RIP Richard

A long-time friend and colleague passed away two weeks ago. He was someone I'd worked with a bunch of times. Someone who, for at least a decade, was my competitor, fellow pretty girl shooter, and my friend. His name was Richard. He was 53 years old.

I was supposed to meet with Richard the day of his passing. He had texted me the day before and asked if we could hook up. "Today," he said. "It's important."

Too important, apparently, to discuss on the phone.

But I couldn't meet with Richard that day and on such short notice. I was on a set, working. I texted back telling him the next day, "tomorrow," would be good for me if it was good for him. Richard agreed. "No problem" he texted back, adding that he'd call me sometime "tomorrow" to set up a meet.

But for Richard, "tomorrow" never came. Sometime, during the night, he passed. Alone. In his home.

I guess I'll never know why he wanted to meet or what was important enough that we had to meet in person.

The following day, when Richard didn't call, I thought little of it. It wasn't the first time he said he'd call for one thing or another and didn't. Because of my long-term experience with Richard, I knew that his version of "important" often wasn't, in fact, all that important. Besides, we were about to begin a long, holiday weekend. For all I knew, he had plans for the weekend and hooking up with me wasn't as truly important as he first indicated.

Richard was one of those guys who lived life in the moment. Leastwise, in terms of his work life. (I didn't know him all that well outside of work.) And, for the most part, he did so with blinders on.

What was important to Richard in one moment, the things he was momentarily and intensely focused on, often weren't so important to him a short time later; sometimes, mere moments later. I knew this about him. Knew it from having a long-standing acquaintanceship with him. It's how he rolled. Often enough, he rubbed others the wrong way with his bursts of intensity, extremely dry and jaded wit, and single-minded focus.

He often seemed, in many ways, the tortured artist.

Richard recently pulled me aside on a set we were both working, one where he was the main shooter so, technically, I worked for him. He informed me, in no uncertain terms, that he'd appreciate it if I would quit being funny and witty with the girls.

"There's only room for one funny person on this set," he said quite seriously and emphatically. "You're working for me today, Jimmy. So that person would be me," he advised me.

I smiled and nodded and said, "No problem."

And it wasn't.

A problem, that is.

I thought his words and exaggerated seriousness were funny as hell. Richard didn't mean it to be funny. He didn't mean it be rude. He just meant it.

And that was quintessential Richard.

I didn't hear from Richard over the weekend either. Again, I thought little of it. Then, come Monday, I received a phone call from the production boss at one of the companies I regularly work for. A company that Richard regularly worked for as well. (Think well-known high-profile company built on "pink.")

"Have you heard from Richard?" the production honcho asked.

I told him, basically, what I wrote above about Richard wanting to meet with me but never calling me back to set up the actual meeting. The production boss told me he'd been trying to get in touch with Richard for two days at the end of the previous week, as well as all weekend.

"It's not like him to not return my calls," the production chief said.

He told me that he'd thought it odd enough for him to go by Richard's house, which he did, on Sunday. He told me he knocked on the door, repeatedly, but there was no answer. He said that both of Richard's cars were parked in the driveway, the porch light was on, the drapes drawn, and that a couple of days worth of mail were in Richard's mailbox. He felt that either something was very wrong or that Richard got "lucky" for a few days.

This didn't sound good at all. In fact, it sounded ominous. Not that Richard wasn't capable of getting "lucky," but to not return phone calls? Phone calls that, Richard would most likely assume, meant some new work?

If Richard was "all about" anything, he was all about his work. He had no family.

The production boss decided to call the police. I wholeheartedly agreed it was the thing to do.

To make a long(er) story short(er), Richard, it turns out, was dead. Apparently, he died days before, most likely during the wee hours of the night before he and I were supposed to meet.

There was some concern, on the part the production boss, a few others, and myself, that Richard did not die of natural causes. That he might have either purposely or accidentally been the cause of his own death. You see, there were some things going on in Richard's life that were causing him intense stress. Only a few people knew about this stuff-- the production boss and myself being two of them.

Richard's recent problems weren't common knowledge around the industry. Those who knew about it, myself included, kept it confidential. And its been kept that way, even after his tragic death. For a few weeks before his death, people were guessing that something wrong, something troubling, was going on with Richard. But only a few knew the details. Only a few still do.

