May 22 2013
So, I’ve finished my brochure. It’s taken weeks. I’ve been very sick and had bronchitis on and off for the last 4 months. I wanted to finish this a while ago but only just got it done tonight. I’m looking forward to finishing a few other photo shoots and getting a bunch of CD’s out to models in the next week.
Here are a few highlights
May 12 2013
These are by other photo studios.
High quality BHTS video for a fashion shoot
A Great video on posing techniques
Also has some final shots in the video as well.
GQ Behind the scenes and interviews with models.
A video on how to pose for models. Just watch the movements.
Another behind the scenes video. I love their sets. FYI: No after shots but the video is quality
This is a how to pose video for models. It shows a variety of moves that can help in a photo shoot. Notice how the model transitions between moves.
May 4 2013
MOIRA DOZED in her saddle at the head of her army. All around her, the host marched in the haze of the early summer months. The human elements walked as far from the Fie creatures as possible.
When the humans came down out of the southern mountains early in the spring, they came upon the camps of the Goblins, trolls and other creatures waiting for them. Everyone kept to their-own species camp as much as possible. None-the-less, when the 2 armies came together as allies, there were a few “incidents’ until the queen spoke her mind. At first it was a few men disappearing. Then in retaliation, a few hunting parties went troll hunting.
The queen’s advisers soon came to her and requested that she step in. She chose to do so only to keep the simpering and whining down. But as she spoke with the leaders about not fighting the allies, she wore a small smile – well more of a smirk really.
In truth, she hated the men in her army almost as much as she hated her enemy. She held no love for the Fie creatures either. However, the beasts served a vital purpose in reaching her goals as did the humans in her army.
They were moving at a forced march through forested lands, and it forced them to not pillage small towns or villages. There were no small towns or villages around here.
Queen Angaria’s southern armies had broken down to small units and were waging a guerrilla war against her troops. They would appear from the woods on either side and harry her troops peeling off small slices of men.
The men of her army marched close together keeping a fearful eye on their flanks. From time to time there were shouts as arrows found their mark. Her troops would immediately respond in force that the enemy was invariably found. It was a suicide mission, but the fools kept coming.
At night, she set the trolls to watch the perimeter. No one left the camps but the trolls with their superior night vision kept Angaria’s men away.
Finally they crested a hill and found open lands to the north. The forest had ended and her host spread out.
She smiled in triumph because the enemy couldn’t come at her men from the woods. Instead they would be in the open and easy to spot.
As they marched north, she thought about her enemy. She felt good about sending her assassin after the king. His daughter was a weak fool and she would easily defeat her.
A commotion to her rear caught her attention and she drew her horse to a stop at the military crest of the hill and turned to see what the issue was now.
She saw several companies of mounted soldiers riding toward her troops. When they came in bow range, the turned parallel to her troops and rode firing arrows at her soldiers.
Company commanders on her flanks rallied her troops and men with shields and other troops with bows rushed to respond but they were too slow. The mounted troops peeled off a number of troops before they turned and galloped away.
Her army commander rode up and provided a dispassionate commentary about what they were seeing.
“Light cavalry my lady. They are perfect to fight an army on the move. They attack the flanks, peeling off troops like an apple. They are lightly armored and ride fast ponies that are excellent at short bursts of speed.”
Even as she watched, other groups or riders came out to attack her troops.
An odd group of heavily armored troops suddenly crested a hill to the east. Coming down the hill, the enemy troops crashed into a disorganized company of her mercenaries. The knights used their lances and large war horses to push through the company center. For a moment they broke past the company and in the next moment they were among the company supply trains. They quickly set them afire and turned towards the flank again.
Her expression turned to triumph as the advantage turned to her men. They are able to slow and harry the mounted troops. Her smile didn’t last however as another company of cavalry forced the company to turn and the knights broke free. Arrows raked her troops again and then both enemy groups turned and galloped over the hill.
Again her commander warranted another opinion commenting on the professional combined tactics.
