Category Archives: photography

family, location shoot, photography, Sports

Pajolie’s Opening Day

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Today was not only Pajolie’s Opening Day in her first season of T-Ball but the first opening day for our family.  Pajolie, aka Payton Jo, is my oldest granddaughter.  Although she has tried dance lessons this is her first softball experience.  In organized softball the first weekend of the season is accompanied by the league’s pomp and circumstance ceremony.  You can tell the newbies.  They are the small young girls that are wondering what this is all about, what they should do.  Next year they will be the veterans.

Payton’s sister and dad were there to experience it along with her.  Three year old Parker, had big eyes, it was hard on her as she has always been her sister’s companion, now on the sidelines, a spectator.  I could sense it, watching her stare at the scene and all the older multicolored uniformed girls.

Four o’clock, game time.  Actually more like 4:20, and the Blue Diamonds were ready to play.  In the crowd were her Mom, Dad, sister, Patti  and even Zoey (our Frenchie) there to see the action.  Along about the third inning her Uncle Joe and cousin Jameson came to participate.

A great day to start a career, a great day to enjoy the family.  Keep your head down when swinging Pajolie and run hard……. and enjoy every inning of the game.

The techy stuff:  Shot with the Nikon D600 and D800.  Images processed in Adobe Lightroom.

Team Sponsor:  Zwink Photography  www.zwink.com

hipstomatic, Iphone, Iphone 5, location, personal, photography, Snapseed by Nik, Travel

Take the Road less Traveled

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I was coming home from a two day job in Santa Maria the other day by myself.  It’s a 300 mile drive.  One thing you quickly notice is not only how tired you get but also how beautiful and different the area is than southern California.  My original intent was to drive straight through.  Counting LA traffic nearly a 6 hour drive.

Then something wonderful happened.  I remember seeing an old steel structured bridge spanning a valley along the coast near Gaviotas.  So, I decided to become an explorer and see what surprised awaited.  A short drive down a narrow winding road opened up and I found myself at the Gaviotos State Beach parking lot and the structure I had seen the other day.  An added treat was that right between the iron and steel beams was a pathway to an empty beach.

After shooting for a half hour and enjoying my new found subject I remembered I still had a long trek home.  I reluctantly left but content with my discovery, refreshed to continue the drive and the desire to look for new places to explore.

techy stuff:  Iphone5, capture in Hipstamatic app and processed in Snapseed.

career, Lightroom 3, location shoot, photography, San Diego

Image taker or maker

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Which are you?  I am a Image Maker.  Even with my iPhone (yes I admit I have and use one) I think before I hit the shutter.  I think that is the difference.  Good Image Makers, aka photographers and videographers think and don’t just react to a scene, situation or event.  Another good qualifier is to look at a body of images and see if they make sense.  Yes, make sense, do they tell  the story or stimulate a response?  So…… even if you’re an amateur next time, look and compose before you take that picture.  Happy shooting…

Techy stuff:  All images shot at Sunset at Mission Beach, Ca. with a Nikon D3 and processed in LightRoom3.

Iphone, location, personal, photography, Travel

The Big Kahuna

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Lumihana Beach in Kauai.  My wife’s favorite beach.  Last Thursday it was mine.  Lumihana as the beach Hollywood used for the old WWII movie the South Pacific featuring Lana Turner.  Normally there is a gentle surge in the beach area but this day a western swell hit creating 12 – 20 feet waves.  As we were walking about 100 yards down a secluded path we could increasingly hear the roar and pounding of the waves on the volcanic rock ledge surrounding the beach.  I’ve never heard anything so intimidating and violent at the beach.  We sat down in our beach chairs and just watched the show nature played out for us.  Needless to say we didn’t go into the water.

techy stuff:  shot with the Iphone5 on the regular camera mode and processed in the Snapseed app.

career, photography, San Diego

ASMP RESOLVE……

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(To my regular blog readers this post is directed at ASMP, an organization I’ve belonged to and believed in since 1992.  If you don’t belong, think about it.  Protect your rights as an Image Maker.)

2013 New Year Resolutions for ASMP

Here are some resolutions or answers I would like to see for the coming year.
1. Resolve the dreaded * asterisk. The election season is coming soon and I hope the National Board can solve this before it get blown up again. My take…… do away with it. Don’t do any thing to influence voters one way or another. Please do it sooner than later.
2. On the subject of the election I would like to see high profile photographers be more involved and run. Out of aprox. 7,000 members there has to be some fresh talent out there.
3. Experienced GM pros, pay back and get involved with the local chapters. Help strengthen the local chapters that helped when you were younger. And don’t give us the “I’m too busy excuse”. We’re all busy.
4. Look at #3. There is no reason for a non-GM to be President of a local chapter. And before you reply, talk to National, they quietly passed it to allow anyone in the chapter to be pres. now.
5. In 2013 I would like to see ASMP be more relevant to General Members. For several years a push has been made to sign up more non-GM members making GMs more of a minority in the organization. When I was joined I was given the goal to become a GM and often reminded that ASMP was founded to advance the cause of the GM in the industry. I would like ASMP to clarify their current mission statement. Are we (as a group) here to support the pros or here to support the new influx into the society who has no goal to be a GM?
6. These are some of my questions and possible resolutions for ASMP for the coming year. May you all grow in your business for 2013.
It’s not too early. Think about it. What would you like to see in ASMP for 2013?

©2012 ZWINK PHOTOGRAPHY

techy stuff:  www.asmp.org           local organization:  www.asmp-sd.org    my site:  www.zwink.com

career, Lightroom 4, location shoot, photography, Travel

Getaway

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We all need that special place.  Be it close by or halfway around the world we all need a place that has a hold on us.  The place that feels good, has the mojo to help recharge us, that make you feel safe, that you don’t forget and often return to.

