Kenny Smith Photography - The Blog

WE'VE MOVED!

2010-06-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

Our new bigger and better blog has moved here

Click on this link to be redirected

Enjoy!

Update & Latest Work

2010-06-29T15:14:00.001-07:00

Sorry for being a bit quiet lately, but I've had some good excuses.

First of all, I've been working on 2 commercial projects which hopefully I will be able to share with you very soon.

Then there was the shoot for Roxy with finely dressed ladies, a pool and cocktails.....ok not so much an excuse as a brag.

Lastly I've been working on a major update of my portfolio both online and in print, with a web upgrade and completely new blog......stay tuned.

For now, have a look at this fun model test I had last week for my friends at Fashion Model Academy. View the whole series here:

3 of My (current) Favourite Things

2010-06-14T02:57:00.000-07:00

For fellow photogs out there, here are 3 things I'm digging lately:

Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) Being able to upload files by syncing a drive on the computer is awesome, and probably the best way I've found so far to deliver images online. You can share folders using a unique email link for each folder, and your recipient can download them, saves heaps of time.
Billings 3 (www.marketcircle.com/billings) I've just started using the program Billings for all my accounting, and so far I've found it to be AMAZING. You can use a timer for tasks to accurately track your work in progress, enter activity slips for each client, then raise a bill when you want to. The reports module ties everything all together, and if that wasn't enough, you can sync it with your iPhone for when you are on location. So much easier and more relative for creatives than MYOB. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I got mine from the Apple store for $69AUD!
My custom made lighting case. I used a Stanley "Fat Max" giant toolbox, removed the inside molded compartments, lined it with molded foam and now have a watertight case to house 3 strobe heads, all the cables and attachments. It's key lockable, and my foam lining ensures nothing moves out of place and can be flipped upside down without disturbing anything. I've attached some iPhone pics, check it out.

Babysitting

2010-06-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Had my nephew over today for a visit. We were sitting on the porch and I grabbed the camera. Such an animated little guy. Well, this is what happens when I'm left to babysit.

The Gold IP Project

2010-06-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

Last year I got to work on a series of shots for Gold IP, a brand leader in the intellectual property (IP) legal industry. Amongst other specialist work in technology, media, and sports law, they are also the go-to guys in protecting creations by inventors, artists across all mediums, writers and anyone that has made something that needs to be protected as far as copyright.
The images were intended for print, display and web campaigns, and I was honored to be involved as they obviously have a number of creatives on their books nationally.
During the creative meeting I was impressed by their dedication to have all original works and not go near stock images at all. Another thing that was fantastic was them giving me the time and financial budget in order to produce the final images.
I had just read Annie Leibovitz' latest book "At Work" and was really inspired by her black and white portraits and the tonal depth she is renowned for, and used that inspiration for this project, all the way from the initial drawing of the mood boards to the final processing.
Check out the Gold IP website here.

Spilling the Beans - the Commercial Application of Lightpainting

2010-05-15T01:39:00.000-07:00

Ok a lot of people have written me asking how these shots were done, and since there really are no secrets any more, only creativity, I'm gonna tell you. Interested? Keep reading.
These were shot with a flashlight. That's right, a humble flashlight was the only lightsource.
Lightpainting gets used a lot for fun. You see it all over, long exposures with people experimenting with different flashlights and LEDs writing funky little messages into the picture. "Hi Mom", whatever, It's cool.
This print campaign I shot last year used the same technique, only in reverse. I shone the light onto the product and the reflection beamed back through the lens and burned the image.
Here's why; We had a problem, how do you evenly light a highly reflective product that ranges from a few feet to up to 6 meters in length? Solution: paint the inside of a hanger black, walls, floors, everything. Block all the ambient light from the roof etc, and using up to 4 minute exposures "paint" the product with a flashlight using long even strokes. Over a day and a half we shot in the dark and the result is what you see pictured.
The equipment/staff list for this shoot is pretty unique:

One factory/hangar
A crapload of black paint
A way to get black paint on walls and floors quickly
A forklift
3 product specialists to set up/take down the product
1 assistant cataloging the products we were shooting
A flashlight
Canon 1DsMkIII
Canon 17 - 40 F4L

Assistant Wanted

2010-05-11T02:05:00.000-07:00

Due to my regular assistant not being available over a couple of shoots, I am seeking an assistant (s) for some upcoming projects.
The position is paid on either a full day/half day basis.

Successful applicants will have:

Enthusiasm for all things creative
Ability to display initiative and work unsupervised
Ability to work in a team environment
Excellent communication skills
An outgoing and friendly demeanor and be well presented
Ability to work in a fast paced environment
A degree of physical fitness and ability to lift equipment

Also preferred but not essential are the following:

Basic knowledge of photography
Basic understanding of lighting
Basic understanding of electronic equipment
Basic knowledge of Photoshop, Aperture or Lightroom

Applications in writing to info@kennysmithphotography.com

Industry Recognition - The ACMP

2010-05-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

We all know that creating images and showing people is fundamentally all that it takes to be a photographer. But, every now and then, it's nice being recognised by peers and aknowledged for our work.
The ACMP, or Australian Commercial Media Photographers, is the foremost national association of photographers who focus on advertising and commercial work. This week I had the honour of being invited to join the prestigious ACMP directly as a full time member. Normally there is a process whereby you join as an emerging member for a period of 2 years, but there is an allowance for someone to go directly to full member based on their work, and the committee offered me full membership status under this provision.

I'm excited to be counted amongst such prestigious company.

Check out my ACMP profile here

Artist Profile: Jordan Jansen

2010-04-23T02:08:00.000-07:00

You never know who's watching. Got an email out of the blue from New York agency Electric Feel Management. They had just signed a young Australian artist named Jordan Jansen and wanted me to shoot his promo pics for his US promo. After reading the email I realised Jordan lives around where I do, and is in the same class as my daughter in school! Small world!
Initially thinking that I was refered by Jordan or his family here, I later found out that they had never heard of me and the referral came from the US! So I'm thinking I gotta thank my web and marketing guru Mike. Thanks Mike!
The shoot went fantastic, and its great working with someone who is a natural performer. Gotta thank Electric Feel Management and of course Jordan and his family for working with me on such short notice.
P.S Jordan, thanks for tweeting me a shoutout to your 11000 plus followers on twitter!

Final images to be released soon!

Stay tuned for more from Jordan, word is he's gonna be huge!

For the Techies here is the equipment list of what I used:
Canon 1DsMkIII
Canon Lenses, 17 - 40mm, 50mm, 20mm
Gridded Alien Bee AB800 hooked up to a Vagabond II battery pack
Triggered by Cybersyncs

It's what you do on the way that gets you paid

2010-04-14T03:35:00.000-07:00

Been doing a lot of networking lately with other industry people, doing the "rounds" so to speak. Namely advertising agency ceative directors and promotional representitives. During one of these networking meetups, I was talking with someone about what people are actually paying for, is it the equipment I own, my ability to focus, my knowledge of lighting properties and shaping light? To a certain extent, yes. But are those things essentially what people pay for? Absolutely not. Here's why:
Taking a photo is actually pretty easy. Most photos are taken with up to 3 lights max, some technical knowledge of camera and lenses, and click! in as fast as 1/8000th of a second, you have your image...pretty simple huh?.
Now, if you're one of those that think that if you get all the same gear, punch in the same settings, and you're going to achieve some great shots and get paid a decent amount, you gonna be pretty disappointed. And the reason why is that clients aren't paying you for that. On that level photography is incredibly easy.
What you're being paid for is what you dont use the second you click that shutter. The planning, concept, research, direction etc etc, all the way up to the point that you push the button to capture it. That is what makes you a pro.
Take the photo above for example, one light, one click of the shutter. Model Kaylyn's shirt said "All the Plans We Made Are Going to Fail". Luckily for us her shirt was wrong.
View the whole series here

And the Winner Is.........

