While at the Cottonwood Mall waiting for a pet costume contest, kids in costume started also ambling in for their own contest that would follow the pet one. One kid really stood out as he was in complete makeup to look like the killer clown from IT. He was standing right next to me and it was kind of unnerving, but also amazing as I surely never had this level of costume for Halloween as a kid! I asked if I could make a photo, and got permission to make these quick natural light portraits. Even with all the makeup, the Sony a7R IV’s amazing eye autofocus nailed the shot shooting at f/1.4 no less.
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? Let me know in the comments below!
On a recent rural land real estate shoot just west of Grants, I was able to take a detour to nearby Bluewater Lake State Park in a semi-official capacity, as the client wanted drone video of the lake to include with the property drone video. I had never even heard of this state park until I got this photo job neighboring it. In satellite view on Google Maps it did not look that impressive. However, my impression was instantly changed upon driving up, and essentially being able to drive right to the very edge of the lake itself! As you can see, the lake’s name is indeed apt, as its water is a deep blue. And, the park was entirely empty. I had it all to myself to enjoy for nearly an hour. Well, there were a lot of prairie dogs around, and some cows in the distance, but I do not mind animal friends for company. This is another hidden gem that is a short escape from Albuquerque. I highly recommend checking it out, especially on a weekday afternoon when it might be empty!
If you have never driven down Southern Blvd in Rio Rancho, New Mexico all the way west until it becomes a dirt road, then may I suggest taking a little road trip so you can be treated to views of the Sandia Mountains from the open desert.
I returned to Noble Law Firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico once again for more business headshots as they have added to their team since I was last there making headshots two months ago. I really respect how everyone from partners in the law firm to the administrative staff all get the same professional headshot on their team page. If I were a potential client and saw that everyone at Noble Law Firm was treated the same way, I would think I would be treated very well as a client in turn. Does your team page look uniform and professional and like everyone is on the same team like Noble Law Firm’s does?
I traveled down to Belen for a commercial photography shoot at Aristech Surfaces not really knowing what to expect at all. I had a shortlist, but it was filled with terms like “ocean breeze” and “open pour line.” Right away I knew this would be a very different shoot as I had to put on steel toed shoes and a hard hat! (see the BTS photo below). After gearing up both for photography and safety, it was time to do the actual shooting in the plant that was quite noisy and smelled like plastics. I also had safety glasses on that made looking into my Sony a7R IV rather awkward. This is all part of a being a pro photographer, instantly adapting to a totally unexpected shooting environment while wearing weird shoes and glasses. Thank you to new assistant Pam for helping out on this challenging shoot.
Back out visiting restaurants around Albuquerque, New Mexico for UberEats took me to local chain Pizza 9 for a professional food photography photoshoot using the natural light techniques required by the client. A good dark, contrasting table was available to shoot on by good window light as well. I setup my Sony a7R IV on my tripod with amazing new Sigma 50mm f/1.4 ART lens and proceeded to photograph pizza, calzones, and cheese crust bites! The food photo shoot was not the end of it for me, as I was allowed to take home the entire veggie pizza and cheese crust bites too! Thank you Pizza 9!
For the second year in a row, the day we went to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, was the one day there was no mass ascension. This is actually the third time overall in a row trying to go to Balloon Fiesta that resulted in no access or no mass ascension. So I do not have a collection of spectacular photos showing a sky full of hot air balloons. What I can share at the detail shots from very first light, through day break. The one new special shape balloon I did get to see was of a Smurf, who I think is Jokey Smurf in particular.
