Ewert Photography Blog

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2010-07-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

More Time with Big Steel

2010-02-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

On my second visit to the California Steel Industries plant, one of the walking furnaces was in operation which made for a truly awesome sight. A huge door opened at about 5-10 minute intervals, and each time a glowing 20 ton slab of steel was pushed out onto a massive conveyor which moved it into rollers that would squeeze it down to a more manageable size. The noise was primally disorienting, as we made our way through the plant, passing over and under machines the size of buildings moving in a giant choreography unknown to me. Of course, I had skilled quide who kept me out of danger, and my assignment wasn't to photograph the operations, but the men and women who build these massive machines. The attached photo is an example. Photos like these are challenging to pull off because there is no way to control the situation. Challenges include: multiple lighting temperature sources, low available light, no way to stage personnel, and a dangerous environment. Just the sort of situation I love. This scene required a long exposure, fortunately, welders by nature of their vocation, are steady subjects. With the use of mirror lockup, a two second timer, eyes in the back of my head, and a little luck, it all comes together. Of course, as with wildlife photography, it helps to study your subject. I watched the workers go through a few cycles of their craft, so I could predict the sequence, and time the shots occordingly. At least this location doesn't include a face-full of biting flys. I should be returning in about a month or two when the new furnace is running, which will make for some interesting photography. Stay tuned.

Winging It

2010-01-25T09:56:00.000-08:00

Often when a client hires me, they seem to have a clear idea of what they want from the shoot. When I arrive on the location this is rarely the case. Many times the client has no idea what to make of their everyday surroundings, and they are really hiring me for my imagination, and fresh eyes. I have the same problem. My travel photography is inspired by the immersion into a new landscape or culture. When I travel in the States I have a more difficult time with inspiration than when I leave it's borders. Lame perhaps, but honest. Fortunately, for my clients when arriving at their location, I have the same feeling as when leaving the country. Whether it is a sewage treatment plant, testing facility, steel mill, or single family home, each place has a story to tell, and I enjoy finding it. The attached photo, is of a fiber optic testing facility. The client was concerned that facility was boring. Due to the nature, and scope of the shoot, as is often the case, I had to improvise on the fly. There was no possibility of making this photo in more controlled circumstances. The fibers (coiled in the foreground) were very delicate and could not be manipulated in any way other than a slight shuffling on the table. I used a very wide-angle lens to add drama and came up with an interesting shot in just a couple of minutes. The final version has a cleaner looking table, and a few other tweaks, but this gets the idea across.

I am looking forward to trying this sort of shot with the new Canon 17mm TS-E lens which arrived after months of waiting. It has been sold out for some time, and I look forward to finally testing it's lauded capabilities in the coming weeks.

Steel School

2009-12-29T09:32:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to photograph the installation of a new walking reheat furnace in California. Everything in this facility is big, heavy, and ready to maim if you're not careful. One of the things I enjoy about my career most is the exposure to a wide range of locations, vocations and personalities. I have the opportunity to learn about much of the unnoticed structure that makes our way of life possible. In this instance, I toured the inside of the furnace that will soon heat 20 ton slabs of steel to 2400ºF for the creation of more managable forms. Photographing the complex structure is challenging, as the endless web of pipes gives many composition possibilities along with the difficulty of choosing the most effective one. One of my favorite shots is the accompanying photo of a welder working outside the furnace structure. With only dangerously bright available light, it took a few times to get the composition right. What started as an extra shot suggestion from the client, soon became one of my favorites of the shoot.

Aerial Photography Surprises

2009-12-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Although I have flown in helicopters many times over LA on assignment, I am still surprised by what we can fly over. The attached photo is by no means a great or even good example of photography, but it is taken right over LAX with active runways. My client who accompanied me on the flight was very surprised, and understandably nervous about it, but both of us were excited to have the priveledged view. We were flying at about 1500 feet, so the danger was minimal as planes are well under that on approach or takeoff, but still...! Fortunately, when we arrived in Santa Monica the sun peaked out for a few minutes during our shoot and the resulting photos turned out much better than this example. On the way back, we ducked down to 300 feet, and flew under the end of runnway. I had my video camera ready if a plane took off over us, but no luck. Maybe next time.

