stephanie and john wedding at the rocky hill ct mariott hotel

Well HELLOOOO 2009!!!!!

Mike and I are coming into this new season with a BANG, and we couldn't be more excited if we tried! We have so many little tricks up our sleeves that are going to let us do what we love to do even better- we have some new team members!!! Which I am super excited about, watch for their intro blog post coming soon- and we are in general just so excited to keep pushing ourselves right smack out of our comfort zones.

Exhibit A:

Rocking the flash! And not just any old flash! We welcomed a brand new addition to our gear family the other day, the Nikon SB900 flashes. Now, to be honest I was a little skeptical. What exactly is THIS going to do that my SB800 didn't? Well. Silly me! This thing is SO DOPE. Nikon really has an outstanding remote flash- master-commander set up going on that we have dabbled in but never truly mastered to the point of reckless abandon. Until last night! Watch YO SELF people we are going to be tackling the off camera flash like we tackled available light and the video light- until it is our bee-YOTCH!! It' so much fun to challenge yourself to try new things and new technologies, at least we sure think it is and we just about exploded with excitement last night!

On a technical side note for anyone on the fence about buying an SB900- get this- the command dials are SO freaking easy to dig into from the master flash- and switching from master to remote to solo are crazy easy- also it now has a dial on it that makes jumping up and down in power or channel or between flashes super easy to do. The only downside is that even if you use it on manual power super low like Mike and I do, it chugs through batteries. But we are investigating our quantum battery options / rechargeable etc. Any input, leave it in a comment so we can investigate it more!!

OK. onward and upward- on to the images!!!!
I started off simple- shooting the cake with my SB800 backlighting it and my 900 bounced off the side wall to my left, on super duper low, like 1/64 power. Pure lighting deliciousness

During Stephanie's walk down the aisle I shot her future sister in law Becky, tearing up- all available light, no flash here

We only had a few minutes to do their formals before the reception started so Mike and I dragged down two cool chairs to the right in front of a window aka cleanish backdrop for us to try some fun backlighting. We put an SB800 behind them and both pulled from it. The benefit to doing this instead of using our video light is that there was really no way to quickly hide the video light, but since our flash has a little mini stand it comes with we just set it right down on the floor and viola! This is a typical Mike Romano type shot- he loves the darker more dramatic look-we kind of traded places so to speak for the day and each shot like the other, it was pretty funny

I am McLOVIN the lighting in Stephanie's father daughter dance... just enough light in the front and a nice crisp rim light

John's Mom was so expressive and fun to shoot!

John and Stephanie were very open to ducking out of their reception to do some more shots...which Mike and I were so excited about because it was snowing like crazy out! We did some recon and found this awesome little nook right outside of the doors to the ballroom! Complete with snow covered tree and brown walls... uh, we were in shooting heaven!!!!
To freeze the snow in mid air we backlit them with an SB800 on a stand that we both pulled from and then each utilized our 900's as we so chose to. I bounced mine off the side left wall at a super low power so as to not overpower them



We let them duck into this little nook that was protected from the snow fall for a moment and we shot some more! This was just available light here


This one may be my favorite. Yeah. It is!! I love it. Love it. Love it.

We were covered in snow, and so was our gear- good thing our D3's are so weatherproof!! Here is Mike working it

Once we were done with Stephanie she couldn't get inside fast enough, she was such a good sport! I caught her literally saying 'PEACE I'm OUT!!'


Well to say Mike and I are chomping at the bit to shoot our next wedding - Feb 21 with Kevin and Kerri!! Is a bit of an understatement!!

Special super thanks to Steph and John for letting us do our thing!! Congratulations!!

Check out Mike's shots HERE, or on Facebook!

January Ten Eyck Tuesday

Hi! Let me introduce myself! I am a BROKEN freaking RECORD!! Know why?

