Holiday Wishes

Would like to thank all of our great students who sent us greetings for a wonderful Holiday Season. 

The Dyna-lite alumni group has recently got in touch with us and requested a second advanced Dyna-lite studio workshop.  We will be adding it to our 2011 schedule. For those interested date will be announced in an upcoming newsletter.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Capturing the Moment before Losing the Light

It's not even Winter yet and there is never enough daylight for me. Before you know it the light is gone - I hate it!  Luckily I worked quickly and used fill flash to capture these photos watching out for background reflections.  Dan was getting some practice in before he performed that evening. Work quickly, watch your background by keeping it as clean as possible and out-of-focus, by using a wide open aperture to throw it out.  Photos ©MMX J. Kalish

2010 Fall Workshop

Photos © JoAnne Kalish 

We had a great Fall Workshop this past Sunday in the Upper Delaware. I surprised everybody by bringing in two very pretty students, we used as models. The young ladies, Delanie and Jacqueline were great. We started the workshop at the Farm and the Llamas were curious, gentle, and followed us around as we photographed them.  We then went back to the barn as it was feeding time and worked with the animals a little more. In the back of the barn we found a window with some good side light. We utilized this window for our portraits using a little fill.  We worked on body placement, how to get a Rembrandt patch and simple direction. I took them to another favorite spot of mine where the lighting is so soft and beautiful for additional portraiture work.  We then went on to Luna Parc and worked on graphics. Students had an opportunity to meet artist Ricky Boscarino of Luna Parc along with another artist Greg Hicho as they collaborated on a new mosaic piece. We ended our workshop at one of the many local waterfalls learning how to work with the fluidity of water, nature's colorful fall palette, in beautiful autumn light.  

Never a Dull Moment

Our friend Larry came over the other day to give us a hand with setting up a new computer and wiring them and such.  In return he got a new portrait done of himself for his website. It was quite striking I must say and very dramatic - to see it go to Joe's blog -http://joedimaggio-inthiscorner.blogspot.com/

I decided to make some home-made pizza for lunch and it was a pleasant afternoon. Afterward just to keep things interesting, Joe decided to have some fun and asked if I'd please photograph him using his laptop outside in a storm.  Very funny indeed but that's Joe!
© MMX  JoAnne Kalish

Montauk Point Long Island Late September

© JoAnne Kalish 

Recently spent a week in Montauk Long Island staying at  friend's Tommy & Theresa beautiful home. Thank you so much Tommy, Theresa, & daughter Victoria -  it was great!  Haven't been to Montauk in a long, long, time and have always loved the place.  Brought back wonderful memories of deep sea shark & giant tuna fishing, old friends, fun times, good memories & of course the unforgettable Captain Frank Mundus and our Discovery Channel Special.

Made some great photos, swam in the cold ocean, which by the way, was the best!  Had lots of wonderful fresh seafood and chilled out while there.  I photographed early morning sunrises & sunsets at Montauk Point Lighthouse, Fishermen, and waves crashing along the shoreline. Only wish we had more time to stay.

Tips for those wanting to go - bring a tripod ( a must), shoot long exposures to capture the flow & motion of water, remember exposures for back light, silhouettes, when to use lots of depth-of- field & when to open up for shallow depth-of-field. Also remember your  fill flash for added dimension, & keep your photos clean and as simple as possible.

*Photo is available for purchase 

9/11 Tragedy

Photograph ©JoAnne Kalish

On 9/13 I photographed a candlelight vigil at Skyland Park.  It was one or two days prior to leaving for Maryland to be an instructor on the AMERICAN PHOTO/POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY Mentor Series.  So much had happened with the aftermath and I honestly forgot to deal with these photos.  Upon return, my partner Joe DiMaggio came across them and asked me why I had not sent them in to Corbis/Sygma.  My reply was, don't you think they have enough of this stuff already?  But I wound up sending them in and I received a note from Charlie Borst, the Director of Corbis Sygma asking if the photo could be syndicated worldwide.  His comment was "I must say that from all the pictures I've edited of this tragedy, this quickly rises to the top."  "great work; I'm glad I got to see it!"  I was totally, absolutely (but nicely) surprised at this response.  Compliments are not that easy to come by in our business and this was a good one.

