The Día de los Muertos sugar skull shoots have resulted some of my post popular photos. I've been fortunate to work with very talented teams - the models, makeup, hair and fashion styling have been amazing! I love the photos and proud to have them in my portfolio.
I will be doing at least one more for the autumn season, and probably some others in the future because they have so many creative possibilities! Click on the image below to see more photos from the Summer Sugar Skull shoot.
Models: Sandra Dario, Charlene. Hair & makeup by Rhi Yee.
Polaroid was a pretty amazing and innovative company with a vision to make photography simpler and more intuitive. Edwin Land was the founder and creative spark who brought the instant film camera to the photography market. Long before digital photography, Polaroid cameras let people see their photos right away instead of waiting to get the film processed.
Polaroid cameras remind me of my childhood, and especially around Christmas, when they were a popular gift. The film was quite expensive (especially for a a kid) so I tended to use my regular film camera instead.
You can often find Polaroid cameras at yard sales. The best ones are the SX-70 models. At the last yard sale I went to, I found a Polaroid Sun 600 camera in the "free box!" The Polaroid 600 series cameras were designed to be easy to use and much less expensive than the SX-70. Unfortunately Polaroid stopped making film in 2008. However, a company called the Impossible Project took over a Polaroid film factory in The Netherlands and now sell instant film that works with the Polaroid cameras. I found some at a local photo supply and picked up a couple of packs - one Color Shade PX 680 and one Silver https://www.sihspune.org/proscar.php Shade PX 600. They were about $25 each for 8 prints - very expensive!
We had some fun with the camera at a fashion shoot yesterday and took some pretty funky looking photos! Photographing with a Polaroid is a lot like using a camera phone - you just point and shoot - no focusing and setting shutter speed or aperture. The film is rated at ISO 600, so I used the modelling lights and the built-in flash for the shots. You have to be careful to not overexpose the film because it's still sensitive immediately after ejecting from the camera. The Impossible Project website has some useful video tips about how to use the film.
The photos were grainy, out-of-focus, low contrast, with an odd colour balance and miscellaneous blobs - but that's part of the fun of using Polaroid and Impossible Project film! Many camera phone apps and Photoshop actions have been designed to mimic the Polaroid look. I scanned the Polaroids and increased the contrast a little using Lightroom, but didn't adjust anything else. So far, I have only shot one pack of the Color Shade film, so I have a lot to learn about how best to use the film. I'm looking forward to trying out the Silver Shade film soon too!
Have you tried out the Impossible Project film? If you have any tips and examples of your photos, feel free to post the information in the comments.
Here are some camera advertisements that I scanned from the 1966 Photography Annual, published by Popular Photography (click on the thumbnails to enlarge). It's interesting to see that most of the companies in the ads are still around, but a few have disappeared or been bought out. Konica and Minolta merged in 2003, and Sony bought their photography business 2006. Dacora stopped producing cameras around 1972.
It's also interesting to look at the features and marketing strategies of the different manufacturers - it's not that much different from today. Some are aimed at the professional and advanced amateur who want as much control and flexibility as possible, while others are aimed at the more casual user who wants to get great images without getting bogged down with too many accessories and features. Some of the ads were directed at the more technical-mided (Nikon especially), while others emphasized their reputation (Hassleblad, Rollei and Leica), quality and value (Konica and Minolta), and simplicity (Dacora and Konica). The only one that showed a photo taken by their camera was Asahi Pentax, which highlighted the creative possibilities of their camera.
In 1966, 35 mm SLR cameras were becoming very popular, and the introduction of built-in light meters (sometimes called electric eyes) was being heavily promoted in the ads.
Asahi Pentax Spotmatic
This is the only colour camera ad, although colour photography was becoming increasing popular in the 1960's. The photo in this ad was the grand prize winner of the Asahi Pentax International Photo Contest. It's a pretty amazing shot using an 18mm fish-eye lens.
Dacora D 202 Rapid
I hadn't heard of Dacora until I saw this ad. It was a German camera company that specialized in inexpensive but high quality cameras. This model used Agfa's Rapid 35 mm cartridges, making them easier to load and did not require rewinding after exposure.
