New Studio - Behind The Scenes

BEHIND THE SCENES

Some people asked me to post photos regarding the new JDP Studio in the Bronx.  Instead I decided to create a video tour of the raw studio so you can see the "before" look...lol.

Enjoy,
J

Portrait: Elements

PORTRAITURE

As some of you may know I am on the Board for a church in the Bronx called The Elements Church. We had a board meeting last week and I decided to take my 5D MkII with the 85mm 1.8 lens.  I had never brought my camera before to a meeting.  I thought I could capture a few candid photos.

The meeting was in the evening so the only light in the room was from the ceiling.  Basically the 85mm was living in the f2.0 area the whole time.  I snapped a few photos just to test out the low light capabilities of the lens.

So here are a few of those pics.  Yes, there was no flash used here.


Efrain is the lead pastor. Here he is testing out some new DJ equipment.  Yes, Elements has a resident DJ during worship service.  Shout-outs to Manny aka DJ NuMan!



B&W of Efrain - my fave



Did someone say Cannoli Cake?



Focused Celeste



Miss Denise


Erika was dodging my camera the whole night.  I finally caught her while she was writing notes.  That is what the smirk is all about...lol.



Of course at the end of the meeting she got all cheesey for the camera

Subway Story: NYC

   

While working on a photo project for a client I walked by this New York City subway tunnel.  With camera already in hand, I decided to stretch my arm out to see how far down I could get the shot.  It may look like I was on the tracks or by the catwalk but I was actually safe on the platform.

For all you techies I shot this at 1/60, f2.0, ISO 5,000.  

The image looked good in Lightroom but I still brightened it up a little.  Then I made a small version and placed it on my jPhone.  I opened up the "Plastic Bullet" app and applied this particular filter.

That is my Subway Story.

Family Portrait: Throwback

PORTRAITURE

My dad often volunteered with the Catholic Youth Organization.  One day they decided to write an article about him so they hired a professional photographer by the name of Ed Lattau (now deceased) who spent 90 minutes with my dad, mom and me.  He took pictures of us in Spanish Harlem where my parents were raised.


That's me enjoying the view


Here I am working on my handle


Here I am working on my hopscotch skills


Moving on to baseball


On to 2nd Ave


Two things are interesting in these photos (besides the clothing...lol).
1) I would not be able to see my childhood had photos not been taken. With technology that is a no-brainer for the generations growing up today.
2) Snapshots are cute with an iPhone or Blackberry but a professional photographer does some amazing, out-of-this-world imagery.  Being one myself, I can testify.

I encourage you to give your family the experience of a professional photographer spending time with you and not just go for the cheesy (yes cheesy) standard sitting in front of a cloth backdrop photo. 

Should you need assistance, please contact me and we can design a fun concept for your photo shoot.

Impressions: New Series

IMPRESSIONS

Recently I had a friend from out of town comment about how much she loved one of the photos I posted on Facebook.  She actually wanted to buy a print for her home.  The image she loved was taken with my jPhone (iPhone 4) so the reproduction of that image would not have been suitable for a print on a living room wall.

I emailed her the small jpg from my phone as a gift.  The next morning she emailed me back asking if I would be interested in photographing 4 to 5 original art pieces to go with her living room decor. She then went on to describe her apartment.

Commissioned abstract prints? I was down so I said Yes.

After getting a feel for the concept, I visited four different locations throughout the week to photograph. Needless to say it was a joy using my creativity to photograph abstract images which would fit the decor of her living room.

There were so many photos that were amazing. It was tough to edit the list down to a Top 28. Very early this morning I sent her the Proofs of the Top 28 images.

In light of all this creativity I decided to blog about one of the images which did not make the cut.

For whatever reason I really like this image.  Maybe it is the stones or just the coolness of the swirly lines.

This is the first in a new series I am calling "Impressions".


Impressions

Video Slideshow - "The Bronx: Painted in Black and White"

VIDEO SLIDESHOW

I decided to put the photos in a slideshow.  Enjoy!

Portrait: Ruthy

PORTRAITURE

The world is so small.  This past summer I visited Peru as part of a missions trip with Adventures In Missions.  While in Peru I met Ruthy Pena.  She was part of the team of about 40 people, all from different parts of the US. 

While in conversation we realized we had mutual friends back in the New York/New Jersey area.  Ruthy is from New Jersey but we won't hold that against her...lol.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago, Ruthy and I began talking about the new album her and her brother Ricardo are working on.  They needed professional photographs and so we began building a concept for the shoot.

Well two weekends ago we shot it.  We did some exterior shots followed by some studio photos.  (Note: Ruthy and Ricardo are the first ones to be photographed in the new JDP Studio space)

I am editing their selections now.  Below is one of the photos from the shoot.

Go ahead Ruthy with your bad self!


