Elldub Photography

The hike up Rattlesnake Ridge

2011-07-11T13:57:00.001-07:00

Last weekend meant a break in the recent wave of Saturday photo shoots, so I was able to do a lot of the random fun stuff around the house and around town. So when Heather suggested that we go on a Sunday hike, it sounded like a great idea. The weather has been fantastic lately, and lord knows exercise is always good. So Heather, our little dog Tokey, and I joined up with my buddies to ascend the 4 mile (mostly vertical) Rattlesnake Ridge trail just east of North Bend, WA. The photo to the left was taken at the trail head and looks up at the peaked destination.

The pace we established during our ascension wasn’t exactly that of a nature walk. My buddies were subconsciously going for time, and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Poor Tokey, who likes to spend hours smelling every little object, was having a hard time keeping up. Even though I began the hike keeping pace with the dudes, about 80% of the way up I started feeling reeeeally tired. Turns out, a knit hat and sweat shirt can add to fatigue when hiking on a warm day. So I removed them and continued the remaining distance. Heather and Tokey stopped on occasion to meet the dogs going the opposite direction, which was a nice reason for us all to eventually slow down a bit.

We made it to the top in good time, and took a seat to enjoy some lunch, WATER, and the pretty amazing view. We were also able to snap a few fun photos (mostly to document this experience). The day was amazing. Not too hot, not too cool. There was some light cloud cover that made a much more dynamic photo subject, and cast shadows on the expansive landscape beneath us. Such a sight.

If I had camping gear, I might’ve suggested an overnighter in order to avoid the return trip, but alas we were ready to get a move on.

Bummer of it, was that Tokey was so exhausted from the trip up, that he was determined not to take another step until he was good and ready. He’s still pretty much a puppy, so we didn’t have the heart to force him down. Although, if he were a larger breed of dog, I’m not sure we’d have any other choice. Thankfully, Tokay weighs 12 lbs. and conveniently fits in my backpack (he’s very much not a purse dog, so this was something we learned on this trip).

He did surprisingly well in the back pack. I guess it beat walking. I only had one loss of footing on the way down. I started to fall backwards, but dropped a knee instead. Tokey’s alright and he wasn’t all that concerned, but my knee got chipped up, and Heather showed some motherly protectiveness (which, in retrospect, was kinda cute).

The rest of the way down was a breeze and Heather and I were both able to pause and capture some photos along the way. I typically photograph people, so scenic shots present a challenge. To me, it’s hard to take a unique and interesting scenic shot. That said, here’s a few from the trip. Enjoy!!!

3 shoots in one day: The other Seattle marathon.

2011-07-06T11:18:00.001-07:00

One in the morning, one studio shoot in the afternoon, and a third in the evening at sunset. Wah wah we wah… that’s a lot of photos in one day.

A couple weeks back, I overbooked myself. My ambition got the better of me, and I accepted three shoots in the Seattle area on a weekend during which all main streets were closed due to Seattle’s Rock n’ Roll marathon. Needless to say, it turned a challenging day, in to an almost impossible one.

Don’t get me wrong, the results were very much to my liking, and to my knowledge all clients were pleased with the outcomes. That being said, it was definitely a challenge to meet my standards, and my promised timeframe for delivering final images (one week)… but I did it. Please, please, no applause.

The first shoot was my second with this family. The Pinters recently brought little Jimmy in to the world, and since then he’s grown so much. For this shoot we ventured out to West Seattle and incorporated the family and some props a bit more. Jimmy Jr. is always so expressive. He looks around with such curiosity, which makes for some great shots. Toward the end of the hour, he started growing impatient which allowed me to capture the obligatory “crying” shot. There’s a photo of me as a crying baby, and it still lives on in infamy.

The next photo shoot at Maya Whole Health is below the break.

The second Shoot of the day took place inside Maya Whole Health. This establishment is a yoga studio and health spa. In addition to yoga classes, they offer massage, facials, hair removal, and more. They recently decided to undergo a website re-design, and needed images for this project that showcased the feel of the studio and their fun, low-key, and friendly culture. In addition to two large studio spaces, a hand full of service rooms (for massage, facials, etc.), and changing rooms, they also have a large retail floor that’s full of yoga supplies, books, clothing, and knick knacks. I did my best to capture it all.

Final photo shoot below the break.

To finish off this three-headed dragon of a day, I drove back in to Seattle for an evening shoot at Kerry Park. This patch of green is positioned half way up Queen Anne, and looks directly out at the space needle, Puget Sound, and the rest of the Seattle skyline. The happy couple requested some quick and basic shots in honor of their engagement, and wanted to complete them prior to the groom-to-be shipping out to Afghanistan. I was happy to oblige, and believe the results demonstrate just how beautiful the couple and the setting were on this particular day. Out of respect for the couple’s wishes, I will only be posting a few of their photos.

Still booking appointments for this summer, so if you’re interested in photos for you/your loved ones/your business/your family, you can email me from my website www.elldubphoto.com.

-Elldub

Taking on the world of Fashion Photogrpahy

2011-05-03T12:44:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have spoken with me about photography over the last few months, you’ll know that I’ve been eager to try my hand at fashion photography, or even something more professional (studio with model + hair/makeup). The goal in mind was to try for something that looks at least semi-professional. To date, I’ve focused on lifestyle portraiture and haven’t really connected people and dots to book something more commercial. This changed a few weeks back after talking to an acquaintance of mine who sells vintage clothing through an online story called “Lady Go Lightly Vintage.”

Mostly taking photos of friends wearing the clothes in her back yard, the online vintage clothing site needed something a little more flashy to showcase the brand while also highlighting a few of the seasonal pieces currently for sale. We agreed to set the goal of building a look-book for her spring and summer pieces. A formidable challenge, indeed.

A friend of mine, Miguel Vigil owns FoxyCut Salon and CleanCut Barber shop in Seattle. He offered his salon as a backdrop and staff for our hair/makeup needs. With clothing, hair/makeup, and a location, we were on our way. The missing piece was models, but that turned out to be the easy part. Turns out between everyone involved, we had to trim our list of eligible models.

I spent the time leading up to the shoot studying various lighting techniques and reading up on a variety of methods and styles. I soon realized that I needed some better lighting equipment if I was to pull this off in a way that met my expectations. So a trip to Glazer’s Camera Rental was in order.

I ended up getting two strobes, a large soft box, and a soft box strip. I knew the basic techniques to lighting but have only used lighting kits on a handful of occasions. I needed to test this out to get the feel. Fortunately, Miguel also offered up his house and a role of butcher paper for a makeshift studio, and made a call to a model looking for portfolio photos. So we ended up putting together a full-fledged studio shoot in only a couple of hours.

Our model, Allison, arrived within the 30 minute time span in took us to set up. Hair and make-up began and soon enough, the experiment was underway.

Allison had done runway modeling, and this type of shoot was relatively new for her as well. This made her a perfect choice for my first attempt at a studio shoot.

Overall, I soon found a rhythm which allowed for the direction and shooting to flow. Allison had a lot of personality, which made the shoot a lot of fun. We went for a couple different looks, which added a little depth, and benefited everyone involved. I could direct a bit differently, Miguel could vary hair and makeup slightly, and Allison could demonstrate a little bit of range. Below is a taste (click the thumbnail for a larger image).

The lighting equipment was obviously critical for the studio shots. As we geared up for our main shoot for Lady Go Lightly, I expected this to hold true. However, I was surprised that I ended up liking the outdoor shots the best. All I needed for those was a simple diffuser, something I already had (and every photog should have). Silly me.

The big day arrived, and we all met at the salon to begin hair/makeup and setup for the shoot. Being a vintage women’s clothing brand, the salon was also perfect as our backdrop. With a few vintage props, we set out to create a contemporary spin on this vintage brand.

With four models, the prep work was a little more elaborate then we had planned. Each model spent roughly an hour have hair and makeup done, but the results were pretty solid. I went with a clean, bright, and slightly warm look for the photos. Something that conveyed a mood but also looked quazi-catalogue. I feel pretty good about the results. Below is only a taste. With over 1000 photos taken since Friday, I’ve got quite a few more to go through. Love it.

It was a fun weekend.

Special thanks to:

Miyoko Kogita and Miguel Vigil at Foxycut Salon .
Our models: Erin, Alexis, Darci, and Margeau. And to Allison for being our guinea pig.
Lastly, thanks to my friend and photo assistant Corey Ball.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek of the look book!!!

-Elldub

Weekend-o-Wine

2011-03-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, my girlfriend turned 26. Actually, on the 26th of March my girlfriend turned 26 making this her “golden birthday.” I was admittedly unfamiliar with this notion of a golden birthday I was born on the first of July making my first birthday “golden.” I’m sure it was a good one. Despite my ignorance, I was able to get the take-away…. this is a bigger deal than the average birthday. So after a lengthy planning process, I had a weekend of celebration planned.

Last Friday evening, we kicked off the festivities with an old fashioned surprise party full of friends and family. Which was a blast. The reaction on her face was priceless. True and total shock. As she moved around to mingle with folks and get her obligatory birthday cocktails, time ticked by. When it approached 9:30 I suggested that she finish up so that she could go home and pack. She looked confused (as I hoped she would). I then informed her that we’d be going to Portland that night in order to do a chauffeured tour of the Willamette wineries. She was excited – again, as I hoped.

All of this is stated as a way to set up the photos from the weekend. We stayed at The Nines in downtown Portland, and enjoyed a very relaxing weekend. The wine tour and the hotel were brilliant backdrops for photos. Even Heather continued to experiment with the camera.

-Elldub

Sample of my photos:

Sample of Heather’s photos:

Photo Safari With Heather

2011-03-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

For those in the know, I’ve been with a wonderful woman now for over 7 months. We met while I was photographing her sister’s wedding and since, she’s seen me take thousands of photos. Being a creative person herself (especially with fictional short stories) She tried her hand this weekend at photography. I loaned her one of my DSLRs, helped with the settings and post-production, but the composition, focus, etc. is all her. Not too shabs .

