PDN Photo Expo NY - Day 3 (Delayed)

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Saturday!  Hallelujah!  Oh no… wait.  I had to get up extra early this time, head to the expo then go to work!  Auuughhhh!  The good part of it all, I was able to really check it out today.

What I ended up doing was actually heading to work earlier then head to the expo around noon, then head back to work around 3-ish.  This time around I was able to take a better look around.  After meeting with my friends and some family, I bumped into Zack Arias.  Zack was very nice and very patient.  He agreed to take a photo of with me.  Which ended up being two… just in case.

I looked at various venders, dismayed I wasn't able to really sink my teeth into the vendors I wanted to talk with.  Billingham was there. Although for the first time in years I didn't see Harry Billingham at the show.  Induro wasn't at the show.  I was looking forward to discussing their lines of extra light weight travel tripods with them.  I also was let down by PocketWizard; but once again, they weren't there.  And mostly Feisol wasn't' there.

Feisol is a European tripod company, shocked me last year be being the lightest tripod I was able to find at the show.  (My brother was in the market.)  This year I am in the market.  I was so impressed with Feisol, I waited months to meet with their representatives at the expo.  As you already know, they weren't there.  

IMPORTANT:  Feisol's site is feisol.net.  There is a feisol.com, which looks similarly to the dot net, but is buggy.  The prices are different from the dot net.  If you Google Feisol, you'll see the dot net come up.  Be careful.  Or just order from B&H, they sell them.

PDN Photo Expo NY - Day 2 (Delayed)

My second day at the photo expo was even shorter than my first.  I was able to spend about an hour on the floor looking at various vendors and really cool products, before heading off to work; where I was working on the open for Current TV's electoral coverage.  (But more on that later.)

With my one hour at the expo, I was able to check out some pretty cool things.  Nikon as with every year had a super long line.  Nikon was giving away something again.  I didn't bother to check out what it was.  There was no way I could have waited on the line, to take advantage of whatever it was they were giving away.  

I was able to pick up my camera and lens from Canon's CPS' free clean and check.  My camera as expected was tip top.  I stopped by their printing area to check it out.  They limited their print sizes this year.  I suppose its because last year there was a massive line to use their 2 large format printers.  Non the less, if you don't own one of those large printers… you got a free print :)

Pic of the Day: Oh He Knew (Delayed)

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A photo of a New York City Calvery Officer while he's on horse back, at Times Square.  The title says it all.  He saw me lining up my lens from at least 20 feet away.  He made the face on purpose.  I believe he was having a bit of fun.  It makes me smile.

Inside A Flowers Glow

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I took this photo while in Alphabet City, Manhattan, New York, inside of the Secret Garden.  There were many flowers exposing themselves in many different angles.  I was shooting with a Canon 5D mark II and my Canon FD 50mm 3.5f Macro lens.

I placed myself into the mindset of a bee.  I started to wonder what it would look like if I were not only looking into a flower, but looking into a flower from below the flower and into it's natural hanging (drooping) state.  I realized the interior of the flower still captures sunlight, although it's not facing directly into the sun.  As you can see the petals help illuminate the interior of the flower.  

New York Photo Expo - Day 1

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These next couple of additional daily posts will be written the day after they occurred.  I'm just too busy with elections to write same day.  Which is why my posting times are no where near the middle of the day.

​On Thursday, I went the PDN Photo Expo.  Although I wasn't able to stay long, I was able to see a few things, bump into Scott Kelby (founder the National Association of Photoshop Professionals) and Andrew Lerman (One of the kindest and most talented photographers I know.).  I was also able to take a nice look at the New Leica M camera (Not yet available for purchase.  The Leica M is a very solid camera.  I had very little time to play with it & wasn't able to keep any photos I took with it.  When I asked one of the people from Leica who has used the M and the Leica Monochrome, he told me it's still a prototype and it wouldn't be fair to compare the two cameras.  That's fair.

