New Car & Job
Also, if you haven't heard, I am now currently employed at First Baptist Church of Eugene as part time assistant to the Director of Media and tech. I basically go around the church, and help manage tech and media stuff. It's a lot of fun, and I get to spend a lot of my time thinking creatively, and artistically. It's a good match for me, and I enjoy it! Right now, it is Christmas season, so I have been keeping myself very busy, but our Christmas programs are this weekend.
As part of my job, i designed this card to help advertise the Christmas Program. The green part was the front, and the red is the back of the card. It also shows the time of the show, if you are interested in checking it out! You are invited by me, how cool is that?
So, i should have more time to run around with my camera after this Christmas season!
Yay! Web Page Updated!
Howdy
Just figured I should send out a quick update to everyone that has considered themselves a fan of my photography. I greatly appreciate all the motivation you've all provided to me. These last few months have been hard for me to get motivated, but every time I would go back to the source and just look around the page to see the numbers climbing daily. I would have never thought I'd have this many people committed to my photography! That's motivation! Thank you so much!
Lately I have been doing a lot of little photo shoots. Working on my portfolio, and working on a new web page for my photography. I feel that my current web page at willfoster.info is definitely lacking in every way that it could. Marketing myself as a Photographer and Graphic Designer is difficult with a web page like mine. It needs SERIOUS help, so that's going to be my focal point for the week (or any more needed after that).
Speaking of updates, I recently uploaded some photos from a couple photos shoots with some of my friends on this Facebook fan page, and I would be grateful for you to check them out and leave a comment. Also, there is a lot of features on my Facebook Page that nobody has really explored. The wall is hardly ever written on, and I have absolutely no reviews, and some of you I've never met. Feel free to send me a personal message through my normal profile, I will most likely respond! I am not a celebrity or anything, I value every message that is sent to me, and manage everything myself!
If you are in the Eugene area, or interested in visiting the Eugene area, I would be more than interested in getting coffee and hanging out. Discussing photography, or even just life. I appreciate conversation, and especially in a great coffee house atmosphere!
That's all for now, I will try to make these updates more regular, especially in my blog. Have a wonderful day!
Photo Shoot: Allie & Sonia
Allie and Sonia are roommates, they are also some newer friends of mine. They talked me into doing a photo shoot, of course, it didn't take much talking. I agreed immediately. How could I turn them down? Honestly? It was a fun photo shoot, but very cold!
I think the photo shoot overall was very successful considering neither Allie or Sonia really had any modeling experience in front of a camera. We had a lot of fun, and the overall product turned out great! I think we already have plans to do another photo shoot (hopefully).
Photo Shoot: Nikki Naviaux
View All Photos from the Photo Shoot Here
Model: Nikki Naviaux
Date: October 12, 2008
Location: Camp Harlow GYM, Eugene, Oregon
This being Nikki's second photo shoot from Model Mayhem, and first photo shoot in a studio style setup, she definitely worked the camera well. She doesn't have much experience with being in front of the camera, but she is definitely a natural.
The shoot actually took place at Camp Harlow in the Gymnasium. I was able to have unlimited space for the lights and positioning, so a lot of the photos were taken with my 70-200mm 2.8 VR. I felt a little disconnected from Nikki, so i eventually swapped it out for my 17-55mm 2.8 instead.
I also had assistance from Audrey and Brittny, as they helped Nikki come up with some interesting poses. This was the first shoot that they were involved in, and they were wonderful to bring along!
The Tour
The trip has been fascinating! Each stop I have met new amazing people! Meeting new people all over California has been great. Running sound gear in all different venues has been interesting, lots of Mackie and Allen&Heath boards. We had one show that had 3000 people, and other shows that the venue could only hold a small handful.
It has been interesting.
Photography wise, It has been a trip. I have found that my camera is a conversation starter. People have asked me a lot of interesting questions about photography and traveling with bands. I wish i had better answers for them, since this is my first tour as a photographer (and sound guy). It has been cool taking photos of the concerts, and just seeing what I can come up with. There has been some very interesting venues! All of them have been churches for youth groups, or just all church events of some sort except one in a small stage in West Hollywood, and a really cool Irish pub in Huntington Beach. Huntington beach was the only opportunity we had to really see the Ocean.
Tomorrow is the last concert of the tour. It is in Salem, Oregon. Then I will be going back to normal life. I definitely need to start looking for photo shoots again.
First, I need a real job to pay the bills.
It will be nice to be back home in a nice relaxing environment. I am looking forward to getting behind the camera more often for portrait photography and what ever other gigs I can find. It has been fun traveling to places I had never imagined going before. I have met a ton of new people along the way, and it will be really cool to hopefully keep in contact with these people! It is 2:50am, I am really exhausted, and my computer battery is just about exhausted as well.
