03-06-13 Kennedy Half (Obverse)

"Obverse" is coin talk for "front." And this photo is where my Kennedy Half project started. Frankly, I got smarter about lighting the coin as I experimented over a two day period. But I'm posting this because I figured some would want to see the Kennedy side of the Kennedy Half. (Yesterday, as you may know, it was the reverse side of the coin.)I didn't photograph this with the little symbol under Kennedy's neck in mind but you certainly can see it here. I can remember that when the coin was released in the 60s, some saw nefarious intent in this symbol. If you look at it in just the right light, it appears to be a hammer and sickle, the symbol of the Soviet Union. Heaven forbid!It turns out that what we are really looking at is the engraver's mark, GR, standing for Gilroy Roberts, the designer of the coin. But we have to remember that the 60s were rife with communist takeover theories. And what better way for the insidious Commies to work their way into our culture than to put a tiny communist symbol on every 50 cent piece? Talk about subliminal. . .The good news is that in the 21st century Americans are much less likely to believe in conspiracies. Right? But wait, are we sure that President Obama isn't a Kenyan Muslim Socialist Black Panther bent on destroying all that is sacred in our blessed USA? And How about the $10 bill? Is that an Odd Fellows symbol in Hamilton's bow tie. . . ?

03-05-13 E Pluribus Unum

"E Pluribus Unum" is Latin for "From many, one," which no doubt has many meanings, especially in the context of American democracy. But in this photo, the meaning is a little more literal: there is only one coin oriented and focused in such a way that it has complete meaning.So is this photo art? Or is it a mere document? It is probably more the latter than the former, though I worked hard to get the look I present here. The focus is very specific. And the lighting was the result of considerable experimentation. Here's my set-upI am using a medium soft box on the left with a honeycomb grid. And to provide fill, I am using a Canon Speedlite and a snoot. A snoot is a nose-like attachment that focuses the light very precisely and in this photo helps accentuate the three dimensional properties of the coin, including the ridges and the feathers on the eagle's wings.The narrow depth of field allows for very interesting bokeh, both in the background and in the foreground. And for those who crave true wisdom and insight, here's a bit of a look into the lighting:The coins, incidentally, are Kennedy Half Dollars, vintage 1965 to 1970. That means that these coins are 40% silver and are worth much more than their 50 cent face value.Canon 5DIII 1/200s f/3.5 ISO100 100mm

11-01-12 Halloween

Several of my studio photography students spent most of the day yesterday getting face paint applied and then documenting their efforts in the studio. The makeup artist was Alli, who is also a talented photographer. The subject of this portrait is Valerie, who is a talented photographer, too. And she is a natural in front of the camera. :-)Canon 5DIII 1/125s f/8.0 ISO200 70mm

10-05-12 Lean On Me

I guess I'm back to fall things after a brief visit to Lisbon. This photo was taken as part of a high key assignment I gave my students. Generally, when I assign something, I try to do it myself. I guess it's good practice.The gourd on the left was featured in a solo photo a while back. But now he/she has a companion.Canon 5DIII 1/125s f/8.0 ISO200 100mmJoin us for the first ever Watertown Worldwide Photo Walk. Register here. We will meet at 9:30 in Uptown Watertown and spend a couple hours wandering the streets of Watertown looking for great photos, communing with other photography enthusiasts and learning a bit about photography.