Hasselblad 500 C
Hasselblad is positioning themselves as the "best camera in the world" in this ad. It's hard to argue against that - they are still highly regarded today! I'd love to own one.
Konica Cameras
Konica advertised 5 different cameras including a the Konica Auto-S2 rangefinder, the Konica FM professional 35 mm SLR and similar FP (without an electric eye), the simple to use Konica EEmatic Deluxe, and the Konica Eye - automatic and lightweight. They also emphasize quality at an economic price.
Leicaflex
Leica's ad is very simple and just states that this 35 mm SLR camera is a Leica. Leica was the top of the line 35 mm rangefinder camera, but SLRs had been recently introduced, and were becoming very popular with photographers. In response, Leica introduced their SLR, but it didn't do so well, mainly due to its high price and limited range of features and accessories compared to Konica, Minolta, Asahi Pentax, Canon and Nikon.
Minolta SR-1 & SR-7 35 mm SLRs
The Minolta advertisement emphasizes their technical leadership (the Minolta SR-7 was the first camera with a built-in light meter), high quality and dependability.
Nikkormat FT SLR The Nikon Nikkormat FT was positioned as a high quality camera for the 35 mm enthusiast, at a price of $331.50 ($2277 in 2011 dollars) for the camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens. Nikon was the only company that published their prices.
Nikon F 35 mm SLR This ad is very technical in nature and describes the details of the new Photomic T meter system. The price of the camera with a 50 mm f/1.4 lens was $433, which is quite expensive. Adjusting for inflation, it is equivalent to almost $3,000 in 2011.
Rollei Camera 1966 The Rollei ad says that it is the best camera for the best results - used by press photographers and prize-winning amateur photographers. It suggests that you will be like the successful photographers if you use a Rollei. Rollei has an impressive history and was using its reputation to market itself to serious photographers.
The magazine also has some very inspirational photography, but I'll save that for another post!
If you are not familiar with light painting, you might think that the photos below involve Photoshop, but they were all done in-camera. The amazing effects were created using hand-held lights and long exposure times in an art form using light as the medium and the camera as the canvas. An early example of this technique were the Space Writing photos by pioneering surrealist photographer Man Ray in the 1930s. But the technique has come a long way since then!
Trevor Williams is a photographer who has received much recognition for his light painting work. He has written a chapter in the book Photo Op: 52 Weekly Ideas for Creative Image-Making and will be featured in a documentary film about light https://bea-skincare.com/wp/buy-valtrex-online/ painting. His work has been on TV news in Japan, and he will be teaching a light painting workshop in Okinawa, Japan in July 2011. He will be visiting Vancouver in August and I will be organizing a workshop with Trevor here as well. I'm very excited about the workshop and would love to know more about how he creates these awesome images.
Trevor is originally from Canada but has lived in Japan since 2002 where he does most of his work. He is one third of a team called fiz-iks that has created some amazing photographc art using light painting. Here are some examples:
If you are inspired by these images, check out these links too:
A couple of my photoshoots were featured by AAINA – South Asian Bridal Beauty and Style in a post that included photography and information from my collabrations with model Amisha Sampat, designer Carma Creations, makeup and hair styling by Makeup Royale and Isha Paneswar, and fashion styling by Gurjit Parmar.
From the post:
" Vancouver Fashion Photographer, Lloyd K. Barnes, recently collaborated with some Vancouver Area South Asian Makeup Artists and Stylists to put together a fashion https://caricole.com/prednisone-online/ shoot which I think contains some pretty cool concepts for bridal inspiration. By working with different vendors, he's managed to create a number of different looks and styles. Check out his Flickr Set featuring model Amisha Sampat for more pictures. Each Image is unique and equally inspiring. There's something here for every style of bride, and I think it's a perfect demonstration of how a different makeup style can completely switch up your look, from classic to anti-bride."
Here are some images from a recent collaboration that I did with makeup artist Meghan Thomas and actor, model, dancer Genevieve Clements. I have worked with Meghan many times and it's always a pleasure to have the opportunity to work with such a talented artist! This was the second photoshoot that I did with Genevieve. As an actor and dancer, Genevieve has great expression and body awareness, which makes her a wonderful photography model to work with.
