July 28th, 2009
Patty and I spent the weekend in NE Indiana at the Salomonie Sizzler Endurnace Ride. Although the trails were very slick from all night rain on Friday night and clay soil in this part of the state, Patty had a great time on Coco who carried her to two 2nd places in the limited distance events. Limited distance is 25 miles. There were many pulls because of the slippery conditions.
Doug Palme was the official photographer for the event, but had a difficult time on Saturday due to the continued extreme overcast conditions and several down pours. On Friday, once Patty had vetted in for the event, I walked around the camp doing some portraits. I was able to take a few other pictures. I spend a little bit of time with Doug shooting some of the riders on trail on Sunday morning, but this time the conditions were not good because of the extremely clear skies which made it difficult to find even lighting areas.
Here are a couple of images from the weakend:
See more photographs from the weekend here: Salomone Sizzler
Tags: Endurance Ride, horse, Photography, portrait, Salomonie Sizzler
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July 20th, 2009
I had a great time making portraits for Lori Aman with her lovely horse Breezy at Dancing Horse Farm. We ended up having the session on Sunday afternoon around 4:30pm because we got rained out the night before.
On Saturday, Lori was concerned about how overcast the day was. But actually, I want everyone to know that the soft even light of an overcast day is ideal for portraits. When the sun is bright and intense it many times forms harsh bright spots in an image and at the same time deep dark shadows. On a bright day, we would have to find what I call open shade to take the portraits. In open shade, the light is less intense and more even. It helps the skin to look smooth and there are no dark shadows in the eyes. So, I’m saying this for those who read this blog to help everyone to understand that an overcast day, is like free open shade. You don’t have to look for open shade. It’s everywhere… PERFECT FOR PORTAITS!!! The light is also softer and friendlier in early morning (but, it’s hard to get up and everything is wet) and evening just before dusk (this is what I prefer to work with people and their horses).
While I was there I saw Sarah Wheeler who I had done senior portraits for several weeks back. She’s such a nice young lady and when she saw me she told me how delighted she was with all her potraits. “Cutting back on what I want from the shoot is soooooo difficult”, she explained, “but mom says I have too… I’d buy them all if I could.” Wow, that was a real ego boost, but really I am always so happy when people love their portraits. It’s exactly what I want from every client.
Anyway, we borrowed Sarah’s lead and I asked if she might help us with “ears up” for Lori’s portraits. She called her mom and explained that she would be late for dinner (if that was okay) she wanted to help me out and proceeded to get creative with her friend using treats, plastic bags and whatnot to get the horses ears perked up. She did a great job, just as her little sister had several weeks earlier. I understand that as a mare, Breezy is well know for laying her ears back in disagreement.
I wanted to make sure that Lori had a chance to see her proofs before blogging samples from the shoot. We tried lots of ideas and many worked just great.
There are many more portraits from this farm call which you can find at www.photosbypdemott.com PROOFS.
Tags: Dancing Horse Farm, horse, Photography, portrait
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July 11th, 2009
This morning I went over to Trails End for the Hunter/Jumper show (DLSC). I decided to offer some free mini-sessions in the barn door of their newest barn. I was able to shut the doors at the other end of the barn and turn off the lights so that with my subject standing in the doorway the background would go very dark. My lovely subjects stand out from the dark background in a very dramatic way.
Unfortunately, after having only three sessions, the clouds opened up and with a few cracks of lightning there came heavy downpours of rain. If you were at the show hoping for a mini session, perhaps next time. But, just so you understand, I don’t offer free sessions any time. I wanted to create some portraits this weekend and this became a good opportunity. However, if you have a couple of friends and want to break up a regular custom farm call session into several shorter mini sessions, that is a great way to reduce the initial farm call session fee.
As I was at the show, I saw one of my senior portrait session subjects. Corrie was incognito and it took several looks before I realize who she was. She had changed the color of her hair since we created her portraits. Shortly after her mom came up and expressed how happy she was with the canvas print that I had recently sent to them. I definitely have to have more samples of the canvas portraits. They are works of art.
When it was clear that the rain, rain, go away, come again another day was not going to work, I headed home to process these images. If you would like to see the others, go to my proofing area here. Go to Horseshows “Trails End Barn Doors 7/11/09″ While you are there don’t forget to check out other shows that you might have images for. Whenever I add another show, I drop off the oldest show so don’t wait too long to make your orders.
