A Photo of Nothing

A photo of nothing?  Yup, that's right, a photo of nothing.  What makes this photo worthy of any attention.  It's a blank wall, no color, no meaning, not even fully in focus.  What is so interesting about it?  My personal opinion about this picture is that it is a starting point for many different topics.  First topic, the strip in focus.  Playing with depth of field and a quality lens allowed for this perspective.  Texture is apparent and so is the depth. This is similar to anyone starting off in business.  You can see the rough edges and they maybe out of focus, looking for the right direction to go.  The color is white, a color that allows for addition, a blank canvas that is looking for inspiration and ideas.  I was once a blank canvas, and over time I've added to my palette of colors (knowledge) and have learned to make my ideas become reality.  These two ideas lead to the discussion that we have all heard the term "blank canvas."  Welcome to my blank canvas, where do you see yourself and how do you make yourself stand out?  Don't be afraid of failure, keep doing what is important and make sure you stay focused.

Week 9: Food Photography

Food Photography is a delicate form of photography.  The image has to make the viewer desire and crave.  To imagine the flavor, smell and taste through a picture seems a bit impossible but the impossible is possible. Look at the image of fried ice cream. It's whipped topping with the the cereal crust already helps give you a sense of flavor and texture.   Does food photography have real food in it though? If this were done in a studio the whipped topping might be shaving cream, the cereal may still be real but the ice cream may have been some substitute that could mimic the texture without the melting.  This is the blending of two different art forms.  The culinary side of things with the photographic.  A cook considers himself an artist in the kitchen.  His or her palette creates works of art that are meant to be eaten.  The colors they decide may add a visual response that has the diner craving or salivating over the intense smell and sight.  Yes the ingredients add flavor and character but its the combination of them that makes the final piece of art.  The photographer sees texture and color and tries to bring that to the pages of the magazines so that the experience becomes visual.  For this reason I chose to make this picture above.  The texture is there.  Rough and smooth, colorful and pleasant.  This form of photography is a specialty and I'll be more than happy to let someone else make these wonderful picture.  I might eat the subject before it makes it to be my subject behind the lens.

Week 7: How do you show the light reflection on eyes in an oil painting?

The reflection in someones eye, what is that really?  We can be technical about it and say that it is light coming back to the pupil and reflecting what the viewer sees.  The colors, the intensity of the light and the shapes that sit in the foreground.  The “dash” of white that appears either left or right shows up in oil paintings and it gives reference to light coming in, a sense of direction for the viewer.  As an artist we can manipulate where the “dash” goes.  We can also manipulate what the viewer sees.  How?  In the example I provided I show myself in the reflection of the eye.  My model, was told to look at the lens and I positioned myself so that my head was covered by the pupil but you could see the rest of me.  I could have easily told her to look away and I could have shifted myself and I would have been whole.  Photography is controlling light, controlling my environment and making the image my way.  Is there a story to be told in my picture?  Maybe not but there are ways to find a story in the details of all reflections. 

Paparazzi Photo

Paparazzi, a so called celebrities worst nitemare or favorite photographer.  The "mosquito" that swarms around looking to take advantage of an exposed individual in public areas has slowly become a despised, hated but most desired person to the tabloids and its readers.  Ron Galella is a great example of an photographer that earned a very good living taking pictures of celebrities in open spaces.  Yes he may have been a little extreme but the person who picked up the paper or tabloid appreciated his effort.  They may have not expressed it directly to him, but how many times has an image been spoken about time after time and only to be reprinted again years later.  It is a very fine line of respect and privacy that a paparazzo walks on and most of the time it can be close to illegal.  A good example of being illegal is when the late Princess Diana was chased to her death by paparazzo many years ago.  Had they allowed her to leave peacefully and met her another day, another time she may still be around.  The problem with that is society wants to know everything about anyone who is someone.  Who decides it's enough?  Programs like TMZ, publications like, Star or the Enquirer or even People magazine put the spot light on certain stars and society feeds of it.  They engorge themselves in pointless news that makes no difference in their lives or in the lives of the stalked celebrity.  So is the paparazzi a favored clique in the photojournalist world?  Probably not, but they do make a good living of it and who can blame them when money is being thrown at them....