2010-04-01T02:28:00.000-07:00

Jai Mitchell and the Grassroots Street Orchestra!
First of all a massive THANK YOU to everyone who applied, emailed, said they're were going to apply but didn't, and even booked fully paid commercial gigs but didn't apply (true story) over the last month.
There can only be one winner so Jai's appication takes the cake for a few reasons:

His initial post on my Facebook Wall "Yo Kenny, save a mofo a penny" showed personality, creativity, and a personal favourite of mine, swearing without actually doing so.
Then he sent me a message saying him and the GSO liked what I do and how I do it....flattery will get you EVERYWHERE.
Next, his follow up email detailing his proposal of WHY he should win was perfect. In 4 paragraphs he told me about his band, their vision, and the fact that they had blown all their resources on hiring top end studios cutting their first record and were out of money to pay for much needed promo images for their advertising; a sign of a creative obsessed with achieving excellence in their product, I like that A LOT. He even included links to their Myspace page so I could check out their music online, and I DIG it. He ended by giving me a list of all the gigs they had coming up locally so I could check them out live.........A+ for delivery.

Congrats Jai, let's DO THIS

Bali High

2010-03-25T02:34:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a trip to Bali. Most of us have been there, many more than once. Everytime I go I'm blown away by the hospitality of the people and how hard they work to make a living and support their families. Sure things aren't perfect, but nothing is. I saw something that I thought was really cool. I paddled out in the surf one day and it was not by any means small, in fact it was pumping. Out in the line up were 2 local ladies on old shortboards, looked in their mid to late thirties, dressed modestly in shorts and long t-shirts, pretty much fully clothed. No roxy girl wear or billabong bikinis. They were laughing together and paddling for waves and having a blast, much like the social mum surfers I see where I live who meet on their longboards and catch up. They actually couldn't surf yet and were going over the falls, yet just kept hooting each other on and laughing and paddling back out. Awesome! Oh yeah, I took some pics too

Win a Shoot for Free with "Hey Kenny, Save Us a Penny"

2010-03-02T01:54:00.000-08:00

This is for REAL! Are you a band, business, organisation, amateur sporting team, dancer, new magazine, writer, actor, or creative individual? Keep reading.

Normally, I shoot promotional photoshoots at a considerable cost to my clients, and rightfully so, they take a lot of time in pre and post production. But right now, I'm in a giving mood, here's why:
American lighting company Alien Bees has been lighting shots and putting smiles on the faces of photographers in the USA for years, and now they have recently become available in Australia. I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a great complete set, and to celebrate, I want to do something for fun. I'm going to shoot a project for free. That's right, it will cost you nothing other than turning up. I will even cover hair and make up.

To enter, this is what you have to do:

Join the KSP Facebook page here
Write "Hey Kenny, Save Us/Me a Penny" on the wall
Email that you have done so to info@kennysmithphotography.com and include information about who you are, your goals, past achievements and WHY you are the right project to shoot for free.
Be original in your application/pitch. Feel free to use colourful language, funny photos or drawings, anything tha best descibes who you are and what you are about.

The winning entrant will be chosen by me after the close of competition and in return get a photo session free of charge, with all fully retouched final edits in high res. I will then grant the winner usage of the photos for their own promotional use absolutely free! There is no hidden catch, just show up, and we'll shoot!

Entries close March 31, and on April 1 (April Fools Day) the winner will be announced!

The shoot will take place within the Gold Coast/Brisbane area

Tell all your friends and nominate whoever you want, may the most creative win!

In: Series - Emily R

2010-02-28T02:59:00.000-08:00

Worked with model Emily updating her portfolio. In this shoot we really went for lively natural poses, and focused on the overall colour palette.
Emily naturally has a real outgoing personality and turned out to be real athletic. I don't know many models would just do a handstand on a whim, but it went real well with what we were doing.
Styling, hair and Make Up by Mel Grafton.
View the whole series

Creatives: Thalassa's Samantha Hough

2010-02-17T02:43:00.000-08:00

This is Samantha Hough. Sam is a designer responsible for designing interiors of places that are cool. If you've ever been to a party at a pimp house, or been thrown out of a trendy nightclub, chances are Sam and her team at Thalassa designed it. I shot her for an industry publication.
All you fellow lighting and tech geeks: pretty simple stuff, one speedlight, umbrella, and a reflector.

Storytelling In:Series

2010-02-08T03:50:00.000-08:00

As I eluded to in a previous post, Mike our web guy here at KSP and I have been working on ways to get out the work for your enjoyment beyond delivering our commercial product to our clients.
They say that great photographers need to be great story tellers, and often out of all the frames I'll shoot, only one or two will have a life beyond sitting on a disk drive.
In order to storytell a bit more, and share some of these images with you, we've built a new page onto the KSP website, called "In:Series". This page will contain picture tales narrated by imagery which when you look at it all together, tell a certain story that I hope you will find interesting.
You can view the new In:Series page here.
This first Series is with a friend of mine on the East side of the island of Oahu in Hawaii named Debbie. I stayed as a guest with her and her husband Ivan and their 2 boys Christian and Allen while I was over there in Jan.
You can view my blog post with more pics from Hawaii here

Amanzi Swimwear Campaign - Behind the Scenes

2010-01-28T02:26:00.000-08:00

AMANZI Swimwear Behind The Scenes 2010 from AMANZI Swimwear on Vimeo.

Here's a video that my assistant Kyle shot and edited during the shooting day for the Amanzi Swimwear 2010 campaign.

Kyle shot all the footage and took all the stills as I was working on the actual campaign pics. He then wrapped it all together in this neat little edit.

The original soundtrack was licenced from party masters The Surecut Kids. Check out their site or connect with them on Facebook.

Hawaii, Go and Explore

2010-01-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to go to Hawaii. So when friends Dean and Alana announced their wedding would take place there, I knew I had to make it over. I caught up with some old friends and met a lot of new ones too. I have to really thank everyone who let me crash on their couches, gave me directions, let me U-Turn in their driveway, surf their waves, take their picture and laugh at their jokes.

Grounded in Korea

2009-12-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

Well it began with fun intentions, I heard there was an indoor driving range at the airport in Seoul so was pretty excited about hitting a few balls during my stopover here. But the weather had other plans and after circling the airport for 40 minutes on top of our 10 hour plus flight, we landed in snow all over the airport and minus 10c temps.
So I'm inside using the free wireless and drinking coffee for a few hours....meh, I've had worse.
I took these pics just now, one is from my seat on the flight and shows what it looks like on the ground here and the other one I just put my camera on the ground on the moving travelator for a 10 sec exposure and took a photo of my feet.
Gonna get some food and get out of here......Hawaii here I come.

