Project 365, Day 31. That's one month down!

Last day in January!

That makes one month down!

Whooo!

Tonight's picture is nothing special. I'm still sick, not feeling too creative and its really cold outside.



One month down, 11 to go...

Until February....!

Project 365, Day 30. I got to play with new toys!

Today we stopped off at the local camera store, which is famous for it's complete lack of knowledge and very crappy service and shitty selection.

Only to find that they had two brand new lenses in stock that I have been wanting!

The Nikon 24mm f/1.4 and the 35mm f/1.4 I didn't even know the 35mm lens had hit the shelves yet!

I could go on and on like my buddy, Jason Odell about the amazing technical aspects of these lenses...

Or I could give you the full report that Doug requested from me when I told them they were in stock....

"I want."

These lenses are amazingly sharp and have such a shallow depth of field that they make perfect portrait lenses. I can think of several ideas that I want to try that I could only do with these lenses.

They even let me play with them in the store, since I had my camera with me.

The pic of the day is my favorite from playing with the 35mm lens, which is the one I want the most at the moment.


After seeing the shots I took, Emily suddenly understood why I want them (I've been going on about them for ages) and was as sad as I was to leave them in the store, despite the salesman's best effort.

Can't wait till I have a job. These two lenses just moved to the top of the want list!

Until tomorrow...!

Pic O' The Week #5

So the harp seemed like a really interesting subject for pictures until I actually tried taking some. Then....not so much. Not sure why, just wasn't too impressed with what I was getting. This is a shot looking sideways down along the strings. I like how just one of the strings is in focus, and the rest is just a blur.

Project 365, Day 29. Sometimes you just never know.

I thought tonight I would take a picture of a string on Emily's harp vibrating.

So, I did.

Turns out, it's not all that interesting to look at.

I decided to go with this instead....


I like this much better.

Sometimes you just never know what's going to look good or not. Not until you try it.


Until tomorrow....!

Project 365, Day 28. "I'm not a dog person..."

On the first date with the gal who would later turn out to be my wife, she tells me:

"I'm not a dog person..."


Riiiiiggggggghhhhhhttttttt......



Until tomorrow....!

Project 365, Day 27, A Navy SEAL in the backyard?

Is there a Navy SEAL in my backyard?

You tell me!


This is not a composite or multiple exposure image. The only post processing was some color correction, sharpening and tonal adjustments.....

So, is the Navy training in my backyard or is there another explanation?

Remember to click on the picture once or twice to see it larger!

Until tomorrow....!

Project 365, Day 26. It's hard to be creative when you're sick.

I'm still not feeling very well.

I almost went with snot as a subject matter today.

I wonder what Joe McNally does when he feels like crap?

Tonight I decided to do some dramatic lighting and switch it to black and white.


Nothing too spectacular. As soon as I kick this crud, I'll try something more...creative.

Until tomorrow....!

Project 365, Day 25, I'm under the weather....

I'm not feeling so good today.

Runny nose, sore throat, cough, congestion. You know, the crud. (Yes, that is medical terminology.)

As a paramedic, I can only do so much. All of my GOOD drugs are in Afghanistan.

So, I went to see The Doctor.



I didn't have the heart to tell him he's taking my pulse on the wrong side of my wrist....


Until tomorrow....!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 24. Out the classroom window...

I am right in the middle of doing my continuing education for my paramedic recertification.

At the moment, I am sitting in on a class where they are training EMT's to be paramedics. It's an interesting mix of information I haven't used since I was in school myself, a rehash of information that has become so ingrained I don't even think about it anymore and a small percentage of information I'm embarrassed to say I have forgotten over the years.

More than anything, it's enjoyable to watch the new would-be paramedics sweat.

That's mean, I know.

While enjoying a lecture on airway management today, I looked out the window and saw the Flight For Life helicopter. St. Anthony's FFL program was the first of its kind in the country. Just a tidbit of cool info for you there.


Maybe not the best shot I've ever taken, but I had to take it quick before the guy in the Afghanistan "Good Medicine In Bad Places" t-shirt (me) scared off all the noobs.

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 23... It's been a Doctor Who kinda day..

