Practicing Commercial Work

Hey guys. I was at the house, sitting in the living room and saw a Juicy Contour Cologne bottle my wife got for mother's day sitting on the dining room table. The bottle design is what caught my eye, so I thought I would go ahead and set up and see what I can do with it. As always I treated this shoot as if I were doing it for a client, so I would have a little more care about the results. So I set up with a white foam core base with a yellow background and a single speedlight. A few shots with that look was not too bad. But I think the yellow was causing the liquid to have a yellow tint. Didn't look natural. So I went for the white foam core back, and the results was a lot better. The shot look just like a juicy contour commercial ad. I believe that commercial photography is one the best skills that you can have. The time that it take to do new ideas change backgrounds, and the subject never complain about time or anything is great. Now food maybe a little different, I don't know, but I can't wait to shoot some. I have a friend that makes cakes. Maybe I'll ask her to make me one to shoot. Food can't be that hard. What I used to make this possible, was from a website I found called Strobist.com. You can go there and learn how to work with your speedlight off camera. The results are awesome. And you can shoot outdoors without all that expensive bulky equipment, just like a pro. All I used for this shot is one speedlight hooked on to a light stand. The light was positioned down on the product. As you can see the shoot was a good one. So go to STROBIST.COM and get you some info, you'll love it.

A Broken Heart

When we think of a broken heart we think of sadness, loss, or a bad relationship. In Genesis 37 we read about how Joseph was hated by his brothers, thrown in a hole, pulled out of the hole and sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites (mixed Arabians) who took him to Egypt and sold him as a slave. After that he worked for Potiphar the captain of the guards, which the Lord used Potiphar to take care of Joseph. But he got sent to prison because of false accusation toward him. Now after all this you would think that Joseph be pretty pissed off at a lot of folks. He would definitely be heart broken over all of this. But some how his heart was broken in another way, to humble him so he do God's work. If he would had came out mean spirited, no telling where he'd be. In Psalm 51:17 we read: "My sacrifice (the sacrifice acceptable) to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart (broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent), such, O God, You will not despise". No matter what afflictions we encounter in our lives, we must know that they come to humble us and make us wise. Proverb 8:35 says; "for whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord. That's how Joseph ended up a Prince, in charge over the fate of God's people. We must not become "Broken Hearted", but break that hard shell around it and let the truth and wisdom of God penetrate it so we will be "ABLE" to do His will. In the end Joseph did not take revenge on Potiphar's wife, or his brothers when he was in power. He had a heart of God to forgive and forget, which is a rare quality in this day and age. This world is full of so much hate now, that people are doing in each other over petty and worthless things. I my self was tempted by the enemy to get me to lose my character, but the Holy Spirit helps me to maintain the Jesus in me. I hope this helps you look to the Lord, and turn from the way of the world. Jesus said, that we can have life and have it in abundance. Choose life people and watch what God can do, He will never go back on His word.

Grace and Peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Joy of Photography: Success and Self Discipline

The Joy of Photography: Success and Self Discipline: "To achieve success in photography you must have self discipline. When you work for yourself no one is there to see if you've 'checked-..."

First Shoot w/my new camera

As you all know my purchase of my Sony A200 was delivered to me in early December and the unit did not work. I was very upset! I personally took it back to get it replaced so I would not have to go through the 10 days of waiting on the post office, and what if the unit fail again, I can't. So I take it over there and being that it is the worlds largest camera store, it took a while to get customer service to help me, but I was patience, being I have the love of the Lord, I waited, and waited. Finally the guy shows up to look at the unit and ask what's wrong with it. I said, it won't come on! He ask me if I charge the battery, DUH!!?? So he goes through a series of back and forth with the unit and after all that, he ask, What do you want to do? HUH!!?? I want you to give me a working camera! So he looks for a A200. He find one like I ordered and then he says to me, You have to pay the state tax on it being that I am picking it up from the store. Well you know I said that I was not paying anything being that I burned gas and payed tolls to get there I thought it was an insult. So he made it so that it look like I purchased the camera and that was it. I made a comment about it on Twitter and the rep from the store responded. I told him what happened and he was very concerned about my situation and made it right by sending me a $25 gift card. That was very nice of him and I am happy with my camera. The photos above are of my model Sade. She bared frigid temperatures for the shoot. It was shot on my balcony with a single strobe through the window and a diffuser. The setting were ISO 100, 1/20, F/5.6,w/18-70 lens. I adjusted to exposure in Lightroom because it came in a little dark for my taste. The weather was a bit rough, we have a blizzard warning so I knew we will have enough snow for the shoot. But it was a great shoot. So until we meet again, Let your light shine!

My New Camera

There is nothing like getting something new from the store. You can not beat the feeling of making a purchase and getting the product and using it. But how about if it does not work. I bought a camera from a well know store in Manhattan, NY.. A Sony Alpha 200 just like the one here. I tried not to be to excited about getting to use it, so I calmly charged the battery and made sure it was good and charged. Put the battery in the following day and -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------NOTHING! Camera did not come on and I have a Party to shot on this following evening. I really can't say how I felt when I saw no lights, no sound, NOTHING! Sorry. I thought since I will be shooting again that I would let you guys know what's going on here at Fotoconcept. Mayhem has begun, but I am on top of it though. I refuse to let it rule. So I will be going over to the city and see if they will be so kind as to give me a replacement being that this one is a DUD! Sorry. I will be blogging this so I don't keep no unwanted frustration festing in me. As soon as I get the word about how they treated me over there I will let you guys know. The name of the store? I won't say, maybe this is an isolated incident, but still it's messed up. They have a fine rep, But come here now, you got to do better.

Film Camera

Hey gang. I had a blast with my film camera and I have yet to take a roll and get it developed. On one roll I have a couple of shots of Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller on location in Queens,NY. Now going to the drug store to get the rolls developed has been a problem because when I get home from my day job I don't have the energy to go to the drug store. But I will be dropping off some of this film so I can see what I shot. Today I made a purchase, I bought a Sony A200 DSLR so I can get back to shooting for profit. By next week I will be back in action. I am so excited about this and I can't wait. I bought it from B&H in the used dept. They have a good selection, but I am a Sony man being that I own a Minolta, this way I don't have to by new lenses and gear. So I can just keep it moving. So stay tune as I get my old clients and find new ones to get Fotoconcept on the map. See you all soon.

Going back to basics.

I guess you are really saying to yourself,"What is Fotoconcept going to do next?"Well it seems that I had to get a new camera. My DSLR power switch was broken and being that it's a Minolta, getting it repaired is going to be tedious. So I went online and found me a film camera, Minolta of course so I can still use my lenses, and now I am in the process of starting over with film. I notice that a lot of places don't develop film. One place, I will not say, said it will take a week for my images to come back. But I have a place that will have them for me in a day. This is going to be interesting shooting film instead of digital. Kinda takes me back to when I was in high school shooting black and white and was not able to see the shot instantly from the back. The anticipation of getting them back from the developer and seeing them will bring back the old days. Keep an eye out, I plan on shooting my model Zekea Steward in my upcoming shoot. "Stay in Focus!"