My Friend Artist Will Barnet

Photograph © JoAnne Kalish   (This is his favorite)

I had a very special Assignment from ART & ANTIQUES Magazine to photograph an American Master Painter by the name of Will Barnet.  It is one of those special assignments that I will always remember fondly. I was told it would be a very big spread and many pages like the one they had recently done on Philip Hockney in a previous issue. I was thoroughly excited about this and totally looking forward to meeting this man.  I prepared my equipment, did my research on his studio, and on what kind of equipment and strobes I would need to get the job done as smoothly as possible.  My bags were already packed ahead-of-time and ready to go.  Two days prior to the shoot I received a call and was told the shoot was off.  I was crushed!  I did not know what happened. But as luck would have it, almost a month later I received a phone call from the Magazine, saying the assignment was on again and Will Barnet had agreed to be photographed but, the stipulation was, that I had to come without an assistant.  Well I agreed to do whatever it would take to get the job done.  

It was strongly suggested from the Magazine that when I worked with him to be very respectful and call him Mr. Barnet.  As I was photographing him, I made suggestions for him to go to various places in his studio so I could also do a picture story at the same time as well as horizontal and vertical portraits of him.  He willingly obliged but there were times I called him Mr. Barnet and he did not respond. Once I accidentally called him Will and with that he lit up and smiled at me this wonderful warm smile.  After the shoot I thanked him very much and asked to use his bathroom to wash up.  When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I had blue paint all over my face from one of his work locations.  I was covered!  He must have got a kick out of it.

I followed up after my shoot by sending him a few photos as I was very pleased with the portraits. I sent him two and asked him to sign two of the same for me and was invited to come by to pick them up.  I have to mention, that Will is one of the most gracious & lovely people I have ever known.  When he asks how you're doing and what kind of art are you making he really wants to know.  I have gone to several of his shows, been invited for lunch, and have always been totally honored to be one of his friends.  Will has used one of my photographs for his show in the Farnsworth Art Museum and my photo in the Naples Museum of Art and I am deeply honored.

I did many wonderful portraits that day and they are by far my favorites.

This is a photo that was taken of Will and myself as I was showing him some of my recent work in his studio

Short 3 minute Travel Piece on Venice Featuring our artwork

Photo ©JoAnne Kalish all rights reserved


This is a short 3 minute travel piece Joe and I did on Venice featuring our artwork for those of you who would like to see it - http://vimeo.com/14422258

This photo is available in limited edition and can also be purchased as a limited edition
poster on our fine art website http://www.dimaggio-kalishfineart.com

©JoAnne Kalish

Just posted a 2010 Fall Foliage Workshop in the Upper Delaware scheduled for Saturday October 2

2010 Mermaid Parade Festival Coney Island

Our most Recent Workshop was at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. Please double Click to see a few of the many faces from the Parade. It was a great day but hard working as a group in such a crowd. Shooting with a long lens was the answer most of the time as there was too much hustle and bustle of people rushing in as you were trying to make a photograph. It was a fun day in all!

Photos© MMX JoAnne Kalish

LOWER MANHATTAN WORKSHOP

Well another great group! It was a totally enjoyable teaching this workshop and meeting you all. A Great Sunday in the City

©MMX JoAnne Kalish

Lions, Tigers, and Monkeys...Oh my...

© MMX JoAnne Kalish
Bronx Zoo Workshop

The last time I was at the Bronx Zoo our son Dylan was maybe 6 years old and I remember loving it. Here it is many years later and we had a workshop at the zoo. It was thoroughly enjoyable, once again we had a great group. Unfortunately, we were a little surprised as there were some exhibits behind glass which was something we were not told about by Bronx Zoo PR people. In spite of this, I think we all got some great shots. The attached Tigers & Ebony Lampur Monkey was taken with a Sigma 300mm 2.8 and a 2x extender. Long fast lenses were the answer as always at the zoo.

Another Sucessful Workshop

Photos ©Dylan DiMaggio
This past Sunday I gave Joe a hand in teaching his first Adorama Workshop since his bi-lateral hip surgery just a couple of weeks ago. It was taught in Brooklyn's Dumbo area and at Gleason's Gym. Despite the fact the weather was not very cooperative, it was a great workshop and we had a wonderful group of people.