We started taking photos before breakfast with some friends at Seattle’s Portage Bay Café in South Lake Union. Despite the long wait, we all stuffed our faces before Heather and I roamed the city for photos. Despite her vast experience as an iPhotographer (one who takes artistic photos with their iPhone), she hadn’t really ever used a DSLR. I started her out on AUTO and Aperture priority. My hope is to eventually get her to shoot manual in RAW. Baby steps…. baby steps. I think she loved testing her more critical eye to look for things that normally might go unseen. She also worked hard to grasp some compositional elements and had some success as a couple of her photos demonstrate things like vanishing point, and the rule of thirds.

She seemed to have a good time during the shoot, but it remains unclear if she has any interest in the post-processing work. Thus, I don’t think I need to worry about her being with me in order to steal my trade secrets. Imagine if that were the case. She’s be disappointed to learn that there aren’t any . SEE HER PHOTOS BELOW

-Elldub

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HEATHER’S PHOTOS

Jack & Addy

2011-03-07T15:52:00.001-08:00

What a fun morning this last Saturday. It was a beautiful preview of the Spring to come. The air was relatively warm, the sun was bright and shining, and the city of Seattle was very picturesque. An excellent backdrop despite the direct late morning sun.

Although the photo shoot with Sarah, Addy, and Jack was cut short, I think we managed to sneak away with a few keepers. We’ll likely have another shoot in the near future.

Take a look, comments are appreciated, and if you’d like to have some photos taken of you and/or your loved ones, you know where to find me.

-Elldub

Earth, meet Jimmy Jr.

2011-02-28T16:29:00.001-08:00

Dear Planet Earth,

Meet Jimmy Pinter Jr. a 3 month-old boy with a curious and playful disposition. My friends Jim and Jenny recently brought this little guy in to the world, and wanted to document his infancy with a brief portrait shoot. Despite being so young, Jimmy was very well behaved with the camera in his face. He didn’t get at all fussy until the end, and by that time we were ready for that part of the photo shoot (since crying photos are somewhat of a “must-have” in my family). Taken in the living room of their West Seattle home, the photos are the result of 100% natural light diffused by the thick NW cloud cover. For most of the shoot, I used my 50mm f1.2 canon lens. It is simply unmatched for portraits in semi-low light situations. ISO set to 100 the entire time, and the variation was

limited to shutter speed and aperture.

I spent just shy of an hour on this shoot, and with a few costume changes, I was surprised at how dynamic little Jimmy’s photos were. He’s very expressive for a 3 month-old.

Nevertheless, I tried to capture those things that make people “awwwwwwww” when they see a baby. Hands, eyes. and feet certainly seem to be some of those things. As a result you’ll notice a focus on those attributes.

This has sort of been a trend in my recent shots. I’ve really tried to find new ways of drawing attention to a specific portion of the photo. Selective focus has been my favorite way of achieving this, as indicated by the photo to the left.

There was so much to love about this shoot. Also, it’s the first of many to come that involve an infant/toddler. For the next several weeks I’m pretty booked up, which is exciting for me. That being said, don’t let that stop you. Don’t forget that I am still offering a special on portraits; a flat $100 rate. These portraits can be you, your family, your children, whatever. It’s a fun time and a great gift. Tell your friends.

Focus, Textures, Exposure…. OH MY!

2011-02-17T12:40:00.001-08:00

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately exploring interesting ways of adjusting old photos I’ve taken. I’m planning to move to a new apartment in the next few months and I decided that I’d like to have a few of my photos printed large and hanging on the walls. This first wave of edits utilizes exposure, contrast, texture and selective focus.

The first photo was taken this past new years in NYC. I think the selective focus lays out a clear path for the eye to follow, while the blur offers a surreal feeling.

On the same trip, we walked through Central Park and I captured this interesting piece. I think the selective focus, and texture give this an intimate feeling.

This photo is from a Golden Gardens photo safari. Again, selective focus, texture, and contrast teamed to give this an interesting subject. I find in most of these types of photos, the subject is often the people. However, in this case it happens to be a rock and the people are ghostly images in the background. I don’t know why, but I enjoy that aspect.

The Hipsher Boys

2011-01-31T11:42:00.001-08:00

This was a fun photo shoot. In an incredibly supportive move by my boss (the one at my REAL job) he hired me to take some photos of his boys, Dom and J.D. We visited Pine Lake in Sammamish, WA which turned out to be more dynamic a background than I had originally anticipated. Between the playgrounds, fields, docks, and beach, we used this hour quite effectively. The boys were incredibly patient during that hour, but I think the cold weather eventually got to them. It was indeed VERY cold. I wasn’t well dressed for that.

Armed with two loving parents, and pockets full of fruit snack bribes, we began with some posed shots, but we soon found that spontaneity could work to our favor. As the boys ran around and played, there were more opportunities to capture them being who they are, happy and curious little boys.

At times, they weren’t too sure of the bearded guy with the camera (me), but they indulged my presence which allowed for me to get sneaky, capturing them being themselves. This became easier toward the end of the shoot, when the boys could throw rocks in to the water.

The feel I went for in this shoot was different than my usual, more stylized shots. I typically use altered color tones and fading to covey mood, but as I started to try that for these photos it didn’t fit. There was something special in these photos… personality…innocence….something. It didn’t require heavy post processing to be interesting. I change my approach in favor of something more honest, colorful, bright, and something that highlights the spirit and innocent curiosity of boys. I felt pretty good about what we were able to do in an hour.

I think the youngest boy, J.D. was intrigued by the camera. He would give me a spry yet curious look. Like he was studying something.

Normally in these types of shoots, I’d provide some heavy direction in order to get the boys to play/laugh/etc. However their natural being, with a bit of prodding/encouragement from the parents, created something more than I could have directed on my own.

Another piece that was different about this shoot is that I took almost all photos with my fixed 50mm f1.2. for the close up photos, the goal was bokeh, and it was achieved in most of the shots. In others, selective focus was the goal. I think if you review the photos from this shoot, you’ll notice those two compositional themes throughout.

There are quite a few more online, but included within this post are some of my personal favorites, so far.

Remember, I’m booking sessions now at a flat rate of $100.

If you’re interested, you can leave a comment or email. Enjoy! and comments welcome.

-Elldub

A walk through the farmers market and experiments with a tilt shift lens

2011-01-24T14:06:00.001-08:00

This weekend was the first in sometime without significant rainfall in Seattle. As a result, my buddy Steve and I hit the streets of Ballard (a neighborhood in Seattle, WA) to capture whatever struck our eyes. Steve recently purchased a Canon 5D Mark II, and was eager to hit the streets with it. So we set out to roam for the afternoon. During this time we began swapping lenses between our two cameras, like similarly-sized sorority sisters do clothes. Fascinated with what I’ve seen people capture via tilt shift, I chose that lens first.

For those unfamiliar with a tilt shift, it allows the photog to adjust the focal point and the perspective of the shot. The lens slides up, down, left, and right to adjust virtually all compositional elements. The desired result is one where the image has areas of blur, and areas of crisp focus. It can look a little unnatural at times, but in other cases it can draw the viewer’s eye to a specific location.

In this case, you can clearly see that the brick wall on the left is blurry, likewise the far right side of the image, and the small glimpse of the sidewalk above the stairs is also a blur. However, the railing and side of the house are perfectly in focus, leading the viewer’s eyes slowly up the stairs.

This image was taken as part of an idea I had… a series of photos called “I was here.” The series would be shots of props/iconic items that are associated with characters (both real and fictional). For example, the title of this photo is “OJ Simpson was here.” I took a different shot with a feather titled “Forrest Gump was here.” You get the idea. The real reason I post this is to again illustrate the effects of the tilt shift. Note the areas of blur and those in focus.

The remainder of these photos were taken using my fixed 50mm f1.2. It’s a great lens. Enjoy!!

-Elldub

Phun with Phoster

2011-01-13T10:49:00.001-08:00

Using a bunch of my favorite photos and a new app called “Phoster” I build a series of fun posters that I think highlight some of my photographic works. One of the below photos is from a trip to NYC for New Years Eve. More on that coming soon.

-Elldub

Most viewed photos of 2010 (and a special treat)

2010-12-10T14:24:00.001-08:00

Here we go, my most viewed photos of 2010. I’ve also included a little treat at the end for those who make it to the bottom of this post.

#10

Also, a little treat for you. My friend, Annie Jantzer is in the running to sing the new Seattle morning show’s theme song. This story on her features some photos of Annie, taken by yours truly.

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Lindholm

2010-12-08T11:52:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was busy. Huskies beat the Cougars, Ducks beat the Beavers, and Seahawks beat the Panthers. While all of this great football was happening, two people ended a mere two week engagement with a lovely wedding in Puyallup. That’s right, they planned a wedding in two weeks.

The groom, Phil, is a buddy who owns Troubadour Studios (a couple recording/practice spaces in Auburn) decided one day that he could no longer stand not having Lori (a lovely UW grad with a heart of gold) as his wife. He proposes and two weeks later BOOM… man and wife.

The ceremony took place at night by candlelight in a little chapel in Puyallup. It was absolutely beautiful and intimate for the audience, but a HUGE challenge for my camera. Shooting with only one camera body, I was forced to take most of the photos with my fixed 50mm f/1.2 lens. The exposure (for the most part) turned out just okay, but the variation of shots was a HUGE challenge. While it may not have been easy to adjust the frame, it forced me to move around more and try for some interesting shots. While not my best work, I feel good about the result given the rough conditions.

The Groom:

The Bride:

The Bride & Groom:

Surprisingly, there are quite a few more photos. Perhaps enough for another full blog post, we’ll see. I still have to share the most viewed photos of the year; something I look forward to reviewing at the end of each year. Stay tuned!!!

-Elldub

Got a question?

2010-11-30T11:00:00.001-08:00

I’ve noticed a growing number of my photography friends taking more of their photo lives online. Most have a blog, almost all have a portfolio-style website, they regularly promote their stuff on Facebook and Twitter, and they actively engage their fans. So what’s Formspring?

