Going and strolling around Christmas lights displays is not really fun or entertaining for me, unless I bring my camera and a large aperture lens, in this case my new Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master, the largest aperture lens I have ever owned. I personally think Christmas lights look better in photos out of focus, so that the frame is nearly entirely bokeh. I purposefully tried to make the photos out of focus to get the most bokeh in every shot and highlight the color and shape of the lights. Which one is your favorite?
Bringing the River of Lights into the City in ABQ 2020
One of the annual holiday traditions in Albuquerque is the River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark, which is a vast Christmas lights display. I went back in 2018 with a 50mm lens and photographed dinosaurs, a sleepy cowboy, and all sorts of flora and fauna. WIth Covid-19, the usual crowded light viewing experience is not possible, so the park shared some of its illuminated creations with store fronts in the Nob Hill area of Albuquerque. This is why the T-Rex now stalks freely in the city, horny toads eat plants in consignment shops, and a train crosses right over Central Ave.
Graduation Photos that stand out from the rest at Hotel Parq Central
Recent grad Josh wanted different, out of the box, more creative graduation photos. Using the fabulous Hotel Parq Central as a location here in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I was able to make for Josh the kinds of creative, Instagram-ready photos he wanted. That is what I offer clients of Jason Collin Photography, creative photography that stands out from other photographers in the city. I am able to make such standout photos for clients because of my high technical competence with off camera lightingon location, combined with on the spot, instant creativity based on the person and the environment. Check out the BTS photo below. In this case, Josh was a natural in front of the camera which helped a lot too! And thank you to Jessica for assisting on this shoot.
Cool things can happen when you leave the shutter of your camera open for more than just a fraction of a second. Look around the photo above where I left the shutter open for 10 seconds. In that time I managed to capture 3 lighting bolts, and the light trails made by the head and taillights of passing cars. Plus, the long exposure created a starburst effect with the street lamps.
I had the opportunity to present the story of how I became a professional photographer at 1 Million Cups this week here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a chance for me to really think about what was the start of my path to becoming a professional photographer. I realized it began back in 2001, on a trip to Thailand and Cambodia. I invite you to watch the video below to hear the full story. I begin presenting just a couple minutes into the video.
For the first 4th of July in a long time I had my camera out on a tripod using bulb mode and an index card to capture multiple fireworks burst in one exposure. Setup in a wide open field at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico I had a clear view with little wind to blow smoke into the frame, but on the other hand not much of a foreground to set the fireworks in. My step-by-step guide for making fireworks photos goes into even more detail about how and why I like to photograph fireworks. Still, I was pleased with the images I was able to make even from a good distance away.
PhD Portraits on UNM Campus Albuquerque New Mexico
Our very own Jessica graduated from UNM with her PhD in Medieval Studies! How do you note such an occasion? With a campus crossing portrait shoot using the giant U for university, the library where many books were checked out over the years, and the lobos on campus with which to run into the future with! Add in some close-ups and an epic jumping shot, and you have an amazing portrait session to remember an even more amazing accomplishment! Congrats Jess Jess!
