The blog has moved!

Just wanted to let everyone know if you weren't already aware, I have departed from this Blogspot blog, which has been quite good to me over the years, over to the new location www.michael-knowlton.com/blog.

Be sure to bookmark the site as all posts will now be made there!

Atlanta Fashion Photography: Spring/Personal

One of the things I vowed to do more of in 2012 is shoot for myself. It's very rare to get a client that gives you a job that is exactly what you want. So what can you do? Simple, shoot for yourself.

This Sunday was the first of MANY personal shoots that I have planned for 2012. Simple concept, shoot the new spring colors in a way that is still warm enough to Winter. (Even though it doesn't really get cold in Georgia.)

Once again I enlisted the help of Emily Fogarty to assist with styling for the shoot, and Neftaly Lopez on make-up. Both ladies did an exceptional job, allowing me to focus on other aspects necessary to make a shoot happen.

We went for a simple, yet effective look, dark, smoky eyes, bright lips, and strong cheek bones to accentuate the model's (Jenna) great bright skin complexion.

Photos were simply lit, we used a white reflector for some shots, while had her facing directly into the sun for others.

Take a look and let me know what you think!

Turn Obstacles Into Opportunities

You may remember a few posts back that I posted a teaser photo or two from a photo shoot I had in Downtown Atlanta a few days before Christmas. The photo shoot that I had planned to shoot in full mid-day sun, that I actually had to shoot in an overcast, rainy day. Quite drab light.

I really struggled with these images. Not because of Bria, or because of the rain, no, I'm not taking the easy way out and blaming it on something out of my control. I struggled with this shoot creatively because it was a curve-ball. And anyone that played baseball with me in my younger years, knows how much trouble I have when it comes to curve balls. I was expecting sun, and I got rain. So I was forced to go to plan B. What was plan B you ask? Well, at the time, I had no idea either.

I rolled with the punches, and hopefully Bria had no idea that inside my head I was just screaming, "Oh Crap! Oh Crap! Oh Crap!". We had to find cover for pretty much 95% of the shoot. Which meant parking decks. And don't get me wrong, parking decks can be great providers of beautifully soft and directional light. And this time was no different. But every once-in-awhile, I just get tired of shooting in certain locations. And that day, I was definitely tired of shooting in parking decks. No matter how different you think they may be, they're really all the same.

I broke out a couple of flashes and started to get creative and I think we ended up coming up with some really great shots. But it definitely wasn't without a bit of stress, err, drama in the beginning.

Then came time to edit the photos..... (This is when I would start playing the Jaws theme music)

I went to a workshop at Zack Arias' studio a week or so before this shoot. Jeremy Cowart, an amazing photographer and an even more amazing person, creative, father, everything was talking about one thing. Vision. For something that implies being able to see something, it is incredibly hard to fine. I've known for a while that my creative vision isn't where I would like it to be. And after this shot, I beat myself up. Not literally, but mentally, which is perhaps even worse. I dissected everything in the images. Poses, composition, lighting, colors, contrast, lines, laws, rules, EVERYTHING. And I hated it. In fact, I was veeeeery close to selling all of my digital gear and picking up a medium format Mamiya 645 AFD. Very close. I kept looking at all of these film photos and they were getting it just right, without any photoshop.

So I took a break from the photos for a good three weeks. And today, I tried something different. I've been disappointed with way Lightroom renders my raw files so I downloaded the 30 day trial of CaptureOne Pro and decided to switch it up. And I think it was a great decision. I can't quite put my finger on it, but theres something different about the way CaptureOne processes the raws that is just more aesthetically pleasing. The way it transfers pixels from highs, to mids, to low tones, as well as the warmth it gives is just pleasing.

Enough rambling. Here are the photos. Let me know what you think!

Creating Memories

I was reading a photography blog this morning that highlighted a letter from a client to a photographer. The topic: Value. The value of a photograph, the value of a memory. In today's society, everyone has a camera, and everyone's phone has a camera. Photos are something a large majority of the population takes for granted. Yet, every time we take a photo, our first reaction is to turn it around and look at the LCD screen to see how good we look. And if we do look good, we immediately post it to Facebook to share. And that is not a bad thing at all, nothing to be ashamed of. However, that is a luxury in life that not everyone can afford or has experienced. After doing a few Help-Portrait events, I have witnessed the true value of a photograph.

The letter

Today I am writing for a couple of reasons. I have some quiet time at the moment and need to get a couple of things off my mind. I will leave this for my husband to deliver to you when he is ready.

You photographed my wedding, you photographed my first pregnancy and my first baby. I contacted you awhile back to photograph my 2nd child and family. After getting prices and realizing I would want all of the pictures as we love your work – I decided against spending $500+ – which is what I normally spend for portraits and prints with you.. Please know it is not because I don’t value your amazing eye, or how much we love the experience.

