Adapting on location to get professional product shots of cannabis in ABQ
You might be surprised how often I have no idea what type of photography situation I will be getting into upon arriving at a client’s location. That’s one of the things that makes a pro photographer a pro, is being able to get good results in any conditions, changing conditions, and challenging conditions. Such was the case with Ironfist Cannabis, where we started out shooting right where the cannabis plants themselves were growing, but had to pivot to trimming the tops off and using a studio background and off camera lighting setup to get the results you see here. This also taught me that I cannot again shoot indoors on location at such a place as the odor from the plants lingers to this day still in some of my photo gear! Thank you to Javier for helping with the shoot on site. This was also the first chance to use my new snoot to really focus the light only on part of the plants. You can see the simple but effective setup below in a BTS shot.
Cosmos photos across 13 years of photography history
The first time I photographed cosmos flowers 13 years ago, I was just learning how to become a more serious photographer. That meant I could still be stunned by the amount of bokeh created in these cosmos flowers I made in Tachikawa, Japan. Now many tens of thousands of photos later, I am no longer stunned by creating very shallow DoF in a photo, but I do still appreciate the magic of it. These cosmos were photographed in the ABQ Biopark while bees were busy collecting pollen on a warm fall afternoon. In 13 years will we still be using what we traditionally think of as a interchangeable lens camera to make such photos?
While out watering the hedge in my backyard in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the sudden water shower revealed this sizable praying mantis! I put down the hose and went inside to grab my camera which fortunately already had on my Sony 90mm f/2.8 G macro lens. Not wanting to get attacked by the mantis, but still wanting to get as up close as possible, I eased into making photos of the mantis getting a bit close each shot until finally she/he looked right into the lens as you can see above! It was nice to use my macro lens for this kind of shot, as I mostly use it as my headshot lens.
Dessert Photography from all angles in Albuquerque
This series of food photography photos from Luca Italian Bistro in Albuquerque, New Mexico feature the sweeter side of the menu with a series of desserts (part 1, part 2). Thanks to the fantastic presentation of the desserts on their plates, it was easy to make delicious looking photos of these Italian specialties. From detailed macro shots, to table top presentations, I created for the client a variety of professional dessert photos to help them attract more customers. Here at Jason Collin Photography, the goal is to maximize the impact my photos make for clients to help them get more business. My photos make money for my clients!
Photo Tip: take just one lens with you to focus on one type of shot
When I go out with my camera for personal photography, I like to take just one lens with me so that I am really focused on making one type of photo. For a hike along the Tunnel Canyon trail in Tijeras, New Mexico, on my Sony a7 iii was the Sony 90mm f/2.8 G Macro lens. Before I left the house i was thinking what type of photos did I feel like taking that day, and despite possible being out in wide open space, having distant views, I was feeling getting close up, so I chose the macro lens. That said, there were not that many great macro subjects on the trail, but there were some large boulders with moss on them that caught my eye. The lighting was not the greatest, but the macro lens is about showing small details anyway and getting really shallow DoF.
Variety in creative food photography in Albuquerque
This is part two in a series of professional food photos I made for Luca Italian Bistro in Albuquerque, New Mexico (see part 1). The variety of dishes presented to me allowed me to make a variety of different food photographs, from feature shots, to hero shots, to macro detail shots. Using a very simple lighting setup of one light and a reflector still gave me the flexibility to take any kind of shot I wanted to all in a very small space, making minimum impact on the daily operation of the restaurant. This is the photography experience I deliver for clients, not just receiving the best commercial photos in Albuquerque, but also as a minimal impact during the photo shoot.
If anyone asks me how did I learn photography, I tell them, by walking the streets of Tokyo for hundreds of hours with my very first DSLR camera, a Nikon D80. What is great about living in a city with wide spread public transportation is you can take a train to one area, walk randomly to where your eyes take you, then just hop on another train and get back home without having to worry about returning to where your car is parked. This is how I went about finding one of my more famous photos, at least in Japan, which I titled, “Last Green Leaves Before Autumn.” I submitted it to Metropolis Magazine (the largest weekly English magazine in Japan) and they featured it in the Photo of the Week section. Picking up a copy of the magazine the Friday afternoon it came out and seeing my photo featured inside, I was stunned and even stopped strangers passing by to say (in English), “that’s my photo!” It was a moment of exhileration I have rarely ever felt again.