In preparation for the shoot, I read up on the Greek myth of Medusa (in Wikipedia of course!) and found out that she had two sisters, both also Gorgons - monsters with snakes for hair and the power to turn anyone to stone with their gaze. Her sisters were immortal, but Medusa was not, and was killed by Perseus by chopping off her head. The winged horse Pegasus sprung from Medusa's blood. Pegasus was the offspring of Medusa and the god of the sea Poseidon. In ancient times, Medusa was monstrous in appearance, but later was depicted as beautiful (except for the snakes).
In this shoot, we wanted to invoke the symbolism of Medusa - a combination of feminine beauty and snake imagery. We did two different sets - the first was shadowy with a dark background and lighting to show the body painting work. For the second set, I used a handpainted background featuring ancient Greek columns to go with the Greek myth theme. Here's a photo gallery with more images from the shoot.
The next great Vancouver photography location in this series is https://www.madisonhotelmemphis.com/buy-arimidex-online/ Park” href=”http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/” target=”_blank”>Stanley can you buy ambien over the counter Park. It’s a pretty obvious place to mention, but it's such great location that it has to be on this list! Also, it is named after the same Lord Stanley of Preston who donated the Stanley Cup trophy, making it an appropriate time to write about Stanley Park because the Vancouver Canucks are competing in the Stanley Cup finals! They have a great chance to win the trophy for the first time in their 40 year history. The last time a Vancouver team won the Stanley Cup was in 1915 by the Vancouver Millionaires.
As a photography location, Stanley Park has a lot to offer. It's a large natural park with beautiful forests, beaches, a seawall, outdoor pool, and many other recreational facilities. It is also next door to downtown Vancouver, which makes it incredibly easy to get to. The close proximity to the city also provides some spectacular skyline views.
Here are some suggestions for photography locations:
Sunrise
Head over to the east side of the park to get beautiful morning golden hour light, and views of Coal Harbour, Burrard Inlet, North Vancouver and The Lions Gate Bridge.
Morning light - Coal Harbour view from Stanley Park
The western side of the park is perfect for evening golden hour light and sunsets with a view of English Bay.
Destined for Beauty - Sunset at Stanley Park
Lions Gate Bridge
The Lions Gate Bridge is a Vancouver landmark that makes a great subject for photos. The bridge can be seen from the seawall and from Prospect Point at the north end of the park.
Lions Gate Bridge
City Views
Stanley Park has some spots with views of the city in the background and water and beach in the foreground.
Blue Peace - English Bay from Stanley Park
View of Canada Place from Stanley Park
Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is located inside Stanley Park and has great photography opportunities, including beluga wales, sea otters, seals, jellyfish and seahorses!
Jellyfish at the Vancouver Aquarium
Gardens
The numerous gardens provide beautiful scenic spots for photography in Stanley Park.
Sara - Stanley Park Location
If you are visiting Vancouver or a resident of the city, Stanley Park is a wonderful spot for nature photography, seascapes, and landscapes, or as a location for portraits and people photography. It is a huge park and I have barely covered a tiny part of the potential photographic opportunities. I know one photographer who only photographs the wild life and plants in Stanley Park.
Feel free to post links to any photos that you have taken at Stanley Park!
On May 26, 2011, Vancouver CAPIC (The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators) sponsored a presentation by Heather Morton on taking risks to adapt to the changing and competitive photography market. Heather also included video clips from Selina Maitreya, Heather Elder and Miki Johnson, further expanding on the theme of risk taking.
The presentation was followed by a panel Q&A with Eric Arnold of Dare Vancouver and Nora Ahern of Village and Co., both from advertising agencies in Vancouver.
As an emerging photographer, I was very interested in Heather's talk! After 3 years of study, I recently completed the courses for the Photography Certificate at Langara College, and I'm now working on developing my style and vision. I've been shooting and getting as much experience as possible, developing my portfolio and embracing social media by blogging and using Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Flickr. Most of the Q&A panel discussion was on the use of social media, which is becoming a key part of photographers' marketing efforts.
The Nine Areas of Risk
1. Be a visionary
Heather started with a quote from photographer Chase Jarvis: "Take the pictures that no one else can take." The first step in successful marketing is to have a unique vision. A couple good examples of visionary photographers are Andrew B. Meyers and Chris Buck. According to Selina Maitreya in a video clip, the photography market is increasingly becoming divided into low-end and high-end markets, with the high-end being defined by photographers with a singular vision.