She turned on him and she looked like she would order his death. She turned back and watched the last of the troops gallop over the hill. On rider paused at the crest, he turned and raked the reins of his mount. The horse reared and he doffed his hat in a parting salute. Then he turned and rode out of sight.
For a moment, she held nothing but anger. Then she took control and she nudged her mount back into the march. Maybe the little witch wasn’t so weak after all.
Cast
Angaria – Katie Rycraft
Moria – Carmen Peruzzini
Makeup Artists & Wardrobe Accessories
Rachael Kersey
Cassandra Ramsden
Hair Stylist & Wardrobe Accessories
Donna Latino
Art Direction
Lexy Page
Based on a Concept by
Lexy Page
Photographer
Bob Jones
http://bobjonesphoto.net
Apr 25 2013
Angaria was a young girl born of a father who ruled a cold and northern land. In the winter of the third year of her life, her mother came sick and was struck down. Her father was never quite the same after that. Losing the 1 true love in his life caused him great pain, but he tried to fill the hole in his heart with his daughter and she became his world.
Angaria grew to a beautiful young woman. Although she was proud of her royal heritage she never treated people as if they were beneath her. Her father taught her to treat the people well and she always understood that her primary duty lay in the welfare of her people.
The 17th year of her life brought a change to the kingdom. Rumors of southern unrest brought stories of a civil war. The king sent riders into the southern marshes and most were not heard from again. Still, a few men did return with information about what was happening.
An unknown queen was annexing the various kingdoms and duchies to the south. She led a vast host of warriors against the southern kingdoms and where her army went, none could stop her. In the van of her army marched all manor of dark forces. Trolls and goblins and other fie creatures led her armies and where they walked none could prevail.
Angaria’s father, King Nathon levied his northern duchies and the barons of Northern Tearia marched in the spring of 3167. He sent riders to the land of the Elves and for the first time in over 1000 years, the white Faerie gathered their archers to join the host of man.
Summer 3167 saw the elves and northern armies approaching the capital city of Lifteria to join the king when tragedy struck. The king was leading his local troops in horsemanship and archery practice when a Yalta Troll charged the warriors. The troll was swift and he went right for the king. The kings guard were struck aside with vicious blows of the troll’s club as he bore down on the king’s horse.
Nathon shrugged his shoulders to set his armor and pulled his lance to a ready position. Then he spurred his mount and charged the fie creature. Although it was a short charge, the experienced knight stood and crouched in his stirrups at thew last minute in order to gain power as he approached the animal.
His aim was true and his lance was buried deep and broke in the troll’s side. However, as the king came even with the troll, it struck out with it’s club and managed to hook the king out of his saddle. Nathon was thrown to his back on the ground and he lay stunned for a brief moment. Then he scrambled to his feet and drew his sword. As he turned to face his opponent it was almost too late as the maddened beast charged him. It seemed that the lance only served to further anger the creature as he met the king.
The fight was brief and one sided. As everyone knows, you can’t fight a troll on even footing. When it was over, the King lay in a broken heap mortally wounded. As the light faded from his eyes, tears fell unnoticed. When he drew his last breath, his daughter’s name on his lips and a vision of his long lost wife before his eyes, he couldn’t hear his men as they arrived to fight the troll.
The new queen barely had time to mourn her loss as her northern army and the elves arrived. She was forced to horse in order to meet the enemy who had killed her father and destroyed her world.
As she began her march, Angaria wiped away her tears and a cold abiding hatred filled her heart as she rode out at the head of her forces determined to destroy the armies of the white queen.
Cast
Angaria – Katie Rycraft
Moria – Carmen Peruzzini
Makeup Artists & Wardrobe Accessories
Rachael Kersey
Cassandra Ramsden
Hair Stylist & Wardrobe Accessories
Donna Latino
Art Direction
Lexy Page
Based on a Concept by
Lexy Page
Photographer
Bob Jones
http://bobjonesphoto.net
Apr 6 2013
The following information comes from various Web pages and helps to explain SOME of the basic elements of good composition & photography. These elements are true in all forms of photography whether it’s architecture, landscape, or photographing people & models. These rules are as old as paint and canvas and really stand at the core of how our eyes processes imagery. It should also be noted that you should also know when to break these rules.
