MAKARA, Wellington

Took a walk up to the heights of Makara and took these shots at the gun bunkers which overlook Cook Straight. Is quite fantastic up there watching the sun setting down over the South Island.

Walk back down in the dark wasn't healthy though.

UP

Had to shoot an image in the theme "Up"
This is what I came up with.

Thanks Kelly and Ethan. ( :


Super Hero Try-Outs


Angel Try-Outs

HBToday Article

The NZIPP write up mentioned at an earlier post can be viewed by clicking this image.

Diggers and Fire

Driving back from the studio tonight I past this. I thought could make a moody and very different landscape.

Has been a while...

Has been a while since I last entered anything here.
I apologise, have been flat out. A lot has happened!

The 09 NZIPP Iris Awards were held recently. Decided to enter this year and came out with 4 bronze and 1 gold award.
The gold award is the only one on NZIPP record that has come out of Hawke's Bay so am very happy with that. They are as rare as hens teeth. I was also a finalist for the 'People Photographer of the Year'.... fingers crossed for 2010!

Last night I was approached by the UK's Advanced Photoshop User Magazine which distibutes worldwide. They asked if they could showcase some of my work and interview me in their next edition. Very exciting. You can't pay for worldwide exposure like that!

Some recent images below.

Matt, Motorcross Rider

Shot this yesterday afternoon. 3 point lighting. However bike had a strong continuos light instead of flash.

Vampire-Victoria Francis Style

This actor wanted a photo done of herself in the style of Victoria Francis's drawings for her portfolio.

Low Sun on Horses

Saw some horses catching the light today and had to photograph.
Natural light, no flash.

At work with Dad.

My daughter Emilie-Rose came to work with me today. Couldn't resist a quick shoot.

Baby D'Ath

Briar Photoshoot.

Another shoot with Briar to update her portfolio.
If you are interested in hiring Briar for commercial work please contact me and I'll put you in touch with her.

Hamish D'Ath - Song Writer

A couple of shots from a promo shoot with Hamish D'Ath.

I'm now moving more into real effects in post production such as weather, rain, grads etc.
Enjoying the process.

Tauranga Photoshoot

Couple of photos from a dance/model shoot in Tauranga.

Some backgrounds were shot in Napier City.

Landscapes 'uncovered'

Some landscapes I took in tongariro National Park last year that I've never displayed,... so here they are.

Napier Studio NOW OPEN

My Napier studio is now open at 118 Hastings St, Napier.
We have some huge huge huge specials on at the moment! So if you've been thinking of getting some portraits done.... right now is the time.
We are also in the process of collecting artworks for our gallery wall. Here you'll not only find my own work, but some great stuff by other artists. We have been lucky enough to be given 2 pieces to sell by Greg Morrison who has now since moved back to his home town in Hawke's Bay.

Photo Montaging

Decided to place one of my model shots against one of my stock backgrounds. I'm always on the look out for backgrounds to photograph. This one is simply a field right across the road from my home. I had roughly mocked this up a while ago as a draft example for the '3 sisters' photograph.

Product Shots

Decided to take some time out to use my light table a bit today with the remote setup I now have in the studio with live view screen.

Love Coffee?

Possibly one of the hardest shots I've ever done. Took 3 studio lights to light this simple coffee cup as I needed it. A snoot for the handle (love heart), barndoors for the back wall and beauty dish with diffuser to balance the snoot.

Post Production and Lighting.

I've had many many emails from photographers around the world asking how I achieve the work I have here on my website and also modelmayhem.com and deviantart.com.

To describe my post production technique step by step I would need to write a small book, and then I wouldn't know which order to place it all into.

The work I do is created through a lot of layers and blending techniques, probably stretching as high as 100 at times. The images are sharp through the use of dodging and burning and layer blend techniques to increase contrasts. In todays age people are watching film and entertainment in high definition and increasingly this is also being demanded in commercial photography. The style of soft focus is definately not unpopular however. Clean, high definition images however are hard work. The post production cannot go ahead on just any image to achieve the same results. The images need to be specifically lit to enhance texture contrasts, highlights and shadows in the first place. Otherwise I have nothing to work with.

