A simple hour of photoshop.
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From my previous blog post, I had mentioned that my dear, and quite lovely friend Carlin came over to visit. She was so nice in letting me practice my craft, while having some great fun and laughs for the evening. I like them all in one way or the other, but the one on the far right really does it for me! Thanks Carlin!]]>
So...my dear friend Carlin stopped by, and she was generous enough to let me take her picture.
Initially, we had the idea to do a Holly Golightly-esque picture. Well...we did some like that, but it seemed like the wild hair and less staged were the real winners and this one I really like! It's soft and a little mysterious. I paused, turned to the piano for a second and there she was, reflected nicely in the black glossy polish!!!
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Here is a recent portrait shoot/head shot I did for a local actress who performs at Live Art here in Charlottesville, VA. Lovely lady and a fun shoot!
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What a fun shoot and a great local show Charlottesville show presented by Live Arts, check it out!
DREAMGIRLS
music by HENRY KRIEGER, lyrics & book by TOM EYEN
original Broadway production directed and choreographed by MICHAEL BENNETT
sponsored by Old Dominion National Bank
The smash-hit Broadway musical about the meteoric rise of a female trio of black singers is a fresh and charismatic now as it was over 30 years ago. As The Dreamettes gain in popularity, the group’s manager decides to replace their overweight lead singer with a more glamorous and svelte prospect.
Loosely based on The Supremes and set amid the turbulence of the 1960s culture wars, this show sizzles with behind-the-scenes drama. It’s the story of betrayal, aspiration, and determination in the face of rejection.
Featuring the songs that launched the careers of Jennifer Holliday, Loretta Devine, and Sheryl Lee Ralph; DREAMGIRLS fills the soul and heart with love, laughter, and music. http://www.livearts.org/dreamgirls/
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This is Tom. He works on loans and needed a casual business portrait. Problem solved... he hired me, or rather the company did. Thanks Tom, it was a pleasure! ]]>
Another recent business portrait! This one is a bit out of character for me with a splashier vantage point, dramatic angles and light, while maintaining a flattering soft, but directional light on the face! Carrie, it was a pleasure!]]>
This was from a recent portrait shoot I just did. The client wanted to look energetic and youthful. I think I pulled it off considering she is in her sixties! Nancy, it was a fun shoot, thanks for stopping by! Side note, it's interesting how my last two portraits shoots I put the models hands in the shot. I rarely do that and now I've done it twice in one week. It definitely brought something to both assignments.
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I'm still working in the classic portraiture style. Primarily with a 45% light and a 2:1 lighting ratio similar to Rembrandt. While it appears selfies and do it yourself portraits are here to stay, I don't think you can beat a professional portrait. Thanks for stopping by Phil!
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We celebrated a milestone....3 years in business! I have to say it was pretty cool having a photo assignment for VA Distillery to mark the occasion! If you are not familiar with them and want to drink some great local scotch, do yourself a favor and check them out! http://vadistillery.com/
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It was truly my pleasure to take these press photos for Live Arts in Charlottesville and I hope the show is huge success!
From the Live Arts website:
Memories. Sometimes that’s all you have to cling to. But what happens when your memories betray you and are no longer there? Or what if the memories that seem so vivid and tangible aren’t really yours? Juliana Smithton, a brilliant and ambitious neurologist, struggles to discern between truth and fabrication as her life continues – seemingly without her. Weaving in moments of unexpected humor and heart, THE OTHER PLACE is a penetrating drama where a mystery unravels; and where truth, invention, love, and loss vie for Juliana’s mind.
After completing it’s Broadway Run in 2013, this play will make its Regional Premiere at Live Arts.
http://www.livearts.org/theotherplace/
2015-2016 Season: The Other Place |
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Wednesday, February 10 at 8:00PMSold Out Thursday, February 11 at 7:30PMSold Out Friday, February 12 at 8:00PMSold Out Saturday, February 13 at 8:00PMSold Out Sunday, February 14 at 2:00PMSold Out |
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What an assignment from C'ville Weekly, four local mac & cheese photos in one day...oh the hardship!
