1st Image Photography SFV|Creative Images|Bob Messina

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a technique of combining multiple images of one scene into one image.  Images are taken with correct exposure, one or more underexposed and one or more images overexposed.  HDR software (I used Photomatix 4.0.2) combines the images into one image.  Software also allows for individual selection of image manipulation.  It is best to use a tripod to capture the images.  You must shoot in RAW mode. While on vacation in Sedona, AZ recently, I wondered how to capture images when I don’t have a tripod.  I had my Canon 40 d camera with me.  Using the “Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)” mode in the menu, I tried taking 3 images of the same scene using the highest speed continuous mode.  It did not work like I expected .

Last week, before the SCV Chamber mixer, I took a series of photos at Bridgeport Marketplace using my EOS 1ds, Mark III after getting back from Canon for repair.    Solution is to set the camera on the highest rapid fire setting possible, and set the camera to take images at under, right on and over exposures.  On the Mark III I hold down the Mode and AF Drive buttons simultaneously and turning the wheel on the back of the camera to establish the 3 exposures which for this project I set at 1-1/3 over and 1-1/3under.  Obviously the key is to hold the camera as steady as possible while taking the 3 images.  I had some duds but was able to get 3 good sets of images to work with.  I tried taking images in manual, aperature priority and shutter priority modes.  There are drawbacks to each, especially when it comes to depth of field issues in Shutter priority mode since the camera is setting the aperature.  In aperature priority you may have shutter speed issues if your ISO is not set high enough since the camera is choosing the shutterspeed.

HDR software brings out the best of each image.  The overexposed image has shadow information not seen well in the properly exposed image.  The underexposed image brings richness to the final image such as a darker sky, especially if you don’t have a polarizing filter or the filter does not work well in the situation you find yourself.

Attached are images I created.  Hope you like.

Bob Messina

http://www.1stimage.com  (to be redone soon)

1st Image Photography SCV|Recent Events|Bob Messina

Attached are photos at a couple of events.  1st Image Photography photographed Golden Oak Adult School graduation at Hart High School.  We created a 3 pose photo, incorporating a group, posed individual and graduate receiving diploma, see samples.

I selected some photos from last weeks SCV Chamber of Commerce mixer at Marston's Restaurant.  I posted images on facebook.com/Bob Messina. Images were taken without flash and I used window light to photograph the food. 

I am in my summer slow season.  I am available to photograph most needs.  Next week I will photograph the City of Santa Clarita Aquatics teams and individual portraits.

I am meeting with a couple of web companies to redo my website which many are saying are out dated.

Bob Messina
www.1stimage.com

Bob Messina|Message to athletes and their parents

I just got the following from former NFL Referee Jim Tunney.  I hope those who read this will contemplate the importance of sports and commitments in today’s society.

“After further review… Several Melrose High School players’ faces currently portray their school colors – RED! Melrose High, located in a Boston, Mass. suburb, has now become known infamously nationwide with bad news/good news. The bad news is that 11 Melrose varsity athletes have been suspended from competing in their school’s athletic events for next season, (athletic competition for this school year has been completed). It seems that these young culprits were “caught” on Facebook at an off-campus event in possession of alcohol and/or tobacco.

Social media certainly has given new meaning to Melrose High’s nickname of “Red Raiders”. These 11 Red Raiders were seen “red” handed with their pictures on Facebook. Young people have engaged in these kinds of “forbiddens” clear back to my high school days. As a former high school coach and principal I have all-too-often dealt with these unfortunate incidents. In the past, however, the accusations were usually verbal involving a long process of he-said/she-said denials. With their pictures now on Facebook, these offenses are difficult to defend.

For the “good news”, the district superintendent said, “We’re serious when we say athletics is a privilege, not a right”. Wonder what part of “serious” these students didn’t understand? The Supe went on to say “We are not trying to interfere with what happens outside of school, but if you’re going to represent the school, we expect you to uphold that image 24/7. We understand that people make mistakes, but there are consequences”.

