f/64

The Comfort Zone

2010-04-06T09:26:00.001-07:00

The minute I walked into her home yesterday, I knew the look... Dorothy was not looking forward to our photo session. The first thing that I needed to do was to find her comfort zone. I pulled out my iPod, small Altec Lansing speaker and cued up Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66.

We started the session with Dorothy standing... then sitting on an apple box... then sitting on the floor... The images looked better with each posing change, but we weren't there yet.

Then I asked her to lie on the sofa... BINGO! Now to set the lights. In the background... The 5th Dimension's One Less Bell To Answer is playing.

First bounce one Dynalite head off the white ceiling.
Next place another Dynalite head w/a grid to the left rear of Dorothy to create a hair light.
Place a reflector below the subject for fill.
Used the shutter speed to control the outdoor light tones.

Behind the lens info:

Nikon D300 w/80-200 f2.8
1/80 f/8 @ 200 iso

Thank you Dorothy for the opportunity to create images for your new book!

Now... meet Dorothy.

About my book, and a bit of my bio:

American Fanatics is my fourth full-length book of poems, forthcoming this fall from the University of Pittsburgh Press. My poems are always illuminated darkly! This particular book, my first collection since 9/11, investigates faith and fanaticism and the fine, sometimes indiscernible line separating the two--and not just religious faith, but "secular" faith, too--the beliefs that drive our choices every day in the postmodern world in general, and in America in particular. There's a lot of gallows humor in these poems, a lot of pop culture be-bop, portraits of some of "America's lesser gods," like Aimee Semple McPherson, Joseph Smith, John Brown, and a Victorian psychic "fasting girl" named Mollie Fancher, but also dark believers like Timothy McVeigh. The title poem, "American Fanatics," was written during the second Bush administration. Here's a few stanzas:

Reading the newspaper lately,

you'd think America had been educated

in a single ray of handsome and murderous light by which we see individual belief is everything, being free.

If not now, when?

the fanatic asks.

If not me, the president says, then who?

("American Fanatics")

As I said, this is my fourth book of poems. My first book, All of the Above (1991) won the Barnard College New Women Poets Prize, and my second, The Post-Rapture Diner (1996), won an American Book Award. My most recent book, Rouge Pulp, was published in 2002. In addition to poems I write essays on contemporary poetry; this fall my article, "Baby Boom Poets and the New Zeitgeist," appeared in the literary magazine Prairie Schooner. I've won Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. Other Honors include two Pushcart Prizes, the Emily Clark Balch Prize, and the Grand Prize from the Los Angeles Poetry Festival, and I've been asked to read my poetry at the Library of Congress as well as at universities and arts centers across the country. I live in Los Angeles with my husband Phil Matero and my two sons Andrew and Dante. I'm a Professor of English and Creative Writing in the English Department at California State University, Northridge and live in Los Angeles.

Dragging the Shutter

2010-04-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

I remember this session well! Jane Wurwand, the Founder of Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institution, was getting an honor from NAWBO-LA. I wanted to create an image to show the power of women in business. A simple headshot would not do. I wanted to capture this great woman inside her workspace @ the headquarters in Carson.

Here's what I did to create the image.

-I scouted the location the day before to get an idea... see the possibilities.

-Brought a tripod to the shoot.

-Lit Jane by bouncing a dynalite off the ceiling above her head... Sekonic reading for that light was f/5.6, just a little under the ambient light reading.

-I used 2-SB 800 speedlights in the far background, triggered by Pocket Wizards to accent the area.

-Placed the camera on a sturdy tripod & clicked the slow shutter of 1/20 second.

A small reflector below the subject always helps.

In & Out - The 10 Minute Executive Portrait Session

2010-04-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

Executive portrait sessions are a real challenge. For one, they need to be quick. Yeah, it would be nice to have time to nurse the lighting to perfection. But most executives don't ever give you much time. Logistics can be an additional problem when you have to navigate through a busy metro area, like downtown LA, to reach the client.
This image is from a ten minute session in downtown Los Angeles with Jane Pak, CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter (NAWBO-LA). Navigating from my parked car to her high rise office took longer than the actual photo shoot.
Everything that I used for the shoot was inside my ThinkTank Airport International Rolling Camera Case, with the exception of a Manfrotto light stand & 32" umbrella that I carried in my hand.

Photo info:
Nikon D300 w/80-200 2.8 lens
exposure - 1/250 f/5 @ 400iso
3-SB800 speedlights
background - SB800/on floor 1/4 power pointed at back wall
fill - SB800/ceiling bounce @ 1/2 power
main - SB800/light stand mount directed into 32" umbrella @ 1/2 power
Small Westcott silver reflector on floor in foreground as kicker.

I could probably do a little in Photoshop to refine the image, but this is what came out of the camera.

Eye of the Tygress – Cherrelle Elan

2009-07-10T20:57:00.001-07:00

This blog entry started out as a look at the professional headshot. Actress Cherrelle Robinson was coming by for a session, so I asked her to write a few words about headshots and the acting life. When I got her thoughts later via email, it confirmed something that I've always felt… prepare for opportunity… see green lights where others only see red… stay on point/stay focused… never quit… and a nice headshot is a plus.

I had planned to include lighting diagrams and talk camera talk. But, I decided to use this post to talk about dreams instead. In a city like LA, I see actors giving up the dream every day. But so many people other than actors have passion, have dreams, but they don't have Cherrelle's courage. I wanted to use this post to focus on her journey and unwavering commitment to the acting craft. Hopefully, this will inspire someone... who's trying to figure out the next move... someone on the bubble... to pursue their dreams.

Cherelle Elan – My Journey to Hollywood

As with any goal I set in my life, there's always one lesson I tend to keep in mind. I believe that luck comes when preparation meets opportunity. From the age of 14, this idea has always been constant with my every success. I can remember the first time I took note of the process. When I was 14 years old, I used to watch the Miss Teen USA pageant and thought one day I wanted to compete and represent my hometown Washington, DC. However, growing up in the inner city where resources for this type of competition were not available, it was less likely this would happen for me. Nevertheless, I have a huge imagination and would prance around the house 24/7 as if I were going to compete someday.

Four years went by and over the course of those years, I was in High School.  There were these long stairs in front of the school, and I would gracefully master walking down those stairs as if I had a crown on my head. I studied communications and improved my interviewing skills in high school....all along thinking I was preparing for a career in front of the camera as on air talent in entertainment news or something, but sub-consciously polishing my skills for something I had no idea would come along in my life. Graduation night came and my plan was to prepare for college coming in the fall... that meant getting a summer job to pay for books. Though I had given up on the idea of competing in the actual Miss Teen USA Pageant, to me the graduation cap on my head was my crown...so I walked across the stage waving as if I was a pageant contestant that had won (We have pictures of me waving).   Low and behold that night one of the teachers who had taken me under her wing pulled me to the side after the graduation and said you should compete in this pageant tomorrow morning, you would do very well. At the time I didn't think anything about it. The next day I casually asked my mother if we should go...I could wear my prom dress.  She said sure...is there a fee.  There was no fee so we went...not knowing it was the actual Miss Teen DC USA pageant. It was funny because I hadn't a care in the world whether or not I would win. Strutting down that runway and answering the questions were natural to me.  Usually young girls get formal training and pay lots of money to win these types of pageants.  I believe all those years of my imagination and desire to compete in a pageant plus the constant practice in my mind of one day competing was my formal training. I ended up winning the Miss Teen DC USA title and represented my hometown on national television.

