I enjoy taking self portraits. I like documenting my life but I hate people taking my picture. Ironic I know…

There are many reasons I dislike being in front of the camera. The main reason is just because I am 100% uncomfortable when someone is taking my photograph. I spend most of my time taking photos of other people but when the lens is turned on me I am struck with anxiety. So, I found out a long time ago if you like your picture taken but don’t like people to do it – you have to do it yourself.

Here are 11 quick tips to help with Self Portraits (in no particular order)

1. Have Fun

2. Loosen Up

3. Experiment With Light

4. Get out of Your Element

5. Set Marks for Where to Stand or Sit

6. Focus on an Object at Your Mark

7. Use Auto Focus and Then Switch to Manual Focus to Lock In The Focus

8. Use a Tripod

9. Use The 10 Second Auto Timer (or Remote)

10. Exercise Patience & Take Your Time

11. Have Fun – It’s Just Photography

My Self Portrait Photography can be seen here: Flickr / Portfolio

Do you have any tips for self portraits? Do you want to show off your work? Leave a comment with a link to a gallery or specific photos.

]]> http://grtaylor2.com/2010/03/09/11-tips-for-self-portraits/feed/ 6 http://grtaylor2.com/2010/02/21/photo-365-update-january/ http://grtaylor2.com/2010/02/21/photo-365-update-january/#comments Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:29:00 +0000 GRTaylor2 http://grtaylor2.com/?p=529

As previously posted I am committed to a Photo 365 project (link to past video post.) Many people have been posting their photos daily, so I thought it’s time I posted how my project is going.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Photo 365 Obeservations

- I am really uncomfortable in front of the camera and I am trying to make myself relax
- Most photos are taken at the same time every day – early morning. I think it’s funny I am not wearing a wider variety of clothes
- I have a good side. One of my eyes reacts strangely to light and is photographed as being lazy
- I need to shave and get haircuts more often

Other Photo 365 Notes

- Daily self portraits are not as easy as I thought it would be. There are times when I just don’t feel like taking my photograph
- I had marks in a closet for my tripod but I have since abandoned the tripod method. I needed the tripod for a landscape photo shoot and it’s easier just holding the camera in front of me
- I was planning on sharing this project at the end of the year but I changed my mind and decided to post the photos monthly

Photo 365 Resources

Photo 365
Photo 365 Tutorial

How is your Photo 365 going? Have you experienced any unforeseen difficulties? Please take a moment and share with a link to your project – (This is a good time to show off your work!)

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone – I wanted to display two photographs that visually illustrate the feeling of Love.

These are my favorite photos that illustrate love. The top I took at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2002. The painting is Munch’s Vampire and the couple in front of the painting are complete strangers. This also is an example of having your camera ready at the right place and time.

The bottom photo I took of us the old fashioned way. Held the camera in front of us and snapped the photo. It was taken on a carriage ride through New York City’s Central Park.

Do you have any photographs that visually express the feeling of Love? Post a link to them in the comment and share!

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010 an earthquake measuring 7.0 struck the country of Haiti. The epicenter of the quake was 10 miles southwest of the capital of Haiti, Port Au Prince. This disaster killed close to 170,000 people and left others injured and homeless. Everyone wanted to help in this time of need and help comes in various ways. Some text donations, some gave clothes and some gave money at benefit concerts. Images Without Borders pulled a community of photographers together to help in other ways…

IMAGES WITHOUT BORDERS is an organization that collected donated photographs from world class photographers working around the world. All images are offered through their website (powered by photoshelter at no cost) at special prices. All proceeds go directly to Doctors Without Borders, less only the cost of printing.

When Stacy Ericson asked me to be involved with the Images Project  I was honored. After much thought I selected the above image of Lake Yellowstone (Yellowstone National Park.) Photography is providing hope, relief and helping people survive the unimaginable.

IMAGES WITHOUT BORDERS NEEDS YOU!

