Category Archives Guest Blogger

What Not To Do When You’re Pregnant (aka WNTDWYP)

Hey there, Robby Klein here again!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with me or my past Guest Blogs, I am an entertainment and advertising photographer based out of Nashville,TN and I have a 2-month old son named Beckett! And that’s where this blog begins!

Throughout my wife’s pregnancy I probably took more photos a day than I ever have in the 15 years I’ve been shooting. I tried to think of pretty maternity photos to take of her, but if you’re familiar with my style, it is not the cute and pretty maternity type photos that some of you do so well. My editorial background tends to take me to weirder places and ideas than you would typically find in a maternity shoot.

During her 30th week of pregnancy I off-the-cuff mentioned something that she should not do while she’s pregnant, and it made us both laugh at the idea of her actually doing it as a pregnant woman. That day as I thought more about what I had said I started thinking about several crazy things that pregnant women shouldn’t do, and asked my wife if she would pose for one of those ideas.

The first idea was “boxing…”

..and after we shot the photo I realized that there was something fun and interesting about the “What Not To Do Idea” and decided that we would start doing a weekly photo until our son was here.

Things quickly escalated, as they typically do when creative decisions are left up to yours truly, and my next idea came to me pretty quickly as I passed by an old Army Tank at a VFW Hall outside of Nashville. I knew we had to use it for a photo. After a quick Craigslist hunt for a uniform and visit to our local prop shot, Art Dogs Props, we reminded people what not to do when you’re 32 weeks pregnant, “Go to war!”

I travel often and am lucky enough to bring my bride along with me most of the time. So when we found out that we’d be heading down to NOLA, where we are originally from, I knew I wanted to incorporate Louisiana into the series, which would also help diversify the photos.

I called my BFF Garrett to tell him we were coming down, and I wanted to head out into the swamps to shoot a photo! I picked Garrett because I’d seen him catch gators plenty of times in the past.

So, sure enough, one late night we headed into the swamps in search of a gator for our photo to help remind people what not to do when you’re 33 weeks pregnant, “catch gators.”

We headed back to Nashville after that. One idea that I had early on was fencing. I shot out a few emails after hitting the google machine pretty hard and found the Music City Fencing Club. They welcomed us in to remind ladies what not to do when you’re 34 weeks pregnant,“fencing.”

Like I said, we travel a good bit, so when we booked a trip to Arizona and decided we were going to swing by the Grand Canyon, the wheels started turning! I convinced an eBay dealer to meet me in person with a rattlesnake statue and found a fantastic jacket to hit the bill!

On a freezing (and snowing) day at the Grand Canyon, we reminded everyone what not to do when you’re 35 weeks pregnant, “Rattlesnake Hunting.”

By this time I had a running list of ideas in my phone. As the weeks went on, I would pick the ideas that I thought we could best pull off with the time we had. Because of our often demanding schedules and the fact that each photo was both shot and released on the week it represents (that was important to me to stick to), multiple times during this series I would realize at 4pm on a Tuesday that the following day from 1pm-3pm was the only time we had to shoot the photo! So it would turn into a mad dash of trying to track down locations, props, etc. in a matter of hours to be able to pull off the shot.

One of those shots happened when we pulled favors from every corner of Nashville just to remind you fine people at home what not to do when you’re 36 weeks pregnant, “Ride The Bull.”

I tried hard to make these images as fun, interesting and authentic as possible and, Art Dog Props really came through for me week after week! The locations were always what took the longest to find, and that was definitely the case for week 37! I finally remembered my friend Alicia is quite the adventurer and picked her brain a bit. She helped us find a great outdoor location so that I could remind the adventurous ladies of the word what not to do when they’re 37 weeks pregnant, “rock climbing.”

Around this time I was starting to feel like we were in the home stretch. I had an idea for week 40 and was getting nervous that the baby would come early and I would lose the chance at the closing image. We thought about shooting it early, but decided against breaking our rule of both shooting and release on the accurate week it’s portraying.

With the help of my buddy John and his trusty steed, we reminded you wild ones out there what not to do when you’re 38 weeks pregnant, “motorcycle stunts.”