Things like this have happened in my history before, but it was this time that I remember very well in my entertainment career. There was the time my mom and I had looked at my grades and imagined what if I would graduate Valedictorian of my class.  My peers used to tease me because I would carry all of my books home from school every day, but I absolutely loved school because school was the one place I could win. Low and behold our vision came true. I was Valedictorian of my Junior High school class.  These two instances are key examples of preparation meeting opportunity in my life. I continue to believe in these examples today as I pursue acting and writing.  Everyday, I work on my crafts preparing for the opportunity that will come! It's just a matter of timing. Things will line up and I will be ready!

One more thing...I've also learned it also takes courage to jump into the unknown. I can remember getting accepted into Graduate School but not having a dime to pay tuition. I had made up my mind I was going to go regardless and the money would somehow appear. My mother had already contributed to my undergrad career and said I was on my own with this one. So I trusted myself...took out a small loan to cover my first semester...arrived on a campus I had never visited...met with the Graduate Adviser...sharing with her my situation of not having any money to cover the rest of my time there but I will graduate.  She offered me a job in the Dean's office paying $25 a week with the possibility of the position turning into a grant to cover the rest of my tuition. The first semester went by; I applied and was awarded the grant, and graduated with a Masters Degree focusing on Television/Film Management from one of the top schools in communications in the world. For me it took courage and trust in my own personal history to achieve this goal. I am truly grateful for the experience, the knowledge, the talent and strong faith. Today I have reflected on these experiences and use them as I pursue my acting and writing career. Underneath the entertainment, this is all really business. And all the exposure, commitment and preparation will eventually carry me to the opportunity that will deliver me to the next phase of this big picture--Increasing courage and strengthening faith.

NAWBO – Spotlight on Patty DeDominic

2009-07-01T14:19:00.001-07:00

Women business owners from around the globe gathered in Chicago last week for the NAWBO Women's Business Conference. One of the faces in the crowd… Patty DeDominic. She has had a long relationship with NAWBO. I have photographed her many times over the years at civic events and I have found her to be a wonderful person.

I still remember the day when I heard about her Million Dollar challenge grant to NAWBO-LA; at the time, it was the largest gift ever given to NAWBO on any level by a single business owner. I remember thinking at the time… women are doing incredible things in business... you must be doing big business to afford to donate a cool Million... Patty truly must believe in the mission of NAWBO and the potential for women in the marketplace. These are great times for my daughter and other young women visionaries. NAWBO is a great place to connect with visionaries like Patty.

My daughter attended the Chicago conference and left the city excited about the possibilities. I was truly a proud papa when I saw my baby among the ranks of greatness in Chicago.

"NAWBO has, for decades, been close to my heart and helped me in my own business success. There are many alternatives when it comes to giving, but I wanted to ensure that NAWBO's valuable work would continue and that other entrepreneurs would be similarly inspired to contribute." ~ Patty DeDominic

Women of NAWBO – Power Your Dreams

2009-06-25T14:11:00.001-07:00

Marilyn Johnson, VP
IBM Marketing
IBM has a long standing relationship with NAWBO and each conference is an exciting event. This year in Chicago is awesome!!

So many powerful, smart women are in Chicago this week for NAWBO! I had promised before leaving Los Angeles that I would post images that show the face of NAWBO. It's hard to do this with all of the back to back activities. But, I think that it is an important process. So check back over the next few days to see the power… see the brains… see the beauty… inside the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Sabrina Martin - Smart In Solutions
My business specializes in strategic planning and management for CRM and ERP software implementation and integration initiatives.

My NAWBO experience has been outstanding! The knowledge and support of the Chicago Chapter has provided me with the direction needed to be aggressive and more confident with my business venture.

Diane Sears - DiVerse Media
Diane is the NAWBO Member of the Year 2008-2009. She is a great person to be around I sure hope that I can join her in Orlando this September.

Cynthia McClain-Hill - Strategic Counsel, NAWBO National President 2008-2009

The 2009 Power Your Dream NAWBO conference is a dream event that has come
alive because of the energy of the magnificent women who are attending. The
inspirational stories, the collaborative connections, and the authenticity
make this one of the most memorable events I've ever attended.

Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."
Being around these remarkable women in Chicago has led me to realize that
all will be well in the world and state of the economy because of the
creativity and innovation represented here. The energy of the successful
women business owners inspires me to go out and do even more for my
community.

Thank you, NAWBO.

---------------------------------------------

Award-winning entrepreneur and President of Upside Thinking, Inc., Lisa
Marie Platske is a dynamic motivational speaker known for her contagious
high energy, and ability to change the way leaders approach their personal
and professional lives.

Because she believes that every enterprise rises (or falls) with leadership,
Lisa Marie helps professionals to develop an authentic leadership vision in
order to maximize their sphere of influence, and increase their
wealth-building capacity.

Lisa Marie acquired much of her leadership expertise during her years in
banking and federal law enforcement. She is the author of Designing Your
Destiny and hosts a weekly radio show and a two-day annual conference on
leadership.

To learn more, visit www.UpsideThinking.com.

Lisa Marie Platske
President/CEO, Upside Thinking, Inc.

"This is my first year at the national conference and what a
breath of fresh air it was! Attending this conference has
given me the mental authority to move my business to a place I
could only dream of. In just 2 days, I have learned valuable
tools in conquering my fear of being too successful. As a
young business owner, I am inspired by the years of shared
experience brought together in one room. This is an event
that words could never describe. The powerful affect of NAWBO
must be experienced first hand.

Thank you NAWBO

Marveina Peters-Johnson
CFO
Teresa Peters Executive Realtors, Inc.
1601 Centinela Avenue Ste. #5
Inglewood, CA 90302
310-665-1145 Office
www.teresapetersoffice.com

New Wheels

2009-06-19T17:23:00.000-07:00

My father in law used to tell me, “Boy you’re hard on stuff!” He was right. I could never pass my camera gear off on the used market as… in excellent condition… B+… hardly used. My stuff is treated like equipment. Gaffer tape is on everything!

Carrying around all of that stuff, in turn is hard on me. The best invention in my eyes would be the rolling camera case. I’ve had a few along the way. I’ve also destroyed a few along the way.

The handle on my last bag, a LowePro, broke about a month ago. So I had to get a new one for next week’s trip to Chicago. My friend, Earl Gibson spoke highly of a Tenba rolling bag that he was using. So I headed first to Google to check it out. NICE. The price was reasonable too. So I headed to Samy’s to take a closer look. It’s a nice bag. Unfortunately for Tenba, their bag was sitting next to a bag from Think Tank.

I had read about the Think Tank on the Sport Shooter site and most pros seemed to be happy with it. This bag, the Airport International, is designed to meet international carry-on specs. I should not have any problems getting it on a domestic flight. What closed the deal on this bag were the valuable built in features that protect me if I have to check the bag. I love that it has two security cables and locks, plus a built in TSA locking zipper.

I actually feel a little safer leaving my bag across the room now on assignments, because I can lock the bag to something solid. I would like to bring the kitchen sink with me on every assignment; but I can’t. The domestic version is a little larger, but I chose the smaller international bag because of changing air standards. I just never know when the domestic carry on rules could change. This bag can hold the following with room to spare.

