WEDDING PHOTOBOOTH: RHODA AND CORY

the old saying goes, "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime..."

Rhoda and Cory: just married

in wedding photography, "give guests a photobooth and you get some fun images. teach guests to enjoy a photobooth and you get really entertaining images..."

i've done the wedding reception photobooth a couple of times now and each time it has been one of the highlights of the day.  along with the bride and groom, the guests become a part of the event and have memories of the evening whether they are sober or not.  the photobooth experience provided by my studio is meant to be fun and given the right set of props and atmosphere, guests really come out of their shell to embrace the innocent playfulness it is intended to be.  

all we do is set up studio lights and a fixed backdrop, mark a spot on the floor and let the shutter fly. that's about it.  no need to get technical or worry about composition or perfect lighting.  guests decorate themselves, pose any way they want and let the image speak for themselves.

as promised to all the guests at Rhoda and Cory's wedding, the photobooth images are available on my website on a password protected client page.  click here to access my main site and please go to "clients".  from there, enter the following information:

username: rhodacoryphotobooth

password: (cory's last name)

here is a sample of what you will find in the album.  thanks to you all for embracing the experience and really having fun with it.  images are only as fun as you make them to be and you certainly did a wonderful job at that.  please enjoy!

  

    

    

   

de jesus - taking the "boo" out of photobooth.  out.

RECENT AWARDS

at a wedding shoot this past weekend, an adorable middle aged woman asked me where they could see my work.  naturally i directed them towards my website and then she asked me if i had won any awards for my photography.  odd question i thought, "honestly..." i said,  "not for my wedding work, but i have been fortunate enough to win a couple of awards for my personal work."  i have never submitted anything for my wedding work, largely because i'm still searching for that perfect image that i know represents my voice but i do on occasion submit images from my personal work.  i've always liked competition and i've always enjoyed my work being reviewed by professionals in the industry who have a trained eye and know what to look for.  often times their honest critiques have made me a better photographer and allowed me to explore abilities outside of my comfort zone.

photography is truly a subjective art much like paintings and poetry, but there is always something in each image that can connect with an audience.  something that allows it to stand on its own and sometimes stand up above others.   i would love to be able to capture images that fit this criteria all the time, but sometimes images are made in the moment, you just happen to have a camera in hand when it appears.  other times, it's a carefully constructed composition which balances the elements of light, shutter and aperture to create the mood the way it was intended in the photographer's eye. heavyweights of the industry like Peter Lik, Ansel Adams or Walter Iooss know how to achieve both and ultimately has made them successful in connecting with their fans through their work.

as an amateur photographer, i'm always happy to get a couple of memorable images i know that not only mean something to me, but to others as well.  the validation is not essential, but it is nice to know that these accomplished experts connect with your work and would honor you with an award amongst the thousands of amazing entries that get submitted.  so for that charming lady who asked if i had won any awards and for the few hundred people who follow me, here are a couple of recent awards i have been fortunate to receive from the good people at the Worldwide WOW Photo Competition, based out of calgary.

2014 contest - "eager to learn"

2015 contest - "downtown mosaic"

as per submission requirements there is a short description for each photo, but i can certainly elaborate more in a future "from the vault" post.  stay tuned...i think you will enjoy the story behind each photo.

i still feel photography isn't meant to be judged but rather appreciated.  the old saying, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" really does ring true, but if judges can appreciate and connect with an image when they see one, i'm not one to stop them from letting people know about it.  semi-colon closed bracket.

de jesus.  still searching for the superbowl-oscar-grammy-stanley cup-gold medal photo. out.

FROM THE VAULT: THE SETUP

tool of the trade

in the last few months, i've noticed that i spend a lot of time consuming content - that is, watching, reading and liking various things on social media and the internet.  we are a generation that has access to information at our fingertips at all times of the day.  inspiring, sad, funny, time-wasting, and at times even thought-provoking, the information we have readily available allows us to entertain ourselves anytime, anywhere, anyplace.

but in this phase of consuming content, i realize that i probably spend too much time consuming it rather than creating it.  as many of you know, i have a passion for photography and i do create images on a regular basis. i post mainly on instagram but those are only the snapshots i've taken with my iphone.  the posts i have shared on my blog are mostly work i have been commissioned to do and share with current and future clients.  i know i have the ability to create content but until now, i've kept a lot of it closely guarded for reasons i won't get into right now.

