:: exercise #5: narrative portraiture | 30 people pictures ::

SPECS

• Goal: Single narrative portrait.
• Tools: Camera; normal or telephoto focal-length lens.
• Light: Natural or available light.
• Location: An environment that acts like a stage.
• Theme: NARRATIVE PORTRAITURE.
• Duration: 30 - 45 minutes
• Subject(s): Someone with an interesting personality, is dramatic, or has a vibrant point of view.

CHALLENGES

• Step 1: Find a subject with an interesting personality, is dramatic, or has a vibrant point of view.
• Step 2: Choose a location with small details that set the stage for your storytelling.
• Step 3: Welcome the subject & explain your idea for the visual story that you want to tell. Shoot for 30-45 minutes in a free-flowing way.
• Step 4: Print one single frame and tack it up on your wall. Ask others for feedback and consider their advice.

PRODUCT

• ONE narrative portrait.

For more tips and inspiration, please read Chris Orwig's "People Pictures."

:: WARL 02.26.2012 | washington dc pet photographer ::

Monday's post is usually reserved for our "People Pictures" exercise results. However, since I have had to scramble to find a film camera & appropriate film, I will post my results as soon as the photos come back from the printers.

Instead, as a trade-off, I am posting photos of animals from the Washington Animal Rescue League. I volunteered my services yesterday and had a blast playing with the adorable temporary resident dogs & cats. If you are looking for a new animal member for your family, please check out these animals and MORE at WARL.org.

Pimlico | his ears REALLY are like that!

 

Dr. Seuss and his brother, Barbalootz | big, squiggly (notice the motion blur) furballs with unstoppable energy

Nazzim | this guy was a perfect little model

Francesca | this chunky monkey is incredibly sweet and loving

Bronco & his pitbull mates | I wanted to take this whole lot home!

I love taking photos of cats -- they are so elegant and graceful, such natural posers

Another beautiful cat strutting his/her stuff

A WARL adoption volunteer cuddling with a VERY affectionate cat. This cat literally jumped onto my leg and stayed there while I squatted down to take some pix of his compadres!

For more photos from yesterday's volunteer photo session at WARL, please visit my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/binkiesandnoseprints

Happy Monday!!!

:: the promise of spring | washington dc portrait photographer ::

Orange leather sandals from Rag + Bone | Fresh dandelion from my youngest :-)

I hope you are enjoying unusually spring-like weather too!!!

:: exercise #4: 3 days of portraits with b/w film | 30 people pictures ::

SPECS

• Goal: 30 black and white people pictures.
• Tools: Film camera; lens of your choice.
• Light: Natural or available light.
• Location: Outdoor or indoor.
• Theme: ENDURANCE.
• Duration: Three different days.
• Subject(s): family, friends or strangers.

CHALLENGES

• Step 1: Find a FILM camera.
• Step 2: Choose film -- try the classic B/W Kodak Tri-X.
• Step 3 {Day 1}: Pound the pavement and capture 10 pictures of people.
• Step 4 {Day 2}: Make 10 window light portraits by positioning subject next to a window without directional or direct sunlight. Bracket exposure (underexposed, properly exposed, overexposed).
• Step 5 {Day 3}: Make 10 outdoor portraits.
• Step 6: Make prints of the 30 portraits by sending the film to photo lab.
• Step 7: Reflect on this experience and write down what results you hope to find; set aside 5 top portraits and tape them to your journal; if none turned out nicely, repeat Steps 1 -7.

PRODUCT

• 5 out of 30 BW portrait prints (from film) to put into your journal.

For more tips and inspiration, please read Chris Orwig's "People Pictures."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first reaction to this exercise was: Holy @#$% !!! Where am I going to find a film camera and how in ^&*@ am I going to be able to make 30 worthy FILM portraits without giving myself a coronary?!

But that's just the point, isn't it? When we step out of our comfort zone, that is when we really challenge ourselves. While I haven't used a film camera since my little stainless steel point-n-shoot from 1997, I would love a chance to try a Holga 120. For $39.99 (+ $3.49 for a roll of BW Holga film), it is certainly within reason.  On the other hand, if anyone is willing to lend me a film SLR, I'd love to experiment with that as well :-)

Holga Glo 120N Plastic Medium Format Camera (Orange Burst)

Since this exercise requires a lot of heart, sweat and time, let's leave the deadline open. The point of the exercise is to test your endurance and resolve -- keep trying to make great film portraits until you GET.IT.RIGHT. Realistically, however, most people don't have the luxury of dedicating a chunk of contiguous time to an exercise like this. So let's take it one step at a time and make it as enjoyable as possible. I will post my results as soon as I am able, but will post updates in the meantime.

