tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21820183003463979422024-03-13T00:22:37.079-05:00Keith Taylor Photography Blog© www.keithtaylorphotography.comKeith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-28272291143938924832012-10-02T09:59:00.002-05:002012-10-02T09:59:59.016-05:00My Blog Has Moved!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm happy to say that my blog has now been integrated into my new website. It's more search engine friendly and just better all around. I have added a kid portfolio and a iPhone portfolio. Please go and check it out here:<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.keithtaylorphotography.com/">www.keithtaylorphotography.com</a>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-76533064286236399512012-09-12T16:08:00.000-05:002012-09-14T23:25:45.229-05:00Portrait :: Ben Prestage At Blind Willie's & Making Any Environment Your Studio <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGM6BubOPIhgPIEZ1xmh0NQknvRVDCZ6OtpCujv7Vm3IbN2Q8DXdLglk1O3Oy4ZPLcMgT0ejpriz76GoK9WIbMn42kxThNgLt-gDWM3dKuXZymEacXS5FYBFxWW6J1U29jxJDGuPY_M1d/s1600/IMG_8716_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGM6BubOPIhgPIEZ1xmh0NQknvRVDCZ6OtpCujv7Vm3IbN2Q8DXdLglk1O3Oy4ZPLcMgT0ejpriz76GoK9WIbMn42kxThNgLt-gDWM3dKuXZymEacXS5FYBFxWW6J1U29jxJDGuPY_M1d/s400/IMG_8716_Web.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Potential Clients. You often will ask me if I have a studio that I work out of and my reply to this is usually, "The World Is My Studio." This sounds like a gimmicky answer -- but it's the absolute truth when you're a location photographer as I am. One of my skills as a commercial photographer is making most any environment work for a good portrait. There are numerous ways of doing this -- and I've done most all of them at some point or another. </span><br />
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--Sometimes it's as simple as throwing up some seamless paper in your office as a background.<br />
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--Sometimes it's rearranging some furniture temporarily to show or not show something.<br />
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--Sometimes it's lighting a room that is normally pretty plain in such a way to make it interesting.<br />
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--Sometimes it's shooting from unusual angles to show or not show certain things.<br />
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--Sometimes it's shooting with a wide angel lens to emphasize an environment.<br />
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--Sometimes it's shooting with a telephoto lens to compress and downplay an environment.<br />
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I've had my share of experience with walking into what you may think of as a boring environment and making it look cool from a photographic standpoint. I can turn any environment into my studio, sometimes in just a few minutes -- no matter how small it may be. And that's the challenge I had to overcome last night for the <a href="http://www.benprestagemusic.com/" target="_blank">portrait I've posted above of musician, Ben Prestage</a>, after his show at <a href="http://www.blindwilliesblues.com/" target="_blank">Blind Willie's here in Atlanta</a> last night. I knew there was a dressing room / break area for the performing musicians there at the bar but had never been in it. I just knew it was small. Well, I got there and it was small. Long, but only six foot wide or so. The following test shot of my friend and assistant for the night, David, will give you somewhat of an idea of where I was working.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfB5UUdb4vqojFFfM5lVDB0GaIsrsFZrEh5WlAfcYCtRYO7VPEim00TQnudSULfeUOy-qia3oJ9KgEz_GDY-2i6Qfu2igGsPUL7rThaTxBlcCZtadLKFp0nNdrSsqrsAyFuDsdYYngPwD/s1600/IMG_8686_Final_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfB5UUdb4vqojFFfM5lVDB0GaIsrsFZrEh5WlAfcYCtRYO7VPEim00TQnudSULfeUOy-qia3oJ9KgEz_GDY-2i6Qfu2igGsPUL7rThaTxBlcCZtadLKFp0nNdrSsqrsAyFuDsdYYngPwD/s400/IMG_8686_Final_Web.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the couch behind him and imagine where the back on it would be which is just out of the frame here. That was where the opposite wall of the one he was leaning against was. Also, notice the light colored curtain back behind him. I wanted it to pretty much go dark behind Ben when I got him backstage for the shot after the show, so I had to deal with that. Also, what you can't see here is all the musical equipment stacked against the opposite wall of the one David is leaning against. This gave me very little space to set up lighting or a background.</td></tr>
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So, as you can see from the shot, space was cramped, meaning I had to work with minimal equipment. Just outside of the frame to the left I had a single light with a soft box that was maybe only three feet from him. This resulted in the light falling off quicker and restricted it to his general area, which downplayed what was behind and in front of him. I had a collapsible medium grey background that I brought as a back-up to shoot against if I didn't have anything better to shoot against. Well, I did end up using it by putting it just in front of the light colored curtain in the background which made the background end up going dark as I envisioned it, while still allowing me to show a bit of the environment he was in. I wanted it to look like he was backstage at a show and not just in a studio somewhere. Showing the artist promo posters on the wall he's leaning against hints at this. It gives it a sense of environment.<br />
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So, David and I got the lighting completely down so when Ben was ready after the show, all I had to do was fire up the light and my camera, tell him where and how to stand, and shoot. I spent maybe five minutes with Ben actually in front of my camera. That's it. I'm super pleased with how the portrait of him turned out.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the shot I initially had hoped to get last night. A telephoto lens to compress the background, shallow depth of field, and him looking dead on into my camera. I wanted to show his beard, eyes, and hat and give it this toned look that I've been doing for years now with a lot of my portraits. Once I saw the room I had to work with I decided to go with the more environmental approach. I think this turned out great, but I like the one at the top of this post the most.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Now, let me tell you about Ben Prestage. The dude got on stage and played for three hours straight last night without taking a break. He is an excellent guitarist. He's an excellent musician period. He's a one man band that plays guitar -- sometimes homemade cigar box guitars -- drums, harmonica, and sings all at the same time. He writes a lot of his own stuff, too. He sounds like, well check out this video:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zh9CiPvVCUE" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />I got his "<a href="http://www.benprestagemusic.com/CDsMore.aspx" target="_blank">One Crow Murder</a>" album last night and have listened to it all the way through maybe six times today. It's one of those you can put on and just let play. Buy it. It gets two thumbs up from me.</span>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-67011795373740853672012-09-11T14:46:00.002-05:002012-09-12T01:39:01.190-05:00Time Management, Photography, & Self-Employment <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday I decided to stop what I was doing to do this shot specifically for<a href="https://www.longliveimagination.com/gallery/obstacle" target="_blank"> a photography contest Canon was putting on</a>. I understood that the deadline for entries in the "Obstacles" category was last night at 12:00 AM. The first thing I thought of when it comes to obstacles is time. Here recently it's been my mission to make better use of my time, be more productive, and feel like I'm living up to my potential. I still feel like I'm not accomplishing enough, even on the days that I wake up and do nothing but work until I go to bed again that night.<br />
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Well, my idea to illustrate the concept of time being an obstacle was to do a very simple and straightforward photo of a clock. So, I ran to my local Target, bought a clock, brought it back and did this photograph in maybe ten minutes -- not including my time getting out and putting up the gear to do it with. I processed it out and had to stop before I could enter it due to having a friend over for dinner last night. I just planned on entering it after she had left.<br />
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Ironically, by the time I sat down to enter it, the contest had been closed. I had raced to get it shot and processed, when there were so many other things I needed to be doing. Time had gotten the best of me -- again. I didn't shoot it with the idea of thinking it would win or even place in the contest. It's really nothing all that unique from a photographic standpoint. I just shot it as a way of expressing myself artistically. I shot it as a way of expressing how extraordinarily difficult it can be to manage your time when you're self-employed. I'm not married, have no kids, no girlfriend -- not even a dog. Yet I still find that there are not enough hours in the day to do all that I'd like to do. So, over the past year or so I've been avoiding or cutting out all sorts of things in my life that can get in the way of photography and where I want to be. Time feels like my biggest enemy right now -- I've wasted far too much of it. I somewhat feel like I've wasted it by taking the time to do this shot since I wasn't able to enter it in the contest as planed, so, me showing it and writing about it here is the only thing that justifies the time I've spent on it at this point.<br />
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Maybe I'll sell it as a stock image of a clock to somebody one day and make it all pay off. Anybody out there need a photograph of a clock? Anybody? Anybody? Stock Photography Agencies? Getty Images? Shutter Stock? Anybody? Know that I'm here for you when you're ready. I'm here for you, and I care about your needs. I do.<br />
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<i>Edit: Those of you interested in how I shot this. I wanted it to be somewhat ominous and dark, so I shot at 3200 ISO to give it more noise or grain, and then lit it with a single light with a 10 degree grid on it just to the right and above the camera to restrict the lighting. I added more noise to it in post production to give it more grit, and that's pretty much it. </i><br />
<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-83853634549157385082012-09-08T20:19:00.000-05:002012-09-08T20:19:00.159-05:00The Light of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">-Ansel Adams </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tonight's sunset as seen from one of my favorite spots in Atlanta. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">I shot this with my iPhone, and I wish the photo was as impressive as the sunset really was to me. </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The cool thing about sunsets is that just when you think they're not going to get any prettier -- they do. Watching this one was the highlight of my day.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-48944537658001128922012-09-06T13:52:00.001-05:002012-09-06T13:52:34.926-05:00Irving Penn On What Makes a Good Photograph<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>"A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it; it is in one word, effective." -Irving Penn</i><br /><br />The iconic shot above is one of my favorites from commercial photographer, Irving Penn. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it left me as a changed person the first time I saw it, but it did burn itself into my memory, which is a sure sign of a good photograph in my opinion. One that's unforgettable. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I also love this quote. It pushes me to be a better photographer, because I know that very few -- if any -- of my photographs have left somebody a changed person for having seen them. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4d4d4d; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">What makes a good photograph in your opinion? What makes a good photographer, a good photographer? </span></span>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-12049005282746637682012-09-01T14:08:00.002-05:002012-09-05T15:45:37.201-05:00Follow Your Passion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A friend of mine from college has followed his passion rather than dollars. As a result, he now gets paid to ride and jump horses that may as well be a Farrari, while also teaching others that share his love of horses how to ride and jump them. He gets to walk to work from his cabin, that's on the farm he works for, and this is one of the views on that walk. It's just a small part of his playground.<br />
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What he does would be like me having access to some of the best camera gear you could buy, and then getting paid to go shoot with it for fun -- while teaching others that love photography how to be better photographers -- all without having to leave the beautiful property I lived on. <br />
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He's got a dream job -- I'm proud of him. There's something to be said for following what you love rather than the highest paycheck you can talk out of somebody.<br />
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<i>Edit: I took the shot above with my iPhone as I was walking around the property this afternoon. I'm up here dog sitting for him while he's out of town. It's beautiful up here. You can see more <a href="http://keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2011/01/atlanta-snowpocalypse-2011.html" target="_blank">landscape photographs I got of this place with it covered in fresh snow here.</a></i>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-29124749746453444802012-08-30T15:21:00.000-05:002012-09-05T15:51:41.528-05:00Apple Envy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here recently I've noticed where more and more people seem to just look for things wrong with Apple. It's as if they're upset the company does such a good job with everything. It's as if they're saying, "Their products are solid, so we can't pick them apart. Their product and package design is exceptional, so we can't pick that apart. Their advertising / marketing / branding is great, so we can't pick that apart. Their customer service is outstanding, so we can't pick that apart. There's got to be something. Well, lets see what it is that makes their customer service so good and pick that apart. Lets do that." <br />
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I just finished reading<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5938323/how-to-be-a-genius-this-is-apples-secret-employee-training-manual" target="_blank"> this Gizmodo article about the contents of Apple's training manual</a> and was a little surprised at how it portrays the company in such a negative way due to the contents of the manual. Basically the manual teaches the employee's to treat and respond to their customers in much the same way that any other sales training book would. It's not like Apple is doing anything new or underhanded by this. For years, law enforcement officers have been trained to pick up on subtle body language to gain insight on whether somebody is hiding something or not, just as the Apple "Genius" training manual instructs their employee's to do. Apple is not the first company to train their employee's to respond to customers in a certain way, or to use certain words in place of others on purpose. So why is it that Apple is bad because they train their employees to make sure their customers leave happy whenever possible, within reason?<br />
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I don't think most people realize how much time, thought, and money goes into brand development, marketing strategy, and advertising in general. Most people aren't aware of the tiniest little things companies do to sell their products. This can be everything and anything from font choice, to color choice for the packaging, to how it's photographed and presented in advertising. The whole advertising industry is based around all of this. People actually get college degrees in marketing -- ya know. And then on the retail side, things are placed in certain areas for a reason. It's no coincidence that grocery stores put candy, magazines, and tabloids right at the cash registers. Look at the cereal aisle in your grocery store and notice that the sugary "kids" cereals are down low -- where the kids can see them -- and the healthier cereals are up higher, in line with the adults line of site. Car sales. I actually sold cars for a short while, and you would be amazed at the tiniest little things they teach car salesman to do or say to customers in order to sell more cars. As a photographer I may have a person stand a certain way, or not stand that way to convey one thing or the other about them to the viewer of the photograph.<br />
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My point is -- when are people going to quit blaming others for their lack of control when it comes to spending money, eating, drinking -- whatever. It's as if the writer of this article is annoyed that Apple is so good at what they do. That they're so good at pleasing their customers. That they're so good at selling their products that they've become <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/apple-is-most-valuable-company-in-us-history-does-it-still-have-room-to-grow/2012/08/22/f6836fc6-ec11-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html" target="_blank">the most successful company in the history of the United States. </a><br />
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So, how does this all tie into photography? Well, let me tell you:<br />
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1.) As a commercial photographer I'm one of those people that's trained to photograph something in such a way that people will want to buy it. It's my job to sell a product, service, personality, or concept through a photograph. I don't want somebody upset with me because I've done my job well and they can't control their spending. Well, I've actually gotten too many good shots for clients before, and when I do, at times, it's like they resent me for it because they can't afford to buy everything they want. Just like the writer of the Gizmodo post seems to resent that Apple teaches their sales staff basic concepts in regards to sales. Businesses are in business to make a profit -- what's wrong with that?<br />