Wow! Think we could get him to run some of our professional sports leagues with kind of commendable action? He is merely enforcing the commitment these athletes made when they signed on to comply with the MIAA (Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association) rules. Every state association has such a requirement for athletic competition. Think we could get our sports pros to sign such a commitment?

How do we impress upon our youngsters that not only participation in sports is a privilege, but attending school to improve their skills with people who care about them is equally so? With the world being flat, our young people can readily see what better conditions for an education they have here compared to those in other countries. My hope is that the parents of these students will support the decision and not try to “protect” their kids by “getting them off”. Accept it, learn from it, and move on!

Will you be supportive of this disciplinary action?”

Jim Tunney

Tunny Side of Sport

 

Bob Messina

http://www.1stimage.com   (to be redone)

 

1st Image Photography|Vacation Travel Photos 3|Bob Messina

We  traveled to the Arizona Meteor Crater, Winslow, AZ and a Hopi Ruin State Park.  The crater was created 50,000 years ago by a 150′ metalic meteor. which took 10 seconds to penetrate the earth’s atmosphere and create the crater.  We were greetied with 70+ mph winds.

In Winslow, AZ, we stood on the corner made famous by the Eagle’s song “Take it Easy”.

We visited the Homolovi Ruins, near Winslow.  Ancestors of the Hopi lived here from 1200’s to early 1400’s.   There are a lot of pottery fragments streun  throughout the area.

We dined, celebrating Dave and Angela’s 24th wedding anniversary, at a cowboy restaurant named Babe’s Round-Up in Camp Verde, AZ.

Bob Messina

http://www.1stimage.com  (to be redone)

The following photos were taken on Sunday, June 5 in Sedona.  I am hoping the storm off California provides clouds for the gorgeous scenery the next couple of days.

Today, we go stand on a corner in Winslow, AZ and visit the Meteor Crater.

1st image Photography|Travel Photography|Bob Messina

Angie, her mom and I arrived in Sedona, Az for a few days. Angie’s brother Dave and wife, Angela, got here about an hour ahead.

I will share the best photos of the day on this blog as well as the social media. The attached images were taken late afternoon and at dinner. Notice the effects of shadowing on the church building. The best times for photos are early morning up to 2 hours after sunrise and from 2 hours before sunset. The best time is an hour after and hour before the sunrise and set.

We dined at the Marketplace in Sedona tonight. Because we have our dogs with us we have to find outside dining. The Marketplace outside was full. There were a couple of tables outside the restaurant limits. We decided to order takeout and eat at the tables. No way the restaurant personnel decided. We got as good service as possible, even getting candle light when it got dark. They also exchanged forks after salads and before the entre. Think of the tip we left them. Also the Marketplace had a classical guitarist entertaining patrons. We were told he is one of the top 8 classical guitarists in the nation.

I will be updating my website, http://www.1stimage.com, this summer.

Bob Messina

1st Image Photography|Why Hire a Professional?|Bob Messina

Recently I started a discussion a Canon Linked-in stie on having lost some long term (20+ years) clients. I have receive many responses. The following should be good reasons why hire an experienced professional.

LinkedIn Groups
Group: Canon EOS Digital Photography
Discussion: I have lost 3 very long time HS T&I clients (20+ years) to parents & amateurs. My clients tell me there was nothing wrong with our services but they wanted to go another directions. Any comments?

RESPONSE: Speaking as an amateur, I have refused to cover several weddings for the following reasons:
I am not as good as they think I am
I have no insurance for when it all goes wrong – public liabiliy or “re-shooting the whole wedding” because the computer crashed type of thing
Pro’s are better – 1 out of 5 of mine if “ok”, 1 out of 5 of those is “good” and 1 out of 5 of those is worth keeping
That said, yes I will take photos and try and be a pro. but only if there really is a pro there to take the ‘proper’ photos.
And as for colour printing…champagne is cheaper per litre than ink!
Posted by Nigel Winkley

Yesterday I photographed 3 1st Communion Masses. I used one of my studio strobes, teathered to the camera. In the past I had on camera flash units fail to fire at the wrong time. Yesterday, shockingly, my studio strobe failed during the 2nd Mass. Checking connections, power, etc. it just did not work. Quickly I changed the ISO to the highest setting, and changed the color balance.

