Subscribe to PostsBeautiful night for a launch, perfect atmospheric conditions! This shot was taken from Tampa. (Check out these spectacular lightning shots at the launch pad when it was scrubbed earlier this week click here )
Discovery, STS 128 Launch
The Obsessive Photographer
Random ramblings of a man with a camera.
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Godspeed Discovery! NASA STS-128 Launch, August 29
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Back to school: milestones to record for your family’s sake.
My son rushes off excitedly to class with his blindingly white new shoes.
Remember when you were excited to get back to school? Yeah, I can’t either
Actually I do remember being excited to go back when I was in elementary school. You got to see friends you didn’t get to see over the summer, exchange stories of family vacations, but mostly to show off those amazingly white new tennis shoes that made you run so fast (and truly believing they did). Things were simple. Happy. A world of sunshine, Elmer’s glue and glitter.
I look at school through the eyes of a parent now, and it’s a completely different feeling. If you’re a parent you’ll understand. It’s wonderful and a little terrifying at the same time. I enjoy watching my son meet new friends, who come as easily as exchanging names. There are a few precious years when children still look at the world through glasses unspoiled by the harshness of the world. A few precious years when it’s still OK to hold their hands on the way into the grocery store, give them a hug and a kiss goodbye, say “I love you” and actually get “I love you too!” back from them.
Why didn't they have these when I was a kid?!
We went shopping with my son several weeks ago for his “back to school” wardrobe. I was in shock by how much he’d grown. Heck, I see the kid every day, when did this happen? It started me thinking about all of these things, and reminded me of the importance of recording these times. I have to save them in a memory capsule I can open when I change from “Daddy” to “Dad”, and all the other changes that go along with it.
We all need those memory capsules from time to time. They ground us, they build a stronger root structure for our family trees, but most importantly they make us smile. When I showed my son the top photo of him walking he burst out laughing. When I asked him what he was laughing at he told me “I look like a LEGO man!!” and then continued right on laughing. I’ll remember that moment when I see that photo. Maybe it’s three years from now, maybe it’s thirty. Either way it will make me happy.
Yes, I am a photographer. I would love nothing more than for you to read this, and with tears welling up in your eyes call and schedule me for a three day shoot during your next family trip to Aspen, telling me your private plane is big enough for all my gear. Yep, that would be great, I’d even carry your luggage for you
What I really hope you take from this is to shoot. Click away like a tourist at Disney World. Today’s point-and-shoot cameras are incredibly good…get one and use it! What you are capturing is your family, your life, the memories you will cherish until your final days. If it’s within your means hire a professional photographer occasionally to capture those moments, and then frame them and put them on your wall. I promise you, you’ll never regret it.
My son, silhouetted against Tallahasse's Lake Ella.
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Scrubbed Shuttle Discovery Launch STS 128: The Adventure
View from "Space View Park", Titusville, Florida
Living in Florida has its benefits. Beaches, resorts, theme parks around every corner… that’s the first thing that comes to mind when people think of The Sunshine State. All of these things are great, but one of my favorites is the space program at Kennedy Space Center. Space Shuttle and rocket launches that take off from K.S.C. are visible from a large portion of the state, weather permitting.
Space Shuttle Discovery STS-124 as seen from my Tampa home
I remember when Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on launch in 1986. It’s one of those events everyone remembers what they were doing when it happened.
I was in my junior high library in Casper, Wyoming, working on a computer the size of a Volkswagen. The principal ran in and pulled one of the media center’s TV’s out and turned it on. I stood there with the principal and librarian and watched in awe.
My wife grew up in Tampa and was outside with her class to watch the launch (back when launches were still an event to mark your calendar for). She saw Challenger explode first hand, very similarly to the way the photo from Tampa above looks. I can’t even imagine that. She can still visualize it 23 years later.
I live in Florida now and shuttle launches are perfectly centered out the back door of my house. It’s a photographer’s dream, I never get tired of watching that craft shooting through the sky until it’s just a glimmering speck…and then gone. I enjoy it every time but have never seen a launch close up.
Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-126 night launch from my home.