after a computer incident that almost wiped out some of my images forever, i realized that i want to share my photography and in doing so contributing to the creation of content - be a part of the community that inspires and entertains people (like me) who like to consume said content. thankfully, i have been able to recover most of my photos and have been ale to revisit some really amazing times in my life by looking back at some of the images.

and with that, i would like to announce a new feature on this blog which will hopefully be a regular staple that many of you might take interest in.  i will be calling it "FROM THE VAULT" (aka FTV) and will essentially be submissions of my photography (both personal and client work) that will feature an image from my collection of tens of thousands of images that has had some sort of impact on me.  i will share a story about the image which might provide some insight how my mind works (faults and all) and may detail some technical aspects as well.  it'll be free form and unstructured, with the chosen image as the central figure.  don't expect all the images to be nat geo-vanity fair type photography - this is strictly a personal project that lets me relive my past and journal the experiences (both good and bad) that have led me to this point.

i've always believed that images are intended to tell a story.  they are a snapshot of time frozen forever and have a story leading up to it and a fallout after it.  that is what has always fascinated me about photography ever since i was a kid and even more so today.  in looking through my libraries of images, i can honestly say i have thousands of stories to tell and sharing them with you brings them to life again.  i'm just a guy with a camera and words...and these are the things that help remind me that i've lived on this world and not just existed.

de jesus. here to share, not to scare.

WEDDING SHOOT: ANNA and MARTIN

weddings are an enjoyable event for the invited guests but i believe moreso for the photographer.  the photographer is able to gain "behind the scenes" access to the day and are the trusted eyes for the bride and groom, watching the story unfold before the day, to the wedding day itself and then again after the wedding is done.  the photographer is the storyteller and has the responsibility to ensure that these memories and the emotion behind them are as fresh as the day they were made.  as Anna and Martin's photographer for this special occasion, i am happy to share a collection of some of these happy memories with all of you.



de jesus - capturing special memories one click at a time. out.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT: ANNA and MARTIN

i've known Anna and Martin for many years so this was supposed to be a fun shoot.  this was supposed to be an easy shoot, because i understand their sense of humor and know what i could do to make them smile and laugh.  this was supposed to be a relaxed shoot because of our established comfort with each other, ensuring that genuine emotion would come through.  this was supposed to be all that...and i'm glad to say it was.

with all of my clients, it is important to have an engagement shoot to build a relationship with them, to understand what style of communication they prefer and develop a plan for cues to make the wedding day shoot a breeze.  i need to know what kinds of things will make them smile, be loving and be silly.  they have to know what i mean when i ask them them to "relax the hand, give me blue steel" or  "tell her a secret". so even though Anna and Martin are friends i know very well, they are a couple i have to treat as clients just the same.

being a friend doesn't hurt though.  they were comfortable with me from the very start and i believe their comfort came through the final images.  it didn't take very much for us to get into a groove and capture some really fun "fly-on-the-wall" type moments while also putting them into a few posed images that are captivating and beautiful in its simplicity. 

we spent the afternoon wandering around downtown and wanted to blend in important elements which i felt was key to the theme of the shoot.  using the diverse backdrops our city has to offer, i tried to create a soft theme which celebrated the past, present and future.  in looking to the past, we worked in front of a historic sandstone building that used to serve as a school many decades ago.  

being in the present led us to the infamous stephen ave walk, where we enjoyed some candid moments dancing around and having good ol' fashioned fun on the streets in front of complete strangers.  Anna and Martin really let loose here and indulged me into some fantastic candid moments that really captured what i love about working with couples who are in absolute adoration of each other. these are the type of genuine moments you can't manufacture.

we covered off the tour by touching on the future.  using the latest public art installation in downtown calgary called the "chinook arch", we basically utilized the scuplture as a giant softbox and managed to get a combination of fun and artistic images that helped me explore my rooted interest in utilizing architecture and art installations as backdrops for the image.  the movement of lines of the sculpture helped frame Anna and Martin as the focal point yet provided enough dynamic interest for the viewer to dance around the images playfully until they found the lovely couple in a sweet embrace.

earning trust with your clients is the one of the most important things you can do as a photographer.  it enables you to focus on your creativity because the client has already bought in to your philosophy and style and believes that you have the eye that matches well with their expectations.  they will "stop, collaborate and listen" to whatever situation they are being put in because they trust that you will be rewarding them with the best images possible.

i'm looking forward to spending time with these two very special people on their wedding day this summer.  if this engagement shoot was any indication, the wedding day shoot will be just as fun and relaxed and should be full of really amazing moments that i will be fortunate enough to capture.

de jesus. summer's here. out.

