Sit back and enjoy the exciting action from the 2011 Barnegat Breezer!

When Link Community School, a 42 year old independent school in Newark, decided to change locations after four decades, they used the transition as an opportunity to freshen up their marketing materials.  They brought on the great designer Mary Wagner of Verdant Studios to overhaul their website as well as print and collateral pieces.  Mary hired MBP to create the photographic images to be used in the new marketing effort.

One of the challenges photographically was that the school was still housed in its old building, meaning imagery shot there would quickly be outdated.  To deal with this we suggested shooting the majority of the photos with high-key lighting – nice bright images in front of a white background.  That way Mary could drop the images into any background she chose and have maximum flexibility.

A second challenge was the shooting schedule.  On a day in early April Mary and I had just five hours to shoot all of the required work.  In addition, we had to work around student schedules, classroom needs, and all the other logistics of a typical school day.  Generally, with each set up we had 15 minutes to test, prepare the student talent, and shoot.  It was a frenetic pace, to say the least.

In the end we created some great shots, and Mary built an outstanding website using those images to showcase the mission, values, and results that Link Community School is famous for.  The website was launched last Thursday, and MBP is proud to be a part of the creative team that made it happen!  Check out the site here.

Barnegat Bay lived up to its reputation as a great sailing venue as almost 50 Hobies descended on Trixie’s Landing and raced in the Barnegat Breezer Regatta. Saturday morning the wind was light and variable, and the fleet had to wait until noon to begin competing. On cue, however, the afternoon sea breeze that makes the Bay an excellent regatta location began to increase. Wind speeds rose from 5 knots to 10 to over 20 by the end of racing, and the Hobies and their crews were working hard and sailing fast. The committee did a great job and was able to get in four races on Saturday, and everyone enjoyed the terrific festivities that evening.

Sunday morning provided a nice west-southwest breeze hovering around 10 knots, and the fleet was able to get underway on time for their scheduled 10:30 a.m. start. Like Saturday, the mid-day wind slowly but surely backed and rose, and by mid-afternoon the southeast wind was rising near 20 knots again. The sailors were showing their skills as they screamed around the course at nearly 20 knots, almost always on the fine line between control and a story. It was impressive.

We were on the course both days and caught a lot of the action. To see all of our photos visit click here.

In the previous post we began a list of suggestions for making dog photos that you will love.  If you missed that post, you can check it out here.  The list continues here!

Tip #6 – Change Your Viewpoint.  One of the ways to add interest to any photograph is by changing the perspective of the picture.  Often we can add interest to the image by showing the viewer a scene he or she has not seen before.  Get on a chair and shoot down.  Lay on the ground and shoot up.  Use a wide angle and come in close.  Hold your camera close to the ground for a “snout’s eye” view.  Capturing a new, interesting perspective will draw your viewers into the photo and invite them to spend some time exploring what you have created.

Tip #7 – Enlist A Helper. It’s hard to go it alone.  Especially when trying to photograph a dog (or dogs!).  You see the shot, you kneel down, you put your finger on the button, Fluffy looks just right, and just as you press the shutter release Fluffy remembers he has an itch he needs to scratch.  Drat!  A second set of hands can make all the difference between getting the shot you want and getting completely frustrated.   Enlisting the help of a friend or family member or the dog owner or whomever you can to “manage” your model is good for everyone.  The dog will respond to the handler who is primarily responsible for making it fun and interesting for the dog (see Tip #3).  Your assistant can hold a leash, dispense treats, keep distance between you and your subject, and make funny noises.  You can concentrate on composing a beautiful photograph and snapping the picture.  It’s important to keep all the humans involved calm and positive.  Beware of too many people giving Fluffy commands!  “Sit!  Stay!  Fluffy look!  Stay!  No!  Look!  Fluffy stay!” coming from several directions and voices is just going to make Fluffy – and you – a nervous wreck.  But if you can work with a good team who can help Fluffy become the best model she can be you will create some great photographs.

Tip #8 – Use Your Flash. Admittedly, on-camera flash can create abominable photos.  We’ve all seen images that look like they were taken at the same moment of a nuclear explosion.  However, flash is often misunderstood, and when used well can make a mediocre picture look great.  When is the BEST time to use on-camera flash?  Believe it or not, it is in bright sunlight!  The sun, especially in the middle of the day, will cause harsh shadows anywhere there are contours or textures.  Using flash to add a little light to those shadow areas will help make a subject more interesting.  Also, your flash will add a speck of light to the eyeballs (called a “catch light”) that will help dark eyes look lively.  This is very useful with dogs, who often have deep brown or black eyes.  Almost every image of a dog we shoot has at least some flash in it.

