Wikipedia: Walk off the Earth is a Canadian indie band formed in Burlington, Ontario. ?

My friend, Brian, and I decided to attend along with scores of other photographers who wanted to gain some insight into Photoshop and various lighting techniques. The workshop was fun and informative although some of the material was better suited to beginners. I enjoyed myself and had fun watching Kelby work.

Brian and I rented some studio space after the seminar and convinced Liz Vang to join us. I met Liz last summer at a photography workshop I sponsored at the Cooley Gardens in Lansing. Liz is great at doing her own make-up and hair. She came ready for a shoot with several outfit changes and accessories.

We started with a few head shots and experimented with the lighting.

This photograph is shot with a technique Kelby demonstrated. He had the model standing in front of a softbox with the light aiming up at 45 degrees.

You can see the light on the side of Liz’s face. That light comes from directly behind. We also had a beauty dish in front aiming down at a 45 degree angle.

I had Liz pull her hair back in order for the light to come through and create a rim light on the side of her face.

This technique gives the model a glamorous look. Similar to what you see in a magazine.

We did a few head shots and then moved to some that were darker and more dramatic.

Liz stands out nicely against the dark background.  I like the black against black. That color scheme works well to accent the face.

Moving on, we decided to go back to a lighter background.

Brian and I had a great time over the weekend. He is from Traverse City and had never been to Lansing before. I took him exploring in Lansing and East Lansing. We checked out the MSU campus and ate at a great restaurant in downtown East Lansing. Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. We also took in the State Capitol building where Brian was impressed with the ornate decorations. To top it all off we had a fun studio session with a wonderful model.

I made a trip to the Mackinaw Bridge in Mid-February. For those of you who don’t know, the Mackinaw Bridge connects Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas. It is the third longest suspension bridge in the world behind the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan and the Great Belt Bridge in Halsskov-Sprogoe, Denmark. I copied this information from the Mackinaw Bridge website:

The Mackinac Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge (including anchorages) is 8,614 feet. The length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier is 7,400 feet. Length of main span (between towers) is 3,800 feet

The bridge is beautiful even in the winter. The toll to cross the bridge is $3.50 for cars or $1.75 per axle.

You can see the lights on the bridge as the sun started to set. I couldn’t stay out too long because of the chilly temperatures. I had to wait in my vehicle and jump out to take photos in stages.

The weather was very cold and windy when I took this final shot but it was well worth the effort. If you are considering a destination to visit I would suggest the Mackinaw Bridge. While there you can visit Fort Fort Michilimackinac or hop on a ferry and head out to Mackinaw Island. A perfect vacation spot to spend the day.

The apartments are located on the edge of campus in East Lansing. The location is perfect for students attending MSU. and they come furnished with living room furniture and (optional) bedroom furniture. As you can see, the apartments are spacious and nicely decorated. Some of the amenities will include a fitness center, ice skating rink, heated pool, indoor and outdoor fireplaces,tanning beds, saunas, etc.…the list goes on and on.  With these photos I hoped to convey a feeling of warmth and comfort. The apartments are still in the building stage and should be completed by the fall school year.

Below are 360 degree panoramas of the various rooms.  Hold your mouse button down while dragging over the photo and you can rotate the view.

Bruce’s BAD video has been tearing up the charts on the Internet recently. It’s been posted on Reddit and now I see it posted on Adobe Lightroom’s Facebook group. Bruce said he saw it posted on other sites as well. I posted it here in August so maybe I was the first to link it. Who knows?

Anyway back to the autograph…Bruce also included a couple signed prints. He’s such a great guy. I thought I would post the things he sent for your enjoyment.

You may not be able to read the autograph because I had him sign using a silver colored sharpie.

The autograph says; “For Todd with Best Wishes & a Great 2011! Bruce Dale”

The photo above is included in the article.

The prints below are from the American Southwest and the lighthouse on Old Mission Peninsula. 

I put together a few items to show you some of the possibilities.

This first one is a senior composite. This is a fun way to showcase your images. There are several styles to choose from.

This locker template is is a great way to share photos with your friends at school.

We also do wall clusters. This one is a thin wrap with a 16X24 image on the left, an 11×17 on the top right, and two 8×12’s below.

Here is another variation of the wall clusters. This includes one 20×20 and four 10×31’s.

These are only a few of your many options. Look through the catalog and let me know what you are interested in and let us quote you a price.

Now I am a part of the action.