B - Moments

CAPTURE THE MOMENT FIELD TRIP

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:02:00 +0000

As of 9:00 AM Monday we are still on for Maybury State Park Tuesday evening.
The weather is suppose to clear up and be warmer.

Tuesday

Partly sunny. Highs 68 to 72. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

From the Weather Underground.

I will try to be there by 5:30. The sun sets at 7:02.

WEEKEND OFF

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:47:00 +0000

I have a rare weekend off. No football last night, no weddings, no clubs. Hanging out with the wife and kids. I just wish I didn't have such an awful headache. Figures. LOL. I did shoot a few images of my son at tots tennis class.

James Nachtwey and XTRB.org

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:12:00 +0000

EVEN MORE DIGITAL I PHOTO CLASS LINKS

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:59:00 +0000

Calibrate your monitor
color
Online photo finishers review
My Photo Pipe
Shutterfly
M Pix
Picasa
photoshop express
photoshop lightroom 2

SCHOOLCRAFT CLASS TRIP MONDAY

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:23:00 +0000

Here is a map to Maybury State Park.
Park Map click here.

Right now there is a 30-40% channe of light rain and warm, 65-70.
I will post updates here on the blog Monday if the weather looks bad.
Have a good weekend of shooting.

Bryan

Class Notes

James Nachtwey and TED

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:35:00 +0000

His Website - http://www.jamesnachtwey.com/
One of my favorite photogs and probably the greatest photojournalist you will ever find.

LINKS FOR CAPTURE THE MOMENT AND...

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:22:00 +0000

... A FEW SOCCER PHOTOS SHOT LAST NIGHT (below)

Sim Cam
Photo Composition
More Composition
And More Composition

TRAVELING LIGHT

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:29:00 +0000

I got a quick last minute call from the Detroit News asking if I could go shoot a few portraits for a story on local people reacting to the governments failed buyout and the economy in general. I was traveling light because I didn't have much time to shoot and transmit these before heading to Sterling Heights for a soccer game. So I carried my D300 and SB-800 strobe. I used the pop up flash on the 300 powered down 3 stops for some fill but mostly to trigger my SB-800 strobe off camera in manual at 1/64 power I think. Also had a LumiQuest mini-softbx on the SB-800. Nothing fancy but it just jazzes up the light for these "man on the street" environmental portraits. The strobe in the top image brightens the face some and the bottom two simulate window light.

FRIDAY FOOTBALL ALMOST GOT IT

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Ok, so sometimes you take a chance, make a guess and many times it just doesn't work out, like the above shot. I was near the end zone line, on the side of the end zone and I always like to have a camera with a wide lens on it ready while shooting with a long lens when a team is in scoring position. From this angle I wanted a wide shot of the score, if it happened which it did, giving the shot a sense of place. I decided ahead of time I would shoot wide if the play came my way. Problem is I was still to slow in getting the camera with the wide lens up fast enough and I was too late and the first frame, above, is soft. But I would still do it again because when it works the shot can be a real nice different look from all the long lens shots. Go HERE to see the shot in the Free Press Kirt Dozier got of the play shot from the back of the end zone with a long lens. More from the game. Nothing super great tonight but they work ok. HERE is the gallery the News put up from tonights games.

Schoolcraft Digital 1& Capture the Moment

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:03:00 +0000

Links talked about in class.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Digital_Imaging/
http://kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
Schoolcraft Digital Flickr group

Schoolcraft Capture the Moment Flickr group
MSNBC Week In Pictures

THE LAUGHS KEEP COMING!

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:35:00 +0000

From Craigslist, always a good comedy read at lunch.

Sports Photographer Wanted (Michigan - anywhere)

Sportssummary.com is always looking for photographers to shoot pictures of sporting events such as boxing, MMA, High School wrestling and hockey from around the state of Michigan. Great place to get your pictures seen. Because positions are not compensated it is perfect for sports fans who happen to be great photographers and want the advantage of a media vantage point.

Compensation: no pay

Ok so now great photographers work for free. Hmmm, I must be awful?
Bryan

CEO

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:09:00 +0000

I photographed Ford CEO Alan Mulally today speaking to a women's business group. It seems whenever I photograph auto executives I keep thinking they make more money in a month then I do in a year or more. Then again I wouldn't want to be in charage of a huge company and make the decisions they have to make. Again, different worlds. As far as the photo goes I tried to get something different and saw this red hat. Speaker at a podium photos can start to all look the same.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:00:00 +0000

GALLERY HERE!

