The Shoeless

So this is going to be a 2 part post but I figured I would at least break-up a little bit.

If anyone knows me they know that I take a lot of portraits. They are actually my main form of photography. Now the other day I was reading about how boring and popular portraiture. From doing different kinds of web surfing I noticed that he was completely right, everyone’s portraits look the exact same.  It made me kind of said but it got me thinking on ways that I can get better. If you would like to read the article please take the 5 mins out of your day to… The Portaitist

On that note though, I took some portraits recently that I feel the need to show. No they aren’t amazing but they are getting better… I have room to grow and I know this so I am excited.

So my middle sister recently got married, a week ago, and for her wedding she had me take bridal portraits of her in her wedding dress. I took her to N.C. State’s Arboretum and the rose garden at Raleigh Little Theater. I haven’t been able to show any of these portraits because of the possibility of the groom seeing them.  I printed a nice 16″x20″ for her/the wedding which is where it was shown for the first time.

My sister in her dress at the rose garden

Smelling roses before they died for the winter.

As I have talked about in previous post, I have started (not yet finished) a 7 deadly sins theme. To take a new picture for one of the sins, I did a shoot with one of my friends. Once we finished, we just kind of fooled around taking a variety of different shots. The followed shot is a product of us just messing around.

Kathleen being light by a stray incandescent light

The following meet I met up with a new friend to just kind of mess around and shoot. I was still getting use to my new 35mm f/1.8 lens so I used it to pull off different feels. While I was in Washington D.C. in the portrait gallery at the Smithsonian, I saw a variety of head shots with this low depth of field, grungy feel. I kind of liked it so this one of Christian kind of mimics that sort of photography.

Christian studio shot

With Christmas in between now and my post, I took some pictures of my family.  I took some fun ones of my sister on Christmas eve.

Cheryl having fun on Christmas eve

For Christmas I got a set of pocket wizards and my friend from Maine came down to NC and I got a chance to visit with her. We went over to Duke Gardens and I got a chance to try out my new toy. After some frustration (from wind and the pocket wizards) I got everything set up. While I on one of the bridges I got to take the following photo.

Nyssa at Duke Gardens

I feel like my portraits aren’t great but I’ll soon get to where I want to be. Look for my next post on sporting and other events I’ve shot in the past 2 months.

So, I fail. It’s ok but I’m sorry. I was actually going to keep it up but then I just busy again. On that note, I’ve been busy every since but I’m going to try to find FANTASTIC times like these and actually update my blog. Mainly because so much has gone on between now and the last time picture wise, I don’t know if the blog can really support how much I have to show. Ok that is kind of a lie but none the less I do have a lot to show. I decided to keep a few things for next blog post though.  Without further a do, what has been doing on!

A sail boat on Lake Johnson one afternoon.

Brent while we are on the paddle boats on Lake Johnson

A girl kayaking on Lake Johnson.

So I took a few photographers to Lake Johnson to take some pictures. We walked around half of the lake first and then went into the paddle boats and went around and got some shots. It was a fun afternoon. out.

Christian sitting on the life guard stand at a local pool while it rains.

The Agromeck did a spread about lifeguards from N.C. State who were working in the area. I went to a local pool in Cary and got pictures of Christian being a life guard as part of the spread.

Kate holding the flag on hole 16 at Loonie Poole, N.C. State's new golf course.

Bryant hitting hole 18 during the Press game at Loonie Poole

My sister's dog Cronus, named after Zeus's father, while I visited her in August.

I visited my sister at the beginning of August while I was on break and I got to meet her cute little puppy, Cronus.  I wish I could remember what breed he was.

HDR of Lassiter Falls off Lassiter Rd in Raleigh.

Slow exposer of Lassiter falls.

While I was driving after trying to take some pictures, I stopped by these falls located just off of Lassiter Mill road. I was frustrated so these shots and the place and general really calmed down. A place to check out if you’ve never been.

Meredith and Kate posing for a photo to explain focal length

For a photo training I did few weeks ago, I took a series of shot to show focal length and what it does to a photo. That photo was taken with a 400mm. I took another few with a 300mm, 200mm, 85mm, 50mm and 28mm. They and I both stayed in the same place through each shot.

Alex Smith diving for the ball during a match against Rutgers.

Junior setter Alex Smith during her game against Rutgers for the Crabtree Valley Marriott Classic. N.C. State lost 2-3.

Meredith spray painting outside of the Free Expression tunnel.

