Creative Light

Gitika in the Garden

2009-05-03T15:39:00.002-04:00

Loved shooting in the Brooklyn botanical garden. Had Gitika and Alia as my models - and Edyta as the MUA. I had a blast!

NYC Summer Fashion shoot

2009-04-20T00:43:00.001-04:00

Had a blast shooting again in Manhattan - on a gorgeous day. Jes was a blast to work with, resulting in more than 600 pictures of her that were tough to pick the best ones from. Again found the 18-200 to be really versatile in these shoots. See more on my portfolio site.

Impromptu photo shoot with Alia

2009-04-19T10:51:00.001-04:00

Love the pictures from my new 85mm 1.4, used for the first time in an impromptu photoshoot after lunch. Click on the post title to see these in the portfolio site. Love her ability to express, and work with the camera.

Assistant turned model

2009-04-07T22:33:00.001-04:00

Matt accompanied Sam for the photo shoot and was a great assistant, moving the lights, holding the reflector, being the lookout, etc.. I suckered him into getting some test shots while Sam was getting ready and I must say - they came out really good.

Photoshoot with Sam

2009-04-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

Got to shoot this weekend, helping Sam out with her portfolio - and here are some pics from it.. Can's wait to get my 85mm 1.4 lens!! shot these witht the 18-200 and quite impressed with the results. I think it is better suited to editorial photography because of the background capture. My fav shots are the ones next to the window with the book.

No photos this weekend

2009-03-29T21:37:00.003-04:00

Having not taken any pictures this weekend like I have been for months now - I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms. So to feel a bit better, I uploaded a bunch of old fav photos to my portfolio site like these...

StarWars

2009-03-22T15:37:00.001-04:00

When I took this picture and looked at it on the LCD screen - it right away looked like a formation of the attack planes from starwars, with the pilots siting in the center. Don't know about you - but I think like that :)

Macro flower photography

2009-03-22T15:34:00.001-04:00

I headed over the the NY Botanical Garden in Bronx, and was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the place is. I am certain to be there at least a few more times this spring - even if not to take pictures, but just to enjoy the place.

Eye Closeups

2009-03-18T23:45:00.002-04:00

I had my friends Shannon and Elyse "eye model" for me so I could try out my Macro lens some more. I like the pictures, but accidentally bumped the ISO setting to 6400, while in fully manual mode, with a flash!!! It did not help that I took these after drinking on St Patrick's day and spilling a whole Guinness on my lap as well :) Will have to take these again as there is way too much noise. But they do look cool when not blown up full size.

More Droplets

2009-03-15T22:06:00.001-04:00

So I tried a second shoot with a higher F stop to get a larger DOF - and get images as sharp as I could. Think I quite nailed it this time :)

Life forms

2009-03-15T16:14:00.002-04:00

I got a bit spooked looking at these droplets - to me the first two look like a human form is coming out of the water, screaming it's head off in the second one as it erupts. The third picture surely looks like a man. Dunno - do you agree?

Fun with droplets

2009-03-15T16:07:00.002-04:00

So decided to have some more fun with my Macro lens on a lazy Sunday afternoon. These are taken in the kitchen sink, with the faucet dripping periodically, using a SB900 speed light on the remote setting on the right, and using the camera on a tripod using the infrared remote to engage the shutter. The most difficult part was to get the focus right because you have to focus in thin air where there is no droplet to begin with. This took about 300 shots to get 30-40 keepers. Quite pleased with the results, and like all budding photographers - had to get it out of my system. Still want to do the strawberry splashing into a milk bowl sometime - is just too messy for today :)

I like the second picture as it kinda looks like a heart - no?

Creative Compositions

2009-03-11T21:32:00.001-04:00

Here is Gitika modeling for me again, and patiently looking stunning !

Macro fun - with my new Nikkor 105 Micro f2.8

2009-03-10T19:39:00.001-04:00

Some more pics from the shootout

2009-03-05T23:48:00.000-05:00

My favorite is the top center picture. The best part is that I was not very excited about the shot to begin with, but cropping out the top of Tabby's face really makes it pop! Love to hear if others feel the same.

More from Fashion Shootout #2

2009-03-02T23:48:00.001-05:00

A Beautiful Photoshoot

2009-03-01T23:25:00.003-05:00

Today my beautiful wife Gitika volunteered to do a photo shoot in ethnic Indian outfits, and I am THRILLED with the results! Here is a smattering of the pictures, have a lot more on my portfolio site! I just love the look!

