PBPhoto

We started working inside the house.  I looked around and was drawn to the light in the kitchen.  The sun was high and it was pouring soft light in through the windows in the dining room to the right and from the sliders leading to the porch to the left.  I had them turn on the recessed lighting and hanging lights.  Then I added 2 strobes.  One for key light on the subjects and one to fill in some dark areas behind and to the left.  This was definitely an exercise in balancing flash and ambient light.  I love the pose above leaning on the kitchen counters.

Then we moved outside and dealt with the heat and high sun raining in through the oaks.  But we got some fun shots with natural Florida as the backdrop.

 

What is it about old steam engines?  You may not care about them at all.  But for me, there is something about them.  I suppose there is the historical side.  Movies maybe.  But seeing them in person.  I should say experiencing them in person.  They seem to have a life about them.  A piece of cold iron that when you put fire in its belly it starts to come to life.  Steam escaping from relief valves.  Breathing.  In person you feel the percussion of the pistons as they start to turn the wheels.  Yeah, I like them.

This was a difficult session.  As you'll see in the photographs, it was a challenge to get these guys to smile and have fun.  So stuffy. :)  Obviously, I am so joking.  They were great. 




The difficulty wasn't them.  Let's see.  We had to postpone this session a few weeks ago because of 30 mph onshore winds.  So this time Hurricane Sandy has just passed us.  I picked the location because it is generally not busy.  So I arrived early to scope the area only to find that Sandy had caused severe erosion.  There was almost no beach.  There was maybe 3 feet of sand in front of some of the dunes before the drop off.  And oh yeah there was a huge wedding, and oh yeah another photographer was with a client.  Not ideal but we worked with it.  And at least the wind died off so that I was able to set up strobes and an umbrella.



I think we got some great results.  It's hard to go wrong with such a fun family.  Laughing and smiling translates well in photographs.

Another chance to photograph this cutie pie.  Her mommy makes these great brain squeezers (I'm sure there is some cute girly name for them but I'm a guy).  If you want info on them contact me.


I decided to make this post all black and white.  Sometimes color gets in the way.  Sometimes the color just isn't quite what I'm looking for even though the subject, composition, focus, perspective are all exactly what I'm looking for.  When I desaturate the color the photograph comes to life.  Like these.




Hope you enjoy.  Be blessed.