I often list main studio lights on my shots, however this doesnt take into account all the small highlight strobes, reflector boards, black boards etc etc. My shoots are often complex. I use a lot of hard light with my dramatic work. However when there is a need for softboxes and beauty dishes they do come out.

I barely use HDR software these days, as people suggest. I find that manually lightening and darkening, fill lighting etc gives a much cleaner and controlled way of giving the same type of effect. People have also asked what filter I am using to create my effect. While there are many filters and stand alone pieces of software for photoshop, I don't use them. Again, there is no quick way or fix to create my effect. Each area of the image has been refined seperately. To globally apply an effect or filter simply would not work. The treatment to skin is obviously going to be a lot different than the treatment of fabric or hair for example. One piece of software/filter I do use outside of photoshop however is noise reduction software.

My images are imported and exported back and forth between lightroom and photoshop and literally dozens or layers and masks are applied and blended. Patience is required to complete an image which may take hours. I'm afraid that there is no quick switch, software or keyboard command that can give you the overall result. Also again, if the light setup isn't right, the image won't either in post prod. Every image I create goes through different steps as I see fit.

Hope this answers some questions! :) Happy shooting.

Lure and Fish

Fish photographed with a beauty dish and reflector against black. My hand has been edited out with which I held the fish in that position.

Yay for photoshop

Quantum leaping deodorant!

3 point directional lighting. Background created in photoshop using, plastic wrap, global co-ord, twirl and colourising.

Eggplant

Interesting and challenging exercise was to photograph an eggplant in a more arty light.

A barndoor strobe was used overhead with the doors ever so slightly apart to creat a letterboxing effect.
Another flagged strobe was used from behind and a white reflector to help the balance.

Restaurant Images

These restaurant images were taken using a diffused beauty dish and a white reflector.
The octopus was possibly the hardest thing I've had to work with yet in food photography!

Bluff Hill Gunman Neighbor

This image was taken in the home of the neighboring property of the Napier Gunman.
22 shells were fired into their home, where it was taken over unannounced by NZ AOS.
Some of the shots were fired in through the windows and walls of their toddlers bedroom.
The father of the child had no choice but to pick up their baby and make a run for it down the driveway past the close by windows of the gunman's house.

More at

http://www.hbtoday.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3798118&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

http://www.hbtoday.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3797914&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=

Ring Flash on Location

Decided to take my portrait ring flash out from the studio and use on location. The camera shoots through the flash rather than from under it or away from it. Therefore a diffuced shadow is cast on all angles from the subject. Skin is also given a gradient from the sculpted light. Has quite a different effect. This format is often used in fashion photography, especially in Asia.

Thermal Terraces, - Taupo.

Catholic Church - Tokaanu

Anglican Church - Tokaanu

Church, Tokaanu.
Dusk

Sacred Cave Pano,

2 Exposures stitched. 10mm Sigma Lens.

Sacred Cave, Taupo

Manually HDR,
On camera Flash,
3 exposures

P Money. New Zealand and International DJ

reflector, flag, beauty dish, umbrella.

IMAGES CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. check back soon.

3 Sisters

McLeods Daughters style image.
3 point barndoor, umbrella,beauty dish.

Background made up of two exposures of the same scene, one for the ground and one for the sky.

Palmerston North.

Wall Planner Models

First of a dozen models photographed for a wall planner.
3 point lighting, 2 flags, umbrella.

Softbox strobe on white, equally balanced by reflecting light off a beauty dish

Farmlands February Cover

Magazine cover for Farmlands. - February.

Some experimental work. Model, Andrew.

BJJ Fighter Girl

Another addition to my fight series.
This is actually my younger sister. Past NZ title holder and not one to mess with.
Brazilian Jui Jutsu / Ninjutsu / Mixed Martial Artist.

