Monday Devotional for Photographers – Full-time Ministry

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/2500

Capturing moments like this one in Togo, West Africa is what I thought many years ago would be my full-time career today.

In high school during a youth retreat I responded to what I believed was a call to full-time christian ministry. My church licensed me into the ministry. This was the first step down a process which I thought would have me doing ministry/missions full-time. Full-time meaning I would pay all my bills from being on staff of a missions agency.

I received this call while a senior in high school. My father, a pastor/missionary, gave me counsel. My father mentored me and guided me to avoid some of the mistakes that he made. Together we determined that I needed an education path.

You will open more doors with a master of divinity degree. This is required for most pastor and missionary positions. Before you can get masters you need a bachelor’s degree. This is where my father gave me some of the wisdom from his experience. He said there is basically two areas that he worked in a great deal that a master of divinity don’t prepare you very well.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 64000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2500

Most ministers and missionaries are the leaders of an organization and having a business degree would really help you with the administrative responsibilities. The second area was that as a counselor.

I decided to major in social work and then the plan was to go to seminary.

Well while in college I discovered photography and more specifically photojournalism. My senior year while on spring break I was offered a job as a photojournalist for a newspaper. I really didn’t see this as a departure from ministry but rather a call to a specialist role in ministry.

I met Don Rutledge my senior year in college and he would become my mentor. Rather than telling that entire story here you can read more here. Basically Don was a photojournalist who worked for the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board as the main photographer for The Commission Magazine.

Just a year and half later I would get a phone call from Don Rutledge telling me about a photographer position on their staff.

I would spend five years working on the staff before they went through financial crisis and cut my position.

This was a great time it seemed to go ahead and attend seminary. This was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I thought I was going to study and learn all this theology that was going to help me and I did, but what I didn’t know was how much I would learn about education. I learned a lot about lesson planning and how people learned.

Upon graduating I thought I was now better equipped to help tell those missionary stories and I was a better communicator. However no positions opened up for me in the church. I did find a job at Georgia Tech.

The assignments here stretched me in other ways. I worked with Gary Meek and the two of us were helping to tell the stories that were shared through all kinds of media. We were published in many national magazines and newspapers as well as all the public relations materials for the school.

I thought my time at the school was God’s way of further preparing me for something in missions. Well it did help me in so many ways and I learned many new skills, which I use today.

For the past fifteen years I have been a full-time freelancer taking any job coming my way in photography and in communications to help pay the bills. I was helping NGO with web design. I had learned how to create my own webpage to help me with freelancing and then others heard and asked me to help them.

Every few years I would do a missions trip, but never did this turn into a full-time career. Last year I did four separate trips for missions and each one was for a week. The rest of my freelancing helped to pay the bills allowing me the ability to do those mission projects.

I am still longing for the opportunity to do full-time ministry work.

Nikon D3S, NIKKOR 14-24mm ƒ/2.8G, ISO 220, ƒ/2.8, 1/8000

Today I am asking myself did God really call me? If he did why am I not working full-time for an organization doing missions/ministry?

Most likely I am limiting God with all my questions. Maybe I am doing missions and ministry and my understanding of what defines ministry is more limiting than the way God sees it.

The one character in the bible I can relate to the most is Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob. He was given a dream that wouldn’t come true for most of his life. In telling of the story it wouldn’t be fulfilled until the very end of the story, which took most of his lifetime.

His older brothers knew Joseph as their father’s favorite. For this reason his 10 older brothers conspired against the boy and sold him to slave traders, while telling their father the boy had been mauled by an animal. Joseph had been given dreams of God’s plan for his life; so with confidence and strength, he endured in this amazing story in Genesis.

He would be falsely accused and thrown into jail. It would be his gift to interpret dreams that would have him later become a leader for the Pharaoh of Egypt and lead them through a time a famine and for the dream he had as a young boy to come true.

Are you too feeling depressed and beat down? Do you wonder if you were ever really called by God to pursue your profession?

Did you know that scripture most commonly associates those who minister for a paycheck as false ministers?

Matthew 6:24 – “No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.”

The first missionary was Paul and he earned his living as a tentmaker. He said:

1 Corinthians 9:12 – If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? Yet we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than put an obstacle in the way of the Good News about Christ.

Paul also instructed people to work and earn a living:

2 Thessalonians 3:11 – Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and wasting time meddling in other people’s business. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we appeal to such people-no, we command them: Settle down and get to work. Earn your own living.

