Just a quick note: I have 4 more spaces available for the Jan. 10th, 2009 Small Strobes, Big Results workshop being held in Denver. If your interested in attending, please contact me.
Hiding What's Not There
I've been a contract shooter for Getty Corporate Images for more than 10 years. I shoot a handful of assignments a year for them and this post is about my most recent assignment for them.
I was asked to photograph a construction project just outside of Pueblo, CO for an engineering firm. The project I was assigned to photograph is a new "chemical weapons dismantling" facility. The U.S. government has stockpiles of WWII mustard agent mortars that need to be destroyed. This project is just getting off or should I say "out of the ground", the completion date is sometime in 2013 or so. Needless to say, there wasn't much to photograph, some concrete pad work and very little iron out of the ground.
Over the last 25 years I've encountered this type of situation numerous times. You have an assignment that sound terrific and interesting only to find out that there's not much to photography when you arrive on location. I know I'm not the only one that this happens to.
In situations like this you really have to put on your creative thinking hat. I keep mine just under my hard hat at all times! What I really needed to do was "hide" what wasn't there. At this particular location I had plenty of obstacles to deal with, the government was one of them. Not only was there little to shoot, I was restricted from pointing my camera in certain directions due to the sensitive nature of the location I was shooting at.
At this location there are what seems to be, thousands of "igloos". Igloos are the storage bunkers that the military uses for the "mustard agent" munitions. I am able to show you this example of what an igloo looks like, as these do not contain any of the munitions that are stored on base.
This site was a real struggle, trying to show construction progress without showing specific locations and such. I used the sky as backgrounds and shallow death of field (DOF) to hide specific details that the government wanted hidden. I was restricted from from shooting from high places as I was not "trained or certified" for lifts and harness restraints. The next time I shoot at this location or with this client, we will need to take the time for that type of certificate.The photo on the top is an excellent example of using shallow DOF to isolate the subject from the background. This photo of just reflections on a fresh concrete pour is another way of hiding objects that where in the background of the scene.
Sometime we run into these type of situations that require a different way of thinking. Using the sky, reflections and shallow DOF where good solutions to the situation at hand. Here is one more shot from our location.
Snowing/ SFO Workshop!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I had a wonder 4 days off. As you can see from the photo above, snow has started falling in Denver, looks like winter has finally arrived.
I have a fairly large shoot later this week, I'll be shooting board of directors photos for a client. I'll be shooting about 50 head shots and two environment portraits of the President and CEO of the company.
We still have space available for the Denver January 10th, 2009 Small Strobes, Big Results workshop if your interested. Check out the new video on the side banner at the top to see what a workshop experience is like. I've conducted 6 Small Strobes, Big Results workshops this year, they're fun and participants seem to enjoy themselves. You can read some of the reviews HERE , HERE and HERE. Workshops locations and dates are listed in the banner to the right.
SAN FRANCISCO SMALL STROBES, BIG RESULTS WORKSHOP!
You'll notice that San Francisco has been added to the list. I'm looking forward to visiting SF for sure and this location looks like fun!
Our host for the SF workshop has secured pier side buildings in the port of San Francisco. This should give you an idea of the type of environment we'll be shooting around.
I have a lot of readers from the San Francisco area and I think this workshop will be filled quickly. The workshop is designed for only 12 photographers, so if you're interested in attending please contact me regarding availability.Happy Thanksgiving
I'd like to wish all of my readers a very Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy your holiday with friends and family. I plan on eating turkey, pie and smoking a cigar! Enjoy. DT
I might also mention that I have space available for the Small Strobes, Big Results workshop being held in Denver on Jan 10th, 2009. Space is also available for Philly, March 20th, 2009 being held at the Eastern State Penitentiary.
Home Grown
I'm currently in Lamar, CO shooting an assignment for a long time client of mine. We're here in the south eastern portion of the state photographing the fine folks of the small town of Holly, Colorado. My client is in the process of seeking approval to build a new power plant in the area of Holly.
My subject was being interviewed by the client for use on there web site and print material. I used one SB-800 mounted on a Justin Clamp, and placed on the fence post about 10 feet from my subject. The flash was gelled using a full cut CTO to simulate late afternoon light.
More later regarding this assignment, time to hit the sack! DT
Small Strobes, Big Results Video
I just put together is short video showing what it's like at a Small Strobes, Big Results workshop. If you have not attended one of these fun and informative workshops, what are you waiting for?
Our next workshop is in Denver Jan 10th, 2009. For more info visit the Small Strobes web site.