2009, Its a Wrap

2009-12-25T16:13:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! It sounds cliché but man this year has gone by fast. On top of the catching up with family and friends, it’s made me think about where I am now compared to this time last year, and where I want to be this time next year.
Almost exactly to the day this time last year I made a decision to go for it and start trading as a professional photographer, up till then I had success within my own network doing fun little commercial gigs for friends, shooting my friends and family, pretty much the way everyone else starts out.
Looking back at the year now, I can attribute anything that I’ve accomplished in my first year to just a few basic principles:
· Hard work, lots of it. I live eat and sleep the projects I’m working on
· Passion for making great pictures and never being satisfied with where I am, I’m always looking to the next step forward.
· Good advice, no, GREAT advice from trusted sources and close friends with everything from business tips to encouragement. A big thank you to everyone who has been a part of this.
· A great relationship with my marketing rep in 2009 Luke Boman and his team

2010 is already shaping up to be a busy year, with some exciting projects coming up. As far as business direction one big change is that my business has shifted from marketing representation to in house marketing. To this end I’ve secured the services of web guru and marketing man Michael McMahon AKA Mike. Mike’s official title is Web Guru & Marketing Dude. He is gonna spearhead our online presence across social and formal networks and keep our work out there. There will also be a revamp to the website that will make it easier for current projects to be viewed as we roll them out, watch this space.

Personally, I also have a couple goals and resolutions for 2010, they are:
· Do everything perfectly ALL the time, hahaha just kidding, I know I’m gonna make a heap of mistakes.
Seriously this time:
· Creative work – on the top of my list is setting aside time for creative work, and this has been for a long time, what is gonna be different in 2010 is I’m setting aside a budget as well. A percentage of all gross revenue is going into a kitty for creative shoots, whether its used for paying the best talent, securing the craziest locations or hiring kick ass props, 2010 is gonna see me push the envelope creatively and back it up with the budget it deserves.
· Giving back – 2010 is gonna see a regular giveaway of images from my fine art collection. In between my commercial creating I take thousands of fine art images so as a way of saying thanks to everyone for the support I intend to get select ones out to you absolutely free.
Well I’ll leave it there; I’m off to Hawaii tomorrow so better get around to packing.

Cheers to a 2010 full of creativity in everything we do!

Shane and Cecilia

2009-12-14T05:06:00.000-08:00

These are my friends Shane, Cecilia and Teal. They're off to Norway soon, we took some pics along the beach around where I live. Tech info: Canon 1Ds MkIII, 50mm 1.4, natural light

The Deep End - A Shoot for the Australian Dive Team

2009-12-09T05:07:00.000-08:00

We new it was in the pipeline, the Australian Dive Team had wanted to get their star athletes photographed for a recruitment drive and we were gonna shoot it. My representitive Luke Boman had shown my book to the right people and everyone was excited. Great!
The problem was when. When were we gonna get the whole squad at one place from all over Australia? We got the call on Saturday while I was on a forklift shooting down from above in a hangar we had painted black to form a giant studio. "Can we do it Monday?" yelled Luke. I said no, then yes, then yes, then no. Not because it was too rushed, but because before he yelled out the date he told me that the whole squad was together because it was during a national competition. I hesitated because I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to deliver what we said we would during a competition. I wasn't just gonna shoot from the sidelines, they could get anyone for that.
I knew there was gonna be one question that would tell me how much access I could have..."can I use flashes?" Luke relayed on the phone...the answer came back yes, huh, I thought, cool.
We turned up Monday morning, sure enough, everyone was there. I met with Mary Godden the CEO of Diving Australia and was briefed on the days format. My first question was "where CAN'T I go?" She said "you can do whatever you like, just dont stand in front of the judges"
We set up speedlights in one corner where we would line up the athletes, and during the events I roamed around. I chose to shoot from the diving platforms for the mens heat, and shoot the underwater shots for the womens. The shot of Matthew Mitcham was taken while we were both standing on the 8 meter platform, he stopped and asked if I could read the scoreboard. I couldn't, my eyes aren't too good. He dove off and scored 3 nines.
Everyone was very cool, relaxed, and we had a good time. Big props to Jarrod Casey who assisted during the shoot and to Mary Godden and her staff for having me.
Of course the biggest thanks goes to all the athletes: Ethan, Briony, Alexandra, Matthew, Melissa, Scott, Olivia, and Sharleen. It was great working with you guys.

You can view the rest of the days work and connect on Facebook here

Brief technical info for us nerds:

Equipment list: Canon 1DsMkIII, 17 – 40 F4L, 50 1.4, 20 2.8 and 70 – 200 2.8IS, 3 speedlights, shot all action at 1600 ISO, portraits at 100 ISO

Amanzi Swimwear 2010 Campaign Tearsheets

2009-11-29T14:30:00.001-08:00

Thought I’d share some of the tearsheets I just received from the 2010 Amanzi campaign I shot a little while ago. I’ve just received clearance from the client and am now able to share them with everyone.

Amanzi is swimwear label with roots in the core sport and active lifestyles. In this campaign we worked with model Tara Barker who not only is a cool person and great model, but also an athlete in the Kellogg’s Nutrigrain series, so she walks the walk and talks the talk.

The final product you see is a result of a HUGE team effort involving a very hardworking team of individuals who are committed to excellence in their roles, and who go about it in a very fun way. Exactly the way I love to work.

I have to shout out to everyone at Amanzi for their support and collaboration both creatively and logistically from location scouting to styling to keeping us all supplied with cold drinks and who can forget the fresh fruit and Subway platters? Then of course my immediate team who I would not be able to do anything without: Angela Shepherd (Make up Artist) and 1^st and second photography assistants Hannah Khurda and Kyle Wilson.

And for those of you who have connected with us on Facebook, stay tuned for upcoming behind the scenes video footage and stills as well. I’m even gonna throw in some shots that didn’t make the initial campaign, plus a little technical write up for those who are that way inclined.

Watch this space

Train Spotting - (Nothing to see here)

2009-11-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

Last week I made myself take time out for a photo walk. I was a little sapped keeping up with deadlines. I knew I had some big days in which coming up with "something" was the objective, so needed to charge my creative batteries.
I stopped at an old train yard in a town in country Queensland, and took some time taking photos of "nothing".
Nothing to see here........

Sundays

2009-11-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

Took my son to the skatepark in the afternoon late Sunday. Snapped a couple pics as I watched him play.

What I'm Reading: You Might Like It

2009-11-05T02:46:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, pricing is a pretty big challenge. Get it wrong and you're either underselling yourself and possibly setting a dangerous precedent, or overpricing yourself and risk losing the job.

A while back I made a decision to make a living as a photographer by doing what I love to do, creating pictures that I want to see and hopefully others are willing to pay for.
That love of photography even now bubbles up when I'm in a meeting pitching a creative concept, and it is literally all I can do from keeping myself saying across the boardroom table, "you know what? heck I'm so excited about my concept I'll shoot your print campaign for free". A feeling that I regard as healthy and I hope I never lose. It's my love for shooting that keeps me going to those meetings in the first place. Luckily I've been blessed with a bit of resolve and some really good people around me to keep my business smarts and realise I have mouths to feed, bills to pay and equipment to purchase and maintain.