Tip #9 – Watch Out For Flash! Using a point-and-shoot camera with flash indoors can be frustrating, but there are a few ways to make that better.  The concept to keep in mind is that you want to make your flash as “big” as possible.  One of the reasons that a point-and-shoot flash is so harsh is that is a very small light source and, as such, will create a lot of contrast between bright spots and dark spots.  There are commercial products on the market that can help make that small light source bigger and, hence, soften the shadows that it creates.  For example, Gary Fong has created his Delta Diffuser that covers the tiny flash bulb and will make the light from your camera more pleasing.  If you’re into arts and crafts you can make the same effect with vellum paper and tape or a rubber band.  In either case, the moral of the story is that you want to have as big a light coming from the camera which will reduce the hardness of the shadows caused by your flash.  You may also find that your camera has settings in the menu that can help you power down or up the flash to create the effect you want.  Bear in mind that a leopard can’t change its spots, and you are not going to be able to create beautiful, soft, creamy light with a point-and-shoot camera.  But you can do a few things to make photos more pleasing.

Tip #10 – When All Else Fails…Hire A Pro! If you’re not getting the results you want, hiring a professional photographer who has the experience, know-how and equipment to create great images might be the best way to get that portrait of Fluffy that you have always wanted.  For information about our dog photography services check out our website.

We hope this information is useful to you and that it helps you create great images of your furry friends.  If you have tips of your own we’d love to hear them!

McGee - click to see larger image

Everyone loves a great photograph of their canine companion. And for those of us who have a thing for dogs, any picture that shows a dog’s unique personality or physical trait is a treat to look at. Some photographs can even seem to offer a moving glimpse into the animal’s soul. We’ve all seen plenty of those “bad” pet photos, though. A friend shares an image of Fluffy who looks more like a scary alien being from another galaxy than a furry friend reposed on the couch! Oh…yes…she’s cute.

So how can we create the conditions to make more of the good photos and reduce the scary ones? Beyond the basic components of any good photograph – proper exposure, focus, etc. – there are a few methods that can help lead to good results. Following, and in a future post, are my tips for making great photos of your dog.  They are in no particular order, nor are they absolutely the only tips that could be on the list.  These are just some of the things to take into consideration when you want to capture that great shot of the one and only Fluffy!

Tip #1 – PATIENCE! Actually, tips 1-10 could be “patience”.  It is rare that an exceptional image is born the instant the camera moves from coffee table to eye.  Most good photographs are made after at least a little planning and set up.  Even great photo journalistic images, while appearing to be spontaneous, were made after considerable planning to ensure the photographer was in the right place at the right time with the right light.   We shouldn’t expect, therefore, that we will create masterpieces of Fluffy with one push of the shutter button.  If you want to capture Fluffy’s personality and uniqueness, plan on spending some time doing so.  Expect to spend 30 or 60 minutes to get the shot.  Give the effort some time and you will see nice results.

Tip #2 – Take A Hike! Over the last few years, thanks to Cesar Milan and others, we have come to recognize the connection between dog behavior and exercise.  Dogs need to walk, and even the most incorrigible canine can improve his/her behavior with regular exercise.  Including a walk in your photo session planning will help make Fluffy a willing subject.  A tired model is a good model!  Go out and wander for 20 or 30 minutes, and then give Fluffy time to relax post-walk (so that his/her huge tongue doesn’t become the prime feature of the photo!!).

Tip#3 – Make It Fun. We all know how strongly our dogs react to our own energy.  If we are worried, our dogs are anxious with us.  Angry, their ears are peeled back.  Sad, they will come near and offer a paw.  A good photo shoot with a dog has to be fun.  Fluffy should see the camera come out of the bag and know that the next few minutes are going to be filled with good energy and praise and treats and laughter.  Even when Fluffy is walking away or sticking his/her butt toward the camera.  Use your energy to create a mood that will create good photographs.  And when you experience that inevitable “I’m never going to get this photograph” feeling: STOP.  Take a break.  Put the camera down.  And then come back to it when you can make it fun.

