#14 Bikes, bikes, bikes...

When I moved to New York, I found a great group of motorcyclists called the New York Classic Riders ( @nyclassicriders ). There is a garage in Brooklyn and the gent, who owns it ( @dirtybilly_bk ), which is intertwined with the group and puts out tastefully modified motorcycles. 

So far I had the chance to photograph two of these bikes, and I hope there will be much more to come.

 

#13 New place, new life, new card

As some of you might now, I recently moved to Brooklyn from San Francisco (with a small stop in PA).

This means many changes in my life, with new connections, opportunities and hopefully a lot more creative work than ever before. Also it means that right now I have a small studio space of my own, where I can run in, even at night, to translate my ideas into pixels and prints.

I'm creating a brand new body of work, which I can tell you about, but then I have to... well, let's say it will be a still life portfolio.

Of course I won't leave my love for dance photography and portraiture behind.

And yes, I will continue to be the nice assistant and digi-tech you already know. (and I would still be happy to help you out on your photoshoots)

Well, the only thing left is to show off my new cards. Here they are :)

 

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P.s.: The camera is a Pajtás, it takes 120 film, it is made of plastic, it is older than I am and it takes great pictures...

#12 Promises... Promises...

I know I always say that from now on I will make sure there's something new on this blog in every few weeks, but now I mean it.

I'm getting settled in my new place in Brooklyn, which means I have a place to photograph products and some people related images as well. It has beautiful windowlight and it has beautiful @elinchrom artificial lights as well :)

There are no official images of the space, yet, but there will be some, soon.

Until then I can show you the first iPhone image I took here.

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#11 On learning and such

One way of learning is listening to those who came before us.

 

Erika Gentry at CCSF has a good selection of guest lecturers who's speeches you can watch at her blog:

https://erikagentry.wordpress.com/2017/09/20/ccsf-photography-lecture-archive/

 

If you are searching for something to watch, these videos might be more useful than the next boring episode of Bored Housewives.

#10 Canon? Nikon? Sony? Nahh, get a Rolleiflex

Today I ran into a post in Fstoppers about a guy who switched his whole gear because some told him one brand is better than the other and he will be able to make more professional images with that brand. (Although they are almost the same resolution, and both are 35mm sensors)

As an assistant and a digi tech I worked with people who use every possible camera that's around. I've seen people with $60k shoot out of focus images and others create incredible pictures with iPhones.

Don't let brand names and other people decide if you are a good photographer. Invest your time and money in learning the trade instead. Learn how to light and see light. Learn how to pose your models, how to compose a landscape. Build a good team around you.

Yes, you have the gear for the job, which sometimes calls for big megapixel numbers and high dynamic range. But don't make this the only or the biggest measure of your professionalism.

And how does the Rolleiflex come in here? Well, if you learn how to shoot with a fixed lens medium format film camera where you don't see the image immediately, you have to load new film after 12 frames and most importantly you have to bow down in front of your subject, then you will learn how to respect this trade and you will be able to create good images with everything.

#9 Spring Show

After a bigger absence from here I can report some good news.

In the last few weeks I got into Borealis magazine with the "Red" fashion series, which will be printed in their 8th issue.

And even more surprisingly I got exhibited at the Academy of Art Spring Show with a series I've shot for an advertising campaign on the Shanghai Smog.

I hope the summer will continue just like this :)

#8 Palm Springs Photo Festival

I volunteered at the Palm Springs Photo Festival.

If you haven't been there yet, it is a great place to improve your photography and learn from good teachers. It was a week full of great experiences and even greater people.

My only wish is that I could have participated in any of the workshops Sandro Miller, Dan Winters or the two Formentos held. Well, maybe next year :)

#7 On assisting and such

Todays revelation was that sometimes what makes you a good photo assistant is to know how to sweep the pavement outside a building, how to hang pictures on the wall and how to clean mirrors. 

 

I know it sounds crazy, but really, if that's what you can add to a shoot to end up with great images, that might be just enough.  The attention to detail is what makes an extraordinary image, and those details won't fix themselves.

 

I'm forever thankful for my parents for teaching me these skills and teaching me the mindset: "If you do something, do it good." 

#5 New

New Year, new themes to shoot.

I had a bit of hiatus in posting here due to an excessive amount of shoots I had to do or participate in.

This year starts with some lay back time, but I don't really feel like resting.

I decided to chase my dreams of getting into magazines with my work and building up mybusiness.

So expect some tests, some ranting about how stuff works in my area and a lot of fun while I show how I create my images.

#4 Why We Ride?

Although it’s not about photography, I feel it has a place here.

I just watched a documentary titled Why We Ride, which is about motorcycling and the experiences connected to living on two wheels.

It has extraordinary images about bikes and places, but what’s more important it is about passion and determination.

The film shows stories of people who traveled around the world. Like Ted Simon, who rode around the world in the late 70’s under 4 years, and who says that one doesn’t have to be brave or strong to do so, only to be determined. Or Dave Barr, who lost his legs and then set out to conquer the world on his Harley (he did it in 3 years and 7 month, setting a world record).

If this film doesn’t give you the inspiration to chase your dreams, I don’t know what would. It’s one and a half hours of pure motivation.

#3 Next best?

Is the Light L16 the next best thing?

It has fantasy in it. It has potential in it. It has 16 cameras in it.  :)

Yes, it is 16 different fix aperture cameras in one. When you hit the button you make an exposure with 10 of these cameras (chosen by the software according to your settings). The L16 then combines the 10 images into one which you can edit on the huge touchscreen on the back, or on your computer.

It creates 50 some megapixel pictures, which sounds cool, but not as cool as the ability to refocus the captured images, or make HDRs of moving objects.

I wish I could test one right now!!  :)

I guess I will have to wait around one more year. But I would really like to see what it does when you are taking portraits with it. I haven't seen a flash shoe on the promo pictures, which seems to be a big shortfall for me. But it might work better in natural light than any DSLR out there.

#2 Enough waiting

After a lot of retouching / editing / struggling, I decided to go with the flow and publish the page as it is now.

I will keep working on it, put up new images and edit all those which are on the page. But right now, I need to feel I'm moving forward and I will only get this, if I put myself and my images out there. 

No more fear, let's make the leap of faith!  :)

#1

On starting and such...

 

I've reached a point in life/career where I felt I have to move forward and start a new chapter.

This new chapter happens to be on high-end portraits and fashion images for anyone who feels or wants to feel like a model or a celebrity and have gorgeous picture to show for it. 

I always wanted to create art and show the beauty around me to others. Why not show it by helping people to realize their own beauty?

This blog will show snapshots from this journey.