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2.) I'm drinking the Mac Kool-Aid. I am. I own a few of them -- and love them. I spend more time creating on one of my computers or iPhone than I do with my cameras. I'm writing this blog post on one. They pretty much inspire you to create. They make it easier to create. And -- there is not one company that I recall being happier with in regards to their products or customer service. <br />
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3.) As a portrait photographer people fascinate me. How people respond to different things fascinates me. People don't like the idea of somebody else picking up on all kinds of things about them just by looking at them. Their body language. How they're dressed. Not just what they say, but how they say it. People may not want to admit it, but they do form opinions about others through these things, even when they don't realize it. And yes, you will form an opinion on somebody you don't know just through a photograph of them. This is why all this is important to me as a photographer.<br />
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So, the fact that this Gizmodo article seems to demonize Apple for doing something well bothers me. It points the finger at the company, when it is ultimately our responsibility as consumers to decide what we do and do not buy. It seems that as a society we are growing increasingly comfortable with blaming others for our actions, or lack of action, and never bothering to look in the mirror for the cause of, or answer, to our problems. That bothers me, and it should bother you, too.Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-6232203825819810382012-08-29T14:13:00.000-05:002012-09-12T01:55:45.819-05:00 10 Commercial Photographers That Inspire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every so often I have people let me know in some way or another how much they admire my work, my portraits. They've told me that they look forward to the next thing I post online. Some have even told me that they're inspired by it as photographers themselves. Let me tell you, these comments mean the world to me. They keep me chasing after what feels like an impossible dream at times due to all the challenges that go along with making it as a commercial photographer here in Atlanta.<br />
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Well, I thought I would share some of the photographers that I turn to for inspiration. Photographers that frighten me they're so good. These are the photographers that sometimes make me feel like I need to just sell all my camera gear and do something different. Their work blows me away -- they're what I aspire to be.<br />
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In no particular order, here are the top ten photographers that come to mind that I turn to for visual bliss and inspiration:<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.managementartists.com/photography/mark-seliger" target="_blank">Mark Seliger</a> :: Yes, I know I said no particular order, but I had to put him first. He has been the single biggest influence on my style I think. Look at his work, and look at mine, and you'll see it. The images in his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Physiognomy-The-Mark-Seliger-Photographs/dp/B000WZY7K2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1346268794&sr=8-5&keywords=Physiognomy" target="_blank">Physiognomy</a>, were what really drove me to want to be a commercial photographer and attend The Creative Circus photography program here in Atlanta. I couldn't afford the book when I first discovered it, so I'd just randomly go in my local bookstore, sit down at the cafe with it, and feast my eyes on it all. When it comes to commercial portrait photographers, he and Avedon are my favorites. Mark, if you by chance ever read this -- thank you. Thank you.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.demarchelier.net/" target="_blank">Patrick Demarchelier</a> :: This guy and his book, "Photographs", was another one of my earliest inspirations. He is primarily a fashion photographer, and fashion isn't my thing so much. Beautiful work is my thing though -- and his work is beautiful. His B&W portrait work is my favorite.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.richardavedon.com/#s=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&p=7&a=0&at=0" target="_blank">Richard Avedon</a> :: If you look at Avedon's "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-West-Laura-Wilson/dp/B001992L12/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346268955&sr=1-2&keywords=avedon+at+work+in+the+american+west" target="_blank">In The American West</a>" series and are not impressed then you might need to get your eyes and brain checked. Read "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Avedon-Work-American-Humanities-Research/dp/0292701934/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346268955&sr=1-1&keywords=avedon+at+work+in+the+american+west" target="_blank">Avedon At Work In The American West</a>" by Laura Wilson and you'll have an even greater appreciation for the series. All his portrait work is great to me, not just this series. Seeing the actual prints from the series on exhibit one day is on my bucket list.<br />
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4. <a href="http://rodneysmith.com/portfolio" target="_blank">Rodney Smith</a> :: I have much respect for this guy's work, because it has such a unique style to it. Such a surreal nature. I can just see it and pretty much always know it's his. That's how unique his style is. At one time I understood that he shot everything with a "normal" lens, or 50mm if shooting with a 35mm. 75mm-90mm range with most medium formats, 150mm on 4x5, or 300mm on 8x10. This is part of what gives his work a consistent look. Him being brilliant is what does the rest.<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.lorettalux.de/" target="_blank">Loretta Lux</a> :: Loretta Lux is another photographer with an extremely unique style that you will recognize almost immediately once you're familiar with it. Look at the color pallete in her work -- it's very subdued but prominent at the same time. It's amazing to me.<br />
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6. <a href="http://jimerickson.com/" target="_blank">Jim Erickson</a> :: Dreams come to life through his photographs. Look at them, they look like your dreams. Or maybe I just dream about them as a photographer because I want to shoot the same places he has, in the same conditions. I want to be Jim Erickson when I grow up. He has a huge body of work that makes me wanna find a corner, curl up in the fetal position, and suck my thumb in fear over being in the same business as him.<br />
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7. <a href="http://www.parishkohanim.com/" target="_blank">Parish Kohanim</a> :: Parish is another one with a very distinct style. I can pick out his color work with no problems at all. I just happened upon his site one day soon after <a href="http://www.creativecircus.edu/" target="_blank">I graduated from The Creative Circus</a> and was delighted to find out his studio was just a couple of miles from my place here in Atlanta. So I set up a meeting to hopefully get assisting work with him -- while there I shared my work with him and he actually complimented me on it. He instructed me to regularly check back with them to see if there was ever a time they might could use me. Well, at the time I stayed pretty busy assisting for a handful of other photographers here in town, which kept me from really checking back with him like I should have. Major fail on my part. Major. Parish, I'd still love to assist for you even today, despite me having already pretty much moved away from assisting.<br />
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8. <a href="http://glenwexlerstudio.com/" target="_blank">Glen Wexler</a> :: I met this guy when he spoke at <a href="http://www.creativecircus.edu/" target="_blank">The Creative Circus </a>several years back. Interesting guy, and if you look at some of his work you will see that his mind is pretty out there. I love the whimsical nature of some of it. One thing that's always stood out to me that he told me as I had him sign one of his prints (that was given to me by Epson) was that he had stuck to his guns as a freelancer when things had gotten really tough in his career. Rather than just taking the easy way out and getting a regular job with a regular paycheck -- he kept chasing his dream. That comment has come to mind all the times that I've just wanted to walk away from photography as a career and do something different.<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.uelsmann.net/" target="_blank">Jerry Uelsmann </a>:: This guy is the Salvador Dali of photography to me (Dali is my all time favorite painter by the way). Check out his work, and notice how surreal it is. Notice that it looks like photoshopped composites. Well, it's not. That's all been done in a traditional black and white darkroom. It is amazing. This guy lives in Gainesville, Florida -- not too far away from my hometown. Sometime when I'm down visiting my family I'm going to do my best to see if he'll let me come by and do a portrait of him. It would be a honor.<br />
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10. <a href="http://pinterest.com/katja2511/irving-penn/" target="_blank">Irving Penn</a> :: It's Irving Penn, and that's all that needs to be said.<br />
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So, I guess the primary reason behind me sharing these guys with you is that I can't stress enough how important it is to constantly be looking at other artwork. Not just photography, but artwork in general. It will make you better. It will inspire you. It will lead to you pushing yourself harder. Don't compare yourself to your equals, compare yourself to the best. It's a recipe for depression, but it's what you need to do to truly excel.<br />
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On a more personal level, the photographers I've included in this post serve as a reminder to me. They're a reminder of some of the really lofty goals I have: <br />
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--I've wanted to shoot a cover for Rolling Stone magazine since the first time I saw Seliger's work. <br />
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--I want to shoot a portrait of Morgan Freeman. <br />
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--I want to be hired to do a portrait of a sitting United States President. Democrat or Republican. Doing a portrait of the CEO of a major company is a big deal. Doing a portrait of the CEO of America would be HUGE. <br />
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I say these are my goals, but at the same time I often tell myself that I just want to make a living taking photos, and that who is front of my lens is not an issue as long as the portraits I take matter to me, and those that I've taken them for. To really get to where most of those on the above list is I would most likely need to move to New York City or Los Angeles. I don't want to move to either of those places though. I like Atlanta.<br />
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So, where do you draw the line when it comes to chasing your dreams? At what point do you decide to just be content with where you are in life? These are things I spend a lot of time thinking about, because at this point I have chased my dreams and reached a lot of them. As a kid I dreamed of being a photographer when I grew up. Done. I went to and graduated from the school of my choice in the country for photography. I have more images than I know what to do with now, that at one point, I dreamed of knowing how to do consistently. I've had my work on billboards, in magazines, and nationally ran ads. The most recognized brand in the world, <a href="http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/" target="_blank">Coke</a>, is a client of mine. These were all goals at one point that have since become reality. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">I included both this and the shot I posted above because they both represent a goal, dream, or milestone reached for me in photography. They're two of my favorite <a href="http://keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/shooting-for-coke-and-my-experience.html" target="_blank">photographs I shot for Coca-Cola</a>. It's shots like this that I've done that keep me going after things when I don't always feel up to it.</td></tr>
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I'm not trying to toot my own horn, I'm trying to express that despite having done so much, I still feel like there is soooo much more for me to do. I sometimes feel like a failure for having not worked hard enough, for not pushing myself hard enough, and for having wasted so much time. All while giving up so much just for photography. How about this -- I'm trying to avoid getting attached to anybody right now because I don't want to choose between a girl I love and photography. What on earth is better than finding somebody that you love that loves you back? Well, I've chosen to give that up for my love of photography, when photography doesn't always seem to love me back.<br />
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People, especially us artists, have such a tendency to compare ourselves to our colleagues. At what point does this and chasing our dreams become counterproductive to our well being? What goals do the photographers on this list still have for themselves despite having already been so successful? Once you get to the top of any profession you have to fight to stay there, because there is always somebody else that will happily take your spot. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm just as afraid of success as I am of failure. <br />
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So, who inspires you from a creative standpoint? What steps are you taking to get to where those people have inspired you to be? What lengths are you willing to go to in order to get there? What are you willing to give up for it?<br />
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I often tell people that photography is not just something you do, it's a lifestyle you live -- and you better be willing to live it once you get into it if you want to succeed at it.<br />
<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-74098990922278476622012-08-18T15:49:00.001-05:002012-08-18T16:08:58.345-05:00Big Bad Voodoo Daddy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Last night I unexpectedly ended up at </span><a href="http://www.classicchastain.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Chastain Park Amphitheater </a><span style="text-align: left;">for the</span><a href="http://www.bbvd.com/theatre_home.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"> Big Bad Voodoo Daddy </a><span style="text-align: left;">show after scoring free tickets to it. I had been told they put on a great show, but was not that familiar with their music with the exception of one song, Mr. Pinstripe Suit. Well, being the music lover that I am, I thought it was all great. Excellent show musically -- and so much fun with everybody swing dancing. I love being around people having a good time like that, and just couldn't resist the urge to try and capture the fun through photography.</span></div>
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Everything you see in this post I shot with my iPhone. No, it's not technically perfect, but that's what I love about shooting with my phone. It limits the amount of control I have, and forces me to just see and do the best I can with a single focal length and very little control as far as exposure goes. It's an escape from shooting with any of my other camera's where I have a tendency to over do things. Both me and my clients have certain expectations of how my work looks when I'm really out shooting. The iPhone just allows me to go out and shoot for fun without being such a <a href="http://keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2009/03/beast-of-burden.html" target="_blank">beast of burden</a>. It reminds me of why I fell in love love with photography as a kid.<br />
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I owe a big thank you to Alan, at <a href="http://www.wickedwestie.com/index.html" target="_blank">Wicked Westie</a>, for the tickets. A night of music, dancing, friends, and photography? Yes please!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/47783381" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2182018300346397942" nbsp="nbsp" p="p"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ICYbiLIsg" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The above video is of BBVD playing the tail end of Mr. Pinstripe Suit, and Atlanta based photographer, Lisa Polucci, dancing with her friend Sean. The video gives a pretty good idea what the atmosphere was like there. It be great to shoot a music video for them alternating between the band performing on stage, and the audience dancing from unusual perspectives. Directly above. Down low. Silhouette. Etc. All in real contrasty black and white.</a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this shot due to the guy in the bottom right and all the smiles on the faces of people behind him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most everybody you see out in front of the stage here is doing some form of swing dancing. I'd never seen so many people swing dancing at one time in my life -- it was pretty wild to watch. </td></tr>
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<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-86775460405662020622012-08-10T15:39:00.000-05:002012-08-12T13:31:24.580-05:00Gay-fil-A<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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“My stance is simple. Love. That’s all I’m trying to promote.” That sounds just like something Jesus would have said, because that is what he did. He promoted love. Jesus didn’t say that though, a gay protester at the Chic-fil-A “Kiss-Off” this past Friday said it. I had photographed him and his boyfriend making out in front of a local Chic-fil-A and asked what his main goal or purpose behind being there was and that's how he answered me. His name was Matty. A desire to promote love, acceptance, and tolerance is why I’ve written this post – and that trumps my reluctance to put my thoughts on something that’s so politically charged out there so openly. <br />
