The nest is maybe 1.5 inches across and deep. It is beautifully attached to the tree with the smallest of organic bits and is quite camouflaged! Such elegance for a perfect fit. The babies are newborn. Nearing sunset cast a stunning backdrop for her.
To keep his distance the photographer used a 100mm Canon macro lens to catch a glimpse difficult to see, especially without scaring her off.
What a fabulous location photography shoot!! Not only was being inside a missile silo incredibly interesting, but these rescue trainers do amazing work training a range of professionals in the most frightening environments. On top of it these guys experience life not only noble and heroic, but few of us get to observe. It was a privilege to spend the day with them.
Dangling from a rope doesn’t seem to faze these guys. They are more fascinated with the metals and alloys used in their safety gear and tripods! Our photographer, while standing on a side rail, did ask if someone might hang on to him by his belt as he shot aiming 100+ feet down! Much laughter and great time!
Equipment used:
Canon 5d Mark III
Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Existing Light
This welcoming commercial property provided a number of scenic shots. We shot the interior rooms as well, but these show the gorgeous Arizona sun which proved the ideal lighting!
Equipment used:
Canon 5d Mark III
Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Natural Lighting
Some products are just gorgeous due to their exterior surface. This diamond pattern is lovely! The reflective nature is the tough part about photographing this product. Our client is launching a new product line with two sizes of this unit. They also wanted to show the quality of craftsmanship, details and a product styled use image.
Product styling always sounds simple: Grab some items and stack them inside. The last thing you want for your product is distraction from the unit. In this case we discussed colors of soda, lid options, choice of cans, what to put on the top rack, position of the labels and making sure everything was “balanced” to the eye–and keep these items from moving/rolling. Attention to detail pays off in a well laid out composition and the product “shines”. In this case–it always shines!
Reflective products (glass, metal, jewelry, high gloss acrylic products) offer challenges. Once the lighting is in place-then you begin to block out reflections you don’t want – inclusive of the photographer in the product. Controlling the light to not blow out the high reflection, yet show off that very shiny surface we all love. The diamond metal pattern here controlled some of the typical hot spots. We were also able to make use of massive overhead natural lighting and several white reflectors to obtain an even product surface look. Working all of the elements together takes a lot of time. We spend more time setting up a shot, than shooting, typically. Shooting multiple angles meant repositioning everything (continuous lighting, white reflectors, c-stands, every clothes pin and re-taping) with each change of angle, and the second unit.
When you’re selling online any product photography should include an all-the-parts shot, manuals included. Let prospective clients know what’s in the box. We’ve also been asked to edit the photos adding the dimensions for clients. Make it easy for people to buy your product!
Continuous Lighting
Natural Lighting
White Reflectors
Canon 24-70mm 2.8 Lens
Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro Lens
We shot a full line of industrial lighting products at the manufacturing plant. From overhead lighting you see in commercial retail stores and manufacturing plants to stylized industrial quality hanging pendant lights and solid metal exterior parking lot lights this was an extensive catalog. Some of the lighting products measured nearly 9 feet in length.
Shooting against a backdrop we used existing light which was a mix of tungsten and fluorescent light. We used a 5′ x 5′ scrim to soften the overhead skylight. By trial and error we shot with automatic exposure, viewed each product for accuracy and adjusted as needed to match our eye. Once we began photo editing we had a great reference which gave us a perfect color match. This was the most efficient way to shoot the products within an 8 hour day. Crucial to time management in a product shoot like this is having an employee of the client on hand to move product.
There is a big product and there is a BIG product! Airplanes have beautiful design lines and beautiful paint jobs. They sparkle in the sunlight. Photographing large products means working in a large area, more importantly having staff to maneuver the airplane into the desired position of the photographer. Having a beautiful sunny day with cloudy blue skies makes the session wonderful!
To shoot the interior cockpit we covered the windshield with a tarp, squeezed into a tight cockpit and closed the doors to keep out the ambient light using only the glow of the instrument light panels. Using a tri-pod and the slowest shutter speed of the Canon 5d Mark III returned a beautiful shot.
This basic video production was filmed for an animal hospital to feature a brief facility tour, a laser treatment and ultrasound diagnostic test with on camera testimonials with current clients.
Filmed using a Canon C-100, 24-70 mm Canon lens, boomed mic and using existing lighting. In post production we added titles and end credits, inserted photo stills and laid the music track of original music as a wrap-around.
Our client was multi-tasking. Just as he realized he had the product photography images in multiple angles covered, he realized he needed the “pretty” images for his website. Sliders are a popular advertising element on websites currently. To stay ahead of competitors go beyond using image only sliders. We create display ad layouts and created these for specific dimensions saving additional time and expense for our client.
This stunningly beautiful 90 year old was a vision for the camera lens. Using existing lighting created an intimate quiet portrait.
With all the gadgets and photo editing techniques available it is important to know what to use for your subject. If using lighting keep it diffused for a soft look. Unless using a light modifier a flash will give a harshness emphasizing age lines to the point of distraction. The lovely softness in our lady’s face is due in part to those very fine line which are welcome. Part of her beauty is how comfortable she is with herself.
Another choice is converting to black and white, partially because the older generation grew up with non-color photos. Consider delivering both color and black and white to your client.