Simple Beauty

Sometimes the most beautiful images are the ones without a lot of extra elements. This week I was traveling to and from the east coast for a meeting and used the time on the plane to edit a shoot. I have a new program that lets me edit faster and easier, (and by edit I mean make selections, not retouch.) The program is called Mylio and I love it because it gives me my time back. Before Mylio I would download my images on my main computer and have to sit there and do edits as time flew by. Now, with Mylio I can edit anywhere because my images go to all my devices from just uploading once to my main computer. It's the most amazing program I've ever seen.

I pulled out my ipad and started to make selections faster than I've ever made before. By the time I arrived in Washington, DC from Los Angeles, I'd made new selections from several shoots. Now I can update my website with fresh new images and make better use of my time on airplanes.

This image was made using two Profoto strobes, art paper from a local art store and my Sony a99 camera with the 85mm and 100 macro lens. Image selection was done on the plane using Mylio, which by the way puts the fun back into editing.


Retouched Final_DSC6322.jpg


Music Day

This morning I got a call from Aretha Franklin to start my day. I love when she calls! It's always early in the morning and she's the only person in the world who calls me "Jordan."

Aretha is currently in the studio putting the final touches on her latest CD. We shot the images a few months ago and we had a ball. She's called me a few times to tell me how much she loves them and that makes me happy. 

I also received my newest CD cover today as well. I few months ago I shot the music package for a Japanese artist. During the shoot we played her music and she sang along. It reminded me of working with Aretha because she also loves to play her music when we shoot together.

Photographed with the Sony A7R camera using an 85mm Carl Zeiss lens. 

Photographed with the Sony A7R camera using an 85mm Carl Zeiss lens.

 



Night Photography and the Sony A7R

In the 90's  I shot a swimsuit calendar for Tyra Banks. We shot all over the island of Jamaica and were often up at 4:00am to start hair and makeup. Back then, to shoot at night or  early morning before the sun came up was difficult. I remember having my assistants carrying all types of photo gear and lighting gear to create the types of images I wanted.

Today photography has come a long way, and thanks to the Sony A7R camera, photography is much easier than it was in the past. No more lugging heavy cases of photo gear to create photographs with high production value. Now this lightweight camera has opened up opportunities for me to create great images in a much easier manner.

The other night I wanted to try shooting on the beach at night. I brought minimal gear, just my Sony A7R with two lenses, the 24-70mm lens and a 55mm lens. I also took along a Profoto B1 strobe and a small stand, and a handheld light meter. Everything fit into one lightweight backpack, so instead of having an army of photo assistants, cases of gear and heavy lights and strobe packs, I could easily shoot by myself and create stunning images.

I love shooting in this manner and I love how photography has become easier today. You still need knowledge to create powerful photographs but technology has opened the door so we can create images in a much easier way. I wonder what Sony will come up with next?

 

Always Dream Big!

My Big Secret

Many people missed my "big announcement" a week ago on Facebook and Twitter. I will share it a few times this week to ensure the secret gets out. If you missed it, here it is and feel free to share it.

I have held a big secret for two years now. Secrets are hard to hold on to at times, but this one made me smile deep inside my soul. I have told almost everyone I know that I spent two years photographing children from 100 families across America for a project I call Future American President. Well, I did travel to every state in America and it was wonderful to meet strangers in this manner. Yes, Zendaya, the Disney star from Shake It Up, is in the book, and she wrote the books forward. Yes, President Jimmy Carter wrote a special opening note exclusively for the book, and yes, as some of you have guessed, my secret is about a child. The secret I have kept all this time is..................

I have only photographed 99 families for Future American President, not 100 as the book says on the cover. 

My "Big Secret" is  I have saved the last space, the 100th spot, for you and YOUR child. I have saved space for you to have your child on the COVER of my new book, Future AmericanPresident. 

I have made a Youtube video to explain how you can have a custom book that feature your child as the face of Future American President. Please share this link with every parent or grandparent you know - http://bit.ly/SquvzM

Future American President will make a powerful gift for your child this Christmas season for parents and grandparents. Not only will it help to empower your child but it will also help inform as the book is filled with educational elements to keep your child going back to it for years to come. For example, instead of having a traditional table of contents at the start of the book, I have sequenced the book in order of how each state came into the Union, showing children how America was formed. 

They will also learn about past American Presidents and where each was born. In the Presidential map of America, they will be able to quickly learn where each American President was born along with the years each served in office. Future American President is meant to inspire and educate. There are other elements in the new book, which comes out fall of 2014, but you can only pre-order the book with your child on the cover until June 30th, 2014.

Future Presidents Map of America.png

Order your personalized copy of Future American President here: http://igg.me/at/YourChildsCover/x/8035330
 

Always Dream Big!