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Let me first start by telling you a little about myself so you can better understand where I’m coming from with all this. I was raised Southern Baptist and have lived all over the United States, and even in Europe as a kid. As a result, I had to learn to adapt to different types of cultures and people. In 2001 I moved to Atlanta for commercial photography school and quickly had to adapt to a city that is considered a mecca for homosexuals. “Excuse me, Sweetie” a male server said to me as he walked past me on the server aisle of the restaurant we both worked at here in Atlanta. I responded to this in a not so nice way that got his and everybody else’s attention on the servers aisle -- I got written up for it even. This was right after I had moved to Atlanta -- I was not accustom to being referred to as “sweetie” by another man at all. Where I’m from you just don’t do that – and I let him and everybody else there know that. <br />
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Fast forward a year or so. I actually went in a gay leather fetish club called the Atlanta Eagle at my own free will for a school assignment I was doing called People On Ponce. I was deliberately trying to interview and do portraits of people from all walks of life that were totally different than me: drug addicts, prostitutes, etc. I got everything I was asking for and then some when I went in the Atlanta Eagle that night. There was not a single female in there that I saw. I will spare you the details, but for the first time I felt what it was like for a woman to get obnoxiously and explicitly hit on, and even have to fear for their safety sexually. Yes, I’m totally straight, so this was not a fun experience. It took every bit of courage I had in me to stay and find somebody to interview and photograph that night -- somebody that would treat me with the same respect I was trying to show them. <br />
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Since then I have developed numerous friendships with different lesbians and gay guys, and in the process I have heard some stories about how horrible it was for them as teenagers growing up in rural areas and realizing that they were not attracted to the opposite sex like they were supposed to be. I truly felt for them, but could only imagine how terrifying that would be. Since then, I’ve also gotten to where I go to church most every Sunday and actually look forward to it, after having walked away from church for years due to the hypocrisy I saw in it, and the feeling that whatever I did would never be good enough. I never quit believing, but I quit trying.<br />
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So fast-forward to today. The past few weeks I’ve let the whole Chic-fil-A controversy thing get to me more than it should have. I spend a good bit of my time being isolated from others due to working from home and for myself, so the Internet and social networking is my way of being able to interact with others. Well, when this whole controversy got started, it blew me away and even depressed me when I read some of the things people -- friends -- would post about it. It wouldn’t be so bad if these were people that were not so bright – but no – it was coming from some deep thinkers. People that I may not agree with on various issues, but that I consider to be intelligent. <br />
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The controversy all got started over Dan Cathy’s recent statement about his personal beliefs and support of “the biblical definition of a family unit.” He never said he hated gays, or that he was anti-gay, but you’d think he had based on how some people responded to it. Those that are more on the left side of things, and the media, were acting as if Chic-fil-A was hell and Dan Cathy was Lucifer himself. I just couldn’t understand why all these people were so surprised and offended by his comments. To me, it’s pretty obvious that it’s a faith-based company due to the fact that the company shuts down on Sundays – giving up all that potential revenue because that’s what The Bible – that’s what God says they should do. Why is it that some of these people that like to think of themselves as intellectually superior to others were so shocked by him standing behind what he believed in. If they're truly intellectually superior than shouldn't basic reasoning and logic tell them that he felt this way without him ever saying it? Why is it that they feel like he would be so concerned about not getting their business anymore when the company has already shown that they recognize that there is more to life than money by shutting down on Sundays? It baffled me. <br />
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So, thorough all this I paid close attention not so much to what the media said about it, but what my own personal friends were saying about it online. I have friends that range from the far right to the far left politically, and everywhere in between – and I appreciate them all for different reasons. Me, I’m an anomaly. I’m a Christian and respect the fact that Dan Cathy stood up and openly said what his personal beliefs were, knowing he would get heat for it. But, I’m also a supporter of gay marriage and feel that Christians have no business telling Non-Christians how to live their lives when most Christians don’t even do a very good job of acting like Christians themselves -- including me.<br />
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Okay, so before any of you post strong worded comments to me in response to this, please bear with me. I promise that everything I have to say is with good intent, and I know this is a long post, but it needs to be, to clearly cover the issues it’s about. In an effort to hopefully help my friends and family possibly see the situation differently regardless of what side they’re on -- I went to both the "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” this past Wednesday, and the "Chic-fil-A Kiss-Off” this past Friday, and I took my camera and a notebook with me. Below was what I experienced and my thoughts on both days / sides of things.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chic-fil-A Appreciation Day :: 08.01.12</span></b></div>
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I showed up to my local Chick-fil-A that day at 11:30 hoping I’d beat the lunch rush crowd, eat, and then be free to mingle with the customers. I didn’t -- the place was packed already. I went to approach the other customers, ask them what their opinion of the whole situation was, and take a portrait of them while I was at it. I was not there to argue with them or challenge them in any way. One particular customer didn’t seem to recognize this though. I'll get to him in a minute, but first I wanna share the portraits and thoughts of the others that were willing to give me their time that day:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Jay. He's 20 years old, from Lawrenceville, and a auto-tech at a local garage. Jay told me he had no issue with gay marriage or the comments Dan Cathy made. "Everybody should have the right to choose who they want to spend their life with and love." he told me. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Heidi. She is a 27 year old middle school string orchestra teacher from Fayettville, GA. She told me she had no idea it was Chic-fil-A appreciation day until she got there that day and ask somebody why it was so crowded. She then went on to tell me that she stood behind Chic-fil-A, and that she is pro traditional marriage. "I believe gay marriage is wrong, but you won't catch me at a anti-gay rally." She talked about how hateful Christians can act these days and how they've seemed to have "lost the attitude of Jesus." Love the sinner, not the sin." she said. "One sin is no greater than the other" she told me in regards to how some Christians are being so judgemental towards gays but don't feel like their own sins are any big deal. She was raised Southern Baptist but now considers herself to be non-denominational. She then went on to tell me that she had been married three years but that things have not been going so well with it recently. I was actually amazed at how comfortable she seemed talking with me, a complete stranger, about something so personal. I will not go into the details, but she did tell me, "I believe no problem is bigger than God." in response to me asking if she felt it would get any better. After I took this portrait of her and wished her well I told her I felt like giving her a big hug after hearing about her marriage issues. She held out her arms as if she'd appreciate that -- so that's what I did. I think that hug was the best part of my day that day. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Elizabeth and her six year old son. She was there that day with both him and her 17 year old daughter. All three of them seemed to be really good natured. "It goes back to free speech, and I'm 100% behind Cathy." "What you do in your bedroom does not define who you are. I bet there are people in these lines here right now that are gay." she said. "Why should the opinion of a company president effect whether you decide to eat at a restaurant or not. His opinion does not define the company as a whole, or the product and service they provide." She went on to tell me that she felt Chic-fil-A was the best fast food restaurant chain in the world and mentioned that they're always clean, have friendly service, and good food. She told me that particular location was their favorite. Right about this time the store owner came out and ask me to leave in the nicest possible way. She even offered to get me a lemon-aid free of charge to take with me. When I showed her I already had sweet tea she offered to refill it for me and did. I wonder if she was aware that I was a paying customer when she came and asked me to leave? I took no offense to it regardless though.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was that particular locations department of health inspection score. Nobody can deny that Chic-fil-A consistently is one of the cleanest fast food joints you can go to. I went to three different stores during this project. The other two had scores of 94 and 98. And they're customer service is great. Example: I ask for a half and half tea with lots of ice -- meaning -- give me half sweet and half unsweet. You can tell this to servers in much higher end restaurants and it'll go in one ear and out the other. Well, this guy brought my tea back and informed me that it may still be too sweet due to him adding more sweet than he meant to. He then told me to just bring it back and he'd make me a new one if I didn't like it. It's things like this that will keep me coming back to a restaurant -- not what the company president or owners political beliefs are.<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr>
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So back to the customer that didn't seem to get that I wasn't there to argue or get in a debate with anybody -- his name was Alfred. I introduced myself to him, explained what I was doing there, and asked if he cared to share his thoughts with me as well as let me do a quick portrait of him. He agreed and inviting me to sit down. I soon found out that he was Pentecostal and that he was a pretty devout Christian. “Love the sinner not the sin” he told me. He then went on to tell me he was for traditional marriage. Marriage is not for the downgrading or degrading of civilization, it’s to lift up civilization. It’s for procreation.” “How could you have been born with two women living together?” he asked me. <br />
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It wasn’t long before he began to challenge me though. I had mentioned to him that I believed in equal rights for those that are gay when I introduced myself but that I was also a Christian. So he asked me to define equal rights. When I did, using what I felt was the pretty basic example of not having the benefit of being able to get on their partners insurance plan like a spouse can in marriage, he seemed to just act like I didn’t know what I was talking about. He told me that he had to pay for insurance for his wife and that gay couples can still buy insurance for their partner the same way he does and that they (gay couples) were not denied any rights. I tried to explain that I knew you could buy insurance for somebody else, but that you were not able to get on your partners insurance plan if they happened to have great insurance through their job, unless they were married to that person. Once again, he wanted to argue with this concept.<br />
<br />
I was lost, feeling like maybe it was me. I felt like maybe I wasn’t expressing my thoughts clearly enough. It wasn’t me though, it was him. Soon after this I realized that he had no desire to understand me. He mentioned to me that I had a “Gimmie. I want it free attitude.” Once he said this, it occurred to me that he had placed me in <a href="http://keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2011/10/occupy-atlanta-way-i-experienced-it.html" target="_blank">99% Protester category, when I certainly am not</a>, just because I had mentioned I supported equal rights for gay couples. I never once mentioned ANYTHING about the health care debate or that I expected it for free, but that’s where he took it. He continued to challenge me. I cited the 14th Admenment’s Equal Protection Clause as a basis for my beliefs. This did not seem to slow him down. It was as if he was taking pride in feeling he was smarter than me. I mentioned to him about how some churches preach hate, and he actually asked me to give him examples of it, telling me that in all his years he had never seen or heard of churches preaching hate. This pretty much left me speechless and wondering what planet he had been living on. How about <a href="http://godhatesfags.com/" target="_blank">Westboro Baptist Church</a> for starters, Alfred -- how about them. Their URL is godhatesfags.com. Yeah. Too me, Alfred was a prime example of why some people are so put off by Christianity and those that are on the conservative side of things politically. He acted very friendly to the restaurant employee’s, and even me to a degree, but it felt very superficial -- like I was talking to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He declined to let me do the portrait of him, which bothered me since I had spent so much time with him already, but I felt the story about him was too good, and ridiculous / sad not to share. I promised him I would share it, and I have now, in detail.<br />
<br />
<b>For The Christians</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<br />
Yes, I know what The Bible says about homosexuality. And yes, it says that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God in I Corinthians 6:9-11. But how about everything else included on that list?<br />
<ul>
<li>The sexually immoral. (Any of you having premarital sex, looking at porn, or just <u>looking</u> at the opposite sex in a lustful way? Anyone?)</li>
<li>Idolaters (Anyone love something of this world more than Jesus? Anyone? Anyone?)</li>
<li>Adulterers (Anyone?)</li>
<li>Thieves (Any of you ever fudged on your taxes? Anyone?)</li>
<li>The Greedy (Anyone?)</li>
<li>Drunkards (How many of you don't <u>willingly</u> drink too much at times?) </li>
<li>Slanderers (Yes, I realize the irony of this, since I'm guilty of it just through writing this post.)</li>
<li>Swindlers (Ever taken advantage of somebody else's ignorance for your own gain? Anyone?)</li>
</ul>
<div>
My point is that I see Christians throwing rocks at the homosexual community, acting as if they're morally or spiritually superior to them in some way, when they're not -- according to the Bible. Every single one of us is, or has been, guilty of one or all of these items on the list at some point or another. It was Jesus that hung out with the tax collectors when everybody else despised them. It was Jesus that kept the adulteress from getting stoned to death by suggesting that anybody there that was not guilty of a sin throw the first rock at her. So, stop throwing rocks at the homosexual community. Stop judging the homosexual community because they sin differently than you. Stop trying to dictate how non-Christians live their lives when most of us Christians are horrible at living like Christians ourselves. Live it, don't preach it. Lead by example, not by condemnation. Isn't that what Jesus did? <br />
<br />
In regards to the argument that I've heard from Christians about homosexuals choosing to be that way. Yes, I agree that some might, due to frustrations they've encountered with the opposite sex, but, most of the gay people I know would tell you that realizing they were gay was like a curse on them at some point. You can't choose who you're attracted to. Sometimes you find yourself attracted to people and not know why -- knowing that they're no good for you. You don't want to be attracted to them, but you just are for some reason or another. Well, put yourself in the shoes of an adolescent kid that has all those hormones raging and try to imagine how confusing it must be to realize that you're not attracted to the opposite sex like most everybody else? How horrible would that feel? How horrible would it feel to have your friends and family shun you if you openly came out about it? So, as a Christian, don't you feel that they need God's love and grace as much as, if not more, than everybody else? How do you think God feels about you using His word to make them feel like they're not worthy of his love and grace? How are you any better than them for making them feel this way? If you're Christian and you make people that aren't all that you feel a "christian" church goer" should be, feel like they're not welcome at your church because they don't dress nice enough, they have tattoo's, or they've have or had drug or alcohol issues etc. Shame on you. How do you think God feels about you doing that? <br />
<br />
So, lets just put the religious side of things aside and look at it from a purely legal standpoint? Check out the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Protection_Clause" target="_blank">Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause</a>. Yes. It basically states that no state can deny any citizen of the United States the equal protection of the laws. So, as an example, somebody can not be forced to testify against his or her spouse in court. Gay couples are denied this protection though, because they can't be legally married in certain states -- even though they may be in a more loving and healthy relationship than a lot of traditional married couples. As a Christian aren't you supposed to obey the state and federal laws? Well, the Fourteenth Amendment is one of them. It's part of our constitution. So what right do we have to make these human beings feel like second-class citizens that are not worthy of their constitutional rights because they're gay? So, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">regardless of what it says in The Bible, denying a gay
