Tomorrow is our first Mini-Sessions Day at Crystal Cove. After alot of preparation, and alot of paperwork, we are READY! I am so incredibly excited. The location is absolutely gorgeous, the families are all phenomenal, and I can not wait to get some incredible images.
Look for an update on Sunday, folks. You won't wanna miss it.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
B & A Day
With so many styles and post-processing options, it can be tough to decide how to treat a photo. The treatment should be appropriate for the photo's setting, composition, and subject matter. So, as more of an informative option, I thought I'd start posting examples of some before and after treatments. Enjoy!
Monday, April 26, 2010
The B Family
Well, my great friend Cheryl decided she needed some new family photos (who DOESN'T need new family photos?! Kids change every day!) so she booked a session with me. You'll recognize her youngest, Nolan, from his nine month photoshoot last month. We met at the circle at Orange, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to shoot. (Apparently, I'm not the only one- two other photographers were hitting some of the same spots we were with their clients, too! That's ok- I can always find new and interesting little enclaves here..) I love this family so much- not only is Cheryl a phenomenal friend, but her smile just lights up a room, her husband is so cool and genuine, and her boys are so incredibly sweet. My own experience with my boys has been completely different. My boys are little cavemen. Cheryl's boys are little gentlemen. And, those faces. So beautiful, so expressive. I can't get enough. The session flew by, and I think we got some really stellar images for them. I love shooting families with young kids- they don't try too hard. Kids don't know about stagefright or acting a certain way. You tell them to smile, they do. You make a joke, they laugh. And when no one's looking, little boys look at their mommies with pure, unabashed love. Can't wait to see more of these guys.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The L Family
I had the pleasure of meeting the L family at their home in Santa Ana. Between the new puppy, the three kids, and the hardworking parents, these guys have alot going on. Mom and Dad have been married for thirteen years. Little Danny's fourth birthday party was the next day, and he was excited to tell me about all the plans he had. This guy was a charismatic, sweet, and handsome little flirt! The only time I got a good smile was if I promised him a kiss. Seriously. His sisters were just as outgoing, and it made for a great shoot. I always say that the best photos are the product of a comfortable subject (that's why I love to take photos at home) and these photos speak to that. They were relaxed, happy, and we got some great moments.
Friday, April 23, 2010
I believe..
...being busy doesn't mean you're talented. But being talented should mean you're busy.
Just a thought.
.jpg)
Just a thought.
.jpg)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Precisely.
"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." -Henri Cartier Bresson
Monday, April 19, 2010
Intuitive Images Presents....
The Photo Play Party!
Family photos for you and your friends in your own backyard!
Friends, family, kids, food, fun... and Photos!
Call or email to book your party now!
Family photos for you and your friends in your own backyard!
Friends, family, kids, food, fun... and Photos!
Call or email to book your party now!
Something old, something new.
I'm working on an idea.
It's old, with a new twist. It's familiar- and that's the catch.
Because of recent intellectual property piratization, I'm hesitant to announce before it's ready.
We'll see how it goes.
It's old, with a new twist. It's familiar- and that's the catch.
Because of recent intellectual property piratization, I'm hesitant to announce before it's ready.
We'll see how it goes.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Vision.
The thing about vision is, you don't know if you don't have it.
By vision, of course, I mean an actual creative aesthetic, a premeditated purpose and intent with what you are creating. (Not just how your eyes see)
The same is true about style (see my previous post).
If you don't know you don't have something, it would make perfect sense that you believe you are operating under full capacity. You plug along, playing with your little toys, thinking, "Oh, isn't that cute?", "Oh, I like the smile in this one." All the while, never realizing that you are creating something with no emotion, no impact. Sure, you can say you are, but then again, you don't have the vision, so your opinion is not fully informed.
You can't learn vision. You can't buy vision. Vision isn't a Photoshop plug-in.
Vision is having an understanding of who someone is, their tastes, how they see the world, and being able to create something in line with that. True photos are not one size fits all.
That's why I just can't believe how some people can buy all kinds of exterior crap, massive setups, fake backgrounds, silly props, etc. etc. etc. I'm not saying SOME of those things can't be an enhancement, at times. What I'm saying is, that everything in a photo should speak to the purpose of the photo. If you put a pair of bunny ears on a kid and tell them to hold a giant easter egg, what does that say about the child? Absolutely nothing. It says that you told them to put on a pair of bunny ears and hold a giant easter egg. And that's it.
But being with a new mother in her home, seeing how motherhood is changing her, understanding her view on the child that is in front of me, THAT informs a photo. Trying to create a photo that captures the intimacy and wonder of an ultrasound, and being successful. THAT is what I remember about good photos. The feeling they exude.
