Category Archives: Uncategorized
Can You Go Home?
Images from 2012 Macksville Journey
Someone once said you can’t go home and have it be the same. So true. I’ve been going back periodically to visit and documment my home town of Macksville, Kansas for several years. I become melancholy after being here for a short while, knowing the town I grew up in will never be the same. The town viewed and experienced through the eyes of and 18 year old are long gone. As time has passed the town has decayed. Gone are the stores and restaurant I worked in and sat end talking endlessly with friends. Many have closed and buildings have be shuttered or torn down. I still love to explore as my curiosity is greater than ever. As a photographer, I try to capture what was, but I never will. Life was simpler then.
More of my visit: http://zwinkftp.com/Macksville_2012/
More of my work, my vision: http://zwink.com
The techy stuff: on this trip I only took a Nikon D700, 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200 nikkor lenses. Processed in Adobe Lightroom 3.
Mozart is still Alive
- SDSU Cast of “A Walk in the Clouds”
When I was working part time at the San Diego edition of the L.A. Times I was introduced to the world of theater photography. I got to cover the La Jolla Playhouse and the Old Globe to name a few. What a great time. I got to see world class performances by known and unknown actors while getting paid to cover their shows. Most shoots were done during dress rehearsals meaning I was allowed to move around the theater with silent impunity.
Nowadays I still get to work with the SDSU Theatre department and Stone Soup Theater. At SDSU it is a wonderful experience as I not only get to hone my low light craft but I get to watch the development of the future professional actors. It not only is a time to watch the character development but it allows you a chance to study the body language and emotional interactions that can be transferred to shooting portraiture and getting that little special extra into your work. After all good photography is just capturing the day to day live theater we live in.
techy stuff: D700 with a 28-70 lens. Shot ISO 1600 at f4.0. Postproduction in Photoshop 5.
Tomlinson Over the Top?
So, can LT finally get over the top? LaDanian Tomlinson record setting running back for the San Diego Chargers and now the New York Jets had his playoffs dream cut short once again. L.T and the Chargers parted ways almost a year ago, the Chargers unwilling to resign him at this stage of his career. Looking for that one missing goal, The Super Bowl, L.T. signed with the Jets stating they were the best opportunity to make it to the Super Bowl. One game short of the Super Bowl and one yard short, Tomlinson was unable to get that one last yard to score a TD late in the game against the Steelers. The Steel Curtain held and Tomlinson’s dream once again was shattered. So, the big question is will he have enough for one more try next year.
Photo: shot with a Nikon D3 and 70-200 2.8 lens in a playoff game in San Diego vs. the Tennessee Titans Dec. 25,2009.
My other site is: www.zwink.com
An Island Mourns
Three times surfing world champion Andy Irons died on November 2, 2010. We arrived on Kauai Nov. 12 to a community in mourning preparing for a memorial service and a paddle out by fellow surfers, friends and family. It was an overwhelming experience. Driving up to Hanalei Bay we passed numerous signs and painted surfboards along side of the the road that expressed the love, sorrow and loss of their homegrown son.
Over 5,000 people of all ages converged onto Pines Beach for the memorial that was open to the public. All the flights to the island were sold out as people came to say their final goodbye. Following a traditional Hawaiian service on the beach attended by the family and friends of the Iron’s family it was finally time. There was already a large group of surfers circling about a 100 yards off the beach. The rest of the surfers from the inner circle made their way out through the surf to the final celebration of life. Once they arrived and the circle was reformed the group started cheering and splashing the water. Iron’s family then arrived aboard a Polynesian boat and dispersed Andy’s ashes into the ocean where he had lived his life. As the ashes were being spread a helicopter circling over the surfers dropping flowers and petals onto the ocean and the surfers below as thousands others watched and cheered from the beach. Once the copter left the circle slowly broke and the surfers and the paddle boarders came back to the beach through an ever increasing surf one set at a time.
Originally, I was just going to take a few photos of the scene but the emotional outpouring changed my mind. I’ve done a lot of documentary work before so my instincts took over. I wanted to show the environment, the diversity of the people and the the sense of loss that the surfing community suffered.
A collection of the images can be found at: http://zwinkftp.com/aimemorialhtml/
ANDY IRONS, RIP…….
The King and Lucille
I love looking at old shoots I have done. My career so far has been in the newspaper industry, the sports world and now in the corporate and architectural realm. I, like so many of my counterparts, have covered a myriad of events that have helped shaped my career and myself as a person.
Music is one of the sources of enjoyment, enrichment and creativity that is part of our daily lives. It is the stories real or unreal of our daily live that the musicians have created to share with us. It evokes emotion.
One of the finest bluesmen ever is B.B. King. I had the honor of photographing him when he was 79 years old during a concert and meet and great afterward. What a treat. The music was great. In fact, I left there wondering as good as the show was how good he must have been 30, 40 or 50 years ago when he was in much better health. Or……. is music, like photography, like good wine, better with age? Nothing beats experience and passion, they just enrich our lives.