When my parents (who live in Lakeland) called and asked if I wanted to go over for the launch last night I thought they had lost their mind. The launch was scheduled for a 1:36 AM lift off and there was an 80% chance of favorable conditions. I wouldn’t get back home until at least 3:30AM…if I was lucky. I declined, and hung up the phone. Almost instantly I began to regret the decision. I started thinking about all the times I was sitting behind my laptop, tirelessly processing photos until all hours of the night. I started thinking about the opportunity to see a night launch, more importantly the opportunity to photograph a night launch. It didn’t take long before I was calling them back to make plans.
So the craziness took hold, I decided it would be a great idea to take the whole family and have a spontaneous adventure. Kim, a Florida native, had never seen a launch close-up either. I convinced her our 7 year-old son would benefit from the educational experience despite the late hour and school the next day, he could sleep in the car. The decision was made and we piled into the car at 9:30 heading for “Space View Park” in Titusville (reported to be the best viewing site unless you’ve got a NASA pass) [link].
It’s a short 2 hour drive from our house, Northeast across the peninsula. It became immediately clear there may be a problem as we got close to Orlando. Huge thunderheads were visible to the East, flashing an impressive lightning show. Kim was certain the launch would be scrubbed due to weather, which I immediately dismissed. This baby was launching, even if I had to light a match under it.
We kept checking the status as we continued East. The weather official reported “Green Conditions” for launch as we neared the Brevard County line. I shot Kim a smirk, I was right as usual. She scoffed, telling me she’d seen them scrub a launch for storm cells half the size of what we were watching on the radar. Looking back I believe I heard her say the words the words “there’s no way”…but I think she was talking about something else (at least that’s my story).
So we get to Space View park in Titusville and meet up with my parents who were kind enough to find and hold us a spot. As soon as I looked off to the East I was happy. Not only were the launch pad lights beaming spectacularly into the massive thunderheads directly above the Cape, but there was amazing lightning bolts firing one right after another. I was mezmerized.
I was fumbling with my gear like a freshman boy with his prom date. With every click, every twist, every setting adjustment the lightning was flashing away. I knew as soon as I was ready the lightning would stop (I’m a little addicted to lightning as my last post [link] ironically describes). I was wrong.
Cloud top lightning illuminates thunderheads over Cape Canaveral with Discovery on the pad
Kim sat with my parents and my son raced in between them and my shooting location, checking on my shots. Time melted away from me as I captured cloud top lightning illuminating the boiling thunderheads with the fan of the pad lights forcing their way into the sky. All of these shots were just the test for the ultimate goal, the launch.
I barely heard the announcement over the loudspeakers saying every weather indicator had gone to RED / NO GO. Visibility, lightning proximity, cumulonimbus proximity, 25 mile rain presence…all RED. Things weren’t good. The shuttle was temporarily masked by heavy rain falling I immediately waited for the visit from Kim. You know the one, the “I told you so” visit us guys love so much.
Things looked up for a while as the storm began to dissipate over the next 30 minutes, the crowd cheered and clapped with every guarded announcement indicating improved conditions. The excitement was short lived however, the announcement came shortly thereafter that the launch had been scrubbed. You could almost feel the crowd deflate as everyone packed up and wandered back to their cars.
My “I told you so” speech was mercifully short. I think she was happy I enjoyed myself and didn’t want to take away from it (she’s OK some time, I guess I’ll keep her). We packed up and drove back to Tampa, a little bummed out but still appreciating the adventure. During the drive we both agreed we would do it again for one of the upcoming launches before the end of the year.
So we’ll see a launch soon, and have photos to show for it with any luck. Now I have to rectify the fact that even though I’ve lived here for 15 years I’ve never been to the Florida Keys…but that’s a whole different story
The cloud ceiling drops just before the rain falls on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-128
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Photography Tips: Capturing Lightning
Palm and the angry sky (licensing available on Getty Images, click photo)
Hi, my name is Thomas, and I’m addicted to photographing lightning.
