Digital Dreams 2014: Part I

Here are some of the festival shots from the Bud Light Digital Dreams music festival in Toronto, ON from June 28th and 29th. Some more to follow in the coming days as well.

Will Photographing a Color Me Rad Run Ruin Your Equipment?

It might... if you're a moron.

Recently I shot some images at a Color Me Rad event in Toronto. Once I told people this they freaked and brought to my attention a few blogs that talked about it destroying their brand new gear. Many of these blogs were on lens rental company websites who refused to rent lenses for these events. That's their prerogative of course.

These articles draw your attention the the dust that infiltrated every crevice in the lens which required them to be cleaned from the interior. My first major critique of these articles is they noted that the photographers were not close up in the action. I'm going to have to call objection on that your honour. The photos I saw repeatedly used an 8-16mm lens as an example of gear that got ruined. That is an extremely wide lens so unless someone was going for nothing but sweeping landscape shots they  were clearly right in the middle of the action to get good shots from that lens.

The common sense alarms should go off for any photographer when they hear powder being thrown around in the air. As well seeing the images that already exist for previous events you should know what you are getting into. Just prepare appropriately!

So my experience was just fine. I put a cheap rain cover over my camera, used a 70-300mm zoom lens, stood far away and up wind. I was still able to get great shots from far away by using a zoom lens. The other suggestion I would make is not to shoot in the main gathering area/finish line. It can be tempting because you can get a lot of dramatic shots there but that's where you put your gear at risk.

If you plan carefully, take basic precautions and use common sense, you and your gear will be just fine. The best part is you will get some great photos. Everyone is super energetic, they look great, and people gravitate toward photographers with all of their enthusiasm.

Here are some of my shots from the day.

Hamilton Fashion Week 2014: James Street Fashion Show

Model Portfolio Shoot with Bree Leigh

Here are some select images from my recent model portfolio photo shoot for Bree Leigh. We wanted to focus on some fashion and portrait looks for the night. It was a quick shoot but we got some great shots.

Spring is in the Air!

Even though mother nature likes to remind us mid April is still fair game for snow in Canada, it might be nice to get a glimmer of hope for a real spring. Filled with colours and warmth. In the spirit of that warmth we wanted to put together a creative spring inspired fashion shoot that would be wildly colourful and fun.

The shoot itself was a blast which only resulted in getting terrific images. Here are some behind the scene images as well as some of the finished product.

Hair and Makeup by Aleksandra Stanojevic http://www.aleksandrasartistry.com/

Behind the Scenes

Pascale Swimwear Talent Casting

A couple of weeks ago I got the opportunity to work with an incredible swimwear designer Marina Pascale. She was scouting some local talent for upcoming fashion shows. We had a fantastic day shooting together and all the models that came out were tremendous to work with. What was awesome to see was how one outfit could look so different on a few different models. The swimwear looked amazing and made my job super easy.

For more information on Pascale Swimwear or to purchase visit: https://www.maisonpascale.com/

Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lamaisondepascale

Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/pascaleswim

Here's a sample of some of our work from the day. 

My 2020 Photography Prediction

Photographers Videographers.jpg

I had a marketing professor in University who said she predicted in the 80s people would pay for bottled water. Seemed silly at the time, now people are paying for what they get out of the tap for free. Her next prediction is that people will make their own pop (soda if you’re American) with those fancy CO2 machines. So my prediction: 80% of photographers will become videographers. This means they will do corporate, wedding, and creative videos as a large part of their services.

There a couple of reasons for my prediction.

1.       Most new DSLRs have a video function built. With the high quality lenses a photographer already has they automatically are stacked with incredible equipment to enter this field.

2.       They have the creative mind suited for video/film production. A photographer has trained themselves to create a compelling image in one frame. They can tell a story with just one shot. That skill alone gives them a stepping stone to creating video.

3.       The financial reasons. Photography itself is becoming a harder sell as a commodity or service. People are reluctant to pay for the service because so many people can do it for so cheap. People are tackling photography projects themselves because there are few barriers to entry for a simple photo project. For video there is opportunity to create quality productions for people at a reasonable cost, and for a reasonable profit.

4.       Content is evolving. The growth of video online has created an entire new market for artistic productions. Online streaming sites such as YouTube and Vimeo have revolutionized film distribution. An individual artist is able to compete on a large scale with minimal resources.

5.       A continuation of the last point, content demand is shifting as well. There is an opportunity for artists to create content the general population wants to see. If it is clever, artistic, well executed, funny, it can be shared endlessly. People want short entertaining videos. They are sacrificing production value for quality content. You could create a 5 minute film that has as large of an audience as Transformers 4.

6.       It’s a new challenge. Photographers always like to push themselves with new techniques, new types of creations. Video production is the natural evolution of that artistic journey. They don’t have to switch gears entirely; however dabbling in video could satisfy a creative thirst.

What Kind of Camera and Brand Should You Buy?

I have friends come to me all the time asking what kind of camera they should buy. Since I do the photographizing they think I can point them in the direction. That question usually results in the annoying “it depends” answer for the person.  So I go into long winded explanation with hypothetical situations and lay out scenarios and discuss needs.

