Intro/Bio;
Hi, my name is Dave, I am 50(ish ;) I majored in commercial photography/Art, but work as a Network Engineer - Consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. I use photography and graphic arts as a stress release from the high pressure day to day grind. I prefer to think of myself as just a simple artist more then anything else, I love all art forms!! My personal style is very bright, full or color and life or dark and moody. I have been working with a few local fashion models with portfolio development and they're modeling in exchange for my personal more artist projects. I freelance part time/as often as possible, anything to make the equipment pay for itself. I realize my style is not for everyone, I am gearing my projects more towards the commercial advertising trends in today's market. In the commercial world realism is a concept, fantasy is real. As an artist I see it within my rights and my responsibility to alter any image so that it conforms to my artistic vision. I welcome constructive critiques and comments as I attempt to grow as an artist in the commercial world.
Technically;
I shoot with a Nikon D-200, at ISO 100, both in the studio and outdoors. I shoot in Nikon RAW format only. My cameras profile is highly tweaked (contrast, white balance, hue & saturation, intensity) so that it conforms to my personal style - vision and what you see here in my gallery.
I use a Nikon SB-800 (or two) for fill light when shooting people outdoors. Studio Lighting; Alien Bee 1600's with a 22" Beauty Dish as my main and a 8"x36" baffled softbox for fill. I usually go with a 3 light setup. All of my works pass through Photoshop CS2, at one point or another. From simple RAW file conversion to a complex creation. Photoshop is the only tool I have found with the ability to produce my true vision.
A Note On Skin Effects: I'm ask all the time how I process skin in Photoshop, with very, very few exceptions, I Don't!! Its the Beauty Dish that adds that deep rich color and glow. The Beauty Dish is designed for photographing makeup and fine portraiture and it has a "sweet spot" that is very difficult to find. It took me over a year to get to the point I am at now. I blundered into learning, its the feathered light that produces the rich skin tones. As with Tiera - Rapunzel, Rapunzel..
I am so moved by the works of other great artists that they have influenced my life and style. Some of these artists are; Michael Rosen, Luis Royo, Salvador Dali, M.C. Escher, and Olivia de Berardinis. There are a number of artists on this site that are so awesome and awe inspiring, you may notice they're influence soon :o) A special thanks to Rnofsky for collaborating with me, I'm honored and flattered he would take the time and share his own vision!!
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Regards
Dave
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Comments (23)
beachzz
Oh yes, Dave, this is perfect, you got it just right----What a great place this is!!
Thelby
The Fog, who knows what lurks up there, ............... the lightman does!!! Cool Place for a photo shot!!!
Mechanismo
yess.. I belive the gorgeous girl is hiding behind windows number one
mizoli
Beautiful composition!
DaveDavis
Oh, now why didn't I think about putting a girl behind the window :o)
PoserSecrets
Gorgeous white, love the rust and the sky is not like here, here it won't get as blue ever. Great pov! And i think there are four girlz: one behind each window! And i probably never would reach the highest window.. LOL Great Dave!
joshus_hund
With or without girl... I like the softness of this image!
Doriutz
Excellent shot colors and light. Superb work :)
jwiest
Great shot, love all the rusty color (not that it's good to see that mind you)
tennesseecowgirl
I was thinking it would be fun to be the light house keeper then I read this in the history part of the site you included... 'The oil room was used to store 100 pound butts of lard oil. Each night the keeper, or his assistant, would draw off a sufficient amount of oil for a night's service. Then, they would carry the fuel up the 136 stairs to the lens room. The 100 pound butts were supplied from the Lighthouse Service's depot in San Francisco.' 136 stairs no thanks..... lol I will just enjoy its beauty!!
camilledubuc
great capture
DarkStormCrow
Cool photo and scene well done , kudos..
Alex_Antonov
Fantastic image! 5+!
auntietk
Cool shot! It's wonderful against that sky.
afugatt
Excellent!
delaorden_ojeda
Wonderful composition and excelent pov !
kimariehere
beautiful lighthouse compo !!! charming and most beautifully seen and shot Dave!!!
krakosky
wonderful place and a splendid image, well done!!
CaressingTheDark
I love lighthouses and this is gorgeous. great shot
wadej
Love the pov. I am so glad you resisted cleaning up the rust! The burnt orangish red adds so much to the overall image not only that it gives the viewer a real since of the history that goes with this gentle giant. 5+++
tizjezzme
Excellent shot of this neat lighthouse.
lightstormcrow
Love the angle...makes you feel like you are walking up to it...great!
jdehaven
Great subject- the imperfections in paint and the rust make it interesting to behold as it adds a lot of detail and color that wouldn't exist if it were pristine and freshly painted.