The beauty of natures fury is inescapable, but there’s more too. Growing up in Wyoming gave me an appreciation of being immersed in nature. Truth be known, if you venture a few miles out of town you didn’t have much choice, no one else was there to talk to. Releasing yourself to the power of the natural world is an often exhilarating experience, and at times a dangerous one.
I’m fortunate enough to have the perfect stage to witness and capture Florida’s violent thunderstorms, almost on a nightly basis during the summer. Living on a small lake just outside Tampa (the lightning strike capital of North America) [wiki link] allows me a great 180 degree view of the skyline as the storms roll in.
Standing on my deck, camera perched securely on my tripod, I watch the storms rage and strike again and again. If I’m lucky enough (and yes, there is a tremendous amount of luck needed here) I’ll capture something special. Lightning in a bottle.
The most important, and most dangerous part of capturing lightning is location. You need an unobstructed view of the sky in the direction of the storm. This often puts you directly in harms way of a strike. Lightning can strike miles away from the storm cloud [ref.], so use your best judgment before scampering out in the storm.
After you’ve scouted your location you need a camera capable of adjusting both the aperture, shutter speed and ISO (SLR works best), a tripod and an off camera shutter release. Also helpful if you have it is a rain cover for your camera and rain gear for yourself in case you get caught in the rain.
Important: If you are using an “image stabilized” lens remember to turn the stabilizer OFF. Small vibrations from the stabilizer will transfer to the sensor and make your shots blurry when your camera is mounted to a tripod.
Locate the area of the storm that’s most active with strikes and point your camera in that direction. If you’re anything like me you’ll be swearing under your breath the whole time as beautiful bolts strike right in front of you before you’re all set up.
OK, you’re there, the lighting is still striking, you’re ready to capture the epic image you have in your mind. The length of time between shots will guide you to your settings. I’ve been successful using the following guideline: More frequent strikes, use a wider aperture (f4 to f8), a low ISO (200-320) and a shorter shutter speed (5-8 seconds). Less frequent strikes requires a more closed aperture (f18 – f22), longer shutter speed (20-30 seconds) and a slightly higher ISO (320-500). These are just guidelines, and have a lot of variables based on your location, time of day, ambient lighting, and even cloud speed. Keeping the shutter open for a long time with fast moving clouds can “soften” your image. This can be interesting, it’s all a matter of personal taste.
Always shoot in RAW format if possible. RAW images can be adjusted much more effectively without degradation of the image quality. Over exposed images are pretty much a lost cause, but subtle lightning “tendrils” can be brought out by processing RAW images.
Electrified Stick Figure
Getting the lighting in the frame is less of a challenge than you would think, it just isn’t that difficult given you have the location, tools, and an open shutter. Getting the shot without overexposing or “blowing out” the image takes practice and skill. Small changes to aperture, exposure and ISO can have dramatic effects. The other big factor is the white balance setting. I used to use the pre-set temperatures on my camera (and available on most cameras). I have found the “Tungsten” setting works very well in most cases.
Lightning, Reflected
The real trick to doing this successfully is patience.
I’ve compared shooting lightning to fishing when talking with people about it. When the conditions are right you can catch a big one, but you have to be n the right place at the right time with the right tools. When the “fish are biting” it’s very hard to stop “fishing”, even if the weather is coming in on you. The second you decide to pack it up you will see a huge “fish” jump right in front of you, making you cast “just one more time”. This “just last one more shot” can lead to 10-20 “last shots”, often forcing you to race inside ducking for cover as you run.
I’m fortunate enough to have my own special alarm to force me inside if I’m lost in the moment. My wife simply won’t allow me to stay out too long. I’ll stop short of calling it “nagging” (primarily to prevent having thunder and lightning inside the house), I’ll just say it’s a gentle reminder of her love for me and concern for my safety. Whatever your method is, know your limits and be careful.
Shooting is just half the fun. Downloading your images to check what treasures you uncover is almost as exciting as taking the photos. It’s exciting going through each shot, waiting for “the” image you’ve been looking for. It’s a fun way to spend a stormy evening if you have the desire. Be warned though, you may just get hooked in the process.
Lightning Over The Lake (my first lightning shot)
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Engagement Sessions: An Evening with Christina & Fred
A tender moment with a great couple.