Week 6: BOC Painting with Light

 

Painting with light is exactly what photography is to me.  It is a way of making a long exposure show creativity with light.  To to become a proficient photographer you must master the light and control the amount of its glow.  Setting your camera on auto will not get you the desired effect.  In order to create a proper image you must follow the steps.  Keep in mind that everyone may have different needs and the amount of light that will be used can vary.
The proper tools needed for this are, a camera with a manual or bulb mode, a shutter release cable, a flashlight and a tripod.  You simple point and click camera may not have a manual mode and if you’re not able to adjust aperture, shutter speed or ISO you might as well stop.  While in manual mode set your ISO to 100, the shutter speed to 20 seconds and the aperture at f/11.  Place you camera on a tripod and set you focus and prepare to create.
Once you’ve lined up yourself or your model for the shot, have it all in focus and ready to begin, turn off the lights.  Release the shutter and begin to draw with your flashlight or light source.
This is where a being wild and free with your movements can create a beautiful and interesting image.  I’ve done quite a few portraits of light writing and it never gets boring.  Writing words or drawing symbols or outlining objects is just fun.  The best example of light writing I’ve ever seen comes from a very creative person, Freddie Wong and his youTube video, light warfare.  This stellar example of creativity is what inspires me to have fun with my shoots.  Never be the stiff uninteresting person and allow myself to be free and creative.

Week 5: Wedding Photo

The wedding invite tells your circle of family and friends that the time has come to share your life with another person.  Moments like this tend to be very special and important in a couples life.  From the moment the soon to be husband proposes to the day after the wedding all the attention is now placed on the bride to be.  The expensive, lavish wedding needs to be recorded in time and that's where a photographer comes in to play.
Weeding Photography can be a very lucrative business and with the right marketing and common  sense a person or team can be very successful. Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world and here in town if you’re not marrying in a casino you will more than likely will receive the services from a local professional that can charge in the on the low end of $1500.  You get what you pay for so don’t be surprised to hear upwards of $7-10k for such a person(s) and their services.  Time spent to prepare for such a day and the preceding events can quickly add up.  There’s the engagement session, a possible boudoir session, a trash the dress session etc...  The list can include so many options that the costs to the couple can quickly add up.  The advantage of wedding photography is that creativity can determine how much money you make.  If a photographer just adds the basics they can expect a hustle a lot more and get paid just as much as a person who up sells and works half as much.  I’m not saying that its done on purpose but time is money and so is the cost of every little thing expected and wanted from a bride, yes I said bride because we all know she in charge.  Take a look at my post from last weeks blog and notice  the services offered, they’re not cheap and that's exactly why i plan to look at that side of the business very soon.

BOC Week 5: Competitive Analysis

Competition is never easy, but doing your homework and figuring out the strengths and weakness of that competition helps prepare you for what to expect.  Photography in Las Vegas is very “dog eat dog.”  The market is small compared to the next “Mega-City” of Los Angeles.  Here in Vegas everyone who wants to be successful must be able to produce something that another photographer doesn’t do or know how to do.  The market is swapped with photographers who picked up a camera and never had formal training or have no idea what classic lighting is or how to even use elaborate lighting setups on a consistent basis.  If they do have the skill it is because they finally learned it over time. 
I recently attended the Bridal Spectacular here in Vegas about two weeks ago and interviewed about a dozen photographers.  Some of them admitted that they had no formal training and others  were proud to say they did.  The quality of work was the elephant in the room.  Walking bye a display for photographers I noticed that the quality of work was substandard for about 75% of the possible competition.  Whose standard did I use?  Mine of course.  I feel that the what I have learned over the past two years at the Art Institute of Las Vegas has been very helpful and has given me a discerning eye when it comes to quality of work.  I look at lighting, post production and style.  The examples that were presented to the public were scary.  I know students here in town that can produce a better image.  Am I being harsh?  I am, but is necessary for the reader to know that just because someone owns a camera and some fancy lenses it doesn’t mean they know how to make an image.
Below I’ve listed some wonderful examples of work that I was impressed by.  Not only were the images beautiful but the faces of each one of these companies were knowledgeable and had a good understanding of what it takes to be successful. 
Orange Soda: a fun company that makes handmade albums for their clients.  Beautiful work bound by a beautiful album.  A great example of going the extra mile for the client.  They mentioned that the covers can be made of practically any material and usually come from something sentimental from the couple.

