Cancel Culture

Just a post that I commented today about an article on Fox about discussing the Cancel Culture here in the US

Truth is the cancel culture advocates have been systematically dismantling the foundational precepts that the USA was founded upon now for more than 50 years. The fundamental idea that our rights are derived from our creator and not man has long been under attack.

Life (taken away instantly by abortion) Liberty (mass electronic surveillance everywhere) and the pursuit of happiness (made more difficult each year as fundamental rights are abused or taken away) is under assault. America is trending towards socialism.

Harvest Fest Portraits

These shots are from the 2019 Lake City Church of God Harvest Fest. I feel its important to give back to the universe in some small way so I set up a background in one of the Sunday School rooms, bring my C-Stands, light modifiers, lights, and my old workhorse body; Canon 7D Mark II. This was my fourth year doing this for the church and kids.

The church had a good turn out and it was the first time for me using one of those cheap vinyl backgrounds but the kids loved it. I utilized battery operated S1’s. One 24×24 soft box as a key light on my right and a 12×55 strip box (left of subject) which I covered with a red gel for some colored rim lighting. You can see the red light in some, not all of the shots because people were moving through so quickly I just didn’t have time to adjust every shot. Anyway here they are!

 

The one and only is currently working on a video production for a local church here in Florence, SC which is celebrating 150 years. I just finished a portrait shoot with one of my new David Maheau custom backgrounds I have being dying to use. Hope to post some images if I get permission, soon.

Today I am off work and editing some video interviews for a large video project that I’m behind on. Lots of footage! The large Central American mob is making its way to my country’s southern border and protesting and burning American flags along the way. I’m sure I know what party organized this fiasco.

Helping a fellow videographer and friend out tomorrow on one of his projects. You know who you are. Thanks for the work!_JD

Urban Teen Series with GRACIE

This shoot was part of genre-based idea I had. I call it the Urban Teen Series. Creative lighting elements were employed to convey different moods and a melancholy-type emotional impact. I was looking for a runaway teen in the city look. Its not nearly as cinematic as I had hoped but it was, after all, a trial run. I am still working out the creative lighting aspects with my new lights and modifiers. Getting more comfortable with your equipment is crucial. Especially when you only have a limited time to shoot. This day I had about 90 minutes but managed 3 locations nearby in the city. Thank You to our lovely model Gracie and her Father for allowing me to share these portraits with my fellow VLOG peeps!

Coming Soon. Gracie has agreed to a Graveyard shoot. The location has been selected for some time and the graveyard site I will be shooting in was in a feature movie. I will be using my gels, more lights, and other fun stuff! I will elaborate more later. Stay tuned. _ JD

 

 

 

Gown and Gun Senior Shoot

High School Senior portraits do not have to be boring. In this case we have Ben. A young man graduating 2018 here in South Carolina.

Shooting outdoors on-location always presents challenges and this day in late April was no different. The very open location was selected due to the genre and our client’s passion for hunting with his Browning shotgun. The last week or so I had scouted on many days a nice “fiery red” skyline here during the magic hour. Perfect! Red would work for hunting. Great for the hunting ambience that I wanted to create.

The day of he shoot it was overcast and the clouds never moved out so I knew things would not be going as planned. I took along my 500 watt strobes. I also had a speed light with a 24″ Hexi Box.  My camera body choice was my Canon Mark II with a 28-70 Canon “L” lens attached. The portraits with the cap and gown I simply captured out in the open field (an active cotton field) with my subject Ben sitting on a stool. I used my Hexi 24″ soft box modifier with my speedlight inside. My great assistant “Margie” was my grip. I went to manual on the flash and most images were shot near full power. (Note: I only had a 430 EX II inside). On some of the creative lighting with Ben and his shotgun I placed a soft strip box (love that modifier) with a directional grid and 500 watt strobe, camera right. Since it was overcast and getting darker by the minute, I asked Ben to turn more towards the strip box in order to illuminate his face a little better. Portrait composition near the truck was different.

Shooting the truck and Ben was difficult simply because the truck was so large and the black color really absorbed the light. Here I utilized my 500 watt strobe and my 47″ deep parabolic. This gave me a large key light to work with. I simply had to experiment here and would move the large parabolic around to camera left. Most of the time I shot around or near f5.6, 250th, and ISO 100. Needless to say I was pumping out some strobe power but oddly enough stayed around 1/2 power. Thanks to Ben for allowing me to share these images and we are already discussing a second and entirely hunting genre-themed photo shoot.

Twilight Car Shoot

Being a portrait photographer can be a tough gig but its so exhilarating to learn new and creative ways to light and shoot. You’ve simply gotta love photography.

