Archive for category Everything
All that glitters is not gold…
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on April 6th, 2010
Every once in a while comes a job that makes up for the… less exciting ones. A shoot I did a few weeks ago for Porsche is one of those.
Curious eyes look back at us. They seem ready to play.
Doing a shoot for marketing Porsche in the Mid Atlantic area is a great way to spend some time. There were some technical challenges and some factors that went in our favor. Here is how it unfolded.
I brought a lot of lights. Just about everything I had. These included some Elinchrome studio lights and four or five Nikon SB-800s and 900s. I needed them, but not in the way I expected. And despite my effort to have any light I needed, my first step was to eliminate light: I did the shot after dark to reduce/eliminate distractions outside the windows. (As it turned out, the cars all faced the large bank of windows, so few images were shot looking outward. But it still helped by not mixing color temperatures.)
The splash of light thrown up on the Porsche logo added more drama because of the color temperature difference.
I had visited the showroom early, before submitting my estimate. It was lit up like a jewelry story and I had my fingers crossed it would be even more dramatic at night. I wasn’t disappointed. The cars were so well lit that I didn’t even need my lights for fill. Except one place: The Porsche logo in the background wasn’t lit. It had lights, but due to some technical glitches, they were rarely used. So I set up an Elinchrome 250 watt/sec light with a soft box behind a desk to light it. At first I thought I’d have to use a gel to balance the color temperature of the flash with the warm halogen lights in the ceiling, but a few test shots showed the cooler strobe looked good against the brushed metal. I used Elinchrome’s Skyport wireless system to trigger them from across the showroom floor. If I hadn’t had the Elinchromes, I could have used one or two Nikon flashes fired wirelessly.
Test shots, and frequent chimping of the LCD monitor on the back of the camera, showed that the lights that were so helpful in making those colors jump, also created a distracting dot pattern across large surfaces like hoods. Solution? A circular polarizer. It didn’t eliminate the reflections, but it knocked them down enough they weren’t hot spots.
Trying to get the people in the shot.
The next day I came back to shoot the service bay. I had asked for a few modern cars and a few classic cars since they did work on all ages of Porsche automobiles. However, they said because it was winter (and a hard, snowy winter at that) there were few Porsche owners willing to bring their classic cars out into the salt rich environment. Rats.
While everyone was certainly cooperative, the service bay was a working place, so they couldn’t spend a half day just cleaning up for me. That required some creative cropping with angles and car placement. One of the shots I like the most was one of the technicians backlit while working on a car. It was a wirelessly fired SB-800. Using fill flashes was tough in there. It wasn’t lit to be glamorous, so any extra lighting really stuck out. I had to be somewhat subtle with adding what I did.
One last trick; before I left the maintenance bay, I laid down a standard plastic Porsche license plate on the floor and took a few photos of that. With some Photoshop work I replaced the real license plates with the Porsche plates. This not only got rid of a liability, it threw in the logo again.
Speaking of Photoshop, I didn’t need to do a whole lot. I did minor color correcting in Aperture, but my Photoshop time was just for the license plates, a few electrical cords that needed to be taken out, and a few exit signs in the dealership. My cameras seemed to understand how to read that environment well, so early on I put the light meter away, set my camera to aperture priority and concentrated on composition.
Trying to get the iconic images to work for me, I set this up to look like you had pulled your Porsche into your own, well equipped, garage.
What tool did I wish I had in my bag? How about a wider lens? I did almost everything at 17mm (true FX 17mm, not the DX with a 1.5 multiplier) with my Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 lens. But if I’d had the 14-24mm, I’d have used that.
All for now. Much going on as spring comes to Annapolis. Don’t forget that it is a great time to have your camera with you. Flowers, early morning fog, etc….
Keep shooting,
Mark
31…..
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on March 19th, 2010
Being a photographer, I almost think I’m a professional traveler. In January, Haiti became country 31 on my list.
Navy divers work to move sunken containers so landing craft can begin unloading at the beach.