Formspring is basically a social network built as a forum for questions and conversations on various topics. My photog friends have been very active on the site lately, answering a range of questions. Everything from “what lens do you prefer?” to “how do you direct your clients during the shoot?”

The subsequent conversations are fascinating. So I thought I’d join the mix. Got a question about anything Photos/Music/PR, I’m your guy. Want to know how I built this shot?

Just click below and ask

http://formspring.me/Westcoat

-Elldub

My most interesting 2010 photos (as determined by Flickr)

2010-11-29T12:36:00.001-08:00

For those not familiar with Flickr, the site offers a variety of ways for you to track the relative success of your photos. Views, number of comments, number of times your photo is “favorited”, and a proprietary ranking dubbed “Interestingness.” While the most viewed and commented photos are often the flashiest. The photos with “interestingness” are often understated.

As is typical for me at the end of the calendar year, I like to look back and post the various top 10 lists as offered by flickr. Below is the first, and is of the most interesting photos as determined by flickr’s proprietary algorithm. Enjoy!

#1: Alexis the Bride

#3: Heather in motion

#9: Up late with Kati- Brunette edition

#10: Bowl full of sky

-Elldub

Fall for Heather

2010-11-09T11:46:00.001-08:00

In a valiant effort to get out during the daylight hours and get some new photos, my lovely girlfriend offered to accompany me through Seattle’s arboretum. It’s basically Seattle’s version of Central Park. There are paths throughout, and it truly shows the seasons. With daylight savings time arriving this past weekend, there wasn’t as much daylight as we might have liked, but in the couple hours we spent there I think we were able to get quite a few solid photos.

We first met at her sister’s wedding, where I was the hired photographer. From that event, I can recall walking around (as photographers do) and trying to snap a photo of her laughing and/or being goofy. The reception ended that night, and when I reviewed my shots from the evening some of my favorite photos were those in which she was laughing or being animated (as she is known to be at times). I’m very pleased that several of these photos captured that same side of her.

The above shot was something I took, knowing full well it would be selected for a few local blogs and It was. I really wanted the colors of the leaves to come through while also keeping the feel of the shot authentic and warm.

I just like this one. No artistic reasons…. just do.

This was an experiment. She’d flip her hair back and forth or up and down. I’d set my shutter speed to a fairly quick setting and snap a series of shots. Then it was simply a matter of adding a zoom layer mask and painting back in the subject. I left some of her flipped hair with the zoom effect in order to keep the subject and the backdrop looking like they came from the same shot (as they actually did).

I very much love this shot. I look at this and think about how when we get older, we have a few portraits of us in our youth that we point to and remember how good we looked/happy we were/etc. I believe this has the potential to be one of those portraits for Heather. I also like the bokeh on the right side of the image.

This shot was a random, spur of the moment idea. I had originally thought of shooting this at the base of a tree, with her laying on the ground. However, it had rained a great deal the day before, and having her lay on wet moss/leaves didn’t seem like a fair request. Thankfully, a nearby park bench provided a dry location for a similar shot.

This was a more straight forward version of the “hair flip experiment.” A friend of mine said “If Heather releases a record any time soon, this would be the cover.” Personally, I think we could come up with something a little more creative. After putting it through my signature styling process, it reminded me of the Spiegel catalogues my mom used to collect and keep in the downstairs restroom. Strange association, I know. Either way, I liked the photo.

This next shot was one of the three big experiments of the shoot (for those counting along at home, I plan to show the third at a later date, since it tests the limits of my current Photoshop knowledge). To create this shot, I fixed my camera in a single location, and had Heather pose in several different locations within the frame. I was careful to prevent her from posing in a position that would overlap too much with the previous ones. Then I placed each photo in to a single Photoshop file as layers. I created layer masks for all but one and painted each shot of her in to the original background image. My goal was to make this look like a single shot; meaning that I maintained a single focus area throughout. This is why the Heather standing on the right is less in focus than the one standing on the table. Also I wanted to make sure the shadows of her on the table were her actual shadows (and not recreated). The result is one I’m okay with. I will likely try this again at some point.

-Elldub

Good News & Bad News

2010-11-05T11:28:00.001-07:00

Good news: I now have Photoshop on my computer.
Bad news: I still don’t have a lot of time in the daylight hours for photo shoots.

What this means is that I’m forced to dig through the ol’ photo archives in order to satisfy my hunger for photography. I hope to find some time and some decent weather this weekend, but we’ll see what I get. Below are a few photos I ran across where I hadn’t (but possibly should have) edited. Enjoy! Comments are welcome.

-Elldub

www.elldubphoto.com

Three More Random Photos

2010-11-02T15:51:00.001-07:00

I’ve been really behind on blogging and taking photos. I plan to do more VERY soon. The good news is that I’ve finally gotten Photoshop CS4 on my computer, which means I’ll have some fresh photos that are hopefully a little more reflective of where I’m creatively at these days. Happy Fall!!!!

-Elldub

Finally… fresh photos

2010-10-08T21:22:00.001-07:00

Here we go. After a several week hiatus due to various technical issues, I’m back with some fresh photos from our trip to the Puyallup fair last month. Work at the day job has me a little burnt out on writing, so I’ll just get to the photos. Enjoy!

And what’s the deal with these clouds?

2010-09-27T12:14:00.001-07:00

This Seinfeld-esque title is meant to poke fun at how obsessed with clouds I’ve been lately. With fall among us, the clouds provide a ever-changing backdrop to the things I look at every day. This has prompted me to go back through some of my portfolio to dig up my favorite cloud photos. Truth be told, I’m waiting to get Photoshop back on my computer so that I can process some of the photos from recent weeks. This just seemed like a fun topic in the meantime. If you feel so inclined, please share a link in the comments section to your favorite cloud photos.

-Elldub

Photo booths & delays in blogging

2010-09-21T12:12:00.001-07:00

Why are photo booths so much more fun than sitting for a portrait? Can anyone explain that phenomenon? Is it due to the partial privacy provided by that tiny black curtain? Is it the Polaroid-esque quality of the prints and how casual they are? I don’t know, but I know that most people seem to find joy in them.

So as you can see to the left, there’s a good reason for my delays in blogging. But with a few concerts and the Puyallup Fair on the horizon, there should be some fun updates shortly. If you recall, it was a year ago that I posted some of the shots from the fair. To this day they remain among my favorites.

In short, I’m basically saying “continue checking back for photo updates from yours truly. I’ve only begun to photograph ;) Also, if you’re looking for senior pictures, wedding photos, engagement photos, modeling portfolio shots, etc. You know who to call.

-Elldub

An Unbelievable Weekend

2010-08-31T11:29:00.001-07:00

It is for a great many reasons that this past weekend stands out among the others. That being said, spending Saturday and some of Sunday in Eastern Washington proved to be truly amazing. The sun was out, the temperature was perfect, and the sky was populated with the most brilliant clouds I had seen in some time. The colors just seemed to pop more than usual. Good thing I had my trusty camera at my side.

The spot we picked for photos Sunday morning is called “Feathers”, but you won’t find any signs to point the way. Before Interstate 90 existed, road travelers used to traverse the “Vantage Highway” which connected Ellensburg to Quincy. The road ceased to exist when the Wanapum Dam was built in the Columbia River and flooded the part of the road that crossed the canyon. The obscure location known as “Feathers” exists on that old vantage highway, east of the Columbia River, and is not frequented by vehicles the way it once was. This makes it a brilliant space for camping, rock climbing, and photography. Several vertical, stand-alone rock formations shoot out of the ground parallel to one another. Each forms it’s own climbing wall. It’s an amazing sight, especially on a day like last Sunday. Below are the photos, enjoy!

- Elldub

Sun setting on summer

2010-08-30T11:47:00.001-07:00

Lately I’ve had several fantastic opportunities to take some more scenic shots. Seattle can be ridiculously beautiful in the summer. With my camera at my side on some adventures these last few weeks, I can finally start to post a few of the amazing things I’ve seen. These few below were taken from Alki in West Seattle. The water (for you non-locals) is Puget Sound.

Coming soon, I hope to share some of the photos taken this past weekend from the Columbia River Gorge. Stay tuned.

A Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock: Westcoat Family Edition

2010-08-17T14:03:00.001-07:00

I recently took a trip to Bodega Bay (about an hour north of San Francisco) for a long weekend with my extended family. This sleepy coastal town didn’t have much going on, but it was once the setting for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most well-known films… “The Birds.”

In the 1963 film, an affluent San Francisco socialite sets her sights on a man from a rustic, Northern California town. This town also happens to be ground zero for bizarre bird behavior (that’s alliteration), and people soon fall victim to attacks from large numbers of violent birds. The film won an Oscar for Best Effects, and Tippi Hedren won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Female Newcomer.

On my list of Alfred Hitchcock favorites, this surely ranks in the top three. So you can imagine how a visit to the setting of the film would inspire me. Fortunately, I had plenty of family around to serve as models… they have a harder time saying no. :)

So with this setting and these models, I set out for an afternoon shoot. The goal of which is to pose my models with the intent of flexing some photoshop muscle. We found the actual schoolhouse used in several key scenes from the film. The photo on the right gives you a glance at the location as it appears in the film.

At the time the film was made, the building was condemned. Since then, its been purchased, renovated, and lived in by a few generations of a Bodega Bay family. Since this is a photoshop bonanza, I have also included the original images so you can see what I’ve done to them. Enjoy! And please share comments.

(Original Image)

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(Original Image)

concept complete but still didn’t feel quite right.

With just a little extra hint of drama

(FINAL Image)

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(Original Image)

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(Original Image)

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(Original Image)

(Final Image)

- Elldub

Preview of The Sargent Nuptials

2010-08-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

I’ve got LOTS of photos to come. In fact, I’ve only begun to filter through the 1700 photos taken. However, I’ve been so excited with how some of these turned out that I simply had to give you all a taste. More to come, but for now… enjoy!

So… what do you think?

-Elldub

It’s Wedding Season!