2 - D300 Bodies
4 - SB 800 Speedlights
80-200 f/2.8
17-55 f/2.8
50 f/1.4
105 Macro f/2.8
12-24 f/4
2 - Lumedyne Minicyclers
3 - PocketWizard Tranceivers
Sekonic L-558R Meter

I have a second rolling bag made by Tamrac that gets checked. This baby is filled with lighting gear [Dynalites], stands, umbrellas and other misc. photo items. The goal with this bag is to bring helpful gear and stay under 50 lbs. I always do better work when this bag lands in the same city with me. But, if the checked stuff doesn't make it, I can get the job done with the gear in the Think Tank. The founders of Think Tank are two dudes who used to work for LowePro. I sure hope that this bag holds up better than my last LowePro. This bag also has a unique serial number, so I’m headed to the Think Tank site now to register. I haven’t used it on a job yet, but I like what I see.

Already In The Bag!

2009-06-17T21:02:00.001-07:00

Anyone with a need to transmit photos should read this post: Photographers, PR specialists, Political staffers, or anyone seeking a way to send an image that has better quality than anything possible with just a smartphone. It's probably not a good idea if your phone has no data plan. But if you have a phone with a data plan, you can do some great things on deadline without buying a broadband card, paying for Wi-Fi or even access to a laptop.

I had a terrible experience with my Sprint broadband card over the weekend @ The Hollywood Bowl. I was covering the 31^st Playboy Jazz Festival as part of the Playboy staff, and I really only needed to transmit one media image on deadline. I was really hoping to also post Twitter, Facebook & blog updates throughout the two day event. The Sprint card would not cooperate at all. So I abandoned that idea real quick when I could not get a signal.

In the end I missed a golden opportunity to place an important photo with the newswires for my client. This situation was more puzzling because I was getting decent phone service on my Sprint Blackberry; it wasn't six bars service, but I was getting calls. The minute that I got home, the damn broadband card worked perfectly!

This post is really about a workaround for this tech breakdown that I already had in my camera bag. Sandisk makes a SD card adapter that is the perfect solution. This adapter works with micro SD cards… those little cards that fit inside most smartphones. The crazy thing is that I had already used the SD adapter inside my Canon G-9 to take a photo of Kenny G onstage @ the bowl. I was able to successfully transmit that image, using my Blackberry to Twitter and Facebook. The solution was right in front of me, but I needed a little distance to see it. I bought the Sandisk product at Costco.

My Sony laptop has a built-in SD card reader. So all I had to do was copy the high rez Nikon D300 jpg from my laptop to the SD adapter card, place the micro SD card into my Blackberry and email the image. Once you put the micro SD card in and replace the battery and cover, it will take a few minutes for your phone to reboot. Nikon will be releasing the D300 replacement soon and it is rumored to have dual card slots... compact flash and SD. That will be a real game changer!

I remember the old days of seeking out a dial-up connection, and later an Ethernet connect on those occasions where I needed to transmit media images. I was in Sacramento with Mark Ridley-Thomas when he was first sworn into the California State Assembly. Media outlets on deadline were holding space for photos and I could not find a phone line to access my AOL account. I was finally able to connect through a fax line in one of the State offices. Tech has come a long way baby. Now all you really need is a smartphone and the Sandisk adapter. If you get the Eye-Fi SD card, you can upload photos directly from the camera!

I'm going to give the Sprint card another chance next week when I'm in Chicago to cover the NAWBO National Convention. I'm sure that the Sheraton Chicago will have great Wi-Fi available; but it's nice to know that I have options. I plan to upload images throughout the convention on behalf of the National Association of Women Business Owners, with the hope of growing awareness.

Mad Love for Kenny G

2009-06-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you Kenny G! You taught me a valuable lesson last night. It’s not a new lesson… But it’s a lesson that could save jazz. Know your fan and love your fan.

I’ve been at the Playboy Jazz Festival for many years, but I was not ready for your entrance last night. For those who have never been to Playboy, the stage spins like a turntable between acts. I was looking for you onstage after the amazing performance of King Sunny Ade… the stage turned and there was no Kenny G. Instead I HEARD you… Then I SAW the spotlights… Damn! Kenny G was taking the stage from the top of the Bowl. Fortunately for me, I was near the top of the Hollywood Bowl at that moment… in the cheap seats. You not only entered from the cheap seats. You performed an entire song from the top of the bowl. For once, the people in the box section had to check out the jumbotrons, to see what was going on. Once you hit the stage, you gave a very spirited and engaging performance… and the whole house was listening. You grabbed our attention and never let go.

I also owe you an apology. I guess the best way to put it is I’ve been sort of a Jazz snob. One look at my iPod and it’s evident that I listen to all types of music; Coltrane in rotation with Jay-Z, Motown, Marley, Prince, Miles and Kenny G. But I have been hard on you. Not overly hard, but you already know what I’m trying to say. The fact is, I can appreciate Herbie Hancock in all derivatives [Maiden Voyage, Rocket, Possibilities] and not question his jazz chops. But I unfairly hold you to a Coltrane/Shorter/Redman standard, while I give Boney James and so many others a pass.

Maybe, I’m hatin’… maybe jazz has hated on you because of your success. They do it in hip hop all the time! Just ask 50 and Kanye. Hatin’ hasn’t slowed the growth of hip hop though. Hate is killing jazz. I'm still trying to understand why the Jazz Bakery closed. I do know that you checked the haters at the door last night and put on a stunning show.

My first exposure to jazz was John Klemmer in college. He’s not exactly a Bebop Kat. But his music opened my ears to Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, The Brecker Brothers, Miles and Coltrane. That jazz course with Stanley Crouch was an added bonus. My journey to jazz just wasn't on the A Train... but I now appreciate everything jazz.

I guess the lesson for me and jazz is a simple one. EXPOSURE. The future of jazz was sitting in that space. It was a special night where both Wayne Shorter and Kenny G were on the same stage at Playboy. Everybody at the bowl didn’t come to hear you or Wayne Shorter. But they did, and both sets; though very different, were amazing! That is the magic of Playboy Jazz. Two days of exposure to great music. I do know that my iTunes bill is always big right after exposure to new artists at the Playboy Jazz fest. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings... already in my shopping cart. Another trip to Amoeba Records is coming soon. Alfredo Rodriguez, Esperanza Spalding and Anat Cohen are the future of jazz.

Has it really been twenty years since you last played at Playboy Jazz? It has been too long Kenny. I’ll never forget how you walked into that space and owned it. I truly loved how you paid homage to everyone in the bowl. Much respect! Very few artists can turn the cavernous Hollywood Bowl into their personal living room. You clearly know your fan.

Ready to Roll - 2009 Playboy Jazz

2009-06-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

Well the camera bag is packed, I have my stuff from Playboy... Now I'm just waiting on Saturday and the weather. It really looks kinda crappy outside today! I'm sure that things will clear before Saturday.

Saturday's lineup:

The Neville Brothers

A tribute to Kind of Blue @ 50 - Jimmy Cobb's So What Band

Norman Brown's Summer Storm

Jon Faddis Quartet

The Jack Sheldon Orchestra

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

Pete Escovedo Orchestra featuring the whole Escovedo family [including fine Sheila E].

Esperanza Spalding

Cos of Good Music

New Birth Brass Band

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Jazz Ensemble

2009 Playboy Jazz Festival – Inside the Camera Bag

2009-06-09T22:52:00.001-07:00

I will be covering the 2009 Playboy Jazz Festival this weekend at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Playboy photo crew. Peter Iovino is my partner in crime. I have covered this two day event for nearly a decade. Over the years, I have brought so many different items in my bag. I even brought remote cameras last year. The more stuff that you bring, the more stuff that you have to carry! I thought that it would be a good opportunity to discuss what will be in the camera bag this year at Playboy.