BECAUSE JUST WHEN I THINK IT CAN'T GET ANY BETTER...IT DOES!!!

ok, pause, rewind. So yesterday's class was, well, yesterday! On the first Tuesday of the month, as always, right? Let me start by saying that there was nothing normal about this class for a few reasons:

-it was ALL beginners! And I was SCARED!! I can talk trash with the best of 'em but you know when you are so close to something that it's hard to back up and get some perspective on things? Well, that's me and photography. I'm in it up to my eyebrows, like all the time, so thinking of it from a 'coming to you new' kind of way was challenging to say the least!

-we had one model, not a couple. Doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Oh but it is.

-we stayed in my house to shoot! What? It was warmer, plus we got WAY more shooting time since there was no travel time involved, and no one froze! Bonus.

-I didn't make Mexican food! Unless four cheese baked macaroni and cheese is Mexican!! aye aye aye!!! with a baby spinach salad with feta, strawberries and walnuts. No, YOU stop!

OK, onward and upward people!! Let me spin my tale for you all......

First, meet our gracious model, the uber comfortable in front of the camera, Miss Jacklyn Greenberg of Jag Studios! She is something else!!

Like I was telling the class, having Jackie model for us was kind of like cheating...she is just SO photogenic...



We stayed in the upper hallway of my house, which Dave and I just repainted a nice soft gray (Pebble Beach, Benjamin Moore if you are curious) with crisp white trim... and it just sings to me in the mid morning...the light is ridiculous

Check out the ladies in Georgie's room watching Maura shoot

Love the toys leading to Jackie


The doll with the red hair my Mom made for me when I was little


We really tried to use the entire corner up there, it just yielded so many shooting opportunities





Meet Miss Jessica - she is from Sialia Photography in western CT. She excelled at taking her time to get what she wanted from the day- one of the hardest thing for most photographers to do!!

This is a new one for me: meet Maura, our resident newbie! You want to know what Maura knew before she came to my class? NADA!! She told me, and I quote, sort of 'I pretty much only know how to turn on the camera' Yeah, I was scared because I wasn't sure she would absorb it all but OH.MY.GOD!!! She left completely understanding the concept of aperture, shutter speed and ISO and their relationship to exposure!!!!! She has a killer eye as well, which we all know is half the battle!

Here is Miss Traci from Tru Blu Photography in Simsbury. I was very excited to meet this one as she is good friends with my girl Eileen Broderick... because Eileen is NUTS. Tell Dr. Phill I said :P


And she comes back for more abuse!!! Melissa Wilson just couldn't get enough of C 10 ike love and had to have some more. I can't tell you all how far this lady has come in her understanding of what she wants to capture and what she gets... it's nothing short of amazing to me to see the transformation!!


Had to add this one too...now that blogger is working again :P


And come on, how dope is my salad

photoNATION

Have you checked out this new site? Connecticut's own Steve DePino is responsible for creating what is sure to be a great new online photography community. You don't have to be a professional photographer to join, just have a passion for photography!

Sign up HERE


Coming soon to the site is a Photo Challenge section- not sure if many of you know but jpgmag.com is shutting down I think effective this coming Monday. Very sad news! They had an online community like no other. One of my favorite parts of it was the photo challenge section where they throw out a challenge and then you go and shoot it- post your shot, and then people got to see how everyone interpreted the same assignment!

Mr. Depino had given me the reigns at photoNATION to be in charge of coordinating this for the site- which I am BEYOND excited about!! I already have a looooog list of fun challenges- so make sure you check it out!!

So? What are you waiting for? GO SIGN UP!!!

oh it's not just wednesday, it's pick on mike day

well....not really pick on mike day so much as just post about this one shoot in particular where he was cracking me UP with his shooting craziness....we are always trying to shoot each other while we shoot and get really unflattering pictures of each other, he wins hands down, but it's still fun to see what we do while we shoot!

take this shot for example! We were both SO pumped at the whole chicken element of the shoot that we wanted to incorporate them in any way we could. Check Mike out trying to get her ring with the chicken feet! Way to think outside of the coop! bah-CAW!!!