couple the same legal rights and benefits that a traditionally married couple
has is purely wrong and unlawful based on the constitution. You may as well say that it's a law that people believe in
God and go to church every Sunday. We live in a free country, but right now
some people are being denied the freedom to share their life with who they
choose and have the same benefits as straight couples. I know I wouldn't like
being told I couldn't marry a certain type of girl that happened to be the type
I loved and was attracted to. That would just suck. So why the Christian community can't
understand the gay communities frustration with this -- I just don't understand
it.<br /><br />Christians, whether you like it or not, things are going to continue to change in ways that you may not like. It even says this in The Bible. This is not always a bad thing though. Looking back on our history, do you think it's right to not allow women the right to vote? Do you think it's right to make black people sit in the "colored" section of a bus? Do you think it's right to treat an interracial couple like dirt because their skin color or ethnicity doesn't match up -- even though they were lucky enough to find somebody they truly love that loves them back? Does any of that make sense to you now? I hope not. So, know and expect that there will be more and more Christians like me that support gay rights as time passes. I'm not saying what The Bible says about homosexuality is wrong, I'm saying that how the Christian community is treating the homosexual community is wrong. God doesn't love you anymore than he loves them, no matter how good of a Christian you might be. </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Chic-Fil-A Kiss Off :: 08.03.12</span></div>
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For the Kiss Off I first ended up going to one Chic-fil-A and it was business as usual -- busy and friendly. I was really looking for gay couples to be in there making out with each other -- no such thing was going on though. I quickly finished up eating and made my way down to another one right in the heart of the city. Midtown, at the corner of Peachtree and 14th. That's where the action was. Here is what I experienced and saw while there.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbffcPGv8GecXUn8fope7Yakux-zHnCl7nzOthQ5dmvAlMWROn-L7g547GQAXe-Ms_9WnMIQleLZxzmYR2gsFXvLCmtJNodcL5cmd0kHH-Kq1sVjpkkVcpx_yLpA7GxUIpmwejIfKG_sVa/s1600/IMG_6114_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbffcPGv8GecXUn8fope7Yakux-zHnCl7nzOthQ5dmvAlMWROn-L7g547GQAXe-Ms_9WnMIQleLZxzmYR2gsFXvLCmtJNodcL5cmd0kHH-Kq1sVjpkkVcpx_yLpA7GxUIpmwejIfKG_sVa/s320/IMG_6114_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Matty in the blue shirt, who I've already quoted above, and Trevor on the left in the white shirt. I asked for their opinion on the whole situation and Trevor said, "I hope this will help people decide if they want to be on the right side of history or not. Love will win in the end. It always does." Matty said, "My stance is simple. Love. It's all I am trying to promote." </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpAaZNpkAK7O71T8dghBsyY43UL9xxiv5ScQ_p_v8o4XVw_A1aF1RkCYr8FKzLivrxnlguyG_10ryAT_UJzmFFmvvVWCwDIaX-QZ6N_dRsYOtDW5X46w2eMSqphxIvPnQIRCiF_DspX4h/s1600/IMG_6165_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpAaZNpkAK7O71T8dghBsyY43UL9xxiv5ScQ_p_v8o4XVw_A1aF1RkCYr8FKzLivrxnlguyG_10ryAT_UJzmFFmvvVWCwDIaX-QZ6N_dRsYOtDW5X46w2eMSqphxIvPnQIRCiF_DspX4h/s320/IMG_6165_S.jpg" width="320" /> </a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is "Jack" on the left, and Noelle on the right. After saying "Yes! I'm Queer!" in a very joyful way after I asked if she was gay, Jack told me, "I think that it's absolutely hateful to discriminate against individuals based on what their family may constitute, whether that's a man and a woman, man and a man, or a women and a women." Noelle told me that she was not gay, and was just there to support the gay community.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaQnS6tfpHKHzOSm76Q326l07xtuFdW3pR763KgHv7sRnzSRireLJsjqxlaTos3b9RD9cciTPGz0VaQagJrvmzsRC_sBr1UNitF7rxtijJQAnAlbZ16ORDzk8DLLxMpP1PC0cIFLXD6ot/s1600/IMG_6167_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYaQnS6tfpHKHzOSm76Q326l07xtuFdW3pR763KgHv7sRnzSRireLJsjqxlaTos3b9RD9cciTPGz0VaQagJrvmzsRC_sBr1UNitF7rxtijJQAnAlbZ16ORDzk8DLLxMpP1PC0cIFLXD6ot/s320/IMG_6167_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Security was there from the building that the Chic-fil-A was in, trying to get the kiss-off participants off the property via the Atlanta Police. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16Xsxs0Qa0TPYxgE3-wNIcNqPHB_FIdUBRdUvDgwMGIBP8CE-BeDd04Ew3T5t_1Fke3dMlhxQ5srrZJ0llRHebUFDw_pbYxl2RgbrI68ZUr2i6LlICao9oJxYUS_ElRet3l9WUJnNAkf-/s1600/IMG_6176_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16Xsxs0Qa0TPYxgE3-wNIcNqPHB_FIdUBRdUvDgwMGIBP8CE-BeDd04Ew3T5t_1Fke3dMlhxQ5srrZJ0llRHebUFDw_pbYxl2RgbrI68ZUr2i6LlICao9oJxYUS_ElRet3l9WUJnNAkf-/s320/IMG_6176_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Hero on the left, and Brice on the right -- they're just friends they told me. When I asked what his take on the whole situation was he said, "My take is that, you know, the people of Chic-fil-A are more than welcome to support whatever issue it is they want to support and that's fine, but there are those of us that believe in equality and we're not gonna support someone who donates millions of dollars to keep us down." Brice's thoughts were, "I think that everyone is free to, you know, do what they want to, including making choices about where your money goes if you have that choice to make. But, just as you're free to do that, we are free to express how we feel about it, so I'm pretty much here to make it clear that I'm for being gay, and being gay wherever I want to be gay." </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1f7jY79qaToSbOjRyGG_Pu8KhhqFSoTAq4cE2dZzF51wsMLDDcG2Ig2CnLL1icx0gVVVrrtdvvc3bnGQFVFHA6qwIQuekpWsqJ06DTLVXncGpk3ExXeua5DOqZpSCa2l-EVQBV9Wd_uW/s1600/IMG_6179_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1f7jY79qaToSbOjRyGG_Pu8KhhqFSoTAq4cE2dZzF51wsMLDDcG2Ig2CnLL1icx0gVVVrrtdvvc3bnGQFVFHA6qwIQuekpWsqJ06DTLVXncGpk3ExXeua5DOqZpSCa2l-EVQBV9Wd_uW/s320/IMG_6179_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A reporter from the Atlanta Journal Constitution interviewing Hero and Brice. Right after this was taken, all of the kiss-off participants were asked to leave the property.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsLigXsPMaXIqyD2HyDUXbAHoqcRgGOEqXmLFMXMlE35vxi1eTtLmozMnb1kGuIXJquQPwY3z_AhLJckouJdF5q2107OipX3q4IauLpy2uBz0WpRuB6yLQprZ7Z1eOqcwpqkcwZrCCBEA/s1600/IMG_6158_S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsLigXsPMaXIqyD2HyDUXbAHoqcRgGOEqXmLFMXMlE35vxi1eTtLmozMnb1kGuIXJquQPwY3z_AhLJckouJdF5q2107OipX3q4IauLpy2uBz0WpRuB6yLQprZ7Z1eOqcwpqkcwZrCCBEA/s320/IMG_6158_S.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was a little shocked to hear something like this about Chic-fil-A myself, so I looked into it, and was amazed at what I found. Check out <a href="http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201207020001" target="_blank">this link</a>. Yeah, apparently all faith based organizations are "hate groups." This is why I like to investigate things like this myself -- because the spin the media puts on things is laughable and sad at the same time. Based on the logic they're using in this article, The Bible is a hate manual. Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a hate group? Really? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5758dIQTeF8JFt2I3himYLFLKajytLLctREaMO-nBad5auGcz6mHhx_0vGbanf4zYUY8RF0qDD3S1ui-TgyVOiB_CgwI9kBzJ-Bbk9GuM0SAOSp1cCD_g_d_8ZUKCBlPG7ldnCKWLjDQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-08-05+at+9.31.44+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 18px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5758dIQTeF8JFt2I3himYLFLKajytLLctREaMO-nBad5auGcz6mHhx_0vGbanf4zYUY8RF0qDD3S1ui-TgyVOiB_CgwI9kBzJ-Bbk9GuM0SAOSp1cCD_g_d_8ZUKCBlPG7ldnCKWLjDQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-08-05+at+9.31.44+AM.png" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">This is something I noticed that a friend posted to their facebook the other day. Notice it came from the group, "Jesus was Not A Republican." Apparently liberals think very highly of themselves as a group. Well, how about this. Another friend who is very openly liberal and atheist posted this on his facebook the night of the Chic-fil-A appreciation day: "So did you go to Chic-fil-A today? Go ahead, man up. Tell me you went so I'll know which of you fuckstains are dead to me." This is coming from somebody "free from prejudice or narrow thinking." Right. The guy that posted this is actually a really talented dude and is not somebody I would consider to be ignorant or dumb at all. I've actually had reasonable discussions with him on various issues. I like him and appreciate some of the points he's made to me. He's even told me he's envious of those that have the security that religious faith brings -- but that he just can't believe in God.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> B</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">ut that's what he posted. That's how strongly he apparently feels about the situation.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> So, the liberal society likes to present and think of themselves as the more tolerant and generous of the two, but this is how they act when somebody says or does something that doesn't fall within what they feel is right? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFUHaq2p93zb2CJmrp3C6xY9WGWwLBV3EF-fOfZ1kRP9Dt11p7esHPn5LtHBc8tjcLyqWv0YQHI5vVjdBHu4LIaPG9BSX8yxDZ_sYiqghP6NcAERQq-Mv7qCcIwgGieK4dc7DIxpRav8M/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-08-09+at+6.26.07+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFUHaq2p93zb2CJmrp3C6xY9WGWwLBV3EF-fOfZ1kRP9Dt11p7esHPn5LtHBc8tjcLyqWv0YQHI5vVjdBHu4LIaPG9BSX8yxDZ_sYiqghP6NcAERQq-Mv7qCcIwgGieK4dc7DIxpRav8M/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-08-09+at+6.26.07+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is just another example of the pot calling the kettle black. Roseanne feels like it's perfectly okay to say something as nasty as this, but what Dan Cathy said -- oh no -- how dare he. Can you say bigot? </td></tr>
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<b>For The Homosexual and Liberal Community</b><br />
<br />
First and foremost, know that not all Christian's are hateful hypocrites like they've done an excellent job of making themselves out to be. Sadly, Christians have made it where they're more known for what they're against than what they're for these days. I don't think that most people -- especially non-christians -- realize that the majority of the Bible deals with how we should treat those that are down on their luck in life. The poor. And there are many ways to be poor other than monetarily if you think about it. A lot of churches and faith based companies, like Chic-fil-A, give money to things like homeless shelters, and what you all have labeled as "hate" organizations like<a href="http://www.fca.org/" target="_blank"> Fellowship of Christian Athletes</a>. Let me just go ahead and say that I'm one of those people that gives money to the church and organizations like FCA. Do I come across as somebody that's anti-gay to you? <br />
<br />
I read<a href="http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201207020001" target="_blank"> the list of organizations that the media has labeled as anti-gay hate groups here</a> and found it almost laughable. Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Really? I actually participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes activities when I was in grade school. I personally have known somebody my whole life that works for FCA. He's a pastor and, to me, an excellent example of how a Christian should act. He's like family to me, and I'm proud to say I know him. Not once have I ever heard anything "anti-gay" at a FCA event or from him. What I have heard at these events and from him is a non-wavering faith in what The Bible says.<br />
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Yes, I know The Bible says some things that seem just plain nutty now -- things that just are not seen as right in today's culture. Examples: In the Old Testament days it was common to have multiple wives and concubines. Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, among other books in the Bible, was said to have had 700 wives. Seven Hundred. It says in The Bible that men shouldn't cut their hair, yet now, it's frowned upon in very conservative christian cultures to have long hair as a male. It says that we should not eat pork -- yet Chic-fil-A themselves serve it up for breakfast. My point is that you can either find reasons to believe in or not believe in God and what The Bible says. But you can't deny that in general what it teaches is for the overall good of us as human beings, whether we like it or not.</div>
<ul>
<li>Stealing from somebody? They're not gonna like it. You can go to jail for it. </li>
<li>Sleep with somebody else's husband? His wife isn't going to like that. </li>
<li>Gluttony? Eating too much can and will destroy your health.</li>
<li>Debt? The borrower is truly slave to the lander. Do you want to be a slave?</li>
<li>Pre-martial sex? This can lead to the inability to experience true intimacy when somebody special does come along, because you've given yourself to so many people prior to them. </li>
<li>Drink too much? Your drinking can destroy your life when not controlled. </li>
<li>Envy? Jealousy and constantly comparing yourself to others can destroy your ability to be content in life.</li>
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I can go on. What I'm getting at, is that overall it's in our best interest to pay attention to most of what you can learn from the Bible, regardless of whether you believe in God or not. Read the book of Proverbs sometime -- in it's entirety. It's like a guide book on how to live your life. It's tough to argue with the logic in it -- Christian or not. So, the media is labeling faith based organizations, like Fellowship of Christian Athletes as "anti-gay hate groups" when they're not. They're just teaching basic biblical principles, and The Bible saying homosexuality is wrong is one of those principles, but it's not their soul focus like the media has portrayed it. Fellowship of Christian Athletes does far more good than harm. They reach out to kids and give them guidance they may have not been lucky enough to receive from home. These kids may have crap for parents. Absent parents. Parents with serious substance abuse issues. Parents that just are not present in their life. That's what the "anti-gay groups"like Fellowship of Christian Athletes are doing. That's what Chic-fil-A is donating their money to. I assure you they're not putting on and funding gay bashing rallies.<br />
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No, you don't have to be a Christian to be a good person. My dad is just below Jesus when it comes to setting an example to me on how a Christian should act, yet I can count on one hand how many times I recall seeing him in a church service other than a wedding or funeral. I think he's agnostic. It doesn't matter to me -- he's still the most kind hearted human being I know. He is also more of a liberal than conservative in my opinion. But, I'd bet my life he's not out there calling or thinking of those that went to Chic-fil-A Appreciation Day as "fuckstains."<br />
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To me, as a whole, the liberal and gay community see themselves as the more tolerant and compassionate side of society. Are you really though? When was the last time you volunteered your time for a good cause? When was the last time you gave money that you didn't really have to give, to help somebody that was down on their luck? I'm not trying to condemn you. I'm trying to challenge you. If you really want to be the more tolerant part of society than be that, and quit whining about Dan Cathy, the president of a private company, being honest with his personal beliefs when asked about them. He is exercising his right to free speech.<br />
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Do you realize that by calling for Chic-fil-A to be denied new locations, you're doing the same thing that the racist did in regards to segregation? Put the shoe on the other foot and think of how you would feel if Dan Cathy came out and said he would not open any new stores in states that allow gay marriage? That would go over about like a turd in a punch bowl with the liberal and gay community -- yet Cathy's statements were so much less offensive than that -- yet the liberal and gay community feels it's alright to openly say they don't want Chic-fil-A in new locations because Dan Cathy voiced his opinion in a unapologetic way when asked.<br />
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How Dan Cathy feels does not define the company. They have clean restaurants, great and friendly customer service, and good food. You don't go in Chic-fil-A and see any kind of faith based signage. They're not playing gospel music. They're not pounding you over the head with Christianity by printing bible verses on their packaging. They treat there employee's well, and it shows in how they treat their customers. The personal beliefs of the COO of the company has no bearing on the service or product they provide. I don't judge where I eat based on whether the owner of a restaurant is liberal or conservative, gay or straight, male or female, black or white. I can careless. What I do care about is if the place is clean, the service is good, and the food is good. If it meets all of these requirements than I'll keep coming back. I don't care or feel that I need to know where the restaurants owner donates their money -- whether it be to a church, or pro equal rights company. It does speak well for their character that they believe in a cause enough that they donate their hard earned money to support it -- even when it's a cause I may not believe in. Giving your time and money on a regular basis to a good cause that you believe in will prevent greed from getting the best of you. <br />
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So if you want to be the more tolerant side of society -- than really be more tolerant of those with beliefs different than your own. Acting like the president of a private company needs to be burnt at the stake for answering a question about his personal beliefs honestly is not being tolerant. <br />