Cameras

2-Nikon D300 bodies: The DX format is ideal in situations where you need the benefit of a telephoto lens. A 400mm lens on the D300 is comparable to a 600mm on a 35mm camera. During the film days, I would bring long heavy glass to get the same results that I can now get with shorter, lighter lenses.

Glass

300 f/4: Back in the days of film, a fast super telephoto lens was a must. Over the years, I have brought the 400 f/2.8 and the 300 f/2.8 lens to Playboy. This year, my long lens is a 300 f/4. It's a great lens and it only weighs 3 lbs. The 300 f/2.8 and the 400 f/2.8 weigh in @ 6 and 10 lbs. The Hollywood Bowl is a large venue, so weight becomes an issue after the first mile. Plus, I have all access. So, I can get closer to the action, when necessary. I remember the time that I photographed Oscar Peterson @ the Bowl and all media had to shoot from an assigned spot way behind the sound board. I was shooting film then, and a 600 f/2.8 would have been nice.

80-200 f/2.8: This lens usually ends up producing most of the great images on stage. it's really almost like having a 300mm lens during the film days.

Nikon TC-14EII 1.4x: I can use this Teleconverter on both the 300 and 80-200 lenses to get a little closer to the action on stage. The loss of one f-stop isn't really a problem in the digital age; especially with the D300. Image quality at 800 ISO is outstanding.

17-55 f/2.8: This lens is my choice for crowd shots & artist shots back stage.

12-24 f/4: This lens by Tokina is made especially for DX cameras and gives me extreme wide angle coverage.

Other Gear

Sekonic L-558 Meter: I rely on this light meter to get accurate light readings. The spot meter is invaluable once the sun sets, because In-camera meters are sometimes fooled by stage lights.

2- SB 800 Nikon Speedlights: As a rule, the stuff on stage is ambient light only; no flash. The strobes are for shots of the crowd and for artist close-ups back stage.

2- Pocket Wizard Transceivers: I always bring along these remotes because I never know when I want to double light a shot. I use them in conjunction with the Nikon speedlights, but I could also use them to fire a remote camera.

Trek-Tech T Pod: This little tripod is great! There are situations where the monopod is difficult to use. This baby tripod is a great alternative.

Manfrotto 680B monopod: This is attached to the 300 f/4 90% of the time. A steady hand would be nice!

Sony Laptop, Sprint Phone card, 2-300GB External USB hard drives: Speed is critical today! A huge responsibility of the photo crew is servicing media with images; not the next day, but that day.

Here's a quick look at my workflow: Artist A takes the stage, I take a few shots and then head backstage to the computer. I use Nikon transfer to get the images off the memory cards. I then use a program called Breeze Browser Pro to quickly view, caption and tag images. The whole process is repeated for each artist.

The two matching 300GB drives are for safety. Everything that I shoot is backed up on two drives. Several years ago, after an incredible Saturday at Playboy... Wynton Marsalis & Arturo Sandoval on stage, I lost most of what I shot and did not have a backup. Lesson learned!

Once we have our selects for media distribution, I use the Sprint phone card with EVDO speed to upload images directly to outlets on deadline and to a secure online media gallery as well. Playboy publicist, Nina Gordon can then very easily access and send photos.

The most important thing in my camera bag… the knee pads! Most of the shots from Playboy are taken while kneeling on hard concrete.

Looking back at these images from 2005, most of my best shots were taken with the 80-200 f/2.8 lens. The shots of Joe Lovano & Joshua Redman were taken with a 400 f/2.8, but it was a lot of lens to carry around all day.

Super telephoto lenses aren't cheap either... The 300 f/2.8 @ $5,099.95 & the 400 f/2.8 @$8,999.95... make these lenses necessary purchase items for sports shooters only. I usually rent these items from Samy's, but the replacement cost is on my mind every time that I sit these babies down. I personally cringe during football season every time that I see a player run into a photographer on the side lines.

A message to young photographers: The one thing that I have learned over the years is that you can bring a lot of stuff or you can bring the right stuff. Size up the assignment, and then leave the dream lens or lights at home... Keep it simple. It took me a while to figure it out. My back thanks me daily!

These shot of Poncho Sanchez, taken a few weeks before the 2005 PBJF, show the Nikon 300 f/4 at work.

I'm hoping to do a few live blog updates on Saturday & Sunday from backstage @ The Hollywood Bowl and give a little more insight. I will also be on Twitter & Facebook. I get most of my breaking news info today on Twitter. So, I'm hoping to share the energy of Playboy with jazz fans everywhere via Twitter.

Playboy Jazz is an incredible event! Thanks Hef for your vision back in Chicago... circa 1959, when you gave birth to the Playboy Jazz Festival. Your baby is still packing them in.

UPDATE: Just rented a Sigma 170-500mm lens for Playboy Jazz. The Nikon 80-200 is about the same size & weigh, but the zoom ratio of this lens is crazy! it will be a real asset during day time shooting. The f/5-6.3 variable f-stop may be a problem though at night. Most of the night shots come from the stage pit anyway.

Lesson Learned

2009-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

I tried an experiment yesterday during the wedding of Marsha and Joshua… Could I share their wedding day with friends, near & far using tech? Well, I left home equipped with my Blackberry, laptop, Sprint phone card and excitement.

WEDDING LOGISTICS — the Challenges

Wedding: St. Timothy’s Catholic Church / Reception: The Sofitel Hotel, Beverly Hills

I knew going in that the church would be the X factor. Most churches have rules of engagement. Some Catholic churches are especially tough to work in. In this case, I could not use flash and I had no access to a frontal view of the couple during the service. I brought along a remote camera, but I could only place it in the balcony. It was pretty dark inside this beautiful church, so the 50 f/1.4 lens was my lens of choice. I ended up using a 50mm f/2.5 lens on the Canon remote from the balcony. I would have used something wider, if I were covering a church service there. Very few wedding couples have the deep pockets to fill the seats of a big church like this for their wedding day.

The Sofitel sits across the street from the Beverly Center. Celebrities hang out there, so hotel security was on my mind every time that I entered public areas. I get Paparazzi treatment sometimes at venues like this. Maybe, that's why the lobby is so dark... lots of black walls and tones to help the stars hide. I saw rap artist Heavy D in the valet area when I was leaving. By daylight, the hotel restaurant is pretty low key. When I left, the velvet rope was up, and bouncers were turning away people from this spot.

It’s a beautiful hotel, but cell service is pretty spotty inside. I encountered a problem uploading images during the reception and asked about securing Wi-Fi… no Wi-Fi in the ballroom. Solution… I moved the laptop closer to the window.

A quick note on ambiance: A beautiful location like Jamaica... this church & hotel are best viewed with light. Darkness, or challenging light make it really difficult for both photographers and videographers to tell the story. I used remote strobes fired by Pocket Wizard remotes to shoot most of the reception. It was still pretty dark. People in the room will remember how fab the setting was, but a dark setting will rob distant friends from sharing in the experience.

TECH CHALLENGES

I was able to post images and updates flawlessly using my Blackberry and UberTwitter to both Twitter and Facebook. The nice part about UberTwitter was the ability to geotag the photos.

