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Annual report time again….
Chris and I shot out in Upstate NY all last week for Corning and had a blast. I cant resist sharing this quick pic shot whilst setting up for one of the Annual Report shots.
Here is the “Behind the Scenes” cut of the portrait (Thursdays post) of Gary Hedrick on Nantasket Beach. The footage was shot on the Sony Z7U, and the small Sony HDR-SR12. (After this shoot, we purchased underwater housings for all our cameras…)
Final lighting solution
It was a fun day… (although we wrecked a lot of gear)
Finally got a bit more caught up with respect to the video component here on the blog.
I added a “Behind the Scenes” page, and updated some of the video portfolio on the “Video Portfolio” page.
The big issue was with YouTube. Since we started using the site to show videos, it has gone through several upgrades. In a nutshell, we can now show HD films. This left us with a decision. What to do with all the standard def videos that were up there?
Predictably, we decided to slowly update all the films with HD versions, and then slowly remove the SD ones. We will be doing this over the next few weeks as we have the time.
Another thing we did was add a Vimeo page. (the HD looks much better here)
For whatever reason, I have always been fairly lazy with my advertising. For the past four years or so, I have been paying for a subscription with ADBASE, but using it pretty infrequently. ADBASE is a fee based service that gives you access to an up to date list of potential clients in the creative industry.
In the past, we have used the service to send out some of the more zany videos we have done like our July 4th Promo, 2008 and 2009 Holiday Promos.
We have also used it for some cross promotional stuff like when Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant fame had his show here in Boston at the ICA and when friend and mentor Mike Weymouth was featured in Graphis Magazine.
Shepard Fairy Portrait Promo
Last month, I sent out my first real attempt of promotion in eleven years of business. I put together some of the images from the 2009 Corning Inc Annual Report campaign and sent it out to roughly 11,000 people. The promotion was extremely successful with just over 30% of the recipients viewing the message.
Blog visits increase due to promo
To continue in this vein, we are currently sending out a March mailer. Everyone says one should promote the style of photography one is both best at, as well as most interested.
Sounds easy right? I don’t think so… For me, picking a genre to focus on is a bit of a challenge. The fact is I fully love everything I get to shoot. How is one supposed to choose? It’s like asking Mrs Walton to choose which one of her kids is her favorite. John-Boy, Jason, Mary Ellen, Jim-Bob? She just couldn’t do it, and neither can I.
This weekend was a total slam! (But in a good way!!!!)Sunday was reserved for more personal work, and we took the time to shoot a portrait of our friend Gary Hedrick. Gary is a designer from Elefhantworks who also works as a freelancer with us over at Work N’ Gear where we have been shooting product photography.
Portrait of Gary Hedrick of Elefantworks, and
Nantasket Beach, Hull, MA
Last week, I ordered the new Profoto Acute B 600 battery-powered generator, and have been itching to get out to play with it. We were able to finish up in the office early today, so it was a great opportunity to get out and be creative!
MTB Rider at Wompatuck
We decided to drive over to our local state park (Wampatuck) to explore some mixed lighting problems and do some work with motion. Wampatuck is well known in my area for its mountain biking, so it was the perfect place to find a great rider and explore some creative thoughts.
As this is a simple, yet pretty cool effect, I thought it would be a good lesson to talk about, so here goes…..
Whenever you begin to shoot a photograph, it is good to have an objective in mind, so… In an nutshell, the objective was to have motion in the background (to show that the rider was rolling,) yet freeze his face to give it just enough production polish. There are certainly several things going on here, and it is easy to get overwhelmed and not know where to start, so lets start with the most complex and work our way out of the box.
Securing the camera to the trailer hitch
Well, after a long hard slog, we finally got the interview shot and cut. This film will be featured on the “about” page of the new web site, and its completion has been holding up the launch. Just a few more tweaks, and we can go live. A big thanks to Richard and his 15hr days! It couldnt have been completed with out him!
Also, a HUGE thanks to the Defunkles and Single Cell Recordings for the use of their song “Shape Yer Self” from their album Tender is the Nitis. You can buy the album on iTunes.
I wanted to take a second and talk a little bit about how I created a particular industrial image the other day while out on the water.
The final shot
For some reason, I am really drawn to heavy industry. I love to photograph it. I love the colors, I love the scale, and I love the environment. It might be getting to go on huge ships, or hang out of helicopters, or maybe just getting to feel like a little kid around huge toys. I have no idea. All I know is I cant get enough! Industrial photography has taken me around the world, and I am thankful for every moment I’ve had doing it, and giddy with excitement at the prospect of every new job.
