TANYA & ROBERT MARRIED back in March, so we’re now just finishing up their album with a few more edits. Here’s their album as it looks now. I just love the lighting at The Vineyards where they both tied the knot. Glorious!
Click to play the show.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to shoot back stage at a fashion show and capture some quick model shots of Courtney Martinez for her portfolio. The shoots took place at a frantic pace at the Oasis Salon and Spa adjacent to where the fashion show was taking place. What interested me were the interactions between the models themselves and the makeup folks. Just loved capturing the energy of the moment. No shots of the ‘actual’ show itself. That was left up to another pro photographer. The shoot was all last minute arranging so I had little time to co-ordinate that part. Nevertheless, I think I had the more interesting shoot:-)
The model I centered most of my attention on was Courtney who had kindly invited me to the show, a distant relative on my wife’s side. It just so happened I was looking for a good story to cover. She looks beautiful and was allot of fun to work with!
The photos are also available to see on my main website.
~Philip
BACKSTAGE PREPARATIONS
COURTNEY’S MODEL SHOOT
JUST LOVED SHOOTING TIFFANY AND SEAN’S WEDDING LAST SATURDAY.
Tiffany has three lovely sisters who just so much fun. I really enjoyed documenting the interactions between the four of them, friends and family. Their wedding was at St.Thomas Episcopal Church just of 1604 and 281, not more than eight miles from my home and the reception was at Club Sonterra.
Truly, a very enjoyable experience and lovely folks! Below are a few of my favorites.
I love what I do. I’ve been shooting professionally since 1992 having started on a local newspaper. Now, I shoot weddings. If you asked me this 10 to 15 years ago and asked what would I be doing, to be honest, shooting weddings was the last thing on my mind.
Why do I say this? Growing up in England, generally, wedding photography was very traditional and..boring (there were many photographers who were shooting documentary-check out Denis Reggie, but we’re talking ‘mainstream’ here). There’s still a huge market for this but just not my cup of tea. It is of course all very subjective and there are many who will not agree with me. The photographer ‘directs’ the event, sometimes telling the couple how to stand, hold the knife this way, how to pose etc. Now of course, we’ve all heard of wedding photojournalism, and now it just seems to be an over used term. However you call it, I love to ‘document’ the day. Every photographer has a different interpretation it seems, but I try to follow a strict interpretation and not to interfere, without talking, interfering, reporting the naturally occurring events. This also applies to wedding details and set up shots.
When I arrived here in the States in early 2006 and having spent eleven years on cruise ships managing other photographers, I knew I wanted to stay in photography but I just wasn’t too sure what to do. The last few months of my career on ships I was shooting some model/fashion portfolios which was huge fun. Imagine shooting on location in ports in Barcelona, Spain; Nice in France to name a few.
I had the shooting bug back and just knew I had to get of ships as soon as possible. So, when I did arrive in the States and was busy setting up my life here with my wife, Marcie, I continued to shoot models and actors for their portfolios. I really enjoyed this and the challenge of coming up with new and original ideas. And I still enjoy shooting the odd model shoot here and there. It was when I took a trip to WPPI-Wedding and Portrait Photographers International in Las Vegas later that year and I realized that shooting weddings was the way for me to go. I met some amazing documentary style photographers including George Trifinovic, an international award winning Australian wedding photojournalist whose work just blew me a way. In fact, he had a huge influence on me immediately and I sat to work on looking at many photographers, not just wedding photographers for inspiration. Today, I still look at many photographers work and I love to meet many new and old faces here in town.
The key for me to keep improving my images is education and inspiration. For many photographers, it can be different things. For me, it’s studying the great photojournalists of the last century. Notice, they’re not wedding photographers. It’s important I think, in order to learn your craft and to continue to take great images, to learn from the best out there and of course, photography encompasses many styles and types. I continue to revisit Henri Cartier-Bresson. I just received my latest book ‘A propos de Paris’. Check out the WPJA, the Wedding Photojournalists Association. It’s a great wedding photojournalist resource for brides and photographer alike. I’m a member and acceptance is based upon certain criteria and the merits of your work. There’s such a high caliber of work here from all over the world, it’s hard not to feel inspired and run out and shoot.
