Is That Photoshop?

"Is That Photoshop?" seems to be the question as photographers we get very often these days. The other comment we hear as a question is "You must have a really good camera?". Both are interesting comments based on the commonality of digital photography. And of course it discounts the actual consequence of actually being capable of and having the vision to take a good photograph.


"Is That Photoshop?" Well the answer for almost every photograph taken in the last few years is YES! Whether shooting film or digital almost every photo ends up on a computer where the Photoshop program is used to process it for one reason or another. This is not unlike what was done in a darkroom. Film was pushed, cross processed, prints were burned and dodged, even hand colored. It is and was all part of the creative process and shooting a photograph. When I shoot certain photos, I take into consideration how I am going to want it to look, how I will light it, expose it and then what I will be doing in final editing to finish the photograph as I imagine it.

"You must have a really good camera?" Yes I do, a few and I rent even better ones when I need them. But what is better? It is the camera you use for the purpose for which you are shooting? The very capable and creative photographer, Helmut Newton, said (to paraphrase)... "It is the same camera that any amateur would use, it is all up here" (pointing to his head while he said that).

So is it Photoshop or is it a really good camera? Makes no difference, it is the photographer that makes the difference.

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Bodybuilding and Family!

We often think of professional bodybuilders as just those big guys on stage. But in actuality they are just people too with hopes, aspirations, businesses, jobs and families. And that is the story of Moe Moussawi, one of the top professional bodybuilders in the world. I had the chance to shoot with Moe and his family for New Zealand Fitness Magazine. I usually don’t do much in the way of families or kids but this was great fun!



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What Do I Do?

I am very often asked by clients what can I do to make my photos different, better, more interesting for them. As you can see I do a lot of work in the bodybuilding and fitness business and shooting bicep curls and such can get routine looking across the dozen or so magazines on the shelves. Sometimes it takes a little courage to go outside the box of megapixels and sensors and studio lighting but I pride myself in always getting it done.

Here are two photos from a series I just shot at Anytime Fitness here in the Palm Springs area in California. I had a great new model, Brad Gwinn, and decided to go backwards in technology. Using a Contax G1 rangefinder camera designed in 1994 and Kodak Tri-X film I think I gave this workout a series a new "old" look that is much fun!



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