GOHAN SUSHI LOUNGE

opening a new restaurant is never easy.  there are a lot of things behind the scenes that need to be taken care of and then there are the things in the front of house that needs attention.  you have to worry about the menu, the equipment, the staff and making sure that the decor is in line with the basic theme of the restaurant.  often times it's not the food itself you have to worry about as much as making sure people know about the food.  that's where i can help.  

the good people at calgary's newest sushi restaurant GOHAN Sushi Lounge asked me to help with the photography of some of their exquisite and colorful menu items to help promote their opening to the local community.  the shoot was broken up into two parts: 1) photo work with a model and 2) photo work with the food itself.

i decided that using a jet black backdrop for the shoot would really help make the vibrant colors pop and to add some refined elegance to the images, i used a black glass table to help highlight the reflections of the dishes as well as the food.  so armed with a small softbox, continuous light strobes and my 105mm nikkor macro lens, i think i managed to capture some stunning images which hopefully not only delight your eyes, but perhaps your taste buds as well.

having spent a dinner there just recently, i can assure you that the food is delicious and worth your time to check out.  the staff are very passionate about their menu and want to make sure you leave with a desire to come back with your family and friends. i'm reminded that there is nothing better for a restaurant than customers feedback and word of mouth business to keep the kitchen busy.

  

GOHAN is already open to the public with a grand opening scheduled in the coming weeks.  and for those that have a knack for creating delicious food, GOHAN is holding a contest where you can submit a recipe to the restaurant and the winning roll will be featured on their menu for an entire month!  (time to work on my spam, over-easy egg and garlic fried rice roll...)

so what about the model shoot?  below is one of my edited images and then below that the final image which is currently being used by GOHAN for their social media advertisements as well as their front of house banner.  those with a keen eye will notice how the image was photoshopped to replace the patterned badge on vanessa's right shoulder with the logo of the restaurant.  in the coming weeks, i will share some of the other stunning japanese inspired images vanessa and i worked on in our shoot together.

de jesus. goto gohan. out.

WEDDING SHOOT: HAILEY and DEREK

i've known Hailey and Derek for a few years and was honored to be selected as their photographer for their wedding day.  they are a really fun couple with a great sense of humor and i knew this would be a can't miss event.  in a time where online dating, speed dating and other non-traditional ways of meeting people are becoming a social norm, it is still unique to think that these two met on twitter.  yes - twitter. Derek is very active in the social media world and as it turns out, he had posted something which caught Hailey's attention.  after following each other on twitter, it became apparent that they had more in common than just the social issues they were passionate about.  from that point, it didn't take very long for them to start dating which then built into a long lasting relationship and the marriage they are enjoying to this day. #winning indeed.

i always include an engagement shoot in my wedding packages because it is important for me to know how the couple interacts with each other as well as understand what cues i can use to make them feel comfortable around me.  it is essential to build a "photographer rapport" with my clients to build their trust and let them know that my goal is to not be intrusive while capturing both the formal poses but more importantly the genuine moments...the moments as if no one was watching.  those for me are my favorite images because that is where i believe true beauty lies.

so on an october afternoon we set out to capture images of Hailey and Derek hanging out in the city they love and spending a chill afternoon as they would normally do.  here is a sample of what we accomplished that autumn day:

to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary, i'd like to share with you some of the memorable images of their special day.  you might not notice it, but it was a cold february afternoon and respect to both bride and groom (and the bridal party) for being brave enough to take direction from me on a day when you could see your breath outside.  their positive and eager attitude was worth it as i believe we captured memories that looked effortless and will undoubtedly last a lifetime.

when all is said and done, all we have is our memories and whether they are good or bad, they are uniquely ours and help tell the story of what we've done and where we came from.  as a photographer, i'm thankful that i'm able to document these memories for wonderful people like Hailey and Derek and i'm humbled to be allowed in to share these moments with them as well.

congrats and best wishes on the little one coming soon!

de jesus. #blessed #out.