I am in Medford for the evening, and headed out to Salem tomorrow. I should probably get to sleep so i can wake up tomorrow, and enjoy the day!
Thank you, and God bless you!
Photo Details: This is Jackson, the Bass guitarist for Rootdown, in front of a Porsche that we found earlier today in Chico, California. It was pretty much the most fantastic car that I would ever dream about having!
Summer is Over, What's Next?
Working at Camp Harlow has been great! Lots of great friendships, and opportunities have been built over the summer. My only regret was that I didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted behind my camera. It often sat around and i felt like it was just collecting dust. Photography is my number one passion and i didn't get many opportunities to let it shine this summer. I have a few photos I need to update my Flickr photostream with, but not as much as i would have preferred. I have a lot of catching up to do.
Now that camp has ended, I have a lot of time to get back in the game. I have been offered an opportunity to travel with Paul Wright and his band to 11 shows down in California and Oregon. I was a little hesitant at first, but now that I have decided to do it, I am completely excited. I still don't have an idea on what to expect. I have been wanting to get some traveling in, but this is definitely an unique opportunity for me.
My job on the tour will consist of a few things. I will be running the sound mixer at each of the concerts, which includes setting up the stage. And on top of that, I will be taking photos at the concerts and just general photos as we were traveling and in between concerts.
As for gear, I broke my SB-600 (and gave it away to my photographer friend from camp) and purchased a new SB-800 to replace it. I also just purchased a new lens, a Nikkor 17-55mm 2.8 DX lens. It's pretty sweet lens, and is much more manageable than my 70-200mm and takes better photos than my 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DX lens.
So, thats all for now.
My Summer at Camp
Hey Ladies and Gentleman.
I am sure you have been wondering what has been going on with me this summer.
Thanks for all the patience that you have given me.
I know I haven't updated my blog for a long time. Things have been going really well, but keeping me extremely busy. I haven't had too much time this summer for photography. Although, I sneak in a photo shoot here and there, it is mostly taken up by Camp Harlow.
Camp this summer is going great. I am learning a lot, and just teaching myself and others is a lot more work than I could ever imagine. It is great! I have been given a unique opportunity for ministry through media. There is two other guys working with me on this team, and it is my job to bring everything together. It is a lot of work, but well worth it.
We have already impressed staff that have been around for years, and especially those who have had minimal experience with Camp Harlow.
Camp will be going on until September 1st, and so i will continue to be busy until then. I miss all of you dearly, and I am looking forward to having more time for photography.
PS: I broke the screen on my SB-800 (but i fixed it), and the flash tube to my SB-600 is broken as well. I might have to get myself another SB-800 (or two) so I can get back to my 3 light setup after camp is over. Financially, I am doing well, even though camp doesn't pay much. Weddings during the summer keep me going! I am almost out of debt one i get my laptop paid for, and other equipment. Yes!
Thanks for everything, especially all support from you and my friends!
Photo Shoot: Marissa
More photos from the photo shoot
Some technical details on the photo shoot. This was one of my first fun photo shoots with my brand new Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8 VR lens I got a few weeks back. I also had just purchased a reflector the day before, so this was also the first photo shoot that I used the reflector. Tell you the truth, it was nice to have some constant light on my subject. It helped with focusing, and allowed me to shoot at f/2.8 with high shutter speed. Now I will definitely have some new tricks in my bag (which i recently just got a new bag from Shutterbug that fits all my gear). So, I am looking forward to more photo shoots coming up soon.
Unfortunately, I have to move out of my place in a week and a half. I will be rather busy this summer, so very limited interaction unfortunately, but I will update my blog as often as I can.
Have a wonderful week!
Commons Night @ Faith Center
Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet too many people out there because I was running around with camera taking photos of the performing artists. But looking around, I saw a lot of people looking at my photography. I really appreciate the response I have gotten from my photos. I really hope you enjoyed seeing them on display. I hope to do it again, and hopefully give everyone a fair warning next time around!
A lot of people were asking me how much I would sell the artwork on display at the Commons Night. Some of you may have wanted to know, but didn't know who I was to ask. Anyway, to answer the question, I sell my 16x20 prints framed for $100 and if you are interested in a smaller size, please contact me personally so we can work something out. It brings absolute joy to my heart to know that you are interested in putting my artwork on display in your homes or work establishments.
Also, keep in mind that I have a book for sale of photos from Eugene called, "Streets of Eugene." It is currently only available online, so shipping charges will apply. I will eventually be able to sell these personally if you'd prefer to wait.
