My First Contact Sheet

Processing my first roll of Tri-X I found it comfortingly simple. Though, I still felt like it would have been so easy for me to just easily screw it up. In the darkroom I made my first contact sheet, fumbling over the reverse use of aperture on the enlarger and learning the wonderful usage of test strips. Still working on this first project, definitely excited.

Megan Fox by Greg Williams

Sometimes I think about what the perfect photoshoot would be like. While this piece is relatively old, IMHO this is probably as best as it could ever get. The Megan Fox factor is a no brainer. Greg Williams filmed this on a RED and the stills taken from this video were used in a 10 page editorial in Esquire. While that is absolutely incredible, I’m more taken back by the absolute seamless fluidity of it all. Careful lighting, precious camera placement and effortless environmental engagement. Watching Greg Williams’ moving portraits for Esquire make me consider the many aspects of a simple photoshoot and change my expectations of them. I could probably spend all day talking them up.

[via Vimeo]

Photography 1A

This semester I decided to take Photography 1 because I really wanted to learn darkroom techniques. It’s interesting taking a step away from the LCD screen, I find myself out of habit chimping an imaginary screen. Using an iPhone lightmeter probably isn’t the best way to go about things either. Giselle came over today to help me out with my first project. I feel like a semester’s worth of Tri-X is going to have some sway on what you’ll be seeing in this blog. I’m going to be processing that first role of Tri-X this week and I’m actually a little nervous about it all. Paulo tagged along and snapped an action shot while we were standing out there in some serious skin biting cold.

More Polaroids!!

So I’m finally getting around to scanning some older Polaroids. I really enjoy shooting them, not because its more convenient – pack film is actually pretty messy. I enjoy the feel of my Polaroid 600SE. Prints are cool, and one day I want to have boxes full of Polaroids.

Timescapes Timelapse: Mountain Light

Timelapses may not always be the most exciting thing. But, I can’t lie I love them. When I first saw Planet Earth my brain exploded. Years condensed into minutes. Haters can hate, but I enjoy watching these. I found this epic timelapse on Vimeo. It was shot using a 5D Mk II and what must have be some crazy platform equipment. Again, this is a must see in HD. Sick.

[via Vimeo]

Putting out the rules.

Turning my $3000 rig into a high end point and shoot is oddly satisfying. Someone asked me what I meant by my urine filter phase. Everyone talks about how the market for photography has become saturated with amateurs. I am no different, in an attempt to par off with my cohorts there was a time when I adopted extreme color shifts, awkward tilts, cut of limbs trying to stand out. I like to think I’ve come a long way from those days. Flavor of the moments happens to be more realistic renditions. Though, that in now way means that I am against unique crops and tilt-shift lenses. I know plenty of people that abhor the idea of destroying photography with such sillyness. I intend to go with everything in moderation. I will at times shoot into light sources for the exact purpose of introducing flare; then I will go into Photoshop and bring out that flare with 7 adjustment layers, ADD noise and oversharpen. Yeah! That just happened.