  I will do this for one year straight.  365 photographs.  I will share info here on my blog on how its going, and how I took each photograph.  I hope to develop myself, my skills, and my creativity over the next year, and I hope you all enjoy the pictures I create.  Please leave comments if you like (or dislike) certain photographs.  Check back often to watch my skills develop (I hope).
Thank you for coming on this journey with me.
--Shane--

Jessica and Victor Trejo Wedding in Anaheim California.

I had the honor of being hired as the wedding photographer for Victor and Jessica Trejos wedding this past Saturday at St. Michael's in Anaheim California. It was a beautiful day, and a wonderful old church. The bride was beautiful, and the groom was Suave and cool. After a beautiful ceremony, the party moved over to "The Place, salon para fiestas". There was wonderful live music, food, and fun for the entire wedding party.

I would like to thank Gabriel Mora, and Jenna Armstrong for Second shooting for me. They both did a wonderful job, and are extremely talented photographers which I was fortunate to have helping me out.

Thank you to Victor and Jessica for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful day and to help record their memories of their wedding day.

Trejo Wedding in Anaheim California this Saturday.

I am excited to be shooting the Trejo wedding this Saturday in Anaheim california.  They are a great couple, and this shall prove to be a big wonderful Mexican style wedding.  Stay posted to the blog, I will post pictures from the event as soon as I can.