« Too many to choose... | Main | Rock and Roll »
Two portraits
December 13, 2006Here is the first two photos from my "Best of 2006" collection.
A pair of portraits...one set up, and the other completely natural. They couldn't be more different if they tried.
Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Indianapolis 500 legend Lloyd Ruby is a few steps closer to having his name emblazoned on the Hwy. 287/I-44 overpass through downtown Wichita Falls. The paperwork to have signs created for the "Lloyd Ruby Overpass" is in the hands of TxDot officials and could happen within the month.
I didn't know Lloyd Ruby before this staged portrait. I had never heard of the man. Turns out...I probably should have. He was a race-car driver. The "greatest driver never to win the Indy 500" as it turns out.
I couldn't have picked him out of a crowd if I tried.
Well...a group of men in Wichita Falls wanted to name the Hwy. 287/I-44 overhead highway after him. This was the first shot in what would be several months of covering the story. They finally named the highway after him, and it was one of the coolest parties I've ever covered. Famous drivers showed up, including Bobby Unser and Parnelli Jones. If you know racing...you know those guys.
But it all started with me back in May on an overcast day trying to make a good portrait of this man. He was hilarious. Didn't mind my scrambling about with my equipment trying to take a good shot and find the best location to do so.
I wanted the highway in the shot. But I wanted to have as few distractions from the highway as possible. When I settled on the spot I set up a single flash...fired with a remote trigger...directly in front of Ruby.
I played around with angles and lenses until I decided that my best option was the 17-35mm f2.8 and get as much of the highway in the shot as possible.
This quickly became a signature shot of the entire venture to get the highway named after him and every time I see Ruby now...he smiles and says in his slow Texas draw..."Well, it's my favorite photographer."
Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Fifty-five years ago, Joseph White was one of nearly two dozen area men who joined the Marines and went to Korea in 1951. The medals of service White earned hang on the wall behind him as he talks about his time in the military.
This is one of my absolute favorite portraits of the entire year...and it was completely by accident.
A reporter and I went to Joseph White's house in early April on a story about the group of men from the area that joined the Marines at the same time for the Korean War.
We talked with White for about two hours and he showed off countless bits of memorabilia from his time in the military. It was a truly enjoyable assignment.
I was sniffing around taking extra shots of military flags, helmets and other secondary shots when I turned around and saw the way the light was hitting White as he talked to the reporter.
The light on the right is coming from the open screen door (north-facing of course). And the secondary light is from a ceiling fan.
No flash was used at all....and that is what amazes me about this shot, even though I took it.
I had to drop the shutter speed to 1/50th and was again using the trusty 17-35mm f2.8 (at 35mm for the shot). I went with the closer zoom to bring the framed medals in the background just a bit closer.
The effect was just about perfect. I probably couldn't have set it up better in a studio if I tried.
More photos tomorrow....
Posted by Jason Palmer at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Comments
Very cool stories behind the images. Beautiful portraits!
I can't wait to see all the pics you chose, I love looking at your pics, they are incredible, thanks for sharing your favorites and how you took them!!
Awesome photos!!!
Great Work Jason!
