LensEnvy

Childhood Remembered

Tue, 12 May 2009 13:42:32 -0800

Spent a day last week chasing a local group of Parkour athletes around Portland.

Stop by the NEW BLOG and take a look.

THIS JUST IN!

Wed, 6 May 2009 17:20:09 -0800

Hey! Hey, you!

Haven’t you heard?

Mark Fleming Photography has just launched a totally redesigned, much improved, shiny new website!

But wait, if you click within the next ten minutes we’ll throw in a custom designed, sexy new blog for free! Just pay shipping and handling.

So, what are you waiting for ya’ll. Get outta here!

NEW WEBSITE | NEW BLOG

Doin' it Derby Style

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:00:27 -0800

A few frames from tonight's Derby shoot

Lucky for me, I've been adopted by the Maine Roller Derby to be the official foto-graph-er. Basically, I get free admission to all the seasons home bouts! Unfortunately I have to keep myself and my lens out of the beer garden. It's harder than it may seem, especially since the Maine roller girls are sponsored by PBR!

Seriously though, get online and type the name of your city + roller derby into Google. I guarantee you there is a league within at least 40 minutes of your home town. So what ya waiting for? Get off the couch and go watch some girls on skates beat each other to a pulp, all in the name of fun!

P.S. The lovely ladies who challenged our very own Maine roller girls tonight had driven all the way from Ohio! That, my friends, is true derby dedication.

PP.SS. A lot of exciting things coming down the pipe for MFPHOTO. Teaser to come shortly!

Up Against The Wall

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:27:27 -0800

Today my trusty assistant (AKA Dad) took the trip down I95 and straight into the heart of Beantown USA. Why you ask? Well that is none of your damn business!

Just kidding! The real reason for our trip to the big city was to meet-up with an old friend for the second installment of his headshot session. Steve, a great guy and talented actor, is well on his way to becoming Hollywood’s next ‘big thing!’ Only one thing stands between him and unbridled cinematic success...an undeniably poignant and strikingly beautiful headshot.

Ok, so that might have been a bit dramatic. However, the fact remains that the guy needed a headshot and as luck would have it, I happen to know a thing or two about photography.

It was a tough shoot. Not only were we battling against the raging mid-day sun, but we also had to dodge a soccer ball from time to time seeing as our location neighbored a local playground. All in all, it was a good time. Though, I have to admit it’s pretty hard to have a bad time while hanging out with Steve.

Details on today’s shot:

•Nikon D700

•Nikon 14-24 f/2.8

•Nikon SB800 (camera left) at 1/4 power

Trust me, the position I ended up in trying to capture this shot was anything but flattering! Pretty sure I was picking random bits of asphalt out of my hair for a good five minutes after this one.

Better Late Than Never

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 17:23:03 -0800

Despite what you might have heard, I am still alive, I haven’t struck it big, and definitely haven’t made a run for it ... at least not yet. My blatant absence of late has instead been due to several increasingly frustrating occurrences, allow me to elaborate.

The first of these wonderful acts happened about two weeks ago. My first clue that something was awry was when my faithful Mac G5 tower locked up tighter than a drum and promptly refused to reboot.

After nearly a week of fiddling, frantic trips to the Apple store, and a few swift kicks to the side the issue made itself disturbingly clear.

My liquid cooling unit (yes, G5 towers are liquid cooled - who knew?!) had apparently had enough of this cruel world and decided to end it’s time here with style. The thing blew up! Yup you heard right, my computer blew the hell up!

Now, as one might imagine, when a liquid cooling unit blows up it makes quite a mess. So much of a mess in fact that everything located due south of said unit was totally fried. Rest in peace dear friend, you were loved.

This story leads me to my next piece of news and as luck would have it to tonight’s image. Considering what was left of my once proud G5 was now sitting in a heap in the local Apple Store, I thought it might be a good time to check out what those crazy geeks over at Mac had dreamt up since I had last been in the market.

What did I find? A lot of really, really cool stuff. The problem of course, is that all that really cool stuff is really, really friggin’ expensive! Despite my financial hesitation the fact still remains that when you are a digital photographer having a computer is sort of a necessity.

Alright, enough crying over spilt cooling liquid - time to introduce the new set-up!

24” iMac (3.06GHz, 4GB memory, 1TB hard drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive)
20” Apple Cinema Display (recycled from my G5)
Wacom Intuos3 Platinum 12” x 19” graphics tablet (My best friend...sad...but true)
Spyder 3 Elite monitor calibration system (Go Spyder, it’s your birthday!)
G-Raid 500GB external hard drive
(2) LaCie Quadra 1TB external hard drives (back-up, back-up, and back-up AGAIN!)
15” MacBookPro (2.4 GHz, 4GB memory) *Dedicated road warrior
Epson Stylus 2200 - Freebie from work? Sometimes retail DOES pay!
Epson Stylus 7800 - Work horse for those photos that just have to be seen big
Xbox 360 ... Ooooh, sorry we’re talking about photo gear.

There you have it folks. The inner sanctum of Mark Fleming Photography, or, as I like to refer to it...the Bat Cave!

Portland After Dark

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:16:41 -0800

Decided to try an experiment that I’ve been tossing around for a while now, to stroll around this city by the bay after hours, camera in hand.

I’ve always been fascinated by the difference a few hours can make on a city. What is a pleasant street filled with voices and bustling businesses by day can be a stark lifeless alley after the streetlights turn on and the open signs get switched off.

I set out on my twilight vigil well after most city dwellers had climbed into bed. Leaving your house at 11:00 P.M. to embark on a photo adventure is quite different than during the day.

My goal was to find the spots that most people don’t go, see the things most don’t see. However, I quickly realized that to really pull this project off you need a city that doesn’t roll up the sidewalks at 9:00 P.M. Sure there were people out, and yea a few bars still had juke boxes going, but overall the city was sleeping. My initial hope of pushing my self into situations I wouldn’t ordinarily enter didn’t quite pan out.

All in all, I came back with some cool shots. Though, this project is one that certainly needs to be re-tried once I get myself to a larger metropolis!

The Way Derby SHOULD Be

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:16:42 -0800

I told you these girls knew how to hit!

If you have a local derby, and you probably do, you should definitely try and make it out to see a bout. There is nothing quite like seeing these crazily clad girls plow into one another, just be sure to be mindful of flailing arms and skates if you end up sitting track-side!

Flat Track Heroes

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:24:54 -0800

Today I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with some of my favorite ladies, the rolling wonders more comenly known as the Maine Roller Girls.

Don't worry we haven't entered a time warp, it is not 1955. It's a good thing too, this is not your grandmother's roller derby. The poodle skirts have been replaced with ripped fishnet stocking and what used to be a friendly spin around a roller rink has turned into a full-contact high-adrenaline professional sport.

These girls know how to skate, but more importantly, they know how to HIT! I haven't seen that many skirts go flying into unknowning spectators since watching the last episode of America's Next Top Model.

Needless to say, it was one hell of an afternoon. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than dodging skirts, watching hot dogs dance, and setting off enough speedlights to make a night club jealous! Oh, and did I mention the girls in fishnets skating circles trying to knock one another into next week?

The Way I See It

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:59:48 -0800

After getting an email or two regarding the recent inactivity of the blog, I felt compelled to let everyone know that I am still very much alive and well. No, despite the rumors I haven’t suffered from death by pixels, I have merely been trying to finalize the details of my new site. That’s right people, hopefully within a week the new and MUCH improved MARKFLEMINGPHOTO.COM will be going live! Keep your computers tuned to this channel for more updates.

Enough about the details! Let’s move onto the photography already.

Today, we break into a realm that I haven’t visited for quite sometime. A realm I have playfully referred to as ‘real photography.’ What on earth does that mean? Well, to me it simply means shooting the people, places, and things that, for whatever reason, compel you beyond a shadow of a doubt to trip the shutter. No fancy equipment, no crazy lighting ratios, and certainly no preconceived ideas.

This ‘shoot what moves you’ style of photography has always appealed to me. Nothing seems to calm the nerves more than a quiet walk through the city streets with my Holga. Let’s face it, photography can’t get much more elemental than the timeless simplicity of the plastic Holga!

These two shots, though captured on pixels instead of film, were shot and processed with that wonderful simplistic approach in mind. I hope to show a bit more work like this here over the next few weeks. Not sure if it’s the Spring weather or the busy schedule at the studio, but for some reason I feel the need to wander!

Kicks

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:58:54 -0800

A closer look at Sam's vintage Nike Dunks.

High Fashion in Low Places

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:21:47 -0800

Sometimes life’s events just plain make you laugh.

