Photography by Lea at the Orlando 2 day workshop

This set of photos were taken by Lea in Orlando. Really good lighting and composition as well as expression. There is an old saying in professional photography, "expressions sell photos". This is true. Combine that with good technical skills like lighting and composition and you have a winning combination.

The other side of this is you could have a technically perfect photo but without a sincere expression from your subject you are dead in the water. As you look at these photos notice how relaxed and confident the subject looks. This has a lot to do with the photographer. If the photographer has control of camera technique and is also able to establish a good rapport a successful outcome is guaranteed. As you can see in the 2 photos of Lea she is using a tripod and cable release for precision and to help her "connect" with the model.

The use of the telephoto lens throws the background out of focus so the attention goes to the model. The choice of background here is equally important. It is low key and not loud or busy. The color close up on the left has split lighting which gives the illusion of depth and roundness. Lea also made this in black and white. Some might have a preference for color and others for the black and white. The bottom line is that it is a terrific portrait either way. If it were not making it into a black and white would not help much.

The first day everyone got to practice studio portrait lighting. Being able to do studio portraiture really puts you in a different league. Although having studio lights is convenient it is not a prerequisite to studio photography. Knowledge and the correct application of the knowledge is everything. These studio portraits were created not in a studio but on the porch of the apartment we were staying at. No studio lights. Just a studio background and well executed technique. The wide angle shot to the right shows our model holding a white balance card. It is amazing how little you need in terms of equipment to produce professional results. This is why for me there is no such thing as professional equipment. Only professional photographers.

Great Job Lea!

Engagement photos

I just took some engagement photos of Erin and Michael at the University of Tampa in Tampa, Florida.

UT for everyone that is familiar with it. Michael, I found out, plays for the Marlins and went to school here. I like what everyone likes about UT and that is the architecture. Rain or shine you can always take photos because of the huge porch. The lighting is perfect because the overhang forces light to come from a low angle and not overhead. Great directional light.

When photographing couples I try to do poses that look real. I think of how a couple would hang out enjoying an afternoon together. Whether they are standing or sitting I like couples facing each other. Body language is important. When couples face each other it says a lot to someone looking at the photo. First it says they agree with each other and they are one. In contrast, have you seen photos where couples are standing back to back? That type of pose might be cute but what does that say about their relationship?

I also like the heads to just touch a little to show closeness.

Second, facing each other means you belong to each other. We wanted to go out on the field and do a few fun shots but there was a game. Oh well, we might stop hear on the day of the wedding. On the field with a tux!

Of course I had to get at least one photo with the Fisheye lens. The 15mm lens on the full frame 5D is just awesome! As a small image on this blog it might not look like much but enlarged this is great with detail everywhere. Depth of Field ? I focused on them but the minarets are tack sharp too.

Using the telephoto lens to capture wildlife

How many times have you looked at those National Geographic photos and wished that you could get some great photos of wild and untamed creatures?



Capturing wild and exotic animals usually means traveling to an exotic place like the Arctic or Africa and the like.

Not so! If there is a zoo near you the possibilities are endless. In one place and one day you will be able to photograph animals that normally inhabit different continents. Think of the time and money you will save!

I decided to take my camera and the 70 to 200mm Zoom lens and go to the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. It is about 45 minutes from where I live.


There are only two things you have to overcome. First, the distance between you and the animal you are trying to photograph. Second, the fence that is going to ruin your shot and let everybody know that you really didn't go to the Congo to photograph that Panther. Don't you just hate it when someone whips out their zoo photos to tell you about all the cool animals they saw, and all you can see is a fence.


Let's start with the distance. Your zoom lens set at 200 will bring your subject fairly close to very close depending on the size of the animals' habitat. That leaves us with that annoying fence.

Just do what I do. Jump over it. NO! DO NOT JUMP OVER THE FENCE. Even the most huggable and cutest looking animal will tear your face off and eat you alive. A wild animal is dangerous at all times even if it looks bored stiff and yawning.




So how do we get rid of the fence? Luckily the lens set at 200mm has "shallow" Depth of Field. This means that the only thing in focus is your point of focus and not much else.

(If you are not 100% sure of Depth of Field and how it works I will give you a precise definition and explanation of it in my next newsletter. Please sign up for it if you are not on it yet. I have heard a lot of explanations but this will be the one and only explanation for Depth of Field that will put you in the know.)



Get as close as you can to the fence but still at a safe distance. In other words, close but not close enough that the animal on the other side could stick it's arm or paw and grab you. For example I got close to this fence but there is a lower wood fence not visible to prevent people from putting themselves up against it. Safety first.

Next, put your cameras' auto setting on AV (Aperture Priority). Manually set the lens at the widest opening. Your camera will choose the appropriate shutter speed. Now when you focus the lens on your subject the fence magically disappears. Why? By focusing your lens on something far away only the point of focus is sharp. The fence which is close to you is so out of focus that the light is bent and goes around it. It is almost invisible. If you look closely at the very first photo in this article the fence is visible only as faint diamond pattern.

The bird wanted to disembowel me and peck at my face as soon as it saw me. So I kept a little distance between me and the fence in case it decided to charge.

I don't know about you but I like my organs where they are. Although some will say my face could use a little improvement I have become used to it. Which brings me top this last photo. This is a Rainbow Lori. At the Lowery Park Zoo you can buy this stuff they like to eat and go in the enclosure with them. They are very friendly and will not eat you. They will eat the food you bring them out of your hand. Bring the kids.
Tell your friends you just got back from the rainforest and you got these cool photos to show them.