Although this project is off to a great start – we can always use your help. Here are three simple ways to get involved:

1. If you are photographer get in touch with Stacy or the others involved through Twitter or Facebook and offer your creative services by way of submitting an image.

2. Spread the word. Send a link. Tell someone about this movement to provide relief to the people of Haiti.

3. Purchase a print through the Images Without Borders website. These images are taken by professional photographers and are offered at reasonable prices.

Thank you to everyone at Images for your selfless dedication to the greater good, working around the clock to get this project off the ground, expanding the photography universe and asking me to be involved.

Here is a list of my 10 favorite bands to photograph and a couple of words in summary…

10. Mickey Avalon: Unpredictable on stage (photo)
9. Crowfield: New band to me & great music (photo)
8. Black Carl: Emma’s vocals (photo)
7. Death By Stereo: Hardcore from the crowd (photo)
6. Rusted Root: Great vibe (photo)
5. Agnostic Front: NYHC Legends (photo)
4. What Laura Says: Great on stage (photo)
3. Cage The Elephant: Next generation punk rockers (photo)
2. Rev. Horton Heat: Perfect lighting (photo)
1. Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers: Always a challenge – Great stage presence (photo)

I am proud of my list’s diversity. Each show was a very different experience which is why they stand out in my mind.

What bands do you like to see live? Have you ever photographed their concerts? As always, we want to hear from you. Leave a comment and if you shot photos of the show add a link to share them.

To view my complete photography portfolio please visit www.grtaylor2photo.com

No one likes to get ripped off and no one wants to feel cheated – I don’t care who you are.

Question: Do you host your images on popular photo sharing sites like Flickr or Facebook? If you answered yes and you do not take a moment to brand or watermark your photos you are running the risk of having your images stolen.

The topic of this post started with a question asked by my friend Devon. He asked if I could address the pros and cons of watermarking or branding self published photos. Thanks, great subject for discussion.

CONS

Aesthetics: If you are not strategic with the placement and size of the watermark or branding it may take away from the image. When placing a watermark, copyright line or logo make sure it doesn’t draw the viewer’s eye away from the subject and screw with the composition. The perception of the value of the photo to a prospective client can be lessened if you are not careful with placement.

After giving it much thought this is the only con I see when when it comes to this topic.

PROS

The list of pros far outweigh the cons. For starters, people will know who took the photo and subsequently who owns its rights. If you include  simple things like the copyright year and your website (or wherever your portfolio can be seen) it tells the viewer how old the photo is and where they can see more of your work. As photographers I believe it is our responsibility to make things as easy as possible for clients to get the information they need.

Another reason to brand your photos falls under the lines as the second point – properly branded photos will increase traffic to your websites.

Personally, I prefer a branding line over a watermark that covers up the image. Although a watermark is harder to delete and photoshop out of an image, aesthetically it’s horrid. I use a simple two line branding mark that includes my website and the copyright date. (I know that in some cases this can be cropped out and removed but after giving it some thought I’m ok with taking that risk to preserve the integrity of the photograph.)

HOW TO BRAND A PHOTO

Here is a simple overview of how I brand my photos. I process my photos in Aperture and after I make my adjustments I export the image to a work in progress folder. From here I will open the exported file in photoshop, open my .psd branding file and drag it on top of the photo. After I give placement careful thought and consideration I save the file. I will then import the altered file back into Aperture and stack the native image with the branded image (in Aperture stacking allows me to view thumbnails of the photos I use.) The last step is publishing the photograph to the platform of my choice.

My .psd branding mark is comprised of white text on a transparent background. (Download my branding mark and alter it with your own text by clicking here.)

How do you handle branding your photographs and watermarks? Leave a comment and let’s discuss…

To view my complete photography portfolio please visit www.grtaylor2photo.com

So, you want to combine your love for music and photography but don’t know where to start. I’ve developed a series of weekly articles will help you get started.