Fashion Workshop #2

2009-03-01T11:17:00.002-05:00

Attended a fashion shootout on Saturday, and it was really crazy with 42 photographers trying to shoot 15 models. I did not do my homework to schedule time in advance with the models - so was really left with 10-15 minutes between shoots to take some pictures. Did get some good ones. Got to try out my new Nikon sb-900, the umbrella and light stand I bought on Thursday. Also tried out the new Sigma f2.8 24-70 that just came out, and I have to say - looks like it is going back. The Nikon 18-200 was the sharpest - like this shot - I had to actually reduce the clarity to not see even more details on the skin.

Some more form Val's fashion shot

2009-02-23T00:12:00.002-05:00

Some more selected pics from the photo shoot, picked out while watching the Oscars! Go Slumdog Millionaire!! the picture of the little girls was taken right after they excitedly asked me if Val was a fashion model, and when I said yes - they could not stop screaming with excitement :) was really cute.

Some more old fav landscapes from Whistler BC

2009-02-22T23:59:00.001-05:00

Another old picture

2009-02-21T15:41:00.004-05:00

Was going through my collection of favorite pictures and cap across this from Whistler BC, at the end of a dirt road - spectacular. we were on a "barely legal" modified street car that could get to this point as other vehicles could.

Wilder Val

2009-02-18T00:00:00.001-05:00

Using my curiosity and creativity to the hilt here trying to get really unique perspectives - and I think they really have a lot of punch to make give her a totally different look from the pictures taken earlier that day.

Even more pictures from Val's photoshoot

2009-02-16T00:56:00.001-05:00

These pictures were taken indoors, with no flash and mostly with my 50mm f1.8 lens. I really like the images with the "cage" look that was actually an innocent coffee table in the living room :) This was totally her idea, like the one below to take a picture with the skateboard kids - and I think it really came out good.

Fashion photo shoot with Val

2009-02-16T00:02:00.001-05:00

Here are pictures with the second outfit. I should let you know that it is February, and it was really cold outside for her to have pulled off these shots. But I really like the look and think the cold was worth it. I love the bottom left and top third photo with the natural laugh and smile. also really like the top right photo showing only part of the face - just love the composition.

Fashion Shoot with Val

2009-02-15T16:49:00.003-05:00

This fashion shoot was a real blast! These are some pictures from with the first outfit only. Will post others up as I get time. See the rest on my online portfolio at http://ashdof.smugmug.com in the Fashion gallery.

Photos from the Carla TenEyck workshop

2009-02-12T08:08:00.002-05:00

Check them out - just brilliant!

Catla TenEyck Tuesday Workshop

Shannon in action! at the NYC shoot

2009-02-10T20:39:00.003-05:00

doing what she does best :)

another fav - love the blue effect

2009-02-10T20:06:00.001-05:00

some more favs...

2009-02-10T18:42:00.001-05:00

Some of my fav pics from the NYC shoot

2009-02-10T18:39:00.001-05:00

Figured out the lens flare

2009-02-10T18:25:00.001-05:00

At Carla's workshop, she mentioned that getting the lens flare, as a part of the composition is very tricky, and something that she is trying to master. Of course - she is a master at this, but love my first creative lens flare composition. Here I got it with a 50mm f/1.8 that would only have one flare because of the one element in the lens. will try more of these with the zoom - show be fun.

More NYC Megan & Kyle photos

2009-02-10T07:55:00.002-05:00

Engagement Shoot NYC

2009-02-09T07:54:00.001-05:00

Megan & Kyle Engagement Shoot in NYC

2009-02-08T20:26:00.004-05:00

So my friend Shannon had planned an Engagement photo shoot for Megan & Kyle and I was invited to shoot. Got some really great pictures all over New York. Will post a few of them here, and have the rest on an album online to view.

Glowing Gitika

2009-02-08T19:15:00.003-05:00

Took this picture last weekend as well - at Coromandel -same time I took Rebecca's portraits below... love the nice soft look...

Another one I like

2009-02-06T22:21:00.004-05:00

I love the whole effect of this picture... seems to tell a story..

Carla Ten Eyck Workshop

2009-02-04T23:23:00.005-05:00

Stole the picture of me shooting from Shannon's blog. You can find her blog on my blog list on the top - she has excellent pictures from the same workshop. The pictures above show what I finally liked while shooting these pictures. :) Liza was truly amazing in working with all of us patiently...

Carla's Workshop

2009-02-04T23:21:00.007-05:00

I just dig this edgy look! and love the light and bathtub composition - quite proud of myself :)

Some more

2009-02-04T23:21:00.006-05:00

Some more prized pictures

Carla Ten Eyck Workshop

2009-02-04T23:18:00.003-05:00

Some more pictures...

