Oscar

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Welcome to my neighborhood

I had the chance the other day to work on my series Welcome to my neighborhood. I photographed Oscar, I try to give him odd jobs from time to time around the studio cleaning up. You see people like this everyday and pay no attention to them. Oscar is an Ex-Vet and lives in a half way home in Gardner, if your from RaleighWood, you might recognize him, he was on the Uncle Paul show a few time doing his magic.

events and snap shots

I'm not big on event and snap shot photography, but you got to pay the bills. Most of the time I have alot of fun.....

Black Beard

Some shots for NC OurState Magazine of Kevin Duffus and his new book. 3 Profoto heads 2 w/umbrellas the other 20˙ grid.

phone phone phones

phone phone phones and more phones ......... 2 soft boxes lot's of white and black cards and retouching ......

more tears sheets

more printed tears sheets ........

Eran Salu Business Leader Media Small claims court

I've had my own studio for almost 15 years and never had to take anyone to court to get paid, but I guess times have changed. I had a great relationship with Business Leader Magazine for the past 7 years, but in 2007 the publications ( Business Leader Magazine,The Park Guide, Triangle Real Estate, Women in the Triangle,Corporate Relocation Guide) were bought out by Eran Salu of Business Leader Media. I had not been paid for the last 2 shoots I did for them
See old post below -
http://breganphoto.blogspot.com/2007/10/she-could-of-crapped-her-pants.html
http://breganphoto.blogspot.com/2007/11/flat-lighting-again.html

After continued attempts of trying to get paid ( mail,email and certified mail ) I was forced to file a claim in Wake County small claims court. It's not the money it's the PRINCIPAL.

I'll keep you updated as to the out come. This is all new to me, I've never had to go to court before. If your curious about past cases with Business Leader you should go down to the public access terminals at the Wake County courthouse and type in Business Leader and see if you get any hits. That's what I did.

some tear sheets

I actually got some printed tear sheets the other day. A shoot from Vincent Shoes for Hannah Anderson. I wish I would of gotten some shoes for my kids.

Jones Street

On my way into work I pass by Jones street in the morning and it's still dark. They are in the process of tearing down afew buildings, I thought it was sorta funny that the windows are all busted out and the lights are still on ? I went by the other evening and snapped some shots.

Barber Shop

Got around to going through some images from my shoot in Clinton. All shot with available light. What no strobes ???

liquid

A day of liquid and pills. I know it looks like honey. We tried afew different things oils,soaps and ended up using glycerin.

GOP

Shots for Great Outdoor Provision Company and there new bag. A fun rig foam core,plexiglass,cotton batting,bricks,old towels and alttle fishing line.

23 phones 80 shots

23 phones 80 shots, retouched and dropped out ...... my hand still hurts from the clicking option.

fuel cell medical stuff ???

the products begin ....

Headshots

Yea ...... some headshots not on a white background.

Cray fish 2

For the second part of the story on crustaceans, I photographed Dave at the Haw River. You can usually walk across the river from rock to rock, but we've had so much rain lately the river was high and the water level came up about 6 inches in the hour we were there. From were Dave is standing it's about a 4 foot drop off into the water.

attack of the crayfish 1

Images from a story on the keeper of crustaceans. I did take a blue background with me ....

One of those days .......

So it was one of those days ...... I've been holed-up shooting in the studio for almost a week products,products,products, and had a location shoot today. I was really looking forward to getting out. Did I mention my court case ? It's now going to the distric court and has turned into a copyright infringement and fraud case. More on that later. I got a shot list and spoke with the agency. I get a call yesterday saying the art director won't make the shoot and I'll deal with the in-house marketing guy. They email me the address and the road is spelled wrong, it's an "E" not an "O". That took 20 min. to figure out, thank you MapQuest. I arrive alittle before 9AM and nobody has a clue as to why I'm here. I call the in-house guy's number I've been given, it's his home number. About 9:45 he shows up, sorry our office moved. We drive to the new office, I just need a 3/4 exterior shot of this building. Here's direction to our other office 45 min away, see you there, Bye..... Half building is in sun, half in shade. Do you think if you were doing exterior shots of a building you'd look at the direction of the sun ? It'd be a good shot at 7AM. I shoot the building from the other side..... I drive to the other office, same thing 3/4 exterior shot of the building half in sun half in shade, never mind the full parking lot. Headshots, here's a space about 10 feet X 10 feet. No problem ... I split 400WS and still shot @ f/11. We need some new shots of the CT room, were behind schedule with patients, you have 10 min., Sorry you can't set up any lights .... Just another day ..... grabbed afew cool quick shots.

BBQ

I got a chance to revist the past. I'd shot this BBQ joint back in 2004, back than I used a Nikon D1X/SB-28 and a SC-17, Hmmm... times have changed. I had a vision of what I wanted to capture in the smokehouse and was pleased with my results, small umbrella camera right and 30˚grid backlight, high quality AB and an old school Vagabond. Did some shots inside, this was the fist time I cranked up my ISO on the D3 to ISO 800. I must say I was very surprised with the low noise in the files.

parking garage

I came into the studio very early the other morning and I pass by this parking garage everyday. It'd been raining for the past few days and was full of water. I didn't have time to stop, so I got up early the next day. Most of the water was gone but still afew puddles. I'll have to wait for another big rain .......

Ovation TV

All last week Ovation TV had a couple of series on about photography. I was glued to the TV and had the DVR going. There was one series about street photography and it was so refreshing to watch. Sometimes I forget how much fun going out with just a camera can be, not having to worry about strobes/packs/scrims/cords etc. Little Joe's Barber shop was taken while roaming the streets of Clinton. Would the image of been better if I'd taken the time to set up a backlight ? Would the spontaneity of been lost ?

waiting for the sun

I was waiting for the sun while in Clinton and went to the local museum ......

jewelry store

Shots for an article on a jewelry store in Clinton NC.

Restaurant shoot

I had to shoot a restaurant for a food/style article. I shot some images during the day, brought alot of strobes and packs and shot during the day. The images just didn't feel right, so I went back that night with just my camera and tripod and shot available light. The results really captured the mood and atmosphere of the place.

kitchen style

Did some shots of a kitchen, and they wanted to show high end appliances.....

software

Hung out at a software company the other day for some office shots and headshots.

Cancer Survivor 3

This was the 3rd shot in the series of cancer survivor's, showing a fun active lifestyle. This series has been both uplifting and depressing at the same time.

out-takes and test

I've been shooting alot of editorial and sorta fun fashion images lately and I've noticed I like my test shots and out takes better than the real shots. I don't know what this says about me as a photographer or if my talent is trying to hard and it looks forced ?

Jump jump jump

Had some free time the other day and worked with a model. I had some ideas for some action shots. Hard light from camera left and back.