Hello friends, I just returned from a snowy engagement session up the hill from where I live with Casey and Jessica, great couple! Today was perfect because the weather changed from sunny to cloudy, which gave us a variety of photographs and lighting. Here is an image from today’s session as my images are currently uploading. (For those of you who have been asking me, there is a frozen lake behind them, and they are standing on a ledge which drops down to the lake.  Yes, a little dangerous, but we were within the safety zone, and we captured many great images today).

YOU’RE AN ARTIST, NOT JUST A PHOTOGRAPHER
Typically, with portrait sessions and engagement sessions, most photographers will photograph whatever clients bring to the session because our job is to capture you at your best. However, if you’re a photographer, then you’re an artist (or at least in my opinion you should be). Photography involves more than just taking pictures of people. You’re title may be “(fill in the blank) photographer”, but to create those amazing-wow-factor-images, you’ll soon see as an artist, your “PHOTOGRAPHER” title is just one of many titles in the creative process. An example title of a photographer is a visionary. He/she should be able to see. I’m not talking about a cute backdrop with flowers, I’m talking about the chemistry and feeling of that image. They look at the natural world and the subjects within it, and decide how to morph it into something that moves us inside. That’s what I’m hunting for when I’m photograph people; something that moves me.

To learn more of what I’m talking about, I’ll be hosting a workshop in Las Vegas on Saturday, February 18, 2012.  We will have a few talented models with great locations. I’ll be explaining and teaching throughout the day as we all photograph together. If you are interested, there are spaces still available (a limited 15-20 group size). Please click here to view the details and register. I hope to see you there with us.

Join us for our killer One Day Vegas Workshop in the desert (and the city)!

WORKSHOP I

“YOU’RE AN ARTIST, NOT JUST A PHOTOGRAPHER”

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012
8a.m. – 5p.m.
LAS VEGAS, NV.

Register today!  A limited number of 15-20 people may sign up!
Off Camera Flash lighting, posing/directing, fashion, weddings, and the wow factor.

“Charleton is literally one of the most talented photographers I have ever met.
He is constantly striving to improve his work, and is always on the cutting edge
of photography. A true artist, he is one of the new photographers that gives me
hope that great photography will live on for another generation.“

Kevin Focht – Fashion/Beauty Photographer

- THE WORKSHOP – YOU’RE AN ARTIST, NOT JUST A PHOTOGRAPHER

In an “american idol” world where many call themselves a photographer, one important element seems to be missing in much of it:  The Art.  Without question, the digital age of photography has produced lazy and watered-down work, which has diluted the market.   As more and more people purchase cameras, along with a website and some pictures of their kids and pets (and stats show there are no signs of stopping) the rise in qualitative art and explosive imagery by emerging artists will only cut through.  These artists will separate themselves from the rest. If you want to be an artist and stand out, it’s going to take much more than pointing and shooting.

In this workshop, I want to equip you with the tools I have learned to achieve the “wow factor” in my images.  I want to inspire and teach you personally, as a coach and cheerleader (but not the girly kind), a reason why our group is limited to 15-20 students.  We’ll go over lighting (natural light and I’ll bring my lighting gear, battery packs), vision, inspiration, posing/directing, and how I do it.  We will also have a live demonstration, and allow you to photograph a few talented models in fashion attire out in a few planned locations (THE DRY OPEN DESERT & the City).  If you’re serious about getting the wow factor in your images, this workshop is for you!  Plus, we are honored to have with us two very talented models whom we will be working with on our day!  Check them out below!  (Warning: I will not be discussing how your camera works.  Please get to know your camera before you come.  That is another workshop).  I look forward to seeing you there!

Meet Olivia Lakis, one of our models for the day from Envy Agency!

Meet our male model, Christian Guidi, one of the other models for the day!