I am very excited to get my hands on the not yet released Cokin "Pure Harmonie" (Their spelling) screw on filters.  I could never do what I saw justice, with my description of the filter.  However they are so incredibly thin, I didn't believe you could screw on any additional filters.  But you can.  I'd like to see how well a lens cap will stay on them.  If everything works out, these filters will find themselves on my lenses.​

The last entry is about Shawn from Squarespace.  Shawn ran several webinars I attended for Squarespace.  He was incredibly helpful and very knowledgable. We both were surprised to bump into one another at the show.  I asked him some questions and he graciously helped me.  Meeting him in person was an honor.  Thank you Shawn.

Depth By Bananas

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While walking through Alphabet City, Manhattan, New York, I came across a fruit vendor.  His cart caught my eye because it had an abundance of these bananas hanging off it's right side.  Mixed with the bananas were Plantains also known as Plantanos.

My idea was to capture the wonderful delicious color of the fruit so good it's name is synonymous with going insane - BANANAS. 

My goal was to not only capture the bananas, but show how different they are from one another.  I was shooting with a Canon FD 50mm 3.5f lens on a Canon 5D mark II.  Although it was very bright outside, I wanted to reduce the depth of field as much as possible, to allow the color and texture speak for the entire photo.

Spying On Contrast

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As many of my little in prompt to photo sessions begin, I am often sitting around with my friends or colleagues, and see photographs in my mind's eye.  I wanted to capture my friend who's camera shy in a manner which would help her overcome her shyness.  I love high contrast black and white photography.  And felt the computer monitors next to her face would cast enough light to deliver a sharp silhouette. I love the hard grain of 3200 speed film; and wanted to shoot with a high ISO to help simulate it.

In the end she liked it, and said I could use it.

One last note of interest.  This was the last photo I took with my old Sigma 27-70mm 2.8f EX DG Macro lens.

Loving Realization

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​A very dear group of photos, I was fortunate to take of a long time friend and her beautiful dog.  I met them many years ago at a dog run, in Manhattan.  Jess was fairly new there and Cocoa was just a young dog, filled with wonder, inquiry and fun.  As our dogs played, Jess and I became friends.  

Then one day, Jess moved away...

​I was very happy to have an opportunity to visit one day this past summer; and take photos of both of them.  I knew Cocoa's time was near.  To me there was a sense of urgency.  I wanted to capture them both together.  It was important to me to be able to give Jess some of the great moments they both shared.

Cocoa passed away this past Sunday (10-21-12).​  I am so very sorry, Jess.

Boy Cardinal Reflection

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A boy wonders off into space thinking perhaps of his performance in the upcoming or completed baseball game.  He sits on his worn stoop, without caring to notice the dozens of people walking across this path.

I took this photo while walking in Alphabet City in Manhattan.  I initially noticed the boy from about a half block away.  I set my camera to monochrome mode, intentionally wanting to shoot in black and white that day.  I was shooting an old Canon FD 50mm 3.5f Macro lens.  I squatted a bit and peaking under the railing, I found what I was looking for.  That face.  If there ever a 1000 words to describe it.  Some photographers may say the bar is distracting. It's there to frame the photo.  The tip of his head, not covered by the bar helps complete the photo.  It's a technical trick used in fashion shoots.  If a part of a person is covered a bit... lets say a forearm, then allow the upper part and hand show in the shot.  This will prevent the part of the body from appearing cut off.

Obviously I did not choose to keep this photo in it's intended black and white state.  I felt the colors lend a great deal to the overall story of the image.

© 2012 Daniel Russo   •   www.danrusso.com
Canon AE-1 - Canon FD 50mm Macro F3.5

Decaying Gaze

A photo of a small concrete  statue hidden behind a small bench in the Secret Garden, downtown, New York City.  I used a Canon FD 50mm Macro 3.5f lens with a FD to EF adaptor and a Canon 5D Mark II.