Jada - click to see larger image

Tip #4 – The Eyes Have It. “The eyes are the window to the soul” is the saying.  When we look at a photograph our eyes naturally go to the place in the picture that is in focus.  Good photographers use this to their advantage and will deliberately focus their lens on the item or items in the picture that they your eye to dwell on.  Focusing on a dog’s eye or eyes will help the viewer feel a connection with the dog, and many will feel as if they “get to know” the animal as a result.  Whereas the human face is relatively flat, a dog’s features are much more dimensional, and it can be easy to focus on a snout or an ear and distract the viewer from the eyes.  Many point-and-shoot cameras now offer the ability to choose the point of focus.  Do your best to put that green square on the eyes!

Tip #5 – Watch The Background. As you’re composing your photograph keep an eye on what else is going on in the frame.  Does Fluffy have a tree growing out of his/her head?  Is there a window that will catch the reflection of your flash?  Is there a lot of clutter in the picture?  To the degree you can control it, don’t give your viewers something else to look at in the photo, and don’t distract their brains with extraneous information (like the tree growing out of the head).  Often, managing the background is simply a matter of changing viewpoints – a few feet left or right and the problem is solved.  But you can also be more aggressive in solving the problem – drape some fabric over the bookshelf in the living room, or hang a sheet off the basketball hoop outside.  Favor a solid color over a Tommy Bahama pattern.  A clean, simple background will naturally keep the focus where you want it – on Fluffy!

Watch for more tips in our next post.  Have some thoughts of your own?  Feel free to share the things that have made your pet photos successful!

Check out this slideshow of our best images from the Keyport Yacht Club 2011 Leukemia Cup held on June 11.  Click on the lower right corner to expand the show to high-resolution full screen.  Hey, it don’t cost nothin’!

If you want to see more photographs – or order some – click here.

Leaping out of a wave.

This is the third year we’ve covered the KYC Leukemia Cup/Bill Volk Regatta, and it was definitely the most exciting.  Despite a forecast for winds under 10 knots, the breeze was steady at 16 knots and the occasional showers and fog reduced visibility down to a few hundred feet at times.  The conditions made for challenging racing and photography, but we grabbed some good shots nonetheless.  The images below tell the story best.  If you were one of the hearty sailors and want to see more images and order some prints of you in action click here visit our “Did We Take Your Photo?” page.

As always, 20% of our profits from Leukemia Cup print sales will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

We spent the weekend in Westport, Connecticut shooting for our friends at Photoboat.com at the annual Cedar Point Yacht Club One Design Regatta.  This year almost 40 boats in six classes are vying for trophies.  After a few days of stiff winds last week, a high pressure system has settled in over the area and the forecast for Saturday was less-than-exciting.  Happily, though, the breeze exceeded the forecast and we saw winds of 10-12 knots both Saturday and Sunday, just enough to make the racing dynamic and exciting.

Click on the thumbnails below to view the photo full size.  All of our images will be posted and available for purchase at www.photoboat.com.

Author’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2009 on our previous blog site, and continues to be one of the most searched and widely-read of all of our posts.  As summer is now upon us and people are getting back out on the water we thought it was a good idea to migrate these tips over to our new blog home.  We hope you find them useful.

We are asked the question often: “How do you do that?” The truth is that nautical photography is not altogether tricky. Perhaps the hardest part for most people is access – finding a boat and a race and good weather all at the same time. But if you can put those things together the rest is fairly straightforward.

Today’s cameras are amazing. Whether you’re using the latest and greatest DSLR with an equally pricey lens or the family point-and-shoot camera, you are ready to take great pictures on the water. The light meters in use today are incredible, and even less expensive models can make well-exposed images. Plus, with sunshine, reflective water, white sails, and bright decks, the light on the water is often excellent for photography. Autofocus has come a long way in the last decade, and even small units will have the ability to discern focal areas and make your photos sharp. Obviously, the higher end DSLRs will enable you to change lenses appropriate to your circumstances, shoot faster in repetition, and take advantage of numerous other advanced features. But if you have the eye and the desire, any camera will do.

So you have the boat (and hopefully a good and safe driver!), the wind is blowing, the regatta is starting…what are the Top 5 things to think about while making images on the water? Here are our suggestions:

1. Keep your horizon straight. – It’s easy to stay focused on the subject (a boat, a sailor, etc.) and lose track of the way your own boat is rolling. Practice keeping an eye on the shoreline or horizon while you click away. It gets easier and easier with time. And if you get a great shot with a boat going slightly downhill? Fear not – a little work in a photo editing program and you can usually fix the problem.

