steffen photography

I've Moved!

2010-12-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

I moved my blog over to www.steffenphotographyblog.com - visit me there!

Dan & Michelle's Engagement Session!

2010-11-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm
I've known Dan since I was 19....so like 2 years now? Ha. Just kidding. I'm thrilled to see him so happy with Michelle - and she's so awesome! Match made in heaven, those two. We had a great day of shooting around the Valley, with all of the fall colors and amazing clouds.

Here's a sneak peek into today's session...

Napa in the Fall

2010-11-15T19:24:00.000-08:00

Canon 5D Mark II
Lenses: 24-105mm, 50mm macro, 28mm, 80mm

Lucas Pools - Post 2

2010-10-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

More pools....

Lucas Pools - Post 1

2010-10-06T16:51:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105 L Series Lens

I love being commissioned. It makes my subject so focused that it allows me to use my creative energy around that subject instead of coming up with everything all at once. I really enjoy it! Lucas Pools will feature pools they have done around Napa Valley. Pool 1 is below...my favorite photo is the first one...

Purple Artichokes from Colorful Harvest

2010-09-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
50mm Macro Lens

Thank you again to Colorful Harvest for sending me purple artichokes! These worked out perfectly for my shoot and I am so grateful to them for that. Oh and they were delicious....extra hearty.

Wine Cocktails!

2010-09-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
50mm Macro Lens
Sutter Home Wine Cocktails!

Albany Bulb

2010-08-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens
For my birthday/Mother's Day this year, my dad and brother took us to The Albany Bulb. I've lived in this area the majority of my life and had never even known this existed. It was a chilly May day, and we ended up walking the entire Bulb, not quite knowing where everything was. Here's an interesting read on The Bulb... Sidenote: What is my fascination with landfills? Treasure Island....The Bulb...The Marina....

Lola

2010-08-19T11:21:00.001-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens

This is my brother's dog, Lola. She's some sort of mutt, a rescue dog my brother got from the Marin Humane Society. She's adorable but has selective hearing...

Rusty Barrels....

2010-08-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens
These rusty oil barrels were laying around near the abandoned trains at 8th Street in Sonoma (Hwy 121). One of my favorite things to shoot is anything rusty, dirty, old, abandoned or beat up. The textures and colors and history of what might have been intrigue me.

Treasure Island...Part 2128015

2010-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens
I LOVED living on Treasure Island....where else can you have panoramic views of the entire Bay Area, watch all of their fireworks shows every Fourth of July and be contaminated with radioactivity? I mean really, it has the best of all worlds.

Not that it ever got warm enough, but this would have been an awesome pool to hang out in/by in the warm San Francisco fall.

Avila Beach, SLO

2010-08-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens
I took this shot way back earlier this year at Avila Beach in SLO. If I could take it again, I'd do many things differently, but for now, it is what it is....and I do really need to go back!

Purple Pepper & Green Squash

2010-08-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
50mm Macro Lens

More fun with produce! As you can see, I've been looking for pretty purple produce...hence the purple pepper. I had some fun in Photoshop and I'd love to know which you like the best. Then there's a lone, green squash at the end. The colors and pattern are gorgeous.

Artichoke

2010-08-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
50mm Macro Lens

Expect more pretty produce from me here - I'm going to be on the hunt for perfectly photogenic produce for awhile. Next up, our labor-intensive-but-lovable artichoke!

Corn

2010-08-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
50mm Macro Lens

I love corn. I've never even seen sweet red corn until yesterday in my hunt for the most photogenic produce. I have yet to eat it, but enjoy the photographs - it's so beautiful!

Update: This corn is produced by Colorful Harvest. Like them on Facebook!

Gettin' Some Action...

2010-07-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm Lens

Photoshop actions, that is. I downloaded some new actions and had some fun! These photos are from a shoot I did when I first got my 5D Mark II. This was quite a while ago and I'm bummed I hadn't edited these before now. A lot of these are outside my comfort zone as far as style, but it's been really fun to mess around with the curves and colors and all the different actions. Some of the actions I used were: cross processing, vintage, oversaturation, texturizers...and a lot more. I had so much fun!

After the "official" photoshoot, a couple of us went to Sonoma Square to be silly...hope these make you giggle...

This is The Ballpark Band's official band photo! (don't they look like a band?? Love it.)

This is The Ballpark Band after a long set, takin' a break.

Been So Loooooong.....We've Been Gooone.....

2010-07-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been so long even Blogger forgot about me. I'm back. Hopefully more often. Life and work have gotten super busy and that usually means my photography takes a back seat.

