Thank You!

As I reflect back on the year during this holiday season, I realize how grateful I am to have all of these fans on FaceBook!  Thank you for following Rob Marshall Studio these past few years.  And, a special thanks for those of you who have purchased from me this past year.

The new year will be exciting.  For several reasons, I will be re-branding myself.  This will entail a new name for the photography business.  Also, there will be a new website and a new logo.  Later this week, I will provide more details to direct you to the new website and a new FaceBook page.

In the interim, while the Rob Marshall Studio website will be terminated, the email addresses will be active for some time.  The Rob Marshall Studio page on FaceBook will also stay active for a while until everyone can transition to the new page.  The phone number will remain the same.


Thanks again for following Rob Marshall Studio.  I hope you will follow the new site as well.


Rob

2011 Virginia State 9-Ball Championships

Rob Marshall Studio will be photographing the 2011 Virginia State 9-Ball Championships this weekend, July 30-31.  The event is promoted by Virginia State Pool and Billiards and hosted by Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA.  Also, sponsor InsidePOOL Magazine will offer free live streaming from the championships.  Streaming will take place on UStream, YouTube, and Facebook simultaneously.

This event is a qualifier for the U.S. Open 9 Ball Championships held in Chesapeake, VA.  Three players will receive free entry into the U.S. Open, the top woman finisher and the top two men finishers.

Rob Marshall Studio will post all images by Monday evening, August 1.  Images from the event will be available for sale.  There will be an additional 10% discount for orders received by end of the day August 15.  A special promo code will be provided to enter with your order to receive the discount.

To view images from last year's championship, click on the following links.

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=6929717

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=6929737


I hope to see you at the Championships!

Camera Phone Photography

Has anyone else tried some of the new camera phone apps?  I never thought I would enjoy photography with my iPhone.  After all, I have a fancy DSLR, expensive lenses, and a bunch of other accessories. However, I must admit that I have had some fun with these apps.  And, best of all, most have been very inexpensive, or free!  There are camera apps that provide more features than the built-in camera.  Also, there are apps to edit images and add effects.

So, what is the appeal of camera phone photography?  While it will not replace my DSLR, it is a fun diversion from lugging around a lot of expensive gear.  Plus, you still need to use photographic techniques to get good images; you still have to understand composition and quality of light.  In fact, you probably need to consider technique more with a camera phone because you have less controls than a DSLR.  Another bonus is the ability to capture an image and share it quickly to social media sites or blogs.

Of course, there are some downsides.  The camera phones are not great quality and are not high resolution.  I am still using an iPhone 3G which has a 2 mp camera.  The iPhone 4G camera is 5 mp.  So, while the images will be fine for web purposes, print quality will suffer greatly for anything larger than 4x6.  In addition, these apps will definitely drain the phone battery quicker.

The camera apps I tried were Camera+, Instagram, and Hipstamatic.  With Instagram and Hipstamatic, you can take a photo, apply effects, and then post to various social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.  I particularly enjoy Hipstamatic.  It gives you virtual lenses, films, and flashes to provide differing effects that resemble analog photos.  You can purchase additional combinations of virtual gear, called Hipstapaks.  For editing, I am using PerfectPhoto.  I also use Impression to add a watermark.

To test the apps, I took some self-portraits.   The top left photo was shot with the Lucifer VI lens, Claunch 72 Monochrome film, no flash.  The photo above right was shot with the Helga Viking lens, Float film, no flash.  The photo to the left was shot with the Roboto Glitter lens, AO DLX film, no flash.  Overall, I thought the images were successful.  (Of course, it would help if I had a better looking subject!)

Let me know if you are using other photography apps.

Varmints!

There have been some unwelcome house guests hanging around recently!  I finally managed to capture photographic evidence of the trespassers. 

About 8:15 last night, I went out on the deck and looked up at three raccoons staring down at me from the rooftop.  One raccoon immediately ran off, but the other two did not seem concerned with me at all.  So, I ran back inside, grabbed the camera and flash, hoping that the critters had not departed for their nightly forage.  Sure enough, two raccoons were still there.  Again, they did not seem concerned with me until the strobe flashed.  Then, they just seemed curious about what I was doing.

Now, I guess it's time to find some live traps.  They are great for some cute pictures, but I prefer not having them as permanent guests.  I especially do not want my roommate's dog to have a close encounter with the raccoons!

Alfred Stieglitz: Photography As An Art Form

"The arts equally have distinct departments, and unless photography has its own possibilities of expression, separate from those of the other arts, it is merely a process, not an art."  Alfred Stieglitz

The Richmond Times Dispatch recently ran an Associated Press article about an upcoming exhibit of images by Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1964).  The article primarily focuses on the exhibit in New York City.  While Stieglitz is considered one of the masters of photography, there is much more to the story of his life.  Stieglitz was also an inventor, author, collector, patron, and owner of art galleries.  Most importantly, he was a tireless promoter of photography as an art form.


In the early 1900s, many considered photography more as a process than an art form.  It did not have the elevated status as painting or sculpture.  In 1902, General de Cesnola, the founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, scoffed at Stieglitz's suggestion of considering a photograph as a piece of art.  It wasn't until 1928 that the Metropolitan exhibited a collection of photographs as art!  All of the photographs were pieces Stieglitz had collected over the years.


Stieglitz published and edited three different photography magazines.  In each, he showcased the best photographers of his day.  He was meticulous in using the latest reproduction and printing techniques in order to best display the images.  Stieglitz also owned three different galleries in which photographs were prominently displayed with other forms of art, including works by Rodin, Picasso, and Matisse.  In later years, he focused primarily on American artists.  In fact, he was one of the first to champion the works of Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keeffe (who later became his second wife).


So, while he was an accomplished photographer, he is much more known for his contribution to the visual arts.  Many consider him one of the most important figures in the history of American art.  As a photographer today, I must applaud Stieglitz's tireless effort!


For a sample of his photography, below are two hyper-links.
George Eastman House 
Metropolitan Museum

Beach Portraits

Rob Marshall Studio will be at Emerald Isle next week!  If you are nearby and would like to sit for a beach portrait, please contact me.  There will be a special promo code to receive an additional 10% discount on your order (does not apply to the sitting fee).

In addition to the usual portraits, I am available to take more casual shots of your family at the beach.  The kids playing in the sand or boogieboarding and skimboarding.  Surfing or surf fishing.  Whatever you and the family enjoy at the beach!

You can reach me via email at info@robmarshallstudio.com.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Virginia State 9 Ball Championship

Rob Marshall Studio will be taking pictures at the 2010 Virginia State 9 Ball Championship this weekend, July 17-18.  The event is promoted by Virginia State Pool and Billiards and hosted by Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA.  This year, sponsor Inside Pool Magazine will offer free live streaming from the championship and pro Max Eberle will provide commentary.

The championship is a qualifier for the U.S. Open 9 Ball Championships held in Chesapeake, VA.  New this year, the State Championship has opened the field to women.  Three players will receive free entry into the U.S. Open, the top woman finisher and the top two men finishers.  Also, the purse this year is $10,000!

Rob Marshall Studio will post all images by Monday evening, July 19.  Images from the event will be available for sale.  In addition to the usual price break discounts, there will be an additional 10% discount for orders received by end of the day July 31.  A special promo code will be provided to enter with your order to receive the discount.

To view images from last year's championship, click on the following links.

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=4942714
http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=4942715

I hope to see you at the championship!