Carla Ten Workshop

2009-02-04T23:16:00.002-05:00

Here are some of the 600+ pictures I took at Carla's workshop that was BRILLIANT!! Liza (our model) was fantastic too and really patient with all the requests we were making! Shannon & I had a blast and am glad we did it! Lets see how many I end up posting up.

Natural light portraits

2009-02-02T22:15:00.001-05:00

Took these photos in a brightly lit restaurant of my friend Rebecca, and really got a nice diffused look using the f/1.8 50 mm lens

Different Shades of Gitika

2009-01-31T23:02:00.002-05:00

Well, I was having some fun experimenting on different pictures that I took of Gitika and a crystal turtle....

Comedy Improv Class

2009-01-31T13:07:00.003-05:00

Having been nominated as the official photographer for the class, I got some really neat pictures - would encourage anyone in the CT area the definitely check it out. It truly is a lot of fun.

The Biggest Secret of Photography

2009-01-29T07:58:00.001-05:00

http://digital-photography-school.com/the-biggest-secret-of-photography

Fantastic tip - need to start doing that now!

My all time favorite panorama

2009-01-26T00:05:00.002-05:00

Maroon bells in Aspen - this shot was taken using a canon S3 IS, without a tripod. Took 8 photos and stitched them later into a panorama. This picture is huge - can be printed in full resolution on a 10x3 ft poster - just love it!

Vermont - Blue mountain

2009-01-26T00:02:00.001-05:00

Another favorite picture - amazing colors!

Saybrook CT

2009-01-26T00:01:00.001-05:00

this was taken during lunch at a work meeting - love the quaint look of the place - looks better in the picture than it did in real life :) guess saturating the sky and adding vibrance to the colors can do wonders to most landscape pictures!

classic race track pictures

2009-01-25T23:58:00.001-05:00

I had gone to SkipBarber last year for a day long racing driving course, took this during lunchtime and really like the classic look and composition here.

2009-01-25T23:56:00.001-05:00

SInce I have a lot of old favourite pictures, decided that I should start uploading those. This was taken in Vancouver, BC atop a mountain - I forget the name and am too lazy to google it up right now :)

Close Up Glamour portrait

2009-01-21T18:41:00.002-05:00

Here is another picture that I really like in terms of the look, composition, exposure, of course - I did mess around with the eye color again and some skin smoothing. Hopefully I should be able to sell one of these in the next few weeks :) if anyone is interested in buying - please let me know... will help me keep my resolution for the new year..

Rule of thirds & Fashion

2009-01-21T09:23:00.009-05:00

I tried to keep the rule of thirds and the other rule to get in close in most of these pictures, and think it has really worked out well. had to keep reminding Val to smile a bit - and think that makes really nice pictures too...

Finally got her to give a big smile :)

B&W Fashion

2009-01-21T09:19:00.003-05:00

Trying out the high contrast B&W look here....

High Fashion

2009-01-21T09:11:00.003-05:00

Here I asked Val to give a very serious look - and think it came out good..

Beautiful silhouette

2009-01-21T09:07:00.002-05:00

Here is Hawk again against a very bright wall panel that gave me this wonderful silhouette showing the detail in her eyelashes, hair etc. feeling quite proud of my photography now I must say..

Artistic portrait

2009-01-20T09:01:00.002-05:00

This is another favorite portrait!! Really going for the classic B&W look...

Experiments with high contrast shadows

2009-01-19T22:20:00.006-05:00

I took more pictures of Hawk for a really high and contrasty look with very dark shadows on one side and really bright lights on the other showing the detail in the tattos and face. And also with her natural eye color - unlike the green eyes in the last post :)

dramatic closeup

2009-01-18T22:41:00.004-05:00

One of my first pics from the workshop - this is Hawk - with her wild look and tattoo in focus in this picture. I figured green eyes will go better with the tattoo - so changed her eye color, and also made some contrast/saturation changes.

Fashion Photography Workshop

2009-01-18T11:47:00.002-05:00

Attended this great photography workshop yesterday - got some amazing experience there.. more pics to come :)

product modeling

2009-01-12T19:46:00.005-05:00

My friend Karen makes these craft hats - and wanted them photographed for her own blog and to use for the e-commerce site she will put them on. So while I plan to do a full shoot for her someday - here are some initial shots taken of her and Gitika modeling the hats.

check out her blog - if you want to buy any...

selective color effects

2009-01-11T16:06:00.006-05:00

thanks to my favorite model - my beautiful wife Gitika, who agreed to patiently wait till I took at least 150 shots of her today.. this is another one I really like highlighting the red color in the flowers, her sweater, nails and makeup...