The biblical word “pastor” is the same word for “shepherd” (which is simply a caring servant of God’s people) and, as a matter of fact, Jesus Himself made this point clear when he said the following about such “ministers”:

John 10:12-13 (MSG) – “A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.”

Christians did support Paul’s travels financially and Paul encouraged the Saints to consider those that spend their lives ministering the Gospel, but the gifts were given freely, from love and in response to need (ACTUAL NEED – i.e. FOOD AND CLOTHING).

1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NKJV) – Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

I fully believe that IF God has ordained their service than He will also fully provide every legitimate need they have. But the minister should not have a high and mighty opinion that he is above the need to earn his own living and provide for his family and ministry.

That provision may be having another job to pay the bills.

Ephesians 2:8-9 

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

If you have the money and time to do missions full-time then God wouldn't get any credit, but if you lack money and time then when you get to do missions you know it is because of God and not your abilities that made it happen.

Three Quick Photo Tips

Using a shallow Depth-of-Field can help draw more attention to a subject and diminish things in the background. For this photo I used my Nikon D5 and Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art lens with the camera set at ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/100.

When shooting on snow or at the beach you need to adjust the exposure. I find that adding +1 stop using the exposure compensation dial gives the best results. You may find you need more or less depending on how your meter interprets the scene.

Now this is a pretty tricky lighting, but I could tweak the image before I shot it. I was seeing the results I would be getting and in theater the lighting changes so much that this is a blessing to shoot with the mirrorless Fuji X-E2. The electronic viewfinder lets you see what the CMOS chip is seeing and capturing.

Gear recommendations for Spring Sports like Soccer

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5600, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

The teams are practicing now for Spring soccer and baseball. Here are some tips for getting those action shots for soccer.

You need the right gear to get those peak action shots. Your camera phone is just not going to cut it.

For a majority of your action shots you will need a lens that will bring that action close to you. I recommend a lens that covers the 300mm to 600mm lens range.

Here is what I use:

Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S

I also use the 1.4 or 2x converter with it.

Sigma TC-1401 1.4x & Sigma TC-2001 2x

This lets me get close to the action.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Now there are less expensive choices for you to use. I would recommend for the Sigma 150-600mm. It comes in two versions a contemporary and sports version. If you are a heavy user you would want the sports version.

You just need to pair these lenses with a good camera body. You can use DSLR and mirrorless cameras to capture the action.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 900, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I like to shoot at a high shutter speed of 1/4000. This lets me freeze the action which makes the photos even sharper. I also like shooting wide open aperture to keep a shallow depth-of-field.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1600, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Now when I was buying my lens Nikon had not made the 200-500mm which is selling today for about $1250.

These lenses let you shoot from the end zones. I like to be not far from the net capturing the players faces as they move closer to the goal and defend the goal as well.

Many people try to shoot this action with a 70-200mm lenses, but they are not not long enough for soccer. They work ok as the action gets really close to the goal, but you need to be close to that goal as well.

Let me just say that all of these lenses paired with the latest camera bodies of the major camera manufacturers will give you incredible results.

Here are some features that I would compare with camera bodies.

1. ISO – I recommend cameras with high ISO of 12,800 or higher
2. Shutter Speed – you need to be shooting at 1/1000 or faster.
3. Motor Drive – I would recommend 5+ per second
4. Buffer – The higher the better. The Nikon D500 and D5 have buffer of 200 shooting RAW.

For shooting sports I believe that the Nikon D5 is in a class all it's own. If you don't want to shell out $6,500 then seriously look at the Nikon D500 for $2,000.

While I say all the time it is the photographer and not the gear that determines a good photo–with sports you do need some long glass or you just cannot capture the action.

Great photos require intentional photographers

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/320

Before you read this post, take a moment and just look at all the photos. Then take a moment and think about what you think they are all about. Once you have done that, now come back and pickup the reading from here.

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Why did I take this photo and the others I am showing you today? Let me talk about each one separately. Also I would rarely not include some text with these photos no matter where I share them because I want to communicate what is going on.

I was accompanying one of the workshop participants that I was helping teach in Togo, West Africa on her story of a pastor. This was part of the story.

This is a Charlatan Witch Doctor of Fetishes in Togo, West Africa going into the temple that he has build for the different gods he worships. In Togo, about half the population practices indigenous religions, of which Vodun [worship of fetishes] is by far the largest, with some 2.5 million followers.

Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The vodun are the center of religious life, similar in many ways to doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels that made Vodun appear compatible with Christianity, especially Catholicism, and produced syncretic religions such as Haitian Vodou. Adherents also emphasize ancestor worship and hold that the spirits of the dead live side by side with the world of the living, each family of spirits having its own female priesthood, sometimes hereditary when it's from mother to blood daughter. [Wikipedia]

The reason I took this photo and the way I took it was to communicate the belief in many gods by the people of Togo. For many who become Christians it is still common for many to still practice these Fetishes. The tradition is so strong for so long in their culture that it is difficult for them to break away from these practices.

Here is the story that the student Hannah Teramura tells the story of Martouka.


Freedom From the Fetish - Martouka's Story from Storytellers Abroad on Vimeo.

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Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 1800, ƒ/8, 1/100

Why did I make this photo?

Before we sent all eleven students out individually to go and work on their stories we did a refresher on capturing the interview.

We walked around as a group and agreed on this place to do the interview. We did this based on the lighting, the sound and the background. We then setup the camera with the subject to be interviewed, the translator and the student who is asking the questions and doing the story.

We then practiced and stopped here and there to talk about the camera settings, the interviewing process and the importance of the student to listen with headphones and watching that the subject doesn't move too much to put them out of focus or out of the frame of the camera.

Can you see how I composed and picked a moment to convey much of this information, but it was text that helped to explain who each person is in the photo and their role?

When did I figure out all this?

Before I clicked the shutter! Very important to think through what is going on in front of the camera and then to distill all this into a moment that will convey the point that you want to make.

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Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/640

Why did I make this photo?

This is pastor Martouka Anani's son. Now he was very inquisitive and intense. You can tell he is a thinker and trying to figure out why these white people are doing with those cameras.

As I brought the camera up to take her photo I could see this intensity in his face and body language. I decided I needed to capture this tension. I also decided I wanted to isolate him in the corn field but also hint that his brother was in the background.

I felt this girl was fearless and unlike his brother who were just playing. Like his father this little boy wants to know more than he sees on the surface of people's faces. He is peering into your soul with his eyes.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/2000

Now contrast this to his older sister who while still engaging with her eyes there is more softness with her gaze than her younger brother.

Martouka Anani, their father, after years of growing up in fetish worship fell deathly sick and remembered the gospel he had heard as a child. Even though his parents disowned him from walking away from the fetish religion, he pursued Jesus and devoted his life to sharing the good news with others.

There next door neighbor is the Charlatan Witch Doctor in the first photo. Just imagine living next door to a faith your father gave up and lost his family over and all the day to day interactions they have with that family. I am sure the kids play together, but imagine them having to understand why their parents are so different.

Maybe the reason for these looks of the children is they are not sure what we believe and then also will this be their faith for themselves.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 900, ƒ/1.4, 1/200

Why am I taking this photo?

I wanted to capture how important faith is to the community that we came to cover. This photo by itself doesn't capture the whole story. But when paired with photos above in a larger story helps me to convey all the intricacies of the culture a little more and help you the reader understand what they are dealing with each day.

Had we just taken photos only in the church buildings the photos really are not all that different than here in the United States. Yes the building is a little different, but the expressions in prayer look similar. However, with the other photos showing this pastor living next door to a Witch Doctor and that this is the life he left for Jesus we can see what maybe is something different that they pray about that we don't have to deal with here.

Summary

I hope you can see that I must take the time and think about what is going on around me. I then have to think what is it that I want to share with someone through my photos.

If you make photos without knowing what you are trying to say, then your audience will have no clue as to what you are trying to say.

Here are some places to start thinking about your photo that you want to make.

1. What is my emotion right now? Are you happy, sad, melancholic, joyful, etc...
2. What is the subject? If I were to put this into a sentence what is the noun?
3. What is the verb? Thinking again like a sentence what is going one that I need to show? What would be the verb in the sentence if I were writing this all down. Your shutter speed may help communicate motion for example or freeze something.
4. What should I include or exclude? You may do this by composing by moving around and picking a particular lens to capture the content. You may also decide how much is in focus around the subject. You may even decide to not just go from wide angle to a telephoto, but super close with a macro lens.
5. Do I need to alter the light to help with capturing what I need? Do you need a flash? Do you need to wait till the subject moves into the light? 

There are many more questions you can ask to help you determine what to capture with your camera. 

Great photographs are like great poems. The differences are in the nuances. Finding the perfect balance of grammar, simplicity, intricacy, feeling, imagery, and rhythm is one of the most difficult challenges that a poet will face. In some cases, a poet’s work might never be done. For example, he might spend several years, or even his entire life, trying to perfect one single poem. He might omit a word or two here, or change some words there every so often.