After the show I had to take meet and greet photos of the VIPs with The King and Lucille. After finishing B.B. looked over at me and smiled and asked “Would you like a picture with The King and Lucille?” I’ll never forget that.
*** the techy stuff. Shot with a Nikon D2X, iso 1600. Image processed in Lightroom with personal presets ***
My other work can be viewed at: www.zwink.com
Eye on the Iphone4
I finally ordered my Iphone4. It should be here early next week. I can’t wait. Finally it appears it has a camera that is actually useful. I have not actually tested it but I have used each generation’s camera and cried…… For a high end phone there was never anything high end about the camera. Can you believe not one version had a flash? My wife’s cheap $99 camera phone had one, but not the Iphone, until now. The new Iphone4 will have a 5 megapixel camera, digital zoom capability and a led flash. Can’t wait to play.
I’m not convinced there is any professional use for the phone except for scouting photos and creative fine art. Don’t get me wrong. There has been some great “art” produce and posted on the web. One of the top photogs creatively using the Iphone is Chase Jarvis who not only has shot jobs with the Iphone but has written a book and App about the Iphone. Here’s a link to his blog: /blog/2009/09/the-best-camera-iphone-app-book-community/ If you like to shoot photos with your phone check it out.
I’ve been trying to do more personal shooting, but I can’t take my D3 with me all the time, I want to stay married. So the Iphone is the choice for me. Because it’s really limiting it make you use your imagination and creativity more. I don’t think that I would ever use one on a job, I’m not that crazy, but it sure is fun when there’s no motivation to shoot other than to have fun.
Hopefully with the Iphone4 I won’t have to take a separate pocket camera or separate video camera. Less, is definitely better. I can’t wait for it to arrive. Maybe eventually there will be an Iphone photo on Zwink.com.
The lead photo is of a maniquin photographed in a store display window in Kauai, Hawaii with a Apple Iphone 3G
My other work can be viewed at: www.zwink.com
The Double Bird
When do you take or not take the photo? Whether or not you are a professional at times this can be a dilemma and potentially create problems for you. Hopefully if you’ve pondered this question ahead of time you won’t freeze when it’s your time to capture that once in a lifetime photo. As my mentors often told me, it’s easier to delete or throw away a photo than it is to not have one to start with.
I previously worked for the San Diego Padres as one of two contract team photographers. My assignment was to cover a fundraiser for the Hall of Champions featuring two of the best hitters ever in baseball, Ted Williams (right) and Tony Gwynn. Going into the event the premise was simple. The patrons for the evening would be able to have their photo taken with Mr. Williams and Mr. Gwynn and then later enjoy a discussion on the art of hitting. Simple concept? No……
Hall of Famer, Ted Williams was passionate about hitting. He had a profound respect and enjoyed talking about the art with Tony Gwynn. Apparently either he wasn’t told about the photo shoot, or he didn’t care. All he was interested in was talking hitting with Gwynn. Each time someone one came up behind them for a photo I would have to say something like, ” look here sir, look here Ted, look here Captain” to get his attention. Finally “The Splendid Splinter” got fed up. Without any hint he went ballistic and angrily blurted out “I show you something to look at…..” and proceeded to award me the double bird. I shot the photo without hesitation. Needless to say William’s handlers rushed in to stop him and calm him down. Gwynn and John Moore’s nephew (the boy behind them) were shocked and later Gwynn would laugh and joke about it. After a few minutes we continued shooting the last few guests and moved on to the rest of the evening’s schedule.
After the film was processed and printed the image was circulated to the ownership of the Padres. It was decided that even though it was a great photo that it would not be released or published until after the death of Mr. Williams. However, several prints were made and given to a select few.
I have great respect for the subjects in my photo. However, I am first and foremost a photojournalist. Without the photo, often times there is no story.
Technical notes: Shot with a Hasseblad ELM and a 50mm lens on neg film using Dynalites. The image above was scanned and color corrected in Photoshop from an 8×10 print.
My other work can be viewed at: www.zwink.com
Old archives and sports images are on: www.bigstudioz.com
Catching the Storm
SINGLE IMAGE HDR:
HDR photography is not always a product of three to seven separate images. Nor does it have to be overdone to loose the effect and value of the hdr. The image above was taken during a visit to my home town in Kansas. Having been there previously I knew there was the likelihood of a potential nice landscape image at sunset, not to mention a high probability of catching a fish or two.
Shortly before this image was captured on a nearby field they started burning some native brush. This gave the perception of a gathering storm and gave texture to the sky. As I was ready to start shooting the big fish struck. My host Glen quickly came over to reel in the fish. With a slight reposition to the right I was able to capture this image as the fishing rod was bent over lined up with the cloud formation from the fire.
In postproduction I brought the files into Lightroom. I made two virtual copies and then adjust them to give three distinct images for the highlights, midtones and the shadow detail. After merging them and adjusting them in Photomatix we had the sunset, fishing shot and a thank you print for my host.
My other work can be viewed at: www.zwink.com