Think Small

Sometimes photography is about what you don't see, and more to the point, what you shouldn't see. As I am about to finish up my wedding season that drove hard toward the end with 11 weddings over 13 weeks, it inspired me to touch on something aspiring wedding photographers or just the casual photo enthusiast may be interested in considering... small spaces.

If you've shot a wedding, taken photos as a friend during the wedding day, or been a part of the bridal party you'll know that the preparation phase of day is pretty hectic and can be quite cluttered. Often times you are relegated to the cramped quarters of a bedroom, hotel room, or a Sunday School classroom where there is an entire group of people (with all of their things scattered about) as they prepare for the big day. As a photographer you need to get clean shots of the dress, rings, shoes, jewelry, flowers, and the details that are important to the client without the distractions of suitcases, shoe boxes, duffel bags, posters, and the like. You need to do all of this without rearranging the entire room and without being a nuisance to the bridal party. It is time to start thinking small.

In the shot at the top of the page...the room had busy backgrounds everywhere I turned and there were people constantly moving about as they got ready for the day. Not a problem. I used the simple, yet small space provided by a windowsill for this shot.

This bride, who is a hunting enthusiast, requested that I incorporate a pair of her boots into some of the photos. I shot this laying on the floor to avoid all of the boxes, bags, and other odds and ends that were on the bed and nearby tables.

The cramped space of a hotel room can be made to seem open with the use of a wide angle lens and simply moving a few items aside. Here there were tables and chairs to both sides of the windows in this hotel room. I moved them just a few inches out of frame, laid on the floor on the far side of the bed, and shot around the foot of the bed.

This is the same dress in the same room. I slid the chair over to where it was when I arrived, closed the sheer curtains, incorporated the veil and shoes, and shot from a different perspective.

In "Sunday School" classroom situations, look for every and any opportunity to eliminate distractions and clutter. You can make it seem as if there is no one and nothing else in the room, even when there are people, suitcases, posters, and boxes all around you.

Here I simply used a chair that was in the room and a shallow depth of field as the rest of the bridal party was getting ready just a few feet from me.

Along For The Ride

Back when disposable waterproof cameras were hitting the market we’d grab one and my friends and I would take turns shooting photos while we surfed. After getting back a number of rolls of blurry prints, it was apparent we weren’t going to get the type of photos we’d hoped for. Fast-forwarding a number of years…when my friends and I would go surf on the Outer Banks, I usually took first shift behind my DSLR with the 400mm lens. We’d drive our SUVs out on the beach, sit in the cargo area, and shoot out of the back of my truck. This worked great unless there was a side shore current causing my subjects to drift down the beach or, in my case, most of the time they wouldn’t paddle in to take their shift behind the camera. In December of 2010 I was given my very own, personal “in the water” photographer and videographer…a GoPro camera.
The GoPro is quite a nifty little gadget. It has a waterproof housing that you can mount almost anywhere, it shoots HD video, and shoots 5MP digital stills. Since my friends and I picked one up, no one has to man the tripod anymore. Unfortunately the east coast didn't get much surf this summer, however, the GoPro provided all sorts of new possibilities and perspectives I just couldn’t get before.

The camera is just below the water's surface as I paddle out.

I breach the surface after "duck diving" a wave

Up-close photos and perspective you can't get from shore

Whether shooting digital stills or HD video, every wave I ride can now be documented from start to finish.

A special thanks to my folks for giving me the gift of being able to document one of my deepest passions...surfing.

Insurance: A No-Brainer

Most 4th of Julys end in a flurry of bangs, this year mine ended with a gut wrenching splash. I met with a few friends to spend the 4th of July on the Outer Banks to enjoy an extended weekend of sun, surf, and good times. All of those things fell right into place. Earlier in the day we moved my friends' sailboat down to the end of the marina to get a front row seat for the fireworks in Manteo, NC. I was going to able to post up on the dock and shoot some photos to incorporate the sailboat and the fireworks. I set up my tripod by simply opening the legs to give my rig the lowest center of gravity possible and I was ready to go.

When the fireworks started I began shooting away with a remote trigger and all was going well. I went over to my rig to recompose a shot. I sat down on the dock behind the tripod as the viewfinder was perfectly at eye level and I scooted forward just a bit to look through. As I scooted forward, my knee ever so slightly bumped one of the tripod's legs and the whole set up fell like a cut tree. The rig hit the edge of the dock about half way down the tripod and, being top heavy, it went "head first" into the murky depths of the Marsh's Light Marina. I didn't yell, cuss, cry, or even punch anything. I just sat there staring at the black water; I was speechless and it was gone.

