PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

My main goal in portrait photography is to capture the personality and essence of the subject, which requires getting to know something about them. Sometimes it helps to conduct the photoshoot in the sitters home, or workplace where they feel more comfortable and at ease. Better still is to get your subject to hold something familiar to them, such as a pet, musical instrument or something personal. Find out what their passion is and get them involved with it, and then start taking the photos. When I want to visually isolate the sitter from their surroundings, I use a fast (wide aperture) telephoto lens at around f2.8. I may want to show the surroundings, and how they relate to the sitter, so I often use a wide angle lens and a higher f stop, f16 or f22 to bring everything into focus. Lighting is a very important consideration and adds to the mood of the photograph. Soft or dramatic light, low or back lighting can be very effective. Following are a few examples of my portraits...

The Cardinal

This imposing gentleman was kind enough to hold still for me during the middle of a festivity in Asolo, Italy. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm lens.

The Grove School in Redlands, California, have a special "Hair Day" every year. The students can come to school with a creative hair style. This is one of several images I produced on that day. Nikon D70 with 17-70mm lens. Shot with natural light. Tweaked and twiddled in Photoshop.

Plein-air Painter.

This lady was painting a view of the Grand Canal, Venice. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm 2.8mm lens.

Jim Jarnagin, Grove School Fundraiser.

Portrait of Jim Jarnagin, country and western musician. Taken at the Grove School fundraiser in Redlands, California. Nikon D70 with 17-70mm lens. Direct camera flash. The light filtering through the trees was painted in with Photoshop.

Italian Jester.

The Jester was someone who stood out at the festival in Asolo, Italy. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm lens.

Persian Chinchilla Kittens.

This picture was taken during a period when I was shooting for book, calendar, and greeting card publishers, such as Hallmark Cards. The photo of the Persian Chinchillas has been published many times. Hasselblad 500C with a 80mm lens. Ektachrome Professional transparency 64asa 120 film.

The Little Prince.

This photo was used in a poster design for the stage production of the The Little Prince, directed by Rob D'Arc. The actor was Tanner Ritchie. Nikon N90x camera with 24-105mm lens, Ilford FP4 film, and a single soft box strobe.

Sherlock Holmes.

A large soft box strobe was positioned behind Mr. Holmes, plus and a single white reflector for fill, was how this photo was achieved. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm 2.8 lens. "Elementary Doctor Watson."

Contessa

Taken during the festivities in Asolo, Italy. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm 2.8 lens.

Practicing for the Circus.

This is my son Gabriel practicing for the YMCA Circus in Redlands, California. He really was playing the saxophone while riding his unicycle. Nikon 200 with 17-70mm lens.

Gondolier

Venice is wonderful place to take photos, and this Gondolier was a very interesting character. Nikon D200 with 70-200mm 2.8 lens.

The Tempest.

They may appear to be in a fully fledged argument, but my children, Madeleine and Gabriel were acting. Nikon D200 with a 70-200mm 2.8 lens.

Nikon D200 with 17-70mm lens, plus fill flash.

The Reporter

Cari is a food critic, and these photos were taken for her website. Nikon D70 with 17-70mm. Two White lightning strobes with soft box and snoot.

Lunch Bag

Photo for book cover "Healthy Snacks for Kids". I adapted a sandwich bag, by glueing in a cardboard frame at the bottom of the bag to allow the camera to look up through to the boy. Nikon D200 with 12-24 wide angle zoom.

Bass Player

This photo was taken for a CD cover. I tried to get a moody feeling by using the photo grain filter in Photoshop. Nikon N90x, with a 85mm portrait lens. Kodak Tri X. Lighting was a single strobe soft box, plus white reflector.

LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

It's exciting to take a unknown road, not knowing where it may lead you. Just make sure your camera is close at hand. The following landscapes were photographed with 35mm film and digital SLRs. 

Billbury Hill, England

Nikon D2x with 12 - 24mm wide angle lens, plus polarizing filter.  

Tucson, Arizona.

Taken from a moving car on Highway 10 near Tucson. Do not try this, especially if you are driving. Olympus OM1n with Zuiko 40mm lens.

Tucson, Arizona.

View from Asolo, Italy.

Nikon D2x with Nikkor ED AF 80 - 200mm lens. 

Oberau, Austria.