Top left - The Mac & Cheese Burger at Jack Brown's.
Top right - The Lobster Mac & Cheese at The Local.
Bottom left - The Classic Mac & Cheese at Maya.
Bottom right - The Potato Cake Mac & Cheese at The Virginian
My last assignment of the year goes to Embrace Loan Homes with a series of executive portraits of Michael Ballew! Thanks folks, hope to see you guys for additional portraits in the New Year!]]>
Wow, I mean wow! What a show. Stevie Wonder played for nearly four hours tonight at JPJ in C'ville and it was pretty amazing. Besides playing all of his songs off of Songs in the Key of Life, he and his back up singers did dozens more. He joked, sang and cried on a few tunes and we all cried with him...for joy I might add. I was in the pit for one song and could just about touch him and the super cool thing was that I could hear his actual voice 15 feet away from me and his amplified voice coming through the speakers! Thanks Stevie, hope to see you in Charlottesville again real soon!]]>
Now, until November 8th at Live Arts in Charlottesville...DIRTY BLOND!
Jo, an aspiring actress, works as an office temp. Charlie works in the New York Public Library and is a self-proclaimed movie history fanatic. They both spruce up their ho-hum lives with their obsessive zeal for the bombshell and scandal-inducing Mae West. Fate intervenes when they meet at West’s gravesite and forge an unlikely friendship.
Laden with one-liners, sexual innuendo, and alluring come-hither glances, DIRTY BLONDE is a comedy dripping with burlesque and filled with the music of the era. Scenes of West’s bombastic life are interwoven with the developing molecules of Jo and Charlie’s chemistry. And what we are left with is a story that is compelling, touching, and dramatically over the top.
Much like Mae West herself. http://www.livearts.org/dirtyblonde/
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Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt had a good time at the Festy Experience in Afton this year, as did I. What a night...terrific music and great beer at Devil's Backbone all under the stars on a cool and beautiful night. Not sure how it could get much better!
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It occurred to me that I haven't put up a current piece on social media in the last two weeks. So...this "Linguine alla Carbonara" was photographed for an upcoming Pasta segment in a local food magazine called Knife & Fork. Produced and distributed by C'ville Weekly. As of September 24th, this dish can be found at Tavola, 826 Hinton Ave, Charlottesville, VA. Eat up, live life & enjoy!
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A recent photo essay brought me to Lieutenant Victor G. Mitchell, a midnight shift commander with the Charlottesville Police Department. He considers starting the canine program in 1990 to be his greatest accomplishment during 30 years as a police officer.
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I worked on a rather nice food photography assignment last week for the Red Hub Food Company, located in Charlottesville Virginia. Nice little place, great food & terrific owner! I wish them the best of luck!!! https://www.facebook.com/redhubfoodco?fref=ts
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This was one of my favorite shots from this years Restaurant Week! If you are not familiar with our local foodie fundraiser in Charlottesville, please check it out! http://charlottesvillerestaurantweek.com/
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Thanks for the visit Paul! As one of your biggest fans, it was truly a great photo gig!]]>
This was a fun photo & video day day at the Alley Light, courtesy of C-ville Weekly!
It's never to late to have your portrait taken. Rammelkamp Foto, now practicing non-evasive photography & photoshop, LOL!]]>
C-ville Weekly asked that I photograph something on Madison House for a non-profit issue a few weeks ago. I thought it would be a little picture somewhere deep in the paper, but they liked this one for the cover, which was pretty cool not only for me, but for Madison House! I wish all these local non-profits the very best!!!
http://www.c-ville.com/give-us-hand-five-local-nonprofits-worth-attention/#.VW9CKc9VhBc
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Earlier today, I was on assignment; downtown mall, Charlottesville. I was taking a break when this yellow glint caught my eye. As the young lady was walking away, I managed to zoom in on the shoes and photograph a pretty cool scene.