Just a few days ago we received word that Richard died of natural causes. It was a relief to hear this. According to an autopsy, he suffered a heart attack. Apparently, and also according to the autopsy, Richard had undiagnosed heart disease. Unfortunately, I can't shake the feeling that his recent problems greatly contributed to his sudden demise: He was only 53 and seemed in pretty good health despite the autopsy's results. I had just worked with him a week or so before his death, on a 5-day shoot, and he seemed just fine, health-wise at least.

The autopsy results were, in a sense, good news, i.e., in terms of our suspicions. That he died naturally was something good, welcome news, wrapped around something tragic.

Richard was a truly masterful pretty girl shooter. I'm not just saying that because he's gone. He was good. Really good. And he could deliver some of the best shooter-to-model banter, aka direction, I've ever heard, bar none! That skill, IMO, was his strongest skill as a pretty girl shooter. In fact, and I've said this before, once you've learned what you need to learn about lighting and exposure and all that, interaction with models is probably the most important part of your pretty girl shooting game.

And Richard had game. Top-notch game.

Memorable game.

Rest in peace, Richard.

Birth of a Ring Lord?

I've never been a big fan of ring lights. Why? For one, those doughnut-shaped catch-lights don't do much for me as they, often enough, look strangely alien to my eye.

Having said that, I should also mention I've never shot with a ring light. My perception of ring lights is based, wholly, on my reactions to the work of others who use, or have used, ring lights as part of their bag of (lighting) tricks.

But now that I own a Zeus lighting system, I figure it might be a good time for me to take the ring light plunge.

So I am-- plunging, that is.

I've ordered a ZEUS™ ZRM1 RingMaster ring light from Paul C. Buff.

Some of you, those who read this blog regularly, might have noticed I've purchased a fair amount of gear lately. In the past few months, I've bought three new lenses, two of them Canon "L" glass, a bunch of new grip and lighting gear, plus a pair of PocketWizard Plus II Transceivers as well as the new, PW, Flex TT5.

Not that I need to 'splayne, Lucy, but I will mention that I didn't go to Vegas and hit big on a slot machine. I haven't won a LOTTO payout. I wasn't given a new credit card. (I'm a cash guy-- I don't use credit cards.) No one died and left me money.

What's happened is this: The last 4 or 5 months have been very good to me, work-wise. Since I don't live a lavish lifestyle--that's a BIG understatement--coupled with my recent upturn in income, I've put some of this money back into gear. "Get it while you can" is my motto. Well, one of my mottos.

To help put things in perspective, the 3 or 4 months prior to the recent 4 or 5 months were kinda bleak and desolate in terms of work and income. During that period, I sold a bunch of gear, mostly grip. Fortunately, it was surplus grip gear I no longer had much use for due to the fact I no longer had a studio to equip.

But that was then and this is now and now I've bought myself, amongst other things, a ring light.

Personally, I consider ring lights as being fill lights. Yeah, I know, they're certainly used as key or main lights often enough, most notably by fashion photographers. I'll probably use mine as such from time to time but, for the most part, I see it as fill.

Since I also have an ExplorerXT portable power system, I'll be able to take my Zeus lighting system, including the ring light, most anywhere.

When shooting daylight exteriors, I'll sometimes be using the ring light as a powerful, on-axis, harsh-shadow-busting, e-z setup, fill light: Like on a beach, in the desert, up in the mountains, most anywhere. I'll also be incorporating the ring light's use into the PGS DVD that begins actual production in the next few weeks.

By adding to the ring light's use a second light source--yeah, the ExplorerXT can power multiple lighting sources, within reason--and/or perhaps some reflectors, scrims, whatever, I should be able to nicely capture some pretty girls in all kinds of environments where A/C isn't available and natural light just isn't going to cut it, leastwise, my versions of cutting it.

I'm fairly excited to have all these new capabilities. Not as excited as I am for simply and recently being able to afford new extravagances like my Zeus pack-n-heads system, the glass and the grip gear, the PWs, as well as the ring light, but excited nonetheless.

Money ain't the key to happiness but poverty ain't either.

The pretty girl at the top is Chloe from a month or so ago. I shot Chloe in a simple, straight-forward manner, in-studio on a white cyc, i.e., a white cyclorama. And yes, those chest puppies are all natural. No bolt-ons for Chloe!

