I have gone back though some previous photos to see what they would look like framed, and this is what I came up with: (I made the frames in Photoshop Elements 8.0 for Mac)

The Ropes - Nikon D700 with Sigma 50mm | 50mm, 1/20 @ F1.4, ISO 6400, -1ev. Backstage in the Hopgood Theatre shooting Retaliation.

To flash or not to flash? That is a the question.

Well, at least the question I had to ask myself when photographing a musical over the weekend. As photographers, the one thing we usually want more of is light, and I am talking thermonuclear amounts of it. Large amounts of light give photographers the ability to be completely creative. From depth of field, sharpness, stopping the action, dragging the shutter and a myriad of other brushes in which to paint with, we have the freedom to do what we want with our subjects and what we choose in the frame. Don’t get me wrong, huge amounts of light can also be distracting, and difficult to balance, but on the whole, our lives are easier with it than without it.

Makeup Girl - Nikon D700 with Sigma 50mm | 50mm, 1/1000 @ F1.4, ISO 800. Backstage in the Hopgood Theatre shooting Retaliation.

When asked to shoot a theatre production over the weekend, I jumped at the opportunity, but at the same time, I had some apprehension. It was the first time to do professional level photography of cast portraits and candid shots of the evening in progress. I have done a lot of event photography, but I have always been able to control the situation to some extent or at least throw some light on the subject. In the case of a theatre production, there is only so much you can do while the show is running.

Grunge Pose - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 29mm, 1/50 @ F2.8, ISO 1600. Backstage in the Hopgood Theatre shooting Retaliation.

To some degree, the changes you make due to low light conditions, are often compromises. You may need to set a higher ISO level to try and freeze the action as much as possible which introduces noise / grain into the image. Or you may need to change to a super fast prime to give you more light in which case you are throwing away framing opportunities for speed. Whatever the compromise, if we are willing to paint with the tools at hand, we need to be creative to get our stories across. In the photo “Grunge Pose” shown to the left, a mixture of fluorescent and various tungsten lights mixed with lovely (cough) backstage lights to give an absolutely terrible mix. But in the end, that mix of light created a shot that suited the actress and her pose.

Leading Lady - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 70mm, 1/320 @ F2.8, ISO 2500, -1ev. Backstage in the Hopgood Theatre shooting Retaliation.

While it is best to get shots right in camera to alleviate post production work, it is not always possible or even practical. For this shot of the “Leading Lady”, show right, I was not able to throw any more light onto her and I had to deal with the terrible mix of light that I mentioned previously. However, for this young woman, a slight crop, BW and some minor tweaks to the curves in Apple’s Aperture 3, and we have a nice shot.

Red Man - Nikon D700 with Sigma 70-200mm | 86mm, 1/60 @ F2.8, ISO 200. Backstage in the Hopgood Theatre shooting Retaliation.

During the evening, we (Kurt and I) had an opportunity to pull out our flash and umbrella and race through some portrait shots of the performers. We didn’t have a great deal of time to set up, and in fact we only had my SB-900 to work with (Kurt has just received his new SB-900 thank god!). Even with this single flash, we were able to pull the background out of the shot and focus on the actors. Keeping the vibrant colour of the costumes was not an issue, but keeping up with the pace was. The limited time afforded to us during the performances was our greatest enemy on the night, not the lack of light.

In the end, I think both Kurt and I learnt a lot from the experience. We got a feel for the speed of events during the evening, and we learnt that “not to flash” can be just as creative albeit a little difficult at times.

I would like to thank the Southern Youth Theatre Ensemble for allowing us to photograph these wonderfully talented and friendly actors. We both had a blast shooting with you on the day and we hope we can repeat the experience in the future.

Would love to hear from you guys too, so please post a comment.

(This write up is short, but when I get some more information regarding the convention, the number of attendees, the winners of costume, skit, haiku etc… I will post that as well.)

If you are one of these people, please email me (using my contact form) and I will send you the full size versions of these images.

I would also love the opportunity to photograph any of you again. If you know of any festivals / events / parties that are coming up, or you just want some shots done of a group or yourself. Let me know. I really enjoyed the AVCON, and to take some more shots of you guys would be fun. I hope you like what you see.

Hotels:

Tokyo – Hotel Villa Fontaine – Standard Twin Room for 7 nights. Breakfast included. Total cost is ￥65200 for two people which is ￥32600 each. Really cheap when you consider that is in the heart of Tokyo. I needed to pay half of that for one night in Sydney recently, and that didn’t include breakfast and it was not so clean.
Osaka – Hotel Coms Osaka – Standard Twin Room for 5 nights. Total cost is ￥26000 for two people which is ￥13000 each. Yes, that’s around $26 a night!
I have stayed in Hotel Villa Fontaine many times, and I know it is a very clean, nice hotel near transport, so it was not difficult for me to re-book this hotel. I have not stayed in Hotel Coms Osaka before, however I have heard good reviews, it is close to transport and it looks really really nice.

WHO said Japan was expensive?

Transport:

I suggested that we should get rail passes  to Kurt, as in our second week, we will be taking day trips ever day to locations that would at times require the bullet train. So, we booked our JR rail passes for the second week, and we went to pick them up last thursday.

