CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-02 18:36:11 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 57 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:35:37 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:27:00 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:26:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:25:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:24:13 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2013-05-02 18:23:20 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

2013-05-01 21:52:35 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

2013-05-05 20:40:38 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

2013-05-01 21:39:47 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

2013-04-20 20:38:45 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

2013-04-20 18:11:43 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Rob would like to explore the possibilities of modeling as a career. 
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

2013-03-29 00:20:51 (12 comments, 2 reshares, 51 +1s)

The Jarvinator - For lack of a better title.
Any suggestions for a better one are welcome!

Taken in my studio during a recent visit by +Scott Jarvie. 
Always a pleasure to photograph you, Scott :)
Hope you are enjoying your adventures!

2013-03-25 16:06:24 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Composite image

Model: Rob Warden

2013-03-22 16:59:29 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 10 +1s)

Model: Rob Warden

2013-03-21 16:52:12 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 20 +1s)

Model: Rob Warden

2013-03-21 01:52:18 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 20 +1s)

Model: Rob Warden

2013-03-20 22:34:44 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

Model: Rob Warden

2013-03-20 16:03:08 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 69 +1s)

Model: Joelle Whitney

2013-03-20 15:54:21 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Model: Rob Warden

Going in a new direction...
Straight out of the camera, no Photoshop

Lighting Info:
- 22" white socked beauty dish in front of subject, approx. head high
- Small silver reflector at thigh level for fill

AlienBee 800 strobes
Paul C. Buff 22" white beauty dish w/sock
Lastolite reflector
Canon 5d MkII
Canon 24-70 'L' Lens

2013-03-12 21:00:29 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

A little late night Jarvie action in the studio :)

2013-03-13 04:58:21 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

Added photos to SmugMug Cover Photo Submissions For April.

2013-03-07 19:42:48 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 61 +1s)

Bringing Sexy Back :)

2013-03-04 21:35:48 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 47 +1s)

Retouch is on the left :)

2013-03-04 21:24:39 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 36 +1s)

#80

Model: Photographer Alex Santiago

I have sat in front of the computer, pushing sliders around in Photoshop, on average 6 hrs a day for the past several years. Every photo was practice. Along the way, I managed to make some images that I am proud of. After all those years, I've finally improved to the point where the 'OK' images are outweighing the trashed ones.

Lately, I have had to scrap several photos after spending so many hours on each one. How frustrating!
Just couldn't get them to look... good. I would be embarrassed to show them in public. This has kicked me down a notch. Just when I thought that I have 'arrived'. This made me ponder the situation and I have come to a conclusion.

I can't view every image as a potential portfolio piece.
Too much pressure.

I have to go back to the mentality that... more »

2013-03-04 21:30:59 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

The Christmas Creep

Model: Photographer Jim Speth

When Jim first contacted me about doing a shoot, I told him it would be a while before I could. Truth was, I lost my confidence. Jim was extremely complimentary towards my work and I wasn't sure that I could live up to his expectations. I hate expectations! Big reason behind not charging money.

I waited until he contacted me a second time and could not put him off any longer. I seem to be repeating this scenario rather regularly and it is now becoming a pattern...

Well the day came and I made sure I was good and ready. I spent a whole day and a half prepping lights and going over poses that I wanted to do. Jim is also a photographer and that only added to the pressure!

Guess what? The shoot was a major success! Thanks to Alex Santiago for coming along with Jim and providing much comic relief.... more »

2013-02-19 20:13:00 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 32 +1s)

Too Many Choices

I was talking recently with a friend who had just watched the movie 'Happy'. It's a documentary that takes you on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Discussing the movies' premise, my friend brought up the topic of how having too much choice contributes to unhappiness. This made perfect sense to me. Often times I find myself in a dilemma when faced with too many choices. A recent example: I'm looking to purchase a top hat for a photo prop. I searched on Amazon and I have thousands to choose from. Now I can't decide. Whichever one I get will undoubtably be the wrong one. Needless to say, I put off my search. I know for a fact, if there were only 3 to choose from, it would make picking one a lot easier. Getting back to how all this choice aids unhappiness… not sure why. I guessi... more »

2013-02-02 03:31:30 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 43 +1s)

Julia

Lighting Info:
- 5' octabox camera left at aprox. a 45 degree angle
- White V-flat camera right for fill
- White seamless background

2013-02-02 03:28:17 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 18 +1s)

Julia

Lighting Info:
- 5' octabox camera left at aprox. a 45 degree angle
- White V-flat camera right for fill
- White seamless background

2013-01-24 00:35:38 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 64 +1s)

The Pixel Peeper with +Scott Jarvie 

2013-01-21 21:58:52 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 39 +1s)

Alex Santiago is a local photographer, who agreed to be 'the Subject', along with his wife, Cherie.

