A video I made of the Photoplus Expo 2010: Friday Oct. 29th!
Check it out Here.
All music for the video by Mancie
peace!
a
Visual Diary of my latest shoots and new ideas
Saturday, October 30, 2010
PDN 30: Strategies for the Young Working Photographers
This seminar always seems to attract a lot of photographers.
As a photographer, I know it's a huge accolade to be listed in PDN's pages when they do the annual PDN 30.
This panel was run by Holly Hughes who is the editor of Photo District News.
The folks on this panel were photographers, Nick Onken, Elizabeth Weinberg, Wayne Lawrence, and Matthew Jordon Smith. Also Sr. Art Producer from McCann Erickson, Agatha Maciejewski.
Wayne Lawrence started off the panel by showing his work and giving a moving story about this image below. He discussed how important this image was at it reminded him of his relationship with his brother who had passed away eight years ago and would be in his thirties now. He had some funny stories about meeting a photographer who became his mentor by just seeing him on the side of the road in Venice Beach and recognizing him from Communication Arts and asking him if he could work for him. He went on to discussed his ah-ha moment when he decided he wanted to turn around his life and do something he loved. Wayne's access into his subjects seems very intimate, and he describes his work as being "a celebration of life (that would) affect positive change."
Elizabeth Weinberg lives in Brooklyn, New York. She was selected as one of PDN's 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch in 2010, and has been published in American Photography 26. Born and raised in Massachusetts, she graduated with a degree in Photojournalism from Boston University in 2004. She discussed her background as a student at BU and working for different music management companies while still in school. How she used that to get a foot in the door and make some connections with bands and managers. She describes wanting to be "the next Annie Leibowitz" when she was coming out of school. Which I can relate to. Her work all has a certain free, fun feeling that shows her ease with her subjects. She believes in being proactive and believing in yourself and creating opportunities for yourself. Case in point is some of her personal projects on her website that have landed her commercial work.
Unfortunately I had to run off in the middle of this seminar to catch one other as the Expo is nearing the end! But stay tuned for more updates!
-Andrea Fischman
As a photographer, I know it's a huge accolade to be listed in PDN's pages when they do the annual PDN 30.
This panel was run by Holly Hughes who is the editor of Photo District News.
The folks on this panel were photographers, Nick Onken, Elizabeth Weinberg, Wayne Lawrence, and Matthew Jordon Smith. Also Sr. Art Producer from McCann Erickson, Agatha Maciejewski.
Wayne Lawrence started off the panel by showing his work and giving a moving story about this image below. He discussed how important this image was at it reminded him of his relationship with his brother who had passed away eight years ago and would be in his thirties now. He had some funny stories about meeting a photographer who became his mentor by just seeing him on the side of the road in Venice Beach and recognizing him from Communication Arts and asking him if he could work for him. He went on to discussed his ah-ha moment when he decided he wanted to turn around his life and do something he loved. Wayne's access into his subjects seems very intimate, and he describes his work as being "a celebration of life (that would) affect positive change."
Elizabeth Weinberg lives in Brooklyn, New York. She was selected as one of PDN's 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch in 2010, and has been published in American Photography 26. Born and raised in Massachusetts, she graduated with a degree in Photojournalism from Boston University in 2004. She discussed her background as a student at BU and working for different music management companies while still in school. How she used that to get a foot in the door and make some connections with bands and managers. She describes wanting to be "the next Annie Leibowitz" when she was coming out of school. Which I can relate to. Her work all has a certain free, fun feeling that shows her ease with her subjects. She believes in being proactive and believing in yourself and creating opportunities for yourself. Case in point is some of her personal projects on her website that have landed her commercial work.
Unfortunately I had to run off in the middle of this seminar to catch one other as the Expo is nearing the end! But stay tuned for more updates!
-Andrea Fischman
A couple of cools things at the Expo this year!
A couple of cool little things at the expo this year!
1. Black Rapid camera strap.
2. New Gary Fong Flash Diffuser to fit the New Nikon SB900 and other new flashes that the old Gary Fong diffuser didn't fit.
