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A Winter Night in Neenah

A Winter Night in Neenah
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It was cold, and snowy, and dark (one of the longest nights of the year). But out we went anyway to make some beautiful portraits. I like to say every day is an adventure and this day certainly was. Jump out of the warm truck and grab some photos and then back to the warmth to thaw out my numb hands. My beautiful model didn't mind the cold at all - oh, to be young again! Technically, these are a mix of natural light portraits along with some fill light portraits with a softbox. All were taken with either a…

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Living Coral – Pantone Color for 2019

Living Coral – Pantone Color for 2019
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The Pantone color of the year is Living Coral. They call it "an animating and life-affiriming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge." Well, sounds impressive, I guess. On a recent safari I captures ice boats cruising on Lake Winnebago and thought they would make a great use of living coral. Here is the original photo: The next step, in photoshop, is to select all the highlights and create a new layer with a highlight mask. You then use the color picker to brush Living Coral into all the highlights. The next step…

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2018 Favorite Medium Format Film Pics

2018 Favorite Medium Format Film Pics
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And now, by request (or not), my favorite medium format film pictures of the year. It has been a great year of film photography and I have captured some great images. Of course, some awful ones too! Well, we learn by doing and I did a lot this year. Look for more film photography next year including some paid gigs! In the meantime here are my favorite portraits of 2018.    

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Sunday Wedding – Something Different

Sunday Wedding – Something Different

Wedding on Sunday and a different role for me - I was the officiant!   Katie and Jake honored me with a request to marry them and I hope I rose to the challenge.  It was a wonderful day in a wonderful location and I was so happy to be part of their new life together.  Above is one picture I did take (I had to bring my camera and get a few shots). 

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Artists and Technicians – Two Types of Creatives

Artists and Technicians – Two Types of Creatives
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Art.  It seems like there are two kinds of people who call themselves "artists" -   creatives and technicians. Technicians often are highly skilled and have deep knowledge of their craft.  They can quote specifications of all the tools in great detail.  They know exactly how to set things to achieve perfect results.  They can instantly spot imperfection in someone's work and are full of technical advice.   Artists are often highly skilled in their craft.  But they see the craft as merely a medium for their art - not the purpose of their art.  Artists break the rules, and in…

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Medium Format Film Test Shooting

Medium Format Film Test Shooting

I continue the learning curve on my new Bronica ETRS medium format film camera.  The wonderful AJ helped me with a series of test shots using a variety of apertures and shutter speeds.  First up - shutter speed!  The conclusion here is I cannot consistently shoot handheld below 1/125 second.  While I hit some shots at 1/60sec it was only through luck I think.  THis contrasts with my 35mm minimum handheld speed of 1/30 to 1/60 of a second.  Below is a comparison shot at 1/125sec and 1/60sec Next up is exposure variation via aperture control.  I metered for f/2.8…

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More Bronica Test Photos

More Bronica Test Photos
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Another batch of test photos was delivered today!  While there were some shots that were underexposed most turned out pretty good I think.  I also had a few out of focus - but wondering if the sticky aperture might have been the root cause.  Here are a few more test photos for your enjoyment.

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Bronica with ND Filter

Bronica with ND Filter
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Still learning my "new" Bronica medium format camera.  After some work on my 75mm lens (nothing worse than a stuck aperture) I headed out around the Fox Valley to find some moving water to photograph.  All of these photos were taken using a 10 stop ND filter by Gobe.  The ND filter allows you to take long exposure pictures in the day time and created beautiful effects with water or other moving objects. The procedure for a 10 stop filter is you compose and focus the picture with your camera on a tripod.  Meter the picture to get the unfiltered…

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Street Portrait

Street Portrait
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Art in the Park in Appleton is always a sensory delight.  So much wonderful artwork and so many creative people. This year one piece stood out for me - and it wasn't even "art" but rather a rummage sale display! What exactly is for sale I don't know, but I love the composition.  You never know where you will find beauty in this world.  Often it is the last place you expect.  Canon 5d mkIV | Canon 50mm f/1.2 L | 1/60sec at f/2.5

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Perspective

Perspective
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It has been a long week!  Spent the first part in Milwaukee in the waiting room at Froedert Hospital. Spent the 2nd part catching up and getting ready for a busy working weekend. Perspective is important. What is your place in the world? Where have you been? Where are you going? When I feel a little lost โ€“ wondering what should I do? I try and fall back on my perspective. This world is just a training ground for the next. The pain is real but you do not have to suffer. In my future existence this time is but…

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Style

Style

Style: a distinctive manner or custom of behaving or conducting oneself. Took this photo at Art in The Park in Appleton. I think she has style and character! Canon 5d mkIV | Canon 50mm f/1.2 L | 1/64- at f/2.5

