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Mallory + Tim
I’ve known Mallory for a couple of years now. She worked as a barista at my second home and is one of maybe 3 people on the planet that knows how to make a Caramel / Irish Cream toddy latte exactly how I like it.
It was a sad, sad day when she left the Meadowlark Coffee shop.
However, what wasn’t a sad day was her commitment ceremony to her beau, Tim. And I was more than happy to act as their photographer for the day.
The entire ceremony and reception took place at a local park and had a very informal and loose atmosphere. Midway through the festivities, Mallory and Tim gathered everyone around and explained how much they meant to each other and vowed their commitment to one another.
Despite it being about 9 billion degrees out, it was a fun afternoon.
I wish them both the best… but I miss my lattes.
A Henna of a Night
Mallory proudly displaying her hand and chest designs.
Last night was a fun first for Studio Orange. I had the opportunity to photo some henna work for a commitment ceremony. (Incidentally, I’ll be shooting the ceremony, too, this Saturday.)
Henna is a form of temporary tattoo made from a plant. The dried, milled and sifted leaves of the plant are combined into a paste which is then applied to the skin. The paste dyes the skin, with the dye becoming darker the longer the paste is left on. Once removed, the stain is left behind and will remain for several days to a couple of weeks (depending on the strength of the batch).
With careful application, very intricate designs can be made, as you can see here.
Pictured here is Mallory and what she was after was some fun designs to compliment her personality. The application of the henna took several hours, with designs on her hands, chest, back and feet.
All in all, it was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the next opportunity for non-conventional photo sessions.
Henna application by Samantha McCulloch.
4 Reasons To Order Prints From Your Photographer Instead Of Going To Walmart
This shot of Brian and Pam was printed in their Press Printed wedding album, a product Studio Orange offers.
“Why should I order photo prints from you when I get good prints from Walmart?”
This is a question I’ve been asked from time to time.
Studio Orange includes a disc of digital image files with all photography packages. Along with this comes the permission to use the prints for personal use, which includes printing. This allows clients to easily obtain prints from a wide variety of vendors, including inexpensive options such as Walmart and Walgreens.
Even so, Studio Orange also offers print products and encourages clients to consider that option.
One point I want to make is that many of the inexpensive options out there actually give you pretty decent prints. They generally use good photographic quality papers and high quality printers. For an average size print, framed and displayed on a wall, most people won’t notice a huge difference between a Walmart print and a higher-end photo print. However, it should be understood that the inexpensive options do create some limitations.
With film photography, the process of making a print required using chemicals to transfer the image from the negative onto photographic paper. This wasn’t so much a “printing” process. A better way to think of it was that it “embedded” the image onto the paper and it created a relatively durable, nearly waterproof result. For example, you can clean an old photo by very carefully using a slightly damp cloth.
Inexpensive photo “labs” don’t follow this process. They actually print your image onto photo paper using an ink jet printer not entirely unlike the one you maybe have at home. Granted, the printers used at the labs are much higher quality, but the fact remains that the process is the same. If you’ve ever had a drop of water fall onto a printout you’ve made, then you’d know exactly what would happen if one of your Walmart prints got dirty and you tried to clean it.
So with that said, here are 4 advantages to ordering prints through your photographer, versus going a less expensive route:
Advantage #1: Real Photo Prints.
The photo lab that Studio Orange uses actually has a process to create a digital negative from digital image files and chemically develop this onto the photo paper. In other words, the prints are made nearly just as if they were from a film source. No ink jet printing involved. The result is a much more accurate and durable print.
Advantage #2: Experience.
Caleb needed photo prints to submit for an audition. Studio Orange provided prints that were high quality and durable.
Companies such as Walmart and Walgreens simply don’t have the need to hire photographers or imaging specialists for their photo departments.
Their employees merely need to be trained to operate the machines and handle the orders. If there is a problem with the way an image prints (the color is way off, for example) it’s not likely that these employees will know how to solve the problem.
This is why I very much value the relationship Studio Orange has with the print lab. They actually do have imaging specialists on staff and they review every file for potential problems. If they see issues, they can communicate this to make sure that every print looks as amazing as possible.
Advantage #3: Variety of Products.
Inexpensive labs sometimes offer additional products. They can fairly easily assemble your photos into a simple calendar, for example. However, they simply can’t offer very high-end photo products like canvas prints, multiple paper options, press printed albums, or even specialty or extremely large sizes.
Advantage #4: Any Photo Can Be Printed.
There are just some images that inexpensive labs won’t print. If a boudior package is ordered, for example, many inexpensive labs will reject making any prints of risque photographs. In fairness to them, their reasoning makes sense: they can’t really control whether or not other customers will see the prints as they are being made.
So there you have it. While Studio Orange happily accommodates clients’ desires for inexpensive prints, there are some valid reason why more professional options should sometimes be considered.
