Leeshots Photography Blog

Father & Daughter

2011-06-19T18:05:00.001-07:00

Father & Daughter, a photo by donlee98 on Flickr.

I captured this image in the summer of 2009 while roaming the streets of Chinatown in San Francisco.

Here a father tends to his daughter, helping her with a drink of water. I always enjoy seeing these genuine moments between children and their parents. It makes me think back to when my children were smaller and how much I miss those days. Although my children are more than capable of simple things like getting a drink of water, there are so many other challenges in life I have yet to help them prepare to deal with on their own. And although the thought is quite scary considering all the dangers of the world, days like today remind me of the joys of parenthood and how having children has changed my life.

Happy Father's day to all!

Mobile Phone Photography

2011-06-10T12:16:00.001-07:00

Pedestrians, a photo by donlee98 on Flickr.

The iPhone camera has become a regular piece of gear for me. Why? because it's always with me! I have been able to capture some of my favorite images with the iPhone.

In just a few short months, Apple will be releasing iOS 5 which will add even more great features to the iPhone camera. We can expect things like AE/AF Lock, Grid Lines, Pinch-to-Zoom, and image editing all built right into the iPhone camera application. These new and enhanced features only make the iPhone camera more powerful and convenient as a legitimate replacement for a point and shoot camera.

The image above was taken with my iPhone 4 camera on the streets of downtown Portland outside of a local Starbucks. It's hard to believe that only a couple of years ago images like these were not possible to capture with a mobile phone. Both as a Technologist and a Photographer, I am excited to see what the future holds for mobile phone photography.

Strum

2011-06-03T23:11:00.001-07:00

Strum, a photo by donlee98 on Flickr.

Well it's starting to look like summer again here in the Northwest and that means more people on the streets and a street photography assault.

My approach to street photography isn't quite 'shock and awe' but I do like to jump into an interesting scene and capture moments like the photo above.

I found this gentleman at last year's Alberta street fair. He was just strumming along with his fingers and looked up at me just in time for me to catch his eyes in the crosshairs of my camera lens. He just kept strumming so I just kept clicking. It's dynamic moments like this that I just love about street photography.

Senior Prom 2011

2011-05-29T09:25:00.001-07:00

Senior Prom 2011
Originally uploaded by donlee98

What happens when you get 10 high school seniors in your studio all at once with parents, corsages, and hair spray? Well...I'm sure you can imagine!

Shooting prom pictures this year was nothing short of chaotic and fun. In fact, it's a lot like herding cats...or chickens...or any other creature that has a plan of its own. But at the end of the time, we got it done. 10 seniors, 5 couples, and some pretty nice looking images!

Say "Cheese" class of 2011!

Project 44

2011-05-17T20:31:00.001-07:00

Project 365 Photo of the Day: 8/365
Originally uploaded by donlee98

Project 365 began on January 1, 2011 and quickly ended as Project 44. It was a great idea...but I ran out of steam about 44 days into the project. It reminds me of those new years resolutions where you make a commitment to go to the gym on a regular basis to loose that tire around your stomach. You are extremely motivated at the beginning and go to the gym 6 days per week. However, you soon begin to loose steam and eventually stop going completely.

Project 365 was no exception for me but now I tell myself that it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. The focus should be on doing something photographic with some sense of regularity with one or more clear goals in mind. I started Project 365 with no goals other than to take at least one original image everyday of the year in 2011. It didn't take long before I began to run out of creative ideas and to reach the point where I was taking images just for the sake of taking an image. I had no creative flow and I felt rushed and constrained; I was clearly no longer having fun with photography.

So my new mid-year resolution is to just have fun with photography...much like my son Jared (pictured above) has fun in front of the camera. After all, shouldn't the things we love doing the most be fun and enjoyable?

Via Flickr:
Jared

A very defining image of my youngest child during one of his many spontaneous acts of jest.

One of Portland's Brightest Stars

2010-10-27T18:22:00.001-07:00

Sadhana
Originally uploaded by donlee98

We met a very bright and talented young lady this year in Sadhana. From Bharatnatyam dance to synchronized swimming, Sadhana is a very accomplished student, athlete, and artist. We had the pleasure and privilege of photographing her this summer and creating the video production for her Arangetram performance in Pondicherry, India.