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Another shoot for C'ville Weekly's first issue of Knife & Fork! This juicy steak was prepared to perfection by Sam Rochester of the Downtown Grille, located on the downtown mall, Charlotesville VA. http://www.downtowngrille.com/
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This was another photo I took for the 1st issue of Knife & Fork, published by C'ville Weekly! The ice cream is from Kirt's Homemade Ice Cream in C'ville, 622 Almemarle Square! It's good, real good. Kirt has his Ice Cream down and I wish him all the best!
https://www.facebook.com/KirtsHomemadeIceCream/info?tab=overview
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Kife & Fork magazine and new portfolio sample courtesy of Lampo Neapolitan Pizza! My third time photographing their pizza and let me just say this.... it doesn't get old!
http://www.lampopizza.com/#antipasti
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Knife & Fork #2! Another gem for C'ville Weekly and a great sample for my portfolio! #ronrfoto; #rammelkampfoto; #charlottesvillebranding; #cvilleweekly
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This is a self 'atta' boy, but I'm really liking this portrait. Classic lighting with a high angle that seems to accentuate the eyes quite a bit. Kevin had a terrific demeanor and I like to think it shines through in this one!
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This was a great cover to work on and as always, a real pleasure to collaborate with Bill at C'ville Weekly. In addition, it was also nice to meet and work with Harrison Kevill of Brookville Restaurant. They are located on the C'vill Mall at 225 West Main St, Charlottesville. Serving wonderfully prepared locally sourced food & beverages!
http://www.brookvillerestaurant.com/
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So...we had a portrait shoot today at Rammelkamp Foto and what was great was my skittish dog took to the client! It's really quite funny. This dog is afraid of most males and took several months to get used to me, yet took to Kevin right away and sat on his foot...which is his way of saying you are a nice person and I like you. Dogs are great judges, because he was in fact, a nice fellow and we certainly had a great shoot!
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Been laid off *lately? Need a free head shot? **Within driving distance to C'ville? 1st week in April is give back "sorry you were laid off B2B" at Rammelkamp Foto! Don't miss out, please message me to schedule your appointment.
This was a portion of the beverage line up I photographed for The Grill at Waterford in Richmond. Good food. Good spirits. Good People!
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This was a C'ville Weekly shoot that happened a week ago. Aaron Ludwig of Jack Brown's (in C'ville) was gracious and hospitable. Notice how crowded the place is!
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This recent photo shoot for C'ville Weekly was a gem. I love it when all the choices work and it's hard to pick just one. The folks at Petit Pois were generous, helpful and grateful. Certainly helps with the end result, thanks folks! This Wednesday (the 26th), we'll see which one they publish in the paper and online.
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This was one I did a few weeks ago for C'ville Weekly. Loren Mendosa of Lampo Neapolitan Pizza really is moving fast here, no special effects and why is he moving so fast....the place was PACKED!!! Chalk up another winner for Charlottesville!
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Ryan Hubbard and Mark Marshall had been catering for awhile, but recently opened up for lunch! It was a pleasure meeting these folks, taking pictures, eating food and welcoming another great addition to C'ville!!! Red Hub Food Company 202 10th ST NW, Charlotesville VA.
]]>2014 continued to be a building year for Rammelkamp Foto. A few months in, a new freelance opportunity presented itself in the direction of photojournalism. I would sincerely like to thank C'ville Weekly for having the confidence in me and pushing my photographic skills to new heights! I'm very proud of this body of work and have assembled the entire year of assignments, all 56, into one 6 minute video. I'm looking forward to 2015 and would like to wish present and future clients a very prosperous New Year! With that, I give you... "A Year in C'ville!"
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New French inspired bakery just opened up in C'ville called MarieBette! So far, all I can say is AWESOME!
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I actually took this last year when we had all that snow. It was pulled back in for a cover this year. Glad the CD remembered it and I'm glad the kid's folks gave us permission to use it!