2010-07-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

In case you haven’t noticed… it’s wedding season. This means some fun photos are on their way. I’ll be attending several this season (since I’m sort of “at that age”), starting off with this beautiful couple below. MJ & Alexis :)

The groom, MJ, is related to a young lady whose wedding I photographed last year in Maui. No? See below.

Naturally, in preparing for this weekends nuptials, I have to look back at previous weddings to remember what worked, what didn’t, and what precautions/lessons I can incorporate this time around. Here are a few of my other favorites. This first round comes from a college friend of mine. She had me out to Anacortes, WA to capture her wedding. You can read more about that here.

The few photos below come from the first wedding I photographed. Good times at Ray’s in Ballard on the Seattle waterfront. Read more here (also my first blog entry).

-Elldub

Back From NYC

2010-07-26T14:51:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends.

It’s been a while since I’ve written. The day job has me pretty busy. Just a couple weeks ago I spent the week between New York and Washington DC. It was SOOO humid (especially for a Seattle guy), and I was in back to back meetings most of the time, but I still managed to escape for a few quick snaps of the shutter. Below are a couple of them.

Stay tuned next week, I’ll be photographing this beautiful couple’s wedding!!!! Lots of great photo works on the horizon.

Hope you’ve all had a great July!!

-Elldub

Bucket of Honey photo on TheSunBreak.com

2010-06-23T14:16:00.001-07:00

Don’t worry. I will eventually stop bragging and get back to writing substantive posts. This was a fun exception since not only is this a photo creation of yours truly, but it’s also a band with which I have some managerial involvement. Take a listen. http://www.bucketofhoney.com

Thanks again to TheSunBreak for posting my photographic creations.

-Elldub

Fremont Arts Council Uses “Living Solstice Statue”

2010-06-22T09:35:00.001-07:00

Very flattered to report the use of a photo I took at the Fremont Fair/Solstice Parade. Thanks to the Council for the “double wow.”

See my recent post to learn the story of how this photo was taken and created.

-Elldub

2010 Fremont Solstice Parade – Seattle WA

2010-06-21T13:13:00.001-07:00

Color tone and texture were dramatically altered/enhanced in this image. When I opened up the original photo for the first time to determine if it was a worthy candidate for editing, some of the subject’s body lines caused me to recall some of the renaissance statues (like THIS or THIS) I had seen during various trips to museums in those countries. Upon that realization, I made it the goal to make this woman appear even more statuesque.

Here is the original image:

First I reduced the saturation for almost every color (except for red, green, and blue). This made her skin ivory white, but preserved the hue in her cheeks and lips. I left a little yellow in order to draw contrast between her top and her skin. From there it was a typical editing process; boost contrast, raise exposure, apply some shading, and lastly the texture.

This is the texture I chose to apply to the image. I applied it as a layer mask under “Multiply” blending mode and painted back some of the skin to reduce the texture in those areas.

In the end, I felt pretty good about the result.

Here are a couple more shots from the 2010 Fremont Solstice Parade in Seattle, WA.

Actress Shoot: Allison & Lisa

2010-06-09T13:42:00.001-07:00

Allison is on my championship winning Trivia team. So when she mentioned that she wanted some photos taken, I was obviously up for the fun/challenge.She brought her friend from LA (also an actress), and the three of us spent about an hour running about town snapping photos.

Here are some of my favorites. They aren’t the typical “headshot” but I assure you, they exist. See below, let me know what you think, and tell your friends :).

Sasquatch 2010: So good, it’s unbelievable

2010-06-02T11:38:00.001-07:00

I’ve been attending the Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge in Eastern Washington for the past 6 years. Never, have I had such a good time. The lineup was amazing, the weather was pretty perfect, and my brother Alex got a gig drumming for The Long Winters for a mini-tour.

I have been a fan of The Long Winters for nearly as long as I’ve been attending Sasquatch, so this was an awesome and mind-blowing experience for me. The band played an amazing set on the Sasquatch main stage on Sunday. Afterwards, the whole group of friends present at the show gathered together backstage and in VIP luxury for a toast and a celebration. This was easily the highlight of the trip. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. So proud of my bro.

Other bands that killed it (in my opinion) include;

- Minus the Bear
- The Dirty Projectors
- Band of Horses
- Dr. Dog
- Passion Pit
- The Temper Trap
- MGMT

There was sooo much to enjoy this year that it was almost overwhelming. it was a good thing we had a nice place to stay near the venue, and plenty of vacation time stored up for the detox/recovery. See more photos below. Enjoy!

Minus The Bear

Friend Alex Dunn

Comedian Corey Ball

Vetiver

Friend Kristen

The crowd for The Long Winters

Alex doing press backstage

John Roderick of The Long Winters

Alex & Kristen backstage at The Gorge

The Gorge

John Roderick of The Long Winters

Vampire Weekend

This is just a pretty good metaphor for the whole event. :)

-Elldub

Elldub’s photo of “Up late with Kati – brunette edition” featured on The SunBreak.com and more to come

2010-05-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

Look below if you haven’t seen the shots from this session.

Up Late With Kati: Brunette Edition

2010-05-25T15:21:00.001-07:00

Most of Kati’s photos are from when she had blonde hair. These are the first semi-pro shots of her with her phresh look. Here’s a taste of the hour long photo sesh. I think they turned out alright, especially considering it was 2:00am at my apartment after an evening with buddies at a bar. In post production I was really trying to manipulate the mood through tones. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Like em? Want more? Say so in the comments!

Back From NYC

2010-05-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Hello!

As I mentioned in my last post, I know I've been a little inconsistent with my blogging as of late. As the weather improves and the workload at my day job slightly subsides, I should be back on schedule. At any rate, today I wanted to share some of the shots from my recent trip to New York. I was there on business, but since I always have my camera close by, I managed to snap off a few shots here and there.

During the subway shoot I became even more convinced that I am ready to upgrade my camera. I currently shoot with a Canon Rebel XTi. This is a great starter camera, something I’d recommend to any photo hobbyist. I think I’ve been able to capture some pretty decent images with it. However, the ISO on this thing is really inadequate for anyone going for quazi-professional. In darker places I almost always have to use artificial lighting… even with my 50mm f1.4 or else I suffer the bummer of a very noisy photo. So it’s time for an upgrade.

Take a look, and as always, comments are appreciated.

I will also be posting a few photos from Washington D.C. in coming days. Stay tuned!

-Elldub

more to come…

2010-05-08T18:21:00.001-07:00

I know it’s been a few weeks since I last shared some fresh photos. Stay tuned for more, but here’s a taste for now. Enjoy!

-Elldub

Seattle Center Sights and South Seattle Wishes

2010-04-19T13:56:00.001-07:00

The monorail is a pretty common subject, but I kinda liked how the EMP created a more abstract view of the monorail.

If you’ve never seen the EMP (Experience Music Project) in Seattle, it’s an interesting building positioned in the shadow of the Space Needle. The building itself provided me with several shots that seemed random at the time, but that I ultimately ended up liking. In case you missed it, the Space Needle is reflected in the sidewall of the EMP.

I boosted the colors, added a vignette, and adjusted the hue slightly to give it a sunny afternoon/evening feeling. I like the idea, but not sure this is anything I’d consider printing off.

For some reason, I just like this shot. It seems like a great desktop wall paper. The sun collecting behind the needle gives a extra-warm glow to this. The riveted sheet metal gives an industrial look to this. I dig it.

If you’ve ever driven down Airport Way in South Seattle then you could not have missed all of the crumbling buildings lining the street. This was one such building. With a stormy sky looming overhead, and the dilapidated building facade you’d think there was little interesting about such a setting.
After all, it’s pretty typical for South Seattle. For that reason, I love the addition of the dandelions. For an area of town that’s been the focus of renovation discussions, “South Seattle Wishes” seemed like the perfect title for this photo. What do you think?

-Elldub

Look for me at Louisa’s

2010-03-31T19:09:00.001-07:00

So thanks to the power of networking, a good friend of mine has hooked me up with a local coffee shop/eatery to post some MORE of my work. Any guesses as to when this will begin? Yep, the very same weekend my photos come down from Balagan Theater. Sooooooo, now I’m working on some fresh prints to line the walls of this little Eastlake Avenue shop called “Louisa’s.” Starting this Sunday afternoon, you can roll in for some Joe, some grub, and a lovely arrangement of happy, colorful, spring-time photos. Here’s a taste of what’s cookin’. Enjoy!

Space Needle Photo Featured on TheSunbreak.com

2010-03-16T12:00:00.001-07:00

I really appreciate how this local Seattle news blog has supported many of my Seattle shots. Here’s the latest. Enjoy!

-Elldub

Photo Showing this Wednesday & More of the Portland Family sessions

2010-03-14T16:09:00.001-07:00

Just another reminder that my first showing is taking place this Wednesday, March 17 from 7-9pm at Balagan Theater (12th & Pike on Capitol Hill). The photos have been up since the opening of Balagan’s latest production “The Jammer”, and the responses have been very favorable. Many pieces are already sold. So before you head out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, stop by the theater for some drinks and some art.

Secondly, I’ve nearly finished getting through all of the photos from my shoot in Portland last weekend. Below are some of my new favorites from the shoot. Enjoy!

-Elldub

Glimpse: My Saturday with the Keelings & Widings

2010-03-08T10:57:00.001-08:00

I spent last Saturday in Portland taking family photos for two of my friends at work. Both of them are moms, and both of whom have the most adorable children. The most interesting part of the day was seeing two women who I’ve come to know as colleagues and fellow professionals as mommies. It was definitely a window in to a side of them I hadn’t seen before.

The photo above was taken at their local bakery/deli and was the perfect example of this little man’s personality. He was hilarious and happy. His shirt read “I’m kind of a big deal.” This said it all.

This little one was adorable. She is still very young, but she speaks in full sentences with excellent pronunciation and diction. She just sort of walked around very sure of things. Moreover, she was quite the flirt with strangers (something I would venture to guess she picked up from her mom).

We spent the afternoon walking throughout their suburban neighborhood. This included Starbucks, a local bakery/deli, and a park. By the time we began the walk home, everyone was tired… especially the littlest of us.