This next idea may have been one of my earliest ideas, but for some reason I assumed getting an airplane as a prop would be easy! It wasn’t, who would have guessed.. So FINALLY after weeks of searching, we got connected with a flight school that was more than happy to help us remind the thrill seekers out there what not to do when you’re 39 weeks pregnant (besides turning a leaf blower on your wife), “skydiving.”

I never would have guessed that we would have had as much fun or gotten as great of a response with this series as we did. The stress of producing them each week just went away while we would be shooting and I saw the ideas come to life.

A few weeks into this shoot I knew how I wanted to end it. I had recently binge watched Stranger Things and fell head over heels for the show. Over a couple weeks time I collected all the items needed, and on that faithful open day that popped up, we emptied my living room and built our set as a final reminder what not to do when you’re 40 weeks pregnant, “Communicate with the Upside-Down.”

This project ended up being more fun and meaningful than I ever would have imagined! We are excited to share them with baby Beckett, who was delivered on 4/11/17, and tell him the tales of all of mom’s great adventures in pregnancy! And who knows, maybe there will be a “What Not To Do With A Newborn” series coming down the pipes…

I am someone that fell in love with photography long before I ever considered making a career out of it or financially gaining from it. I love shooting, I do it for fun daily! So when this project started, that’s just what it was, another fun thing to do with photography. I hadn’t considered what my clients would think of the project, but after a recent round of meeting in NYC and L.A. I was so happy to hear that so many of them had followed the series online and wanted to know more about it! At that point I started showing the series on my iPad at meetings and I feel like it’s really helped people see where my mind goes, and hopefully the love that I have for the craft, even when there is no financial gain to motivate.

I know a lot of you enjoy seeing more of the making of type stuff, I’ll leave you with some behind the scenes shots so you can get a little more context on how they were created.

You can see more of Robby’s work at RobbyKlein.com, and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr.

Where Am I Now?

Hi everyone! Thought I would pop in and say hi and tell you what I have been up to for the past year. A lot has happened over the past year and I am thankful for still being able to provide Photoshop training and inspiration and YES, I am pushing it still with 3D in Photoshop! Below is a recent example of combining 3D with photography.

Some of you know that I still write the Down & Dirty column in Photoshop User Magazine, and it’s still one of the most popular sections of the magazine. I hope you have enjoyed those. As a matter of fact, not only did I write Down & Dirty column in the upcoming June issue, but I also wrote a feature article on special finishing effects in Photoshop. That issue will be out in the next few days I am told. Find out more over at KelbyOne!

I also have been keeping with teaching at some of my favorite live events like the most recent Photoshop World back in April. This time it was in Orlando and I had a great time as usual. I also met a lot of new friends and caught up with old ones. Always a great time to learn and network! I also will be at Adobe MAX once again later this year, which will be my 8th time teaching at this event. This time it will be in Las Vegas! I also will be a featured instructor at Russell Brown’s famous pre-conference workshop. I have been to several of these as a visitor but this will be my first time teaching in it. If you have never been to Adobe MAX you really should try to make it. It is a blast! Last year, Quentin Tarantino was a guest speaker! How cool is that!?

Speaking of Adobe, I have also been doing some projects with Project Felix, which is the new 3D compositing application for designers Adobe has been developing. I did some training videos on getting started with Project Felix and will also be teaching live hands-on labs with Project Felix at Adobe MAX in October.

Oh yeah, if some of you were at the last Photoshop World in Orlando, you might remember the live model shoots in the vendor pavilion where you could take shots of a model on a lit set. Well, I happened to walk by when I saw a gentleman spy with a Paris backdrop. I took a quick shot with my iPhone, then took it into Photoshop. Now, the thing is, I finished this composite the very same day I took it and wanted to share on my social channels. But that very evening there was a shooting in Paris that was covered on all the news channels. At the time, it didn’t seem appropriate to post an image implying violence in Paris. So I tucked it away, until now. This finished image took about an hour!

But what has been keeping me busy all the rest of the time this past year? Well, some of you may know that a little over a year ago I launched MasterFXTraining.com, which is my solo training site where you will find some of the coolest Photoshop training anywhere, especially when it comes to 3D. In fact, most of the tutorials and projects involve Photoshop 3D as a design tool. Over the past year my library of training has over 50 projects and new ones added every couple weeks. It is THE Photoshop for 3D!

