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Congressman John Lewis who died on Friday, July 17, 2020, at age 80 is what human beings aspire to be. He focused his life on ending racism and pursued it with purpose and humility. Dedication of Al-Farooq Mosque I had been hired to photograph the dedication ceremonies of Atlanta’s Al-Farooq Mosque on 14th Street on …
Like others in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic, I am concerned with taking care of those around me. When it comes to providing a safe environment for creating photographs of people, cleanliness, masks and as much physical distancing as possible are my main concerns. My client Susan and I spoke on Zoom to get …
Fifty years ago, today, July 20, 1969, the whole world paused to watch a really fuzzy video in black and white of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon. That week the July 25, 1969 issue of Time magazine arrived in my mom’s mailbox in Boise, Idaho. The cover said “Man on the …
Yup. I know. Everyone has heard of it. A lot of people viewed it. Some of us gathered to photograph it. I joined other photographer friends on a just built deck of a not-yet-finished house in Marble, North Carolina to shoot the moon as it passed in front of the sun. This one was made …
“Do you want a make up artist for your portrait session?” When I used to ask a potential client this question, some women would answer “No, thanks. I can do my own.” The savvy ones said, “Absolutely!” Most men would give me a look that said having them wear make up was an idea from …
This is my first and as far as I am concerned, only rant. This rant began in 1888 when George Eastman invented a disruptive technology—black and white roll film. He made roll film holders for practically every plate camera in existence at the time. He also introduced the box camera ushering in the amateur photographer …
My previous post explained the planning and set build for a portrait session with Atlanta musician Jeff Paige. This one deep dives into the rest of the details. Lighting Without question after the planning is finished, every photograph, ultimately, is all about the light. The tools available allow us to sculpt exactly the look and …
Successful photographic sessions are built on planning. Pre-production solves problems before they become problems. That’s why it’s so important. It can include location scouting, meetings with prop & wardrobe stylists, model casting, set drawings, background selection and of course the lighting design that sets the photographic mood. Here’s a look at the planning involved in …
A good client of mine has been planning on building a new home for quite some time now. I’ve been hired to document the process that, if all goes as planned, will take about eighteen months. The schedule will slip, of course. They always do. This is the first of a series of posts that …
My last post showed views inside and from the Gateway Arch in St. Louis made with a fisheye lens. This one is all portraits of the soaring stainless steel structure itself. I carry a camera practically everywhere I go. I set times to study a subject. Then I photograph it in many ways. I walk …