Stone cold model

I love reading Photshop tutrorials to learn and try new techniques. I used this tutorial Concrete man to ransform a photo of my good friend and model, Rhonda into a work of art. Isn’t the internet great!

Bike shoot

My Nephew, Spot, built this gorgeous wide tire bike.

When it was ready to roll, I had the owners wife pose with it up the lake.

40’s style glamour

I love the pinups, glamour and Hollywood style of 40-50’s photos. I tried to re create some of that here. I used tungsten lighting one in front and one above for a hairlight. I shot it with my Canon A2 film camera, 85 f1.8 lens and Ilford XP 2 C41 process B&W film.

Rain

Once again it ia raining all over the south. Fay is causing havoc with the gulf coast. Always seems to be feast or famine in the south. There are many things from the south that those of northern birth do not expeience. ham and red eye gravy, 110% humidity, mosquitos the size of B1 bombers and of course GRITS. Now as much as I like the ground corn breakfast variety I am talking about GRITS, that is Girls Raised In The South. There is just something about these girls their northern sisters do not have,  a genteel manner with a big streak of toughness. Here are few of my favorite GRITS

Carolyn

Fefe

MaLynda

Mary Jane

Nelwyn

Mikina

Nikki

Red

I know I will catch flack about this but it is just how I feel and my opinion. Find you a southern girl and find out for yourself

Where are we headed?

As photographers where are we headed, or I should say where is photography headed?. I was asked on a forum whether my shooting had changed with digital and Photoshop. Quite frankly no. The young guy said he shot with a concept in his mind of the manipulations he could do in PS. Then I got to thinking that in some ways I do. I have shot photos to use in my art and with a concept in mind, and I shoot HDR and for panoramos. But, I think the prevailing sentiment these days is to shoot the photo and then FIX it in PS. I still try to get the best exposure possible. I still use Polarizers and Graduated Neutral density filters. I still use a handheld lightmeter and can still shoot the sunny 16 rule if all else fails. It makes me wonder that if you took these new digital age photographers fancy cameras with full auto features and photoshop away from them, and gave them an old manual camera with no lightmeter, then had them send the photos off for developing what would the outcome be?. Now I am not advocating the return to the old days, I love the 5D and CS3, but what I am saying is LEARN the craft. It is not a 30 minute course. No one grabs an airplane and becomes an instant pilot. You don’t become a craftsman overnight. It takes time and experience. I get tickled at the number of newbies that get a digi cam and then ask what they need to do to shoot weddings. I have used a camera since I was 14 and owned my own since 17 and I still don’t know anything. I just get lucky every once in awhile.

While I am ranting, just how many pixels are enough? If you listen to the camera manufacturers or the so called experts or the Jo Blow on the forums it is the largest that the camera makers have. With the majority of digital photos never making it off the computer why do you need 24 MP? If all you want is 4×6’s with the occasional 8×10 then any decent 4 MP camera will suffice. If they never get past the computer or the internet then the MP’s don’t mean as much as the quality of lens and camera. OK then you are wondering what I use. I use an 8 MP 20D and see no reason to upgrade it just because there are newer and bigger. I also use the 12 MP 5D because it is the cheapest FF camera Canon makes. I also bought it used. When I do upgrade it is usually to another used camera. I did a lot of superb Photography with a 4 MP Canon G2 P&S before I ever owned a DSLR. My niece still uses it and is quite happy. I miss it and am thinking of getting a G6 to replace it because there are three newer models than it. I still have and use my Canon A2 I bought used back in the mid 90’s. It still works and takes amazing photos. Don’t get caught up in the MP race. learn to use what you have to it’s fullest, you just may find it does all you need. A good car racing friend once said ” It’s not what’s between the gears, but what’s between the ears” a great photographer can take outstanding photos with a simple pinhole camera, but a mediocre photographer can take crappy photos with even a $5,000 Canon 1DsMKIII.

I am constantly amazed at how many people believe the tool is more important than the craftsman. I have had people look at my photos and say ” you must have a really great camera” that is akin to telling a chef he must have a great oven or a master carpenter a great hammer or Leonardo a great set of brushes. Come on give me a break.

Every where you look people have digicams, expensive DSLR’s or even camera phones but no one gives a hoot about learning to use it. I treid to run an online phohotography course and it fell apart after just 3 weeks.

I have even heard so called pros say ” aw I can fix it in Photoshop”

I am also amazed at how gearheads want to make everything so technical. I had one look at one of my photos and come up with this elaborate studio lighting scheme.

In actuality. I do not have a studio and my most elaborate lighting is with a few hotshoe flashes and some umbrellas. This particular photo was in the open doorway of an old barn. The door is facing south. The light coming from the door is the fill and a Vivitar 5600 flash mounted on a flash bracket is the main. If I remember right I had the camera on Av mode and exposed for the ambient light. At this close range I probably set the flash to 1/16th power. That is what i ususally use when up close. I had a homemade flash diffuser on it. My point is you do not need elaborate lighting to make winning photos. This photo is a showcase image on Model Brigade

Networking

I get asked many times how I find so many models to shoot in such a rural and small town area. I reply the standard Model Brigade and Model Mayhem and even Myspace but a few days ago I got asked just how I get them to shoot with me? This got me to thinking, what do I have others do not. Certainly not equipment, mine is good but not the latest greatest, talent, I am ok but not on the level of Birdsong, or Rosen, location, not anywhere like the beach or the desert. So what is it? I think it is an intangible thing. Personality, charisma, charm, or whatever you call it. Some say it is silver tongued. I got a young photographer friend up in Conneticut that asks me to show him how I do it. it is not something that can be teached or learned, you have it or you don’t. it may come from my Scotch/Irish heritage, a touch of the blarney. I find it easy to talk to models and even women that have never modeled and to put them at ease. I also have a 6th sense to zero in on potential models. Sure i don’t shoot some of the highly regarded internet models but this is a fun hobby to me. I make my real living in other ways.
I can offer some advice. They won’t shoot with you if they have never heard of you. Just starting a page on one of the modeling sites will not help. You have to network, post in the forums, put out notices, get in the chat rooms, search for new models in you area, this goes for models also. interact and get noticed.
When I started this last August I realized there was a catch 22. You need images to get models, you need models to make images. I was lucky to find a young model from Dallas to shoot, but you can try local colleges art/drama schools, post a notice where they hang out, or run an ad in the school paper. Try with some friends. Offer photos in exchange for them posing. Then work your way up in talent. Learn to take constructive criticism. Analyze your photos and techniques to see what works and what doesn’t.
There is a wealth of knowledge on the internet that i did not have access to when I first started out. Use the resources available. But most of all SHOOT

Delete It

Dauphin Island group shoot

I am really excited about the upcoming group shoot, on Dauphin Island, Al. I have been assisting Mick and Doug with getting the models. it looks to be a fun time. # days at a beach house full of gorgeous models. I know it is a dirty job…

Hello Photography world

Welcome to my little corner of the internet photography world. My name is Rickey and I am a photographer from Louisiana. I have been at this well over 35 years and professionaly since 2002. This blog is about model photography and photography in general. I also have a modeling gallery blog at Southern Imaging Portfolio. There I will be posting some of my favorite photos and some from recent shoots. here I will be talking photography, flash, lights and model photography. Where to find models, TFCD, ettiquete and general do’s and don’ts.