Just below you can see a free tutorial from my site which will give you an idea of the type of training there is. Browse the entire library of courses here.

In addition to keeping up with training in Photoshop 3D I have also started getting back into freelance design. As much as I enjoy teaching, I also am excited to get back into doing design work. This was always my first love using Photoshop and I can see how Photoshop 3D will do in real-world design projects. I am sure these will turn into great tutorials as well.

Well, that is just some of what I have been up to and what is coming up. For those that have been following my work since my early days as a NAPP instructor and still follow today, I hope you have always enjoyed my training as much as I have had creating it and I hope you will join me in what is to come. Remember to always, experiment, be creative, and above all…have fun!

You can find out more about Master FX Training at MasterFXTraining.com and find him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

When The Little Moments Reveal The Bigger Picture

Hello all,

My name is Rob Foldy, and KelbyOne just released my new class Making Your Pee Wees Look Like Pros. In the class, I go over a lot of quick, easy tips that can take anyone’s images to the next level. One of the many things I share is that great photography is all about storytelling.

Often times, these aren’t peak action moments. Sometimes they are, sure: a horse crossing the finish line to win the Kentucky Derby, the last out of the World Series, the touchdown that sends a high-school football team to their first ever state championship. But often times, it’s the moments in between plays, or immediately following a big moment, that when captured can really tell the best story, and make for some great pictures!

I’d love to share a few images that I’ve made over the past year or so that I believe help illustrate this idea. Each of these images is the result of an event that just occurred, but I believe are more powerful than the actual event itself.

In this image, the shirtless player had just hit a walk-off hit to win the ballgame for his team. In the celebration immediately following (which typically also makes for great photographs), his teammates somehow ended up pulling off his jersey, which resulted in this image. You can tell which team won by looking at his smiling teammate, and see the opposing team walking off the field dejected.

This photo is one of my favorites. This is an image of a pitcher who was just removed from a game, despite pitching seven perfect innings. You may have heard of a no-hitter in baseball, those are quite rare. Even more rare is a perfect game, meaning that the pitcher not only allowed no hits by the opposing team, but also didn’t walk anyone and his teammates did not commit an error. The manager had a very good reason for pulling him out of the game: this pitcher was prone to getting blisters if he threw too much, and their team was about to head into the playoffs, where they would need him to be healthy. It’s rare to have a dugout this empty during a game, and this image speaks volumes about what must be going through this player’s mind. Instead of celebrating the tremendous accomplishment of throwing a perfect game, he sits alone in the dugout.

This frame shows both the starting and backup quarterbacks from the Miami Dolphins walking off the field after a win. Last year was the best season the Dolphins have had in a very long time, despite their starter getting hurt late in the season and having to rely on solid play from their backup. I believe this image reveals the closeness of their relationship, and I think it was that kind of closeness on the entire team that allowed them to have the season they did.

At first glance, this may look like a typical Gatorade bath shot, but there’s a bit more than meets the eye. This was an interim head-coach, and they’re usually not the ones who get to experience that kind of celebration and support from the players.

These players are jumping in celebration after a big play that occurred on the field, but by leaping into the air, they positioned themselves against a much cleaner background than the cluttered NFL sidelines.

Now that you have a glimpse into the types of moments to keep an eye out for, here are a few more photographs that should hold their own without me having to explain them:

Of course, life isn’t always happy, celebration photographs. The most difficult assignment of my career was covering the remaining three Miami Marlins games of last season after their star pitcher died tragically in a boating accident. As a photojournalist, my job is to tell the story: good, bad or indifferent. I honestly hope nobody ever has to tell another story like that one:

This last image is just a pretty picture of a guy playing baseball. Sometimes, it’s just that simple. Photography is fun. Sports are fun. So just go out and make fun pictures!

I hope this helps you be prepared for the little moments that best tell the story of what you’re photographing. For more information on this, and a lot more tips on how to create powerful sports images, be sure to check out my new class!