Tags: Dayton, Dayton Ohio, DLSC, horse, Horse show, portrait, Senior Portraits, Trails End Equestrian Center
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July 7th, 2009
Each month I get together for dinner and more training in the art of portrait photography. This month is when we have a picnic instead of the regular meeting with a speaker/seminar leader. The location for the picnic was at Charles and Carolyn Woods home in Franklin. Their back yard provided much inspiration for me as I consider the development of my country barn studio for indoor and outdoor portraits. You will see a wagon, a swing, and several other photo areas that were inviting us to be creative.
Photographers were invited to bring their families before the food was brought out to have portraits made. As photographers we do spend much of our time behind the camera and this was an opportunity for us to have portraits made. It was a great time sharing various ideas and lighting techniques and making portraits for each other.
I am delighted to be involved with a great group of professionals who seek to know each other and share their knowledge freely. If you are a photographer in the SW Ohio I would encourage you to join this group and start to attend the monthly dinner/seminars. We meet monthly at Bullwinkle’s Restaurant at the Middletown exit off I-75.
PPSO Professional Photographers of SW Ohio is an affiliate of PPO Professional Photographers of Ohio of which I am also a member.
To see additional portraits from the evening check out my gallery PPSO Picnic.
Tags: Bullwinkles Restaurant, Child-portraiture, Franklin, Photography, portrait, PPO, PPSO, Senior Portraits
Posted in Being a photographer, Child Portraits, Family Group Portrait, PPSO, Photography Business, Senior Portrait Session | Leave a Comment »
June 30th, 2009
At Sarah Wheelers senior portrait session her little sister helped out by standing behind me, rattling things, swishing leaves, and just jumping about to get the attention of the horse. In equine photography we call this “ear up”. If you take a portrait with a horse and the ears are not up many times the horse appears rather like a mule. Or the horse seems annoyed or bored and this is not what we want when capturing that special connection between a horse and his human.
So Sarah’s little sis helped out and I just thought she was so cute I had to take some portraits of her too. Also the galleries for this portrait session are up: Sarah’s Senior Portrait Session Gallery
Tags: Child-portraiture, horse, Photography, portrait
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June 24th, 2009
It was fun to shoot Sarah and her horse at Dancing Horse Farm. One thing that I thought was fun, was seeing her facebook status that said, “wake, eat, work, ride, wake, eat, work, ride, REPEAT!” Sarah really loves her horse and even though he gave her some trouble trying to constantly eat the grass as we were shooting, she never really got angry with the big guy. I have been sorting and adjusting images this evening and thought I would share some here now. There are many more to see and later when the proofing site is up, I will post a link here.
Tags: Dancing Horse Farm, horse, Photography, portrait, Senior Portraits
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June 21st, 2009
What a great day for a show. The weather was warm, but the humidity was lower than on Friday and there was a nice breeze. Not only that, but Greenstone’s dressage arena is surrounded by treas making it very comfortable for all the observers. If there is something that other stables would take from this it is plant some shade trees. It was just great.
I didn’t get there right at the very start so I may have missed a rider or two, but most riders were doing more than one test. Hopefully everyone is represented in the pictures on my proofing site Peter DeMott~Photography to Remember. Click on PROOFS, then Shows, then Greenstone Dressage 6/20/09. That should get you there.
Here are some portraits and action shots to wet your whistle:
So, if you go to my web site you can look through about 450 images from the day. In addition if you are on facebook and would like to friend me, I will have some pictures in a gallery there and you can see when I do other shoots as well. Here is my facebook profile: Peter DeMott .
I’d love to see some people comment on my blog. Just click on the comment button at the bottom.
Tags: DLSC, Dressage, Greenstone Stables, horse, Horse show, Photography, portrait
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June 12th, 2009
I had shared earlier, a couple weeks ago about Paula Lithander and our family portrait session and her battle with stage 4 cancer. Our video guy Sean at church put this together and it was played on Sunday morning to the entire congregation. I found it challenging, inspiring, touching and anything else that you can think of once you have seen this.
Paula Lithander
That says it all. But, if this inspired or touched you in any way I would encourage you to post a reply. I will forward them on to Paula for her encouragement.
