"Meditation Nation" web comic by Sam Graham

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new web comic
12/8/09
digital

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

My photo featured on the Strobist!

I am happy to report that a photo that I took (see above) from Paso Robles Workshops is featured on the Strobist Flickr. The photo lighting workshop was hosted by Syl Arena and taught by David Hobby of the popular Strobist lighting blog. Syl Arena fed us amazing food and made our experience wonderful. Thanks again to them both! (See below, our class, photo by David Hobby.)

I thank David Hobby for posting my photo I took which has gotten me a lot of great exposure (no pun intended.) David Hobby was a really amazing teacher, and you really should check out his site Strobist if you have any interest in D-I-Y, MacGyver-like, off-camera lighting techniques. 

Don't forget to say "hey!"

-Sam

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