Handmade and DIY Projects, Homegrown Goodness
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Here is a perfect opportunity to highlight the importance of always carrying your camera: one afternoon a few months ago Nicole and I visited her nephew, Ashton. I love taking pictures of him because, of course, he is adorable and photogenic, but he also has incredible blue eyes. I shot these photos in the late afternoon using only the available light from the window in the living room. Unfortunately, I...
This morning I woke up to a backyard full of fog, dampness and random rays of sunshine. The morning/sunrise and the evening/sunset make for the most interesting light, so, forgetting my other obligations for the morning (finishing a report, going to the bank…etc), I grabbed my camera and ran outside. I find that using a macro lens in the forest makes everything look like there should be Fae or little...
While I do commissioned product, event and portrait photography, one of my favorite things to do is just take some photos of my friends. Here are some photographs of Lisa and her boyfriend Zac. I love portraiture because people can make such incredible faces. Color in landscape and food photography is essential, but emotion can be even stronger and more thought provoking in black and white. It is often the...
The first “formal” photography training I had was in 11th grade via the Introduction to Photography class with Mrs. Palinkas. We learned to shoot and develop black and white 35mm film. This class is what accelerated my passion for photography. I recently bought a new scanner, and thought I would share some of my favorite hand-developed “throwback” photos: I think these next two are especially spooky. Like you would find...
I’ve found that getting an impressive shot of a pet can be somewhat of a challenge. Usually my dog and cat are so interested in the camera that they run up and sniff it instead of maintaining a pose. You have to be quick on the draw. With fast moving pets I usually like to test the exposure settings in the room so I don’t have to fumble with them...
Canada truly is like visiting a closer, mini Europe. Different signs on the road, different language (most people still speak English, thankfully), cool old buildings, etc. Well, Montreal and Ottawa are the closest cities to Clarkson University, where I went to college, in Potsdam NY. One of the most impressive things to see in Montreal is the Biodome and the Botanical Gardens. For a couple of hours you can pretend...
The drive from my house to college was about 300 miles through the Adirondack Mountains. For a semester I gave rides home on breaks to Kevin, a guy who lived in the town next to me. Poor unfortunate soul. There was one trip that took us an extra hour to get to school because I kept stopping on the side of the road to take pictures. If you’ve ever driven...
Last year I was walking around campus and there was this huge tree in the quad with the brightest, richest yellow leaves. Too yellow, in fact, to pass up. Most often, the best shots are the ones you don’t plan for: pulling over on the side of the road for a sunset (check), stumbling upon a random fireworks show (check), running outside during a surprise snowstorm (check). The most important...
Yesterday I had another photo shoot in Potsdam for a local entrepreneur – this time, a weaver. Cait Throop weaves the most brilliantly bright scarves. The color is so rich you want to eat it- it would probably taste like a mouthful of fruity, sweet awesome. Anyway, I brought along one of my good friends from school as a model. She’s done some modeling for me before, but yesterday she...
As a recent graduate of Clarkson University, I have pretty solid ties to the “North Country” of New York. In an effort to help local artisan-entrepreneurs in that area, I’ve decided to provide them with discounted product photography services. How did I become involved in this, you might ask? It’s all about the networking. I have some connections with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, which oversees some grants...