The morning leading up to this point was spent with a different family on a farm just south of Portland. The kids were amazingly photogenic and managed to strike the right balance of personality and sitting still. The youngest seemed incredibly curious, and would move around looking at everything (and sometimes trying to taste it).

Being on a farm, they had a chicken coup on the premises; something their oldest son loved. We went in there looking for eggs and found one. This egg became the favorite toy for most of the shoot. Between a toy train, a couple stuffed animals, and an incredible edible egg the egg was the clear winner…. until it broke. You can still see the egg at the bottom of this shot. I couldn’t have asked for a better backdrop, and as long as mom had M&Ms, the kids were happy to sit and indulge us adults.

I haven’t yet gotten through all of the 1,130 images taken that day. These are just the initial favorites. Stay tuned for more, and definitely let me know what you think!

-Elldub

Check out www.BucketOfHoney.com!

2010-03-02T09:34:00.001-08:00

Remember that band I mentioned on this blog a short while back? No? Well you probably remember their name… Bucket Of Honey. Yep. Several months ago I photographed the duo for their upcoming record and the promotional push around it. Last night I caught up with the pair at one of their shows as they showed off the new site to onlookers. Served up at random are roughly 50 different photographs from my various photo shoots with the band. They look pretty good (if I do say so myself). Check out the site and listen to a few of their new singles;

Big day set for March 17th at Balagan Theater & taking appointments for this Sat. in Portland

2010-03-01T10:01:00.001-08:00

My first photo showing is officially set for Wednesday, March 17th. I know I know… it’s St. Patrick’s Day, however I deliberately set the start time for 7:00 so that this event would make the perfect pre-funk location… especially for those who are already planning to go out on Capitol Hill anyway. The theater is in the middle of everything on Capitol Hill.

Balagan Theater
1117 East Pike St.
Seattle WA, 98122

I will plan to have some refreshments available for those interested. All of the photos in the show will be available for purchase.

Recently I’ve attended several venues where “art” is hanging. It always blows my mind at how expensive it is. Even the most random stuff. I pledge to you that this showing will be reasonably priced. I know wallets are a bit thinner these days while our appetite for art goes unchanged.

The photos will be hanging through April 3 in support of Balagan’s showing of “The Jammer,” a play that follows the saga of roller derby girls. So nothing from the show will be able to leave until afterwards. However, if you see something that you would like to make your own, you can always drop me an email, blog comment, phone call, text, facebook message, tweet, flickr comment, smoke signal, etc. and I will happily take your order.

So tell your friends & family and come on down to Balagan Theater on Wednesday, March 17 at 7:00pm for the first photo showing of yours truly. It’s a cozy and comfortable space in a fun neighborhood.

Lastly, I am planning to be in Portland this Saturday and am scheduling some photo shoots throughout the day. If you live in the greater Portland area and are interested in family or individual

portraits, just let me know!

Looking forward to seeing you all later this month!!!

-Elldub

My photos at Balagan Theater in March!~Seattle (Capitol Hill)

2010-02-24T12:33:00.001-08:00

For those who followed the saga with my photo show last October, I have some good news. Friends at the Balagan Theater on Seattle’s Capitol Hill have given me time in March to share some of my favorite photos. My photos will be up while they’re running “The Jammer,” a play about roller derby March 11th-April 3. I am working to find a specific evening when I can have my friends out for a viewing and some beverages… So stay tuned!!!

So exciting!

-Elldub

p.s. the above photo was taken from my balcony in Seattle.

Sasquatch 2010 – Lookin’ Good

2010-02-16T11:57:00.001-08:00

Sasquatch announced their 2010 lineup. I think it looks pretty solid. Blue font bands are definitely on my list. I’ve also included some photos from my attendance at previous Sasquatch events!

May 29th-31st at the Gorge:

My Morning Jacket
Massive Attack
Pavement
Ween
Vampire Weekend
MGMT
Band of Horses
The National
LCD Soundsystem
Tegan & Sara
Broken Social Scene
Passion Pit
Deadmau5
She & Him
Public Enemy
Nada Surf
The New Pornographers
The Hold Steady
The xx
Dirty Projectors
OK Go
Drive By Truckers
Kid Cudi
The Long Winters
Minus the Bear
The Mountain Goats
Quasi
Camera Obscura
Fruit Bats
Brother Ali
Midlake
Dr. Dog
Caribou
Simian Mobile Disco
City & Colour
No Age
The Temper Trap
Vetiver
Miike Snow
Portugal. The Man
Telekinesis
Mayer Hawthorne
Why?
Girls
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Wale
The Lonely Forest
Japandroids
Boys Noize
YACHT
Freelance Whales
Laura Marling
Patrick Watson
Past Lives
Cymbals Eat Guitars
The Low Anthem
The Very Best/Phantogram
Neon Indian
Nurses
The Tallest Man on Earth
Fresh Espresso
Mumford & Sons
Jets Overhead
tUnE-YarDs
Shabazz Palaces
Fool’s Gold
Morning Teleportation
Z-Trip
Dam-Funk
Hudson Mohawke
The Middle East
Local Natives
Avi Buffalo
Booka Shade
A-Trak
Yes Giantess
Craig Robinson
Rob Riggle
Garfunkel & Oates
Luke Burbank

There is lots to be excited about for this year’s Sasquatch Festival (and I’m not talking about $11 cans of warm Coors Light).

-Elldub

A new look for some oldies

2010-02-13T19:18:00.001-08:00

I had hoped to make it out this weekend to take some fresh photos. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, the weather didn’t quite cooperate. So I decided to dig back through some older photos to see if I could apply any recent post-production knowledge to improve them. I feel pretty okay with the results. As always, your opinions are welcome.

This image to the left is the original. Not a bad image, but I feel that it lacks the drama and sheen offered by the model and the backdrop. Purists will probably like the original better.

I think the goal behind the changes to this photo, was to create something that looked more like vintage film. Something to make it unique instead of giving the appearance of another tourist photo.

That may sound harsh, though if I was shooting for a publication I may stick with the original. However, as a unique piece of wall art, the below edit felt more interesting.

This is the original. Again, a solid image. But it’s obviously a digital image with maybe a small bit of touch up. There’s no mood, or passion.There nothing artistic.

-Elldub

In the studio with Reji LeFleur

2010-02-02T22:04:00.001-08:00

Several months back, I was introduced to the proprietor of “Troubadour Studios” who had expressed interest in having photos taken of his facility and the bands that practice and record there. Since then, I’ve photographed a hand full of musical startups. I believe this session yielded my best shots of all Troubadour sessions and adds in several photographic principles with which I’ve recently been experimenting. I’m very pleased with the results.

During the session, the lead singer/guitarist, Reji, accidentally broke one of the lights in my three point kit. At the time, this seemed like a significant loss. However, it forced me to light the band with what I had remaining. It was this seemingly unfortunate event that lead to these photos. So in a way… thanks Reji. The drummer, Carl, was very expressive and funny. The band was cracking jokes in between songs, and in both situations Carl’s expressions were priceless.

What do you think?

-Elldub

Dockyard Derby Dames

2010-01-26T13:50:00.001-08:00

For those that don’t know, I’m one of those photography enthusiasts with a day job. This means that when things get busy at the office, blog posts and photo shoots become less frequent. You’ll notice that lately, I’ve updated this blog a little less. Fear not, here’s some fresh photos for you to feast your eyes on.

Last weekend, I attended a fundraiser. It was also a Roller Derby bout for the “Dockyard Derby Dames.” It was my first, and it was AWESOME. The venue left a little to be desired, but the sport and the action was incredible. I only wish I had the means to capture it all. There are so many different types of women in participation, and the supporting sub-culture seemed like a cross between WWE fans and soccer parents. It was amazing.

This is Renee, A.K.A. “Hit-o-honey.” She recently began Roller Derby and kicks some serious ass. She’s quite the show-woman too.

I got the motion blur by have a slightly slower shutter speed and moving the camera along with her during exposure.

This is Renee dishing out some pain. I know it looks like she’s getting sandwiched, but don’t be fooled.

Although I didn’t expect it when I decided to go, I found that this was the more typical Roller Derby participant. It was so fun to watch.

I spent a lot of time trying to get a shot like this that was decently exposed, despite the dim gym setting. This was probably the best I got… next time I hope to be better prepared.

This is probably my favorite photo from the event. I don’t know why. Still looking for people serious about getting photos taken! Let me know!

- Elldub

A weekend experimenting with vanishing points & depth of field

2010-01-11T13:26:00.001-08:00

Lately I’ve been obsessed with images that seem to draw the eye deeper in to the photo. There are many of my friends on Flickr that do this with ease. For me, it’s always been incidental, and rarely deliberate. So this weekend I set out to capture images that have this effect. The three methods used for this series are depth of field, vanishing point, and tilt shifts.

This first photo was taken in Pioneer Square, Seattle. the intended focal point is in the lower right hand quarter. I used a slight tilt shift to give a little blur to the perimeter of the photo, and you’ll notice that the composition has a little bit of vanishing point, provided by the lined on the canopy.

This photo also uses a slight vanishing point in the bottom right corner. However, instead of a tilt shift, the light provides a similar effect. Is is a random alley in downtown Seattle, but it could be any major American city. The truth is that I don’t know why I like this photo, but I do.

This is an example of a shot that confuses the eye. The clock face is perfectly in focus and in the center of the frame. Meanwhile, the vanishing point is placed below the clock, and the tilt shift blurs everything but the clock. They eye is drawn to the clock and then down to the bottom. You’re likely going back and forth between the two subconsciously wondering where to focus.

This might be my favorite shot from the mini-shoot, and not just because that’s my mom in the photo. The light, tilt shift, vanishing point, and lighting give the eye a clear direction to move. I took the photo but I feel myself getting drawn in. The eye looks deeper in to the alley and then around the perimeter of the frame.

For those of you who come here looking for new portraits, stay tuned. There are a few opportunities on the horizon, and each could yield some fantastic shots.

