FRP Journal

Tag: black and white

  • SDX Portraits

    I’ve been a member of the SDX Board of Director for several years now.  I was recently tasked by the Communications Committee to create portraits of my fellow Directors for use on the SDX website.  The board has grown in recent years to 30+ members. It’s a strong group of passionate individuals from the San Diego advertising, marketing and media fields.  Given the large group of creative individuals I wanted to present the individual portraits as a complete, stand alone portfolio.  I presented a mood board with candid black and white portraits.  My approach was a theme that is popular with my corporate clients right now.  I call it the “Moment between the Moments”.  It is that split second when the subject has let their guard down and is no longer “posing”.  Many of my corporate clients are looking for something a little different for their executive and staff portraits.  The standard headshot is out.  The environmental office portrait is waning.  This candid approach has proven quite popular.  I was pleased the Communications Committee approved the creative direction. All of my subjects bought into the concept as well.  Everyone arrive inspired and ready for anything. In addition to the website, SDX created a series of ads featuring select portraits to run locally.  The above ad features fellow Director Miguel Fenton, VP of Sales Local at Entravision.  Below are the other portraits.

    Special thanks to Angela Hess, Amy Richardson and Justin Galloway (the photographer of the photographer) for their help in the production.  

  • The Group Shot II

      Sometimes the group shot happens organically.  It all comes together with little or no production.  It's more of a feel, an emotion. Pride and satisfaction can be a great motivator.  Everyone proud of their part and happy to share that with peers.  This is part of the crew that built the Isla Bella - shot several hours prior to launch.  There's a formality and familiarity to these groupings - one that seems  passed down from generations of shipbuilders. This is one of 3 frames, no compositing, no production.
      Sometimes the group shot happens organically.  It all comes together with little or no production.  It’s more of a feel, an emotion. Pride and satisfaction can be a great motivator.  Everyone proud of their part and happy to share that with peers.  This is part of the crew that built the Isla Bella – shot several hours prior to launch.  There’s a formality and familiarity to these groupings – one that seems  passed down from generations of shipbuilders. This is one of 3 frames, no compositing, no production.

  • San Diego Film Festival, Behind the Scenes – The Parties

    It’s all about the party – the after party!  Every night offered fantastic after hour diversions.  It started with the VIP Opening Night party at Bang Bang and ended with the Filmmakers Bash at SummerSalt Rooftop Pool & Lounge.  In between was the Tribute Night reception at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla and the Almost Famous party at the decadent Pussycat Dolls San Diego Dollhouse in the Gaslamp.  After Party On!

    Winning

    Bang Bang

    Sushi Boat

    Photo-Op :: Riding the Merry-Go-Round with Ashie

  • San Diego Film Festival, Behind the Scenes – The People

    There’s always a great vibe at the SD Film Festival.  Not dissimilar to the laid back, easy going attitude that is San Diego’s hallmark.  Celebs mingle with fans, guests become celebs, everyone’s a star….

    Honorees Judd Apatow & Justin Nappi mixin’ with the masses

    Meet and greet on stage with Judd Apatow

    Gentleman Norman and his escort

    David Koechner

    Saginaw Grant

    Rick Mora

    Justin Nappi’s Emerging Producer Award

    The Script

  • San Diego Film Festival, Behind the Scenes – The Red Carpet

    What is a film festival without the glamor and glitz of the red carpet?  A lot less fun, for sure, especially when you’re working behind the scenes.  The red carpet and all that entails sets the tone for the festival and festivities.  Here’s a glimpse at a few moments around the red carpet events at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and at the Reading Theater in the Gaslamp District.

    Red carpet arrivals for the Awards Tribute Night at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

    Step and Repeat in the Gaslamp

    Sharing the results with Saginaw Grant

    The gauntlet – Tribute Night

    Luminaries of the Native American track at the end of the red carpet

  • Behind the Scenes – Almost Famous Street Party at the 2012 San Diego Film Festival

  • Behind the Scenes at the San Diego Film Festival’s tribute to Gus Van Sant

  • Behind the Scenes at Opening Night for the 2012 San Diego Film Festival

  • Mission Delores – San Francisco, CA

    When I was a student I shot a lot of Black & White. I earned my chops processing and printing all my own film and making all my own prints, as we all did.  I continued to do that for years, even into my professional career.  I prided myself on my B&W prints.  Both my personal work and my commercial prints.  Those days seem long gone now as every commercial project is digital.  Even on the occasion when I shoot film, I still scan the film, doing all the processing work digitally.   Output is then off to a client via FTP, through one of my desktop inkjet printers, or via file to a local printer.  No more darkroom, and thankfully, no more chemicals.  But what I am missing lately is the look and feel of Black and White.  On a recent trip to San Francisco I decided to fool around with some Black and White when we were at the Mission Delores.  I wandered the grounds looking at things in Black & White like I used to do back when there was Tri-X in the camera.  But the captures were all digital (color).   It’s the processing and output that’s Black & White using Nik’s Silver Efex Pro2.  I love the control of the software and the ability to really push these images in the direction that they were originally conceived.  Much as I would have done in the darkroom, but much more quickly, accurately, and without the smell of fixer on my hands….

  • Early Influences

    Been looking at some of the photographers that influenced me when I first started out – Robert Frank, Cartier-Bresson, William Klein, Walker Evans, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Ralph Gibson, Clarence John Laughlin.  Frank, Klein, and Evans still resonate for me.  Gibson, not so much anymore.  Meatyard, Laughlin & Cartier-Bresson are great, just not as influential any more.
    Who were your influences?

    Which early influences still resonate for you?

    William Klein – Candy Store, Amsterdam Avenue, New York, 1954-55

    Robert Frank – Trolley—New Orleans, 1955 from The Americans

    Walker Evans –   Fish Market Near Birmingham, Ala., 1936

    Henri Cartier-Bresson – Behind the Gare St. Lazare, 1932

    Ralph Gibson – The Somnambulist, 1970

    Clarence John Laughlin – The Masks Grow to Us 1947

    Ralph Eugene Meatyard – Occasion for Diriment, 1962