Now in his own words 'If I weren't scared of heights I would be a firefighter' He is a CHICKEN about heights! Not that I am one to cast stones, although that statement would say otherwise! I am a BIGGER chicken about heights, I just don't hide it like the stoic Mr. Romano does... so it was a thrill to see him conquer his fear for a shot! The roof was only about 8 feet off the ground mind you....I'm just sayin'

He got quite a series of cool ring shots up on the weathervane- but I couldn't resist getting this shot of him putting his back into it!

Now this shot is a prime example of me eating my own words! Visual sweep much? I was like MAN! This shot is AWESOME! And then I looked up. Nuff said.

One of my favorite things about Mike is his creativity. He likes to really push his compositions and angles, I really liked the shot he got from this.

I think he was just tired at this point

Mike is such an animal lover. Even chickens! He wasn't scared of them at all. I was! Right after he got this hen on him he tried to get her to fly at me - I almost peed in my pants! No shot of that though, sorry!

Causing trouble in the hen house



Way to put yourself out there for your work Mr. Romano! Paul and Erica's wedding is our last wedding of the season- I can't wait for it and I know Mike can't either!!

ten eyck tuesday november 4th workshop reminder

THERE IS ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT FOR THE NOVEMBER CLASS, SO CALL ME ASAP IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!

My next all day Ten Eyck Tuesday workshop is scheduled for TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH! Send me an email at info@carlateneyck.com or call the studio at 860-906-1993 to sign up- class size is limited to only THREE spots

Also- I have some spots open for models so if you are interested, call or email me! This list is booking up FAST so get on it!

Rediscovery Workshop Part Deux! IS BOOKED FOR OCTOBER

**October's workshop is booked already, which is great but I wanted to remind people that I am doing this EVERY MONTH on the first Tuesday and I have spots open in November!





OK, I am FINALLY catching my breath enough to announce that I am going to start something that I have been wanting to implement since my last work shop in March- the SECOND workshop in a series of monthly workshops (the first Tuesday of each month) right here at my studio in Hartford, Connecticut, hosted by yours truly.

Announcing.......

TEN EYCK TUESDAYS!

Starting Tuesday October 7, 2008

Now here is the scoop:

I love teaching and I love inspiring people and I love kicking people's creative juices into gear and getting them going where they want to go with their photography!

My Rediscovery Workshop in March made me realize how much helping others makes me feel fulfilled. I want to continue that, but on a much smaller scale, class-wise.

So.... I have decided to offer a full day shooting and post-production intensive workshop that is limited to only THREE photographers per class.

Here is what we will cover:

We are going to SHOOT!

The focus will be on portraits- they can be bridal or engagement- the point being it has to be a solid portrait, which you can then apply to whatever you love shooting.

But: we are going to focus on GETTING IT RIGHT IN CAMERA, the first time! That's right! No shooting and then saying, 'well, what if you asked them to look this way- your shot would be perfect', or 'I wish that you had opened your lens up more' etc. NO.
Set it up.
Shoot it.
LOOK AT IT!
Is it working?
WHY NOT?

And then..... learn how to MAKE IT WORK!

I know, I know, there is a whole lotta shouting going on here.... but I get excited just typing this stuff alone here in my studio! Wait till I get you with me!!

After our shoot we will focus on post-production- how to take your shot to the next level because it doesn't stop at tripping your shutter.

Lunch is included.

What you will need:

Your gear- whatever you have to shoot with, bring it! Have a lens you love but rarely get to break it out? Bring it! Find you are always using one lens over the other? Let's switch it up!

A computer is great to bring, I have some as well to share.

All of this shouting, lunch and butt kicking for only $350 per person!!

So.... what are you waiting for??

Send me an email at carlateneyck@comcast.net to sign up

This class is for ALL levels, not just pros!

lens flare tutorial

So it's not big secret that I love lens flare and I shoot as much of it as I can get my 50 1.4 lens on! It feels good to look at, it feels good to shoot- especially since it seems like a kind of elusive thing for some....well it was for me until I kind of figured it out... but didn't realize what my 'formula' was until I actually went back in Light Room and checked my settings and found the common denominator.