The first place to start is with a Digital SLR (DSLR) camera. Sounds simple enough but many people don’t realize that the typical point and shoot camera will not produce the shots you want. Sure point and shoots are great for snapshots of you and your friends but not of the show. I use the Canon EOS xsi with two different lenses. The lenses I almost always use are a prime 50mm f1.8 and a 24-70 f2.8. I find that very rarely do I go into my bag to grab a different lens.

Why these two lenses? The Canon 50mm lens (sometime referred to as the nifty-50) is a lens every photographer should have. The 50 is an inexpensive way to have something that is fast enough for the poor lighting conditions of concert venues. F1.8 is more than enough when shooting at ISO800 – 1600. The 24-70 2.8 allows me to frame the shot differently. Where as the 50mm is prime (no zoom in or out) the 24-70 gives me some more freedom. F2.8 is fast enough with a shutter speed of 1/60 – 1/125 while using ISO800 – 1600.

If you notice I haven’t mentioned using a flash. I never use a flash when taking concert photos. Why? Unless you are on assignment from the band or band’s management the artists really don’t appreciate a flash popping in their face during the set – or even the three songs you’re allowed to shoot (we’ll get to that part later in concert photo etiquette.) Many times the conditions of using a photo pass is “NO FLASH”.

Basic equipment needed: DSLR Camera (which has at least ISO1600) and a f2.8 lens. (Above is a photo of my primary concert gear.)

So you have the gear – now what? You have to know your camera and know the settings. I’m not saying before getting started you need to be the most technical photographer. The knowledge needed is how your gear responds in different lighting situations. What shutter speed? at which ISO? what f-stop? This is what makes or breaks the picture. Get the lighting right and your chances increase dramatically of getting a good photograph. Below are samples of my photos with various camera settings I rely on:

(Links to more of my concert photography with photo settings can be found at www.flickr.com/grtaylor – select image and click on properties)

Know your camera, know your settings, trust your instincts and have fun – chances are you have the best seat in the house!

The next post in this series will discuss ambient light and basic camera settings. The article will also include metering, aperture, determining ISO, and shutter speeds. (Other upcoming posts will include how to get the shot, framing – concert photography composition, post processing digital images, getting your photo equipment in the house and photo credentials.)

I want to know about your concert photography experience. What was the first concert you shot? How did the images turn out? Please leave a comment and show off some of your music photos.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are links to some Photo365 projects from the photographers I spoke to about this post. Check out their work and let them know what you think.

Erin Taylor-Bell’s Project
Devon Adams’ Project
Stacy Ericson’s Project
Allan Saw’s Project

Here are links to where you can find other Photo365 projects – or create your own.

365 Project
Flickr’s 365 Days Photo Group

I want to know about your photo / art projects for 2010 – leave a comment and let us know. It’s all about collaboration! This blog places a high value on collaboration over competition!

My complete photography portfolio can be viewed at: www.grtaylor2photo.com

Everyone who has ever been successful has mentors. If mentor is too formal a word for art than people they admire and look to their work for inspiration. The access to online portfolios, flickr and tweets about photo shoots has expanded my view. But ultimately there are a handful of photographers over the years whose work has stuck with me – so here is my list of FIVE Photographers that I respect and admire their work. (In no particular order.)

BEN CORNISH: Who is Ben Cornish? Ben is a filmmaker that lives in Denver but growing up he was one of my best friends. Ben was the person who always had a 35mm camera or a video camera with him. I know somewhere there are umpteen boxes of VHS tapes and photographs from our high school days and thereafter. I’ve always liked the diverse subjects Ben shot. One day it would be a skate session and then maybe a concert we were going to later and probably along the way he would pull the car over to take a picture of a cool tree by the side of the road. Ben made it ok for me to take photos and to have a camera with me often.