Crossroad: Portrait of a High School Senior

2010-08-31T17:46:00.001-07:00

Taylin
Originally uploaded by donlee98

At eighteen years old, I stand before a crossroad, a milestone in my life. After this school year, I am no longer a child who lives with mom and dad; I will be off at college, beginning a new chapter in my life. However, before I leave, there will be an abundant of memories that I will take with me. The true friends that I have made over the years have become everlasting in my heart. All of the unforgettable moments spent together full of laughs, giggles, and grins.

I will look back on my high school years, forever proud to be a Spudder, and remember the life long friends made. High school is also where I discovered my passion for mock trial and built a foundation for my future in law. I was only a freshmen surrounded by a sea of upperclassmen, when I began mock trial. After spending 4 years in the program and going to state each year, I have come to love and respect the law. My passion for the program has led me to consider a career within law.

When I have passed the bar and appear in court, I will not forget where I came from and the people who helped me get there. Today’s moments are tomorrows memories.

Taylin

Catchlight

2010-08-07T18:29:00.001-07:00

Catchlight
Originally uploaded by donlee98

Back to basics today with b&w studio photography. I was able to talk Ena into doing a photo shoot this afternoon even though she was a little worn out from her workout. This was my first shoot with my new studio strobes which offered a lot more power and flexibility for my studio work. I did use one speed light to help light the background but the bulk of the work was done with a strobe and soft box for the main light. Another strobe light with a shoot through umbrella was used for fill.

Wild Flower Sunset

2010-07-10T11:13:00.001-07:00

Wild Flower Sunset
Originally uploaded by donlee98

Fine Shots in Unlikely Places:

I've previously discussed the fact that you don't have to venture too far away from home to find a good photographic opportunity. Lat week I went out on a mission to catch a glimpse of the sunset but ended up with an image taken in a place I never expected. I found myself on the side of the Interstate 5 on ramp between a gas station and a construction zone. There was roadside trash, wild grass, and every variety of weed one could imagine. Not a likely place to find a good image of the sunset, or so one would think. The image above was taken at eye-level view among a group of wild flowers with the sunset and other greenery (weeds) as the back drop.

Arangetram

2010-05-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

Arangetram (Ascending the stage) is a video production we filmed over the last weekend. The center of this production is Sadhana Bharadwaj, an Indian dancer who will be demonstrating her skills in traditional Indian dance which she has acquired over the last 10 years in India next month. At only 15 years of age, Sadhana has impressive talents not only in dance but also synchronized swimming, sports, and academics. Below are a few behind the scenes images from last weekend's shoot.

Kaua'i 2010

2010-05-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of returning to Kaua'i Hawaii after 13 years. Other than a few big stores near Lihue, not much has changed. The island and its people are still as beautiful as ever. I spent a little over a week taking in the beautiful views from land, sea, and air; I didn't want to leave. I took the shot above at a scenic overlook near the north shore of the island overlooking Hanalei valley. The valley of Hanalei is surrounded by majestic mountains. A mile wide and 6 miles long, it the home of the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge. The majority of all of Hawaii's taro is grown here. Taro is used to make poi and numerous other food products that were and still are the mainstay of many Hawaiian's diet. The fields are constantly irrigated with water and are grown in patches giving the valley a patchwork quilt look.

Source: http://www.hawaiiweb.com

Refuge

2010-04-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

Last week I made my way back over to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, one of 23 wildlife refuge locations in Washington state. The refuge provides a great opportunity for observing great wildlife in their natural habitat and tremendous opportunity for wildlife and landscape photography.

There are 551 such refuge systems in the United States and there is a good chance that you don't live far from one. Take your family on a hike, drive, or weekend scenic tour and don't forget your camera

Spring Break

2010-03-31T19:47:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by Don Lee

I just returned from Spring break today and although I used the time to relax and be with family, I certainly didn't take a break from photography. I brought along my 5DMKII and my G11 to capture some precious moments with friends and family.

The image above is of my niece Joti. She is a shy but creative child and full of life. I caught Joti walking in front of a big blue air jumper and immediately fell in love with the image. Her soft smile with her orange dress against the blue background made the photo intriguing to me.

I have other favorite images from the trip but this one really stood out for me. I hope everyone out there was lucky enough to spend time with family and friends during spring break and got a few shots in with their cameras.