Last week, I shot the last Nine Vines Dinner of the season at Fifth Floor in San Francisco. Here are a couple of highlights from that...

Restored Ford Bronco

2010-05-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

My friend had his dad's Bronco restored....and it's beautiful. You all know how much I love old cars - this was such a fun shoot and I can't wait to do more in other locations.

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105mm, 50mm macro, 85mm

Mario Batali Foundation Golf Tournament

2010-05-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Monday, I had the opportunity to work a booth promoting Bandits at the Mario Batali Foundation Golf Tournament in LA. It was cold & dreary (I know! In LA!) but a good time nonetheless.

The highlight of my day was meeting Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Gone in Sixty Seconds) - I heart him. Love those movies and he was SO nice in person! I even got a hug.

Here are others just for fun....

A Day at Nick's Cove

2010-05-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday looked gorgeous. Looks can be deceiving. It would have been amazing if the wind had packed up and taken its wrath to another town. Even with the frigid winds, the setting was spectacular and the day was fantastic!

Nick's Cove
Tomales Bay, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - 24-105mm and 50mm macro lenses

What Is That Thing?

2010-04-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ohhhh it's a pay phone. Right. Remember those?

iPhone
Vallejo, CA
"Pecan Pie" Action - MCP Actions

Napa Cellars & Folie a Deux e-Lot...

2010-04-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

In the bidding mood? Starting May 16, visit http://www.napavintners.com/ and check out the e-lot for Napa Cellars & Folie a Deux: 6 bottles Napa Cellars Mt. Veeder Chard, 6 bottles Folie a Deux Lewelling Cab, 2 kindles, and 2 $500 gift cards to kindle store! Bidding ends on May 23...get while the gettin' is good...

Nine Vines Event - March 2010

2010-04-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

San Francisco, CA
Scala's Bistro
Canon 5D Mark II
This month's Nine Vines Event was at Scala's Bistro in the city. Good food, good wine, good company, as usual! These events pick up again in the summer - visit ninevinesevents.com, watch my blog or my Facebook page for details!

Headshots

2010-04-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2010
Napa, CA
Canon 5D
I love taking photos of coworkers for the newsletter. Part of it is because I know them all pretty well and I love to capture their personalities in these photographs.

Models

2010-04-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

I love love love when friends and coworkers are good sports about being models. I've even been a model for this little show on the Food Network called Unwrapped...yes, that was me who said "Tastes just like Merlot!" on the episode where they talk about how alcohol-removed wine is made. I don't want to talk about it anymore. (Really? "tastes just like merlot"??? Wow. My days on TV are definitely numbered.) I'm also in the new Burger Parties cookbook looking as happy as a clam on a bright summer day. Fun stuff!

When I did the shoot for the Three Thieves online store, my coworkers were troopers. They allowed me to move, brush, twist, turn, shake, prop and style them like they were mannequins. I appreciate it greatly!

My friends are also good sports and have let me shoot them numerous times just for fun. I like that they will let me dictate how they should sit for the best shot, and I think they like that they get fun shots for free! I plan to do a lot more of these shoots soon (so if there are any friends reading this...watch out :)).

365 Days of Photos - Photo 54

2010-03-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

Vacaville, CA
2006
Canon 20D
Oldie but goodie...this photo has always struck a chord with me. When I shoot fine art, I shoot what I see...this was near the Milk Farm sign among other discarded items.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 53

2010-03-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Healdsburg, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
Every year for the Wine Road Barrel Weekend, I help out my favorite winery, Holdredge. John & Carri Holdredge are awesome people and have welcomed me with open arms to chat people up and pour them wine out of the barrel. I enjoy doing it every year and look forward to the next time! In the meantime, I'll be heading up for a wine tasting weekend in Healdsburg just to visit! They make fantastic Pinots (understatement!)....mmmmmmm.......

365 Days of Photos - Photo 52

2010-03-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
Not only am I slacking on going to the gym, I'm also slacking here! Nevertheless, here is photo 52. I didn't find that sea glass on the beach...I threw it there. Still makes for a cool shot, huh?

365 Days of Photos - Photo 51

2010-02-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
As you can see, I'm WAY behind on my 365 project. I've been in quite the slump lately and haven't shot very much. It's time to snap out of that! Jason's silly side helped...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 50

2010-02-19T15:34:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
How cute are these!! Burger cupcakes!
Made by Sift, locations in Napa, Cotati and now Santa Rosa.

Baby B! (365 Days of Photos - Photo 49 and then some...)

