Matt Bettis

Craftsman at work 

Master shaper Matt Bettis shapes a new longboard. Nikon D700, 70mm at f5, 1/30 sec. Single color balanced strobe opposite the subject

 

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Light can certainly set (and change) the mood of an image

Here’s a shot I got of noted San Diego based DJ and sound man Troy Cook, while we were both working an event there recently. If you’re in SD and find yourself in need of a great DJ/sound man, by all means give Troy a call at 619 440 4555.

This is HB local surfer/shaper Matt Bettis checking out the waves early yesterday morning. A back lit, front lit, “overpower the sun with a tiny flash” kind of set up. I lit Matt’s face with an off camera SB800 at half power and just out of the frame. Mother nature kindly provided the sun for a backlight. It amazes me how much light these little strobes can actually put out. Shot with a Nikon D700 and my trusty 24-70mm, 1/100 sec at f22. I used a pair of Pocket Wizards to trigger the flash.

While the model’s name happens to be Lily, I’m also giving my age away in the title of this blog entry.

This shot was taken using only available light. The lighting was provided by overhead flourescent tubes that were (fortunately) covered with white diffuser screens and a well placed set of bright white double doors camera left, that were in the perfect location for use as a large reflector. Sometime you just get lucky…

Nikon D700/24-70. 1/80 second f4.5

I shot a destination wedding a couple of weeks ago down in San Diego. Here’s an outtake from that shoot. The image is of the groom and his son taken  just moments before the ceremony. I shot this with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor  24-70mm f2.8, using single on camera diffused SB800 flash for fill. I think the son’s expression is priceless.

My architectural photography class was asked to shoot an exhibit that detailed the history of Harbour Surfboards at the Frank M. Doyle Art Pavillion on campus at Orange Coast College. Here is one of the shots from that exhibit

Here are two shots we made of a new high rise condominium in Irvine CA.

It’s called Astoria at Central Park  West. Very nice place.

My architectural photography class had the opportunity to shoot this really spectacular home in Laguna Beach as a group project two weeks ago.  The combined class photographed the entire house, each group taking a portion. My group shot the patio and the living room. The camera we used was a school Canon EOS 5D mk I and Canon 14mm lens. The camera was “locked down” using a sturdy tripod and sandbags and  then the shots were taken at f22 and bracketed about 3 stops each way. For some of the living room shots we blocked out the windows from outside to ensure we got all the necessary detail in the door frames. Each final shot was then composited from multiple images and tweaked into final form.

The skill of the Hawaiian woodcarvers is certainly the equal to any of the Northwest’s Native American tribes. That said, I’m not so sure I’d want to stumble out of that hut some stormy night and face this bunch! I shot this at a National Historical Landmark site called “PU’UHONUA O HONAUNAU”, or Place of Refuge. It’s located about 15 miles south of Kailua-Kona. The historical park preserves the site where, up until the early 19th century, Hawaiians who broke a kapu (one of the ancient laws) could avoid certain death by fleeing to this place of refuge or pu`uhonua. If the offender made it inside the walls of the refuge, they would be absolved by a high priest who lived there. If not, well…

Nikon D300, Nikkor 50mm f1.4 shot at f11 1/125 sec