Portrait

New Series: "The Bronx: Painted in Black and White"

PHOTO WALK

I decided to do a Photo Walk in the Fordham area of the Bronx this past Saturday.  It is a high traffic area especially on the weekend and I thought I might catch some interesting photographs.  My basic guideline was to photograph whatever struck me as desiring of a photograph.  I also decided I would shoot everything in Black and White.

From the bus ride at Castle Hill I began photographing with my Canon 5D MkII fitted with a 35mm f2 lens.  Although I took street shots through the bus glass I wasn't too fond of how they looked. 

Twenty-five minutes later I arrived in Fordham by the Concourse.  I began my walk westward and snapped away.








When I reached Aqueduct Walk I decided to make a turn.  I had never seen this block before and so I continued on the adventure.










After the Aqueduct I began making my way back eastward.  The people I saw were rather interesting.








Feel free to check out the entire gallery and purchase any images.


The Bronx: Painted in Black and White

I will add more images to this series throughout the rest of this year and in 2012.  :)

Portrait: Miss Tina

PORTRAITURE

Even in the Bronx you can find a boardwalk near the water. That is if you know where to look.

The wind was blowing really hard that afternoon so Tina's hair had some movement. I really love how she looks with the water in the background. The simplicity of this portrait allows us to focus in on Tina's face and gaze.

- J

Portrait

Wedding Portrait: Alicia and Luis

WEDDING

Last month I had the privilege to photograph Alicia and Luis in New Jersey at the lovely Perona Farms. Having previously photographed there, I already had images in my mind which I would photograph for the wedding day.

There were so many gorgeous photos of the ceremony and reception. Today I want to highlight this magnificent portrait of Alicia and Luis which was taken during the Formal Portraits.

I love their embrace here. I love the sky lit up in the distance. I love how the path near them is illuminated. I love the house and its reflection off the water in the background. Basically I think this photo is HOT!

Let us give a huge congrats to this wonderful couple!

- J

Portrait

Journey of A Photographer

THE JOURNEY

As some of you know I picked up photography as a hobby 3 1/2 years ago. By the end of that first year of photography as a hobby, I was let go at my full time job.

With no 9 to 5 job, I suddenly began doing photography as a profession. That first year of professional photography was really interesting. I had so much to learn and so little time to do it.

It took me about six months to get a firm foundation on the technical side of photography. As far as the business side, it has been two and a half years and I am still learning.

In all honesty I have no clear direction where I am going with my photography. I didn't go to school for it. I didn't grow up with it as a passion. Yet here I am today photographing portraits, weddings, sweet sixteens, and other events for my clients.

It is both humbling and creatively fulfilling. What an honor it has been and still is to serve my clients during special, memorable days in their life journeys.

Starting today I now have my own photography studio in the Bronx. Previously I was sharing space with other photographers. Now I have my very own studio. That is so crazy to me.

The walls haven't been painted yet. All that is there are my lights and my two backdrops: one white and one pink.

I would love to share with you the plans I have for the four rooms of the studio space but that will be for another time. All I can say is it will be a place where art and photography meet. Holla!

I share all this because there may be some people reading this who are doing the thing they feel led to do for the moment, but don't have a clue about the destination.

I DO NOT KNOW THE DESTINATION FOR THIS PHOTOGRAPHY THING I AM DOING.

All I know is I am working with what is in front of me. You see I am the kind of person that likes to know the destination so I can get there in an efficient manner. As a person of faith I believe God is keeping that destination from me so I can trust Him along the journey. So I can look to Him for direction. I also believe this forces me to enjoy the experience of the journey and not be consumed with the destination, which is very easy for me to do.

If you are still reading this then perhaps you understand what I am saying. Maybe you have felt the same way.

Let us hold fast our faith and continue to press onward. It may be a roller coaster ride, but it will be one we have never been on before. Let us enjoy it while we are here.

Keeping the faith,
J

PhotoPlus Expo

At Jacob Javits today looking to be inspired while walking through the PDN PhotoPous Expo.

Engagement Portrait: Jessica and Steele

ENGAGEMENT

I met Jessica and Steele this summer while on a missions trip to Peru. It was there we were on the same team and began to build community.

While I returned to NY after Peru, they returned to South Carolina. Within a short time they reached out to me to be their wedding photographer for May 2012. I gladly accepted.

This past weekend Jessica and Steele flew in to New York. We took a couple of hours to photograph their Engagement Photo Shoot in Times Square, the High Line, and The Meat Packing District.

Here is one of our commercial shots.

Portrait

Portrait: Lady T

PORTRAITURE

You know it was a matter of time before I shared another amazing photo of Tina from our recent photo shoot.

Her looking away adds a mystique to this portrait. Her beauty catches you and her glare peaks the interest into what is going on in her mind.

You rock Tina!