I also used Tweetdeck from the laptop to post a few images. One problem… the tiny URL led to a photo of a moose instead of the wedding image that I selected. Care in typing is critical when adding a message to a tiny URL posting. I probably changed one character in the tiny URL by mistake. I had to pull that posting from Facebook quick, once I found out... Thanks Isidra!

SmugMug rocks! I had created a SmugMug gallery for Marsha and Joshua on Thursday right after our session at Manhattan Beach. I sent that link to Marsha via email and posted it on her Facebook Wall. I made sure to add a note with the posting that I would be updating the gallery on the wedding day, so friends and family could follow. During the reception, I was able to add photos quickly using the laptop/Sprint card. I added video today.

I also created a gallery on Facebook. That gallery was still empty when I got home from the wedding… nothing but problems. Java this… error that… The Facebook uploader would not work for me from the hotel. Fortunately, the SmugMug link was on her Facebook page already and it was working.

LESSON LEARNED

I knew going in that there would be a few challenges. I’m pretty pleased though with the results. I was able in the end to harness the internet and use it to broadcast emotions and images of the wedding to distant family… not the next week… not the next day… but, during the wedding on the wedding day.

I will be using this technology during June from the Playboy Jazz Festival and also from Chicago when I cover the NAWBO national convention. I plan to even use my blog to post profiles of women in business during the NAWBO event. I’m loving tech right now!

CAMERA BAG – TECH STUFF

2- Nikon D300 bodies / 4 lenses / 6 SB speedlights
1 - Canon 40D / 50 2.5 Macro
A few light stands, umbrellas, 2- Lumedyne power packs, 4- Pocket Wizard remotes, & a Sekonic meter. I brought a tripod along so that I could set up a remote camera. I also had the Canon G-9 in my bag for video. I’m not a videographer, but I thought that a few clips would be a nice touch.

Making The Sale

2009-05-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

The last time that I created a headshot for local realtor Janice Mills, the California real estate market was booming. These are very different times! The good news according to Janice… “Things are getting better for first time buyers.”

Well Janice was in need of an updated headshot, so she stopped by yesterday. Thank you Janice for allowing me to use this image to provide instruction for young photographers.

I used 4 Nikon SB 800 speedlights to create this image. The main light [1] is bounced into a small 32 inch umbrella. You still can’t beat the light quality and portability of an umbrella. The fill light [2] is fitted with a LumiQuest Ultrasoft. It’s like having a small soft box on the strobe. It attaches quickly by Velcro and fits nicely in my camera bag. I used a new item, the HONOPHOTO grid on my hair light [4]. It gives you a focused beam of light, which is the surest way to avoid lens flare from a hair or kicker light. Finally, I used a LumiQuest Pocket Bouncer on the background to provide a little subject separation.

The last time that Janice and I got together, the Dynalight light system was my lighting option. But these small speedlights, triggered by Pocket Wizards is growing on me real fast. Let's see... fifty pounds vs. less than twenty.

I’m heading to Chicago next month for the National Association of Women Business Owners [NAWBO] National Conference and I sure would love to leave the Dynalights at home.

Again, thank you Janice. Check her out if you need a local realtor. Just a closing thought... Even during the Great Depression, farmers were fertilizing and planting seeds. A new headshot... social networking... blogging... or just trying something new... can reap wonderful harvests!

Janice J. Mills

A Little Planning Pays Dividends!

2009-05-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

I photographed finance guru Mellody Hobson on Saturday at the AARP Financial Freedom Tour stop in Los Angeles. She is simply amazing to watch! More on that in a minute.

A few portraits and group shots are required at most events. The plan Saturday was to take these shots before the event in a small meeting/green room. Most meeting rooms are boring. So my plan was to find a spot close by that could work better. Fortunately just five steps outside the room was this wonderful location

It was near the pool, but private enough. There was a small overhang above the area that could work well for bounce lighting. So I first took a reading of the ambient light with my light meter… f/5.6 @ 1/60 sec. @ 400 ISO. I set up one SB800 on the ground behind the subject position for a little kick on the background. To complete the lighting, I bounced one SB800 from the overhang and had another SB800 in the hotshoe.

Sure, I could have used on camera strobe… and I could have taken the photo in the small meeting room. But I was looking for something just a little different. Plus, that option was already available in the event that my client didn’t like my preferred option. I’m sure glad that things worked out! The lesson here for young photographers is to look for other options and be prepared if they don’t work out.

Now a few words about Mellody Hobson… First of all, she is brilliant! I listened while she talked finance to an AARP group and was mesmerized by her insights and life story. Then she showed images from her school [Ariel Community Academy] in Chicago where the students are taught about finance. The results are amazing! Before ending her address, she spoke about an upcoming special on ABC, “Unbroke: Everything You Need to Know About Money,” to premiere May 29 where everyone from Will Smith to the Jonas Brothers will join forces to talk money. The most touching moment for me though was when she went into the audience to give hugs to a few people. Smart, beautiful and down to earth.

The AARP Financial Freedom Tour – Next stop NYC on May 9, 2009

Passing the Baton

2009-04-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Harper will be a great photographer! He stopped by for a visit today that turned into a training session. This brother is thirsty for knowledge and his future as a photographer is bright. At moments, I felt like the water foundation in the Jane Pittman Story kicking knowledge about lighting to an incredibly receptive student. It feels good to give back... to pass the baton!

He simply loves the work of Matthew Jordan Smith, one of the premiere fashion photographers & master lighting technicians. Hopefully this lesson will get Jonathan a step closer to his dream of becoming a fashion/beauty photographer.

This image was achieved with 3 SB 800 Nikon speedlights. The main light is a light stand mounted SB 800 with a ring flash adapter attached. I don't know the brand, but it is something that I picked up at Simon's Camera in Hollywood. The ring flash was big during the 60's in fashion photography. It has been making a comeback lately. It's not the type of light source that I would use every day. So dropping nearly two grand for a Profoto ring flash was out of the question. My model costs under $100 and attaches to a Canon or Nikon speedlight.

I attached a SB 800 with a LumiQuest Ultrasoft to a light stand for the background light. It was probably a foot from the background. I wanted to add a little kicker/rim light to Jonathan's left side. So I added a SB 800 with a Gary Fong Lightsphere attached and pointed it directly at his left ear. I bought the Lightsphere about a year ago and have struggled with finding a use for it in my bag. Many photographers are big fans of this product. I find that a rubber band & business card work pretty well most of the time and take up so much less space.

I normally try to place the main light at the ten O'clock position in the subject eyes. In this case, I placed it a little lower to compensate for the hat. I used 4 Pocket Wizards to trigger the flash units.

Nikon D300 105 2.8 Micro Nikkor f/11 1/250 sec. @ 400 ISO

When Downsizing Hits Home

2009-04-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Big companies are not the only ones downsizing. Changes in airline policies have made me rethink what I bring to assignments.

I have been in the photography game for a bit. I remember when film sensitivity was measured by ASA not ISO and most professional photos were created with film stock that was rated at 100 ASA or below. Light requirements were different then as a result. I had big heavy lights in the studio — Speedotrons and Normans and I lugged around a big Norman 200B for anything outside the studio. Film quality improved by leaps during the 80’s & 90’s… Fuji 800 ISO revolutionized both wedding and concert photography.

Nothing has changed the photography landscape more than digital capture. You can now shoot at high ISO settings and create astonishing images with perfect color balance and low noise.

