To Start Again

So, going back on my word…

Three years ago, I crossed the Florida state line while flipping it off and muttering “I will never come back”… So now, I’m swallowing my words while I prepare to go back in a week, and relocate myself in Miami. I decided to document the trip (as I tried to do the first time around), with my 35mm cameras (I’m gonna be traveling during the day only, so yay for me), I guess we will see what comes out of that (other than the need to re-acquire a nice scanner).

 

In the meantime, I am going to (try to), take some portraits of my local friends before I leave, nothing to elaborate, but definitively will shoot for some well lit portraits.

I will update further as the week goes by.

Picture by Patty Pinies

 

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I AM PLEASING, SOFT, AND RELAXING!!!

Well, I’ve been a bit busy at work, so I didn’t have time to update the blog, let me just say that I went down to DC to catch the Cherry Blossoms again, and the streets were closed and I missed the sunrise… So once again, I failed this year…

Luckily, like last year, there’s a beautiful Cherry Tree in my house, so I took a couple of pictures of if instead.

Also, I went down to Florida (I know, what a surprise), and spent time with my sisters, but more importantly, with grandpa (who I hadn’t seen in two years), I need to spent more time with the old man, as (and this is gonna sound worse than I intend to), he has more days behind than ahead (see what I meant?).

Also, I spent some time playing with strobes, and teaching Patty how to use them (we’ll wait for her to edit her pictures, in the meantime, the ones I took)

And well, now to the title and first image, last week TWiP discussed one of my images, I’m attaching the image again, and the video here

(The critique starts at 56 minutes, or you can follow this LINK)

A million thanks to Frederick, Ron, and Valerie. Also to TWiP in general, been listening to that show for a while, and even on slow weeks, the show is a blast. To prove that I listened to Valerie and Ron, I edited the picture and here’s the result.

and to proved I listened to Frederick too

Couldn’t find a model, Frederick, but I drew one…

Thank you very much for reading go follow TWiP (and the hosts), and have a nice weekend

I figure I share a little bit of the Tidal Basin shoot experiences.

 


The night before I set everything up on my big camera bag (it is a lot easier to distribute the weight comfortably on the big backpack comparing with the smaller one when it is completely loaded), and went to bed…

4:30 AM – Alarm rings, I turned it off and stretched…

5:30 AM – I actually wake up, curse the gods of alarms, and the scientist (for not yet given me a time manipulation field) equally, and start getting ready.

The original plan called for a 5 o’clock arrival to DC, I was going to park at Union Station, get a coffee, perhaps a pastry, and then take a cab to the Tidal Basin area… Instead, I arrived to DC at 6 AM, parked in Ohio Drive (you’re not supposed to do that until 8 AM), and ran to the Tidal Basin area (with a total lack of caffeine in my system) to meet with Kevin (seriously, check this guy’s HDR work).

Then off course, I ran into a bit of problems with my chosen focal length (I recently mentioned that I only carry the 50 and a 85mm now… well, what I forgot to mention was this)

my 50 took a fall

So I was left with the 85mm as my primary lens… not the best of options.
Anyway, I took a ton of pictures, I borrowed Kevin’s 17-40 and made some more panos, and life was good.



I decided that I was gonna go back, and hopefully the blossoms would be out, Kevin went today and said that there were some, but hopefully tomorrow would be better (it will be the last time I go out this season), and I’m bringing this puppy with me.



So testing for review, and perhaps future purchase… we will see.

Please check Kevin’s site for more pictures, also, Gilmar Smith started a blog (if you haven’t seen her shots… go do that now… fine, HERE), subscribe, and I am really waiting for her to start posting lighting diagrams and tutorials… it is very promising.

Here are some more pictures from the weekend.






Thank you very much for reading,

Andres Trujillo
Photographer

Writing is hard

 

 

Well, I’ve been absent for a bit, in my defense, I didn’t have much to write about (I’ve gone to Florida, Florida has come here, I had a couple of snow storms, and I’m getting good at grappling again).

This past weekend I met with Kevin (his HDR work is AMAZING), and we took some pictures of the Tidal Basin at sunrise, I’m happy (ish) with my shots, but I’m waiting for Kevin to publish his and frustrate the heck out of me.

