Paper Hat Man

Short of subjects today - tired of bird pictures - and I need to practice with lights and some new software, so I set up, sat down, and, well, this is my favorite - if I have such a thing...  There is something odd about this hat - complete strangers tell me it looks cool, and one guy wanted to buy it.  The women at work have nicknamed me the "Paper Hat Man"...  In regards to the photograph the eyes are spot on, in focus, with the light ring in the pupil.  The subject is clear, the background blurred - now if we could get this guy to smile...

Helen

This is Helen - my spouse of 25 years and 2 days. She sits quietly when I ask her to be my model. She even "totes and carries" when I need help taking pictures on a photo shoot. Most of the pictures I take of her I don't get to post because she just doesn't like the way she looks in photographs - so - either this is a really good photograph of her (yes - I got her permission to post it), or she is giving up... I know it's the first!!!

Grumpy or Thinking?

Working with setting up lights - strobes or/and continuous lights. Since I was in the basement by myself, with no one to shoot - I got in the chair. I'm not my favorite subject. As photographs go - still a bit dark, glare in my glasses and I was looking for more of a dramatic shadow on the right (as you are looking at the picture). I have grand children visiting this weekend, so perhaps I can get one of them to sit in the chair...

(Click on the photo to view a larger image, although I don't know why you would).

Portrait

I've got my 40th High School Class Reunion coming up next week (I know I don't look that old) and I will be taking "portrait style" photographs of those who attend. I've been playing around with 2 different backgrounds, the black and white checkered, and all black. I don't really want to switch back and forth, so I need to decide which one to use - so I thought I'd ask y'all. Which one do you like? I kinda like the BW Checkered - I graduated in 1969 it the checkered just seems to fit that era. Thoughts?

My wife took the top 2 photos - perhaps a budding photographer?

I did this one...
(Click on a photo to view a larger image).