My first B&W Portrait

2009-01-11T15:48:00.005-05:00

I always like b&w portraits taken by others, and feel my own pictures look best in color. Not any more :)

interesting...

2009-01-07T07:51:00.007-05:00

was quite intrigued to see a picture quite similar to this one that I had taken a couple of weeks back on Robindini's blog

Painting with light

2009-01-04T21:19:00.004-05:00

Painting with light - this is really cool! this picture made me think of two things - 1) this is an awesome technique, 2) I really have bad handwriting :)

a favourite san francisco picure

2009-01-01T17:23:00.001-05:00

New Year Creativity

2009-01-01T14:55:00.005-05:00

Well, being totally cold outside, looking at my reflection in my TV, with the direct sunlight hitting my face - figured it would make some really nice pictures.

Fantastic resource for Lens Evaluations

2008-12-28T17:46:00.000-05:00

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

nice simple photography tips

2008-12-27T14:35:00.002-05:00

saw this on the Nikon website - http://web5.popphoto.com/mentor-series-photo-tips/

abstract shots

2008-12-26T01:22:00.001-05:00

if only... :)

interesting viewpoint...

beautiful blue light

2008-12-26T01:17:00.001-05:00

I just love the blue light being reflected on the water on Christmas day in NYC...

Arizona Canyons

2008-12-26T01:04:00.000-05:00

Just found some old pictures I took on a plane on the way to Vegas over Arizona. truly brilliant colors

miniatures - a wine glass reminder

2008-12-25T22:13:00.000-05:00

last shot of this parking lot!

2008-12-24T18:26:00.002-05:00

just wanted to try it with a different approach and mood - and think this might be the best - it really captures the image I wanted to create.

subtle HDR

2008-12-24T17:27:00.000-05:00

very subtle HDR processing to make a night scene pop, without looking fake..

Finally figured it out

2008-12-24T17:14:00.000-05:00

I was really not happy with the greenish color of the HDR images below, and finally realized - the problem is that the windows RAW colorspace is different from what the Mac uses with Nikon being sRGB.

Solved the problem by converting the images to the JPEG format by using ViewNX, and then doing the HDR magic. I still don't like this approach because of the less data the programs have to work with. There is still some confusion as the RAW files are converted to the same standard format before the program starts the HDR merge.

Liked Hydra for the Mac for natural looking images - will post that later.

crazy colors HDR

2008-12-24T13:52:00.000-05:00

Same images - crazy colors.. need to go out and shoot some nice pictures...

My first HDR image

2008-12-24T12:02:00.000-05:00

I am really facinated by HDR photography. This is my first HDR image - is quite bad IMHO, but was going to enhance the depressing and rainy weather we have today. This is the view from my window of the movie theater parking lot.

So here are the three bracketed images. 1.
2.
3.

And here is the final processed image.... looks like the effect they had in the movie 300!

Carols

2008-12-21T00:25:00.000-05:00

highly animated conductor

Christmas Music

2008-12-21T00:23:00.000-05:00

A very animated conductor - I like the way the hands show the motion.

Christmas fun

2008-12-21T00:22:00.000-05:00

Christmas Shopping at the Stamford Mall

2008-12-15T15:40:00.000-05:00

another one of my favorite pics - taken with a canon powershot point & shoot camera. This was better than what the others were taking with DSLR's. Just love the sky after the sunset.

adventures with tin foil...

2008-12-14T18:13:00.000-05:00

"Lord of the Rings" was the look I was going for - not sure if I succeded...

2008-12-14T18:05:00.000-05:00

I took many pictures of this statue, but this one seems to be the most interesting. the f 1.8 helps create the short DOF.

my favorite subject...

2008-12-14T18:03:00.000-05:00

that looks good!

2008-12-14T18:01:00.000-05:00

Traffic through my window

2008-12-14T17:58:00.000-05:00

Shannon had her "playing with traffic" post, and I thought I'd try the same myself - so here are the results. I like the one with the guy standing on the corner looking like a see-through ghost :)

Curiosity did what??

2008-12-14T17:24:00.000-05:00

My little friend that was really amazed at the sound from the corner :)

2008-12-14T16:28:00.000-05:00

Inspired by my friend Shannon, I decided to start my own photography blog of pictures, ideas and musings from my perspective :)