The photographer is always looking for ways to improve. They work to understand the technical so as to help improve their images. They study the subjects so as to see those nuances to give more understanding.

My challenge to you is just to be intentional. Know why you are clicking the shutter or your audience will not know either.

The How To – 12' x 8' Oklahoma! Musical Banner

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 280, ƒ/8, 1/100 [photo by: Dorie Griggs]

This year we are getting our PR for the musical Oklahoma! started much sooner than last year's production of Into The Woods. We are about 2 months before the performance with the 12' x 8' banner.

Last year we up just a little more than a month before the performance.

[photo by: Dorie Griggs]

Last year the banner was 9' x 6'. When I put the banner up last year I can remember the feeling that it wasn't big enough. I do believe that the 12' x 8' is plenty big for the space.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 140, ƒ/8, 1/100 [photo by: Dorie Griggs]

Every 2 feet there is a grommet to help you tie the banner to posts like I am doing here. If you are putting this outside and not on a wall you really need to use everyone of those grommets. When you do and wind comes along then each grommet has less tension on it than say if you used just the corners. Your banner will do better in the wind if you tie it down well with all the grommets.

[photo by: Dorie Griggs]

You can get an idea of how really big the banner here is from the back with me on a 6 foot ladder.

HOW TO MAKE A BANNER

1) Select your source to make the banner. I use AllStateBanners.com. Here is a link to their specs to give you an idea of what you need to supply as a file size. https://orders.allstatebanners.com/design-specs

2) Select your image. My recommendation is to shoot in RAW and in Lightroom or PhotoShop resize the image to the size of the banner. I did it here and exported the photo as a JPEG to 12 feet on the long side. You need to check with your banner source to see their specs. They said 150 dpi or more.

 3) Open the JPEG large photo in PhotoShop and then put text over the photo.

4) All State Banners can take most file types. The first time I sent them the PhotoShop file saved as PSD. The last two banners I just exported out of PhotoShop as JPEG. Again the size being the exact size of the banner at 150 dpi. As a PSD the file is 1225.1 MB file. As JPEG it is 66.1 MB file size.

The total cost this year was $229.44. I only paid $206.50 because they were running a 10% discount.

Now this is only part of our PR. Here are two Facebook Cover size photos for the people to post on their pages to help promote the musical as well.

Stay tuned to see other ways we use photography to help market the musical.

Still Photographers – Showstoppers

Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 2200, ƒ/4, 1/80

When you go and experience the Theatre you are seeing the sequencing of a story into moments. Within each scene there is build to a crescendo and then all of these different scenes build to a showstopper most of the time.

A showstopper is a performance or segment of a theatrical production that induces a positive audience reaction strong enough to pause the production.

Nikon D4, NIKKOR 14-24mm ƒ/2.8G, ISO 12800, ƒ/2.8, 1/125

Now when you compare the two photos above the main difference is one is a theatre production and the other is real life happening in real time.

For a scene to be a real showstopper the actors must portray through their body language, expressions and tone of voice what would be in a real life situation.

Now what the theatre has in common with still photography is real life is more like video and moving constantly and with theatre and the still image the pause of the action allows time for the audience to absorb the moment.

Nikon D3, NIKKOR 85mm ƒ/1.4D, ISO 200, ƒ/1.4, 1/100

In life we have moments where we ponder and think. If a writer is describing this brief moment they may take four or five pages to describe all that weighs on the character as well as their thoughts and/or dreams. In real life you cannot hear or read those thoughts of people. However in real life the expressions of the person communicates often some of this which a writer only has text to convey.

Nikon D750, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/250

Actors must convey those four to five pages of text from a book into the play version of that book. The playwright may have notes to the side of the script to help the actor know what they are trying to communicate, but still what it boils down to is capturing in a moment the expression, body language and tone to communicate to the audience the character's thoughts.

Photojournalists/photographers are not actors in a play. If they are a photographer and they are shooting a scene that will be used in advertising to sell something or doing public relations for a corporation they often will assume the roll of the director. They will place the actors and create the scene to communicate all that they need to capture to move the audience to action.

If they are photojournalists they cannot take on the roll of director. They take on a different roll. The best way to describe that roll has been to be the fly on the wall. The photojournalists can fly around the room looking for a better perspective to see what is going on and then they capture moments as they happen to the later communicate to their audience what happened.