Portrait

Bboy/Bgirl Battle at Flavor Fest 2011

ARTISTS

This weekend I attended the Urban Leadership Conference "Flavor Fest 2011" in Tampa, Florida which was sponsored by Crossover Church. The conference was great. I had a great time with my Elements family. I even had the opportunity to work with the Media/Video Department there taking photographs. During this weekend I took many photos but the ones I enjoyed the most were the Bboy Battling photos. Let me explain.

As a child I grew up in the Bronx and Hip Hop was my music of choice. I loved to dance but I was no Bboy. I could do the electric boogie and breakdance. My worm and back spins were tight. Unfortunately I could never quite get the windmill...lol.

So it was so much fun photographing the Bboys and Bgirls doing their thang at Flavor Fest. Check out the photo slideshow below.

- J

Portrait: Glamorous Tina

PORTRAITURE

Miss Tina took a minute to warm up to the photo shoot process. She is a cool friend of mine so it was a great pleasure to work with her in the studio.

After some time she became somewhat comfortable and we were able to get some amazing images.

I love this cover girl/glamorous portrait of Tina. You go girl!

- J

Portrait

Portrait: Mom

PORTRAITURE

I love my mom. She is supportive, classy, wise, and full of love. She has been a great example of caring, love and godliness to me.

A couple of weeks ago I called her to ask her if we could do a photo shoot. She said yes and I was able to get some lovely portraits of her.

Here is one such portrait.

I love you mom!

- J

P.S. - Yes, she does look that young. Great genes.

Portrait

Portrait: Harvest Leadership

PORTRAITURE

Some very cool friends of mine attend Harvest Fields Community Church. Because of that I have grown a love for the church and the work they do for the community, especially in the arts.

Mitchell Torres, the senior pastor, commissioned me to do a portrait session with the church for their new website. We had five different set ups for a total of about 18 people.

This portrait set up was strictly for the leaders. They really are a fun bunch of people.

Portrait

Portrait: Red Sensacion

PORTRAITURE

Jomaira, aka La Sensacion, killed this photo shoot with this red jacket. She looks amazing in every photo I have posted.

Keep doing your thing Jomaira!


Portrait

Portrait: Christina and Kevin

PORTRAITURE

This portrait of Christina and Kevin was taken as part of a photo shoot with Harvest Fields Community Church in the Bronx. In designing a new look for the church website, they decided to do a portrait shoot of all the church leadership.

I think Christina and Kevin look great here.

- J


Portrait

Only In NYC [jPhone]

This must be a new thang on the streets of New York City. Could you help me understand why they have a "Made In" tag on a sewer cap.

Portrait: R&B Group Allure

PORTRAITURE

Alia, Lalisha, and Akissa of the r&b music group Allure have been working hard this year both in the studio and on tour. With sweet spirits, lovely voices, and amazing beauty I so look forward to their next project which I hope is coming out soon.

- J

Portrait

Portrait: Sweetie

PORTRAITURE

Last year I took some photos of some "children" of mine. They are not my own kids but I am more of like a big brother/fatherly role in their lives.

One of them is Miss Sweetie who is modeling in this portrait. She normally wouldn't go in front of the camera so it was fun to see her let loose and try something different. We had a fun time on the roof where she got to play dress up.

Recently I processed some of those photos for her and she was floored with how beautiful she looked. She even forgot about the shoot.

Some times you need the right photographer to remind you of your true beauty and how you are priceless in the eyes of God.

Keep smiling!


Portrait

The Fro

In light of the 10th Anniversary of 9-11, I know the nation is mourning, especially here in New York City. Rather than share something somber I decided to share something humorous.

I have never been a big fan of Costume Parties, at least not the dressing up part. I think it stems from my Halloween experiences. As a child I never really understood the whole dressing up in a costume thing.

Anyway, last night I attended a 50th Birthday Party where the theme was 70s/80s. Although I never ever dress up for costume parties, this time I actually did a lil sumptin sumptin.





Have a lovely day!

Portrait: Jazmine In The Zone

PORTRAITURE

Jazmine loves music. So every once in a while I would deliberately switch up the music I was playing knowing that she was not ready for that new song. The passion and excitement to that new song showed up on her face every time.

In this portrait Jazmine is in a zone with the music. I had the privilege to catch her vibin' in the zone.

Portrait

Portrait: Jenny

PORTRAITURE

Using the 50mm with a small aperture was fun. I experimented more with this fixed lens during my shoot with Jenny than I had at any other shoot. It is because of this I was able to create the portrait below to illustrate the depth of field well.


Portrait

Gangsta BBQ [jPhone]

You know a BBQ is gangsta when the fruit salad is wearing a shower cap...LOL

Trini Wedding Moments

WEDDING

If you have never been to a Trini wedding you are truly missing out an amazing experience.

I have visited Trinidad at least once a year every year the past nine years. I love the people, the culture, and the land. That is why I truly "waved and hollered" throughout Miranda and Ryan's wedding reception.

Below are two photos of the bride and groom. The first one is that beautiful "I Do" moment during their Day 1 Ceremony. The second one is that "Woo-Hoo Jump and Wave" moment during the couple's First Dance.