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South Street Brewery. It's cool, it's downtown and they have lots of great beer, what could be better? Judging from the crowds, not much. ]]>
Jackie Dunkle, owner of Fellini's#9 in Charlottesville has a new venture...The Tin Whistle Irish Pub! Very old world, lots of charm and plenty of shepherd's pie to go around! Looks good, feels good and has a good vibe, I wish them all the best!
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Working on a newspaper photo story, I had the pleasure of meeting Floyd of Charlottesville. A nice talkative fellow who had a lot of strength, charisma and charm...just no home. Despite being unkempt, he was like anyone else you could meet, even hopeful you might say. Not really sure if his situation will ever change, but he changed me. It's getting cold, be thankful, give if you can - Ron
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Meet Leigh Gordon from Palmyra VA. Leigh wanted a portrait for Linkedin/business use and once I got going, I thought a bold B&W would be nice. Lighting just from the left side, with very little fill light, I started to think we were onto something. She has a terrific smile, yet this closed mouth smirk kind of says it all. To final for web will be opened a bit, but drama on this one really works in my opinion.
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Cool owners, cool interior & cool lighting....nuff said!
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This was an assignment for Hightech Signs/John Paul Jones Arena. Giant posters were made, nice work and a new client. Charlottesville certainly is a foodie town and it's great to be part of it!
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This is a 5x7 card mock up I'm about to present to Derek Cha of Zzaam. If you are looking to excite you taste buds with a fresh Korean BBQ assortment, THIS IS IT!
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These are a few examples from a recent portrait shoot I did a week ago. I think Steve might have been a bit nervous, but after we got started, the poses started to flow along with the smiles. The client was pleased he wound up with a nice collection for his business and Linkedin. Thanks again Steve, it was my pleasure.
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Great folks to work for! Thanks Bill LeSuer for all of your confidence, and support!!!
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A few months ago I did another shoot for Alex George of Just Curry, Commonwealth-Skybar and now Commonwealth Reserve! A great venue to rent for any occasion, right on the downtown mall! Again, great food, great fun, great place and great service!!!
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I recently photographed food for the concession posters at John Paul Jones Arena. They were somewhat quick, definitely with post in mind. Here is a before and after sample.
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I was asked to take a photo of Barbara Shifflett for C-Ville Weekly. Barbara has been a strong force in the Charlottesville food industry who has just started a new catering business called Apimento. The CD, Bill LeSueur wanted a shot in a restaurant window and chose Eppie's. The cool thing about this shot was the challenge. One strobe light lighting the face, another strobe light lighting the yellow wall in back, tungsten lights inside and daylight outside to consider. In addition, I had to use a polarizing filter to cut back on some...but not all of the reflections, whew! Challenging shot, but I think results are there and I'd like to thank everyone involved!
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One of my covers that came out a few months ago for C-Ville Weekly! House infused berry vodka brought to you by the Commonwealth-Skybar Restaurant located on the Downtown Mall in Charlotesville.
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Just signed up with Thumbtack, an on line service that helps companies in need of services find creatives. My very first job with Thumbtack was for a head shot of Emily Doherty, author of "Funny Things They Don't Tell You About After Pregnancy". She was a pleasure to photograph and I wish her the very best! As for Thumbtack, the site is easy to navigate and draws a crowd. Thanks Thumbtack!
http://www.thumbtack.com/Rammelkamp-Foto-Crozet-VA/service/1171462
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C-Ville Weekly asked me to photograph the owner of the Crozet Citco "D&W" Gas Station. As it turns out, there is a full blown take out Mexican Restaurant inside called, Las Cabanas! Maria Becerra, the co-owner was smiling and hard at work and was a pleasure to photograph. The aroma was ridiculous and the breakfast burrito she made for me...OUTSTANDING! If you are in Cozet right off exit 107 on 250, look for the small Citco station and treat yourself to some quality Mexican food!