For example, let’s take the photographic adventure Elizabeth and I shared in yesterday. We started by deciding to take advantage of the wonderfully warm weather and take a walk around the city.

An ordinary walk quickly turned into much, much more. However, would you expect anything less from Liz and myself?

After striking out at our original destination for an impromptu fashion shoot, we decided to do a bit of urban trail blazing. One way or another we ended up behind a rather dilapidated garage on Portland’s East End. What did we find back there? Why a pile of discarded tires and various colored oil drums of course!

That’s right people – we’ve just found our new favorite location!

TECHNICAL NOTE: All edits for this image were performed inside Adobe Lightroom 2.0

See Sam Jump

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:25:56 -0800

No doubt about it, Samantha is a beautiful girl. Not only does she have a great look, but she also brings her ‘A-Game’ to every shoot. A prime example of this was when I asked her to don the clothes she came in and ‘jump around.’

This was the first time I have ever regretted selling my House of Pain CD, and that was sometime during the summer between seventh and eighth grade.

Despite our disappointing shortage of early 90’s rap, Sam put her vintage Nike Dunks through their paces. Of course, the hardest part was trying to land each jump after being blinded. It’s true, I do tend to bring more lights into the studio than you could find backstage at an Aerosmith concert.

I’m not going to lie about this one – for whatever reason, I love it. I think it’s one hell of a cool shot in fact!

Have a Seat [Take II]

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:56:45 -0800

Tonight, we see another frame from my ‘have-a-seat’ project.

This one seems a bit more informal – more conversational if you will.

Have a Seat

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:12:46 -0800

Hello all. It’s been a bit longer than I anticipated since my last post. Between car trouble and a ‘tricky’ editorial assignment, my time in front of the computer has been short over the past few days. No worries, though, we’re back and even better we’re back with Sam – one of my favorite models to work with!

You all may remember Sam from one of my first model shoots. She was brave enough to not only get into the chilly surf but also to let me use her as an early lighting experiment. Almost four months later, I’ve certainly found my lighting technique and luckily for both of us I’ve recently also found a great little studio space. I’ve been anxious to shoot with her again. Especially considering her image on the beach is still one of my most viewed images on the blog!

I’ve started a bit of a personal project recently, and ironically almost entirely by accident. The project, which I’ve pet named ‘have-a-seat,’ began once I got myself into this great new studio space. Those of you who have shot in a studio know that it’s a great place to experiment with lighting. The controlled ambient atmosphere makes it an ideal place to create your own light. However, as far as mixing up the background/environment goes…well studios just can’t touch the variety of shooting on location. If you aren’t careful, studio shoots can very quickly develop into boring images.

I’ve tried to combat this almost inevitable issue by studying the work of some of the greatest studio shooters of all time, everyone from Richard Avedon to Annie Liebovitz. Though, my greatest inspiration has been possibly the greatest portrait photographer of all time, Platon. His style, energy, and ability to create amazing images of influential people is simply astounding.

My ‘have-a-seat’ project has developed out of studying his images, looking at what makes them so full of life. It’s the little differences. The small things that each person does, almost innately, that separate not only his images but also his subjects. Now, the challenge is how does one get those almost unknowing gestures and expressions out of a subject? Easy! Ask them to, “have a seat.” You may not have thought about it, but just asking people to sit down can reveal amazing things about their character. Every single one of us, when given a chair, or a stool, or a block of wood, or a sawhorse, or as in today’s image an apple crate will sit differently. Sure the difference may not be quantum, but again it’s the photographer’s job to identify those small intimate differences and work the camera to reveal the subject’s personality.

All right, well enough rambling! This has somehow turned into one of my longer written posts – not sure how that happened. I’ll stop punching keys now and let you all enjoy what you really came here for, the photo!

NOTE: Make sure you all subscribe to my Twitter stream, I do my best to update it as often as possible – from on-location editorial shoots to the waiting room at my local dealership, I do my best to keep everyone up to date. Also, if you’re on Facebook or Linked-In you can hit me up there as well.

Say Wha?

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 12:10:30 -0800

Just returned from a 3-day resturant shoot for Down East Magazine. Traveling up and down the state photographing some of the best food and atmosphere around was just as much fun as it sounds. However, it did keep me away from the computer for a few days.

Finally back in front of the screen today, I decided I better get back on my game and make sure you guys hadn't forgot about me! Today's shot is one of my favorites from our weekend at Loon Mountain, not only because it features my beautiful girlfriend, but also because of the mix of natural and artifical light.

To make sure you didn't miss a thing - we even brought along my video camera to catch our snow covered photographic escapades! Check it out below.

Main Event x3

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 08:48:42 -0800

Bouncing back to our makeshift sunlight studio today. For a set-up that was thrown together in a matter of minutes, our humble stroboscopic experiment turned out to be quite a hit with riders and ski bums alike.

We were to busy recruiting riders to pose that we barely noticed the quickly growing crowd of spectators accumulating behind us on the porch of the lodge. I suppose after a tough day on the slopes, why not kick back with a cold beer and watch us lens heads fool around with our lights.

I can’t stress enough how much I love this technique for portraits. All you need is a great blue sky, a sun that has started to drop in the afternoon sky, and finally a light source to bring out those features. An easy 1, 2, 3 set-up for stunning location portraits, what else could a deadline driven shooter want?

Stay tuned for more mountain side fun!

The Next Generation

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 18:12:56 -0800

As I stated yesterday, this week will be dedicated to images from this past weekend’s Main Event. Doug, Elizabeth, and I spent an 18-hour day snapping away on Loon Mountain in New Hampshire this Saturday. This week you’ll get to see the fruits of our labors, both here and on Doug’s blog. The best part is that you get to see all the fun without having to deal with the frostbitten toes!

Today’s image is one of a series of portraits Doug and I set up in our makeshift daylight studio. Oriented just outside the lodge, we were able to grab riders as they made their way to lift.

Our set-up here was extraordinarily easy, and one of my all time favorite lighting tricks. We simply placed our subjects directly in front of the sun, and then softly illuminated their features using an Alien Bee 800. The only difference between our set-ups came in our choice of modifiers. I went with the harder edged beauty dish while Doug opted for the softer spill of a brolly box.

This simple set-up can turn an ordinary headshot into a beautiful environmental portrait with just a few easy steps. Of course, our subjects certainly stole the show. These guys are great models – so easy to work with!

Nightfall on the Mountain

Sun, 1 Mar 2009 21:46:58 -0800

Elizabeth and I returned home safe and sound at nearly 11:30 last night. We had awaken to the shrill of our alarm 18 hours earlier, promptly loaded the car and headed off down I95 to meet Doug.

Doug squeezed himself and his gear into the back of the Xterra in Manchester, New Hampshire, from there we set-off toward our final destination Loon Mountain in Lincoln, New Hampshire.

Loon was hosting the final stop for one of the Northeast’s most anticipated snowboarding showcase, the Maine Event series. Our shooting day started with the ‘mini’ Main Event, featuring riders under the age of 16 weaving their way down a custom cut 20 foot super pipe. Watching those kids reek havoc on that massive pipe was awe inspiring, however it was the day’s youngest rider who stole the show. At just 5 years old, she made her way down the center of the pipe on her 97-inch custom board to thunderous applause from the crowd.

It wasn’t until the lifts had shut down and the sun had set that the big boys came out to play. Tonight’s image shows the scene as the riders took to the slopes for the final Main Event of the 2009 season.

Keep your eyes and ears tuned folks. Over the next few days I’ll be throwing up some of my favorite shots from the weekends festivities. Including some portraits that I am especially proud of.

As always – make sure to keep tabs on my random acts of photography by following me HERE.

Snowboarding is HOT HOT HOT

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:01:57 -0800

What? A new model? No way!

Believe it or not this face has been around for a long time, just never before in front of the lens. The chiseled jaw line and scarred upper lip starring back at you belong to the infamous Kevin Sennett.

Kevin has run the video end of many a Mark Fleming Photography production as well as standing right beside us chasing the boys from Last Ditch Racing as they tear through the woods. In fact, he’s in the process of putting together a new video showing a “behind the scenes” look at Mark Fleming Photography.

Among his numerous talents, Kevin can cut a mean line down the mountain both with and without his video camera. That being the case, I thought he would be a great person to toss in front of the lens. I mean let’s be honest, does he not fit the mold perfectly?

Excited to hit the mountain this weekend with Doug. We’re currently scheming away trying to figure out the best location for our next remote camera set-up. Any suggestions?

Downtown Throwdown

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:01:45 -0800

Taking a short break from Artist tonight to bring back some snowboarding images from the Downtown Showdown.