Last weekend I had the distinct pleasure of working for Christina & Fred for an engagement session. Christina found my site searching for a photographer on Google, and I was fortunate to have her select me as their photographer of choice after an afternoon meeting last month. (click here for rates & services)
Personality? Yep!
The first time I met Christina & Fred they were in uniform…they are both enlisted in the Air Force and assigned to MacDill AFB here in Tampa. The uniforms weren’t enough to hold back their personality. These two are funny! It was obvious right away we would work together really well. As I’ve said on my site, having a good relationship between photographer and subject(s) has a tremendous impact on the finished product.
The most important thing to Christina and Fred was capturing their personality. Fortunately one of the things I’m best at is bringing people out of their shell. Once the ice is broken people can relax and be themselves…and that makes it easier to get those smiles.
We met in Tampa’s Ybor City, an area rich with beautiful photo backdrops. The old brick, the rich doorways, tilework, balconies, wrought iron gates, and even the graffiti all add depth and interest to photos. These places tell a story, and they can be adapted to many individual styles. It wasn’t very long after we met in Ybor we were shooting, laughing, and feeding off of each others ideas. It was a blast.
Love Crosses All Boundaries
After an hour of shooting in Ybor we changed locations to the University of Tampa, across the river from the city. We shot there for almost an hour and got some beautiful night shots. When we were parting ways Christina and Fred asked to schedule an additional hour for the next day, which I was happy to do. We set the time and I sped off to start working on the shots.
One of the funniest things in recent memory happened on this shoot. While we were in Ybor City I knew I wanted to get a picture of Christina and Fred standing on opposite sides of a doorway looking at each other. Fred had the idea to add a prop into the picture, having both of them reading a paper. We grabbed a couple of free copies of the “Tampa Bay Times” and started shooting some test shots in the first doorway we found. Instantly it was obvious this was a great idea. Christina’s eyes peeking over the top of the newspaper sneaking a look at Fred across the doorway was priceless. I showed them the shot on my camera and we continued on.
Flash forward several hours, I’m behind my computer processing photos. I get to the “newspaper photos” considering some crops and my eye is drawn to the headline of the photo. Ice water bloomed from my heart and started to spread. There it was, emblazoned in bright red on the cover is the word “DOOMED”. How could this be? How could I have missed that at the time? More importantly, how was I going to fix it? I was mortified.
"DOOMED"
So…we meet at our scheduled time the next day. I had already posted several of the shots from the day prior in their private gallery (with exception of the “DOOMED” photo, of course). They were very happy with what we had shot so far, so far so good. I sheepishly told them we were going to have to re-shoot the newspaper photos. They were curious why and I reluctantly told them why. Their reaction was surprising to me. They laughed. Hard. I told them I would try and fix it or we would re-shoot it that day. They refused…and told me it was perfect just the way it was. Amazing. Funny. Wonderful. What a sense of humor!
We shot for an hour at the University of Tampa and got more beautiful shots. I’m really fortunate to have met these two. We had a wonderful time together and they were great models. I have no doubt their love will last a lifetime!
Cheers to Christina & Fred!
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Art Institute of Tampa, Culinary Team Shoot
Salad? No, Work of Art?
A friend of mine, Jeff Chapman, is a Chef and professor for the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Tampa [Link]. Being a bit of a “foodie” myself it’s pretty neat to have a friend who is a professional chef, it sure beats the heck out of some of my other friends who believe a burger, fries and a shake is a three course meal.
Recently Jeff asked me if I would be able to do a shoot for the newly formed Culinary Team at the school. They needed shots of the team in action, the finished plated dishes, and head shots of the team members. Needless to say I jumped at the opportunity and scheduled a session during their Sunday practice.
I met with Chef Ricardo Castro (Director of the Culinary Program) last Sunday who introduced me to the Team and gave me a rundown of what they were looking for. The student chefs were already hard at work preparing their individual dishes for the upcoming competition in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend (August 22, 2009).