Post Script: I'm probably done buying gear for a while. One possible exception: Another Pelican case to safely store and transport the Zeus system, including the ring light. I'll be keeping an eye on Craigslist for an appropriate-size Pelican. Pelican cases can take extreme abuse! They also float! (They are nearly, if not completely, air-tight and water-tight.) Used, beat-up, Pelican cases are often good as new in terms of functionality.

He Drives! He Scores!

It was stupid hot in L.A. today. I mean stupid hot!

Got up and decided to drive to Pasadena where it might or might not be a tad cooler. I also went there for the monthly Bargain Camera Show.

I've been to this little gathering of photo-goods buyers and sellers a bunch of times before. More often than not, I've come home empty-handed. Not that there hasn't been plenty of stuff I wanted to buy, I just couldn't haggle a good enough price for the stuff I coveted.

The sellers at these shows are hawking everything from vintage camera gear to new stuff and everything in between. It's the kind of place where many photo-enthusiasts who are (most likely) long-time, card-carrying members of the Cult of the Photo Vest gather.

I brought enough cash with me to cover most anything, within reason, I might be moved to purchase. There are more than a few sellers at these little photo-flea-markets who take plastic, and ATMs are always nearby, but on-hand cash speaks so much more eloquently when you're haggling negotiating.

Upon arriving, the first thing I noticed was the parking lot was packed! They hold this monthly show at the Pasadena Elks Lodge: A big, old, three-story, white-painted wooden building which looks like it's been sitting there for a century or more. Anyway, the parking lot was packed and it probably has spaces for a hundred vehicles or more.

"Whoa!" I thought. "Looks like a few people had the same idea I did today."

Usually, when I've gone before, the parking lot has been half-full... or half-empty, depending on how you look at it.

I found a parking space, parked, walked in, paid my $2 admittance fee, and started browsing all the photography wares laid out on tables throughout the show's two, big rooms.

The joint was definitely packed: Not just with buyers but with sellers too. More sellers, in fact, than I can remember ever seeing there.

As I moved up and down the aisles, nothing really caught my eye. Yeah, there were hundreds of cameras and lenses, from vintage to new. Maybe even thousands of them! And boy! If I ever want to buy some used sticks, screw Ebay and Craigslist, this is definitely the place to shop. There were used tripods everywhere. I also noticed plenty of sellers trying to off darkroom gear. Good luck, guys!

I came on a table where the seller had two, Alien Bees carrying bags. Naturally, I figured there were some Alien Bees inside them.

"How much for the Bees?" I asked.

"Oh. They're not Alien Bees," the seller responded. "They're Zeus heads," he continued. "I have the whole kit, the heads and the Zeus power pack." He pulled out the heads and also showed me the power pack, a Paul C. Buff Zeus 2500WS. "I bought this stuff a while ago and only used it once, for 45 minutes."

I examined the gear: It looked brand spanking new! Not gently-used or barely-used but like-new... like it just came out of the freakin' box! I couldn't find as much as a fingerprint or a smudge on this stuff, much less a scratch, a ding, or whatever.

"How much?" I asked.

"I paid about $1500 for this stuff," he said. "You can have it for $750."

Before I could say, "Lemme think about it," the seller added, "I'll also throw in this brand new Paul C. Buff, folding, medium, soft box." He held up the soft box, in a PCBuff carrying bag.

"I gotta think about it." I said. "Let me walk around for a bit and see if there's something else that catches my eye."

The truth is, I wanted this gear. And I figured the price was right. Maybe more than right. Plus, having once been a buyer and seller of vintage, antique, and collectible things at flea markets, antique shows, and elsewhere, I knew a desperate motivated seller when I saw one.

I walked away.

I went to the other room, found a seat, sat down, and pulled out my iPhone. I went on the web to look up the retail prices for this stuff. In a moment, I realized the power pack and heads were, indeed, about $1400 new. Add to that the soft box, which retails for about $120, plus the carrying bags at $17 each, I was looking at a kit that cost, new, around $1550. (Plus shipping from Chez Buff's in Tennessee.)

I then read some online reviews about these products. This comparative test, reported at DPreview.com, comparing the Zeus with Broncolor, Dynalite, Profoto, and Speedotron gear, heightened my interest in buying this Zeus stuff.

I went back to the table where the Zeus seller was at. When I arrived, I spotted an adjustable scrim holder on his table. It looked new as well. I picked it up and toyed with it. (I'm always a sucker for interesting grip gear.)

