Ten Years
September 11th, 2011
Yes, it’s been ten years since everything changed. But you know that because there has been way too much about it in the “news.” I don’t want to add to that cacophony. But it does warrant a mention.
I was working for the Air Force on that day, at a major command headquarters. I spent that night in an underground command post helping coordinate the Air Force response around the country. I’ll never forget the events of that day or that night of worry, fear and confusion as we tried to figure out what had happened and who had done it.
And I’ll never forgive those in positions of trust who have exploited the events of that day to further their own political and personal agendas.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Instant Julie and a PhotoShop Rant
September 9th, 2011
Like pretty much everyone else who has been doing photography for any amount of time, I’ve worked from time to time with Polaroid instant materials. “Back in the day” I used Polaroids to check lighting and exposure when working with strobe lighting in the studio. The digital equipment we use these days has completely eliminated the need for that. I also used Polaroids for fun. I have several cameras that can take several different kinds of Polaroid film. But Polaroid film is pretty much a thing of the past. Yes, I know about the Impossible Project…but in general its products are just impossibly expensive.
But Fuji has come to the rescue of those of us who like to play with instant cameras, but don’t want to spend our entire photo budget on the film. So I bought one of the new Fuji instant cameras, which I tend to refer to as a Fujiroid. I drag it around and play with it every once in a while. I’m still getting the hang of the new camera and the new film, both of which are very different from what Polaroid gave us. But the Fujiroid is fun.
So, when I was shooting the lovely Julie Max in NYC last month, I pulled out the Fujiroid and shot up a couple packs of film. We were both pretty happy with the result.
Now for the rant. If you aren’t a photo geek you may want to stop reading now. But don’t miss the third Fujiroid at the end of the post.
I’m really, really pissed at Adobe. I feel insulted and abused by them. I’m using PhotoShop CS4 for a lot of my editing. That’s one version older than the current version of PhotoShop. But Adobe has completely stopped supporting CS4. I think that is a totally unreasonable thing for a software company to do. I don’t buy every new version of any software when it comes out. I always skip at least one generation. The updates are just too expensive to shell out that kind of money every time the company decides to put out a new version. I think every other version is a reasonable compromise that keeps me up to date enough for the limited kind of work I do on my photos. And every other software I use continues to be supported by their makers well beyond a single generation.
But not so for Adobe. The trouble started when I bought my D7000 in January. No support for the RAW files in CS4. What would it take for Adobe to simply update CS4 for the new cameras that come out…at least back a generation or two from their current version? Really, I don’t think that’s unreasonable to expect. At the cost of their software I think Adobe owes that kind of support to their customers. Not doing so is disrespectful and abusive of the customers who they depend on to keep buying their products.
And the trouble continues. After I installed the drivers for my new Epson 4900 printer I discovered a new PhotoShop problem. CS4 now, in what appears to be a random pattern, will sometimes refuse to print a file. Not to the new printer, not to the old printer, not to anything. It just puts up an error message saying there are no printers installed. My other programs don’t have any issues with the new printer and I can print with no problem at all from ACDSee. In fact, the best results I’m getting so far with the 4900 are by using ACDSee to send the files to the printer. But with PhotoShop now and then I’ll get that error message. If I get the message for one file in a folder, I’ll get it for all the files in that same folder. And, even if I move the files, or resave them, to a different folder, I still get the message. But another file from a different folder will print just fine.
A little hunting around on the PhotoShop help forums informed me that this is a known bug. And it also let me see that Adobe has no interest in fixing it. Their attitude toward the many photographers out there still using CS4 seems to be, “Fuck You…buy the new program or go to hell.”
So, I’ve found some work-arounds that let me get past this bug…but they take a bunch of time and are a pain in the ass. It’s much simpler to just print from ACDSee. By the way, ACDSee always continues support for several older versions of their program…and when they are going to stop support they send out a notification to everyone who has a registered copy of the version they are going to stop supporting, so you know where you stand. Is that really too much to ask, Adobe?
Now, we all know that PhotoShop is the best thing out there for editing photos. Of course, there’s Lightroom, but I don’t really care for it…tried it and didn’t like it. I’ve used ACDSee for many years, starting way back when I first went digital. I like their program…it works well for what I need and they treat their customers with respect. Not like Adobe.
So now I’m so mad that I’m thinking about trying to find a good alternative to PhotoShop. ACDSee’s photo editing functions don’t quite get me what I need. I like working in layers and doing my corrections on a series of layers that can be adjusted individually. Is there something else out there that will give me that ability and not cost more than one arm or leg? I’ll be looking around. I was planning to buy CS6…but I’m reconsidering now.
Ok, enough of that. Here’s another Fujiroid of Julie to make us all feel better. Isn’t she beautiful?
Theda in the Basement
September 6th, 2011
Here’s another of Theda in the sub-basement. For some reason she didn’t want to lay down back in there. I can never figure out why my models are sometimes hesitant to do the things I ask them to do. But we got some good shots anyway. Actually, Theda is always great to work with and a real pro when it comes to doing what it takes to make a photo work. And, after all, shooting in a dirty location was her idea.