After the earthquake, I had the chance to go help. Something a lot of people would like to have done. I was assigned to the team working to get the port open so large quantities of material could begin flowing into the country. The steady stream of aircraft coming in was a precious trickle that kept the country alive, but couldn’t provide what was needed for the long term. We had to open the port. Regrettably, most of it had collapsed. Not only had the cranes fallen into the water but the few precious docks were unstable. The only dock that was declared stable, was damaged severely in a 6.2 aftershock.
The US Navy, always high on my list, impressed the hell out of me. The Seabees and divers were working all the time. But everyone there, military, civilian, emergency response workers, were working on a few hours sleep each day and daylight was not wasted.
A hotel completely collapsed, crushing everything around it. Not just cars.
While, obviously, I am a great philosophical supporter of photography, still images and video just didn’t prepare me for the devastation. Maybe if I had been watching TV around the clock, I would have heard the stories and soaked in the imagery. But when you get down there and the smoke and dirt get in your eyes and see how many buildings are crumbled, how it has affected every single thread of their society, then it surrounds you and you begin to see what that tiny nation has ahead of it.
Making it all worse for me is that I’m a relatively new father. My daughter is not quite two years old. Seeing things like a small girl sound asleep, laying on a coat on the sidewalk, alone, made it all very personal. When you picture yourself in that situation, it becomes crushingly real.
No caption needed.
I can’t say anything here that you haven’t heard before. I’m not the only one who will be haunted by what I saw and better writers than I have articulated what they saw. Just take a moment and say thank God for what you have. It could all be gone in a moment.
You can see a few more photos, including some of a resilient people picking up and rebuilding, at www.MarkDuehmig.com.
Mark
Back in the saddle…
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on March 9th, 2010
I’m baaaaack….
I knew it had been a while since I had posted anything here, but I was shocked to see it was September. Rotten. Time flies.
Well, my schedule changed and without really realizing it, my prime blog-writing time disappeared. But I’m trying to carve that time back into my routine. Trust me- though I’ve not been writing, I’ve been busy. So in the next few days or weeks I’ll tell you about some things that have kept me shooting. For example I’ve got a photo or two in Spinsheet magazine, and I some photos in a boating calendar. Miss January and March I think.
I’ve also spent a few weeks in Haiti after the Earthquake. That will be big entry by itself. In the mean time you can see some of the photos on my portfolio page at www.MarkDuehmig.com. Click on Galleries for more photos….
Most of the glass is intact in this stained glass window. Very little of the cathedral remains.
In Front of the Camera Talent??
I’ve also been busy shooting video. Not only projects for customers but some how-to videos as well. I’ve teamed up with a company called ShowMeHow Videos (www.ShowMeHowVideos.com/photography-video-c-36.html) here in Maryland.
Point and Shoot Photography
I’m impressed with the quality of Show Me How Videos and agreed to be the “talent” in a series of videos on photography.
Two of them specfically might be of interest to my readers, “Point and Shoot Photography with Mark Duehmig” and “Digital SLR Photography.”
Digital SLR Photography
These are pretty comprehensive videos. They take you from start to finish, and while presuming the viewer is just getting started, we take you into some advanced concepts to take better-than-average photos.
Which one is for you?
Point and Shoot Photography
This video teaches you how to take decent photos with the amazing point-and-shoot cameras out there. We also discuss organizing digital photos and some of the things you can do with the images you have, like order prints or make your own books. (Or coffee mugs, calendars, quilts…)
Digital SLR Photography
If you have a new camera and want to do more than shoot in “Program” mode all the time, this will show you what the settings are for, how to use them and how to make use of that wonderful camera you have. We cover everything from choosing new lenses to picking a camera bag and tripod. It is really a complete video with great illustrations and sample photos.
Here are some clips from each of them:
Point and Shoot
Digital SLR Photography
If you click on the images it will take you to the ShowMeHow website and you can watch sample clips, order a DVD there or even download the full version to watch on your computer. You can also get them from Amazon and a bunch of other on-line retailers.
While the guy on camera isn’t much to look at, I do recommend the videos as a whole…
All for now. It is good to be back in the blogosphere. More soon….