They are both such great sports and it didn't hurt that Alex helped tweak the lighting during the shoot.

For this one, he suggested that we turn the beauty dish down at a sharper angle. Small changes make such a huge difference!

I read a quote from Scott Kelby that said, "If something doesn't look right, you're probably off by a few inches'.
Agreed!

Lighting Info:
- 22" white socked beauty dish in front of subject, pointed down at about a 20 degree angle
- Small silver reflector at waist level for fill

AlienBee 800 strobes
Paul C. Buff 22" white beauty dish w/sock
Lastolite reflector
Canon 5d MkII
Canon 24-70 'L' Lens
Photoshop CS6

2013-01-21 17:19:14 (19 comments, 2 reshares, 26 +1s)

So I’m sitting at home kinda bored, checking my FaceCrack when a new friend request pops up. It’s +Scott Jarvie an insanely popular destination wedding photographer, based in Northern Utah, that I know from Google+ where he has 115,000 followers.

I respond to his request and moments later he messages me, letting me know that he will be passing through my neck of the woods the next morning, on his way to Moab, UT. He suggests breakfast, I suggest a portrait :)

Scott’s in a semi big rush, so I got a taste of what it must be like shooting a celebrity. My lights were already set up for a shoot that evening, so I felt good to go, even with limited time. Jarvie donned his ‘Cold Weather Look’ that included his $400 flashlight and I snapped a few images between two different light setups. I am so glad my lights were all ready. If that weren’t the case, I probably would never haveoffered to t... more »

2013-01-16 20:48:07 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Recently, I had the privilege to photograph Joe Braun, an accomplished photographer from Michigan and a frequent visitor to Zion Canyon.

For years, I have admired Joe's landscape images. I stumbled upon his website shortly after arriving in Zion, while scouting locations to photograph in the area. His Zion collection is unparralled and in a league all their own... simply magnificent.

As an avid hiker, backpacker and cannyoneer, Joe is able to capture the depths of Zion in all its' glory.

I hope you have the opportunity to check out his work and that you find it as stunning as I do...

In response to Justin's comment (J. Blair) below:

I agree Justin... I love that set up! I am now keeping it set up all the time, ready to go in a flash.

I did notice that when I would shoot from right below the light, like Joel Grimes does, the face... more »

2013-01-14 16:26:38 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 54 +1s)

My Home :)
Night photo - taken about 11:00 pm after a beautiful coating of snow.

2013-01-10 00:24:34 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 42 +1s)

Just an oldie that I saved from the trash bin...

2013-01-03 20:11:02 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 31 +1s)

This image is from a recent shoot with such a wonderful person, who just happens to live across the street!

Having a performer like Joe in front of the camera is a dream, which unfortunately doesn't come true very often.

Joe is a collector and the props in his arsenal were all so fabulous... a large empty wood picture frame, a huge array of hats (and his idea of stacking them), a western suede fringed jacket with a sombrero to go with, amazing full size metal angel wings (so cool!) and his mime make up and outfit.

Really... what more could you ask for?

I can't express enough how refreshing it is to photograph a person who exhibits such natural charisma in front of the camera. Not to say that my other subjects did not share that trait, often they do, but not without a lot of work on my part to help bring it out. That is the hardest part of taking portraits... more »

2013-01-02 22:37:17 (42 comments, 4 reshares, 54 +1s)

Disclaimer! -  Please read before throwing flames :)
The subject serves as a blank canvas that I use to practice my retouching skills on.

I do not strive to maintain the likeness of the model.
Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

This time I didn't :)

I used Maygens' face to hone the new contouring techniques in Photoshop that I recently learned from make up artists. Still need more practice, but I really enjoy the results it produces in slimming the face.

2013-01-02 19:53:29 (22 comments, 3 reshares, 68 +1s)

Model: Maygen Brockway

Still practicing with the face contouring in Photoshop with techniques used by make up artists. I can't believe what a difference it makes in helping to give a slimmer appearance - it's amazing! I did use a small amount of liquify, more so on the body, than face.

I am finding that the time I spend on retouching is increasing as I slowly start to incorporate these new techniques and others that I am learning along the way. I can't say that I really mind, as I am having so much fun experimenting. I know that most people must think it's ludicrous to spend 20 hours on one image, but in my experience, that's what makes you better...TIME, and of course, PATIENCE. Call me crazy, but I think it's working... NO shortcuts :)

Lighting Info:
- 22" white socked beauty dish 2 ft. in front of subject at... more »

2012-12-26 22:19:18 (21 comments, 3 reshares, 83 +1s)

New portrait - How's that for an original title?

