Darkroom Portraits

I was on Tim Mantoani's website and was checking out some cool portraits and decided to try and take some of my own. Not as cool but I'm working at it.

I wanted to concentrate the light more so instead of leaving the umbrella at around 45 degrees, I wanted light straight down on the subject.

Strobist info: 30" umbrella set camera right pointing nearly straight up (or is it down? Light was reflected down on subject if that helps) on light stand about 7 feet tall at 1/16 power. Used manual flash on bracket at 1/16 power pointed straight up with snoot to set off other flash optically. Camera on tripod.


Sarah and Jared


Tyler


Tested out the lighting on myself first


Martyn, Dave, Jon

Summit League Track & Field Championships

Felt like I was going to die out there. I had been pretty sick the previous few days and having to drive out to Sterling, IL (about 2 hours) and shoot an indoor track meet wasn't the greatest for my banging headache but I survived.

Plus I needed the money and really wanted to try this 80-200 f/2.8. It was a little hard shooting at first but I got used to it. Nothing really too creative in the pics. I tried to sit whenever I could because I knew the ride back wasn't going to be too fun.

Karen Portraits

Shot a few portraits yesterday morning. Our Assistant Edge (entertainment section) editor wanted some pics to frame for her mom's b-day so I just shot a few.

Apt. Fire

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Heard about an apartment fire on the scanner today after I finished up some portraits near the office so I went to check it out.

Sounded like a big one but wasn't much left by the time I got there. Gotta be quick to get anything. It was on the other side of town though and it sure helps if you can roll through stop signs and stop lights.

I'll get some more info at the briefing tomorrow morning.

Well I'm back in the office for production waiting for some photos to edit. Nice day out there.

Portrait: Misagh Jebeli

It was already drizzling when I got to the international house just off campus. I was arriving about 10 minutes late because I was listening to a visitor to the office about a public affairs graduate program down in Springfield, IL.

He was sitting in a chair when I got there. I looked around the room and there wasn't anything on the walls so I decided to do the first shots outside. Amir, one of our graphic designers, also from Iran, was there so he showed me outside where there were two porches. The shot above is from the downstairs one while the other porch is in the background.

I wanted to use my umbrella but it was way too windy and I can't afford to break a flash. I decided to just shoot directly at him with the Sunpak auto 433D. It's this $60 manual flash I got in Chicago and I love it. Just popped on a diffuser and got my correct settings.

Tried this place, against the wall, on top of the bricks. I feel like this shows his personality more. Nice guy.

Well it ends up the paper is running a cutout in a graphic of a different pic so I guess the composition doesn't really matter. Kinda frustrating.

Anyways, probably another few hours of production here in the office. We've been leaving around 1am for the past two issues.



Should've had the flash on the other side of the camera on the new bracket I got. All the highlights are on the gutter or whatever that is. I don't even know if I can have the bracket on the other side but I'll try it out. Doubt it though.



Oh yeah, HUGE NEWS!!! The 80-200 f/2.8L came in today. I've just been playing around with it in the office and wow, it's sharp and fast. Can't wait to try it out for sports or any news for that matter.