Doug and I will be heading up to Loon Mountain in New Hampshire this weekend to cover yet another snowboarding event. To get myself back into the swing of things as far as boarding goes I figured I would toss up a few more images from the Showdown.

These two definitely ranked somewhere in the top 5 as far as my favorite images from the event went. Shooting this event turned out to be almost as big a challenge as participating. Not only were all the photographers jockeying for position, we were also doing our best to get as close to the action as possible without getting landed on.

I certainly hope Sugarloaf and Sunday River bring this event back to our fair city next year. The attendance itself was proof positive that though Portland lies several hours from the nearest mountain we are truly a snow crazed city!

The Man

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:41:48 -0800

Tonight we bring back the one and only Artist. I had pleasure of shooting Artist yet again this past week. This time, in a studio environment, I knew exactly where I wanted to go and both Artist and I hit the ground running.

Working with someone who is comfortable in front of the lens makes all the difference in the world. However, even with a subject as comfortable as Artist the photographer still needs to engage their subject. It is our job to work with the model to create an emotion, a reaction, or even an event worthy of clicking the shutter.

To create this image I asked artist to turn on his favorite song and simply sing to the lens. A performer at heart, he had no problem looking the lens the in the eye and belting out lyrics like his life depended on it.

When it came time to process this image, I drew my inspiration from one of my all time favorite photographers, Platon. A master of the portrait Platon is an inspiration for me almost daily and certainly someone you should all take a minute to check out.

UPDATE:

For those of you who are curious about what’s happening in the world of Mark Fleming Photography, check me out on ... TWITTER/FACEBOOK/LINKED•IN.

Don’t be afraid to drop me a line and say hi!

Let Me Tell You

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 20:11:51 -0800

Ladies and gentlemen, this guy is the real deal. He enters any room and immediately dominates.

Throwing him in front of the lens, you can’t help but snag a great image. As Doug so aptly put it, “it’s to easy!”

From the wardrobe to the attitude this guy brings it every time. There is no better way to improve your skills as a photographer than working with talented models. They push you to do your best with every frame, constantly challenging you to keep up.

Shadow Play

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:51:36 -0800

Just finished up another shoot in the studio and I'm prety wiped.

Though, I don't think my lack of words will have much impact. I think this image definitely speaks for itself.

Studio Time

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:37:22 -0800

We started in the city, then hit the mountain, and finally ended up in the studio. What a weekend!

I was going to hold off on posting shots from our studio shoot until the very end, however, I processed this shot and was way to excited about it to let it sit in the archives and wait.

In case you hadn’t guessed, the muscular frame taking up this frame is the one and only Artist. We had been trying to get him into the studio all weekend, and wouldn’t you know that just as we were passing Lewiston on our way back from the mountain his schedule suddenly opened up.

The sudden opening turned out to be a photographic godsend. We cracked the studio door around 9 p.m. plugged in the iPod, cranked some tunes, and let the man do what he does best!

Tomorrow we head back to the mountain, though don’t worry, Artist will return soon enough.

Everyone keep an eye on Doug's blog as well. He's tossing up images almost as fast as he took them!

Ridin’ The Rails

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:47:43 -0800

Flip flopping a bit on the posts here by jumping back to the Downtown Showdown. However, like I said yesterday, you have to keep things fresh!

This snap is one of my favorites from the night’s events. Showing not only the rider skimming along the rail but the beautiful Portland skyline as well. I mean come on. How many times do you get to shoot a snowboarder against an urban backdrop?

To catch this frame, I stood just under the rail where the riders were landing after their brief trip down the drop in slope. I was shooting with my 14-24mm Nikon Lens. So in order to fill the frame with the boarder and skyline, I had to keep the lens anywhere from three to six inches from the bottom of the board as it slide over my head. That my friends, is what being a photographer is all about!

Showin’ Off @ The Showdown

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:13:09 -0800

All right, we’re on to day two of posting images from this weekend and already I am having a hard time choosing which ones should go up first. It’s times like these that I have to fight the urge to post all the shots at once.

One thing I always try to do, however, is make sure I keep things fresh. With that in mind, I decided to go with one of my favorite frames from my night in Monument Square at the first annual Downtown Showdown.

The showdown was a great event. Close to 40 riders, a custom staircase, and enough snow to cover the whole thing. These guys and girls strapped on their skis and snowboards at roughly 4 in the afternoon. They didn’t stop riding the rails until roughly 7:15. The time between was filled with sparks, firecrackers, horseless cowboys, half cabs, and more than one nasty wipe out. Don’t understand a word of that last sentence? Me either.

Despite my snowboarding naivety, the event was a blast both Douglas and myself. Let’s face it. Anytime we have to set-up our strobes we’re happy. Toss a few nasty snowboard tricks and a custom built staircase into the equation and we’re ecstatic!

The Main(e) Event

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:56:57 -0800

Oh boy. Where to start?

I suppose I’ll start by saying that this weekend was awesome! With well over 5,000 frames clicked away between Doug and myself, there are enough quality frames to keep both of our blogs full for quite some time.

Still recovering from our 15-hour day yesterday, I decided that rather than jump into some serious heavy duty editing, I would jump into Photoshop and play around a bit.

What better image to experiment with than this series which we captured during this weekend’s, The Main Event, a snowboard big air contest which went down yesterday at Sugarloaf U.S. A.

Now, why on earth would I say ‘we’ captured this image? Because this shot is the epitome of a shared photo credit. What you see before you was captured using my D300, Doug’s 10.5 mm fisheye lens, my Manfrotto ball head, his PocketWizards and remote cord all fastened on top of his monopod and drilled into the lip of the jump by yours truly. Better yet, we threw yet another person into the mix by having my lovely girlfriend trigger the camera using yet another PocketWizard.

Summary:
    Camera (Nikon D300) – Mark
    Lens (Nikon 10.5 mm Fisheye) – Doug
    Ball Head (Manfrotto 486) – Mark
    Monopod (Manfrotto 676B) – Doug
    Remote Trigger (PocketWizard) – Doug
    Certified Button Pusher - Elizabeth

Want to see the remote set-up for yourself? Take a look HERE.

Weekend of Champions

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:09:07 -0800

It’s finally upon us! The weekend I have waited weeks for. A weekend I have dubbed the “Weekend of Champions.”

Starting tomorrow, with the arrival of the infamous Doug Levy at 3:00 P.M EST the weekend festivities will begin. The agenda kicks off with the much anticipated Downtown Showdown, a snowboarding and ski competition happening right here in downtown Portland Maine.

In fact, the shot above was taken tonight, documenting the snow arrival at the custom built staircase the riders will be grinding down tomorrow.

After we shoot the boarders going for broke downtown on Saturday we load the car and head north for a snowboard shoot on Sugarloaf Mountain on Sunday.

That’s right people, two snowboarding shoots in as many days. Be sure you watch your CSS feeds, this weekend is sure to yield some pretty crazy stuff!

Hard Rock, Hard Contrast

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:30:01 -0800

Tonight, in keeping with the “funny face” theme, I decided to feature the director herself. Rocking out. Hard!

This shot also features a more dramatic example of a new Photoshop technique, which I have been testing out lately. The technique involves several layers and various blending modes all used to create a higher level of contrast and detail. This of course is the far end of that spectrum.

All you PS geeks be sure to stay tuned. I am in the process of writing up a tutorial featuring this technique. It will be going live on the Layers Magazine site sometime soon!

Meet the Vaginas

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:53:04 -0800

At the request of my gorgeous little director, part of my involvement in the production of The Vagina Monologues included capturing headshots of all the actresses.

Usually a headshot session involving that many people can get quite monotonous. Think picture day in grade school, “put your feet on the line and smile!”

However, Liz and I just don’t do boring. Both of us being the vibrant outrageous people we are we decided that to liven things up we would toss a curve ball into the equation. Our curve ball was an old favorite, the infamous “funny face.”

We all have one. We all make it when our friends and family point a camera at us. So why not while sitting in front of my enormous home made light ring?

The shots featured above are only a sample of the day’s events. Let me tell you, we accomplished our mission. What would have otherwise been a tedious task turned into a laughter filled extravaganza. All of it thanks to my very talented, fish faced, girl friend.

Wax On

Mon, 9 Feb 2009 20:04:33 -0800

Racers carefully wax their handmade ash toboggans as dawn breaks over the 19th Annual National Toboggan Championship.

Camden, Maine played host for the 19th straight year to over 400 teams of die-hard tobogganers. Some teams even coming from as far away as California.

To prepare their carefully crafted sleds for their trip down the chute, each team would apply a healthy coating of wax. Since the strict rules prohibit any other form of modification to the sled, these enthusiastic athletes don hilarious costumes to show their team spirit.