RULE OF THIRDS The rule of thirds has been used through the centuries and is probably the most recognized rule. The rule of thirds directs that the frame can be divided into three vertical sections and three horizontal sections. Wherever the separating lines connect is an ideal spot for a subject or point of interest. By positioning your main subject at any of the four intersection points, you are giving your subject more emphasis than if it is right in the middle of the photo. The intersection points can also work if there is more than one main subject in a photo. Most famous photographs and paintings have the rule of thirds applied to them in some way or another
SIMPLICITY The simplicity rule directs that you should keep the items in your photo relatively simple. If your main subject is close to the lens, then your background should be very simple in order to avoid distractions. Another good idea is to avoid objects or lines that lead the eye away from your main subject.
CONTRAST The contrast rule directs that light subjects should be placed against dark backgrounds and vice versa.
FRAMING The framing rule directs that using natural surroundings mindfully can add more meaning and focus to your subject. The surroundings could be anything such as bushes, windows, trees or even a doorway. When using this rule be sure to focus on the main subject and not on the surroundings that are framing it. It is also a good idea to use a narrow aperture (high f/stop) when using this rule in order to create a high depth-of-field.
TEXTURE The texture rule can add a great amount of interest to most photos. When people see texture in a photo it can spark their imagination and make the photo more real to life. Texture would be a good idea when taking photos of rocks, walls, surfaces, hands or even leaves. In order to create texture try to compose your photo so the light is coming from the side and therefore casting shadows in key places.
DIAGONALS The diagonal rule directs that diagonal elements or lines can make a photo more dynamic. Diagonal elements could be fence posts, roads or even tree branches.
LEADING LINES The leading lines rule can be used to direct the eye deeper into a photo and commonly to the main subject. Leading lines can lure the eye to a subject by leading to it from any side or depth of the photo. Leading lines could be roads, rivers, tree branches or even bridges.
COLOR The color rule is what adds interest and emotion to your pictures. Different color configurations can inspire and amaze viewers. Colors can also be used to accent certain parts of a photo.
From Bob J About color: In some instances, the absence of color, through the use of black & white images can also create an emotion. Color creates an overall tone or theme, and effective use of color or black & white can set the tone or emotion of the image.
Mar 25 2013
So, I’m editing old photos looking to put together a group of favorites. And this one came up. Anna was a sweetheart to work with. Originally from Rio, she lived here in Syracuse for a few years before moving back home.
I really love the lighting we did with this series. In color, it was very warm and even though I used these cold tones you can still feel the warmth of the photo and feel the emotion in her eyes.
When you ask a model to pose, I sometimes wonder who or what they are thinking of. This image is that sort of dreamy far away look that brings romance to mind.
In other images from this series, they made me think of Harlequin novel covers.
A Perfect Moment. Fiction
Her hometown of Rio is shrouded in a late afternoon haze. Sunset is close by and she walks the sandy beach, one hand on her light flowing dress as she walks along the shore. Gulls hover nearby searching for a snack or treat dodging in the wind.
She stops for a moment, closing her eyes and lifting her face to the gentle breeze. She smells the ocean scent, the tangy smell of salt on the air. Waves touch her bare feet but she doesn’t move doesn’t change the moment.
Of
S
An
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The water, falling in her hair sparkles with the last touches of the day’s sun. And then she faces out to sea, again closing her eyes and lifting her face to the sky as anther day ends.
Mar 23 2013
Meet Emily. She’s a beautiful lady with a lot of class. She was very fun to work with as we practice getting boudoir style shots.