What and awesome wedding! Beautiful couple, beautiful location and perfect weather! Weddings on the beach are the best. If you live on the west side if Michigan or in Chicago I highly recommend getting married along Lake Michigan.

They were fun to work with!

This shot was a horizontal but it worked better as a vertical and I like the loos of the image.

A cool idea. Lisa's mom makes candles and the made labels with a photo I shot of Lisa and Tony a couple months ago on another Lake Michigan beach. I thought they looked nice.

A funny sticker, made me laugh.

Wheres Bryan?

TRAVEL TIME

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:20:00 +0000

It's a little after 1:00 AM and I am sitting in a hotel room checking email before bed. After shooting a High School football game for the Detroit News (see pdf of today's sports page below) I drove 2 1/2 hours across the state to Holland, Michigan. I'm shooting a beach wedding, ah well today, on Lake Michigan. I can't wait. The weather is suppose to be great and the location will be awesome. Look for photos later tonight. OK, image upload would not work so click here. I'm beat and going to bed. Good night.

CRAIGSLIST - THEY JUST KEEP COMING

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:11:00 +0000

If I didn't laugh so hard I might cry.

"I'm a Hip Hop artist looking for an experienced photographer that can capture great promo shots for my website, cd covers, stickers, and other promotional needs. Digital medium preferred. I'm not looking for some photographic primadonna that wants to confuse me with contracts and huge dollar amounts. Really what I'm looking for is someone who has the time and can cruise around with me on a Saturday or Sunday and get some great shots. I'll pay you $50 for the day and completed photos and even buy you a six-pack or a few rounds at the bar after we finish shooting. Please reply to this with a link to where I can see a sample of your photos."

DIFFERENT WORLDS, NEW PEOPLE.

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:03:00 +0000

I was sent to photograph a professional women’s group having a prayer for the city of Detroit early Saturday morning at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit for the Detroit News. I looked around for awhile and couldn’t find anyone praying. Then I saw 2 women who looked like they might be praying and it turned out to be them. So I figured there would not be very many people at the event and I wasn’t sure what I would get photo wise. James, who lives on the streets (above photo) came up and asked what we were doing. We told him and he decided to pray with the two ladies. After he was done praying he wanted to show me his art. He did. Including a painting of a half naked woman.

“I did this one for a woman I was with!” he laughed!

And the painting of the sun seen in the photo above. So I bought it for $5. I’m going to hang it in my house. Then he went on to tell me stories of how long he had been on the streets, what he does for money, pointed out where he sleeps and how he should listen to his mom because if he would have a few years back he wouldn’t have ended up in prison. He said 5 years for being mixed up in an armed robbery. I don’t know which things he talked about were true and which were not but he was looking to talk and we had a nice 15 minute chat. A few more people showed up for prayer, no more then 9 total and I made a few more images. Then back home to the burbs to help my wife set things out for a garage sale. This job lets me meet a bunch of people who I would otherwise never meet. It’s always been one of the coolest parts of the job. It’s also always been weird how I can be in different worlds in a matter of a day. Have a nice Sunday.

OUT OF PRACTICE AND RUSTY

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:36:00 +0000

I say that every year about this time when I shoot my first high school football game of the year. I don't shoot sports often enough anymore to stay real sharp but I do ok. And as the season goes on my timing gets better. I have also always been somewhat handicapped when it comes to gear and shooting football. The images below were shot with an 80-200 f2.8 on a Nikon D2X. I have just never been able to have use of or afford the best gear. Hell many times I see some dad or serious amature at a game who has much better gear the me. But its not the gear right? I usually do a good job of putting myself in teh right place for good shots. It alwasy helps to know the sport you are shooting and I love night time high school football. So I think my images look decent considering but I always wonder what I could do with some longer lenses and faster frame rates?

CRUSIN' WOODWARD

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:03:00 +0000

I didn't shoot the Woodward Dream Cruise on Saturday but the Detroit News did have me shoot people Crusin' on Wednesday night. The only image they ended up publishing was the photo above, Fridays lead, front page photo. I'm not sure why none of the others were published or added to the web page photo gallery but you just never know in this biz. They knew a ton of photos would come out of the weekend from their staffers as well. Anyway these images are what I transmit ed to the paper.

I've also had a couple people ask about the photo above. Here are a few details.

