MMMMmmm, I love bugs! …macros that is. While shooting the gardens I came across a cool caterpillar that was very colorful. I made a couple of shots then thought about coming back with some other items if he’d cooperate. He had set up shop on a parsley plant so I placed him back and hoped to see him the next day. Luck would have it he was unable to eat the whole thing overnight – probably due to the night chill that slowed his metabolism after dark. I came back with what amounted to a miniature photo studio consisting of 4 Canon 580EXIIs and various clamps and a Lastolite soft box to mount one of the strobes. One of the flashes was dedicated to illuminating the background. I set up in front of a Mexican Heather bush with small purple flowers and arranged the other lights as if this was bug couture. It was a very cooperative critter allowing me an hour plus of setting lights and changing output etc for maximum effect. Once I set it all up I went around gathering other items of interest to try out in the micro studio… sample shots below:
Latest
Teen Tag – 11.14.10
Sean Burchell(former coworker) asked if I’d be interested in taking senior pix for his daughter and friends. I’ve watched her grow up over the years and it could only be fun – most senior shoots are anyway but more fun if you know them. Sean mentioned he’d like to do family shots and thought it’d be fun to do the Botanical gardens. The weather was a little unpredictable so we opted to go to the “Piney Wood section” with the old log cabin. It has the added convenience of live electrical outlets so I could also bring some conventional strobes to supplement the battery powered units. The girls made good use of my changing tent and tried on a number of outfits from western to formal. I have a few sample pix below – I’m still several sessions behind in post production. I may add more as I find get through the batch.
Andi and Craig are engaged…
Sunday morning was overcast when I met Andi (Ray) and Craig for their photo session. Craig proposed to Andi at the park so they thought it cool to shoot their engagement photos here. I brought a potpourri of lighting and other equipment including my 600mm f4.0 telephoto lens. The 600mm is not my standard gear for engagements but I had an idea we could shoot some pix of them out on the water in the paddle boats. As luck would have it – the boats are not rented after Labor Day. At the end of the shoot I figured that if I took the trouble to bring it – we’d shoot it so I have some nice shots of them walking up the bridge and kissing – if it weren’t for it’s conspicuous size it could make for great paparazzi candid shots over 100 yards away.
Here are a few select images I picked from a quick pass through the files. I’m way behind on my post production so it may be another week to get through them all. You can visit my Flickr gallery for some details of lighting, etc. until I get caught up… ( My Flickr Gallery ) (The last 4 images are taken with the 600mm at around 100 yards – when zoomed in you can read the inscription on Andi’s necklace in the original file)
It’s been too bizzy too long but let’s get something posted…
I’ve not posted in a while – so much shooting and editing I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath – gotta raise the prices or quit taking in so much work. Friday October 8th started a marathon with a wedding shoot for a former co-worker. It was a small affair held in the back yard of one of his fiance’s close friends. The decorations were meticulously crafted and the yard was lit with “icicle lights” and candles adding to the ambiance. The wedding cake was beautifully decorated and I wish I could have shot it in a studio to show how nice it was.
Tomm and Theresa's wedding cake
Tomm’s family is from Norway and a group made the long trip to help celebrate the occasion. They wrote up a “skit” and presented the couple with a unique selection of “Nordic” gifts including a plane ticket for the couple to come visit the home country.
Tomm's family presents the couple with "Nordic" keepsakes and plane ticket to the homeland.
See the rest of the photos from the celebration by clicking here.
Down Under Promo
Sydney Skyline @ dusk
For the past 4 years I’ve been asked to produce promotional videos for a national incentive plan for the top sales performers at KCI. The objective is to motivate them to achieve high levels of sales volume in order to win a trip to some location chosen by the sales management team. The past several years have included Cannes, France, Monaco, Capetown, South Africa, with a safari in the Sabi Sabi game reserve and last year was Kona, Hawaii. The winners are allowed to select from numerous activities during their stay. The videos are shown at National Sales conferences and remain online with links from the intranet sales portal and reinforced by periodic reminders including links to post event video slide shows (2010). I’ve been lucky enough to accompany the winners the last 3 years to document their trip in photos (samples: 2009, 2010 ) and video.