Day 1 By The North Pole

Photography has taken me all over the world, but I never thought I would ever shoot by the North Pole. My latest trip was to Svalbard, just 600 miles south of the North Pole. When I first mentioned to friends and family that I was headed to Svalbard, they all said "where?"

Svalbard is really no man's land. It is not part of any country, as no country owns the North Pole or the arctic ocean surrounding it, but Norway governs this area. To get to Svalbard, I flew from Los Angeles to London, London to Oslo, Oslo to Tromsa, Tromsa to Longyearbyen, and then finally onto an ice cutter ship to head north to Svalbard.

This expedition was extreme so it was critical that I had the best camera gear. I took three Sony camera's bodies along; A Sony A7R with a vertical grip, a Sony 7R body and a Sony A99 body.  I love using these camera's because they offer me the ability to capture amazing images without getting in the way or slowing me down. While other photographers are looking at the backs of their camera's to see if they have an image, I'm concentrating on getting great images every instant I can.

For example, on day one of our expedition, we saw a polar bear taking a nap. We were in a Zodiac raft when we spotted him and started photographing him. One moment he was napping and the next moment he was up on his feet. This image was taken as he got up and started to move.

I love my A7R because I get an instant preview as I shoot. This way I don't have to worry about looking on the back of the camera to see if I caught the moment. The polar bear is backlit by the sun, which can be hard to capture, but a fast adjustment with my eye still glued to the action was easy and simple to do. If I had to look at the back of my camera on a very bright day I would have missed this shot.

To create this image I use the Sony A7R camera with a 70-200mm zoom lens and a 2x converter. On my A7 body, I had a 55mm lens to capture a wider version of the image. Shooting wide shots, (the 55mm lens) and close shots with the zoom is something I always try to do in situations like this. Many photographers are concerned with only getting the close shots but you never know how you will tell your story until you are back at your computer and editing your images. Shoot wide and close as much as possible. If you think you have a powerful image, change you lens and rediscover a different way to tell your story.

Big vs Small

I've taken two big trips this year centered around photography. The first was to China to receive the Power of Image award in Beijing, and the second was to Svalbard, just 600 miles south of the North Pole. Today, I'll spend a little time talking about China.

For both trips I was around professional and amateur photographers from all over the world, each with their own unique tools of the trade. I took my favorite camera along, a Sony A7R body and A7 Body with several lenses. I like using a battery grip because I love shooting vertical images in my line of work, but even when I shoot horizontally, the grip feels great in my hand. The grip also holds two batteries vs one, and this is very important considering how I shoot.

During my trip to China several of the photographers who also received awards asked or commented on my Sony A7R. It seems everyone is hearing about how great this camera is. One photographer, who is sponsored by another company, told me he'd purchased the Sony A7R in secret because he likes it so much. It is one power house of a camera.

Shooting with the Sony A7R on a smoggy day in Beijing

Shooting with the Sony A7R on a smoggy day in Beijing

Temple of Heaven Exhibit in Beijing, China



During the exhibit in Beijing, which took place at the Temple of Heaven, one of the photographers asked me to take a picture of him using his camera. When I held his big DSLR I was shocked how heavy and bulky it was. It's been a long time since I've had a camera like that in my hand, so I told him to hold my camera. He couldn't believe the weight of my A7R and talked about it the entire trip. I teased the others who complained about their heavy gear as we traveled around various parts of China, and shared some of the features that I really love about this camera. One of the best features for me about using the A7 and A7R is that the camera lets me concentrate on being creative. It doesn't get in the way. Yes, I am sponsored by Sony, but it's not the reason why I shoot Sony. The reason why I love shooting with this new Sony camera is that it gives the the flexibility to do great work and make critical adjustments in the moment. The electronic view finder is something that professional photographers can really take advantage of. I've watched so many people miss great images because they are looking at the last image on the back of the camera. During these moment, life is passing by, but with my Sony A7R I never miss a moment, because I get an instant preview of the image in the viewfinder. This way I never have to take my eye away from the viewfinder. When you are shooting street action things happen fast and you can't miss a moment by looking at the back of the camera to see if you have the shot.

The Sony A7R is small and light in weight but offers a 36MP image that blows the doors off other camera's. On top of that the price is substantially better than its competition. 

The Coldest Day

There are times as a photographer when you feel absolutely incredible. Maybe it is because of the photographic opportunities around you, or maybe it is because of the new camera or lens you have in your hand. This day was bitter sweet for many reasons but the sweetest moments of the day took place while I held my Sony A7R to my eye and tuned out everything else.

Cameras:
Sony A7R
Lens: Sony 55mm lens

Sony a99
Sony 20mm lens

Location:
Svalbard
600 miles south of the North Pole