I went through my files to artwork another art image, this time of a mom of a college aged girl to show the real potential for those women who are at a point in their lives when they are ready for something special for either a reward to themselves or a gift to her husband.
These images are designed as wall décor... to be appreciated every day.
This is to recent, past Duenkel Portrait Art high school senior clients... I'm planning on some significant pricing changes for 2017. I want to move from a model of an album and tons of variety... to a model of a wall portrait and digital files. Print products will still be available, but I'd like to allow clients to order their own print products at a MUCH lower price.
I want to devote my energies to creating one, gorgeous wall art portrait... Art with you in the piece! These are my "Arterpretations"... not literal portraits, but rather my interpretation of you. Then the digital file would allow YOU to print as many 8x10s (or smaller) as you'd like.
So, The price would start with a wall portrait, then you'd add ~$200 for each additional outfit, which would include a digital file of each outfit. The price would be lower than we're currently charging, but the variety of images would be less... so there probably wouldn't be albums.
The reason for this is because I've been doing what I'm doing for the last 30 years, and I want to flex my creative muscles on one, glorious portrait to be enjoyed forever in your home rather than be bogged down with the volume of images for the album.
The images here are a few examples of where I want to take this.one image I created. Every session would be different, of course.
Thoughts?
This morning's senior session was a blast! We found some cool spots to shoot. I normally prefer to work in and around seniors' homes because that's where their stuff is, and I always find treasures out of what others might think would be trash. But Anthony wanted to be photographed at Regner Park to feature his baseball talents, so we did the whole session there. It's often a challenge to work in parks since there isn't much personality and certainly no places that would be 100% unique for that senor. But we did find a few nuggets of gold there today... like this one. It took the right lens, three flash units and the vision to put it together... oh and a handsome kid to be inspired by.
When we photographed weddings, we bore that responsibility heavily as we knew the importance of that moment in people's lives. Unfortunately this bride's wedding photographer did not. It's a long story, and one that is all too common these days, but suffice to say I was pleased with the opportunity to create images for her one year later that she would be proud of for the rest of her life, and generations beyond.
It's always a kick for me to photograph seniors of seniors I've photographed. I started photographing seniors in 1982, so I'm getting dangerously close to being able to do THIRD generation seniors!!!
I photographed this girl's mom in 1985. I remember it distinctly because I was trying something new for me at the time... shooting against a window. So as an homage to that, I did a similar technique for her daughter.
It's pretty common to take a senior to a park, and point a camera at him or her, and call it portraiture. That's what most rookie photographers do. Same old, same old. However, working in and around a high school senior's home can produce images far more unique than any generic park. But... it tales equipment, inventiveness and skill.
While a $6000 lens may seem like a lot, it's just a drop in the bucket of what it costs to have professional equipment. But... having this lens allows me to work ANYWHERE!
I had the great opportunity to photograph this beauty at the Hartford Auto museum. I used a "flash painting" technique for this one.
I was very impressed with the collection of vintage and rare cars there. A MUST see! Plan on spending a day!
Sometimes nature itself is so awe-inspiring that I have to include it.
This is an excellent method for correct color in a static architectural situation. The beauty is that it can color correct may different colors... tungsten, fluorescent and daylight... all in one process. I came up with this to combat crazy colors in a school that is closing after over 100 years of operation. My dad, I, and my kids attended it, so it has nostalgic value to me and others who might enjoy the photos.
I don't know if this has ever been done, and if not it needs a name. Until I hear a better name, I'll call it "Color Stacking".
In the first image, it's clear that the color is incorrect. That's to be expected since it's fluorescent lighting recorded in daylight balance. This will provide the brightness of the final image.
The second image was color "corrected" using a gray card to attempt to neutralize the fluorescent light. Clearly not acceptable. Fluorescent lights have an incomplete color spectrum.
The third image was bounced flash. It could also be a broad light source such as a softbox or umbrella behind the camera. This will provide the color for the final image. Place this image on top of the original image and use the "color" layer blending mode in Photoshop (or "luminosity" if it's placed below the original image).
The fourth image is the result of those two images.
Since this is done in separate exposures, this isn't for a subject that would move between exposures.