Dramatic Image Transformation!
July 17th, 2009
The final, "Stage Four" image after Eric's hard work!
One of the very rewarding aspects of my job at Myers Creative Imaging is that I get to work with very talented and dedicated people every single day. We have a staff of six people at the studio, each excellent at what they do, who work well together in servicing our clients, and in supporting each other at the same time! Alright, enough of the mushy stuff.
I’m taking this opportunity to show off Eric Barbehenn’s talents a little bit. Eric is sometimes known by us, affectionately, as “the guy behind the wall,” and might not often be seen, but is responsible for many great things! Eric is the full time digital image retouching artist that we have on staff. Of course he manages other things around the studio, too, but retouching is really his thing!
Often times, in the professional photography world, the role of the retoucher becomes a key factor in the realization of an art director’s or photographer’s vision. Sometimes, only so much can be done “in camera” by the photographer, and it’s up to people like Eric to take the reins and bring the image to a new level.
In this particular case, Eric had done some work on an image that I had created back in the winter months for Harris Corporation. The scenario I had shot in January had depicted emergency first responders “on the scene,” and would be used in trade magazines to advertise the encrypted radio communications systems that Harris engineers and manufactures here in Rochester.
Eric had spent some time playing around with some tone mapping techniques recently, and seemed to think that this image could lend some interesting results. He felt that the original image, while very nice, could be pushed to carry a far more dramatic visual message that spoke of the often harsh and difficult conditions that first responders and their equipment are subjected to.
Without giving away Eric’s detailed secrets, I can walk you through the basics:
Stage One, the image in its original state, straight off the camera.
Right off the camera, the Stage One image.
Stage Two, some real boosts in contrast, especially in the shadow end, and some light falloff around the perimeter occurs.
Stage Two.
Stage Three, we see a further contrast push, as well as some selective desaturation.
Stage Three.
Now pay attention to the image shown at the beginning of this post, because Stage Four gets really cool! Eric made it snow! Now, he hadn’t merely selected snow from another image and layered it in to the existing one. He actually created it from nothing and succeeded in making it look real and believable!
What a great result, and super example of image enhancement!
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mk 3.
Playing With Food.
July 10th, 2009
Mixed Olives and Parmigiano Reggiano Salami Bites.
One of the rewarding parts of being a professional photographer are the “testing days!” When the schedule allows, John and I will try to expand our horizons a little, and make a plan to try out some new lighting ideas we have, or do some preliminary tests for an upcoming client project. In some cases, it’s a necessary part of our problem solving process. Sometimes, though, it can be just plain fun! Testing gives us a chance to learn new ways of working, explore new photographic styles, and flesh-out concepts we have in our minds.
In this particular case, I was able to take a couple of days to create some new food images! Photographing food is one of my favorite things to do, and I was excited for the opportunity! After a little time spent making sketches, thinking of food types, textures and colors, I headed off to the Pittsford Wegmans with my shopping list. I was planning a hearty steak meal, a chicken soup shot, one with olives, another of grilled beef and vegetable skewers, and a fifth with sockeye salmon. I really enjoy having an excuse to roll the gas grill outside to cook, so I had planned three of the meals with that in mind.
Grilled Sockeye Salmon, Mixed Greens and Roasted Potatoes.
I was in the process of developing a studio flash lighting setup that would mimic natural daylight coming through windows. Now, much of our food photography had accomplished this before, but there were some subtle differences that I was trying to tweak. The primary difference in this setup was that the main light source would originate from the rear of the set rather than from the side. I was also deciding to make the light source more indirect, and to diffuse it differently from our previous working method. In some ways, it’s actually a simpler setup to use, and contains fewer components.
The images here are my favorites from the session.
Camera: Hasselblad H2 and Lead Aptus 65 digital back.
Photography for Blue Cross / Blue Shield.