It's been cold and windy outside. Everyone has the sniffles.

Not a whole lot of motivation to do much of anything, including shooting.

As I've mentioned previously, my other hobby is customizing action figures. Normally, I make them for myself, friends (Yes JD, I am still working on yours..) and the occasional commission.

However, I do make them as little gifts for Emily now and again too.

At the moment I am working on a set of Doctor Who figures. There's been eleven different Doctors in case you haven't been keeping track.

Today, I was working on the tenth Doctor while streaming episodes staring the ninth doctor to my iPhone from Netflix (catch all that?)

The ninth Doctor was played by Christopher Ecceleston... In case you wanted a comparison shot.


I have three of them done, working on a fourth... Should be interesting!

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Pics O' The Week #4

So I started out this evening planning to take pictures of the socks I'm working on....and I guess the results are ok, but somehow it's not quite what I was looking for. But, really, how exciting are socks as a general rule?



The details are nice, but... kinda blah, even for me.




The yarn is beautiful, though (thanks Mom!).






But after all the planning, this accidental pic (a test shot while playing with flashes) is actually the one I like most:

Project 365, Day 22, Wildlife...Take 2!

After my post yesterday on the difficulty of wildlife photography, what happens?

I get a chance to do it again for the second day in a row. Nice.

Emily called me from the car to tell me to get my ass and camera a few blocks from home if I wanted to get shots of a Red Tailed Hawk that was sitting "pretty as a picture".

I figured he'd be gone by the time I got down there, perhaps after my subject from yesterday's picture....but nope, he was still there!

I probably could have gotten closer, but I remember the words of my favorite wildlife photographer, Moose Peterson, "Never frighten off wildlife just to get your shot."

Now...I just need Moose to give my wife a phone call. "You're husband needs a bigger lens."

He's a friend on Facebook.... Hmmm.....


Remember to click once or twice on the picture to see the get the full effect!

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 21. Wildlife!

Yeah, so it isn't some of the more majestic wildlife the state of Colorado has to offer...

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Black Bear, hell...even Bald Eagle during the right time of year. Even the occasional Moose.

Speaking of moose, my favorite wildlife photography happens to be Moose Peterson. He has amazing skills, tons of experience and as much knowledge about his subjects as most biologists.

But even he had to start somewhere, right?

Usually another component of wildlife photography is BIG glass. Lenses starting on the low end of 400mm and moving up from there.

Because, let's face it. Wildlife isn't just going to let you wander up to it and start snapping pictures.

Unless, it's dumb. Like rabbits.

So, I laid out flat in the grass (because by bunny thinking, this apparently makes you invisible) and racked my biggest lens out to 400mm and shot away.



Yeah, it's not Moose Peterson, but ya gotta start somewhere....

Remember to click on the picture a time or two to enlarge and get the full effect!

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 20. Where is winter?

I hate cold. I hate being cold.

But I love snow and ice. I love it when it snows by the foot. I enjoy the shapes that ice can form.

It's a love/hate relationship with winter you might say.

But we haven't had much winter here to speak of.

I've been waiting for decent icicles to take pictures of, but there just haven't been much of any.

Tonight's shot was taken with an Infra-red filter on my lens, which gives you a red picture, then converted to black and white. There are other ways to do this, but this is cheaper than having a digital camera converted to IR.

Hopefully, I'll find better icicles sometime this winter.


Until tomorrow....!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 19. Give yourself to the Dark Side.

So, a few years back one of the Star Wars websites I belong to had a give away for a replica Darth Vader lightsaber. One of those expensive ones that looks just like the one used in the movie.

I won it. I was ecstatic.

That elation subsided into disappointment when I found out the damn thing won't actually cut through anything.

But it still looks really cool. And it drives the dogs crazy, so there is that.

I have several ideas that I want to try to photograph that include my Darth Vader lightsaber. Tonight was kind of a test run to see what results I can get.


I'm not quite ready to go lopping hands off and spreading evil throughout the galaxy, but I'm getting there. I'll be working on my ideas now that I know I can get decent results....

Until tomorrow...

May the Force be with you.

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 18. Laser and crystal.

