the cactus portraits, part deux
12.18.08 | happenings
- colors &
textures
about a month
ago i posted a few
saguaro portraits from a new
personal project i've begun intended to highlight
the personality of cactus.
this week i've been in palm springs, ca, a stone's throw from joshua tree national park to continue a project with the intent towards publication of a fine art book.
joshua tree is a wild place. my interest photographing there started with studying the work of ansel adams. about 6 years ago i visited the natioanl park and took photos with a vintage honeywell pentax slr camera (that my father gave me) with some t-max 400 b&w film. i was disappointed with the results because i was comparing myself to ansel himself... mistake. this time around i came prepared with a wide-angle lens and my creativity and lighting style. i wasn't just going to photograph cactus, i was going to light them as i would light a portrait in a style i could call "me' using a single off-camera flash (a nikon sb-600 speedlight). if additional light was necessary, i was determined to push the limits of what this small flash could do.
here are a few of my favorite images taken over the last 3 days...
some on-axis fill adds the 3d pop:
a 20 second exposure and light painted with a flashlight:
day #2. okay, it is snowing. in a desert. go figure :)
a flash was the only way to capture the snow coming down in a way that makes for a very holiday-esque feeling... me likey :)
i shot this like a groom with the groomsman in the background :)
day #3 (this morning). left at 5:15 and made the drive to joshua tree again. 18 inches on snow in one day happens once in about every 25 years, so there was no excuse NOT to go. while the roads were a bit slick, we made it safe and sound even though the park entrance was closed, so we had to walk into the park, which was totally fine with the rangers who gave us permission.
can you spot the moon?
the early morning rays:
three of my students came along for the adventure (we left a 5:15 am)... so they were treated for some updated facebook portraits:
here's gintautas ("mr. g"), who flew all the way from florida to attend my class. his son is named "juozas," so it was only appropriate that he had his photo taken in joshua tree.
then the cameras were turned and grabbed this shot... he's got a great eye and is wicked good in ping pong....
i lost a bet to him after he severly beat totally schooled me four games (in a row) of ping pong the night prior. he failed to mention his grandmother was a ping-pong champion and taught him a few tricks. the wager: a topless photo taken in the cold which was then to be used as a profile shot on facebook for 30 days. the shot was taken, but he conceded that it did not need to be posted on facebook.
lisa got the long-distance award since she traveled all the way from kodiak island, alaska to attend my week-long arcgis workshop.
here's the departing shot from this morning with the top down in the mustang convertible rental car (thanks to the fine folks at avis for the free upgrade!!!)
this week i've been in palm springs, ca, a stone's throw from joshua tree national park to continue a project with the intent towards publication of a fine art book.
joshua tree is a wild place. my interest photographing there started with studying the work of ansel adams. about 6 years ago i visited the natioanl park and took photos with a vintage honeywell pentax slr camera (that my father gave me) with some t-max 400 b&w film. i was disappointed with the results because i was comparing myself to ansel himself... mistake. this time around i came prepared with a wide-angle lens and my creativity and lighting style. i wasn't just going to photograph cactus, i was going to light them as i would light a portrait in a style i could call "me' using a single off-camera flash (a nikon sb-600 speedlight). if additional light was necessary, i was determined to push the limits of what this small flash could do.
here are a few of my favorite images taken over the last 3 days...
some on-axis fill adds the 3d pop:
a 20 second exposure and light painted with a flashlight:
day #2. okay, it is snowing. in a desert. go figure :)
a flash was the only way to capture the snow coming down in a way that makes for a very holiday-esque feeling... me likey :)
i shot this like a groom with the groomsman in the background :)
day #3 (this morning). left at 5:15 and made the drive to joshua tree again. 18 inches on snow in one day happens once in about every 25 years, so there was no excuse NOT to go. while the roads were a bit slick, we made it safe and sound even though the park entrance was closed, so we had to walk into the park, which was totally fine with the rangers who gave us permission.
can you spot the moon?
the early morning rays:
three of my students came along for the adventure (we left a 5:15 am)... so they were treated for some updated facebook portraits:
here's gintautas ("mr. g"), who flew all the way from florida to attend my class. his son is named "juozas," so it was only appropriate that he had his photo taken in joshua tree.
then the cameras were turned and grabbed this shot... he's got a great eye and is wicked good in ping pong....
i lost a bet to him after he severly beat totally schooled me four games (in a row) of ping pong the night prior. he failed to mention his grandmother was a ping-pong champion and taught him a few tricks. the wager: a topless photo taken in the cold which was then to be used as a profile shot on facebook for 30 days. the shot was taken, but he conceded that it did not need to be posted on facebook.
lisa got the long-distance award since she traveled all the way from kodiak island, alaska to attend my week-long arcgis workshop.
here's the departing shot from this morning with the top down in the mustang convertible rental car (thanks to the fine folks at avis for the free upgrade!!!)