Photographing pets

Photographing pets can be easier than you think, if you follow a few rules:

1.Think ahead and plan where you want to capture your dog or cat. Notice where the natural light is coming from and make sure you pick the time of day that coincides with the lighting you need to create your photo. Also, make sure your pet will be comfortable in the place you plan the shoot.

2. Ask someone to help you with either the camera or the pet. We find it essential to have someone around to dangle the food or toy over the camera to get the animal's attention. You will be much more successful, if you don't attempt this alone.

3. If the cat, dog, hamster or fish is looking at the camera, always have some flash illuminating their eyes. If you don't want that artificial "flash" look, simply put a tissue over the flash part of the camera and you will have highlights in the eyes with a more natural feeling of light.

This photo of the little girl and cat looks very casual - but it was very planned. We asked the child to sit up on the window ledge and put some food next to her. We called the cat, who smelled the treats, and she jumped up towards the little redhead. A little flash on the camera and there you have your natural photo.

Photographing large groups of people is easy

Capturing 30-40 people in an image can be a feat of artisty, rather than a sardine line-up. And it can be fun.

If a photographer thinks out of the box, he or she can design an image that isn't the typical view from the company's roofline or the squeezed in crowd positioned on top a nearby football stand.

With a little ingenuity, some budget and the skill of retouching, one can meet the assignment with an image that is refreshing, fun and artistic. There is no reason why professionals can't be positioned like Hollywood celebrities. Afterall, many professionals are celebrities in their own right within their fields.

Recently, we were assigned to capture St. Peter's University Hospital's breast cancer treatment team, consisting of re-knowned physicians, technicians, and researchers. Our client, based in New Brunswick, NJ, asked that we create an interesting image that reflected the significance of these professionals.

The image shown shows the outcome of the assignment. Adding to the complexity of the shot, we had to shoot six people two weeks after the first shoot and add them in. Can you find the six we added? We defy you to be able. Careful planning, measuring and designing of the second shoot makes that exercise seemingly impossible.

File size does matter!

Recently, Gerry and I had the opportunity to test Hasselblad's newer 39 megapixel medium format digital camera, the H3DII. This amazing piece of technology is every photographer's dream.

We used it to shoot our studio cat, Ziggy, reaching up from head to toe. Although we captured his entire body, the capability of this large chip allowed us to zoom in close on his face and retain all the detail in the whiskers, nose and eyes.

Using a another camera with a lower resolution would never have resulted in our ability to crop the image so tight and retain such a great close-up photograph. The $30,000 price tag is well worth the investment if you have the money to spend. Because the chip is so big, the photographer can shoot looser and crop tighter as needed. This exercise fails with a 12 or 16 megapixel camera. Hasselblad has successfully designed a digital camera that mimics the old fashioned quality of film.

The pistol grip and ergonomically designed body, allow fast movement throughout the studio and on location. Having a specialty in photographing children and animals, we appreciate the speed of this well thought out camera and are saving our dollars to purchase it in the near future.

However, within a blink of an eye, Hasselblad just introduced a newer and better version than the camera we tested. It features a 50 megapixel image - inconceivable - we'll have to try it out.

The technological improvements made over the past few years are monumental which makes it imperative that commercial photographers keep up with the trends and deliver assignments using the state-of-the art equipment. All the camera companies are trying to out size each other and the choices for the pro are really fabulous now. Does size matter? You bet it does.

For more information on our test, please buy this September's Shutterbug Magazine and read our findings. And then check out the other article about Bohm-Marrazzo in the same issue.

Food photography

There's nothing more enticing then pancakes in the morning - smoothered in your favorite pancake syrup. Or....a hamburger enveloped in blue cheese and crispy bacon. Food....everyone's favorite vice and every living creature's fuel for life.

The celebrity chefs have become more famous than movie stars because everyone watches their cooking guru and hopes to emulate them in their home kitchen. There are hundreds of books and magazines flooding the book stores sporting the latest rage in food preparations. From grilling to steaming, poaching to frying or freezing to flambeing, amateur and professional chefs are experimenting with better ways to tantalize the palette.

With this in mind, Bohm-Marrazzo has added a new portfolio to the line-up with their Bon Appetit images of pasta to peanut butter. Check it out - might give you an idea for tonight's supper.

GOOD HEADSHOTS VITAL FOR ACTORS, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALS

Regardless of your profession (i.e., Realtor, Banker, Author, Model, Corporate Executive, Life Coach, Physician, Artist, Teacher, etc.) take a tip from actors who realize the importance of a great image. The "perfect headshot" brands that person, and is his/her sales tool in the acquisition of work.

A BRANDING IMAGE THAT SELLS – YOU!

Simply put, an excellent and compelling headshot is vital for promotion and is all about selling YOU! Your face, your personality, your demeanor – that’s what sells YOU!