3. New somewhat cheaper but super high end looking business cards from MOO (Great name!)
4. Tamrac Zipshot Tripod
Although I made fun of this earlier, it is actually cool. It's a a super light tripod that fits into your backpack.
more tomorrow..
-Andrea Fischman
1. Black Rapid camera strap.
2. New Gary Fong Flash Diffuser to fit the New Nikon SB900 and other new flashes that the old Gary Fong diffuser didn't fit.
3. New somewhat cheaper but super high end looking business cards from MOO (Great name!)
4. Tamrac Zipshot Tripod
Although I made fun of this earlier, it is actually cool. It's a a super light tripod that fits into your backpack.
more tomorrow..
-Andrea Fischman
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Documentary Hybrid in Photography + Filmmaking with Lauren Greenfield
My last seminar of the day was with the very talented and inspiring, Lauren Greenfield called, "The Documentary Hybrid in Photography + Filmmaking." I had the opportunity to be the still photographer on a commercial she was doing for a pharmaceutical company last fall. She was the director on this commercial. Her intensity, precision and professionalism on the shoot was really amazing to be around. She has such a clear focus on what she needs to get shot-wise and emotionally from the subjects or actors.
In this seminar she showed various projects she has been working on: Delta, U.S. Army, and other Drug Companies. She also showed us clips from her documentary, documenting girls with eating disorders called "Thin" which aired on HBO. Some still images from Thin are here from that project. Some of the clips she showed us were at times difficult to watch, however with that said, it's amazing how close she is to the subjects and that's what differentiates her work. She assimilates with all of her subjects and gives them such a sense of respect and comfort and earns a great amount of trust. She also has been working with some of these girls and woman for a number of years throughout her career with her work in her published book, "Girl Culture" and "Fast Forward." Both books documenting a subculture on young girls and women in our society.
She wrapped up by showing us a film piece that the NY Times Magazine commissioned her to do based on her still images in her book "Fast Forward." The piece documented the lives of the rich youth in LA. Pretty cool to get commissioned to do a film piece based on still images!
Lauren Greenfield is always very riveting to hear from and a great ending to Day 1 of photo expo. Check back tomorrow for more updates!
-Andrea Fischman
In this seminar she showed various projects she has been working on: Delta, U.S. Army, and other Drug Companies. She also showed us clips from her documentary, documenting girls with eating disorders called "Thin" which aired on HBO. Some still images from Thin are here from that project. Some of the clips she showed us were at times difficult to watch, however with that said, it's amazing how close she is to the subjects and that's what differentiates her work. She assimilates with all of her subjects and gives them such a sense of respect and comfort and earns a great amount of trust. She also has been working with some of these girls and woman for a number of years throughout her career with her work in her published book, "Girl Culture" and "Fast Forward." Both books documenting a subculture on young girls and women in our society.
She wrapped up by showing us a film piece that the NY Times Magazine commissioned her to do based on her still images in her book "Fast Forward." The piece documented the lives of the rich youth in LA. Pretty cool to get commissioned to do a film piece based on still images!
Lauren Greenfield is always very riveting to hear from and a great ending to Day 1 of photo expo. Check back tomorrow for more updates!
-Andrea Fischman
Developing your wedding brand with Jasmine Star
So Jasmine Star is a trip! She's the daughter of a preacher. Before we got started in the seminar she said that everyone had to "leave their ego at the door." It was cool though.. Then she said we should stop tweeting and meet each person to the left and right of us. Novel idea right!
Anyway, she's cool.. definitely an inspirational speaker!
She started out in law school and then got married and through the process of finding her wedding photographer realized she wanted to be a wedding photographer herself!
So..fast forward 4 years and it sounds like she's booking 50+ weddings a year.
Some key-points:
1. Create your own game and your own rules and be the star pitcher
2. Use your assets to their full advantage (she happened to not be a photographer to start) She's a writer so her focus is her blog and her writing and of course her photography.
