From a shoot yesterday afternoon. I really like the expression I managed to capture. before my fingers felt like they were too cold to operate the camera.
Category: Portraiture
Creating a Story
I’ve said on more than one occasion that actors, musicians and other artists are a lot of fun to shoot: they bring their creativity and imagination and together we create stories. This past weekend I had the pleasure of working with singer Nicole Faye, and one of the looks we created was a vintage portrait where Nicole was able to project the style and mood required to make that kind of portrait work.
(Mamiya 645 Pro TL camera, 80mm f2.8 lens, Kodak TMax 100 film developed in Xtol 1:1, negative scan and post-processed with Nik software)
In the Moment
I had a lot of fun (except for balky flash triggers!) yesterday in a photo shoot with Kira Hall, a talented Toronto actress. She did an amazing job with hair, make-up and wardrobe, and as an actress, she was able to provide great expressions!
By the Window
This image is from a log cabin in Troy Historic Village in Troy, Michigan. I had a great shoot with amazing model/actress Nicole Guibord. Even with a fire going in the fireplace, and a space heater, it was a chilly room, but the natural light from the windows was amazing. The only issue was that it got a bit smoky towards the end, so I had to boost the contrast in post. For this image, I used my “Baby” Speed Graphic, with a roll film adapter, on a tripod.
Photo-realism
I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone, and so here is another Hipstamatic image: my good friend Ken at the Only Cafe in Toronto. The photo is dark, not particularly sharp, and rather gritty. However, the lighting in the Only is not bright, and the pub does have a gritty ambiance, so in this case I think the image is more realistic, more true to the moment than a perfectly sharp, properly lit image would be.
Wardrobe and Personality.
I know I must drive some models crazy when they ask me about what to wear for a shoot. Unless I am planning a very specific concept, my suggestions tend be very vague. This is due in part to my abysmal fashion sense, but mainly with how I approach most shoots; I hope they pick clothes that bring out their personality and character, and model Hilary certainly did on a recent shoot. Her costume to me radiated a cheerful, whimsical playfulness, and that certainly came out in her poses and expressions.
(Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 80mm/2.8 lens, Ilford Delta 400 exposed at E.I. 800, developed in HC-110, DIlution B for 10 minutes.)
Showing the Tradition
Adriana is a former co-worker of mine, and she was my guest yesterday for a portrait session and a demonstration of how film is developed and prints made. In addition to some Polaroid images, I shot a roll of Kodak T-Max 100 (my first experience with this film) on my Mamiya 645 Pro TL, and I am quite happy with the results! I was also quite happy to have another chance to show someone how film photography works, from how film is loaded onto a reel, through to the magic of a print appearing in a tray of developer.
It never gets old! 🙂
Silver Lining
It was a very grey, very dull day yesterday, but all that meant for me was that the light coming through the window for a shoot with model “K” was fantastic. I shot with three cameras: my Mamiya Universal Press (with Polaroid instant back), Â my Mamiya RZ67 medium format, and a few on my Nikon D90 DSLR. The image below is one of the instant pictures taken with the Universal Press.
More Music and Photos
Another slide show video today, from my recent shoot with Justine Cargo. I love the song I found!
Beauty and the Beast, Part II
Today’s image in an instant print (of Model Justine from the recent High Park shoot) shot with a recent acquisition — a Mamiya Universal Press Camera. This is another big beast of a camera, and I got it mainly because it came with a Polaroid instant film back, which will give more flexibility for shooting instant images. I also have 6×9 and 6×7 (soon) roll film backs, so it will be quite flexible. It is not the easiest, or most ergonomic camera to use, but once I get used to it, I will be using it frequently!
My Third Eye 