As I mentioned before, I want to be a witness. One of the things I love about photography is it's ability to capture. And, if all you're capturing is something fake and forced, then what a waste of this art.
I hope to always, ALWAYS be a witness to this artform rather than an outsider.
By vision, of course, I mean an actual creative aesthetic, a premeditated purpose and intent with what you are creating. (Not just how your eyes see)
The same is true about style (see my previous post).
If you don't know you don't have something, it would make perfect sense that you believe you are operating under full capacity. You plug along, playing with your little toys, thinking, "Oh, isn't that cute?", "Oh, I like the smile in this one." All the while, never realizing that you are creating something with no emotion, no impact. Sure, you can say you are, but then again, you don't have the vision, so your opinion is not fully informed.
You can't learn vision. You can't buy vision. Vision isn't a Photoshop plug-in.
Vision is having an understanding of who someone is, their tastes, how they see the world, and being able to create something in line with that. True photos are not one size fits all.
That's why I just can't believe how some people can buy all kinds of exterior crap, massive setups, fake backgrounds, silly props, etc. etc. etc. I'm not saying SOME of those things can't be an enhancement, at times. What I'm saying is, that everything in a photo should speak to the purpose of the photo. If you put a pair of bunny ears on a kid and tell them to hold a giant easter egg, what does that say about the child? Absolutely nothing. It says that you told them to put on a pair of bunny ears and hold a giant easter egg. And that's it.
But being with a new mother in her home, seeing how motherhood is changing her, understanding her view on the child that is in front of me, THAT informs a photo. Trying to create a photo that captures the intimacy and wonder of an ultrasound, and being successful. THAT is what I remember about good photos. The feeling they exude.
As I mentioned before, I want to be a witness. One of the things I love about photography is it's ability to capture. And, if all you're capturing is something fake and forced, then what a waste of this art.
I hope to always, ALWAYS be a witness to this artform rather than an outsider.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sweet Baby James
My friend, Claire 's sister, Noa, went into labor with her first child. Being the kind and sensitive friend I am, my first reaction was, "Can I take his picture??!?!?" Okay, maybe not as deperate as that. But not far from it. I know this family, and their genes are impressive. I knew this kid was going to be beautiful. Meeting him and his family on his fifth day of life in their Burbank bungalow, I was not, however, prepared for how incredibly beautiful. I told Noa, the moment I met them, that some babies take a while to get cute. Some babies take a long while. That's why newborn sessions can be a crapshoot. You just never know how wrinkly, scaly, hairy, fussy, or generally alien-like they're going to be. But this guy. THIS guy.
An absolute angel.
(I hear his nighttime persona is a bit different, but for the sake of this post, I'll ignore that.) So sweet, so calm. So accomodating to any pose I put him in. I'm generally not a big fan of putting babies in weird, unnatural poses, so that's helpful, but man, James was a breeze.
Have I mentioned how much I love doing this? Here's why.
Noa never wanted kids. Never dreamed of it. And when she had James, she felt the love that we all feel as parents, and it's changing her. In amazing ways. And as this beautiful boy grows and changes, and learns, and loves her with this unconditional love, she's going to be able to look at these images of his first week alive, and remember the moment that changed who she is.
An absolute angel.
(I hear his nighttime persona is a bit different, but for the sake of this post, I'll ignore that.) So sweet, so calm. So accomodating to any pose I put him in. I'm generally not a big fan of putting babies in weird, unnatural poses, so that's helpful, but man, James was a breeze.
Have I mentioned how much I love doing this? Here's why.
Noa never wanted kids. Never dreamed of it. And when she had James, she felt the love that we all feel as parents, and it's changing her. In amazing ways. And as this beautiful boy grows and changes, and learns, and loves her with this unconditional love, she's going to be able to look at these images of his first week alive, and remember the moment that changed who she is.
http://www.intuitiveimagesphotography.com/
post script: He might also be the Messiah. We're not sure yet.
post script: He might also be the Messiah. We're not sure yet.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
A Day of Family
Last Saturday I had the opportunity to photograph an incredible family. The T Family is comprised of Mom and Dad, 5 adult children, and 14 grandchildren (7 from just one son!). We met at Heritage Park, with a few members running late (did I mention the 7 kids???) and we all corralled the kids in the spot I had envisioned. And, I must say, even with so many young kids, everyone was on their best behavior, and I was so impressed at how sweet and obedient they all were! Mom and Dad were here from out of state, and apparently it's rare for everyone to be together at the same time. I have the same issue with my own family- we're not that far apart geographically, but it seems like everyone's lives are just so busy, we rarely have time with each other to just enjoy each other's company. In any event, I am so pleased with how these photos came out, and I gotta say- this is one of those rare occasions in my job where I feel like I'm doing something truly important. Years from now, when these kids are grown, they will most definitely come across these photos and be able to recall the times when they were all together. And that is something I am so proud just to be a part of. Thank you, T Family, for asking me to participate in this memory.