I still have the Normans and Speedotrons and they do come in handy for those assignments where I can bring the kitchen sink. But there are very few assignments where I need or can bring that much firepower.

I have used either White Lightning or Dynalight strobes for most of my studio and location work in recent years. Both systems are pretty light in weight and have been great options for out of town assignments. The Dynalight kit with three heads [stands and umbrellas] weighted under 45 lbs. and was my go to system to take on flights.

All of that changed a few months ago when fuel prices went through the roof and airlines found a way to stick it to us. My only worry had been making the strobe bag weight less than 50 pounds so that I could check two bags [clothes & strobes] for free… now I had to examine the cost of paying for two checked bags.

The solution to my dilemma was already in my rolling camera case… speedlights. Once you take the speedlight out of the hotshoe, you can do virtually anything. I already had three Nikon Speedlights in my case… light stands, umbrellas and Pocket Wizards to trigger the lights. So I made a decision to downsize lighting gear where possible or when necessary.

I used 2 - SB 800’s to create this image of actress Trisha Mann. The main light was bounced into a white umbrella and the background light was placed inside a Lastolite HiLite background.
Nikon D300 17-55 2.8 f/8 1/250 sec. @ 400 ISO

I used 3- SB 800’s to create this image. The main light was bounced into a white umbrella. I used one light to create a highlight on the Westcott background and pointed another light at Trisha from the back to create a little more separation. I completed the shot by placing a silver Photoflex LiteDisc below Trisha’s waist to bounce some of the umbrella light back into her face.
Nikon D300 105 Micro Nikkor 2.8 f/8 1/250 sec. @ 200 ISO

Trisha has been a friend for about a decade now. She is currently on tour with JD Lawrence’s play The Clean Up Woman with Christopher Williams, and Jackee Harry. Thank you Trish for helping me with this project.

This image was created last night at the screening of the HBO documentary THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT: “The Memory Loss Tapes”. I needed to take a photo of filmmakers Shari Cookson & Nick Doob, and I was concerned about lighting the dark poster while avoiding crazy glare. The main light was bounced into a small white umbrella and I used the hotshoe mounted SB800 for fill light.
Nikon D300 17-55 2.8 f/5.6 1/125 sec. @ 400 ISO

The Memory Loss Tapes, the first part of THE ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT, a four-part multi-platform documentary series, debuts Sunday, May 10 (9:00pm).

This final image was created on Saturday at the California Science Center. Multiple strobes can really help with panel discussions like this Science Matters panel moderated by NBC4’s Conan Nolan. Large conference rooms are normally pretty cavernous and dark to allow for PowerPoint presentations. I used two Sb800s here… One was on camera and the other was placed at the opposite end of the panel table… both were bounced from the high ceiling.
Nikon D300 17-55 2.8 f/4 1/80 sec. @ 800 ISO

Finding The Light

2009-04-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Great photography is about finding the light. We sometimes just happen to be in the right place at the right time. At others, we can simply move the camera or subject position to improve the light. However, there are times when you are stuck in a less than ideal lighting situation… One where you can’t change the time of day or subject position, and you still need to produce professional results.

I knew that I was walking into that type of situation for a photo assignment this morning. I needed to photograph the Kaiser Permanente executive leadership team in front of the new hospital complex on Sunset at 7:30 am. An overcast day would be great. A bright sunny morning would be a problem, because my subjects would be looking almost directly into the sun.

There are times where you just need to have the right tool. It was hot as heck in LA yesterday, so I knew that overcast skies would be unlikely. I packed the gear pictured above for the shoot. It’s almost like taking a studio on location.

White Lightning X800 monolight/Vagabond II battery pack - both made by Paul C. Bluff… Heavy duty Manfrotto light stand… Pocket Wizard Plus remotes to fire the flash… a white umbrella.

The sun was beaming this morning as expected. I set up the light so that the umbrella would block the sun from hitting the faces of my subjects. The battery pack [25 lbs.] and my camera bag [20 lbs.] were attached to the light stand to insure that the wind would not topple everything. The Manfrotto light stand can handle the weight with ease and it has large knobs that work well as hooks. I can fire up over 500 shots per charge with this rig at full power. So it works well for location shoots.

Exposure details: Nikon D300 17-55 2.8 lens F/8 @ 1/250 sec. 100 ISO

It would have been nice to have a white reflector and assistant today. The reflector could have been used to the right of my subjects for fill lighting. Or, it could have also been used camera left as a scrim to block the sun from hitting their faces... thus allowing me to move the umbrella a little more toward camera position. But there are limits to what you can do on the streets of Hollywood before needing a permit to shoot. Short and sweet works… in this situation… done in less than five minutes.

The new KP Los Angeles Medical Center is pretty special inside. Click here to see some of the images.

Thank you Hutson for taking the shot of me down on my knees. Man, I need a haircut... or should I say gray cut!

Mad Love for Tasha Mack!

2009-04-13T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have had mad love for Wendy Raquel Robinson for over a decade… I was on a photo assignment in the mid nineties that brought me to the Amazing Grace Conservatory. It’s a school in South Los Angeles [translation: the hood] that Wendy had co-founded with the late Tracey Coley. Lela Ward-Oliver, editor at the Herald Dispatch newspaper, convinced me to visit AGC. They were rehearsing that day for a production of The Wiz. The minute that I walked in, I knew that it would be hard to leave. Wendy, Tracey and Denise Dowse were doing something with our youth via performing arts that was very necessary.

Well Tasha Mack is still there today working with our kids… and making a difference! And she's doing it all... without ego... on hot summer days with loud antsy students and no air conditioning... with memories of Tracey and the support of industry friends like Denise... committed to service.

There are three reasons for this posting; The Game, The Los Angeles Black Business Expo and The Amazing Grace Conservatory production of Sarafina.

The Game: Wendy sent out a plea early last season when the show was moved to Fridays… please watch The Game. The show needs our support now more than ever. Please visit One Million for the Game and let them know that you love the show.

LA Black Business Expo – May 1-3 @ LA Convention Center: Wendy once again serves as the celebrity spokesperson for the Expo. Join her if you can at the Expo.

AGC presents Sarafina!: The young people at AGC are back with another wonderful production. The show runs in May for only two weekends @ the new Los Angeles Theater Center and trust me, this is a hot ticket! Erin Washington [daughter of my good friend Rene Washington] is playing the lead. I'm so proud of you Erin!

If you get a chance, please show Tasha Mack aka my friend Wendy Raquel some love!

When Silence is Golden

2009-04-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

The first time that I worked on a television/movie set as the unit photographer, I learned one lesson real fast… Silence is Golden. Once you hear the word “Action”, noise will get you in big trouble. No matter how quiet you think your camera is in normal situations, it’s too noisy on a film set. That’s where the sound blimp comes in.

The Jacobson Sound Blimp is the industry standard. This is how they describe it on their web site:

“A housing for professional 35mm Canon and Nikon cameras which effectively eliminates the noise created by their operation. Silencing is essential in areas where extraneous noise cannot be tolerated or would prove distracting; i.e., motion picture and television sound stages, theatrical plays, surveillance, wildlife, and sporting events such as golf.”

At one time, I would rent the blimp from Samy’s Camera in Los Angeles. In Hollywood, blimps are in short supply; especially on the days that you need one. So I broke down and actually purchased one to fit my Canon cameras last year.

