The word "nuptials" always sounded dirty to me...

Back in April, I had the great pleasure of shooting the wedding of Mr and Mrs Phelps.   Congratulations Adam and Michele!  Big thanks to everyone that was a big help that day, especially Heather (for the lens and overall photo/wedding wisdom, you were more help than you know). Here are some of my favorites...

A BIG thank YOU the to the happy couple for letting me be a part of your special day...you are and will always be like family to me.

Another from the "The BLVD" series

Diana

As I am writing this the Cubs just blew the game in the bottom of the ninth against the Brewers.  I have grown to hate the Brewers over the years, almost as much as I hate the Cardinals.  Not quite there yet, but close.  Come on Cubbies, you're a better team than that!  Ok, sorry, just had to get that off my chest.

  Haven't posted here in a while so I just needed something to get the ball rolling here again.  Thought I would put up some photos of stuff I have been working on and ramble on about some things.

Downloaded the new LCD, get it NOW! Listening to it right now.  Supposedly its gonna be their last album (?) Not sure if I believe that. Wait till Insound has it on it vinyl though. (or your local hipster-hangout-I-know-more-about-music-than-you-dickhead-employing record store).

  Taking Digital Photo II this semester.  Learning alot about the printing process.  It can be a little intimidating when you start throwing around terms like ICC Profiles, color gamut and what-have-you.  But I learned alot and feel alot more confident when making my final prints.  Now if I can just get the printers to cooperate.

Working on a project I have titled the "The Blvd".  The work as a whole focuses on the people and places along Astoria Boulevard in Queens.  As I have taken the Q19 bus to from work,  I became interested in the collection and hodge podge of people, and places that seem to speak to me as if they were a link to my past, that reside along and around my route. Thought I would post a few.

For the requirements of my class, I had to fulfill nine assignments, each focusing on a different process in digital photography. (by the way these jpegs suck! google compresses the hell outta photos!)

click on the photo above to see the whole panorama

click on the photo above to see the whole wide angle view

End of the Semester Ramblings...

  Some of you may have wondered what the name of this blog means, Crop of 12welve (twelve).  It comes from a quote by renowned photographer Ansel Adams...he said, "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop."  This quote stood out to me for a couple reasons.  First it emphasized quality over quantity, something that is sometimes lacking in our on-demand-fast food-social networked world.  Second, even coming from a master artist such as Adams, he never took his notoriety for granted.  His standards were high.  To me that quote also emphasizes how difficult and time consuming it can be to produce quality images and art that will speak to people.
  In my intermediate photo class, my instructor urged us to use an "editing eye" when compiling our final portfolio for that semester.  Sometimes what you don't show can be just as important, or more, than what you do.  I have tried always keep that in the back of my mind as I progress through my schooling.
  It is getting very near to the end of the semester, and I can honestly say I feel like I am doing some of my best work to date.  This semester has been seriously fun, alot of work, but fun.   I have a new-found direction with my work and career goals, which is exactly what I set out to do when I returned to school last year.  There is still a ton for me to learn and experience though.  One of my goals from here on is to continue to build my skills but also expand and push my creativity. 
  Next session, I am not taking any photo classes (just math...ewwww!), but I am going to push myself to pursue a personal project during this time.  Currently I am putting together my final pieces for my Studio Lighting Portfolio, so I thought I would post a few up for people to see...I am reposting a revised version of Jovan's portrait as well.  All assignments were to be either still lifes or portraits..thanks for reading my ramblings and checking out my work...Thanks to Alyssa for putting up with all my late nights at the lab this semester...just another two weeks...

Faces of Laguardia Studio Portrait

Flower Still Life Assignment

Faces of Laguardia Studio Portrait

Faces...

I attend a school that is full of diversity.  One could argue that the borough of Queens in New York City is the most diverse place on earth.  I probably wouldn't argue with that assumption.  In my studio lighting class this semester we are focusing on portraiture and still lifes.  Our portraiture is to be focused on the students here at LaGuardia, with the name of the overall project being "Faces of LaGuardia".   Our goal is to highlight the diversity that exists on our campus.  My good friend Jovan agreed to be my subject for my first round of portraits.  This was shot digitally using a Canon 5D and one Tungsten Smith-Victor 500W light and one bounce card for fill.  I have shot some more sessions using mainly film which I hope to have up soon...until then....

Freedom in Control

  Today I took my first baby steps into the world of Medium Format and Studio Photography.  And I lived.  To be honest, it was work, but I had a blast.  After class today, I took advantage of my reserved studio time at the school's photo department.  Working with a camera that has no built in light meter,  requires depth of field preview and a stand the size of a tree definitely took me out of my comfort zone a little, but I liked it. 
  Shooting in the studio has alotted me something I have been missing in alot of my photography so far...control.  I control the lighting, the subject, the camera...the environment as a whole.  The most important aspect to control is the light.  Its all about the light...if you cannot learn to control and work with light, one cannot be successful in photography.  My hope is that this newfound realization will translate into a flood of creativity in my work.
  For now though, I am content to learn my trade.  I have alot to learn yet, but I can say with all honesty, I am enthusiastic for the journey and the new found freedom I have gained to expand my skills and creativity.

   I shot two rolls today using a Hasselblad 501 with a 120mm lens on Ilford Pan F Plus (iso 50).  I plan on developing and printing later this week, so check back soon to see the photos.