Posted on by

Live Show Recap: Abstract

This was one of the most fun shows in a while, and that’s saying a lot cause we’ve had some great ones lately. Chelsea was on fire. Your photos were pretty good too.

I killed an ant. I have no regrets.

Here’s my blog post on shooting abstract. It was a fun project! Next week’s topic is colors, which means that color needs to be an important element of the photo. No spot color.

Ok, here’s some stuff about stuff:

  • we got a Gnarbox 
  • Tamron 70-200 f/2.8
  • Paperboyo on Instagram
  • no, we’re not getting this insanely expensive 8k monitor from Dell

Let’s get into your abstract photos and I’ll highlight our faves:

  • dogs > cats, fight me
  • street shot
  • rope
  • “how come I’m boozing and you’re losing?”
  • “this is where a super villain was born”
  • orange fusion
  • “finally, we found something to do with all those AOL CDs“
  • “what’s this, that Dance Dance Revolution game?”
  • whisk
  • dang, the most Tony joke ever
  • shooting stars
  • sand
  • Jim! This is your show.

Over to me for some viewer questions:

  • is there a way to eliminate glare in car photography other than a polarizing filter? Just use one. Or make a comp. Or roll the windows down?
  • how to start pricing for portraits or wedding photography? It depends on the market in your area, do some research and see what the going rates are.
  • would you still consider the D810 to be the best overall camera? That’s hard to say, different tools for different things, sdp.io/whichcamera. We’re loving the new Sony a99 II.

Now to look at a portfolio from our friend Jim Setzer. Great, eye-catching landing page! Well done with the layout, great image pairing. Maybe get that boudoir away from that family.

Chit-Chat! You know how we do.

  • we made Kyle cry
  • loners are real pissed at us, “I have learned tons from your books… DUMB!”
  • bad advice watch videos while you’re driving #nohomo
  • Q*Bert, Stanley Q-Bert
  • 8th mistake: a spot colored user photo, my dude
  • MisterTwister, why are obsessed with Tony looking wet? #lockherup
  • “just look up your comments, if it’s a constant stream of annoying, change your life”
  • Jim Bandy, what a good kid.

Ok, back to photos:

  • “we’re well hydrated”
  • “this is balls“
  • succulent
  • “Aardvark, is that really your name?”
  • “do you ever get tired of people asking if we’re brother and sister?”
  • I liked this one but they kept going
  • light trails
  • cell planets?
  • “Tony’s from Texas, he just knows about trucks”
  • paint
  • Fyn!
  • umbrellas
  • “I like it, it makes me feel lonely” “I would kill for lonely right now”
  • abstract bokeh
  • well done, James!

Over to me for your questions:

  • what files do you keep after a shoot? All the raw files. Tony rates them all and deletes all the 1-star photos. Chelsea doesn’t delete photos because people die.
  • We couldn’t break Kyle’s heart again, so here’s his photo. “I’d like to see a shark or a… a drowning person.”
  • have you used a tobacco filter? Nope. Blackmilk Pro filter? Nope.
  • how do you train your eye to see the spectacular in the mundane? That’s deep. Just practice. Pay attention to the feeling in you that sees something eye catching and then dissect what it was that drew you. 
  • shout out to Frankie
  • favorite travel camera? XT-2 or the D810.
  • Tony looks like a yoga instructor who only takes small classes into the mountains. “You look like a doctor who only prescribes boner pills.”
  • should the rule of thirds or the golden ratio be used in abstract photography? Not necessarily. And the golden ratio can peace out.
  • what are the best ideas to keep in mind while shooting and editing wildlife? Get the eye in focus, shoot action or unusual behaviors. Crop in tight. Capture a knife fight.
  • have we ever Photoshopped Tony with black hair and will we? 

Back to photos:

Back to me for some reason:

  • why is wide angle bad for portraits? Wide angle tends to exaggerate features that aren’t considered traditionally beautiful. Facial proportions being off makes most people feel uneasy. But experiment with it!
  • will you do another big lens shootout? Sure! We have a 70-200 shootout coming up. We need a Nikon wildlife one as well.
  • what’s Tony’s final form? Bald. Robot? Drunk robot? Chelsea would be AI who ruins everyone’s picnic.
  • switch to Sony? Depends what you shoot. Not great for sports or wildlife, but good for all-around shooting. Not as good lenses though.

Back to photos:

And that’s our show! Join us next week for colors.

Tony peels off a label for all you weirdos like us out there. Justin is a monster and leaves his on. Byyyyyye.