Enjoy,
J
Day 1 Portrait



Day 2 Portrait

Portrait: Fashion Jenny

PORTRAITURE

I am very happy with how this concept came alive. It is a bit "extra", which is why I saved it for now.

Amazing locations are what I love and this one fit perfectly with the direction I was heading. Jenny definitely brought the diva/couture element to this portrait. All I can say is Wow!

Enjoy,
J

Portrait

Portrait: Fashion Diva Jazmine

PORTRAITURE

Even though Jazmine had no formal experience as a model, she was great during this photo shoot.

A natural beauty, Jazmine looks amazing in this fashion portrait. Classy, sexy, and full of confidence. This is the urban latina experience.


Portrait

Hurricane Irene Photo Shoot

PORTRAITURE

When Irene told me what day she was coming to NYC I knew we would not have great weather. In spite of that, we went out into midtown and got some amazing images.

In the middle of 8th Avenue outside of Penn Station

She took one of me with my umbrella.

We crossed the street and avoided getting hit by these taxi cabs.

Unfortunately this car splashed us and the photos shoot was over.

But we had a great time.

Hola Hurricane Irene

RANDOMNESS

In preparation for the huge Hurricane Irene heading to New York City, I have decided to purchase my very own super goggles. These are essential when you must swim in flood waters.

Stay safe my friends,
J

Portrait: Lovely Jenny

PORTRAITURE

Yeah, she has legs and knows how to use them.

Here we were going for the entrepreneur yet sexy look. Jenny killed it on this one.

I actually have nothing else to say.

Enjoy,
J

Portrait

Portrait: Trini Bride Prep

WEDDING

There are so many gorgeous photos from Miranda and Ryan's Wedding. Considering it was a two-day event, you could only imagine all the images I have to show you.

I will use Wedding Wednesdays to share with you those and other wedding images.

For now, enjoy this Bridal Prep photo below.

- J

*Props to Nelly for catching this one

Portrait

Portrait: Stunning La Sensacion

PORTRAITURE

Every one needs a "I'm just cooling" profile. Miss Jomaira (La Sensacion from Radio Capicu) definitely provides that in this portrait.

Although originally shot in color I just had to desaturate it to add extra "cool"-ness to it...lol.

Enjoy,
J

Portrait

Portrait: Around The Way Jenny

PORTRAITURE

I love photographing portraits within an urban context. That is how I came up with this whole Urban Fine Art Portraiture.

While building concepts with Jenny, I definitely wanted an "Around The Way Girl" look photographed in a subway car. Sporting her Yankee jersey, Jenny used the number six train as her runway. Check it out.


Portrait

Portrait: Jenny Suspenders

PORTRAITURE

During this part of the photo shoot with Jenny we went into the studio and used the pink backdrop.

FYI - Not everyone can make pink suspenders look chic, sexy, and classy all at the same time. Jenny definitely worked it in this photo. It is like she belongs in a magazine.

What do you think?

Portrait

Portrait: Jomaira

PORTRAITURE

I am always trying to get better with my photography behind the camera and my editing on the laptop. At the end of the day I really love portraiture of women.

What I love about this photo of Jomaira a/k/a La Sensacion (from Radio Capicu), is its simplicity. She is beautiful. The make-up and the composition are great. I think this is a great headshot for her.

It truly was a pleasure working with Jomaira.

Portrait

Portrait: Jedi Up Close & Personal

PORTRAITURE

I just started implementing a new technique in my post-processing for skin retouching. It takes longer but I find the results are much better. This is especially important since I love intimate portraits.

Speaking of intimate, I have another great image of the gorgeous Miss Jenny. With this photo I decided to focus solely on her face blurring everything else out with the lens at f1.8. I find it give this photo an urban classy chic look.

- J

Portrait

Fashion Portrait: Jedi Master

PORTRAITURE

I had this crazy idea to work on some magazine concepts. Joining me on this expedition this weekend was Miss Jenny (aka Jedi). She collaborated with me on the building of the concept and provided a lovely wardrobe from which to work.

Inspired by a fashion photographer from Spain, I decided to mostly use my 50mm 1.8 lens for this shoot. I truly had a great time on this adventure.

Here is a preview of one of those concepts. I was looking for a more high-end fashion look here.

Enjoy,
J

Wedding Details

WEDDING

Today I want to highlight hands as details in a wedding.

Miranda and Ryan's wedding had two individual days which my team photographed. The ceremonies of Day 1 were so beautiful I could not help but to focus on a few of those hands.


Bride's Hand


I love the intricacy of the henna on Miranda's hand.



Bride & Groom


The union of Miranda & Ryan was a beautiful thing to watch and photograph.


Prayer


I am so happy I got this shot because I love the focus on the henna and jewelry especially in the midst of prayer.