I was in the median of Woodward at 13 mile in Royal Oak, Michigan.

This car turned right onto Woodward from 13 mile heading south and I knew some of the cars, including this one, might merge all the way over closer to me making a Michigan left on Woodward going north.

The exposure was 1/30th of a second at an aperture of f5.6. 17mm lens. Nikon D2X

This gave me a good exposure on the cool sky and a slower shutter speed, but not to slow, for panning and some motion blur.

Then I put a flash on the ground to my left about 15 feet or so away from me and pointed it toward the road and up about were the front end of a car would be.

I triggered that flash with the flash on my camera turned around pointing at the flash on the ground not out toward the road.

I panned as a few cars went by and liked this one the best. The sky behind the car is real cool but was cropped out of the version that ran in the paper.

NO OLYMPICS FOR ME

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:22:00 +0000

I always thought it would be great to photograph the Olympics. At this point in my life its just not going to happen. I always loved shooting sports and when I was a staffer I shot sport on a weekly and almost daily basis. I loved it but also realize I was never the best sports shooter. Oh well, here are just a few of my favorites from over the years. And here are some Olympics coverage blogs you should check out:
Best seat in the house
Visions of China
USA Today
SI

WHO KNEW - KWAME GOES TO JAIL

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:20:00 +0000

As a freelancer you just never know what you might end up photographing day to day. The AP Detroit office called me last night wanting to know if I could photograph Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty at a court hearing this morning. They said no photos had been shot in court for a few weeks and they wanted some today. I assume all the staffers and regular freelancers are covering the PGA golf tourney that’s in town this week, so they called me. I don’t shoot much for the AP. Actually this was only my second assignment for them. I won’t go into the reasons why here. So I sent in my paperwork requesting permission to shoot in court and was approved. This particular court can make you jump through hoops for approval to shoot in court. The light stinks in the courtroom, no flash of course and the court clerk was real concerned about the shutter clicking on the camera. The judge doesn’t like it. So I shot normal, not to exciting court images of Kwame. Not too many to keep the shutter clicks down so as to not get thrown out.

So who knew the judge would throw the Detroit Mayor in jail which made it a huge story. Even got a bunch of national play. At this point in my career I am more interested in making some money to pay the bills which is tight then a photo credit all over the country. Don’t get me wrong it’s nice that my work gets used; I just would like it to be some spectacular shot of something. Maybe someday. Plus since the only two photogs in court were me and a staffer for the Detroit News, who I shoot most often for, I was just in the right place to get photos of a story people ran with. But like I said, you just never know what you might shoot.

Some place online the photos were used.

GREAT BLOG

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:15:00 +0000

http://vincentlaforet.wordpress.com/

MORE CRAIGSLIST FUNNIES

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:06:00 +0000

Posted on Craigslist:
"Getting married soon, very minimal, very low-key, need a photographer for about an hour, an hour-and-a half, shooting mostly at the ceremony and a little bit before. I don't want to pay $700 to someone to follow me around for 5 hours."
Compensation: around $200

I guess its worth a try! :)

Another one.

"Photographers needed to participate in a program called “Fan Photo.” This program pairs photographers with marketing student interns in order to generate photos of fans before and during University of Michigan home football games. Each photographer must report to Michigan Stadium two hours before kickoff and are required to work until halftime (approximately 4 hours). You will be paid $75 and provided with a ticket for that Saturday’s game, plus incentives. Photographers must be energetic and outgoing as to encourage fans to get their pictures taken."

I wonder what the incentives are? A hot dog maybe? :)

BACK FROM CAMPING - SR PORTRAITS

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:43:00 +0000

I just got home from a week long camping trip with my kids. I did some shooting while "Up North" as we say here in Michigan. A couple of my wife's cousins kids wanted their sr. portraits shot in the area we camp. The girls were easy to work with and the images came out nice. We crawled out of our tents half asleep about 5:00 AM to be on the beach along Lake Huron just as the sun came up for the shot above. The last shot of Ashley below was a fun grab shot in between poses. I used some off camera flash but also some fill with a white and gold reflector. Now I'm just going to try and catch up on emails, phone calls and a bunch of photoediting for a wedding I shot before I left, WAM photos and some for the City of Ann Arbor. Not much shooting this week but a bunch of computer time, Ugh!

ASHLEY

bryan@bryanmitchell.com (Bryan Mitchell) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:41:00 +0000