Mark
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Mark Duehmig Photography
www.MarkDuehmig.com
Bags vs. Belts
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on September 23rd, 2009
I have been frustrated at the lack of a decent sized camera bag that can hold two pro bodies and lenses. (Actually the real problem is my desire to keep my Nikon 70-200 lens on a body. This requires the camera bag to have length and girth.) I put the question to a photographer friend of mine who has forgotten more about shooting that I’ll ever know. His answer surprised me.
“I haven’t carried a traditional camera bag in years.”
He went on to say that he uses the Think Tank belt system (http://www.thinktankphoto.com) to carry his gear. he keeps everything in a LowePro Stealth bag or a Think Tank roller bag and pulls out the belt configuration he needs and goes to work.
Part of Think Tank's line of accessories for carrying gear on a belt.
Makes sense. I saw the Think Tank booth at Imaging USA last year and liked their stuff. One issue I had with their roller bags was it seemed that carrying a laptop was an after thought. But everything else looked good.
I know Tamrac has a belt system too, though Think Tank’s line looks more complete. (http://www.tamrac.com) Anyone use these? Would love to hear reviews. And if you have any other clever solutions, would like to know those too.
Fall is here. Keep your camera with you and keep shooting!
Mark
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Mark Duehmig Photography
www.MarkDuehmig.com
Self Published Portfolios
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on August 13th, 2009
This entry could be called “Printed Portfoilos,” “Self-Published Albums,” or even “How to say thank you for a vacation.”
I’m referring to the many options you have to get a high quality printed book done at a reasonable price. Short run or even single run printings of books. This can be an incredible tool for photographers.
This is the latest version of my portfolio. Email me or call me for a copy.
The first I saw of this service was an imbedded feature in Apple’s very cool iPhoto image management/storage software. Right from within iPhoto you can take your photos and lay them out using templates and hit an order button.
Soon came other book options and, I say this as a dedicated Mac user, they surpassed the quality and features of the books you can buy on iPhoto or the pro-level application Aperture.
Different websites offer different types of books. For example Blurb.com offers both hardback and soft back bound books while viovio.com primarily offers spiral-bound books.
I’ve used or played with several different company’s book printing options. I call them options because some are software programs (free) that you download, some require you to lay out the book in programs like Adobe InDesign or Microsoft
My first version of a printed portfolio. I've learned a few things since this version.
Publisher just using templates they provide. There are pros and cons to each option, but I have to say my preference is toward Blurb.com. The books are of excellent quality, with options like glossy dust jackets that look incredible. They also provide a layout program that allows you tons of flexibility in how the book is latex out. (Version 3 is a huge jump over previous versions, if you’ve tried it before.)
Another plus that Blurb.com offers is their on-line presence. They are gathering a following that communicates through their “Blurberati” web community. (http://blog.blurb.com)
They will also help you sell your books if you want. You can offer your books for sale through their website and you set the price, and determine your profit margin. Imagine providing a coffee table book to the Bride of her wedding photos as a bonus (it costs you about $30-40 depending on size) and she is thrilled. But then her family, wedding party and friends can buy copies too directly from the Blurb website with out you having to pre-order any. And you make a little on the books too.
The book I did for my crew when we sailed the Annapolis to Newport Race a few years ago. This image was taken by local photographer Don Dement, but is one of the best I've seen. (It's hard to take photos of your own boat when you're always aboard.)
I’ve published about 12-15 books so far. A few have been for vacations (I gave my crew a book on a sailing trip we took down the Chesapeake Bay and up the coast. I’m working on another for the Bermuda Ocean Race from last year where we won first place in our division.)
I’m also on the second version of my portfolio. If you’ve been to my website, www.MarkDuehmig.com, you’ve seen all the photos that are in my printed portfolio. But, when I’m speaking with a client, it isn’t good to end our conversation with “great to talk with you, now don’t forget to visit my website.” With a printed portfolio I can show them photos on the spot and leave them with a high-quality reminder of my product.
The 80-page, 10×12 soft cover book I order costs me about $27 each. I pay a few dollars extra when I order them to replace the Blurb logo with my logo. But maybe you could get by with a 40 page version and a smaller size? That lowers your costs dramatically.