___________________________________________

WORKSHOP INFORMATION:
CLASS SIZE:
15-20 students Maximum

CLASS DATE:
Saturday, February 18, 2012

CLASS HOURS:
8am- 5pm (with lunch break)

WHAT TO BRING:
Camera gear:  1-2 DSLR cameras, 2-3 lenses, a flash, batteries, lots of memory cards.
Lunch/Drinks:  A Mighty Lunch, snacks, and drinks.  We’ll have an Ice-chest.
Clothing: Weather dependent, but I would bring some warm clothes, jacket, etc.
- We’ll be traveling to the desert for the morning with amazing models and then the city for the later afternoon.  If you have a vehicle, please let us know.

COST: 
$325 if you register by Feb. 15th.

* This price and workshop is limited, so get in while you can!
* Payment is non-refundable.

HOW TO REGISTER:

REGISTER:
Register by paying below “ADD TO CART”
Please send me a personal note to the email below letting me know you registered, and any areas where I can help you!

CLASS LOCATION:
Meet at Lobby of MGM Hotel, Las Vegas, at 8a.m. near the registration desk.  Get ready for an amazing day (RAIN OR SHINE)!

E-MAIL: charleton@charletonchurchill.com
WEBSITE: www.charletonchurchill.com
PHONE: (209) 603-1741

Purchase Here – LAS VEGAS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Click this button below!

 
Workshop Host: Charleton Churchill

A little about me:
Age: 37 years
Style: Fashion-forward in weddings and portraits
Weddings shooting per year: Between 30-40
Currently Live:  Jackson, California (small town south of Tahoe and Sacramento).
Family:  Married to my amazing wife of twelves years, with three daughters
Favorite camera/lens combo:  D3 with 85 1.4.  (recent convert to Nikon)
Hair Style: invisible fohawk
Motto: Go hard or go home

*This hosted workshop is in no way affiliated, sponsored, nor promoted by WPPI, even though WPPI is happening the same week.

As some of you may know through Facebook and/or Twitter, I have made an announcement that I’m switching from Canon over to Nikon, and to sell all my canon gear (now). I have already purchased all my Nikon lenses. What’s left to do is sell off all my remaining canon gear to those who expressed interest. So, what I’m going to do is list my gear for sale below. After a week, the remaining gear will be on Craigslist, ebay, or amazon. The lenses I have available were bought brand new and are in great working condition. Email me if you have any questions.

CANON GEAR FOR SALE

CAMERAS AVAILABLE
Canon EOS 5d – $900
Canon EOS 5dm2 + 3 batteries – $1600 (not selling quite yet).
Canon EOS 40d – $400
Canon EOS-3 Film – $250

LENSES AVAILABLE
70-200mm f/2.8 IS L – $1700
24-70mm f/2.8 L – $1000 (not selling quite yet)
16-35mm f/2.8 L II – $1300
35mm f/1.4 L – $1100
85mm 1.8 – $300
50mm 2.5 macro – $175
15mm fisheye – $600

580 EX II Flash – $380
580 EX II Flash – $250 (diffusion cover + card needs to be replaced)

A brief explanation of why I’m crossing over to Nikon.

Let me start by saying, I don’t care to start any Canon vs Nikon arguments.  I’m not going to share anything different from what has already been expressed in the last few years by others. You can read similar sentiments others have expressed here Switching from Canon to Nikon, or 20 Reasons to change from your Canon to Nikon, or From Canon to Nikon, or just Google it. I don’t want to blog another “why I switched over to Nikon” when there are many out there saying the same thing.  So, I’ll keep this short.

I like Canon.  The reasons I am changing over from Canon to Nikon simply have to do with AF (auto-focus) and ISO.  Nikon’s AF does a killer job focusing in dim light and is a monster at tackling horrible lighting conditions.  Canon performs poorly in low light. Canon hunts and misses many good moments in these typical conditions, like at many weddings.  This 2011 year, I photographed forty weddings, a good handful with different versions of the 1D mark IV (along with my 5dm2 & 5d cameras) hoping the 1D mIV would be the fix.  However, that camera hunts as well, even though it’s a step up from the 5dm2 in some regards.  The 7D’s AF is supposed to be progress, but I’m not looking for cropped sensors.

