Joe McNally in the Desert

One of my favorite photographers is Joe McNally He's a genius when it comes to his gear, and he is so creative when using off-camera flash. He also gets to shoot some incredible subjects thus making some very memorable pictures.

This video is of a shoot he did in the Dubai desert using Nikon SB800's. If you are at all intimidated by off-camera flash, watch this video and then go subscribe to David Hobby's blog, "Strobist". It's so important to understand how to be able to take pictures using your flash.... good pictures. If you are a Nikon shooter, consider purchasing the DVD titled "Speed of Light" featuring Joe McNally. It's well worth the $25!

Kevin Kubota Actions

Just purchased a set of actions from Kevin Kubota. They will definitely change the way I use Photoshop and save me a ton of time. I chose the Artistic Tools Volume 4 and I can already tell that all those actions will be worth the money. I had taken a few shots of Brooke and Ainsley the other night at "bed time" and this was my favorite frame:

That is the original in-camera shot. Pretty good, but after sampling a few of my new actions, I chose the "Punch Drunk" action and here is the final version:

Awesome! I can't wait to continue to use more of these actions and find my favorites. Check them out at Kevin's website here.

Welcome back to Assignment Wednesday

It's been a couple of weeks so let's get back to it! This week's assignment is....

--EYES--


The eyes, the window to the soul? The tell tale sign when we've done something wrong? The eyes are so many things, and, in a portrait, I find are key to either setting it off or making it work or not.

Get out there and make a great frame! Bring it back next Wednesday so we can see what everyone did.

Frames, Edges, Templates...

I received a DVD in the mail today from GraphicAuthority.com. It has frames, edges, and templates for Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements. I have had so much fun playing with these today, and I even used one of the templates to make my Senior Portrait flyer that I'll be using to advertise this fall.

The DVD came complete with video tutorials for each of the different types of files and after watching half of one video, I had it figured out. Very easy, very fun, and very cool! Make your images stand out from all the rest. Check out their website for all the different products.

Here's the flyer I made:

Harsh Sunlight

Taking pictures in the middle of the afternoon when there is harsh sunlight can be very difficult to do, but not impossible. Last weekend while at the beach with the Jones', I shot some family portraits for them at about 5pm in the blazing hot sun. So I immediately tried to figure out how to get them or myself in some shade (so the sun wouldn't be glaring into my lens). I also usually like to have a dark background behind my subjects so I can expose for their skin much nicer. Here's the pictures that I thought were keepers:

Tamrac Big Wheels

When I first decided to start my photography business, I looked for a backpack that would hold all of my gear and my laptop. I bought a great Tamrac Expedition 7x that held everything and protected it well. However, when you put EVERYTHING in a backpack, you do NOT want to put it on your back! So... last week I sold my backpack and purchased a Tamrac Big Wheels LP2. It looks just like a carry-on suitcase but is made for cameras and lenses. It also has a spot for my laptop.

UPS delivered it today and I am more than happy with it. I can easily fit 2 cameras and all of my lenses along with 2 strobes, batteries, cards, and more. And the big thing... it rolls!!! I'll be using this bag for years to come.

Professional Prints

If you're serious about your photography, and if you're reading this I assume you are, you need to find a good printer. Walgreens, Walmart, Target, or your own home inkjet do not count! There are some great printers out there that create true professional prints and they won't cost you and arm and a leg. You'll be blown away by the products and the quality that are available to you these days.

The last couple of orders I've placed, I've used Mpix and have been thrilled with the outcome. So take a little time to search for a good printer on the internet and start doing your photos justice!