Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Last Wednesday, I went shooting with one of my former students on the Hibikino Campus.  This is the campus where I work part-time as an English teacher.  Our model that day was Winnie.  She is a graduate student at Waseda University but as you will see, she is also a beautiful model.  Shouten, my former student, is from China and he loves photography!  Today was his first time to shoot using the off-camera lighting technique and he did a great job.  He was so excited that he is now planning to buy his own trigger system for his flash.  I had a great time shooting a beautiful model and getting satisfaction from Shouten’s improvement as a photographer.  Thanks, Shouten and Winnie!  Can’t wait to do it again soon.

 

Here’s a black and white version of the same image.

One of the treats of going to Las Vegas every year is not related to photography at all.  I get to see my sister!  Her family lives in the San Francisco Bay area but they make the trip to see lil ol me.  It’s not ideal as I have WPPI all day long but what a great time I have with them in the evening!  I don’t often get to play with my niece, Elle, as I live in Japan.  So imagine the fun I have playing with this sweet angel!

On their way back home and before my platform afternoon class, we had a short time (and I mean short) to go out to the desert to capture some family shots.  Next year, I want to set aside a whole afternoon to shoot them at Red Rock Canyon.  Until then, enjoy the pictures below.

 

This is my beautiful niece, Elle!

With her Daddy

I love this one.  You can see Elle’s smiling face behind their kiss.

Elle:  Ummm…why was I put inside this tire?  Is that a scorpion I see?

Okay, break out the flash and see if we can do something dramatic.

Sad to say but at this point Elle wasn’t cooperating anymore so Mommy and daughter went off to explore while Edgar played the eager model.

This cool DJ/sound engineer has no problem posing for me.  Ha ha ha!

Edgar had his own idea for the next couple images

Edgar: Don’t mess with me!

It was time to go but not before I got a shot of my beautiful sis.  Love you, Fern!

 

Coming up…my thoughts on my experience as a volunteer for WPPI’s Print Judging Competition.

 

Leaders Care….

January 20, 2011

Abstract: What Do You See?

January 13, 2011

See anything?  Look closely.

Today’s tutorial is from nationally renowned wedding photographer, David Ziser.  I’m a big fan of David’s teaching, especially in the areas of posing and off-camera lighting.  In the tutorial below, he talks about how to deal with shadows.  If you like this tutorial, please watch his other tutorials on vimeo here.  You can also learn from David by going over to his blog.  There are tons of information there that will help you take your photography to the next level.

The Shadow Knows – How Shadows Can Help Or Hurt Your Images from David Ziser on Vimeo.

Many of you have already seen this video but I thought I’d share it again.  Whether you’re an established or new creative, may it inspire you and give you the proper perspective in 2011.  If you like what you saw, check out Zack Arias’ blog for more gems.

Okay, my fellow photographers, how would you like to be a part of a vision to save lives and change the world?  That is exactly the vision of Thirst Relief International, an organization whose mission statement reads, “Our mission is to overcome death and disease resulting from the consumption of contaminated water by providing safe, clean drinking water to those in need around the world.”

https://secure.thirstrelief.org/

1) “If you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk” 2) “Actions speak louder than words” 3) “Practice what you preach”

The above expressions capture the character of the organization’s founder and president, Jim Davis-Hicks.  When you read about him or listen to him speak, you really get a sense of his heart and passion for helping people in need.

Below is a short video promo of what Thirst Relief is all about.  You can also access the full promotion video here.


Thirst Relief Short from Anton Lorimer on Vimeo.

So, how can you help as photographer?  Well, here’s a win-win event for you: the annual Thirst Relief Mentor Auction.  You place a bid on a photographer who will mentor you on a facet of your photography and the amount you bid will go directly into the work of Thirst Relief.  Through a mentor, you move your business in a positive direction but more importantly, YOU are helping save lives!

The auction begins on January 10th and ends on January 12th.  For more information and to be updated via email, go to http://thirstrelief.shootq.com/

You’re not a photographer and you want to contribute to this great cause?  Please visit the website today, https://secure.thirstrelief.org/

“In marriage, each partner is to be an encourager rather than a critic, a forgiver rather than a collector of hurts, an enabler rather than a reformer.”  -H. Norman Wright and Gary J. Oliver

“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” -Proverbs 18:22

Simply put, Anne is the best thing that’s happened to me.  Everyday, I wake up amazed that I get to spend it with a such an amazing woman!  She is the embodiment of unconditional love.  It has been twelve great years of committment, love, support and encouragement.  And 2011 is a continuation of what I receive on a daily basis.  I love you, Honey!  Looking forward to a year of growth as we strengthen our marriage vows.

Let’s enter the new year with the mindset presented in this quote by artist, Albert J. Sullivan.  I have more to share about this idea of creativity and failure but let me say in this brief post that I hope we will overcome our dread of failure in 2011.  Let us give ourselves grace and not mind that our path is potentially littered with failure.  Let us have this mindset in 2011: failure produces an exponential amount of growth.  Now…go out there and fail!

Creativity in 2011

Sometime after the workshop in New York City, I went to a service at a church that Anne and I used to attend when we lived in the States.  I had to use the men’s room and as I entered, something struck me by its very absence.  The huge bathroom mirror was entirely gone!  I don’t know if it was damaged or if it was being replaced but it felt strange looking at a bare wall.

At the workshop, Scott invited three of his former students to share with us.   All three challenged us to look at things in a whole new way that, if not practiced, will seem strange by its absence (similar to the mirror).  Junshien Lau challenged us to dream big and to work towards our dream.  Marie Lyssa Dormeus challenged us to consider our dream as not a destination but as one to be lived out moment by moment.  And finally, Tauran Woo challenged us to be proactive, to think thoughtfully on how to compose our images.  Dream, journey, composition…all three, in my opinion, have an essential element: thoughtful and careful reflection.  These require some serious “soul-searching” if we are to excel in both photography and life.  A missing mirror is not a big deal but a missing “self” is a big deal when we don’t find the time to examine our lives.  Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

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