3. Write down your top 3 liabilities and your assets now!
4. Write down 5 words that describe you now!
5. Action not though, branding is about doing, not thinking
6. Don't let other photographers define your style
Be yourself, keep it real, keep it simple!
Check out her website here.
-Andrea Fischman
Anyway, she's cool.. definitely an inspirational speaker!
She started out in law school and then got married and through the process of finding her wedding photographer realized she wanted to be a wedding photographer herself!
So..fast forward 4 years and it sounds like she's booking 50+ weddings a year.
Some key-points:
1. Create your own game and your own rules and be the star pitcher
2. Use your assets to their full advantage (she happened to not be a photographer to start) She's a writer so her focus is her blog and her writing and of course her photography.
3. Write down your top 3 liabilities and your assets now!
4. Write down 5 words that describe you now!
5. Action not though, branding is about doing, not thinking
6. Don't let other photographers define your style
Be yourself, keep it real, keep it simple!
Check out her website here.
-Andrea Fischman
An Intro to HDSLR Cinema with Vincent Laforet
An Intro to HDSLR Cinema with Vincent Laforet
Just saw my first seminar this morning at the Photoplus Expo here in warm and sunny (i think although I am in the ominous Javitts Center) NYC!!
"An Intro to HDSLR Cinema" with Vincent Laforet.
First of all, he's not only a talented visual person but first and foremost an educator. Take a peek at his blog when you have a chance. So, this seminar covered basically all you need to know to shoot your HD DSLR films, shorts, commercials, music videos, you name it.
We started out watching his short called "Reverie" which is his first short with the Canon 5D Mark 2 and also his first short video that he made himself. Or at least that's the impression that I got, as he never went to film school. At the time that he shot Reverie, the 5D had only auto-exposure for video and a lot of the kinks of the camera had not been worked out.
Key Points about Reverie
1. Was shot with a very small crew
2. Used a number of lens, 45 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 200 mm, 400 mm, Fisheye and the Canon Mark 2
3. He used Profoto 7B's to light the film (what!!)
4. A lot of the more "Hollywood effects" were done in very simple lo-fi ways. For example, there is a scene where a guy has a flickering Tv light look to him and that was done by plugging in his laptop to the Tv screen and changing the hue/saturation level up and down in photoshop. Go to the behind the scenes look on Reverie on his site and you can see how it was done in more details. There is a great scene where the driver is filmed by suctioning a manfrotto suction cup mount to the side of the car.
5. The budget was $5000. Most of which was spent on the helicopter rental
6. That film led him within 72 hours of being released online to a very high paying job from SmugMug shooting surfers in Hawaii! Much better use of $5K than sending out a promotional mailer campaign right!
Vincent touched upon the explosion of HDDSLR onto the scene for the photo industry and how there hasn't been a revolution like this since the time when Auto-focus was introduced. I can attest to this at the Expo just by walking around the showroom for 15 minutes. There are so many vendors here geared towards HDDSLR and handheld lighting rigues etc.
From there, we discussed the nuts and bolts of work-flow with HDDSLR. Here's some highlights.
1. Shoot on Mark 2 (or whatever HDDSLR camera you have)
2. Copy into folders on external harddrive
3. Load into Final Cut (or Premier or Avid)
4. Convert footage using ProRes 422HQ or LT or Proxy. You don't need to use the super high res 4.44. Not worth it unless it's going to the silver screen :) This makes the footage much easier to work with in Final Cut.
5. Use application Pluraleyes to sync audio (i have used this and it's incredible, no more slate boards- especially helpful if you are only one person shooting)
6. Start editing!
But still most important according to Vincent is the following below. You can have all the gear in the world but no one will want to watch your film because you don't have a clear message. He really has some cool shorts he has made testing cameras for Canon.