To that end I've been reading Pricing Photography, the Complete Guide to Assignment & Stock Prices by Michal Heron and David MacTavish. I've found this book full of helpful information for anyone who is already or thinking about making a living as a creative individual. While the book is made for the US market, the useful information doesn't appear in the literal values, rather in the concepts and direction it gives. Everything from negotiating, writing out invoices, quoting for commissioned work or stock photography is in this book.
Anyway, I thought some other people might find this book helpful. I got mine on Amazon

A Dare's a Dare

2009-10-28T04:17:00.000-07:00

This is a cosmopolitan. I had heard of one but never knew exactly what it was. A couple hours ago I tweeted that I had checked into a hotel on a trip I'm on and was dared on Twitter by Wuthy, AKA Gold Coast Journalist Robyn Wuth to order one. Now, a dare is a dare at any time, but when dared on a open social network, backing down is no option. So Wuthy, dare complete. I knew you being a journalist and all would need an element of authenticity, so I took an iPhone pic and threw my card in there as a "proof of life". Cheers!

Green and Gold

2009-10-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

Ken Wallace is a nice guy, a very nice guy. In fact if I had to as some people say tried to "capture" Ken's persona in a photo, it would probably include a sunset, a flower and little fluffy baby mittens.
Along with what makes Ken a cool down to earth guy is a hardened steely resolve that is paramount to elite athletes.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympic games Ken Wallace came from behind to win gold in the Men's K1 500m final, after winning a bronze medal earlier in the Men's K1 1000m. Since then he's gone on to win a number of awards including Australian Institute of Sport Sportsman of the Year and an Order of Australia Medal.
I caught up with Ken at the Australian Institue of Sport Kayak and Canoe Facility to shoot a series of portraits of him.
You can view the rest of the series here. There is a behind the scenes shot here.
My thanks has to go to the Australian Institue of Sport for the oppurtunity and my assistant for the shoot Jovanka Pyman.

The Cool Calm Collective

2009-10-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

Well I finally get to blog about an actual photoshoot! I've been finding with a lot of my recent work that due to confidentiality clauses for one reason or another, I'm not able to release images via my blog or Facebook page until they are released. I promise to get them out to you as soon as I get the go ahead though.
Had a great shoot not long ago with reggae band The Cool Calm Collective. I came up with this pretty cool concept for them and pitched it, and it got knocked on the head, Ha! OK not exactly, but the powers that be decided to reserve that concept for a later date.
Instead, bassist and manager Jai Mitchell said, "let's just hang out and see what happens". We decided to all meet at his house, sit in his living room, then go out for lunch. The idea was to get real candid shots, almost like a bunch of housemates.
When I arrived in the living room, there was an old keyboard in the corner, and so much cool stuff that we just took a bit of time building a "set". I keep a ladder in my car, brought that in, and decided to shoot from overhead. You can view the setup shot here.
Next, I evaluated the lighting. Since all the shots were meant to look candid, I needed a way to light the room so that it didn't look "lit". To do that I had to make my light source as big as possible, so I fired a speedlight through a shoot-through umbrella pointed directly at the ceiling, essentially turning the ceiling into a giant softbox.
The final challenge was getting all the band members to show their faces without making them look like they were looking at the camera. I saw all of these Polaroids on the wall and we made a stack and got them to throw them at me. That way everyone would be looking up at the time I took the shot.
The final image is a composite of 3 shots to make it look like there were more Polaroids then there actually were.
After that we went to the 25 Hour Shop, this burger joint that has a old fashioned diner feel to it. The boss very kindly agreed to let us shoot in there, and we ordered a heap of food and, well just ate.
I got to use my new Canon 1Ds MkIII too, and am really happy with it. I don't normally like to get too into camera bodies but wow, I'm blown away. No one needs me to tell them how great of a camera it is, as there is a reason why it's the flagship Canon camera. But let's just say I'm glad I got it.
You can view the rest of the photos from this shoot here.

Stock Photography - Play the game don't let the game play you

2009-10-12T03:06:00.000-07:00

I took this photo with my iPhone while I attended the first birthday of the gallery 19Karen, if you can't make it out, it's a toilet paper dispenser in a toilet with the words "Fine Art Degrees" scribbled. I thought it would be ironic to put up while talked about stock or microstock photography, as it's hardly representitive of the techinical standard that stock sites are known for.
A lot has been said about the way that microstock has changed photography. No matter where you sit on the issue of photos being sold repeatedly for only a fraction of the cost of commisioned works to different buyers all over the world, there is one positive attribute that it provides for emerging photographers: A resource tool for gaining feedback
By signing up and submitting your work to a microstock agency, you get feedback on how your work fares in a technical context. Showing work to friends and people who like you anyway is great, but not exactly outside of your comfort zone. During the submission process through a microstock agency you are dealing with an actual human being who knows nothing about you, didnt got to school with your brother and doesn't care whether or not your photo gets accepted. Before the days of stock photography you had to get your work in front of a publications editor in order to have your work curated, often involving a lot of footwork and a great deal of luck.
Nowadays a stock agency will tell you how our work is on a technical level. You'll learn what you need to nail in a shot in order to get them over the line technically as far as focus, lighting, processing, composition etc.
What you'll learn is one half of the spectrum, of which there are 2 parts, the other being the creative and artistic element that makes a photo suitable for commercial application.
Even if you never make a cent selling microstock, when you're getting started you can't pay enough for honest feedback from a knowledgable source.

Position Available

2009-10-03T21:51:00.001-07:00

Kenny Smith Photography is seeking a talented individual to play a key support role in digital photo retouching.
The role is available on a per contract basis and is designed to facilitate meeting ongoing business deadlines.

Description of Services:
To provide advanced photo retouching and some design and creative support to Kenny Smith Photography. This position reports directly to Kenny.

The successful applicant will demonstrate all of the minimum requirements marked in bold, with preference given to those who also display the additional qualities.

Requirements:
- Advanced Photoshop skills (advanced composite creating, complex retouching, adjustment layers, actions, color balance, curves, RAW, batch processing)
- 2-3 years rigorous background in art and design on a professional level
- Background in basic website design and maintenance, HTML, Flash, email newsletters, web publishing and Internet procedures, terms, and issues
- Excellent sense of color, color management
- Strong understanding and diligent maintenance of digital workflow
- Basic knowledge of digital asset management
- Basic knowledge of photography and lighting is necessary; knowledge of commercial and stock photography is a plus
- Proven ability to add value through collaborating with creative people and satisfy business requirements
- Strong organizational skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to manage change
- Self-motivated and self-directed team player
- Strong, proven sense of initiative
- Experienced in meeting strict deadlines, juggling multiple priorities, and working in a team environment
- Detail-oriented; strong problem-solving skills
- Excellent time-management and project-management skills
- Must be willing to work non-traditional hours depending on work needs
-Ability to sign and adhere to industry standard confidentiality agreements
-Must currently operate a registered business

Please do not call. Email resume/questions/pertinent information to
info@kennysmithphotography.com

Applications must submit a sample of current work with an online portfolio showing before and after samples

Is It Any of My Business?