Would an inexperienced amateur or pro think quick enough what to do?

After the 3 1st Communions yesterday I photographed a Confirmation at another parish.

See the results.

Check our website, http://www.1st Image.com for services we provide.

Bob Messina

1st Image Photography|Pictures Shown|Bob Messina

I was invited to a BNI networking breakfast in Woodland Hills yesterday.  The group’s president made a presentation on his construction company’s work using photographs.  Photos can provide more information than describing in words.

Attached to this blog are images which describe the services I provide photographically.

This summer I plan to remake our website, http://www.1stimage.com.  I have received many comments on how outdated the site is.

Contact me for your summertime photo needs.

Thank you,

Bob Messina

1st Image Photography|Sacramental Photography|Bob Messina

I am now photographing 1st Communions and Confirmations at 3 parishes, Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Newhall), St. Euphrasia (Granada Hills) and Confirmation next Sunday (May 22) at St. Bernardine of Siena in Woodland Hills.  On May 28 I will photograph the Spanish families after 3 Masses at OLPH (in addition to the following services)  followed by St. Euphrasia Confirmation.

Services I provide include group photos, receiving 1st Communion, photos with the Bishop after the Confirmation Mass and at St. Euphrasia portraits.  Below are samples of photos.  Also included are photos of participants doing readings or presenting gifts which can be purchased additionally.  Our basic service includes an 8×10 group and 2 5×7’s of the receiving or Bishop photo.  Portraits at St. Euphrasia were taken daily the week prior to the 1st Communion.

With the boys 1st Communion portraits, since they rarely dress up I will photograph them non-religiously and if they bring a suit or coat, I will photograph them in suit with a final fun shot called “The 5 O’Clock” look.  Those sell as well as the religious photos.  Usually I will take 7-10 images, immediately available for viewing and printed at the session to take home.

The “Shadow Shot”, boys and girls lighted from behind sold very well this year.  One image I am submitting to the SCV Photographers Association print competition this Saturday.

Check our website http://www.1stimage.com for services I provide.

Bob Messina

1st Image Photography|Weekend Photographers|Bob Messina

Before leaving to set up for the Valley Industry Association’s B2B Expo, I got a call from a potential client who had considered me photographing a recent event. He hired a young amateur at a cheap rate.

Well you can guess what his comments were. He did not get what he expected and some requested photos were never taken. While he said the image quality was OK, he realized he should have hired me.

I can tell you many other stories such as the above. How many, who know what I do, hire someone else to photograph a wedding or similar event? I hear their horror stories.

When attending St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, my late brother had me photograph his classmates. He wanted the negatives to get prints made. Later he told me about the time required to organize and get prints made. I told him “Now you know why I charge what I charge.”.

There is so much more to providing photography services than having a camera. Sometime in the future the amateur weekend shooters, many now unemployed, will find work and stop taking photos. Unfortunately this “Good Enough” society will drive many well established professional photographers out of business and when clients call these people, their needs won’t be met.

There is more to the cost of photography services than just having a camera and lens. There are equipment expenses, cost of goods sold, general expenses which must be paid whether or not there is business, taxes, financially supporting our employees and their families. Finally we need to make enough to support ourselves and family.

Would you work for nothing? Until I stopped it, my wife worked for up to 15 months without pay by her former employer. We have filed a complaint with the state. My wife, the company bookkeeper, was willing to put up with no checks saying the company was working on new projects; they are civil engineers connected to the construction industry. I just had enough and told her not to go back. She now handles our business accounting, helps with our instant photo services and is seeking new employment.

When you are considering photography services, don’t go for low cost amateurs, You get what you pay for. Understand we professionals have the equipment and experience to meet your photographic need.