July 6th, 2009
I have had a great time this summer working on some projects for Jay Advertising! Lately, the photography I’ve done was to support an advertising campaign for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western New York. The campaign consists of four different scenarios that portray business owners who purchase their employee health care plans from Blue Cross. For now, I am able to show you the first scenario. I’ll post the remaining three as they release to the public.
In our first scenario, We photographed in a quarry in Penfield, NY. We had absolutely perfect weather that day. In the midst of a wet Spring and Summer, it was a real treat! Our crew arrived at the quarry early to make the decisions on wardrobe prior to heading down into the depths of the quarry. Due to safety regulations at the quarry, we were all required to wear boots and hardhats. Kathy, our prop and wardrobe stylist at the studio, had to do something special, and went out and bought hot pink hardhats for the ladies on the crew. We stuck out like a sore thumb!
Kathy asks the Quarry Boss for directions to the ladie's room.
Tim Winter, an art director at Jay Advertising, was heading up the project, and is a dream to work with. He has great ideas, and is extremely talented. Kathy was overseeing wardrobe that day, and Lorrie Lynn of Studio 3 Stylists was performing her hair and makeup magic on our model, Steve. We were able to coax Eric out of the studio to help me out with the lighting and equipment. He was happy to get away from the confines of his office and get into the sunshine! Also joining us that day were our client, Lori, and the account executives, Heather and Ben.
Things went really smoothly during the shoot. It was a Friday, and much of the quarry was shut down. We had two shots to accomplish, a portrait and a “butt shot.” Steve did great in both! Heather, our production coordinator at the studio, delivered some snacks and drinks for us in the morning, and that helped us tremendously, as we weren’t stopping for lunch. We finished shooting and got out of the quarry just prior to the locking of the gates. On the way back to the studio, Tim, Eric and I went to Pomodoro for a really nice, really late lunch. Believe me, it was well worth the wait!
Grant explaining histograms to Tim. Lorrie Lynn watching for out of place hair.
Tim and I working hard while Ben enjoys an ice-cold Coke!
Pomodoro's wood-fired pizza and oh, yeah - cold beer!
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mk 3.
US Open Golf at Bethpage Black Course.
July 1st, 2009
David Smail, of Hamilton, New Zealand, walks the path to the 17th green.
The 17th green at Bethpage Black.
In mid-June, John and I traveled to Farmingdale, NY to photograph Xerox customers who were attending business meetings and lectures in the conference center of our hotel. The sweet part of the deal was that after their meetings, the customers were invited to view US Open action at the Black Course in Bethpage State Park. One customer group also was treated to a New York Mets game on Friday night at Citi Field.
I had flown to Long Island to start the job on Tuesday with Megan Grumley, an account exec with Roberts Communications, photographing the golf course and players during their practice rounds. We really got lucky with the weather, as these first two days were the nicest days of the week. Wednesday night, the rain came, drenched the golf course, and created a real challenge for the maintenance crews and golfers. The final rounds of the tournament were delayed for a day so that the course could dry out.
James Kamte of South Africa makes his second shot on the 4th.
My next couple of days were spent in the hotel, photographing at the meetings, presentations, and receptions while the rain came down outside. John had arrived Wednesday evening, and joined up with Megan to take pictures of the customers during their time at the Xerox hospitality tent at the golf course. They had to slug through the mud each day, and even got the minivan stuck in a soggy parking lot!
All of the pictures we were taking this week would be organized in such a way that Xerox could later present their customers with personalized hardcover books, filled with images from the events that each individual had attended. The books were to be published on a Xerox IGen 4 printing system.
Robert Allenby knocks it out of the bunker on 17.
Of all the photography I did during the week, the most interesting came from the practice rounds of the tournament. I had played a good deal of golf when I was younger, and really love the game. For me, it was really exciting to be out on the golf course with a camera , choosing spots to photograph from that would provide nice backgrounds, lighting, and composition for shots of the approaching players.
Of all the golfers I photographed during the practice rounds, only Vijay Singh had issues with me and my camera! I think he was a little testy from a few “not so hot” shots, but hey, if you don’t get hollered at once in a while, then you’re not living life on the edge!
