From Start to Finish...

A few posts ago I mentioned that I had done the final Critique of the Advanced Lighting Class at Ivy Tech here in Indianapolis.  Great group, but one thing that I found myself saying again and again is that sometimes the shot doesn't come easy.  I was reminded of that recently when I did a shoot at Ichiban Sushi restaurant on the South Side of Indianapolis about two weeks ago, where I just couldn't get the shots that I wanted.  It was taking work.

Canon 5D Mark II, 250ISO, Canon EF100mmF2.8Macro, 1/50th@F9.  Single 580EX Set to 1/8th power through a 16" Fotorosa Softbox from above right the plate, with a single 580EX Speedlight set to 1/64th zoomed to 105mm hard light from the left side of the frame.  Both lights fired by Pocket Wizard Plus II's. 

Speaking of taking work, a lot of talk has been going on about New Years Resolutions lately.  Definitely something worth working on, but only if they are in the right mindset.  By that I mean, the resolution shouldn't be to buy a new car, or to improve yourself with purchases.  I take new years resolutions as a statement to truly improve yourself with actions.  With that being said, I'm planning on improving myself a few different ways this upcoming year.  Last year, my goal was to work on my photography business outside of the Indianapolis Star Newspaper group.  While that is a continuing goal, I was pleased with my progress.  This year, my goal is to A, become a weekly blogger again, and B, to work on more personal work.

Personal Work? Fwaa?!?!?!?  Yup, personal work.  Photos that I go to take or make just for myself.  Without someone telling me or paying me to do it their way.  That may not seem important, but it's much more important than photographers may realize.  I have gotten more clients based on personal work that I have done, than any commercial job that I've worked.  People want to see what you do for youself, and what you put the most passion into, and that's what I want to focus on.  Putting the passion back into making the pictures that I want to make.

It's not to say that I am not passionate about what I do, as the video I'm posting on this blog will show.  As I said in the beginning, sometimes you have to work at getting the shots you want.  Very rarely do the shots come immediately, or easily.  The video below is every single shot from the shoot that I did with Ichiban.  Nothing has been edited, or left out.  You'll see me play with white balance, lights, composition....all of it.  Just goes to show, that sometimes you've got to mess things up, just to get them right. More Soon.



(Don't mind the crappy music, Royalty Free is what it is...)

Year of the Restaurant...

We just celebrated our new year, but not everywhere in the world celebrates the same way. The Chinese for example, have a Lunisolar new year which means that the date isn't the same from year to year, as well as that they hold a celebration that lasts 15 days. The Chinese also name their years with an astrological sign, which is slightly different than our own. This year I believe is the year of the Tiger for them. For me though, this feels like the year of the 'Dining Guide' so far...


(Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 200ISO, Canon EF100mmF2.8Macro. 1/50th@F8. Single 580EX Speedlight set to 1/16th power fired by pocket wizard through a 15" softbox shot over the back right of the food perpendicular with the table. Single 580EX Speedlight set to 1/4th power shot into a 32"Translucent disk as a reflector to the left of the food and wine against the wall. Cloudy Day White balance)

So far I've shot 5 restaurants for dining guide this week. Haven't had a string like that in a while. Not that I haven't had other things to do, but dining guides are relatively easy. I shot that earlier this week, you'd never believe that was a restaurant in a strip mall so I guess I either got something right; or something went horribly wrong. It's a place named A2Z Cafe in Indianapolis. Food seems pretty good although I've never actually eaten there. Shot there plenty of times though. Nice group of people, never mind going there.


(Canon 5D Mark II, 250ISO, Canon EF 16-35mmF2.8L@35mm. 1/30th@F5.6. Single 580EX Speedlight set to 1/8th shot through a 42" Umbrella from above the right of the cheesecake about 5 feet back, 60" white reflector with another 580EX Speedlight set to 1/16th to camera left for the main fill light.)

That wildly colorful piece of work is from the Tye Dye Grill, also here in Indianapolis, and also shot earlier this week. I can definitely tell you there's awesome food at this place over on the east side. Am planning on making my way back for some of this cheesecake too. I'll make sure to take my eyeglasses off or blindfold myself or something so I don't go blind with the crazy colors. This is also a location with some awesome people, for which they never seem to be not busy. I was surprised that they didn't have a line outside waiting to get in when I got there before they opened. I've never seen it not busy in this place.


(Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 100ISO, Canon EF 100mmF2.8Macro, 1/200th@F13. Single SB-580EX to the left of the yogurt set to 1/16th zoomed to 105mm hard light directly at yogurt. Second 580EX speedlight to Yogurt right set to 1/16th power zoomed to 70mm. The yogurt was sitting on a white reflective coffee table giving it a natural glow using the white styrofoam cup.)

That's not from this year, but it was a favorite of mine. I had no idea what I was walking into when I entered the yogurt shop that day. Sometimes walking into these stores or restaurants I get wild foreign ladies screaming in demon tongues at me shaking their fingers either because I'm a minute early or a minute late, that my hair is too short, or not short enough; or that my camera looked like a contraption to steal the souls out of space age grape nuts. What? Usually they are excited and just telling me what they want me to do, not realizing that I don't speak whatever it is that they are yelling. I speak Duh really well, but freaky alien? Didn't get that merit badge.

