Tamron's Image Masters  are one of the most diverse groups of artists in our industry.  Well, it's Tamron Tuesday and this one is a kick to share, since Jonathan Thorpe has been featured on the SCU site a few times. Check out his guest post on the importance of special projects, his podcast and a behind the scenes video on one of my favorite images, Forever Alone, shown  below.
 

His description on the Image Masters home page demonstrates how quickly he's established himself as an artist.

Jonathan started taking pictures in 2009, when he received a point and shoot camera as a christmas present. The week after he went to a local hip hop show, took some photos of the artist, and emailed them to him the next day. A month later those same photos were used in a 3 page spread article about the artist, and that started his photo career. 

By using his unmistakable style of lighting and storytelling, Jonathan has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, has had multiple national and international publishings, and photographed award winning musicians and celebrities. In addition to commercials, Jonathan has also directed several music videos. 

Take the time to visit Jonathan's site and you'll see why it was so hard for me to just pick a few of my favorites. From portraits to editorial to the whimsical quirkiness of his special projects, there's a signature of quality and creativity in every image.

Check out his website and blog  and follow him on Twitter.

Jonathan's Tamron Gear Box

SP 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di II (model B001)
SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC (model A007)
SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di (model A001)
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di Macro (model 272) 

Walk Through a Wedding is about terrific tips on technique from Justin and Mary Marantz.  This week's episode is about getting great cake cutting images. The techniques they share are terrific, but they're not from the real world. They don't reflect the challenges of various locations and the total chaos of a real wedding.

The images below are all from real weddings...nothing scripted - just Justin and Mary doing what they do best...showing how they can walk the talk! 

A big thanks to Profoto USA for their non-stop support of education and incredible lighting equipment, especially the new B1 and just this past month, the shipping of the new B1 Air Remote TTL-N for Nikon shooters!

One of the most diverse group of artists in our industry are the  Tamron Image Masters and it's Tamron Tuesday. Today's spotlight profile is a kick to share, because it's about photographer, artist and illustrator, Rick Lieder. 

His description on the Image Masters site says it all...

Painter and photographer Rick Lieder’s art has appeared on award-winning novels ranging from mysteries and science fiction, to books based on the X-Files TV series and Newbery Award-winning books for children. His fine art has been exhibited in galleries in the Midwest and Canada, and include painting, photography, and sculpture.

His nature photography centers on ordinary backyard wildlife, capturing the unique qualities of light interacting with the natural world, including luminous photographs of honey bees and small birds in flight, glowing fireflies hovering over twilight fields, and new-born praying mantis nymphs emerging from their egg cases.

I've only got room to share a few of my favorite images. So, take the time to visit Rick's sites and you'll be amazed at his work with "ordinary backyard life".  Your regular work in photography might not take you into a bug's world, but Rick's macro-technique is as creative as it is exciting. He's giving us a peek at a world the majority of us never see!

Check out his blog, his insect art and bird art and then check out his book,Step Gently Out after watching the trailer  below. In March 2015, his next book, Sweep Up the Sun, birds in flight, is scheduled to be released and his next book  after that is already in the pipeline for 2017. When he's not working on his own book, he's an artist doing illustrations for book covers and working on his own personal projects with the goal to turn some of them into future books and gallery exhibitions.

Rick's Gear Box
SP 28-75mm F/2.8 Di (model A09)
SP 90mm F/2.8 Di VC Macro (model F004)
SP 180mm F/3.5 Di Macro (model B01) 

Images copyright Rick Lieder. All rights reserved.

This is a very different kind of guest post. It's not about photography, but very definitely about an artist who recognizes life is short and opportunities to capture memories come in different techniques. "Maggie's" mother is wedding, portrait and family photographer, Cindy Harter Sims and yesterday on Facebook she posted...

"This share is a shameless brag for my daughter Maggie. This is her promo video for her painting career. She also wrote and recorded the original soundtrack for the video. Her original music can be found on Song Freedom for your video use, but I am so proud of how this turned out. She does a ton of live event painting and most of my brides and grooms hire her as wedding reception entertainment.  She paints the bride and groom during the first dance and the bride and groom get a fabulous keepsake from their wedding. Will Wheeler is the film maker."

I love Maggie's concept. Doing a live painting during the first dance and presenting it to the bride and groom at the end of the evening is so unique. She really is creating an heirloom and so are you with your images.

Did you pick up on Maggie's comments about heirlooms?

"I preserve the memories of others with my paintings. I make heirlooms. I hope my work helps people remember what's important to them....life is short, too short, but the beauty of it is always there, to capture...forever."

Maggie is an incredibly talented artist who absolutely understands the value of her skill set. 


As photographers so many of you have a hard time explaining to your clients why printed images are so important; why you might be more expensive than another photographer they're considering or why an album is more than just a book of pictures.


Listen to Maggie's comments and pay attention to how she's established the value of her finished work. She's giving you so many ideas on how to elevate the position of your the images you capture.  

Interested in learning more about Maggie Smith Kühn? Check out her website.

A big thanks to Maggie and Maggie's Mom, my good friend Cindy. The two of you are a kick to know and it's gong to be so much fun following both of your careers!

Intro by Skip Cohen

For years I've been writing about the best part of this industry, the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. Peter Doyle is one of those friends and in all honesty, I'm not even sure where we first met. I think he was at one of the original Skip's Summer School programs. We catch up on the phone a few times a year and bump into each other at various conventions.

