Entries in Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm F2.8D (34)
Film Noir Model Portfolio Shoot St. Petersburg Florida with Alexandra
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 4:33PM Jason Collin 
These are actually post office steps! The neon in the background is real, though modified - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 400 1/160th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/4 power in 43" brolly to frame left & Nikon SB-600 Speedlight @ 1/2 power with diffuser cap to frame left
I cannot say I explicitily intended for my model portfolio shoot with Alexandra to turn into a film noir style, but through editing of the images it certainly turned out that way. We were shooting in the late evening from about 7:45pm to 8:25pm mostly around the Arcade in downtown St. Petersburg. The Arcade is a great location offering a variety of shot opportunities, especially at that late time of day with all its shadow opportunities. The above shot was actually the very last shot of the shoot. The background features the neon sign of a cafe across the street with the contrast selectively turned up so that only what is illuminated by my speedlights and the neon remain visible.
Using long shadows created by a speedlight outside the gates - - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 400 1/160th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/8 power in 43" brolly to frame left & Nikon SB-600 Speedlight @ 1/2 power with diffuser cap to frame leftI chose the Arcade as a shooting location because of the great, very tall, ornate, iron gates. I knew they would make for a fantastic background and/or prop. For the above shot I placed a speedlight outside the gates to frame left in the alley to help cast long shadows in the foreground. I composed so to accentuate them. Alexandra came up with a great pose taking my one small suggestion to create space between each arm and her body, something I always make sure is set otherwise the model will appear to have a lumpy body or strange attached arm. Alexandra in fact did a great job overall allowing me to focus on creating mood and atmosphere with my lighting and composition.
The 43" brolly creates soft shadows, I love it - - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 400 1/160th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/8 power in 43" brolly to frame left & Nikon SB-600 Speedlight @ 1/2 power with diffuser cap to frame leftThis shot features the same gates and lighting setup. Without the speedlight outside the gates providing backlight, the gate on frame right would appear dull and lack the reflective light on it. Additionally, the same speedlight provides rim light around the model, especially her hair, right arm and right side. A photographer can do a lot with just two speedlights positioned in key spots. I could carry all my strobist and photography gear that I used for this shoot myself, following the "lighten up and shoot" philosophy.
A single strobe setup with intentional background shadow - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4.5 ISO 400 1/160th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/8 power in 43" brolly to frame rightThis shot is different than all the others in that it features only one speedlight positioned to create Rembrandt lighting (nose & cheek shadows touch leaving a little light under the eye) on the model. I wanted to include one soft feeling image in the shoot as most of the others were really strong from a posing and overall feel perspective.
Thank you again to Alexandra. You can follow her work on Model Mahem and Facebook.
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Tampa Model Portfolio Shoot Train Tracks
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 4:12PM Jason Collin 
Model Katie posing on train tracks in Tampa - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/2.8 ISO 200 1/2000th
The above image featuring model Katie is from my archives. A few years ago I was not posting about all the shooting I was doing since at that time I was only a part-time photographer, not the full-time professional I have been the past two+ years. This train station is near downtown Tampa and we had to ask if it was ok to go out onto the tracks for a few shots. I do not even think these particular train tracks were in use anymore, or if they are the platform could use some major rennovations!
Katie was a great model that day in a wardrobe I thought matched the train track setting perfectly. It was almost effortless to photograph her as she seemed to instinctively know on her own the best pose.
For this shot I got low just below her eye level and chose to make as shallow of a depth of field shot as the location provided. It turned out to be my favorite of our model portfolio shoot that day.
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Super Moon or Perigree Moon Over St. Petersburg Florida May 5 2012
Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 8:42PM Jason Collin 
Super Moon or Perigree Moon May 5, 2012 over Smacks Bayou St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/8 ISO 200 5-exposure HDR mounted on Induro CT214 tripod with cable releaseWhat is sure to be one of the most photographed subjects of the year is the so-called Super Moon or Perigree Moon that rose in the twilight sky tonight on May 5, 2012. Luckily for me I had a good vantage point of the Super Moon right from my back patio allowing me to make the HDR image above. I chose to center the moon between two palm trees. Uncharacteristically, I did not try any other compositions, so I hope I wake up tomorrow still liking how I framed this shot and not regretting trying a simpler framing!
Did you photograph the super moon tonight?
Try street photography for making memorable shots of cities
Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 3:28PM Jason Collin 
Street photography portrait of a girl on the streets of Takadanobaba, Tokyo, Japan - one of my personal favorite shots of all timeThe above photograph is one of my personal favorites that I have ever made. It is the kind of photograph that may appeal only to the photographer who took it. The reasons I can give for why it is a personal favorite would be, after all, personal. I do not know the girl in the photograph. I will never return to the city I made this photograph in. However, they combine to make a photograph that reminds me of my time in Tokyo more than a photo of even Tokyo Tower. Much of my time in Tokyo was spent out on the street. In that city you walk, a lot. You are also always surrounded by people on the streets. In my last year there I bought my first DSLR and often had it with me. I then realized I loved street photography. I made this street photography portrait on one of the very first times I used my newly obtained Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens. It was the first time to have a f/2.8 lens and immediately I was blown away by the bokeh it could make at f/2.8 and 200mm, and in particular the bokeh in this image. I can still recall seeing this photo first pop-up on the review screen on the back of my Nikon D80. It was the beginning of my street photography career.
So my photography tip is this: to help you remember the city you are traveling or living in, try street photography. Those images may come to have more meaning to you in the years that follow than the best landmark photograph you took.
Model Portfolio Shoot in Vinoy Park St. Petersburg at Sunset with Shane
Monday, April 16, 2012 at 3:35PM Jason Collin 
Featuring The Pier in the background of this model portfolio shot - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/60th Strobist: SB-800 @1/2 power with diffuser cap to frame left & SB-600 @ 1/4 power with diffuser cap to frame rightI met Shane through Model Mahem and we soon setup a model portfolio shoot deciding on Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg as the location and I suggested having the main shot idea to feature The Pier in the background, since in its current form it will only be around another two years or so. That is the photograph featured above with me shooting from flat on my stomach to get the composition I wanted. In the fading dusk light I thought that black & white suited the image better than the minimal color left in the original.
The setting sun blazes the sky yellow in this model portfolio shot - - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/250th Strobist: SB-600 @1/4 power with diffuser cap to frame left & SB-800 @ 1/4 power with diffuser cap to frame rightScheduling our model portofolio shoot just in time to catch the last bit of the sunset, I was able to make the above shot featuring a vivid yellow sky as the background from our vantage point in Vinoy Park and still include some of the local features in the background to put the photograph in a specific setting context, instead of a generic sunset that could have been anywhere. Once again I was lying flat on my stomach to make the above shot.
The lights of The Pier provide the bokeh in this night shot - - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/60th Strobist: SB-800 @1/2 power with diffuser cap to frame left & SB-600 @ 1/4 power with diffuser cap to frame rightThis was the final shot I took of the model portfolio session. I always like to end on an image that I know I will actually use, whenever possible. In my model portfolio shoots quantity is not the goal, but rather producing a select few images that neither I nor the model already have in their portfolios, unless a model approaches me to recreate one of my shots. I knew even before scheduling the shoot I wanted to make a shot like this featuring the lights of The Pier as bokeh in the background.
Shane was a great model and expressed the exact right emotions I was looking for in order to make these photographs.
- Contact Shane for modeling jobs via his Model Mahem page.
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