Have fun experimenting!

:: exercise #3 results {defining your style} | 30 people pictures ::

As a recovering architect, I have always defined my style in architectural terms:

CLASSIC MODERN (Bauhaus, Mies van der Rohe, le Corbusier) with a touch of CHARLES + RAY EAMES = Form Follows Function with a touch of nostalgic softness.

This week's "People Pictures" exercise allowed me to think about "my style" in terms of objects, colors, music and food, which in turn reinforced what I already know about myself and my craft. I encourage everyone to do this exercise -- it will help you clarify/define your style and hopefully you'll also discover something about yourself.


{5 out of 25 Favorite OBJECTS} ribbons | lighting | bag | balloons | stationary

{RIBBONS} colorful, textural, seemingly infinite in one dimension, while finite in the other dimension = one point perspective (photo courtesy of Our Labor of Love)

{LIGHTING} one purpose (to illuminate), yet so many ways of doing it (uplight, downlight, diffused light, spotlight)

{BAG} form follows function with the promise of adaptive use and evolution (Jack Spade Coal Bag = my camera bag)

{BALLOONS} idealized happiness + innocence (Tumblr.com)

{STATIONARY} visually and/or verbally communicative, purposeful and tactile (photo courtesy of Elum)

{Seasonal COLORS} I adore the color ORANGE. To me, it is mercurial, lovable and charismatic. It is unstoppable and can be morphed to fit into any color scheme/season. I'm still not sure which season best describes my photographic style, but perhaps an elegant yet complex shade of orange???


{SPRING} optimistic, hopeful, fresh

{SUMMER} vibrant, lively, lush

{AUTUMN} dreamy, quiet, contemplative

{WINTER} easeful, content, serene

(all color palettes by design-seeds.com)

{IDEAL WEATHER for Photo Shoot} Clear sunny day with puffy cumulus clouds. Preferably filtered late afternoon sun.

I love this image because 1) I had beautiful subjects and 2) the light quality of the early autumn afternoon light was AMAZING.

{MUSIC Style} An interesting combo of Nina Simone | Leonard Cohen | Eva Cassidy | New Order. Classic, with dashes of bohemian + electric . I find that what I listen to while editing depends on the feel that I get from my clients and their session. I try to really FEEL the emotions of the story that I've captured , and music allows me to insert myself into these intimate moments. To hear some of my favorites, click on my Playlist tab above.

{FOOD Style} Cupcakes. Cupcakes. Cupcakes. I know cupcakes are now considered passe, but what's not to love?! It is delicate, colorful and sweet. It is childhood perfection personified.

This was a looong exercise, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about myself and my stylistic vision. Read about my fellow photographers' self-discovery and photographic styles:

Abbey Road Designs -- http://abbeyroaddesigns.blogspot.com/
Claudia Muir Photography -- http://claudiamuirphotography.com/blog/
GSG Photography -- http://gsgphotography.wordpress.com/
Elaine Janet Photography– http://elainejanet.com/
What Eyes See Daily -- http://whateyesseedaily.blogspot.com
Group -- http://dc2011women.blogspot.com/

:: finding light | washington dc natural light photographer ::

Don't get me wrong. I actually like my external flash; on the other hand, I am totally ok that my $$$ camera doesn't have one that's built-in. I still get really startled every time I see someone's built-in flash on their dSLR POP! up automatically. That's why the 50mm F/1.2 L lens is my all time favorite to use in low light situations -- I can keep the aperture wide open to let max light in and get the creamy bokeh/background my clients want. Against popular opinion, I find the 85mm (a much favored "portrait" lens) to be too close for indoor shots.

Sometimes I stumble upon good light in unexpected places. The staircases in older museums of another era are really intriguing to me. They are usually very grand in scale, and they're usually well-lit by double/triple height glass openings. Moreover, the light-colored stone materials often found in these spaces act as perfect light diffusers. I would love to do a series of silhouette portraits in some of these gorgeous staircases around town.

:: misty | washington dc portrait photographer ::

Washington Monument shrouded in misty rain.

Happy Thursday!!!