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I've really struggled with writing this post. I realize it's not good to mix in your political and religious beliefs with your business -- after all -- that's how this whole controversy got started. So, I usually try to keep both my religious and political talk to a minimum when it comes to public mediums like my blog. This issue I felt strongly about, obviously. Being a Christian myself I'm a big believer that it's a sin to waste a God given gift that you know you have. Well for me, I feel like God put me on this earth to take photos that may help people understand others and themselves better. Being able to make somebody feel better about them self through my work is an amazing thing -- I'm so lucky to have discovered what I feel is my calling in life.<br />
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So, here recently I've have felt a really strong pull to do something with my ability besides sell a product, personality, or service -- this being the primary job description of commercial photographers. I've wanted to do something that will help others -- both people and animals -- with the abilities I know I have. The abilities that God gave me. It'd be wrong of me not to. So, this blog post has been part of that effort. I'm ashamed to say how many hours I've put into it now -- it's truly been a labor of love. But, if just one Christian reads it and begins to treat the gay community with more compassion and respect than it's been totally worth the time I've put into it. If just one person that's been put off with The Church for some reason or another in the past, gay or not, reads this and realizes that not all Christians are hate filled hypocrites, and possibly sets foot back in church because of what I've written here, than it's been totally worth the time I put into it.</div>
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I very much appreciate it if you've managed to hang with me and read all the way through this post. I was really torn between trying to keep it really brief by just posting the photos and quotes, and then just directing you to <a href="http://mikemchargue.com/2012/7/30/its-not-about-chicken" target="_blank">Mike McHargue's EXCELLENT blog post</a> on the subject, which basically mirrors my beliefs on the topic. That felt like it would have been a cop-out though. I wanted to make sure that I was not misunderstood -- and this is what it turned into. So, if you've read this and see any merit to it than please share it with others on Twitter, Facebook, wherever. Post your thoughts or questions on it in the comments section if you like. I will respond as time allows. This post is not about me or my work, it's about how we treat each other these days in this country. The fact that our country has been divided by the personal beliefs of a private business owner does not speak well for where our priorities are as a society.<br />
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<i>Edit: I don't choose my friends based on whether they're male or female, the color of their skin, their sexual preference, their religious beliefs, their political beliefs, where they're from, or where they've been. I choose them based on how they treat me and make me feel. If you're a potential or existing client and have read this post, please don't hold it against me. The effort I put in on any job I do for you is not based on your political or religious beliefs. I always put in my best effort based on the resources I have for any given job. No, this post may not be politically correct, but sometimes doing the right thing and standing up for something you believe in is more important than being politically correct.<br /><br />Edit 08.12.12 :: Since posting this the other day I've had numerous people message me privately, thanking me for the post. This just goes to show how controversial of a subject it is. Rather than publically comment on it, or post it, they've privately complimented on and thanked me for it, and sent it only to select friends and family. I understand why. To me, it just goes to show that they're are more Christians out there than we might realize that aren't so anti-gay afterall, they're just not comfortable with saying it publically due to how they may look to their peers. It also goes to show that maybe there are more liberals out there that are Christian, they just do not want to be too out in the open about it due to how some Christians act. I very much can relate to this as well. This whole thing really is the civil rights movement of our time. I think, and hope, that one day we'll all look back on this and wonder what we were thinking. One of those people that messaged me suggested that I check out the following video and I'm glad I did. Christians, please take an hour and seven minutes to watch it. It is worth your time. It does not apply to those of you that are agnostic or atheist, but you still may learn something from it:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ezQjNJUSraY" width="560"></iframe></i></div>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-83957717949292297192012-07-27T11:43:00.002-05:002012-07-27T11:43:27.192-05:00RANT<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">RANT: If you're looking to hire a freelance photographer and ask them for a quote - and they ask you if there is a budget you're needing to work within - just tell them what it is rather than playing games. I'm in a funk today because I had a potential client tell me a straight up lie on the phone at the expense of both his and my time - and my sense of tranquility.</span>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-51770441441182524552012-07-25T11:15:00.000-05:002012-07-25T11:16:13.334-05:00Jerry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a portrait I took of Atlanta based commercial photographer, Jerry Burns, while at the APA Summer BBQ a few weeks ago with my iPhone. He and I are both volunteering as photographers right now for Good Thinking Atlanta -- a team of creatives that do volunteer work for various causes. The one we happen to be working on right now is for City of Refuge. Working alongside a photographer with as much experience as Jerry has on such a project is intimidating, but I welcome the challenge. Working with those that you respect in any given field is a good thing -- it will make you better. If I ever get to be as successful as Jerry has been at photography I will die a happy man.</div>
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I recently was shooting for musician and luthier, <a href="http://www.snowdenguitars.com/" target="_blank">Mike Snowden</a>, for his soon to be released latest album. While he was changing shirts during the shoot I ask his daughter if she wanted me to get some shots of her. She seemed to be all for it and it's a good thing because this is one of those shots -- and it turned out to be one of my favorites I shot that day. This is Madison. She looks very serious, and almost sad in this shot, but she was actually a really good natured kid. I got some great ones of her with her smiling as well, which represent her more as a kid I think, but this one had more impact from a strictly photography standpoint. I love it. I ask her to look right into my lens with no smile and this is what she gave me. It was one of those shots that I knew as soon as I hit the shutter button that I had everything I wanted and then some. It's like she is staring through my camera lens and looking into the viewers soul.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">At Mike's request I'm holding off on posting any shots of him I got until the album is released, but I do plan on doing a post that will include those once that time has gotten here. </span></div>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-23308504406826108952012-07-16T10:48:00.004-05:002012-07-16T10:58:42.634-05:00Civil War<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><b>"I believe it to be the duty of everyone to unite in the restoration of the country and the reestablishment of peace and harmony." -Robert E. Lee</b></i></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This is just another shot I got with my iPhone while I was out on a assignment. <br /><br />RIP Private Morris</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Friday night I was out shooting some b-roll video footage on Freedom Parkway for a client and took this still while I was at it. It's a cliche spot to shoot here in Atlanta, kinda like Oakland Cemetery or the Krog Street Tunnel, but it's still one of the best views of the Atlanta skyline in town. Amazingly, after almost eleven years of living in Atlanta I had yet to really do this shot until Friday. It didn't come out too bad considering I just picked a random night to go up there and shoot the video of it. So much about how landscape and cityscape shots turn out has to do with <i>when </i>you shoot them, and not just <i>how </i>you shoot them. While waiting I took the following shot with my iPhone:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">While waiting I met and got to talking to a amateur photographer that was there shooting the same thing I was. Once the light got right I couldn't help but noticing what he was getting on the back of his camera. I quickly offered a couple of suggestions that would make a huge difference in what he was getting -- primarily being the concept of using your white balance settings to your advantage while shooting a city skyline at dusk. He was shooting with his camera white balance set to daylight (5500K) and was overexposing the shot by about a stop based on what I saw on the back of his camera, both giving him less than optimal color. I suggested that he switch over his white balance to tungsten to make the street lights more color balanced, and the already blue sky you get at dusk even bluer -- and giving the shot less exposure through his aperture serves a few purposes: It makes the colors pop more, it gives the street lights the star look without having to use a cheesy star filter that overdoes that look, and it forces you to use a slower shutter speed, allowing you to catch the light trails from the cars better -- which is the look he was going for. Add in using your slowest possible ISO setting combined with your smallest aperture setting (highest f number f22 f64 etc) and it forces you to use the slowest shutter speed possible without using a neutral density filter on your lens. Put the camera on a tripod and use either a cable release or the self timer while you're shooting and it's pretty easy to capture something like what I've posted below. The dude seemed very appreciative of my help -- it was kinda like I saw him just light up when I showed him this -- to me that made the whole experience worth it, regardless of what I ended up with film footage wise. Showing other people how to take cool photos can be cooler than than taking cool photos yourself.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I actually got there and set up maybe an hour before I shot this frame -- it took me just sitting and waiting for the light to get right. This is a 15 second exposure at f22. ISO 100. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br />On a more personal level, I love city skyline views like this, but don't take the time often enough to stop and just enjoy them, even though I have a great one within walking distance of my place. On the flip side of this, I appreciate how beautiful some places are around where I'm from in North Florida more now due to having moved away and not being around them as often, but when I lived there I hardly ever gave them a second thought. I read a written statement from another <a href="http://www.burnaway.org/2011/11/holly-whites-cinematic-language-at-poem88-recalls-the-truth-of-art/" target="_blank">Atlanta based photographer</a> just the other day that talked about how it sometimes takes seeing places like this in a travel brochure or on a gallery wall to really appreciate their beauty -- to give them that idealized shangri-la type vibe. You can put yourself in them mentally and really enjoy them through a well done photo, but when you actually physically get there, you're so caught up with life or what you "must" do while there that you can't really enjoy them. I couldn't agree with her more. Beauty is around you all the time -- it's in the people and places around you -- it's just a matter of opening up your eyes -- seeing it -- and appreciating it.<br /><br /><i>Edit: Title credit for this post goes to Mark Knopfler -- great song:</i><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jsO-O8SG7yc" width="420"></iframe></span><br />
<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-39430626401613060472012-06-29T14:42:00.000-05:002012-06-29T14:42:03.303-05:00Focus On The Good & Not The Bad<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">This cat came cruising by in his wheelchair a few weeks ago when I was dropping <a href="http://www.keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/give-more-hate-less-part-2.html" target="_blank">Jerry</a> off at the bunkhouse he was staying at. I mentioned to Jerry that I'd love to do a portrait of him and before I knew it Jerry was hollering for him, asking him to stop and come back and meet me. I didn't necessarily mean that I wanted to do a portrait of him right at that moment, but that's what I ended up doing. The only camera I had on me was my iPhone. I would have rather shot him with one of my actual cameras and lit him -- but I had to seize the opportunity while it was in front of me. So, rather than focusing on all the things I couldn't do with my phone -- I focused on what I could do with it -- and that my friends is the key to making great images. Don't use what you don't have as an excuse for not doing good work. Figure out how to make a great image with what you have on hand at the time. The same can be said for life in general; learn to recognize and appreciate all the good things you have going for you in life rather than focusing on and letting what you don't have get the best of you.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7WZhXvi_0UFhzYmkN3yWQKEOfQv6wlM4SKkbD9TJduDuC0zAwnFJE0lFquvM3f8qu1nqnPbWhkyOvufikRpdVRSNv5jnxbo1kLWGKmX8QwXoDSm2LCrYYMRlIchX9_UQ8dPzCZf2Pjw4/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7WZhXvi_0UFhzYmkN3yWQKEOfQv6wlM4SKkbD9TJduDuC0zAwnFJE0lFquvM3f8qu1nqnPbWhkyOvufikRpdVRSNv5jnxbo1kLWGKmX8QwXoDSm2LCrYYMRlIchX9_UQ8dPzCZf2Pjw4/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both shots were made and processed with a iPhone 4. </td></tr>
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<br />This is James everybody. He's 57 years old and is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana. He moved to Atlanta in 1983 and was a truck driver until a series of three strokes left him unable to drive or even walk again, thus being why he is now in a wheelchair. I ask him what one thing was that he would want anybody that reads this post to take away from it is and he said:<br /><br />
"Find out who God is and get it right with him." <br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">While we're talking about God, I should thank him for giving me the ability to just be able to approach people I don't know like James, and have them feel comfortable enough with me to let their guard down and let me do a portrait of them. A client of mine seemed blown away this past Monday when I approached a total stranger and asked for his permission to do something -- I thought nothing of it though. This brings me back to my original point: It can be so easy to take the talents, opportunities, and people you have going for you for granted due to being too focused on what you "need" or want. Focus on the good and not the bad, y'all.</span><br />
<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-38747812543364026342012-06-23T18:05:00.000-05:002012-06-23T18:05:59.254-05:00iPhone iNspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years back I wrote a blog post called "<a href="http://keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2009/03/beast-of-burden.html" target="_blank">Beast of Burden</a>" that expressed my thoughts on the shots I was able to get with my first iPhone, and how freeing it was. Since then, iPhone photography has blown up. There are photographers out there now that are known more for their iPhone work than anything else. Art shows are held featuring nothing but iPhone photography. Dozens and dozens of photography apps have been developed for it, some of which are great. A new social networking site has even been based off of it all: Instagram has gotten to be my favorite of all the social networking sites -- it is a source of inspiration for me -- and it has encouraged me to once again be aware of all that I come across in my day to day life, and then share with others how I see things. <br /><br />Here is what I manged to capture with it this past Saturday at the annual Midsummer Music & Food Fest here in Atlanta -- I was just kinda shooting for the fun of it as different things caught my eye. My point behind this post is that I love my iPhone. It has gotten to be my favorite camera not because of it's capability -- but because of its lack of capability. It forces me to not care so much about the shots I do with it. I grew to love photography as a kid through just going around with a camera and shooting random things as I saw them. My iPhone has brought that feeling back after having lost it to some degree due to the struggles that go along with making a living in photography. So -- Steve Jobs -- thank you for developing such a great product. As a photographer, iPhone's are worth every penny you pay for them and then some -- <u>and </u>they're a tax write off.<br /><br /><i></i><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br />
