Flashes of Inspiration

Product Catalogue and Knitting Themed Images for Nadine McLeod Designs

2010-09-03T09:01:00.001-04:00

Our close friend Nadine McLeod is about to launch her new business, selling the knitting and beaded jewellery patterns that she has designed. This week, I photographed samples of some finished products, as well as some general knitting themed images, for Nadine to apply on her website and promotional materials.

(Do not miss the cool little side story tacked onto the end of this posting.)

Nadine has been naming her designs after the people in her life, some of whom happen to be dear to me. For instance, the tube top – the first product photo in the above sequence – is named Lorraine Tube Top, after my wife and Lumacraft’s Business Manager.

For months, Lorraine has been excited about our good friend Marie, of Memories by Marie, having her first baby. This week, little Ainsley arrived. The gift package that Lorraine has put together for Marie includes the hat shown immediately above, which she had Nadine custom design. Nadine named this hat, of course, Ainsley Baby Hat, as detailed in the photo below.

Nadine’s new website will be up soon. In the meantime, if you would like more information about her products, give Nadine a call at (905)921-5895.

Portraits for Burlington Business

2010-08-09T11:29:00.001-04:00

I was contracted by a local business here in Burlington to produce a series of head-and-shoulders and three-quarter-length portraits of the staff members. The company has several applications in mind for these portraits, including a major update of the business’s website.

For the convenience of the company, we built a portable set at their business location, and completed most of the photography there. Three subjects who were unavailable on the day that we were on site, came to the studio to have their portraits made instead.

The on-site and in-studio hair and makeup styling service was once again provided by versatile and talented Virginia of Beauty on the Go.

More from Creative Session with Jenna and Virginia

2010-07-25T19:58:00.001-04:00

Here are two more finished images from my July 5 creative session with model Jenna. Hair and makeup styling were by Virginia of Beauty on the Go. I previously posted another image from the session.

Sneak Previews from Erica and Aaron’s Wedding

2010-07-23T17:35:00.001-04:00

If you enjoy these unedited sneak previews from Erica and Aaron's wedding, you can credit the inspiration provided by a beautiful bride, spectacular venues, and a glorious day.

Erica and Aaron's wedding guests should contact them for the link to their full online wedding gallery. All 950+ images from the day will be posted there within a few days.

Lynn’s Portraits

2010-07-22T10:29:00.001-04:00

Lynn approached me because she needed some good portraits for both business and personal use, and also because she felt that she was difficult to photograph. Because her hair is white, it is often blown out in photographs.

Setting up to deal with her hair was in fact a fairly routine studio portrait lighting challenge. Other situations can be technically trickier, such as making a well lit group portrait which includes a bald man.

Lynn was happy with the finished portraits that I delivered to her. The note that I received from her this morning began, “AWESOME!!! Thank you so much - these look terrific.”

Beth and Brian’s Wedding

2010-07-21T11:04:00.001-04:00

I can’t recall ever meeting a nicer, friendlier group of people than Beth and Brian and the large gathering of their family and friends who attended their wedding a few weeks ago. Here are some of the highlights of the day, as photographed by the Lumacraft Photography team, starting with one frame captured during the rehearsal the night before. These images are preview quality, without cosmetic touch ups or polished finishing.

Beth and Brian’s wedding guests can contact them for the link to their full online gallery, where the complete set of about 1000 images can be viewed, and individual prints purchased.

On Display at Erin and Gary’s Wedding Reception

2010-07-10T12:37:00.001-04:00

Here is the finished version of the engagement portrait that Erin and Gary selected to have me prepare as a custom framed 19x13 Giclée print. Their wedding guests will be signing the mat at their reception.

Click on the image to view a larger version.

Creative Session with Jenna and Virginia

2010-07-09T21:37:00.001-04:00

I enjoyed a creative development session on Monday July 5, something that I am able to find time for just once or twice a year.

For this project, I was once again joined by my regular makeup and hair styling collaborator Virginia of Beauty on the Go. Virginia really outdid herself this time, contributing absolutely dazzling work.