Behind the Shoot

2010-03-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

I spent the better part of the evening yesterday capturing some "behind the scenes" images for a youth musical production as the young stage artists prepared for their formal photo shoot with On Broadway Photography in Brush Prairie, WA. I was a bit apprehensive about spending an entire evening with 20 plus 6th graders but it was actually fun. The kids were extremely well behaved and very patient through the process of getting dressed, hair, makeup, and the photo shoot. Photographer Trish Perin did a wonderful job with the photo shoot as she does every year. Here are a few more images from the evening:

2010 Workshops

2010-03-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we held our first photography workshop of 2010 in Battle Ground, WA. We covered basic digital photography over a 6 hour period and got a chance to explore the subject both in the classroom and in the great weather outside. The image featured in this post was created by one of our younger workshop participants, Samantha Altman (with a little crop/post crop added by myself), with her Canon point & shoot camera. I was extremely impressed by all the workshop participants at how quickly they picked up the concepts presented in the workshop and how well they demonstrated what they learned in the photo assignments.

If you are interested in attending one of these workshops, please visit www.leeshots.com and click on the 'Workshops' link under 'Info'. The next workshop will be held in June, 2010 in Salmon Creek, WA.

Spring Is On The Way

2010-03-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

Every season has its own special photographic qualities and advantages and Spring is no exception. My family and I are beginning our Spring Break planning and whatever we end up doing, photos will be involved. The best part about taking photos in the Spring is that you really don't have to travel far to capture some amazing images. Plants and trees are already beginning to flower while insects and animals are on their way out of hibernation.

If you haven't picked up your camera in a while, this is a good time to take it out and test it to make sure batteries are re-charged and that your lens(s) is clean. Also make sure that your recording media is ready to go (yes...make sure you download those holiday photos you left on that flash card). If there isn't much to see in your own backyard or neighborhood, find a local park, trail, or garden. Rivers, lakes, and ponds also make great photographic subjects for the Spring season.

The point is to get out and shoot! Whether go by yourself or with friends, it is a season to enjoy all that nature has to offer.

Food of Love

2010-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Over the last several months I have renewed my relationship with food (photographically speaking of course). Photographing food is unlike photographing any other subject and it's surprising how challenging it can be. Despite working with some of Portland's most notable culinary artists, a food image lacks the dimensions of smell and taste. I strive to create a visual representation of my whole experience with the food and with full depth of perception. The image should lead the senses of the viewer and create a perception of smell and taste which ultimately leads to uncontrollable hunger.

Executive Chef Scott Neuman

2010-01-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Scott Neuman at Oba in Portland's Pearl District while doing a food photo shoot and portrait session. Oba takes Nuevo Latino cuisine to a whole new level; lighting my taste buds on fire with an explosive combination of flavors and freshness. After shooting Chef Neuman's food, there were far too many temptations on the menu so I asked the Chef to prepare four courses of his choice for me; I was simply blown away!

In addition to being Executive Chef at Oba , Chef Neuman has also been hosting a radio show "Dining Out in the Northwest" for over 8 years. He has had over 350 different guests including Iron Chef Morimoto and Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet. Chef Neuman's show can be heard on saturdays at noon on 1410 KBNP am - or via live audio simulcast at KBNP.com It's the only live hour long show in Portland devoted to the great places to eat in the northwest. Dining Out In The NorthWest™ radio is dedicated to the art and entertainment of 'going out for something to eat'.Our focus is on the independent restaurateur who buys local to promote agricultural and economic sustainability.

Also check out these cool videos with the chef showing you how to make tastey food at home: lushproductions.net/Segments/chefs.htm.

Source: http://www.obarestaurant.com

Vocalist Johnny Martin

2009-08-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

Johnny Martin spiced up Oregon Square in Portland, OR on Wednesday afternoon for the Lloyd District lunch crowd. Johnny performed a flawless set of Jazz/Swing classics with vocals reminiscent of Harry Connick Jr.

I was fortunate enough to have my camera with me that afternoon and Johnny was gracious enough to allow me to publish these images. I highly recommend those in the Portland, OR metro area to check him out live. If you can't make one of his next performances or you don't live in the area, visit his website at www.johnnymartin.com where you can purchase CD's, find his up coming schedule of concert dates, and more!