Peru - Day 6

TRAVEL

Day 6 was our day off. We went into the downtown area of Lima and did the tourist things. We took a tour of a Catacomb Museum. We took photos in the square. Eventually we ended up in the market where we purchased our souvenirs.

This was my first missions trip and it was off the hook. If you have never done a missions trip I highly recommend it.

I had a lovely time and I hope you were able to enjoy the visuals through the photos. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

You can view Day 6 photos here.

- J

Peru - Day 5

TRAVEL

Day 5 was the first day we had some relief. We worked double shifts Sunday through Wednesday with no real time to sit and process. On Thursday we actually had a relaxing afternoon. :)

Earlier in the day we visited the neighborhood near the main church to pray with people and invite them to attend the evening service. This was another great time of going door to door to meet with people.

For the afternoon we drove about 90 minutes up into the mountains. I slept for some of this so I have no clue what direction we headed. Anyway, the place where we went to was a property the church used for retreats and family crisis/emotional healing conferences. The whole time we were in Peru the temperature was in the 60s. Up in this mountain area in the afternoon the sun was beaming and it felt like the high 70s/low 80s which was a nice change.

You will see more landscape photos which were taken by Ezzy and myself. After lunch, we went to a river where four people from the team were baptized.

In the evening we went back to the main church for our last service. Personally this was off the hook because I had the privilege of preaching. God's presence truly showed up and there was beautiful ministering to those who needed emotional healing.

You can view Day 5 photos here.

Peru - Day 4

TRAVEL

On Day 4 we spent the entire day in the neighborhood called "Comite 8". With a huge soccer field in the middle, this neighborhood is poor and very drug infested.

From early in the day we went door to door praying with people, inviting them to the afternoon Vacation Bible School for the children, and also inviting them to the evening service.

This day my point and shoot camera had a low battery which I did not realize until I was in Comite 8. Needless to say I still got some great photos.

You can view Day 4 photos here.

Peru - Day 3

TRAVEL

This morning we visited a secondary school in Carabayllo which had a massive courtyard. After singing a few songs, we performed a dramatic skit called "Un Corazon Vacio (An Empty Heart)". Then a few people from our group shared their testimonies. It was beautiful to see how these young people were touched by the words which were shared. The time of prayer was wonderful to experience.

After lunch Team Awesome went to Antioch while we (Team Harvest) went back to Santo Domingo. We had another great afternoon of Vacation Bible School (VBS) with the children. This time we did VBS in a different park in Santo Domingo. Oh how I love coloring and playing games with the kids. Seeing their eyes light up and the smiles on their faces are wonderful gifts to experience.

After our little puppet show, Kayla shared a short preaching with the children. Again it is quite beautiful to see children make a decision for Jesus.

During the evening all of us went to Antioch to partake in the service in the drizzling rain. As always there was joyous dancing up front during the singing/worship time. I even got a little jump up of my own...lol.

You can view Day 3 photos here.

Peru - Day 2

TRAVEL

Every morning we would gather together in the Lobby after breakfast to have a time of worship and teaching. Then we would head out for our destination.

This morning we met up at the main church where we were separated into two teams: Team Harvest and Team Awesome. Team Awesome went to Antioch in the afternoon while we went to Santo Domingo.

At Santo Domingo we went door to door speaking with people in the neighborhood. We prayed with them and invited them out to the afternoon Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the children and the evening service for both adults and children at the church.

The afternoon with the kids at VBS was so much fun. These kids really had a great time and truly shared their genuine love with us while we were serving them. It was amazing to see some of these children make a decision for Jesus Christ. What I miss the most about Peru is the VBS and the children.

In the evening some people from our team shared their testimony and Peter preached.

You can view Day 2 photos here

Peru - Day 1

TRAVEL

So I participated in a missions trip with Adventures In Missions last week. We spent all day Sunday through Friday in Lima, Peru. Getting there was quite an adventure as we spent 12 hours at the airport before we actually left NYC. The story is long so I will just circumnavigate it so you know Spirit Airlines really sucks. [We eventually flew LAN]

Anyway, I brought my Canon G12 so I would be able to take photos and video.

During Day 1 we arrived at our hostel at 7:30am. We had just enough time to check into our rooms and have breakfast. Please note we had running water, a shower stall, and a toilet in our room. However the toilet had no toilet seat. We made do. I'm just sayin'.

After breakfast we visited the local church we would be working with. They greeted us with so much love.

Then we went into the neighborhood and the market and handed out flyers for the event that was taking place in the evening.

Afterward we visited two daughter churches of the main church we had visited earlier.

At nighttime we went back to the main church and some people from our group shared a portion of their testimony of what God had/has done in their lives.

You can view Day 1 photos here.

- J

Portrait: Trini Groom

WEDDING

During our first day of photographing, Miranda and Ryan were dressed in traditional Indian garb as they partook in the Hindu Wedding ceremonies for both the bride and groom.