Ok, done with road trips. No more ER rotations. Back on track.

Except I'm dead tired.

I had no idea what I wanted to shoot tonight. On the suggestion of my lovely wife, tonight's subject is her Waterford Crystal harp that she got while we were in Ireland.

My idea was to hit it with a laser pointer, THEN shoot it.

I was originally going to use two different color beams, red and green. But the green one is a military grade laser and the red one just can't compete with the power it puts out.

I had to lock my dog, Tess, out of where I was shooting. These things drive her crazy. She'll sit for hours waiting for someone to pick up a laser pointer so she can chase the dot and bark like a moron.

Oh, and I had to used Doug's laser. Mine got confiscated in Dubai on my way home from Afghanistan. Damn it. I thought about trying to tell them it was just a dog toy, but I don't think they would have bought that.





Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 17. No, I didnt miss a day...

It's been difficult to keep up, what with a road trip and shadowing a doctor in the Emergency Room for two nights in a row.

I'm still on top of it. This is from Day 17. Coy fish etched in glass in the Chinese restaurant we had dinner shortly before spending all night treating sick children.



Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 16...Part Two...

Thanks to my lovely wife for taking care of my post for yesterday!

And yes, due to circumstances beyond my control, I ended up doing clinicals in an ER clear across the state. At night. On a 12 hour shift.

That left me no time to do this yesterday.

Anyway, one thing this country is lacking on is proper pubs. The pubs in Ireland and England are the perfect places to quaff a pint, hang out with friends, catch a match and eat good grub.

They just have this feel to them that you can't help but have a good time while you're there.

Emily and I both miss the pubs.

We found a substitute not too far from the house. Guinness is on tap, they have bangers and mash and a brilliant Shepherd's Pie.

I shot this while we ate our traditional Irish breakfast yesterday (Which includes both black and white pudding...Google it. It's not what you might think)

It's not Dublin, it's not London, but it'll do for now.


Nothing fancy, but there you are. I didn't drop out of the challenge.

Until tomorrow...er...until tonight, which might have to wait till tomorrow....!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 16. Hold that thought.

Think of this as a place-holder.

Due to some unforseen circumstances beyond his control, Brian has spent most of the day today either on the road or otherwise separated from his computer. But I assure you that this isn't a total cop-out because A) this IS one of his pictures, and B) he took a pic this morning that he intended to use for today, and will probably put up tomorrow, along with tomorrow's pic, at which point everything will even out and all will be well. So in the meantime, please enjoy this picture of our dogs:



This is my personal favorite out of the pics he shot last week during dog/snow/fun day....LOVE the expression on Sera's face here (this one you really do need to click on at least once to really see the detail). It's the kind of thing that you can't possibly see at the time but can be frozen forever by the click of a shutter.

Until tomorrow.....

Pics O' The Week #3

So my Pic O' The Week project is primarily a weekend thing, and I had to go in to work this morning, and so it seemed reasonable to take the camera in to work with me today. Like last week at the mall I had no idea what I was looking for, just wanted to see what there was to see. As it turns out the office is a pretty boring place, but the ceiling down in the building lobby managed to catch my eye on the way in. The shot above is pretty straightforward...not overly interesting, but I liked the pattern.

However, my big lesson for the day was discovering that a simple rotation of perspective can create something entirely different:


Suddenly the ceiling is..... something else. A wall, perhaps, with tiny porthole windows to a sunny exterior? Without any context it's impossible to say. One more rotation and there's something new again:



Now what is it? A strange sort of floor or the bottom of a swimming pool or....?


As a side note, though I will freely admit that as much as I despise photo editing, I was more than happy to use the retouch tool in Capture NX2 to erase the fire alarm and sprinklers. Don't worry, for all you safety types out there, the building really is up to code. ;-)

Project 365, Day 15. Graffiti Falls

In between setting stuff on fire and taking pictures of the results yesterday, I started looking for other places to shoot.

I've been looking for out of the way stuff. Things that you don't see everyday, even if you live here in Colorado.

