Holy Smokes. You guys see that gigantic visitor’s spike in my google analytics dashboard? That was on the day David Hobby, aka The Strobist, pimped me out on twitter. …his handle is @strobist for those reading this post who didn’t find me through him.

1,835! that’s how many people checked out my blog July 15th, 2010. For the most part they went to two pages: This one. and This one.

Thanks to all you folks who subscribed to my twitter feed. …I think it tripled! And I appreciate everyone who subscribed to my blog on their rss feed. I’ll try to do you guys right by keeping this blog filled with interesting images and I’ll give y’all a good explanation when I can remember my set up. hahahaha.

And of course, thanks to David Hobby! No wonder Time Magazine named The Strobist as one of the top 25 blogs of 2010. I wouldn’t have seen that incredible spike without him. I think my regular page views are up, too.

Sometimes photographing another photographer can be intimidating. …sometimes it can be annoying. But I felt neither emotion when I got to photograph David Hobby last week.

It was fun! It helped that we already knew each other.

(20 cool points to whoever can guess what David’s drinking.)

So, why was I photographing Mr. Hobby? Time Magazine named his blog, The Strobist, one of the top 35 of 2010 and The Howard County Times (where I work, and where David used to work before the Sun) is profiling him. I’m not sure the rank is in any significant numerical order, but he’s #18 on the list.

My original idea was to make a wall o’ lights. Like, bring out all of his strobes. Then I saw his backyard and realized it was too hilly. But I’m not saying I don’t want to try it at some other time — hint hint, David.

Here’s an extended caption: This image of David Hobby, made in his Dorsey Search backyard, Friday, July 9, 2010, was made with a Nikon D700, a Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 DX lens, and shot wide open with an aperture of f/1.8, with a 1/25th shutter speed and an exposure speed of 200 ISO. A neutral density filter (which belonged to David) was used over the lens. Five lights were used: three Alien Bee 1600′s — two off camera, one, on my right, modified with a beauty dish at 1/4 power, one to the far left, modified with a magnum reflector, at full power, and the one seen in the background, bare-bulb at full power — one Alien Bee 800, at his feet, at 1/16th power, and one Nikon sb-800 speedlight, on the right, for a little rim light, but mostly for show. The set up (except for the sb-800) was powered by two Paul C. Buff Vagabond II’s and the lights were triggered by a combination of Pocket Wizard II’s and utilizing the lights’ optical slaves. This info might seem like gobbledygook to most, but the followers of Hobby’s “The Strobist” blog know it as “Strobist Info.”  Former Patuxent Publishing Co. and Baltimore Sun staff photographer David Hobby’s blog was named by Time Magazine as one of the top 25 blogs of 2010. The Strobist blog demystifies off-camera lighting while maintaining a budget-minded populist ethos for the non-professionals who just want to make their photos better.

And since I love outtakes…

photo by David Hobby

we were having problems with his new Einstein strobe, seen right behind me. Notice how it’s not going off?

Flippantly testing the pocket wizards.

Here’s the final product/what I turned in.

and here are my CYA shots.

and here’s one he shot of me!

Brad Trent is super bad ass. Giving Credit to where credit is due, The Strobist recently pimped him out, discussing his regularly practiced fourth-wall-breaking “Artificial Portraits” series.

So, that’s where I heard about him. Now… I’m a big fan. and I LOOOOOOVE his wackadoo style. It seems like Mr. Trent just likes to have fun. In turn, I’m having fun looking at his stuff.

It’s a really good lesson to learn for all you shooters out there. Perhaps, like a smile translating over the phone, fun will translate through a photo shoot. …similarly, so might frustration.

Enjoy, and feel free to post your experiences when the emotions of a really fun or frustrating photo shoot translated on “paper.”

A new playground for the abused and neglected children of The Ravens Courage House had an opening ceremony Friday January 20, 2005. For the children’s safety none of them are to be identified in the photo.

So, what do you do when you can’t show faces? — thank your lucky stars for the sun location, balloons, semi-translucent playground equipment and silhouettes. My buddy Patrick Smith did a recent post about how he recently succumbed to the temptations of silhouettes. I totally understand. I’ve recently been on a reflection kick, myself.

The way I see it, a gimmick’s only as good as how well it’s used. In this sense, it’s helping to keep these kids safe, while making a beautiful image, AND celebrates the new playground space.

The 10am Update is a regular blog feature showcasing some of the best work from my archives.

I know this sounds like I’m bragging — and well, I guess I am a little, but not in a cocky way. It’s more like a “super excited” kind of bragging.

I did really well in the recently judged September clip contest. The monthly clip contest doesn’t really go in order. December’s already been judged, for example, and we’re still waiting on results from November, August, and May.

So, In addition to winning 1st and 2nd in Feature/Multiple, I also placed first in Sports, and third in Feature/Single.

