New Mexico Bowl

Got the call from AP today -- UTEP was coming in for the 2010 New Mexico Bowl and they wanted some images. It was at the Sheraton, 12:45pm. There was a large welcoming comittee on hand for them, including mariachis. I tried to get shots of the players that will make a difference in the game, including wideout Russell Carr, LB Isaiah Carter and RB Joe Banyard. Coach Price is also pictured with his grandkids. Shooting for AP is very different than the day-to-day commercial work I do. A huge premium is put on efficiency, delivery (with proper captoining and subject info) and speed, and of the hundred or so photos taken only a few are submitted to avoid clutter. Like a wedding, everything happens in an instant, so set-ups are out of the question. With that in mind I put a fast 50mm on one camera and a 24mm on the other with a speedlight.

BYU's antics with the Mountain West aside, I'm pulling for the Miners, having met the players and coaches in person. Props to the New Mexico Bowl staff who helped a ton with logistics.

Embassy Suites

A great shoot that developed from my initial foray into shooting the Albuquerque sunset panoramics from their top floor a year or so ago. Most recently we photographed some items on the menu, long-standing chefs Jeffery Berres and Son Ho, and a great couple that stood in for some lifestyle imagry. There is a giant skylight 200 feet up, so between that, my reflectors and my tripod I got most of the food lit. The people required a bit more light so I brought out my speedlights and the Phototek diffusers. 

 

 

Miss Minie

I have taken these pictures over the last year or so of Minie Gonzalez, a great local talent in front of and behind the camera. I decided to use these as I optimize the appearance of my blog -- basically I'm trying to figure out how to make the images larger and more uniform. Thanks for tuning in!

Albuquerque Dining

I get the opportunity to visit many great restaurants in Albuquerque as a food photographer, and occasionally I'm met with unexpectedly beautiful presentations. Recently I photographed the food at two Asian restaurants for the Weekly Alibi and both fit the bill. One was the Asian Grill on Gibson (top two frames), where the food was amazingly fresh and delicious, the other was a the new Vegan Thai on Osuna just east of San Mateo, a restaurant that has a famous sister in Los Angeles. Check these places out if you have a hankering for healthy and delicious food. 

Abbey Beverage: Monk's Ale and Wit

I don't do product work all the time, but like it when I do. By product I mean seamless backgrounds on a tabletop, lot's of artificial light -- in my case always by Nikon speedlights (because I feel I'm at a financial rubicon with that method of lighting as opposed to studio strobes like Alien Bees, White Lightnings or whatever). Anyway, Abbey contacted me to help with some marketing and we've started off with the Wit and the Ale. Both, by the way, are delicious.

Ferguesons

This is the second time I've photographed this great family. My kids go to school with one of these tykes. It was a little chilly that day, but I thought that we got some great stuff. I used a couple of speed lights through umbrellas since we were shooting right in the middle of the day.

Rudolph/Jancewicz Wedding

An incredible wedding at the Andaluz downtown. It was a traditional Jewish wedding, with the ceremony beginning at sundown, so I leaned on my speedlights heavily, eventually finding a good groove with them. The bride was, as you can see I hope, incredibly elegant and beautiful, and brought her family in from Russia, which added something special to the night. I'm very proud of these images  -- things came together this night in a way that reminded me of my days playing soccer, when occasionally the game would slow down for me and start to really make sense. This was my first day with my new D700, and I'm a believer -- in the low light performance and focusing in particular. Great couple to work with from start to finish.  

Parq Central Grand Opening

David Oberstein and Marc Bertram had me come by to photograph the grand opening of the Parq Central Hotel this weekend. It is refreshing to see something of this considerable scale and importance be followed through upon in downtown Albuquerque -- to see the success of the Albuquerque High School project being built upon in our East Downtown. The venture has the support of the Huning Highland Neighborhood Association and the city of Albuquerque, and the investors deserve much credit for taking on such a project, and the associated risks that come along with it. Great pains have been taken to keep the historical signature of the building while evoking an air of comfort and sophistication that will be appreciated by guests for years to come. Many luminaries, including Mayor Barry, where on hand for the festivities. A highlight for me was running into Robert Reck, a decidedly top-shelf photographer and  a celebrity to those of us in the photo community that pay attention. Overall, this was another great opportunity for me -- the positive spirit of the opening showed on happy faces, and in combination with the beautiful setting of the hotel, contributed to many great images...

Nob Hill Bar & Grill

I love shooting here. Beautiful airy dining space with great window light and delicious food combine with a sleek and elegant back-lit bar. I used my speedlights for the drinks and reflectors for the food, which includes a warm duck-spinach salad, cranberry goat cheese chicken, a delicious apple and maple bread pudding with banana ice cram and an ice cream trio sundae

Calvin & Dionne

These guys are former UNM athletes (football and basketball) and recently married. Dionne called me to get some images for the family. We went to the park as the sun went down. It's hard not to get good photos with a good looking couple like this!