Funny part was that the shot I pictured isn't what she wanted. She was exceedingly happy with it though so I can't complain. Especially for a shot that only took about 10 minutes to plan and execute. Favorite kinds of shoots, the easy ones.


(Canon 5D Mark II, 200ISO, Canon EF 100MMF2.8Macro, 1.50th@F7.1. Single 580EX speedlight set to 1/8th through a 15" Softbox to the right of the plate. Left fill from Window light, White Balance at 7900 Kelvin.)

And now I'll end where I started, except a bit out of order in the grand scheme of all things food. Breakfast foods are some of the prettiest foods because of all the colors. Much more colorful and nice than things like Pad Thai, or a burrito. Those suckers are tough to shoot. Strawberry pancakes though? That's a favorite for sure. Don't know many people that wont' eat em. I personally find that breakfast food looks best with that slight orange tinge, like the warm morning sunlight. More Soon.

Eatin Time...

So it's been a while since my last post, and I'm sure that most of my already very modest readership has already found someone that can at least spell their own name correctly. If not, that I shall attempt to correct my spelling in the slim and nill free time that I currently enjoy as most of my time at the paper consists of shooting custom work. Custom work being Advertising, Marketing, internal video, and other various things. Shoots at 7am on Sundays, 5pm on Mondays, the bar guide requiring that I go to the bar when it's open at 10pm and so on and so forth. As I've said in the past it's one of those strange awful things that I sort of enjoy though. I'm not sure I would be able to survive sitting at a desk for 8 hours every day, and I hope that it doesn't come to that, but if it does my hopes are that I'm doing something cool like designing xbox games or reviewing those addicting flash games you find on the internets.

Right now though I am sitting at lunch, which I made for myself. My culinary skills are greatly eclipsed by that of a 8 year old with an easy bake oven; despite the fact that I worked at a restaurant while I was at Purdue. So really I thought this might be a good time to update the blog, enjoy my microwaved hamburger, and say a thing or two about photographing food that actually looks as good as it tastes.

(Nikon D3, 200ISO, Nikon 28-70mmF2.8@70mm, 1/60th@F9. Nikon SB-800 Speedlight fired by pocket wizard set to 1/2 power to camera right shot through a 32" Translucent disk. Nikon SB-800 Speedlight fired by pocket wizard set to 1/4th power fired through a 42" Translucent disk)

The shot above is from when I was shooting for billboards and Menu's for a restaurant bar in Indy named Lulu's. A friend of mine was the chef, and another friend was the GM and they thought I'd be able to get some nice stuff for them. Gladly I didn't disappoint myself, or more importantly them. Also made a nice print of that shot for the chef, who had it framed for his mom. (Nothing is a greater compliment to a photographer than framing one of their photos and giving it to your mom. Awesome.) I don't remember what the food up there is exactly, but I remember eating some of it at some point or another too, and it was outstanding. Most of the stuff that I end up shooting ends up tasting outstanding though (I actually get to try it sometimes). If it wasn't outstanding, they wouldn't feature it......know what I'm saying?

(Canon 1D Mark II, 100ISO, Canon 24-70mmF2.8L@64mm, 1/200th@F7.1. Single Dynalight 400JR fired bare bulb from front camera left, set to 1/4th power fired by Pocket Wizard. White 60" reflector to camera right for fill.)

Shooting food at the paper has always been somewhat Trial and Error for me. I've made lots of mistakes, and continue to make them every time I go out to shoot. Flared lights, mis colorings, omlets, and even more. I make a mess no matter where I go, as anybody who has seen my desk at the paper (or at home) would know. Food is one of those things to shoot though, that is similar to jewelry in that way where you can take absolutely forever to do it, and you can be outlandishly deliberate about the styling. Unfortunately I am not afforded that kind of time at the paper, and usually someone eats the food I shoot when I'm done. I can't say the same about the shots you see taken for McDonalds, Burger King, or any other fast food joint. The food may look amazing, and taste that way as well; but if you ate the burger they photographed? It would kill you....

(Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 400ISO, Canon 24-70mmF2.8L@45mm, 1/50th@F5)

The most destructive I am to the food that I shoot, is poking at it with a fork, cutting it up, maybe leaving it a little under cooked, or just down right re-arranging it. Otherwise, it is all edible after the fact (unless you are allergic to the germs of my fingers poking at and or playing with the food). If I know someone is meant to eat it afterwards I'm usually pretty good about it, but there are other times when I absolutely destroy the plate, and my clothes after the fact. It never did sink in not to wipe my hands on my pants after playing with my food. Or maybe I'm not supposed to play with my food in the first place? I don't remember. Sorry mom....

Anyway, As I mentioned to begin with I've been crazy busy since I got back from Canada. Lots of video actually. Shot for a band named Youthguard at the beginning of the week, and there is a super cool behind the scenes video being put together for it. Doing a new Metromix road-trip series as well, which has been fun thus far albeit time consuming. Tomorrow I've got one of the largest shoots I've ever attempted during the day too. I've got a battalion of zombies that have to be made for a photo for the 2010 Roller Derby Calendar. So long day tomorrow. To end on the food note though, I leave you with a slightly different way to view food. More Soon.

(Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 400ISO, Canon EF 100mmF2.8Macro, 1/50th@F4.5. Single 580EX Speedlight from directly overhead set to 1/16th power shot hard light right at the top of the food, fired by off camera cable.)