- Elldub

Most viewed photos of the year: 2009

2009-12-30T10:55:00.001-08:00

With the new year I begin my third year as an aspiring photographer. It’s been a blast having my camera at my side for the last couple years, but this last year especially. I’ve been around the world twice, been published on blogs around the world, photographed weddings, families, friends, bands, and random sites and scenes at home and abroad. I am hooked. So while I toast to past photos taken, I will take this opportunity to share with you my most viewed photos of 2009 according to my personal Flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucaswestcoat Some may surprise you, but most won’t :)

#10 – “Archangel”

This was taken in Berlin. The sun and clouds were added in post production, but I love the feel of this photo. I created a similar image without the tower under the angel. I never did anything with it because it felt like too much; too preachy.

It’s also the only photo from this year’s travels to make the top 10 list… barely.

#9 - “Siren Shipwreck”

Originally an experiment with textures and photosplicing, this photo quickly rose to the top. With Ms. O as the subject I created a faux horizon and pasted in an old cropped photo of a ship wreck. Then I added the tone adjustments and textures to unify the two images. The result is an odd, vintage look at a girl appearing to cause a ship wreck (hence “Siren”).

#8 - “San Juan House of Light”

This photo received a great deal of attention this year. It placed in the top 10 for Bing’s Homepage Photo Contest last summer. It was taken on a random road trip to Friday Harbor with a friend. It’s also hanging on my very supportive Mother’s wall.

#7 – Ms. Annie Jantzer

When she’s not playing in her band “Bucket of Honey”, Annie is a Seattle actress with a great deal of talent. When she needs some fresh headshots, she typically calls me and pays with baked goods. In addition to traditional headshots, we manage to get some portraits (like this one).

#6 – Sunset at Sucia

With all of the photos of attractive women, it really means a lot to have something like this make it on the top list. This was taken over the summer on a boating trip to the San Juan Islands.

#5 – Golden Gardens w/ Ms. O

It makes sense that this would be on the list. In terms of tones, composition, and subject position, this is definitely among my favorites. For this shot, I told her to put her head back and slowly bring it forward. This allowed for the light to hit her face in a variety of ways and accentuated her neck.

#4 - “Across a Crowded Room”

This was taken at one of the MANY weddings I attended this year. The title came from a Counting Crows song, “Long December.” The lyric is “All at once you look across a crowded room to see the way that light attaches to a girl.” Seemed fitting.

#3 - “Down to the river”

Not surprising that this photo made it on the list. Also not surprising that despite having one of the highest views, it has very few comments (unlike the others on this list). The photos from this shoot were among my favorites from the year (not this particular photo necessarily). For example, “Siren Shipwreck” also came from this session.

#2 - “Sad or Happy Tears?”

M has been among my most photographed subjects, but this one was one of the most unusual of her. The mystery has been if she’s laughing or crying. I’m prepared to reveal the secret…. neither. It was a windy day and her eyes water frequently. So I guess the title is a trick question.

#1 - “Up late with Kati”

A simple portrait of my friend Kati. This was taken at 3 a.m. in my apartment after some post concert Taco Bell; typical shenanigans for us. Who knew it would yield such a photo… that’s rhetorical. In fact, if you were able to see a little to the left, you’d see a table with taco sauce and a large beverage on top. In fact, that could be a good post; “Just outside the frame”. Look for that in the coming year.

Happy New Year!!!!

-Elldub

Fruit, Gum Messages, and a Girl

2009-12-14T10:41:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend I was able to slip in a little trip down to the market. I brought my camera, and my buddy M. She and I had taken a similar trip to the market at the beginning of my photog journey. So we planned for a series that was meant to demonstrate (to myself) how I had changed in terms of style. and camera knowledge. While there, I took in much of the rich scenery. From produce to people to famously large wall with gum stuck to it. It’s all photo-worthy here. The trick is capturing it in a way that people don’t always see.

Right as you enter the market there are a series of produce stands. The weather was freezing so the colors of the fruit stood out in the otherwise grayish-blue setting. It felt odd to see so many tropical fruits in a “local market’ with such a wintery climate. Hmmmmmmm.

M is always to patient and willing with these impromptu photo sessions. There are almost always a dozen or so that stand out. This shoot was no exception. This particular shot appealed to me because of the lighting on her face, the colors (of the windows pane, the scarft, and the door across the alley), and the enigmatic backdrop through the window.

Lately I’ve been working with tilt shifts, selective blurring, etc. This was the latest experiment. Using a blurred layer with a mask, I sharpened the subject and used a gradient to fill the layer mask. This created a tapering blur from front to back. Poor M was holing herself up. She makes it look effortless, but she’s laughing at how hard it is (and the fact that there was a used/dropped ice cream cone next to her… gross. She would’ve likely reacted more dramatically if I hadn’t just exposed her to the Pike Place Gum Wall… read on for more.

This is just a rare photo of me. I enjoy taking photos so much that I seldom give the honor to other people. Well, with M there and dying to try her hand, I turned the camera over for a couple clicks of the shutter. Here’s one of the results. Nice work, M.

For a brief moment, as we walked through the market, the sun began to show through the clouds. It was streaking down along a particular wall, and as M passed the spot, I saw the opportunity for this type of shot. M is so good with facial expression, and this shot makes you want to know what she’s thinking. The placement of the subject around the corner makes you wonder what’s about to happen.

The Market is always such a great character in photos. Pair that with M, and it’s a winner. These two photos below seemed like a natural fit.

Behold, the infamous Pike Place Gum Wall. Positioned adjacent to the Post Alley Theater, this was the logical location for theater goers to place their ABC gum. The result is a disgusting and riveting scene. One Holiday patron decided to leave a holiday message, and I had to capture it.

This one is among my new desktop wallpapers… gross, I know.

-Elldub

Caption Contest: Part Deux

2009-12-04T13:53:00.001-08:00

A few months back, I had a caption contest. Using a pre-selected photo (of mine) I asked you all to come up with a funny caption that fit the photo. As you may recall, Corey Ball won. Well, here we are again… with two photos. These were chosen at random, but I think they both lend themselves well to this. You can choose one, or both. Just make sure you label the caption so that it corresponds to the photo. Have at it, and remember… I will take points away if we cross the line of common decency.

Photo #1:

Photo #2:

- Lucas

Lighting the way

2009-11-24T13:14:00.001-08:00

For this week I thought I’d cover a couple things, the first is bragging.I have discovered another of my photos has been used on a blog. This time, one of the photos from the Pyramid Brewery party with Minus the Bear was used for a Q&A with the band’s drummer, Erin Tate. I have to say, it looks pretty good.

Secondly, and as promised, I thought I’d offer a quick Photoshop tip for those readers who’ve asked me to provide some tips/tricks. This installment will be focused on lighting & color tones. There are quite a few Photoshop tools that achieve this. The best is to take your photos in RAW format and edit in Camera RAW (or Bridge). However, in order to make this somewhat universal for folks, I will focus on the simplest ways to do this, and skip over these two methods. For this post, you will find all of these tools in the “Image” drop down menu, and then hover over “Adjustments.”

Curves -

Curves can adjust both lighting and color tones. To get to this menu, click “Image,” “Adjustments,” and then “curves.” A windows that looks similar to the image on the left should appear. In the “Channel” section, you can click on the drop down menu to see options for

RGB – which will adjust all color channels, and thus lighting.
Red – this adjusts the red tones
Green – this alters the green tones
Blue – This tweaks the blue tones

To make your adjustments, you can move the sliders on the bottom, or you can click, hold, and move any point on the diagonal line to adjust that point of the spectrum. Move the line up or down on the left end of the spectrum to adjust the dark parts of your photo. Move the line on the right end to adjust the bright sections of the photo. Try boosting the red channel (right slider up slightly), and the blue channel down (left slider to the right). The result should be a slightly yellow look. Have fun and mess around with this. It can give your photo a variety of moods (the below image was achieved through a combination of curve adjustments on a black and white photo).

Color balance -

This tool is fairly self explanatory. It adjusts the mixture of tones in your shadows, midtones, and highlights. You won’t want to go too overboard with this, but it’s a great tool for fixing areas of over saturation, color temperature, etc. Adjust these to taste until you get the look you want in your photo.

The below image uses color balance to enhance the pink and purple tones of the sky while maintaining the green of the grass. This may be an example of going a little too far with the color balance, but you get the idea.

Exposure -

This is potentially the most important tool you can use. Exposure can destroy a photo in a way color tones never could. While this tool can go a long way to correct poor photo exposure (too dark/blown out), it’s not a substitute for poor camera work. It is still critical that you know how to use and set your camera. However, in those rare cases when it just isn’t quite right, this can be valuable. The exposure slider adjusts the highlights and shadows, offset can add or remove that fine haze, and Gamma correction can adjust the integrity of your black tones. Use them wisely. Personally, I like to use Offset to add a little haze to a photo. It’s a style choice. Take the below example for instance.

Hope this helps get you started. Look for more soon, and let me know if you have specific questions or topics in mind.

-Elldub

Engagements, weddings, photos… oh my!

2009-11-18T16:59:00.001-08:00

The last couple weeks have been full of photo work. At times it’s been a challenge (poor lighting, high pressure captures, equipment malfunctions, etc), but I’ve learned a ton in the process. Oh yeah, and it’s been fun. I’ve added some photos from the last couple shoots that you may not have seen yet. Some of them are getting larger pick up (like the shot of MJ and Alexis below).

Secondly, I’m getting a few requests from readers to add tip/tricks to my posts. Would this be useful? It’s fun to get these requests, because I often ask other photographers (like Jessica Rands Kettle) and rarely consider the possibility that my photos inspire envy/questions as well. Therefore, you can expect more content aimed at fellow photogs interested in tips/tricks. So much of photography is subjective based on the intended result, so I won’t pretend to be an expert. Instead, I will simply offer insight as to how I do what I do. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section when the mood strikes you.

Enough. Time for the photos.

-Elldub

Watch Out!

2009-11-15T16:24:00.001-08:00

Dear good-looking couples everywhere,

There’s a new couple in town. MJ & Alexis.

It’s on,

-Elldub

Sneak peek of what’s in the works

2009-11-11T16:25:00.001-08:00

A bit of time has passed since I last updated the blog. In light of this fact, I thought I’d share a little preview of what I’ve been working on. I recently took wedding photos for a friend who lives about an hour north of Seattle in a town named Anacortes. It was an evening wedding with a dimly lit reception area, which made for some difficulties. That being said, I think there were some decent shots. Here’s a taste.

Thoughts?

-Elldub

A Great Wall Indeed

2009-11-04T23:43:00.001-08:00

IMG_6445 copy
Originally uploaded by lwestcoat

I was digging through random old photos the other day, and I ran across this one. It was a little over a year ago that I was hiking the Great Wall of China. I'm consiering printing this one. What do you think?

-Elldub

The Characters I Call Friends: Halloween 2009

2009-11-02T10:39:00.001-08:00

Everyone knows that Halloween offers a unique opportunity to capture people in character, and thus with their guard down. In everyday situations, people get tense when a camera emerges. However, on Halloween people’s insecurities are replaced by those of their adopted character. It’s really a lot of fun. Here are a few of my friends from this past Halloween weekend. Enjoy!

Gabbs as Hunter S. Thompson

Corey as Richie Tenenbaum

Renee as a unicorn

Wonder Woman alone at the bar

Yammering with Gabbs

2009-10-27T14:59:00.001-07:00

On rare occassion, my friends and I will travel to a random (yet somewhat close) location in search of adventure. Gabbs, who I’ve been close friends with for some time now, has somehow escaped my camera. During this adventure, she wasn’t so lucky.

And one more in honor of Halloween…

-Elldub

Fall for The Allwines

2009-10-19T11:52:00.001-07:00

The Allwines are among some of my favorite people. Mr. Allwine, an IT.marketing guru and amateur photographer, and Mrs. Allwine, a widely successful copywriter, you can imagine that they had a vision for their “fall family photos.” Leading in to the shoot, we rescheduled twice in order to allow for the leaves to fully show the signs of fall. With slight color adjustments made in post production, I think we landed a look of early fall.

Their aren’t any little Allwines… yet, but the couple was sure to bring their two dogs. Having to also direct animals was a bit of a challenge. However it made it so much more satisfying when a shot actually turned out well. The dogs also made for some comedic relief at times (like the last shot in this series). Take a look and, as always, let me know what you think!

-Elldub

It’s a Pyramid party, Minus the Bear

2009-10-13T17:26:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, the Pyramid Ale House hosted a huge party in their back lot in Seattle to release their season brew “Snow Cap.” Entertainment for the night was provided by Rocky Votolato (check out his song “White Daisies Passing”), and the emerging northwest rock group Minus the Bear (get the joke in the headline now?). The evening was a blast, and there had to have been close to 2,000 people there. Over the course of the night, I think I have photos of most of them… at varying states of sobriety.

I was able to capture several groups and goings on throughout the night, but I will keep this post to just my favorites. If you’re interested in seeing them all, you can navigate to the Pyramid Brewery Flickr page.

What do you think?

-Elldub

A little treat sneak preview – Minus the Bear

2009-10-12T10:17:00.001-07:00

I know I haven’t updated the blog in a few days. I’ve been preparing for my first photo showing, happening this Friday. It’s a bit nerve racking, but I’m definitely excited. I’m also receiving a lot of photo work lately, so I’m swimming in RAW photos waiting for the magic touch of post-production, which means there’s a lot more where this came from.

With that I submit to you, a sneak preview of my shoot at the Pyramid Brewery’s “Snowed In” event.

Stay tuned for the results of these shoots, and if you find yourself in Seattle on Friday and looking for something to do in the early evening, let me know!

-Elldub

New twist on an ol’ favorite.

2009-09-30T15:35:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love this photo. It so accurately represents my mood this time of year. Interestingly (or not) is that it was taken in the spring time despite working so well for fall. This is the lighthouse on the southern end (I think) of San Juan Island. If you live or visit the Pacific Northwest, then I highly recommend a day trip up that way. It’s beautiful.

-Elldub

Doing the Puyallup Fair

2009-09-28T11:30:00.001-07:00

As I have resolved for myself, I am taking more opportunities to take random photos of scenes that occur every day but whose subtle beauty, or irony, or humor eludes most in the moment. This is a sample of photos from the final weekend of the Western Washington Fair in Puyallup. You can see the full group of them on my flickr photostream. Enjoy!

-Elldub

Fresh coat of paint on some oldies

2009-09-25T16:26:00.001-07:00

I recently upgraded my computer and lost several of my photoshop actions. Something that’s truly devastating for any photographer hoping to develop a sense of personal style. On the flip side, it helps me try some new things. Since I don’t have new photos to try them on. I opted to scroll through some old ones to see if I could make some magic happen and breathe life in to some old stale photos. What do you think?

-Elldub

Random Tuesday

2009-09-22T11:19:00.001-07:00

It’s been about a week since I’ve actually taken more than a few random photos at a time. Without a lengthy shoot, I rarely see the need to off load the photos immediately. So for the last week or so, I've compiled quite the random assortment of photos from a variety of moments from my week. Enjoy!

-Elldub

Getting closer…

2009-09-18T10:25:00.001-07:00

Here’s what I’ve got so far as options for prints available at the October showing. It’s based on feedback from you guys, but there’s honestly too many to print. So I need to narrow it down just a smidge. Take a look at the slideshow and jot down your favs and let me know what they are. Thanks!!!

-Elldub

I NEED YOUR HELP

2009-09-17T11:29:00.001-07:00

So I am approaching the deadline for getting photos printed and matted/framed for this upcoming show. This weekend I plan to search for cool frames. However I still need suggestions for photos within my portfolio worth printing. If you find that you have time and want to help a brother out… please take a look at the following link and comment on this post with links to your favorites. As an added bonus, I thought I’d share with you this brilliant video for Oren Lavie’s new single. Enjoy, and thanks in advance for your help.

HELP ME CHA CHA CHA CHOOSE!!!! <----click please!

-elldub

My cousin Macy

2009-09-14T17:29:00.001-07:00

The weekend came and went too quickly. I was able to escape the city and drive down to the Oregon coast. While down there, I took several photos of the scenery and of my family. Look for the scenic photos to come. For this post I thought I’d share some recent photos of my second cousin, Macy. She’s adorable, despite being fearful of men with facial hair (like myself, which I’ll have to change if I decide to take more infant photos). Here are a few of my favorites.

-Elldub

Oh Ms. O

2009-09-09T11:10:00.001-07:00

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that some of the most popular photos from the past several months are of this model, who I call Ms. O. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m eager to take more portraits, and when I go more than a few days without fresh content to edit, I begin to look through shots I hadn’t used for some overlooked nuggets to experiment with. In the evening I spent taking photos on her, I believe I ended up with 500. In my haste to re-touch and post photos, I overlooked these three. I remedied this issue and in a fit of boredom touched them up last night. What do you think?

Open your throats: More “Bucket of Honey”

2009-09-08T10:47:00.001-07:00

This weekend I was supposed to see WAY more music than I actually did. However I still managed to take two of my four days and devote them to some musical delights. One of these days was spent with my good friends from “Bucket of Honey.” If you haven’t heard of them yet, don’t be too concerned. This was their first full set at a live show. But if you’re ever in the mood for a refreshing blend of comedic banter, innovative covers of disco/rap/rock classics, skilful song writing, and shear talent, check them out at their next show or online. I caught up with the duo in the green room at the Sunset Tavern for a mini-shoot. Take a look, and when the website is up take a listen.

The “Dave Hill” Style

2009-09-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

Several weeks ago I posted my first and only post that showcased another photographer’s work. That photographer was Dave Hill. Since then I’ve begun to see his stuff everywhere. There are pages of online photography forums that try to dissect his style and reverse-engineer it. There are just as many sites and blogs that claim to have cracked the formula. I am not prepared to make such a claim, but I did give it the ol’ college try. Conclusion; It’s tough. Take a look and tell me what you think? Am I getting there?

-Elldub

More photo-manipulation

2009-09-02T10:03:00.001-07:00

It seems if I go more than a few days without fresh photos to mess with and perfect, I start looking back and getting deep on photo manipulation. This time around I took pieces of three photos and extracted elements to create the final product.

ORIGINAL IMAGES:

Using the two rock formations as the backdrop, the clouds to add depth, and the subjects in the last photo, I assembled a photo, but it lacked a uniform element. Meaning it still looked like three separate photos. Using the texture brushes in Photoshop, I added a distressed/hazy look. Then I added a warmed tone and voila!

FINAL IMAGE:

What do you think?

-Elldub

More of the islands and a reminder to book now!

2009-09-01T11:12:00.001-07:00

Just had to share a few more from the boating expedition last week. It was amazing. All that being said, I’m pretty well spent on scenic shots for the time being. I’m ready for some more portraits. So if you need headshots, portraits, engagement, or family photos… drop me a comment and we can work out an insider discount. My calendar is slowly filling up, so do it soon while the weather is nice.

Sucia Island

2009-08-31T12:13:00.001-07:00

Last week, my best friend flew out to Seattle from Washington DC for a week of vacation. The weather being as good as it was, it only made sense for us to remove ourselves from the craziness of the city for at least a couple days. So we decided to go boating in the San Juan Islands (northwest corner of Washington state… next to Canada). Since taking a three week kayak trip several years back, this place has sort of become a fortress of solitude (yep… superman reference). Since taking this trip, I typically make it up there at least once a year for some relaxation and reflection. Last year, my dad and I took a boating trip through the islands and up to the Canadian Gulf Islands. That was when I was only beginning my photographic journey. However, some of the shots turned out pretty well.

This shot was from that trip last year. we dropped anchor in this isolated cove for the night. Nearby there was a small opening in the land masses, and from the right point it appeared as though it were the edge of the world. Mix that angle with the shades of colors and it’s not a bad photo.

