Beauty Shoot

[gallery link="file"]

Golden Anniversary

Here's some images I shot from a wedding anniversary in Fredricksburg, VA. This couple has done what many of us dream of doing, enjoying life together. 50 wonderful years of marriage. Their key is keeping God in the front of their marriage.     [gallery link="file"]

Erica Hayes

Here's some new beauty photos I shot of Erica Hayes. She's one great model! Shout out to my team Nicole Robinson (Hair) & Latoya Marie (Makeup) [gallery link="file"]

Alpha Girl

Here are some images I shot of singer Daniele Murphy (@ella_eh) who represents Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Check out her music at http://www.ellastarrmusic.com    

Freckle Face Project Revealed

Finally I've revealed images of my Freckle Face Project. This is just a sample of what I've done and there is more to come. Overview of The Freckle Face Project The Freckle Face Project was designed to exhibit the beauty of freckles and what it means to be beautiful and different. The exhibit features 10 models that all have freckles on their face and captures the exquisiteness of a feature that everyone doesn’t have.   [gallery link="file"]

Memory Lane

I recently took some photos of a neighborhood where I grew up. Some changes, some the same. It was a heartfelt moment because that was the most memorable time in my childhood that had a lot of feelings involved.    

2nd Annual HBCU College Fair

(Columbus, Ohio)  (From HBCUCollegefair.com) Barnett Recreation Center was the site for the 2nd Annual Central Ohio HBCU College Fair which was held on Saturday, September 25, 2010 from 9AM – 2PM.  Over 1,000 people turned out to learn more about the culture, lifestyle and opportunities available throughout the nation’s Historically Black Colleges/Universities.  This year over 20 HBCU’s attended the fair with several schools traveling as far away as Florida, Alabama and North Carolina. “The turnout was more than I expected,” said College Fair Volunteer Loni Holcomb, “People were lined up at the door at 9AM ready to get inside.”  The steady flow of students and parents helped to keep the momentum of the event going strong all day.  Several groups of students and parents traveled over an hour from different parts of the state to participate in the college fair.  When asked about their trip one student said, “It was well worth the drive.” The economy has everyone worried, especially parents who have children that are looking to attend college.  Many of them are wondering how they are going to pay for school and what type of scholarships and programs are available to help their children get into school.  Most of their questions were answered at the college fair throughout the various workshops that took place during the event.  The free workshops, which were open to students and parents, varied in topics from; College Readiness to Being Your B.E.S.T., Picking the Right School, Getting Involved on Campus, and The ACTs of Preparing for School.  In addition to the workshops, students and parents were entertained by music from DJ D Boogie and The Big Man Konata from Power 107.5 FM who served as the host MC for the day.  Participants were also awarded with wonderful door prizes ranging from gift baskets from Glory Foods, free meals from Chick-Fil-A, college gift basket from HBCUConnect.com, a digital camera and $25 gift card from Big Lots and more. “This is such a wonderful event,” said Janet Williams, a native of Columbus who is the mother of two teenage daughters. “I brought my girls here last year and I wanted to bring them back again so that they can continue to learn more about these schools.  I didn’t go to an HBCU, but I am encouraging my children to take the journey that I missed out on.  They are already talking about attending Spelman, Hampton or Howard.  Who knows, maybe they can go to all three!” The significant growth in attendance over the past two years is a clear indicator that there is a great need for such an event.  The founders of the Ohio HBCU College Fair, Ray Miller III and Elynor Moss, have decided to add another component to the brand by introducing a step show in the winter of 2011.  “The purpose of this step show is to further expose young people to the culture and lifestyle of college life, especially on the campuses of our HBCUs,” said Miller. “This event will also become a major fundraiser for our annual college fair so that we can expand our event and eventually offer scholarships to students to help them attend school.  One of the major factors that prevent young people from attending college is finances and if we can do anything to make that part easier, then we have done our job.” The official date, time and location of the step show is to be determined, however, their goal is to kick-it off in February of 2011, during Black History Month.  More information will be available on the website (www.hbcucollegefair.com) over the next couple of months.  Traditionally, step shows are one of the major cultural events of HBCUs that are used to raise money and awareness for their schools.  In addition, the competition between Black Greek organizations creates a healthy competition of groups who are trying to win a prize and title as the best step team in their region or area. The future of the Ohio HBCU College Fair seems to be on the right track.  With the addition of the step show, the group plans to increase their outreach and build upon their momentum and hopefully expand their reach into other cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati.  “The ultimate goal is to make Ohio into an HBCU recruiting gold mine,” said Co-Founder Elynor Moss. “No matter what, as long as our HBCUs are standing, there will always be a need for an HBCU College Fair and we will be there to make it happen!” To see pictures and video from the 2nd Annual Central Ohio HBCU College Fair, visit http://hbcucollegefair.com/

