Apr 022012
 
Night time outdoor wedding in Yosemite

Kate got married outside at night in the middle of winter (barefoot too, and sh was really hoping for snow!) at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park.

I had two cameras. One of them on me with a flash to capture the wedding as it happened with good lighting. But I knew that this alone would not convey the full impact of being outside at night, so I had a second camera on a tripod. I used 15 second exposures to capture both the light and the feeling of the wedding. In some of the images, you can see me and the flash my camera produced more than once in the same frame.

I’ve included not only 15 second exposure images, but also a few of the “regular” shots from the wedding, for context, and because I like them.

CRW 3508 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

CRW 3509 proof 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

CRW 3510 proof 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

CRW 3511 proof 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

IMG 3832 proof 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

IMG 3902 proof crop 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

IMG 4223 proof crop 15 second exposures of a night wedding at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

All photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2006. All rights reserved.
Yosemite National Park Wedding Photography

Feb 282012
 
photography of a bronze sculpture, chinese antiquity

In my theme this week about some of the other types of photography I do. I also do product photography.

In this case, “Art Photography” might be a better description, but not in the usual sense of the photo is a piece of art (it may be, but not the point) but in the sense that I am taking pictures of pieces of art. The photos below are Chinese antiquities.

IMG 0880a proof Product Photography

The first one, above, is a ceramic sculpture. Forgive my ignorance about what I’m showing. I just know that the client said it was worth $4,000.

IMG 0887a proof Product Photography

The second shot, above, is jade, which is notoriously hard to photograph.

IMG 0914a proof Product Photography

The last two, above and below, might be the oldest human made object I’ve ever handled. He said from about 2,000 BCE. The second shot (below)IMG 0915a crop proof Product Photography is a detail shot of the pictographs under the handle.

all photos © Alex Schoenfeldt 2012. All rights reserved.
Alex Schoenfeldt Photography

Jan 132012
 
Plitvica National Park Croatia, black and white photo of a waterfall and stairs

I took this black and white shot in Plitvica National Park in Croatia some number of years back.

The color there were gorgeous. I grabbed a roll of slide film out of the bag (remember that stuff?) and was shooting mainly for the colors I saw.

Only when I got back to the USA and had the roll processed that I realized that it was black and white slide film, which is really rare. Most of the roll was just not very interesting. Images that had been framed and composed with color in mind and as one of the main focal points just looked dull in black and white. This shot though, I’ve always loved.

Now, shooting digitally, I don’t have to worry about this mistake any more.

stairs and water 1024x692 Waterfalls and stairs in black and white. Plitvica National Park in Croatia

Copyright Alex Schoenfeldt 2001. All rights reserved.

 Posted by at 2:31 am
Jan 102012
 
Proud and happy young african american girl in Oakland California

Last year I volunteered regularly at the Campfire after school program in West Oakland. The program gives affordable and enriching education and care to a great group of kids in a low income part of Oakland. They do a really good job with the kids. They help them with their homework (and see that it gets done!), feed the kids healthy snacks, play games (kickball, FTW) and give them a supportive and accountable environment. I was proud to be a part of what they were doing.

One of my duties included portrait photography of the students. Here are some of my favorite portraits of the students.

This first shot, this girl (or teen, or young woman) she was a spunky kid. Strong willed, smart and tough. I love to see her so fiercely happy here.

IMG 2829 1024x1024 Portraits of Children at the Campfire after school program

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This last one is one of my favorites. I love how moody and unposed this is.

IMG 2862 1024x1024 Portraits of Children at the Campfire after school program