Patty Smith

I was driving back from a gig in Montauk Point at 1 AM and heard two back to back songs from Patty Smith. It kinda blew me away and got me thinking. I photographed them several times, but of course that was film. Trying to find the negatives was not going to be easy. My filing system leaves a little bit to be desired, okay it leaves a lot to be desired. I did come across a work print, which i put in my Epson scanner. I'll continue to look for the negative. I guess this is Joe D. just reminiscing. But that is not a bad.TRIX at 1200, 85mm 1.2 500 of a second at 1.4. That's it. Signing off Joe D.

You can't Have Enough Backlight

The combination of severe backlight, high key, and a half to three quarters of overexposure will give you some very dynamic photographs. It is simple, straight forward, and works all the time. I was finishing up a three mile walk with my puppy and I stumbled across this American Flag blowing in the wind. There are a few variations here. The lead shot is my favorite. They were done with a 17 to 50, 2.8 Sigma lens. At the end of a fall day the sky was gray. By blowing it out, we now have a white sky. Cropping in the camera is mandatory, moving it as close to possible and cutting down the air space between flag and lens is also critical. Have fun with the shutter speed. You could also fill it with flash. It's a fun little project.

All Images Copyright Joe DiMaggio  ©

Use it or Lose it!

One of the biggest complaints JoAnne and I hear from amateurs and pros is that they have nothing to photograph. When I hear that sometimes my jaw clenches, and if I'm not careful, I could break a tooth. The reality is you could spend half a lifetime in your backyard and never make the same photograph twice. Let's beat up two more cliches, Practice makes perfect. The other complaint I hear is that, "I don't have enough time in the day to make great photos." My answer is, MAKE THE TIME! One of my students, Larry Malang, asked if I would do his portrait for his webpage. Of course I would be happy to do his portrait for a $1500 sitting fee. Larry thought that was fair. We spent about 20 minutes in the studio, had several usable frames. Oops! I don't mean frames I mean digital images. Sometimes I fall back to  ASA. Okay, I know it's ISO. One of the reasons I jumped at this photographic opportunity is because he is an extremely bright and creative gentleman. He has been reincarnated several times. I find his face and his intensity charming. Larry, the check is in the mail right?

Time to Re-Boot

The whole concept of social networking sometimes leaves me in a tizzy. I've been told that when you put things out on the internet, someday it may come back and bite you on the ass. That has not bothered me from day one. So why start worrying about it now! Many photographers and filmmakers who have joined me at the Learning Center know that I like to have a work station outside, especially in great weather. In the Fall, the upper Delaware Valley can be gloriously beautiful, with vibrant colors and crisp air. It is a great time to be alive. But every once in a while, there is an instant and severe LM storm. In my dear friend, Bill DeSmedt's book "Singularity" there is a passage, " When all else fails, re-boot." So here I am re-booting. As soon as I figure out how to upload the HD video, you can see some of the outtakes, which are pretty funny! By the way, which way to the life boats? To all the ships at sea. Signing off
Joe D.