Married over 40 years!
After the family photos was little A's birthday party (the main reason everyone was together). I've known Ronnie since I danced at Tekurio Nui a few years back, and I photographed their wedding. She is hands down one of the sweetest, coolest, most dedicated moms I've ever seen. A week before this party, the woman had invasive knee surgery, and was still barely able to walk. But she did so much to pull this party together, it put us able-bodied moms to shame. She did a fantastic job, with the help of family, and everyone had a ball. Little A will have some great images of his birthday party, and it's yet another family memory I was asked to participate in, that I'll always be proud of.
The birthday boy with Mama
Friday, April 2, 2010
Style and taste
Recently, I've been thinking alot about style. As in, one's style of photography, one's style of interacting with people, one's own personal style.
Style and taste are not mutually inclusive. They are tangents of each other. You may have bad taste, but a style specific to you.
Anyhow, I suppose I'm in the process of defining my own personal photographic style. It's not about being pretentious, or condascending. It's about a definition, and understanding that yes, there is such a thing as bad photography.
I can't say exactly what my style is, yet.
But here's the thing.
If you like the photos you can get at the mall, my style is not for you.
If you think a muslin backdrop is pretty, my style is not for you.
If you want photos of your kids holding props and wearing funny hats while someone shakes a rattle, my style is definitely not for you.
So, with that, I will try to explain what I am about.
I want to be a witness.
I don't want to be the cause of an action in a photograph, I want to be a testament to that action's existence.
It's a struggle, to be sure, because it's so easy to want to control everything and force a photo. But that's not what I feel makes a good photo. Definitely not what makes a great photo.
So, if my style makes sense to you, then cool. Let's go.
If not, have fun at the mall. Pick me up a Cinnabon.
Style and taste are not mutually inclusive. They are tangents of each other. You may have bad taste, but a style specific to you.
Anyhow, I suppose I'm in the process of defining my own personal photographic style. It's not about being pretentious, or condascending. It's about a definition, and understanding that yes, there is such a thing as bad photography.
I can't say exactly what my style is, yet.
But here's the thing.
If you like the photos you can get at the mall, my style is not for you.
If you think a muslin backdrop is pretty, my style is not for you.
If you want photos of your kids holding props and wearing funny hats while someone shakes a rattle, my style is definitely not for you.
So, with that, I will try to explain what I am about.
I want to be a witness.
I don't want to be the cause of an action in a photograph, I want to be a testament to that action's existence.
It's a struggle, to be sure, because it's so easy to want to control everything and force a photo. But that's not what I feel makes a good photo. Definitely not what makes a great photo.
So, if my style makes sense to you, then cool. Let's go.
If not, have fun at the mall. Pick me up a Cinnabon.
Nolan
My long lost friend, Cheryl, has two ridiculously cute boys. Her oldest, Riley, has a smile to light Times Square. Her youngest, Nolan, has piercing blue eyes that you could probably see in the dark, and cheeks that beg to be squished.
We took Nolan's nine month photos in their idyllic backyard, while Riley played with a bubble gun and did his best to share the attention.
They are both so photogenic, it's really not even work to take their photos.
More of this gorgeous family to come.
Izzy
There are babies, and then there are little men.
Israel Leonidas is definitely the latter.
His mom, Claire, and I go way back to 9th grade drama together. She and I had our sons around the same time, she's always been there for me, and her husband still raves about the trail mix I brought her in the hospital when she had Izzy.
So when she asked me to do Izzy's headshots, naturally it was a yes.
We met in Old Orange, Izzy and his dad sang songs from Yo Gabba Gabba, and it could not have been any easier to get great shots of such a gorgeous boy.
I mean, little man.
Israel Leonidas is definitely the latter.
His mom, Claire, and I go way back to 9th grade drama together. She and I had our sons around the same time, she's always been there for me, and her husband still raves about the trail mix I brought her in the hospital when she had Izzy.
So when she asked me to do Izzy's headshots, naturally it was a yes.
We met in Old Orange, Izzy and his dad sang songs from Yo Gabba Gabba, and it could not have been any easier to get great shots of such a gorgeous boy.
I mean, little man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)