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<i>All of the following shots were taken & processed with a iPhone 4. Click on each one to enlarge it:</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrOZ-rdgrLqrYE7jvq6TsrIxGHax8JPJM-6TWHMbWmKUSBkrZJaVmjIJ8atsHYRt8Ni3PCIQRnHN3J8XETnCixLXwZ1fcbCC-6qf1GxXuPXzWPNSz4ETBP3hZinXCBBIbvS2a86cegL_L/s1600/photo+%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrOZ-rdgrLqrYE7jvq6TsrIxGHax8JPJM-6TWHMbWmKUSBkrZJaVmjIJ8atsHYRt8Ni3PCIQRnHN3J8XETnCixLXwZ1fcbCC-6qf1GxXuPXzWPNSz4ETBP3hZinXCBBIbvS2a86cegL_L/s320/photo+%281%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took this while walking into the festival. It was just growing on the sidewalk next to a road sign. It's beautiful don't you think? It struck me more as something you'd see in somebodies garden rather than on the side of the road in the middle of a major city.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorelei. She was turning heads with the great color of her skirt. Don't you love it? Don't be fooled by how serious she looks here though. This very same girl texted me a video of her moonwalking in ballet slippers just a couple of days after this. Yeah. She's special.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Peace" This is the crowd that was there for The Wood Brothers show. I took several shots like this of the crowd -- this one stood out over the others due to the one guy making the peace sign for me in it. The Wood Brothers put on the best show of the weekend. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Gray. She belonged to a friend of a friend -- absolutely adorable.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranielle was also inspired by Anna Gray's adorability. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Boys Room. The fixed public restrooms at the park were the better bet for the guys. There was a shorter line and they were cleaner than the porta-potty's. My understanding is that the girls had it tough no mater where they went. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hula-hooper doing his thing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some girl was there twirling around these glowing spheres.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This
is another hula-hooper with G Love & Special Sauce playing in the
background. I love how the hula-hoop is casting just a little light on
her face and shoulders so it doesn't just look like a floating circle of
lights. I think this was my favorite shot of the day.<br />
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<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-68704945648196215192012-06-15T15:38:00.000-05:002012-06-17T22:58:15.708-05:00Give More : Hate Less : Part 2So last Thursday after I had done the iPhone portrait shown <a href="http://www.keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/give-more-hate-less.html" target="_blank">here</a> of Jerry Spraggins, I mentioned to him that I'd like to really do a portrait of him sometime -- you know -- with something other than my iPhone. We exchanged numbers before I dropped him off that night, but I had no idea I would be actually calling him a few days later to do that shot of him. This past Sunday I did the following portrait of Jerry -- and I just happen to love the simplicity of it:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got several good shots of him in only about five minutes of shooting. I narrowed it down to this one, and one other shot as stand out favorites. Choosing between the two was not easy, so I put it to a vote amongst other creative minds I respect, and this one won out over the other. I may end up showing them both before it's over though.</td></tr>
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So after we'd finished shooting I offered to buy him dinner. He introduced me to a great new restaurant and while there I got to talk with Jerry and get to know him better -- what a cool and interesting guy.<br />
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Jerry is from Columbus, Mississippi and is 55 years old. He served in the first Gulf War, and while there had the impact of a hand grenade blow him off the roof of a building that was thirty foot high. This left him in a coma for three months and in need of having his rib cage and shoulder blade reconstructed. I ask him what his opinion was of both that war and the most recent war in the middle east. He thought about it for a few seconds and then said, "You know, I really don't know. I just feel for the kids that get sent over there. I'd serve again though." He was in the Army for twelve years and was a Staff Sergeant when he got out of the military.<br />
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He moved to Atlanta due to there being more opportunity here for him as a musician, and also for the VA hospital in town. He recently has been having issues with his heart and blood pressure he told me. He currently is a Atlanta based busker, which is how I met him. You can read about that <a href="http://www.keithtaylorphotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/give-more-hate-less.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The dude can play and sing. He started playing guitar as a kid, and told me he actually would break into the church when he was around fourteen, just to play the piano. That's where it all got started for me he told me -- in church. I asked him who some of his favorite musicians were, and without a seconds hesitation he said, Jimi Hendrix! He then added that he was a big fan of Buddy Guy, Robert Johnson, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. I ask him what his advice was for any aspiring musicians out there, and he simply replied with: "If you wanna make your living at it, you got to work overtime." I think that applies to any creative field.<br />
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I then ask him what is the one thing he would want people to take from reading this blog post and he said:<br />
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"One thing that has always gotten me by is humility -- being humble to people. That is what Jesus taught. Being humble has always gotten me by, and I thank God for given me a heart like that. So my advice to people is to be humble."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf5O8th3uWj31MeXYl_yWJSUU3ED6g9JxDXmeXDPBYdNsMVqv8CcxsmzPQ7QpvRFDd1U5Qi9HmB-WSe67_amT-33enpHKqDCXv6M2vLuMHbY-EPLqMbFpXHiDv7OTIN_cSYIrRPEnVDKS/s1600/Jerry_iPhone2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXf5O8th3uWj31MeXYl_yWJSUU3ED6g9JxDXmeXDPBYdNsMVqv8CcxsmzPQ7QpvRFDd1U5Qi9HmB-WSe67_amT-33enpHKqDCXv6M2vLuMHbY-EPLqMbFpXHiDv7OTIN_cSYIrRPEnVDKS/s320/Jerry_iPhone2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I shot this one with my iPhone as we were talking and waiting for our food.</td></tr>
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In the past week I have spoken to and had Jerry on my mind a good bit. I feel I was put in a position to help him out, and have been doing my best to do just that -- within reason. Jerry seems to be a good guy. He's well spoken, and he is -- well --<i> </i>humble. He has been nothing but respectful to me, even when I didn't tell him what he wanted to hear. And let me clarify -- in my previous post about him I said he was homeless -- I've learned since then that Jerry is not actually homeless. He is between established residences due to the health issues he has had, but he is staying at a "bunk house" where he pays a set amount each week to have a room, use of the showers, kitchen, etc. He is no different than any of the rest of us that are trying to make it through life in these tough economical times. He is no different than those of us that are trying to make a living doing something we feel we were put on this earth to do. He is not just out on the street asking for a handout -- he is performing -- that is his job. He is a busker. He is a musician. He is a human-being. Please treat him like one if you ever happen to run into him out playing on the streets of Atlanta. That five or ten dollar bill that's crumbled up in your pocket may mean very little to you -- but it just might mean the world to somebody like, Jerry.<br />
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<i>Edit: If you live in the Atlanta area, Jerry will be playing outside the Midtown Flying Biscuit from 10:00 am till 2:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays through the end of the summer he told me. Please go by, enjoy his music, and throw a few dollars his way. </i><br />
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<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-9913677512350264752012-06-08T12:58:00.000-05:002012-06-15T15:38:38.382-05:00Give More : Hate Less<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJkLPdUUsq9c-t6ldK6rMlwADqIKr5XmDnPqKYjLl-Y3dcT7uFl_iPsD0-4i5Lt1yPG6dcuyISNLAqOd6g8Z68r6HmsMhFVIgqBzkFEn_syqmtum4C15I3OjS_E_g6WeYxkgMAexvPHJJ/s1600/JerrySpraggins_Busker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJkLPdUUsq9c-t6ldK6rMlwADqIKr5XmDnPqKYjLl-Y3dcT7uFl_iPsD0-4i5Lt1yPG6dcuyISNLAqOd6g8Z68r6HmsMhFVIgqBzkFEn_syqmtum4C15I3OjS_E_g6WeYxkgMAexvPHJJ/s320/JerrySpraggins_Busker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last night I randomly decided to go up to Northside Tavern -- my
favorite blues joint in town. When leaving this cat was out on the
sidewalk singing the blues. When he saw me he walked over, singing the whole time, and made me a new fan. He sounded pretty good I thought, so of course I was gonna give him a
few dollars regardless, but after talking to him a bit, well, the dude is a veteran of the first Gulf War. He moved here from his home state of
Mississippi for the medical care he's got to have due to his health
issues. His name is Jerry Spraggins and he is actually homeless right now, so after he finished singing, and I finished shooting with with my iPhone, I told him to get in my truck with me, took him to a local bunk
house, and paid for his stay there last night.<br />
<br />
My point: I wish I could
make a living just photographing people like Jerry that are down on their luck in
life. Photograph them in such a way that it will inspire others to give more and hate
less. As a commercial photographer my mission is to sell a product, service, or personality through my work. As a human being my mission is to help
people see life differently through it, and that includes inspiring others to have a heart when it comes to helping others that are less fortunate than they are in one way or another.<br />
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There are lots of ways to help others out -- you just gotta make the effort to do it.<br />
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<i>Edit: Here is a video I found on YouTube of Jerry performing:</i><br />
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<i><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PEuCVWdAkjo" width="420"></iframe></i>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-65815840937184994482012-06-06T11:07:00.000-05:002012-06-06T11:08:09.661-05:00Robert Capa : June 6th, 1944 : Omaha Beach : D-Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyIJqpHi_U9GHVtfP4uTS33vOrLCLQS9oykeFhvAMOtguPegQhpnQsjh7Ql7aEleu5ZbRbMtEM4m-ThosOj75-TFIEEdcy6SaehgXN7tLeBDjNuPjppUG5lvPyHnEYq4IjKLtN0ViZbPt/s1600/Capa.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyIJqpHi_U9GHVtfP4uTS33vOrLCLQS9oykeFhvAMOtguPegQhpnQsjh7Ql7aEleu5ZbRbMtEM4m-ThosOj75-TFIEEdcy6SaehgXN7tLeBDjNuPjppUG5lvPyHnEYq4IjKLtN0ViZbPt/s320/Capa.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is one of only eleven shots that survived of the four rolls he shot on the beach that day due to a major processing mishap at the photo lab. The soldiers that landed on the beach that day are all hero's -- the world would likely be a very different place right now if it were not for their efforts -- but war photographers like Robert Capa are often overlooked when it comes to being given credit for their heroic efforts. They risk and sometimes even give their life to share with others how horrible war can be when they don't have to. It's a very sincere effort on their part to prevent the very thing they are photographing from happening in the future. Thank God that there has yet to be a World War III - and while you're at it -- thank photographers like Robert Capa, too.<br />
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Don't ever underestimate the power of a photo.Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-64322709787738152272012-05-17T11:52:00.001-05:002012-06-05T12:24:05.749-05:00Shooting for Coke, And My Experience With The PocketWizard ControlTL System<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are some standout
shots to me from a three day shoot I did for<a href="http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/" target="_blank"> The Coca-Cola Company</a>. My
assignment was to shoot their employee's in a photojournalistic / documentary
type style, meaning I needed to shoot them with minimal equipment and cover a
lot of ground for them. I'm not a fan of the term "down and dirty" but that is
basically what it was. I was instructed to do things as best as I could in
camera with the time given to me, and then deliver the large quantity of
files I shot for them with only basic processing applied to them. The basic
goal was to capture shots of their actual employee's in the type of environment
that they each worked in as if they were really working -- I just had them to
follow my direction as I needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The good side of this is that
it made the planning and production side fairly painless on my side. Due to the
nature of how I was shooting, I would be forced to keep the lighting fairly
simple and portable. There were no elaborate sets, nor would I need to worry
with shooting permits for any of the multiple
locations we shot at around Atlanta. What I did have to concern myself with was
making sure I got things right for them since the planing and production side
was anything but painless on Coke's side. This involved them arranging for us
to shoot at each location, paying numerous employee's / models to work with
over the course of the shoot, and even pulling a brand new Coke truck off the
road along with one of their drivers for a day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After hearing about the job
and how I would need to shoot, photographer and <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/" target="_blank">PocketWizard</a> employee, Chris Valites, offered to send me a "Control TL loaner kit"
from the company that consisted of: <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/flextt5-canon/" target="_blank">Two Flex TT5 transceivers</a>, <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/minitt1-canon/" target="_blank">a MiniTT1 Transmitter</a>, a <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/powermc2/" target="_blank">PowerMC2 receiver </a>for my Einstein monolight, a <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/ac3%20zonecontroller/" target="_blank">AC3 ZoneController</a>, and numerous other adapters and cables. He told me they
would be perfect for that type of shooting and ask me to use them and write a
review giving my thoughts on the system once finished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am not one of those
photographers that likes to geek out on all the latest and greatest equipment
that's come out, so I will keep my thoughts as brief as possible while still
being fair and giving their gear the attention and respect it deserves. First,
PocketWizard is the industry leader when it comes to radio slaves. They've been
around the longest and pretty much set the standard for various other radio
slave manufactures to live up to. Their ControlTL (Control the Light) system is
one of their newer systems that I think any wedding or event photographer would
be a fool not to invest in. I say this because it gives you TTL / ETTL capability for
Nikon and Canon strobe systems, respectively, when you want it. The system also allows
you to control the power of speedlights and monolights from your camera. This
can be a huge help for editorial shooters, like myself, since we are often forced
to shoot without a assistant. I put the system to use in both ways during the
Coke shoot. Below I will explain how I put them to use and give some insight into why I chose to light certain shots the way I did or not light them at all in other cases.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Day 1 started off with us shooting an early
morning sales meeting at a Coke distribution plant. This was an actual meeting
that was taking place, so I had to shoot while not really being able to
verbally direct either of the assistants I had working with me (Lee Starnes
& Joe Martinez). So, prior to the meeting I gave the instruction
that I wanted things to have a cross lit look to them for the most part. They both had Canon 580
EX II strobes on a light stand with a PocketWizard FlexTT5 as a receiver. Lee's
strobe had a mini beauty dish on it so I instructed Lee to pretty much stay at
my side; his strobe would serve as my key light, and Joe's strobe had a standard Stofen
diffuser on it to give it somewhat of a bare bulb effect. This would bring up
the overall ambiance of the shot by overpowering the florescent lights in the
room. I also instructed him to pretty much stay at a certain angle to whoever I
happened to be shooting at the time, if possible, to give them a highlight on the
opposite side of the subject that was being lit by the key light. I had the AC3
ZoneController on my camera so I was able to control the power on each strobe
without having to verbally ask them to adjust it. This is where the ControlTL system
shined. I put my camera on Automatic or Aperture Priority (something I rarely
do), the strobes on ETTL (also something I rarely do) and was able to tell my
key light strobe to give what it deemed to be the accurate exposure, and the
background strobe to be a stop or so above that via the AC3 ZoneController on
my camera. Put that together with me being able to direct both assistants with
hand motions and it turned out to be a pretty sweet way to photograph an actual
meeting that was going on while minimizing distractions from us. The ControlTL system shined when put to use this
way. This is why I say you would be a fool not to invest in it if you're a
regular wedding or event shooter. Check it out in the following five shots:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Click on each shot to enlarge:</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEqcDmxxWeLqHD72e4f0VYxBd3mo9iUD1IcS7qy5IaVs_vpa9gkaRew2aQ2F8G9Ag5tH7CkdsD1BKtDNfjxtg3HwMHFBTzz4jVo-AIXJCSwzvynNV2xS_iitho05RggzHUzUpr3Qb168s/s1600/IMG_9549-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEqcDmxxWeLqHD72e4f0VYxBd3mo9iUD1IcS7qy5IaVs_vpa9gkaRew2aQ2F8G9Ag5tH7CkdsD1BKtDNfjxtg3HwMHFBTzz4jVo-AIXJCSwzvynNV2xS_iitho05RggzHUzUpr3Qb168s/s320/IMG_9549-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here the background strobe not only was creating the highlight on the left side of his face (camera right) but it also brought up the exposure on all the wall behind him while eliminating the greenish cast the fluorescent lights emit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLxOFrr_h-HY-hfDVECGHVWaeqM22fz50CYHkFABPtX5L2x1BqyZNd21R0Abku0CEa5KsV3exSBLAJSyKDFy-Fh6bm0DeW9hrgyFFfNurZkzbgqO6t4Cdx7OsS9Jg4cO7msnTcKMTw1ND/s1600/IMG_9486-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLxOFrr_h-HY-hfDVECGHVWaeqM22fz50CYHkFABPtX5L2x1BqyZNd21R0Abku0CEa5KsV3exSBLAJSyKDFy-Fh6bm0DeW9hrgyFFfNurZkzbgqO6t4Cdx7OsS9Jg4cO7msnTcKMTw1ND/s320/IMG_9486-Edit.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Same thing for this shot.