I’m just starting to shoot other documentary projects that I love and really get back to basics. With a two year old and another on the way, this is a very hectic house. But you know what, I can’t let that become an excuse. These projects are personal and ongoing, just like cooking a slow stew. For me, I take the same philosophy when shooting, be it a wedding or something else, it’s all about waiting for the right moment and, as cheesy as it sounds, loving life. When it all comes together at the right time, it’s a natural high and I can’t wait to get back into the office and see the images.
YVONNE & MATT MARRIED LAST SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2009.
Tying the knot at The Marriott Plaza, downtown on Saturday, Yvonne and Matt make a wonderful couple. It was rather hot and humid with the ceremony and reception outdoors, but that didn’t seem to stop folks from having a good time! Yvonne and Matt both wok for CPS Energy and met over a bowl of soup!
We wish them both congratulations on their new journey together.
So with summer now officially here and me being a white Englishman, the heat in the 100’s can be a real killer when working a 12 hour day, so I always take time out to refresh and rehydrate. It’s so important to do this, otherwise I’ll just keel over or stop concentrating. For the 12 hours I’m shooting, I really need to be thinking with a clear head, so among my gear will be a bottle of water, a towel and lots of aspirin. I always end up with a headache if I’m not careful. In the three years I’ve been here in San Antonio, this has been the hottest few weeks that I can remember.
I’m really trying to streamline my gear a bit more. Funny, sometimes I bump into my friends at a church and they’ll comment how they knew it was me from a distance as all they saw was a guy with three cameras around his neck. Anyway gear can get really heavy but I try and keep things simple. I carry two Nikon D700’s and one D3 with my fantastic and favorite lens, a Nikon 50 mm f 1.4 (before you ask all you crazy equipment people, no, it’s not the newest one), a 14-24mm f 2.8 zoom and my 70-210 f 2.8. By far, my favorite lens is my 50mm. The prime lens is great as it forces you into physically getting near and far from your subject and really makes you think when composing.
Many of the best photojournalists, including Henri Cartier-Bresson used one as standard. I carry all my gear around in Lowepro backpack-just brilliant and it distributes the gear nicely so it’s not difficult to carry. I don’t carry the bag when shooting, only to store on location. I’m trying to be quiet and discreet and NOT draw attention to myself.
I’ve always used macs and last month I updated my mac to a Mac Pro, along with four extra internal hard drives and a gorgeous Apple monitor. This thing rocks and really crunches my image uploads in half so I really feel like I can stay on top of things. The post production stage is paramount for me and I will only except the best results. Streamlining production with these computers is really wonderful for me, along with my little two year old and another on the way is all for me, very helpful. I use Adobe Lightroom for the majority of my work and use Photoshop every day for further image enhancements. I’m not one looking for perfection. I think that would be overkill and many photographers do look for that image perfection. My style is documentary so I want my images to look real, not fake or overly developed/over sharpened soft high contract images. My clients love the black and white images I produce and to me that’s what’s important. I changed my office around so my computers have their backs to the windows (as they should be) and brought in my old desk from the garage. Now the office space is split up with the pro side farthest away from the window and our personal computer on the other. Now, my wife and I finally have our own space along with my ever increasing book shelf!
I just finished re-reading James Nachtwey’s beautiful yet harrowing book “Inferno’. There is not enough words here to describe the book and I’m not a great writer, but if you’re a photographer who’s looking for inspiration, then this is a very good buy or pick up a copy of the DVD bio done about ten years ago. There’s a beauty and simplicity in his images with wonderful composition using lines and shadows that just makes you look and want to look further. Suffice to say, subconsciously Bresson and other photographers have a lasting impression as I shoot. I’m a work in progress and always will be. I have the World Press Photo 2009 book on it’s way and another Henri Cartier Bresson book coming so I’m really looking forward to that.
Happy shooting!
July 10, 2009 - 11:29 pm - HI Philip, Hearty congratulations for your second child who is on the way...I am always in awe of your work and always respected you as a team leader.. Your new website looks very trendy and informative. Lets keep connected.. I just called up and it rang and rang and finally gave up.Just wished to have a word with you..I am in Bombay and done with ships. Anxiously awaiting your reply when you have the time regards to Marcie and tonnes of love to little Lily, she is so beautiful..God bless Manny
by Philip Thomas
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