This allows the models to practice posing techniques and gives them great portfolio images to boot.

Even though modeling is a difficult business to break into there are many aspiring models these days who would like to try. I have been contacted by girls who would like to learn more about modeling and who ask for information. This is a great way to get their feet wet and to get started in order to see if it’s something they would like to pursue in the future.

This workshop was held in Kalkaska, Michigan.

Here are some images from the event.

One of the fun things I tried was having the model look at me through a plexi-glass panel that was covered in wax drippings.  Turned out pretty good.

The workshop was also open to women of all ages.

Wikipedia: Walk off the Earth is a Canadian indie band formed in Burlington, Ontario. ?

Dylan’s Candy Bar and Candy Cafe inside the resort offered the perfect location for a Christmas themed photo shoot. The resort was a little busy and we had people walking back and forth by the window watching us to see the action. We even had people coming up and taking their own pictures of the models. It’s no wonder. The girls were sporting their Sexy Santa outfits. We drew a lot of attention.

In all it was a great experience. Hopefully I can do more of these in Traverse City and East Lansing.  We had so many great pictures it is hard to get them all in. This is just a sample.

Once we got bored with the candy shop we walked around looking for other locations. The Grand Traverse Resort doesn’t disappoint.

The rusty colored sands of the Sleeping Bear Dunes seem to glow against the subtle blues of Lake Michigan. I visited this area that Good Morning America named “The most Beautiful Place in America” just before heading west to visit Colorado and New Mexico. The fall colors here were remarkable.

I wanted to catch the sunset so I arrived around 6:00 PM and waited.

I was able to get shots of people at the park as I waited for the sun to go down. These two were comfortably sitting next to some trees that grow at the edge of a large hill. The view from here is impressive. You can get here by taking the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive to parking lot #9 and taking the short hike up on the trails.

Once you get here you’ll be met with incredible views of Lake Michigan that stretch out before you on the horizon.

While I normally don’t consider myself a landscape photographer it’s nice to have beautiful scenery to inspire the shots.

This young man seems to be walking out of the wilderness.

To wrap it up. I finally got my sunset.

My friend, Brian, and I decided to attend along with scores of other photographers who wanted to gain some insight into Photoshop and various lighting techniques. The workshop was fun and informative although some of the material was better suited to beginners. I enjoyed myself and had fun watching Kelby work.

Brian and I rented some studio space after the seminar and convinced Liz Vang to join us. I met Liz last summer at a photography workshop I sponsored at the Cooley Gardens in Lansing. Liz is great at doing her own make-up and hair. She came ready for a shoot with several outfit changes and accessories.

We started with a few head shots and experimented with the lighting.

This photograph is shot with a technique Kelby demonstrated. He had the model standing in front of a softbox with the light aiming up at 45 degrees.

You can see the light on the side of Liz’s face. That light comes from directly behind. We also had a beauty dish in front aiming down at a 45 degree angle.

I had Liz pull her hair back in order for the light to come through and create a rim light on the side of her face.

This technique gives the model a glamorous look. Similar to what you see in a magazine.

We did a few head shots and then moved to some that were darker and more dramatic.

Liz stands out nicely against the dark background.  I like the black against black. That color scheme works well to accent the face.

Moving on, we decided to go back to a lighter background.

Brian and I had a great time over the weekend. He is from Traverse City and had never been to Lansing before. I took him exploring in Lansing and East Lansing. We checked out the MSU campus and ate at a great restaurant in downtown East Lansing. Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. We also took in the State Capitol building where Brian was impressed with the ornate decorations. To top it all off we had a fun studio session with a wonderful model.

For the location, I contacted Melinda Lombardi at Salon de Capelli to see if she could ask her husband to let us into a building at the former state hospital. What came next was a total surprise. Melinda emailed back and asked if the salon could do Megan’s hair in exchange for portfolio pictures for the stylist.

I asked Megan and we both agreed.

