Michigan Renaissance Festival 2009

[lordwriothsley]

Excellent shots Lazuras. Thanks for sharing.

PS. I especially liked the first one you shot of the entire cast.

[RVNOMAD]

I just now got around to checking out your MRF shots Xanthenes.  I'm still going through your photostream on Flickr, but did want to come back here and congratulate you on your considerable photographic skills.  The camera work and post processing are excellent.  You really captured the essence of the event (even though I wasn't there, it felt like you took me there).  

Xanthenes, your images are a cut above what most of the rest of us crank out.  It's an inspiration to see work of that calibre.

Good luck with Vancouver!

[Xanthenes The Unbalanced]

I just now got around to checking out your MRF shots Xanthenes.  I'm still going through your photostream on Flickr, but did want to come back here and congratulate you on your considerable photographic skills.  The camera work and post processing are excellent.  You really captured the essence of the event (even though I wasn't there, it felt like you took me there).  

Xanthenes, your images are a cut above what most of the rest of us crank out.  It's an inspiration to see work of that calibre.

Good luck with Vancouver!

Wow, thanks!  Coming from someone with such an impressive portfolio, that means a heck of a lot.

[Jon Foster]

I just now got around to checking out your MRF shots Xanthenes.  I'm still going through your photostream on Flickr, but did want to come back here and congratulate you on your considerable photographic skills.  The camera work and post processing are excellent.  You really captured the essence of the event (even though I wasn't there, it felt like you took me there).  

Xanthenes, your images are a cut above what most of the rest of us crank out.  It's an inspiration to see work of that calibre.

Good luck with Vancouver!

Dan, I've got to agree with you. Xanthenes takes some great pictures!

And I'm looking at your PBase galleries right now too. You have some great stuff in there as well.

Jon.

[Xanthenes The Unbalanced]

I just now got around to checking out your MRF shots Xanthenes.  I'm still going through your photostream on Flickr, but did want to come back here and congratulate you on your considerable photographic skills.  The camera work and post processing are excellent.  You really captured the essence of the event (even though I wasn't there, it felt like you took me there).  

Xanthenes, your images are a cut above what most of the rest of us crank out.  It's an inspiration to see work of that calibre.

Good luck with Vancouver!

Dan, I've got to agree with you. Xanthenes takes some great pictures!

And I'm looking at your PBase galleries right now too. You have some great stuff in there as well.

Jon.

I was just re-perusing some of the forums here and it occured to me that there are a heck of a lot of really good photogs covering these Faires.  We're pretty spoiled in that area.

My favorite thing about having so many good photogs covering MiRF is that I get to see how you or someone else at the Faire covers things that I'm also shooting.  And, once in a while, I kind of shake my head and give what I think is the best compliment you can give a photo:  a loud exclamation of "Damn, wish I'd shot that!"   

The last time I did that with a MiRF photo, and I've done it several times, was that falcon in flight you grabbed.  I ran back to look if I'd managed to capture anything like that.  Nope!  Blurry, blurry, out of frame, too backlit, etc.

I've gotten so many great ideas from this place.  Too many of the photography forums I've been a part of in the past get a little too stuck in "Photography School Thinking"..i.e., "that doesn't follow the rule of thirds", "that guy's left arm is a little blown out", etc. instead of simply asking what a particular photograph does for them.  Technical and compositional guidelines are important to know, but I've always found that enslaving yourself to them sucks too much of the joy out of this.  Grab a slice of time and try to make an impression if at all possible.  Everything else is minutia.  And, yes, I'd make the world's worst photography teacher.   

//Okay, long rant over.  This is all just residual feelings from a Photography course I had in college.  Was told by my professor that, while my composition, colors, and sharpness were all good, my choice of "urban decay" as the subject of my project was "just too depressing."  Okay, I'd be the second worst photo teacher.  That professor was the worst.

[Jon Foster]

I was just re-perusing some of the forums here and it occured to me that there are a heck of a lot of really good photogs covering these Faires.  We're pretty spoiled in that area.

My favorite thing about having so many good photogs covering MiRF is that I get to see how you or someone else at the Faire covers things that I'm also shooting.  And, once in a while, I kind of shake my head and give what I think is the best compliment you can give a photo:  a loud exclamation of "Damn, wish I'd shot that!"   

The last time I did that with a MiRF photo, and I've done it several times, was that falcon in flight you grabbed.  I ran back to look if I'd managed to capture anything like that.  Nope!  Blurry, blurry, out of frame, too backlit, etc.