This was the basic look I got out of most everything I shot during the meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenJjt-WsHECLwp2N9s4SWDQ_u4_M7qA9RcuLAr-mk_p5VghtQveWRk_T8C8Z7jNTrIJ3cvJQ1kV78pH2w9V6rdsVvJe72irw9aPBuaR9JDjbT-TVe6vKIutKq6hGmuRroOoeZwwJazP4e/s1600/IMG_9478-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenJjt-WsHECLwp2N9s4SWDQ_u4_M7qA9RcuLAr-mk_p5VghtQveWRk_T8C8Z7jNTrIJ3cvJQ1kV78pH2w9V6rdsVvJe72irw9aPBuaR9JDjbT-TVe6vKIutKq6hGmuRroOoeZwwJazP4e/s320/IMG_9478-Edit.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I remember thinking how
awesome the ControlTL system was in this shot in particular. The
meeting was in progress and I realized that I wanted the background light to
not be quit as intense. So rather than having to communicate to Joe through sign language that I wanted it dialed down, well, it was as simple as
just dialing it down from the PocketWizard AC3 on my camera. Awesome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYirow2INlf_rWw3eFl3Xdbiwfvi2i9fAgn4EmE4dw32oa1FIuE-VaokCch6oZVQ-TNFO4u_7fhgGSwiSEsRVRBIHMfxM-tTC2oNFdsZ6LMcKZhkauYgYb-2btb3nxu_DoIknHuiBtTiHA/s1600/IMG_9379-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYirow2INlf_rWw3eFl3Xdbiwfvi2i9fAgn4EmE4dw32oa1FIuE-VaokCch6oZVQ-TNFO4u_7fhgGSwiSEsRVRBIHMfxM-tTC2oNFdsZ6LMcKZhkauYgYb-2btb3nxu_DoIknHuiBtTiHA/s320/IMG_9379-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighting this shot would have killed it, so I just removed the AC3 and shot it available light. Knowing<i> when</i> not to light something is just as important as knowing <i>how</i> to light something.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQF0FSRhVbdmiI7eS-OCQXKx9CGEkRrSIVLI1pKjtdA_xl1D3R1Zl-RD9GtzS2OvSY1IqVNerIOqdT3N9RWevKyZ84A9e9czWVDkAaTzu5AOj3qjJr_YmowjWd1vBwNmNG9zg6GYxJnqU/s1600/IMG_9514_Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQF0FSRhVbdmiI7eS-OCQXKx9CGEkRrSIVLI1pKjtdA_xl1D3R1Zl-RD9GtzS2OvSY1IqVNerIOqdT3N9RWevKyZ84A9e9czWVDkAaTzu5AOj3qjJr_YmowjWd1vBwNmNG9zg6GYxJnqU/s320/IMG_9514_Crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Here Joe was not able to
get in position to create the highlight on the subjects face due to the wall
behind him, so I just had him shut his strobe off. The wall being there turned
out to be a good thing, because I like this shot more this way than I would
have with the additional strobe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistLfjuOaQWKNX1uMDxcrYODgA-pHB9j_TSMDRdbDgBZjmnMASzjhhzjmATTUTfk8PBQTKP9gP17fF-wqwTnS5Dhc9vjSn2c4pa_z9Czr0YHZkfFBbLiE9_EvrKllC8u8vSCSHSz8Pd4sz/s1600/IMG_9554-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistLfjuOaQWKNX1uMDxcrYODgA-pHB9j_TSMDRdbDgBZjmnMASzjhhzjmATTUTfk8PBQTKP9gP17fF-wqwTnS5Dhc9vjSn2c4pa_z9Czr0YHZkfFBbLiE9_EvrKllC8u8vSCSHSz8Pd4sz/s320/IMG_9554-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">All of the sales people in
the meeting are given a fleet car. They're all solid white with no external
Coke branding, but they fill them up with Coke swag to distribute to the
various locations they are in charge of. That's what these coolers are about.
This is a available light shot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQb0IhuGM1osAr81edV9nHtc0DwlGEIlt5uhGWtmgce_LOi4r9wDBliPpBOl48jF8X-hxldnAAdogWj8r-v_y_rrQLoxtM_Nguqs9a2co7rhXHHDsFXL1GBAierYvaGtbLx9RpFs-X_lKB/s1600/IMG_9862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQb0IhuGM1osAr81edV9nHtc0DwlGEIlt5uhGWtmgce_LOi4r9wDBliPpBOl48jF8X-hxldnAAdogWj8r-v_y_rrQLoxtM_Nguqs9a2co7rhXHHDsFXL1GBAierYvaGtbLx9RpFs-X_lKB/s320/IMG_9862.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">After the sales meeting we
were introduced to the Coke driver and shown the truck we would have for
the day to do a mock delivery route for us. The truck was one of Coke's brand
new hybrid trucks -- it was pretty impressive looking as you can see in this
shot. This is one of my favorite shots from the shoot, so I polished it up in
Photoshop to be used in my portfolio and on my website. There were some pretty
distracting power lines and all in it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggysoJGZ9El2uLAu36VeG2-QLTWl4DImjFIo_Npjb_2QZ1xiC5lPrSXGSJxhbv7BvJXJLMMh26BJpYRjkdulFnvubJu3Uk8GtrorMyZ5_hHAcx_V9fAa82aWlWAPlq0gaRq-YOERNlnn1c/s1600/IMG_9771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggysoJGZ9El2uLAu36VeG2-QLTWl4DImjFIo_Npjb_2QZ1xiC5lPrSXGSJxhbv7BvJXJLMMh26BJpYRjkdulFnvubJu3Uk8GtrorMyZ5_hHAcx_V9fAa82aWlWAPlq0gaRq-YOERNlnn1c/s320/IMG_9771.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">This was another one of the
drivers we had on our mock route. This one was shot with a beauty dish on a
Paul C. Buff Einstein monolight powered by a Vagabond battery pack made by the
same company. The light from it is what you see on the far (bright) side of his
face. It's also creating the highlight on the coke bottles and dolly. The sun
is the fill light in this shot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">My contacts at Coke
mentioned to me that they could never have enough shots of their trucks. We
had some down time after arriving back at the Coke distribution center and all of
their drivers were coming back in from their routes so there were a lot of
trucks there to shoot. I walked around and just had fun shooting them. This is
one of my favorites that I got from that. It's not often you get a chance to be
in a secure distribution plant to shoot like that, so it was a pretty cool
opportunity since Coke is the most recognized brand in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmfRsxrZvNUE2aqH8rQttvYlXAdj8g1EUg2KF1JIJOwUB1qs7xdWHH_3HcrbnB2KyI6tvU4TBEnx4psD2sKeBAZCEHceJCnSWV5Xyds1KpmbGohi8t1xbPylArOIAXTrzZMC6QX7Z62IQ/s1600/IMG_9578-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmfRsxrZvNUE2aqH8rQttvYlXAdj8g1EUg2KF1JIJOwUB1qs7xdWHH_3HcrbnB2KyI6tvU4TBEnx4psD2sKeBAZCEHceJCnSWV5Xyds1KpmbGohi8t1xbPylArOIAXTrzZMC6QX7Z62IQ/s320/IMG_9578-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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A detail shot of the Coke truck we had that day. I like to shoot stuff like this because designers can do some cool stuff with it from a design standpoint if they like.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi8olUkIIDWx4INSpdqfZn4OlIP3i6gOAhbsufMDvWSCgiWUI31zk1nANpFgO_ewo1Elq6NLQx8EB9GkKtSFQ37_Puw1yyu4Qz4UZ3Legl8jt3CgpEme94eDHknYKknV_nVvL3kOSmz_c/s1600/KT-coketruck_Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi8olUkIIDWx4INSpdqfZn4OlIP3i6gOAhbsufMDvWSCgiWUI31zk1nANpFgO_ewo1Elq6NLQx8EB9GkKtSFQ37_Puw1yyu4Qz4UZ3Legl8jt3CgpEme94eDHknYKknV_nVvL3kOSmz_c/s320/KT-coketruck_Final.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">This is my absolute
favorite shot from the shoot. It was at the very end of the first day of shooting and
I had to stop shooting before I was positive that I had something I would be
happy with. I got it though. It did need some help in Photoshop though. It had
become overcast at that point, so I didn't have the nice blue sky I had earlier
in the day. I wanted to keep the red, white, and blue American colors to the
shot, so I had my former Photoshop instructor, Roger Sawhill, drop in a blue
sky where it would look far more believable than I was able to to get it
myself. I lit the driver with a beauty dish on a Einstein monolight at camera
left using the PocketWizards to trigger it. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Day 2 was spent shooting in a grocery store. We covered a lot that day and were able to move quickly since I was shooting available light. Once again, knowing when <i>not</i> to light something is just as important as knowing<i> how </i>to light something. We were going to be shooting during business hours, so I had to be mindful of the customers, that in itself was a good reason to stick to available light due to the liability issues that come with having light stands and such set up for people to possibly trip over. My other reason for sticking with available light is that matching your strobe light through gels to fluorescent bulbs (which was the ambient light source in the store) is pretty much impossible. The color temperature on fluorescent bulbs constantly varies slightly due to how they work. Blending in my strobe with the ambient light would have introduced funky color shifting to the shots, so my only option was to shoot available light. What better way to make it look natural than just shoot things as they really are.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTozp8nT11wrJjaLV4oVMKWiZ3g8dDyXtagBm57rnzlKx2qcRiHjfdgmJD6Oeh9hrXU2W2361Vhpmk8H1Ij6ut3hhU6vrTHzzKfS5aIVO07aQRObUg1UzC2VUrEap3zaDQfBsVPFOLyxLE/s1600/IMG_0638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTozp8nT11wrJjaLV4oVMKWiZ3g8dDyXtagBm57rnzlKx2qcRiHjfdgmJD6Oeh9hrXU2W2361Vhpmk8H1Ij6ut3hhU6vrTHzzKfS5aIVO07aQRObUg1UzC2VUrEap3zaDQfBsVPFOLyxLE/s320/IMG_0638.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a great example of how trying to light this and have it look natural would have been pretty much impossible due to how much of the store I was showing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkKH-WBWrJT2LLCBr0o7fRBwlMIJoMt_2ydMQN4fk5w26cQ2tEiM6I3Eedz1VkJhOxu5ixdzeupswAPjubyqU__yNz-UIwVyWIbN6ieSaRQAELRFpXlkhfvKQvThDM06IHx3Jbnk1KBv2/s1600/IMG_0207_Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkKH-WBWrJT2LLCBr0o7fRBwlMIJoMt_2ydMQN4fk5w26cQ2tEiM6I3Eedz1VkJhOxu5ixdzeupswAPjubyqU__yNz-UIwVyWIbN6ieSaRQAELRFpXlkhfvKQvThDM06IHx3Jbnk1KBv2/s320/IMG_0207_Crop.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've always been a sucker for shooting at weird angels to get a unique perspective. I was doing stuff like this even as a kid with my camera.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8N23XyUFuYiq0Fe1KWr_hJrJd-sJHrG325SDoBG9qVXVa81lTM9-SoklO7o56mFhuItJ-1t_gCniMyQYQnfumr3269r0Bqb0B7GIOQX3VTxnVNM5gO8tfdr-uCCMYhHWCvib-LtpUGLd/s1600/IMG_0497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8N23XyUFuYiq0Fe1KWr_hJrJd-sJHrG325SDoBG9qVXVa81lTM9-SoklO7o56mFhuItJ-1t_gCniMyQYQnfumr3269r0Bqb0B7GIOQX3VTxnVNM5gO8tfdr-uCCMYhHWCvib-LtpUGLd/s320/IMG_0497.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25ruHis2JnIbH1ZKlEDwvGwhToQU94GtnAVE8EmIux7IyRL4pzOHrAjfWS4vOUcv4N5_LK6lQLegByT1uLwjoot7xmPkuVV-mMmAE3_56hjRGIlYqs7SDF07DI5oWH_gX9f3NnEopoHH7/s1600/IMG_0925_Crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25ruHis2JnIbH1ZKlEDwvGwhToQU94GtnAVE8EmIux7IyRL4pzOHrAjfWS4vOUcv4N5_LK6lQLegByT1uLwjoot7xmPkuVV-mMmAE3_56hjRGIlYqs7SDF07DI5oWH_gX9f3NnEopoHH7/s320/IMG_0925_Crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shot was taken in the stockroom at the grocery store and needed to be lit. This is when the PocketWizard ControlTL system made me want to pull my hair out. First off, it turns out that the Canon 580 EX II, 580 EX, & 430EX puts off a abnormal amount of electronic "noise" that interferes with the proper operation of the radio slaves. I didn't know this, so when they just didn't want to fire the strobe, I was baffled as to why it was not working. The batteries were good. Everything checked out. Well, I didn't find out till that night from Chris at PocketWizard that you need their <a href="http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/ac5%20rf%20soft%20shield/">AC5 RF Soft Shield</a> to prevent the noise the Canon strobes emit from making the system malfunction on you. It is very frustrating when everything is set and working, except for your radio slaves for reasons you can't figure out while the client is standing there waiting on you. PocketWizard sees the issue of the Canon strobes emitting too much radio interference as Canon's problem. Unfortunately, it was my problem when I was standing there with my client watching me as I tried to figure it out. I finally gave up on the Pocket Wizards and switched back to my own trusty radio slaves that are not near as fancy, but, they work. Why PocketWizard does not include this AC5 RF Shield with the FlexTT5 for Canon cameras is a mystery to me. It's sold separately unless they have since changed that.<br />
<br />
<i>Pocket Wizard Says: "For all FlexTT5s
sold in the US for Canon, we include the AC5 RF soft shield. We’re
definitely going to ensure that all future review sets sent out include
this, as this wasn’t fair to you during your loaner period."</i><br />
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On day 3 we shot at a shopping mall food court, a hotel, a pharmacy, and a gas station. A good bit of this had to be shot available light as well, due to where we were shooting and each place being in business while we were there. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUqA8ct3gw4s8ToBn6sWrkjiO5R4QUXsugWrJtdKO3rpUVPwugyva4T5ScNRSsuZK4DMiEmphY6KcYpQpNpLTrVv-PWho2i9eTR5PCkzjZUT-SLh8caFeKLyybHSMfYgRPhPBuja1s8L0/s1600/IMG_1810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUqA8ct3gw4s8ToBn6sWrkjiO5R4QUXsugWrJtdKO3rpUVPwugyva4T5ScNRSsuZK4DMiEmphY6KcYpQpNpLTrVv-PWho2i9eTR5PCkzjZUT-SLh8caFeKLyybHSMfYgRPhPBuja1s8L0/s320/IMG_1810.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was shot in Lenox Mall food court with available light. I was actually way across the food court shooting this with a telephoto lens. This served two purposes: One, it compressed down the shot so you wouldn't see the branding of the food joints behind him, and it gave me a very shallow depth of field so that whoever may get in the shot behind him would not be recognizable. We didn't have model releases for the customers so I had to be mindful of that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My contacts at Coke emphasized to me that they wanted the shots to be as authentic as possible. It doesn't get much more authentic than this. This is a Coke rep talking to one of his actual customers. Also, you will notice in the shot above this that his computer has a obnoxious looking red identification sticker on it. I mentioned to them about pulling it off for the shots or removing it in post. They told me that they wanted it visible because it made it look more authentic to the Coke employee's that would be seeing the shots in training.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkk46U8BBjX-FMbBUcZCshSjy_z5e0SzongCZL2Lq3F5NGIEq3vu1rIqgMTWpXMtOFZa4JRwyjpbmHhjjeuhsHTPM-5hXeWrp670S-I8JmzPZcEJsUo-tPsGtyiR5zpnkNuAQSXdzWbvr/s1600/IMG_1974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkk46U8BBjX-FMbBUcZCshSjy_z5e0SzongCZL2Lq3F5NGIEq3vu1rIqgMTWpXMtOFZa4JRwyjpbmHhjjeuhsHTPM-5hXeWrp670S-I8JmzPZcEJsUo-tPsGtyiR5zpnkNuAQSXdzWbvr/s320/IMG_1974.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was shot with available light in one of national pharmacy chains. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QO2MC2W_7PowR19R0TxMF9Z0skGkTELcJ4CT8K3SCLgqKekpNBQt1NnvcdOb4dw-_HsrhGEmGUlGVeLFXPT6uyC3yrd0LoDUsWhAVFSQlAOPu3ccC8iIxTGOvnkH1YefW-_qzcEZqyym/s1600/IMG_1158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QO2MC2W_7PowR19R0TxMF9Z0skGkTELcJ4CT8K3SCLgqKekpNBQt1NnvcdOb4dw-_HsrhGEmGUlGVeLFXPT6uyC3yrd0LoDUsWhAVFSQlAOPu3ccC8iIxTGOvnkH1YefW-_qzcEZqyym/s320/IMG_1158.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coke ask me to capture little things like their promotional stickers on doors and such, that's why the focus is on them here. You don't realize how much branding there is out there for various companies until you actually shoot for them. It starts jumping out at you then -- notice the Coke handle on the door she is cleaning. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jPebJegQg5515q74pqae1IRFneYY5W_OKk193wfI1NdI_3_PQ-VyQ9eK0Xre4oyqlI1d5fj9XxKoOvsQthbHJadxEj5eKFtDzbxh-uozo6Kx5g8wvSpdAr0X2S9MpgBW7pMEyDbsCX4N/s1600/IMG_1276_FinalComp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jPebJegQg5515q74pqae1IRFneYY5W_OKk193wfI1NdI_3_PQ-VyQ9eK0Xre4oyqlI1d5fj9XxKoOvsQthbHJadxEj5eKFtDzbxh-uozo6Kx5g8wvSpdAr0X2S9MpgBW7pMEyDbsCX4N/s320/IMG_1276_FinalComp2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is another shot that was a favorite of mine from the shoot. It's just a unique perspective that shows their product at the same time. Yes, Coke owns Dansani along with numerous other beverage brands.</td></tr>