Because, remember…first and foremost, it is YOU who ultimately stands behind the products, services and skills you provide and offer. A Headshot Photographer worth his/her salt will also understand the fine differences between shooting an image for a Corporate headshot, as opposed to one for a model, writer, artist, sports figure or media and theatrical entertainer.

And, bear in mind that aside from including finely executed composition, style and lighting, great headshots don’t have to be boring! They can add and create a sense of fun, play and whimsy, too. So…be it a headshot for use in comp cards, annual reports, marketing and public relations brochures, resumes, customer catalogs and/or for web content… what better way to make a strong initial and positive impact and impression on your targeted audience? You’ll be so glad you did!

IS FORTY THE NEW TWENTY?

While at one end of the modeling spectrum, we have 12 year old - quintessential blonde and blue-eyed, Maddison Gabriel - fronting one of the world's largest fashion shows (see last fall's Gold Coast Fashion week, held in Australia)... at the other end we are witness to a major shift and brand new rising phenomenon in the modeling industry: that of using fit, and famous (or not), models who are not only proud to disclose, if not actually boast their age of forty and over!

In a recent 12/27/07 article in "THE INDEPENDENT", it was noted that actress, Sharon Stone (age 47) was to be unveiled as the new face for Christian Dior. It also mentioned that leading modeling agencies are currently reporting a 30-40 percent increase in the demand for older models.

This is hardly news to us at the BOHM-MARRAZZO Studio, located in progressive Montclair, NJ!

"In the last 10 years, the majority of models that I have shot have been 40 plus", says Linda Bohm, principal photographer and Co-Partner with digital photography wizard, Gerard Marrazzo.

With well over two decades of experience under her belt, Linda Bohm has photographed such notables as the late Jacqueline Onassis; actress, Hayden Panitierre (shot her many times for major campaigns like Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup and Dupont Stainmaster Carpet); world renowned violin virtuoso Pinkus Zuckermnan, Yankees legend, Yogi Berra; Hall of Famer football star, Harry Carson; Giant's football player, Michael Strahan (both for Viva Eyewear campaigns)...the list goes on.

Hall of Famer Harry Carson

Most recent photo shoots include British Rock Guitarist, Dave Kilminster, as well as up-and-coming 43 year old model, Gina Masters who was featured in the November 2007 issue of "MORE" magazine, and who concurrently appeared on an episode of the "TODAY" show.

Linda Bohm says that she believes the industry has changed because people in their 40's and 50's comprise a significant marketing segment with the most buying power.

As quoted in the Saturday, November 24th issue of "The Herald News": "We're not looking for the sexy blonde 20 year old anymore", says Bohm. "We're looking for the real looking, pretty, believable 40 plus model Advertising has really changed. It's become a lot more poignant and realistic".

Whether you're interested in modeling/actor Comp Cards, corporate or professional headshots, etc., please check out our website and numerous available photography services.

NY Giants Michael Strahan

AGILITY FROM DOGS to PHOTOGRAPHY!

Agility is defined as being deft, rapid light and nimble at the performance of a skill or act.

In this case, agility equally applies to photographer and ASMP-NJ Treasurer - Linda Bohm - and her inimitable dog (a seven year-old, Pyrenean Shepherd) named Whoopee!

The beginning of December 2007, Linda Bohm and Whoopee (who by the way, earned the distinction of MACH - Master Agility Champion July 2007) headed West again to Long Beach, California for yet another shot (their second) at the highly televised, annual American Kennel Club Agility Invitational. Agility, is AKC's fastest growing canine sport, which features dogs and their handlers moving through a challenging course of varying obstacles such as tunnels, weave poles, assorted jumps and seesaws.

Linda and Whoopee (whose full name is LaBrise Wild Whoopee, now one of the top five Pyrenean Shepherds competing nationwide in agility) rose fairly rapidly to MACH level in about a year and a half. This is exceptional because most other handlers take anywhere from about three to four years to achieve this level of proficiency.

Diane L. Bauman (a Wantage, NJ based leading dog trainer and author of numerous books on the subject) originally raised Whoopee and commented that Linda and Whoopee's success is a direct result of their special, one-on-one dog owner relationship.


No stranger herself to animal and dog photography, Linda Bohm previously contributed both the front and back cover photographs to Diane L. Bauman's BEYOND BASIC DOG TRAINING (Howell Book House, Copyright 1991). She and business partner Gerard Marrazzo have most recently shot over 150 images for Diane's long-awaited book DOG AGILITY FROM START TO FINISH.  Instructing dog owners how to train their dogs for competition, and for the sheer fun and sport of agility, Diane with Jessica Ajoux, promise that this is one book everyone will have to read. The book is being published by Alpine Publications and hits the bookstore shelves this March 2008! So check it out, and enjoy!