JasonSmith.com/blog http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog Real. People. Pictures. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:11:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 My Bill Cunningham New York http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/05/27/bill-cunningham-new-york/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/05/27/bill-cunningham-new-york/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 22:59:33 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1737 BillCunningham-byJasonSmith-3924I recently saw the movie “Bill Cunningham New York” at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre and remembered that when living in New York, I had the briefest encounter with the legendary man. I was working as an entertainment photographer for the Everett Collection photo agency and was at a benefit at Cipriani on 42nd St. for UNICEF. Although he wasn’t wearing his trademark blue smock, he did look dashing in his simple blazer with cuff links and wide-whale navy cords. I said, “How are you doing,” and he replied, “OK, young fella.” I’m in my 40s now, and it was fun to have him say that. Here’s his “On the Street” work for the New York Times.

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/05/27/bill-cunningham-new-york/feed/ 0 Calvin Tran shirtless in black and white http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/calvin-tran-in-black-and-white/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/calvin-tran-in-black-and-white/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 03:58:48 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1731
Clothing designer Calvin Tran photographed in Chicago 1998 by http://www.jasonsmith.com

Clothing designer Calvin Tran photographed in Chicago 1998 by http://www.jasonsmith.com


Way back in 1998 I photographed Chicago clothing designer Calvin Tran with my old Mamiya RZ67 Pro II with the rare 6×6 Hasselblad-type back. I haven’t used that thing in years, but sometimes it’s fun to go back into the archives. Calvin is now infamous for his “Oh, here go hell come” line from Bravo TV’s “The Fashion Show.” Photos by JasonSmith.com

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/calvin-tran-in-black-and-white/feed/ 0 Analog to digital http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/analog-to-digital-4/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/analog-to-digital-4/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:01:27 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1727
Zane Edwards photographed 1996 by http://www.jasonsmith.com

Zane Edwards photographed 1996 by http://www.jasonsmith.com


I’m starting a new series of images taken with film and rephotographed with a digital camera with this blog. Here we see Zane Edwards photographed in 1996 with Type 55 Polaroid film. Zane was studying film production at Columbia College in Chicago. Photos by JasonSmith.com

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2011/02/11/analog-to-digital-4/feed/ 2 Chicago Pride Parade 2010 http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2010/06/28/chicago-pride-parade-2010/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2010/06/28/chicago-pride-parade-2010/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:15:59 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1696

My video from the 2010 Chicago Pride Parade is now online. Thanks for watching!

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2010/06/28/chicago-pride-parade-2010/feed/ 2 Divinely inspired baked goods http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/31/divinely-inspired-baked-goods/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/31/divinely-inspired-baked-goods/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:33:49 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1666 I have started a new series on baked items appearing in my kitchen

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/31/divinely-inspired-baked-goods/feed/ 0 Fausto and Marc on WGN Radio http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/19/fausto-and-marc-on-wgn-radio/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/19/fausto-and-marc-on-wgn-radio/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:17:17 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1663 Here’s a snippet of Fausto and Marc’s appearance on WGN Radio Dec. 19, 2009.
Fausto and Marc on WGN Radio

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/12/19/fausto-and-marc-on-wgn-radio/feed/ 0 360 panoramic image of my new neighborhood http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/26/360-panoramic-image-of-my-new-neighborhood/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/26/360-panoramic-image-of-my-new-neighborhood/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:27:54 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1653 {qtvr http://www.jasonsmith.com/panos/chicago/night/outside.mov 600 400}

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/26/360-panoramic-image-of-my-new-neighborhood/feed/ 3 Critical focus control http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/critical-focus-control/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/critical-focus-control/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:08:51 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1623 Willy photographed with the Hoodman Loupe...waiting for the Zacuto Z-finder...

I am a huge fan of Canon’s wide-aperture lenses. As an example of the ability of this lens to throw the background into a beautiful color mush (known technically as “bokeh”) I present this shot of Willy taken with the Canon 50mm 1.2 L lens. Willy is the creative balloon artist featured recently. It’s almost impossible to get a critically-sharp image without using the Hoodman Loupe. But I’m really looking forward to getting the Zacuto Z-finder (I’ve got mine on order, it won’t be long I’m told). The Z-finder is a 3x magnification loupe that attaches to the back of the viewfinder…just activate Canon’s live view function, change the focus point to where the eyes are and then use the zoom button to magnify 10x to achieve the sharp focus. Without the Z-finder or other loupe, being able to get exact focus is impossible.

Mandy at Zacuto was kind enough a few months back to show me their version 1 of the Z-finder. I was knocked out by how cool it was and by all reports the version 2 is even better and is fast becoming the must-have device for not just shooting video, but for the critical focus application mentioned here. Not only is the Z-finder well-adapted to shooting and focusing video, I’ll be using it for focus and also for more discreet photography in situations where the shutter sound is just too loud. To enter this semi-stealth mode, enable live view, use the Z-finder for focusing and take pictures without the normal clunk of the shutter. I can’t wait!

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/critical-focus-control/feed/ 3 Finding the right background http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/finding-the-right-background/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/finding-the-right-background/#comments Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:46 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1620 Michael plays his cello in our new place Aug. 20, 2009. I think the pictures improve as the background gets a little less cluttered. You can try this with your own photos if you like by isolating your subject against a simpler surrounding environment. The last image takes on more of the nature of a “photograph,” as the others are more keepsake snapshots. What do you think?

]]> http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/25/finding-the-right-background/feed/ 1 Balloon art at Millennium Park http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/24/balloon-art-at-millennium-park/ http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/2009/08/24/balloon-art-at-millennium-park/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:02:11 +0000 Jason Smith http://www.jasonsmith.com/blog/?p=1607 Balloon artist Willy Chyr appears at Millennium Park August 21, 2009 as part of the Science Chicago LabFest! celebration. Chyr’s jellyfish-like creations are a product of the University of Chicago graduate’s interest in physics and magic. Read more about him here. A short video I made of the afternoon is on Youtube.

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