The Society for Collegiate Journalist spray painted the outside of the Free Expression tunnel last wednesday night for Constitution Day on Thursday, Sept. 17.  We spray painted an American flag with words like constitution day, SCJ, 9/17/09, and We the people to make up the stripes.  and SCJ made up the stars.

Nettie in the Photo studio during one of her designing nights.

A portrait of Nettie in Technician’s photo studio. Nothing really special about it, but a fun interesting shot none-the-less.

Danny taking a picture of film with a macro 50 mm f/1.4 .

So one of the photographers I work with, Danny, took a Minolta 50mm f/1.4, shaved on the back and put a cap on the back that would fit with a Canon body.  The focusing distance is about 2″ or less.

So that’ s pretty much it for right now. I know that that is 14 pictures but I figure that iwll make up for a little bit…maybe :/ Be back soon!

So I have been taking pictures for the past 4.5 years, but I have never created a visual portfolio of my work. So to remedy that fact, I have put 164 photos that I have taken in the past 2.5 years into a gallery. There is a flash and html version. What I need any and all people viewing this post, I need you to email me ( Luis@kutsuphoto.com) or leave me a comment on this post which which ones are you favorite. Just give me the file name or number ( xx/164) that you like are worthy of existing in my portfolio. For people who know me on Twitter, facebook, etc. please feel free to leave comments on there.
This is extremely important for me to put together. Once I have gotten enough feedback I will post the gallery up here to show what were the favorites.

While doing looking through the pictures, things to consider: I’m a photojournalist and studio photographer.  So, look for good nature, news, studio, and feature type photos. I need something to display what I’m worth.

I’m appreciate any and all feedback in advance.

For the Flash Version!
For the HTML Version!

To end this post, I took some portraits of my friend, Eilene, recently so here is one of my favorites.

Until next time

So, I was going through my photos in Lightroom today, and I noticed that I did 4 photo shoots with the last 30 days. 3 of them were in the last week. I decided I might as well show my favorites from all of them as now that summer is coming around I’ve been able to start heading outside to take pictures.

The first of the 4 shoots, was a favor for a friend. She made/designed the Latin Dance groups dresses (she got a friend to help her make some of them).  So I took a pictures basically for her profile.

NCSU Dance Team Members

After that, I did another favor for a friend, this time it was taking a picture of her writing on another girls back. It turned out really cool. The model that she got I met that day and due to traffic my friend didn’t get there until after the other model got there. So the model and I took some pictures until my friend go there. This next picture is one that I took during that time.

Model posing with my bowler.

This past Friday, a friend invited to me to go take pictures with her. We decided to go to the Arboretum. We walked around and ended up in one of the green houses. She let me borrow her macro lens. I was happy I was able to get some some water droplet photos.

Plants in the greenhouse after being watered.

My friend, Rebecca, with whom I went to the greenhouses.

Forth and file photo shoot was a fun. I made a new friend, Michelle, she put on her Yukata and Obi and we went to Pullen Park. We found this really cool bamboo section that we cused to great some nice Japanese style scenary to fit with the apparel. Oddly enough when we were leaving the area we ran into a worker at Pullen. Really nice guy, he apparently used to go hang out over by the Design school so we had a nice chat about that and finding peace in Raleigh. In the end I was glad we had a talk with him, because it just goes to show you never know what kind of conversation you can have with strangers.

Michelle playing with the water while wearing her yukata and obi.

That’s all the new pictures for now. I’ll probably upload some of my renders that I”m finishing up tonight and in the morning. I will also be going to the Carolina Hurricane game on Wednesday night to shoot for the Independent, so I’ll probably post a picture from that.

So I meant to post this on Tuesday, but I got preoccupied working on my studio project. The project was from the beginning of the semester, I was just fine tuning the poster. What we were giving to do was to take the company Muji and create something that would fit with their style of design. I chose design a chair that had storage compartments in it, so the following pictures are view from the chair. I will update later with the final poster as well.

Alright so there this slight pauses inbetween posts are annoying me, I’m going to try to make these closer together (posts that is). I really want to make progress to this blog.
Anyways point is, I think I’m going to add Design to this blog. I am an Industrial Design student and I should include my designs in here as well as my photos. so some of the next few posts (after this one) is going to be some of my previous design projects. Then I’ll try to add a design post in there every once in awhile.

Without Further ado, Today’s picture is of my friend Christin who was Harley Quinn, from Batman. Then through a series of events she ends up in my studio and me taking pictures of her. Enjoy.

Harley Quinn