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mk 2.
Spectators along the 18th fairway.
Pies For Any Occasion!
June 30th, 2009
The new Maine Blueberry Pie from Wegmans!
Another segment of the current Menu magazine I had enjoyed photographing for earlier in the year was an article featuring classic pies from the Bakery Department at Wegmans!
New this year to the Wegmans pie line was a gorgeous Maine Blueberry Pie! This pie, in addition to a traditional, down-home Apple Pie and incredible Triple Berry Pie, offers shoppers an “easy” way to bring hand baked goodness to a family cookout or gathering!
I know that sounds a little like a sales pitch, but the Triple Berry was out of this world! Loved it! Now, if I could just get some on the same plate with some good vanilla ice cream!
The Triple Berry Pie was my personal favortie! Super good!
Camera: Hasselblad H2 and Leaf Aptus 65 digital back.
Cool Summer Desserts!
June 27th, 2009
Mixed Berries and Wegmans Premium Vanilla! Classic goodness!
Not long after having photographed the meals for the Summer 2009 Wegmans Menu Magazine, I was assigned to create images for an article featuring ice cream and sorbet pairings! A cold winter day seems an unlikely time to be working with frozen treats, but often times we are photographing for a given project 6 months or even a year prior to the release of the article, advertisement or product.
Joan Keyser, a food stylist with whom we love to work, showed up with an arsenal of ice cream scoops that would make Ben and Jerry envious! I never would have imagined that such a large variety of scoop sizes existed! One of Joan’s specialties, though, is working with real ice cream, and it wasn’t long before she had narrowed down her scoops to find the right sizes to use for what we were doing.
Red Raspberries and Wegmans Green Apple Sorbet. Stunningly refreshing!
My lighting schematic that day was very similar to what I had used in the burger photography shown in the previous post. Bright, energetic, natural looking light that would be cohesive with the existing images, convey the feeling of Summer, and perhaps suggest an outdoor or sunporch type environment.
Wegmans art director, Michael Buckley, had worked with Kathy in targeting a specific look for the props, tabletops, and dishes. Once all these things were laid out in the studio, the decision process began as to which combinations of things would be appropriate for each dessert. Michael then set out to work his magic creating the look of each set.
Once photography was complete at the end of the day, we set out to sample some product! My favorite flavor was the Wegmans Brand Premium, Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate Brownie. You gotta try this stuff! It’s really great! Hurry out and get some while it’s still summertime!
Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate Brownie! Heaven in a pint!
Camera: Hasselblad H2 and Leaf Aptus 65 digital back.
Summertime is Burger Time!
June 11th, 2009
Salsa Burger with Avocado!
I found myself craving a good burger since I hit the floor this morning. I might have to get a fix later on today! It was this craving that brought to mind the images you see here.
On a steamy August day like today, the farthest thing from my mind is cold, blowing snow. It was a snowy day here in Rochester, though, when John and I were both photographing food in the studio for the Summer 2009 issue of Wegmans Menu Magazine. I had shoveled snow all week long, and this day was no exception. Another several inches had fallen overnight, and had to be cleared so we could get in the front door at the studio. We also needed to clear some sidewalk space for our food stylist, Joan Keyser, to work with the gas grill.
Cheddar Burger with Applewood Smoked Bacon! Wow!
Within the walls of the studio at Myers Creative Imaging, we set out to create some beautiful environments in which to place the food. Bright, airy, and “Summery,” were some descriptives we were tossing around that morning during the planning session, and during the week of photography, we created quite a large body of work that would convey these essences and scrumptious flavors of Summer!
Of all the images I worked on, the ones you see here are my absolute favorites! I’m trying, though, not to let my hamburger craving sway my opinion. The Summer issue of Menu is on store shelves now!
Camera: Hasselblad H2 and CF 132 digital back.
Vermont At Dusk.