I took a few minutes to collect myself and then my friends and I began the salvage mission to recover the only thing that was going to be unaffected by being submerged in 9' of saltwater...the tripod. After a bit of coaxing I hurled myself into the filthy water of the marina, held on to one of the boat's spring lines that was overhead, and began probing the bottom with a long pole. After 20 minutes in the water and several dives to the bottom, I found my rig. Once I was back on the dock, I took off the lens and water poured out of the camera body. It was at that point it finally hit me...my 7D was dead.

Moments After Salvage; photo: Rob Nelson

The first question everyone asked was, "Do you have insurance?" My answer, "No." One of my buddies who is a photographer said to me, "Ugh. Insurance is a no brainer my brother." Insurance was one of those things I was going to get around to doing, but never did. It was a hard (and expensive) way to learn the importance of something very simple and inexpensive. If you don't have insurance, get it, or even add your gear to your homeowner's or renter's insurance.

As it turns out the tripod wasn't the only thing that survived undamaged, my San Disk Extreme 8G card was unaffected. All the photos (including one of the last photos I shot that night, at the top of this blog) were still on the card and it works as if nothing happened. I wouldn't go tossing memory cards in to 9' of murky saltwater but San Disk gets my vote for making a solid product!

7D corroding just 18hrs after recovery

Battery grip corroding just 18hrs after recovery

Even the batteries were shot

Hello? You There?

Yes, I'm still here and I'll still be posting. Quite honestly there wasn't much going on with my photography after the Civil War reenactment back in April, so there wasn't much to talk about or show. Then when May arrived; things picked up and kept right on rolling. In the spring I like to wander through Newport News park enjoying the weather and photographing any wildlife that comes my way. The photo above is of an osprey that just plucked a sizable meal from the lake at Newport News Park. So here is a look at what I was up to in May and June...

Children and Family Portraits

An Engagement Session & A Wedding

Started My 2011 Surf Season Shooting Stills & HD Video With My GoPro

Event: Aerial Cirque

Photography For Charity

Event: National Day of Prayer

Event: Open House for Realty Co.

Event: ABA BMX Old Dominion Nationals

So as you can see there was quite a bit going on and not much time to chat. I am still here and the blogs will keep coming. Stay tuned!

Battle of Big Bethel

Each spring the good folks at Endview Plantation host a Civil War reenactment and each spring I look forward to shooting the two day event as I have since 2007. This year was the 150th Anniversary of The Battle of Big Bethel which took place on June 10, 1861. This was the first land battle in Virginia and very possibly the first land battle of the American Civil War. Okay, the history lesson is over...
If you've never been to a Civil War reenactment, it is definitely worth the time because it is like walking around in a History Channel documentary. The participants are very keen on doing their best to keep everything as close to the period as they can in order for the spectators to get a better idea of what life was like during this time. At Endview Plantation visitors are allowed to wander through the camps prior to the battle. I tend to find myself spending more time in the Confederate camps because the folks just look more interesting. The Union's uniforms were issued whereas the Confederate Infantry uniforms, many times, were nothing more than the clothes they were wearing when they left for the war.









The first day of the reenactment was cloudy and cool with rain showers on the way. We spectators had a great position along the side of the battlefield. It was like watching a football game from the sideline at the 50 yard line. As troops on both sides made their way to the battlefield and set in formation I was hoping the rain clouds in the distance would hold off until the battle was over. As the first shots of the battle were fired, the rain began to fall and I spent the next 20 minutes protecting my gear and not shooting. Eventually the rain moved off and I was able to shot some of the battle.







The weather forecast for the second day of the reenactment was calling for better weather and I figured I'd be able to get more shooting time. Murphy's Law had other plans and they weren't good. The second day of the reenactment the spectator area was moved to the rear of the battlefield. The battle that day started on the other side of the property behind a dense tree line. The reenactors fought the first half of the battle out of sight of the spectators. Then the two sides moved to the battlefield to continue the fight.
The Confederates quickly advanced on the retreating Union soldiers and fought the second half of the battle at the end of the battlefield opposite the spectator area. I'm not sure why this was done this way, but it was disappointing as a spectator. It was like going to a football game and the first half of the game was played in the parking lot while the fans were in the stadium. Then during the second half of the game, all the fans were sitting in one endzone while the teams played the rest of the game from the opposite 20 yard line. After that you probably wouldn't go to watch another football game.



