Jay Scott Photography

One Mean Machine

For some time I’ve been planning to shoot a friend’s Cobalt. Last summer & fall didn’t work for either of us and she stores it in the winter. Finally we completed the first of a series we plan to do. There may be a Camaro in her future next year so I plan to complete the shots of her baby in case it gets traded up next spring. Elva has taken such great care of this car and details it probably daily.

It was a great opportunity to combine some of the techniques I’ve learned from the late Dean Collins’ lighting videos from the 80s (proving the digital age hasn’t changed as much as you might think) and a local acquaintance, James Hildebrandt, who recently shot his new Mini Cooper. Collins’ technique involved revealing the form of the car through light reflected off the walls and ceiling as seen on the hood and door, and James’ technique was combining multiple surgically lit exposures to create the final product.

I took 51 exposures and used about 30 to create what you see below.

Communion

I’ve been long overdue to change the photo in the frame I have at our church. I just didn’t feel anything I shot this winter was well suited for that location. That was until Angie baked bread. That combined with frequent thoughts of this season, Jesus’ death so we can be reconciled with the Father, and the communion it brings simply inspired me.

Typically this would be sorted under the food category, but I felt Bigger Things was more fitting.

Strings and Keys

Date Shot: April 7, 2009
Notes: During my work with my friend Dave, for his CD and promotional material, I shot his instruments. I don’t often get opportunities to use props like this and I appreciated the chance to add to my product photography experience.

Power Revealed

Date Shot: September 28, 2008
Notes: With my dad’s physical assistance I took this photo of my van revealing both the hood and the engine in one exposure. No digital manipulation was used.

Grandma’s Reading Chair

Date Shot: January 29, 2009
Notes: My wife, Angie, is sitting in her late grandmother’s reading chair with grandma’s reading lamp which were given to her and are now in our basement. The book in her hands and the one on the armrest are classics also given to her by her grandma.

Our New 2005 Mazda 3

Opportunities Galore

Where to begin? I suppose that I will start by mentioning how well my dentist appointment went last week. I don’t mean to make this sound like a journal but the transfer on and off of the dentist’s chair is no easy task for me. Thankfully my teeth were much better than last time and it took her less than half the time to give me my full cleaning. As always, with a mouthful of dental tools, there was a minor conversation and I had mentioned my work. It wasn’t long before my dentist had expressed an interest in learning more about her camera and getting it off of the automatic mode. I will continue to work on my photography lesson book and maybe I will get a free cleaning next time in exchange for a copy of it.

Next I must say what an excellent day I had at the forestry farm and zoo on Monday. All of the animals were posing so nicely and I will post shots to prove that soon. Yesterday I had a very encouraging meeting with the small group pastor from our church about the upcoming year. Today we got our new car and I promise you there will be shots of that very soon. Then it was off to Angie’s work to do some shots there for their website. That was yet another great opportunity to work with people.

However, after taking pictures of her Grand Am, and the amazing opportunities I was given today at the dealership, I know that that is something I could very easily get into full-time. Maybe that is the speciality I should look into. I mentioned opportunities at the dealership. Firstly, I had given a business card to the guy we were dealing with for the paperwork and money end of the purchase. He had promptly gone my website and informed me today how very much he loved my work. I was perhaps more flattered that I have been to date. It felt good to have such an affirmation. He expressed interest in prints and what he was looking for for decor in their home. I will definitely be working on the subject of his interest soon.

What excited me even more though was the vehicles he expressed he would have no problem getting me access to for some work. We’re talking about six-figure vehicles here including a Dodge Viper and a Ferrari! I think that my assertiveness/shameless self-promotion by giving him a business card paid off. Now, I just need to dig up that assertiveness once more and take him up on his offer to let me shoot his BMW then maybe take it from there for the vehicles I would be afraid to be within 30 feet of for fear of scratching them.

Here are the shots of Angie’s Pontiac Grand AM which she gave up gladly in exchange for our new Mazda 3.

I’ll work on those long ago promised shots from our holidays, shots from the zoo on Monday and definitely our new car in the next few days so check back soon!

New Photos

Well, actually a few weeks old, but now posted. They are from our shoot at Ebenezer Baptist Church.
First, Dave’s instruments:

Portraits of Dave at EBC:

Our recent work downtown in front of the Bessborough:

We have a few more ideas for shots that I’ll share when we take them.

At the moment I am just impatiently waiting for an order to arrive. Once it does & I’m back to fully functioning lighting gear I’ll have new shots often. Lots of ideas, just waiting on gear.

Thanks for looking!