Model Jenna's unique look was a great inspiration to me for the session. Jenna also made some outstanding styling contributions, going to great lengths to locate and haul to the studio some fantastic antique props.

We managed to photograph four different concepts over the course of the session. I am excited by the results! Keep an eye on the blog, as I will be finishing and posting more images from the session as time permits.

June 28 PPOC Workshop in Alliston

2010-06-29T12:39:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I enjoyed the fruit of a lot of labour, watching the workshop which I had helped organize unfold. This was one of the events that we regularly arrange for members and prospective new members of Central Portrait Branch, the local branch of the Professional Photographers of Canada of which I am vice chair. Once a year we arrange a full day event like yesterday’s.

The many hours that I had spent organizing yesterday’s sponsors, models and stylists; getting up at 5AM yesterday; driving the three hour return trip; replacing two models who either got sick or had to cancel at the very last minute; slinging burgers on the barbie under the noonday sun … seeing our efforts and plans come together well yesterday made all of that worthwhile.

Several dozen of my professional photography colleagues were there. They had signed up to spend a day learning from some very talented expert photographers, and then photographing models on four different sets that we created at the scenic and rustic Stevenson Farms.

Unfortunately those of us who were running the show yesterday were kept too busy to sit in on the instruction or do photography. Well, I was nearly too busy for that. I did manage to break away to visit the boudoir set during the open photography period, where I spent ten minutes photographing lovely model Shannon.

My File Backup Strategy & Another Good Deal for Digital Photographers: 50% Off GoodSync Pro, July 1 Only

2010-06-26T08:57:00.001-04:00

Devising a reliable, redundant, automatic file backup procedure is one of the challenges that professional photographers face. I take a multi-pronged approach.

To date I have chosen to keep to all of my archives live and local, rather than move old files offline. My Z: drive is a virtual drive that is several terabytes in size, which contains all files related to all projects from the past five years. That drive is an external 4-bay Drobo unit.

I also have a Windows Home Server (WHS) based file server on my network.

My essentials of my backup strategy are:

Files for active photography projects are on my desktop editing workstation, an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU based system with 8GB RAM, running Windows 7 64-bit.
These active project files are synched hourly to a mirror “Active Projects” folder on the Drobo. The file sync tool that I use is GoodSync Pro.
The system partition, other system files, and email databases on my main workstation are backed up daily to the Drobo-based virtual drive. The disk imaging tool that I currently use is Macrium Reflect. I have tried many disk imaging tools, and frankly I have yet to find one that I am totally happy with.
As mentioned, all of my archived project files are on the Drobo virtual Z: drive. These are organized in folders, by year. The “Active Projects” folder, as well as the set of annual project archive folders, all residing on the Z: drive, are backed up onto the WHS file server on my local network. There are daily jobs defined on the GoodSynch Pro application that keep the backup folders in sync with the primary folders.

As you can see, GoodSync Pro is a key part of my backup strategy, and it has been for several years. Beyond the uses listed above, I also use it for regular backups of my websites, and to keep various files synchronized between my laptop and my desktop.

Rather than me going on about why I think GoodSync Pro is such a good file backup and folder synchronization tool, I suggest that you give it a try. Discount software site Bits du Jour will have GoodSync Pro available for $14.95 on July 1 only. That’s 50% of the list price. You can download the demo here. Be reminded of the deal on July 1 by signing up here. Purchase GoodSync Pro at the discounted price on July 1 here.

If you follow my link to make your purchase, a small amount flows back this way to help support this blog and Lumacraft Photography. Thanks!

50% Off Lightzone Image Editing Tool, June 24

2010-06-24T16:15:00.001-04:00

Fellow photographers and photo enthusiasts, follow this link for a great deal, today June 24 only, on Lightzone, a unique image processing software application. The discount is available through Bits du Jour. Read their review of Lightzone here. Download the demo here.