Thanks for everything! I really appreciate all the support and high fives from everyone! I look forward to sharing my photography with everyone again soon! Have a wonderful weekend.
Quick Update
I am in the process of getting in line some new tools and toys for my photography. I just got my self a 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens, Battery grip for my D300, new Dell XPS 1530 laptop, a camera/laptop bag, a back drop stand, 104" wide white/black seamless paper backdrops, and some more gear to get me pointed in the right direction. I am excited to see where my photography will go in the next year. Even though I am not really quite sure where it is going.
I am looking forward to getting some new photography up on here and on Flickr to share with you. So keep your eyes peeled and look out!
The photo above is from a recent set from a week or two ago of Heidi. It was a fun shoot and i got to play around a lot with some new lighting ideas and found a cool location for rainy days. You can see more from this set here.
Have a nice day.
Stranger Things Could Happen
After last week, I got laid off. I was more expecting it, so I had prepared by not making any major purchases for the last few months. I started putting more money into my loans than into entertainment. My life ha s changed a lot since getting laid off. Besides getting my loans all paid off on Friday, I finally have time to breathe! I have been hanging out with friends and family more, and being available to those people who need me. I have also been available for more photo shoots, especially for those that bring in some income. I am very excited to be available to those around me, and especially to spend more time toward my photography without forfeiting time away from my friends. I have seriously been busier being unemployed than I had ever been employed at my last job. I love it. I absolutely enjoy being busy with stuff that I enjoy. I hope that I can keep this tradition of bringing the income to my bank account, or at least find a part time job to cover the basis.
So, it has been a very interesting two weeks. Going from working full time to essentially a hard working professional photographer. It has been interesting, and i still have a lot to work out before photography is my full time job. But i feel i am on the right track. I am very excited for everything that is going on. This summer, I will be working at Camp Harlow, and still trying to keep my photography career going on the side. It will keep me extremely busy.
I am ready for it.
PS: Don't forget to buy my photo book, Streets of Eugene! It's currently $5 off the original price!
Streets of Eugene: Released!
My book has just been released! I just received my copy, and it looks awesome! So pick up your copy today! It is available in hard cover, and soft cover. So you can choose which you prefer.
So be sure to grab a copy of the book, and support this hungry photographer!
Considering I don't have a job anymore (more on that later), I am going to have a lot more free time in the next coming weeks, or even months. My plan is to start working on another book. I have a couple options that I may pursue for a theme. One of them being Seattle, one of my favorite places on the world!
Have a wonderful day!
Streets of Eugene: First Look
I suppose I am a photographer, after all?
I guess I just setting up for my next project. It isn't something that you can just go and view from the Internet. I am hoping that throughout the many times that YOU my reader have looked at my photography you've gained a trust that I do indeed have SOME consistency in taking good (or somewhat above average) photos.
So, with that said.
I am currently waiting for my copy of my photo book that I finished a couple days ago. I want to check it out to make sure it is something that I feel comfortable selling to people. The money earned from the book will go toward some interesting ideas that I have coming up, and also to help me stay on my feet between now and this summer. I have 3 months that I need to find alternate sources of income. The book is more of an experiment to see if there is interest in people purchasing books full of interesting photography. I am going to be looking into additional projects to convert into book format in the future.
Books are an interesting form of media. Many photo books have inspired me from many different authors, photographers and artists. These books, although often supported by text, poems, or other creative artwork have always caught my eye, and have always had a special place in my heart. I absolutely love looking into the mind of other photographers through published books. Sometimes I will spend hours in a bookstore looking for the perfect photo book.
So, what am I expecting to do with these books of photography?
Well, obviously, I am going to be looking to sell as many as I can, I feel it is a very unique and practical way to share my vision of the world to the spectator of the book. I have learned a great respect for the printed media of photography over the last few months, and I am looking to produce more content into print media.
My book will be published through an online service I found a few months ago, called Blurb. It is quite a silly name, if you ask me. I am really excited to have a book in my hands full of photography that I captured. I am really excited, that it is difficult for me to wait to receive my own copy.
Although I am excited about this adventure, it will be most interesting to see the response from people who purchase the book. I am hoping that the quality of the book produced by Blurb is good enough to take on the most difficult and more aggressive readers of all ages. What I mean by that is, that the book quality will allow for the book to last a lot longer than a few days.
So, now what to do?

Well, the book won’t be available until I get my first copy. It should be shipping on April 9th, and hopefully be in my hands soon after. I will be sure to let you, and everyone else I know in on the news as soon as it is available! If you want to start saving money, the first round of books will be $35 for a soft cover edition and $45 for the hard cover edition and will feature 52 pages of photographs. The book will be approximately 8 inches wide and 10 inches in height, and will be in full amazing vivid color!
