Archives For Zack Arias

Photo Shoot: One Light, Blank Wall, Beautiful Girl

Tasra Dawson —  December 26, 2011 — 10 Comments

Every photo shoot doesn’t have to be require a lot of planning, preparation, equipment or even space. Sometimes, one light, a blank wall and beautiful teen girl is all you need.

You know how it is when you get all dolled up, have a good hair day, try a new makeup routine and you feel amazing. You want to capture the moment since you know it’s not bound to last. That’s how Imahni felt today… she updated her Facebook page to timeline view, recorded a cover for Bruno Mars, “It Will Rain” and wanted just a couple new images to upload.

I’ll admit I wasn’t jumping up and down with excitement about the idea of a photo shoot. I have officially declared this week a vacation from photo shoots (read my earlier post about shooting more than 100 portraits this year and you’ll understand why!). However, she’s my daughter and well, what can I say, I like to make her happy.

PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT FOR ONE LIGHT PHOTO SHOOT

  1. Westcott softbox constant light. It was the closest thing to my office where we were shooting. Yes I have the “Big Mama” softbox that Zack Arias recommends, but there was no way I was lugging that upstairs for a few quick images. We used the natural light softbox versus the warmer light because of the color tone.
  2. Canon 5D full frame camera. Not the Mark II. Still one of the best pro camera bodies around. IMHO
  3. Blank grey wall. The walls of my office are grey and tan: colors I love and are actually pretty amazing to photograph. Neutral colors for the background are ideal for portraits so they don’t distract from the subject.
  4. Beautiful girl. Personally I think everyone has true beauty so that means it’s easy for me to find a beautiful girl to photograph. I think our goal as photographers (professional, amateur or aspiring) should be to really see the true beauty in everyone we photograph. When you see beyond the external into their heart and soul, you’ll photograph in an entirely new way and see things you never saw before.
teen identity girl model image Photo Shoot: One Light, Blank Wall, Beautiful Girl
Even more important… GET THE SHOT.
No need to “spray and pray.” Focus. Take your time. Get what you need. Just 11 shots. That’s all I took. A little bit of direction on posing and expression and we were done.
That’s it. Four simple keys to an amazing one light shoot against a blank wall in a small space. Check out her Bruno Mars cover song below…

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How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

Tasra Dawson —  August 31, 2010 — 26 Comments

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It’s not by spending thousands of dollars on the latest gear and lighting equipment, according to Zack Arias who learned his lesson the hard way.

It’s not by pretending to be someone you’re not because we’re supposed to K.I.R. (“keep it real”)… at least that’s what Jasmine Star says and it seems to be working pretty well for her.

It’s not by taking a perfect picture because Joe Buissink says they don’t exist.

Have you figured it out yet? How do photographers really get better? How do they go from the green box of automatic to the masterful “M” of Manual?

tasra365 finale photo collection How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

One word: WORK.

Encapsulated in that one word are variations on the theme like discipline, commitment, perseverance, sacrifice, connection, vision and honesty.

The work isn’t always external with the camera, sometimes it’s the hard work of hammering out your vision or unearthing your passion. Sometimes it’s about taking a good long look in the mirror and changing the things you don’t like staring back at you.

tasra365 finale photo collection 3 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

How do I know? 365 days of doing the hard work has netted me some benefits and improvements in my images that are not only unexpected, but have been highly rewarded as well. From publication to awards, accolades and testimonials, the return on investment in the tasra365 project has been more than I set out to achieve.

Did I really believe it was possible to improve 300% in one year when Scott Bourne issued the challenge? Not really. I thought maybe 100% and would have been happy with even those results. But I have to admit… he was right.

tasra365 finale photo collection 2 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

Dedication to taking an image every day, reading your camera manual and studying the work of master photographers will yield photographic improvement you never dreamed possible. I’m speaking from my own experience and that of over 520 other photographers who joined the challenge at some point in the last year.

The process works. It’ll change your images. It’ll change your life.

The only question left is… are you ready? This is your time. Tonight. Today. This moment. This now.

Don’t leave the moment of today without making a commitment to yourself. Whether that’s signing up for the challenge, getting connected with other photographers (have you signed up for the newsletter?), staying inspired, or reading a camera manual page ever day.

Do something.

Do the work.

tasra365 finale photo collection 4 How Photographers Really Get Better (D365)

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Becoming a VisionMonger (D311)

Tasra Dawson —  July 8, 2010 — 15 Comments

UPDATE: The final video is done! Make sure to read to the end and watch it!

We filmed a short video today with the Teen Identity girls and yours truly as an application for David duChemin’s Vision Driven Photography workshop happening this month in Seattle. David and the Creative Live team are selecting 6 photographers to join them for the workshop live. It’s similar to the lighting workshop Zack Arias gave a few weeks ago that I raved about for days.

Seeing as how Seattle is one of my favorite places on Earth (being born there and all gives it an unfair advantage), and the fact that I graduated from the U-dub (University of Washington) makes it a perfect destination. It was also while teaching in Lynnwood, WA and getting my masters degree in Education at Antioch University that my heart and passion for helping teen girls was ignited. My masters thesis was “Girls Team Up: Helping Girls Maneuver Adolescence.”

Since then, Teen Identity has emerged fusing my love for photography and my vision for helping teen girls find their voice and embrace their value. All that to say, we shot a 1-minute video today to apply for one of those six spots in David’s workshop. I would be over the moon to be able to sit at his feet and learn more about how to take my vision to the next level with Teen Identity. Especially after listening to his TWIP interview and then reading his book, VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography, I know there is so much I could learn from his experience and approach to photography as a career and a passion. Blending the world of making a life and a living is an area I could definitely use some insight and direction.

The venerable Ron Dawson is generously working on editing the video as I write. It should be ready for prime time before the end of the night. Until then, you can see a self portrait I shot after the video shoot was done. Since I’d already done my makeup and hair, I figured I might as well make use of it and get a new self portrait.

tasra365 self portrait Becoming a VisionMonger (D311)

Today was Theme Thursday and the theme was ENERGY. I figure this image fits that theme since it took a lot of energy to plan and execute the shoot… not to mention the energy it takes to change the world!

In feature articles, Month 11: Jul '10, photography , , , , , , , , ,
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Timeless Activities: Building an Indoor Fort (D308)

Tasra Dawson —  July 5, 2010 — 4 Comments

tasra365 fort building image Timeless Activities: Building an Indoor Fort (D308)Growing up I remember building indoor forts with every available sheet, blanket, pillowcase, and chair. We would cover the entire living room with randomly colored towers to hide beneath. They quickly fell apart if anyone moved too quickly, but while they lasted, they were more fun than almost any other activity. Building card castles came in a close second, but required much more patience and care.

Today my kids created a fort in our living room and I knew I had to capture the fun with my daily image.

Unfortunately, my son was not in a picture taking mood. Now, normally he is all for it and will pose freely in front of the camera.

Today was not one of those days… since he wanted another bowl of cereal (he already had two earlier in the day), I decided to give in and let him have one if he would pose for me “just a minute.”

Apparently, my minute lasted too long because he went from being pretty agreeable to looking at me as if he couldn’t believe I was taking so long.

tasra365 fort building Timeless Activities: Building an Indoor Fort (D308)

Either way, I captured the moment and that’s what we’ll remember.

Technical knowledge: Will be reading up on the Canon 5D manual tonight in prep for a family shoot tomorrow. I like to reset the camera, make sure everything is ready and raring to go. Looked at images by Annie Liebovitz and Zack Arias today.

In feature articles, Month 11: Jul '10, photography , , , , , ,
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“It ought to begin by being personal.” (D288)

Tasra Dawson —  June 15, 2010 — 2 Comments

Two points to anyone who can identify the movie and scene that quote comes from. Hint… it’s spoken by one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite movies.

The point is that so many things in our lives aren’t personal. We’re becoming numbers to our banks and grocery stores, followers to people on Twitter, and subscribers on people’s blogs. It’s easy to get lost in a sea of everyone else, when what we really crave is to be noticed, to be seen, to be different, to stand out.