Food for Thought

2009-12-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

Occasionally, (quite often really) I'm asked to photograph things well outside my known specialties, and unless it's a head shot, or wedding I'm often game. This time a client originally hired me to shoot a location, but as often happens, they added a few elements, and before I knew it, we had three shoots in one day. The well known chef insisted that the actual food be photographed which provided some logistical challenges. It might surprise many that the food you see in photos for advertising is rarely edible to anything but exotic bacteria. This presented a huge challenge as food photography is a notoriously fussy endeavor. Fortunately, the chef I worked with was very good at presentation, and we pulled it off in a working restaurant during lunch! Obviously, this required a bit of prep. I setup a model studio a few days before, and worked out the lighting ratios, angles etc. The food was just one aspect of the shoot, and it was difficult to concentrate with plate after plate arriving to tempt me, but once I'm working I rarely break to eat until the work is done. Once in the creative mode, its all about getting results. Thankfully, they fed me a fantastic meal that night before I started desolving my own body. Attached are a few of the outtakes. Three food groups are represented; salad, sandwich, and chocolate.

An Afternoon in Casco Viejo

2009-10-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note from our first day in Panama. We spent the afternoon strolling the streets of Casco Viejo (old town Panama City,) photographing the endless avenues and sidestreets. An afternoon shower forced us inside for an hour, but compensation was provided by a few bottles of Balboa, and music in the plaza. Switching between video and still photography is a challenge, and I invariably have the wrong tool for the job at any given moment, but I got some great shots, and hopefully, a bit of interesting video. Thankfully, I have a very patient wife who is always willing to help. If she isn't used to this after ten years of travel she never will be. We are off next to the Panama Canal, and then the Mountain area of El Valle.

Joined at the Hip, Stills and Video Coming Together

2009-10-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

I knew it was coming. My brother and I discussed it many years ago, and now it is here. Still photography is merging with video. Yeah, it's been around for a little while, but the quality/usability is almost a reality. I decided to buy a decent video camera (Canon Vixia HF S10) that gave me good HD quality to start learning the ropes. Why not use the Canon 5D MKII or new 7D? Although, I love the video quality of the 5D, there were too many compromises for my shooting style and equipment bag. I primarily shoot with a 1DS MK III, and the 5D is just too different of a body to fit into my work flow. I have always preferred the layout of the pro bodies and don't like digging through menus to get to my most used functions. Consumer video cameras are menu crazy, you say? Correct, but it is a small and relatively self contained system that doesn't force me to carry another big body with separate batteries etc. When I'm traveling, keeping the bag as light as possible is a big deal. Not easy with pro bodies and glass. The 3X expense over the Vixia is a bigger consideration, especially when it doesn't doesn't fit my shooting style. If the 1DS Mk4 comes out with decent video capabilities, that will be the perfect solution for me. In the meantime the Vixia is a good compromise for the time being in this fast developing climate.

With the convergence accelerating, I really wanted to start learning the language, techniques, and work flow of video. Thus far, I have found that many things translate directly over. Exposure, composition, and steadiness all apply. Processing, software, editing, story telling, etc. not so much. I know that clients will be wanting me to offer video services in the future, and I've already had to pass on a few jobs this year because of my ignorance, so here we go.

