As I was perusing the internet the other day I found this really awesome video by a VFX artist named Sam O'Hare. The video that he produced was simply amazing. It's a time-lapse video using a Nikon D3 with a tilt-shift lens. The effect that he achieved makes the video look like a city of "miniatures". It's not quite the same as shooting straight video with the D3, but the time-lapse turned out great and achieved a unique look.

The article of how he did it is here.

Check out his awesome work. Very cool.

-Steve

(Watch it in HD for the best look)

The Sandpit from Sam O'Hare on Vimeo.

 A while back, I got a call from a friend asking me if I would be interested in shooting a company portrait for her.  After we worked out the details of the shoot and did some location scouting at their building, I was ready to roll on the day of the shoot.  

The concept was simple and straightforward.  Shoot a portrait of the company (60-70) people outside in their parking lot.  Make sure everyone is visible and try to make them look good. I said to myself "sure, no problem...I do this all the time at weddings".

I got to the location, and then the fun began. Here's how that conversation went:

Client: "Hi Chris, lovely weather we are having today!"
Me: "Ah yes, cloudy and drab.  Change of plans?"
Client: "Yes...and by the way, the company meeting is running late, and the management team has a conference call sooner than expected, so you'll have five minutes, OK?"
Me: "Sounds perfect, I'll start setting up."

I even had time to do a little video describing my setup. I've also included the final product for you to see. Enjoy!

(Click for a larger version)

Photography is a constantly evolving, ever changing monster.  Keeping up is hard, and doing so takes more and more of our time each day.  A great deal of the information I read on a daily basis has to do with software updates, new features of cameras, trends in the industry, etc.  Every so often among the deafening surge of information, I stumble upon something that makes me stop and take a second look. 

I happened upon such an article the other day as I was browsing Thom Hogan's website (www.bythom.com)  Thom is an accomplished writer and one of the best resources for photography and Nikon news, reviews, industry analysis and camera guides out there on the interwebs today. 

Thom has written an intriguing series called 'State of the Camera, 2010'.  He is breaking down what the current industry looks like, where we have been, and were we are likely to head in the future.  I would highly recommend reading through his website if you want an insider's perspective on the industry.  Reading Thom's articles got me thinking about the tools we use to tell stories and how they might change drastically in the future.

Right now, we live in a DSLR world.  The DSLR is the holy-grail of on-location, photojournalist photographers, and is the camera body of choice of most professional photographers (including KKP).  These cameras have rapidly evolved over a very short period of time.  The 2.7mp Nikon D1 was introduced in 1999 and was heralded as one of the first professional DSLRs to be really 'usable'.  Since then we have seen an explosion in the DSLR market with more camera choices and lenses than we have ever seen before.

Even though we have access to some of the greatest DLSRs that the industry has ever seen, I find myself looking toward the future and having doubts about continuing to invest in DSLR technology.  I've got a few concerns like mechanical mirrors and shutters, outdated connections, limited customization options, and having to buy a completely new camera body just to add a few new features. But the real question becomes 'is there an alternative?'.  Three years ago I would have said 'no', but today I'm able to say 'soon, there will be'.

Lets take the (soon to be released) RED cameras for example.  Epic and Scarlet.  They call them 'DMSC's, which stand for Digital Motion & Stills Camera.  Video and still capability in one camera is old hat now, but one of the key differences with the RED cameras is that they will be configurable and upgradable.  They are modular. Want a huge rig for shooting motion pictures?  Good to go.  Want a small portable rig for shooting stills on the go?  Check... oh and by the way you don't have to buy a new camera. 

I want the ability to tell a story using motion or still images.  I want the ability to custom tailor a camera so it can become transparent and fluid.  I want flexibility, affordability, and a piece of equipment that isn't going to be obsolete in two years.  RED just may have figured out the right formula that can satisfy all these needs.

It's part of my job at KKP to be on the look out for new and innovative technologies that can benefit our business and in the end, our clients.  Could a camera like the RED change the way we shoot, the way we tell stories, and even the way we market ourselves?  I have a feeling the answer is a resounding 'yes'.

Of course I can't be sure until we get our hands on one : )  When I do, you'll certainly hear about it.

We got a hold of our photography professor, Jeff Hall, from Bowling Green State University the other day and he thought it would be a cool idea to come back and lecture to a group of up and coming Visual Communication students. Chris and I being alumni, we jumped at the chance to talk about what we love to do. I think this was also a great opportunity for Brad to talk about his creative side. (We usually keep his head buried in the everyday business stuff...)

Our presentation was focused primarily on what it takes to start a creative business, finding your inspiration / creative style, and lessons we've learned along the way. It was very humbling and a fantastic experience for us, and one that I don't think any of us will forget. I think it's through sharing ideas, insights, and inspiration (ha... alliteration!) that you gain a sense of where you've come from... and the experiences you've had.