2010-02-15T19:18:00.000-08:00

I have new photos of Baby B! I'm happy he can be my model :)

365 Days of Photos - Photo 48

2010-02-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm
Train tracks in Rutherford - near the old train station. I have no idea what this is, but it's so cool and casts an amazing shadow.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 47

2010-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA

Canon 5D Mark II

Fun with the 85mm!

And another one...I have a thing for mailboxes. What can I say. More mustard in the background!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 46

2010-02-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA

Canon 5D Mark II

Fun with the 85mm!

Another mailbox on Highway 29. Check out the mustard in the background on all of these...one may be submitted into the Mustard Festival!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 45

2010-02-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
Fun with the 85mm!
I'm going to try shooting collections. Who knows...maybe I'll make a coffee table book out of this idea someday! Here are mail boxes up Highway 29 on the most beautiful day we've had in months.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 44

2010-02-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Somewhere over California

iPhone

365 Days of Photos - Photo 43

2010-02-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

Somewhere over California
iPhone
I bumped up the contrast and color on this one....it's fun!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 42

2010-02-11T22:15:00.000-08:00

I can't even figure out where this was!
Holga - 120 film
There's something about this photo that I loved immediately. Ethereal, the light is gorgeous, I'm not sure what it is. I just like it.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 41

2010-02-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Holga - 120 film
This is just the tree outside of the back door of my office...a less than spectacular view except through this camera...it makes everything spectacular in an understated way.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 40

2010-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Holga - 120 film
Those chairs again! Here they are from a different perspective...through a different lens. Literally.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 39

2010-02-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Dobra Winery
Holga - 120 film

365 Days of Photos - Photo 38

2010-02-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Holga - 120 film
Rebecca (with Dave in the background)

365 Days of Photos - Photo 37

2010-02-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

Saint Helena, CA
Canon 5D
Pizza & wine tasting

365 Days of Photos - Photo 36

2010-02-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

Sonoma, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm lens
Nature. Again. I love scraggly branches. What can I say.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 35

2010-02-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
The lone purse. Black & white. Shadows.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 34

2010-02-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
This tree was so alone in the vineyards...I had to get straight on to get the massive foreground, the incredible sky, those lonely picnic tables, the rows of vineyards and that big ol' tree. I'm not a huge landscape photographer, but this shot gets me.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 33

2010-02-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
I think this is my favorite photo from the weekend. These red, rustic, peeling, weathered chairs are so vibrant and interesting. I may actually print this one!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 32

2010-02-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
Ahhhh the cellar door - according to J. R. R. Tolkien - these two words together are the most beautiful in the English language. The is the quintessential winery door shot...I've always wanted to take a shot like this. I'm not gonna lie.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 31

2010-02-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
This is at another winery in Amador County. This is a pool of water in the top of a wine barrel, the reflection is of the sky, the winery, and their weathervane.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 30

2010-02-02T20:42:00.000-08:00

Plymouth, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
This is the barrel room at Terra d'Oro winery in Amador County. It's an extremely impressive place both for wine and for photographs! I had to go black & white with this one...it's just so striking.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 29

2010-02-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
My parents made these for Thanksgiving...they were sticky and messy and so gorgeous!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 28

2010-01-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, CA
Orson Restaurant & Bar
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm lens
This is Elizabeth Falkner and her sous chef getting the salads ready for the Nine Vines Dinner Series.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 27

2010-01-28T20:32:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, CA
Orson Restaurant & Bar
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm lens
At the event shoot in the city at Orson, I had the privilege of ducking into the kitchen - Elizabeth Falkner's kitchen! Super cool - I'm honored to have met her.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 26

2010-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

San Francisco, CA
Orson Restaurant & Bar
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm lens
I shot an event last night at Orson Restaurant & Bar in the city. The dinner was held in the private room upstairs and this was part of the decor on one of the sideboards. I want it for my house! I love glass bubbles.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 25

2010-01-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - 85mm lens
A bookend in my house...played with the levels in Photoshop just because.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 24

2010-01-25T21:05:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon 5D Mark II
How gorgeous is this! I didn't change anything on this photo....1/500s, f/4, 105mm. The sky was just. that. gorgeous.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 23

2010-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

Saint Helena, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - macro lens
What time is it you say? I'm on a black and white kick too. There's just something about black, white and grey...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 22

2010-01-25T20:58:00.000-08:00

St. Helena, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - macro lens
Another rainy day droplet photo on a scraggly vine...I love it, it's like claws. Rawr.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 21

2010-01-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA
Canon SD700
Hail. On. My. Porch. Awesome! Yes, I put some in the freezer right after I took this shot and called my mom.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 20