2012-12-19 20:21:51 (20 comments, 7 reshares, 55 +1s)

Thought I should share the retouch comparison...
Please see the decription on just the 'After' version before slamming me :)

2012-12-05 19:53:01 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

This started out as a quickie, just for fun retouch, but it evolved into a bit more than I expected.
I actually like it... and it was fun!

I always have a hard time choosing backgrounds. Usually I will try out 5 or 6 different ones, and use the background that I like best, but sometimes the choice is SO hard!

I darkened the original grey background in Raw, made a rough mask of the subject and then used Calvin Hollywoods' technique found in his 'Calvinize' training to add the new background.
Ended up spending all day and night on it, regardless... but I learned a few things along the way and that's what it's all about!

Lighting Info:
-One light set up
-AlienBee B800 in boomed 22" socked beauty dish
-Dish was 3' in front of subject, placed at about subject eye level
-Small silver reflector waist level for fill... more »

2012-12-03 22:44:25 (21 comments, 2 reshares, 34 +1s)

Retouched version is on the left :)

Basically, every single pore on this lovely girls' skin has been massaged by Photoshop, either by healing, cloning, dodging or burning. I am obsessed with smooth gradations in the skin. I inspect the image from very tiny (2 inches on my monitor) to very large (200-300%) and if I spot any pore or patch of skin that stands out, it gets lightened or darkened until it is no longer noticeable.

Does it look fake and overdone? YES... IT DOES - but for some unknown reason, I LOVE IT.
Not that I would want to make every image look this Photoshopped, but at least I know I can, when I want to :)

Lighting Info:
- 22" white socked beauty dish 2 ft. in front of subject at head level
- Small silver reflector at waist level for fill
- Subject up against thunder grey seamless background

AlienBee 800's
Paul... more »

2012-12-03 22:37:14 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

I love this image. It is exactly the direction I want to take my retouching. It took upwards of 25 hours to complete, and I probably could have spent more on it, but I had to let it go.

The inspiration I thought came from one of my favorite photographers/retouchers, Ruadh DeLone, but after looking at his images, I am not sure if it was Ruadh or someone else that provided the inspiration. Regardless I am in love with his work and hope one day to possess 1/10th of his talent.

The lips were a major breakthrough. I came across a Photoshop tutorial for applying lip gloss on FX-Ray's Facebook Page just at the right time! There is also a free download for lip gloss brushes on their website. They are amazing! Makes me want to go back and apply the gloss brush to all my past images that contain lips...

Basically, every single pore on this lovely girls' skin has been massaged... more »

2012-11-29 16:06:30 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Love this glossy lip tutorial...
Photoshop Quick-Tip: Lips, Glossy Lips, Ombre Lips

2012-11-26 21:37:20 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 68 +1s)

Yolanda

2012-11-06 19:29:12 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 46 +1s)

Julia - Modern Day Mona Lisa

2012-10-26 17:10:08 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

It was a blast having Scott R., Scott W. and Bill D. in the studio a few weeks ago. 
I had 3 different light set ups going and let me tell you, for the size of my studio, that's no small feat! Let's just say it was a wee bit cramped...

For this photo, the subject was in front of the white seamless. A 36" soft box was placed on camera right with an 8' white V-flat on the opposite side for fill.

Each subject would rotate between the different set ups, and amazingly it went smoothly as planned :)

The second set up was against the thunder gray seamless. I used a Joel Grimes inspired set up with a strip on each side for rim and a 5' octabox in front on camera axis. A white reflector was placed at chest level for fill.

The third set up had the subject against the only useable wall space (about 1 1/2 yd. wide) which is painted neutral gray. A... more »

2012-10-24 19:01:20 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

Awesome and informative guest post from +Regina Pagles Regina on my blog today!

She rocked it!!! Lots of great photos, a great story, and loads of resource links. Very well done and people are super digging it. Cheers to Regina!!! http://www. scottkelby.com

2012-10-24 15:21:02 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Next to the day I married the man of my dreams, this is the best day of my life. Such an incredible honor. Thank you so much to my husband Fred and all the wonderful friends who allowed me to practice on them. They are the true superstars. Narrowing down the choice of images was so difficult and I apologize for not being able to include everyone.

I wrote most of this article a year ago in hopes of one day having the opportunity to appear as a guest poster on +Scott Kelby's blog.
Dreams DO come true!

2012-10-19 15:54:39 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 27 +1s)

The Artist