If you are interested in knowing that book has been released, just let me know!
Photo Walk: Eugene, Oregon
So, go check them out here!!
Also, if you want prints, you can get them here. I really appreciate when people purchase my art as prints to present in their own homes.
Thanks, and have a wonderful day!
Self Portrait: Rain Never Stopped Me Before
I decided that I should relocate to the bathroom, kneeling in my bathtub. You know, where proper draining with an adequate water source! How conventional! I was wearing clothes (obviously), and it was very cold, even though I was using hot water. The ambient temperature of the room was around 60 degrees. Burrr! I haven't shivered like that for a long time.
Lighting wise, I used two strobes. One with my own personal creation. I modified a POP TART box with some wax paper and put it over my flash to create a slightly larger light source and had it on camera left. I had a bare flash on camera right dialed down to just barely fill the shadows on my face. I think the over all look worked out really well. It turned out a bit more "scary" than I had expected, but overall, I am very satisfied.
Friday Thoughts: Unforeseen Consequences
It is so crazy just how much stuff can change in such a short time. I have been doing photography for 2 years, and I am already developing a very specific style to my photography. I am not sure if that is a good thing, but I feel it is important to have a style where people can see my photographs and know who it was behind the camera.
Who says a consequence needs to be a bad thing?
I absolutely love changing my life. The consequences are just all so very interesting, and most definitely challenging! My more recent consequence is my job. I don’t know really what is going on there. I had a job description and everything when I started, but times have changed and since I took on more responsibilities, eventually my job description was obsolete. Eventually, they hired people to take on the roles that kept me busy during the day. I enjoy being busy. It makes the day go faster! Times have changed. I am hardly ever busy, or occupied with anything challenging anymore. Looking for a new job is difficult, especially with the economy as it is. Everyone is downsizing. I just need to find a temporary job to soothe the bug in me to do something new.
Photography has consumed me, in a good way. Great even! I like using words that people usually use negatively, and instead use them positively. Anyway, it has changed my life. It has caused consequences that have changed my life. Changed my outlook on life. Morphed me into something new. I am passionate about my work as a photographer. I am a much more passionate person about what I stand for, and who I am. I still haven’t made much money doing it, but I will continue to do it, because it is my passion. Someday, I hope that people will consider purchasing my work. I think that would be swell.
Lately my father, Bary Foster (I call him Dad), has inspired me. He is involved in so many non-profit organizations here in Eugene, Oregon including raising money with Team in Training by doing some thing he loves, riding his bike. He is also starting to blog more about his Team In Training experience (which you can read here). My dad is an amazing person. I am so blessed to have him as a father. He has most importantly and more recently inspired me to take photography and be more passionate about it. Use it for the good. Sort of like Robin Hood, but without the funny hat, villain, and weaponry!
Recently, I decided to work full time at a local camp for the entire summer. Which is a consequence of me looking for a new job. I have worked at this camp for the last two summers, and I am very excited to be a part of the team again for another summer. I suppose this is a great example of a consequence that is life changing. I think this is a start on my goal to help the world with my photography. I won’t get a lot of money, but it is a huge doorway into success in what I would like to do. Serve people around me, and change lives!
How has a consequence changed your life for the good?
Photoshop Express
Well, look no further, and take a look at this! Adobe Photoshop Express is not only available for free! But it is completely web based! Access to your account from any computer! It definitely doesn’t have all the features of the real deal, but it is free! It performs more like Lightroom than Photoshop, with just basic tweaks. But it’s free! I think the name would have been better suited as Adobe Lightroom Express to match the applications they represent. Oh well, it’s free right?
So, what’s the catch?
You get 2GB of storage space, and apparently you can synchronize Adobe Photoshop Express to Facebook, MySpace and Picasa. I am personally more interested in Flickr integration, maybe soon?
Oh wait, a catch? Why is it free?
I don’t really know but it seems very simple. Very limited as of right now (remember, it’s still beta). I am not sure the status on if it will continue to be free, or how many features will be available without making payment. But regardless, it has a long way to go until it matches Adobe Photoshop CS3 or Adobe Lightroom.
I don’t think this is a tool that I will be taking advantage of, but I was hoping that maybe you, or the next person could find that this tool is EXACTLY what you need. There will be future additions (it’s still beta), and it sounds like there will be paid accounts for more features, storage space, and buttons that do cool stuff.
Anyway, I’d say give it a try, see if it is something that you could take advantage of. Good luck! Please let me know how it will help you!