Some examples of past industrial work:
Damn, Quebec, Canada
Hauling by Rail, Minnesota
Chemical Transport, Puerto Rico
Timber Operations, Newfoundland, Canada
So… What I like to do when I am shooting personal work is to give myself an assignment. I have found over the years, that when looking to add to ones portfolio, it rarely pays off to just wonder around without direction. When I have done this in the past, I more often than not come back with very lovely stuff, but its just not commercial. Pretty yes, but commercial no.
Framing the shot
The main difference between the two is intent. I have found that when I set out intending to make a photograph, it always is much better than when I just stumble upon it. The reason for this is “problem solving.” My mentor Mike Weymouth is always beating this over my head. Photography is about solving problems, and the better we are at this, the better our images are. Good photography is a skill that must be practiced. Like any other skill, if you don’t keep it up, you get rusty. This is why it is good to constantly challenge yourself by setting up problems to solve. When Chris and I hit the water for a portfolio session, I had already given myself the assignment of capturing an iconic “hero” style image of the cranes in South Boston.
So, where do we begin? One word, pre-production!
1. Scout your location… Spend time exploring the place you will be shooting. Do it ahead of time either alone, or with a location scout. Get to know the subtle nuances of the place. Look for elements that you will either incorporate, or have to omit. The last thing you want is to realize your angle is shot because of a power line, or end up missing a cool feature because you just didn’t do your homework.
2. Permission… For the love of GOD, make sure you have permission to be where you are going to be. Research if you need a permit or not. Consider the new Homeland Security issues. Don’t assume that it will “be fine.” Remember Murphy’s Law. All it takes is one police officer or security guard and you will have your entire shoot shut down. I have been booted from National Parks, hounded by the TSA in airports, detained by State Troopers on the highway, and chased from power plants by guards with automatic rifles. Take the time, ahead of time. And after that… forget what I just said and remember that its often easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
3. Planning… Figure out where the sun is going to be. Bring a compass when you scout. If by the water, note the tides for the area. Note times it takes to transit to and from the location, and take notes of any special gear you will need. You will be surprised at how many people forget to bring along something as simple as a flashlight to a late afternoon shoot that moves past sunset. The devil is in the details. The last thing you want to be doing is groping around in the dark trying to find all your expensive gear.
4. Develop systems, and stick to them… When you have a shoot that is going to take you to a remote place were you cant just run back to your studio, it is paramount that you bring everything you need with you the first time. I tend to suffer from forgetfulness from time to time. I have found that the best way to combat this is to have concrete systems that are followed every time. This is most important when regarding your gear. Always pack it the SAME WAY! Also, DON’T BE LAZY when packing gear. When packing gear during, and at the end of a job, it is ALWAYS packed as if we were flying out the next day. This allows the bags to always be ready to go. When we leave for a shoot, we always know that they are complete, and ready for the shoot.
5. Watch out for a cloudy head… Try to go to bed at a reasonable time. For some reason, I still have trouble with this. It is not uncommon for me to go to bed after midnight when I have have set a 3 am call for the production team.
6. Make it easy for yourself… Pack and fuel vehicles the night before. Get everything ready so you don’t have to think in the early morning when your head is not clear. If you are working with assistants, trade wake-up calls. I always have an agreed wake up time where I call the assistant, and he/she calls me. This is a backup system to make sure both of our lazy asses didn’t fall victim to zzzzzzz. (Back when I was assisting, I once overslept on a job working for Mike Weymouth. We ended up missing our flight, and had to fly to another city, rent a car, and drive 300 miles to the location. Needless to say, I learned my lesson.)
7. Make lists… Actually take the time to draw out the shoot. Sketch every piece of equipment you will need in the location you will use them. Draw each stand, pack, head, camera etc… Draw cables that attach each device. Draw sand bags, pocket wizards, batteries in flash units, super clamps on stands etc. EVERYTHING. Use it to pack, but more importantly, when you finally sit in the drivers seat on your way out the driveway, pull this sketch out and make sure it is all in the back of the truck. Believe me, this will save your ass!
For my pre-production, I hit the water two days prior for a location scout. I sat for a while exploring different angles making several photos in my mind. I watched the light, the water, and the traffic in the harbor. I noticed that the air traffic from Logan Airport took off right in the direction of the crane, enabling me to incorporate the jets into the shot. Often times it is little things like this that can make a good photo into a great one.
