Sam Comer Photography

I could publish a posing guide from this shoot

Only one other time have I photographed a model that was so fast and comfortable and easy at posing as Shae. At first, I was concerned that our one hour and a half or so shooting window would limit how many images we could get. By the end, I had shot nearly 700 images! One pose right into the next. I found myself giving her actual direction very very rarely. Usually she was one step ahead of me.

Not only were we able to get 700 images, but she was able to get in more than a half dozen outfit changes. The bad thing is, I now have to sift through 700 images. The good news is, they’re all so good and should require so little editing that it won’t be difficult to get some quality photographs at the end of the day.

Heather and Chris – September 5, 2009

I mention on the weddings page of my website that, while I have done the big, fancy (AKA “expensive”) weddings, I generally prefer to shoot the smaller, less traditional type. This past Saturday was certainly an example of that. Heather and Chris had a nice little wedding at their home just north of Knoxville with a small gathering of guests and no attendants. Everything was very casual. The reception was held in the Gilligan’s Island-themed garage decorated with Star Wars memorabilia – including a life-sized Yoda guarding the cake.

The most important part is, aside from the casual nature of the event (or perhaps because of it), I got some really nice pictures of the couple. Here are a few samples.

Great shoot today

I had a great shoot today with a model from modelmayhem.com.  Below are some samples of those images. We shot in my home studio and then took a trip out to Mead’s Quarry in South Knoxville to do some more shots out there.

All in all, I think I made nearly 500 images. Now the fun begins – how do I filter through all those to come up with a handful of great images? That’s the problem, I guess, when a shoot goes really well – you shoot and shoot and shoot. Then there’s hell to pay when it’s time to edit. (Not that I mind looking through all these images of a rather amazing looking model.)

Some of these will be up on my website soon. Next shoot? Looks like it’s going to be deep under ground! Fun stuff.

Slow Down!

Subtitled: Somewhere between 16 and 2/3 and 33 and 1/3

Names omitted and details changed to protect the (currently) innocent.

An acquaintance of mine was telling a story the other night that had a nice little nit of insight. It was many years ago and he and some of his friends were sitting around listening to records – yes, vinyl records. Charlie “Bird” Parker albums, as a matter of fact. As they started a record and began to listen to the first tune, they were blown away by the smooth, slow, melodious sound coming from the turntable. Not your typical Bird be-bop brandish. A few minutes into it, it was discovered (an “herbally induced” discovery, but a discovery nonetheless – this WAS the 70s) that the record player had been set to 16 and 2/3 instead of 33 and 1/3 – half speed. When the setting was made right, it was the old familiar controlled chaos of be-bop that they loved so much.

One of the first lessons in photography that I ever read in some book whose name I forget now was: “Slow Down.” Take your time to look at your subject. See what it is about it that you find photogenic. Too often we see something that looks worthy of a photo, shoot it, then look at it and wonder what we found so interesting about it. In the days of digital, that’s not a huge deal. But I started with film. The only way to know you got the shot was to wait until you got your processing back. This made it ever so important to make sure you would take your time, find what it is about the subject you like, and then take the picture.

I still carry that philosophy today, even though I shoot digital and have instant feedback. Do I “chimp” after I take a few shots? Oh sure. But before I shoot, I’ve already gone through the motions in my head about what the shot should end up looking like. I’ve set the turntable on 16-2/3 to see what’s there. What is really going on beneath the be-bop that’s worthy of capture? Can a ramshackle, makeshift dwelling under a downtown Knoxville viaduct be a study in afternoon light and the subject of a “fine art” folio?  That’s what I hope to find out.