Photography:

I have been an admirer of Alfie Goodrich for a few years now, especially his street photography. I showed Kurt his work some time back, and I think his site helped me convince Kurt to come with me on this trip. I have been in contact with Alfie over the last few months to see if we could meet up with him and do some photography sessions together. Luckily, we have secured two sessions with Alfie. On the 5th of July, we will be walking the streets of Tokyo for night, street photography, and on the 9th we are doing an early morning session at the Tsukiji Fish Markets in Tokyo. I am very excited about this part of the trip and look forward to shooting with and learning from Alfie.

Locations:

We have a lot of locations to get to over the two weeks, and I will discuss them as we get to them with nightly blog posts.

The essentials are booked. Now we just need to get lost and enjoy shooting, eating, and seeing the sights. I can’t wait to get back to Japan. My time there in 2007 transformed my career and my life. I look forward to sharing some of the places I love with Kurt, and discovering new ones together.

More to come…

Dead Tree - Nikon D700 with Sigma 50mm | 50mm, 1/8000 @ F1.4, ISO 200 A dead tree on the coast of Victor Harbor.

I grew up in Goolwa just near Victor Harbor on the coast of South Australia. I came here with my parents when I was around 5 years old and I stayed until around 15. 20 years later, I still often come here to visit what I think of as my home town.

These two shots were taken on different days with different weather conditions. I enjoy looking at these two because they were places I rode my bike to often as a kid.

Victor Harbor Sunset - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 34mm, 1/400 @ F2.8, ISO 800, -1 ev

Also, the sixteenbyninestudios website is now up and running (with the exception of the corporate events page) and we are starting to book some more weddings. So, if you are interested in either Wedding photography or videography, take a look at the site.

The planning must begin now. I have yet to book hotels, rail passes and have not even decided exactly where we will be heading. All we know is, we want to visit the following locations:

• 

  Fushimi Inari - Nikon D70s with Nikkor 18-200mm | 36mm, 1/15 @ F4.5, ISO 200

  Tokyo

  • Akihabara
  • Asakuasa
  • Chiba
  • Ginza
  • Harajuku
  • Ikebukuro
  • Kabukicho
  • Odaiba
  • Roppongi
  • Shibuya
  • Shinagawa
  • Shinjuku
  • Tsukiji
  • Yoyogi
• Nikko
• Yokohama
• Kanagawa
• Nagoya
• Nara
• Kyoto
• Osaka
• Kobe
• Himeji
• Okayama
• Hiroshima
• Miyajima
• Nagasaki

Looking at the list, I am not sure we will be able to visit all of the places. While possible, we would not appreciate it all. We have one week in Tokyo, and that is more than enough to get around to several locations each day. We have one week to cover the rest of Japan, and that is not going to be easy. I will be basing myself in Himeji during the second week and using the JR rail pass to head in and out of the town each day. Hiroshima and Miyajima will certainly take up one day, and while I have visited there several times and can see much of it in one day, you often feel rushed. Kyoto, Nara and Osaka are all enjoyable day trips as is Kobe. Nagasaki however is probably too far to get to comfortably in this trip.

The planning must now begin in earnest. Locations must be chosen, then hotels can be booked. Locations will be picked based on its appeal to us personally and the photographic opportunities they present. Either way, the next few weeks will be busy, yet interesting. Time to open up the guides and let loose on the net.

If anyone has any suggestions regarding locations and good photographic areas, please let me know.

More to come…

Scooter - Nikon D700 with Sigma 70-200mm | 70mm, 1/40 @ F2.8, ISO 2000

The power of street photography, for me at least, lies in its ability to give its audience a visceral exposure to the events unfolding before the lens. For many the scenes may be familiar, for others a totally new experience. Street photography takes the viewer by the hand and plants them firmly into the world of the subject. The interaction of the subject within the frame gives the audience an appreciation for the cultures on display but leaves enough up to the imagination of the viewer.

While many forms of photography “stage” the shot, street photography is candid. The captured scene can illicit strong emotions from the viewer as we are able to place ourselves into the scene, even if it is of a totally foreign location and culture. We humans are able to not only interpret the emotions of the subjects within the frame, but we have the power to conjure up stories and emotions that may not have existed in the original. This is what makes street photography a powerful and creative branch of photography.

Old and New - Nikon D70 with Nikkor 18-200mm | 65mm, 1/90 @ F5, ISO 200

Contrary to popular belief, I am not dead, I have not abandoned this site, and I have not given up blogging. Wait, I don’t think I can use the statement “Contrary to popular belief”, my site just isn’t that popular! :( Well, I have to change that. Here is some news:

First and most importantly, I am heading off to Japan in July. I finally get to head back to my favourite place in the world, Japan. By the time I get back, it will have been two and half years since I was last there, so I am just itching to get back. I am heading over this time with my friend Kurt and we intend to not only blog the two week adventure but write a photography book. Will update you on the book as we get closer to the event. At the moment, we are busy making plans, mapping out exactly what we need to do and booking meetings with other photographers such as Alfie. We can’t wait to learn from Alfie and shoot together, it will be a great day.