Clarence D. Lumpkin

September 11, 2010 marked a bittersweet day in history. The bitter reminder of the 9/11 attacks in NYC and a sweet day in history here in Columbus, Ohio. The United States Congress has named the South Linden branch post office in his honor. Clarence Lumpkin has made great strides to redevelop the Linden Area by rebuilding the "Four Corner", which is Eleventh and Cleveland Avenue intersection by building small businesses, the COTA transit and the Columbus Metropolitan Administrative office. We salute Clarence Lumpkin for his efforts in revitalizing an area that has been effected by poverty, with new life and new opportunities. [gallery]

Jaedon

  These are a few shots I took of Jaedon. He was a lot of fun to shoot.   [gallery]  

Black Tuesday

Fans of spoken word poetry and music, This is for you. #BlackTuesday (as typed for Twitter) is a social gathering held at Kobo in Columbus, OH (2590 N. High Street Columbus, OH 43202) that brings together fans of spoken poetry and music in one place of enjoyment. Held every Tuesday from 9pm to midnight, you get to experience local artists give their poetic hearts to the mic as well as good music. Hosted by Colulmbus' own "Searius Add", you are sure to have a great time! For more information visit Searius Add on Twitter or http://seariusthoughts.com   [gallery]  

Fashion Week Columbus 10

Fashion Week Columbus is the brainchild of Thomas McClure and Dont'e Young.  It's a platform that showcases fashion designers and talents through out Columbus. Their upcoming debut FWC10 will begin October 11-18 The Public launch was held at Level Dining with Mayor Michael B. Coleman as guest speaker. For more information visit http://fashionweekcolumbus.com/ [gallery link="file" orderby="rand"]

Project: Prepared Back to School Supply Drive

Project: Prepared - Back to School Supply Drive is a project that gives back to the community by providing school supplies, readying students for the upcoming school season.  Phenology, The Repertoire Collective and Lifesaver Health Care have come together to host the Inaugural “Project: Prepared Back to School”. Special Guests were: "The Big Man" Konata of Power 107.5 FM Team Osceola Flypaper Magazine The Alliance DJs view the project's blog site at http://philanthropyisthenewblack.blogspot.com [gallery link="file" orderby="rand"]

The Freckle Face Project

Today was the first installment of my Freckle Face project. This project will focus on headshots of people with unique freckles. Men, women & kids will be showcased in this project. Here are some behind the scenes of the first shoot. Lots of fun!

Your Creative Experience Seminar

I had the pleasure of attending a seminar held by one of the masters of photography, and my personal favorite photographer, Matthew Jordan Smith. This event was held in Akron, OH at the John S. Knight convention center. This was an experience that was something to remember.  Matthew spoke on various topics including how to find your vision and ways to promote your business. Overall, I believe this was a trip worth making from Columbus, OH. Now I'm ready to make some images come to life! I have to give a shout out to Urban Graphix Photography for the drive!                         

Buckeye Jeans

I had the pleasure of working with Alona Ballard, Creator of Buckeye Jeans.  Buckeye Jeans is a real eye catcher and a unique way to "Rep Yo State" with the state of ohio as back pockets. Check her out at www.buckeyejeans.com                        

Tasteful Smoothie

Recently I worked with the girls of Tasteful Smoothie. They are based in Indianapolis, IN. They are a great group of ladies and are always on the grind with promotions, model calls, and many more. Check out their fan page @ Tasteful Smoothies                                        

Reflector Primer – The Photographer’s Best DIYed Friend

source: DIY Photography Do you really need one? The short answer is yes. The long answer is.... A reflector, as the name implies, is something that reflects light. In photography, is it usually a big sheet of something white, silver or gold, that bounces light at your subject (or at anything you want light on for that matter). If you are not to particular about having your reflector look all nice and nifty are plenty of DIY options here, and basically any flat surface will do. Foam boards, bed sheets, aluminum covered plywood, did I say any big surface yet?

What Can I do With a Reflector?

While a reflector does not solve all the problems known to mankind, it is a versatile tool that can assist both in the studio and on location. At occasions it is easier to deal with a reflector than with an additional light source, especially if you wanna go guerrilla. Reflectors are great as they "travel light" and need no power.

Dueling With The Sun

In this picture, we had harsh sun backlight. A golden reflector came in to the rescue for filling face shadows. This is a scenario where adding an extra light source can be kind of tricky, and a situation where a reflector shines (no pan intended). The light coming from a reflector usually relates to the light source it reflects. This means that you usually have enough "power" bouncing off of it. No power tweaking is needed.

