Randy Harris Photography Blog

Paris - Haute Couture Fashion Shows

2009-07-13T09:16:00.001-07:00

Now that the fashion shows have been completed I can upload some of the images from the various shows.

Below are a few of the images from three shows I covered.

Chanel Show

Chanel Show

Zuhair Murad Show

Zuhair Murad Show
Stephane Rolland Show

Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture 2009-2010

2009-07-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

The fashion designers are back showing off their Haute Couture 2009-2010 collections. I spent a busy day traveling between events, competing for prime standing real estate on the photographers podiums, and capturing images of amazing women and the finest clothes I have ever seen. It was a busy day, but a very fun and rewarding experience.

Because I'm working for a magazine from NYC, www.DossierJournal.com I can't post any photos on this blog until after the shows. But once they post some images online, I'll post the link to the images on the blog.

Today I saw the Stephane Rolland and Christophe Josse fashion shows. Now I have over 1500 images to go through and edit and upload to Dossier Journal.

On Tuesday I get to do it all over again with more designers.

Cheers,

Randy

Statue of Liberty in Paris

2009-07-04T10:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Fouth of July

In appreciation for the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor, Americans living in Paris erected a small replica, about 35 feet high, of the Statue of Liberty. It is mounted next to the Pont de Grenelle, a bridge crossing the Seine, 1.5 km South of the Eiffel Tower.

Photo shoot with Delaney and friends

2009-07-01T00:51:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of photographing my 13 year old daughter, Delaney and two of her friends, Pamela and Lea. One of the benfits of Delaney attending an International school in Paris is that many of her friends are from distant parts of the world. She has made friends who come from Mexico, Spain, Italy, Korea, France and the United States.

The flip side to attending an International school is that many families are here for only a year or two before moving on or moving back home. In this case, Delaney's friend, Pamela, will be moving away with her family in a few weeks.

We arranged a photo shoot so the girls would have a few photos to share and look back on. Below are a few images from the shoot. I think they had a good time.

Adobe releases Photoshop Lightroom, Camera Raw updates

2009-06-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Adobe has released Photoshop Lightroom 2.4 as well as v5.4 of the Camera Raw plug-in for Photoshop CS4.

The updates are available here.

Camera Painting

2009-06-21T03:41:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be creative with my camera and push myself outside the box of perfectly focused photographs, I recently started playing with motion to produce interesting images. This gives me an additional option while out shooting. I don’t have to wait to find interesting subject to shoot, I create them.

The technique is quite simple. I set the camera to either manual or aperture mode. I want to make sure my shutter speed is between 1 to 6 seconds. I find an interesting subject; almost anything will work with camera painting although I like colorful things.

I fire the shutter and move the camera during the 1 to 6 second exposure. Sometimes I rotate the camera in a circular motion, other times I just move it horizontally or mix it up and do a little of everything.

You never know what you’re going to get. Each shot is an experiment. Because I shoot digital I can instantly see the result and determine if I like the result or if I need to change my method of motion. Plus, I can play and shoot as many images as I want and it doesn’t cost me anything.

So next time you’re out with your camera, play around and try it. You might come up with some very pleasing results.

Below are a few images I took this weekend while walking around Paris.

The store front of an umbrella store. (before)

(after)

Tables of an outdoor cafe.

Posters pasted up on a cement wall.

Posters pasted up on a cement wall. (version 2)

Hollywood movie poster.

President Obama in Paris

2009-06-14T03:04:00.001-07:00

President Barack Obama is well liked in Paris. Posters and signs of him can be found mounted on walls, murals, and even in art galleries.

Walking through the Saint Germain des Pres area, I spotted this remarkable painting in the front window of an art gallery.

Incredible Shadow Art Created From Junk

2009-06-12T11:39:00.001-07:00

I saw this link on Twitter today and thought it was interesting enough to post it here as well.

Incredible Shadow Art Created From Junk

Create your own tilt-shift photos

2009-06-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

I found a great website that will create tilt-shift sytle photos. Tilt-shift miniature style photos are pictures of real-life scenes that are manipulated to look like model photographs.

Now you can easily transform your existing digital camera photos into tilt-shift style miniatures using Tiltshiftmaker.com.

Here's one example I created with the free software.

The sad part of Paris

2009-06-09T06:36:00.001-07:00

Like scenes right out of Slumdog Millionaire, we see beggars frequently all through out Paris. Some sit silent and motionless on the hard ground waiting for compassionate strangers to drop a few tokens into their well worn cups. Most simply stare at the ground without a hint of emotion.

Their presence makes me wonder what they’re thinking or if they feel pain. Where did they come from, are they there on their own or do they work for someone? Are they lonely, do they hate life? All I know is that it’s sad.

The Making of a Street Art Mural

2009-06-07T05:21:00.000-07:00

In the heart of the Belleville area of Paris, a community of street artists thrive and regularly display their imagination by creating “street art” work with cans of spray paint. In most cities, as well as in Paris, painting on walls (graffiti) is illegal, but there are several walls in Belleville where painting is legal.