Also, I can focus my camera on my subjects with the sun behind them (or back-lit) and Nikon grabs onto them instantly.  Lastly, Nikon has amazing ISO capabilities.  I like it that I can crank up the ISO to 3200 on the Nikon D3 and still get amazing quality images.  You can read more about that online, but know that Nikon is the ISO king.

There are other reasons where Nikon can outperform Canon (flash system being a big one, skin tones, etc. ).  However, my objections are minimal.  The bottom line for me is I don’t want my camera holding me back from being creative, being artistic, and more importantly, doing my job efficiently.   Nikon frees me and limits the errors and wasted time.  I don’t have to worry about AF, specially in low light.  I have contemplated this for the last year, and have had my cameras and lenses checked and serviced.  I even had myself checked.  (Maybe it’s me, like I’m the problem, but I know better than that).  When I shoot the Nikon, it only confirms what I’m saying.  Besides that, Nikon now has fast, sharp, and beautiful bokeh lenses.  Canon can no longer use the argument that it has better lenses.  Nikon not only has amazing cameras, but now top notch lenses that are on par, if not better, than Canon lenses.  That’s enough for me to switch without looking back.  Cheers.

So, what Nikon Gear did I purchase?

Nikon D3′s (I hope to get the D800 when it comes out).
Nikon F100 Film camera

14-24mm 2.8
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
35mm 1.4G
50mm 1.4G
85mm 1.4G
SB-900 Flash
SB-910 Flash (pre-ordered)

That’s it for now!

I often read books on photography, lighting, bios on artists, and other valuable artistic inspirations to keep myself learning.  I even try to listen to bands whose true intention is to create art, even if I don’t like the music.  Pushing myself beyond my own knowledge is the key! If you want to grow in your knowledge, you need to be reading and learning!  I think that’s why I like the North Face’s motto: Never stop exploring!  I’m a mountain climber, so I apply this to my whole life!

If you’re a photographer or aspiring to become a professional photographer, and you want to be successful, you have to master at least three areas in photography. First is composition, second is lighting, and third is post-processing. There are other areas, but these are fundamental. The best in the world have mastered these all too well. Just look at the WPPI winning competition images. They are perfect! The images below show from beginning to end of my post-processing. You can see the first image is plain. From my camera, this is what I achieved. I was shooting in manual, and everything was dialed in correctly. We have a pose from the senior that I happen to like. Haley’s doing an amazing job. With some instruction, every senior can look good, just like out of a magazine, which is how I love to shoot! I think sometimes seniors get a little intimidated because they think they’re not a model! If you’re a senior, and you’re thinking this in your head, then it’s time to get over here and book your session!  I’ll change your thinking!

After I fixed the color to what I liked, and adjusted the lighting on the background and foreground, I tweaked her eyes and facial features (not that she needed much anyway) to give the images the pop it needed. I fixed any small distractions, lint, etc. I then softened her skin a little, sharpened the whole image, and this was the next image that came out!

I then placed a texture on the image in Photoshop, and removed some of the textured areas from her face and hands. I adjusted it to where I liked it, not too much or too little. This is the next image.

Now I love the image just the way it is, and I could leave it that way! However, a black and white looks great as well!

Here’s another before and after image of Haley that I liked!

And a few other finished images!

As you can see, composition, lighting, and post-processing make this senior in this image ROCK even more!!  Thank you Haley!  If you’re a senior, and you want to book your senior sessions, I shoot in the RAIN and SUN!   Check out the images from Holly LaMarr’s session in the rain!!  Anything is possible.  If you’re interested in booking your session, you can email me or call me.

(209) 603-1741   or   info@charletonchurchill.com

Before I explain these photography tips, if you don’t have Photoshop, or you’re not a photographer, this may sound gibberish to you, but I’ll explain it as best I can.