2009-09-14T02:41:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago I broadcast via Facebook and Twitter the following: "working with some creative individuals to take over the world".
After my initial post I thought I should spend some time clarifying what I meant by defining some of those terms.
For a while now I have been focusing on the business part of my own photography service. After operating with limited success through word of mouth and social media as my only source of advertising, I underwent a branding exercise and enlisted someone to help me design my website and stationary, all this to refine my brand and help me take my business to the next level.
Once this was complete, I began focusing on the next step, taking my product and brand to the people that I want to see my work. I made the business decision of enlisting a third party to do this for me. I made this decision after considering the target audience that I wanted to see my work, type of work I wanted to do, and my ability to represent myself in communicating with clients and making business decisions.
After meeting with a number of prospective agents and representatives, all with their own abilities and limitations, I decided to engage Luke Boman who directs and runs InRealmMarketing to take on the task of representing me and my brand.
Working with Luke and his team so far has been unreal. His innovative and fresh approaches to putting my work directly under the noses of prospective clients in my field using conventional methods such as telephone calls and physical presentations, as well as the modern approaches such as email newsletters and social media is exactly what I envisioned would be the approach I would like for someone in his capacity to achieve for me.
Working with InRealm has put me in a position where I have very little to lose, after the initial capital outlay and ongoing costs, I can concentrate on my product and continuing with my existing client base, all the while assured that I have someone working with me to reach exactly the type of client I am looking for.
So, that is the long way round to what I broadcast a couple days ago. I guess what I meant by creative individuals was the approach that Luke and his staff have taken to representing me, and by taking over the world I was referring to our playing field, through the internet and the modern economy, the sky really is the limit.

The Rocket 3

2009-09-10T04:48:00.001-07:00

I was commissioned by a collector to shoot a, now rare, 1969 motorcycle made by BSA ( Birmingham Small Arms Motorcycles Ltd ). The client, an avid motorcycle history buff, wrote a bit of background on the motorcycle: "The model was named the Rocket 3, due to the fact that it has a three cylinder engine of 750cc and was the quickest production motorcycle of its day. BSA owned Triumph, Ariel and Sunbeam motorcycle companies, amongst many other assets, at the time. Originally BSA had been Arms"
manufacturers and had turned to manufacturing bicycles in the late 1800's (due to a lack of military action, I assume) which eventually led to motorcycle manufacture in 1903. Many models were made over the following years culminating in BSA becoming the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. "Unfortunately the BSA group of companies came to an abrupt end in 1972 with the onslaught of Japanese motorcycle manufactures taking market possession and the group was unable to adapt quickly to the changing situation."

The client's garage was so messy it was cool, so I turned off all the lights and used a little flashlight to paint the bike with light.......shots ranged between 75 seconds to 4 minute exposures.

www.kennysmithphotography.com

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Big Chopper vs Small Flashes

2009-09-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

I got an opportunity last week to hang out with the boys at Emergency Management Queensland, the helicopter rescue team that attends to emergencies around the state

I knew that I was gonna just have to go with the flow, as I was shooting a real life team on a normal shift, at any point they could get a callout and have to literally take off.

I packed light, digital SLR, a few lenses, 3 speedlights and a couple stands. Instead of softboxes or umbrellas, I packed Stofen diffusers to soften the light if I needed to. (I could have used tissue paper and rubber bands in a pinch…try it).

Arrived at the hangar around 7.30am and met the boys, nice group of guys. First thing I did was ask where I should retreat to if they got a callout, last thing I wanted was to get in the way as they were scrambling to take off.

I walked around inside and outside and checked out the ambient light, the sun was fairly low and made for a really good key light…perfect.

Outside was a smaller chopper on a flat trailer. It was explained to me that as this particular chopper didn’t have wheels, they took off and landed back on this trailer. I was impressed, landing back on top of something not much bigger than 2 ping pong tables must have taken some skill.

Inside were 2 much larger shiny helicopters. “Brand new from Italy” said one of the crew, “yep, real beauties, only 16 million each” I took a step back to make sure I didn’t pass out along side of it and put a dent in the panel with my head.

The shoot went real good, I had a particular style of processing in my head that I wanted to use, so knew what I wanted as far as lighting goes. To that end I didn’t wind up using the Stofen diffusers, the hard light typically given by a speedlight provided the harsh lighting I would need to achieve that look in post.

Once I had shot inside and outside, the crew fired up one of the large ones and we did some shots on the tarmac. The intention was they were going to take it a ways up in the air and I could shoot them doing some drills. As the rotors intensified for lift off I scrambled over to my camera bag, I had thrown the lid closed but hadn’t zipped it, and the wind from the chopper had blown it open exposing all my lenses to the flying dust….thank Christ for weather sealing. I had time to tweet that experience on Twitter, thanks for all of your amused responses

Just before the chopper took off someone came running out of the hanger, the phone had rung and the unit’s services were needed. The shoot was over and they took off for real. This was not a drill.

I got back in my car; pretty happy with the shots I managed to get…it was time for a coffee.

As a special treat for you the reader I’ve chosen to put up a shot before processing in photoshop. I’ve processed the RAW into JPEG via lightroom and desaturated it at that time. When I was taking the shot I was having the crewman step out of the cockpit in order to add a bit of life to the shot. I had a flash pointed to crosslight with the direction of the sunlight. Although the one flash was fine as far as light went, the shot still looked a little lifeless. To change that, I took a second speedlight off the stand and threw it into the cockpit on the pilot’s seat. The result I feel gives life to the helicopter and indicates that the controls are on, plus provides a nice rimlight on the crewman. You can see the final edit and the rest of the series here.

Hope everyone has a great week.

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www.kennysmithphotography.com

Canon EF 20mm 2.8

2009-08-22T02:59:00.000-07:00

Got a new lens recently. I found that with a lot of my lifestyle work I use wide angles a lot, and wanted one that was fast (wide aperture).
To that end I wound up getting a Canon EF 20mm 2.8 USM from my friends at Camerasdirect.com.au. I gotta say it's exactly what I wanted, in fact I don't know why more people don't have it.
We all hear about the 50mm 1.4 or 50mm 1.8, and they definitely are lenses you can't do without, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here and buck the trend and say if there was a fire, I'd take my 20mm over the 50mm. It suits my style better.
Don't forget too that on a crop sensor 20mm becomes 32mm which is a really good walk around lens.
Anyway to try it out I grabbed the camera this afternoon when my wife Heidi and I walked our dog Gordy along the beachfront where we live in Currumbin on the Gold Coast of Australia.

Things, I like about it:

Weight feels good, not too heavy but not too light, build quality seems excellent.

USM focus which I need, not everyone needs it but I find that in commercial work with moving subjects I have fewer throwaways with a lens that can focus fast, I'm willing to pay for it.
Price seems pretty good, not the cheapest of lenses but for a good quality lens I found it acceptable.
Image quality seems real good to me, maybe I just got a good copy, but I'm happy with it, comparable with the 50mm 1.4.

Things I don't like

No Lens Hood! CANON WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THAT STICK OUT OF YOUR ASS AND GIVE A PLASTIC LENS HOOD WITH EVERY LENS? EVERYONE ELSE DOES, NIKON, SIGMA TOKINA EVERYONE!! I REFUSE TO PAY $80 FOR A PLASTIC HOOD AND WILL BUY MY HOODS OFF EBAY TILL YOU DO. SURE MY "L" SERIES LENSES CAME WITH THEM FOR FREE BUT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH!!! WE WANT LENS HOODS ON ALL LENSES IMMEDIATELY!!
Vignetting, Purple fringing, contrast and saturation performance seem a little weak for the price, but these can all be fixed in post so I'm OK with it.