There are occasions where you can get by without a blimp. One situation would be on an outdoor set where you can shoot from a distance. Another would be on a set with multiple takes and scene rehearsals. I have used my pocket size Canon Powershot G9, set to the silent shutter setting with great results. But, if you plan to work regularly as a unit photographer; buy a Jacobson blimp.

These images are from a piece created by Starz to capture the impact of the Obama presidential victory… through a montage of twenty-eight celebrity interviews. Black actors came… one by one to a studio in North Hollywood to relive November 4, 2008.

Most of these sessions lasted thirty minutes… no rehearsals… really, no retakes. So, a blimp was critical. I was joined on the set by a host of celebrities… Hill Harper… Dule Hill… Regina King... Eddie Griffin… Tisha Campbell-Martin… Meagan Good… Taye Diggs... Lauren London... Columbus Short... and familiar faces behind the camera… Jasmine Simpkins, Producer… Darryl E. Smith, Camera… and Ulysses Porter Brown, Director.

If you haven’t already seen it, check out Starz - 11.4.2008: The Day of Change.

Some of the most memorable moments for me during the taping did not make the final cut. But you can only include so much in a twenty minute edit. All in all, I was moved by the final piece.

Away from the set, a blimp can also be quite useful. It really helps when photographing panel discussions where you have an intense audience. Most people are not accustomed to seeing one so prepare for lots of questions.

I plan to use it in a few weeks when I photograph the Amazing Grace Conservatory production of Sarafina for my friend Wendy Raquel Robinson.

NAWBO - Women in Business: The Quick Portrait

2009-04-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

A great portrait can happen anywhere.This image was created at the 2007 National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Women's Business Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Neeti Dewan is a business owner from Los Angeles. I have worked with the Los Angeles chapter of NAWBO for several years and this was my second year working with the national office.

Anyway, I knew Neeti from work in Los Angeles and I saw an opportunity to create a powerful shot of a woman in business. Conference days are long for everyone. It would be tough trying to plan this in advance. It was kismet! She was moving quickly that day from one session to another and I seized the moment.

The hotel was beautiful… lots of light filtering down from the atrium… and a ceiling overhang just above her head that I could bounce light from. I set my on-camera SB800 flash to manual and pulled out my light meter to take two readings; one for the ambient light and the other for the strobe. 1/60 sec. @ f/5.6 – 400 ISO would give me an image that recorded detail in the background while providing flattering light on her face. I always have a silver reflector with me which I placed just below her waist… if you look close, you will see the reflection in her eyes. The whole session took less than two minutes.

The 2009 NAWBO Women's Business Conference is in Chicago. I’m looking forward to creating more images like this.

Click here to see a few images from the 2007 NAWBO conference.

When Nothing Else Comes Close

2009-04-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, nothing else comes close to a macro lens. Sure, most point and shoot cameras have a macro like setting. And some camera kit zoom lenses have a macro mode. But try photographing a coin or flower up close. I have a macro lens for both my Nikon and Canon systems. I used the AF105 Micro Nikkor 105mm 2.8D lens on my Nikon D300 for this shot. It is my go to lens whenever I want to photograph detail shots of flowers, rings and intricate dress details at weddings. It also serves as an unbelievably sharp portrait lens. Most women will shoot you though if you use this lens, because it gives up too much info.

I use the EF50mm 2.5 lens on the Canons for close up work. The 50mm length can be a problem though when you need a little distance between the camera and subject position in close up photography. One such situation would be when you are using studio lights and are trying to avoid shadows on the subject area. Another would be when you are trying to capture the subtle bead work on the brides dress in front of the groom who looks like Hulk Hogan.

Macro photography is a wonderful way to experience new things in photography! Every day items look very different up close. I'm still trying to capture a close up shot of a bee in the garden out back.

Both lenses are great to have in low light situations, like concerts... sports events... dark churches... almost anywhere you need a fast lens. Especially those occasions when they give you the "no flash pictures" speech.

The next time that you are trying to show the bling in the jewelry or get close to nature, go macro.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Bunny Time!

2009-04-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I photographed the Playmate of the Year luncheon at the Mansion for Playboy. The bunny session today with little John was quite a bit different. I don't think that my mother brought anything like this for me at Easter. But I had some sharp suits back then for the big Easter Sunday program. I still remember going on stage and forgetting most of the little speech/Bible verse that I had practiced to recite. Those were good times at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Los Angeles where my Grandfather [Rev. J.E. Evans] was the Pastor.

I photographed Gennie and John's wedding and now get the opportunity to photograph their journey. I love it!

Photo tip: When photographing babies, a tripod is a great tool to have. Primarily because, you have to do stupid stuff... make faces... bang stuff on your head to get genuine smiles from babies. With the camera on the tripod, you don't have to worry about framing the shot and you can just maintain eye contact with the subject. My head hurts a bit now, but I love the results!

The Executive Portrait Session

2009-04-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

They make money the old fashioned way… they earn it! I have been working with The Ladera Group creating executive portraits for several years. These Smith-Barney investors are like most other busy executives. Time is money! So, portrait sessions have to be quick, but good.

Our session yesterday was done in maybe fifteen minutes max. Executive schedules are crazy, but this was the first session on a day that would take me from Torrance to Cerritos to Pasadena in unpredictable Los Angeles traffic.

I created this blog as a place to share photographic insight with photographers of every level. Plus, many of my clients sometimes need a pro but can't afford one. With a little planning, the shot with horrible shadows can become a keeper. So this is the first posting.

The most important tip, for any photographer is to take control. The photo location is really a huge factor in creating great images. Stop… breath… and then look around. Why take the shot in a place with bad to horrible light, or less than ideal background when you could move to a better spot?

The Smith Barney office in Torrance is like so many other offices… space is expensive, so the conference room is normally the only place to shoot. There was a spot on the second floor of the building that presented a much better location than the conference room. Perfect! White ceilings that I could bounce light from and a look that really said business; now, could we use it? Since September 11, security teams in most business towers will quickly stop you from taking photos. Get permission or move fast!

Once permission was granted, I set up two lights, bounced them from the ceiling, took a meter reading with my trusty light meter and was shooting in ten minutes.

I want to thank René Nourse, CFP®, Carl Davis, CIMA®, and his son Kyle Davis for giving me the opportunity to create the image and to share it here on my blog. Hopefully this posting will come to mind the next time that you are about to snap the shutter.

Ninety-Seven Never Looked So Good!

2009-04-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

John Levy is a NEA Jazz Master and legend… has near total recall… and he can stylishly rock jeans and classic converse sneakers. Happy Birthday friend! Yesterday’s visit was long overdue. My schedule is crazy and LA traffic is bananas, but I truly enjoyed every minute spent with you guys. I want to thank both you and Devra for the signed copy of Strollin’ A Jazz Life Through John Levy’s Personal Lens. It’s one thing to read about your career… to walk into your home and see gold records hanging on the walls beside pictures of Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson… to be with you in New York as jazz royalty saluted your life and achievements.

Then I opened the book! Wow! Seeing jazz… your clients… historic figures…and history… through your lens… P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S! Personal shots of Jackie Robinson... Duke Ellington... Soul to Soul in Ghana... Monterey Jazz... thank you for this! Hopefully you will like this portrait... my gift to you.

Have a good time Saturday… Happy Birthday!

At The Feet of a Jazz Master

2009-04-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, I followed a ninety-three year old legend to New York City for a historic event...The NEA, or National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters induction ceremony. At the time, my father-in-law was on his death bed in a Los Angeles hospital. My father-in-law had been hospitalized on numerous occasions, but I did not think that he would die while I was in New York.