A good friend of mine is an extremely skilled cabinet-maker here in Annapolis and the subject of a previous blog entry. (Justin de Gast, www.AnnapolisFineWoodworking.com) He is planning to publish a small book with photos (many are mine) of his work for the same reason I am. It is his portfolio.
Just think: being able to provide a client with a nicely published book is a heck of a lot more fancy than just handing him or her a CD full of images. Just make sure you build in money for this into your quote. Especially the first time until you learn the time commitment on doing the layout well. I’ve spent quite a few hours on my portfolio, getting the right photos in the right order, etc. Nothing good in life is free.
All for now. I need to get back to work and so do you. One last thought about these books though; no matter how much time you spend proofing the books, order only one on your first order. You WILL find errors, or at least stuff you want to fix when you have the hard copy on your hands.
Keep shooting,
Mark
www.MarkDuehmig.com
My phone has been ringing…
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on July 20th, 2009
I knew there would be times when keeping the blog up would be a challenge and this is the first time I’ve really been unable to even make notes on my iPhone during a slow period. It has been crazy. My phone has been ringing off the hook.
Has the world suddenly decided I am an incredible photographer? Not likely. Instead, Google had decided my place in this universe does warrant a higher ranking, and the results have been immediate. I have asked callers and emailers where they found me. The answer is usually Google.
This blog is no small part. Google keeps track of traffic between websites and apparently my readers, (both of you 
) have been visiting my website. AND you have been talking about it. Thank you.
If you feel like it, since you have probably gone through my portfolio at www.MarkDuehmig.com if you are reading this blog, consider reviewing me on Google. If you search for Annapolis Photographer, my listing should show up in the top ten in the business directory. Click on “Local business results for photographer near Annapolis, MD” and you’ll see an option to write a review. (Actually, the underscored part above is a link. It will take you right to the business results.) Thank you in advance if you choose to do this. Being busy is good!
Ok, I’ll write more soon. But I’ve got two more days of shooting before I rest. One of the days is a project I look forward to telling you about. Oh! and I just did a first printing of my paper portfolio at Blurb.com. I’ll tell you about that too. Very cool stuff. Next post….
Good night.
Mark
www.MarkDuehmig.com
PS - Welcome back Steve. I look forward to seeing your shots.
Choosing a camera bag
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on June 25th, 2009
Choosing a camera bag…
Disclaimer: I LOVE camera bags. I understand why some women want a lot of purses. No single purse will fit every occasion and no single camera bag will work in every shoot.
There are two things that might help you in your shopping though: first, expect to pay for quality, and second, get over the beautiful photos of the large bags festooned with camera bodies and lenses.
Point one, paying for quality; if you have a lot of equipment, it won’t take long before that ads up to thousands of dollars of gear quickly. You need to protect that stuff. So don’t wince too much when you need to spend $300 for a good bag. It will last you a long time.
Second point; if you get that big bag with 30 slots for lens, four slots for camera bodies, three more for flashes
A promotional photo of a loaded camera bag. I used to drool over these images. What do you think this weighs?
and side pockets for the little things, it needs to come with something else: a Sherpa to carry it. This might be ok if you take the bag from home/office/studio to the car, and from the car into a shooting site where you just pull from the bag all day. But there aren’t too many jobs like that unless you’re primarily a fashion or product photographer.
I still have, and it is still one of my favorite cases, a Tamrac 814. (I think it is an 814. They don’t make this model any more.) And I loaded it full of gear and was trouncing around Cairo one day when I started to take on an “S” shape. That gear was killing my back with continuous walking and shooting. And if you want to keep your gear, you don’t dare set it down in Cairo.
I wasn’t home 20 minutes when I ordered a Lowell Pro backpack. A little more difficult to swap gear in and out of, but a lot easier on the back.
I have a bunch of bags, but here are some favorites:
* Case Logic Camera Messenger bag; This is my everyday bag that allows me to carry my camera and essential gear with me everywhere. I carry a D-700 body with a 17-35 lens attached, and a 70-200 mm lens in the side. I have to detach the handgrip/battery holder and this goes in the other side, along with a SB900 speedlight. I also have room for my Canon HD video camera if I want to take it along. (I shoot video for the Weather Channel, and it isn’t good to run into a nice wall cloud and not have a camera.)