The in depth story behind this annual event, as well as my images, will appear in next year’s February issue of Down East Magazine. I’ll be sure to remind you when it hits news stands near you!

Back Stage

Sun, 8 Feb 2009 17:54:11 -0800

Still recovering from my 13 hour day watching chickens, owls, and light houses slide down the 400 foot chute at the National Toboggan Championships all mind you with the mercury hovering in the single digits. Yes folks, we are talking about die hard tobogganers here.

In any event, I figure you all might be yearning for some fresh images. Here's a frame from my experience backstage at the Vagina Monologues to peak your apetite while I push through the rest of my images from the past few days.

ARTIST

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 19:45:15 -0800

His name is Artist. Well, maybe not in court, but that is what everyone who matters knows him as. I figured you might get to know him by the same name!

For those of you wondering what is up next for Mark Fleming and his shutter finger, let me give you a little preview of the upcoming month.

First comes our beautiful Elizabeth's first production, The Vagina Monologues, which opens at Bates College this Thursday. I will be fortunate enough to shoot the production from backstage, which should yeild some interesting more photojournalistic frames. After my stint in the wings, I head up north for an exciting shoot for Down East. Though I cannot reveal my subject matter just yet, I can promise that once the issue hits shelves you'll be sure to see some wild and wacky Winter escapades.

From there we have a male fashion model lined up for some outdoor work, a group of snow boarders coming down from our neighbor to the North (Canada), and it wouldn't be me if I didn't toss in a few surprises for good measure.

Stay tuned folks - it's going to get crazy!

Oh, and don't let those fingers go numb. Lets see some comments.

Chambers : 03

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:03:55 -0800

It’s always fascinating to watch different people’s reaction when they step in front of the lens.

Most close up, their cheeks flush with embarrassment, their movements become stiff and lifeless. Worst of all, they don that atrocious smile we all came up with while waiting in line for our class portrait.

Some, though, come alive. With each burst of light their bodies flow, each movement performed with an unknowing precision. Each time that shutter closes they know it is time to create, striving to make each frame better than the last.

When one of these individuals steps in front of your camera, all you can do is try to keep up.

Love the Light

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:59:19 -0800

Tonight we get a little more personal with the infamous Artist.

Let me tell you, with arms that large and an attitude to match, this young man can be intimidating as hell. As my mother would say, “not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley.” That being said, I was happy to have a substantial piece of Nikon glass between him and I.

One of the biggest things I have learned about photography, especially location work, is to always be aware of your environment. No matter where you are, be it a sandy beach, a snow covered peak, or a dusty theater stage, take a look around to see what you have to work with.

Sometimes this technique doesn’t pay off, after all those of us who watched the Discovery Channel special on Mt. Everast know all to well there isn’t a lot in the way of props on many snow top peaks. However, on this dusty stage, I just happened to find a light bulb attached the top of a microphone stand.

Insert one muscularly accomplished model, add hard light, cue up the boom box, and let it rip!

GOD I LOVE MY JOB!

Can You Do That?

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:36:08 -0800

Like I said yesterday, just set-up the lights and let the guy go.

I can’t wait to get him back in front of the lens!

Final Adjustments

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:44:33 -0800

Now I’ve seen a few ties adjusted in my time. Though, I have yet to see one tied with such style and conviction as the one above.

Lighting this shot was pretty simple. We tossed a bare Alien Bee 800 about 10 feet back off camera left. For fill we shot another AB800 through a soft box at 1/16 power just off to camera right.

This entire shoot was a great example of setting up a relatively simple lighting solution and then letting the model do the work. With someone this confident and skilled in front of the lens, it’s almost always to just let them do what they do best and just hope you can keep up.

Fire Safety

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 16:12:04 -0800

One of the best things about this past Strobist meet was the location. We were lucky enough to be housed in an old Textile mill.

Though most of the mill had been beautifully refurbished to make space for offices, I was able to find a few areas that still had that good ol’ fashion mill feeling to them.

This photo is a prime example of one of my favorite photographic techniques. Take a beautiful girl and toss her against a dark and gritty backdrop. Throw some light into the equation and I tell you, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, you just can’t miss.

Oh, and many thanks go out to Elizabeth for finding and unraveling that magnificent fire hose!

Intensity

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:37:07 -0800

Since I can barely keep my eyes open, I am going to make tonight’s post a short one.

Here’s my beautifully crazy girlfriend sporting some fabulous make-up of her own design.

Pretty talented girl wouldn’t you say?

Chambers : 02

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:11:26 -0800

I have seen some tattoos in my time, but let me tell you, these are by far the best wings I have ever seen.

With these magnificent pieces of ink sweeping across his back how could I not shoot his back?

Not to mention the fact that this guy has more muscles than I ever thought humanly possible. He claims just two hours at the gym daily got him to where he is now. I’ll let you be the judge.

Ask for Strobist info – As always, I’ll be more than happy to share.

One Question.

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:49:42 -0800

In my attempt to keep things fresh, I have bounced to yet another shoot from this past weekend.

This image, captured at the Strobist Meet this past Saturday, was my attempt at throwing together a classic Joe McNally Speedlight solution.

For those of you who don’t know Joe or his work, I strongly suggest tossing his name into Google. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Lighting here turned out to be quite a production. In the end I had a total of six Speedlights all synced together through Nikon’s fabulous CLS system. I was using an SB900 shot through a Lastolite Easy-Box just above the camera as my main light. An SB80 popping a little fill flash off to camera left and then various and sundry SB800s popping both at the back of Ben’s frame for rim light and through a set of gels tossing some color the background wall.

Light is addicting.

Chambers : 01

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:16:55 -0800

I was going to wait before sharing these images with you all. However, Doug’s constant nagging as well as my own excitement got the better of me and I decided to jump the gun tonight.

This image was captured after this Saturday’s Strobist gathering. Doug had come up from Boston for the event and though we had certainly enjoyed ourselves at the event, both of us left still eager for more.

Seeing that Doug had already made the drive from Boston, Liz and I decided to make it worth his while and continue the journey up 95 to Bates for some more shooting. Lucky for us, one of Liz’s close friends was available and willing to model.

Everyone meet Artist. Artist, meet everyone.

Artist is really beyond description. Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, this econ major not only sports more muscles than Arnold at his prime but also has two gorgeous pieces of ink emblazoned on his skin. From drawing to rap to free form handstands, this guy can do it all.

Don’t worry folks, you’ll be seeing more of this young man.

Splish Splash

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:46:20 -0800

Quick post tonight, seeing as I have been running all over the state camera in hand for the past few nights till ungodly hours of the morning.

However, I couldn’t let another day go by without sharing the fun Doug, Liz, and I had with two Alien Bee 800s, a beauty dish, softbox, an extremely patient model, and one bottle of water.

After three days of straight of shooting, I can assure you that I have many more shots where this came from!

Emo Liz

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:46:49 -0800

Tonight I was graced with the presence of the one and only Douglas Levy.

After beating off the paparazzi, Doug was able to contribute not only his staggering presence but also his Alien Bee and 22” beauty dish to our late night photo escapades.

This gem came as a result of popping that beauty dish up about 6’ on a stand above Liz and letting her attitude and make-up do the rest. The more I shoot, the more I find that one light solutions more often than not turn out the best images. This snap is a perfect example!

FYI: Make-up by Liz

New Take | Old Friends

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:42:02 -0800

A shot pulled from a session with Ms. Sarah earlier this summer.

Editing this image reminded me of what a pleasure it was to work with this young lady. She's beautiful, vibrant, and energetic. Everything a photographer could ask for in a model!

Hopefully I'll be able to convince her to shoot sometime soon! Stay tuned.

A Little Tease

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:58:59 -0800

A bit more risqué than usual tonight, however, these gorgeous legs and shiny red heels came about as part of a bigger project.

The project is a production of the Vagina Monologues, directed by our very own Elizabeth. She’s been running around like crazy making sure everything is in place, as you can imagine there is a lot of work that goes into making a production like this.

One of her many tasks, creating a series of images to use on posters around town, fell on my shoulders as well. Together, we sat down, put our heads together, and came up with a bunch of ideas.

Equipped with my brand new toy, an Alien Bee 800, we hit my living room studio and started clicking the shutter. Though we have some really cool shots, this one is definitely my favorite. I just love the surprise and immediacy of the moment.

Any thoughts?

The Don

Fri, 9 Jan 2009 21:07:03 -0800

After browsing through the archives, I decided to go a little darker this evening.

Shot in a cobble stone alley earlier this fall, this portrait really caught my eye as I browsed through the digital drawers. Something about the hard light and stoic stance jumped off the screen.

