Very Fun Engagement Session!!
Most of my engagement session a basically the same. I meet with the bride and groom at a nice park, gardens, the college where they met and so on. So when I was asked to do an engagement session at the Eastern State Penitentiary I was very excited!
So Last week I met Stephanie and Steven at ESP and they paid for access to restricted areas and we got some really great images.
Now you need to understand the Steven is a big horror movie buff and Stephanie want Steven to photos done somewhere he would like.
While driving to the shoot I was thinking what I could do to make these photo really cool and different.
So I did a series of images to set up the HDR process. The last image in each set I asked Stephanie and Steven to get in the photo.
After running the images through Nik HDR PRO 2, the scenes look great and the couple look like ghost!
Here a my two favs.
Beautiful Wedding and Great Friends
This past weekend I photographed the wedding of Kelli and Patrick!
The two of them are great to work with and be around. The Couple really did a great job in all their planing and the day went as sooth as glass!
How I did these images and the lighting diagram.
This past weekend I worked with a beautiful model. The location was a pool in my friends backyard.
A few people have asked me how I did this shots so here is the lighting diagram.
we started at 9:00 in the morning and finish about 11:45.
The images out of camera where a little over expose do to the amount of flash bouncing off the water and into the model. I made a slight adjustment in post production, and saturated the color a little deeper the my camera would allow. In post production I also applied and adjusted the models make up.
Here are a few final images. We moved around the pool a bit but the lighting mostly remained the same.
Here is a before and after.
Get it RIGHT in camera and spend less time editing!
There is nothing I dislike hearing more then people having to spend hours and hours at the computer editing photos due to poor photography skills!! I hear people saying more and more “I’ll fix it in Photoshop or Lightroom.” REALLY?!?!?! I guest most people rather be on their computer then out shooting or spending their time with friends or family.
Don’t get me wrong we all need to spend time making the images as perfect as possible. Adjusting contrast, a little sharping, removing blemishes, brightening eyes…… is part of the game. We still need the darkroom, now it just happens to be a computer!!
Now if editing is what you do as a way to extend your photography experience, I get that too. I have photo shoots that I do look forward to seeing on the computer. My scuba diving, green screen photography and motorcycles are my passions outside of my work. So rather then spending time in front of the TV I’ll “PLAY” with these images to relax. I still shoot these subjects the best I can in camera to make the editing as smooth as possible.
“Shoot well, edit less!”
Mike Hagan
A portrait is more then just a pretty face, it should have personality!
Today a I had a client the wanted photos done in my studio because it was just to hot outside and she was not sure what she was looking for.
I suggested that she bring a couple of outfits to my studio and we talked about the things she liked and the reason for the photos. Turns out she wanted them for her online profiles and to show off her personality. My client is a very outdoing and social person that enjoys dancing and having fun.
So we meet at the studio and she showed me her outfit selections. I pick out an outfit the fit the purpose of the photos. As she changed into the outfit I set up the lighting with a final image in mind.
Once the client was ready I took her photos on a green screen.
After the session I open the photos on Lightroom, made a few minor adjustment to the exposure.
I then bought the photos into a software that let me soften her skin, hair and features.
Finally I use a third software to remove the green screen and replace the background with one that fit the clients goals and personality.
I think the final image tells the viewer that this person is a fun, outgoing individual and a person you would like to get to know!
the three steps in green screen photography
To learn more on green screen photography you may be interested in a one day class I will be teaching on July 15th at my studio. (Wilmington De)
Here is the like to the class. If interested join the group for FREE then sign up for the class!
Green Screen Shooting and Background Replacement
Hope to see you there!!
Mike
The 4th of July!!! Great for Photography
Well with the Fourth of July just around the corner, I thought I would give a quick explanation on the best way to photograph fireworks.
The things you will need to achieve this are:
obviously your digital camera
and lens that allows you to frame your images as desired, I prefer a 28 to 70 mm lens
a very sturdy TRIPOD!!!
a remote or cable shutter release
fully charged batteries
and plenty of memory on your memory card
Step 1
Locate and determine where the fireworks will launch from.
step 2
Position yourself about 100 yards away and with some interesting foreground such as trees and other foliage in your foreground. You can also use city buildings, a bridge, or a historical monument as a nice foreground.
Step 3
Prior to sunset, set up your camera on tripod and start to get an idea of the framing you would like.