I was truly excited about the trip to NYC with the great John Levy. His name is not new to jazz purists. He started his career as a jazz bassist – even played with Billie Holiday. Most know him though as the greatest jazz manager ever. A quick visit to Wikipedia or Google should explain my excitement.

To be in New York City surrounded by jazz royalty – Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Billy Taylor, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner… at the feet of a Jazz Master… John Levy. Another highlight would be spending time in the recording studio with Nancy Wilson.

News of my father-in-laws passing came during the special NEA Jazz Masters luncheon. It was truly a bittersweet moment. It was tough losing a man who had become my father. Yet I was in New York, placed in a unique position to bear witness to history from behind the lens. Leo, my father, my friend, knew that photography was my passion, so I hoped that he would understand.

Tears for my father-in-law flowed freely at one point. I was in the recording studio with Nancy Wilson while she recorded Billie Holiday's “I’ll be seeing you.” If you know the song, you will know why. "I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places..." Anyway, she too had lost a good friend earlier in the week... the great Lou Rawls. So we shared a tearful moment during the studio playback of the song. I love Nancy Wilson!

John turns ninety-seven this weekend and I wanted to send birthday greetings and to thank him for an incredible experience in New York. Let me pause for a second... ninety-seven... God is good! I just spoke with Mr. Levy and he is about to go into an interview. The legend only grows!

Black Awards Shows

2009-04-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my daughter brought a stack of 4x6 prints to me that she had stored in her room. I’m still looking through them as I write this because they bring back so many memories. Most of the images are of Black celebrities in the late nineties when I was covering tons of Black events. Two of those images are posted here.

The first image was taken at the Brotherhood Crusade office. I had gone there with my friend and fellow photographer, Michael Riddick. At the time, he was the photographer for Brotherhood. Whenever he had a big job, I would help him and he would in turn help me when I had some big event.

The whole Death Row Records family was coming to the Brotherhood office that day and he wanted to be ready in the event that Danny Bakewell, CEO of the Brotherhood Crusade, wanted to take portraits. I had brought along my studio lights and backdrop and set up everything in Mr. Bakewell’s office.

What a day! Tupac, Snoop, M.C. Hammer, Daz, Michel'le and of course big Shug… the whole Death Row crew was there. The late L.A. gang peacemaker Darren 'Bo' Taylor was also there with a whole group of ex-gang members from his group Unity One. They were all there for a press conference to announce a benefit concert. It would be kind of like WattStax and it would take place that year in September at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

After the press conference, at least 50 people were crowded into Mr. Bakewell’s office for a meeting between Death Row and Unity One that was extremely heated at times. Tupac was the smallest dude in the room, but talked the most ish. Some of the ex-gang members were bigger than Shug. The situation grew more tense with every Tupac word. I was expecting something to jump off at any minute. At that point, most of my studio and camera gear was on the other side of the room. I credit 'Bo' Taylor with keeping things cool that day and for making it possible for me to leave with all of my equipment in working order.

Maybe two months later, Tupac was dead. What’s extra strange; Tupac wore that same white suit in the "I Ain't Mad at Cha" video where he raps from heaven. The planned concert never happened.

The second image was taken at the Soul Train Awards. Luther and Whitney… man those were good times! This was long before WireImage. At that time, publicists at every Black awards show made sure that Ebony/Jet photographer Bill Jones had a front row seat. So if you happened to be sitting there, you had to move. In all honesty, most white photographers only covered our awards shows if our biggest stars came out. Getting in Jet was special then. So every A-list Black talent stopped for Bill. Black talent really had a special relationship with black media back then.

These two images are connected in a way. I really think that the death of Tupac, and later Notorious BIG, changed how mainstream media covered Black events. Before their untimely deaths, most mainstream—White photographers stayed in the press room at Black awards shows for that shot of Whitney, Janet, Halle or Denzel. Afterward it seemed that White photographers were bumping Black photographers from the press room so that they could build their archives of Black rappers or anybody that might show up on a police blotter.

I do miss the Soul Train Awards. Most of those shows were taped for later broadcast. So you knew that in covering the event, you were in for a very long night. But I loved seeing the parade of beautiful, talented Blackness. Thanks Mr. Cornelius for the memories.

Tulip Season

2009-04-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Almost every spring, you will find me in search of tulips... my favorite flower. Descanso Gardens in La Cañada, California is a great spot to get a little exercise and photograph beautiful flowers. When all else fails, I head to the flower mart in downtown Los Angeles.

HBO Brave New Voices

2009-04-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Russell Simmons brings another program to HBO starting this month. I covered the Los Angeles Premiere of Brave New Voices last Wednesday night on the Warner Bros. lot for HBO. Celebrities on hand included Russell Simmons, Eva Pigford & Lance Gross, Stan & Sanaa Lathan and Bill Duke.

Brave New Voices chronicles the teenage members of poetry slam teams from six U.S. cities as they compete in regional competitions that culminate in the annual Brave New Voices National Slam competition produced by Youth Speaks.

The 7 episode series debuts Sunday’s 11PM ET/PT beginning April 5 on HBO.

Simmons, the father of hip hop, paused for a minute on the red carpet to take a photo of the theater marquee to post on Twitter. Brave New Voices… Brave New Technology… news is getting out now long before the newspapers and magazines even get notice... R.I.P. old media...

IPhone Envy... Blackberry Reality

2009-04-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

I love my Blackberry Curve! But like many Blackberry owners, it’s tough to love it in the presence of an IPhone owner; especially when they are doing phone tricks… watch my phone do this… zip zip done! Well much respect to all IPhone owners.

I added a new theme… free theme to my Blackberry today, and I love my Blackberry even more. Plus, I added the Opera Mini browser. It allows me to access sites that I could not view securely on the traditional Blackberry browser. Is it an IPhone? No. But I’m happy! Click below for more info.

Blackberry Theme - http://rogersmj.com/design/bphone/
Opera Mini - http://www.opera.com/mini/

Old Dog - New Tricks

2009-04-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

Long gone are the days where you can exist without some elements of new technology in your life. I certainly remember those times before digital image capture, cell phones, debit cards and the internet. Getting off the sofa to change the TV channel or flip the LP on the turntable... being tethered to a corded phone conversation... arriving at the bank with a check only to find closed doors... typing a school paper with very limited typing skills… So much has changed!

This old dog has added Facebook, Twitter & now Blogger to the tool palette. Facebook has been great so far; because I have reconnected with so many lost friends. Twitter is still a little strange for me. I'm sure that the beginning here at Blogger will be slow and goofy, but I hope to make this a place where you can come to go behind the lens and behind the man.

I love photography and have been fortunate enough to find sustained opportunity. God is good! I hope to use this venue to share stories and images from my archives. Plus, things are sometimes on my mind and I need a place to share.

This image was created for the 2009 Los Angeles Black Business Expo. I have been working with BBX for nearly a decade. It all grew out of a friendship with Rene Washington, the graphic designer and Isidra Person-Lynne, the BBX communications wiz. I vividly remember driving the streets of Los Angeles one day... looking up to see the first billboard image that I shot for the Expo... wow! It was something that I hadn't imagined in my best dreams. Since then, I have created several billboard images for the Expo. My friend, Wendy Raquel Robinson, has been featured on several of those billboards. This year, she is joined by a few students from Amazing Grace Conservatory; a school that she founded with the late Tracey Coley.