Believe it or not, there isn’t a whole lot of post here. In fact the entire image came in with a total of only four layers. The major edits consisted of minor contrast tweaks and bit of de-saturation.

I’m particularly interested to hear your thoughts on this one. Something tells me this is going to be a pretty controversial frame.

Here's Lookin' At You

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 17:16:03 -0800

Greetings to all you newly invigorated 2009 blogging enthusiasts. As we enter the season for resolution and reinvention, I felt it worthwhile to talk a bit about the goals for Mark Fleming Photography for 2009.

As you’ve all witnessed first hand, 2008 was a growing year. I started the year by jumping head long into the scary world of portraiture. Going hand in hand, that step brought me into the realm of both studio and location lighting. These new steps have helped bring new techniques, new images, and most importantly new clients.

I have since jumping into the realm of portrait photography grown incredibly fond of the style and technique of some of the world’s best portrait shooters, from Chase Jarvis in the studio to Joe McNally on location with his forest of Speedlights. A self-admitted Strobist addict, I have gathered together my own small gathering of flash units and homemade modifiers. I can’t say enough how important it is to have mentors in this field. Shooters’ whose work not only inspires, but also challenges you to push your own work farther.

What does 2009 hold for Mark Fleming Photography? Well, the first step begins tomorrow morning at 8:00 A.M. when the first installment of my new email marketing campaign hits inboxes across the Northeast. Between emails, print mailing, phone calls, and old fashioned pavement pounding I will be spending the year securing new clients.

I will also be beginning several new BLOG ONLY self-assignments, the first of which I hope to have up by early next week. Stay tuned!

Rock Star

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 21:55:11 -0800

Tonight is another snap from my New Year’s shoot with the one and only Liz. Yup, just Liz. Just like Madonna, Sting, Seal, and the list goes on.

This was, as usual for Liz and I, a really fun shoot. The only downside was that due to the single digit weather we’ve been experiencing up here in the great white north, we were confined to my tiny one bedroom apartment. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be such an issue. However, trying to squeeze six Speedlights, light stands, a 9’ seamless, homemade ring light, photographer, and model into my miniscule living room turned out to be quite an experience.

For all you light geeks out there, I’ll be more than happy to divulge. The main light here is an SB900 at ¼ power shot through an umbrella about 2 feet above the lens. For backlight I set up two SB800s at 45 degrees behind her and for a bit of fill I tossed in another SB800 running at 1/32 off to camera left.

Taking Aim At 2009

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 16:29:41 -0800

I was lucky enough this year, to be able to ring in the New Year with my favorite girl!

Being our usual selves, we couldn’t help but break out the lights, camera, and of course replica Berretta!

What better way to ring in the New Year than with a beautiful girl, dressed in pink, toting a deadly weapon. Times Square has nothing on us!

Brotherly Love

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:23:10 -0800

Not long after setting up our make-shift studio, we had the entire family piled in the garage vying for the best view of the “hot-seat.”

Though nearly everyone found their way to the front of the lens, some certainly seemed to “enjoy” it a bit more than others.

My brothers Brian and Brad, always the jokers of the bunch, certainly enjoyed their time in the limelight. It seemed that every time I would get one or the other of them to pose nicely, the other would drop into the background with any number of crazy gestures and faces.

This image was my favorite documenting their wacky antics. The handsome fella in the front is my brother Brad. The crazed looking dude in the back is Brian. There really is nothing like family, is there?

Star of the Show

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:17:35 -0800

Just returned from an annual trip to Connecticut. The trek down Interstate 95 happens every year on the 24th of December, as we join the rest of the Fleming clan who all gather at my brother’s for our family’s Christmas celebration.

As has been the case for the last two years, my little niece, Melanie, stole the spotlight. Her genuine delight at the spectacle of Christmas was intoxicating. We were all soon drunk with delight, watching as she ripped through wrapping paper to reveal each new addition to her already overflowing toy chest.

My addition to this year’s event, as per usual, was my over active shutter finger. This year though, I brought out the big guns. That’s right…the infamous light ring made the trek down good ol’ I-95 with us. Let me tell you, it was a big surprise when they opened the garage door to find a fully functioning studio, complete with seamless backdrop and homemade ring light.

Though it took some convincing, before the day was over nearly ever-family member had taken a seat in front of the lens. We all shared a good laugh as I convinced each subject to make what they felt was their “signature” funny face. However, as always, the little angel and her brand new tricycle (thanks Uncle Brian and Aunt Kristen!) stole the show.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Under the Pier

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:52:30 -0800

Going a little old school here – both in regards to imagery as well as processing. That’s right! The much anticipated return of my curvy cross processing. Oh, and lets not forget my lovely girlfriend of course.

Of late, in case you hadn’t noticed, I have been focusing primarily on improving my portfolio of portraits. Which, if you have known me for longer than two years, is really quite ironic. As of two years ago, if you had told me that I would enjoy shooting people I would have laughed.

However, in those two years, I have learned an awful lot – both about photography and about myself as a photographer. The first, and probably most important thing I learned, is that contrary to popular belief, adding flash to your photographs is not tantamount to photographic suicide. You wouldn’t believe the difference a split second of light makes!

The next thing I learned is a bit harder to put into words and to be truthful, I am more of a visual person, so to make sure I get this right, I am going to turn this one over to a master. The following quote was given as advice to one of my favorite portrait photographers by one of his favorite subjects.

"A true artist is never wrong. If you listen to what's in your heart and express what you hear, then you can never fail." - Neil Young

Green Eyes, Red Shirt

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:31:59 -0800

Oh the Holidays. Traffic, sales, malicious shoppers, and lets not forget all those great times spent with relatives. Endless bickering aside, the hours seem to be flying off the clock these days.

Though today's shot is another pulled from the archives, I can assure you that I am going to find some time here over the next few days to get out there and squeeze off a few fresh images.

Until then, enjoy yet another look at the gorgeous Emily's beautiful peepers.

Prime Time

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:43:46 -0800

First of all, let me apologize for my recent absence. It appears that the holidays are truly upon us, and between dodging angry shop-a-holics on the freeway and trying to plan for 2009, the clicking of the shutter has subsequently slowed.

In the spirit of keeping nostalgia alive, I decided to delve back into the archives. A while back, I was hired to shoot Ira Rosenberg, local car mogul. I thought it would be a pretty boring head shot assignment when I took it, but as soon as I met the charismatic Ira, my mind was quickly changed.

The wise cracking entrepreneur kept me on my toes, despite being nearly four times my senior. I tell ya, seeing guys like Ira kicking ass and taking names at the ripe old age of 80, makes the idea of growing old much more appealing.

Flash Back

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 21:17:59 -0800

Not sure why, but I have recently felt the need to return to some good ol' fashioned landscapery.

So considering I wasn't brave enough to venture out into the first snow fall of the year here in the Port City, I figured I'd reach into the archives for a little flash back.

Bass Harbor Head Light - Circa 2006

Fish Face

Fri, 5 Dec 2008 21:13:34 -0800

I know I haven't said a whole lot in my last few posts.

However, I really don't feel that words can express all the intracacies of this particular image.

Vogue

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 20:41:12 -0800

What?

You didn’t know she had blue eyelashes?

Me either.

Her Eyes

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 19:37:36 -0800

It’s been far to long my friends.

What have I been up to in my mysterious absence? Oh, you have no idea.

I have been constructing the ultimate weapon of photographic war. The infamous DIY ring light!

All I have to say is thank god my father is a trained engineer. Otherwise, I can assure you I would be lying electrocuted on the shop floor.

As far as the light produced by this self-manufactured circular beauty, one word, Amazing! Turn on those beautiful eight daylight balanced fluorescent beauties and the world instantly looks better.

Of course, let’s be honest here people. I don’t care what lights you have, can this girl look anything but stunning?

Red & Green

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:05:12 -0800

Keeping it simple tonight.

Emily doing what she does best, looking beautiful and showing off those gorgeous peepers.

x2

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 21:11:19 -0800

Decided to do a little more experimenting with my portrait processing.

Since getting more involved with portraiture, life style, and people pictures in general, I have been paying extra close attention to processing techniques. There are so many techniques out there – each bringing its own appeal to the table.

Per usual, I have been doing quite a bit of experimenting with my own processing methods. Of late, my greatest challenge is how to generate that ultra edgy look while maintaining an overall clean/smooth look.

This is my latest attempt. Feel free to toss out your thoughts. I know I will!

Encore

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:18:44 -0800

As the saying goes, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Or maybe it’s that you can’t teach a new dog old tricks, something like that.