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This past year with Crutchfield certainly went by fast. I have to say, they truly are a pleasure to work for! Great staff, great products and great customer service!!!
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Just finished up a cool project for a wonderful new soap company called Falls River Soap Company in Ohio! They make a wonderful product and were great to work with! These 4 web banners ads (without copy) are a small sampling of imagery.
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Through the nTelos Cares program, nTelos Wireless partners with local bloggers to raise awareness (and funds!) for charitable organizations such as Project Grows? So what is Project Grows? Project grows is a community Farm (in Verona VA) where children can learn about healthy living through hands on experience.
I was fortunate enough to photograph an event with nTelos giving back to the community with volunteer weeding, and a sizable donation of $2000 to Project Grows. Despite the rainy evening, it truly was a terrific event. Way to go nTelos and congratulations Project Grows!
To learn more, please visit:
http://blog.ntelos.com/ntelos-cares/?_ga=1.38476771.1519867147.1401813568
http://www.projectgrows.org/
I just heard that some photos from my Commonwealth Skybar shoot will be featured in USA Today!!! Excited, you bet! It's a good day to be Rammelkamp Foto.
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I recently had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot for Alex George owner of Commonwealth Skybar in Charlottesville Virginia. It's a fun place to be with great food and service. Truly, everyone goes out of their way to make the customer happy. A fine establishment indeed and I'm grateful for the photographic opportunity. Their website will be renewed shortly, stay tuned!
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The artistic director Julie Hamberg and actor/writer Peter DeMartino, have written their own adaption of "The Master and Margarita", which opened last night at Live Arts in C-ville. Nice folks, a real pleasure to photograph.
http://www.livearts.org/20132014-season/
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The new Pourhouse at Crozet Pizza is beautiful! It was great to work with the staff on their photo needs and I look forward to an upcoming food shoot in the near future....stay tuned!
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I was real pleasure to meet and photograph Nikki Liszt for C-ville Weekly. Apparently, her Ballet studio celebrated a 30 year anniversary, but Nikki kept it quiet. I liked the fact that she was willing to try a motion pose. This was my favorite!
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Well, what can I say? It was a real pleasure taking pictures of my favorite (and home town) pizza joint. The new bar room is awesome, the pizza awesome, the crowd, you guessed it...awesome!
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I was fortunate enough to see and photograph a preview of Starr Hill's new tasting room in Crozet, nearly walking distance to my home studio. I really love the way this town is shaping up! A big thumbs up to Allie Hochman (Marketing & Sales Support Analyst) who helped me with the set up, and impressed me with her vast knowledge of beer and terrific hospitality.
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C-ville is really shinning this week with the tom tom festival! It was so much fun to cover C-ville weekly's 25th bash!!!
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Birdseye view of the set, with the finished result below showing all the necessary items to do this type of work. A monolight light through a punchy 28in brolly box on a boom from 10 o'clock is my preferred source and direction. A slight dapple and vignette is achieved by using glass blocks as a gobo and black (painted wood) slats to subtract light from certain areas. Lastly, a silver card is added to throw back some fill and glint. A relatively decent macro lens is required. I use a 1:3 35mm (52mm with crop factor) The blower and brushes are a must for this type of work!
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Still going strong on food shoots. Had a great time photographing food & wine at Mas Tapas for C-ville weekly and I
hope to do more in the future!
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This was actually an outtake from my shoot today. The simplicity and lighting really worked, so I thought I would post a sneak peek before I promote the client/restaurant full throttle.
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Yesterday, I had the pleasure of working with Stephanie and Sue of Stevie G's. Their baked items were not only fun to photograph, but fun to sample as well! They are in the business of baking gluten free items currently sold in and around C'ville. They were some of the best treats I have ever tasted!!!
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Yes it's going to snow and sure, go out and get you bread. But don't forget to fill up you home with the wonderful aroma that only fresh spices can bring. While you are snowed in, travel to India via the kitchen. Phyllis can recommend just the right curry. So if you are in C'ville, head on down and visit "The Spice Diva"!