Two directional lights only.
Colour adjustments etc

Lil bubba

Soft box on black

Weightlifter

Image taken for a law firm.

3 strobes barndoor
1 frontline direct flash

Emilie-Rose

Portrait, Large overhead softbox and white reflectors.

A challenging Self Portrait

Myself (Richard Wood)... and my daughter Émilie-Rose

Pregnant Photos. Hawkes Bay

Gas Soldier

Soldier

Background shot on the Desert Road, Tongariro National Park.
Lighting and aircraft added.
Soldier Model, Phil.

Dear Ol' Man

Something I shot in the weekend.

Rachael, Personal Trainer

Set of portraits. Rachael works as a personal trainer out of a gym at home

Big Guns

This little guy thinks his muscles are just the best.

BAYUK Underground Kitchen

This is a portrait I completed today of Greg Miller. He has been chef at Mangapapa Lodge, Jarks and Diva, as well as many other fine restaurants.

He is now a chef at BAYUK - Underground Kitchen.

These guys are a laugh and slightly quirky. The food is to DIE FOR!

The headline for this shot is BAY-UK... sweeter than they look.

FALLEN

Kayaking in Kuratau, the native bush was so full of cicadas, the sound was almost unbearably loud. They had this uncanny knack or falling from the trees. Many straight into the water.

I call this image.... "Fallen"
Winged beings falling from the air, whatever they are seemed pretty thought provoking to me.

Luke and Paula - Wedding

Several shots below (click to enlarge). MORE CAN BE VIEWED AT www.richardwood.co.nz/lukeandpaula/index.html








MORE CAN BE VIEWED AT www.richardwood.co.nz/lukeandpaula/index.html

Portrait. Family.

Finished portrait completed today.
Is about the importance of this woman's family.

Was shot in her living room. Beauty dish and highlights with a honey combed snoot.

Background was then edited.

Click on the image to view a slightly larger but clearer image.

Portrait beginnings

Here are the beginnings (backdrop) I have created for a portrait.
The portrait is one of a series I will be exhibiting.
Stay tuned for the final image.

Old Gem

Found this old gem today while organising some lesson plans for some upcoming workshops I am planning.

I took this years ago while studying photography. I still love it!

It is an abstract shot of a tiger cub running.

Change of seasons

I took a photo a while back from out the front of my home. Silage had just been bailed come spring. Now moving past the middle of summer the pastures have been replaced with crops.
I have taken two images of the same landscape and combined.

Hawke's Bay Pregnancy Photos

My partner Susan is due in early March so we took the initiative to take some pregnant photos today.... and one of our huskies, Sashka that decided to take a seat in front of the backdrop.

Retro wedding

I decided to give this image a slight retro photography look with the old worn shades of a slightly incorrectly developed photograph. Something a bit different.

Relook - Willy's Portrait

I photographed Willy a while back and decided to attack the post production on one of Willy's portraits in a different way.
Quite happy with the outcome.

Post production experiments

Had a play with a portrait. This was originally quite a plain minimalist image against white a background used for a fashion shoot.
Was then placed on black and details added, burning etc etc.
Then I experimented with completely changing the features to create someone completely different.
Image is of the last two steps.

Some recent weddings 1

Some recent weddings I've been doing over the last couple of weeks.

Rugby Fans

I was commissioned to create some images of the roaring fans enjoying a local rugby game.
Further below is part of the stadium setup I used to create the effect.

Mahia views

Supposedly on holiday, I spent a lot of my time, exploring the area and taking these snaps.

Dec Kids

Some recent portraits..... more to follow....

Stadium creation

Needed a shoot in a stadium, however on the day was very overcast and drizzly. Studio lighting created the feel of bright lights or strong sun shine. The final shot will be placed at a later date after publication. Note an over head strong light to give strength from above from sun or stadium lights, and two strobes to the right as lighter fill ins. The overall effect was fantastic!

The Albert Inn

This pub needs no introduction for those who live in Hastings. A very traditional, old building. Took the opportunity to take this today while shooting in the central city.