The stylist, Cindy Toranzo, did an amazing job. We told her that we were planning a rock-and-roll themed shoot and Cindy worked magic on Megan’s hair. We never expected that. Thanks to Melinda and Cindy at Salon de Capelli for all their help and to Tony Lombardi and his son for operating the fog machine

The shooting location is a garage that someone was using to store lawn maintenance equipment. The garage caught fire because a motorhome that was also stored there had faulty wiring. Most of the building didn’t have a roof and everything inside was in charred and in ashes; perfect place for what I had in mind.

Tim Miller with one of his handmade guitars.

Knowing Bevin, I knew this wedding was going to be different.

Bevin’s dress was simple. She made her belt as well as her bouquet.

After she got ready, Bevin and her dad walked down the street where she was raised to a neighbor’s house for the ceremony in the woods.

Tim and the wedding party were waiting in the woods for Bevin to arrive.

Bevin’s father walked her down the “isle” while the wedding party waited anxiously.

The ceremony was small. The wedding party had to cross over a creek on a makeshift plywood bridge. There wasn’t much room left. The onlookers had to watch from the other side of the creek.

Bevin and Tim passed their ring among family to have it blessed by each.

The kiss!!!

Over the creek and through the woods.

Tim and Bevin hopped into their friend’s GTO. Finally the wedding was done and the tension was off. Now it was time for the reception and fun.

We stopped for a  few family photos in the field across from her parent’s home then it was off with the wedding party for some shots at the Village of Grand Traverse Commons (formerly known as the Traverse City State Hospital).

The wedding party getting air.

The next few shots are just us playing around and having fun.

First the girls.

Then the guys.

Tim’s mustache isn’t normally curled into a handlebar but I think it looks good. He looks like a gangsta.

I made one of their photos look like an old-time shot to keep with the theme.

Tim and Bevin’s reception was held on the Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City. We shot some photographs near one of the many wineries on the peninsula while we were waiting for the reception to start. A couple chipmunks were chasing each other in the grass just beyond where the couple was sitting.

The reception was simple and unique. The wedding cake wasn’t adorned with anything other than the flags and it was placed on a table that resembled an old-time candy store. Perfectly “Bevinized”.

Amy and I started at Joanne Fabrics in Traverse City. Neither one of us knew how to buy fabric or even what to look for. We wanted the fabric to add a unique element. Although I have seen a lot of other photographers shoot with flowing fabric I thought Amy and I could find a way to use it creatively on the shoot. I also had no idea what I would paint when we got out on the shoot. This was all about being creative on the fly.

Amy has incredible blue eyes that need no touch up in Photoshop. I started by painting the yellow flowers and connecting them with the vines. The white and blue were added afterward in order to add interest. I also cut some roadside weed flowers on the way to the shoot to give some interest to the shoot.
I used those flowers as my inspiration.

The paint is a special body paint from Mehron. It washes off easily with water and it is non-toxic for the skin. If you plan to try body painting I would suggest using a paint made specifically for that purpose. Do not use paints that you buy in your local arts and crafts store. Some of the chemicals in those paints can be toxic.  Even though this is my first experience painting on a human I have had experience painting on canvas or whatever. I even have a painting of a moose on someone’s cottage door located in the woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The next photos and the one above were shot prior to the painting session. These are all from the same shoot.

After I shot with Amy I was contacted by Megan Dunn who had an idea for a shoot that included a painting on her back. We met at the same location and
painted a scene that depicted the area with a sailboat and the Old Mission Lighthouse. I love shooting in Northern Michigan during the summer months. Otherwise I am downstate in East Lansing. As an artist, I’m always open to your ideas.

Spending time on the beach in Northern Michigan is like a vacation to a tropical paradise. The only thing missing is the palm trees.

I had a photo shot with Megan Dunn  who contacted me for images to put into her modeling portfolio.

Shooting on the beach offer special challenges to the photographer. First there are the elements. Sand and water are not friendly to the camera equipment so you must take special care to make sure your equipment stays in good condition. It’s a good idea to bring a sheet or a blanket to lay your equipment on when not in use.