One of our locations was at Gleason's Gym which is always a fun place to shoot in because it's full of such an interesting array of people. There are graphics galore, great portraits to be made, action photos of people training whether it be in the ring, hitting speed bags, lifting weights, running, you name it. Many different photographic skills are required and most amateurs or even most semi-pros don't normally have this kind of exposure and access to shooting so many different types of situations all at once. It is, in my opinion, a great learning experience. Also many thanks to FDNY Firehouse Engine 205 on Middagh Street, one of the oldest fire departments in Brooklyn & Lieutenant Mallien for allowing us to bring along our group for a tour and to graciously allow us to do an environmental portrait of one of their firefighters. Thanks to Larry Malang, Dylan DiMaggio & Monica Cipnic for all their help with this workshop.

Snapshots, Pictures and Photographs

©MMX JoAnne Kalish
My life partner Joe DiMaggio has just had bilateral hip surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. It's been a long time coming. You might say I've been a little preoccupied with a million other things.

It's time to pick up that camera again and go back to work. As I walked the streets to and from the hospital I realized what a truly beautiful time of year it is and what I was not capturing out there with my camera. I heard my father's voice in my head reminding me Spring was his favorite time of year. I brought my camera along as I usually do but really did not have much time to use it, as I did not have time to dally along the way. I found myself taking mostly record pictures with my IPhone to keep family and friends abreast of Joe's progress. Taking photos on a phone is something I don't do often but it certainly worked in this case and was kind of fun.

I always tell my students that in photography there are snapshots, pictures, and photographs. Snapshots and pictures are taken but photographs are made and I always strive to make photographs but there are certainly occasions for all and this was one of them.

Springtime

Springtime is finally upon us. Time to look forward to being outdoors. Flowers and trees are beginning to bloom. When you pick up your camera try to come up with something a little different. Don't just take pictures but go out and make some photos and enjoy yourself. Take advantage of nature's palette.






Photo © JoAnne Kalish

Rudy Winston Tech Rep

Who're you going to call?

When a pro, such as myself, needs technical advice about equipment, there is one person I call and his name is Rudy Winston. Rudy virtually knows everything there is to know about, not only his company's product, but also knows about the competitor's products as well. He explains whatever technical problem I have simply and easily. He is a wealth of knowledge and takes his job very seriously. The world needs more people who genuinely care and do their job to their fullest like Rudy.

I've known Rudy for about 15 years and he's never let me down. So for those of you who want to know Rudy's my Go-to Guy!

So to Cindy, who is his wife, you have one helluva Great Guy!

What Does it Take to Be A Great Model?

Photos © JoAnne Kalish

What does it take to be a great model? Well looks of course, a great figure, and a certain je ne sais quoi. But this is what it takes to make a great model and we can't all be models but most people can be photographed well once they feel comfortable.

I've learned over the years that some people just light up when you point a camera at them. These are the people that you get the best photographs of and I love working with them. For others it just takes a little time for them to get comfortable with you. No one really knows what to expect until they start working with you and the same goes for the photographer. The photographer's job is to make them comfortable and establish a level of confidence that you will make them look good. When I look through my camera after a short period of time, I can usually ascertain what works for that particular person and how to bring out the best in them. Needless to say, I love portraiture and the challenge of working with people.

I also need to mention, that before a session, I try to do a little research, so I know ahead of time, especially if we're shooting in the studio, what kind of lighting I need to use. This depends first on what the client's needs are, whether it be for a Magazine article, a corporate business portrait, or something for a model's portfolio. I also take into consideration things such as age, gender, and other factors such as complexion, whether they wear glasses and so on...

Here are some photographs of model Lucia Corvelli, one of those people who light up in front of the camera and who is a total pleasure to work with. Lucia is a Wilhelmina model, has her own Lingerie Line, and now even has her Law degree. Quite a few accomplishments for such a young woman.

Studio Portraits Using Strobes

Photos©JoAnne Kalish

The idea of using strobes is a little daunting at first but if you're interested in learning how, here is a tip someone once gave me. When you thumb threw a magazine and find a studio portrait you really love, cut it out and study it. Do this with several photos not just one. Look into the models eyes. Do you see any catch lights? How many do you see? This is a good indication of where the lights were placed. It sometimes is even obvious if you look closely whether a soft box umbrella,beauty dish or what have you was used.

In the past students have asked me about sponsorship. Just for the record, yes Dyna-lite is a sponsor of the DiMaggio-Kalish Workshops but I've been using Dyna-lite prior their sponsorship for many years. The president of Dyna-lite, Peter Poremba, is absolutely dedicated to making the best possible electronic flash equipment for the least amount of money. More important than that, he is truly dedicated to photo education.