Last weekend, I shot some video of my friend and neighbor Ignacio sailing in the Long Beach area, and put together a quick video to music. View it on Vimeo here. It isn't going to win any awards, but I am happy with it as a first try. I have never shot any type of video before, which seems strange because video cameras have been cheap and readily available for so long. I even bought one for my wife a few years ago that I never even held up to my eye. I told her that video was her responsibility, and I stuck to to stills. Consequently, we have no home movies to speak of. My interest only started peaking last year when HD started becoming decent, and flash memory started putting tape out to pasture. I can now shoot about six hours of video at the highest quality without the hassle of tape. With a decent panning head that I put on top of my RRS ball head (with adapter) I am all set for my upcoming trip to Panama. Switching between a still and video camera is a bit of a challenge as I found out last weekend, but I am looking forward to the opportunity of adding a new dimension to my artistic endeavors.

Ducati Reconnaissance Mission

2009-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I often work for a local architect and friend who builds some of most creative structures I've had the pleasure of photographing. Yesterday, Ducati Motorcycles (a longtime passion of mine) was having their grand opening at large dealership here in the Los Angeles area, and I decided to stop by with my camera and take a few quick shots before we go back to formally shoot the various design elements in the shop. Since it was Friday morning, there wasn't a large crowd and I was able to pull off a few test shots without any real interuption. The newest addition was a display structure that houses two of Ducati's newest droolworthy machines. We have all seen nifty product displays, but until recently, I've never thought much about them, or how they are designed and built. After working with Edifice Architects for three years, I've acquired a deep appreciation for the creativity and construction skills required to pull off these works of art.

Informal shoots like these give me the opportunity to experiment with techiniques that I can't always use when a client has a specific look in mind. In the second photo, several techniques combine to give Ducati's new Streetfighter motorcycle a distinct look that I might not get to play with on an actual shoot. The look reminds me of the days when I used to shoot slide film and had to have them scanned into tiffs. I always remember being so disappointed in the results, as they never came close to matching the backlit slides that punched me in the eye with color. The images were always very contrasty and the colors were dead. I spent many days and even weeks livening up the images when I would return from a photo trip. I hear that scanning is much better these days, but I wouldn't know, as digital has been my exclusive capture method since 2004. Hard to believe it was such a short time ago, as we have been through generations of digital cameras and software in that time. Anyway, the image has the look of those contrasty scans without the dead colors and loss of detail. Of course, this image is just an experiment, and I would change a few things in a reshoot, like that ghastly ceiling in the background, the price tag, and the color balance, but it was a fun way to spend a few minutes amongst Ducati's mouthwatering works of art framed in a unique way. Now it is time to demo ride the new Hypermotard, which is sure to give me pangs of desire if not a ticket for hooliganism.

Photo of the Week on MSNBC

2009-08-14T13:51:00.001-07:00

A photo from my recent trip to Costa Rica is featured on MSNBC's "It's A Snap: Photo on the Week.

New Website Coming

2009-08-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've decided that my site needs another technology upgrade which will give my clients better access to projects, and showcase my work in a more cohesive and pleasing manner. This should be completed by the end of September or early October at the latest.

Back from Costa Rica

2009-07-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Just returned from my third photo trip to Costa Rica, and as usual, it continues to impress. I visited a couple of new areas in addition to the mandatory stop in Arenal. This time it was Cahuita on the Caribbean side, and the mountainous area of Chirripo. After three visits, I've only scratched the surface, as the country packs a lot into its compact size. The difficulty of getting around quickly, leaves much to discover on future visits. The stunning scenery and challenging terrian gave my newest gear (and me) a good workout. Digital cameras and software continue to improve, and it was nice to re-visit and improve the results of favorite subjects. This is a rare opportunity in my world travels. Click the title of this blog entry to see a small gallery of my favorite images.

Ewert Photography joins Edifice Architects in creating the Modern Heritage Project.

2009-02-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

Architect Firm Launches Project to Preserve Modern Architecture

Claremont, Calif. , February 9, 2009– Edifice Architects announced the launch of the Modern Heritage Project, a regional initiative designed to pay homage to modern design within the Inland Empire and preserve it from destruction.

The Modern Heritage project will educate, develop, and raise awareness of the modern movement. Edifice plans to locate and identify mid-century commercial and residential buildings. The Claremont-based firm invites the public to participate and help find these structures.