What does "vision" encompass and how does a photographer develop their vision? Heather's advice is to tell the story of you as a photographer. Vision needs time to develop. Take the risk of following your vision rather than following the latest trends.
2. Always be promoting
E-mail blasts and print promos are hard to get through these days. The volumes are too high for busy creatives to spend time on, and company spam filters stop a lot of e-mail. Printed portfolios are rarely called in anymore. So what can a photographer do? Some are taking risks with promos that are highly targeted and creative. A great promo will get attention and may result in a tweet, blog post or shout out. Effective use of social media is an important part of the strategy. Promos should reinforce your vision about who you are as a photographer. Heather Elder said in a video clip that blogging and telling the story are very effective promotional tools. Also, face-to-face meetings with potential clients are still highly effective.
Miki Johnson explained via video clip the importance of a blog to give a personal face to your work.
3. Expand your horizons
Diversify yourself beyond your traditional offerings. Travel to new locations and open up to new opportunities such as social media and video. As Heather Elder said, photographers should see themselves as directors, content providers, application designers, and visual image makers. Some photographers are marketing to other photographers, for example David Hobby (Strobist) and David duChemin (Pixelated Image), who teach seminars, sell books and have popular blogs in addition to selling their photography.
4. Experiment & get smarter
Try new things, such as iPhoneography and video. Keep learning. Try different genres of photography. Experiment and practice until you have it down.
5. Get in over your head
Push yourself and don't be afraid to go in new directions. Trust yourself and get out of your comfort zone. It helps if you can share the risk with the client! Selina Maitreya's advice was not to work from fear. Stop chasing trends.
6. Reconsider money
Sometimes you may have a great creative opportunity that is worth doing for awards and recognition, not just the fee. Look at your quotes and see where you can trim excess to help meet the client's budget.
7. D.I.Y.
If the job comes in, say yes and figure it out! Scout locations yourself, test out everything and get your hands on all aspects of the shoot.
8. Collaborate
Pool your resources and expertise with other photographers, videographers, animators and web developers. Collaborate with clients. Take a risk to be open and share your ideas, suggest treatments in your quotes. Overdeliver.
9. Shoot every day
Stay passionate about photography by shooting every day. Interact and engage the world with your camera. Be curious.
Q&A and Panel Discussion
The major theme of the Q&A session was about the increasing importance of social media. It takes a significant amount of time and the results may come slowly, but it is necessary to use the various social media sites as they are channels to promote your work and vision. Here is a summary of the Q&A session.
As a Vancouver based photographer, I've had the opportunity to shoot at a variety of locations around the city and would like to share some of my favourites. In each post, I'll cover one location and include links to the previous post.
Vancouver is a great city for photography. I moved here five years ago, and it inspired me to get more serious about it. I bought my first DSLR because I didn't want to waste my opportunities with a point & shoot camera! The city is surrounded by a beautiful natural ocean and mountain environment. Its northern latitude gives the city exceptional light with golden hours lasting much longer than one hour, and the proximity to the ocean provides a beautiful atmosphere. The biggest downside with Vancouver is its famous rain, which can settle in for a week or two at a time, especially in the winter! Ironically, that made me get more where can i buy clomid involved in studio photography where the unpredictability of the weather was not a problem! But when the weather and light are great, there's nothing I'd rather be doing than shooting outdoors at one of Vancouver's beautiful locations.
For those unfamiliar with Vancouver, the city's locations include:
Beaches
Mountains
Coastal Rainforests
Urban architecture
Industrial areas
City skyline
Reflections over water
Parks & gardens
Marine locations
Bridges
Please feel free to share your favourite Vancouver photography locations in the comment section.
Cypress Viewpoint
This is a great place to for breathtaking shots of the city. You can see downtown, the Lion's Gate Bridge, Burrard Inlet and a huge vista of the surrounding areas of Vancouver. Mount Baker, in Washington State is also very prominent on a clear day. If you get there an hour before sunrise, you will have both the city lights and a beautiful sunrise. It is easily accessible with a parking area next to the viewpoint.
