A thing of Beauty

I drove past the new Public Library last week.  The sun was just setting, the light reflected off the copper and glass. It was great.  I just had to go back. The next night the weather cooperated and I  was able to get two shots.  It was a busy place. I had to wait more than once for the crowds of patrons to clear the area before I could shoot. One of the reasons  good architectural and  nature photography can be  a challenge, it about waiting for the good light to appear. Its knowing were and when the sun will be in the right place and being ready for it. 

Always Learning

A month or so ago, I taut a night class at Brown Collage  for 6 weeks. I was filling in for a photo instructor.  My class was on portraiture,  on location.  You never know what you know until you have to teach it.  It was a great experience.  the students taut me a thing or to also.  It made me want to get my Abobe Expert Certification. I'm working on Lightroom 2 now and then I'm going to do Photoshop.  I should  be taking my test in a couple of weeks. 

This is how I bounce

My last post I mentioned the California Sun Bounce equipment I just purchased. I finally had the opportunity to use it .  One of the advantages of the  CSB system is it takes bad light and makes it good  usable light.  The images were shot with the sun back lighting the subject. This is bad, because I would normally have to add additional lights to the front of the subject to  full in or over power the suns effect.  Instead I , placed the Sun swatter over the subject and the added a sun Pro reflector in the front to fill in the face of the subject.  It only took a couple of minuets.  this Stuff just opens a lot of opportunity for me to be more creative in how I approach a shot. 

Yes I Bounce

I just received my Sunbounce Sun Swatter.  Whats that? well is a  light modifying tool.  Check out  a video on it here.

It better describes what it can do.  I've had my eye on one for a couple of  years. Unfortunately its overcast today and I cant test it out.  But I will have a chance later, I have a annual report project cumming up next week.  It will help a lot.  Its all outdoors shots. And the Sunbouce will help in controlling the light from the sun. So I'll be able to shoot at any time of the day. This will help in the scheduling the people for the project. 

Vacation in the great white north

Our summer family trip was last week.  It was great. The kids are at a great age for traveling. They read, watch a movie and  really like to see other places.  I put on over 2500 miles on the van over 7 days. This vacation  was the longest we ever have taken.  We drove strait thur to Niagara falls on the Canada side. That was 16 hours, then up to Toronto for a couple of days, then back to Niagara Falls on the American side. We then went to the Cleavland Ohio to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  That was great. And finally to see some friends in Illinois.  Then the last drive home was 11 hours. I was so happy to sleep in my own bed. 

Just another day

I just finished a busy week at the studio. We were shooting images for a client annual meeting, showcasing there products. Quarterton productions was on one side of the studio creating video of some of the products. Kurt and I , along with the stylist were shooting  on the other.  I was hectic, but a loved the energy in the studio with all the creativity going on.   I hope to do more of this collaboration. It's one of the reasons QuarterTon and I are here together. 

Food for Thought

I really enjoy  creating images of food. Its one of the subjects I'm making my specialty.  Last week I got the chance to shoot a menu project for a Minneapolis  restaurant .  I had a great time.  and I put together a great team.  Lisa McGann was the stylist. And as usual,  Kurt Adolfson was my right hand man. We did a lot of shots over two days. There were 9  beverage shots Beer, wine,and cold drinks.  And  over 20 plate shots. that's a lot in two days. It was only possible because the client was well organized and we did a lot of  pre-production. 

Back to the blog

I tried to get the blog integrated in to my web site this week ....  one of the resons so few posts. It's not going to happen. I think I'll stay with this one on Blogger. com.  I down loaded word press and thought I got it going. it just went down hill from there. I may try again latter. Now back to Creating images.
This one is of my back yard after a downpour came down. The sun broke thur and the colors just blossomed.

So far this year I've spent a lot of evenings by the fire. 

A little help from Photoshop

Spring is here and one of my fist projects was this bank building. The bank was open, but the outside was not quite ready. The Bank Manager called and asked if i could shoot it and just add in some grass and clean up the image. As you can see we did a lot to the image. Actually we did 3 different views of the building. Each needing a little help. What did I change in the image? new sky, Added grass, added interior in the windows, cleaned the dirt off the building and the curb, and simplified the background on the sides of the building. There are a couple of minor things I'll still work on. but its good for now to show the client.

Winters End

This I hope is my last winter shot this year. I am so ready for spring. This image show the lone trucker traveling the back roads of America to make his deliveries. The client showed me iImages of Ice road trucker in Alaska. But they did not have the budget for that. Instead we needed to shoot it near there facility. So with a little scouting earlier that day. we found the right road facing the right way.

That Perfect Snow

I woke up to the beeping sound of the snow plow this morning. Over night, 5-6 inches of wet thick snow came down. Its the best snow ball snow you could ask for. Also the worst for shoveling. But the photo opportunities are great. From my Geocaching travels, I remembered a little park with a open stream running through it. I grabbed my camera and headed out. I shot a bout 30 frames, walking carefully around the water and dodging some the snow falling from the branches. this is the very reson I keep a camera with me at all times. Shooting in the early morning quite, when all you hear is your boots making that crunching sound in the snow. It's wonderful. These are some of the images I shot this morning.

Under the Weather

I've been remiss in my postings lately. This image I shot last week. Its steam rising from a local paper mill. I also got a Flu bug thats been going around, finally came to me. I now just recovering. Still coughing and hacking like a cat getting rid of a fur ball. I hate being sick. My wife says I turn in to a baby when I'm ill. I don't think so. I just like to be catered to.

I love the fog

I love shooing in the fog. It give the image mystery, the unknown. It also erases what may be a bad or distracting background.
I shot these this week end while out gocashing. The tree images was from a roadside rest area. next to a corn field. The other was at the end of a service road in a small town cemetery.

Dam It's cold out

When I came to work today it was -6 farenhite. it's going to get a balmy 8 degrees above today.  I had to add a heater to the reception area just to keep it warm.  I want spring!!!

My wife gave me a hobby

For christmas this year my wife gave me a GPS. I'm not a hunter, and I really don't get that lost very often, so I was a little puzzled by it. She explaned that it was for Geocashing. It's like treasure hunting with a GPS.  I'll admit it it a great gift. It's somthing that my wife and my boys all like to do.  We try to do  a couple each weekend when the weather will allow. 

I went to  Las Vegas for  Photo Marketing Assocation tradeshow. Before a left, I programed my GPS for  some caches in LV.  This is one I found  near the Convetion Center. It give you a good idea of what Geocashing is. 

A new world

Ok So I'm not 20 something...  when I was in Jr. High a computer  was  programed on  a stack of cards.  But I have embraced the computer many years ago.  Any way... This is my first entry in to  the Blogestspher.  BDI  stands for Butkowski Digital Imaging, Inc.  I'm a Commercial and Advertising Photographer in Minnesota, Yes it gets cold here.. very cold. -4 this morning.  

I'm not much of a writer,  I see and think in images. When  I meet with a client and we talk about the project, My mind fills with visions of how to create the image they need to get there massage across. A good talent for a photographer.

I'll see if a can't post some images as I go.