I've gotten so many great ideas from this place.  Too many of the photography forums I've been a part of in the past get a little too stuck in "Photography School Thinking"..i.e., "that doesn't follow the rule of thirds", "that guy's left arm is a little blown out", etc. instead of simply asking what a particular photograph does for them.  Technical and compositional guidelines are important to know, but I've always found that enslaving yourself to them sucks too much of the joy out of this.  Grab a slice of time and try to make an impression if at all possible.  Everything else is minutia.  And, yes, I'd make the world's worst photography teacher.   

//Okay, long rant over.  This is all just residual feelings from a Photography course I had in college.  Was told by my professor that, while my composition, colors, and sharpness were all good, my choice of "urban decay" as the subject of my project was "just too depressing."  Okay, I'd be the second worst photo teacher.  That professor was the worst.

I see lots of pictures that make me say "damn"  . Many years ago I worked for a commercial photographer by the name of Jay Asquini. I did IT stuff (computers) for him. He was a very popular commercial photographer, especially with the big 3. His studio was the best I've ever seen to this day. It was a building attached to the back of his house. One of the walls opened so heavy equipment could be brought into the studio for shooting. The walls were all solid white and smooth without any transitions. No corners, no ceiling or floor lines. Every flat surface curved into another flat surface. It was over two stories high inside and there were railings on the second floor balcony that grid work could be attached to. Big product shoots were laid out on the floor and the shots were done from above on the grid work looking down. Of course this was all done before Photoshop and digital editing was a common practice but the guy had ideas and work that were amazing. He was also blind in one eye. It seemed like every shot he took would be a new record breaker. He was one of the reasons I stopped shooting for a long time. I just couldn't produce anything I thought was close to his work.

Anyway, the faires always seem to have lots of good shooters. I like to find the older guys and talk a bit to see how their techniques differ from the current ideas you find on most of the gear-head forums. I must admit I like some of the forums but it gets pretty old reading arguments over the newest body or brand of lights used.

I was pretty happy with that bird shot too. I'll admit it. But using the 70-200 f2.8 IS was the real reason I was able to get it. Nice fast lens, AF is amazing and the extra weight allows for much smoother panning at the higher speeds the birds were traveling. I had several good shots from each pass because of it. Normally with my cheap 75-300 IS I would be lucky to get one decent shot out of five or six passes. An excellent lens if anyone is looking to invest in good glass.

I don't buy into most of the ideas taught in schools. Most of my shots that technically correct are the shots I hate and never show to anyone. They all seem to be lacking. I like to tell stories with a shot. Show emotion, give an answer, or even present a question. There are lots of things a picture can do or mean. What's that old saying? A picture is worth a thousand words? I also like the nonstandard stuff. The strong Gothic themes, the dark fantasy stuff and dreamy imaginative things. One of the best projects I did with my students for a photography class was to shoot smoke. We spent a couple of days shooting smoke and playing with the images in Photoshop. The kids loved it and they created some really sweet looking work.

Jon.

[Gary Wesley]

..some personal favorites:

The Dutchman:




Gibbon the Troubadour:


The White Wizard:


Tartanic's Adrian Walter:


Crannog's Gabriele Decker:

[lordwriothsley]

Nice shots Gary. Thanks for sharing my friend.

[Jon Foster]

Great shots Gary.

Jon.

[Lord Clisto of York]

I like all the shots as well. I like looking at others perspective of faire from my own picture taking. Great job.

Lord Clisto, Duke of York

[NefariousDrO]

Even though it's awfully late for this, I took some pictures at MiRf in 2009 that I'm finally sharing around these parts (Consider it the buildup of anticipation for THIS year's fun!) The pictures can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30083073@N02/sets/72157622335011879/

But in particular, I'm especially pleased with this one:


I do humbly submit that our queen is indeed the fairest of them all.

[Jon Foster]

Our Queen is the best!

Jon.

[lordwriothsley]

Even though it's awfully late for this, I took some pictures at MiRf in 2009 that I'm finally sharing around these parts (Consider it the buildup of anticipation for THIS year's fun!) The pictures can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30083073@N02/sets/72157622335011879/

But in particular, I'm especially pleased with this one:


I do humbly submit that our queen is indeed the fairest of them all.

I'm guessing that this was taken during the afternoon parade and The Queens arrival right?

[NefariousDrO]

Got it in one! This was really tricky because the light is above and behind the people, so I was really afraid I'd lose their faces. Photoshop helped save this one.

[Lord Virgil]

I agree with Jon, no one even compares to our Queen!!!  No offense intended to any other faire's royalty, but the truth is the truth!!!