I’ve been visiting this area for about six weeks and each time I visit I’m rewarded with the most imaginative and creative work on display. Last Friday I visited and found for the first time, several artists in the beginning stages of creating their latest piece of work. I decided to hang out and record the progress of one of the artists, Skio.

Fortunately, the corner café had chairs and tables running down the side of the alley so I pulled up a chair, ordered a Stella and watched these guys work.

All finished.

June 3, 2009 Photo Tour

2009-06-03T03:25:00.001-07:00

Hosted Bobby from Houston, TX yesterday on a seven hour guided tour of Paris. Some of the areas we covered were Belleville, Marais, The Louvre, Palace Vendome, Palais Royal, Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Pont Alexander III. Some of the photos from the tour.

Photodex.com new software StylePack Vol 2

2009-05-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

Very recently I was one of a few selected photographers to help develop a demo promoting Photodex.com’s new ProShow StylePack Vol 2 software program. The demo can be seen on Photodex’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=84384744372 or on their website http://www.photodex.com/products/styles/v2_promo.html

Inside St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church

2009-05-26T13:20:00.001-07:00

This church is one of oldest of Paris. Its existence at this place is mentioned as early as the 4th century. Dedicated to Gervasius and Protasius, the church was formerly the seat of the powerful brotherhood of wine merchants.

Sketching from Pont des Arts

2009-05-22T08:53:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, while on a Photo Tours In Paris tour with Greg from Atlanta, we crossed Pont Des Arts and watched for awhile an artist sketching Pont Neuf in the distance.

Free Nikon Software for tethering camera to computer

2009-05-20T01:51:00.001-07:00

I found a great free software program to tether my Nikon D300 to my computer. This allows you to shoot an image and see it on the computer within seconds.

Nikon makes a program called Camera Control Pro 2, but it retails for $160.

The program is available at http://tinyurl.com/orp237

and it seems to work with most Nikon models.

I downloaded the program and within a few minutes had image appearing on my laptop.

Classic European Look

2009-05-17T04:07:00.001-07:00

While having a glass of wine at an outdoor café that bordered a small open public square I had the opportunity to watch and photograph many people as they passed by or stopped and rested on several of the park benches.

This older gentleman with the hat, scarf, cane, old rugged coat and scruffy beard was a great subject.

Wedding at The American Church in Paris

2009-05-15T00:18:00.001-07:00

Next week I'm photographing a wedding at The American Church of Paris so I stopped by yesterday to check it out, get familiar with the setting, see what kind of light was available, think up ideas for photographs, check with the pastor to see if flash photography was allowed in the church, etc.

When I was shown into the beautiful sanctuary of stained glass windows a bride and groom were having their pictures taken by a photographer and his assistant.

I quietly looked around and took a few photographs myself. I don't think I was a distraction to them. I'm looking forward to next week.

Ethiopia Road Trip

2009-05-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

While reading some of the blogs I check out each day it's amazing how distracted I become because one blog mentions this site and that site mentions another site and before you know it, I've gone to six other sites I had no idea ever existed over the course of two hours.

Just the other day I went through several blogs/websites and was directed to JoeyL.com's blog and found some interesting stuff. There was great photography as well as terrific video.

The video I've listed below really struck a cord with me. I liked it for several reasons. First, it showed two young guys, I think in their early 20's, on a remote road trip in Ethiopia sharing the experience together (I love road trips). Second, I liked the story behind the video, I think they captured and edited it very well and third, it showed a youthful passion for photography, people, adventure and camaraderie. Sometimes their youth comes out, but I also like that.

Like the old saying goes, I wish I knew then what I know now. It would have been great to know what you wanted to do with such passion when you were 24.

Enjoy, it's 16 minutes long, but worth it.

Joey L in Ethiopia from Joey L on Vimeo.

National Geographic talks about photography

2009-05-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

Saw this video presentation David Griffin, director of photography for National Geographic, gave to an audience as he goes through some very powerful photographs.

I thought I'd share as I enjoyed the presentation very much.

Pete Souza - Recording History - A CBS Profile

2009-05-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Below is a nice piece on Pete and the work he is doing documenting history in the making.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Photo Business Cards

2009-04-29T06:37:00.001-07:00

I recently found a great source for photography business cards. Before I found this website, I used to design my card in Photoshop, save the file as a .psd so I could edit it later (contact info change, change out photo, etc), convert to .jpg and burn the file to a CD, take the CD to Kinko’s and have them run a batch for me. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but it worked. See example.

Because of our move to Paris, I needed new business cards with updated contact information. I also decided since I’m doing much more than landscape and wildlife I thought it was time to change out the Brown Bear on the old card.

I found the website, Zazzle which allowed me to find a business card design I liked (I found one I liked, but tweaked it to fit my needs), changed the contact info, uploaded a new photo, saved it, ordered them and about 10 later they arrived in Paris. Very easy.

It was so easy I designed one for my Photo Tours In Paris business.