I’ll start by saying I’m a Nikon shooter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get other brands. There are pros and cons to all brands but at the end of the day there will be complimentary cameras at each level and price range. I chose Nikon because the magnesium body felt more solid to me. I’m always taking it hiking on treacherous trails or have it with me while travelling so I wanted something that could take a little punishment. But ignore anyone who says there is only one good option for a brand. It often comes down to personal preference.

First thing to decide when buying is to identify what you want to use your camera for. That could drastically affect what camera you should get and how much money you should expect to pay. I’ll explore a couple of photography user types and suggest cameras based on those needs. Perhaps you fall into some of these categories

The Casual Shooter

You enjoy taking photos to capture memories or random moments. You may want to take a picture of your beautiful garden, take a snap at a family get together, or are obsessed with your dog.

The Vacation Shooter

You want to take some nicer pictures on your upcoming vacation. You know you’re going to have great photo ops on your European tour, or Caribbean cruise. You know you will deal with various lighting conditions and will be on the move a lot.

The Extreme Sports Shooter

You want to capture those awesome moments skydiving, surfing, or snowboarding. You want something tough and unobtrusive.

Aspiring Filmmaker

You want to exercise your artsy side. You enjoy photography but want to harness the video capabilities as well. Maybe make a short creative film, be a YouTube star, or actually pursue filmmaking to a higher level

Hobbyist Photographer

You love photography. You see things differently than others. You enjoy going out just to take photographs. You spend your free time browsing photo sharing sites like Flickr.

Aspiring Pro Photographer

You have been a Hobbyist and want to go beyond that. You want to explore your creative potential. You want to shoot at an advanced level with manual modes, off camera lighting, and unforgiving lighting situations.

Examining these categorizations can give an indication as whether you should purchase a point and shoot, “action camera”, DSLR, or other interchangeable lens camera. Each of those choices will result in different prices ranges and varied level of photo quality. They also are not the be all and end all, just loose guidelines.

Point and Shoot Camera.jpg

Let’s start with the entry level Point and Shoot Digital Camera.  Perfect for those “Casual Shooters” or even the “Vacation Shooter”. They are small, light, easy to use, and well-priced. A majority will just turn the power on aim at what you want and press the button. They range in price from $50.00 - $200.00 and upward depending on features. Don’t let their size fool you, some of these cameras are incredibly sophisticated and have fantastic features. For great picture taking without any thinking this is a fantastic option. Many of them even include a decent amount of manual controls. Their size is also beneficial. These cameras tend to have slim bodies and retractable zoom lens. They are perfect to slip into a pocket and go. If you are thinking this is a good option for you I would opt for a waterproof and shockproof option such as the Fujifilm Finepix XP200. This is great for vacations as you can take this pretty much anywhere. You can get great photos and HD video under water or in snowy mountains without worrying about ruining it.

Hero GoPro.jpg

For the more adventurous bunch there are actions cameras such as the Hero GoPro. These are beneficial for the small size, light weight, great footage, but especially for being mountable. Other cameras can be mounted but cameras such as the GoPro has numerous attachments that allows you to mount the camera to nearly anything for truly unique footage. The filmmaker category can get great use out of this to get footage that otherwise would require intense rigging. However, unless you are into extreme sports, or have a need to mount a camera in a normally challenging situation you can get more out of a point and shoot or DSLR.

Mirrorless Camera.jpg

The next level up would be a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. These offer superior image quality and compact size. They are costly, but if you want an easy to use small camera and can afford it this is a great option. If you want to get the creative juices flowing a bit you can invest in new lenses for these as well. Great option for a hobbyist photog or someone who wants great vacation photos without lugging around a bulky heavy camera.

Entry Level DSLR.jpg

My bias always leads people to get a DSLR. If it’s within your budget and you have an interest in photography, get a DSLR. You can get amazing pictures 80% of the time just on automatic mode. While you have a wide range of features you can put it on auto, and let the camera do the hard part. An entry level DSLR such as a Nikon D3200 or D5200 allows you room to grow while giving you consistent quality photos. So you can start slow and just learn basics slowly working your way up through the various manual features. In most lighting conditions you can get a nearly identical photo to a camera that costs thousands more. You can also explore video features and take film-like footage. A skilled person could create nearly professional looking footage with an entry level DSLR.

Crop Sensor Dx DSLR.jpg

If you truly love photography and want to take it to a higher level perhaps are an aspiring pro I would recommend a high end DX crop sensor camera such as a Nikon D7100. This level of camera has fantastic image quality and the cameras are packed with features that can really allow you to explore creatively.

 

Buy Used

The beauty of the DSLR market is that there are constantly new bodies being released which help drive down the price of older bodies with plenty of life left in them. If you want something a bit better than entry level but can’t afford it look on the second hand market. Great options include the D90, D300, D7000, and even the FX D700

FX Full Frame Camera.JPG

If money is no object 1. I hate you 2. Buy an FX camera body. The image quality is unmatched. There are great options including the D600, D800, D4, as well as the older D700 or D3. I myself shoot with a D700. It’s an older body but shoots beautiful images.

Like I mentioned earlier there are lots of options of brands and models to get. Pick them up and see how they fit in your hands. Read reviews. But in reality if you have a DSLR from the last 5-7 years you are golden. You will get great pictures. If you buy a modern point and shoot camera, you will get great pictures. Just figure out what you are using it for, how compact you need it to be, and how much you are willing to spend.

 

International Canadian Fashion Showcase June 2013

International Canadian Fashion Showcase 2013