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A Few From the Fire House

April 19, 2011 Jason1 Comment

Nothing tip-related, tutorial-esque, or educational today, just thought I’d share some photos from one of the local photo clubs I participate in regularly. One of our members is the on-staff photographer, and was able to get us permission to take photos for an entire session. We even got one of the guys to get in his gear and do some shots with us. Devin is the guys name and he totally was cool with our posing instructions and everything – this guy even kept this super heavy fire hose on his shoulder for like 30 minutes while we had him stand and pose, looking in various directions and holding his head a certain way.

So, without further ado – here’s a few samples/selects from what I am affectionately calling:

The Fire House Shoot

And to close out the series, one that struck me while there was a scene that reminded me of why we have these courageous men to serve and protect us…

The poses that Devin struck were directed courtesy of yours truly (stop back in later this week for more details on the posing techniques I used), and all post processing was done using your favorite photo editor (and mine): Adobe Lightroom!

Thanks to Tim Tonge for organizing the event, and to the brave men of Castle Rock Firehouse for tolerating our presence for an afternoon!

Spring Photo Projects

April 18, 2011 JasonLeave a comment

With Spring in the air (if not already sprung), many of us are out and about brimming with photo ideas after being couped up for a chilly winter. What’s that you say? No photo projects brimming yet? No problem – here’s a few to get you started:

1. The Call of the Birds: Avian photography has always been something of an art form, with many of the hard core, die hard types venturing way out into the boonies of mountains, hills, lakes, and other far-reaching places. For the rest of us though, it’s tough to find the resources (time and money) to go to the birds, so another option is to bring the birds to you! Buy some bird feeders and see what comes! My folks have several bird feeders in upstate New York, and every time I visit, there are birds flying everywhere. Pine cones with peanut butter, humming bird feeders with sugar water, and even just a plain old bird bath with feed from your local DIY store can bring a bounty of birds to your doorstep!

2. Join a photo group: We’re everywhere! From ASMP groups to NAPP groups, Meetup groups, and WPPI, you can find groups for pretty much anything ranging from professional development, to studio lighting, and just groups of photographers that like to get out and shoot together for the love of the craft and the camraderie of it all! I’m a member of several local groups, all via the site Meetup.com, and I don’t have to pay a cent to participate! (I do contribute though, just because I like supporting such efforts…)

3. Shooting in a park: Get some photographer-friends, family-friends, or just some friends to join you in a park. Set up a blanket, a few light stands, and have some park-type food available: (crackers, cheese, water, whatever). Add an ipod with some speakers for a little music. Offer gag prizes for people who dance, act silly, or pose for the camera. Process the photos and post online so they can share, download, add to Facebook, Twitter, or print! Low cost, fun, and helps to build your portfolio!

The ideas are only limited by your creativity! Got your own ideas for photographic opportunities this Spring? Sound off in the comments to share, encourage, and inspire others! Happy shooting, and we’ll see you back here next time!

P.S. Don’t forget the April photo contest on Flickr – win a BacklitBox of your favorite photo! Flickr Contest Thread

DALPUG

November 18, 2009 Jason2 Comments

Denver Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop Users Group

No, this isn’t spam, the blog has not been hacked, and I am not speaking in tongues here. DALPUG refers to the Denver Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop Users Group. Started relatively recently by a guy I know named Brian Reyman, it’s a great local resource for photographers to not only learn from one another, but also to network and get an opportunity to see some of the latest developments in the industry.

I had a chance to attend the meeting last night, and the mini-workshop that Brian ran on plugins included quick looks at things like OnOne Software, Topaz Labs, Nik, and a bunch of others. Not only were they showing you how to use the plugins, they were offering up giveaways too! It’s a great group, offering people opportunities to learn, share, and network with others in the field in the area. Definitely worthy of a diversion from the regular blog schedule to give some shout outs here today.

I’ve also learned that these sorts of groups are all over the place – Adobe sponsors user groups across the globe! So, here’s a chance to sprad the word about your area groups. Got one you know about? Attend any regularly? Let me know here in the comments and link to your website or user group site so people can find you!

Short but sweet, so keep on shooting and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow!