Sunday, November 9, 2008

It's all about the Light!

For some time now I've been really wanting to get a better grasp on lighting for product shots. So, since it was raining in CT all day for the most part yesterday, I decided to try some recently learned techniques out while I had a chance.

It's relatively easy to photograph products that a flat, but when you start dealing with reflective surfaces that bounce light all over creation it can be a little frustrating. I started with a wine glass and a crystel wine top - but since I was using a white background, it proved more than useless LOL. Although the reflections were kept to a minimum and the surrounding area was not visible - I think a black background or some other color would have been much better, so I reached for my old trusty timepiece for the test.

Here is the result.



Nice soft shadows, no reflection off of the front of the watch and nice smooth transition on the reflective gold surfaces. It really wasn't 9:15PM, it was 8:15 forgot to change this one! There is only one small specular highlight which probably could have been avoided had I noticed it before now :o)

-Rick O

Photo Restoration

A few months ago I had a client ask if I offer any photo restoration services. I said sure, no problem. I was expecting an older photo, with maybe some tears, scratches, etc. Well that's not what I received! The photo was nearly 90 years old and in terrible condition.

I decided to post the before and after photos - ya never know when someone will be in need of such a service!





Can you believe it? Do you see the little girl in the white dress sitting? This is her today - the blonde with the pearls.



-Rick O

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Post Honey Moon - Mrs. Garfield!

So Mrs. Garfield - formerly Miss Paradiso wanted to do a tiny little session when she came back from her honeymoon.. I told her I had no problem following her and her new hubby to Aruba, but she just kind of gave me a strange lil - "you have issues" look! Okay, I'm exaggerating, I never said any such thing, but I did tell her I would be free the weekend following her return. She wanted to get some bridal shots with all of the lovely fall colors, perhaps jump off of a rock into the ocean, maybe set her dress on fire, take a can of spray paint to it, all of these wonderful ideas, but she declined! I said, are you ever going to wear it again? She never answered!!! Okay I'm being a little extreme - it probably wouldn't be cool to set her dress on fire, especially while she was wearing it - but the day was crazy weather wise - wind was blowing a gazillion miles an hour and a hurricane was getting ready to pass thru! The session was so much freakin fun..

I felt all criminal and the like - as she is a FFU Alumni, but it was parents weekend, and the office told her, absolutely no - you can not be on the grounds this weekend. I was so afraid the FFU police were going to come and throw my a** in jail, luckily no one was really around.

Here she is running back to the car before anyone catches us!



Sitting on the steps just soaking up the possibility of being thrown in college prison!



Before we headed to Fairfield University we stopped at a little park near the church she was married at - I just loved this look on her.



Same park - I really liked her look in this shot - almost as if she were just wed - taking a moment to take it all in.



I'm not sure what is in this little barn, perhaps its a cross-gendered facility - not sure - didn't ask - but the texture was awesome. She was just posing it up like a professional super-model!



I'm not sure what was going on here exactly - perhaps she was smoking something funky before the session (sorry Alicia - couldn't resist) - I just loved her happy expression when she threw her hands up in the air and she was just waving them around like she just didn't care - it was so darn cute...



Let's try the arm thing again in front of the barn!



This barn was just so vast and she was just caught up in the moment as if she were reliving her whole wedding day all over again, it was awesome.



I really love this next barn shot, her look, the expression, the window, the red, everything just came so perfectly well together! Bam!



Here is Mrs. Garfield just hanging out at Old Mine Park - people are around us everywhere - looking at us like we're a bunch of nuts - remember the wind is like a gazillion miles per hour and a storm is brewing.



We eventually ended up at Anchor Beach - you can certainly tell that the wind was picking up - I actually had never seen the water so violent...



Her hair was all over creation - she was just laughin hysterically - probably thinking in her own mind - I got my hair all done up for this!



Wind is picking up - I'm surprised she actually stayed on the ground - she can't be more than 110lbs!



I really liked this next shot - it was actually one of the first shots at the beach - and the wind was blowing ever so violently - the water was raging up against the rocks - it was just an awesome scene.



Before the FBI arrives we thought we would take our chances and take a couple more pics at the University - people were snooping around - I was getting very very nervous - didn't want any trouble with the law!



Finally one more - she snuck back behind the wall because people were walking thru!



It was a close one Alicia - thought my heart was gonna jump out of my chest - just as we were leaving - the maintenance men were driving up - whew - close call.

-Rick O

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Olivia & Eleni - Mini Elves

Is it Elves or Elf's - I'm cracking up over here - I have never ever ever had to write the word Elves/Elf's. These two little girls are so freaking cute - I must say that Olivia seems to be getting a little less shy the more and more I see her. And Eleni I never even know she is around she is so quiet... Bet Mom (Elena) does a big hip hip hooray for that one!

Here are a few of my favorites of these little adorable angels!

Mom tried sitting here and having Olivia sit down with her - but Olivia wanted to sit with just her doll - after a bit though it was okay for mom to sit down beside her!



This has to be one of the mischevious looks I've seen in the cutest way!



Olivia caught a leaf... YEAH!



In this scene - Olivia's aunt was throwing leaves up in the air and Olivia was just so giggly.



A close-up of Olivia giggling while the leaves were being thrown.



Olivia is getting such an awesome personality!

-Rick O

Travis Stuart - Christened

Okay, so I'm posting these a little out of order, but its my blog so I guess its okay! I was honored to have been the photographer of little Travis' Christening. The ceremony was at St Stephens Parish in Kearny, NJ - it was a grand church - architecturally astounding! Of course little Trav was just so darn well behaved the entire day. The reception followed in Ramsey, NJ.

Here are a few of my favs.

The church was so huge!



I just loved the architecture on the back walls.



The proud parents of lil Trav - Trav & Kristin



Rear of the church - just look at those pipes - WOW that's a lot of lead!



This little guy at the reception was doing some serious posing!



Kristin shooting me shooting her!



Alas the Holy water!





This gentleman had so much character - I couldn't stop photographing him!



This shot is so paparazzi - a cross between an FBI agent guarding someone or a newspaper reporter for the tabloids!



Awesome detail shot of Travis' little suit



It was a great time - the reception was fantastic and you and your family were so nice - I look forward to working with you again in the future!

-Rick O