Partial Eclipse in the Park

Okay, that wasn't very clever.

Like millions of others across the country, I took to the local park to watch the sun partially duck behind the moon, a feat that still seems improbable at best. I didn't feel like dropping the $200 for a proper filter to make pictures of the actual eclipse (although after seeing some friends images, I kinda wish I had) so I decided to keep my lens pointed mostly to the ground to focus on the effect. So this happened.

 

Alex.

Amanda.

The swing.

One of the effects of the eclipse is that the main light source– the sun, becomes less bright when compared to the surrounding skylight. In other words, the shadows aren't as deep.

Amanda in the swing.

The eclipse activated the street lamps around the neighborhood.

A corona of my very own.

Feeling it

We as creators want to create. I'd argue that finding a tool that makes the process enjoyable is as important a part of creating an image as the objective quality of the tool. Like Dorothy Gale (from Kansas!), as far as I'm concerned there's no place like home– or in this case, my first "real" camera. I've owned almost every kind of camera out there, from Leica to Mamiya to 8x10, but the classic SLR best fits how I naturally "see" the world. It's the tool that I kind of forget about when it's in my hand. Currently my Sony a7 with vintage Canon FD manual focus lenses gets me as close to the intimate experience I'm looking for as anything I've found, with the fewest amount of distractions.  I just purchased a new (20 year old) Canon FD 35mm f2 that joins my FD 50mm f1.2 and will probably soon be joined by the 85mm 1.8.  They are all small, unobtrusive, and relatively cheap. While they may not be the sharpest tools in the shed, so to speak, they have a certain feel that just gets me to my happy place.

Here are three of the first images I've made with the 35mm f2. (Yup, the kids.)

All images are full frame, straight outta camera with only color temperature adjustments made in Lightroom, with the exception of #3 which has some vignetting. These are all shot at f2 with the camera in Aperture priority.

And a few oldies but goodies with the Canon FD 50mm f1.2...

 

Arne Sorenson for Worth Magazine

It's been awhile since I've posted (drat! I promised myself that wouldn't happen!) so here's a quick PDF "tear sheet" of a recent shoot I did of Arne Sorenson, the CEO of Marriott worldwide for Worth Magazine. I'll update with pics of the printed magazine, once I have them.

 

It was a fun shoot and the hospitality at Marriott HQ was appropriately fantastic. We got a few set-ups in in the 20 minutes or so we had to shoot. Mr. Sorenson was gracious and I was impressed about how much he knew about... just about everything!

Big Thanks to Pamela Shavalier for the call, and if you ever need someone to fly aboard a private jet or make some pictures at an exclusive island resort, I can do that too!

Boston Portfolio Reviews

I just came back from a 2 day portfolio review trip to Boston. I had worked there for almost 10 in the 20-otts (I think that's what the kids are calling the years between 2001 & 2010 these days) and it's always amazing to see what's changed and what hasn't.

(Spoiler Alert: The roads. still. suck.)

The Boulvevard Artists portfolio reviews though, were pretty fantastic. I met and possibly offended many incredibly smart, attractive, witty, sweet, kind, and nice smelling art directors from the likes of  Adam&Co, Arnold, Draper, Fidelity Investments, Isobar (go 'cuse!), Kor, PJA and more. I also met and re-met the competition whose books kept my jaw dropping. Robb, Cory, KC, Ken, Ryan, et al, are amazing photographer who are creating images that I aspire to.

I lugged THREE portfolios there covering a range of what I shoot for both work and pleasure. (a book of "one-offs" covering work corporate, editorial and institutional work, one book on The Learn Project, and a funky brand new one on kids and science housed in, what else, a Trapper Keeper!) Stephanie Menuez did a fantastic job with the pacing and the flow of each book. I was able to show one or several to each reviewer and the transitions between books just made sense. Everyone admired the spreads and I got a few "oohs" on the full pagers and compliments on the color. (Yes, me, color!) I wholeheartedly recommend Stephanie's services. 

The other highlight of the trip, aside from dining at B&G Oysters with Robb, was buying my first ever jean jacket, seen here tossed oh so carelessly on the driveway.

a late 1960's LEvi's (the capital E is apparently important) reproduction model 3 in indigo.

Can I rock this jacket? It's too early to say, but I'm sure gonna try.