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This was a recent shoot I did for C'ville Weekly. Drew Carroll of Champion Brewing Company, knows more about beer than most folks. I have to admit, after 10 minutes of taking pictures, I felt I was with a good friend. Truly a fine ambassador to the "offline" business of what used to be called...social interaction!
]]>This is a collection I recently put together to highlight and promote my photography skills in food photography. The clients and jobs vary, as does the locations. I'm looking to make this type of work my niche in Charlottesville.
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I was dropping off someone at JFK and it turned out to be a great photo opportunity. It was clear that Terminal 1 was the place to capture diversity. However, security was watching me, so I shot from the hip with little previewing. When I got home, I was delighted with the mix and felt it would make for a nice looking piece to post on my blog.
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I spotted this wayward doll at an estate sale. She definitely called out to me. I let her be, figuring at some point she would be overcome by holiday madness and insert her foot in the socket, or hang herself from the nail to her left. Oh well, didn't happen. Perhaps the "Twilight Zone" episode in my head was never meant to be. Let's hope she was purchased and loved once more.
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The Tenley Whole Foods was hoppin' on the Sunday evening after Thanksgiving. I was surprised to count nearly 50 people in this photo! At any rate, it was a nice pit stop before taking my daughter back to college.
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It's been a bit slow for me this month. Still my business is my hobby and I have to stay sharp. So I took this last week while grilling out in my backyard. Beautiful scene, might even put a print of it on one of the walls inside.
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Image quality, what is it? For me it's what you get when everything is captured just right. The settings - focal length, aperture, shutter speed, color settings, contrast and sharpness. If I'm standing in front of something that I'd like to photograph, I usually adjust my settings to give me the very best image quality. I take a minute so I can come up with something that simply looks better than it is and appears to jump off the page, or monitor. No trade secrets, just skills of the trade. At some point, technology will fix this for everyone with the perfect "auto everything" button, but when it does I'll be ready to talk about lighting. When the "auto lighting" fix arrives, I'll have one last skill that can not be touched...subject matter!
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How much Photoshop? It happens after every photo shoot, especially with portraiture. My shoots are quick and painless, I joke, get a bit silly, try to put the model at ease, then start taking pictures. Most often my make up kit is Photoshop. Sure, I've hired makeup artists, but for an individual sitting, it's likely I'll go it alone. So...how much Photoshop is enough? Well, I wish I could say, there is no easy answer. Most often, I'll pick one, clean it up a bit then ask the client. We often agree on the amount of treatment, then do the same amount on the selects. In this case, this is exactly what I sent to the client and she thought it was perfect.
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My wife and I saw a white baby crib at the dumps. We both thought it would make a great gate of sorts so I took it apart, hose clamped 3 sides, spray painted and viola! The photoshopped image is a dramatization of what it will hopefully look like next year!!! Perhaps the following year we will plant a big something or other to hide the heat pump.
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Well...I was pretty excited to make this today. I took a picture with my phone. Afterwards, I thought I'd challenge myself and see if I could improve the photo. Besides the the Photoshop challenge, it was really delicious!!!
I combined 2 recipes for this, here goes...
In a small 3 quart corning ware, I drizzled olive oil.
I started layering (in thin slices) zucchini, tomato & eggplant, till I got to the top of the pot.
In between the zucchini & tomato I would put garlic & basil.
In between the tomato & eggplant I would put onion, thyme & salt.
Every other layer I would drizzle a little more olive oil.
I put the corning (covered) on a gas burner as low as it would go for 2 1/2 hours.
This was well worth it. I was surprised at how good it was!!!
