I recently did a photo shoot in Loudoun County, VA,  a beautiful area where I must’ve passed by 20 wineries.  What was originally scheduled to be an afternoon shoot had turned into an evening one, 30 minutes after sunset.  Situations like these test a photographer’s ability to adapt.  While my original vision for the shoot was under daylight conditions, the time came to apply my lighting skills in the pitch dark.

I planned on traveling light for this shoot so I used the following light sources & equipment–

• Canon 5D Mark II and 1D Mark IV
• Canon 85mm f/1.8 and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L lenses
• Two Impact air-cushioned light stands
• Three Pocket Wizards (for remote triggering of speedlites)
• Two Canon 580EXII speedlites inside a Westcott 28 softbox as main light source
• One Canon 580EXII speedlite with a 1/2 CTO gel for backlight and edge lighting
• Two Sylvania Silverstar Ultra High Performance halogen headlights, courtesy of my Chevy

We chose the location of a broken down truck next to a red barn where there was minimal tree cover so that some of the stars in the night sky could be seen.  My model Alex did an amazing job leveraging her unique style to contrast the country-like setting on a hot and muggy night – I think keeping her comfortable and cool inside my air-conditioned truck between setups also helped!  We plan on continuing this photo shoot at a later date to capture different sides of Alex’s personality so stay tuned!

Special thanks to Donna, Ryan and Laura for assisting me on this photo shoot!

Photographing police in a controlled environment isn’t something most people that I know get the opportunity to do… let alone TRY to do.  It can be a huge undertaking – finding the right contact, adhering to departmental policies, detailing willing officers to “model”, location approvals, and of course getting the authorization from the top. Fortunately I kept in touch with my friends at Alexandria Police. After going through appropriate channels the photo shoots were commissioned and everything was a “GO”.  The photo shoot took place over two partial days, and despite the heat everything went smoothly.

I think most of us are accustomed to seeing the authoritative and enforcement side of a law enforcement officer.  So I used this opportunity to create a combination of relaxed moments and a few action shots, plus some muted tones and colors in post-processing.  Perhaps next time I can ride along with a few officers and capture the energy and intensity that police officers experience on the street daily.  I imagine obtaining approval for that will take some work.

SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO…

• Deputy Chief Aden
• Public Information Officer Hildrebrandt
• Lieutenant Bartlett
• The officers of the Alexandria City Police Department – Patrol Division, Motor Units, and K-9 Units.

Thanks to Ryan Yorde for assisting me on location with Patrol and Motors, and for the behind-the-scenes photos. Here are some images from the shoots…

A few more photos are on the way of this cutting edge police force, the Alexandria City Police Department.  In the meantime enjoy these two proofs before I apply some final touches.

Despite the 100 degree heat and humidity I had a great time shooting these photos for Jennifer and her family.  My Canon 580EXII flashes were just no match for the strong hot sun and clear sky, so the big lights came out – one White Lightning X3200 and one White Lightning X1600.   I can still use flashes when I’m doing more close-up work.  But since I knew I’d be shooting larger things like a truck and a motorcycle, I needed all the juice I could get!  The X3200 would be my main light blasting 1320 watt seconds of power (at full power), while the X1600 (660 watt seconds) provided catch.  I was having issues with my large softbox so I resorted to the big 60″ umbrella to shoot through and soften the light.  I also used two flashes on one light stand as needed.

I was a total sweaty mess after two hours but I’m pleased with my results.

I met up with Andrew in Richmond, VA to create some shots for his performing arts portfolio.  I decided to go away from my normal post-processing methods again and challenge myself using one light, a Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash

I’m a little behind on some blogging so I thought I’d pick & choose some highlights. Over the summer I was helping out my friends Bob & Dawn Davis at their photography seminar in Maryland at the Liriodendron Mansion. You might recall some behind-the-scenes action I blogged about a while ago. One of the models I commissioned for the photo shoots was Samantha Nicole who did a fabulous job for us and was so easy to work with. If you are interested in working with her you can find Samantha Nicole on Model Mayhem. You can also view Samantha Nicole’s portfolio on her Solomodels website.

I also had one of my former brides, Reanna, come out to model for us. She looked gorgeous as always and was a natural in front of the cameras.

I didn’t spend much time photographing as I did assisting. But I still managed to grab a few…. Thanks Samantha & Reanna!