Here's the skinny to a great short or film:
1. Concept
2. Story
3. Emotion
4. Sound
5. Motion
6. Editing
Lastly...glad I stayed till the end because he brought out his rique which is impressive but not over the top. Which is his thing, to K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid)
Also some take-home knowledge that I found valuable below to do before you start shooting with the 5D:
1. Set the Canon 5D at ASA 100 at 1/50 sec
2. Turn off all Sharpening and Contrast and keep your color tone to Neutral
3. Get a couple of pieces of equipment (i.e. tripod with fluid head or some sort of steadying device to make your work move up to a pro level)
4. Pick up a decent Microphone and shoot with a Dual System. You can buy an inexpensive Zoom recorder even for $500.
5. Pick up an ND filter
More to come from me! Stay tuned.
Just saw my first seminar this morning at the Photoplus Expo here in warm and sunny (i think although I am in the ominous Javitts Center) NYC!!
"An Intro to HDSLR Cinema" with Vincent Laforet.
First of all, he's not only a talented visual person but first and foremost an educator. Take a peek at his blog when you have a chance. So, this seminar covered basically all you need to know to shoot your HD DSLR films, shorts, commercials, music videos, you name it.
We started out watching his short called "Reverie" which is his first short with the Canon 5D Mark 2 and also his first short video that he made himself. Or at least that's the impression that I got, as he never went to film school. At the time that he shot Reverie, the 5D had only auto-exposure for video and a lot of the kinks of the camera had not been worked out.
Key Points about Reverie
1. Was shot with a very small crew
2. Used a number of lens, 45 mm, 50 mm, 85 mm, 200 mm, 400 mm, Fisheye and the Canon Mark 2
3. He used Profoto 7B's to light the film (what!!)
4. A lot of the more "Hollywood effects" were done in very simple lo-fi ways. For example, there is a scene where a guy has a flickering Tv light look to him and that was done by plugging in his laptop to the Tv screen and changing the hue/saturation level up and down in photoshop. Go to the behind the scenes look on Reverie on his site and you can see how it was done in more details. There is a great scene where the driver is filmed by suctioning a manfrotto suction cup mount to the side of the car.
5. The budget was $5000. Most of which was spent on the helicopter rental
6. That film led him within 72 hours of being released online to a very high paying job from SmugMug shooting surfers in Hawaii! Much better use of $5K than sending out a promotional mailer campaign right!
Vincent touched upon the explosion of HDDSLR onto the scene for the photo industry and how there hasn't been a revolution like this since the time when Auto-focus was introduced. I can attest to this at the Expo just by walking around the showroom for 15 minutes. There are so many vendors here geared towards HDDSLR and handheld lighting rigues etc.
From there, we discussed the nuts and bolts of work-flow with HDDSLR. Here's some highlights.
1. Shoot on Mark 2 (or whatever HDDSLR camera you have)
2. Copy into folders on external harddrive
3. Load into Final Cut (or Premier or Avid)
4. Convert footage using ProRes 422HQ or LT or Proxy. You don't need to use the super high res 4.44. Not worth it unless it's going to the silver screen :) This makes the footage much easier to work with in Final Cut.
5. Use application Pluraleyes to sync audio (i have used this and it's incredible, no more slate boards- especially helpful if you are only one person shooting)
6. Start editing!
But still most important according to Vincent is the following below. You can have all the gear in the world but no one will want to watch your film because you don't have a clear message. He really has some cool shorts he has made testing cameras for Canon.
Here's the skinny to a great short or film:
1. Concept
2. Story
3. Emotion
4. Sound
5. Motion
6. Editing
Lastly...glad I stayed till the end because he brought out his rique which is impressive but not over the top. Which is his thing, to K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid)
Also some take-home knowledge that I found valuable below to do before you start shooting with the 5D:
1. Set the Canon 5D at ASA 100 at 1/50 sec
2. Turn off all Sharpening and Contrast and keep your color tone to Neutral
3. Get a couple of pieces of equipment (i.e. tripod with fluid head or some sort of steadying device to make your work move up to a pro level)
4. Pick up a decent Microphone and shoot with a Dual System. You can buy an inexpensive Zoom recorder even for $500.
5. Pick up an ND filter
More to come from me! Stay tuned.
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