Self Portrait Assignment

Here are my self portraits for Advanced Photo Media at Idaho State University. The assignment is to make 5 self portraits that tell my story while focusing on manipulating light. I had a lot of fun shooting this assignment. Doing so required me to branch out and experiment with new techniques. Each of these photos was made using a different work flow. Most of them using some blend of multiple off camera flash and natural light. Others are more technical. The “Ghost of a Classic” photo with the 27 Chevy is an example of on that was extra fun. I went out to Pass Creek in Leslie, Idaho and located this old car that I found when I was a kid. I shot the portrait with 2 speed lights and shoot through umbrellas synced to the natural light and 2 speed lights with blue or yellow gels. I then shot a series of shots with hand held flash and colored gels. I wanted to create some extra mood with the colored light in the shot and I wanted to split tone color grade the highlights and shadows in camera. I feel like it was a success, but I ended up with 4 gigs of photos to layer up…. nightmarish. The shot “Battle Station Status” was shot in my studio and is a combination of a 3 flash set up, natural light, HDR bracketing, and long exposure. It was really fun shooting all these photos and I learned a lot from the experience.

If you need a portrait then HIRE ME 🙂

This is a self portrait I made for Advanced Photo Media. The location is at a spot called Pass Creek in Leslie, Idaho. I have always loved camping around here, and one day I came upon this old ’27 Chevy rusting away in the mountains. There is no road leading to this area, but there are the remains of an old bridge made of 2×6 planks going across a small ravine that hints at how this car got here so many years ago. This image tells my story because of the link to the place, and because when I was a teenager I used to restore classic cars like this one with my dad and uncles.

This is a self portrait I made for Advanced Photo Media at Idaho State University. I shot this at McTucker Springs in Pingree, Idaho. I grew up here, and there were not a lot of places to skateboard. I shot this at sunset with two speed lights and shoot through umbrellas.

This is a self portrait I made for Advanced Photo Media at Idaho State University. This is a shot from within my lair. This is where I do all my editing and animation as well as record music. 5t31th Productions secret headquarters. I shot this using two speed lights with shoot through umbrellas. I slow synced to expose for the monitors, and overlayed a long exposure to get the ambient glow.

This is a self portrait I made for Advanced Photo Media at Idaho State University. This is the City of Rocks near Malta, Idaho. This is probably one of my favorite places to shoot in Idaho, or anywhere for that matter. The landscape is otherworldly with stone giants sleeping under mountain mahogony and pinyon pine. I have always been drawn here like a magnet so I had to include this shot. Shot with natural light and radio trigger.

This is a self portrait I made for Advanced Photo Media at Idaho State University. This location is an old alleyway in Blackfoot, Idaho where I used to jam with my first punk rock band. I shot this with three speed lights and slow synced to the natural light from a mercury vapor street light.