Abstract Disneyland
The family and I went to Disneyland in the spring, and I challenged myself to make the place more photographically interesting than just family snapshots. Which meant carrying around two cameras, but what the heck.
The goal was to take abstract shots of Disney. Images where maybe the subject matter was apparent, maybe it wasn’t. Hey if you know what some of these are (other than the last one, which is obvious), drop me a comment and tell me your guess! This outing was inspired by one that Jules Bianchi talked about at a workshop awhile back.
When I go on vacation, I like to shoot film rather than digital. I have a special attachment to film, but my workflow doesn’t allow me to use it much professionally. So it is often reserved for “fun”. I decided to shoot 35mm slide (”chrome”) film, in this case Fuji Sensia. The year before I brought a 40-year old medium-format twin-lens-reflex camera to Disneyland - with black and white film, natch. So this outing was positively ultra-modern by comparison.
While I had this developed ages ago, I’ve just now gotten around to scanning the film. Here are some highlights.
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Judging Again
Quickie post: I’ll be the guest judge for the Thousand Oaks Camera Club’s print competition this Tuesday, June 30th in…wait for it…Thousand Oaks, California. At the library on Janns Rd. I’ve got my red pencil all sharpened and ready to mark points off! (Feel the power! What a rush.)
Agency Test Shoot: Lynae and Irina (pt 2)
I should know better than to wait so long to blog about a shoot! One vacation and several shoots later, I’m having trouble remembering all the little details. But I shall endeavor to recall what I can from this shoot (see previous post here).
So above you see the shot that I had conceived ahead of time. It’s ok I guess, but it pales in comparison to some of the other images from this shoot.
When I first scouted the location, I got excited about the creek and the non-California look it has. I immediately thought:
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Help My Brain, Please!
Another quick and short post, but I need your input this time. Yeah you. You’ve been waiting for me to ask, haven’t you?
I’d like readers to give me a short list of inherently funny or peculiar objects. I hope to use the ideas in creating some image concepts. If I use an idea (and can remember where it came from after it evolves sufficiently), I will pay you royalites post it here and give you big kudos. This is a brainstorm kind of thing, which might yield nothing, or might yield some cool shots a day, a week, a month from now. I’d just like other people’s thoughts, which I can then use to spur shoot concepts.
Examples of what I mean by funny or peculiar objects: Portable toilets. Party hats. Cotton candy. Swiss cheese.
Ok your turn! Thanks.
When I was a younster and told my nana something was funny, she would always answer “funny ha-ha or funny peculiar?” In this case, both are welcome.
Fb, Tw, OMGMIS!
Sorry if this is dull. I’m just catching up with all the myriad ways to waste time interact via social media.
I’ve been on Facebook for awhile now.
And now on Twitter: matthainesphoto
Actually I’ve been signed up for twitter for almost a year, and didn’t use it. Didn’t even remember I had an account! My tweets (ugh) will be photo related only. No lunch-menu updates or youtube links to dancing cats. I promise.
OMGMIS! (”Oh my God Make It Stop!”)
Still recovering from my vacation. Got that part 2 of the last fashion blog coming shortly though. Actual paying work must take precedence, but it’s coming.
Ooh! I’ve been blogged about!
http://littledesignerbook.com/?p=1195
Fashion Shooters Reveal: Their First Paid Gig Stories!
I’m still new to the fashion photography side of the business, and I’m expanding as fast as I can. I know I’ve had lots of questions along the way, and I figure others do too. While the “how do I break in to the industry?” question is most-asked and hardly ever answered, I thought I’d take a slightly different tack. Rather than asking fashion photographers how someone should break into the fashion photography field, I asked them how THEY got started. I asked three top-notch fashion and advertising photographers how they got their first paying fashion gig. These aren’t “big break” stories, they’re “little break” stories. But it’s the little breaks that lead to the big breaks. And knowing how they got their toes wet in the industry can give you guidance and reassurance, and perhaps give you ideas on how to get your first “little break”.
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Agency Test Shoot: Lynae and Irina (pt 1)
This was one of those shoots that was destined to turn into a disaster…and yet turned out brilliantly instead! I suppose this sort of “living on the edge” keeps me on my toes. Here’s what happened:
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Family Beach Portraits
“Hurry, there’s a sailboat!” I yelled. I’m not sure if the kids could hear me, because it was so windy. REALLY windy. Batten-down-the-hatches windy. You can see it in the surf above. This portrait session was taken a month or so ago, and it was cold too. One of those sessions where you walk out the front door and say “nice!”. But by the time you get to the location, you go “uh oh…”
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Hair Salon Shoot
Recently I did a shoot for some stylists at a local Ventura hair salon (Alejandro’s on Main St). I was originally contacted by Kris Young to shoot before and after images to promote her hair extensions services. The project later morphed into a cross-promotion effort as well, with these 16×24″ prints displayed prominently in the salon itself.
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