Both of these photos were taken at 5:30 AM (I know, Crazy huh?) You can see in these photos the different effects you can get with a sunrise or sunset. Lighting plays a role in the final outcome of your shot. If you want to see the beautiful colors of the scene and also expose for the model you MUST use an artificial light source. I like the silhouette on the left but I knew by looking at the scene that Megan was going to appear black against the bright sky. If I would have pointed my spot meter on her she would have been in correct exposure but I would have lost the colors of the sunrise. The photo on the right is the best of both worlds. You get a good exposure on the model and dramatic colors in the background. The following few shots are more examples of these two effects. Notice how you can use the variations for creative effects.

The photo above shows Megan in correct exposure with the background. For that shot I used two Alienbees with softboxes. They were powered with one vagabond power pack. Using two lights on one power pack drained the power very rapidly.

That’s not too much of a problem however, when shooting a sunrise or sunset you are forced to work rapidly because the sun is constantly changing. You have to be out there and ready to go when the sun starts coming up otherwise you lose the scene and there are no second chances.

If the power pack works for 30-45 minutes then you will have plenty of time to get your shots. I have tried to use other light sources such as Canon’s 580EX or just a reflector held up in front of the model.

The smaller flashes are fine if you can’t afford a studio light or if you are in a hurry and don’t want to try to set up studio lighting on-location but you may not get the colors to look as dramatic as the ones above. The reason being that you would have to compensate for the lower light output by making the scene brighter in your camera settings.

The image on the left is a good example of the silhouette effect. When shooting silhouettes you want to pay attention to the outline of the body and the various aspects of the scene. I Think of those old-time Victorian silhouettes. You want the parts of the body to be clearly visible and easily read by the viewer.

Body parts that overlap each other will not be visible. It’s best to try to show all the contours of the body. Have your model pose in such a way as to show the arms and legs or the curves and textures. This shot would not have worked if the model was facing  towards me or away from me. You would not have seen the contours of her hair or the curves of her body. The bikini string would have also blended in with the rest of the body.

The same principles apply when shooting later in the day.  You never want to shoot on the beach in mid day sun. It’s better to shoot in the early morning or later in the afternoon.

This shot was taken on a different day at 5-6 O’clock in the evening. We went out to the Old Mission Peninsula because the sun was on the opposite side  of the bay from the sunrise shoot. We were facing west instead of facing east.  The beauty of shooting in Traverse City is that there are two bays to choose from. You can shoot both sunrise and sunset depending on where you go. You can also find beaches that are relatively private, which gives you an opportunity to practice without the additional pressure of onlookers and gawkers.

Notice the directional light on Megan’s body caused by the sun behind her. This time I didn’t have the Alienbees. I used a reflector held by an assistant. The water behind her is not as deep and dramatic as the sunrise shots above.

This shot was done using a wide aperture setting to get the blurring in the background. This particular lens goes to f2.8, which means that the opening in the lens is large and, therefore, lets in more available light. To compensate for all the extra light coming in to your camera you need to make your shutter speed faster than than your camera’s flash sync speed. Shooting with a flash is difficult in this situation. This photograph was shot at f2.8 at 1/320 sec. The sync speed of a Canon is 1/250 sec. If you shot at that lower speed you would have to “stop down” your aperture to compensate thereby increasing the depth of field.  I also used a neutral density (ND) filter to cut down the light even further. The lighting in this image is  done with the sun directly behind the model and a gold reflector to compensate.

The photos above where shot with Megan positioned so that the sun approximately 90 degrees to her left. I did this in order to create a side lighting effect. You don’t always need to have the sun behind your model. When the sun is lower in the sky it makes a great light source because it casts a directional light on your subject. You should always look for the interplay of available light on your scene and use whatever tools you have available to balance against that light source.

When you see the directional light use it  to your advantage but don’t forget to balance that light on the other side with a flash or, in this case, a reflector.