“This project aims to preserve modern buildings and advocates modern and contemporary architecture,” Edifice Co-Founder Ignacio Sardinas said. “I find it deplorable that in many cities in the Inland Empire , it is perfectly acceptable to destroy a significant example of mid-century design with no repercussion.”

“Someone needs to champion and support these structures,” Edifice Co-Founder Hirohito Kuroki said. “Modern architecture is a part of Southern California ; it showed the optimistic spirit of the designers of that era experimenting with new forms and materials and methods of construction.”

Later-generation modernist architects include Lautner, Neutra, Schindler, and Ellwood who practiced in Southern California , Kuroki continued. Patrons such as Eichler and Entanza encouraged and promoted modernism, creating project, case study programs and development tracts in the movement. Edifice hopes to evolve projects and thinking within the region that support those same values of modernism.

Edifice architects have won several historic preservation awards over the past decade, including a 2007 Design Excellence Award for the renovation of the modernist Sangsland Residence in Claremont .

“As more of the public are now rediscovering mid-century modernism with greater interest, I hope the ‘hip factor’ will turn into true appreciation and love of those structures and what they tried to achieve,” Kuroki said.

Edifice has recruited Ewert Photography to assist with photo-documentation for the Modern Heritage Project.

Village Venture

2008-10-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'll have a booth at the Village Venture in Claremont, CA this Saturday, October 25th from 9 to 5. I'll be located at spot 181 on the SE corner of Yale and Bonita right next to Bert and Rocky's ice cream shop. This is one of the largest one-day markets in Southern California.

After strolling the tree-lined streets of Claremont, stop by and try some African honeybush tea, listen to great music, and view photography from my travels around the world. Beautiful canvas prints will be available for purchase in various sizes. Several framing options are available; including gallery wrap, standard black, and premium walnut. I'll also have information on my Zambia Photo Safari that departs on April 24th 2009.

Gallery Shop Open

2008-07-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my gallery shop is now open. You can find a variety of colorful images that will go with any decor. New images will be added periodically so please check back often. There are three galleries arranged by available sizes, so take a look at each one.

If you see an image on my website that isn't available in the shop or need a custom size, please contact me, and I'll create it for you.

The prints are are also available on Museum Canvas Wraps that look great without framing. Please call 866-391-9234 or email for prices and available sizes (up to 30"x 40".) Each canvas wrap is professionally hand-crafted for you, and will last a lifetime.

Fourth of July

2008-06-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

The 4th is just around the corner, so its time for the obligatory fireworks photo, and a few tips. This is one of my favorites from a couple of years ago. Great fireworks images share many of the same techniques as other low light photography subjects. Equipment basics include: SLR camera, sturdy tripod, and a cable/electronic remote shutter release. A medium range zoom lens is also helpful, and allows you to change composition as the show progresses. Point and shoot digital cameras can also be used, but most have limitations on shutter control, and the sensors are typically very noisy which makes post processing more work.

To get the most dramatic shots, I like to get as close to the action as possible. This makes getting a pleasing composition a little more difficult, but the results are more engaging in my opinion. Setup your camera with a wide angle setting to start and narrow the framing as the show progresses. I like to use the lowest ISO setting as possible to limit noise in the dark areas of the image and an f-stop of F8 as a starting point (use you camera’s manual setting.) The exact setting isn’t critical, fireworks are bright. You can open the f-stop up (smaller number) to let more light in if necessary. Setup your cable/electronic release so you can manually control when the shutter opens and closes. I like to to hold the shutter open for several bursts of fireworks to get a dramatic shot. If you hold it open for too long the photo will be cluttered, too short and it lacks drama. It’s all a matter of preference, experiment! Make sure you adjust your composition to fill up the frame as much as possible. You’ll have plenty of time to take 20-50 shots at a typical show. If you are lucky enough to have a show start with residual light in the sky, take advantage, the blue/purple sky adds extra depth and impact. Don’t forget to enjoy the show!

