Luminaire Images Blog • by Molly Ann

I helped shoot a unique little wedding in Redondo Beach yesterday…it took place in the morning, had about 50-70 guests, and no bridal party.

I also acquired Adobe Lightroom today, and so far I think it’s awesome! Anybody else?

Happiness, thy name is 85mm f/1.4!

If anyone wants to get me a birthday present, this is it.

My friend Carrie Zeller wanted to get some headshots done for professional purposes and since I don’t have many headshots in my portfolio, I was happy to oblige. We were down in Laguna, and the lighting was fantastic….we swapped and she took some of me, too, but we’ll save those for later. I hear lots of great things about the 85mm f/1.4, and I am considering buying one, so I rented one for this shoot to test it out.

I have to say, I completely understand now why everyone loves it so much. You can’t get this magnificent of bokeh* but with the very best:

Tell me that’s not sheer gorgeousness. I want it sooooooo bad now.

*“Bokeh”: the out-of-focus area in a photograph

This past weekend curiosity got the better of me and I showed up at the Seal Beach Polar Plunge. Part of me was curious, the other part wanted to do some more experimentation with my new camera, particularly shooting RAW. I shot exclusively in JPG before, but Kevin Kubota’s seminar at the Pro Photo Expo last week kind of helped show me the light.

Have I mentioned that he’s like one of my professional heroes? Yeah, if you ever wonder who inspires me…

I still can’t shoot entirely in RAW yet because I don’t have all the equipment necessary (I still need to acquire Adobe Bridge, about ten more CF cards, and another hard drive, hah), but for little things and portrait sessions, I am convinced that RAW’s the way to go.

Anyway, there weren’t that as many people there as I figured there’d be, and I didn’t go crazy shooting, but someone did ask for my card, so I suppose it was worth it!

Happy Year of the Pig!

Today I found out that 2007 is supposedly the Year of the Golden Pig, an auspicious event that only occurs once every 600 years.  While 2007 is not confirmed by folklorists to be that special year, fortunetellers are affirming it worldwide and many Chinese and Koreans are celebrating it by trying to get pregnant and bear an exceptionally lucky and prosperous children this year.

Thought I’d mention it.  I’m actually a Boar myself, so this is also my year.

My mom recently requested some old photos from her sister, who brought her wedding album over this weekend. Guess who makes an appearance…

I’m the only member of the bridal party that actually got my own portrait in the album, too (not the above picture)…that photographer must have known his/her stuff, always feature the kids! I wonder who shot it, or if they’re still working locally?

Incidentally, I barely remember a thing from that event, other than being quite fidgety during the ceremony.

Wow, it’s been too long since I’ve updated this.

Bad Molly.

Yesterday I went to my first (and highly overdue) photography trade show, the PPC Expo in Pasadena. It’s supposedly a pretty small, tame trade show comparatively, but I have to say I was completely overwhelmed by the number of album vendors…it seemed like every other booth was an album company, and a lot of the ones I’ve heard of weren’t even present! I never thought about what a competitive market album-making must be. I didn’t buy anything because I am holding out for the Camera Expo in Carson on the 18th, where I hear there are better equipment and accessory deals, but it was interesting to wander around, meeting people, gathering catalogs and free pens, and reviewing a lot of the available products.

I also sat in on a digital/RAW workflow seminar by Kevin Kubota, inventor of the everfamous Kubota Actions. I’ve met him before (though I’m sure he’d never remember me), but it’s always a pleasure to listen to him. He’s not just a skilled photographer, he’s also a very knowledgeable Photoshop technician/artist and a sensitive, good-humored guy. I LOVE his actions, and I find him to be a totally inspirational speaker, as well.

I was also offered a good deal (read: sympathetic to my poor little fledgling wedding photographer finances) on PPA membership at the trade show. I’ve been meaning to join for a while now, and that’s kind of cinched it!