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It occurred to me that my (relatively) new camera is water proof so I thought, why not? The heavy rain had just finished, so I wandered around a bit in the drizzle. When I saw this web, it looked like a pretty good subject to capture. Being slightly underneath it caused some drops to fall on the lens, so it's hard to figure out exactly where the focus really is...which of course adds to the beauty of this shot. I then added a little color and contrast in post. Lastly, it was inspired by Ilse Ackerman, who has been on a terrific streak with some wonderful FB posts, thanks Ilse!
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Last week I got a call from copywriter and YTOTer, Kim Reedy. Kim wanted a new set of pictures for promotion and social media needs. Having the great personality that she does certainly made it easy for me. We started with backdrops, then eventually moved out into a natural room setting. Before that, I thought it would be fair to have the camera pointed at me for a few shots. Kim clicked one and one only. The pictures work nicely together, so for now they serve as a pleasant visual to accompany my blog...but perhaps a joint project will come our way, I'll already have the bio photos just waiting for PR to publish.]]>
This bathroom caught me eye at a recent estate sale. The house was huge, with several fireplaces and stuff to buy of course, but for some reason the simple vertical scene with sunlight hitting the drape really stopped and made me look. I thought, perhaps this is the window someone would sneak out with. Maybe a teenager longing to roam with friends, or runaway. Step on the seat, step on the lid cove,r shimmy over the sill, then out! I don't know...just something that came to mind.
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A lot of professional photos come out of this Crutchfield photo studio. It's located and headquartered out of Charlottesville, Virginia, near the airport. Just finishing up a little over a week of freelancing for them. The best description I can offer is chill...the place is very chill. ]]>
This was a snap I took at a yard sale. I liked the contrast from the shopper in the background to the porcelain doll in the front. For some reason, the doll in the front almost looks real, like she is going to walk around you! I think this is why the photo appeals to me so much.]]>
I was set to have lunch with two lovely x-RSers, Robin Rapp and Helen Altin. After some discussion, we agreed on The Little Grill, and why not? -- I haven't been there in awhile, they are friendly to vegetarians and it's a cool place, period. Well, guess what? THEY WERE CLOSED for renovations! I couldn't believe it! OK, if this is my big worry for the week, then things must be pretty good. Despite a recent car repair, I have some freelance time at Crutchfield coming up, so I really can't complain...but c'mon!!!! ]]>
This is a random offering to my blog, but it's one of the first images with my new 35mm lens. Shot from the hip and not exactly sure where the focus is, but we have a bunch of things going on that I like for some reason. So here you have it, my post from the local GreatValu in Crozet!]]>
Say hello to Jeff, or Jeffrey Bean. This boy is relatively new to the family. He is also a bit kooky and afraid of most things. ]]>
What is it about the studio? For years, I've been in the studio. Starting in NY at a young age, I quickly became quite good at making still-life products look better than they should. Then after 20 years, I "suddenly" found myself shooting lifestyle for Rosetta Stone and for awhile, it was great. But it wasn't meant to last. Restructuring put me out and eventually back in the studio. However, it somehow felt like seeing an old friend. Comfortable...I knew him and he knew me. Didn't have to talk much or work hard on rekindling the relationship. Within hours, we took up where we left off. What is it that draws me to this place? Why do I like it so much? Is it just stepping back into my comfort zone, doing what I do best? Or is it simply a means to pay the mortgage? The answer: all of the above. ]]>
This is a typical slice of what you would see in catalog studio. Big room with lots of stuff going on. I shot these in B&W to show how little things have changed over the years. They are current photographs, but they look like studios I've worked in 25 years ago. Other than film vs. digital, I'm happy to say that most things have remained the same.
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Warehouse #2, and probably the last of a very short lived series. This is actually a scene from the back of a truck bed backed up to the open door and waiting to be stuffed with merchandise. I walked by this while heading to the bathroom and the warm sunlight coming in from the top was really pretty cool. Again, shout-out to the great folks at Plow & Hearth for bringing me on board this month with what I hope is many additional freelance days to come!
