on the job

Bird photography…with a flash

photosbyclark — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:45:35 +0000

Photographers love to have the right tools for the job, and to put as many of them to use as possible to create a different photo! I wanted to get a good shot of a pelican, since it’s the main feature of the St. Petersburg city logo. But I didn’t want just any pelican photo. I wanted to use a flash. My partner, Daniela, took care of the flash while I took the photos. The birds were unabashed during the session; they were probably just mildly irritated by more paparazzi!

There’s nothing like a portrait on the beach

photosbyclark — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:26:56 +0000

While studio settings do have their time and their place, there’s nothing like a family photo on the beach. This family dressed perfectly for the low-key yet sophisticated island-style atmosphere that downtown and northeast St. Pete residents embody so perfectly. We created a nice set of photos for them to share and preserve both this stage in their family, and the feeling of living footsteps from Northshore Park in St. Petersburg, FL.

Moonlit Palms in Northshore Park

photosbyclark — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:09:40 +0000

What a beautiful night in Northshore Park, St. Petersburg, FL. The interesting thing is, it was pretty dark when I took this photo, and I did not use a flash. This shot shows what you can do with existing lighting if you know how to seek it out and use it correctly. I took a long exposure using the moon to light the landscape, and the nearby city light posts to illuminate the palm trees in the foreground.

Boats in Motion

photosbyclark — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:37:23 +0000

Everybody has seen those long-exposure photos of cars driving at night, where the headlights form long lines of light. But I’d never seen one of those shots done with boats! Challenge accepted. I set out to create that photo at the St. Petersburg, FL boat parade. The beautiful cityscape helped make the scene even more interesting, and I was quite pleased with my result:

A Father’s Day

photosbyclark — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:22:05 +0000

Daniela and I were hired to produce an article for Sea Ray Living Magazine. We had a great time capturing the Stebenne family in photos and words on Block Island this summer. Here’s the article: http://www.nxtbook.com/dino/SeaRayLivingVol12Issue4/SeaRayLivingVol12Issue4/index.php#/42/OnePage

Red Sky at Night…

photosbyclark — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:00:15 +0000

A very impressive weather system came through New York Harbor this evening. Behind the front, the sky was as interesting as I’ve ever seen. The saturation in this photo is not altered at all! Sailor’s delight!

Portraits in the Park

photosbyclark — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:28:36 +0000

Here’s a wide view of how I set up for a recent portrait shoot at a local park. I love to shoot at dusk with flashes or lights as it really brings the subjects out from the background and makes them look their best. Here I’m using two Nikon speedlights, an octa softbox and a large lastolite reflecting panel.

Extended Family

photosbyclark — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:34:07 +0000

Orchestrating a photo of 29 family members can be quite a task. That’s when Daniela and I make a good team, as I focus on lighting and composition, while Daniela makes sure everybody is posed properly to look their best. With a group this big, it’s easy to get lost in the back if nobody’s looking out for you! Having an assistant with good attention to detail is extremely important for a photographer, and I’m lucky to have Daniela.

The Beach Life

photosbyclark — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:16:03 +0000

Here’s one of my favorites from a series of beach shots I took in the Outer Banks this fall.

The Face of Experience

photosbyclark — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:09:56 +0000

Being a photographer means not just knowing how to set up your camera or your lights, but knowing how to capture the feeling of a person. I get to do it all the time with kids and couples, but it is not as often that I have the opportunity to photograph more “experienced” adults. Photographing 84-year-old Ben was a true pleasure, one of those times when I felt fortunate to be in my position: behind the camera, creating a memory of Ben at that slice of time that his family will charish now and into the future.