Shape Contrast

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I've wrote before  (in the previous version of danrusso.com) about happy accidents.  I say embrace accidents.  While wondering near some construction, I spied a pigeon walking out of the darkness into the light.  I took a couple of photographs of the pigeon, then realized exactly what the pigeon was walking into.  A mosaic of shapes caused by light, shadow and tile.  I re-focused my lens and framed up the shot.  In the end, I captured the below photo.  As far as the pigeon... idk another day I suppose.

Tiffanys Ignored

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The Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey, keeps a well known secret.  It was designed by Tiffany.  Yes the light blue box that every woman appreciates, Tiffany's.  The terminal is absolutely beautiful.  And every day people disregard the splendor and luxury which surrounds them.  Why?  I would guess it's mostly because the terminal hasn't/wasn't taken as good of car as it should have been taken care of.  Finally age has an impact.

If you get the opportunity to go there, look around.  You'll clearly see Tiffany's influence.  This is the first of 4 photographs which will make their way onto the site.  It is a photo of how people ignore a beautiful not-so-famous Tiffany lamp.

Embrace Your Freckle

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Some of the people who's photo I take are self conscience for some reason or another.  Their hair is a wreck... No makeup... Not dressed to impress... blah blah blah. Some of the best photos I've taken, the subject has not had a hair and makeup session.

After I showed this beautiful woman her photo, she said it looks horrible.  I told her she looks beautiful.  (Am I the only one who see's beauty in this photo?) She said, "... my freckles."  I told her they are beautiful. I don't know what her response was.  I turned to look at her photo on the computer display.  But my ears heard, a subtle but clear lightening of her voice... ahhh the sound of gentle approval. 

Light Focuses

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Years ago, when I was young and easily impressionable... I opened my father's draw and found an Olympus camera.  I remember holding it in my hands... winding the camera... pretending I was taking photos.  And who knows... perhaps I was.  I had no clue what made it "click".  I was young enough not to know what film was, or how it worked.

There was a weight to that camera.  And that feel of leather and metal.  And ohhh those mysterious buttons.  I played with them all, I assure you.  And from time to time, I would sneak into that drawer and take out that camera; and just hold it in my hands... The mysterious object that took photos...

It's been a long time since I was that young... but I never forgot that camera.  So when I hold a camera in my hands now I can still revert, back to that child...  I can still wonder sometimes, how that magic little object works.  The difference is I know what the buttons are. 

For years I've heard photographers say, "... I catch the light..." And for many years, I thought, "I catch the moment."  Which is true.  For most it's light.  But I believe for some its the moment.  In this particular example... I'll leave what I did as a mystery.  I hope you enjoy it.

@2012 - Daniel Russo

Rough Spots & Revision

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Updating my site to the latest server software was something I was hesitant about doing.  I kept bouncing it back and forth.  I weighed the good and the bad points.  In the end, I believe change won the argument all by itself.  I can hold on to the past or embrace the future.  

With the PND Photo Expo in 2 weeks, I decided to place some more stock in my hardware.  One of the pieces I acquired was a Canon 100mm macro EF 2.8L lens.  I purchased the lens from a very talented photographer, named Robert.  I'm leaving out his last name as I have not told him about his making my new entry on the first day my site went live....

Live?  Well it's been live for a few months now.  I just finally took of the dust cover.  As you can see I already have content (below) from some time back.  This site took a lot of testing.  In the end I hope you will love it.

Back to Robert selling me his 100mm macro.  After finding out that Robert shot some very precious photos with the very lens he was selling me, I was very eager to go out and shoot with it.  Unfortunately I had a shoulder operation earlier in the year which prevents me from holding my heavy Canon 5D mark II, battery grip and attached 100mm macro 2.8L lens in my right hand.

I am taking it easy... if you will.  But as I become stronger, I was able to start carrying the heavier stuff... In the end... I offer you this photo for your inspection.  I hope you are honest with yourself and with me.