Facebook Fan Page
There are some benefits of becoming a fan on my Facebook page. Especially since the page itself is a gateway to everything I do in the photography world on the Internet. You will have access to my blog, Flickr, prints, and more! More importantly, I am implementing a few new ideas that are exclusive to only my Facebook Fan Club. These include behind the scenes look to my photo shoots, "Before and After" comparisons of some of my more interesting work, and more importantly, direct contact with me!
Now, I am not exactly a celebrity, or have taken any photos of celebrities, but it wasn't me that decided to call this page a Fan club, but Facebook it self. I find it kind of a silly thought to think I have Fans. I just more wanted to give you, my friends, a gateway to my photography. Regardless, I have a fan club, and your invited!
So, without further blabbering by me, here is the link to join my Facebook fan club.
Thanks, and have a wonderful day!
Photo Shoot: David Lawrence
Well, he is definitely back on the wheels now, and rides whenever the weather permits him. I am a good friend with his brother, Eric, who provided me with David’s phone number. I mentioned that I was interested in a photo shoot. Immediately David showed tons of interest. We were afraid we’d have to wait a long time for the weather to improve (we are in Oregon after all), but to our luck the day of contacting each other about the photo shoot the weather was amazing.
So, I went out to a skate park for the second time in my life and captured some really cool shots of David working the cement on his BMX. After he had popped his rear tire, we did some portrait shots of him sitting on his bike.
Thanks for your support!
More photos from the photo shoot are available here!
Photo Shoot: Steffani
The shoot went really well, Halie helped with clothes, poses, and added to the entertainment of the photo shoot. It turned out to be a blast! Halie realized that being behind the camera could be a lot of fun! Steffani totally nailed the posers and was looking beautiful on camera! She’s a natural!
Steffani, Halie, and I are planning a few more photo shoots. I am looking forward to having both Steffani and Halie in front of the camera again (hopefully soon!).
Thanks for your support, and interest in my photography!
More photos from the shoot are available here!
Second Thoughts and Apple Sauce
I don’t plan on staying in Eugene for the rest of my life, or very much longer, but I do know that it isn’t my time to leave here. I have a lot going for me in this town, and it would be difficult to let it go. I have built some amazing friendships, and I am just starting to get noticed and recognized as a photographer in this town. Business isn’t exactly rolling in the doorway, but I am on the right path to start earning some income.
Secondly, school is very expensive when it comes to art schools. I was thinking about attending the Art Institute in Seattle. Sure, it seemed like a great idea. The location was amazing, the school was promising, and I would already be on top of the game in the classes since I have a background in graphic design and especially photography.
So why have I changed my mind?
Well, I wouldn’t say I have changed my mind. But more delayed the thought of going to school. The cost to go the Art Institute in Seattle (just for tuition) was somewhere around $80,000. Of course, they let me know that there is financial aid and such, but if I didn’t qualify $80,000 is a lot of money. And that is if I was sleeping in my Volvo and not living anywhere specific each night a different street corner. So, we are looking more at a $100,000 price tag on my education. Now, that doesn’t seem too bad, I get a degree and probably a job. They say 100% of all graduates have gotten jobs in the graphic design market. Starting salary at $32,000 a year. What? I earn that much money without a degree. I could start a business for $100,000 and with proper marketing I could earn more than $32,000 a year.
Maybe I should go to a local community college and study business?
So, my goals have changed, and my thoughts on life have changed. I am looking at the larger picture, maybe not the largest, but larger. I have been processing the concept of traveling. I am not sure where to, or for what. I have a couple ideas bouncing around, but nothing has made it to the surface. A lot of doors are opening up for me, especially since I almost have all my loans paid off and under control. At 25 years old, apparently that is unusual. I will have no credit card or loan debt. Apparently, I am good with money or something. Unusual, especially for the amount of gadgets I have for my photography.
So, this has been a case of another “thoughts on life” by Will Foster. I hope you enjoy the photography I have been posting here and there. I have been a little distracted by thinking about what to do with my life. You know, it can be stressful, making these “life-changing decisions.”
Thanks for all your support!
Photo Shoot: Janie
I got the opportunity to do a photo shoot with the rather inexperienced but still amazingly beautiful Janie this last weekend. She may have been inexperienced but she picked it up quickly and was all smiles. She did an excellent job! She was a blast to hang out with, and the photo shoot ended up taking most of the day, and I captured around 350 photos of her. Out of those, 150 of which she really liked! I probably wont release all of them, but I’ll pick out the ones I like the most out of those to share specifically for you.
There will be more photos uploaded soon. I first have to finish editing some previous photo shoots before I finish editing the rest of Janie’s photos. I’ll keep you posted!
Have a wonderful day!