Reducing Shadows In A One-Light-Source Scenario

If you only have one light, a reflector can serve as a fill. And it takes on some of the qualities of an additional light source. By bouncing the flash back at your subject. In this case the light source is a big square softbox, and the reflector is a 5 in one disc with the white cover. This creates a nice diffused fill. When we were doing the lighting modifiers cheat sheet we actually took each image twice, with a single light source and then with a huge foam board reflector. Here is a little comparison chart.

Reflector Qualities

Size: As with any light source the size of the reflector in relations to the subject will be a significant contributor to the light quality. As a generalization, you can say, that the bigger the reflector, the softer the light it produces. Color: The color of the reflector will impact two light attributes: light color and light softness. Lets starts with color, since it is the more trivial one. A white reflector will have almost no impact on the light. What goes in, bounces off and comes out. A gold reflector will warm up your tones, while a silver reflector will cool them down. There is a cheat sheet that shows all that stuff here. Surprisingly the color will also have an impact on how hard or soft the light is. Light bouncing of a white reflector will behave as if the reflector is a second light source the size of the reflector (let's say it is a very shiny white for the sake of simplicity). This is because the light bounces in a very diffused way. It may seem counter intuitive, but light bouncing of silver or golden reflectors will be harder. This is because the light behaves more like it is reflecting in a mirror. There is a very good explanation for this in Light: Science and Magic (a must read for any light oriented photographer). Shape: this is the last of the factors that contributes to the quality of the light. some of the reflectors can be bent to focus or diffuse the light. This can help if you want to narrow or widen the light coming off the reflector. While this is possible with some of the reflectors, it is impossible to do with a foam board.

When Reflectors Are Not The Optimal Solution

This may sound trivial, but I thought it is worth mentioning, reflectors can only reflect, they are useless as a single light source. Reflectors are also not very good when it comes to controlling spill. You can not mount a snoot or a grid on a reflector. and while you can opt for smaller and smaller reflectors, it is really easier to use a flash or strobe covered with snoot or grid.

Where Can I Get One And How Much Do They Cost?

The good news is that you probably already own a reflector. A white T can serve as a reflector, and so will a pillow cover or a white bed sheet, assuming you have a way to stretch and stabilize them. Cost here (assuming you have one of those items @home) is 0. Next in line is the foam board. A foam boar is basically a sheet of foam trapped between two sheets of paper. That gives the foam some sturdiness, and it feels kinda like plywood only weighs very little. You can get those pretty much any size you want. and they are very cheap. On the negative side is that they don't bend or roll for storage and travel. Foam boards can also be coated with aluminum foil to create a 2-in-1 silver/white reflector. If you have a car, you are probably familiar with the Sun shield. They come in both foldableand collapsible forms and are usually silver reflective. If you take the foldable type, make sure you get the bubbly kind. it will help reflect the light in a more diffused pattern. For the "store bought"-unmodded equipment there is the standard 5-in-1 reflector (which along with foam boards is my favorite reflector). It is a collapsible disc with a coat. The coat has 5 colors: white, black, silver, translucent (which is more a diffuser) and gold. Those will cover any reflecting need and can easily be carried in a bag. This is one of my favorite items in the bag and I use it a lot on sunny days. At the high end there is the California sun bounce line of products. Those are used by pros and "high end amateurs". They cost a nice arm and a leg but are very sturdy and fold really nice. I have never used one of those before. So I can only tell from the experience of others. If the price tag is too high for you, you can try a DIY version instead.

The Brain Food Project

J. Osceola is one of Columbus' most talented artists. He recently released his CD called "The Brain Food Project". This is a collection of smooth lyrics and laid back tracks. The title is a perfect fit. Here are images from his album release party held at The Garage Bar. Special guests included powerhouse names: PA Flex from The 3rd, Trek Manifest, "Tha Audio Unit" Jack Burton, the sound champ DJ Krate Digga, DJ Dommy Styles, DJ D Boogie, DJ Korn Bread, The Big Man Konata of Power 107.5 FM and many more. Sponsors include Radiance Public Relations LLC, FlyPaper Mag, Hipolicy Mag, Phnlgy Clothing, Lauren Luna, Soulo Theory, Fresh Face Radio and  L3 Ent. You can purchase his cd via digital download at Amazon.com

P. Blackk Shoot

I had the pleasure of working with one of Columbus' most talented artists in hip-hop, P. Blackk. My expectations were pretty much on point when I met, Cool &  humble.  If you don't have his latest work "Chicken & Waffles", you are missing out...period.  Here's the link to help you out.