Ooops! A little tilt on the horizon.

Nothing a little work with the mouse can't fix!

2. Shoot with fast shutter speeds – Pointing a camera at a moving boat while standing on a moving boat increases the chances of making a fuzzy picture. If you’re using a DSLR you can shoot in Shutter Priority mode and keep your speeds above 1/500 second. On rougher days crank it up to 1/1000 or higher. Most of our images were shot between 1/1250 and 1/3000. Again, regattas are often in great light, so dialing in a fast shutter speed does not require taking the ISO too high to affect image quality. Even if you’re using a point-and-shoot, many of them now will offer either a Shutter Priority option where you can choose your speed, or an “Action” setting where the camera will set the shutter speed for you.
3. Know what the boats are going to do. Great wildlife photographers are often very good animal behaviorists as well. They know the habits of their subjects and can use that knowledge to make outstanding photographs. So it is with boat photography. Odds are that if you are interested in marine photography you have spent some time on boats before. Knowing how a sailboat uses the wind, tacks and jibes, and some of the limitations of a sailboat can help you capture better images. If you don’t have any racing experience and want to shoot regattas, getting on board a boat as crew can help you learn the way a competition works. Often the sponsoring yacht club of an event will post a Notice of Race (NOR) online that will include start times, start sequences, course information, and other useful details about a regatta. Check out all you can before things start and you’ll be better prepared to shoot.
4. Look around alot. – It’s very easy to get locked in to the scene in the viewfinder or to the cluster of lead boats. But there is action everywhere on a race course. Every so often take a good look around and see what’s happening – you may find the shot of the day. Last week we didn’t follow this advice and just missed seeing an A Cat lose her mast in a strong wind. Today we were out and caught a great sequence of an E Scow going over because we kept a good watch. Look around!

This is one of a sequence of five images we grabbed because we looked around!

5. Don’t affect the race! – Hopefully, this goes without saying, but…we know it need be said. As photographers we want to capture all of the action, and often there are opportunities to get close to it in order to make strong images. We want to make certain, however, that whatever we do does not in any way influence the way the racers do their thing. Watch your wake, and don’t make waves that could slow down a sailboat. Don’t become an obstruction. If you’re in a medium or large boat, don’t get between the wind and a racer. Don’t get so close that you become a distraction for the skipper or crew. Use common sense and good manners. Most of the time sailors are happy to have photographers making images, as they will enjoy seeing themselves later on. We all have an obligation to help maintain that sentiment.

A few months ago we began spending time at the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter.  This model facility hosts an incredible volunteer program run by the Friends of Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter (FOSOCAS).  Each day a handful of volunteers descend on the shelter to care for the dogs and cats, taking them on walks, providing training, generating opportunities for socialization, and assisting the paid staff with cleaning and laundry and keeping the animals healthy.  It is an incredible program, and the work these dedicated volunteers do has tangible benefits for the animals.  Unlike many shelters that have the ambiance of a mental hospital, the Manahawkin building feels more like a camp.  By the time the public comes to look for their next best friend the pets have been walked, washed, loved on and played with and they are calm, relaxed and happy.  It is no wonder that there is a higher-than-average adoption rate from the facility.

In early May we began visiting some of the “success stories” from the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter to capture the difference an adoptive family makes in the life of a dog they have chosen to rescue.  We expected to see some happy dogs, but never did we imagine just how happy they would be!  To date we have seen four alumni, and each of them is living a great life.  (To view their photos above in full size just click on one if them!)

Take Puddin’, for example.  When she came to the shelter she barely had any fur and was sick and weak from the mange.  Now she is living with a terrific family who adores her and her mange is completely cleared up.  Puddin’ is full of life and has a bounce in her step that reveals her happiness.

Or Sasha, who as an older gal did not get noticed as easily by potential adopters and, as a result, was a resident for a long time.  Today she is living in a beautiful home with a family who adores her.  And Sasha flashes a look like she knows she scored.

Each dog is now living the life he or she was meant to live.

We still have more to do, and we look forward to visiting as many as a dozen more families.  The end result of the project will be to create a book presenting the success stories that will be used as a fundraising tool for FOSOCAS.  Stay tuned!

If you would like more information about FOSOCAS and opportunities to support this amazing group visit www.fosocas.org.  If you’re interested in adopting an animal the shelter is open everyday between 1 and 4 pm, and until 6:30 pm on Wednesdays, and they always have a great group of adoptable dogs and cats looking for homes.