Lonely Beaches

Part of the Shari Photography brand is the look I try to create with a majority of my images.
I love looking for photographic opportunities that deal with single image focus-  in other words subject matter that isolates 1 main idea-  the English Romantics called it a Sublime  experience-  one where the size and magnitude of 1 object in the scene (like a tree or mountain) would become the central focus of the experience.
These beach shots try to bring that sublime focus on a single object.
Canon 5D  Mk2
16-35 L  f.3.2  1/200
Lightroom enhanced-  mostly the sky.

The Hands on the Dress

Details and hands go together.  

While taking an isolated shot of a shoe ora bracelet  is important and can look great if photographed properly, it is important to include a human touch to key moments of the day.  

At Shari Photography we always take time to photograph the dress for example in many different setups-  hanging on a pretty door, or draped on the bed.  We focus on the intricate features of the dress as well with a macro lens.  All these shots can look fantastic.  

However, the image that always stands out, is the one when the dress is being handled- usually by the maid of honor or the mother of the bride.  As a photographer, I anticipate this moment because the hands take on a gentle and respectful feel to them.  The Dress is handled in a very gentle manner and it is this moment that makes it so special to photograph.

None of these moments need to be staged-  we just let it unfold.  

I always keep my background in mind for these shots-  look for a light of window to provide a nice backlighting effect.  I would avoid a dark background as you need to have a separation from the subject- in this case the dress.  

Without the graceful hands gently putting the final touches of the dress together, then the image would not look the same.  

Canon 5D mk2

50 mm L  f1.8 1/200

Speedlight facing backward.  

Lightroom 5 editing.  

Gen - Headshots

Gen wanted some different looking headshots for her portfolio-  something with a little more spice and attitude.  It was not hard to come  up with some beautiful portraits of her. 

The 85mm is the best portrait lens because it keeps the face in perfect dimension.  I rarely shoot a portrait at f.18,  but in this case I wanted to create the soft blur that drops off the focus point which is the eye closest to the camera.  The effects are really amazing. 

 

 

Canon 5D mark 3

 

Canon 85mm L 1.2

 

Left image at f1.8, 1/200

Right Image at f 2.2, 1/180

 

Flash fill on camera left.  Speedlight 600.  

 

Spain- Fish and more Fish...

If you love eating fish, then Costa Del Sol, the Sun Coast of Spain, is a fantastic place to visit. I'm very fortunate to have parents who have retired here- in a wonderful village local at the foot of the Benahavis community.
I've been coming here for about 5 years, and each time, we eat at some wonderful little places. This time I thought I'd share my eating experiences (one of my passions) with my other passion (photography).
Restaurante El Abreuadero, is very typical of the beach bars along the south coast in terms of setup and food. This one is located on the wonderful promenade in San Pedro, a typical Spanish town unlike the glam and glitz of Marbella. The restaurant is right by the beach and there are tons of room for the kids to run around safely.
The food is pretty standard in terms of items you get at beach bars- much like toasted Ravioli in St Louis. Starters for us consisted of 2 salads- a veggie lettuce number with beets, corn, onions, olives, and peppers doused in olive oil and lemon juice. Everything was fresh, crisp and loaded with flavor. No need to drown it in Ranch dressing. The second was a stewed red pepper salad in olive oil. Olive are the main cash crop in Andalucia so everything is cooked or presented in olive oil. Spanish olive oil is amazing- flavorful and light unlike Greek oil which has a very strong after taste.The main meal consisted of mostly fish- all local and all fresh. By fresh I mean caught within 24 hours off the coast of where we were eating. Again, the items are pretty typical of most places. It should be noted this is not tapas type items. That is a whole different set up. For this meal we had chicken grilled on skewers seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil (LJOO). LJOO is the standard seasoning and it works so well- a clean crisp flavor. The Rasado fish is a chunkier meatier fish caught in the Med and fried in this case. This is my personal favorite.
Another favorite is fried baby Anchoives or Boquerones. They are a delightful crunchy fish with a zesty flavor. Bones are not an issue. This is a classic Analucia coast dish.
The final set involved Calamares which was tasty. The chewiness factor was just right. We also had a very salty grilled Sardines. These are not my favorite. You have to work too hard to get the bones off the meat and the saltiness overpowers the fish taste.
To end there is the usual ice cream or creme caramel items. But the real treat is always the strong Cafe Con Leche- strong coffee with warm milk. Good stuff at anytime of day.
I am looking forward to trying some new dishes this summer as I explore the real Andalucia dishes.
All these images were taken with my 85mm 1.8, Canon 5D. This is one of my favorite lenses mostly because of the speed. When shooting at dusk, the larger aperture really helps. I also wanted to get the dishes as they were being handed around- so getting hands in the shot was an important. I thought it would give the images a more realistic feel as opposed to the staged shot you see in Sauce magazine.

What makes a great action shot?
There is no question that for an action shot to look great you need the following-
1- fill the frame. Your subject is the player so focus on them. IMHO full body shots have too much dead space around them and cropping kills the quality. Too many photographers are afraid of tight shots. Off course- a full body shot can look amazing if the player is going some athletic move. My rule is 1/2 or less of the body
2) The eyes- As in portrait work- the eyes are essential. They convey the intensity of the event and all the emotions. You really need part of a face and one eye as a minimum to get the full effect of the emotions.
3) Doing Something- The ball must be in the shot and they must be doing something with it. Otherwise what's the point? A player standing holding a ball- yawn. They must do something. Plus, when they are in motion their muscles a lot cooler.

Photographing Water Polo

I love photographing sports- esp water polo. This past weekend was round of St Louis Water polo Districts. The event was at St Peters Rec Plex- a fantastic aquatic site.
Water polo (polo) is an amazing sport to play and photograph. The key- as in all ports- is anticipation. I like to sit just to the right on one goal. That allows me to get the faces of players as they play both defense and offense. I can also get my fav shot- the goalie in focus with an attacking player with ball out of focus. What I really think makes this game so amazing to photograph are a) the eyes of the player- such intensity- and b) the added feature of water. Whether you freeze it to drops or blur it slightly with a slower shutter- water ads a new level to the composition that you cannot find in any sport.
The added challenges of the indoor event make it a tricky event to shoot. On Saturday I had the 100-400 L f 4.5 IS Canon. Not the ideal lens. I had to crank the ISO to 1600 and I still had to loose some exposure to shoot at a high enough shutter to capture it. The BEST lens for this event is the 300 L f.2.8. It gives a level of sharpness that is amazing. This lens is my favorite. I can't wait to use it this Wed for the 2nd round of games.
On a side note- Primes- I love using them. More than zooms. I have only L lenses and the rimes are simply incredible when it comes to sharpness and clarity. My next purchase - 100 f2.8 L. Mmmmm can't wait.