Not Your Normal Images…
One of coolest things about photography is the ability to experiment with the images. I love trying out new things when taking the shots, and I also love playing around with the images in post-production. The best situation, though, is having a clear idea of what I want to try produce and having it involve the entire process.
My planet photos are one example. They aren’t something to try on a whim, especially because I like to include an additional twist of combining multiple exposure processing.
To take a planet shot, like this one, I have to find the right location. In this instance, I’m on top of one of the parking garages in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska.
Then I have to find the right spot in that location, and I need to make sure that everything around will fit within a frame. For example, I don’t want the tops of buildings cut off. It also helps to have the right conditions on the day. I’ll be taking multiple exposures in a 360 degree rotation, so the skies should be relatively calm and I can’t really have a lot of people or vehicles moving around.
I have to calculate how many images I’ll need to go all the way around.
Finally, I have to take the shots quickly so I can maintain as much consistency in the environment as possible.
And all of that is just half of the process. After the shots are taken, they need to be processed, then stitch into a panorama, and then “warped” to create the “planet.”
Planet shots like this one are some of the most time consuming images I create, but the results are worth it.
The next step I want to take this is to incorporate a portrait into the planet.
I have grand plans for a bride and groom standing on a tiny planet. It will just take the right couple willing to experiment and, perhaps more importantly, enough time on the day of the shoot to set it all up.
Another technique I’ve recently started to play with also involves a bit of planning, the taking of many shots, and then combining those shots into one image.
It’s a technique “invented” by another photographer, Ryan Brenizer, and the end results can be magical.
Last weekend I went on a shoot with a couple of my favorite models, bellydancers Morgan and Hallie. We decided to venture into Wyuka Cemetery, where some of the really old grave markers make for a lot of interesting backgrounds.
Since I’ve shot with the both of them quite a lot, I have a little bit of leeway when it comes to asking them to indulge my experiments. They agreed to let me set each of them up to try out the “Brenizer Method.”
The image of Morgan featured here was the result of stitching 78 images together.
Yes, you read that right. 78 photographs.
Each image was a close up. So, for example, one shot might be just Morgan’s head and shoulders. The next shot might be her shoulders and mid-section. And so on. Each of these 78 images were then stitched together like any other panorama, except instead of creating a wide vista of some landscape, it created a full-body portrait of Morgan.
Morgan was a champ and did her best to hold still for the shots. However, it didn’t really take as long as you might suspect.
I can’t say the same thing for stitching the images together, though.
Why would I do this, you ask? Because there’s simply no other way to get that amount of dreamy background blur in a normal full-body portrait like this. Had I pulled back far enough to get this same field of view in one shot, the background simply wouldn’t have been as blurry.
To me, there is something about narrow area of focus that makes this technique so magical. It’s an impossible image to achieve in just one shot. And for me, that end result is well worth any time spent.
I just wanted to share a couple of the specialty techniques that I love to play around with. I don’t always have time for endeavors such as these, but when the opportunity presents itself, I like to include surprises like these for my clients whenever possible.
A Senior Trifecta
My sister is going to be a senior next year.
It’s a doubly surreal thought. My brain is conflicted with, “my little tiny sister is going to be a senior!!!” and “wait, how in the heck do I have a sister young enough to still be in high school?!?”
Anyway, I knew that I wanted to take her senior photos for her. So to that end, I planned my annual summer trip to Colorado around that plan. I also told her to let any of her friends know that I’d be around and we could book some sessions for them, too.
Now, here’s what I’m thinking when I came up with this idea: I’m thinking that I’ll have about a full week in Colorado Springs. June always has fantastic weather, so I can therefore spread out whatever sessions I book over the time that I’m there.
Now, here’s what really happened: I wound up having only 4 full days in the Springs. It rained 3 of those days. And I booked 3 sessions.
I’m not new to long days of photo sessions. However, generally, it’s only on one subject. A wedding for instance. Sure, there’s a lot going on, but you’re in the mindset of that one couple and their event. This, on the other hand, was three totally different people. Three totally different personalities. And one day.
Not only that, but the only day.
It’s not like I could schedule reshoot should something go wrong. It had to be right the first time. But, hey, I love a good photo challenge.
As it turned out, the day was a blast. My sister, Kim, and her boyfriend, Joey, started off the day. We went on a hike, braved freezing cold mountain stream waters and generally had a great time. Then we took a brief break and met Kim’s friend Alex downtown for her session. We found some great spur of the moment locations and then finished off the day with a great meal at Jose Muldoon’s.
All in all, a pretty good day.
Here are a few sample shots:
Alex - Senior Session 2010
Joey - Senior Session 2010
Kim - Senior Session 2010
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Agree totally- i ordered some portfolio prints from a large chain processing lab and they were all out of focus- when i complained the staff did not know anything about focusing or how to correct the fault. Grant