Will Vastine Photography

Learning Lightroom

So I was finally able to score a copy of Lightroom, which I am really excited about. And it seems like a really cool program that will help with the workflow of taking the photos from the camera to final delivery. But I have a lot to learn still. So in an effort to figure this thing out, I grabbed my friend Mackenzie, shot a few frames, took them from the camera and started pushing buttons in Lightroom. I have to say I am pretty happy with the results. Lightroom will probably be used a lot more now.

Do any of you know some good online tutorial sites? Or have some tips to share?

-will

Lisa: the versatility of one light

Did some test shooting with my friend Lisa. She was a blast to work with, and I will have to shoot with her more. Tons of great frames. Anyway, I was trying some new things and just working on technique and producing some really clean and really different images. I was challenging myself to get different looks with using only one light. I am trying new stuff because I am working on a new project with some really amazing people. I can't wait to share some of the images that have been coming out of all our work. Anyway, I hope you enjoy these frames of Lisa. Expect to see more from her soon!
-will   

A Thank You and a plan.

First off I want to thank everyone so much for all the great feedback concerning my last post about where I am wanting to take the blog. Its been really encouraging and exciting for me as I begin to line out future posts. I am looking forward to the journey that is ahead of us and can't wait to see the growth that happens with our photography.

Based on the comments that I have been getting, I have compiled a short list of topics that I want to hit in the near future. And please, if there is something you want to know about, please let me know and I will add it to the list!

So here are some of the topics that I am going to post on:

-What camera should I buy and why?
-Manual Settings. (iso, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, etc.)
-Exposure
-Composition
-Natural Light Techniques
-Flash Techniques
-Advice for Portrait Photography

This by no means is everything that I would like to cover, so please let me know what I can add to the list!!! This is about learning and growing! Let's do it!

Since I recently just went through the process of buying myself a new camera and its fresh in my mind, I will be doing a post about which camera you should buy and why. So be watching for this!

Thanks so much for your support!

-will

A Transition of Sorts

Thanks for stopping by my new blog. I have been thinking a lot about a new direction that I could take this blog and have been working really hard at getting it there. So let me take a moment and try to explain where I want to go with it. 

If you notice my clever little tag line on the banner above (shooting. learning. growing,) it breaks down like this:

 Shooting: I want to display the work that I do, and I want to discover the work of my peers around me. Plain and simple. Shooting is a journey for me. Each frame is unique, its a specific moment in time captured. With each frame I discover something new about photography. This is what my blog has been about already, but I'm ready to take it to the next level, which is:

(setup shot for the frame of mackenzie above)

Learning: I want this to be a place of learning. Along with the work that I post, I will share the basics of how I got the end result. I will talk about lighting, about camera settings, composition, exposure, etc. This is an invaluable tool for both myself and you. Far too often you see photographers protective of their style and technique, but I believe that to be a load of crap. You can give two different people the same camera, the same settings, the same lighting scenario, and each photographer will produce a completely different image. The only fear I have is that some one will take the easy road and try to copy another photographer, rather then taking the journey of discovering their voice and style in the photographic world. Be who you are, own it, run with it. And make great images. I am excited about this, because it leads me to my last thought:

Growing: Because I know that I am not the end all, be all of photography, I know that I still have a lot more to learn. And I am open to growing so that I can be the best photographer I can possibly be. All of us with a camera in our hands today stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us; Avedon, Bresson, Liebowitz, and so many more. We are all second shooters. We all have sucked at some point, and will suck at some point in the future. And there is nothing wrong with that. The only time it becomes a problem is when we dwell on it, and don't learn from our mistakes and move on. I hope that this becomes a place of encouragement and inspiration to continue picking up the camera even when you feel like everything you do sucks. 

I know I still have a lot to learn, and I am excited to take this journey. In fact, I am anxious to get started. And there is one key part that I have not addressed, and that is YOU. You help make what I do possible. Your support, your comments, your willingness to encourage me, helps drive me to be the best I can. So if I can, I would love to ask of you your thoughts on which topics you would like me to touch on, and what kind of things you are wanting to know about to make your photos the best they can be.

-will

photos from my phone

As a photographer, there always seems to be a time that you feel like everything you shoot begins to look and feel the same. You start feeling complacent, and you never take the time to push yourself and try something to make yourself a better photographer. Anyway, I have been feeling like this a bit and have been working on some personal projects and shooting things that I have been wanting to work on, and doing it strictly for me. So I can feel creative and feel like I am really pushing myself.
So this brings me to one of my projects that I am really excited about. Inspired by Chase Jarvis and his mentality that the best camera is the one that's with you, I have started a photo blog called "Photos From My Phone", where I will be posting a photo from my iphone at least every day or couple days. For me it's just a way to always be looking at the world around me, trying to see it in a new light, and making photos. I always have my phone with me, so why not capture my life with the camera.
I also want this to be a place where you can express your creativity. I would love it if you would want to link your own photos in the comments section of the posts. You carry your phone everywhere... and most likely it has a camera on it. Use it, make something new. Enjoy the process. Extend your creativity. Try something different. 
So please take a moment, and check the blog out. Bookmark it if you like it, and start contributing to the community! You guys rock!
photosfrommyphone.wordpress.com
-will