Are you noticing others? Are you making it personal and helping them get seen? I know I could do better, but I try to offer a place for photographers to get seen on Twitter Tuesday. The #tasra365 hashtag on Twitter helps people connect and stand out among a small and active group. And I’m always open to other ideas for how to make things more personal.

For Teen Identity, my photography company, I strive to make each photo shoot and interaction with the teen girls make them feel special and noticed. I was thrilled when one of the new models wrote me a note saying that was exactly how she felt.

One company I recently connected with is Pandora’s Pantry and they help their customers feel special by customizing their packaging. I was excited when they asked if they could customize one for me…
tasra365 custom teen identity tea It ought to begin by being personal. (D288)

Why not brainstorm today for some ways to help your customers, clients, friends, and family feel special, noticed, different? You’ll notice that in the process, you feel better too!

Technical Knowledge and Images: Still reviewing my notes from Zack Arias Creative Live seminar. Had about 10 pages of written notes, as well as screenshots to review. Practicing with one light setup as well.

In 365 project, Month 10: June 2010, photography, reviews , , , , ,
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Zack Arias Inspired Studio Lighting Photo Shoot (D286)

Tasra Dawson —  June 13, 2010 — 4 Comments

Inspired and refreshed after 20 hours of online viewing of Creative Live workshop taught by Atlanta based photographer Zack Arias. While watching, I pulled out all of my lights and light modifiers so I could set up a mini shoot based on his suggestions and tips.

Yesterday I was fortunate to grab two “models” for the practice sessions… today I had to improvise. I’m not sure how Zack will feel about the fact that he inspired a shoot with a doll, but you work with what you got.

tasra365 white seamless gone black Zack Arias Inspired Studio Lighting Photo Shoot (D286)

This is shot on a white seamless background with one light just to the right and above the “model.” No lights on the background so that it goes dark and almost black in some of the shots.

tasra365 white seamless gone black 3 Zack Arias Inspired Studio Lighting Photo Shoot (D286)

These shots aren’t that different from the straight out of the camera shot. I simply increased blacks a tad and did auto white balance for each of them. I really wanted to get it right in camera like Zack continued to preach throughout the online workshop. I did not run any actions or presets on any of the images. Stay tuned to Zack’s blog for images and explanations from the training coming soon.

tasra365 white seamless gone black 2 Zack Arias Inspired Studio Lighting Photo Shoot (D286)

What about you? Did you watch the training? If so, what did you learn from it? If not, where do you learn new lighting tips and tricks?

In 365 project, Month 10: June 2010, photography , , , , ,
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Zack Arias Rocks the Photo World at Creative Live (D285)

Tasra Dawson —  June 12, 2010 — 10 Comments

tasra365 zack arias seamless images 2 Zack Arias Rocks the Photo World at Creative Live (D285)Zack Arias and Creative Live are making news and changing the face of photography education. Two days into the 3-day FREE online training workshop, there are rumors that over 20,000 photographers have tuned in to the broadcast.

Tweets and comments from photographers across the world are saying that the workshop so far has been better than their 6 years of college courses, night classes, and other training. Other photographers are over the moon that Zack has shown them tricks and tips sure to save them years of learning in the future.

He’s covered everything from photo basics of aperture and shutter speed to how to pose male band members. Some of the information, like how to shoot on white seamless background, is already written on his blog… seeing it come to life in a live shoot is another thing entirely. Photographers being the visual learners that most are, this is critical training.

I’ve been inspired, along with countless others, to give it a go on the breaks. Below are a couple quick shots I took after Zack demonstrated clamshell lighting with the beauty dish. I don’t have a beauty dish, but I do have a softbox and reflector so I used the same setup. Was happy to have a couple “models” willing to sit and let me test out the settings.

As much as I love the bright white background, I also love the density and texture of a darker background as well. The versatility that can be created with the same background is pretty amazing. There is one more day tomorrow so it’ll be interesting to see what else gets covered.

tasra365 zack arias seamless images Zack Arias Rocks the Photo World at Creative Live (D285)

It seems like a democratization of training and education is taking place in so many industries, including photography and video.

What do you think about it all?

Technical knowledge and images: That was easy… more than 8 hours of training and images online via Creative Live and Zack Arias.

