H2Meyer Photography » photography

Why I shoot: the joys of photography

Hanmi — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:38:26 +0000

A quick thought just popped into my head about how much I enjoy proving to people that they are photogenic… not models, of course, but every day people… I started with friends and family and quickly learned that with the right lighting and angles, people truly are transformed. But the real fun comes with showing them the shot, right on the camera and seeing their faces light up. That is some powerful stuff, seeing someone change the way they see themselves right before your eyes. They also know that since they’re seeing it right after it was shot that no manipulation has taken place…

The other real joy comes with “seeing” the minutiae and finding beauty in the mundane, both of which have been greatly enhanced by my beloved macro lens, the AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED. The katydid shots below are a prime example.

The photographer’s dilemma: participate or photograph?

Hanmi — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:35:51 +0000

Going big!

Hanmi — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:50:26 +0000

I’m super excited to announce that our in-house printing capacity in terms of size and quality is about to go WAY up. Our trusty Epson Stylus Photo 2200 will be replaced with an Epson Stylus Pro 3800. We will now be able to print on media up to 17″x22″, though I’ve read it is possible to go even longer… We will also be able to print amazing B&W and improved gradients and skin tones.

Better still, the large capacity pressurized ink system will reduce the number of ink cartridges we have to recycle annually. The 3800 has an 80ml cartridge while the 2200 has an 18ml cartridge.

If you’re looking for a great, well cared for large format photo printer, get in touch. The 2200 will be up for sale soon. Portland Metro area sales only. If you’d like to see sample prints from the 2200, you can find an exhibit of my work at the Morning Star Cafe – 510 SW 3rd Avenue, suite 100 – in downtown Portland.

Sunset Valley’s last hoorah

Hanmi — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 23:59:21 +0000

photo by Hanmi Hubbard Meyer

I found out via Facebook that I have a photo published in this week’s Portland Mercury…. (Ahh… takes me back to my days of being published in the local weekly music rags.) Sadly there is no photo credit. The photo, of Sunset Valley frontman Herman Jolly, was taken ages ago with a Canon S40 point and shoot. I was at the height of my “let’s push the bounds of what this little camera can do” experimentation. That was also about this time I decided I really needed to step up to a DSLR. While I was becoming frustrated with shutter lag and the very limited control, I think the time I spent really digging into and exhausting all the features available BEFORE upgrading, really made me appreciate the DSLR when I finally switched.

This discovery brings up many topics in my mind. Chief among them: ensuring proper credit and protecting images that are shared online. Upon searching for images of Sunset Valley, I found several blogs using a version of the photo above or one of several other shows I shot and naively uploaded to my old Mac.com page. The reality is I was not a pro shooter at the time, and didn’t really expect to become one again. Of course, now that I am, I regret that I have missed out on several opportunities for some free advertising. And moreover, having now had my eyes opened, what will I change going forward? I already watermark everything and take full advantage of exif data… I know there are a lot of opinions out there, and countless products designed to protect copyright holders. But how helpful are they, really?

On a side note, I am VERY excited to see Sunset Valley tonight. As the article mentions they had a prior “last” show, which happened to be my wedding day, so I missed it. Now I just need to decide what to toss into the camera bag…

Retouching: how much is enough?

Hanmi — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:34:39 +0000

Here are some examples of the levels of retouching that can be done for portaits. The standard, or “normal” amount of retouching is shown in example #2, and is typically included in my portrait, senior, and wedding packages. The “glamour” level shown in example #1, is much more labor intensive and must be done on a per image basis, can be added, but as a typical photo adds anywhere from 10-30 minutes per shot to my processing time, I must charge for the additional effort. The good news is people rarely want this level of retouching on more than a few photos, in which case costs can be kept at a reasonable level. Even more extreme corrections can be done, and are priced by time required to get the desired result.

The lovely couple pictured here are my dear parents. We had some fun taking a few informal portraits over the holidays.

example #1: "Glamour" retouching - roll your mouse over the image to see the original shot

example #2: "Normal" retouching - roll your mouse over the image to see the original shot

Remodels, portraits, & logos, OH MY!

Hanmi — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:00:00 +0000

It’s been a busy month… In the midst of remodeling our own bathroom, I spent a day shooting professionals remodeling the bathroom of a family in need for REACH Community Development. My volunteer assignment came from a dart game at the Lucky Lab a couple months ago. We met several folks who’d just arrived in Portland for their AmeriCorps assignment, and one of them asked if I’d be willing to do some pro bono work on their behalf. Last Thursday I covered two sites, one with a new wheelchair ramp installation, the other a bathroom remodel and living room window replacement.

The guys from Balfor were all very courteous and accommodating. Some were more aware [and wary] of the camera than others, but that is to be expected. The bathroom job turned out to be much more involved than they had anticipated, so I was trying to stay out of the way and just document their work.

Prior to that I designed a logo for Yoga for Weddings… I haven’t done a lot of illustration, but I must admit I am very happy with how this turned out. I started out by sketching in my notepad, then a more refined sketch on bond paper, which I scanned and brought into Illustrator. The rest was all vectors and some transparency layering.

I also did another portrait shoot, this time of a young family–our friends Andy & Amy & their son, Theo. Three people at once proved much more challenging, but there were definitely a few keepers. I did decide it was madness to attempt to do that without an assistant, though. I much prefer working one-on-one or in a documentary fashion.

Now it’s back to our own remodel…