today was fun

I think I've mentioned before that I'm a member of our local guild, the South Plains Professional Photographers Association. It's a great group of people and I wish I could go to more meetings. It's one of my goals this year to try.

So, today (and last night) we had the wonderful Mr. Tony Corbell teaching a workshop on lighting. Which he is super at, by the way. It was so great to be amoung folks who are obsessed about images just like me. WONDERFUL! I had a great time and now my brain is full of ideas and just what I can do next. WATCH OUT WORLD!

We had a model there and I sat on the front row, of course. All that loud rock music of my youth has made my hearing a bit dull. So, front row baby.

After lunch we went outside and put into practice the same concepts of lighting. Regardless of where the light comes from, it's light. And since I LOVE chasing light, this was a great workshop for me to see how to direct it and shape it according to what we want the finished image to be.

There's Tony is the shot below. He's a great teacher. He's also at Texas School every year, which would be totally awesome, I assume. Tony for a week? I've never been, but I've heard great things. I can't swing a week away from the family and if I could, it would be for Foundation Workshop, which is so so so so on the top of my bucket list to do!!! Texas School is too, maybe someday, but my heart is filled with a yearning to shoot for the story, so someday, somehow, I'll make Foundation.

sigh (insert dreaming time...)

Tony owned and operated a studio out of Midland Texas and knew many of the photographers from this area. They have built strong relationships and it was fun to hear his stories. Kathy presented him with a gift for coming and sharing his knowledge with us measly West Texas folks, and I'm so glad he did. :)

Okay, so on to the images! This is Hannah, who I finally got to meet today. She's a photographer and has the BEST hair! I had never shot with a light meter that I can remember. Maybe I did many moons ago when my gear bag was filled with film? Not sure. But it was great to nail shots straight out of camera! Of course, we had many assistants holding up reflectors, diffusers, black panels, etc. I never have that luxury on a session, but hey, I can use buildings, my white Tshirt, and maybe bribe my kid or a mom or two and get close. very close.

Isn't her hair GORGEOUS!!!

Below is Jason Penn, Christy Penn's Hubby. He's such a great guy and it was so cool to see him and Christy again! Next time, my place, K?

Then if we wanted to shoot studio, indoor, they gave us a shot. Of course, I jumped at that chance and quickly made a fool of myself when I couldn't do the math. but who cares. I tried, and you know what? I understood, which is even better. I know my camera well. Very well, but being self taught, I don't know how to take a setting, change it light wise, and then do the math in my head to get it rightly exposed. If I'm supposed to go 2 stops over, I just dial it in. Boy oh boy! Fun stuff, this light manipulation!

Here's some of the beautiful Miss Casey who I so gracoiusly volunteered to come up and model for us. LOL Thank you, Casey!!! The first one is with just the modeling lights. The next, with the lights fired. Kinda cool both ways, if you ask me.

Ahh...the fabulous Miss Christy Penn!!! I love this girl! She's so energetic and full of love and always makes you feel just right. These are just SOOC with just the modeling lights on. Someone else was shooting at the time and I'm photographing from the floor. Christy could make anything look GREAT! Even me and my bad math. LOL

Oh, and because blogger sucks at uploading pictures, here's one mixed up. Another shot of Casey. BEAUTIFUL! :)

the last one I played a bit with, but still!!!! HELLO!!! This studio stuff is fun and knowledge is always power, so I'm feeling pretty pumped about my session tomorrow. Watch out WORLD, I'm taking it over!!!! (or at least a little part of it for a while tomorrow. LOL)

thanks for reading!