Lauren and Steve wanted their portrait session to include their new Hyundai Veloster Coup. Oh Boy! What to do? At first I was concerned about the color of the vehicle and after some serious thought decided to shoot the session during the magic hour. I think it worked out pretty good. Both Steve and Lauren were very sharp and were quickly striking various poses that myself and my assistant had created, like seasoned professionals. This was the first time using both of my brand new battery powered strobe units together’. I situated one 500 Watt strobe with a 47″ Deep Parabolic  with the outer-diffuser removed and simply left the inner-diffuser which is inside the parabolic (to avoid hot spots). This was my key light. The other strobe (fill and combination) was equipped with a Cheetah 12×55 strip box modifier with directional grid. I was very pleased with the quality of light from both modifiers when used in combination with my new strobes. After nearly a 1.5- two-hour session, my new strobes still registered a full charge! Awesome! This was the first shoot utilizing my larger light modifiers and I have more on the way! The lighter images were shot a bit earlier I utilized my Canon speedlight with my assistant hand-holding a 24″ Hexi soft box.

I have a mid-December wedding and think I will utilize some really sweet translucent umbrella modifiers. This shoot was lots of fun but when that sun starts sinking? Its a race against the clock. I got so excited composing and firing away (as it grew darker) that I completely ignored my modeling light function, on my strobe-remote, which was mounted right on top of my camera hot shoe. Sigh.

Upcoming shoots are a December wedding, an urban fashion-type shoot, and includes a unique graveyard shoot which I am very excited about but is still in the planning stages. Studio 63 did manage to get our models costume ordered this weekend. 😉 (Get ready Gracie!) I love the creative doors that photography opens! Studio 63 is venturing into video more and more as well. More on that later. _ JD

 

Bird, Bird, Bird, Bird is the Word

A couple years ago I got the wild idea it would be interesting to start a new hobby. Bird watching sounded good. I purchased a decent pair of Bushnell (waterproof, just to make sure) binoculars for 100 bucks and set out to spot some bird species as well as flora and fauna. The great outdoors! I didn’t see many birds the first few weekends with my new (waterproof) binoculars. I became bored rather quickly and soon those Bushnell’s were gathering dust on my closet shelf. Shortly thereafter I relocated from Missouri to South Carolina. Surely there were birds in the south. I also thought to myself that there must be an easier way to view birds other than walking through the woods and searching the tree tops for whistling sounds or flying creatures rustling the limbs. Eureka! ( As Archimedes once exclaimed) I have it! So guess what I did? I set up a bird feeder in my front yard. I had more birds the first day than I did in weeks of tree-top watching with those Bushnell’s. My first seed was a variety seed which attracted many birds but I learned very quickly what most birds really love. Sunflower seeds! Sunflower seeds seem to work the best and I am well on my way to identifying nearly 20 different species of birds in my little bird community and having a great time. Photographing birds is a bit trickier. Even with a telephoto lens patience is not only a virtue but a must! But the rewards are well worth it. I still use the Bushnell binoculars and I hope you enjoy (just a few images) I have recorded here this summer here in Florence, South Carolina.

CLIcK on First Image to VIEW ALL Fully!!! 🙂

Disclaimer: I have done my best to identify these birds properly. I do have a B.S. degree but I’m certainly not an ornithologist. Please feel free to comment or correct me (I won’t be offended) if I have made any errors. I am still learning. Birds are kewl! Photography is the bomb!

Betty the Northern Cardinal – This is Betty when she fluffs herself up

Betty the Cardinal deshelling a sunflower seed.

Pretty colors female cardinal

Here is Betty the Cardinal posing for the camera

This is what Betty looks like when she raises her crest

– Purple Finch

I yi yi! -American Goldfinch

What are you looking at. – Purple Finch

Female House Finch

Here she is with a sunflower seed

Carolina Chickadee

Am I a boy or a girl? – Carolina Chickadee

My little Carolina Chickadee

Chicakdee Flyaway

I’m just gonna take this, okay? – Oak Titmouse

Sunflower seeds again?

Oak Titmouse

I call this my Punkrocker bird

Punkrocker bird frontal view. Love the lighting here.

Summertime in SC

Unknown wren or sparrow?

A great shot of the elusive Carolina Wren

OK, I’ve got what I came for – Wren

Dove is hungry

Oops ! Guess he’s not scared of me?

How did you like that photographer?

But I’m scared of Mr. Barney the Northern Cardinal

Get lost dude!

It’s good to be King

That’s right! I’m Bad.

Here’s looking at you kid

Just nosing around – Mourning Dove

Barney the Northern Cardinal

Dove in hiding

Feamle cardinals are not bright red like their male counterparts

Betty at the feeder

Betty heard the shutter of my camera and this is the look I got

Smile for the camera

Betty loves attention

Abstract – Fly Away

Fakebook

Is Fakebook good for your business? I guess we (Studio 63) are about to discover if placing promotions or ads, spending hard-earned casheola, and advertising on Fakebook is really worth it.

Studio 63 recently placed a paid promotion to “raise local awareness.”
Only time will tell.

Update 7/21/2017 I figure we got about one interaction per 1000 people. That’s one person visiting my Fakebook page or clicking on a post. I have quit advertising on Fakebook. I’m not certain the cost is worth it but I’m certainly not an expert on social media.