Back to back photo shoots…… Really!

Ah, today was one of those long days.  A fun day to be sure, but I can tell you that I sincerely need a nap!  Of course, no naps for me today.  Gotta sort, select, delete, and repeat.  Then comes the real post processing work afterward.  🙂

This morning I had a shoot with my friend Cammie.  You might remember her face from some of the fire dancer photos I did last year.  She’s a member of Pyroklectic, and she’s also a belly dancer.  Oh yeah, and a belly dance instructor.

Last week she asked me if I’d be available and willing to help her get some updated images for her new classes.  She’ll be instructing here in town, and there’s nothing like a good photo or two for your advertising materials to get the attention of folks.  Well, that’s what I’ve heard at least.  So, I happily agreed to do a shoot on Monday since that’s the day the gallery is closed.  Go figure I totally forgot my evening shoot initially.  I did remember it (my calendar reminded me) and I figured, what the heck…..I can do both.

So, that’s what the day has been about.  A morning into afternoon shoot, home to quickly sort images, and then off for an evening shoot.  You want to know something?  Being busy is fun!  🙂

First up, a few shots from this morning…….

Why is it I like the random test shots that I take just to see if the wireless flash works? Seriously, I should just randomly start shooting with the camera at my side......

Once we had some music, things fell together!

This is not the best of these, but I'm saving those for the client to see first!

Woman of mystery?

Single speedlite, camera left. Ah, I really like this one.

Playing with almost no additional light from the speedlite camera right.

Ninja kung fu, belly dance style!

I can't wait to finish the final edit on this one!

So, there you have a few shots from this morning.  Cammie was great to work with, but I expected that.  As we went along I even got her to smile a little.  She was being a little too aware of the camera at first, but I do understand that.  If you’ve seen the recent photos of me, you know, I get it.  🙂  But we did work into a nice little rhythm, and that was great.  Oh, and all the images above aren’t edited yet.  Some minor crops in Lightroom, but that’s it.

Additionally Chris Marzonie came down to the Art Store to give me a hand.  I had the newly resurrected Macbook Pro on hand (the hard drive install was a success….full recovery is still a little way off).  With Lightroom 3 I set up to shoot tethered for the morning and that was just fantastic!  Chris manned the computer and gave me feedback as images were coming in.  Of course, the tethered shooting lags behind, and I’d let him know a really good one was coming.  30 – 40 seconds later I’d hear some “Oh wows” out of Chris, and I’d know the image I liked just made it to the computer.

A small aside here for just a moment.  The new tethered shooting on Lightroom 3 is great.  I’ve shot tethered on Lightroom 2 before, but it was not as streamlined.  I had to use Canon’s capture software and then tie it in.  Now…..well, just go to the file menu in Lightroom and select tethered capture and you’re off and running.  I’ll tell you what, Cammie and Chris both loved it too.  With each break we took everyone could gather round and start selecting favorites immediately!  You gotta love it!

Before we get into the next shoot I have to take a moment and give a few nods.  The first nod goes out to Zack Arias.  I was thinking about him today and his recent video “Sucksessful Commercial Photographer.”  Toward the end of the video he picked on folks getting on the bandwagon of someone else’s shooting style.  Then jokingly they interviewed Joe McNally and asked him what he’s been shooting lately.  His answer?  Dancers.  Next frame of Zack’s video had Zack shooting dancers…..All super funny.  And while I was shooting a dancer today I wondered if I was going after someone’s genre….and I concluded no.  The dancer came to me, I didn’t seek the dancer.  And to be fair, belly dancer, not ballerina.  But I kept thinking about Zack’s video, his great photographic style, and of course, of Joe McNally.  Hey, I’m a fan of both these great photographers.  Someday maybe I’ll get there too!

So, to be clear…..  Not ripping off anybody’s style or selection of subjects.  Just producing some images a client requested.  🙂

Alright, now on to the second part of the day……..

Incidentally, I bet you’re now thinking, “Wow, for being so tired and all Rich you sure are in a typing mood……”  I guess I am.

Weeks ago my friends from RV Country needed some image work done.  They were working up a full wrap for their new mobile service truck.  They had some images in mind that they’d shot, but the images were way too small and lacking the “pop” they wanted on this huge truck.  So Mary, one of the owners, popped by the gallery with thumb drive in hand and we got to work.  Upsampling, enhancing, and tweaking a whole bunch.  And the results?

A few weeks later they invited me to see the “new” truck.  Just incredible!  And they weren’t done with me.  Now they needed some photos of the truck and the team.  That was tonight’s shoot!  And I’m still processing the images……..

Awwww…..I’m going to make you wait after all that typing?  Yup, I’m cruel like that!  🙂  But I bet you’ll stop by again tomorrow to see.  It’s one of those cliff hangers to be sure!

Truth be told, I am tired, and I have been blogging away for a bit now……  See you tomorrow!