"How much for this?" I asked, rather nonchalantly.

"You know what it is?" the seller asked.

I nodded.

"If you take the lights," the seller said, "I'll throw that in."

I looked up and studied the seller for a moment. This guy definitely needed to go home with some cash in his pocket. The scrim holder was probably worth about $25 or so.

"I don't want to insult you with a low-ball offer," I shrugged. "You're already selling this stuff for a bargain price."

"Make an offer," he challenged.

"Okay. $600. Cash. For all of it."

The guy neither flinched nor hesitated. "I had to rent a car just to get here today and make some money." He confessed. "Give me $650 and it's all yours: The pack, the lights, the soft box, the carrying bags, the scrim holder."

I smiled appreciatively and pulled out my wallet, counted out six Ben Franklins, two twenties, and a ten-spot, handed over the cash and the gear was mine.

"You just made my day," the seller told me with a smile.

Yep. I suppose I did. And he made mine as well. I scored!

BTW, when I got home I set it all up. Everything works like a charm. The reflectors hadn't ever been removed from their sealed plastic bags. Used once for 45 minutes? I totally believe that. In fact, this stuff doesn't look like it was even used once!

The Paul C. Buff power pack and 2-heads I bought today can be seen on THIS PAGE. I snagged the Z2500 Power Pack and two, Z2500SH Standard Flash Heads.

The pretty girl at the top is Cytherea from 3 or 4 years ago. Shot in my studio on a day when I was feeling slightly artsy.

Once You've Gone Full-Frame There's No Going Back

Yesterday, I needed to pull my 20D backup body out of my bag and use it for a 4-model shoot. Doing so made me realize that once you've gone full-frame there's no going back.

My subject title, of course, speaks metaphorically: Shit happens. When it does, as in the case of yesterday's shoot, I was forced to do what I had to do, i.e., pull out my 20D backup body and use it instead of my 5D.

Technically, my 5D is operational. It doesn't need repair or anything like that. The problem was bunnies-- dust bunnies on the sensor. I noticed the contaminants on the sensor and, not having my sensor cleaning kit with me, felt compelled to shoot with my 20D. (The 5D is notorious for ineffective weatherproofing and dustproofing.)

To be sure, the 20D is a sweet camera body. Before purchasing a 5D, I snapped many photos with that body and, for the most part, I was very happy with its performance. Back then, I also had a 10D, kept for a back-up. Then, Canon released the 5D and, since it was priced considerably below their 1D line of dSLRs while still offering a full-frame-sensor, I bought a 5D soon after its release. If I remember correctly, my 5D cost me around $3,600. (CA Sales tax included.) I think they now sell, new, for about fifteen hundred dollars less.

For yesterday's shoot, I was working in a fairly confined space. I still wanted to use a lens with some telephoto capability but even my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, zoomed all the way out, made shooting full-body pretty girl pics--with the 20D's 1.6x crop factor messing with my photo-Zen--difficult in the space I was shooting in: There was barely enough room for me to get far enough away from the models to capture them, when they were standing, from head to toe.

I also missed the 5D's 2.5" LCD screen on the back of the camera. The 20D has a much smaller screen and this made chimping reviewing my shots difficult and eye-straining.

Again, I'm not badmouthing the 20D. It's a great camera! But also, like I said, once you've gone full-frame there's no going back. (Leastwise, it's somewhat exasperating when you need to do so.)

The pretty girl at the top, flexing her bicep, is Katarina. I snapped this pic of Katarina back in 2006. It was one of the first times I worked with my (then) new Canon 5D.

iPhone 3GS In My Future? How About Yours?

I gotta say, I love my iPhone. It's not just a mobile phone, it's so much more.

I have an earlier iteration of the iPhone: An iPhone 8GB. The "8GB," of course, refers to how much storage is installed on my device-- 8 Gigabytes. I've thought about upgrading to the new 3GS but I've been more-than-happy with my early-gen iPhone so I've resisted the urge.

Now, I'm rethinking my position. Why? The new iPhone's upgraded camera and, more importantly and more exciting, the 3GS's video capabilities.

If you don't know what Apple has done with the new iPhone, video-wise, or what's (most likely) on the way for iPod lovers, check out this article from TechCrunch.com.