I mean, I knew it as I was shooting - but kind of innately- I'd check, adjust my settings, check, adjust, GET IT, flail, shoot, flail, YELL, check, FLAIL, probably punch Mike out of excitement, shoot, YELL.... you get the picture!

Lens flare is pretty exciting stuff!

So, after being asked a bunch of times how to actually 'get' sun flare I figured I would post some shots with their settings and let you all see the common denominators!

This first shot was from a recent e shoot in the sunflower fields as sunset- time of day plays a major part in getting the warmest flair.
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f2.2
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/800 sec

Mary & Justin were shot in the late afternoon as well. Another determining factor in successfully getting your flare is that you actually have to SEE it in your lens. I play around until it is in just the right spot, probably looking pretty foolish in the process!
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 3.2
ISO: 160
shutter: 1/1000 sec

My boy Jeff Reilly's wedding on the shore:
Again, late afternoon (common denominator)
I see the flare in my lens
and my settings are:
lens: 70-200mm @ 75mm / @ f2.8
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/800 sec

A wedding in Vienna:
Late afternoon, yes
but: a little bit of a change here. I stopped my lens WAY down to f 13 and look at the difference in the actual flare towards the top of the flare- the hexagonal shapes are popping out.... You can see the weird shapes that appear- I really like it!
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 13
ISO: 250
shutter: 1/80 sec

An E shoot with Liz and Pepsi in Fairfield:
Again, I stopped WAY down and got the crazy shapes here again too:
lens: 50mm 1.4 @ f 16
ISO: 100
shutter: 1/80 sec

I snagged this picture of Mike's to show you how a different lens can change up your flare:
He shot this with his 50 mm 1.8 (I have the 1.4, that is like 20 years old and a very different lens)
I can always tell Mike's flare shots from mine as his tend to have a red cast on the rings
Cool, right?


SO....
Time of day to me seems like the biggest overall connector: I don't think I have gotten lens flare in the morning, or maybe I'm just not up that early shooting, is more like it!! So:
LATE AFTERNOON
LOW ISO
PRETTY OPEN LENS FOR THE BIG LORD OF THE RINGS FLARE
STOP DOWN FOR CRAZY TIME SHAPES
DIFFERENT LENSES YIELD DIFFERENT FLARE
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY.... SEE THE FLARE IN YOUR LENS!!

I felt like shouting those out, Nikki Nicole style!

michelle turner seminar

Mike and I are right smack in the middle of attending Michelle Turner's two day shooting intensive seminar in the Boston area- and we are having a great time shooting, networking and learning some new techniques.
There is nothing I like more than a refresher on anything photography related and Michelle is kicking our butts in the best way! She is high-energy and moves quick, kind of like Mike... :)

Michelle is an established and very talented destination wedding photographer based in Maine, check out her incredible work HERE

This shot is from a shoot we had this afternoon with our incredible couple Karen and Bobby. I shot this in between set ups and ran some fun post on it- minor adjustments in lightroom (high contrast black & white preset) then in photoshop I added a texture I shot today at our location of some stone; a Steve DePino PRO action, my favorite, Newsprint and Kubota's starburst vignette

classical magnet photography class visit

Before going on vacation I had a class from the Classical Magnet School in Hartford visit my studio to see a photographer in action, so to speak... One of the reasons I loved doing this was that I am a Hartford girl, born and raised and was totally keen on the idea of showing these fellow Hartford alum the things we can accomplish as artists.

It was a great class but we realized it was WAY too short so we are happily planning a longer session that is going to involve them shooting!

I can't wait for it!



The girls watching my slide show, so that I can show them how I do engagement shoots




While I was talking about how I shoot portraits it occured to me that they might understand it better if I just shot them! Talk about getting a room full of girls all flustered!! :) They were so cute!