* Tamrack 814; This is a minimal sized bag for carrying a D-700 and two lenses. The 70-200 mm is just too long. But if I get a bigger bag, I’ll just fill it, so I’ll make this one work. It is supposed to be able to carry two camera bodies in this model, but not unless they both have small lenses. Even with two pro quality medium zooms it would be tight.
* Lowell Pro backpack.; this is a great bag. It holds the above gear easily and can accommodate a second body without a lens attached. Or a video camera. This is an earlier version of their packs and the accessories pocket is one big, giant maw. New bags have many smaller pockets to help organized stuff. I recommend this if you carry the stuff I do. (See my packing list below.)
* I have two excellent bags from National Geographic. They caught my eye because I thought they looked good, and I was curious about their quality since National Geographic put their names on them. Yes, they are excellent. I ended up getting a daypack and
Me shooting at the edge of Lake Fagnano in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Everything fit in my National Geographic bag. This is the "Explorer Backpack - Large."
a large backpack. The daypack acts much like the Case Logic bag above, but dressier. I take it when I don’t want to look like I’m carrying a camera bag. The large backpack holds lots of gear and enough clothes for a day or three, depending on where you’re going and what you need. Everything is padded well and looks great too.
I have to admit that I was drawn to the style of the National Geographic bags in part because of Marlin Perkins. You know, the white haired guy from 70’s Sunday night show Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. “The lioness has my leather briefcase firmly in her claws, but my companion Jim is going to go get it back for me. Well done Jim! See to those cuts before you get blood all over the Land Rover.” I loved that show. But I digress.
* Tamrack Velocity 5 case; I don’t use this much any more. My first DSLR was a D70 with the kit lens. This bag worked great as my day bag to keep a camera with me, as well as a few other things. But it isn’t big enough to accommodate large pro lenses. The truth is few bags are designed to work with a whole set of f2.8 lenses. So try before you buy.
* Hard cases; I have two hard cases for carrying gear. The first is a Pelican 1650. I got it both to protect my gear in wet environments, and so I could safely check a bunch of gear on an airplane. There was a problem with this latter plan. I don’t know the exact weight of this case, but I’d guess about 35 lbs. That only leaves me about 15 lbs of gear before the airlines charge me exurbanite fees for being over the 50 lbs limit. I still haven’t really solved this since tripods and stuff weigh so much. I’d get charged for multiple bags too, depending on the airline… Sigh.
My other case is smaller and holds one set of gear. One body, two lenses and a flash. It is my go anywhere in any weather case. It is a Seahorse brand. Works well so far and cheaper than the top of the line Pelican cases.
* Tripod bag; There are times when I need to carry a big tripod, and the rest of the gear I’m packing won’t accommodate it. I have a PortaBrace Tripod bag. It is made to carry big video tripods so I can carry two smaller tripods or even a set of light stands. Odd story; once in St. Louis, I’m at the baggage carousel waiting for my gear to come around. I see the tripod bag on the belt and wait patently for it to get to me when this older (I’d guess 70) lady picks up my tripod bag, carries it over and lays it with her growing stack of bags. Folks, there is nothing common about a bright blue, 4 foot long triangular bag with a wooden handle. It wasn’t like it was a black roller bag. When I went to retrieve it, she seemed surprised; “Oh, is that yours?” Hmmm.
Ok, anytime you have a bag, you’ve got stuff to go with it. Some of this stuff varies depending on where you go, but a few things are good anywhere.
Accessories I carry in my camera bags:
Small flash light
Small roll of toilet paper in a ziplock bag
Lens cloth(s)
Comb
Small screwdriver
Small package of Band-Aids
Sensor cleaning swabs (NEVER use paper products!)
Pen & notepad
Business cards
Memory cards in crush proof case
And when I’m actually traveling with my camera bag as my carry on,
Cell phone
iPod
Water bottle & snacks
Tickets & passport in quick access compartment
I used to carry one of those cable locks where a cable pulls out, goes around your bag and connects it to something solid, so someone can’t grab your bag while you are sleeping at the airport or from under a chair at a restaurant. That is until I had my bag locked to my chair at an outdoor café in Uruguay. It wouldn’t unlock. At all. I ended up borrowing a pair of nail clippers and working on the small cable over time to get the thing cut. It took a while. I’ll get another some day.