2010-01-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

St. Helena, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - Macro Lens
Yep, still cheating. Sorry. But look how pretty the view is!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 19

2010-01-20T16:30:00.001-08:00

St. Helena, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - Macro Lens

Ok, I'm cheating and I know it. I just loved this photo too, so it's #19. Thank you to Chef Jeff Starr for this beautiful Dungeness Crabcake.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 18

2010-01-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

St. Helena, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - Macro Lens

This photo is one of my favorites from a shoot I did back in November. I hadn't edited these yet, so I thought I'd share them here as one of my photos for my 365 project. Thank you to Chef Jeff Starr for these oysters on the half shell.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 17

2010-01-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

Sonoma, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - macro lens
I've always wanted to do the rain drops on a leaf thing....I can scratch that one off my list!

365 Days of Photos - Photo 16

2010-01-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

Sonoma, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - Macro lens
I just went around outside on this rainy day for about 15 minutes. In the right frame of mind, shooting every day is easy! It helped that I was in a gorgeous setting at a friend's house in Sonoma...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 15

2010-01-17T19:54:00.000-08:00

Sonoma, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - new 85mm lens!
Again, just leftover cut lemons and limes from the birthday party. Amazing what you can find in the things around a house.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 14

2010-01-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

Sonoma, CA
Canon 5D Mark II - new 85mm lens!
This is my favorite image from my shoot of the "aftermath" - the morning after a birthday party.

Slackin'.....

2010-01-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

I haven't quite gotten the hang of taking one photo per day. For some reason, life tends to get in the way. I took some photos of Baby B last night but I used K's camera. Doesn't really do me any good... Tomorrow, I'll be all over the North Bay and I vow right now to take mucho photos and catch up on my slackin'.

In other news, I got my 85mm lens yesterday - love it! I can't wait to play around with it tomorrow.

Cheers! It's Friday!

Here's an oldie...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 13

2010-01-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
This was the sky this morning. It's so gorgeous when it rains around here! Rain, clouds, sun, rain, sun, clouds...it makes for a picture perfect day.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 12

2010-01-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

Carneros, Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
I'm cheating with this one since I was sick yesterday and missed a day. This is from some shots I took on Sunday...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 11

2010-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

Carneros, Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
I think this is my entry for the Mustard Festival this year...unless I become extremely creative in the next month...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 10

2010-01-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2010
Schramsberg, Calistoga, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
This is my favorite shot from today - three glasses of bubbly. Does it get better? This is being submitted to stock houses...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 9

2010-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2010
Swanson Winery, Rutherford, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
Ok, I missed two days. Here's another make up photo...This is the decanter at Swanson Winery; Michelle is pouring us their fantastic Merlot.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 8

2010-01-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2010
Calistoga, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
I missed a day this week...here's my make up photo! This is in the pond at Schramsberg. A cloudy day makes for amazing colors in the world...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 7

2010-01-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

January 8, 2010
Uva Trattoria, Napa, CA - iPhone

365 Days of Photos - Extras

2010-01-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

I had to catch up from yesterday and ended up with a few extras today. The extras don't count toward future posts, but I thought I'd post since I have them. Post your suggestions/comments/criticism for any photos I post here! My goal is to become a better photographer through this project.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 6

2010-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

January 6, 2010

Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
How Napa is this...it's taken me almost three years to shoot this guy! I couldn't decide between black & white and color...though now that I look again, I think I like the black and white better. Which is your preference?

365 Days of Photos - Photo 5

2010-01-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

January 6, 2010
Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
An awesome broken post, sunset, lights from the corporate park in the background...

365 Days of Photos - Photo 4

2010-01-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

January 4, 2010
Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
Cupcake from our very talented dessert chef, Pat Little.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 3

2010-01-03T22:43:00.001-08:00

January 3, 2010
Napa, CA - Canon 5D Mark II
Fog rolling over the hills near my house.

365 Days of Photos - Photo 1 & 2

2010-01-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2010 (This is technically after midnight so it counts. It's the party favors.)
Sacramento, CA - Canon SD700

January 2, 2010
Santa Rosa, CA - iPhone
These guys in the far back set up a full band on the street - acoustic guitar, sax, drums.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

I solemnly swear, in 2010, I will shoot more, post more, and become a better photographer.

Inspired by a photographer I follow on Twitter, my first resolution of 2010 is to take one photo every day. Doesn't matter what it is, but it needs to be posted here. If I miss a day, then I have to post two the next day. This can be a photo taken with any camera - DSLR, point shoot, Holga, Mamiya, iPhone.