During my search, I came across a place just outside of Colorado Springs called Rainbow Falls. It has quite an interesting history. In the 1800's, it was quite the tourist attraction. People would take mules up to see these falls. Then as often happens, progress came. A highway was built quite literally over it and the falls were forgotten by most. Then right around the advent of spray paint (I'm guessing on that part), the graffiti artists found this place and decorated it in their own style. Hence the name Graffiti Falls.

This century, the city has bought the land and is trying to clean it up. There has been some outcry from the art community, saying that the graffiti has become a part of this place.

Me? I'm of two minds on graffiti. One, I can't stand snot nosed punks running around defacing things for shits and giggles and often these are tags for gangs. However, on the other hand, I do feel it is a valid form of art, and as any piece of art if done well, can be quite amazing.

While not as impressive as some of the artistic graffiti I have seen before, I would have to agree that it does lend an interesting character to the location. I'll be interested to see what becomes of this area.

Enough jiber-jabber. Picture time:


I took quite a few pictures here that will end up on my website. Just not tonight.

Remember to click on the picture once or twice to see it larger and get the full effect.

Until tomorrow....!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 14. What do you MEAN I can't set it on fire!?!?

So, yesterday's picture of a match was an experiment to see how fire behaves while I try to photograph it.

Funny enough, it's easier to manage than most 5 year old kids.

The purpose of that was to try to set ice on fire.

I believe that's what you call a dichotomy.

Turns out what it is..is a pain in the ass.

I tried Isopropyl alcohol, as I learned recently that's what you use to set something on fire that you don't really want on fire. (Don't ask....)

It didn't work.

Back to the drawing board.


Remember kids, don't try this at home without your parent's permission! The best way to get it is to tell mom that dad said it was ok! Have fun with fire!

Click on the picture once or twice to see it larger and get the full effect!

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 13. Playing with fire? This isn't what I had planned!

I was hoping to share another image from a professional shoot today. I was supposed to work for David Tejada again today, but his client didn't make it to town today. So it goes.

As a side note, some of the pictures I took of Dave shooting last time I worked for him appear on his blog today. Click the link above to check it out! Thanks Dave!

So, without my planned shot of the day, I did what any bored kid does.

I started playing with matches.

No mother, I didn't burn the house down. I told the wife that's what I had planned for the day. She was on board with that.

Tonight I was, well, playing with matches. I have an idea I want to try so tonight was an experiment in how fire is photographed.


I got an interesting array of results by changing all factors involved, exposure, aperture, flash strength and even types of matches.

But I like this one best:


All that and I didn't even set one of the dogs on fire! Or did I? What IS that smell?

More fun with fire in the future!
Remember to click on the picture once or twice to see it larger for the full effect.

Until tomorrow....!


Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 12. Why did I buy this? Oh yeah...!

I bought most of my camera gear while I was working in Afghanistan. While most of the stuff I had shipped to me in Kabul, some of it got sent straight home.

There was a lot of stuff I knew that I would either not have room for or have a chance to learn how to use it, let alone the opportunity to play with it.

My tripod, monopod, a few lenses and most of my flash gear got sent straight to the house.

Including this little bad boy. The Nikon R1C1 Flash set. It's two small speedlights (flashes) that attach to a ring that attaches to your lens. It's used for macro photography.

While I got plenty of chances to do macro photography in Afghanistan, the shots usually followed the phrase "Hey doc, does this look infected to you?" I didn't need something this fancy to take pictures with.

It has a pretty steep learning curve, but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it.

Today's subject? Doug's Blue Angels edition Citizen Ecodrive watch:


Doug wasn't too happy when he noticed that there is a tiny scratch on the face of the watch. Luckily, I didn't cause it...

For those interested, it was a long exposure lit by the two small speedlights that fired at the end of the exposure.

A gold star to anyone who can guess how long the exposure was...

Remember to click on the picture once or twice to see it much larger and get the full effect.

Until tomorrow...!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 11. I am but the student before the master...

It's not every day you get to see a professional photographer at work.

However, I have been lucky enough to have landed a part time job as a photographer's assistant for one.

That pro is master photographer David Tejada.

You might not have seen his work before. He does a lot of industrial work... and he is the master of flash photography.