Since I wasn’t positive I wanted a photo on my regular business card I designed another card without a photo.

Any comments or opinions?

Photographic opportunites at Notre Dame

2009-04-29T03:43:00.000-07:00

The other day I went to Notre Dame to climb the 387 stairs to the top of the South Tower to photograph the view and specifically the legendary gargoyles. I arrived at the tour entrance at 9:00, an hour before the 10:00 opening time. The lines get long, fast.

However, on this particular day a sign outside the door read “Today we open at 11:00”. I decided to wait it out and pass the time photographing inside the cathedral as photography is permitted inside as long as no flash in used.

The cathedral is massive in size and the ornate sculptures, stained glass windows, high ceilings, chandeliers, and unique light make for interesting photographic subjects. I could have spent much longer than an hour inside, but I wanted to get back to the tour line at 10:00.

Nikon D300, 50mm f/1.8, 1/40 s at f/1.8, ISO 500, WB Auto

Nikon D300, 50mm f/1.8, 1/50 s at f/1.8, ISO 1000, WB Auto

Nikon D300, 50mm f/1.8, 1/80 s at f/1.8, ISO 800, WB Auto

I went back to the tour entrance at 10:00 and was the first person in line. I pulled out a book and started to read. A line of over 100 people quickly formed behind me by 10:20.

After climbing an unknown number of well worn stairs I arrived at the Chimera gallery. All along this narrow walkway you can see the many different gargoyle creatures. Figuring the gargoyles would be shaded or at least many stops below the bright view of Paris I took along a Nikon SB-800 flash to throw some fill light into the gargoyles to pick up some detail in the stone creatures.

I shoot with the Nikon D300 which allows wireless flash through their Creative Lighting System (CLS). I put the camera in manual mode; spot metered off the bright skyline, got my reading, but decided I wanted the clouds to look a bit more dramatic so I underexposed the sky by about a full stop. I then used the in camera flash commander to control my flash. I set the flash to ¼ power to start knowing I only wanted to pick up some detail. It was hard to see how the gargoyles were being lit because the bright daylight was making it difficult to see my LCD. I figured I’d take lots of photos with different flash powers to be on the safe side.

Nikon D300, 18mm-35mm, 1/2000 s at f/10.0, ISO 400, WB Auto, Nikon SB-800 Flash

Nikon D300, 18mm-35mm, 1/1600 s at f/10.0, ISO 400, WB Auto, Nikon SB-800 Flash

Nikon D300, 18mm-35mm, 1/320 s at f/14.0, ISO 400, WB Auto, Nikon SB-800 Flash

Nikon D300, 18mm-35mm, 1/1600 s at f/9.0, ISO 400, WB Auto, Nikon SB-800 Flash

Nikon D300, 18mm-35mm, 1/2500 s at f/5.6, ISO 400, WB Auto,

Panoramic Image made with four images, Merged with Photoshop CS4, Photomerge

After spending about an hour and a half photographing the gargoyles and the views I decided it was time to head down. Once I started down the skinny spiral staircase, I started viewing the images and was very happy with the results.

Mona Lisa at the Louvre

2009-04-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

This posting isn't a great image of the Mona Lisa, but says a lot about the popularity of the famous portrait. Recently, I visited the Louvre and upon entering the room where the painting is displayed, I was surprised to see the large crowd gathered around the glass enclosed portrait. I wasn't interested in fighting the crowd. I found it more interesting to photograph the people vying for a closer look.

Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda) is a 16th century portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance. The work is owned by the Government of France and is on the wall in the Louvre in Paris, France with the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

The painting is a half-length portrait and depicts a woman whose expression is often described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the sitter's expression, the monumentality of the half-figure composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the painting's continuing fascination. Few other works of art have been subject to as much scrutiny, study, mythologizing, and parody. (provided by Wikipedia)

Inside the Paris Opera House

2009-04-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

Gina's sister, Lisa is in town and the three of us went downtown to see some of the sites and wander into the many fashion stores. The ladies decided to go into the mega store, Galleries Lafayette while I decided to stay outside and wander around the area.

Not too far away I found the Paris Opera house and decided to go in and take a few photos.

The Paris Opera House is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It contains levels beyond levels of cellars, fountains, chandeliers and even its own ghost! The history of this performance hall is dark and interesting, and spans from architecture to literature and music.

The cause for this new opera house actually stemmed from Napoleon III. When he was arriving to the premiere of a new singer with his wife, the royal procession was bombed by a group of dissenters. Over eighty people were killed, prompting Napoleon III to ask for an opera house with a covered side entrance where royalty could enter discreetly. When plans finally were made for the design of the opera house, over 200 entries were informally submitted, and 171 were chosen to be viewed. Charles Garnier received the commission after some deliberation. He was an unknown architect, but a stunning design and several court allies hand a hand in his success.

The House seats two thousand and has seventeen stories, taking up three acres of land. Seven of these are below the ground, and two contain pieces of the famous lake later depicted in Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Work on this structure began in 1861 and ended fifteen years later. It cost over forty-seven million francs.