The Brush Experience

March 6th marked the 1 year anniversary of "The Brush Experience". It's a social gathering bringing people and art together. You don't have to be an artist, but the purpose of this event is to engage in a new type of social mingling. People can meet other people, create art, and listen to great live music at the same time. This event is held monthly at "The Urban Spirit Cafe" 893 E. Long St Columbus, in the King-Lincoln District. For more information visit The Brush Experience Facebook fan page.

Hip Hop Caucus Clean Energy Now! Bus Tour 2010

Today I met an influential leader in the Hip-Hop political realm,  Rev Lennox Yearwood. He and his team came to Columbus State College for the Clean Energy Now! Bus Tour. His stop is one of many to make in urban communities, promoting clean energy and the impact it can have.  He was also sidelined with Councilwoman Charleta B. Tavares and Rev. Dr. Victor Davis of Trinity Baptist Church. For more information on the Hip Hop Caucus and the Clean Energy Now! Tour, visit http://www.hiphopcaucus.org

Published Work

February marks a great month for me. I have networked with new and great people.  My work has been published in print publications for the first time. I photographed Councilwoman Charleta Tavares at her campaign meeting and it was published in "The Somali Link" Newspaper. Secondly, I have been working with Nontle Jewelry owned by a very creative jewelry maker, Danielle Benson. Her ad and was featured in the Urban Trendsetters magazine. I am very excited about this milestone in my career.

Power 107.5 12th Anniversary

Saturday (2/20/10) Power 107.5 held their 12th anniversary party at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Columbus Hotel in Downtown Columbus. Featured artists were neo-soul artist Eric Roberson, r & b artist Bobby Valentino, and Hip Hop artist Twista. This marks 12 years the station has been on the air. The party also featured local acts such as L.E. for the Uncool, Debonair, Kim Joyce, and others. Party hosts and personalities included Paul Strong, The Big man Konata, & Misty Jordan of the PMC (Power Morning Crew), Nia Noelle, & City all took part in making the event  a success.

Phenology Clothing

I had the pleasure of working with local fashion clothing designer Mike Oliver of Phenology on his upcoming fashion line for Spring/Summer 2010. His style is a mix of old school flavor with new school style. Make sure you check out his website @ http://www.phnlgy.com [gallery]

Sophia

This was shot last spring. I love this shot because it displays her tattoo's and the allureness of her back and her hair.

Charleta B. Tavares

Saturday was the kickoff of city councilwoman Charleta Tavares campaign for Ohio Senate (District 15). It was a pleasure to be with her and her team in efforts to make a change in Ohio. I personally feel she has what it takes to be our next senator :) You can view her bio and what she stands for on the City Council website and also her Official Website.

Hope For Haiti 614 Benefit Concert

January 22nd marked a special day for Central Ohioans in helping raise money for  Haiti that was rocked by a devastating earthquake on January 12. Money raised was donated to the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus.  Michael Carroll, CEO of the Columbus chapter, gave a warm speech, thanking everyone for their help and support for Haiti. Sponsors for the event held at The King Arts Complex, 867 Mount Vernon Avenue, included BlakStar Media, Flypaper Magazine, Hipolicy Magazine, JWork Ltd., LudieTrends, REACH LLC, De2 Media, 3 Birds Collective,  Soulo Theory Design, Cover Me LLC, FreshFace Radio & WUGR. The Event was also showered with great performances by The Liquid Crystal Project, Le for the Uncool, Speak Williams, Barbara Fant, Fly Union, Carlotta Penn, and The Flex Crew.  Special Host was Javier Sanchez of Reach Communications (Reach LLC). Those who didn't get a chance to come out, you can still contribute to the cause at Columbus Red Cross

Help Line of Deleware & Morrow Counties

Special thanks goes out to the Help Line of Delaware & Morrow Counties for putting together a wonderful silent auction that will help thousands of residents in the area who need special assistance with life's issues. I was one of the auction sponsors giving away a digital portrait package.  Thanks also goes out to Tamika Vinson for putting it together and informing me about the auction. http://www.helplinedelmor.org/

Byron Pitts

I had the pleasure to meet Chief National Correspondent of 60 Minutes, Byron Pitts at his book signing at the Book Suite late October. If you're not sure who Byron Pitts is, he's definitely someone to look up to. He's overcome lots of obstacles as a child that would have a grave effect on many people as adults. His illiteracy and speech trouble has been a stepping stone to become successful as he tells in his new book "Stepping out on Nothing". Read more about him http://bit.ly/27j7EN