Thursday Thoughts
A few things that I did learn were the importance of a tripod in specific shoots, which convinced me to get a new Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod with a cool head. At the time of writing this blog entry, I have not gotten to use my tripod considering that it is still conveniently located in it's box, and the head is sitting somewhere in either a UPS truck or UPS's home base in Springfield. Regardless, I am excited to use this tripod for some Midnight Photography with some of my friends.
Most importantly, at this Seminar I realized how important it was to go out and take photos for me. I never really went out on my own to explore and take photos by my self. My first time was Sunday afternoon after a couple of my friends convinced me to get out and do some photography. The weather was amazing for early spring, and I took advantage of the amazing clouds in the sky to help compose my photos. And also, later in the week I took some more to add to the collection.
Photography is very important to me, there is very little that can stand in my way of pursuing it as a life long goal. I have been processing the idea of going back to school and it has been becoming very huge deal in my life to find a great school, but not disconnect myself from Eugene at all. I am currently looking at the Art Institute of Seattle, which is very expensive.
Other projects in mind include raising (yes, 100% of all profits) money for a charity or a missions trip by putting together a book of my photography related to Eugene, Oregon before I move on to another location (such as Seattle). I would be getting it printed and selling it myself (obviously) through my web site. Also, I think it would be really cool to have a coffee table book with my photography it.
Anyway, thanks again for all the support, and thoughtfulness. Go ahead and check out all the photos from my photo walks in Eugene, Oregon (More cities coming soon!)
Photo Shoot: Angel in the Cemetery
I recently got my hands on some neutral density (ND) filters for my 50mm lens, so I was finally capable of shooting at f/1.4 with my flashes. So, this is my first photo shoot that I have done using my 50mm (my favorite lens for portraits) with flash (my favorite way of lighting the photo). After piling on a ND2, and ND8 filter onto my lens, I was then able to shoot at ISO 200, 1/80th shutter speed, and f/1.4 for most of these photos, which is just amazing considering with out the ND filters, I would have easily been pushing 1/800th or 1/1000th with that lens! So, expect more with this lens now that i am capable of satisfying myself with light and my favorite portrait lens.
Update: A friend of mine, Zack, asked me "Why wouldn't you want 1/800th or 1/1000th of a second shutter speed?" Well, the answer to that question is quite simple. With most cameras, they can only sync your flash to a certain speed. my Nikon D300 DSLR can only sync with a flash at 1/250th or 1/320th of a second or lower. So when using my 50mm f/1.4 with flash before, I lost my depth of field because I had to adjust my aperture to a setting that wouldn't over expose the photograph with the flash. So, by reducing the amount of light that can enter the lens using a ND filter (or two), I am able to produce photos with a more natural light source (sun) and my 50mm at f/1.4 and receive beautiful photographs of the model popping in focus from the blurred background behind them without it being over exposed.
Living the Simple Life
They were all so thrilled to see me!
My mother is from a very old fashioned LDS family. Two of her 3 living brothers (2 have passed away from accidents) live practically together after my grandmother and aunt (oldest uncle’s wife) passed away. Their low social security income is of no bothersome to them. It is so strange to me seeing them live in such poverty, and me walking around with all my expensive camera equipment. It is quite humbling.
Technology is a huge deal in my life. I live, breath, and basically bleed technology. Every aspect of my life includes technology in someway or another. When friends come over, we play video games, cook with my George Forman grill, watch movies, do photography, drive around in the Volvo, and more! I couldn’t sit still if I was limited to just a newspaper or radio for an entire day, let along a lifetime!
The only technology that my uncles have acquired over the years is a DVD player given to them from my mother. And a small 13” (or so) television, they live their lives from a radio and newspaper, and watch old-fashioned movies. I never really considered myself as someone who is materialistic, but spending a day or two with people so simplistic, was definitely a humbling experience. I will repeat many times, I was very humbled.
Recently I have been working on simplifying my life. Getting rid of the things in my life that have become a distraction from my goals. It has become more and more difficult. Since these distractions usually are what keeping me entertained. What do I need in my life, and what can I get rid of? What can be my radio? What can be my newspaper? My necessities. Of course, I don’t mean I am going to go all low-tech on everything. I am talking about how I need to make my photography my focus, my passion, and continue to grow as a photographer, instead of let these distractions keep me away from keeping my camera in hand.
My question to you: What have you done to help yourself focus on your goals? Where have you struggled? What type of suggestions do you have for the next poor bloke working to become more successful?
Photo Shoot: Visiting Family
The most interesting part about the whole photo shoot was showing them the photos even just a few hours after I had taken them on my laptop computer in my hotel room in full color. They were so confused, technology to them is a mystery. It doesn't make sense.
