Photography that rocks

Photographing Ben Harper at the 2009 Austin City limits music festival last October for a client "Ice Cream Man" had it pros and cons. After working a lot on the water in all sorts of extreme weather conditions I would have never expected so much rain and mud in the state of Texas.
Not only was it a challenge to keep your equipment dry and mud free from the crowds splashing up when they danced, but shooting in the mid day sun all the way through to complete darkness late in the night tested all photographers there. I was so happy to have my Nikon gear and to have changed over from Canon one year before.
Don't think I have ever eaten so much ice cream in all of my life, but it was so good.

Some new HDR from the Savannah trip.

Here is some more HDR I shot at the weekend in Savannah, Georgia. This place is amazing even in the gray of the winter months. Savannah is steeped in history and beautiful architecture and I can not get over all the moss that hangs from the huge trees on every street. This place is a photographers dream come true.

What a Fluke or is it?

Photo caption: from the Gunboat 66, Sugar Daddy sailing off Maui, Hawaii. A humpback whale dives deep showing its fluke.©Bob Grieser/outsideimages.co.nz

Bobby G heads to Hawaii for a four day photo shoot on the new Gunboat 66, Sugar Daddy.
Images like this he shot makes him such a great asset to clients when they hire him.
I am sure he has some way of being in contact with the wales because they always turn up when he is around. This is a great image for a calender I think.
You can see more of Bobby's work "here"

Build it and they will come.

In September 2009 I traveled to Newport, RI for the 6 Metre Worlds to shoot the regatta and produce a "coffee table book" on spec. it was a bit of a gamble because no one has pre-bought the book, but the gamble paid off and the international 6 Metre class loved it and it is selling like hot cakes. Think in retrospect that it might have been good to produce a calendar also. The 6 Metre owners and crew are a great bunch of people who I hope to join again sometime soon for another fun event. My thanks goes out to Bill Doyle who helped me with so many things in the regatta and getting the word out about the book and Manda Faye Dunigan who designed the layout.
Here is just one of the comments that I have received so far on the book:

Hi Paul,
"I have just received the 6 metre world cup book you have produced.
Congratulations on a wonderful production, as a printer I appreciate the quality of stock used and graphic layout.
Of course to have Scout feature as she does is a real buzz for all of us who were involved with the project of getting her to the regatta, which we enjoyed immensely.
She is now safely home on her mooring in the Mahurangi harbour ready for some summer sailing while we contemplate the next world cup in Helsinki"

Kind Regards
Martin Farrand (caretaker of the Scout)

I was recently in San Diego for Christmas with Bobby and the owner of the 6 Metre Sprig (Greg Stewart) invited Bobby and I for an evening sail. How cool is it to sail on one of these beautiful classics? Not a huge amount of wind, but a lot of fun lining up with Johnny Smullen in his "one design"
Thanks Greg, we really enjoyed the sail and the wine.

How Low Is Too Low In a Chopper?

Yes that is me in the chopper behind PUMA at the start of the Capetown to India leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. I am in the machine with fellow photographer Sally Collison and yes sometimes you do need to get down that low to get the nice angle and the crews faces.

Bobby Shoots Yellow Stone National Park, Fall 2009

Bobby heads in to the National park with our fellow photographer friend Dr Tom and this is the result. Look how stunning the light and color is.

Can HDR be used to look real ?

Is this too much post production? Or do we want something different?

Why aren't we seeing more black and white in commercial work? Is it because picture editors and publisher just dont like it?