PUERTAS

who thought my fascination with doors would come to good use one day? recently, our city hosted the calgary international flamenco festival which featured talented artists from around the world.  in its 4th year, the festival awoke our senses to the beautiful culture that is flamenco.  everything from the dramatic melodies of the guitar to the haunting notes of the singers which complemented so neatly with the rhythm of the flamenco dance itself - these series of shows provided a glimpse of a day in the life in southern spain.

one of the key organizers and featured performers of the festival is Fiona Malena, someone i have admired and respected professionally and fortunate to call a friend for many (many) years.  when she asked me to help with her upcoming show, "Puertas" she brought out in me a new dimension of enthusiasm in my work that i didn't think was possible.  being a portrait photographer by profession, my work isn't featured much past my clients and their family and friends to enjoy and share.  i have been able to collaborate with clients for the occasional poster advertisement, but this was a unique opportunity to share a few images of my hobby photography as a backdrop to an actual show.

la puerta principal

the purpose of "Puertas" was to bring in different cultural influences into a flamenco concert, allow the audience to experience the differences (but more importantly the similarities) of how music/dance from different regions interplay with each other.  Fiona's vision of the show was to have people feel how connected the art of flamenco is in spite of its differences.

for an unseasoned audience like myself, i particularly wouldn't know when one culture was being featured apart from each other.  perhaps the breaks in the music and style may have helped, but the appreciation of the transition from one theme to another may have been lost on the casual observer, especially if it wasn't explicitly mentioned.  Fiona believed that utilizing imagery could complement both her dancing and the music and would also provide just the right amount of atmosphere to let the audience immerse themselves in the story being told, while allowing our base senses to provide its own narrative.

la puerta judia

in the planning stages, Fiona and i met for dinner and discussed the show.  there were visions of grandeur that involved laser beams, pyrotechnics and little people on unicycles balancing on a camel's back, but Fiona shot my ideas down...thinking that it might be juuuust a bit over the top (she probably regretted asking me to help out at this point).  but as we continued with her vision for the show, she asked if i would be able to share some of my photography, a portfolio of work she has sampled on those ever important social media sites like facebook and instagram (photographers - don't ever discount the importance of these sites...more on that on a future post).  i of course was more than happy to share my work for her show and with a common understanding of expectations, i sifted through my photos to see if i can align with what she needed for her ambitious and thoroughly captivating plans.

the goal was simple - the show would be divided into cultural sections: latin, arabic, jewish and indian. the overall theme was in the name "Puertas" which is spanish for "doors".  "Puertas" is a story focused on four doors or four portals to the cultures mentioned above.  music would be composed and the dance choreographed with that in mind and the imagery would complement each section as a dramatic backdrop to the performers.  and my job was to simply provide the four doors...

la puerta arabe

so i went through my photography, challenged to provide architectural door images i have taken throughout the world while keeping in mind that i haven't been to places like israel or india.  but as most travelers know, influences are everywhere no matter where you are and much like the food of a country, the influences and diversity from neighboring or even faraway cultures still manage to find its way in foreign lands.  you just have to open your eyes to it.

la puerta latin

luckily enough, i did find compelling images from my travels that suited each section which had enough interest to be a backdrop for featured performers but not overly busy to take away from them either.  after the sign of approval from Fiona, we went ahead with the images shown here.

la puerta india

i attended "Puertas" here in calgary and was simply amazed at the concert as a whole.  Fiona and her ensemble were flawless, carrying with them a sensibility of their culture that was expressed in such a beautiful and immersive form.  there were several moments throughout the performance where i did close my eyes and breathed in the vocals, the dancing guitar and the steady cadence of hand clapping and percussion.  i listened for the light clicking of her shoes as she commanded the stage, broken by the timely joyous praise of "ole!" from people in the audience.  even when i opened my eyes again, the beautifully crafted costumes, the passion for song and the breathtaking images of doors in the background pulled me away from home for at least that moment and brought me to a faraway place and it is that feeling of transport that i can say that it was a total success.

courtesy: fiona malena

on a personal note, i've never seen my photos displayed at that size and resolution so it was a proud moment for me to see the images in the first place but to see them beautifully incorporated into the show  was a really great experience. the feedback to the show and the images were very positive and i would like to thank Fiona for allowing me to be a small part of such a unique and inspiring opportunity.  i hope that i can to continue to share my work with people and collaborate with passionate artists like Fiona and find new and exciting ways to explore my own creativity.

here is a sample of the show, (notice the huge amazing images in the background!) but more importantly features an interview with the talented Fiona Malena herself:

de jesus. ole and out.