That week that I decided to NOT do a session with you, this is how I spent some money.

On Sunday I called and cancelled our session. Monday I went out and got my hair cut ($39+tip), and colored ($65), Thursday I had my nails done ($24), my family went out to dinner at a somewhat expensive restaurant for no particular reason costing us $79 + tip. This was just 4 days since canceling our session, already totaling over $200 for un necessary things. My nails only lasted about 2 weeks, my hair is gone, and seven weeks passed when I got the phone call from our doctor. It was not something I expected and the cancer has spread very quickly. I will be leaving my husband, my 6 year old girl and my now 2 year old – not by choice. It is very hard for me to talk about it which is why I need to write you.

I watch your Facebook page and your posts about the value of a photo and if I could give back all of those things that I purchased this few weeks after I cancelled my session with you, knowing what I know now, and have that session, well… I would do it in a heartbeat.

Now my time is done and there are no more chances for me. The next time someone cancels a session – my wish is that you forward this letter to them. Time is fragile, it is gone before you know you had it. If you charged $200 for one print it wouldn’t be enough for what it is actually worth. I cringe to think that my priorities were a manicure over a memory to pass onto my babies and husband.

My love and thanks for what you have given us from past photos. I am so sorry that I did not see it as more than paper until now.

Karen L.

Now, my intention for posting this, was not a marketing ploy, or not to influence someone to book me in order to gain memories, but rather to support my thoughts on how important a photograph, and more importantly, memories can be. We are all guilty in someway or another of having not-so-perfect priorities. This was just the wake-up call I needed to remind myself to keep mine in check.

I've been looking to invest in some new gear lately, and frankly it is all I can think about. Which camera body do I want? Which lens do I want? Should I spring for the $1500 light, or should I do this, or that?. But rather, the question I should be asking myself, is how can I use this money in the most optimal way to preserve memories and create new ones. Maybe that new camera body will help me do that, but maybe not. Maybe that money would be better spent taking a trip and photographing a couple of new subjects in a new city. Money is great, but memories are better. Money is often incorrectly credited with increasing happiness, but I think the true secret to happiness, is surrounding yourself with people you love, and maintaining the right priorities through life. And this blog post isn't to say that a photo shoot should be a top priority, not at all. But creating memories with the people you love should be, maybe that $40 you were going to spend on a new shirt at the mall, would be better spent by taking renting a couple of bicycles and riding through a new town. Stopping for coffee and lunch, and enjoying the day with someone you care about. Creating memories.

I am incredibly saddened by the letter, and send my deepest condolences to the family. I can only imagine how tough it must be for them. I would've loved to meet the woman in the letter, for she realized the true value of life and memories, and I am so thankful that though she is no longer with us in this world, is still able to help others realize that value. She sounds like an incredible woman.

CSM Bakery Tear Sheets

As I wrote my strategic plan for 2012 a couple of months ago, one of my main goals for 2012 was to increase my amount of tear sheets. Tear sheets are simply when my images are printed in magazines, brochures, etc, and you literally tear the sheet from the binding. Back in the day it was done to show potential clients that your work has been published.

I just got an email from the great people at CSM Bakery whom I shot images for in collaboration with Vert Mobile a few months back with some finalized brochures they will be sending out to their clients. I think they did a great job with the layout and I'm excited to see my photos in print.

Happy holidays from my family to yours

I hope you all had a wonderful holidays these past few weeks!

Just a fun photo my family took while on vacation in New York City this past summer. Didn't spend too much time retouching this, just for fun. I've also attached a little behind the scenes video to give you a little glimpse as to how I made this photo. When I get a little more time I'm going to retouch the image a little more in depth.

The inspiration for this photo came after my sister saw a promo shot of ABC's Dirty Sexy Money television series.

I had to travel extremely light on this trip, so I brought one Westcott 5 in 1 reflector and a tripod. I set up the tripod and then shot each person individually and then composited everyone together in the final image. Looking back, I would've like to use the white side of the reflector rather than the very sharp silver side.

Not scared of a little rain

I've been shooting for quite a while now, and I've been lucky enough to have only had one photoshoot post-poned due to rain. And today, I was determined not to make it number two.

All weekend I was planning out and diagraming shots in my head for our shoot on today, a day in which my iPhone told me would be completely sunny. So when I woke up this morning, to overcast skies and threats of rain, I had to go to plan B.

All the shots I had planned out for certain locations are going to have to wait. Today, Bria and I set out to get some shots, and we had to be a bit creative with the locations in order to stay dry-ish. We were both tempted to step out into the rain and really have some fun with what most would refer to as a downer. Unfortunately, I think those rain shots are going to have to wait until summer, which in Atlanta, starts in March. So at least I won't have to wait too long.

Even though we had to get creative with locations (i.e. we had to shoot in areas with a roof) we were still able to come away with some great shots. Here is one to hold you over, more to come later this week.