The Canon 35mm f/1.4L lens is a fantastic lens. Here are my pros and cons about the lens:

PROS

• Great low light performance
• Very lightweight
• Very sharp from f/2.0 and on
• Versatile enough for half or full body portraits and landscape work
• For me personally it could be the best walk-around lens I’ve had, second to my 24-70mm f/2.8

CONS

• Too soft for my taste at f/1.4 through 1.6, although it’s usable for wide shots. F/1.8 gets better, but nice & sharp from f/2.0 and on.
• Might be pricey for some people at around $1350-1400 at my favorite store, B&H Photo (but worth every penny to me!)
• A little slow to focus, but focuses slightly faster than the 85mm f/1.2L just to give you a perspective for those that have the 85 1.2.

If you’re looking for a 35mm professional lens from Canon, this one is a fantastic performer. Thanks to Canon Professional Services for loaning me this for a few weeks. I will have to add this to my arsenal… “Dear Santa.… “ 

Here are some photos I took with the 35mm…

Thinking back about all the weddings I’ve covered, there are 3 things I hear guests say at almost EVERY wedding I shoot…

1. Your dress is gorgeous!
2. Congratulations!
3. The flowers are so pretty!

Ah yes… FLOWERS. One of the most important details at a wedding. What makes flowers so important? They add color, contrast, and texture to my photos of course!! =)  Seriously though, choosing the right florist can be fun and challenging. I’d like you to meet florist, Laura Williams! Check out her website Loda Floral Designs!

I met DC area florist Laura Williams of Loda Floral Designs last year when she was doing an amazing job with the flowers for one of the weddings I was shooting. Her creativity and attention to customer service has grown her business to a point where she might be considering making it a full time job. I asked Laura what she enjoys most about her business and what sets her apart from the hundreds and hundreds of other florists in her market.

“At Loda Floral Design, we focus on the personality of the couple in order to create a visual aesthetic that imbues their love on their special day. Flowers are one of the most critical ingredients of the wedding day; they are there to welcome guests, walk the bride down the aisle, and pass on the tradition to the next bride-to-be. It is because of this that we take pride in crafting something as special and unique as the couple and their marriage.”

As a wedding photographer I pay attention to the details that can make a wedding. The flowers can play an obviously big role in some brides’ weddings. If you’re one of those brides, get to know Laura, she might be the one to bring that extra special touch to your wedding that you and your guests will remember! To connect with Laura, visit her website Loda Floral Designs.

Hiring a wedding photographer can be a very personal decision. Business is usually generated by referrals, word-of-mouth, and viral marketing. Brides typically trust their friends’ opinions first when choosing a wedding vendor as opposed to any advertising or sales pitch out there. Evan of MyDeeJay.com has a very informative blog post to help guide clients in choosing the right photographer for them. In it you’ll find me and a handful of my friends in the wedding photography industry offering their advice on hiring a wedding photographer. Feel free to contact me anytime or leave a comment if you have any questions for me!

CLICK HERE TO READ EVAN’S ARTICLE ON MYDEEJAY.COM, “HIRING A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.”

Photographers – if you haven’t heard of him yet, you probably will soon. Douglas Sonders is a growing success in the DC area & nationally as a commercial and advertisement photographer. Douglas also owns a production company with his business partner Nicholas Cambata 8112 STUDIOS. The team handles everything from celebrity portraiture, music videos, TV shows, and documentaries. They once filmed the Dalai Lama in India and shot the cover for multi-platinum rock band 3 Doors Down. They are making a name for themselves around the country taking on dozens and dozens of big corporate clients, celebrities, and publications including Sugar Ray, Lady GaGa, GEICO, Apple, BB&T Bank, The Grammy Association/National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Hot Rod Magazine and Rolling Stone Magazine, just to name a few.

I had the chance to casually chat with Douglas and learn more about him, his photography & production company, as well as the similarities and differences between the commercial world and wedding photography. We also brought up the importance of shooting for yourself, something that can raise a few photographers’ eyebrows =)  I think my fellow photographer friends will find this 15 minute video “interview” full of interesting perspectives on the state of the industry today.

A big thanks to Kristie Blake for operating my Canon 5D Mark II video feature on my camera. And a big thanks to Douglas’ dog Winston Churchill for keeping us entertained. Enough rambling, check out the video and Douglas’ website http://www.sondersphotography.com/, on twitter.com/douglassonders, and his production company http://www.8112studios.com/