I’m sitting at home today waiting for the truck to deliver my new Epson 4900. The driver just called and said he was about 45 minutes away, so the wait is going to be a short one. That will give me the afternoon to set it up. I can’t go out to get any paper to try it out because my truck is still at my mechanic’s being prepped for the upcoming trip. I’m supposed to get it this afternoon too…so I’ll soon have wheels again. The first thing I’ll do after I get the truck is make a run to the local photo place to pick up a pack of paper so I can play with the new printer…and I’ll also make a stop at Lowes to pick up a thermocouple…our water heater quit last night, so no hot water for baths this morning. It’s just the thermocouple…but I don’t have a way to go buy one until the truck is finished. Thermocouples don’t seem to be made the way they used to be…seems like they only last about three or four years now…but years ago it was unusual to have to replace one after 10 years. I just hope Lowes is still carrying them…last time I went looking for one…about three years ago…there were just a couple stashed in little boxes and almost impossible to find.
Primordial Cam
September 2nd, 2011
Here’s the beautiful Cam Damage out in the beautiful forest where we went hiking and shooting last month. It was a perfect setting for the work I do. Cam was a great addition to the landscape too. I love the almost pre-historic look of this forest and think that Cam fits right in as a part of it, a very lovely part, to be sure.
Everything in my life is at an in-between state right now, so I don’t have much in the way of news to report. But I’ll mention some of the things that are coming up.
I’ve bought a new printer. An Epson 4900. It will be delivered Tuesday. This will be the starting point for a new phase of my life as a photographer. I’ll be launching a printing project that I expect will be my primary focus for the next three years. More about that project when the time comes, but first I’ll have to learn how to use the new printer.
I’ll be leaving in a few weeks for my major photo trip of the year. Right now my truck is in the shop being made ready for the 5,000+ miles that we will be traveling. More on the trip as it unfolds.
I have a bunch more photos to post from recent shoots and may even do a little more shooting before I head out for the trip. So, there’s lots more coming.
Julie and the Monks
August 30th, 2011
The lovely Julie Max in her equally lovely apartment. Those monks are sure missing out on a great view. It was a pleasure and an honor to be able to photograph Julie in her home.
I’ve been busy working on plans for my major photo trip of the year. It’s coming in September and October. I expect to post regularly while I’m on the trip with two of my favorite models. Until then I’ll just try to get through all the backlog of photos I have from recent shoots. Lots more to come.
Dirty Pitchers
August 26th, 2011
When I contacted Theda about my trip to New York so we could set up the shoot we always try to do when I come to town the leading question was, “Where?” We’ve done a lot of shoots over the years and many of the more recent ones have been done in Theda’s apartment. It’s a great place to shoot, but variety is a good thing too. One time I took Theda up north of the city for an outdoor shoot that was great, but the timing wasn’t really right to try for a repeat of that this time.
Theda’s first suggestion was, “I’ve been wanting to shoot someplace dirty.” That sounded good to me. Problem was trying to find such a location in New York City from my home base in Ohio. I did a bunch of on-line searching and contacted some friends who I thought might be able to help, but no luck. So Theda and I finally just settled on the idea of shooting at her apartment and also looking around her building for other spots that might work. That’s what lead to the first photo I posted of her from this shoot which was done in a tiny stairwell with my ultra-wide lens.
Next stop was the sub-basement in her building. Most of this was in pretty good shape and didn’t really fit the look we were going for. But there was an open door that Theda had never seen open before…and it lead to a REALLY dirty space. It was exactly the kind of place we wanted. That’s the space in the photo above. Pretty damn dirty.
More Cam Damage
August 23rd, 2011
Here’s another of Cam Damage on the rocks in Pennsylvania. This turned out to be a great location and the weather was very cooperative. And it didn’t hurt to have the lovely Cam there to decorate the rocks.
I’ve done several more shoots since my trip to NYC, but I’m going to keep posting from the three shoots I did on that trip at least for a few more posts. There are so many good photos of each of the three models that I want to share several of each of them before I move on.
But, I have another shoot tomorrow, so the backlog of new things is getting pretty big. Stay tuned.
The east coast earthquake is all over the news and some people in Ohio have said they felt it. I didn’t feel any earth shaking going on today. I did feel the last one we had around here and it made enough of an impression that I added earthquake insurance to the homeowners policy. Hope I never get to collect on that insurance.
Vegas Workshop
August 22nd, 2011
I’ve known Bryon Paul McCartney on line for some time, though we’ve never managed to be in the same place at the same time to meet in person. But he studied photography at my alma mater, Ohio University, so he has to be ok. He sent me a message today telling me about a workshop he’ll be teaching in Las Vegas next month and asked me to let you all know about it in case you’d be interested in attending.
Just to be clear, I’m not getting anything in exchange for telling you about this workshop. Just passing along the information in case any of you are interested. This guy is a very good photographer…of course, considering where he got his training…and, if you like to do these kind of workshops, this sounds like a very good one.