It was a good month for some of my friends, too. Fellow PPC co-worker Sarah Nix-Pastranna won 2nd in Feature/Single. Patrick Smith landed second in Sports, and Drew Anthony Smith grabbed 2nd and 3rd in Illustration. I’m 100 points — or two first place wins — away from tying with Kyle Green, the regional clip Juggernaught from The Roanoke Times. Fingers crossed!

If I was to give myself some professional New Years resolutions, this is one of them.

“Shooting the emotion” weighs heavier to viewers than cool, graphic images. Using rad light and a bad-ass compositions, don’t cut to the core. They’re just eye candy.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOOOOOVE eye candy. When I look over my work, I’m kinda predisposed to it. It’s easier for me to make.

My friend Monica Lopossay — three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee (and she’s only 33!) is waaaay more in tune to people’s emotions. Her photos make viewers feel something. Her most important work makes you “want to slit your wrists,” …her words.

Emotions are relatable. They transcend cultural norms.

They’re also iconic.

Sure, this photo is really just Jess upset that I’m busy taking her picture instead of unlocking the back gate. She’s cold and wants to get in the car. The truth in this photos is that the cold is making her more upset than I am.

But I’ve seen this face before. I’ve upset her. I’m sure anyone who’s been in a relationship has hurt their loved one before.

I don’t have the courage, or maybe I’m smart enough not, to pick up the camera during those moments.

But that’s kinda the point I’m making. I think it’s safe to assume everyone on this planet has been on the opposite end of this kind of stare.

It’s relatable. …and therefore, it’s powerful.

So, 2010! the year to shoot the emotion!

Who’s with me?

After the jump are more photos of some of The Collective dancers shot for their SHORTS promo post card.

The Collective presents SHORTS Friday, January 15, 2010 8:00pm at the Creative Alliance.

$15/general admission

$12/students, seniors, and CA members

Here’s the press release: The Collective, named Baltimore’s Best Dance Company for 2008 and 2009 by the CityPaper, will present a concert of short works designed to make the most impact in the shortest amount of time possible. SHORTS is a collection of twelve dances, ranging in length from two to five minutes, used to abstract everyday objects and situations into movement. Under the direction of Jessica Fultz and Sonia Synkowksi, The Collective houses professional dancers and choreographers from the Baltimore region who gather to create and produce new work. SHORTS will feature choreography by Jessica Fultz, Adrienne Lathanishen, Camille Lattimore, Cait Moler, Lynne Price, Sonia Synkowski, Melissa Talleda, Emily Tankersley, and Lauren Withhart with original musical compositions by Keith Kramer and Mark Williams.

who doesn’t love outtakes?

Pouya and I rescued a toy poodle from the treachery of an I-85 on-ramp In Atlanta Thursday, December 10, 2009. We named him Rufus.

Pouya shot some of these.

…and I shot some of these.

We were supposed to go to a bar, but ended driving from the southside to an all-night emergency vet clinic in the northern suburbs.

There, we found out he was recently groomed, fleasless, was about two or three years old, and also had his teeth cleaned.

We also found out he Rufus didn’t have an ID chip. So, we brought him back to Pouya’s house.

We fed him. He pooped, peed, and sniffed around.

At this point we didn’t know where we were going to keep him. The backyard seemed like an okay idea when we first got him, but a massive cold front moved in over night.

Plus…

Pouya was worried that his dogs would make a midnight snack out of the lil’ guy.

So, he slept on a blanket, in the tub, behind closed doors, where he was safe and warm.

The next morning Pouya dropped Rufus off to the SPCA. For some reason they renamed him Hunter.

Obviously we were both worried he might get put down. Luckily for Rufus (and us) strays are kept for seven days before getting injected, allowing owners enough time to look for him.

The lady Pouya talked to said she wasn’t even worried about it. She’d be surprised if a mature, house broken, quiet, pure bread, clean, HYPOALLERGENIC, non-pit bull, dog wasn’t adopted in two days.

Sure enough, he found a home. We did good.

There are a bunch more photos from my trip to Atlanta below the fold…

Pouya shot this of me.

Jeff Furticella, Pouya’s dogs, and Sandy Hooper.

Pouya’s dogs lickling Sandy and Jeff.

Pouya’s neighbors moved. and some how this tiger found its way from in front of their house all the way down the street. Weird, huh?

hehehe. some guy put a sunflower in the bushes. …not sure why.

At my office. ie. the Caribou Coffee down the street from Mom’s pad.

Sandy Hooper

Sandy’s cats are friggin’ nuts.

‘Sup?

Olivia and her mom, Liz.

Stephen Michaels

Pouya

Johnny Simon

Noah Devereaux and David Walter Banks. Matt Eich made an update on his Luceo blog with his photos and it got me inspired.

So, here are my Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar snaps.

Showing David Banks my 28 f/1.8 macro lens.  …in the most obnoxious way possible.

Kendrick. making mustaches.

Jeff Furticella.

Raffie Belliard and Tom Glavine joined us for BBQ.

Saltiiiiiiines!!!