Lorenz foto:  A small “mom and pop” company.   a Married couple that has been doing business in the city for over 15 years.  Very simple concept but consistent in the quality of work. Plenty of experience that shows.

Alt-f: The originators of “Trash the Dress.”  From what I gather from this successful local photographer he is the Donald Trump of Las Vegas.  He has had much success but failures that have helped him build an awesome company.  A real trend setter and great example of never giving up.

John Morris Photography:  The most conservative and most business like model from the four companies I have chosen.  The company provides an exterior “image” of success and quality.  Beautiful photography that is followed with great customer service.

Week 3: Sports Photography

Sports photography requires passion and skill.  It is a game within a game.  You need to have the ability to anticipate a shot that expresses drama, passion and movement.  In order to capture a moment like that you need the valuable tools that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Look at any major sporting event and you’ll find an army of photographers on the sidelines waiting to make an image that can take them to the next level.  In the old days (talking about maybe 20 years ago) the goal was to be in Sports Illustrated, nowadays with the arrival of the internet anyone can be published they just need a voice loud enough to be heard. 
The image I’m providing this week is an image of a baseball game.  The pitcher on the mound is staring at his pitch as it’s flying towards home plate.  The batters’ hands seem to be tightening up and the umpire ready to make his call.  The drama is in the image, the motion is there too.  Watching the release and the motion of the pitcher along with the stare guiding the ball down to the catchers mitt.

Week 2 BOC: Crime Scene

 A bloody knife on a cold floor laying next to a cold lifeless body. What was the cause of this death?  A pair of dress shoes neatly placed next to the arm, why?  The person laying on the ground looks to be male.  There is blood on the forearm into the palm of his hands and onto the handle of the knife. Was this person standing where he currently lays? There are some blood drops splattered on the ground in front of the blade.  The shoes seem placed a little to neatly and have no dirt on them.   If they belong to the deceased it shows that he had clean habits.  The location of this mystery seems to be in a kitchen or dining area.  The angle of the image does not allow for much more interpretation.  The question no lays into “why?”  Why was this person murdered?  Is the knife for protection or was it used to assault and hurt someone?  No one will know for now, only him.
Crime scenes like this may happen more often than we imagine and it is the detail of the clues that helps investigators.  Crime scene photography can be crucial in helping fill in the blanks but also help preserve the details.  The important thing about a photo like this is that it can answer a few questions.  Can it answer the, Who, What, Why, Where and When for an investigator?  Look closely and it can answer at least three of the five.  The Why and When are the only two that cannot be determined just by looking at the photo.

Week 1: Photo Challenge

A look into who Mike Lapadu is.  There are so many things that one person can lay out that relate to their everyday lives but the items I placed out represent who I am today.  This image contains an image of my kids.  They are the reason for my desire to complete school.  I want to provide for them and give them opportunities that I may never get to experience.

I show my three forms of identification.  One is for school and the other two are for work.  Theses three id cards are the core of my daily grind.  I work full time for Southwest Airlines and go to school at the Art Institute of Las Vegas.  The watches represent the small luxuries in life that I like to collect.  They are not very expensive or flashy but they are simple and get the job done.  The car keys are my mode of transportation, and i like to travel in style.  Its my entry level to luxury and my way of treating myself to something nice after all the hard work.
My two must have items that represent who I am are the phone and camera.  The phone is another appendage to my body.  I usually have next to me and it is my way to stay in constant communication with those who matter most to me.  It is a tool that help me sell my services and find new clients and keep in contact with old ones too.  The camera is my tool.  It helps show my interpretation of the world as I see it.  My camera allows for freedom, creativity and my opinion to reach others.  I usually have at least one camera with me at all times just incase something or someone catches my eye. 
All theses items represent who I am today.  They represent where I do them, when and where but also why.  I’m sure that over time, these items will change but for now they do a good job of showing “Me.”