May 28th, 2009
I wanted to share a couple pictures that I took Monday evening near my parents’ home in Vermont. Christine and I had been visiting my family there over the long Memorial Day weekend. We had stopped one evening along the dirt road leading to my folk’s house to photograph this beautiful sunset unfolding before us. The moon was sliver-thin! I only had my point and shoot with me, and used a fencepost for a makeshift camera rest. Christine took some beautiful shots, too, from the passenger seat! I was really wishing for the Leaf digital back, though, and a good, solid Gitzo tripod!
Camera: Canon Powershot Pro S1.
Shooting Clinic at Black Widow Bows!
May 13th, 2009
My Black Widow PMA-X.
I somewhat reluctantly returned to Rochester on Sunday from a fantastic trip to Nixa, Missouri. I had travelled there to attend the Instinctive Shooting Clinic at Black Widow Custom Bows. The clinic is designed for bowhunters who use traditional archery equipment – recurve bows and longbows. G. Fred Asbell and Ken Beck shared their knowledge with us during the two and a half day clinic, and covered topics such as arrow tuning, proper shooting form, spot and stalk hunting, camouflage and concealment, and mainly, the fine art of instinctive shooting.
The main premise of instinctive shooting is for the archer to shoot his arrow accurately to the intended target without the aid of sights or sighting references on the bow. A great deal of emphasis is placed upon training the mind and body to work in unison to focus on the target and deliver the arrow precisely to it, all in one fluid motion.
Being able to immerse myself into this type of learning process for a few days was really fun, and extremely energizing! It’s always really interesting to be surrounded by a group of folks from different walks of life who are passionate about the same thing that you are, and to see how they each put their individual twist on solving the different problems that arise.
There were a really great bunch of guys attending the course, and I’m sure that some new friendships have begun. The people at Black Widow Bows sure know how to host a great event! We all were made to feel right at home, and they really put some great food in front of us at mealtime! Adaptations to the schedule were made very gracefully when Friday’s thunderstorms and tornadoes were knocking things around, and we never missed a beat! On Saturday afternoon, many of us weren’t quite ready to break away from the group and head off to our homes. One attendee had come all the way from Spain for the clinic, and another from Canada! Really cool stuff!
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mk 2.
Bob, Grant and Arne.
Charles, Kevin, Aaron, and Don.
Pedro trading a customary arrow with Kevin.
Saturday morning practice session.
Bowhunter Portrait: Dan Jones.
April 18th, 2009
When one of your buddies agrees to be picked up at 6am on a Saturday, and you’re not heading out to hunt or fish, you had better have something good in store!
I had worked with Dan Jones on a shoot recently, when John Myers was doing some photography for Catalyst Direct. Dan is an Art Director with that agency. During the afternoon, I had asked Dan if he’d be interested in being photographed for my portfolio of bowhunting related work. I thought that he would fit the project really well, especially with the beard he had grown since last time I’d seen him. He said sure, but there was a catch. He was getting rid of the beard in a few days, so we needed to do the photography very soon!
Dan was willing to hang on to the beard just long enough for me to organize the details and find the right kind of day to photograph him. We had scheduled the shoot for this morning and after picking Dan up at his house, made a stop at Starbucks on the way out of town. We then drove to one of my favorite locations, the property I hunt in Canandaigua, NY. I’d had the idea for this portait in my head for some time, and had done some quick test shot a couple weeks prior when I had been on the same property with Matt Smythe.
The morning was overcast at first, but weather reports claimed that there would be breaks of sun. For a while, I wasn’t sure that was going to happen, but eventually, things worked out just as I had hoped they would. We had a really great morning, a good visit and a few laughs during the ride and the shoot. I’m really pleased with the photography, and have popped in a few samples here. Thanks again, Dan. I really appreciate your help, and hope the beard wasn’t too painful coming off!
Special thanks to Mark Bibbens and family for allowing me to create these photographs in such a gorgeous location!
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mk 3.