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Fishing

Fishing
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Just fishin'. Medium format film from my Bronica camera.  This picture has the "something" that you get from film that is hard to quantify. It just has a different look.  Now I love my digital Canons and not giving them up.  So I will be a hybrid photographer for a while, maybe forever.  Bronica ETRS | Zenza Bronica 150mm PE f/3.5  

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Perspective

Perspective

It's Friday and my work week is finishing up.  Or is the weekend kicking off? It's all a matter of perspective.  Up is down and left is right depending on where you stand. Good is bad and bad is good depending on the ultimate outcome.  I think it also depends on our thinking.  If we seek the good we will find it. Or maybe it will find us.   Did you ever know someone who seemingly always had bad luck?  Everything goes wrong and their life is full of drama. Maybe it's not bad luck but bad thinking; they see…

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Saturday Afternoon

Saturday Afternoon
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Saturday afternoon and not much going on.  Good time to sit and think.  Or maybe just sit and not think. This is a natural light photo - no flash.  Just the afternoon sun coming through the windows. Portrait was taken with my well loved Canon 135mm f/2 lens.  This lens just has special glass for capturing wonderful portraits!  Shot at f/2.2 to give a narrow depth of field.   You can see just her face is in focus.  Really "pops"! Canon 5d MkIV | Canon 135 f/2 L | 1/160s at f/2.2    

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What ‘cha waiting for?

What ‘cha waiting for?
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What are you waiting for?  Seems like a whole bunch of life is standing around and waiting for something.  That is not going to really change - there will always be time.  The question is what do you do with the time spent waiting?  Do you spend the time in anticipation of what you are waiting for?  Most people probably do. Maybe we should spent the time living in the moment.  Look around.  There is a big beautiful wonderful world full of interesting people.  Maybe one of them can become your friend.  Maybe one of them is an old friend…

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Fireworks

Fireworks
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It was a beautiful July 4th in Neenah & Menasha.  We watched the fireworks from Neenah this year and watched both shows (Menasha in the background to the right). I did not really even try this year to get a great picture.  I just set my camera up and turned on the intervalometer and let the camera take pictures.   This way I grabbed some nice photos while enjoying the show.  Enjoying the show is a good thing because it passes so quickly. Good words for life - enjoy the show because before you know it the show is over!…

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50mm – Round Three

50mm – Round Three
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I ordered the Canon 50mm f/1.2 L lens for the third time in a year.  People report a love hate relationship with this lens and I can see why.  It produces absolutely stunning pictures - if you get everything right.  But then it produces out of focus and soft pictures much of the time!  Twice I purchased the lens and twice I send it back.  Despite the stunning pictures and the amazing low light capability just seemed to be to finicky.  Also, did I mention expensive! So why round three?  Because it still is a stunning lens that nothing else…

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Summer Evening

Summer Evening
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Enjoying a break from their bike ride in Neenah.  I wonder if they rode their bikes out on the pier? Shot with Bronica ETRS, 150mm lens and Kodak Portra 400 film.

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Copper Box in Neenah – Film Test

Copper Box in Neenah – Film Test

Copper Box played in Neenah on a beautiful July evening.  All these photos are using my Bronica medium format camera.  All photos 150mm lens and used Kodak Portra 400 film.  The film was "over exposed" one stop to test the look - I metered at 200 ISO in stead of 400.  Pretty amazing how much detail in both the shadows and highlights when the film is pushed a bit - much better than digital.   And no, I am not giving up my digital cameras!  Film is just another tool in the box and has it's place.  Look for more…

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A Life of Adventure

A Life of Adventure

I get asked all the time "What 'cha been doin'?"  Sometimes I feel like I've been doing nothing interesting.  Sometimes I feel like I don't have time to breathe!  Below is a video of the past year or so of pictures video showing some of the things I've been doing.  Makes me feel a bit exhausted - and the video leaves a lot of things out. Life is an ADVENTURE - every day holds promise of drama and fun and service.  Have an adventure today!   What 'Cha Been Doing? from Jalanlee on Vimeo.  

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Lake Superior Waterfall Tour

Lake Superior Waterfall Tour

Finally finished the video of out anniversary tour of the waterfalls from Northern Wisconsin to the Minnesota border with Canada.  There was lots of rain before we left so the falls were all pretty awesome.  The down side was some of the falls were not accessible due to flooded trials (at least too flooded for a couple of middle age folks).  Enjoy!   ๏ปฟ

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Alexis – Bronica Test Shoot

Alexis – Bronica Test Shoot

The first rolls of test film on the "new" Bronica came back and I am just blown away!  First, the exposures are pretty good and light meter balancing-ambiant-and-flash skills didn't fail me.  Second, both lenses are perfect.  Last, the pictures are stunning (at least to me) and have that unique medium format film "look".  While I might miss the old Kodak  the Bronica will be an amazing investment and I will have a lot of happy clients going forward. Watch for more test shoots in the future! Bronica ETRS | Zenza-Bronica 75mm f/2.8 | Kodak Portra 160 ISO Film Developing…

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