You feel brighter just standing next to this guy. (Get it? Brighter? That's a flash joke...)

As his assistant, I helped set his gear up for a "Guys in ties" shoot today. After getting everything set up I got a chance to play a bit.

Since he shoots the same camera as I do, I set my camera to his settings and took a shot of him:


Not too bad, huh?

I also took it into Photoshop and made him look 20 years younger....

The indispensable assistant, me.

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 10. There is always somewhere close...

As I am quickly finding out, it's tough to find something new to shoot everyday.

I'm not quite to the point of taking a picture of the dog taking a dump in the backyard.

I'm saving that. That's my ace in the hole.

However, there is always somewhere close here in Colorado that worth going and shooting, no matter the time of the year.

I had to get out to mail something to a buddy, so I went shooting...or did I have to get out to go shooting, so I mailed something to a buddy?

At any rate, not more than a mile or two down the road was this:


It's a nine shot bracket to maximize the light then converted to black and white.

Remember to click on the picture once or twice to get the full effect!

Until tomorrow....

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 9. It snowed!

We have three dogs.

The two blue heelers, Angie and Tess are 9 and 6 years old respectively. They aren't ready for the old folks home, but they aren't puppies either.

Sera the Mutt, is a professional Slug Dog. Do you have a sofa or bed that you worry about wandering off? She'll hold it down for you, she's the best.

But when it snows? Forgettaboutit.

They want out to play in fresh snow. They cry and whine like a five year old kid in the toy isle of Wal-Mart. Once outside, they run around like a jackrabbit on cocaine when paws hit snow. And it snowed a lot today for the first time this winter...

I tried a few new camera techniques too. I shot in Shutter Priority, meaning I chose my shutter speed and my camera chose my aperture for me. I also tried my Auto ISO feature too, which chooses the best ISO for the light and the settings I'm using.

What's all that mean?

It freed me up to try my best to get stop motion shots of the dogs as they ran around like meth heads on a bender.

I had a hell of a time choosing a picture, so I didn't.
I chose three. I shot over 500 pictures today and had a high number of keepers. Even narrowing it down to three was tough...

Here is Sera trying to corner at Mach 5 in the snow as Tess watches over her shoulder with trepidation...



Angie (yeah, the old one) about four and a half feet in the air going after the ball while Tess waits, hoping Angie misses her catch...



And to show what can happen in a split second.... Angie starts on her decent from the same jump in the previous picture and Tess makes her move to grab the ball that Angie missed....


Remember to click once or twice on the pictures to see them larger and get the full effect!

Until tomorrow....

Brian Hatch photography

Pic O' The Week #2

Subtitled: Captured At The Mall

So for whatever reason Brian and I both woke up this morning thinking that it might be a good idea to head up to Park Meadows (local ritzy mall) with our cameras to see what we could see.

I'm not sure what I expected to find that would be picture-worthy, but the trip was saved by a Scottish Stained Glass kiosk....











and a shop selling absolutely lovely cast iron teapots:


I think carrying the camera around makes me a bit more judgemental ("Is that worth taking a picture of?") but also makes me look at things a lot more actively than I normally do. Not a bad tradeoff, I suppose.

Project 365, Day 8. You never know what you'll find.

No fancy, long winded story today.

No special techniques used here, no fancy lenses like yesterday.

Nothing you couldn't do with a point and shoot camera, really.



I was out shooting and came across this painted on the side of a building and it really struck me.

So I took a picture of it.


I'm gonna head back and shoot this again from a different angle. I really like this painting.

(Remember to click once or twice on the picture to see it larger and get the full effect.)

Until tomorrow!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 7. Eh, I've seen pictures of that...or have I?

There are quite a few things in this world that have their picture taken all of the time.

Even out in the middle of nowhere, there are places that you have to beat off other photographers with your tripod just to get your shot.

Another problem with this is that with the advent of the internet, everyone on the planet has seen pictures of this place or thing and no one wants to see more of them.

They all look the same.

However....every once in a while...a photographer will capture an image of this highly photographed item and through their creativity, they will show you how they see it.