Nikon D5, Nikon 28-300mm ƒ/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.3, 1/400

What does the novelist, playwright, director, actor, and photographer all have in common no matter their roll? Each is aware of what they are communicating and why. To move the audience you must know what you are trying to capture as a photographer.

Nikon D750, Nikon 28-300mm ƒ/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 7200, ƒ/5.6, 1/500

If you are a photographer you are capturing moments for which you hope they make others pause. As a photojournalist I have learned to do my research before I show up. Listen a great deal with my ears and eyes. I clarify through questions to understand the situation so that I am doing all I can to be true to the moment and not to my preconceived thoughts. I look for those moments that will capture and hopefully be the showstopper that makes you pause and absorb the moment.

I want my pictures to worth the price of admission that my clients pay to see them. 

More than just a photographer

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 100, ƒ/1.4, 1/800

I can relate to these boys in so many ways. What they are thinking I am not sure, but they do make me think of feeling alone even tho there are people around me.

The reasons these boys may feel isolated is quite different than my own isolation. They are living in one of the poorest nations on earth–Togo, West Africa. When you go into their homes they don't have a closet with many outfits and shoes. This maybe the only thing they have to wear or maybe one more outfit.

When I would peek into their kitchens I saw no food.

So we might interpret their expressions as related to their poverty and hunger for food. However, I believe that people hunger for true friendships that are deep with roots that bind them to others.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 5600, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

 They are looking for a nourishment that comes from deep within people.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/500

When there are people who have these deep relationships with friends they have wells within them that are overflowing and able to glow and give to others. Here you see these guys who are friends that exude happiness.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 450, ƒ/1.4, 1/250

One place I continue to find those with wells full are in the houses of worship. These people search beyond what people can give to them for even a relationship that will sustain them even more.

What I love about my profession is capturing all of this and helping to direct people to know where to find that living water that refreshes the soul. It comes from being able to be open and real with your friends. They know your flaws and you know theirs. It comes from God who is forgiving and looking for a relationship with you.

When people just see me as a photographer I feel isolated. It is when they see me for who I am and not what I do that I really connect.

I use many different skills of mine from my studies of Social Work, Education, Theology and many experiences to help people connect to the world in which they live. My ultimate goal is to connect people to deep relationships with others and I hope as well to God.

Who am I? I am another person looking for another person to go through this life together. I know I will need many people to make this journey exciting and new.

Tip to make your website work for you

This is a marketing tip I learned about websites. When people come to your website they need to know what you do and then have an action item you are encouraging that they take.

This is my website and the action item is at the top in the menu. "FREE Download" is what I want people to click on to be able to get their email address and contact information. They are then enrolled in my monthly e.Newsletter and I give them the FREE Download of the "Tips for Better Photos" PDF.

They just fill out the form that you see here and then they get an email with their download link.

I am not expecting a ton of signups for this FREE Magazine/Book, but I am hoping that I get some engagement from my website that I can measure with something that I can then use.

Go to my website at StanleyLeary.com to experience this and see if you think you need to do something similar for your website and then I hope you enjoy the FREE "Tips for Better Photos."

Creating the Publicity Photo for the Musical Oklahoma

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 500, ƒ/4, 1/8000

This morning we spent the time shooting promotion shots for Roswell High School's Theatre performance of Roger & Hammerstein's Oklahoma. We were shooting a variety and then we will pick the one favorite we all have for the 12' x 8' banner that we will put in front of the school.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/400

This is me and the setup for shooting the first photo that Dorie my wife took of me. Now I am shooting High Speed Sync of 1/8000 to make the sky go darker and create more of the "Big Sky" look you would have in Oklahoma.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 400, ƒ/6.3, 1/4000

This was the first photo we started shooting.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1400

Here you can see my setup. I am using [2] Alienbees B1600 for the lights. To power them I am using the Paul Buff Vagabond batteries. To trigger the lights I am using Pocketwizard AC-9 pugged into the Alienbees B1600 and then into the Pocketwizard TT5. This is receiving the signal from the Pocketwizard TT1 with the AC-3 to dial in the exposures on the camera.

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 500, ƒ/5.6, 1/8000

I am shooting low again to emphasize the big sky.

Nikon D5, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/640

I tried to keep it simple by not moving all around the farm but rather make use of more time at the same location and vary the camera angle.

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/4000

Last night we watched the movie of Oklahoma with Shirley Jones starring as Laurey Williams. I feel like this last photo has that same look and feel of the movie.

I wonder which of these might be the banner photo we use to promote the musical Oklahoma.

Here you can get a feel for what we are creating when all the type is added.