Strobes by Dyna-lite

Shutter Speed along with Motion Adds Dimension

©JoAnne Kalish

When you photograph a waterfall or a stream you learn you can capture a certain feel to your scene by shooting at a slow shutter speed. It's necessary to use a tri-pod of course and preferably a self timer or hand-held release. You can take this technique to other situations as well. I like to add another dimension to my work, using motion whenever I can. I think it adds more interest. It doesn't have to be a very slow shutter speed but just enough. It's not always necessary here to use a tripod, unless you're shooting really slow. By experimenting, you find out what shutter speed works for different situations. Here are just two examples.
JoAnne Kalish

Think in terms of making a photograph not merely recording the scene.

My Upcoming Workshop on the 26th Annual All Women Lifeguard Tournament

© JoAnne Kalish
Several years ago I proposed a story on The Annual All Women Lifeguard Tournament in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It was a wonderful photo story.

I thought about making a workshop out of this year's annual event. It is a beautiful event to photograph and there's a lot to be learned along the way. There are many teams of young women competing in various Lifeguard duties against each other. Photographing on the beach you need to be very aware of your exposure. You have to watch out for sand and water spray on your equipment. On the beach the soft light is wonderful and it makes colors pop. We will learn how to make the best out of every sporting situation. I will share with you some techniques I used as a photographer for Sports Illustrated. Fast shutter speeds, slow shutter speeds, pans, action coming toward the camera and across the frame. There's plenty of action, graphics, portraits you name it...it'll be a hell of a Workshop! To see more recent photos of this event go to

PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE

Photos © JoAnne Kalish

I worked with Pev a few years back doing portfolio shots for him. I think Pev liked working with me because I was always striving for something really special. I liked working with Pev because he was open to trying new things. Pev called me up & said he was looking for some new shots for his book that were different and edgy so he'd stand out more.

So what I decided to do with Pev was photograph him with some attitude. For the head shot you notice, his eyes are not sharp. I thought by focusing on his nose & mouth, rather than his eyes it gave him a little more of an in-your-face kind of look. The photo of his torso, is stronger, without showing his face. I think everyone who truly wants to improve their photography should know the basic rules of photography. But after you know what is proper composition, how to shoot a portrait, depth of field, shutter speeds, and so on, you may then want to take your photography to a different level and break some of those rules if it works. Take it to a more creative level.
JoAnne Kalish

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FUNNY STORY

©JoAnne Kalish

A highlight of my career. Funny story...
I was photographing the Long Beach Grand Prix Which was the first street race of the season. I was just one, of the many photographers there. One of the keys to photographing these events is to scout out your positions during qualifications and make sure you get to a position where you can shoot the start of the race, very early, and ahead of the other shooters.

At the start of the race, maybe into the second lap, there was a loud noise and the screeching of brakes and smoke. I quickly panned following the action, around the turn, with my new Nikon motor driven camera. I had chose a corner position to shoot the start of the race, so I was able to follow through, as James Hunt flipped up into the air and onto one tire as he went over Patrick Depailler's car with Mario Andretti barely missing getting caught up in this shunt. After the race the other photographers were talking about what happened and I, matter of factly said, "I got the whole thing on film." At the time I just assumed everybody did and was not trying to brag but stating a fact. The other photographers (all male) just stared at me and kind of met each other's eyes. Later that day we went to the lab to check and pick up our film. Again this is really funny, when I opened the first box of film, there was the whole shunt series! The guys just could not believe this when I showed it to them! You had to see their faces! Someone suggested I give SPORTS ILLUSTRATED a call and let them know I had this on film & ask if they needed it. Sure enough, a messenger came to pick up my film and it was flown back to New York for that week's issue. They ran it once again, in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED YEAR IN PICTURES and I became a freelance shooter for the Magazine working mostly with Director of Photography, at the time, Gerry Cooke. I was one of the first women shooters for the Magazine.
JoAnne Kalish

Photo Tip - I found a new kind of Lighting System Rosco Lite pads

I've found a new kind of lighting system that is very cool to use and they're called litepads. Rosco makes them. They are small, and very portable light pads that can be used in studio or location. They even run on battery power! Perfect for location shooting as they also weigh nothing! Here is an example of a photograph I did with Christina, a young model I shot in our studio/Learning Center using the large pad.

Photo © MMIXJoAnne Kalish

For those of you interested in a private photo class in 2010 both Joe or I would be glad to customize a workshop to fit your particular needs.

Rosco Litepads