En route to the hall I took this portrait of Ryan waiting in the limousine.

Portrait: Trini Bride

WEDDING

Wow, I had a blast photographing Miranda & Ryan's wedding this past weekend. They are a cute Trinidadian couple from New Jersey. I actually met them at the end of last year through a referral by my brother.

My frequent trips to Trinidad (an understatement) and having a best friend who is Trinidadian helped me truly understand and love the culture. This definitely helped in my conversations with Miranda and Ryan.

After hanging out and talking we decided on May to take engagement photos which look amazing. I need to share some on the blog since they are already completed.

So when it came time to shoot their two-day wedding, I brought along my friend and photographer Wilnelia Velez to work with me. All I can say is there are way too many gorgeous photos. If you have ever been to a Trini wedding you know they know how to party.

Enjoy the beauty of the lovely Miranda captured by Wilnelia.

Portrait: Harvest Couple

PORTRAITURE

Here is another sneak peek from the Harvest Fields Leadership Photo Shoot.

Meet Amy & Giezi.  I love how the stool and the guitar help take this pic to a whole other level.

Portrait

Portrait: Arlene (of Leather & Lace)

PORTRAITURE

I have known Arlene for many years and have worked with her on a few theatrical plays, including her own titled "Were U There?". 

After a couple of conversations we decided to do a photo shoot in midtown Manhattan. 

This portrait was taken in the middle of Times Square in the midst of the summer heat.

Portrait

Portrait: Couple

PORTRAITURE

I had the distinct pleasure to photograph the leadership at Harvest Fields Community Church last week.  The four setups we had were great. 

I decided to give a sneak peek of one of the couples, Dolores & Eli.  These two were hilarious during their shoot.  And their pictures were gorgeous.


Portrait

Morning Photo: Which Half?

INSPIRATION

You choose this morning - http://twitpic.com/5ae7a8

Morning Photo: Recurring Dream

INSPIRATION

For some photography is a dream lived out loud - http://bit.ly/mimoW4

Morning Photo: Beautiful Expectations

INSPIRATION

Today is a day of beautiful expectations. Meditate on this - http://www.flickr.com/photos/55045313@N05/5820313855/

Morning Photo: Ride It

ARTISTRY

The new week has begun.  Make sure you ride the wave all the way through - http://bit.ly/mdU4Lt

Morning Photo: Greatness

ARTISTRY

Are you willing to let your greatness shine through today? He did - http://twitpic.com/5aa4pn

Morning Photo: Naysayers

ARTISTRY

Today there will be people trying to shut down your dream.  Just say NO to them.  Take a good look at them - http://bit.ly/kNAn7m

Morning Photo: Impossible Cool

ARTISTRY

This truly is one of those impossible cool moments.  The mood, the composition, the light.  Peep today's morning photo from Sonic Editions - http://bit.ly/m2ELQa

Morning Photo: Underpass

ARTISTRY

Wow, the underpass this photographer took is both beautiful and detailed.  Check it out - http://bit.ly/kHAqB2

New Photography Class - June 4, 11 & 18

CLASS

By popular demand I have created an Intro/Intermediate Photography Class which starts this Saturday. This is a three class course (Jun 4th, 11th & 18th) in midtown Manhattan. Time is from 10:30am to 12pm.

In Class #1 we will focus on the philosophy of photography. Class #2 we will focus on the technical elements of photography. During our last class (#3) we will focus on the aesthetics of photography.

Total Investment for all three classes is $60.

Maximum class size is 12 people so reserve your seat now via email at josephdominickphotography@gmail.com or via FB.

Pimp My Portrait: May 2011 Selections

PORTRAITURE

We did not get many submissions this month. Are people just afraid or not interested? I am not sure. In any event I have two portraits here that I pimped out. Check it out.

Nataisha from Bronx, NY

Nataisha is a good friend of mine and I love this photo. She is a beautiful thinker. So that is the direction I went with this portrait.

I always start off with adding contrast and saturation and some texture. Then I removed little hairs and smoothed out her skin a little. I started playing with the colors and had them really pop out but over time I did not think they did justice to the original photo. Eventually I settled with a more moody b&w.

The b&w helped remove the distracting background to help us focus more on Nataisha. It was important to add grain and darken the image to give it more of that melancholic look. Nataisha can be very contemplative so this final portrait captures both her beauty and her reflectiveness. I call it "A Beautiful Meditation".

Jenna from Florida

I wasn't sure what direction I would take this photo. Jenna with her friends on the beach already works. The original image did not have much detail so from the jump I knew I would play with some cross processing to give it more of a film look.

At first I enhanced the image quality and smoothed out their skin a little. Then I brought back some detail which was not there. Purple seemed to be the color that popped out most for me so I went in that direction.

I oversaturated the image right before I tacked on another frame to blend in with the black frame in the original. And that is how I came to this original pimped portrait.