I remember one year at Christmas where he spent a day or two on a video personally wishing every single one of his Facebook friends happy holidays. It was a classic move that only Peter could pull off as he read the names of a few thousand people. He takes his "friendships" very seriously, even on Facebook!

Then came his book, Breast Cancer Portraits. While Peter's photographic style is outstanding, it's the way he combines the subject's own words with his images that truly creates some incredibly high impact portraits.

So, here's my point by asking him to do a guest post. Peter's a terrific example of passion for imaging. He's a photographer, an artist, a writer and an advocate. Peter doesn't just talk about doing something, he gets out there and does it. His two books, both with the same subtitle, wisdom from the journey, are giving cancer victims a voice and encouragement to those in the throes of battle now.

Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sale of Peter's new book is going right back into two supporting cancer charities. Just click the cover of the book in the post below to visit the website.

I know it sounds pretty sappy to put it this way, but I couldn't be more proud to have Peter as a friend and use the SCU venue to help him spread the word.  Nice going buddy - you make us all proud!

By Peter Doyle

In any time of crisis, what we need are those who have walked the journey before to come alongside while speaking words of wisdom for where we are today. We are not looking for ideals or platitudes, but real-life “This is what I did”, “This is what I felt”, Please, don’t make the same mistake I made”, or “It’s okay to feel the way that you do” statements of reassurance. 

101 Childhood Cancer Portraits: wisdom from the journey brings survivors, warriors, and the parents of children who have passed away from childhood cancer together and put pen to paper to share what they have learned from their journey. These handwritten notes paired with personality portraits help give hope and encouragement to families affected by childhood cancer.

An excerpt from the preface...

It was over a year ago when I was sitting in the cancer wing of a pediatric hospital (for business) when the simple realization struck me that the families walking past me were just like my own little family. At least they had been like
mine until they were suddenly engulfed with the stress and fear that comes with hearing your child's cancer diagnosis.

My wife and I have a bright-eyed, curious, three-year-old son. Feeling that momentary panic of what would we do if our world was ever thrown topsy-turvy by similar tidings, I asked myself where we would find support and encouragement? The answer came swiftly: Who better to extend a helpful word of hope than these very families surrounding me? The journey of photographing 101 childhood cancer warriors and survivors leading
me across America began that very night.

When children are diagnosed with cancer, they are thrown into a frightening journey that includes physical and emotional pain, long days and nights at the hospital, dealing with the loss of hair, gaining scars, and in some of our warriors’ stories, even losing limbs due to amputation.

Although there is a strong support presence from friends, family, and hospital staff, it is a lonely affair to battle cancer. When researching other cancer support books, I found they ranged from a 200-page personal story to a children’s book on what to expect during chemotherapy treatment. Although these books serve a purpose and are extremely helpful, what was missing was a book with a broader reach from a personal perspective.

Children and families going through a cancer battle do not have time to sit down and read a 200-page book. However, they will take time to read a one-page, personally handwritten note on wisdom passed from one child warrior to another. That handwritten note will also give hope and encouragement to others who read its narrative. Multiply that times 101 children writing notes, and that's a nice bundle of encouragement to share with the world! 

Just released on October 3 - a new podcast with Brooke Bryand! Click below to listen.

Intro by Skip Cohen

While I've really enjoyed every photographer who's shared their work and different concepts here on the SCU site, my most favorites are those who step out of the ordinary and crank it up a notch by doing something different.

Well, meet a terrific new friend, Brooke Bryand. There's pretty much nothing Brooke can't shoot, but as she says in her video, she's most passionate about photographing families and loves images that capture those tiny details that help tell the story.

A big thanks to friends at Tamron USA for introducing me to Brooke and their never-ending dedication to education and making outstanding glass! Check out Brooke's site for more examples of how she tells each family's unique story.

by Brooke Bryand

Capturing those tiny toes and itty bitty lips can be a challenge when you don’t have the right equipment. I turn to my Tamron 90mm 2.8 lens to photograph these details at newborn and baby sessions as well as cake smashes, which helps me hone in on the details to contribute to the whole story.

Shooting with a macro lens affords me the opportunity to shoot intimately with my subject. I am inches away from those cute toes and long eyelashes, which allows me to really capture the details for parents that they don’t want to forget, yet so quickly will change.

My favorite subject to shoot with the 90mm macro is older babies (7 months to 1 year). This is the time of their life where they still have the baby rolls and haven’t started moving enough to slim down when they start to walk. They are still pure baby (and often pure smiles), which makes my job pure fun!

I have three tips to share for photographing these subjects with a macro lens:

• Change your perspective: Because you are capturing the details, you don’t necessarily need to be straight-on with your subject for every shot. Be sure to move around - getting above them and even behind them - to get a variety of perspectives while they are still in one position.
• Avoid the up-the-nose shot: We all want to get the image of those adorable pouting baby lips. But logistically, the lips lead right up to the nose. Be aware of your position and create  a composition that will support the story you are telling without the unpleasant “nostril shot”.
• Get close AND far: With a macro, we tend to get closer-closer-closer. But the beauty of this lens is that it doubles as a gorgeous portrait lens. Back away from your subject to shoot from afar. If you’re shooting babies, this is a great opportunity to let them sit on their own while you back away (spotters remaining close to the baby at all times, of course), then surprise the baby with a peekaboo or a song to get their attention and grab a gorgeous shot with eye contact and delight.

Using a macro lens broadens the range of perspectives you can offer your client to tell their story. I will often challenge myself to use a particular lens in a situation that wouldn’t be my safe bet and the macro can be a fun way to do just that. It allows me to see my subject in a new way by telling a story through details.