Overall, I'm glad I got it.

Jamie Blogs (Publicity Whore)

2009-08-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

Well I went down the street today to my mate Jamie Mitchell's house to help him setup his blog. This guy has won the 32 mile Molokai to Oahu paddle race in Hawaii 8 years in a row, holds the world record, was a finalist in the Billabong XXL monster wave event in 2007, and needs someone to hold his hand to set up a blog. I've shot Jamie a few times for various promotional and advertising reasons, and he is a legend, fun on a night out too when he lets himself drink. Don't let the photo fool you, I had the computer the whole time.
Anyway, since I set up his blog, I wrote his first blog post and gave myself a plug. Check out Jamie's blog here.

Giving it Away

2009-08-17T23:38:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a five cent piece for each time I’ve been asked “Was this a paid shoot?” while showing someone some photos I had just taken.

Now I know that people are just being engaging when they ask that, and are genuinely curious, but I think that the misconception out there is that if the answer is no, that somehow the photos have less value or the time you spent taking them was more disposable than if they were taken for commercial purposes.

The reality is, you should work for free, we all should a lot more.

Fellow photographer and contributor Adam Bolt recently wrote an article about his experience with an initially free shoot and how he successfully used it to get his foot in the door with a corporate client.

There’s another reason why we should work for free, and this reason brings us back to why we take photos in the first place…..creativity. In order to be successful at any level, we have to maintain our creative edge. Someone throwing a roll of hundred dollar bills in our laps is not gonna turn us into artists. We take photos and create pictures because that is the only way that our chosen artistic medium works. We have to produce and share to validate our existence.

Let me qualify this with a disclaimer, by giving it away I am not talking about someone else taking it from you. There is a huge difference between embarking on your own creative works and being taken advantage of. The way that I approach it is it has to be my idea, sometimes a result of collaborating with another creative individual, but I have to want to do it for me.

I know now more than ever that I have to set aside time for my own creative works, even if this means delaying or passing up on a paid shoot, and never regret it.

Bottom line, noone can ask me to work for nothing, but I can never give it away enough.

Maddog's Run

2009-08-10T03:58:00.000-07:00

Steve “Maddog” Madden’s training run starts in Tugun, heads across the border of New South Wales, winds through the hills of Northern NSW and cane fields of Murwillumbah, and hooks round the oceanfront back to Tugun, roughly 80 km round trip.

Serious cyclists like Steve are different from the groups you see who get dressed up and ride 2 blocks to the local cafe in athletic lingerie like a Lance Armstrong themed fancy dress party. A training run is long, lonely and hard mentally and physically.

High tec met low tec to get these shots, I wanted to get angles I hadn’t really seen before, so I rigged the camera to the bike using gaffer tape and zip ties, and used a radio trigger hooked up to the PC port in the camera to trigger focus and shutter release.

View the setup shots on my Facebook fanpage here.

The rest of the series can be viewed here

Visit my site or follow me on Twittter

I Went to Litttle St. Kilda Cafe...You Should Know

2009-08-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Little St. Kilda Cafe is in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast of Australia.
View the rest of the pics on my Facebook page here:

Shoe Shop

2009-08-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

Shot this for a designer, funny how we can spend thousands on digital equipment with wonderful colours, noise reduction, critical focus and intelligent metering, and then photoshop in barrel distortion, film grain, and make it black and white.
In this shot I wanted to replicate those classic fly-on-the-wall shots of someone with an old camera people watching, so I got Lana to take off a shoe and look away from me so her identity felt more mysterious.
I then added the film grain and "roughed it up" in processing to get it back to how I imagined it would have been snapped by a passer by with a flim camera.

Overpowering the Sun

2009-08-05T03:24:00.000-07:00

Someone recently wrote to me and asked me how this photo was taken, and whether Photoshop was used to achieve the dramatic effect.

Now, although some processing was done in Lightroom. The effect does not come about by processing at all. The dramatic tones are a result of the flash essentially overpowering the light from the sun.

This photo was taken for US eyewear manufacturer Kaenon Polarized who sponsor Australian Paddleboard Champion Jamie Mitchell. Jamie lives up the street from me and this was shot around the corner from where we both live just before sunset.

To give the shot the effect you see, I stopped down the aperture to about F9, which due to the time of day really underexposed the ambient light and essentially made the shot too way too dark. Then, to compensate, I used a speedlight held by a voice activated lightstand (Jamie’s girlfriend Jocelyn) and fired it at the model to bring him back into correct exposure. I put a stofen diffuser on the speedlight to soften it.

What makes the image “pop” is the rimlight on Jamie’s side nearest to the sun which seperates him from the background and really brings him out.

You can overpower the sun at pretty much any time of the day, although to do so at midday you would need a lot more light than one speedlight can offer. Doing it when there is less ambient light is much easier if your lighting equipment is limited.

One final note, last week Jamie went on and won the 57 kilometer Molokai to Oahu paddleboard race in Hawaii for the 8th consecutive time, putting him in among an elite group of atheletes who have dominated at the highest levels of there respsective sports. Congratulations Jamie!

I launched my website this week, check it out here

Matt Pitts Sings

2009-07-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was sleeping on the couch yesterday afternoon when musician Matt Pitts walked in and dropped off a couple copies of his soon to be released album "Ride". I came up with the concept and we shot the cover about 6 months ago in the valley 15 minutes behind my house in Currumbin. His label in Sydney did a real good job and the album looks and sounds great. You can check out this shot and the ones that didn't make the cut here

The Power of One

2009-07-22T04:21:00.000-07:00

All it takes is one light. An advertising client of mine asked me into his home to take some family portraits. The family was classic and the short session was a lot of fun.
Getting down to one lightsource really makes you get back to basics and replicates what we normally get in nature, after all, there is only one sun. For this shoot I used a 43 inch shoot through to the right and a reflector on the left to bounce some light back.

Finding the Sweet Spot

2009-07-18T19:51:00.001-07:00

In 1775 American revolutionary Patrick Henry once said “Give me critically sharp focus or give me death”. Ok, I in fact made that up, he didn’t say that at all, but had he been a photographer he would have. I am now able to tag this article with “American Revolution” thereby increasing the hits! Shameless I know.

In all seriousness though, with all that post processing can do for photos, one of the fundamental things that it cannot do is focus. If you are in the business of taking photos for print or publication, you might have experienced having a wonderful photo rejected due to “soft” focus. Now, this is not to say that great photos are always perfectly in focus, in fact some final edits are actually produced soft as an effect. However, having photos critically sharp in camera increases the ratio of how many keepers you will have and reduce throwaways.

Now there are a number of factors that go into having a photo critically sharp, and I’m just gonna touch on one of them today….aperture or F stop value. I am also not gonna bore you with charts with numbers on them, you can search for those on the internet specific for whatever lens you use.

I want to talk about the “sweet spot” that every lens has, similar to a tennis racket. The sweet spot is when the amount of light let in by the aperture setting optimizes the focus of the image. Typically this sweet spot occurs a couple stops above the maximum aperture setting of your lens. So if your lens begins at lets say, F4, your sweet spot will likely start around 5.6.

