"Dude, I'm 27 and I'm out of touch. I don't understand half of what high schoolers do or say today. It's sad."
Don't feel bad; when you were born I had already been in business for 9 years ;-{
On the other hand, age is what you make of it. Since this product line is a big part of my business I make it my job to understand the teen mentality. I talk to them all the time, find out what they like and want, and then help them to get it. I don't want to BE 17 again, but I want to THINK like one.
One young photographer whom I've befriended and featured at my seminars and even had him create my portrait is Joey Lawrence. His work springs from the generation of kids I want to reach, and what we old guys think they want isn't what they want at all. If you haven't seen his work yet, take a look at his site and I think you'll be amazed at this 19 year-old's skills.
If you look at the work I've posted on FM and the accompanying comments, you will see it is not without controversy. that's just how it was planned - nothing can kill creativity faster than predictability. I've got all the bling from the Prof. Photog. of America, and from being a print judge I know all the 'rules' by heart - let's just say Been There Done That. But it's only by challenging those rules do you get the occasional breakthrough image. You occasionally hang one out there (i.e., #4 above, which I still like), but it's far more satisfying that doing the same ol' same ol'.
Regarding technique, shelby_daniel and pacdzyne, what specifically do you want to know? I'll be glad to share.
Wow.
As portraits, this is what I'd pay for as a parent - I can't stand the traditional stuff. The skateboard and football shots are amazing. Any comments you can give about the lighting or post-processing would be appreciated. And don't go away - we need more great stuff like this.
Shows the set up for #10. Search jhartman for other threads. He's been posting over in People instead of here. You guys will have to forgive him if he was in the wrong Board. You know, old age, poor eyesight, forgot where he parked the car...
I just read up where you mentioned Joey Lawrence and I was thinking of him while viewing these. Joeys was my first interview for Rangefinder and talk about 'sick' incredible talent and an incredibly focused young man! So glad he is now getting the attention and success he deserves and while he is still a teen! Amazing, kudos to you for mentioning him,
Beautiful portrait of Joey! Thanks for sharing that, yes curious , passionate , and imaginative for sure! I think he has a lot of the 'inventor ' in him.
Excellent portrait of you as well, you have intense eyes ..very artistic!
Thank you for posting these!
p.2 #11 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
"The swim shot #1 - strobes in the rafters?"
• He swam in the far left lane. One set of two Canon 560 strobes velcroed together on a stand at the pool's edge, facing back as a kicker. An identical set of two strobes on a stand right in the water in lane 2, set at the same height and distance as the other, creating a double kicker. (see pullback shot above).
The main light was a single 580 strobe shooting through a 12x16 LiteDome Q39 softbox on a stand. An assistant held the light out in the middle of the lane in front of the swimmer, facing at a 45º down toward him. As he swam, the assistant walked forward. So the main light was always positioned correctly whenever I took a shot.
All flashes on ETTL, camera set to high speed sync. I used AI focus, put the camera right at the water's level (using a 90º finder to see). I could get off four or five shots with each pass in the 'kicker zone.'
p.2 #13 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
"Wow, these are really awesome shots. Are you using the high pass filter to created the increased definition or another technique?"
The look is done using Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0. The Tonal Contrast and Bleach Bypass filters were employed for these. Nik Silver Efex Pro created the B&W.
p.2 #15 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
jhartman:
I think the other thread of yours that pandacat pulled up with the lighting setup gave me a real good idea of what's going on. I really like this technique. Thanks for sharing.
A friend of mine on here, redman, recommended the topaz detail filter have you tried that one yet? It seems like it would work well with shots like these.
p.2 #17 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
John
Is there a typical size sports portrait that parents purchase? Also, do they typically buy a print, digital matted print, canvas wrap? Or, is there no "typical" purchase?
p.2 #18 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
"please share some of that post processing you did. Were they all processed in Nik?"
•Each of these was done using Nik CEP 3.0. I like particularly like the Bleach Bypass and Tonal Contrast filters, which were used here, but the entire suite has some very useful tools.
Of course, you could do any of this work in Photoshop, but I'm like electricity in that I generally follow the path of least resistance. The presets you can make and save with each filter greatly simplify the process, or at least make a good starting point.
"Or, is there no "typical" purchase?"
• There is no typical purchase. We've sold wallets to 40" of these. They also buy them matted, or digitally enhanced using QuickMats, or in a press-bound book, or as a canvas wrap or poster. Doesn't matter to me - the money all spends the same.
p.2 #19 · High school senior portrait Sports shots
susi wrote:
I just read up where you mentioned Joey Lawrence and I was thinking of him while viewing these. Joeys was my first interview for Rangefinder and talk about 'sick' incredible talent and an incredibly focused young man! So glad he is now getting the attention and success he deserves and while he is still a teen! Amazing, kudos to you for mentioning him,
incredible talent and an incredibly focused young man! So glad he is now getting the attention and success he deserves and while he is still a teen! Amazing, kudos to you for mentioning him,