Dessertopia

Mmmmm, some of the deserts from Chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernadin, New York City. All shot with the Nikon D700 paired with the older Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AF, not the new G version, wide open under natural window light (well, about f2.0). That aperture and about 1/80 second to keep it sharp while hand-held called for ISO 1250 or so ensures a narrow depth of field and that creamy bokeh to the rest of the image. I chose the settings manually to give it a white, dreamy background - perfect to match the dreamy deserts of celebrity Chef Ripert. I love the different shapes of the plates as well.

St. Andrews - Golf's Birthplace

Top: Links golf, where the land meets the sea.
Middle: St. Andrews, the home of golf
Bottom: A foursome starts down the 1st fairway of the Old Course, the St. Andrews hotel in the background.

Watching the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews golf links this week reminds me of my trip there in August 2006. We experienced perfect weather, 65F and sunny for four days of golf. However, the morning we stepped on to the famed Old Course, the golf gods reminded us of the nature of true Scottish links golf. They blessed us with 40 MPH sideways wind and rain. Later that afternoon, we played the New Course to glorious blue sky and puffy cumulus clouds.

But at least we got our taste of some real Scottish weather.

Happy Father's Day 2010

Father and son, Shelter Island, NY. May 2010.

Beautiful Kyrgyzstan

I'm saddened by the news of the ongoing ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan, pitting Kyrgyz against Uzbek peoples. I was in this beautiful mountain country in 2007 and found the people warm and welcoming. I do hope that the violence abates soon. Here are some images from that wonderful ten-day trip from Bishkek, the capital, around Issy-Kul Lake, then south to Osh.

For more images, see www.michaelseto.com/Proofs/Kyrgyzstan/

Fashion Week - 2009, Here We Go Again...

Top: try to get both feet on the ground in your shots, this takes practice.
Second: the make-up artists (MUA) and hair folks work long, hard days
Third: a fun behind-the-scenes shots of the clothes hanging ready for the models
Fourth: this year, I saw a lot of young models with their mothers in tow
Bottom: the martini

Images © Copyright 2009 Michael Seto

Mercedez Benz Fashion Week (Feb 2009)

It always feels cooler to say you shot Fashion Week than to actually do it. Being in the tent feels like the copy from that Vodka ad "in a world full of golddiggers, posers, and wannabees..." Photographing there is fun for about ten minutes, then it's just work, then it's just a pain in the a--.

Shooting a runway show is enjoyable, for the first few times. There are some people who love it and you see a lot of them year after year at Bryant Park; they love to tell the newbies (like me) where to sit and just act like chaperons or air traffic control to the flock of photogs and camerafolks on the media riser.

Tips for the runway. Using a fast capable SLR, I use the Nikon D700, I knew whatever the lighting conditions, I'd be able to get the shots I needed with it's high ISO and fantastic autofocus capability. First things first, get to the riser early, especially if you don't have a reserved spot - it gets crowded. Be courteous and try and wedge yourself in so you don't spoil someone else's shot. Bring the minimum amount of gear and leave your bag elsewhere. Remember you normally can't use flash. A folding stool is great as well, or a hard camera case to sit on. I bring the D700 with MBD10 and the 70-200 VR, then I sling a D300 with a 17-35 for some wide angle shots of the venue.

I shoot on Manual and chimp beforehand to get my settings, I like f4 to give me some background blur but still enough DOF to get a face sharp, at least 1/250 to freeze motion, so today I ended up at ISO 800. Fortunately, lighting at the show tends to be consistent day-to-day and all along the runway. Matrix metering can get fooled by the bright runway and dark backgrounds sometimes. I shoot on Dynamic AF-C with 21-sensors active; initially focused on the face of the model. Nikon's AF works like a charm, tracking and predicting focus for me. I work the zoom as they walk out to frame them properly and then zoom in tight to get some close-ups at the turn.

The tough part it timing their steps so you get both feet on the ground. A leg bent at the knee can make a model look like an amputee, and a raised leg can look like she's listing and about to capsize (which happens sometimes with stilettos). Using a fast camera with bursts of 8 FPS helps of course - but you still want to fire when she's about to put her foot down. Knowing how your gear functions helps immensely in timing this.