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So, to wrap up my thoughts on the PocketWizard ControlTL system that was generously lent to me by the company: I think when they are working correctly they are awesome. Unfortunately, I found them to be very glitchy. Between something as major as the Canon strobes not working right with them, to something as minor as the batteries dying on you due to them not shutting down automatically when you are finished. Yes, I know it is my fault for not remembering to shut them down, but at the end of the day when you or your assistant(s) are tired, it's just an easy thing to forget as you're packing up.<br />
<br />
Another issue that I found to be annoying with them is that the AC3 ZoneController only has a six stop range on it. My contact at PocketWizard explained to me why this is, and it is for good reason. But, if you are using them with Einstein monolight's as I was on various jobs, well the Einstein has an eight stop range. So, there were times that I would want to dial the power on them all the way down or up, but couldn't because the control wheel on the AC3 wouldn't allow it. So I would have to get up, walk over to the strobe and manually turn them down or up myself, which kinda negates the cool factor of the system. Well, what made it even worse was when I had got back in shooting position, which can often be awkward and inconvenient, did another shot, only to find that it looked as if I had not even adjusted the strobe power. I walked back over to it to find that the PocketWizards had told it to go back up or down a stop to fit within the six stop range of the AC3 and not the strobes'. So, let me tell you, when I manually tell a strobe what power I want it to be at and the radio unit decides to change it for me. That's not cool. Homey don't play that!<br />
<br />
It is my understanding from Chris that you can program the units where they will be set to either work on either the upper or lower end range of the Einstein lights, but you have to choose between one or the other. This means you have to sacrifice two stops of power on the upper end, or not be able to drop two extra stops on the low end, which can be just as valuable in some situations as having more power. Needless to say, I gave up on the PocketWizards and switched back to my trusty radio slaves that aren't as fancy, but they work, and they don't decide to reset my strobe power for me after I've manually set it. I was a bit baffled as to why they had not put a switch on the units that would simply turn them into just plain old simple radio slaves. Had they, I would have done that and not worried about having to switch out the radio slaves all together.<br />
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<i>Pocket Wizard Says: "<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #040303; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">There’s
a few different ways to do this in the system, and we’re constantly
striving to make it easier. For your Einstein situation especially, the
quickest way would be to switch from CTL to CH on the channels setting
on the back of the of Einstein. CH would get you Standard Channels, with
no power tracking features. If you program it ahead of time, you can
set your Configuration C1 on the side of the radio to your AC3 settings,
and then adjust Configuration C2 to be “No Change (Trigger Only)” under
the power tracking tab. This will ignore all settings from your camera
side of things and allow you to set things from the strobe itself. The
580EX II can be switched right into Manual mode on the Speedlite itself,
or used with the AC3 from camera while the Speedlite is in TTL.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #040303; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">While
using the Utility is not as easy as having all the controls on the
trigger unit itself to begin with, setting up your configuration on the
computer for C1 or C2 allows you to have much, much more control and
flexibility than traditional units."</span></i><br />
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I can see where the ControlTL system would be invaluable to certain shooters, but to me, well, I might be old fashion, but I'm a big believer in shooting on manual, and that's what I do 95% of the time. I want to control my gear, I don't want it controlling me, or doing what it thinks I want it to do. I want it to do what I tell it to do. So, I would be just as happy with a set of basic PocketWizard Plus II's in most cases. For the times that I think the ControlTL system will be of use to me, well there are two great rental houses here in Atlanta.<br />
<br />
The system has great potential, but I think it needs to be a little more refined before I'd be able to get really excited about it or consider buying it for the type work I currently do. If I shot nothing but weddings or events -- I'd be all over them and just work around the issues they have -- their new Pocket Wizard Plus III's look mighty appealing though. Chris and Heather at Pocket Wizard: Thank you for sending me the loaner kit. I hope my thoughts on it are seen as helpful insight into how to make the system better rather than me just bad mouthing your product. I just wanna give honest feedback on them and feel that I have here.<br />
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In regards to the Coke shoot overall; it turned out to be a big success. It was a huge relief when I went up to their headquarters to deliver the files and heard that the photo web gallery I posted with all the images in it was making its way around to various departments and getting all kinds of compliments. Shooting for a product that I grew up drinking and loving was pretty wild, and let me tell you, having a
brand new shiny hybrid Coke truck to work with as a prop isn't such a bad thing
as a photographer.<br />
<br />
<i>Edit: As a courtesy to PocketWizard I sent this post to them prior to posting it online for them to review and give any feedback they might have. This is where the "Pocket Wizard Says" segments in italics came from. I should add that the company seems to have excellent customer service and knowledgeable employees to help you through any issues you might have with their products. The thing is, is that you rarely would have time to stop and call them in the middle of a shoot when you're having issues to get it worked out. Nor would I want to, not in front of a client. It is good to know that they do in fact include the AC5 RF Soft Shield with Canon units, but they should be aware that the rental house that I rented the same units from did not give them to me when I rented the units prior to PocketWizard sending me the loaner kit, nor where they included in the loaner kit, so I had no clue that they were needed. This could be a MAJOR source of frustration for those that are simply unaware of the issue when they have rented them. Another issue I experienced with the units I rented was that the rental house had not updated the firmware on them when I picked them up, so they were giving me other glitchy issues due to that as well. Once I updated it, via my computer, they worked better. </i><br />
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<i>As you can tell from their response on my suggestion of them adding just a simple switch on them to turn them into a standard radio slaves -- well this system is anything but that. They are capable of some awesome things, but there is a learning curve to them. So, I'm partially to blame for my frustration with them since I simply did not have time to really sit down with them and learn about all their capabilities prior to getting them out and using them in a real world way. I just did not anticipate the issues that would arise with them. A firmware upgrade is simply something you wouldn't associate with something that has a basic function like radio slaves. So yeah, they are not something you should expect to just buy, pull right out of the box, and have them operate beautifully for you. It takes more effort on the users part, which I have mixed feelings about. Their versatility and capability is great, but there is something to be said for being user friendly too. It's like today's DSLR's. All the cool little functions in the world don't really matter much if the basic key functions do not work well. Is the exposure, white balance, and ISO controls easily accessible? How about the file quality and its autofocus capability? These are the things that really matter to me as a working photographer, everything else, all the cool little settings and features, is secondary to that. I wouldn't want to have to plug my camera into a computer and set it a certain way, just so I could have basic functionality in it. That's the point I am trying to get across by suggesting a physical switch on the units that will quickly get the system back to its roots.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-66238072648219417292012-04-12T10:26:00.000-05:002012-04-12T10:26:17.853-05:00Yes! I shoot senior portraits too on occasion.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Recently I had one of my commercial clients ask me to do her daughters senior portraits. This is what I came up with while shooting in the environments they suggested -- which kinda gave me an idea of what they were looking for. They told me what I did surpassed their expectations, so I guess it is mission accomplished for me. Here are some of my favorites of Anna from the session: </div>
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So yes, I am more of a commercial photographer, but I will still do consumer sessions and weddings. I'll shoot most anything - I just like working with people - and switching things up every so often is kinda nice. Julie Shipp, thanks for being a rockstar assistant on this job.<br />
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Anna. Thank you for being easy to work with. I hope the photos I got of you make you feel as pretty as you are.Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-22410097439426788232012-04-10T16:17:00.002-05:002012-04-10T16:17:38.073-05:00MJ Freeway Part 2Just thought I would share the business portrait I shot and am delivering to Jessica of <a href="http://www.mjfreeway.com/">MJ Freeway</a>. This type of shot was the objective of the shoot -- and the more casual one I posted the other day was just a bonus shot that I happened to really like. This one is also a available light shot. I'm pretty happy with how it came out -- nothing fancy -- but effect portraits and photos in general don't have to be.<br />
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<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-83616246549083302592012-04-08T13:35:00.000-05:002012-04-09T12:57:20.548-05:00The Story Is Stronger Than The SceneSometimes the story behind my photos are better than the photos themselves. This shot is and its story is one such example of that:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPB34G4CwROMADoOg-_4AzgRKdyfMHJt8vQtP5aWxrVrO7diHqwKU0_-8nCARNDVzhAlv-uelCsyR5YkiobgN4epD6A0CVnJCfH0TNozWKM6fzYirZt3cv228-P5A1le1r6Xa19ZrG-hF/s1600/EasterBallon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPB34G4CwROMADoOg-_4AzgRKdyfMHJt8vQtP5aWxrVrO7diHqwKU0_-8nCARNDVzhAlv-uelCsyR5YkiobgN4epD6A0CVnJCfH0TNozWKM6fzYirZt3cv228-P5A1le1r6Xa19ZrG-hF/s320/EasterBallon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I shot and processed this with my iPhone.</td></tr>
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I'm not a morning person -- at all. Well, this morning I woke up at 4:15
am to go to the Easter Sunrise service on top of Stone Mountain with a
friend that said he'd been wanting to go to it for years, but never had been
able to get himself out of bed in time. Last night I called and told him I'd go
with him, knowing he'd more likely actually get up and go if he had
somebody to go with him. I didn't find out till this morning that this
was the first time he had been to a church service, other than a wedding
or funeral, in thirty years. I feel like me catching this shot was
God's way of thanking me for getting him to church again after all these
years. I love this shot -- it is my favorite of what I shot this morning.<br />
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Happy Easter Everybody.Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182018300346397942.post-18475748584290458232012-04-03T11:06:00.000-05:002012-04-03T11:06:32.077-05:00MJ Freeway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrOdHnXx_marvWMxElXESYhhkPd3DR2oNuKqK9m5ZbZzEO4Px47-XuiL777ne7cpq5BUvEMvoflYUCMErNBkdOmoHMN-yDsahkcnlGLs430sfFov9TqccMIuFT0u7BstUpyv3rpl_tMpx/s1600/IMG_1778_Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrOdHnXx_marvWMxElXESYhhkPd3DR2oNuKqK9m5ZbZzEO4Px47-XuiL777ne7cpq5BUvEMvoflYUCMErNBkdOmoHMN-yDsahkcnlGLs430sfFov9TqccMIuFT0u7BstUpyv3rpl_tMpx/s320/IMG_1778_Final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is Jessica. Yesterday I was hired to do some more traditional type business head shots of her. While there I noticed the opportunity to do this more casual available light portrait -- it turned out to be my favorite shot of the day. Jessica is the co-founder and COO of <a href="http://www.mjfreeway.com/">MJ Freeway,</a> which is "The Medical Marijuana's Industry's Premium Business Platform." In short, she is a computer nerd that developed a software to help marijuana dispensaries run their business better. One of the coolest parts of being a commercial portrait photographer is the diversity of people and professions you get to work with. I love what I do.<br />
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<br />Keith Taylor Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07887479142124878292noreply@blogger.com0