In any event, what you see above are two of my favorite shots. Both were taken a little over a year ago and both were processed pretty distinctively to begin with. I came across them while browsing today, and stopped for a moment to think how I might process them if I had taken them today.

Luckily, thanks to the wonderful world of digital, I was able to turn my ponderings into reality.

I processed these two shots from the original RAW files that I captured back in April of 2007. The camera was my Canon 5D, the lens my 24-105mm f/4 L.

It was fascinating to see each image develop, thinking the whole time what techniques I have grown fond of with time, which ones I have abandoned completely, and which ones are entirely new to my workflow. In the end, this was a valuable experience.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on each and how they compare to one another.

ALSO - Don't forget to visit the orignal posts for each image, HERE and HERE

The Silence

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:02:00 -0800

Tonight, we’re going to take a little detour.

These images were captured this past May while my good buddy Ryan and I roamed the abandoned halls of the Biddeford Nursing Home.

This structure, left unattended for some 10 years, has really begun to disintegrate. The paint appears more like bark, pealing and cracking off the warped walls. Water stains the floor and ceiling where the roof has begun to leak. The slight odor of mothballs lingers in the air and there is an eerie silence that blankets the entire ward.

Several windows, bolted ajar, let a slow flow of air circulate through the forlorn hallways. Ink stained paper calendars cling to cork boards still proclaiming the upcoming bridge tournament between floors.

Beneath it all, a basement full of long forgotten patient files. Folders upon folders of prescriptions, personal belongings, and intimate psychological details lie scattered across the concrete floor.

Leaving through the opening from whence we came, Ryan and I take an opportunity to glance once more around the darkened back room. Though I don’t believe in ghosts or an after life, I can’t shake the feeling that the presence of those who roamed these halls still lingers.

With the door closed securely behind us, the silence returns once more.

Portraiture – Parkour Style

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:29:57 -0800

There are some pictures that happen completely by mistake. You click the shutter, for various reasons, none of which are the reason you intended to, and boom you get an image that you never imagined.

This image was a quick fire lighting test. Nothing more than a simple half-hearted click of the button. I wasn’t even looking through the viewfinder – in fact, I wasn’t even holding the camera with both hands! Truth be told, it’s a miracle that I managed to get Dylan in the frame.

Regardless of purpose or intent, I love this image. Not sure what it is that strikes me here, whether it’s the lighting or the composition or the beautifully grey sky. Then again, isn’t surprise part of what makes this whole game fun?

Chronicles of a Photographer

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:47:22 -0800

This image perfectly demonstrates one of the most basic rules of photographic physics. If two photographers end up in the same space, at the same time, each with a camera in hand, there’s going to be a shoot-out. However, thankfully this isn’t O.K. Corral style, we both walked out alive – all our gear intact.

In case you hadn’t guessed already, Houser took the image on the left featuring yours truly in the act while the image on the right is one I snagged at a separate location. I processed both images on my end and as you can see tried out two very different styles.

For Houser’s shot I decided to go old school and revert back to my gritty HDR methodology, while switching things up for my shot on the right and using a bit more clean approach.

Something about Houser’s shot reminds me of an I Spy book, how many Speedlights can you find in this image?

The Scenic Route

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:04:40 -0800

A while back I was introduced, thanks to our good friend Ryan, to the upcoming sport known as parkour. Parkour, also known as free running, is pretty crazy on the whole. Guys (and girls) running, jumping, diving, vaulting, and rolling over, under and through anything they can find.

Anxious to get some of these urban daredevils in front of my lens I did what any child of the technology age would do, I Google’d parkour groups in New England. Sure enough, there is a local community of parkour athletes running, jumping, and vaulting around Boston.

Today, Houser and I took the trip down 95 to see if we couldn’t snag these guys doing their thing. I tell ya, it’s pretty unnerving watching these guys, especially through the viewfinder when they’re rapidly getting closer to your lens!

Pushcart Portrait

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:40:53 -0800

Pulled this image from a recent creative headshot session that I did with a friend/actor. He wanted unique, edgy, and unusual images – so I took him to a local self-storage loading dock. Can you think of anything more unique, edgy, or unusual than a classy guy posing with a push cart on an abandoned loading dock? I can’t!

Strobe This

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:19:57 -0800

Ladies and gentlemen, the first ever Maine Strobist Gathering!

I can't thank everyone enough for coming out and making our first event a success. For those of you who didn't make it, this should give you a pretty good idea of what went down. Be sure to look for me shooting outside ... I'm the one using two smoke machines ... would you expect anything less?

Major thanks also go out to Kevin Sennett for following us flash-happy photographers all day and compiling all our nonsense into this fantastic video.

Houser and I have already started planning out next gathering for this January. So stay tuned, more details to come!

Exfoliation

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:42:03 -0800

Modeling in the buff, in the mud, during a down pour, in the woods, at night, in November, in Maine…

Eat that America’s Next Top Model!

Swamp Thing

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:01:39 -0800

I know I am beginning to sound like a broken record when it comes to singing Emily’s praises.

However, that being said, this girl was not only willing to go out in the middle of the night, in November, in the rain, in Maine, to jump in a mud puddle…she was stoked!

I don’t care how often you work with models or talent in any sense that kind of devotion to the final image is not easy to find.

Houser and I had been tossing this idea around for awhile now, and when we had our favorite model over for some make-up work we figured it wouldn’t hurt to get her opinion. Much to our surprise she not only liked the idea, she insisted that we use her and that we go out that very night.

Not people to insult a guest, Houser and I kindly agreed, grabbed our gear and headed out into the rain. The shot was composed roughly 1/10 of a mile down a trail at a local park. We set up my two SB 900s, one as a main front light and one as a backlight, both set to roughly ¼ power. We were moving quite fast to keep both Emily and my equipment from freezing, so I can’t remember all the settings to be honest.

What I can say is that this was one of the coolest photo shoots I have ever been on. Nothing beats being out in the dark, in the rain, in November with your camera and good friends!

Have a Seat

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 20:01:23 -0800

This frame comes from a recent client shoot. The subject, a professional actor, was full of energy and up for everything we threw at him.

Over the course of the evening we dragged him from an abandoned warehouse to a fully operational loading dock. What on earth were we shooting you ask? Oh, merely head shots.

To understand my method of photography, I think you need to understand my constant need to explore. Whether a simple headshot or a complicated composite image, I feel that location is an integral part of the image.

For example, I just don’t think this shot would have the same feel if he wasn’t sitting in front of a corrugated steel loading-gate and I wasn’t dodging traffic while trying to compose.

Fierce

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 20:34:03 -0800

Does this girl not rock!?

I mean come on! She can pull off the cute/innocent turtleneck shot from yesterday then jump into this make-up and attitude without blinking an eye.

Combine Emily’s inspiring modeling talent with the gorgeous light that our homemade ring light tosses out and it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

This technique/look is going to be awfully hard not to get addicted to.

Make-up by the beautiful, talented, and amazing - LIZ

(RED)

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 21:07:22 -0800

The lovely Emily.

I cannot tell you how awesome this model is. She is, as my good friend Houser stated, “Everything a model should aspire to be.”

From her intuitive movements in front of the lens to her insatiable need to create the perfect frame, this girl doesn’t stop until the shot is perfect.

Over the next few nights, I’ll be mixing up images from the Strobist meet with images snagged during our one-night photo fest with Em. Stay tuned people – things are going to get interesting!

Strobist Info:

Main Light: Houser/Fleming made ring light (directly in front of face)
Side Light: Two SB800 at 1/16 power (one on either side of her face about 2’ away)

Behind the Man, Behind the Light

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 21:08:38 -0800

After spending all weekend gawking over our friend Greg Bennett’s DIY ring light, Houser and I decided we could no longer live without one.

We started by hitting the local Lowe’s and buying them out of sockets and compact florescent bulbs. Then, armed with an armful of power tools, we headed out to the garage and began our poorly planed electrical experiment.

Despite our numerous oversights, we managed to pound out our own version of specular beauty in a little less than four hours. The results? Nothing short of stunning. Who thought two hundred dollars and a jig saw could bring one so much joy!

For tonight’s post I decided to shed a little light (pun intended) on the mysterious man behind the magnificent illuminated ring. Able to wrangle the most difficult of lights, diffuse objects as large as the sun, and illuminate tall buildings in a single exposure, I now present to you…the man, the legend…Houser!

Punchy

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 20:06:32 -0800

Just finished pounding out an assignment for Down East.

shot this morning - edited tonight - due tomorrow

Welcome to the world of editorial deadlines!

Tonight's image: Punchy O' Guts (Maine Roller Derby) shot at this past weekend's Maine Strobist Event.