Student Chef Arwin Lucardie
It was an interesting and impressive experience watching these young chefs working. The term “well oiled machine” comes to mind. The Instructor Chefs were there to guide them to the higher level they need to compete at. It was refreshing to see younger people (ouch, did I write that?) showing so much passion and focus in their approach.
I watched the action for a while, shooting the whole time. As the dishes started taking shape Chef Castro and I went to the school restaurant to set the table for the shoot. This is the first team the school has put together to compete abroad, so the pressure to perform is pretty stout.
The thing that impressed me the most was the fact these students were doing this on their own time. Chef Castro reminded me most of them are already working in restaurants in the Tampa Bay area. Spare time on the weekends is a valuable commodity for anyone working a full time job and going to school every day. It takes a lot of dedication to join a team like this when time is at such a premium.
The dishes started rolling out and were presented to my camera as if it was a visiting food critic. The salad is pictured above, and led into the appetizer below:
Delicious
Followed by the main course:
Beautiful Presentation
And last but certainly not least, dessert:
Carmelized Bananna Torte
So the question you should be asking: Did you get to eat the food? Yes, and it was fantastic. Every dish had not only beautiful presentation but wonderful characteristics. I would love to go through each dish individually, but “Dammit Jim, I’m a photographer not a chef!”. Suffice it to say they were wonderful…all of them.
The entire experience was great. I look forward to watching the team grow and see how well they compete in upcoming events…but mostly I look forward to shooting…and eating more of their food.
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People You Should Know: Mark Sevigny, Fading America Photography
"Believe In Yourself" By Mark Sevigny
While I have loved photography since I was very young I can credit Mark Sevigny with re-ignighting my passion in the art. I have known Mark for many years now and have been amazed and inspired by his vision. While I was going through his photostream looking for a photo for the top of this blog entry I found the one above, somehow it feels especially right to highlight the sentiment “Believe in Yourself”.
Mark is an individual above all else. He doesn’t truly fit into any singular mold or stereotype. The only thing I have ever found to really upset him is closed-minded people. He has a unique view of the world that transcends what most people consider “beautiful” and sheds glorious light on little things usually overlooked. His passion is what he terms “Fading America”, the lost innocence of the 1950’s, 60’s & ’70’s. Forgotten roadside motels, gas stations, fruit stands, tourist attractions, old cracker houses…the beauty of decay. Each shot tells a thousand stories.
"Underwood Motel" by Mark Sevigny
An unencumbered free spirit, Mark travels at will and always has his camera at this side. “A.B.C.” (Always Bring your Camera) is a motto he told me years ago and one he lives by. More than an opportunistic photographer, Mark knows exactly what his style is and actively seeks out his subjects. The beauty he finds in rural and urban decay has inspired me in so many ways, I feel certain you will find beauty in his work as well. His website can be found at FadingAmerica.com where you can view and purchase his work.
"Apalachicola Barber" by Mark Sevigny
Mark is also a writer. In his blog the “Iconic Rambler” he shares everything from routine events, opinions on daily news, as well as plans for upcoming projects. Even if you don’t agree with his views on everything you’ll find his sense of humor comes through (”The views professed in the link above do not necessarily represent those of “The Obsessive Photographer”, LOL).
As we all go through our days we can learn several lesson from Mark. Open your eyes. Don’t forget who we are as a nation. Flowers aren’t the only beautiful thing on the planet. Sometimes old is good and older is even better. Be good to one another. And last but certainly not least…“Believe in Yourself”
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Photography Tips From a Pro: Randy Yoho of Dade City Motorcross
#53 Gets Some Air
I have literally driven past the sign for Dade City Motorcross on State Road 54 hundreds of times over the last 10+ years and have been meaning to go check it out for that long. Some time on my hands and several camera upgrades gave me the motivation to look into it closer.
When I checked out the website I was immediately blown away by the images on it. These were amazingly sharp, beautifully composed action shots of professional riders in the air or in the dirt with beautifully frozen bits of flying mud in the shots. That was it. I absolutely had to go and try my hand at these action shots. I figured it would be easy to get the same results. I was wrong.