Make sure you're equipment is ready and you have plenty of memory. A show runs maybe 20 minutes and you get say 35 looks, you're shooting 8 FPS the whole way, 20-25 frames per look equals 700+ shots...and in RAW I only get 350 images on a 4 GB card. Be ready to change quickly (or get a bigger card); there is no letup or slowdown - you're like Lucy at the chocolate factory. Get behind and you're going to be stuffing chocos everywhere and explaining to your editor why you missed the one key look they wanted.

This year I also got a chance to shoot backstage at the Rebecca Taylor show. You get a lot of insight into the chaos of how a show is put together and executed. And you realize how young these models are. You can get some fun, behind the scenes shots, just don't shoot the models undressed or someone's going to yell at you and you'll find yourself thrown out (or hit by Mom's handbag). Every girl seem to be from Eastern Europe and most sit around in i-pod zombie mode.

If you think being a model is glamourous, hang out for a couple shows behind the scenes at MBFW. The way they cycle through hair, makeup, wardrobe...I've seen chickens at Tysons get better treatment.

That's all for now, hope to see you in the riser in September...maybe.

Basic Assignment Loadout

Like many other photographers, I have a collection of camera bags. One of my favorites is the Domke J-3. Here's a photo of my standard loadout for photojournalistic type assignments as well as lighter event work. The rule of thumb here is two of everything so if something fails I'll still be able to get some kind of image.

Cameras, a D700 and D300, plus one MB-D10 battery pack, compatible with both cameras. I do lose one stop of low-light capability with the D300 but I like the FX/DX combo. I'll usually pair the D300 with the 70-200 to give me added reach with the 1.5 crop factor. The D700 sports the 24-70 zoom.

Lenses, a 24-70 f2.8 and 70-200 f2.8. I can also cram in my 50 f1.4 if required. I'll sometimes swap the 24-70 for a 17-35 if I feel the assignment calls for a wider angle zoom. The setup does not allow for all three of these fast zooms to be carried unless I ditch either the Turbo or one of the SB-800s.

Flashes, 2 SB-800s and a Quantum Turbo battery with CKE cable to power one of the SB-800s. I'll throw in the Demb Flip-it for my bounce. Normally for PJ type assignments I'll leave my flash brackets behind.

Rapid Strap, (not pictured) I'm a big fan of the R-1 strap from Black Rapid Strap (www.blackrapid.com). This let's you hang one camera at the small of your back and bring it up rapidly (pardon the pun) to a shooting position. I've used it with a 70-200 on a D2x with a SB-800 attached - it's plenty sturdy and I have no fear the camera will work it's way loose. I use Op-Tech straps for my bodies.

Well, that's the basic loadout that I carry on many assignments that call for a minimum of gear, but redundant enough to cover any contingencies and malfunctions, as well as fairly lightweight and unobtrusive in the well designed Domke J-3 bag.

High Profile Event Photography

**Click to enlarge any of these images.
Images © Copyright 2008 Michael Seto

Top photo: The 20-foot ceiling precluded bounced flash, so I used the Demb Flip-it (see below) to give me nice even lighting off an SB-800.

Middle: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao speaking at the Waldorf-Astoria during a lunch sponsored by the National Committee on US China Relations, Sept 23, 2008.

Bottom: Dr. Henry Kissinger introduces the Chinese Premier.


New York City
September 2008

My client called, "I'll need your social security number and date of birth."

"Oh, what for?"

"A Secret Service background check."

I was silent for a moment, "Oh my..."

The National Committee on US-China Relations (ncuscr.org) hired me to photograph a luncheon they sponsored honoring the Premier of China, Wen Jiabao, who is the equivalent of the US Speaker of the House, third in line in Chinese politics. The luncheon would take place at the Waldorf-Astoria in midtown Manhattan.

Cirque de UNGA

It was one of the events in the week-long UN General Assembly. A real circus and pain in the neck if you life anywhere near the UN. Traffic barricades and motorcades abound.