I’ve been working on directing models lately and I think I’ve come a long way, but I still need to work on it some. I think I want to concentrate on expressions so I can help the models have more variety in their looks. If anyone has any ideas I’d really appreciate your feedback on helping the models with different looks and expressions.
Essentially, how do you take a girl who has never been a model and get her to look her best. To smile with her eyes and look alluring.
I’ve been having a few tough weeks with regards to being sick. I ended up getting 3 different colds one right after the other. This last one ended up moving into my lungs as Bronchitis and has really kicked my tail.
With all the junk in my upper lungs I’ve had wracking coughs that leave me nauseous and out of breath. Top that off with not enough sleep and I haven’t been treating myself very well lately. Most of my issues are over with and I’ve been forcing myself to go to bed earlier for the last several days.
I hate going to bed early because it always feels like I do more when it’s late than I do early or during the day.
Model: Emily
MUA: +Rachael Keresey
Hair Stylist: Donna Latino
Art Direction: Lexy Page
Photography: Bob Jones
http://bobjonesphoto.net
Mar 7 2013
Many times, when I’m doing a photo shoot with the models, I’m already visualizing what tones would look nice with them. I don’t always like simple color or black and white. Often, when I shoot, I will preview capture in a toned color.
To my thinking, the red tones in this image capture an elegance and enhance the fire in her hair. Posing the model with her eyes closed creates a dream quality and the Dutch angle creates a tension and also ads to the surreal look.
Feb 19 2013
Facebook. To me there are 3 kinds of people on facebook.
1. Potential clients. People who keep an eye on my work and want to work with me but don’t know how to ask. They are probably afraid I will judge them as not being good enough for my work. The truth is, I work with new people all the time.
2. People from a distance that like to keep up on what we’re doing. They look at my ideas and sometimes use them for inspiration – or even what not to do in a photo shoot – LOL
3. Guys who want to look at the pretty girls I work with.
How I see Facebook. I like to stay active on FB so I can keep people aware of me. I want to stay relevant in the industry in the CNY area. I accept most friend requests from potential clients, however if some guy tries to friend me from Canada, I will most likely ignore or delete the request as it’s a waste of my time. If you are someone I know or someone I SHOULD know, shoot me a message and I’ll add you, but for the most part, I’m not here to feed your need to see a pretty girl.
I also have a small niche of real “Friends” & “Family” there and I keep in touch with them.
What I’m looking for on Google+. The photography community is very active on G+ It’s very humbling to be on there and listen to well known photographers from Photoshop User magazine like Scott Kelby and RC Concepcione. These guys have the skills, knowledge and contacts that help me to learn as much as I can.
I think the thing I appreciate the most is their willingness to share and teach on a daily basis. These guys live and breathe what I love to do.
There are so many other people out there who have inspiring photos and are very skilled. It’s humbling to look at some of their work and the try to emulate their skills.
What I’m NOT looking for on Google + So, I get a lot of circle requests. I look at people and I have to decide if I want to add them. My main criteria is do they have an interesting and ongoing portfolio of work. If the answer is yes and it’s not just a bunch of snapshots of them and their drinking buddies, I will add them.
I also tend to go out and delete people who are no longer relevant or doing interesting work.
Feb 7 2013
Show me a study in lighting and different expressions. I want to see passion and fire. It’s that unattainable something that stirs my creativity. I see it out there and hope that I can find it, but I never quite reach that point where I can feel it.
The hair and makeup are always perfect. You look beautiful and, I know it’s my own fault that I can’t quite get it, so I keep plugging away.
It’s a frustration. Frustration is good because it tells me there is something I can correct. But, I’m just not sure how to correct it.
Movement. I want a dancer who will dance like no one is watching. I want a model who smiles and cries and laughs and can do intense emotions in front of the camera.
I look at 1000′s of photos a week and still I can’t see that one thing I’m looking for. Many shots out there, take my breath away, but they’re not mine.
I want to be inspired. To look at my photos, and laugh and cry and feel intense emotion.
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