These are the photos for the May 2011 "Pimp My Portrait".

Stay tuned for the next round of submissions at the end of June. Thanks for enjoying the blog.

Portrait: Pop Art Diva

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Okay so your boy is jumping out the window with this one. This was not intentional but I somehow created a pop-art portrait while working on the latest pic of Jomaira a/k/a La Sensacion (from Radio Capicu). It is a total departure from how I would normally present a portrait but today it works for me.

What do you think?

Pimp My Portrait: May 2011 Submissions

PHOTOGRAPHY

Considering this is the last week of the month it is now time for “Pimp My Portrait”. Yes this fun little contest brings me great pleasure and also allows two special people to get really beautiful one-of-a-kind photos.

So for the next 70 hours I am accepting submissions of portraits YOU have taken. Out of all the selections received I will select two of them to "pimp" or "remix" in a fun/artistic way. I will post the before and after of the selected photos on my blog and on FB by noontime this Friday. Check here for last month's photos.

Here is the submission process. Email one portrait. Yes, email ONE portrait to josephdominickphotography@gmail.com. Submissions start right now and end on Thursday at 11:59am EST.

The portrait must have a person or persons included in it. This photo remix is not for landscapes, birds, cats, flower shots, etc. This is strictly portraiture of people. No nudity.

Sole discretion for selection of portraits belongs to Joseph Dominick. In light of the number of submissions, some great photos may not be selected. Please don't take it personal.

All people are encouraged to submit, regardless of your level of photographic skill. Please send your image in the highest quality jpg.

Upon completion of the portrait pimping, it will be emailed to the original photographer.

With email submission, please include your full name and what city/state or city/country you represent.

Thanks. And let the contest begin.

Portrait: Families by JDP

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I love photographing portraits so it only seemed right to organize a composite of some family portraits.

After reviewing both in studio and on-location photos I decided on these eight photos. They definitely show a cross-section of my recent work.

If you want beautiful, professional family portraits you can reach me here on the blog, hit me up on FB, my website, or via my email (josephdominickphotography@gmail.com).

I look forward to serving you soon.

- J

Family Portraits

Portrait: Elaine Glover

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It was wonderful to see Elaine as the opening act for Anthony Evans last month at Harvest Fields. She performed two of her original songs. If you have never heard Elaine sing before, this sister can sang.

Since I was familiar with the location these performance photos were fun and easy. The people at Harvest Fields always shows me love.

As I looked at the photo below in its original format I knew I just had to pimp it out. So here is Miss Elaine killing it on the mic. I call this one "She Can Sang".

Elaine Glover

Second Album Cover

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It has only been in recent months I realized how many photos of artists I have. The funny thing is I truly enjoy photographing them. Most of them are in the music business which is really cool.

As I previously posted (Musical Artist and Ya Tu Sabes), I had a great photo shoot with Eric E. Check out one of the photos from that shoot on his new single "Yo Le Alabare". The graphic designer did a great job with it.

Portrait: DJ Izzy Iz (#2)

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Okay so I am working on stepping up my retouching skills. I really want to help make a differentiation from other artists with not only who and how I shoot, but with how I finish up the portrait.

That being said I added a couple of new measures to my recipe for this portrait of Izzy.

This one is called: "While Some Dream In Color, I Dream In Music".

DJ Izzy Iz

Portrait: Shades of La Sensacion

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I love taking portraits of people both outdoors and in the studio. One of the fun things in the studio is the ability to blast music and also control the setting of the lights.

Here is another portrait of Jomaira, aka La Sensacion. This is one of her picks which I love. The shades take this Hot pic to the next level.

La Sensacion

Pimp My Portrait: April 2011 Selections

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This month we did not receive many entries. And the entries that were in focus were pretty decent pictures already. So I really looked for some inspiration this morning.

Garfield from Bronx, NY submitted this photo

What could I do with this pretty family photo? First of all I always do my basic adding of contrast, saturation, and clarity. Then I went in to fix slight blemishes and smooth out their skin a little.

I tried this image as a Black and White but it didn't work. So instead I added some texture and then sanded it down with a silverish/purple filter. In this way I remove the background as a distraction and put more of the focus on the faces. Then I decided to add a border to finalize this image which I am truly digging.

Sheena Lee from New York

This portrait is already beautiful. It was done by a professional photographer. Sheena looks gorgeous as usual so I thought I would go in a very abstract/comic style direction.

In the original image Sheena's skin was very smooth which I think is great. I decided to bring back detail in the image by playing with the tonal qualities. The color version looked amazing. But since I wanted to stay away from the glamorous look of the original I proceeded to add a comic book style to the image.

I went into my chemical digital lab and took the image through a cyanotype process. That is when this new image started to come alive. Here is my comic book version of Miss Sheena Lee.

These are the photos for the April 2011 "Pimp My Portrait".

Stay tuned for the next round of submissions at the end of May. Thanks for enjoying the blog.

