Contact: Kim Perry
Company Name: SP Squared Commercial Photography
Telephone Number: (804) 339-3794
Email Address: kim@spsquared.com
Web site address: www.spsquared.com

Headline

Richmond, Virginia, September 14, 2011

Tactical photography of SWAT teams, snipers, canine units, and other tactical groups created by SP Squared Commercial Photography will be featured at the National Tactical Officers’ Association an annual Tactical Conference in Richmond September 14, 2011.

Multiple photo shoots with live operators in a variety of training scenarios were held in the 12 months leading up to the conference. SP Squared Commercial Photography employed complex photography techniques for the shoots and advanced photo-processing to create a large collection of high power images. Specific studio lighting scenarios were conducted on-location to capture unique effects.

SP Squared is the exclusive photographer working with the NTOA on conference promotion in 2011.

Images will be on display at the Convention center, the Richmond International Airport, and at various locations around Richmond, Virginia leading up to and during the conference. Conference dates are Spet 18-23 2011. Attendance for the conference is projected around 1500 attendees and includes tactical teams from across the US and numerous nations.

SP Squared specializes in tactical photography, action and lifestyle photography, and product photography.

Photos from a recent swimsuit photo shoot have been submitted for a monthly contest with Transworld Surf Magazine. One of the models is in the running and she is using the photography from our photo session.

Check out all of the Miss June contestants on their site…

http://surf.transworld.net/1000131987/photos/the-search-for-miss-june/?pid=55197#ngtop

See how an Outer Banks North Carolina business, Outback Kitchen attracts attention with images of their food and new location on their website.

SP Squared offers full service food and location photography in Richmond, Virginia Beach, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina as well as other localities across the country.  Call us today for a consultation on how photographs and a strong web presence can change your business. (804) 339-3794.

Download a PDF of Spokes_Magazine_June2011

Specifically, the client requested images of the aircraft in flight and in a stationary position. ‘Experimental’ effects with Photoshop was also requested. We worked primarily on swapping out the sky for something more dramatic.

In order to capture in-flight photos we had to, you guessed it, take the bird for a flight. While I’d been on over 100 flights during my time in the Marine Corps, I was looking forward to flying in this ‘civilian’ helicopter. Anyone familiar with military aircraft know they are very purpose-specific, and their purpose is not comfort. The Robinson R-44 was a nice change in the comfort department.

With clear skies and a full moon rising, the evening was shaping up for a perfect photography session. I knew the timing would be tight with sundown and twilight not offering much time to get the in-flight shots as well as the stationary shots, so I took minimal gear (a couple bodies and three lenses, along with a tripod).

Having fast glass and Image-Stabilized lenses made the low-light photography while flying in the helicopter possible. During the flight, my initial proof of the images on the display screen indicated I was getting exactly what the client ordered.

Once back at the airport and on the pad, I raced to set up the tripod and dial in settings to capture long exposures. Initial results proved to be very nice. With the initial success, I dialed in the shots and nailed a few right away. Having already grabbed a few shots I decided to pull out small strobes and add to the effects.

With the long exposures and a tripod, I knew a small Canon 580 EXII with PocketWizard MultiMax combination would prove to be all I that I would need. The small strobe allowed me to lightly paint the interior and pilot with light to balance the interior of the cockpit with the outside ambient light.

The client is very satisfied with the results and we are working up more assignment photography sessions to capture images to add to the advertising and marketing for the client’s company.

The photo composite in this post is part of a year- long commercial assignment with the National Tactical Officer’s Association. As the exclusive NTOA Conference photographer, I have been shooting an array of tactical teams to produce images for promotion of the upcoming 28^th Annual NTOA Conference which will be held in September 2011.

This image was created by the NTOA creative department using two photographs from a studio shoot with a SWAT team. The studio shoot took place in Richmond, VA using a specific lighting scenario. In addition to the specific lighting used, I also processed these images to create High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. HDR has become very popular in various forms. People have differing opinions on HDR and it’s merit within photography. As with most things, good judgement and moderation work best when producing HDR images.

Typically, a photographer will use multiple exposures (bracketing) of the same image then ‘blend’ them together using various software. For these, I used one image. Not typical, but still feasible.

For the main light I used an Elinchrom 27″ Beauty Dish. If you can get your hands on one do so. Evidently, they are hard to come by these days. I have been using one for a couple of years now and it has become my go-to light for anything with human subjects. It works wonderfully on faces and skin.

The image appears on the conference website as the header graphic.

See  NTOA Conference website here

Having the human body wearing various clothing items that are not typical, such as bullet proof vests and ammunition pouches, creates challenges as well as opportunities in the studio. As I set up the lighting and made initial adjustments the possibilities became evident. I could see early on from the test shots that this studio session would produce great results.

The SWAT team members were very focused and easy to work with for specific poses. I was able to create poses that presented the tools and gear used in their line of work. As the session progressed, the lighting and shots came together nicely and the client could see the original intent of the project would be met.

After a solid amount of post-processing work I presented the proofs and received a resounding approval from the client. The client and I have since worked together on additional shoots for the upcoming National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) annual conference hosted by Richmond, VA in September 2011.

I worked with a factory sponsored Epic rider on the snow to capture these images. We had beautiful weather for shooting minus the needed wind for kiting. Given the tight time line for the project we proceeded with a series of product photographs of the rider setting up the kiting gear.

As an avid kiteboarder myself I enjoyed getting a preview of the new Epic kites. The design and construction looks great and product quality looks top notch. I was disappointed that the weather was calm as I was hoping to get to see the kite in action flying on the snow and take it for a spin myself.

Stay tuned for more snowkiting and kiteboarding photography.

The annual event, WV Open, took place on Saturday Jan 8th 2011. With the terrain park recently built to impressive standards, the competing riders had their work cut out for them. There was notable competition in both classes, ski and snowboard alike.

I eagerly brought my battery-powered studio lighting equipment and my standard ‘field kit’ of cameras and lenses to the slope as soon as the resort opened Sat morning. Braving the frigid conditions with frozen fingers and toes, I captured some very fun photos of the competitors. It was great to see all of the friends I’ve come to know on the mountain as well as make a few new ones. Congratulations to everyone who competed.

Enjoy the photos!

Enjoy!