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Rookie Photo Mistake (D284)

Tasra Dawson —  June 11, 2010 — 5 Comments

I’m not sure what defines a rookie, but I certainly can still make a rookie mistake now and again. Don’t you?

My rookie mistake is missing the detail in this shot… the small piece of stray grass that found its way into my frame. I loved the way the green leaves were so well defined and such crisp colors… in contrast to the pinecone, which offset the framing of the shot. What I didn’t see was that tiny little stray grass that stands out and steals the show (at least for me).

My first inclination was to just Photoshop it out. If I had CS5, it’s probably as simple as using the new content aware fill feature. But is that really the best option? My husband didn’t think so… he suggested I use it to make a point. What’s the point?

Don’t forget the details… or maybe the point is that mistakes can become lessons, so make sure you learn from them.

Maybe there is another point entirely. What would you take away from this image?

tasra365 green leaves Rookie Photo Mistake (D284)Technical Knowledge and Images: An ear and eyeful from Zack Arias on Creative Live. If you’re not scheduled to watch the free online lighting workshop this weekend, you need to change your plans. It will be the best two days you invested in improving your photography.

In 365 project, Month 10: June 2010, photography , , , , , ,
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Theme Thursday: Fast Motion Photography (D283)

Tasra Dawson —  June 10, 2010 — 3 Comments

Thursday spins back around this week, bringing us to another edition of Theme Thursday. The themes aren’t always exciting and often lead to frustration and challenge trying to come up with something original and creative. But, that’s the point!

Theme Thursday is meant to challenge you to photograph something outside your comfort zone, something different, something new. You might never photograph the same thing again, but you can say you did it and at the end of the year, you’ve stretched your creative muscles in ways you might have known possible.

This week’s theme is MOTION! Of course I waited until 10 pm when we were watching So You Think You Can Dance to figure out what I was going to shoot today. Fortunately, I had the help of my husband and daughter for ideas and for modeling. My daughter threw on some fun striped socks, my husband set up the lights and background, and we took Theme Thursday for a spin!

tasra365 motion blur dancer 2 Theme Thursday: Fast Motion Photography (D283)tasra365 motion blur dancer Theme Thursday: Fast Motion Photography (D283)

tasra365 motion blur dancer 3 Theme Thursday: Fast Motion Photography (D283)

tasra365 motion blur dancer 4 Theme Thursday: Fast Motion Photography (D283)

Image Specs: 50 mm lens, 1/20 – 1/30 @ f/5, ISO 200. Processed in Adobe Photoshop with Kubota Action Hawaiian Punch to enhance color and blacks.

Technical Knowledge and Images: Looked at Zack Arias images in prep for the amazing lighting workshop starting tomorrow on Creative Live. So excited! You are attending right? It’s free!

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What’s Holding You Back? (D267)

Tasra Dawson —  May 25, 2010 — 9 Comments

Everyone I know struggles with a burden, or yoke, of some kind. Traditionally, a yoke is a “wooden device attached around the necks of beasts of burden so that they can be made to pull heavy loads.” But you, my friend, are not a beast of burden, nor should you be carrying a heavy load.

From a practical standpoint, watching The Biggest Loser finale, I saw real people throw off the heavy load of extra weight they were carrying. They also threw off feelings of shame, insecurity, fear, and hopelessness that were holding them back. To see men and women shedding 48% of their body is truly remarkable. It’s even more remarkable when they shed the feelings that bound them to that weight.

I think about it in terms of photography or any dream that we desire to pursue. What heavy yoke have I allowed myself to carry? What negative thoughts, patterns, habits have created an unbearable load that leads to exhaustion and keeps me from making the forward progress I know I can make?

What about you? Are there any heavy loads you are carrying in your life, either physical, spiritual, or emotional that are keeping you from the freedom and joy you were meant to have? Let’s throw off those heavy yokes and find a new way to live. Let’s stop holding ourselves back from what we know we are capable of accomplishing!

I might even create a 100 Days of Summer challenge for myself to address some of those issues. What do you think?

tasra365 yoke image Whats Holding You Back? (D267)

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Technical knowledge and images: Zack Arias critique and images.

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