I was able to come away with some photos from those two days, but again it had to be disappointing for the people who were attending for the first time or those like myself who knew that in previous years the spectator areas had a much better vantage point. Despite the rain on the first day and the terrible point of view the second day, I enjoyed shooting this event as always. Click the link to view the Battle of Big Bethel photos and you can also view previous reenactments here.

March: In like a Lion and out like a Lion

March was more of an administrative month than one for shooting. There was a lot of email correspondence, scheduling, and one on one meetings. I had the opportunity to meet a number of potential clients and book a bunch of weddings this month. I attended the first meeting of the Oyster Point City/Center Business Association which is a no-cost forum for local businesses to network, share ideas, and generate business for one another.
I purchased some new gear this month. I picked up the Canon 7D just before Canon's $200 instant rebate ended. I picked up a few other odds and ends including a 28x28 Wescott Apollo umbrella-style softbox for a speedlite (which produces great light). I also sent my favorite lens (my Canon 100-400m IS L) off to Canon to have the locking ring replaced. Canon fixed the issue and had my lens back to me in a week!
March wasn't all work, I did shoot. Although I held off on a few things until my new gear arrived and I had an opportunity to familiarize my self with everything. I had a family session and worked with a local model looking to build his portfolio. The month rounded out by photographing a performance of The Wizard of Oz at the Ferguson Center for the Arts.
April has shaped up to be a full month of shooting including a Civil War Re-enactment, commercial work, and portrait sessions. I definitely see two posts for April, so stay tuned...

Serendipitous Spring-like Day

One of the great things about the Hampton Roads area is that from time to time the dreary days of winter can be broken up by spring-like warmth. Another nice thing about this area is that there are a variety of beaches close by.
The day before this image was shot I was planning to go shoot something because the weather was forecast to be 75 degrees and sunny. Then I received a phone call from Pamela. She wanted to do some photos to submit for consideration by a corporate restaurant chain (I'm not going to plug them they already make a ton of money selling wings...oops) doing a model search for their calendar. I called her back to tell her that the next day was going to be perfect to do a location shoot on the beach. As it turns out the day was gorgeous and just right for a bikini...and it was February! The day after the shoot the temps dropped back into 40's and we were back to our typical late winter weather. It's always nice when things fall neatly into place.

"Paths"

The winter months can be cold and dreary. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, things slow down a bit and I get an itch to get out and shoot something. Typically I like to wander through a few local parks in search of wildlife to photograph, yet during the winter months most wildlife await the return of spring. So I tend to turn inward to fulfill the need to shoot.
The image above is called "Paths." The photo was inspired by a number of different things that were going on both internally and externally before I shot this photo. The drug cartel violence along the U.S. and Mexico border was just starting to be reported in the media. Then there was the day to day violence that plagues much of the world whether it is in the name of religion, love, drugs, or the lust for money. Next was the layering of the things that people will often turn to in order to fulfill their "needs" during these long winter months (violence, shopping sprees, self-medication, etc or a combination of these things).
Internally I was asking "Why? Why do people do these things?" It was a question that was child-like and simplistic and had an astoundingly complex answer. At that point I thought, "Somewhere along the way, a person had a decision to make. A path to choose." That was when this image popped into my head.
As I planned this shot and arranged the items, a sort of "6 degrees of separation" started to take shape for me. I also began to think about the individual components of the image and depending on the path chosen aren't necessarily "bad." Derivatives of illicit drugs (the ones in the image are not real) are used as medication for patients, firearms and religion save countless lives every year, alcohol is often used to celebrate some of the most important days of our lives, and so on...
As a note, one of the things I struggled to incorporate was "love." The Bible is associated with love, yet I wanted love to stand out a bit more and a heart or ring were just too obvious nor would they mesh well. I came across a book of matches and it just clicked. A phone number on a book of matches, love, spark, flame, and burn just felt right for what I was wanting to get across and linked to the other components of the image. I substituted the word "Love" in the area where a phone number would be and it was complete.
There is a connection that can be made between all of the components in the image, both good and bad. When faced with decisions to make in your life, which path will you choose?

You can view my "Melangé" gallery for additional photos.