Stinky Sunset

Silage has just been cut over the road. Took this image early evening from my front yard. Just for plays sake.

Watersco more editions

another edition for water products

SUMMER FUN

This was a photograph I took today. This commissioned photo needed to display 'summer fun in rural New Zealand'.

Watersco Photoshoot

Some images from a shoot in Wellington over the weekend, promoting Watersco, drink filtered water products. Featuring NZ's Heavy Weight MMA (cage fighting) belt holder, NZ's Heavy Weight Kick Boxing Title Holder and 3x World Champion Kickboxer.

PRESS RELEASE - Kodak awards

Published Saturday 8th Nov

Hawke’s Bay Photographers Snap Awards

If a picture says a thousand words, then the winning images of two Napier photographers are speaking a very different language from each other.

Eva Bradley and Richard Wood won four medals between them in one of the country’s top professional photography competitions for images that could not have been more different.

Miss Bradley’s gold-medal winning wedding image shows a bride laughing as she runs through a forest with her dress hitched high. In contrast, Mr Wood’s silver medal-winning portrait is of an angry cage fighter poised to punch.

“Whether ecstatic or violently angry, real emotion is always at the heart of a good image and capturing this while also getting things technically perfect is a photographer’s greatest challenge,” said Miss Bradley, who also won a silver for a portrait of a little girl.

Mr Wood’s two silver winning images were also chalk and cheese, with the cage fighter contrasting with a dramatic image of a couple – wedding dress included – waist deep in the ocean.

“Taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary is what this image is about and what better way to do it than go to a location you wouldn’t expect on your wedding day – not just at the sea, but in it,” explained Mr Wood, who took his commitment to capturing the image to the extreme by wading in waist-deep himself.

Kodak Gold Awards programme manager John Lawrence said that among the thousands of entries, the winning photographs were selected because of their creative difference and excellence in imaging.

The New Zealand awards are part of an international programme aimed at recognising the highest level of creativity and quality in professional photography.

Both Miss Bradley and Mr Wood are freelance photographers specialising in weddings, portrait and commercial photography.

Not so abandoned ghost town

I had heard about the existence of an bandoned town in the middle of the bush which dates right back to the beginning of last century. I spoke to someone who had last been there 20-25 odd years ago. However someone had also warned me that 15 odd years ago it had become inhabited by a squatter brandishing a shot gun. Possibly a drug headquarters and not to go in.
I'm not bullet proof, but am a keen photographer so thought I'd take a look. It still had squatters inhabiting the forgotten town. Without being detected I set up the tripod and snuck in a photo of this building. Note the curtains now hung in the window. Great thrill taking this shot.

Spring Stream

I decided to face the elements again, but this time in spring. However, was worse than the winter version as was raining and sleeting on the trek in. However, managed the shot. It is a repeat of the snowy river shot I took in Winter.

Wharf

This picture was taken over the weekend between Turangi and Tongariro National Park. I have shot in infa red.

Makara Rocks

Took this landscape in Makara Saturday. Used a long exposure of around 15 seconds and an off camera strobe at full power for around 6 fires. I use radio rather than infa red. Find it's more reliable and I don't have to rely on field of view. I'm going to place this on canvas (as seen on myworld.co.nz) for the office I think.

Drenching in Otaki

Another farming shot contracted to do in Otaki in the weekend.

Toy Vehicle

Don't know why,... just saw it and had to take it. I like it  ( :

Lyn - Psychic Medium

Did a series of shoots today for a Auckland Psychic Medium, Lynette Jennings and her new book. Carried studio, radio controlled lights to beaches rivers and forests. Was quite the light working job to get the desired effects, plus some post production.

Infra Red Bridge

Travelling back from a job in Wellington today, I shot a photograph of this bridge just out of palmy. Consists of colour tones from normal digital photograph merged with an infra red photograph.

Fashion in the Field 08

Photographed the Kelt Capital Fashion in the Field 08 on Sunday. Great day, first sun burn for the year. Summer is coming.