We spoke for the better part of 30 minutes. I learned some great tips, one of which blew me out of one of my last comfort zones: manually setting the white balance using “Kelvin Temperature” in lieu of the automatic white balance settings (I’ve been doing it his way ever since then). I left that night invigorated and having a better idea of how I was going to attack the challenge the next time.
My first trip to Dade City MX last month was nothing short of disastrous. I got there late, the light was already fading. The first thing that struck me was just how FAST these bikes were going, and just how HIGH they were launching off the jumps on the course. I hadn’t brought my low-light lens (Canon EF50mm f1.8 II, AKA “Plastic Fantastic”) and couldn’t get a clear shot to save my life, even with my EF 24-105 1:4L IS USM lens. This was entirely frustrating, I’ve never been skunked like that before. I’m pretty “obsessive” though, so I continued to try every trick I knew for the next hour with no results I was satisfied with.
I was getting ready to pack it all in when a man came up and asked me if I was getting anything good. I was embarrased, but I honestly told him I really wasn’t getting what I was looking for. We started talking and it was apparent he knew his stuff. During our conversation I told him I was trying to get the same type of results I had seen on the website. Much to my surprise he told me not only was he the photographer that took all of the shots, but also the owner of the track. He introduced himself as Randy Yoho. You can see his work not only on the Dade City MX website, but also on his Smugmug page. Be prepared to be impressed.
I went back this last Thursday, August 6th, loaded for bear. I got some better results right out of the box. The panning shot above was a result of the tips Randy had given me a couple of weeks prior.
I only intended to be up there for an hour or so but that didn’t work out. I shot virtually everything with my $90 “Plastic Fantastic” lens…without flash using only the overhead lights. Shooting completely on manual settings (including white balance, thanks Randy) I was able to push farther than I had on my last trip but I was still missing the mark when it came to the close shots I had seen of Randy’s.
I ran into Randy when I was about to leave for the night. I showed him a couple of examples of what I had gotten. We did some more talking and he ended up taking me to the edge of the track and showing me exactly what he was doing. Working within the limitations of my $90 lens (he shoots with a $2000 “L Series” lens which has a much faster focusing speed) he was able to show me first hand what he was doing for the close up, high speed shots. He literally forced my camera to comply…using techniques I had never even considered but made perfect sense the way he explained them. Using the “TV” or “Shutter Priority” mode at 640 (to slightly blur the background) and a high ISO (3200), he showed me how to compensate for my slower focusing lens by tracking my target and only firing the shot when they had come to a pre-selected spot on the track. Keep in mind these shots are still being fired in very low light without the use of flash.
The clarity of the shots were much sharper using his technique as you can see above; they are also much closer, filling the frame. Without Randy’s generous help I would have likely not arrived at these results with my equipment.I know many photographers, and have run into many more while out and about. It’s rare to find a photographer who is so kind and patient to take time to help a fellow photographer on such a complicated subject. Now that I have a good base knowledge I’m sure I’ll be back up there shooting. The people are great, the competition is furious, and the photo ops are endless…it’s a great place to spend a Thursday or Saturday evening and I highly recommend it!
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The Obsessive Photographer Enters The Blog World!
- This old Chevy sits on State Road 50 at Rennigers Antique Mall in Mount Dora, Florida.
Wow, the worlds largest soapbox. Is this really a good idea?
Several people have told me I should start a blog, but I never really gave it much thought until recently.
In working with several friends of mine I realized it would be nice to get some of the information and relationships I have out to people who may be interested.
I travel throughout Central Florida on a daily basis. I get lots of opportunities to meet great people, see cool things, and eat at interesting and unique places. I try to stay off the beaten path as much as possible, things are better that way.
In this Blog I may show you places I went, things I’ve done, show you cool places to eat, or introduce you to people I know. Being a photographer, I will likely introduce you to my larger network of partnerships and associates as well.
I promise you it won’t be a routine stream of the same thing day after day…I just don’t work that way.
If you have any questions or comments I welcome you to add them, I’m looking forward to meeting some new people through this.
Hey, “at the end of the day” all we have in this world is each other. Even if you like to walk your own path like I do it’s nice to know you’re not the only one out there. I’m here. Let me know if you are too!
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