I'm long overdue for a review of Fundy Software's suite, I switched computers and I'll admit that I haven't fully used the software since I got it. Also, I got a couple of toys for my lighting (an umbrella style octa, and a Cheetah Stand tri-flash bracket) that I will too review (as soon as I get a subject in front of my camera).

In the meantime, here are a few more pics:

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Want better pictures? Then, go away…

I’ve noticed that I have a hard time coming up with good pictures when I’m home. I come back with the same old pictures, same framing, same “safe” shots… it’s, to say the least, frustrating. In direct contrast, I get pictures I’m much happier with, when I go out of town (and to a lesser extend, when people from out of town come to shoot with me). So forget about the new lens/camera/strap/gizmo, and invest on a plane ticket (it doesn’t have to be Tibet, I’ve been going to Miami), it will do great things to your photography.

       

I recently ordered a set of cheap ND Filters, and inspired by other photographer’s use of them, I started mixed them with off camera flash for portraits. This 3 are my first try at them, so I will have to play a bit more with them before I can say if it will be something I want to continue doing or if it was just a nice try, and move on. I will however say, the neutral part of the “Neutral Density” is a lie, there’s a purpleish color cast added to the pictures, it isn’t so bad (and easy fix in Lightroom/Camera RAW), but it is very evident when opening the pictures straight out of camera (not trying to discourage you from buying them, as I am, so far, reasonably happy with them. However, be aware of the problems).

And that’s it for now, I will be back in Florida next week, and I will take some more portraits, until then, here are some pictures

 

             

Thank you very much

 

Andres Trujillo
NOVA Photographer

What a week

So I’ve been out of the count for a better part of a week, due to some hamstring related back pain… needless to say, I didn’t do squad this weekend, sometimes my body REALLY sucks.



Anyway, as I mentioned, I pretty much got rid of my zoom lenses, and I only carry two primes in my bag, the 50mm 1.8 (nifty fifty), and my new baby, the 85mm 1.8.

So far I’ve been really happy with the new lens, the biggest issue is getting used to the focal length, not being able to zoom to adjust the frame and composition (I have to zoom with my legs). But that’s only until I get used to it, other than that, I freaking love the lens.

        


In other news, Apple banned the 500px app recently, due to boobies (I’m sure there’s a more mature way to say this, but this pretty much sums the extend of the problem). Don’t get me wrong, I understand that you do not want to promote porn in your apps (so lets ignore this, and this, and perhaps this too), but even though there are nudes in 500px, they were more artistic than racy (some exceptions, but as a general rule). I have never gone to 500px or Flickr for racy pictures, or for boobies, I go for art. If I want racy pictures within an app, I’ll use Tumblr (where you get racy pictures whether you want to or not), or if I am specifically looking for it, I’ll use this

unless they decide to block it too

500px has a “safe” filter applied to every account by default (Hell, you can’t upload a picture without specifying if it is safe or not), you have to go in and turn it off (however, it is up to the photographer to categorize a picture as “safe” or “not safe” so I will admit that it isn’t perfect), so this “protecting” the innocent sensibilities of the users seem out of place, this is just a case of not understanding the app enough before making a decision, and it is a shortcoming on Apple’s  side (the app has been reinstated in the app store [today], with an NC-17 rating and a “report” button, however, there were several other apps using 500px API available in the app store during this time… Are you fucking kidding me Apple?).

Anyway, in other news, Flickr new updated app… I’ve been burned before by Flickr, so it is hard for me to say this, I-LOVE-IT

hey, Apple, I did a search for “boobies” in the Flickr app, guess what I found?... BOOBIES (not shown here), and not even the classy type, noooo, I found among other shots, cell phone self shots of boobies…. I’m a child, I know that.

Anyway, the app looks amazing (it actually looks better than the website), and it shows as a very nice step on the right direction… I do have one request, they need to make an app for the iPad… that’s it, other than that, I’m very happy.

Oh well, I guess that’s my rant for the day, here are some pictures:

 



 

 


 










Thank you very much for reading