“When I say I want to photograph someone, what it really means is that I’d like to know them. Anyone I know I photograph.”
—Annie Leibovitz
March Madness
I’m a huge sports fan. And I enjoy all kinds of sports — baseball, football, basketball, cycling, winter sports, summer sports, on land, sea, and air — I’ll watch ’em all. And especially the big events, like the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Tour de France, and Olympic games.
So, in the United States, the month of March also marks a sports phenomenon that I gladly follow — March Madness — the weeks-long NCAA college basketball tournament that determines the nation’s #1 higher-ed. hoops kings, at least for a year.
This year, the tournament has even greater interest for me, as our University of Richmond team, the Spiders, have earned their spot in the first round of play in the South region, after an outstanding season (a school record 26 wins!). The team has generated a lot of excitement and interest around our campus and I was recently fortunate to have the opportunity to photograph one of our top players (and A-10 conference Player of the Year), Kevin Anderson, for a feature story on the UR Web site.
I was thrilled with the chance to do a shoot like this and initially had visions of some kind of Sports Illustrated-type shot of him on the court in full uniform in some very dramatic pose. But after considering the article, about his life not just as an athlete but also as a student, I decided something a little more low-key and relaxed would be more appropriate (albeit, still dramatic). He was great to work with, a really nice guy and super-cooperative.
Along with the lighting arrangement (1 key light at right w/ shoot-through umbrella and 1 rim light behind him on the left), one part of the composition I really wanted to include were the NCAA banners hanging from the rafters, hopefully alluding to the team’s upcoming games in the tournament. To do this, with Kevin seated in a chair, I had to get as low as possible, which meant, on my back on the floor looking up. Fortunately, it worked and I managed to get some good shots off before having to wrap up.
I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s game and to see how far the team can go. However they do in the tournament, I’m sure that Kevin’s got a bright future ahead of him — as an athlete and a person — and I wish him the very best!
Go Spiders!!!
March 18, 2010 - 8:01 am - love it! you have always had a great eye for good composition
March 21, 2010 - 10:00 pm - Thanks Lorie!
Ansel Adams
“Photography is a way of telling what you feel about what you see.”
— Ansel Adams
February 24, 2010 - 8:57 am - just stopping by today, 2.24.2010, to wish you a happy birthday! while i'm here i just want to reiterate how wonderful your website is. it is aesthetically beautiful. and, i love the addition of the quotes! i didn't think you could improve on perfection, but somehow you managed to do so. awesome. give your wife a huge hug; she was the one who spilled the beans..... :-)
February 26, 2010 - 4:30 pm - Thanks so much for your kind words Ginny! I'm always inspired by the wisdom and experience of other photographers/artists. Best to you!
The Storyteller
Happy New Year — 2010!
It’s been a busy holiday season but things are finally settling back into somewhat of a “normal” routine for me. One of the things about the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays that are most important to me is getting together with family. And especially if they have travelled a great distance to visit.
Kim and I enjoyed a great time with my family in Maryland and were also able to visit with my uncle John, aunt Lorraine and cousin Byron, from Kelowna, British Columbia. (That’s in Canada, for you non-Canucks). One of the things that makes being with them so special is my uncle John’s storytelling. Having grown up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, his tales usually involve things like bulls getting into hay lofts (and how not to get them down!), pranks played on big sisters (like my mom), and soon-to-be brothers-in-law getting accidentally hurtled off of farm equipment or sprayed with high-pressured manure (dad was the victim of that one). It’s usually a good idea not to eat the holiday apple pie before one of his stories because of the side-splitting laughter that generally follows!
I hope that in 2010 you also have a chance to laugh with family and friends and appreciate the beauty of the people in your life. And maybe have some stories of your own to tell — in words or photographs.
April 22, 2010 - 5:22 pm - Gordon - I LOVE this series! So real, so happy. Wow. In case you have no idea who I am I was a few years behind yo at Messiah College!
May 3, 2010 - 1:38 pm - Thanks for the comments Candy. I'm glad you like them!
Brad and Kristen
What better way to get practice doing portrait photography than to have your good friends as your models! (And good-looking ones too!) It’s an added bonus when they’re expecting a baby—as our friends Brad and Kristen are. Kim and I had a fun time doing some “expectant couple” shots of them recently in their home. They could totally model for a living, if they ever needed second careers, they were that easy to work with and comfortable in front of the camera. Although it was a challenge to keep Brad’s shirt buttons from popping off—he’s such a proud dad-to-be!
Here are several shots I got, using a white backdrop and two Canon Speedlights, one on each side, with shoot-through umbrellas. My talented wife Kim provided the art direction and styling. You can also check out her shots here.
Oh yeah, by the way … go Penn State! Another Nittany Lion is on the way!
Changing seasons
An exercise I enjoy seeing from other photographers is when they pick a location to photograph and then take the pictures in different lighting, weather conditions or seasons of the year. One of my favorite Flickr contacts, Harry Mijland, does this and I love his results.
Being fortunate enough to work in a beautiful setting every day at the University of Richmond, I’ve begun to accumulate a number of images on campus at different times of the year. The small “island” and gazeebo in the middle of Westhampton Lake in the center of campus has been my favorite location to shoot. Here are a few of the images I’ve taken showing different perspectives on this spot.
Enjoy!
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