Day 6, 365 day project

Playing with shadows. That's what today's post is about. I woke up this morning and when I was on my way to the stairs saw these patterns on the wall being created by the light from the window next to our front door. Knowing it was fleeting I quickly grabbed my camera and banged off a couple of shots before the light disapeared. I really liked the abstract feel and thus choose not to include the plant that was casting the shadow. The above is the image I choose as the one for the 365 day project, but I also like the image below.

Shot with the Canon 40D, 24 - 70 f2.8 @ f5.0, 1/250 sec, ISO 100.

Day 5, 365 day project

One of the things I intend to do in order to complete this challenge is to keep my camera with me when I leave the house. Today I was running some erands for my brother and found myself in an Industrial area of Calgary to which I have never been before. I could see it from Deerfoot Trail but since this is a major roadway in the city never thought to try and figure out how to get to it. Any way, I found myself surrounded by these industrial structures and had to get out for a few shots. Did not have a lot of times and most of it is fenced off so I guess I would need to get permission to come back and shoot there. But I did manage to get a couple images I liked and this was the one I settled on for today. I liked the way the tubing twisted and turned giving some graphic structure. Shot with the Canon 40D 24 - 70 f2.8 @ f6.3 for 1/100th sec at 100 ISO.

Day4, 365 day project.

Well just made it on time with this one, although the post is at midnight. Shot 20 minutes ago with the Canon 40D, 24 - 70 f2.8 @ f11, 1/125 sec. Small soft box aprox. 4 inches from the flower on the left side. Love the softness and texture of the light.

Day 3, 365 images project

Today's image was created with my Canon 40D as my 7D was sent back for some warranty repair. The built-in flash is not operating and when I go to the menu it tells me that an external flash is attached (which there isn't). Fortunatly I have the reliable 40D to fall back on and though it does not have the high ISO that the 7D does (I have grown to be a high ISO shooter) I find the quality to be very accepatable.

I was watching the boys playing and saw the bag of balls that Luke wanted for Christmas sitting there. I thought the colors of the new balls was intriguing and thought to make them my subject. Simple set up tonight, one small soft box, 24 - 70 f2.8 at f8, 1/125 sec.

Day two, 365 images project.

Well so far so good. Here is the second day's image for the 365 day project. I will admit that I went back and reshot this image a little differently then I did two days ago. I just loved the way the flowers looked from behind. This image was shot with the 7D, 24 - 70 f2.8 @ f11, 1/125 sec with studio stobe to the left and reflector to the right. Below are three images I took on Dec. 31st (so technically I have done 3 days in a row, but my project is officially a 2011 gig).

These were also shot with the Canon 7D and 24 - 70 f2.8 lens. The light source were the modeling lamps from my Balcars with a cookie on the back wall. Main exposure was 3.2 seconds at f5.8 with two small 16th power bursts from the main strobe just to bring back a little of the color temperature.

New Year, New Project

Well here it is the end of the first day of 2011. I have not bloged in almost a year and that will change starting today. I will be doing the test of stamina of 1 image a day for the whole year. Thats 365 images, all different and testing me to think as a photographer. In addition I plan to catch up on some old thoughts and images as well as write more then I have in the past. So enjoy todays post and I hope you like the images to follow.

Today's image was one of the Christmas ornaments on our tree. We purchased this one in Hawaii 6 years ago. Lighting was a flash light. Canon 7D, 24 - 70mm f2.8 at f2.8, 1/250 sec at 400 ISO.

Was going to try using my flash, but discovered this evening that both the pop up flash and the hot shoe are not working on the 7D. Guess this means sending it to Canon for some warranty repair as I just got the camera in September.

My post to another bride bloging about photographers.

Hello once again. It seems like I post only when I hear about people who comment about photographers and our industry with out really thinking about what they are saying. Jess Remeay ( www.jessreamy.com) Posted on her blog her thoughts about wedding photographers. A good discussion does follow so it is worth checking her out. Below is my response to her blog that Photographers = Brain Surgeons. Let me know what you think.

Just some quick simple math.

Photogrpaher charging $10,000 per wedding. 30 weddings a year = $300,000. High end photographer = more expenses (staff, advertising, office) average expenses $100,000 yr. Proift $200,000 per year. Time per wedding 35 hrs = 1050 hrs. Tax Bracket 50% (federal, state/prov., city) $100,000 income after taxes Average Hourly wage $95.24.

Photographer charging $2000 per wedding 30 weddings a year = $60,000. Mid range photographer less over head (no staff, less advertising) average expenses $25,000Profit = $35,000 per year. Time per wedding 45 hr (has to do everything themselves) 1350 hrs.Tax bracket 30% + $10,500 $24,500 income after taxes. Average hourly wage = $18.14

Shoot and Scoot Photographer $500 per wedding. 30 weddings a year = $15,000 Average expenses $5,000 Profit = $10,000 Time per wedding 15hrs (few extras just burn and give) = 450 hrs Tax bracket 0% (close to poverty line on income scale) Average hourly wage = $22.22 hr.

I don't think any of these rates = Brain Surgeon hourly wage. Also who do you think will still be in business a few years. Which one is going to give you more service and enthusiasm. Who is going to be fresher on wedding 29 of the year? (Tip to brides hiring Shoot and scoot get married at the start of wedding season). Just some things to think about.