Final Thoughts from Farm Bureau 14- Location Commercial Photography

/in , , /by
Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Alamo St. Market

My recent trip to San Antonio Tx for the Annual Farm Bureau Convention/Meeting was the learning experience I expected.  The farmers and ranchers I meet and interact with are always generous, courteous, and well mannered.  Plus they were some fabulous boots (see photo).  As we do mainly commercial photography throughout the year, this trip always starts the year with good people, good food, and some great imagery.

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Cowboy Boots on Convention Carpet

Some of the good eats were Bananas Foster (almost caught my coat on fire…exciting stuff) and  little peach empanadas.

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Bananas Foster

 

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Empadadas

There’s also a lot of skulls/masks here.  Some are very colorful.

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Skull Mask

The main speaker of the conference was retired Commander Stanley McChrystal.  This man served honorably for many years and he was a great speaker.

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Commander Stanley McChrystal

So now a new year begins.  Lots of images to share.  Thanks to Mary and Mike and Ken.  They make the long hours easy to bear and are fun to be with.

Next post…a prison story!  More later…

ML

 

 

 

Happy New Year- Back to Business-Annual Report Photography

/in , /by
Business Photography by Michael LoBiondo Photography

Michael LoBiondo Photography

Happy New Year.  It’s 2014 and it feels like we were just worried about the turn of the century messing with our computers.

We start the year with some business annual report photography.  It started out as 2 guys walking but they had this fabulous briefcase.  Along with the shoes and the cuffs, I didn’t want to pass up this shot even though it wasn’t on the shot list.  A lot of great images happen that way.  The trick is not to just see it, but to just shoot it!

On the road soon…I will keep posting.

More later…ML

Industrial Photography: Who keeps America running? #1

/in , , /by
Industrial Photography by Michael LoBiondo Photography

Industrial Photography by Michael LoBiondo Photography

Industrial Photography…places where things get made.  People using their hands, sweating over the smallest detail, getting dirt in their fingernails, making the things that make the things go. The tattoos don’t hurt, either.

More later…ML

Annual Report Photography-Where Is Your Compass Pointing?

/in /by
Commercial Photography by Michael LoBiondo Photography-www.mlobiondo.com

Which way to go?

You ever have one of those days where your compass is a little …”lost”.  Well Krystel Green of CATS always knows where her busses and trains are going, where they’ve been, and probably who’s riding! She’s the Senior Marketing Rep for CATS and we had just finished up doing Annual Report photography of one of her committees.  When I said “grab the sign and smile” she gave me her best pearly whites.

So when you want to know where CATS or LYNX goes, go to ridetransit.org or just ask Krystel…she’ll set your compass straight…or north, south, east or west!!

More later…ML

A Visit to the Art Institute of Charlotte

/in , /by
Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Art Institute of Charlotte

These are the students that greeted us at the Art Institute of Charlotte when we spoke this week in front of the Photography Business class taught by our dear friend, Joe Ciarlante.  Joe and I are from the same small town in NJ (Vineland) and we met in Charlotte.  I assisted Joe when I was just starting out and we eventually shared studio space together.  He loves teaching and he is great at it.  He is also a great architectural photographer. I learned many things about the craft of photography while assisting him and he is very generous with his knowledge.

My producer (and wife, Anne) talked about our work but mostly about the 20+ years of running a studio.  Our message was a lot about following your passion, never giving up, GOING FOR IT and when you work for yourself, “you eat what you kill!!” (I did not make that up).  We also invited the class to the studio and let them know we are always looking for new, energetic folks to assist.

At the end of our talk, this is how we left…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Art Institute of Charlotte: Take 2

At least we didn’t put them to sleep.  Seriously, they were great and we loved visiting them.

More later

ML

 

Architectural Photography – Now’s the time

/in , , /by
Photo by Michael LoBiondo Photography

Architectural Photography

We are doing a lot of Architectural Photography now and put together this little piece.  We’re always looking for an interesting angle to photograph when interpreting the architect’s design.  Also, shooting at dusk gives us a unique perspective on the building,the lighting and space around it.

It’s also great to photograph the architects, developers or designers.  We also photograph the real workmen/women on the job but that’s for another blog post.

ML

Industrial Photography: Why is this guy laughing??

/in , , /by
Industrial Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Be Serious…

This is a popular reaction when I ask “Can you give me a serious look?”.  Most people then crack-up.  It’s all part of our customer service to get you laughing and lighten up the moment.  Relax…the camera loves’ you!!

More later…ML

Location Photography: After a long day on the road…

/in , /by
Photo by Michael LoBiondo

hello

Location Photography sometimes requires a long day on the road, traveling, scouting, shooting.  Then you end up at a place that is a temporary home.  At this place, even the keys are nice!!

More later…ML

Location photography – In the airport

/in , /by
Location Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Location Photography by Michael LoBiondo

 

I seem to be in a lot of airports these days and it reminded me of a location photography assignment we had inside an airport.  I have photographed at airports before and when the airport is your client, things are easier.  You get your bags checked but you’re in a line of one.  Then you can go many places the public can’t because you have a security person attached to your hip.  Many things have changed over the years.

This assignment was for Black Enterprise Magazine and Keith Haywood is an executive for this Bojangles at the end of a concourse at this very busy airport.  A perfect application of using small flash.  The logistics were tricky because I had to go through the TSA check-point and they put my two bags through the ringer.  I had packed light (no pun intended) but it still took 15 minutes.

The question was how to show busy airport concourse, restaurant, subject, and not get run over by the crowd.  I positioned my light stand in the middle of the concourse loaded with the small Canon EX580 flash with small soft-box and had my assistant stand next to it in the wave of oncoming people.  I found a pole to kneel behind.  Wait for the crowd, shoot a bunch.  Reposition, wait for the crowd,  you get the idea.  We did five positions in about 40 minutes during the ebb and flow of passengers coming and going.  No one ran over the light, my subject, my assistant or me.  Couple of close calls with folks on their phones!!  Then, on to chicken and biscuits.

Gotta’ go and catch my flight.  More later….ML