My Second Rodeo

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 14, 2012

To all the ships at Sea

I was so blown away by the rodeo experience that I decided to go back and shoot some video. My camera of choice was the Canon 5D Mark III with a Zacuto finder,a Manfrotto video monopod, and a 24-105mm Canon lens. We mounted the new GoPro HD2 on the bullfighter, for a view which I call from the inside out, rather than the outside in. The footage can now be viewed below, please take a look; there are some amazing images there. Can’t wait for my third Rodeo

Joe D

Coming to Adorama TV

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 10, 2012

To all the ships at sea; during my career at Sports Illustrated, I believe I only shot 5 baseball games; 3 in the world series, and 2 in the playoffs. Oops, I forgot about Sport Magazine; 2 for them on a cover of Carl Yastrzemski. I recently had an opportunity to put together a combination advanced photographic workshop on sport and action photography, and a short film for Adorama TV. I called in some favors from major league baseball, which allowed me to bring my crew in for a triple A game between the Iron Pigs and the SW Yankees. It was a great evening. Next month you will be able to see the video on Adorama TV. The above photograph was taken by Dylan: 300mm 2.8 lens, Canon 7D with battery grip, Getso monopod, stadium mercury vapor lights, exposure 1/1000 of a second at 2.8 with an ISO of 3200. Summer’s here, what a great excuse to go make some photos. So get some batteries, get some flash cards, or a roll of Tri-x, and make some photos. Joe D.

Days of Future Past

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 5, 2012

To all the ships at sea; we’ve been working on the third and final edit of my book. The problem is, we have five different titles. Maybe in the next 20 years I’ll become decisive, who knows? While looking for an illustration of a London pub, I found an old kodachrome 200, shot on a Nikon f2 with a 15mm 5.6 lens, at 1/30 of a second, wide open, handheld. Hollywood spends an awful lot of money smoking a set to get this type of effect. The smoke may not be good for you, but it’s beautiful on film. Smoke and back lighting; it doesn’t get better than that. Go out and make some great photos. It’s all good. Joe D.

Thank God For America

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 4, 2012

Proud to be an American

Joe D.

Old Glory

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 3, 2012

Much younger than before

Wheeler The Great

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 2, 2012

I’ve started many lectures, workshops, TV shows, radio shows, and magazine articles, with similar words; I’m the luckiest man in the world. My life is full of extremely creative, intelligent, and dynamic artists. One day it may be a blues musician; another day it may be a jazz man; the following week, a world class athlete; a retired boxer; or an author who has actually changed the world. This weekend, it was Dennis Wheeler; one of the finest artists in the United States today. Wheeler’s career has spanned six decades, he’s responsible for 45 Time Magazine covers, his work appears in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, all of his children are extremely bright and creative, and he’s married to an adorable young lady named Kathi Doolan. Dennis was kind and generous enough to allow me to bring an elite group of advanced photographers to the Wheeler farm in Columbia County, New York. Unbeknownst to me, the timing could not have been perfect (Murphy had left the building). Wheeler, his son Dave, and Kathi launched the Atlantis for the Floatable piece of art. I believe, and I could be wrong, it is a 1/16,000 scale of a futuristic and green city of the future; right out of Buckminster Fuller. When built full size, it will be around 2,654 feet tall and house 30,000 people, with schools, shops, and a landing strip which will allow you to land and take off a 737. A dream; maybe. But sometimes dreams can become reality; remember Buck Rogers?

Atlantis 4, full size will be 265 stories and 2,654 feet

http://lindapedersenphotography.zenfolio.com/p405196090

To all the ships at sea, I will return to this blog and caption the photographs. The people in the photographs know who they are. I have to leave for Manhattan for a meeting, and will try to get back to it in a day or so. In my opinion, this was one great workshop.

Not My First Rodeo

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 25, 2012

To All The Ships At Sea

One of the great advantages of being a photographer is travel. I’ve been blessed because over my career I’ve been around the world twice and am now working on the third time. Many of my assignments revolved around sports and action. With all the assignments and travel, I had never photographed a rodeo until last week.It was my first. While shooting, an official came over and was kind enough to give me insight on who, what, and where the action would be taking place and for how long. I looked at him and said you do understand this is not my first rodeo and then realized what I had said and immediately corrected myself. Utilizing this cowboy’s thirty years of doing rodeo helped me make a better photograph with less mistakes. This is what I call important pre-production. I make it my business to seek out the elder of the village whether it’s in Botswana, Palermo or Utah. Do your research and seek out whatever help you can get to make your work better. Keeping your mind open to learn and trying knew things is important and it’s what makes the world go round. The DiMaggio/Kalish Learning Center will be doing two professional rodeo workshops this year and they will be awesome.

©’12 Joe DiMaggio

©’12 Joe DiMaggio

©’12 Joe DiMaggio

99.9% Keep Shooting

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on May 22, 2012

To All The Ships at Sea

Today is Tuesday. I’ve had three back to back days – 14 hours, 15 hours, 12 hours and today I’m doing a short segment on Ricky Boscorino for our Photo Retreat in July. Late last night or early this morning (I genuinely forget) I stumbled across an essay I did on Mountain Biking. One frame got my attention. When we pick up a camera, we all strive to make a new photo but 99% of the time it’s been made before. So we try to put a new spin on it. Guess what? 99% of the time someone’s already done that. It’s up to us though, to keep trying. That’s what we do. It’s all Good. Canon film camera 14mm lens 1/250 f/5.6 film Velvia 50

Old Glory – Not a Cliché

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on May 15, 2012

In reality many photos are considered clichés The Empire State Building, The Arc de Triomphe the Great Wall of China, Lady Liberty, a sunrise, and a sunset. All can be considered clichés. You would think for an American the American Flag would be a cliché but not to me. The American Flag has beautiful colors, great design, balance and when the wind blows right it has powerful stance. While on a run, one day, I came across this flag blowing and as Bob Dylan would say “Blowing in the Wind.” I spent one or two minutes observing it. I made a photograph that was intentionally high key with one of my favorite filters the Singh Ray high intensity. I designed the “V” for victory and had one of my assistants assemble it in Photoshop for me. For me it’s simple clean and elegant. Thank you Betsy Ross & Dr. Singh

Sistine Chapel: The Rules

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on April 18, 2012

Back in the day a trip to Rome would be incomplete without a once-in-a life-time experience of seeing one the greatest and most popular works of art known today. I have been back at least a dozen times, and I always discover something new in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. It was commissioned by Pope Julius the II and was painted between 1508 and 1512. Back then, with the proper credentials I was able to photograph the Chapel for fifteen minutes before it opened. Today photography is no longer allowed, and when I ask why, security explained, that they sell photos, so there is no need to take one. Rules are rules, and we all must adhere to them. I found it very interesting that photographers with 35mm cameras are stopped but people with I phones and such were not. It seemed a bit unfair to me. I normally try to spend more then an hour trying to study the color, balance, and composition. I always leave the Chapel with my jaw on the ground, and when someone says that my photos are a piece of art I am humbly appreciative, but we all know better. Tip for today, as always pre-select shutter speed aperture, focus, over-expose by three quarters to 1.5 stops, camera on silent mode, lay the camera flat on a bench, accidentally hit the self timer button and hopefully you will have a precious image of one of the greatest pieces of art of all time. The rules are the the rules, don’t break them.