Lights, Fog, and Leopard Print (Oh my)

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 19:02:33 -0800

Tonight marks the return of one of my favorite subjects, the lovely Samantha.

Sam accompanied me to this past weekends Maine Strobist meet-up. Needless to say that her and her amazing blue eyes were a big hit!

For this shot, I snagged her and a wooden chair from inside and headed out onto the front lawn. Being November in Maine there was a distinct chill in the air and Sam being clad in only a leopard skin dress was certainly not dressed for the occasion. Luckily we were able to snag a propane heater from the garage to keep her toasty in the cold night air. The final step was adding two fog machines for a bit of background drama.

I lit this shot with four speed lights, two SB800s behind her at 45 degree angles, an SB900 shot through a soft box as a main light above the camera, and finally an SB600 for a bit of fill to open up the shadows under her chin.

The set-up turned out to be a big hit. In fact, after I had finished shooting several other photogs stepped in and had a bit of fun with it themselves.

Confined Spaces

Sun, 2 Nov 2008 20:01:39 -0800

I know what you’re thinking, a very pretty girl crawling through what appears to be an oversized wine rack with red and blue fog, how in the hell did you pull that off? Well folks, that is what happens when you pull together 30 some odd photographers, a handful of models, a myriad of flashing lights, and more gels, soft boxes, and snoots than I care to mention.

That’s right, yesterday marked the first ever Maine Strobist meet-up. The brainchild of Nate Varney, Andrew Houser, and myself–this event somehow came together only four weeks. Without having any real idea what we were doing, we contacted as many models, photographers, and make-up artists as we could and told them to pass the word.

In the end, the turn out was fantastic! I can’t tell you how cool it was to have that many talented people under one roof. We had models in closets, models in sinks, and even models outside in Maine…in November! Oh, and don’t forget the fog machines! But most importantly we had flashes–lots of them!

The whole idea behind Strobist meetings is to get photographers together and share ideas, techniques, and stories. That being the case, I feel that our little meeting was an enormous success!

Thanks to all those who came out for the event, especially the Boston crew – who somehow managed to collectively shoot over 80 gigs! It was great to meet everyone and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Animal Lust

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:36:30 -0800

I pretty much spelled out my general misunderstanding regarding ladies and their shoes last night.

So, in hopes of keeping your eyes trained on the sparkling teeth of my beloved I’ll keep the text to a minimum.

I now present, Liz biting a shoe.

True Love

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 20:22:18 -0800

For the life of me, I can’t understand the connection between women and shoes.

The never-ending need to expand their collection seems to be encoded in their DNA. From strappy-sandals to knee high boots, the myriad of designs keeps them coming back again and again. There are dress shoes, casual shoes, and even dressy-casual shoes.

The point to all this, as I am sure you have noticed, is that my girlfriend has one of the largest collections of shoes I have yet come across. As she herself will tell you, she has only two true loves, shoes and … shoes.

I know, you’d think I’d be in there somewhere wouldn’t you?

Dock 92

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:22:21 -0800

I decided to take a break from my seasonal series and share with you something a bit more light-hearted. Never you fear though, my photographic freight fest will resume shortly.

Tonight, we see Ryan doing what he does all to often, defying gravity. This shot, as many of mine, came about as pure coincidence. We stumbled upon this loading dock while walking a cobble stone alley near my apartment. Spots like this are why I truly love Portland. Such a cool mix of old and new.

As soon as I saw the location, I knew immediately that I wanted Ryan jumping off the elevated dock and going crazy in mid-air. Between the dark red bricks, the dock number, the tagged sign, and my overzealous flying friend this turned out to be a pretty sweet frame.

Strobist:

1 – SB900 shot through Lastolite EZBox (Ryan’s left – just out of frame)
1 – SB800 w/ diffuser (on ground shooting up for fill – below camera right)

Impendent

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:44:17 -0800

With tonight’s image we return to burlap and streaked mascara. The odd part of this whole endeavor was that even though we were out there “constructing” our own freight fest, we were still jumping at every noise.

You don’t really understand the terror of being grabbed from behind by a knife-wielding stranger in a burlap mask, until you’re in an abandoned warehouse at 11:00 at night watching it happen.

I wanted to take a moment and sincerely thank those of you who have made comments regarding the “cinematic” nature of these images. That was the exact direction that Ryan and I were trying to go. We drew our inspiration from watching our favorite horror films. We tried to light, pose, and act just as if we were freezing a single frame out of a scene.

Trust me folks, it’s a lot harder than it looks!

Affirmation

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:06:21 -0800

Before anything else, let me take a moment to thank all of you who either left comments or even put in a call regarding my last post/rant.

Once again, this blog has opened my eyes and allowed me to see things in an entirely new way.

The bottom line was spelled out by my father, being the wise man he is, he is truly able to separate himself from the pack and look at things from a vantage point that one can only achieve with experience. What is the bottom line? That though I post photos here for everyone to enjoy, they are images that I create, and that being the case the only thing that truly matters is how they make me feel.

Everyone likes something different. That is not a new lesson, just look at the number of ice cream flavors that Ben & Jerry’s is pumping out. Therefore not everyone will like the images I produce, and even if they do, certainly not every image.

From the other side of the lens, though, I do want to explain where Ryan and myself are coming from. We put a lot of time, money, and energy into these images. We are excited about them. Very excited!

When we have finished formulizing, constructing and shooting our idea we rush back and toss it up on the blog to hear what others think. It is no different than toiling over a term paper for weeks, passing it in, and then being forced to wait patiently for a grade. Truth be told – we are seeking affirmation that our latest creative achievement was not as we constantly fear…ordinary.

I promised myself that I would keep this guy short, so one last statement and I’m out.

To all of you who visit each day (regardless of if you click the comment button or not) thank you. You are the ones who make this endeavor worth while – and though I may lose sight of it sometimes – you are a major part of the reason I keep heading out that door, camera in hand.

Image 005

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:43:50 -0800

Fear, perhaps the most primal of human emotions, should never be underestimated.

Image 004

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:17:07 -0800

Hey, it's Ryan again. Sore neck, but otherwise I'm okay. Thanks for your concern.

Anyway, we've all been told how childish it is to be afraid of shadows, or to jump every time you hear a noise. That's why we're so self-conscious about giving in and looking over our shoulders when we feel like we're being watched. Nobody wants to be laughed at.

But maybe next time you should give in. Better to be laughed at than...well, you know.

Image 003

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:09:14 -0800

He said he had plenty of slack. He said he could just grab the rope if he slipped. He said it would be fine. He said just click the shutter and get the shot. Just click the shutter…

Image 002

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:05:49 -0800

Last night we submerged you in the icy pool of the supernatural, that chilling realm of dread that stretches the bounds of reality. Such is the stuff of nightmares. But not everything that goes bump in the night can be banished by the sunrise. Not all fear is irrational. Some of it is real.

The subtlety of horror has always intrigued Mark and me—the fact that the simplest things are sometimes the most frightening. And so tonight's image is happily devoid of specters and spooks. However, it does raise a question, as well as the hairs on the back of the neck. Which is scarier, the unknown or the unrealized? The sable devilry of the occult, or the predatory reality lurking on your deserted walk home?

You have the luxury of being able to decide. The hapless girl pictured above…did not.

Image: 001

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:13:54 -0800

Ryan, here, with portentous news. The series of images you are about to witness will likely scar you irreparably. With luck, you will be chilled to the point of paralysis, mouths gaping and contorted at the pure evil on your screens.

Mark and I have spent the past weeks scheming and conniving, concocting a series of images bent on prodding your guts to discomfort. To put it simply: we want to scare you. We want to scare you shitless.

These images are not to be casually appraised. They are meant turn heads…in all sorts of directions. To slip beneath your aesthetic appreciation for photography and to be unbeautiful. Unorthodox. Unsympathetic.

And if you don't comment—oh if you don't comment, who knows what we'll do…

Oh Ichabod...

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 18:45:11 -0800

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you one of the most challenging images I have yet created.

A combination of over seven separate exposures, this composite took Ryan and I about an hour and a half to complete.

Starting with little more than a suggestion, we set up the scene and took shot after shot until the entire scene had been captured. Then, pixel-by-pixel, I stitched the individual shots together to create a very contemporary version of the infamous Headless Horseman.

I won’t hold back here–I am extremely proud of this shot! Perhaps it’s the hours of time that went into its creation, perhaps just my strange affinity for the terrifying tale of Sleepy Hallow.

NOTE: I agree with Ryan’s statements on yesterday’s image. We went through an awful lot to get these shots…lets hear some comments folks!