Rob Foldy is a professional sports and portrait photographer based in Miami, Florida. You can see more of his work at RobFoldyPhotography.com, and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. His career has grown to serve multiple private clients, universities, sports teams and top-tier wire services both across the U.S. and globally. In addition to being the team photographer for Major League Baseball franchise the Miami Marlins, other notable clients include the Miami Dolphins, Getty Images, ESPN and Sports Illustrated. Rob’s commercial clients include Nike, Beats by Dre and Lexus, and his editorial work has been featured in magazines, on websites and used on television programs for The New York Times, Microsoft, ESPN’s SportsCenter and many more. He has covered events such as the NBA Finals, NCAA College Football Playoffs, NFL championship games, and has shot a Major League Baseball no-hitter. His unique perspective and strong attention to detail set Rob’s images apart from the competition.

Rob is proud to use Nikon, Adobe, Spider Holster, Think Tank Photo, Hoodman and Apple products.

We are photographers, we photograph a lot. That is our job, and it can lead to problems if you do not properly take care of yourself. Even if you are just a photographer that shoots occasionally, you can build up wrist problems/issues/pain. Let’s call it, photographer wrist? Is that a thing…? Let’s make it one. My goal is to help educate you so that you can take steps to prevent this photographer wrist. Too often people wait for something to go wrong, then address it – and it can really detrimental to your job and more importantly your everyday life. If you are already injured, I have a few tips for you. But keep in mind I am not a doctor and I am going to simply share what worked for me through experience. This does not mean it will work for you, but it will hopefully give you some ideas and send you in the correct direction.

I didn’t know wrist issues were even an issue when mine began. About four years ago I was on The House Party Tour – a four band tour where I photographed everyone sound checking and hanging out during the day. Then at night for about four consecutive hours I would shoot each band’s set. It was a lot of work, but I loved it. About halfway through I ended up having to put my left wrist in a brace cause it was hurting so bad, and a few days later I had to do my right one as well. I was in bad shape. By the time I got home a few weeks later, my whole left arm from the elbow down was frozen. I literally couldn’t bend my wrist more than 5 degrees in any direction and the pain was a bit much. I had no idea what to do. It just didn’t make sense to take showers a few times a day just to try and warm up my arm – this is also incorrect, don’t do this.

Through internet research I eventually found a massage master by the name of Joel in Orlando, Florida that specialized in rehabilitating clients with chronic pain. You can check him out at Orlando-Massage.com. (Don’t forget the “-” or you are redirected to a not so safe for work website.) I had no idea what I was in for, but it seemed like a step in the right direction. The session was two hours long and it consisted of a lot of painful, very calculated and precise work on my wrists, armpits, back, shoulder etc. He works with professional violinists, tennis players etc. I’m not kidding you…. same day results. My wrist worked again. Not entirely, but I was on my way.  It was a deep breath of fresh air; I could have kissed the ground I was so grateful. It was one of the most painful things I have ever done, though the rewards made it all worth it. Little bit of pain now for a lot of relief later. I went to him a few more times, but I don’t live in Florida so I had to find someone else to go to back home in San Diego.

I tried Chiropractor, Acupuncture, and various stretches. They all kind of worked; they were baby steps in the right direction or a combination of them would provide temporary relief. But I wasn’t progressing like I did with Florida. For a good three years I had weak wrists after that. I couldn’t really jump up ledges and hoist myself up. I did my pushups with fists and I had to be careful to not jab them. I had to be constantly aware of my wrists, and I still am. A year ago I emailed the Florida guy. I am not sure why I waited so long, but he pointed me in the direction of who to go with and I am 100% healed now thanks to another similar professional in San Diego. If you are trying to find someone in your area, you want to look for someone who does Rolfing^® Structural Integration.

In addition to this I also workout regularly, stretch well before I shoot, and also changed the way I carry my gear and such. I also have back balls and this back massager. Also the more well known back roller. All life changing.

Long story short – the problems I acquired from shooting were mostly because of the harness I was wearing while I was shooting for such long hours. The harness was great, it’s a money maker – I absolutely love it and still use it, however I would advise against using it for long periods of time in combination with with very heavy gear. I used it to hold a Camera with a 70-200mm lens on my left side while I shot with the camera from my right. If there is one thing you take from this blog I want to to be that it is never a good idea to have heavy weight on your shoulders while they are up in shoot mode.