Even though you've seen a million pictures of it, this particular image will catch your eye. You stop and look at it and wonder why you've never seen it like this before.

There is a place like that here in Denver. It's of the sculpture called "I See You" and it's a two story tall big blue bear looking in the window at the Colorado Convention Center. Now, if you're not from around here, you've probably not seen a lot of pictures of this, but around here? Eh, who wants to see another one?

I, of course, did NOT scout my location like I should have. I had no idea which side of the building this sculpture was going to be on. Which means I had no idea how it would be lit at any point of the day. I figured I would get lucky and it would be lit just how I wanted it to be.

Guess who isn't buying a lottery ticket tonight...

I got there and it was a big dark blue blob. Shit. Now what?

I cant light it with flashes. Number one, I didn't bring any. Number two, I don't have the skill to do something like that. Where is Joe McNally when you REALLY need him?

Well, I didn't drive all the way down there, feed a parking meter just to turn around and leave with no pictures.

So, I pulled out several of my favorite techniques, shoved them in the blender and hit puree on that bitch.

I shot a nine image bracket for a HDR (High Dynamic Range) shot to make the most of the light, since I had too much in some areas and not enough in others. I used my fisheye lens for a unique perspective of the bear and shot at an unusual angle. In post processing, I used selective color to emphasize the color.

It went from a two story lump of blue poop to this:


I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that even if you've seen a ton of pictures of this thing, this one would make you stop and look at it. I'll bet you'd never have seen it like this.

Go ahead and click here to take a look at a couple of other shots I took of him today.

Remember to click on the picture once or twice to see it larger!

Until tomorrow!

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 6. Dancing puppy!

Well, like the title bar of the blog says:

"Now with 25% more pics of our dogs!"

Time for a dog photo.

When we got this one, she had been abandoned and homeless for quite some time. She probably hadn't had a decent meal since she was weaned. She was 5 pounds of skin and bones.

The first time we fed her, she danced for joy. No, really, she danced. Hopped on her back legs and danced around until the food bowl was set down in front of her.

Not much has changed since then. Oh, she put on some weight...60 pounds worth...but she still dances for her meals.

In fact, she jumps for joy too.

Sera, the happy puppy.


Now, if you'll excuse her, she's trying to beat her best time. Eating dinner in under 4 seconds...




Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 5. Scouting....

A lot of the places I have been to photograph, I have just shown up and started shooting.

Ireland, England, Scotland, New Zealand...

Oh yeah, and Afghanistan.

How do you scout a location when it's your trip of a lifetime?

Nobody goes to Afghanistan if they don't have to. Trust me on that.

I've been reading books by a couple of my favorite photographers the past week or so and they both pound into your head to scout your location. Know what you want to shoot, how you want to shoot it and what you want your results to be.

Hell, even here at home... Garden of the Gods. It's pretty close, seems like it wouldnt be hard to drive 20 minutes and scout a location.

Do I?

Nope. I get up at the asscrack of dawn (well, before that actually, I'm on location at asscrack o-clock) and am amazed and blown away by the colors and beauty of the park. The light is so dynamic there, you only have 30 0r 40 minutes of great light and it changes so fast. In the time it takes to set up for a shot, the light may have changed.

We've been having these beautiful sunsets here in the area, so I went to scout a location to shoot them. Not really to shoot the sunset itself, but just to find a place to set up. Find out what the area looks like and where I want to point my camera.

Today's shot is from scouting...


I wish I'd been there a bit earlier to catch the sunset in that con trail a bit better. Maybe next time!

By the way, you can click on each and every picture to see it in a larger format. You can then click on it again to see it in an even larger format. Try it! Then go back through the blog and click on other pics to get the full effect from them!

Until tomorrow...

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365, Day 4. Fun with Christmas lights and a flash.

So the guy next door has a really nice set of lights on one of his trees and behind it, on the house is a wreath.

Now, how do I take a picture of the tree and the wreath that is below the lamp?

Light the wreath from below with a wireless flash.


Not sure if this is quite what I saw in my head, but it's not too bad I dont think.

Brian Hatch photography

Project 365 Day 3. Waaaait a minute....

I have read advice from several photographers that suggest to photograph what you love. That's what today's photo will be.

