…if humor is right for you!

This shot was made with two lights. The key light, a 800 WS Alien Bee monobloc strobe with a medium softbox attached, was to the left of the camera at a height of 6 feet. The secondary light, a 400 WS Alien Bee monobloc strobe with 8 inch reflector attached, was placed on the floor at the foot of the white background facing the background directly. The subject was about 3 feet in front of the white background and the camera on tripod was about 4 feet in front of the subject. The camera was set at 1/15th sec - f/9 - ISO 100. The lens was an 18-70mm set at 50mm.

1/200 sec f/8 56mm

This shot of Pete was taken using two lights and a plain white muslin background supported by a Dynatran support system. The key light (800 watt alien bees strobe w/medium softbox) was to the left of camera and set high (7 feet) at approx. 1/3 power. The background light (400 watt alien bees strobe w/7 in reflector) was on the floor facing the background at full power.  The camera was approximately 4 feet from the subject and the subject was about 2 feet from the background and seated. The highest flash sync speed with the Nikon D80 is 1/200 second. The keylight and camera were wirelessly synchronized using 2 Pocket Wizards. The Nikon D80 was tethered to the PC via USB using Nikon Camera Control Pro software.

“Photoshopped ” version of the photo

Technorati Tags: nikon, d80, camera control pro, alien bees, photo lighting, strobe, monobloc, pocket wizard plus, studio, lights, flash, portraiture, portrait, background, support

1/60 Sec F/4.0 29mm cropped 

Sometimes just a tilt of the camera
will make a photo look more interesting.

Technorati Tags: photo, techniques, tips, creativity, interest, imaging, images

1/15 Sec f/4.5 18-70 @60mm Handheld

Click Image for Larger View

Wayra means The Wind in Quechua, one of the traditional native languages of the Incan culture. The exotic sounds of traditional Incan music can be dated back as many as five hundred years, representing one of the most well preserved forms of Native American culture. As a solo artist, Wayra is the consumate performer - vibrant and personable, his
musical arrangements reflect his expertise and energy. Traditional songs are given new life and contemporary songs acquire the timeless sensations of the mystical pan pipes, flute, and natural effects in the music performed by Wayra.

I took the photo and placed an impressionistic sunrise background behind the subject. Then, I used Corel Painter IX to work the entire image. The result is a very warm and melancholy picture of Wayra.

This 11″x14″ framed and matted print is available for $245.00 plus $10 shipping fee. Contact me if you are interested in it.

Technorati Tags: photo, inca, music, musician, traditional, native, american, wayra, quechua, flute, wooden, indian, perform, print, image, imagery

1. Ignore everybody.

2. The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to change the world.

3. Put the hours in.

4. If your biz plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail.

5. You are responsible for your own experience.

6. Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.

7. Keep your day job.

8. Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity.

9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

10. The more talented somebody is, the less they need the props.

11. Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether.

12. If you accept the pain, it cannot hurt you.

13. Never compare your inside with somebody else’s outside.

14. Dying young is overrated.

15. The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do, and what you are not.

16. The world is changing.

17. Merit can be bought. Passion can’t.

18. Avoid the Watercooler Gang.

19. Sing in your own voice.

20. The choice of media is irrelevant.

21. Selling out is harder than it looks.

22. Nobody cares. Do it for yourself.

23. Worrying about “Commercial vs. Artistic” is a complete waste of time.

24. Don�t worry about finding inspiration. It comes eventually.

25. You have to find your own schtick.

26. Write from the heart.

27. The best way to get approval is not to need it.

28. Power is never given. Power is taken.

29. Whatever choice you make, The Devil gets his due eventually.

30. The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it.

31. Remain frugal.

 From gapingvoid.com

Technorati Tags: creativity, thinking, art, fun, self-discovery, imagery, thoughts, thinking, expression

n      smile and lean toward others as they talk

n      when standing, keep your body fully facing the people you’re speaking with

n      ask questions and follow up on people’s remarks; and in doing so, focus on opinions and feelings, not just facts

n      don’t interrupt

n      compliment others

n      try to find common experiences or interests

n      mention some vulnerabilities and laugh at yourself

n      draw others out and encourage people to join the conversation

n      put energy in your voice

n      at least at the start, focus on positive comments, not criticisms or complaints

n      offer a variety of topics

n      share observations about everyday life

n      share your passions and interests

n      don’t dwell on the minutiae of your life, especially annoyances

n      remember: people give more weight to their early information (were you engaged, warm, distracted, pompous?) than to later information, so be your most charming at the beginning of the conversation

n      remember: most people are more eager to be found interesting, funny, or insightful than to be interested, amused, or informed by you

How to get people to like you:

To form a person to person bond you must be likeable.

Here are seven things that may help:

1. Smile. No, this doesn’t come as shock, but studies do show that the amount of time you smile during a conversation has a direct impact on how friendly you’re perceived to be.

2. Be easily impressed, entertained, and interested. Most people get more pleasure from impressing you with their humor and insight than from being impressed by your humor and knowledge.

3. Have a friendly, open, engaged demeanor. Lean toward people, nod, say “Uh-huh,” turn your body to face the other person’s body. Don’t turn your body away, cross your arms, answer in monosyllables, or worse yet, scan the room as the other person talks.

4. Remember halo effect. In “the halo effect,” whatever you say about other people influences how people view you. If you describe someone as brilliant and charismatic, your acquaintance will tend to associate you with those qualities. On the other hand, if you describe a co-worker as irritating and obnoxious, those effects will stick to you. Watch what you say.

5. Laugh at yourself. Showing a certain amount of vulnerability and a sense of humor make you more likable and approachable. However, don’t take this self run-down too far. You’ll make others uncomfortable if you run yourself down too much.

6. Radiate energy and good humor. Because of the phenomenon of “emotional contagion,” people catch the emotions of other people, and they prefer to catch an upbeat, energetic mood. Even if you pride yourself on your cynicism, biting humor, or general edginess, these qualities can be conveyed with warmth. Take the high road whenever possible.

7. Show your liking for another person. We’re much more apt to like someone if we think that person likes us. Look for ways to signal that you enjoy a person’s company.

It’s particularly worth your effort to be your friendliest when you meet someone for the first time. Studies show that within ten minutes of meeting a new person, we decide how close a relationship we’ll have with that new acquaintance, and that in evaluating people, we weigh early information much more heavily than information acquired later.