It was a lot of weight at once. Also… for four hours a night? Not a good idea. You have to make sure you use your gear correctly. Remember gear is a tool, and tools have different applications. Think of shoes… You have certain shoes for running, and another type of shoes for going to a formal event. It’s the same thing. Different gear, different uses. Use it wrong, and you can hurt yourself. You wouldn’t go running in heels ya know. It just might not be so obvious or known at all when it comes to camera gear, so you need to figure it out. Here are some things I have figured out so far.

How do you hold your camera while shooting?
Posture is important – just like when you are on your computer, back straight and such, try not to hunch over while you are shooting. Engage your core!  I think strength comes into play here. You really need to make sure your upper body is toned. You don’t need to be ripped, just go to the gym a few times a week, get a strong core. It’ll help you be more stable while you shoot. Stay healthy, stay fit. The more out of shape you are, the more difficult your job will be. Every time I go to the gym I just think “this will help you become a better photographer” – and I mean it is true, it definitely isn’t going to make me worse. I want to be the best I can be, and give myself the best circumstances possible in order to push forward and grow.

I use a Spider Holster Hand Strap for my camera, it helps take the weight off my wrists and spread it out. So comfy as well…. And you can’t drop your camera. Well I guess you could, but it would mean also dropping yourself.

If you don’t like the above option you can also wrap your camera strap around your wrist, it comes free (not really, you pay for it) with your camera. In addition if you adjust the length just right you can kind of anchor it with your body and the tension will hold it stable.

How do you carry your camera while you are in between shots on a shoot?
Money maker is a good option, I think it works great for weddings or events you do not have to do everyday. It allows for the fast change of cameras at a seconds notice. Throw a 24-70mm on one camera and a 70-200mm on another and you have got a full range at your finger tips.

I use a camera bag now. I use the ThinkTank TurnStyle series over one shoulder and diagonally around my back for when I am shooting with one extra lens. It is really easy to change gear with as well and I love this. Again not a lot of weight.

I use a camera bag that I set down while I am shooting for any situation where I will have more than one extra lens on me. I try to not hold the bag on me so that I avoid injury and stay relatively unrestricted with my movement. I have never been a big fan of being bogged down by gear. I want to move and I want to move quick. This specific bag is the Think Tank Photo Retrospective, however there are so many different kind of bags like this. I just really love Think Tank and have had the best experience with them.

How do you travel with your camera gear?
I think the biggest factor in this is – how are you traveling? Car? Bus? Plane? Train? Jet? All of the above? For me I always bring as little as possible and want to be as mobile as I can be at any given point. But maybe you have a lot of gear, maybe you have to do artificially lit shoots on the go – I do not know your setup. However make sure that there is intention behind each piece of gear. Even too many extra batteries weigh you down. Keep that in mind when packing. Here is what I suggest.

If you are going to use a backpack, get something with support. Anything that buckles up top and at bottom. I use the Think Tank Shapeshifter – I like that it can changes sizes and is very secure with compartments.

If I have to bring a big more gear, I’ll bring a bag with wheels so that there isn’t to much weight on my back. However it’s important I have a home base if I take this bag, if I am constantly on the go I try to keep it off the ground. If you have more gear, get a bigger bag. I usually suggest avoiding checking anything when you fly as it takes extra time when you land and the last thing you want to do is pay an airline to lose your bag. One time I had an airline break my pelican case… I don’t even know how they did that. I didn’t think it was possible.

Anyway. That is all I got. I wish you the best and please be safe. No matter what career you are in, you have to maintain your work tools. That means taking care of yourself. Be healthy and be smart. Don’t ignore your body. Listen to it. Feed it good food also. Like vegetables and such.

Feel free to share your own knowledge, we can all learn from each other.

You can see Adam’s work at AdamElmakias.com, and follow him on Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Tension Between Creating Art and Getting the Job Done
My name is Mike Hagen, and I am a professional photographer working out of Gig Harbor, Washington. A big thank you to Scott and Brad for inviting me to write for this week’s guest blog.

