Sharing The Roijoy

I've mentioned earlier that I did a maternity shoot recently, and now I'm able to share a few of the photos with you along with the settings used. 1/25 • f/3.5 • ISO 800 • 17mm     Window light with fill from a speedlite 1/800 • f/2.8 • ISO 400 • 25mm     Window light 1/125 • f/7.1 • ISO 800 • 45mm     Window light with fill from a Calumet monolight 1/640 • f/5.6 • ISO 400 • 40mm     Natural light with reflector 1/40 • f/3.2 • ISO 800 • 17mm     Window light with fill from a speedlite 1/200 • f/5.6 • ISO 400 • 40mm     Natural light and fill flash 1/125 • f/18 • ISO 400 • 28mm     Natural light 1/80 • f/10• ISO 400 • 17mm     Natural light with fill flash from a speedlite 1/25 • f/18 • ISO 400 • 17mm     Natural light with fill from a speedlite 1/25 • f/18 • ISO 400 • 17mm     Natural light with fill from a speedlite 1/40 • f/11 • ISO...

It was my birthday in March and along with the wishes and gifts, came lots of work too. I also had to fit in a trip to London, England. But before I left managed to shoot 300 portraits, a product shoot, another retail shoot at Sak's 5th Avenue and 2 stylized model shoots. Oh and some headshots too. Over the next few weeks I will feature some of the work in this blog. In the meantime here are my first and last stock image sales for the month of March.

Already 2 months into 2013 now as time just keeps on whizzing by. Earlier in in February  I photographed a very young baby. After doing various types of shoots, I finished the month with a maternity shoot. So instead of doing a before and after, it seems I ended up doing, After and Before. Well the order really doesn't matter, we got some great pictures and everyone had fun. In  general I'm still keeping busy and I took individual portraits of 147 people in February. I'm also busy with a retouching project for a computer company in the Bay area. I've also been talking with 3 clients  about 3 interesting projects that I've been busy doing planning work on and am hoping that at least 1 of them will get the go ahead this month (March). And finally my first and last image sales for February 2013.

That morning there had been "Wave Warnings" in the weather reports along the coastline in Northern California with specific warnings not to turn your back on the ocean. Still we decided to go for a beach walk at Point Reyes since we had no intention of swimming in the Pacific at this time of the year! The light was amazing and the beach was beautiful and we spent a relaxing few hours enjoying almost deserted, expansive beaches while enjoying the spectacle of waves crashing at a safe distance from us. On the way home, we drove down to the South Beach where the waves where even larger and more spectacular. I found a position where the waves seemed to be performing on cue and looked around to make sure there was good distance between me and the water's edge. It was an elevated spot on a dune formed right on the beach, and when crouched low I could get dramatic views of the waves without going to the water's edge.  I crouched and had just taken the firs...

The sun came up over the San Francisco bay as it always does, even if sometimes wearing a foggy cloak. I moved house, got 2 new clients and was busy with work again as soon as my feet touched the ground.  I did some work shooting products and retail space inside the Saks Fifth Avenue store at Union Square, in San Francisco. In addition to some instore items designed by a New York company named Visual Citi, I also shot some window displays. The close, front on shots kept my brain very alert, since I didn't want to be included in any reflections and spoil the shot. The general front on window shots were fine because I could shoot those from across the street with a telephoto lens.  There was one point where a large Fedex truck pulled up right outside a window I wanted to shoot allowing the reflection of it's logo to fill the window. I sat on the kerb for about 15 minutes while the driver went back and forth doing multiple deliveries and waiting to get signatures ...

Sometimes images stand alone and demand your attention. Sometimes it's the other way round and you just need words. Add timing to any of these combinations and you have something quite powerful. I visited the Jack London estate in Sonoma County a little while ago and had a great day out and learned a lot. There was one photo I took that was of the desk where Jack worked in his house. I was fascinated at the idea that this was the actual workspace of this famous man with all his original artifacts displayed about the room including his typewriter   (this link may expire soon),  on the table. It looked as if he had just stepped away from his work for a moment and might return anytime soon. Jack London's work desk I posted the photo on tumblr and along with the words "Not 4G compatible". The picture was modestly liked and reblogged quite quickly. It was around the same time that airtime providers were trumpeting the long awaited roll out of proper 4G n...

It's the end of another month and the end of a year!  And my last shoot of the year was a wedding by Ocean Beach in San Francisco. It was a busy year and importantly, a huge amount of fun. I met so many great people and have been lucky enough to have only work with people that I liked and enjoyed working with - and get paid for it! This sets the bar quite high for my expectations from 2013, but I already know that this year will not disappoint. In 2012, on top of shooting over 1200 individual portraits and selling over 900 stock photos, I was kept busy with numerous events assignments, product photography and other assignments for companies and marketing agencies. I also sold direct to a few publications and have had work shown in a couple of exhibitions. So now the holidays are over and I'm back to my client work again, I'd just like to wish you all the excitement and success you can possibly handle for 2013.  — And if you get the chance, come and ...