So, basically, all I did was walk up to the TOP of the LA Dodger stadium (uhh very scary). The field was covered in white tarp (because it was raining) so I couldn’t shoot towards the field, very ugly. I had to compose the shot with the stadium seats in view to capture the essence of the stadium. I was shooting the canon 5d mark2 with the 24-70mm canon L lens, very wide. I brought out my off camera flash, canon 580ex2, and underexposed the ambient sky, and exposed my flash for the subjects, in this case the engaged couple, Cary and Anissa.  I was actually going to turn this image into a spotlight effect, but it turned out better this way.

I went back home and uploaded the image I knew I liked, and fixed it up in RAW. I dodged and burned this image in Adobe Photoshop CS4. I have CS5, but some of my plug-ins do not work in CS5 yet, so CS5 plug-in people, word on behalf of us photographers, get your plug-in’s updated.

As you can see, the stadium in the BEFORE image was underexposed, and I dodged (brightened) the stadium seats and used the sponge tool (saturation) to bring out more colors in my seating. In one tweek, I had brightened them too much, and I didn’t like it. I burned (darkened) the seats back down a little.  I don’t like to overuse to sponge tool in my images because it looks too fake sometimes, but in this image, it was totally appropriate. I then dodged the sky in a layered light view so that it didn’t look like one glob of darkness, cloudy and all.  I sharpened the whole image only so much, and then smoothed out the couple.  I also pushed the contrast a little to make the darks darker and the lights lighter.  Lastly, I used a plug-in that brings in more definition to the image, and then adjust it down a little.  I added a slight vignette, and that was it!

Charleton Churchill Photography Tips

Here are is the first image:

Here is the second image with a Black and White variation:

Here is the somewhat vintage look:

Visit my Website: Charleton Churchill Photography
Contact me:  (209) 603-1741
Wedding and Portrait Photographer

I thank Jesus because he gave me these talents to inspire others. He has blessed me with my beautiful wife of eleven years, three beautiful girls, and many relationships with people who are great and influential in my life .

People that have been influential in my life, people like my Pastor George for putting up with me and continually encouraging and challenging me all these years.  Randy Fields for his influence in my life as a high school and college student, pushing me to work hard.  Close friends from college and the band, Andrew Shirley, Nathan Brown, Chris Berry, Joel Berry, Brett McFadden, Ben Rayls, Dex Alexander,…where would I be today?

My photographer inspirations and thanks go out to Kevin Focht and Andrew Funderburg for mentoring me and pouring into me regarding the business and art of photography.  Thanks for being honest, challenging, and pushing me to new levels.  Kevin Focht, thank you for allowing me to fly up to Portland and shoot that wedding with you.  Scott Wreyford for your wisdom and willingness to answer all my questions.  Scott Kelby (I know, I don’t know him personally, but man his books are great).  Jonathan Esper your frienship in landscape photography on Mt. McKinley, Denali, Alaska.  Travis Hoehne for introducing me to the business of photography, and getting me started. You’ve been a gracious friend.  Robert Evans, for the road trip to WPPI Vegas.  It was worth it.  Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell for their photographic commitment and passion in the mountains. I will never enjoy photography as I do on the mountains I climb.  There is something beautiful and peaceful in the grandness of a mountain.  Of course, there are many other photographers I would like to thank, and who have inspired me.  Thank you all.

Thank you for being followers of my blog, Facebook, and twitter.  Some of you are die hard fans.  Mitch you definitely can be nominated as one of my craziest fans. I love you bro.

Counties that competed in the KCRA 3 2010 A-List Best of Business Contest are as followed: Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Placer County, Nevada County, Sierra County, Stanislaus County, Yuba County, Amador County, Calaveras County, Colusa County, Lassen County, Plumas County, Yolo County, Butte County, San Joaquin County, Solano County, Tuolomne County, and Sutter County.