I love photography. Like others who have chosen photography as an avocation, I eat, sleep and drink photography. As a working shooter, I don’t specialize in any one photographic genre; rather I point my lenses in quite a few directions. In the last 12 months, I’ve photographed commercial jobs, wildlife, portraits, events, architectural jobs, written two books, operated photo trips around the world, and have taught numerous classes and workshops.

Nature and outdoor photography got me into the world of professional photography, but over the course of two decades in the business, I’ve added a number of skillsets to my photographic repertoire. In this day and age, I feel strongly that you have to keep learning in order to keep earning a living. This blog article details a different aspect of professional photography that you might not have considered in the past. I hope it gives you a neat behind the scenes look and that it challenges you to consider a new perspective.

Getting The Shot
I really enjoy exercising my creativity. However when I’m shooting for a paying client, I struggle with the tension between creating art and simply getting the job done to meet the client’s expectations.

One of the subjects I regularly shoot in my business is commercial construction for building product manufacturers. For these jobs, I contract with a manufacturer to photograph their materials on high profile construction projects. For example, a deck & railing manufacturer will hire me to photograph their products on high-rise buildings in big cities. Or, a moisture barrier wrap company will hire me to photograph their materials on buildings during the construction phases of the project.

My client’s photographic needs are never as simple as, “photograph the building.” Rather, they hire me to demonstrate their product on a building as it is being used in the real world.

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Small Studio, Big Potential
Around 10 years ago I invested in a wooden cabin at the end of my garden. Finally I got every portrait photographers dream, my own permanent studio and it was HUGE… then I started adding lights, props, an office and I realised it was small, very small!

Thanks to YouTube, I’ve invited millions of photographers into my studio and have been asked countless questions about my small home studio set up, so here are some answers.

How Small Is Small?
Don’t let the photos fool you, my studio is just 13 feet wide by 24 feet long. That sounds like plenty of space until you realise 6 feet of length is my office and shelving takes up 3 feet of width in places.

The ceiling is 8 feet high at the centre but drops to 6.5 feet at the edges. On paper, floor space might sound like the big limiting factor but I’ve found the lack of height is an even greater restriction on the lighting styles I can use.

What Are The Limitations?
There are obvious ones, like full length portraits are very tricky with anything other then a wide lens and there’s never enough space to store stuff. But there’s also the unexpected compromises, such as the need to use smaller softboxes; my go-to size is between 50 – 100cm (20 – 40in) diameter. I also shoot a surprisingly large number of images with people sitting down just so I can get my lights up high. I’ve become very adept cloning out stray light stand legs. Shift clicking with the Spot Healing Brush Tool is my secret weapon there.

Does The Limited Space Limit Your Style?
I may only have one wall to shoot against, but that doesn’t mean I only have the choice of one background. I’ve found working in the same space has made me very good at being creative, especially with backgrounds. When I change my background I’m in a whole new studio and ideas flow from there. Fabric, paper, smoke and coloured gels; I’ve used all sorts of things to create new backgrounds in my small home studio.

Where Did You Get That Textured Background From?
After years of working with a smooth white vinyl background, I needed to do something very different to save my sanity. Building a permanent grungy, textured background was the best thing I ever did in my studio. You can read the write up on the build on my blog. My D.I.Y. skills are basic at best, can’t even saw in a straight line. So if I can build this, almost anyone can!

Does A Small Studio Mean Small Lights Are Best?
It’s not the size of the space that dictates the power of the light, it’s the size of the modifier and how close it is to your subject. But in theory yes, I could shoot almost everything I do with speedlights. But having a slightly more powerful light means I can run it at a lower power for quick recycle times and super fast flash durations. Whatever flash you choose, get one that’s battery powered. With less room to run cables and often a forest of light stands filling the space, small studios can be a big trip hazard!

What’s The One Thing You’d Change About Your Studio Space?
My photography studio has evolved over time, but one thing has remained a constant pain: the heating and ventilation (or rather the lack of).

Do you like to use smoke in your shots? Me too. A lack of ventilation makes clearing the smoke a slow process, and as a result it’s ALWAYS held back for the last shots of the day.

In the winter my studio is freezing. Insulation in the walls would help, but that would make my small studio even smaller. Ever wondered why my models often wear coats and jumpers? Now you know!

You can see more of Gavin’s work at GavTrain.com, and follow him on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.