A common misconception is that buying a fast lens (i.e. 1.4) enables you to get critically sharp images at the maximum aperture. In reality a faster lens brings the sweet spot into a higher aperture value, so the sweet spot on a Canon 50 1.4 may start at F2. (Although you’d be surprised at how small the focal range is at F2, close to the size of a postage stamp)

Finding that “sweet spot” on your lens is a really good step in beginning to take control of the environment that you shoot in. If you know that you are going to get the best results at F 5.6 at ISO 100, then you can go about arranging your shoot in order to allow you to shoot at this setting, it forces you to consider things like perhaps additional lighting in a form of strobes etc.

So get out there, find the range that is your lenses sweet spot, and see if it turns you from taking photos into making photos.

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The Night Tony Became a Man........

2009-07-13T03:18:00.000-07:00

Was happy to accompany my new friend Tony, his brother and friends on there wild night in Surfers Paradise. Don't let the private school manners and Queens English fool you, the boys from Sydney's Northern Beaches know how to do a 22nd birthday in style, tunes pumping, champagne on ice, vodka slammers and girls, and that was before we got out of the stretch Hummer.
Cheers guys, good times!
The rest of the photos are confidential....

Jindabyne (Day 8)

2009-07-06T04:34:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has come to go home. We packed up and headed off on the drive to Sydney. I got to pull out the lightsphere a couple times, and took a couple more shots with it

Jindabyne (Day 6 and 7)

2009-07-06T02:42:00.000-07:00

Well, the next couple days turned out to be absolute crackers! After all the snowfalls the weather cleared, the wind died down and we did nothing but slide on the fresh powder that was left. I got the camera out on a couple occasions and snapped pics of my kids doing a couple jumps at the terrain park. Heidi even got a pic of me snowboarding which is awesome cause I never have pics of me doing stuff.

Jindabyne (Day 5)

2009-07-02T00:28:00.000-07:00

Snow, snow and more snow. Not much else to say. Camera was safe in the car, and the Lightsphere never made it out of the lodge. The road up the mountain was closed to all cars except those with snowchains and 4wd vehicles. Luckily our hire car eats conditions like this for breakfast and we cruised up and back. Heidi took the above shot on the way up as I was driving.
The wind chill was reportedly -15c and the wind was gale force. We played to our hearts content as the crowds were few and far between. Felt good to get back to the lodge and get warm again though. Was so cold that I had problems with ice freezing in my bindings resulting in my back foot coming out on the top of the mountain. Had to go down the whole way with only one foot strapped in. 5 minutes at the repair shop fixed it though.
Hoping to get some more photos in, but the weather looks like more of the same tomorrow. At least the snow cover is thick and really fun for boarding.

Jindabyne (Day 4)

2009-06-30T22:56:00.000-07:00

Had a nature imposed camera ban today. It was blue skies and sunny in the town, but the mountains had disappeared behind a white curtain which meant only one thing, snow! Sure enough, when we got there the car park was white and it was pelting down. Left the camera in the car and snowboarded for 5 hours straight. As it's still early in the season, the cover is a mixture of favourable powder in parts and unforgiving ice in others. At one point I was coming round a section, just in time to have Jayden come flying off a ledge and land right on top of me, sending us both cartwheeling down the hill. The lifts were empty due to the weather, and there were no lines, so we did a lot in 5 hours, and by early afternoon we were spent and heading back early. Snapped the above pic just outside of town, where the bad weather was meeting the sunshine. What the pic doesn't show is the whiteout behind me, and the fact that the wind was blowing so hard that there were little waves in the lake. At midday we reached the forecasted toasty high of -1 c on the mountain!

Jindabyne (Day 3) part B

2009-06-30T03:46:00.001-07:00

After a full day on the mountain, I grabbed the Gary Fong Lightsphere to try it out against the setting sun on the drive down the mountain. As I suspected, it does hold it's own in providing a softer light and bigger lightsource than a normal flash. The wind was howling and the sun was goin down fast, but we pulled over on the side of the road and snapped a couple shots in a section with a thin snowcover. I used the lightsphere with the silver dome, and took all the shots in situation with backlighting, meaning that the subjects would have been silhouetted without the light from the Lightsphere.

Jindabyne (Day 3) part A

2009-06-30T02:44:00.000-07:00

We had a bit of everything today. Got up on the moutain by 9am, and it was raining in the carpark. It soon cleared, and the sun came out. Allowing me to grab the camera, and take it down the runs with me for a bit. To many stories to tell here...enjoy the pics

Jindabyne (Day 2)

2009-06-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

Woke to the smell of our host Anne cooking up a big breakfast. Heidi and I went to have coffee while the kids tried to kill each other (pictured) After our caffeine fix we headed to Time 2 Ride in town, where DC Shoe had organised our gear. Che and the boys there are real cool and had us decked in a jiffy, and before long we headed off in the direction of the mountains. Traveller tip: You will need a $185 pass to get your car onto the mountain for the week, but for only $5 more you can get an annual pass, which is valid for all of NSW national parks and includes a camping permit. So we got it in our own vehicle at home, then got a 7 day exemption for our hire car! On the mountain the snow was real fun and were carving down the walls of white in no time. I left my camera in the car so I could find my feet before having it on me.
Lightsphere update: Didn't use it today too much, it's pretty bulky.

Jindabyne (Day 1)

2009-06-28T03:38:00.000-07:00

We have arrived! After travelling all day, we pulled into the town of Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains at 4pm. The drive from Sydney was great, and after only a couple U turns we found ourselves here with no map and no GPS. We're staying with Anne Gray from Currumbin, who runs a beautiful lodge down here called Chamonix right in the heart of town. It's currently -2 and we're in front of the fire. For bookings ring Anne Gray on 0414341987.
Lightsphere update for all you techno wizzes; I pulled out the Lightsphere a couple times, but did find it a bit cumbersome to just whip it out, as you have to kinda strap it on etc, and it does feel stupid. My impression so far, in a confined space, i.e. indoors with a low enough ceiling to bounce a light off, doesn't really have anything over a Stofen. Outdoors I still think it can be pretty cool. It definately provides a bigger lightsource, and the amber dome can provide a real nice light against afternoon sun.
In the shots here: Interior of Car (Lightsphere with silver dome) Jayden overlooking valley (Lightsphere with Amber dome) Gloria Jeans Jindy (Lightspere with Amber dome).

2009-06-27T00:19:00.000-07:00

Got marched off to the laundromat today. Apperently I'm responsible for us not having a dryer, and as such, if we are going away and clothes need to be packed, I have to go dry them. Go figure
I took my camera along to pass the time as I always thought laundry machines where photogenic. Am I strange?....hmmm
Anyway, all good now, warm clothes ready. Got home in time for my son and I to squeeze in one last surf out the front, then threw our clothes together for the snow.
Got a message from my good mate MC who has teed up our snowboards etc through DC Shoe. So stoked! Thanks MC and DC, drinks on me next time.
Having dinner @ Smithy's boatshed, then up at 5am to make our flight.
Next post from somewhere much colder than here. Report today says a high of -2 c. Should be fun!

Who is Gary Fong and Why are you Touching His Lightsphere?

2009-06-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

That's what I was thinking too when I heard of this thing, named, remarkably, the Gary Fong Lightsphere. Invented by, yes someone named Gary Fong.

