December, 2009

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Nature’s Applause

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Nature's Applause - Photo by Marc Blake

I’d like to extend a personal thank you to the wind as we wind down 2009. “Thank you, wind!” Not only did you blow my mind but you continued to create abstract art for me to enjoy. Above is a photograph I shot of a pile of leaves that fell and collected in my yard, just outside my office door.

It wasn’t but a day or two later that these leaves were gone. Cleaned up the yard! A natural thing to do… right? Are we surrounded by beauty and opportunity each day? Do we have the choice to let these daily gifts enhance us or perhaps annoy us?

Do you see the mess in “your” yard? Okay! Can you find any of the beauty?

I’m obviously consumed with “attitude” these days. Let me define how I’m using the word attitude: the posture one elects to go with in order to influence one’s demeanor. I’m working to put a positive spin on my attitude and posturing.

Then go, and consider what you choose to find and see in your yard.

Leonard Cohen, my favorite songwriter, creates lyrics that often leave (no pun intended) me to ponder in my thoughts. I close the door on 2009 with this lyrical excerpt. I’ll open the doors of 2010 with the expectations that I’ve always envisioned through my rose-colored glasses.

Leonard writes:

And come forth from the cloud of anoint
And kiss the cheek of the moon
The New Jerusalem glowing
Why tarry all night in the ruin
And leave no word of discomfort
And leave no observer to mourn
But climb on your tears and be silent
Like a rose on its ladder of thorns

Posted in Philosophy, Photography | No Responses »

It’s Just Too Hard

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

Christmas Eve 2009

I have not received ONE piece of spam email for over 12 minutes. This is a very righteous time indeed.

I wanted to let my family know that sometimes, when things seem “just too hard,” it’s only an illusion.

It's just too hard - photo by Marc Blake using Westcott Scenic Backgrounds, Spiderlite TD5 and Westcott Silver Reflector

Look at the photograph (above) I took of a young baseball player struggling to do the best he can do on the pitcher’s mound. He ran into so much diversity that all that was left were tears, disappointment, giving into failure, the pressure he faced from his coaches, teammates and even the parents and families in the stands. It’s just not fair that a youngster like this should be subjected to so much trial at this golden precious young age.

What the “%@#!&” has our society come to?

Okay, listen everybody. I consider “you” my extended family. I love my family and like any decent-minded person want only the best for each and every member. This is why I have chosen to spend my Christmas Eve with you — because, after all, you “are” family.

Times can get tough for us all. That’s nothing new. We’re expected to perform at our peak – all the time by those that depend on us. Our bosses can be real, uh, can be very, er, uh, our bosses can often expect more from us than humanly fair. Guess what? That kind of “stuff” is not going to change.

The phone rings and we’re sweet and kind to the person (a complete stranger often) on the other end of the line. Our spouse reaches out to us and we (sometimes) get snappy. GUILTY? I am. By the way, did I tell you how nice you look in that blue shirt tonight? How kind of me to say so. Oh “darn” I’m being interrupted – arghhh!!! – just a moment please!

Get my point?

Look, it’s all an illusion. You have to know where it’s at in your heart then simply work at modifying your behavior to reflect the truth. Force a little extra kindness and maybe it will get passed forward. Hey! Here’s an idea for the holiday season… “Peace on Earth!” Another illusion? You decide and behave accordingly.

So, don’t let those hard times get you down. Look at them as an opportunity to overcome obstacles that interrupt your daily effort to make each day count.

Honestly, trust me when I say it’s all an illusion. You decide how to deal with “it!”

Happy Holiday my friends… and by the way the struggling youth in the image above is an illusion as well. Let’s go “back stage” in my studio and see the truth of that situation!

It's just too hard - photo by Marc Blake using Westcott Scenic Backgrounds, Spiderlite TD5 and Westcott Silver Reflector
TITLE: “It’s Just Too Hard” – photo by Marc Blake
META DATA: NIKON D3, 1/20th @ f/4, 40mm w/Nikkor 24-70, ISO 400
POST PRODUCTION: Adobe Photoshop CS4, NIK Silver Efex Pro (on top image)
STUDIO GEAR: Westcott Baseball Field Scenic Background, 1 Westcott Spiderlite TD5 and a Westcott Silver Reflector.

My young models had the time of their life acting worn out, sweaty and pushed to the limit. Then we ate peanuts and Cracker Jacks and root-toot-tooted for the home team.

Special thanks to Sandra Klauschie for set design. Pablo Cruise for costumes (from the Will Ferrell movie by Sony Pictures, “Step Brothers.”)

Posted in Biblical Portraits, Lighting Techniques, Philosophy, Photography | No Responses »

Resolve That The Writing is on the Wall

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

It’s 2010… in a minute or two. I have firmed up my resolution for this new year. “Prolific” is my word for the year. “Prolific” is my commitment, my resolution for this new year.

Marina Del Rey, December 2009 - photo by Marc Blake

Do you think that those around you are doing things to promote their objectives? Does that motivate you? Annoy you? Are you building yourself and creating the “you” you want to be? Look at the panorama image above that I created last week. Imagine having one of those nice yachts in Marina Del Rey to hang out on. Some of those yacht owners actually earned what they have. Can you do the same?