I have found that I can achieve some unique and striking effects with Lightzone that are difficult to impossible to achieve with other tools -- and believe me, as a hopeless software junkie, I have them all.

If you follow my link to make your purchase, a wee bit flows back this way to help keep the SS Gilmour afloat. Thanks!

Possible Email Problem?

2010-06-17T12:09:00.001-04:00

Apparently Netfirms, the company which hosts the web and email servers for lumacraft.com, has been having intermittent issues for the past two days which have disrupted email communication. As far as I know, we have not been affected by the problem. However, if you have sent any messages to a lumacraft.com email address during the past couple of days and have not received a reply, please resend your message to my backup address, lumacraft [at] gmail [dot] com.

Tom’s Finished Headshot

2010-06-16T10:32:00.001-04:00

Tom selected the first preview that I featured in my blog posting yesterday as the one that he wanted me to finish. Here is the completed portrait that I delivered to him. True to my usual finishing style, the various subtle enhancements are intended to elevate the portrait and help the subject look his best, without my technique drawing attention to itself.

Tom Fleming, Real Estate Agent

2010-06-15T12:25:00.001-04:00

Hamilton based real estate agent Tom Fleming needed an updated portrait for a new ad that he will be running in a particular publication. We talked about the image style that he had in mind. I designed the lighting and directed Tom to come up with a contemporary, masculine, inviting look. Even with Tom trying several wardrobe options, he spent just a little over half an hour under the studio lights yesterday.

These are my favourites from among the previews that I delivered to Tom today.

My executive portrait package is just $195 plus tax. That is all that you need to invest to have me produce a high quality, distinctive head-and-shoulders portrait for you, styled in accordance with your needs. Normally within a couple of working days after photography, you will receive your finished portrait in the form of a high resolution image file, which you are welcome to apply as you wish. I also include a properly optimized, web scaled version of the finished portrait, perfect for your web profiles.

Varied Engagement Portrait Session

2010-06-14T08:35:00.001-04:00

Erin and Gary were unsure whether they preferred studio or environmental engagement portraits. Since my studio is immediately surrounded by a number of scenic spots, we decided to split their session, working under the studio lights for a while, and then stepping outside. Here are some of the highlights from among their previews. These were all photographed yesterday, June 13, in a little over an hour.

Prom Portraits

2010-06-06T15:50:00.001-04:00

We were unable to arrange to do these portraits with Sam and Mike before their prom. So yesterday we gathered at the studio to recreate a part of that day. After a wardrobe change, we also made some casual portraits, both in the studio and at the park. Here are some of my picks from among their previews.

Remembering what it's like to be seventeen, I should note that the following is definitely NOT a picture of Sam making a huge public statement! This is just the photographer trying to get some fun colours into the picture.

Preview My New Art Portfolio in High Resolution

2010-06-03T15:22:00.001-04:00

I have recently discovered a new album supplier, and I am very excited about this company’s products. High quality and reasonable cost means greater value for both me and for my clients.

To put these albums to the final test before adding them to my product line, I have just ordered several samples. All of these are being custom made and will contain new collages that I have designed for this project, in the style that I typically produce for my clients.

One of the albums that I designed for this project is a new sample portfolio of my more artistically styled work. It includes digital paintings, collages, and mosaics, along with some photography. Some of the artworks that I have included in this portfolio are several years old, while others were produced just for this album.

Would you like to see a preview?

For a high resolution viewing of eleven of the collage spreads that are contained in the album, click on the image below (or here) to activate my zoomable image viewer. Once the viewer launches, be sure to click on the images that it displays, or to use the slider below each image, in order to zoom in and see the detail.

While the viewer displays in high resolution, this is still only one quarter of the resolution of the images as printed in the album! The album style that I used for this art portfolio is the same album style that I intend to recommend for my clients for future portrait album projects. If you would like to arrange to view this new album style I am offering, in the form my new art portfolio, let me know. I will contact you know when I receive it from the factory in a few weeks.

I hope that after seeing these samples that some of you will be inspired to ask me about commissioning an artistic portrait or portrait album, for yourself or as a gift.