I am probably going to have to mess with most of the photos after looking at them on my desktop monitor. Then again, my desktop monitor is nearing its retirement and replacement. For some odd reason, the colors on my laptop are way more vivid and saturated than majority of screens and especially prints. I should really invest in a monitor calibrator thingy as well as a new monitor. I should try to get both my screens as accurate as possible! Any suggestions on brands?
It's A Wonderful World
I have discovered that with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, I can make a seemingly boring photo of nature, pop, and come alive! I haven't taken many outdoor photos in the last year, but I am going to start to try to snap a few during some of my outdoor photo shoots. It is very refreshing to have just a photo of nature to edit, instead of focusing on making someones skin look good. It is less challenging, and I've learned that a sky doesn't always have to turn out blue, unlike skin, which is recommended to stay the natural color of the person. I haven't been able to get away with editing my models with green or purple skin! Maybe next week?
So, I urge you, as a photographer, to not focus on just what you want, but attempt to take something that you know someone else would like, and capture it, and make it your own. You'll be surprised how much you can enjoy something, that you normally avoid. I personally do not go out just to take photos of nature, but I feel it is something that I must do as a photographer, and I never know when i could use one of these nature photos for a replacement background for a portrait shot. But maybe one of these days, I will just shoot for the environment, instead of a model's portfolio.
Photoshop is an amazing tool, and nature is a wonderful subject! Be sure to stop by and take a look at my Flickr Photo Stream, to catch a glimpse at my latest photo uploads!
Finished Album Covers
Who would have known that graphic design would take up so much of my time? Oh well, I am enjoying every moment of it! Getting a copy of the finished project is worth the time and labor put into it.
Enjoy!
Photo Shoot: Alex Scott
Old Photos, Revisited
Photo Shoot: Jade Bassix
Photo Shoot: Ashley
Photo Shoot: Nikki and Lindsey
My Father, Bary Foster
Here is his letter:
2007 was a strange year for me. In March I crashed my bike and had to have shoulder surgery. I recovered and I went Ice Skating and opps, I fell and messed up my other shoulder and another surgery. Now I’m back and ready to go. The problem was after 10 months I was having a hard time getting back into riding my bike, working out etc.
Not unlike many people today I have a growing number of friends that are fighting some form of cancer. In 2007 I had 5 friends that were fighting cancer and one died. I feel so helpless. So what can I do?
I have seen the “Team In Training” teams at some of the events that I have participated in. When TNT is there, so are lots of fans cheering for all the TNT team members. Looks like fun!
TNT is in its 20th year and is planning on breaking the Billion Dollar mark this year. To make a long story short, I am very impressed with the “Team In Training” people and I have joined the team. I am now excited about getting out riding because I feel along with your help we can make a difference.
“Team In Training” is part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a nonprofit health organization dedicated entirely to finding a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma and blood cancers. There are 68 chapters of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that support research, patient financial aid, education and community services. Everyone on my team is raising money and wants a cure to these diseases. I have committed to raise $3,600 to support the cause and would love your support. Your donation will help The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission of finding cures and saving lives. What’s more, it’s fully tax deductible.
It is with great excitement that I tell you I am training for a 100 mile riding around Lake Tahoe on Sunday, June 1st. And it is with a humble heart that I ask for your contribution to my undertaking. My goal is to raise the $3600 by April 1st. I will accept donations after April 1st., however it would be nice to be able to focus on training in the last month before the event.
Go to: www.baryfoster.com and there is a link to Donate, along with my Blog so you can follow my training; maybe take a look at some photos.
Thank you!
The Friskies Commercial
You know, this is just a special surprise I found looking around on one of my external hard drive. A video that I made back in 2004, in which I immediately converted into a format which I could upload to YouTube and Facebook. So, I have here for you, a special treat, one of my very first cinematography attempts using a little hand held video camcorder.
Starring: John Cave & Bryan Saxton
Directed by Will Foster
Also featuring my good friends: Josh Hutcheson, Lilie Chan, and Jenny Lund. Stunts were performed by Jonny Saxton.
Keeping Busy
Although, I haven't had a whole lot of time to work through the photo shoots that I have done in the last week. I did however have four main photo shoots in the last week, but none of them have really been uploaded to the Internet. Two of the main photo shoots were using my new canvas backdrop that I purchased from Home Depot. It was $20 for a 12' by 24' piece of canvas. I actually had to cut down the 12' side down to 8' to fit in my garage. It is absolutely huge, and wrinkled. I really need to purchase a steamer to get those wrinkles out. Or, just forfeit some money into getting some proper back drops. So, back to the wrinkles, which were still in the canvas at the time of the photo shoot, it doesn't look terrible. I was not too excited for these background imperfection, but the photo shoots turned out okay. I did however upload a select few from the shoots.