So I'm planning this trip to the snow, a family holiday. And, self promoting nut that I am, blabbed about it to the guys at Camerasdirect.com.au. "Hey fellas, let me know if you have anything you need tested" is what I recall saying.
After sorting through the usual prank emails like "see if it's true that you really shouldn't eat yellow snow" or "try to photgraphically capture the term 'shrinkage", I got a couple geniune suggestions. One was to test out something called a Gary Fong Lightsphere. Being the self confessed lighting junkie that I am, I was secretly excited.
I gotta admit, being a bit of a nerd, I had heard of the Lightsphere. Mainly by fashion and wedding photographers. All of them would marry it and have it's babies if they could, everyone that uses one frickin loved it.
So, this is my mission. I'm gonna use it on an average family holiday, and see if has anything to offer.

My first impressions:
Appearance = As soon as I picked it up, I felt like an idiot. I looked over my shoulder to make sure noone I knew was around. Let's face it, the thing looks about as cool as pooping in your pants. It is literally tupperwear that goes over a flashgun.
Build Quality = This thing redefines the term "simple concept". The most complex thing about it is the velcro strap that is used to attach it. I hate myself for not inventing this thing.
The setup = 1 tupperware looking thing with different tops which resemble giant contraceptive devices to adjust white balance, in "amber (golden glow)" "cloud (neutral)" and "silver (no idea)".
Size = Cumbersome. Doesn't really fit in my camera bag, so dont know how I'm gonna carry it around.
Initial results = Frickin awesome! I fired off a couple frames at home on camera and want to make little brown babies with it. Really nice soft lighting, eliminates harsh shadows, and is almost impossible to overexpose...practically foolproof!
Over the next couple days, I'll be reporting on the Lightsphere, the snow, the southern Australian Alps, the ups and downs of travel and everything in between.

Bookmark this page and keep checking for updates.

For All Creatures Great and Small

2009-06-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Got to shoot my good friend model Alana Brennan today. The RSPCA magazine interviewed Alana and needed a shot to go with the interview. Alana brought her dogs Ike and Saba (both originally from the RSPCA) down to the beach and we shot a couple nice natural shots. Had to get the shot today as Alana and fiance Dean Morrison fly to Brazil tomorrow early for Dean to compete in the next event of the ASP World Tour. We got lucky and in between rain squalls (pictured) we were able to get some shots.

On the Move with a 70 - 200 2.8 Strobist Style (Part 3 of 3)

2009-06-17T04:51:00.001-07:00

Today's stobist shot had been in my head all day. I wanted to use the flash to simulate the lighting from my laptop screen.
I used the sun as a rim light, to seperate me from the background
All you techies view the setup shot here

On the Move with a 70 - 200 2.8 (Part 2 of 3)

2009-06-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

I you read part 1 of this series, you'll know that I have challenged myself to try using the Canon 70 - 200 2.8 ISL as a "walkaround lens" while I'm travelling in Queensland. On top of that, I've decided to make things interesting by taking a strobist shot each day with the same setup. As a wlkaround lens, it's got it pros and cons. Cons; it's heavy, and not discreet. Walking into a cafe with it you might as well be holding a bazooka. It's often too long so you have to back up a lot (if there is room). Pros: Image quality - enough said

On the Move with a 70 - 200 2.8 Photos

2009-06-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

On the Move with a 70 - 200 2.8 Strobist Style (Part 1 of 3)

2009-06-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well, today I'm in Gladstone QLD on a work assignment. For those who don't know, Gladstone is 550 km north of Brisbane on the central coast of QLD. It's an old fishing town and the gateway to Heron Island and the great barrier reef.
Things are pretty different here since last time I was here last year. Last time, the place was on a resources boom-fuelled high. The town was packed, new businesses where popping up all over, and the main street looked like Noosa. The mine outside of town was digging up the ground and sending it to foreign lands like there was no tomorrow. Workers came in from all over to make quick and easy money.
Now, the boom has gone to bust, the mine has slowed production, the temp workers have gone home, and brand new restaurants sit empty on the main street and still charge prices higher than you'd see in Brisbane.
I spend my off time (and there is a lot of it) texting home, and thought I'd do a street assault on this sleepy town, with one strobe off camera strobist style. Since my good friend David at cameratalk.com.au recently did a travel series with a Canon 50 1.4, I thought I'd go the other extreme and do a mini series with a Canon 70 - 200 2.8IS L.
For all you techie nerds, I even threw in a setup shot here

2009-06-15T04:36:00.000-07:00

Here are my good friends Kurt and Nikki, who were nice enough to pose for a series I'm doing. This is an outtake when we were all just laughing and fiddling with the lighting, and I really like the expressions on their faces.
Stay tuned for the whole series coming soon

Strobist info :430exII camera right, reflector camera left

2009-06-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

It’s been said that the best camera is the one you have on you. And that is never more true then when you’re trying to get somewhere. In travel there are these big pockets where a lot of waiting takes place, waiting for flights, waiting to land, waiting for food, the list goes on.

The times where I’ve enjoyed the wait have been the times when I’ve had a camera, and looked for photographic adventure. I mean, how often do we just have time to drive and see what’s around the corner?

Rather than sit in my hotel room and watch a rerun of the 2004 World Lawn Bowls Championships, I head out and try to see what I can capture that I don’t get a chance to at home.

The shot pictured was taken at 5 am. I was driving around the town I was doing some work for a client in, and I came across this little marina just as the sun was rising. At first I was a little annoyed at the jetty which sort of spoiled the serenity of the scene as it appeared just as a black object in the first couple frames I took. Then, I had an idea, why not turn my hirecar into an off camera lightsource and turn the boring jetty into a feature?

It took me a couple goes to get the car lined up straight so that the railing looked even, but eventually I got it to a point where I was happy with it.

I’m gonna call it hire car strobism.

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2009-06-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Fake it till you make it. That's what we had to do during this shoot. I turned up and the sky just went black with rain ruling out a location shoot.
Our only option was Alana's balcony. It took a little time to get warmed up, but after a while the shots just started to come. We wound up doing a number of cool shots, in a pretty tight space.
In this one I had Angela Shepherd (make up artist) hold a reflector up to the window to the right of Alana, bouncing back some light from my strobe on the left.

2009-06-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is musician and surfer Matt Pitts. We took a series of shots for his upcoming album "Ride". This one is actually an outake, but I like it cause I kinda dig his expression and body language.
I actually shot it on the wrong side of the road too just in case they decided they wanted an overseas feel. You can view the shot that actually made the cut here

2009-06-10T04:11:00.000-07:00

Well, another Wintersun Festival has come and gone. I didn't join the beatniks this year, but here is a shot I took at a couple years ago......dedicated to all you rockabilly's out there

2009-06-10T03:33:00.000-07:00

This is Alana Brennan. Alana is the face of Billabong Girls, and an accomplished surfer and actor. Since Alana is known for her work in the surf model look, I thought it would be cool to capture her a bit differently.

R&B Group Evolve Promo Shoot

2009-06-08T02:01:00.000-07:00

Did someone say 1950's Gangsta?
View the rest of this series here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennysmith/sets/72157619419743078/

2009-06-03T17:58:00.001-07:00

2009-06-03T17:52:00.000-07:00

2009-06-02T03:55:00.000-07:00

2009-06-02T03:45:00.000-07:00