Wish me luck!

May your 2010 be filled with shooting, photo editing and technique perfecting. I hope mine is!

Baby B

2009-12-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to sneak in a few shots of Baby B this weekend, even though he wasn't the happiest of campers. I'm looking forward to our next outdoor shoot! Maybe he'll be a fan of mine that day!

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Snowball Fight in Times Square!

2009-12-21T11:44:00.000-08:00

Reasons I love this:
1. I love snowball fights
2. I love Times Square
3. I love candid photography
4. I love black and white photographs
5. This makes me so happy

Thank you to Doug Kim, Photographer, for sharing these photographs with the world. You made my day.

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Winemakers

2009-12-15T11:39:00.000-08:00

I don't usually focus on people photography, but there is a huge need for it out there, and I'm willing to fill that need.

Here are some shots of Winemaker Rick Oberschulte, Sutter Home Winery.

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My Sunday at Rayko

2009-12-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I spent the day at Rayko Photo Center in San Francisco. I had signed up for a class but wasn't sure I'd get in....then I got the call I'd wanted....you're in. Sweet.

Sunday morning was grey and miserable, spots of pouring down rain paired with spots of sunshine carried me to the city. At quarter till, I rolled into Rayko, so excited for this class. Their entryway has couches and gallery walls where they feature photographers' works. They offer classes and a darkroom and mat cutters and computers and anything your photographer's heart desires.

Studio Lighting for Product Photography kicked off at 10am. I was enthralled the entire way. This class solidified my passion for photography and my intentions to pursue it more actively. We learned how strobe kits work. We learned how to use a light meter. We learned how to play with light and manage reflections. Here is an example of our bottle setup:

--The tent is made out of translucent diffusion gel.
--The c-stand is above the camera, holding the top of the gel.
--There are two strobes on either side of the tent, equidistant from the bottle for a symmetrical reflection.
--There is a light shining down on the back side of the bottle to illuminate the liquid.
--The top soft box is pointing on the background to create a gradient of grey
--The black cards on the sides prevent the side lights from spilling onto the background.
--The mirrors behind the bottle illuminate the liquid even more.
--We held a mirror near the lens to brighten the label.
--Meter, meter, meter.
--Shoot.
--I'll post the final shot here when I pull it off the camera.

What an incredible day. I had such an awesome time, networked with other photographers, and will continue my quest to go pro.

The final photo after two hours of setup!

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Landscapes

2009-12-10T19:23:00.000-08:00

Become a fan of Steffen Photography!

Details

2009-12-03T00:03:00.000-08:00

I try not to take things for granted...there is incredible beauty in the details.

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One of the Highlights of the Year

2009-12-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Being published in Wine Business Monthly! It's really exciting to be published in a magazine that I read regularly and one that ties in my love of wine with my passion for photography!

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Second Baby J Shoot!

2009-11-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

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Fine Art, I Miss You!

2009-11-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

I haven't shot a lot of fine art lately and I'm finding that I miss it! It's time to go on a little road trip and shoot away...

Baby J!

2009-11-22T21:29:00.000-08:00

I have finally finished the photos from Baby J's shoot. Enjoy! I can't wait until his studio shoot next week.

Baby J

I just love this photo...I had to do a pop of color and then a black and white!

SeaGlass Photoshoot!

2009-11-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

I was SO excited to do this shoot! My boss and I launched this brand a couple of years ago and it came time to update the glamour shot. I took the initiative to do the shoot this time and have confirmed my passion - food photography. I'm so lucky to have an amazing facility available for shoots...you can't go wrong when the venue is perfect, the food is perfect, the dishes and flatware are perfect, and the view is perfect! Here is a glimpse into Wednesday's shoot...

Night Harvest 2009

2009-11-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

On October 8, a friend and I headed out to Arbuckle, a tiny town off of I5, between Napa and Red Bluff. It was the end of harvest and only two harvesters were out in the fields. It was my last chance to catch night harvest in action. Check out some of the photos from that night...and yes, we got to ride on the top of this massive machine. It was absolutely awesome.

Next year, I'll head out at the end of August and catch ten or more harvesters going at once...I hear it looks like a carnival with all the lights! (A good carnival...no carnies.)

PS - They were picking Moscato...we picked a couple and ate them right off the vine...tasted just like Moscato!

2009 Wrap Up

2009-11-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

I've shot a lot more than just these, but here is a snippet of some of the shoots I've done over the past year. I had to kick off this blog in the best way possible! Cheers to many shoots, many photos, many hours of editing, and meeting new clients!

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