I am an older, experienced, award winning photographer and artist, graphic designer and web designer.

MY PHILOSOPHY:

FIRST: LOOKING GOOD I believe the photographer's most important responsibility is to make the model "look their very best" thru proper lighting and camera technique

SECONDLY: SPARKLE AND POP If the model doesn't "sparkle and pop" then it is not a good photograph. It might be a great pose, wardrobe, hair, etc, but it is not good photography.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT PHOTOGRAPH? -
Get a cover from Vogue or similar, national magazine.
Then, look for the following:
- Catch lights in the eyes (zombies have no catch lights)
- A backlight creates a soft ring of light, or halo, around shoulders, head and outlines body, arms and legs
- Hair lights create soft highlights and shadows in the hair and bring out the color and styling detail
- Body lights create soft shadows and highlights on the skin giving arms and legs a 3 dimensional look.

THIRDLY: CREATIVITY I like photographs that are UNIQUE beautiful and-or striking and speak to me more than those that substitute special effects and nudity for quality.

LIGHTING Different lighting for different looks:
- Energetic shots (fitness, product promotion, etc) should sparkle and pop as if shot in morning sunlight - they make the viewer feel good
- High fashion, formal wear-looks and gowns should have very soft edge shadows and soft contrast - Often shot in low lighting
- Dramatic shots - the hard edge shadows and high contrast requires very precise lighting control, light modifiers and spots
- Swim suits and lingerie shots have soft lighting, low contrast and soft shadows. Multiple soft lights are required to create soft highlights and shadows on all exposed skin.

FOURTH: NUDITY I believe nudity has a place in art when appropriate to the message or scene and can be done elegantly and tastefully but it is one of the most difficult things to photograph well - the more skin, the more difficult and complex the lighting. Very, very few photographers can do it really well.

POST PROCESSING (Photoshop) should leave the model looking like she is still a human being - not a plastic doll.  EXAMPLES I have include some examples from the world's top fashion photographers to illustrate perfect post processing - SKIN is smooth but not plastic - EYES are bright but not white-white HAIR AND CLOTHING details are sharp and chrisp - colors are bright and natural

Springville Museum of Art -- 3 month show.
Palmer Art Gallery -- Fantasy and Fairy Tales Show
IAO Gallery -- Several shows
In the last 3 years I have won a place and awards in:
-- Springville Spring Salon (3 years in a row)
-- Springville State Religious Art Show (2 years in a row)
-- Provo Freedom Festival
-- Eccles Black and White State Photography Competition
-- Eccles 16th Statewide Photography Competition

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