Poker Winner

A friend of mine required a photograph done. Winners of his poker night each week are required to take a photo of themselves with the "belt" for the poker photo wall. He came to me with this idea. Great fun.

While some traditionalists 'freak' at the site of portraiture done with a wide angle which often causes distortion,.... others appreciate the uniqueness of this effect. I photographed these two brothers today up close with a wide angle, then merged the two wide angle images into one.

Had a kids portrait shoot today, decided to play with a bit more depth and composition. 

3 point lighting with a soft box in front.

Kid's Portrait

Too often what ever your trade is, your house hold lacks. So took the initiative in doing a portrait shoot with our little one tonight before bed.

Susan - Waterbottle

This was a demonstration/pitch image I quickly did today. This style of lighting looks great on the sports type photos.

UPDATE: this image got the job, off to Wellington to photograph a series of NZ sports people to promote product.

FIGHT SERIES - Cage Fighter

This a friend of mine, Damian. together we rose through the ranks and even fought in the same limited rules ring events. Damian is still competing in this arena. This is a promo shot done for him. I have also decided to create a 'fight series' and will present eventually beside "Willy" and others...

Jellybean "Who Dunnit"

My partner Susan amongst so many others cant stand the taste of the black ones..... gotta feel for em.

A couple more for from Sasha D'Ath's fashion shoot on Sunday

Meet Willy. This is me still experimenting with point lighting and getting a particular sharpness.

 

Sasha D'Ath, Auckland designer. Merino Wool dresses.

Models, Sarah, Jamie & Teresa.

slowly working my way thru the shots....

This time, against white backdrop. 3 Point, very directional lighting.

Just playing around really. Saw these lollies in supermarket and had an idea. When my makeup artist showed up with orange hair it was a must!!!

Today I conducted a series of portraits for an Auckland based fashion designer, "Sasha D'Ath". I was given an open brief and able to be the creative director with this one so really enjoyed myself. The photo sample model is 'Sarah'. She had natural talent and very easy to work with. 

For this I used an on camera flash unit, and 3 studio flashes. We shot inside a Hastings fruit packing shed. I'll be sending this shot in to compete in the Kodak Gold Awards.

Farmlands September Shareholder Magazine cover is now out. It was pouring with rain this day but cleared up nicely for a few minutes so I could take this shot.

Infra Red Photography

Had a play around with a D70. Removed IR filter from in front of sensor and shot through overexposed 120 film. Hand coloured and tadaa!

Going to have a play with this and start producing fine art in this format. Is great fun. Fiddly but worth it.

Kodak Gold Awards

I have decided to enter into the Kodak Gold Awards this year.

May put forward some old work, but also looking at doing some new portrait shots.

I have some people waiting for interesting sittings which I am going to bring forward.

One being a Black Power Member who wants a portrait of himself done. More news and images soon!

Hastings Rugby

Wow, this has been fun, hoping to finish off tonight!

Photographed 25 rugby teams and have themed all their photos depending on their team name. I got the idea to do this after the work I did for the Magpies and Junior Hurricanes.

Teams have ranged fom the Sharks, the Crusaders, the Stags, etc etc etc

Hawkes Bay Racing Carnival

Decided to post these up, since I'm starting to see them around town. Several weeks ago I flew to Auckland to photograph these two models on a 'merry-go-round' at Rainbow's End. It was just as that major storm was coming in so it darkened the sky somewhat. This turned out well, as the client was wanting the tungsten effect from the 'merry-go-round' lights. Great day, but lost a studio light in the process. Humidity was a bit too high!

Drenching - Farm Series

A photograph from a commissioned shoot in Patoka today.

Part of a larger series I am doing.

Puketapu Shoe Fence

Found this fence of shoes today, whilst driving out to do a commercial shoot in Patoka. Stopped as I thought it made an interesting subject. Took a shot on the D300. Wishing I had my infrared gear with me at the time though. Also shot on a pin hole camera, 12 sec and 15 sec exposures. Will be interesting to see! In the mean time, here's the D300 version.