Portrait: DJ Izzy Iz

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During the Chemical Romance conference in March 2011, DJ Izzy Iz was on the 1s and 2s. After the conference finished he and I had a mini-shoot.

The portraits look so cool I am going to use them as an editorial campaign in the near future.

Here is the first one which I call "Real DJs Use A Mac".

DJ Izzy Iz

Pimp My Portrait: April 2011 Submissions

PHOTOGRAPHY

This is the last week of the month so it is time again for “Pimp My Portrait”.

For the next 70 hours I am accepting submissions of portraits YOU have taken. I will select two of them to "pimp" or "remix" in a fun/artistic way. I will post the before and after of the selected photos on my blog and on FB by noontime this Friday. Check here for last month's photos.

Here is the submission process. Email one portrait. Yes, email ONE portrait to josephdominickphotography@gmail.com. Submissions start right now and end on Thursday at 11:59am EST.

The portrait must have a person or persons included in it. This photo remix is not for landscapes, birds, dogs, flower shots, etc. This is strictly portraiture of people. No nudity.

Sole discretion for selection of portraits belongs to Joseph Dominick. In light of the number of submissions, some great photos may not be selected. Please don't take it personal.

All people are encouraged to submit, regardless of your level of photographic skill. Please send your image in the highest quality jpg.

Upon completion of the portrait pimping, it will be emailed to the original photographer.

With email submission, please include your full name and what city/state or city/country you are from.

Thanks. And let the contest begin.

Celebration

Two years ago today I photographed my first professional photo shoot. It took place in Central Park and included 7 models.

I have learned so much in this photographic journey thus far. The weddings, Sweet 16s, portraits, models, and people have helped me grow as an artist and a human being.

Who would have thought I would teach an "Intro To Photography" course, much less teach it three times?

This whole journey has been a Faith walk. God took me down this path which has been and still is scary from time to time. Most of the fear comes from my desire of not failing or at least not looking like a fool. I work hard and push myself even harder. I am truly thankful to be down this road and have real friends who help balance my perspective about myself and my work.

So today I celebrate two years of doing photography professionally, which is something I never went to school for nor had any desire to do. How amazing it has been to walk in obedience to God's leading. It produces joy and experiences I never knew I would have enjoyed. Thank you Lord

Maternity Portrait: Nansa's Belly

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What a beautiful looking belly. This is Nansa at 7 months. I photographed this in Trinidad two months ago. She should be giving birth any day now.

Nansa

Portrait: Modelo Esmeralda

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I met Esmeralda at a wedding I photographed last year. She was energetic, fun, and had an amazing style for fashion.

This past weekend I did photography work at a church upstate. It was a full day of Family Portraits. While photographing Esmeralda, I was able to capture this lovely modelesque portrait.

Portrait: La Sensacion

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While doing a photo shoot for Radio Capicu at Urban Latino Radio in Brooklyn last year I had the opportunity to meet Jomaira aka La Sensacion. She presently is the co-host with George "Urban Jibaro" Torres on Friday nights.

Last month we finally had the chance to connect and do her photo shoot at my studio space in Harlem, NY.

My favorite outfit she wore had this red jacket. It truly captured that "around the way girl" look I had envisioned for one style of her photos. Check out this amazing portrait of La Sensacion.

Pimp My Portrait: March 2011 Selections

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Pimpin four portraits last time was too much so I decided on doing two this time. The two I finally selected were photos that actually worked well on their own. This made it quite interesting for me to figure out what direction I would go with each piece.

Once again thank you to all who submitted portraits for me to pimp this month. This will be a regular monthly thing so please be encouraged to submit again. Happy viewing.

Tara from New York submitted this photo

This beautiful photo was taken in Haiti during a recent missions trip. Upon first seeing it I really was not sure what to do. It was already black and white so I did not see myself trying to make it color. I decided to enhance the black and white with some layering, texturing, and contrast to help bring out the details in the guy's face. By adding definition to his face I wanted to bring the viewer closer and quicker into his reality.

The edgier background and the light vignette help draw the viewer's eye right to his face. I wanted his eyes to pop out of this image.

I also added a little light to the little boy's face to help us see his head better while still keeping the viewer's focus on the man's face.

My desire was to create a stark contrast to highlight the somberness, pain, and urgency of this moment in Haiti.

Michel from Bronx, NY submitted this photo.

This photo was taken during a theatrical performance. The colors and pose of the actors were so strong I immediately decided to push the envelope on both. Initially I enhanced the contrast and saturation, and then added in some texturing. I then placed a silver glowing tone over the entire image which really made it look good. But I was not satisfied with the image. It needed something more.

After some time I decided to posterize it hoping it would give me something remarkable. With a little time and tweaking I was able to find that right look.

These are the photos for the March 2011 "Pimp My Portrait".

Stay tuned for the next round of submissions at the end of April. Thanks for enjoying the blog.