Here’s what he had to say:
LAS VEGAS – SEPT 2011 FINE ART EROTIC NUDE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
with Bryon Paul McCartney
Registrations are currently open for my Fine Art Erotic Nude Photography Workshop on September 10th and 11th, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our home for the workshop will be provided by by Dr. Laura at the Sin City Gallery. For those of you who will be attending the Photoshop World Conference, this is an excellent opportunity to extend your educational experience with hands-on photography learning.
This workshop is extremely limited with a maximum of four participants and two models. The schedule will be intensive as we will pack as much information into the program as possible. The main goal of this workshop is to help you develop and improve your eye for tasteful and artistic erotic nude photography. We will also discuss how to select and work with models, how to communicate with and direct models, how to visualize and compose your images, and how to edit and post-process.
What is Erotic Nude Photography? Let’s use the following definition: sexy, sensual and suggestive photography, imagery that is meant to turn on the brain. It’s a simple idea, you will learn how to communicate, build rapport and establish trust with your models, then how to guide the experience in front of your camera while controlling the light and composition. Erotic photography does not need to be complicated. I will show you my system and give you the tools to help you adapt the fundamentals I teach you into your own unique approach.
What will the workshop be like? Each day will include two three to four hour shooting sessions (locations to be determined), in between and after, we will have discussions and critiques about the work you are creating, in order to help you rapidly focus your energy and efforts. Discussions will be ongoing and delve into every detail of fine art nude photography.
Why should you attend this workshop? In addition to being an award-winning and published fine art nude photographer myself, I have been teaching fine art nude workshops for the past several years. Very simply, I am a good teacher. Participants in this workshop will have hands-on experience and instruction. This is not simply a chance to shoot nude models, it’s a learning experience that will help you improve your comfort level with models, refine your skills in imagining and creating great images, and help you move to the next step in your craft.
Our Models
Palesaent MM# 2160002
Nathalia MM# 1854124
If you love to shoot fine art nudes, do not miss this special opportunity to work closely with me and these amazing models in Las Vegas.
Additional Details:
- Description: Two-day photography workshop with Bryon Paul McCartney and selected models
- Dates: Saturday, 10th September and Sunday, 11th September, 2011
- Enrollment: Limited to Four Participants only*
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada and surrounding area
- Theme: Erotic Nude Photography
- Program Content: Guided and individual hands-on shooting sessions, discussions and critiques
- Costs: $950 per participant, includes after-workshop online critiques and Skype follow-ups for three months
If you have questions or want more details, contact me to setup a skype conference so we can discuss the workshop before you decide to register.
Register Today! Space is limited to four participants only!
*While limiting the number of participants does increase the costs of the workshop, it also gives each participant the opportunity to deeply focus on their work and to also have abundant one-to-one time with myself and of course, shooting with the models. If you are looking for a model sharing session where there are 2-3 models and 15 guys all shooting the same things simultaneously, then this workshop is not for you. I am looking for participants who want to learn. In this workshop I will show you how I approach and shoot in the genre of erotic nude photography, but I am also going to help you direct and define your own style and approach.
Julie, Julie, Julie
August 21st, 2011
The internet world of models and photographers is a strange and often puzzling place. I was doing nude photo work long before there was an internet. It’s been both amusing and troubling to watch the culture that has grown up over the years around the internet modeling sites. Sometimes I feel like I just want to remove myself from the entire scene. There is far too much drama. There are so, so many models with serious delusions about what the world of modeling is about and what their place in it could be.
But often just when I think the whole internet thing is something to stay away from, I’ll get a message through the tiny tubes that make up the internet from a model like Julie Max. Out of the blue she said she loved my work. I wrote back, of course, to ask if she would like to work with me. She said, of course she would, to let her know when I’d be in NYC. And, as luck would have it, this was just a few weeks before I was going to visit the city.
So, we set a day and time while I was there and did a shoot in her lovely apartment in Manhattan. It’s too bad there wasn’t time to get out of the city and shoot somewhere in the woods…Julie would make a fantastic “naked chick on rocks.” I hope we’ll get to do that someday in the near future. But this shoot gave us a chance to meet. Because of that I now know that Julie is not only lovely, but she is also a very talented, skilled model and a very pleasant person to be around. In other words, exactly the kind of model I’m always looking for to use for my work.
So, even though the internet seems to bring with it a lot of dirty tricks and nasty surprises, it’s worth it for the beautiful gems like Julie who come into my life and my work through those tiny tubes.
Thanks, Julie.
Theda in the Stairway
August 18th, 2011
Whenever I go to New York City I always try to schedule a shoot with Theda. I’ve worked with her many times over quite a few years. She never fails to deliver a “keeper.” She’s beautiful, interesting and I like her. Couldn’t really ask for more…well, maybe if she were able to get herself to travel she’d show up in some of my photos from more exotic locations. But I doubt that that will ever happen.
So, we try to find places to shoot in the city. The first time I worked with her I shot her in my hotel room. Over the years we’ve found other places to work, but most often we just work at her apartment. One time I got her to take a ride out of the city to shoot at a park…that was her first nude in nature shoot. This time we decided to look around her building for some different spots. This is from the stairway.
There’s more to come from Theda, but the next post will be something from my shoot with a new (to me) model. It was a good trip to the city.