Working with heads of state can be exhilarating as well as daunting. Their schedules are planned to the minute, protocol, assistants, and of course security surround the dignitary. It's a zoo. With literally dozens of moving parts - the photographer falls pretty low on the totem pole. In this instance, the NCUSCR did a fantastic job of coordinating with me and the other photographer ahead of time; they asked for our input for the reception and VIP greeting area.

The Chinese Premier would be greeted by NY Governor Patterson, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Ambassador Carla Hills, and Dan Brown, CEO of Motorola. Then he'd meet 30 plus VIP dignitaries, including Dr. Henry Kissinger and Ambassador Madeline Albright. My job...get perfect photos of each person meeting the Premier.

The Gear - Go Wide Young Man

For something like this, a suit and tie is mandatory, no ball cap and jeans thank you. A professional photographer needs to maintain the proper decorum and you're representing your client so make them look good.

My primary camera was the D700 with MB-D10 grip and Nikon's 17-35mm f2.8. You want wide on these types of shoots since space tends to be confined, you will be close to your subjects and people will be moving in and out of frame. This is the key PJ lens that you can't live without. Most of the shots will be at 24-35mm and you will inevitably get a lot of fluff on the sides of the frame. Fortunately, with 12 MP you can crop out a lot and still have enough pixel density for a great image.

The high ISO capability of the D700 (and D3) is unsurpassed and gives you maximum flexibility for shots with or without flash. I chose flash here, mounting a SB-800 with a Demb Flip-it (www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/) and connected to a Quantum Turbo battery for fast recycle. No Stroboframe here - too unwieldy. These photos are not fine art, they're PJ so blast away.

I set my camera for 2000 ISO, -1 2/3 stop on TTL on the -800, a shutter speed of 1/60 (I wanted some ambient), and f8. Yep, like they say, "f8 and be there." While f8 demands more of the flash, it gives plenty of depth of field so you get some latitude on the focus in these fast moving situations. (At 5' distant, f8, 35mm, you get 3' of DOF, 1' in front, 2' behind. Plenty.)

I carried everything in a Domke J-3. This is a compact journalist bag, in black it looks small and professional, yet holds everything you need comfortably. No backpacks for this type of gig.

Kit: D700 w/grip. D2x. 70-200 VR, 17-35, 50 1.4. 2 x SB-800, 1 Quantum Turbo, assorted cards, batteries, lens cleaner, etc.

The Scrum

Fortunately there were only four of us working the greeting area, me and my partner, a photographer for the Chinese delegation, and a shooter for Secretary Chao. So we just lined up off to one side. Try to play nice with other photogs, introduce yourself, understand what they're there for and you can help each other out - like making room for a shot for each other. Yes, it can be win-win.

The problem was the two translators, two VIP greeters and a couple other assistants that kept getting in the shot - either in the background, or cutting in our line. The key here is you need to be assertive. A shrinking violet photog will not get the shot needed. Just tap the offender on the shoulder and ask them to move (in Chinese if possible).

Some dignitaries will know what they're doing, some won't. A good photographer will figure out which one they are and quickly intervene if necessary, placing people in their spots and telling them where to look. Take charge as required but lay back if not. Remember, we're not the show, we just capture it; but woe betided you if you don't...

Find A Unique Angle

The luncheon speech was standard podium shooting. I shoot manual for fixed situations like this. A black background can often fool the meter so I spot meter the face, and then tweak it till I'm happy. Shooting one particular setting also makes it easier to make batch adjustments if required in post (and yes, I only shoot RAW). These photos were at ISO 2000, f4, 1/100; I didn't mind shooting at 1/100 since I was using the VR while hand holding.

Then one of the PR guys suggested I go up with the rest of the pool photogs...what?! Screw that, I thought, I'm the official photog with full floor access. But, I reconsidered, maybe I'll get a different shot up on the balcony, and I did. So instead of the mic and face photo, I got a couple decent stage setting (pardon the pun) images. See, sometimes the PR folks do know what they're talking about and have the photographer's best interests in mind.

Good luck and good shooting!