The New Sketch Artist

[jiro]

I noticed that they got new sketch artists at the SeaWorld compound in San Antonio, TX when we visited it the 2nd time. Took some shots of one of the new guys while he's "in the zone".

Click the image to see it in lightbox.


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Nikon D70, Nikon 18-70mm lens set at 31mm, Exposure at ISO 200, f4 at 1/800 second, Matrix Metering in Aperture Priority Mode, Color Processed in LR 3.

[Shambhala]

I love this Jiro. I love black and white. I love the expression you captured on the little girls face, she looks sleepy/dreamy and happy.. I also like how your pictures don't look (what I call flat) The pictures I take of people in Black and White look flat. Do you have any tips on how you seem to capture the moment so well?

[jiro]

I love this Jiro. I love black and white. I love the expression you captured on the little girls face, she looks sleepy/dreamy and happy.. I also like how your pictures don't look (what I call flat) The pictures I take of people in Black and White look flat. Do you have any tips on how you seem to capture the moment so well?

Lots of practice in timing. Usually I can't control all the variables so I concentrate on what is important to me. On this shot I concentrated on the expression of the little girl. I already positioned myself to where I want to compose the shot with the sketch being my secondary point of focus and the little girl as my main focus. They are both on the top 1/3 power point location so I'm good. I also have come to anticipate the time lag between the time I release the shutter button and the time that my camera takes the exposure. It's maybe about 1/10 sec or less. Normally that's how I do it - position myself first (one technique I got from my target shooting hobby) then wait.. wait...wait for that right moment then press the shutter button. Hope this helps, Shannon.

[Chong]

I love this Jiro. I love black and white. I love the expression you captured on the little girls face, she looks sleepy/dreamy and happy.. I also like how your pictures don't look (what I call flat) The pictures I take of people in Black and White look flat. Do you have any tips on how you seem to capture the moment so well?

I agree with Shannon. You always have captured nice moments on your subject Willie

[Shambhala]

Thanks!! it does! I have been writing down all the tips and suggestions I get into one notebook... so I will include this as well.

[Nicola]

Lots of practice in timing. Usually I can't control all the variables so I concentrate on what is important to me. On this shot I concentrated on the expression of the little girl. I already positioned myself to where I want to compose the shot with the sketch being my secondary point of focus and the little girl as my main focus. They are both on the top 1/3 power point location so I'm good. I also have come to anticipate the time lag between the time I release the shutter button and the time that my camera takes the exposure. It's more like 1/6 - 1/8 of a second. Normally that's how I do it - position myself first (one technique I got from my target shooting hobby) then wait.. wait...wait for that right moment then press the shutter button. Hope this helps, Shannon.

Willie,
this is a marvellous picture
i like the tones and contrast!
I'm trying to identify myself on your procedure you have written upon, in order to have a clear reference in mind for my next time!
doing this, a question jumped in my mind:
have you tried to capture this scene from the opposite angle? I mean from the left side of the artist? in order to have from left to right the girl, the sketch and the artist
i'm asking you that because, perhaps this could be the position I would choosed...
thanks a lot
nicola

[jiro]

I agree with Shannon. You always have captured nice moments on your subject Willie

Thank you very much, Mario.

[jiro]

Thanks!! it does! I have been writing down all the tips and suggestions I get into one notebook... so I will include this as well.

That's what I did, too when I first had my Nikon D70 - jot down everything that I noticed about my shots. Makes me learn easier. Same thing I did to learn all those 1-foot thick of design manuals back then. Hahaha!

[jiro]

Willie,
this is a marvellous picture
i like the tones and contrast!
I'm trying to identify myself on your procedure you have written upon, in order to have a clear reference in mind for my next time!
doing this, a question jumped in my mind:
have you tried to capture this scene from the opposite angle? I mean from the left side of the artist? in order to have from left to right the girl, the sketch and the artist
i'm asking you that because, perhaps this could be the position I would choosed...
thanks a lot
nicola

Yes, Nicola. Unfortunately, the background on the other side is more cluttered so I had to go with this POV on this one. Most of the time it's a good thing to circle around your subject to see where the good angles are located before taking the shot.

[jiro]

Here is an old shot I took when we first visited the site, Nicola:

[Nicola]

thanks Willie
you are so kind

[jiro]

thanks Willie
you are so kind

Only when I have taken some coffee.