Something that is worth mentioning, a I just recently finished up the design for Brent Cole's "Good Love" CD, and should be printed in the next few weeks. I will be very excited to share the artwork that I did for that! I now have two more full CD designs to work on in the next few months. First one for the talented Caleb Paul's "Learning to Fall," and then my second for Mark Wade. I had done a cool CD design for Mark Wade for his first CD, and he is having me do the artwork for his second as well. I am really excited about these projects. I hope they go over well, and will set me up for more projects like them.
I had an interesting conversation with a friend yesterday about business of photography. It got me thinking about how I need to approach this business. I feel I have been carefully pondering the idea of some business strategies a little too carefully. I haven't really spear headed or taken any major risks besides purchasing equipment. My friends keep reminding me that I have a lot of potential, and I usually just rub it off as the usual positive friend's advice. I have noticed recently, that my web site has been gathering a lot of hits, and I have been contacted by a few families about portraits, but nothing has come through. I have thought about becoming a wedding photographer, a fashion photographer, or just staying freelance. It is such a hard market to get yourself into. I basically need to market myself, as the greatest photography that has ever lived, but how am i supposed to do that? The competition is everywhere! Everyone owns a DSLR these days, they don't make bad cameras anymore, and some so called Point and Shoot cameras are good enough to make a living off them. I might have jumped into this one a bit late, you'd say. I may have a competitive edge. I have geared myself with equipment that keeps me mobile. All of my gear can be relocated in one small storage bin to any location. Each individual type of equipment is neatly packaged into a smaller tupperware container. This makes for a very mobile setup, minus the part where I have to carry this large tote everywhere i need a lighting setup.
Other than the CD designs, I have a lot of work to keep me soaked up to my knees in projects. I enjoy keeping myself busy with these projects. I will look forward to sharing some finished products here shortly.
Photo Shoot Update
So in the last week I have had three main photo shoots. I just wanted to share these with you. I have them on my Flickr page, and I am going to show you a few, and link to the sets. I am going to start doing this weekly on Friday's. I hope you enjoy!
Model: Nikki
Date: December 31, 2007
View The Photo Shoot
A photo shoot with Nikki is always fun, she is also a photographer, and enjoys being in front of the camera. She is interested in getting into fashion, and has been very helpful with teaching me a thing or two about fashion. Luckily, she is very beautiful, and I couldn't explain her eyes with anything less than amazing. Having Nikki in front of the camera will hopefully become more often.
Model: Anna
Date: January 2, 2008
View The Photo Shoot
This was my first photo shoot with Anna. I had no idea what to expect, or what would come of this photo shoot. Turns out, she was really high spirited, and very excited for the photo shoot. The photos turned out great! She had a friend that came along to help her with her makeup, and she did great! She is also a photographer gone model, and has a great look. She is very beautiful, and loves to smile! I will look forward to more photo shoots with Anna.
Model: David James
Date: January 3, 2008
View The Photo Shoot
David and I used to live with each other at the Onyx House. He is a good friend, and we were hanging out, and also decided that it would be a good time to do a photo shoot. He brought over a bunch of his props, and some different clothing. Needless to say, we had a very fun photo shoot. Lots of variety. Good times!
Happy New Year! It's time to rock 2008!
In 2007 I accomplished a few things. My number one accomplishment was to start my Photography, and get some business and income. It has been doing well so far.
I also accomplished the following:
- Captured over 13,000 photos
- Bought two computers (Desktop & Laptop)
- Got a new Job at My Little Salesman with the Internet Department.
- Moved out of the Onyx House after two years, into a two bedroom duplex with my friend Shaphan.
- Served at Camp Harlow for the summer, while still working full time from 6:30am to 3:30pm.
- Got my new D300 without having to get any additional loans.
- Learned a lot about relationships.
- Found Strobist, and began my journey of low budget high quality lighting for my photography.
- Got a passport, and haven't used it yet.
- Found out about the best TV show ever, TOP GEAR on BBC America!
- Became more involved at Eugene Faith Center, while focusing my responsibilities at the Onyx House to just photography.
- I never left the state of Oregon, how pathetic. Road trip anyone?
- (I Almost) caught up in my bills, and debt free. But photography equipment is making that extremely difficult!
- I started this blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- And, I am sure there is MANY more things I have accomplished!
I had one last photo shoot of the year with the beautiful Nikki. She is a good friend of mine, and contacted me earlier in the afternoon and let me know that she wanted to do a photo shoot. I couldn't say no. I will upload more later when i have processed them, and shown them to Nikki. She wanted to see them before they went online, but I let the one above slide! I had to put SOMETHING up, right? :)
So, anyway, again: Happy New Year!