Tags: Centerville, Inspiration, Worship
Posted in Fairhaven Church | 2 Comments »
May 31st, 2009
The weather was perfect for the second day to the TOP OF THE ROCK Endurance ride in Clark State Forest. Sorry I did not make it to the first day which was Friday, but could not spare a day from work this week so I covered the second day only.
Patty, my wife and Sarah, my daughter did a 25 Limited Distance with their new geldings. Merlot had just finished up with the trainer and was completely green to the trail so Sarah was a bit nervous and they took it slow and easy. Coco pulsed out at 54 walking into the hold as the timer said, this horse’s pulse rocks (Coco has done a couple rides already and was completely familiar with all that would happen). Merlot on the other hand was huffing and puffing as he looked at the horse killing orange ribbons that lined the timing station. A walk out into the gravel driveway away from the ribbons and he pulsed out quickly as well. Patty and Sarah are delighted with their horses.
I don’t think the summer break could come any faster for Patty. She spent the entire day today (Sunday) on a graduate course project that they just told her about last week. Lots more to do and it’s due shortly. Of course as a teacher she also has a few things (actually gobs of things) to do to finish up the last 8 days of school.
Here are some photos from the event. Oh, and next time remind me to bring a folding chair. Standing for long periods waiting for riders to come by was just killing my legs so I had to make it back to the vet check and hold area to shoot some candids there were I could get off my feet. Sorry for those I missed on trail and hope I was able to get some fun shots for you at the vet check.
I also posted these images on my FACEBOOK profile page. If you are on FACEBOOK and want to tag your image so that others you know can see it, go to my profile and ask to be a friend. My FACEBOOK PROFILE
You can visit my web site to see the rest of the images from this ride. I uploaded over 500. PROOF PAGE on web site then click on Trail Events, the Top of the Rock should be the first album that comes up. Sorry, there are lots of similars. I will have time to eliminate some a little later.
If you are interested in learning more about Endurance Riding go here: AERC.org
Tags: Endurance Ride, Top of the Rock
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May 24th, 2009
This keeps coming up. On Friday I had the pleasure of doing a family portrait shoot for our Missions Pastor, his wife Paula and their children. The kids would be available on Friday as they had arranged to make a special trip home during exams. Kirk wondered if I might be able to do the shoot while they were all at home. Paula had already started chemotherapy for stage 4 melanoma cancer. I don’t know the details, other than to be praying for her and her family (She is posting updates at this web site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paulalithander you can also sign up for email updates and read “her story” there ). But, they wanted family portraits NOW before the side effects of the chemotherapy became evident. We scheduled the shoot and met at the Cox Aboretum here in Dayton at about 6pm the next day, Friday.
The shoot went great and I am very pleased with the results. Shooting a family that clearly cares for each other shows in the portraits. Paula and Kirk and the even the kids loved the portraits. For me that’s my goal, that everyone had a great experience and that they LOVE the portraits. Here are a couple examples and a link to the gallery:
If you would like to see more from this shoot click here: Lithander Family Portrait Session
Now, I said this keeps happening. My wife’s best friend had planned for me to take some family portraits last weekend. Julia would be visiting from Chicago, Kile is still home in high school. Joel was also living at home while going to a post high school training program. We were scheduled to meet up on Saturday or Sunday late afternoon, however Joel who had been fighting a bought of Mono was experiencing some extreme pain in his side. Off to the emergency room. Come home and go back again only to find that his spleen was bleeding and about the burst. Liver enzimes were skyrocking (whatever that means - Just know it is not good). He was moved to ICU. Another operation, spleen removed. Many prayers and prayer chains were started for Joel as his situation seemed quite extreme. Still problems, another surgery, everything seemed to be touch and go, hour to hour, day by day. After the second surgery things started improving. he had some setbacks, but he was moved out of ICU on Saturday and may be released to home care on Monday (labor day). Joel, is not much into “formal portraits” and didn’t even go to have his senior portraits for highschool done. But, I think now when we finally reschedule it will be a “celebration” portrait shoot. It will be something significant and cherished by all. (Sorry, no pictures to show yet. I think that Joel will be healing for a couple weeks. Thank you anyone who prayed for Joel. Also, please pray for Paula above as she battles a very serious cancer in stage 4)
Tags: Beavercreek, Centerville, Photography, portrait
Posted in Being a photographer, Fairhaven Church, Family Group Portrait, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »