Nice Day for a White Wedding

Weddings are always special, this one was no exception. 11/11/11, easy to remember and weather that I'll never forget. I drove through a white out to get to the location, but it was all worth it.

This was a small gathering at the Black Dog Lodge in Ellicottville, NY. The surroundings made for plenty of freedom and creativity.

The Bride and Groom didn't seem to mind the weather, so we stepped outside to enjoy the tapestry of the freshly fallen snow.

The Shadow Side Rises Again

I just finished giving a program for the Fall Conference of The Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania down in State College, PA. What a blast. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. Very special thanks goes out to Dave Piazza of FJ Westcott for his support. He came down and provided me with some amazing goodies like the new TD6 Spiderlites for my program. I would also like to thank Jana and everyone at ACI for their support and Tammy Wolfe, PPA of PA President for all that she does. Here are a few images from the day.

This was created with a Westcott TD6 and ambient light mixed in.

This was shot with a Westcott 7' Parabolic Umbrella and one TD6. I was amazed at the coverage for two people. Soft, beautiful light spread evenly across both faces.

Another TD6 in the shallow soft box

2 Days of All Lit Up

What a great workshop we had at Advantage Media Production Studio in North Tonawanda, NY. Thank you Doug Hangate for hosting this event. Special thanks to John Metcalfe from Alton, IL, for joining us. This was the first time the 3 of us joined forces to teach. We had 15 photographers attend and 10 models each day from Wilhelmina Rochester.

We also had 4 amazing hot rods to use for props. It doesn't get much cooler than that.

It makes me glad that I'm a photographer and get to do this for a living.

Beautiful girls, beautiful cars and beautiful light.

All Lit Up Extravaganza August 27 & 28

This is the ultimate educational / networking event

John Metcalfe, Dana Nordlund and Doug Hansgate, have invited you to spend an incredible weekend of hands on instruction and applying the techniques with some awesome models courtesy of Wilhelmina Rochester Agency.
This event is being hosted by Doug Hansgate of Advantage Media Productions, located at 154 Christina Street, North Tonawanda, NY 14120

Two days of shooting some of the most beautiful models in the Buffalo - Rochester area.
A day of posing and working with light, plus a second day of shooting on location.
Models and photographers will benefit from this workshop. Lighting and positioning in the light will be the focus of this 2 day event.

Participants will see, learn and apply all the techniques of this very hands on format. Your instructors will bring years of knowledge and experience to the table.

The cost of this event to you is $75, that includes lunch on Saturday (Sunday you are on your own)

Your only requirements are to give us your contact info, sign a release, participate, have a blast, and THE most important rule, ALL photographers must submit their images. (NO EXCEPTIONS)

To learn more or reserve your place, contact Dana Nordlund at: 716.569.3940

More Light, Less Gear

Making a simple head shot in the studio requires proper light placement, but stepping outside, it requires finding sweet light. For this image of Kate, I placed her close to a concrete pillar, under a covered entrance surrounded by cement and concrete. The light simply bounces all around and reflects into her eyes.

Here is the same set up, just cropped nice and tight.

For this image, I just backed off a bit. The concrete surface becomes an amazing reflector and the wind adds some magic. Now, if I could just get that wind to work on cue.

Super Monday in Rochester

On May 16, 2011, I had the pleasure of teaching a Super Monday class with my good friend John Metcalfe from Alton, IL. The program, "No Really . . . What Were You Thinking?", was hosted by Bruce Hahn, owner of Hahn Photographic. Special thanks goes to Bruce for his support over the years. Also, thanks to Wilhelmina Rochester for providing some absolutely amazing models.












Shot with a TD6 and a QFlash filling in the background






Many thanks to ACI for being the greatest lab in the world, seriously. Special thanks to Collages.net for helping me rock and to Dave Piazza of FJ Westcott for providing the new TD6 SpiderLights to work with, man are they cool.



This shot was created with window light and a TD6




The class didn't end at 5pm, we decided to give a little bit more so we took to the misty streets of Rochester and continued to shoot until 7pm. What a blast. Thanks to Alanna and Danielle for hanging and putting up with less than pleasant weather conditions.

No Really . . . What Were You Thinking?

This is a class you cannot afford to miss. Bruce Hahn, owner of Hahn Photographic in Rochester, NY is hosting this event. Weather permitting, we will explore all types of lighting.



Yousuf Karsh once said, "Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera."

Today, anyone can pick up an inexpensive camera, point, shoot and end up with a snapshot they can be proud of. How can we, as professional photographers, stand out from the point and shoot masses? We have education. We have the ability to see the image before the shutter is pressed. We have tools like composition, lens choice, depth of field and direction of light on the subject.

See with your heart. Make the emotional connection between your subject and you. It is all about the process. John Metcalfe, M. Photog., Cr., CPP and Dana Nordlund, Cr. Photog., CPP will help you to see the image before you make it. Spend a day for a hands-on class that is more about the why and less about the how. To register, go to www.ppa.com and look for the Super Monday link, sign up for course #NY30.

The Bonus Round

If you are registered for the Super Monday class, "No Really . . . What Were You Thinking" on May 16, 2011, you are invited to be our guest at a special bonus shoot-a-bout. After 5pm, the sweet light comes alive. That's when available light becomes magical. So, for about 45 minutes to an hour after our class, we are going on a safari, a photo excursion, an epic expedition if you will, to find the sweetest light in Rochester. It will be fast paced and very informal, but you will already have all the tools you need to create some amazing images. This special bonus shoot is not part of the official class, it is just a little extra knowledge that we're offering to anyone registered for Course #NY30.