No Words

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 19:01:38 -0800

Being the duteous writer he is, I took Ryan's suggestion to light a literary text on fire as an attempt to irrefutably prove the pen really is mightier than the sword.

Believe it or not, no one was hurt during the creation of this photograph. The fire was easy enough to manufacture, just douse the top _ of the text with lighter fluid, add flame, and hang on. Seeing as flames rise, the fire never crept down the page, rather Ryan was able to hold the burning book for nearly 10 minutes without so much as a singed hair.

A hair or two was singed, however, when Ryan decided it would be a good idea to fan through the flaming pages. The fanning motion added oxygen to the flame and it consequently jumped off the page. Luckily Ryan has plenty of hair to spare.

Ode to Johnny

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 19:35:55 -0800

Ryan and I decided that it might be cool to do this sort of dramatic kneeling pose with some really harsh side lighting.

Funny thing was, that as soon as Ryan knelt down the ground spontaneously burst into flame.

Indian burial ground?

Toil and Trouble

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 21:17:30 -0800

Fall has arrived.

The leaves are turning, the morning chill lingers in the air, and the night comes earlier each day.

In the darkness of this October night, two shadowy figures set about a plan to scare up some good ol’ fashion Halloween horror.

Tonight starts off a series of terrifying images that, time willing, should stretch on until Old Hallows Eve. From ghosts to ghouls, when it comes to subject matter Pandora’s box has been opened. Feel free to offer up your own nightmarish suggestions.

As for tonight’s image…let’s just say that all sorts of flammable fun were had while creating this composition. Being the over active pyromaniacs we are, Ryan and I bought out the local Wal-Mart’s supply of lighter fluid and set off in search of stuff to set ablaze. Fortunately enough for us, the local abandoned warehouse was built over an old Indian burial ground. Femur bones and skulls abound!

Decay

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 18:48:52 -0800

Mission accomplished.

Well, sort of. I did manage to get out to shoot today, though not for nearly as long as I wanted. With the sun setting earlier and earlier each day, my after-work shooting window gets smaller and smaller.

With the last glint of sun flaring up over the tree line, I made my way down the backside of Portland Harbor. The South side of the harbor is home to Portland’s oil loading and unloading docks. The shore is packed with gleaming white oil tanks and almost entirely gated off. There is a small section, however, where by using some ingenuity one can access the muddy shore.

There, stranded on the soggy flats, were these two iron barges. Slowing rotting away in the salt air, their derelict hulls proved a great place to watch the last rays of light drop below the horizon.

I am always astounded by the trash/treasures one can find while roaming the shore.

Idyllic

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 18:59:29 -0800

I have heard Ryan be called a lot of things, most of which not repeatable in polite company. Perceptive, though, seems to be PG enough to talk about.

The man posses the uncanny ability to call me out when the need arises, and yesterday the need arose. See, as he so aptly pointed out, I have posted some 43 consecutive rally shots. For those of you, like myself, who aren’t so good with numbers…that’s a lot of car pictures!

His point being that I need to get back to my original goal for this blog, to get myself out there with a lens and just explore. Take photos for fun. Seems easy enough doesn’t it?

The problem comes when you click the shutter for a living. Everyone knows that what one does for his or her livelihood should never be confused with what one does to relax. WRONG! Being creative is fun. Those of us who are lucky enough to have our right brain alive and kicking need to remember that little tid-bit.

All of this to say…less pictures of spinning tires and flying mud, no more complaining about obligatory deadlines and late nights. More clicking the shutter! No questions, no complaints, just good old unbridled creativity!

View from the Top

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:30:54 -0800

I can’t tell you how nice it is, as a photographer, to have an entire day with one car, one crew, one road, and a set of hand-held radios. Without the ever-present time restraints of a “real life” rally event, Ryan and I were able to fully scout the entire road. This little gem was actually about 100 yards after the finish.

Flanked on both sides by VW sized rocks, this steep grade proved to be the perfect setting for some in-car portraits. In the world of motor sports, the cars often get all the glory. With all the attention being paid to horsepower, torque, and tires we often forget that behind the wheel is real life flesh and blood. Without the drivers and co-drivers, the sport wouldn’t really be all that exciting now would it?

The tech behind this shot is rather simple. I lined up the car on the top of the knoll, positioned myself halfway down the hill. I added one SB-800 at ½ power inside the car and had Ryan pop another SB-800 aimed in Dave’s passenger window at ¼ power. The flashes were triggered using an Elinchrome Skyport system. For glass, I used Nikon’s ever popular 70-200mm f/2.8 VR.

P.S. - I also used my classic curvy-cross processing technique.

Pit Stop

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:13:29 -0800

It’s been a bit nuts around here the past few days.

I went almost immediately from chasing these guys through the Northern Maine woods to shooting a 5 star restaurant in Camden. What a change in scenery.

Needless to say after a 12-hour day of shooting chefs, guests, and various and sundry appetizing entrees, followed by a full day of editing today, I am exhausted.

Though I couldn’t let another night pass without updating. Tonight, I decided to share the other side of the car, the pit crew. These guys will never cease to amaze me. Not only can they rip the car apart and put it back together in a mere 30 minutes, but they can do it anywhere in any weather. Eat that NASCAR!

Ridin’ Dirty

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:06:05 -0800

“They see me rollin’
They hatin’
Patrolling they tryin to catch me ridin’ dirty
My music so loud
I'm swangin’
They hopin’ that they gon’ catch me ridin’ dirty”

If ever two individuals embodied these lyrics, it would most certainly be Mr. Dave Getchell (rear) and Mr. John Cassidy.

It occurred to me that rally really does give the phrase “ridin’ dirty” a whole new meaning, don’t you think?

Be sure to holla at the boys - LastDitchRacing.com.

Sunday Afternoon

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:42:51 -0800

Today, as you can see, I took a ride up north to hang with the LDR boys as they ran the Steel Tulip through her paces. What you see above is John Cassidy's idea of a Sunday afternoon drive.

Equipped with HAM radios, bags upon bags of photo gear, and my two trusty assistants (Ryan and my Father) I once again set off into the wilds of the Maine Woods in search of high-octane excitement.

Always the showman, John certainly followed through on the excitement! I can’t tell you how great it is, as a photographer, to have an entire course to yourself. With a crew of 11 guys, a high-speed performance racecar, and no one around for miles, it really is a miracle we all returned in one piece. Well, all but the lovely Steel Tulip. She ended the day with a bum radiator fan and a broken brake line.

Needless to say, it was a blast and there will be many more images showing up here for my time in the woods with the Last Ditch Racing crew.

P.S. Anyone spot the message hidden in this image?

Traction

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:57:50 -0800

I was so happy with last night’s monochromatic experiment that I decided to give it another whirl.

Being such a student of color, I often find it hard to think in shades of gray. I will say that the world of digital has certainly made things easier – shoot now, worry about it later.

There is something about loading 36 exposures of straight B+W that both scares and exhilarates me. No longer is there color in the world. Hues have gone mute. All that remains is texture and tonality. Composition must be thoroughly thought out and perfectly executed.

Having thoroughly examined my last photographic adventure, I have come to the conclusion that I need to focus in more on the basics. Light, texture, movement, and composition, these are the elements that make up a quality photograph. Choose your subjects carefully, monitor your conditions constantly, and then decisively compose those elements within the frame.

Possible when passing at 118 mph?

A challenge is a beautiful thing.

The Man Himself

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:43:01 -0800

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the one…the only…John Cassidy.

He goes by many names, most of which are not suitable in public. However, no matter what you call him one thing is for sure, the guy can drive.

Driving a car he built himself in his own garage, John has found himself running against some of America and Canada’s top drivers. In recent years, those drivers have found themselves in John’s rearview.

Keep your eyes open – This is a face that you’ll be seeing a lot from now on!

A Wheel Up

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:28:55 -0800

This shot of one of Rally’s most talented drivers left front wheel brings up some interesting (non-rally related) thoughts for this young photog. I would imagine that you all are tired of hearing about spinning tired and flying dirt by now, so hopefully my long-winded ranting will spice up your reading a bit.

The topic of this rant revolves around our title for this evening’s image. Whether a wheel or a leg, we are always striving to gain an advantage against our adversaries. In rally the difference can be anything from piston rings to lug nuts. In photography, it’s all about making a name for yourself.

Now, the basic idea behind making a name for ones self, in photography, is separation. Separate yourself from your competition and you will surely be noticed. Whether through altering your style, your gear, your processing, or even methodology the key to success is to set yourself apart.

The problem with this solitary ideology is that by definition it forces photographers to keep their ideas, their techniques, and ultimately themselves tightly guarded secrets.