Opportunity in Your Local Park

For a January, yesterday’s weather was gorgeous! The family and I walked to the local park. Normally, I don’t take my camera but yesterday I felt compelled. I ran smack into a nest of old friends and clients. Perhaps, I should visit the park more often. Two years ago I did a toddler session in the same park. Later a mom apologetically interrupted me asking if I had a business card. She became a client.

Okay, I’m learnable!

Yesterday, I took a series of candids. Some were converted into B&W. I particularly like the strong patterns in the background on some of these. Background patterns add depth to the overall image. With the daughter and mother image, I adjusted for contrast, converted to a B&W and sharpened a bit.

Some kids can be shy while working with strangers but I’ve discovered that in the park they quickly become animated. View this initial reluctance as an opportunity to capture some

intimate imagery because soon you’ll discover why a fast lens is an absolute essential!

Michael in B&W

This image was shot at 2400 ASA , no flash. (Kitchen ceiling light only.) Converted into B&W w/ Kubota B&W Black Satin. Normally, I throw in an S curve and sharpen for contrast but with this image no tweaking was needed. I did add a vignette to bring the focus more on him and the ABC's.

Back in the day, I enjoyed printing B&W prints on fiber. Often I long for those days but the chemicals drove me away long before the digital revolution.

Presentation or What Now?

I’m learning that as a professional it’s not sufficient to just shoot the picture but the images need to be presented in story telling form. Presentation is important; otherwise, when the other bills start flooding in the clients might scratch their heads thinking, “why did I waste money on stupid pictures.”

First Entry for 2009

Just returned from a family/business trip back east. A couple relatives requested engagement portraits. I’m known to travel light often not even taking a camera. On this trip I packed a Nikon D300 mounted w/ a 35-70 mm 2.8. Eventually, I borrowed a backdrop & Nikon SB800 from a local associate.

I managed to capture the images however with much difficulty and postproduction. The cold and windy weather forced us to schedule an indoor session. The second sesson it was collar tugging chilly but we marched forward regardless.

I was so grateful that I was able to draw on my many years of field photography. Murphy’s Law is applicable to environmental and on-location portraiture. An understanding of Photoshop can be a reputation saver. The art of fine digital portraiture is learnable but it has taken me years of burning the midnight oil. Even now I feel like I’m cooking at 20% of my capability.