Grilling Time

2008-05-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

This image sums up a few of the attitudes in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Women are not afraid to show a little skin even when in a delicate condition. Men don't seem to mind. Argentineans like their meat, preferably grilled. While strolling around the popular La Boca area of Buenos Aires, most people are captivated by the colorful buildings and artists that feature so prominently. I found the everyday street theatre even more appealing. Even after the recent economic upheaval that reduced the currency to dust the people were upbeat and welcoming. The city is very cosmopolitan for the region and is often called the "Paris of South America."

Usually when doing street photography I walk around with a 24-70mm zoom lens, but I had to break out the telephoto to steal this scene. Had I been closer, it's unlikely that I would have caught the genuine moment. This was my last major international trip that I used film cameras. In 2004 digital cameras were finally up to the task of replacing slide film (in my opinion) and the rest is history.

Baobab Sunset

2008-05-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

I know this is a sunset picture, but it has special meaning to me. On my second trip to East Africa back in fall of 2006 one of my goals was to photograph the magnificent Baobab trees that are common in and around Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. The first trip in 2005 was very rushed, and it was difficult to get specific shots due to the group travel mode. This time, I was on assignment for 2Afrika and had a private driver. Despite a very hectic schedule shooting hotels and luxury camps; I was able to "safari" between shoots without the restraints of group travel.

On the way back to the lodge for the evening, I saw this tree positioned perfectly for a sunset shot. I asked Fred to pull over and wait for the inevitable African glow. After about thirty minutes the light looked great and I started shooting. Afterward, I returned to the lodge to do my nightly DVD backups, satisfied that I at least had a few pictures of this iconic tree.

After returning home, I started the lengthly editing process, and out of 4000+ photos, all of the Baobab tree photos were corrupted! I tried several recovery programs, and computers to no avail. I even sent the card to my brother who is a programmer for Microsoft. No luck. So I put the backups in storage and forgot about them for several months. Then while setting up software on my wife's laptop, I for some reason reached for one of the backup DVD's, and amazingly, the Baobab thumbnails showed up in the preview screen. I quickly installed Adobe Lightroom on her computer, and processed them into full resolution tiffs. Not believing that they would be intact, I transferred them to my computer and opened them in Photoshop. They were fine!

Later, I produced a 20x30 canvas print which is now hanging in my wife's office. This is not the perfect specimen of Baobab. They take a beating from wildlife and other forces of nature. Sometimes they even have huge holes drilled right through the trunk by elephants. You can see the broken branches (one is still resting in the tree on the left side) but, it is a great souvenir and reminder not to give up on lost data.

Mt. Arenal Puts on a Show

2008-04-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

In fall of 2007 my wife and I visited Costa Rica for the second time. On our previous visit, Arenal was shrouded in clouds and we saw very little of the ongoing eruption. Fortunately this time the weather was more cooperative, (despite the heaviest rainfall in at least a decade) and we had a great show.

Each night, I setup my tripod on the Arenal Observatory Lodge viewing deck hoping for the show of a lifetime. On this night, I took around thirty exposures that ranged from 30 seconds to five minutes. I used an aperture of F2.8, and the shutter was open for a little over three minutes. To give you idea how close this highly active volcano was, I shot it with a focal length of only 43 mm! 50 mm is approximately the field of view your eyes normally see, 43 mm is a little wider. I could feel the almost sub-audible rumbles deep in my chest and occasionally, the cone would emit a shocking roar that got me out of bed in a hurry a few times. This is a primal experience at its best.

First Post

2008-04-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Ewert Photography Blog! This has been a long time in coming, and I hope you find it interesting, informative and maybe even inspirational. This will replace the "Recent News" portion of my website. It will keep you up to date on recent assignments, news and share info on some of my favorite photos.

Enjoy!