Step 4
Set the camera to manual mode and set the ISO on your camera to 400, (I will also set my cameras file type to RAW)
Step 5
Set your white balance to sunny day, (I know you’re shooting at night, but sunny day setting is completely neutral)
Step 6
Set the shutter speed on the camera to the “BULB” setting. It is located just after the slowest shutter speed you camera has, you will see something like this, 30″ 60″ BULB
Step 7
Set your aperture to between f8 to f10
Step 8
If required set the camera to work with a wireless remote or wired shutter release, I prefer wired shutter release for my photography.
Step 9
(This is the hardest part to understand)
Set your focus to manual focus, you usually do this with a switch to the left side of the lens. Focus the camera manually all the way out as if you were focusing on the horizon. Once you have that with a very slight turn back, about an 8th of an inch, you will have set the focus to infinity. Some lenses even have a symbol that looks like a sideways figure 8. This symbol represents the setting for infinity focus. If you have that simple just set the lens directly to it.
Step 10
Now you’re ready to start taking photos.
As the fireworks launch, you will see a small trail heading towards the sky, once the rocket appears to have stopped or slows down press shutter release. The rocket will explode and expand quickly but be very patient, wait for the firework to fully bloom. Just as the s firework starts to burn out, Release the shutter.
Step 11
Preview your image on the back of the camera, Adjust framing, zooming and your position if needed. Repeat step 10!
Note: If you are using a wireless remote, aim the remote at the camera, press the remote shutter button once to open the shutter and then again the close it.
If you are using a cable remote press and hold down the button down to open the shutter and release the button to close the shutter.
With a little practice you should be taking great firework images in no time
HAVE FUN AND A GREAT HOLIDAY!!
Taking a look back…What is old is new again
I was up very late last night, could not sleep, so I start going through and cleaning out some of my old photography folders and can across some good stuff that I totally forgot I even had.
A few yeas back I was really pushing me model, actor, singer portfolio photography and had a few shoots of local talent. I took these WELL TAKEN IMAGES and added in the new features in LIGHTROOM and made what I thought was really good images even better.
These images are of a local signer that need publicity shots.
Lesson: Take a look at your older images and see if you can reinvent them for today!!
Click on images to enlarges and scroll through.
The problem with digital photography
Today I get a call from a girl that just got married a few weeks ago. She starts the conversation with “I really hope you can help me.” Turns out she spent A LOT on here wedding but decided to go cheap on the photography. (Does not make a lot of sense to me but whatever)
Turns out her “photographer” really did not know what he was doing and gave her a cd of all the photos. Most of them out of focus and exposures that where all over the place. Many over exposed so bad the they could not be recovered.
She questioned the photographer about and his reply was…. Wait for it… Wait for it… ” I’ll fix them in photoshop and if I can’t I’ll make them black and white!!”
I could tell she was getting upset and started crying over the phone.
She asked me if I could help her. I told her I was sorry but I could not. The images are copyright protected even if you have a cd I can not touch them.
She started crying harder and said
” I wish I just had spent the money and hired you when I first met you over a year ago. Now I’m not going to have any professional photos of my wedding.”
THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
Just because you buy a camera and a fix it software. DOES MOT MAKE YOU A PROFESSION PHOTOGRAPHER!!!
You want to be a profession take the photo the right way so you do not need to ” FIX” it!!!!
I got an email today with this as the advertisement. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!!
Green Screen Photography and How to do it!
There is an amazing new software that produces UNBELIEVABLE results when removing the backgrounds when shooting on a green screen.
On JuLy 15th I will be teaching how to properly use a green screen and how to use this software to remove it. I will also be teaching photoshop tricks to adding backgrounds, shadows and blending to make the finished image very realistic.
If you are interested in learning these skill please visit my website:
Delaware County Photography Group and Workshops (Drexel Hill, PA) – Meetup
Join (it FREE to join)
Then sign up for the class.
All the images below where taken in a green screen!
Student makes my day
Hi All,
Well I got an email from on of my students that is taking my summer class ” Photography in the Park”
Here is her Quote:
“Gotta say thanks. You are the first person who has made my brain click and understand what you are saying. I have taken 6 other photo classes, I understood very little.”
Kimberly S.
Thanks Kimberly, I love hearing that I teach in a matter the make sense out of the confusing!
Mike
RSS: Keep up to date with Michael Hagan Photography- Very Fun Engagement Session!!
- Beautiful Wedding and Great Friends
- How I did these images and the lighting diagram.
- Get it RIGHT in camera and spend less time editing!
- A portrait is more then just a pretty face, it should have personality!
- The 4th of July!!! Great for Photography
- Taking a look back…What is old is new again
- The problem with digital photography
- Green Screen Photography and How to do it!
- Student makes my day
Michael Hagan Photography 