Model Scouting

...from a quick photo session last week. This is Lollie, a tattoo artist at Inkjunkys in Conway. I've been looking for a person with a non-traditional look for some conceptual work I want to do in the future. This was more of a meet and greet than an actual shoot, so everything was set up rather hastily (just two lights and no hair/make-up).

Go Red

A few images from my shoot with the American Heart Association last week. The photos are part of their Go Red campaign. I shot the whole age spectrum from young kids to the elderly and everything in between. I think the images are going to be blown up and hung in hospitals and other public places around Arkansas.

Creating Mood/Combining Exposures

Nothing creates a mood like a cool-looking sky. But usually the best sky is a vastly different exposure than the ground beneath. I've tried combining photos before, but never really perfected the technique. This past Fall I wanted to show my Digital Darkroom class how to make one exposure from two in order to improve the overall tonal range of a photograph.

The above image is a combination of the three below. I used the brightest image as my primary photo. I layered the darkest image over the top and created a mask to only allow the sky to shine through. I then blended the middle photo to create the rich colors. After I had my exposure I created a Levels Adjustment Layer to correct the color cast (basically a white balance adjustment). I also used a Curves Adjustment Layer masked in certain areas to open up a few of the mid-tones. There was no need to increase the saturation or use Selective Color to pump up the reds and yellows since I already had a rich tonal range after combining the photographs. You could accomplish this same technique by shooting RAW and then processing the image twice: one overexposed and one underexposed.

The image was taken at Pinnacle Mountain State Park.

D, D & D Update

I finally got a copy of the final product from the shoot with Dianna this past Summer.

Second Place

This past Saturday I got my only High School Football experience of the year by documenting Springdale Har-Ber's failed attempt at the 7A State Championship. It's a bit awkward photographing baby-faced behemoths crying, especially when you realize some of their misplaced emotion may result in a helmet to the face. Touching none-the-less.

Down in the Delta

I was in Helena about a month ago to check out the Blues Fest they hold annually. I only came to town for a few hours and there wasn't much going on yet. So I drank a few beers with Zac and then headed back, stopping off in the cotton fields along the way.

Panorama Canyonlands Composite

I've been wanting to try a panorama like this for some time and finally got around to creating one. You can easily get a copy of the print through my PhotoShelter Account; if you are so inclined.

Canyonlands

Some photos from my trip to Canyonlands in Southeastern Utah last week. The light was amazing and the red rocks surreal. Being out there is like landing on the moon and walking around. Just be sure to bring plenty of water and watch out for the rattle snakes. We found Floyd (his portrait is the next to last image) waiting for us in one of our campsites. But he didn't have too much to tell us and quickly disappeared after a few hisses and rattles and kicked rocks in his direction.

...Hayduke is dead!

Runner's World

The current issue of Runner's World (Nov 2007) features a few portraits I took in August. It was raging hot that day which made it all that much better to work with 20 kids. I was pretty happy with the photo play when I saw the issue; this is my first double-truck!

On Display

I recently joined the faculty at the Arkansas Arts Center where I will be teaching "Advanced Digital Darkroom" this fall. Last Sunday the museum held an opening, which I happened to forget and miss, for the faculty art show which runs through October. It was weird seeing my work displayed so nicely, with its own special light and everything.

Gone Fishin'

Everything else I have shot lately is way too boring to post here. Fishing is probably boring to most people too, but these images had some nice early morning light with mystical fog rising off the water. Plus, check out the huge rainbow in the school of fish! The last image is a self portrait I took with a group of my best friends. I'm the one on the far left. I know I've really let myself go with that huge gut. I'll work on burning that off.

Wild Art

Some personal work from the past week or so.

The Mountain Says, "Rejected!"

This is the lake below Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico. The first picture was taken with thoughts of a beautiful summit. The second photo is one hour later with fears of being struck by lightning. And of course we got to climb within a thousand feet of the summit before the storm clouds popped over the ridge.

Great Sand Dunes NP

More images from this summer. These are the Great Sand Dunes along the Sangre de Christo Mountains. They're a pretty crazy formation: a sandy oasis amidst a mountain desert. And for some reason people like to get a running start and roll down the mounds. When I saw this, I was like "Wow, that's some redneck shit. It's like we're in Arkansas!" So I approach these guys after getting shots of them in all their glory...and get this...they're from Arkansas! True Story.

The Crestones

I finally got around to editing the photos from our summer trip to the Crestone Group in the Sangre de Christo Mountains in Southern Colorado. It was an amazing trip, but a bit too early in the season (June) and we had to turn back at around 13,000 feet because of poor snow conditions. It was still very mystical, as the last photo will show. Now, I'll just have to go back...damn!

Little Bird Complex

These little birds where chasing this crow around Murray Park the other day. I guess it's not the size of the bird in the fight but the size of the fight in the bird.