Port Adelaide Deserted - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 36mm, 1/250 @ F2.8, ISO 200, -1ev

Actually, there is no second point. The first one is good enough news for me. Either way, I have been out shooting as usual, but I have not had the time to update the site due to work commitments at Adelaide High, editing a wedding and buying a new home. However here are some shots I did around Port Adelaide with Kurt a couple of weeks back. I will update this page at least once a week from now on.

Fringe Frozen - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 40mm, 1/6 @ F2.8, ISO 3200

The Adelaide Fringe has descended upon Adelaide once again for 3 and a bit weeks of whacky entertainment. For some of us, its a chance to get out of the house and catch a play, concert or a dance performance. Then again, on a balmy night like tonight, its fun to just let the Fringe blur by and let it sweep you along.

The opening night of the Fringe kicked off with a parade through the east side of the city. With over 1500 performers, it was fairly easy to find something to point my camera at, even if it was at the 80,000 plus spectators. The performers were really full of life tonight.

Fringe Red - So damn cool: Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 240mm, 1/100 @ F5.3, ISO 1000

They put so much into playing their characters, and I think their passion shows up in these pictures.

When I arrived in the city last night with Kurt and Dene, I opened my bag to get my camera out, and of course I had forgotten something; my R-Strap! So, I stopped off at the camera store, got a replacement strap, and $35 bucks lighter, I headed out into the street. I really didn’t want to walk around the streets without my camera being securely in my grasp: 1) because the weight, 2) because there was so many people I was getting knocked around and 3) because I didn’t want it stolen! It paid off, because later in the night I had my flash attached, and that would have been a nightmare to carry around without the strap.

Fringe Stunts - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 52mm, 1/5000 @ F2.8, ISO 400

The boys and I arrived at the bottom of Rundle Street, and the parade was already in progress. There was a huge crowd. Everyone was in good spirits, so I wasn’t too annoyed at not having a prime position to shoot the parade. I ended up taking shots of the crowd, and individuals jostling for prime vantage points. There was the standard kids on dad’s shoulders and a few girlfriends on partners shoulders, there were even people who were wandering around wondering what had happened to the street. Obviously they had no idea there was the worlds second biggest fringe festival beginning in their own city.

The best thing about being late however, was that while everyone was watching the parade, no one was buying food, so I had zero time waiting in queues when my stomach inevitably called out for food. It was also fresh! While hanging around I was able to say hello to some Japanese people and surprise them with a customary greeting in their own language. They of course were excited which is what is great about most Japanese people.

Fringe Paint - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 195mm, 1/320 @ F5.3, ISO 800

After this, I found a descent place to park myself with the guys and shoot the final stages of the parade.

Most of my shots were taken from my new position and I even had some real delightfully crazy people pose for me. Well, I feel like it was for me, however there were a ton of photographers with a range of pro gear sticking in the faces of the performers. I was amazed at how many people actually have SLR cameras these days. It’s great to see that people from all ages really enjoy the art of photography.

In the dying light of Adelaide, and the pushing crowds, it was fairly difficult shooting the Fringe parade, but it was a challenge I felt, possibly for the first time, 100% comfortable with. I was happy trying out various settings on my camera to get the best depth of field, blur and so on.

Fringe Antics - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24-70mm | 70mm, 1/320 @ F2.8, ISO 400

I didn’t feel, like I often do, pressured that I would miss a shot. I felt comfortable knowing that, if I chose a particular setting, I could either make it work for the next shot, or I would have time to change it before the next performer. It was fun, and relaxing to just shoot and I was impressed with what I came away with. Sure, some of my shots were taken while on tippy toes, camera in air shooting over the crowd, and because of this, yeah, a lot were too blurry, or needed some re-cropping, but it did not deter me.

Photography is not always an art form you have full control over. You can’t always instruct you subjects and you definitely cannot instruct the elements. When mother nature wants to rain on you and spoil your “parade” she will, when the lights fade, she is telling you its lights out time.

Fringe Ghost - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 135mm, 1/125 @ F4.8, ISO 1000

You can’t change that. So don’t bother to try. Live with it, and shoot on. Enjoy it. And that is exactly what I did.

I came away from the opening night of the Fringe with a ton of unusable pics, but some great shots as well. I felt comfortable shooting, and I feel so eager to get back out there over the coming weeks and shoot as much as I can. I want to focus on the people, the unique culture of the Fringe. I want to capture how the city of Adelaide really does change during this period. I think it is a wonderful chance to have almost 4 weeks of festivities, right in my own backyard. Talk about lucky!

Tour Down Under: Thirsty - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 300mm, 1/1000 @ F5.6, ISO 400

Tour Down Under: Help - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 300mm, 1/640 @ F5.6, ISO 400

I have posted a small selection of the images I captured today. I am fairly happy with them, however next time, I will definitely play with the shutter speed to be a little more creative. I really would like to have the background and the wheels blur to give the sense of motion, instead of the freeze-framing I have done with these shots.

Tour Down Under: Balancing Act - Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-300mm | 100mm, 1/640 @ F5.6, ISO 200