All about camera bags now. I’m sure you guys have suggestions, tips and stories. Let’s hear them!
Keep shooting,
Mark
An Annapolis Artisan - Justin de Gast
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on June 17th, 2009
Every once in a while I’ll sway away from the wonder of photography to go on a side subject. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to shoot some interior shots for a local cabinet maker. Justin de Gast has been crafting wood for a lot of years and when I had the chance to see his work in person, I was amazed.
Justin de Gast did all of the panel work and joinery for this staircase and hallway. Even though I had two soft box lights with me, I ended up using natural light and a long exposure to bring out the warmth of this space.
He’s one of those people you find who really really cares that you’ll be happy with his work. And that showed when he asked his customers if it would be alright if he and a photographer could come into their homes to take pictures of his work, they were eager to help him.
Jusin did the bookcases which are part of this huge entertainment center. (I don't think he did the bowl.)
Now I benefited from this experience too. A few of the photos I took while with him ended up in the portfolio section of my website. But he made it easy. When you’re shooting beautiful things, the beauty comes through.
Justin de Gast outside of his cabinetmaker's shop. A traditional man and a true craftsman.
Enough of me pitching Justin’s work. But, when you come across something amazing, you want to talk about it. You can learn more about Justin de Gast and see some (really great ) photos at his website; www.AnnapolisFineWoodworking.com
Keep shooting,
Mark
www.MarkDuehmig.com
Photos of Annapolis to Newport Race finally in Gallery
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on June 14th, 2009
Well that took a while. But all 430 (or so) images are up in the Galley section of my website.
Bright spinnakers on a rainy day as the fleet departs for Newport.
Go to www.MarkDuehmig.com, click on Galleries and you’ll see one listed as Annapolis to Newport Race 2009.
A boat races down the Bay, stowing sails that won't be used until they hit the Atlantic. The foul weather gear hid faces in so many shots, removing the all-important human element.
There are a lot more photos than I’d normally put in any gallery. You’ll see three or four (sometimes more) of nearly the same shot and I HATE doing that. But I’m going to let the race organizers know they are there so maybe people will pick and choose the ones they like. I’m not going to charge for this shoot since I didn’t make a real effort to get every boat.
The Cal 36 Diamond in the Rough prepares to start for Newport.
Here are a few of the photos I thought were a representative mix of photos. If you like these, paw through the whole set on my portfolio page and I’d love to know what you think.
Thanks,
Mark
Dawn Treader jockeys for position at the start.
The maxi racer Rambler spreads her huge wings as she heads down the Bay. Rambler was the first to cross the finish line but did not set a course record. Notice the vignetting on the photo. My 70-200 2.8 sometimes does this when the light is right and I usually correct for it. This time I thought it added concentration to the image so I left it.
My gear packed in a Pelican waterproof case, we race out to the starting line. It was really hard to keep gear dry, so you did what you could.
Another photo from the race
Posted by Mark Duehmig in Everything on June 9th, 2009
I didn’t plan to piece-meal out the photos from the race. Just a busier conference than I expected.
Two boats race to catch the class that started before them on the Annapolis to Newport Race.
Here is another quick grab from the photos. Two bright colorful spinnakers on a sea of gray, rainy weather. I’m glad there were more boats on the horizon to give the photo depth, but the fog keeps attention on the boats in the foreground. As always, feedback and critiques of the images are appreciated.
One other tool I forgot to mention. I grabbed a cotton t-shirt before I ran out the door to shoot the race. Every time I raised my camera to get a shot, the lens got spots. Water was dripping off the small cabin top, blowing in the wind and generally everywhere. A big soft piece of cotton allowed me to do a quick wipe between the shots. Much better than a non absorbent lens cloth. (And never use paper products like kleenex or paper towels.)
Ok, back to work.
Mark
www.MarkDuehmig.com