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If you make or sell merchandise, you've got to have a warehouse. This is a row at the Plow & Hearth warehouse in Madison, VA. They have at least a dozen rows - pretty big place.]]>
I was at the Plow & Hearth studio last week photographing toys for Hearth Song and Magic Cabin. Did I say how nice these folks are to work with? ]]>
Met a few x-RSers for breakfast the other day. It was nice to chat and commiserate. Really.... some of the best people I've ever worked with in my career. Besides the fine company and good eats, I decided to resurrect a 1998 floppy disk Sony Mavica for picture-taking. It was interesting... a "snap" and recording to the buffer probably takes about 6-7 seconds for a 1024x768 72dpi photo on fine jpeg compression. I get 9 photos on one floppy disk at this setting. My phone takes/stores about 1000 5 megapixel photos with all sorts of whiz bang features that I can send across multiple platforms. Digital capabilities sure have improved. ]]>
Behold, the beautiful beet burger! As a "foodie" and vegetarian, it's sometimes hard to get that combination of satisfying flavor, healthy eating and staying on the meatless path. However, my daughter found a beet and lentil combo, properly seasoned that fits the bill! Really tastes great and actually looks great as well...which is why I took the photo. If anyone wants the recipe, please let me know. Happy eating everyone! ]]>
The studio is taking shape! The shelves have been assembled, the hooks are in the walls and the equipment has been serviced. Ready for action folks!]]>
20-25 years of planting with this trusty old boy. Years ago, the same scene would take place... I'd come in the house and tell my wife about it. I still do, but now the scene is captured on a phone, uploaded and broadcast for the world to see. I guess it's just nice to talk out loud. Perhaps someone will say, I need to do that...I think that's what I'm going for. Cheers everyone!]]>
Initially, I think the orange against the blue got me, but then I noticed this giant dog and I had to hit a few. Not really an uncommon sight at the Artful Dodger in Harrisonburg, VA. Glad I was able to get a brew in with master photographer, Jeff James.]]>
I worked at the Plow & Hearth catalog photo studio last week. Nearly 8 years after shooting catalog, I was right back in the old familiar saddle. It was a fun day, as well as a productive day. Everyone there was great. It was a nice studio and I hope to shoot there on a regular basis! ]]>
Meet Colin Johnson....Katie Clayton's husband. He sells at the Charlottesville Farmers' City Market every Saturday during market season. Colin also works the bees just about every weekend. During the week, he works at Fort Pickett as a cartographer for the Virginia National Guard. He also runs the http://www.hungryhillhoney.com website! Busy man, great smile, helluva nice guy. Glad I got the chance to photograph him this weekend! ]]>
The biggest project I ever worked on in my career was the military milestones for Rosetta Stone. This project/contract with the military certainly came at the right time, considering our conflicts abroad. This was a straight-to-military, Arabic language product that was written, staged and styled for soldiers to learn fast. I am working on a self-promotion video showcasing the highlights of the dramatic look and feel of the photography. Stayed tuned!]]>
I bought two wireless flashes for my on-location travel kit. I just hovered (hand held) over the flowers and did a quick test shot. Kind of neat looking, so I thought I would share.]]>
Jessica Penner is the author of a new piece of literary fiction called Shaken in the Water. A lovely young woman who was a pleasure to photograph! Her book is available at Amazon.
1903: a Mennonite woman gives birth to a daughter named Agnes. The child bears a birthmark known in Low German as Tieja Kjoaw, the Tiger’s Scar. The mark portends greatness or tragedy. Agnes becomes the matriarch of a family struggling for greatness: her husband shaves his entire body to win God’s favor; a tornado carries her daughter away on a clear winter day; convinced he is a modern Moses, her son frees a truckload of cattle; her granddaughter butchers a cat to save her marriage; a tiger residing in her daughter’s backyard claims to be the love of Agnes’ life.
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The event: Western Ridge 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt. The Photographer: Ron Rammelkamp. The Results: Happiness!!!!!!!!]]>
This was taken right off the Crozet trails behind the Westhall development.
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