The 2011 trip destination is Australia! It seems every time it comes to making these videos, it is needed in a very short time making it difficult to find footage and the appropriate music. This year I was very lucky to get extremely high quality footage from the Australian Tourist Bureau. The only set back was the format was digital beta max and the equipment to convert it for editing in Final Cut is expensive and few services have the capability. I was lucky enough to find 1080 here in San Antonio and the side benefit was a visit to a very high profile video production company. Using the beautiful footage(I’ve seen the same footage used in ads run nationally) made it so much more fun. I built an animation of the logo for the front end and used some aboriginal sounds of didgeridoo and energetic drums starting out slow with punches of sound to accentuate the transitions to higher paced cuts. You can view the final version by clicking here (requires Flash player). It’s always a question of whether I’ll get to go or not due to commitments at work but it looks like it could be an interesting though long trip. I wouldn’t get to see these places otherwise but it gets to be quite hectic with all the work behind the scenes of prepping and editing… then upon return there is about 2 weeks of post production for all the images and video.
Another benefit of the experience is working with Terry Renna from Florida. He is a professional photographer who shoots for Associated Press and covers the NASA activities, selected NASCAR events and has a lot of insights into making a living taking pictures. I look forward to working with him and learning from his years of experience. He has a great attitude and can make it all the more fun. He says we make a good team – his shooting – my computer skills… and sometimes my shooting 
2010 San Fernando Health and Safety Fair
For several years now I’ve done photography and video coverage for the San Fernando Health and Safety Fair. This year was the 20th anniversary of the fair and everyone was excited to see Father Virgilio Elizondo, the founding inspiration for the fair. I try to get some shots of every service provided and once I get the basics covered I take advantage of the opportunity to get some “people” shots and do a little experimenting with lenses and other techniques. I did a little work on some of them using Lightroom presets and Topaz “Adjust” with interesting results:
Known as an institution that has cared for the spirits and souls of San Antonians for many years, San Fernando Cathedral will celebrate a 25th year tradition of also caring for the body with its Eighteenth Annual Health & Safety Fair. The Fair is held yearly on the 1st Saturday in October from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the grounds of San Fernando Cathedral. Services are provided free of charge.
In April, 2006, the SAN ANTONIO BUSINESS JOURNAL selected the San Fernando Health & Safety Fair Committee as one of their Health Care Heroes for Community Outreach. We are indeed very proud of this recognition.
The primary objectives of the Fair are: (1) Provide a “safe harbor” setting for medically underserved with personalized health screenings, education, and referral services by specialized health professionals; (2) Provide follow up services for participants with abnormal/high risk screening results; and (3) Link children, elderly, the working poor, and others with language, cultural, financial or eligibility barriers to service with a wide-range of health care and education providers.
Over 50 physicians and dentists, approximately 350 health care professionals, plus more than 150 community workers, all volunteers from San Antonio join together at this event to offer a variety of free screenings, including cholesterol, blood pressure, vision, dental, podiatry, dermatology, prostate, and diabetes. Consultations and health information are also offered, as well as mammograms on site and mammogram vouchers, self-breast exams and diabetes education.
Based on the screenings offered at the Health Fair, health professionals are able to evaluate the individuals and provide them with information for follow-up care. Because all of the screenings are offered free of charge, the San Fernando Health Fair provides help to those who otherwise would go untreated. Follow-up care is now being provided through the Cathedral’s Health Care Clinic Facility located at the AT&T San Fernando Community Centre.
The setting for the San Fernando Health Fair is ingeniously creative, using a mix of indoor and outdoor facilities across both church and public grounds. This makes for a unique setting that overcomes space constraints and results in over 3,500 screenings, examinations and consultations annually.
In addition to providing the specialist examinations, physicians staff the service called “Doctors in Booth.” It is here that participants receive individual, personal consultations with doctors to review screening results or ask lingering questions they have been too embarrassed, afraid or unable to ask.
Founded by Father Virgilio Elizondo, the San Fernando Health & Safety Fair reaches out to the residents in and around San Antonio and lends a helping hand. The event is free and open to the public. Here is a link to the video I filmed, edited and produced for the event… and here is a link to the gallery of photos from this year and years past.