I made note of any security concerns, checked on the time it took me to drive from the location back to the boat ramp, then formulated a general plan for the morning I was going to shoot.
Map of the location
The shoot day… Nothing beats luck, and more often than not, luck is the key contributor to a great photograph. The morning we shot our photo, we were fortunate to have fantastic clouds in the sky. Also, we lucked out and the air traffic controllers were launching the jets down the exact runway I wanted in order for me to place an airplane in my shot.
How to shoot big things? I think the single most important trick to making great images of large scale subjects is the placement of the light. This is one of the 10 key lessons I like to teach when I get to teach. If you use this principle, you will never fail… Put the light behind big things. This will not only give you a sense of scale, but flood the frame with drama and add great tension. Also, don’t get confused by where the light is. If you are using artificial light like strobes, yes, it is very easy to in fact move the light. When you are shooting a large subject, and are using natural light. You cant move the light. So MOVE THE CAMERA! Place yourself in a position where the light is behind the subject. If its not, then MOVE! The way I try to have people remember this is by repeating…“shoot from the dark side!”
"Put light behind big things..."
Now to the mechanics of the shot. I wanted to be as low as possible and use the vertical surface of the dock as a nice dark element in the foreground. To do this, we had checked the tide charts, and chosen a morning where the sunrise and low tide were pretty close together. We set the boat to the north west of the crane I wanted to photograph. This would give a dark shadow on all the surfaces facing the camera and allow nice contrast between these shadows and the sunlight that would be trimming the crane. This location would also let us incorporate the airplanes that were taking off from the airport across the channel, and allow the polarizer to work the best in order to make the clouds pop.
The final shot
The final shot was made with the D3, using a 17-35mm, with a polarizer. In photoshop, I boosted a tiny bit of brightness and contrast, and burned a slight vignette on the edges of the frame.
There is no better excuse for getting out out on the water than under the guise of shooting some personal work.
Loading the truck at 03:00... Way way too early!!!!
Chris at the helm. Thank GOD for coffee!!!
Today, I decided to get out into Boston Harbor in search of some new possibilities for my portfolio. We launched the boat in Hingham Harbor at 04:00 and ran the 8 miles out to the Graves in the dark. The water was perfectly smooth and the ride was great fun.
I wasn’t exactly sure of the image I was after, but I had some idea as I had been out to the lighthouse two days prior scouting. My objective for the day was to come back with two basic images. First, I wanted to shoot some cool panoramics incorporating the sunrise and the lighthouse. Secondly, I was after an industrial image inside the harbor by the airport. I will talk about that image in another post. Read the rest of this entry »
Silvia Express comming into Boston Harbor
Shot some cool new “industrial” photos today out in Boston Harbor.
We saw the pilot boat, and then the tugs head out of the harbor, so we knew a ship was soon to follow.
It was worth the wait, because when the Silvia Express steamed into the harbor, we were able to capture some of my favorite stuff… Gritty, contrasty, BW industrial photography.
There is just something amazing about shooting large objects to me. I just cant get enough. Especially when it involves being in cool crazy places like out on the water or hanging out of a helicopter.
This shot is my favorite from the selects. I did a tiny bit of dodging on the stern of the ship, but overall, the mood was pretty contrasty on its own. Just goes to show that you dont need beautiful light to get cool stuff.
I have been revisiting a lot of my older hi-ISO BW shots (3200) and have been messing around with the film grain setting in CS3. For the new web site, I have been scanning and adding a lot of the shots from my drive to Alaska. My intent was to try to recapture some of the grit I found when working with that medium.
The crazy part was that a squall was just about to blow in and drench us. About 10 min after this shot was taken, lightning started striking the city and we had to make a brake to the south so we wouldnt get fried.
Today we set aside the morning to shoot some personal work. I have always been fascinated with costumes, and interested in just what drives people to wear them. What is it they get out of it? Where does it come from, and what is it that makes them want to do it publicly.
Shooting with the ring light
To explore this notion, we hit my home town parade and shot some portraits of the more colorful characters who marched in the parade. For these photographs, I used a single Profoto ring light in front of a 4′ roll of white seamless. I have really gotten into the ring light these days, and really enjoy shooting with it.
It was really perfect for these images.
The full selection of images can be seen in the “personal” section of greghren.com.
Greg Hren Photography 