by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, photography education
Our quote today comes from the world of writing. Author and poet William Thackeray uses his wordsmithing to help define what we do…
Isn’t it amazing what we can do with a camera?
“The two most engaging things about photography are to make new things familiar and familiar things new.”
William Thackeray
The power of photography is immense. Making something we see everyday beautiful or interesting. Or causing someone to see something as if for the first time. How about the social causes being advanced?
Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell with preserving nature. Minor White & Henri Cartier Bresson exploring black and white visions.
Richard Avedon and Gregory Heisler pushing portrait techniques.
Photographers working for the U.S. government’s Farm Security Administration (FSA) and later the Office of War Information (OWI) between 1939 and 1944 made approximately 1,600 color photographs that depict life in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The pictures focus on rural areas and farm labor, as well as aspects of World War II mobilization, including factories, railroads, aviation training, and women working.
You, in lighting and posing your people in a flattering manner that allows a person to see themselves as others do in the best light.
Think of the images you can create whether it be of beauty, horror, social issues or… You think. Share here how you are using your camera and image making skills for the greater good and if you are not is that something you might think about??
Yours in Photography, Bob
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by successfulbob | black & white, commercial photography, fine art musician portrait, graphic design, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, people photography, photography, photography education
If you follow my blog and life you’ll see that I’m a music fan. Photographing live music is something that I have been devoting myself to and adding in creating art for the musicians. When something like the Old Town Center for the Arts annual Blues Fest comes along I am in hog heaven. It gives me a chance to photograph and practice new techniques.
Tommy Dukes, Arizona Blues Hall of Fame member. Artistic Photoshop work from blues fest performance. Original capture with Lumix GX7 35-100.. 2.8 lens. Impressive Art filter. Layers and textures add to final art mix.
Did I say it gives me a chance to practice? I believe practicing is as important to photographers as it is to musicians, athletes or anyone else who needs to have the skill of working under pressure. Changing settings, working in new lighting (and often challenging) conditions is something you need to be able to work with almost without thinking so you can capture the essence of a performer. In this case I was playing with some of the presets in the camera and finding some cool looks. In order for you to access the camera pre-sets after downloading you need to capture the images as jpegs. For safety sake and to have all the info presented to the camera you can save as RAW plus jpeg.
Tommy was quite animated and his shirt added to the life of the performance. Capture with Impressive Art filter then layers of texture added to foreground and background.
Then I self assign creation of CD covers, music and musician art and share the ideas with the artists and their marketing people. This has led to being hired to do the work I enjoy. Hmm. Practice. Self assignments. Sharing. Marketing. People often ask me how I get the images I do and the work I want to do. Re-read the last paragraph again and you’ve got he answer. When are you starting your next personal project?
Pretty much straight out of the GX7 camera using the monochrome art setting. Pretty clean black and white!
Straight out of camera with the Impressive Art setting on the Lumix GX7
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography education, success education
Being in business means more than just making money in the community. I feel a great part about being part of a community is being able to give back and support those who are doing good things or providing service ‘over and above’.
One way to bring that to other folks attention is by blogging and telling the world about good things you see. The Internet is full of people who share their bad experiences and spread negativity in their wake… I feel if we reward the positive more often that it will breed more positive behavior. One of the ways I share that is with my images and blog. When I run across something good happening I try to share it with as many people as possible. Here’s an example of a salute to a great employee at our Sedona Community Center.
Following the the post I make a copy and put it in a frame and give it to the business for display. It gets the person who is featured more exposure and lets them know they are appreciated.
Here is the 8×10 piece for display that also keep Bob Coates Photography name in front of people.
How does this help my business? In looking for stories I tend to have my camera with me all the time so I don’t miss anything. Having the camera all the time generates conversations about photography. Exposure for my business through people seeing the salutes, getting people to feel good about themselves and each other, more human interest material for my blog which helps with SEO. AND, people want to work with positive people… Start sharing the good things and see how it helps you.
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photography, photography - art quote, success education
Anonymous strikes again with this quote that tells you to get up off your butt and study, and practice, and be ready for the time when it all comes together. 
“Success is what happens when 10,000 hours of preparation meet with one moment of opportunity.” – Anonymous
I think that in today’s society there is a tendency to want or think you can get to success without putting in the time to make it happen. I’ll throw a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson again because it is appropriate. “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”
Raise your glass in a toast to working hard, working smart and enjoying the journey!
Yours in Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | fine art musician portrait, fine art photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, people photography
These are two of the house players for Sound Bites Grill in Sedona who have been added to the Wall of Fame
New Wall of Fame member Steve Sandner playing keyboards and singing as part of the Jazz Fest Jam night at Sound Bites on March 23rd.
Chris Finet is a strong Bass Player. He made the Wall of Fame at Sound Bites Grill. Originally from Phoenix, Chris is the Professor of String Bass and Jazz Studies at Northern Arizona University. In addition to his work as an educator at NAU, Chris keeps busy performing throughout Arizona and the rest of the country.
Images were captured with the Panasonic Lumix GX7 and 35-100mm 2.8 lens (70-200mm 35 mm equivalent)
by successfulbob | commercial photography, fine art musician portrait, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, people photography, photography
One of the jobs I really enjoy involves taking the art techniques I’ve been developing and using them for my commercial clients. These have been created for the Sound Bites Grill Wall of Fame. Musicians are photographed live during their performances and then I create 8×10’s for display at the restaurant. It’s an increasing challenge (which I love!) to have a slightly different look for each artist. Here are a drummer, guitarist and keyboard player as part of the latest installment…
Jazz Guitarist, composer and Recording Engineer Peter Sprague of Road Work Ahead
at Sound Bites Grill Show Lounge
Road Work Ahead Keyboard Player, composer and arranger Bill Mays jams
at the Sound Bites Grill Jazz Fest Jam in Sedona
Jim Plank, drummer and percussionist for Road Work Ahead plays on the
Sound Bites Show Lounge stage at the Jazz Jam in March.
Images were captured with the Panasonic Lumix GX7 using the 35-100 (70-200 35mm equivalent) 2.8 lens ISO 2500. This is a great combo for getting intimate images without getting too close to the stage. For some of the captures in the future I might bump the ISO up another notch to get just a bit more shutter speed when the performers are moving.
One of the most important parts of my job is to not be obtrusive when capturing performers. I am very conscious of the guests and not disturbing their enjoyment at performances. The GX7 and lens combo is small and helps me remain low key but strangely enough looks pro enough to get inquiries all the time about what type of camera I’m working with.
After the show images are downloaded. Musicians are separated from the background using Adobe Photoshop’s various selection techniques and placed on their own layer. At that point I can start the art part… Adding shadows, textures, blending modes and lighting effects that were not on the stage.
Yours in Photography, Bob