Each island has it’s own story, which contributes to their appeal. One of the San Juan islands played home to a rich and eccentric man who collected African animals and shipped them to this island as a local preserve (think Jurassic Park). As the story goes, the country’s wildlife departments and organizations didn’t like that too much, so he abandoned the project, but left the animals. So it is said that to this day there is an island with African wildlife.

D’Arcy island, in the Canadian Gulf used to be a leper colony. It is positioned adjacent to an active ship lane and people would be sent to this island to live/die. The creepiest part is that the ravens on the island are very talkative and make a wide variety of noises.

This time around we only stayed a single night in a Sucia Island bay. The inlet we chose faces west, which lends itself to some pretty epic sunsets. I stood on the back of the boat for a good 20 minutes taking a variety of shots. The water was like glass, and there were a few clouds to accent the sky, which made the shots even better.

Not bad eh?

-Elldub

To everyone who has asked for photo prints!!

2009-08-21T12:59:00.001-07:00

Today is the day I begin monetization. It's a big day, and while the process isn’t quite perfect (buttons and links are appearing in illogical places on the page) I think it’s a big step forward for me. To kick off this milestone, I’m including several of my photographs for which I’ve received print requests, or feedback that suggests they would make for good prints. This will also help me get ready for my first photo showing in October (stay tuned for more details there).

At any rate. Please enjoy.

San Juan Sun Stream:

Where soul meets body:

With these hands:

In the desert:

Watch for Signs:

Observed Loneliness:

It’s blowing in the wind:

Kirby:

Like the corners of my mind:

March Forth for Peace:

We’re nowhere, but man we’re alright:

The Opera House:

Czech Wall:

Thinking Tree:

The view through the window:

Archangel:

WWI Memorial:

BC Water Shack:

Forbidden Cauldron:

Panorama of the Louvre:

Sun King:

French Fresco:

American City:

Hear me roar:

Angel of the American Revolution:

If you remember seeing a photo on the blog that you don’t see here, just look for the blog post and there should be a link next to each of the photos that are for sale. Happy e-commerce!!

-Elldub

Bucket of Honey = Barrel of Laughs

2009-08-18T10:52:00.001-07:00

This was a fun photo shoot. There have been some very difficult shoots lately, but this one was creative, wacky, and enjoyable. Annie, who you may recognize from previous posts, recently started a band with her roommate. The sound is a mix of comedic banter, peppy and re-worked cover songs, and a small roster of original songs. I was able to catch a show last Saturday, and enjoyed the hell out of it. Seeing them perform really helped me conceptualize the shoot. As a result, I think we managed to come up with something interesting and unique to the stuff I normally take. The three main things we were going for;

- Interesting
- Unusual
- a series that mimicked the band Swell Season (from the movie “Once”)

The duo will be playing the Sunset Tavern on September 6th.

So…. thoughts?

-Elldub

Maui Wedding? Sure!

2009-08-14T13:54:00.001-07:00

Well I’m obviously back from Maui (the rumors of a hurricane were greatly exaggerated). The island was definitely beautiful, and despite a little wind and some sleep deprivation it was actually quite pleasant. I’ve spent nearly every spare moment since my return, editing the photos from the weekend. I think I’m finally at a point where I’m ready to share and tell the story of the Schneider wedding.

Last year I was asked to take the engagement photos for the cousin of a friend of mine. I had met her a couple times, but didn’t know her too well. I had just begun taking photos, and I was happy to try an official shoot of sorts. At the time, I thought they turned out okay. Looking back I feel I’ve gotten better. See the photo to the right. At any rate, I’ve since grown to know David and Melissa quite well, and I was honored that they wanted to fly me out to Maui to take photos for their big day. So several months after agreeing, I found myself on a plane headed to Hawaii with my camera gear in tow.

The day before the wedding, I drove around the island with David and Melissa to visit the ceremony site and scout locations for the “trash the dress” session we had been planning for in between the ceremony and the reception. I think it ended up taking longer than any of us anticipated, but it was a good time and we got some great photos from it.

David (the groom) was determined to set up a live video feed to webcast the wedding ceremony for people back home. I don’t think he figured it out, but he really gave it his all while we were there checking it out the day before. This photo pretty much captures the scene. David on the phone troubleshooting with a friend back home as various tech items are scattered in his wake. Pretty funny in retrospect.

When Watching David talk on the phone grew less interesting, Melissa and I walked around the grounds and took some photos.

The area where the ceremony was to take place the next day was back in the trees and was going to be in the middle of the afternoon. This meant two things… harsh light, and sharp shadows. So in an attempt to predict what that would be like to work with, Melissa stood in for a couple quick shots, I really happened to like this one.

The shadows weren’t as much an issue near the under cover area, but the lighting changed with every cloud movement, and so I found myself looking up as much as I was looking forward. It was definitely a challenge keeping my camera set to take correctly exposed photos. For every one that turned out, there’s easily six that didn’t. Eventually I had two cameras going (one with a telephoto, and the other with a wide angle) and they were both taking rapid fire photos. In total, I ended the day with over 2000 photos (roughly 16GB). That’s as much computer hard drive space as my entire college computer.

The day of the ceremony was beautiful. I woke up early and followed the bride around all morning to record the various events leading up to the ceremony. David had little to do to prepare, and since there was only one of me it was determined that I was going to be the bride’s shadow all morning. I was competing with the bride’s mother for that title. It was simply adorable as she looked on her daughter with such pride. She was so attentive and interested, this made for some great captures in the bridal suite. There were several similar shots to choose from, but this ended up being my favorite in the series.

Being in the room for a few hours prior to the ceremony gave me plenty of opportunities to search for interesting shots. The room wasn’t very big, and most of the brides maids hadn’t arrived yet, so I really searched for something to mix up the photos of the bride getting ready. As I was pacing in the room i caught a glimpse of this reflection and paused to capture it. The groom’s mother doing the bride’s hair. It seemed sweet and worthy of recording. They got along so well, and this shot captured that pretty well.

As the bride was getting herself ready, people slowly started arriving (including the groom). While the bride was changing in to her dress, I left her side to go see what was going on elsewhere. To no surprise, David was still working to get the webcam up and running…. it didn’t work. However it was at that time that it occurred to me that 80% of the photos I had of just the groom also contained a computer somewhere in the shot. Coincidence? Maybe.

The bride was dressed fairly quickly, and after a equally fast shot of tequila with the moms and bridesmaids, we were off and ready. The walk from the bridal ready-room to the garden was roughly 200 yards, so the bridesmaids chipped in and held the train while in formation and they were off. The whole way, Melissa (the bride) had an ear to ear grin on her face. It was precious. For as much as we all hear about cold feet before a wedding, if Melissa had them, nobody could tell. Certainly not the camera. This shot looks like she’s practically running to the ceremony.

As things got underway, I could tell tears were coming… and they did. I will hold from posting those photos because it looks misleading without context. There’s no question that they were tears of joy, but without being there it’s unclear. The minister who presided over the ceremony had a few unique elements that I hadn’t seen before. For example, he gathered sand from the beach and a glass jar. He gave each of them half of the sand, and together they filled the jar until it was full. It was like a Maui version of the “unity candle” except they could take it with them as a memento. Beautiful metaphor.

Before we new it, the bride and groom were man and wife and kissing. This is arguably the most important photo of the entire event. After being frustrated with several shots leading up to this point, I was relieved and thrilled to see how well these shots turned out. The lighting at that particular moment agreed with the aperture setting on my camera, and these crisp and colorful images required almost no touch-up work.

Between the engagement shoot I did for the couple last year, the photos from the day before, and everything leading up to this moment, I had seen these two kiss several dozen times. But this moment was probably the most passionate and loving I had ever seen from them. It is indescribable as you look at their faces. It either makes you think of the last time you felt something that pure, or makes you want something like that. Either way, I love this photo.

Immediately following the ceremony, Mister and Mrs. Schneider and I drove out to a couple local beaches for what’s affectionately referred to as a “trash the dress” photo shoot. Melissa loved the idea, but even though we had planned on it, I half expected her to change her mind when we got out there…. she didn’t. Despite having such strong backlighting from the mid day sun, the shots turned out pretty well. And for those of you thinking “what the hell was she doing?!?” the dress didn’t get too destroyed. This shot on the right is among my favorites because it looks as though the two are dancing in the surf. At the request of my mom (who is one of my biggest fans) I cropped the shot to just show their feet. It was a brilliant idea, I liked that version so much that I’ve turned it in to a postcard-sized image.

David and Melissa were great sports, and took direction exceptionally well, and they also had a handful of ideas they knew they wanted. This photo to the left was Melissa’s idea. It was so windy that weekend, that she knew her veil wouldn’t stay on, so she asked that we get one of just her with the veil blowing in the wind It worked out beautifully.

The walk down to the beach they chose was a little treacherous, and despite looking beautiful, Melissa didn’t want to be seen by a bunch of strangers. So we took a back trail to a more secluded part of the beach. This worked out quite well for the photos. It gives the appearence that it’s only the two of them in the whole world… and for several moments throughout the day, it was.

We had lots of time to kill as the wedding party raced to the reception location to set up. So we really took our time on the beach and I’m glad we did. I think these will be among their favorites to look back on. This shot to the right is among my favorites. they look like they’re ready to step out in to a new world. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s what comes to mind when I see this one. After capturing all we could on the beach, we drove over to the reception where everyone was waiting for their arrival. The awaiting crowd of guests attempted to blow bubbles in to the tropical storm winds… it sorta worked.

The famished crowd quickly followed them inside for food, beverage, and conversation. Soon, the sun began to set and I was forced to operate with only my flash. I haven’t yet gotten to those photos. But suffice it to say that it was yet another challenge. After a long day and little time to sit and rest, taking a moment to eat was very welcomed. The toasts were insightful, the bride and groom looked very pleased with the day, and it was soon time to eat cake and race off to the after party on the roof of one of the rented condos. After two full days of photos. I left my camera in the room and had a drink instead :).

Overall it was a tremendous experience. I learned a lot, and I’m relatively pleased with the results. While I obviously didn’t post all of the photos on this blog, I assure you there are many more. As always, let me know what you think!

-Elldub