Snowdown Throw-Down 2022 Armored Combat

 

TWO DAYS

3000+ PHOTOS

100+ VIDEOS

One of the best events I have had the privilege to shoot!

Thanks to all who competed and congratulations to the winners!

Find more videos on my YouTube Channel

Natural Images by Adam - YouTube

Hand-Made Halloween :: Plague Doctor

I have a drive to create art in as many forms as possible. In this case, I created several versions of the character of a plague doctor. The cane was hand-made using pvc, plywood, thin foam, and the winged head was sculpted in clay and painted to look like aged metal. The hat was also hand-made using eva foam. The mask was originally designed to be made using 2mm eva foam and after the first attempt in that manner, I experimented using thicker materials. Then I made several modifications and altered the details to customize it to my needs. I played with different color combinations and imitations of leather and metal findings.

Twenty Years Later

After high school,  I was just getting interested in photography. The photos on the left of each composite were self portraits taken in my old bedroom using a black sheet hung from the ceiling as a backdrop, sunset light through white curtains for soft, directional lighting and a desk lamp as a fill light in the second image below. I came across the photos recently and wanted to compare them to how much I have changed since then, but every photo I compared them to were shot at different angles and used different lighting. I wanted a more deliberate comparison so I used my studio equipment to replicate the lighting more accurately. Matching the angle and expression to the older photos took a lot more attempts than I expected. I superimposed the new photos over the old to match proportions and then completed the composite as a side-by-side. The idea came from a post calling for anyone who has found an old photo album to share throwback images and show off how much you have changed over the years. I've changed a lot!!!

Capturing Beauty in Portraits with Mariah

New models are always an inspiration for new ideas. I have had the privilege to work with amazing young talent over the years. Mariah was the daughter of a friend of a friend. It can seem strange the way new people cross each other's path, but the collaboration between them yields beautiful results.

Introducing Lacey

Lacey is a part-time model who graciously agreed to help me build my portfolio and hers while playing around in my studio. We shot for over two hours, and had tons of fun playing around with lighting, props, wardrobe, and lots of fun poses. I have so many favorites from our session, it will take time to share more of them.

Dia de los Muertos :: A Do-it-Yourself Mask

While shopping a few weeks ago, I came across a flimsy Day of the Dead mask with an attached veil. I liked the concept of the piece, but I wasn't impressed with the execution. I wanted to make a mask using some of the skills I have developed over the years painting on canvas. I knew I had a blank white mask at home, as well as a section of black lace fabric. The rest of the build is pretty much just paint. The only item I had to purchase is the purple flowers attached at the very end. 

Dramatic Lighting with Savanna

I took some time with Savanna to experiment with my studio lights, and explore new possibilities with light and shadow. I wanted to create new images that I hadn't thought of before. Since my space is limited, I rented a room in a reception hall that allowed me more ceiling height, and enough space all around to have lights, backdrops, and distance to allow me to pull my lights and model further from the background to create the effects I desired.

Living Room Studio ::: Family Portraits

After premature labor and delivery prevented us from holding a maternity photo session, we were finally able to schedule a family photo session when the baby was four months old. He was born two months early and stayed in the hospital for nearly as long. Two months after coming home he had his very first formal photo shoot. To keep things as simple as possible, I arranged to bring the studio to them in their own home. We moved the coffee table and a few chairs from the living room into the kitchen, and then I set up a fabric backdrop on one end of the room along with a few strobe lights to complete the location studio. 

I brought a few small props with me including the alphabet blocks which spelled out the names of the two boys, my small white step-ladder for sitting and climbing, and the soft white blanket used to photograph the baby. All this fits in the trunk of my car and is accessible for anyone who wants to schedule a session. I have more props, modifiers, and backgrounds which I can bring on a case-by-case basis, depending on the desired outcome of the photo shoot. If you are interested in scheduling a session with me, you can contact me by following the link below the photos. 

Headshot Lighting Setup

This session focused on the play of light and shadow as it travels across facial features. I have included a wide-angle setup shot for the final portraits with placement and modifiers labeled within the image. Power settings were adjusted up or down depending on the dramatic effect I was trying to achieve in each portrait. Please also note that the exposure settings for each setup shot may be altered from the finished portrait to allow for better visualization of the lights and modifiers within my shooting space.

Wyatt at Six Months - Location Studio Setup

I photographed Wyatt and his parents when he was about one month old last year. Now he is over six months old and sitting on his own. I brought my lights and backdrop with me and set up in a living room space with hardwood floors and a lot of windows. I had a few hiccups with my lighting, but I was able to tweak the settings and pull out some great images. Wyatt sat very well for nearly twenty minutes just watching all the fuss that was going on around him. He needed a few breaks in between his outfit changes, and after a nose-dive into the floor. I moved between sitting and laying down on the floor to be at his level in order to better interact with him. I was able to capture a wide variety of expressions from him with the help of his family, who were all doing their best to get him to smile; so I have to thank them for making my job so much easier.

Below are my favorites from this session:

Kahlan: Model Portraits

Its always great when a model will help you realize a creative concept.

Kahlan is a wonderful model to work with, and makes selecting favorites a challenge because of the sheer number of good poses she is able to achieve. I came to her with several different ideas in poses and lighting and she was happy to help.

Product Photography for a Local Etsy Shop

Handmade jewelry, candles, scrying mirrors, and soaps. These are some of the products I photographed recently for Rocky Mountain Witch, a small company who sells "Magickal Items for the Modern Day Witch" Please take the time to check out her page, and support her business.

Behind the Scenes of a Simple Headshot

 
I would like to offer a behind the scenes look in my studio, with a how-to guide for this lovely portrait. My intention was to create an evenly lit head shot, with a dark (but not black) background.

Now, for the shot and a description of the setup,