Tag Archives: advice

Photography

Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 3

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Award winning image of a little league coach consoling his player after a loss.

What picture are you most proud to have taken?
When I was a staff photographer in 1999, working for the San Bernardino Sun, I was hired by a community newspaper in Sacramento to cover the Little League finals in San Bernardino.

The Sacramento Bee sent one of their best photographers and he was able to shoot from the field. Since I was shooting for Sacramento’s weekly newspaper, I was low man on the totem pole and I had to shoot from the stands.

The Sacramento team lost and I got a terrific photo of a young boy crying while his coach comforted him. In the background the winning team was jubilant. (see photo in gallery) I had the agony of defeat the joy of victory in one photo.

The Sacramento Bee photographer was not able to get that photo because he was on the field.
Continue reading Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 3 →

Photography

Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 2

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Late evening in the Coachella desert presented Rigo with this wonderful image of cacti.

Why do you think it’s usually the “usual suspects” that win those contests?

Maria Sharapova blasts a forehand during her match against Elena Dementieva during the finals at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, CA

First of all, the usual suspects who win contests are great photographers.

Second, some have a formula for success.

They know that the “different” or unique photos are going to win.

Furthermore, some photographers duplicate what has won in past contests and execute it on their assignments.

I knew one photographer who turned in the same type of photo, shot in two consecutive months and he won in both months.

What does that tell you?

First of all, there is a strategy. Second, you have to be well-versed in what a contest-winning photograph is, so you can duplicate it in your own way.
Continue reading Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 2 →

Photography

Favorite faces from Dickens Festival 2011

Thanks Gillian Vogel for being a good sport, smiling and ever patient with me. You look lovely in that outfit.

This year’s Dickens Festival at a new location, the Riverside Convention Center, had a different feel to it.

The change of venue, I overheard, was due to the municipal auditorium was being renovated.

Nevertheless my family and I enjoyed visiting this annual affair.

My gripe? Come on, you know photographers always gripe.

But that’s the subject of another post.

If I had one suggestion to offer anyone who wants to improve their portraiture and develop their self-confidence as a people photographer, it would be to seek out events and fairs such as this.

One of my favorite things about this annual event is how folks always turn out in costumes and partake in the pageantry.

And I don’t mean just the performers. Visitors and attendees also get into the spirit of things. Continue reading Favorite faces from Dickens Festival 2011 →

Assignment, Photography

Low light action photography Part 2

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Acrobats in small circuses like Circus Vargas often work in very dim lights of their big top. ISO 400 1/160 f2.8 Nikon 1D. In 2001, the Nikon D1 was the best camera of its time, however, its low light capability was horrendous, that's why I exposed this at ISO 400

Of the obstacles you face whenever you want to take a picture, low light is probably the toughest to overcome. Things get even dicier when your subject is moving.

#3 Lighting

At religious ceremonies in church, you can sometimes get away with low shutter speeds like 1/30 sec @f2.8 ISO 800. With my 50mm, I could have used a higher shutter speed like 1/125 sec @ f1.4 but I wanted my son's hand to register as more of a blur as he waved to my wife. Canon 1D

Whenever light levels are low:

  • you won’t have the shutter speeds needed to handhold long lenses successfully
  • you can’t freeze the action even if you use a tripod or image stabilization because your subject is moving
  • your lens might not focus
  • color temperature or white balance might be an issue because most environments choose lights based on practicality and efficiency instead of whether it’s good for photography

Bear in mind, your ISO is already set to the highest that you can live with taking into account digital noise. Continue reading Low light action photography Part 2 →