GLEN E. FRIEDMAN: If you don’t know who Glen E. Friedman is – look it up. Glen documented two groundbreaking subjects in history (and my life) – early days of skateboarding and the east coast music movement (both punk rock and hip-hop.) Glen’s unique composition and powerful portraits are the envy of many photographer. Often before going to shoot a concert or a portrait I will look at one of his amazing books to get ideas on position, lighting and composition. I know I am not alone when I say – Glen E. Friedman has influenced me more than any other photographer. (Period.)

TODD OWYOUNG: Todd is a Concert Photographer from Los Angeles, CA. The thing that always strikes me about Todd’s work is the amazing colors. Concert photography is usually a fight with light. He is able to make the lighting work for him and produce excellent work. What I admire most about Todd is his transparency. Usually his posts include what lenses were used and his camera settings. As I refer to Glen’s books I also refer to Todd’s website to gain insight on technical aspects of concert photography. He has helped my progression as an artist.

CHADWICK FOWLER: I have known of Chadwick for a while now – but I first met him spring of 2009. Chadwick is a professional photographer from Phoenix, AZ that specializes only in great shots. His business is segmented into Commercial Photography, Concert / Music Photography and Portrait Photography. He has a passion for getting the best photo at the perfect moment. More than that he has a passion for his craft (photography) – I know because I have seen him in action. Chadwick sets the bar high for us photographers in Phoenix and we are all better for it. Check out his work. www.chadwickfowler.com

CRAIG BLANK: I’ve known Craig since the early 80′s. Craig was one of our best friend’s (older) brother. I don’t know what to say about Craig’s photographs – whether it’s about his architecture work, product work or portraits – His photos always capture that thing. (It’s difficult to put into words.) Again, these are the shots I am continually seeking. Craig is probably one of the most technical photographers I know (graduated from School of Visual Arts in NYC.) When I see Craig’s work it always makes me pick up my camera and photograph something.

There’s my list. These are the artists that I work to be named with at someday. Who are your favorite photographers – I want to know so I can expand my circle influence. (Happy 2010 to everyone.)

To view my complete photography portfolio please visit: www.grtaylor2photo.com

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions unconsciously set you up for failure and who wants to fail. Not me.

Let’s face it 2009 was a rough year for everyone – but I can still count the many blessings that 2009 brought me.

2009 was the year I got my health in order and discovered what was really important. (Sidenote: I got fired – not layed off, straight up canned in November 2008 for some BS. Yep, I got fired from a job I freaking hated every minute of. I was bummed for maybe 20 minutes and then this amazing feeling came over me – FREEDOM. I traveled for four months off and on rediscovered my hapiness.) Money, material things and the like are cool – but in 2009 I set my priorities right. I’m no longer chasing pipe dreams and bar plans. That doesn’t mean I don’t have goals and aspirations but they are more aligned with the bigger picture.

That brings us to my Declarations for 2010. These are things that I focus on during the next year.

HEALTH: I will continue my pursuit of fitness. I will continue my pursuit of clean eating. I will continue my adopted vegetarian lifestyle. I will limit unnecessary late nights and make sure that I listen to what my body needs.

PHOTOGRAPHY: I will continue to make pictures at every opportunity. I will continue my pursuit to being the best photographer I can. I will have an exhibit in August for my 40th birthday. I will continue my informal study of the masters of photography. I will continue my pursuit of knowledge by asking questions, answering questions and discussing photography with others.

PERSONAL: I will continue to be a friend and a trusted confidant. I will continue my pursuit of being the best person I can. I will make sure that I tell the people in my life how grateful I am for their love, friendship and support. I will engage in off-line social activities in Tempe / Phoenix with the great people of Social Media in AZ (I will let myself be known to everyone in person rather than in 140 characters.)

PROFESSIONAL: I will continue to hone my craft and ward off complacency at every turn. My focus will be on achieving results that help my clients move toward their goals. I will continue to be a conduit of information, ideas and creativity.

There it is – posted to live forever. Here’s a question to anyone who reads this and to everyone: What are you going to do in 2010?

To view my complete photography portfolio please visit:www.grtaylor2photo.com