(Thanks for Tweeting a heads-up and link, Mister Boudoir Photographer.)

It's one thing to capture noisy, lo-res video with your cell phone. It's quite another to capture near HD video AND edit your clips AND upload your finished video to YouTube or elsewhere, all on and/or from a single, mobile, device using available WiFi or the carrier's network!

I know, I know. This is a photography site. But photography and videography are merging like never before. You knew that, right? Plus, ya know how many of you say you enjoy the BTS shots I sometimes provide with my updates? How about short, BTS videos of the models, the lighting set-ups, and more?

iPhone pics have lately become quite popular with many photographers, from pros like Chase Jarvis to hobbyists. (Jarvis TwitPic posts new iPhone snaps quite regularly, sometimes daily!)

Imagine what's gonna happen if iPhone vids really catch on? These videos will be available on the web almost in real time!

I've been month-to-month with my AT&T service since February of this year. If I agree to sign up for a two-year contract, I can get the new iPhone 3GS for $199 or $299 depending on how much storage it has on board. That's a fairly sweet deal for a new iPhone 3GS! Yeah, it means being stuck for a couple of years with AT&T as my carrier. I'll admit AT&T kinda sucks as a mobile carrier. But maybe they'll improve the coverage and service? Who knows? Stranger things have happened.

The pretty girl at the top, wearing the rhinestone-encrusted, vinyl, dominatrix get-up is Regan. I snapped this pic of Regan in my studio about 3 or 4 years ago. I like the way her right eye peeks out and sucks you in.

A Belated Milestone

Just noticed a milestone I somehow managed to let pass, unnoticed: The PGS blog clocked it's 500th update a few weeks ago.

Currently, I'm at 514 posts. (Counting this one.)

Five-hundred-plus posts and still blogging!

Yeah! We bad!

Three years or so ago, I began writing this blog because I thought I might take a stab at writing a book. A book about photography, of course. Glamour photography to be more precise. But knowing myself the way I do, I knew I probably wouldn't manage to muster the necessary follow-through required to complete a book.

That's how I roll sometimes: With lots of non-rolling lapses in forward momentum.

But a blog?

That, I decided, I could do.

I figured I could write updates often enough. Then, I further figured, somewhere down the road it could all be put together-- All those updates, that is.

All I'd have to do, once enough words were written, is edit them, organize them, re-write them, expand them, condense them, toss out the trite crap, keep the decent stuff, decide which pictures belonged and which didn't and maybe, just maybe, have some sort of illustrated photography book ready to publish or be published.

I might be there now.

Five-hundred posts contain a lot of words, a lot of thoughts and points-of-view, lots of explanations and observations and photographic pontifications. In other words, perhaps enough "baffle 'em with bullshit" text plus (actual) good information to assemble pages and chapters of a book on the art and craft and business of glamour photography?

Or...

Maybe I could find someone else to edit all this stuff I've written? Someone who might actually know what they're doing when it comes to book-editing.

Regardless, I'm guessing I've got enough already written to either take a stab at it or have someone else do the stabbing.

Maybe I should seriously think about doing this? This book thing, that is. What's the worse that could happen? I invest the time and energy to put something together and it gets rejected?

Whoop-dee-doo!

I can deal with that.

Like many people, especially those who pursue creative endeavors, I have plenty of experience with rejection. I've grown some thick skin during my half-century-plus on this planet... some tough rhino skin! Besides, it wouldn't be like a personal rejection. You know, like when a woman has kicked me to the curb despite how much and how well I cared for her... Not that I'm sharing angst. I'm not. I'm just saying. Ya see, having a (would-be) book rejected would be a rejection of something that, while being born of me, created by me, isn't me. Me personally, I mean.

When it comes to rejection, I can differentiate between rejecting me and rejecting something made by me-- Like my photos, for instance. Something a few (or more) photographers on photo-forums could use a lesson or two in doing.

Like I said, I can deal with rejecting my work. I don't take it personal. I might not like it but, WTF, there's much I don't like but I don't automatically get all butt-hurt over it.

Wow! When did I develop such a healthy, if ambivalent, attitude toward shit like this?

I must be getting really old.

Or even more jaded.

The pretty girl at the top is Kayla. I snapped it a year or so ago when I was in my brown-tinted-naked-girl-in-front-of-stucco-wall phase. Like my red-and-yellow gel phase, it too was short-lived.