This photo of a plowed hillside was taken on a skying trip to Oberau, Austria. Canon FTL 35mm camera, with standard 50mm lens.

Asolo Vista, Italy.

Nikon D200 with Nikkor AF-S 18 - 70mm lens.

Chastleton, England.

Nikon D2x with Nikkor ED AF 80 - 200mm lens.

Cotswolds, England.

Nikon D2x with ED AF Nikkor 80 - 200mm lens.

Hampshire Hill

Nikon D2x with ED AF Nikkor 80-200mm 1:2.8 lens. 

Sunnyside Avenue

I did not have to travel far for this photo. It is a view from my garden, taken just after all the orange trees were sadly removed to make way for housing. That was over two years ago, just before the collapse of the housing market, so no housing, no orange trees. Fuji FinePix Pro S2 Pro with 12 - 24mm lens, plus Tiffen 87 Infrared filter.    

Italian Garden

Nikon D200 with 12 - 24mm lens.

Country Lane, Hampshire, England.

Nikon D200 with 12 - 24mm lens, plus polarizing filter.

Arizona Sunrise

Forget the worms, the early bird and photographer catches the sunrise, Patagonia, Arizona.  Nikon D70 with a 12 - 24mm wide angle lens.  

Coast of Cornwall

This photo was taken while horse riding along the Cornish coast, England. Taking photos from horseback can be a bit tricky at first, but it has many advantages, and becomes a lot easier the more you do it, like falling off a horse! Olympus OM1n 35mm camera with a 21mm Zuiko Lens.   

Although I have never left my heart in San Francisco, San Francisco is always in my heart. You could spend your entire life making images of it, and never tire of the place. It was the very first place I visited in the United States, and the Mark Hopkins on Nob Hill is where I stayed. The view was amazing, I just wish I knew where all the photos of that visit were! These photos displayed above are from more recent visits to San Francisco. Taken with various cameras and lenses, Nikon D70, D200 and D2x.   

Portofino Festa

This may look like a "Plein Air" painting, but it started life as 35mm color transparency, and then many hours of Photoshop, sometimes painting a few pixels at a time. It may have been quicker to paint it in oils! Olympus OM1n with a 50mm lens.

These are some more infrared photographs taken with the Fuji FinePix S2, with a 12-24mm lens, Tiffen 87 filter and a trusty rusty tripod. 

Infrared Photography

I always liked the effects of  black and white infrared photos, but never tried it until it was possible with a digital camera. The dramatic dark skies, luminous clouds and foliage can be very eye catching. If you want to shoot infrared on your digital camera, you will have to have the infrared blocking filter removed, which will render it useless for normal picture taking. There are several older digital cameras that will work for infrared because they lack the blocking filter. You will also need a special infrared filter, and a sturdy tripod for the long exposures."Linda Vista" was taken with a Fuji FinePix S2 Pro with a Tiffen 87 filter. The exposure was 30 seconds.

Morning Mist, Venice.

Another view of Venice, taken very early in the morning before the tourists arrived. Olympus OM1n with a 300 Zuiko lens, Ektachrome Professional film., f5.6 at 60th sec., tripod, flask of hot tea and Biscotti.  

San Giorgio Maggiore.

One of my most favorite places to visit and photograph is Venice, Italy. Unfortunately its every other photographers favorite place to snap away at. Here is the view that ends up in everyones photo album or portfolio. San Giorgio Maggiore, with the gondolas in the foreground. Nikon D70 with a 12-24mm lens.     

Every February the 12th there is a Lincoln's Parade in Redlands, California, which is where I live. It also happens to be my birthday as well as Lincoln's, so I get to celebrate twice! Here is a photo from a previous parade. It was taken with a Nikon D200 and a AF-Nikkor 80-200 lens. The flags in the top section were added using photoshop. I also removed a few distracting elements.   

Blue Boat

My most popular print. The original was a colour transparency taken on my very old Olympus OM1, and then many hours of pixel painting. Its now becoming more difficult to take photos in Venice, due to the many hordes of tourists.

This is a view across the valley towards the San Bernardino mountains, close to where I live.

Boxed In.

I have been taking photographs for over 40 years, and I am more passionate about it now, than I was back at art college in London during the late sixties when I first started. The following images are some that have been published, and some that are my favorites.