Workshop Announcement: Advanced Maternity and Child Portraiture

2010-05-29T08:12:00.001-04:00

On July 7-8, I will be doing a two-day advanced Maternity and Child portrait workshop at my studio with Marie of Memories By Marie Photography! We will cover studio lighting, on-camera and off-camera portable flash lighting, posing, and post production. Spaces are limited.

Course description document.

Sign up here.

Casting Two Models this Week for June 28 Workshop

2010-05-27T14:30:00.001-04:00

UPDATE – 28 May 2010 – Our bride has been cast. The other job is still open. Contact me ASAP if interested .. I would like to cast by the end of this weekend.

This week I am casting two models for our Professional Photographers of Ontario event on June 28 in Alliston. If you’re on Facebook, you can read the event details here. In summary, it is a full day workshop for professional photographers, with four master photographers giving instruction to a bunch of photographers, most of whom are full time pros themselves. The setting is a century old country inn.

The casting details for the two jobs are here and here on Facebook, and here and here on Model Mayhem. It’s a great opportunity to get some high quality professional images for your portfolio.

I expect to wrap up casting this Friday or Saturday, so please respond and get added to the list of interested candidates today. I will be calling the best candidates and then making the final selections. Please read the listings carefully and include the requested information in your reply. If you know someone else who may be interested, please pass the word.

Trash the Dress

2010-05-23T14:42:00.001-04:00

I am laying out a new album containing my portfolio. Here are some photos that I worked on today for its "Trash the Dress" section.

P.S. You are a spellbinding model Sheri. I hope that you're feeling better.

Social Responsibility Gets Fun and Nifty

2010-05-22T10:06:00.001-04:00

My friends at Ladybug Teknologies asked me to produce this photograph of their just launched product, to be used in its promotional materials.

BAQ Tracker is the first affordable high precision breathalyser for personal use. It is based on the same technology as law enforcement grade units, which are far more expensive.

For more information, contact Sherry or Chris.

More Real Estate Exteriors

2010-05-17T15:03:00.001-04:00

I have delivered more finished illustration style exterior views for the homebuilder’s project that I have previously reported on. (My client had kindly agreed to let me put the post-production work on hold while I was out of town.) Here are some more samples from the set.

Close Encounters of the Moose Kind

2010-05-09T15:46:00.001-04:00

My colleagues Brad and Jose carpooled with me to our convention. We picked Jose up from his Kawarthas location, and so we decided to take the scenic route to Mont Tremblant, through Algonquin Park. In short order, we saw a fawn, a black bear cub, and several moose. Finally we spotted a moose in a clearing right beside the highway. We pulled over and the three of us grabbed our cameras. As you can see, this young guy was a poser. In fact, he gave me enough material to fill his own gallery. Follow this link to check out all 23 of his portraits.

Example of a Complex Architectural Finishing Job

2010-05-05T17:31:00.001-04:00

Yesterday at dawn, I photographed the exteriors of several homes in a new community in Hamilton. My client, the home builder, is finishing a folio sized menu style glossy brochure, which they want to send to print this week. They hoped that one of yesterday’s photographs would work well for its cover. This morning, they gave me their selection, based on the previews that I had delivered.

Here is the preview version of the image that they chose:

Having worked with me several times, this client has come to expect that I will deliver a final version which has been enhanced for maximum visual impact. In this case, they made a couple of special requests as well: removal of the street lamp, and the addition of foliage to the trees in the background.

Because of their pressing project schedule, I provided same day turnaround on the work, and delivered the finished version to them this afternoon.

Here is a before and after comparison. (As always, you can see larger version of these images by clicking on the versions embedded in the blog.)

Travel Notice

2010-05-04T14:26:00.001-04:00

From Friday through Wednesday, May 7 through 12, I will be away at Mont Tremblant for the Professional Photographers of Canada annual convention. I will be checking e-mail and v-mail periodically, and Lorraine will be here holding down the fort.