As always, it’s up to me to create the opportunities for my success. The keyword for that statement is “create.” The tool I’ll use to build success is motivation to create a prolific amount of work that can benefit those for whom I produce projects. It’s a simple formula – yet as wholesome and vital as the perfect blend of natural organic herbs designed to keep your body well-tuned.

Motivation, by the way, will not come from a can of “Rock Star” or “Red Bull.” In fact, I was listening carefully to a very wise friend speak about what can help motivate you and, at the same time, provide a boost of energy. The information provided was clear to me. Part of building good habits for a prolific 2010 will include a more natural approach to body, mind and spirit. Relax… I’m not going start chanting. Although I may write a inspirational musical composition. I’ll have to see how prolific I feel. Motivation, for me, comes from watching those I interact with at any number of levels and circumstances sincerely doing the things they do and feeling good about doing the best job they can. That great attitude really works to excite me. Mix in a few additional healthy life-style habits and I’m just plain ready and eager for a prolific 2010.

Now, for those of you who enjoy my Photoshop training tips I’d like to put the writing on the wall for (my) 2010 in the following Photoshop tutorial.

Prolific 2010 Texture Wall – Photoshop Video Training

Posted in Philosophy, Photography, Photoshop | No Responses »

Tenacity: The NEWEST OS for MAC

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

While traveling recently on a video production tour I ran into a situation that was rather challenging. Hang on through a little bit of tech-talk while I drive home the point of this article.

I’ll gladly tell you up front that, it’s all about “tenacity” and knowing that sometimes you are required to be tireless when it comes to problem solving. The difference between success and failure might be one more phone call away or a helping hand from a new found friend – in the form of a company employee when seeking solutions to a problem.

Here’s what happened to me. I was scheduled to shoot about 50 hours of video clips for an upcoming (training) DVD project. The whirlwind tour took me from Chicago, IL to Grand Rapids, MI to Detroit, MI, to Columbus, OH to (somewhere in) Kentucky over a seven-day schedule. Loaded with an enormous amount of video, photographic and lighting gear I knew that I’d need to off load video clips to external storage hard drives, ongoing. So, I was loaded with my big (digital) guns and ready to do this thing.

Saving the Elephant - photo by Marc Blake
When driving in remote areas, I will often get off the highway randomly and see what these side trip adventures lead to. Who would have expected this in the middle of Ohio? … was this some mysterious message reminding me that an elephant never forgets? Apparently, I am no elephant.

I have a rule of thumb when it comes to software and, when affordable, hardware: “use the newest, latest, greatest, awesome-ist version.” I won’t say that’s a smart or good rule… it’s just what I tend to do. I use mostly pro-level applications for my production work. “Pro’s” have a rule of thumb that goes like this: “DO NOT upgrade to the new operation system releases (OS’esis) for at least three or four months. The logic is that things will go wrong when it comes to pro-level hardware and software integration with new OS’s.

This is a valuable rule that I know I should abide to… but I seemed to of forgotten. Hey! I’m no elephant.

When Apple announced their new OS “Snow Leopard” I jumped on it, installed it on my remote system (a notebook) and was just feeling fine about be such an up-to-date kind of guy.

Then “it” happened. I was in Chicago and plugged a proprietary Panasonic P2 card reader for a very specialized video rig. All that has to happen now is an icon will appear on my desktop and I can movie HD video files to an external drive I had attached. This was the first step in “off loading” video clips.

I plugged in the device (into the Snow Leopard OS).

I waited.

I watched.

I sat back and stretched and looked back to the desktop again.

I looked left and right and adjusted the waistline on my slacks like Barney Fife would have done during an embarrassing moment on an Andy Griffith series.

No icon. Zilch!

“No way,” I thought. Uh oh… “way!”

I jumped online to search a few knowledge base forums to find out that, (my gear) is not compatible with Snow Leopard and WILL NOT WORK – and – there is nothing scheduled to rectify the problem any time soon. I needed a fix NOW. I’m on the job.

I began a series of calls to various manufacturers that led me to creating a “live partition” on my notebook to open up about 10 GBs of drive space. I found an Apple Store and they (kindly) transferred a copy of the previous operating system onto my notebook. This OS (Leopard) was compatible with my video gear and allowed me to get up and running.

In effect, I had spoken with Apple tech support, the card reader company’s tech support team, two Mac tech support companies back east and perused a handful of online forums.

I was amazed at how helpful everyone along the way was in wanting to help me resolve this serious problem I was having. Thank you all.

It was about tenacity and never saying never. I could have easily seen my dilemma as unsolvable, but mediocrity and failure were not options. Now, I have two operating systems on my notebook and the ability to do everything I need to from the golden years of a few months ago all the way up to the technical advancements of today.

Of course, I’m a little nervous about tomorrow because something “new” may be released and less I “forget” how dangerous change can be I already know I’ll want it.

Posted in Photography | No Responses »