Chris, Brad and I really enjoyed presenting at BGSU, and I hope that we get a chance to do it again. It was also very flattering that so many people stayed to chat with us afterward. I think we'll be doing some photo-walks soon so hopefully we'll get a chance to work with some of the great students we met.

I wanted to share a couple videos that we showed during the presentation, as well as some video clips of our lecture. (Thank you Rebecca for snagging those for us!)

This video is of an old Kodak Commercial that we LOVE. It's so well done, and its fun to watch! If you need some inspiration to shoot photography, this is a must see.

This video has the reel that we showed as well as clips from our presentation. Enjoy, and thanks again to all the VCT majors who came out to see us!

-Steve

Hey everyone. I wanted to share a really cool video we saw at Imaging USA that Graphistudio, our wonderful album printer, put together. The video really showcases the time, craftsmanship and detail that goes into each album. It's amazing to see how many people work together on creating something that is truly beautiful, especially when there is an ocean between us.

Graphi has been renovating an old castle in Italy that will serve as the company's education headquarters. There will be workshops, tours, etc... for photographers to learn about the process of creating one-of-kind albums. The amount of investment they have in their clients really showcases their commitment to not just being an album printer, but a partner in the storytelling process.

Near the end of the video, one of the gentlemen says that this could be the century of forgotten images, where everyone has photography that just sits on a hard drive. We want to do our part to help those images come to life for our clients...to get them off the cd and into a book that is truly a work of art.

Our clients deserve and expect the best... and Graphistudio helps us deliver to that expectation.

Hope you guys like the video! (I'll try and talk Brad into sending us to Italy...)

-Steve

Ever since I started taking my photography seriously and pursuing it professionally, I've always had several nagging questions in the back of my mind. "Am I missing out on truly understanding photography by not shooting film?" and "Would it make me a better photographer if I did shoot some film?". Recently, I made several purchases / acquisitions that will help me to come a bit closer to answering these questions.

My (Brief) History with Film
Before I dive into my talking points I want to give a brief history of my various…let's call them 'encounters' with film. As with many other people growing up in the 80's and 90's, I had access to various 35mm film cameras. These ranged from my Dad's SLR to the el cheapo disposable cameras you could pick up at the local grocery store. So I wasn't exactly a stranger to film, but I never took photography seriously during that time. I would take snapshots here and there, but usually on family trips and vacations.

Fast forward to college. Even though my program (visual communication tech.) was all digital by 2003, I did have the chance to shoot film by taking a cinematography class via the theater department at BGSU. In this class I shot 35mm black and white stills, and super 16mm motion film (both black and white and color). This class opened my eyes in terms of really thinking critically about exposure and light, which directly translated to my digital work. Additionally, my knowledge of exposure for still capture benefited me tremendously when beginning to shot motion film, allowing me to first think about a scene in terms of a single exposure, then translating that exposure over a set period of time.

(A couple quick snaps of me shooting Super 16mm Film)

After that cinematography class, my love affair with film was seemingly over. I had my experience with it…'been there done that'…or so I thought.

Rekindle the Flame
ImagingUSA 2010 in Nashville. I heard two photographers speak that sparked my interest in film again. Jose Villa and Joe Buissink. Jose and Joe are both based in California. Jose shoots 100% film at his weddings. I can't imagine that. He's got this look that is so bright and clean which got me wondering what kind of film he shoots. Luckily he told the crowd exactly what he shoots. More about Jose Villa here. Joe shoots a mix of digital and film. He is a Nikon guy, and I was very curious as to what film camera he used. His shots are absolutely amazing and they have this look that I can't seem to put my finger on. I suppose that's what makes Joe one of the best photographer's in the world. More about Joe Buissink here.

Going Forward
After hearing Jose and Joe speak in Nashville, I decided that it would be a good idea for me to start shooting a bit of film again. I did some research and decided to purchase four rolls of 35mm film to test out and see what I like. Those films are:

Fujifilm Pro 400h
Kodak Porta 160nc
Kodak Porta 160vc
Kodak Ektar 100

Top Row: Fuji Pro400H, Kodak Porta 160NC, Kodak Ektar 100
Bottom Row: Canon AE-1 35mm SLR w/ Kodak Porta 160VC loaded

I chose to test out the Fuji because its the same film that Jose Villa uses. I also wanted to see that 400asa looks like vs. 100/160asa. The other three Kodak rolls are a fairly good representation of Kodak's line of films. I am particularly interested to see how the Ektar 100 works out as it is a relatively new line of film from Kodak. It was re-introduced last year after an 11-year hiatus.

My plan is to shoot all four rolls of film and have them developed and scanned. After that I can evaluate the details of each, and decide on which film (or films) that I want to shoot going forward. I'll post the results here when I'm done.

Until then, please enjoy these film scans that I pulled from my archives!