You're going to look at the photo and cry foul!

"Hey! That's nothing more than a picture of a couple of toys! What's so special about that?" You'll ask.

Before you brand me a cheat, let's look at this picture a bit closer, shall we?

First, it's a fairly technical shot:

I placed them both on a figure stand in a light box (Google it), I shot my camera in manual exposure mode with macro lens on a tripod, using a shutter release to maximize sharpness and depth of field. I also shot this picture with not one, not two, but THREE off camera wireless flashes! Two of them were set at different exposures and all three were set at a different distance from the figures. ALL of which affect how the picture is lit.

I nailed all of this on my second or third shot.

If that's not enough for you, well, I love Iron Man. I have been a huge fan for more than 20 years. I have all of the comic books going back to the first issue, I have almost every action figure made of Iron Man. I have posters, t-shirts, stickers, coloring books, cups, toothbrushes and books with Shellhead's face slapped right on them. My friends call me Iron Whore. (No, really, they do. Ask any of them.) Shoot what you love.

How about this little tidbit of info?

The figure in the front?

I made that.

That's right, I MADE that.

It is an amalgamation of parts from about six different action figures that I put together and hand painted.
The figure in the back is from the first Iron Man movie toy line and is fairly rare as it is, but it's a six inch tall figure. I prefer the smaller 4 inch tall toys like the GI Joe and Star Wars figures I grew up with. But, they never made this figure in the 4 inch scale.

So, I made my own.



Brian Hatch photography

Pic O' The Week #1

Wow, it's a veritable posting frenzy! Don't worry, I'm not ambitious enough to even attempt something like the picture-a-day project, but I am rather hoping that I can put up one a week. I have a very nice macro lens (thanks honey!) that doesn't get used NEARLY enough, so the plan is same camera, same lens for every Pic O' The Week. Let's see what this baby can do....

It was a melting kind of day today, so there was lots of water in motion outside. We started out trying to get pics of droplets splashing on a railing out back, with less than spectacular results:

From there I switched to droplets falling, hoping for better luck:

Better, I think, but still not quite what I was looking for. So a bit more prowling around, and I found the fortunately placed corner that got us both some nice shots of droplets on the way down:

All in all, an interesting variety of pics in a short amount of time (and a little lesson in perseverance along the way).

Project 365, Day 2. You never really know....

I have undertaken Project 365, one picture everyday for a year, for many reasons.

I hope to get more proficient with my gear, use gear that doesnt get used often, boost my creativity and mainly to fuel my passion for photography.

A lot of my passion has been instilled in me by other photographers. Most notably my grandfather, who recorded the atrocities of WWII committed by the Nazis. Images can change the world, or at least how we perceive it. His had that effect on me.

Other photographers like Joe McNally, Steve McCurry, Vincent Versace and Moose Peterson also have affected me on many levels. Given me a goal to strive for, even if I'm not quite sure what that is right now.

You never know who is going to inspire you.

Like say....the wife.

I had gone outside to shoot my picture for today and got a couple images I liked and was headed back in when she was headed out to shoot some of her own. I followed her back out to see what she was up to.

She had found something much more interesting than what I had shot, just by virtue of looking further than I did.

I liked it so much, I went back in for my camera and shot today's picture.

Just goes to show you, you never really know who can inspire you...




Brian Hatch photography

Project 365

When I was in New Zealand...oh, about this time last year, I got to hang out with one of the local photographers. He introduced me to something called Project 365.

The idea is to take one picture everyday for a year.

Sounds easy right?

It's not.

In fact, the more I have learned about it, the more I understand that it's one of the most difficult things a photographer can undertake.

Think about it. What one thing do you do everyday of your life?

Hell, I don't even take a dump everyday.

More on this later (the project, not me taking a dump).

I had planned on using a fireworks shot from the New Year's celebration as my first picture this year, but unfortunately the team that summits Pike's Peak was unable to make it due to horrible weather.

-80 with wind chill. Ouch.

So, instead, here is an HDR shot from Garden of the Gods I took while I was out doing test shots for the New Year's shoot.

Brian Hatch photography