"Alley": Photo from Paso Robles Workshops Taught by Strobist's David Hobby

Another photo from Syl Arena's "Paso Robles Workshops" taught by David Hobby (Strobist.) This is of my friend Stephen. I have a light coming from behind him creating the cool texture on the metal and a warm colored light coming from the right hitting his face.

We had a great time shooting this, except that we shot it in a dank rat infested alley way.

Don't forget to say, "hey!"

-Sam

Sam Graham is a los angeles photographer, artist, animator, writer, and musician

Model Photo from Paso Robles Workshop with David Hobby

Here's another photo that I took during Syl Arena's Paso Robles Workshops taught by David Hobby of Strobist. This model was really great, especially since it was her first time modeling on this shoot! We shot this photo in an old victorian house, but you can't tell that by this picture. 

To light this, I used a single flash (being set off wirelessly by a pocket wizard) to her right, and diffused it by shooting it through the shower curtain. To make the light bluish in the background I used a trick I learned at the workshop. The trick is, you put the camera's white balance on incandescent, which makes the image more blue to compensate for orange light. Then you gel the flash to be more orange (CTO) to make the subject look like they are in white light, but everything else -not hit by the stobe- will look blue. Specifically, I wanted the window light to look bluish to contrast with the warmish light on the model. 

Don't forget to say hey!

Sam

Sam Graham is a los angeles photographer, artist, animator, writer, and musician

Impromptu Photoshoot!

I took this photo during an impromptu shindig at my house last wednesday night. I decided it would be fun to do a portrait of my friend Nick. I set up the lights using techniques I acquired during the Paso Robles Workshops with David Hobby (Strobist) and Syl Arena (Pixsylated). 

The photo is of my friend Nick Arciaga, another Los Angeles artist. He studies visual art at Art Center, a private art college in Pasadena, CA. According to Wikipedia:

Art Center is particularly known for its Transportation Design (automobile) and Product Design programs. It also has notable photography, graphic design, advertising design, illustration, fine art, film, environmental design and entertainment design programs. 

Nick went to Mira Costa High School with me in Manhattan Beach, CA.

This photo was shot on a Canon 40D using two flashes, one with a red, and another with a green-colored roscolux gel on each of them. The flashes were set off wirelessly using pocket wizards and held up by Manfrotto stands.  

Don't forget to say "hey!"

-Sam

Sam Graham is a los angeles photographer, artist, animator, writer, and musician

"Ikon of Sam" revisited: 1 yr+ art project

I've returned to working on my ongoing sculptural drawing, "Ikon of Sam,"(see above) which I've been working on for a year and a half -since January, 2008. This piece was featured in my 2008 Cal Arts thesis exhibition of the same name (see below).

After taking a break this year, and working on flash animated works -I returned to working on this piece last night! We'll see where this goes!

Don't forget to say "hey!"

-Sam

Sam Graham is a los angeles artist, photographer, animator, writer, and musician