Kauai, the northern most Hawaiian island, is our special place.  We’ve been coming here on and off for 24 years, since our honeymoon.  We have experienced the island go through many changes, a hurricane, an abundance of water, a drought, the effect of the economic collapse,  the death of a beloved local surfer and the resiliency to survive, never forget and move on.  We’ve also seen a kind, compassionate, caring culture  of the people that love their home.  The “aloha” factor.

This is our special place, it is a part of us.  No matter the situation we alway have a unique experience.  I try to share what we love about Kauai with our friends through my photography of our travels and adventures.  Every person has to find their own “special place” .  Kauai, just saying it warms my heart, it will always be our special place that keeps calling to come back.  What does it for you?

techy stuff:  all images shot with the new Nikon D600 and processed in Adobe Lightroom 4.  My website is www.zwink.com

career, Lightroom 4, location shoot, photography, San Diego, Sports

I used to shoot Sports

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I am an architectural photographer who also does corporate and commercial work.  I used to shoot sports but due to personal reasons have stayed away from the genre.  BUT……. the more things change…

My friend Stan Liu, an accomplished sports photog himself generously offer me a credential to go shoot the San Diego State v. UNLV football game.  What a great time.  The game was sloppy but being able to capture athletes in an intense competition was exhilarating and made me remember why I had chosen that lifestyle for so long.  If only I could have figured out how to make money doing it.  Thanks Stan.

Techy notes:  Shot with a Nikon D700 with a booster for the motor, Nikkor 400 f2.8 lens and images processed in Adobe Lightroom 4.

Websites: http://www.zwink.com and my archived sports and editorial site:  http://bigstudioz.com

hipstomatic, Iphone, location, personal, photography, Travel, work

Is it Art?

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I was in SF last week on an extensive corporate photo shoot for Swinerton.  When I was leaving I decided to take the Treasure Island exit on the way back to the airport.  The last time I was on TI was in 1975 when it was a Navy Base and I was a naive young seaman in Electronic Warfare school.  So many memories……  I first decided to do a quick photo shoot of the skyline which was etched in my memory.  I first shot it with my Nikon D3 and then decided to try my iPhone on Hipstamatic mode.  Ugh…… it looked as flat and hazy as the skyline.  So then I opened my new favorite app. Snapseed.  With a few adjustments and then a frame adjustment the above photo is what I ended up with.  I know, it looks grainy and it does.  But, the end result is that I’m going to print it on watercolor on my Epson inkjet printer.  A few years ago I did a similar series that I printed on the watercolor paper and it looked great.  Now, we’ll find out how IPhone photos hold up.

The techy stuff:  camera:  iPhone 4 (the 5 is on order)

Apps:  Hipstamatic and Snapseed by Nik

My real work is at:  http://www.zwink.com

View of San Francisco from Treasure Island
hipstomatic, Iphone, location, personal, photography

The Quest for the perfect Photo App

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Happy Birthday to my daughter, Tiffany.  She has made me a proud Dad and a prouder PoppaZ (what my granddaughters call me and name of my other blog).  But I digress.  I was swamped with my commercial and architectural work and feeling over burdened.  Then, while in Seattle for a shoot had an epiphany……  Pull out the iPhone.  All at once my world calmed down.  When I shoot with my iPhone I’m not working or shooting for acceptance from anyone else.  It helps remind me of why I love what I do.  It’s fun, creative and I make a living at it.

Again, I digress from the topic at hand.  I have some of my best iPhone memories when I use the Hipstamatic app.  But, it’s very inconsistent.  Even with the same lens and “film” combination it’s hard to get a fresh capture that is what you want.  So, I’m now looking for a good companion app.  I’ve used the Abobe App PS Express, TiltShiftGen, and 100 Cameras but they all leave me a little empty.  Then I tried an old app I had on my phone but hadn’t used, Snapseed.  Very Nice.  A lot of options and a workflow similar to other Nik Software.  Try it, I think you’ll like it.  In the meantime if you have any good photo apps let me know.

Techy stuff:  shot with my iPhone 4 (waiting for the 5) and all images were processed in Snapseed.

More of my non iPhone work can be seen at:  www.zwink.com

career, Lightroom 3, location shoot, photography, San Diego

Learn to Communicate (Ask the right Questions)

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  (Above)  My client specifically  asked that I get images of the water feature between the two building.  Much to my chagrine there were white strips at the bottom the the pools.  If I was shooting this on an editorial job I would have to shoot it the way it was.  Being that this was for a commercial client I did a quick sample and emailed it to them.  They opted for the retouched version and the additional expense.  Communication with the client got them what they wanted and a more profitable day for me.

Fortunately most of my clients and I have some history.  Although most of my assignments come in by email we generally know what each other needs.  If you’re working with a new client, don’t assume.  You know the old saying.  Not only is it true but it can cause you more time on the project and even grief.  Ask what the final product is so you know how to shoot, are you going to have time to do it right, light it right or have to shoot ambient and minimize the impact on the tenant/subject?  In other words, get in, make great images and get out quick.  Here’s a short list to get you started.

  1. Make sure you have a contact # while on site.
  2. know in advance if this is the only day/time you can shoot if the weather is bad.
  3. Security.  Make sure they know you’re there.
  4. Shot list.  Make sure you know exactly what they need.  Anything else is cake, i.e. additional income.
  5. Be prepared.  Scout the location to know what you’re getting into.
  6. Deadline.  Know when the need it and get it to them early.
  7. Communicate.  To be successful you have to learn to talk their language.
  8. Make your own list.  But do it and constantly review it so you will do it right and enjoy the process.

More of my work:  www.zwink.com

Techy stuff:  Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop 6, Nikon D800