Fstoppers » Douglas Sonders

3 Minutes Of Setup And 2 Shutter Clicks : The Reality Of Celebrity Portraiture

Douglas Sonders — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:06:57 +0000

Recently, I was hired by a corporate client to take the portrait of Rod Stewart here in New York City before a concert. After a day of pre-planning logistics, 4 cancellations/reschedules (same day), and 3 location changes, the shoot finally happened… and it took place in two shutter clicks. Now, this is not a complaint post or to prove what an intense shoot this was. This is merely the stark reality of what it’s like to shoot celebrity portraits. You have to be ready for anything.

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Photographing The Green Hornet Movie Car Using An Automotive Rig

Douglas Sonders — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:33:06 +0000

For a couple of years now, I have been shooting a personal series about movie and tv cars, and the people that either own the original vehicles or build replicas for themselves. I call it the Unicorn Project (see more from the series here). Recently, I had the chance to photograph one of the screen-used Black Beauties from the 2011 film, The Green Hornet. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out my new automotive rig from Rig-Pro for the first time to simulate high-speed action shots.

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I Visited Hong Kong & Did A DigitalRev Cheap Camera Challenge

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:37:04 +0000

Phase One asked me to go on a speaking tour through China (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing) to share about my photo career, creative inspiration, and being a Phase One shooter myself, to demo their innovative new IQ2 digital medium format camera back system. After flying in to Hong Kong from Washington DC just hours before, I had the great honor and pleasure to be a part of Digital Rev’s Cheap Camera Challenge. A broken Holga + jet lag + beer + a goof like myself = What could go wrong?

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Filming A Ford Fusion Ad With A Badass Custom Raptor Camera Truck

Douglas Sonders — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:19:09 +0000

My buddy Ray Wert from the ad agency Tiny Toy Car knows how I love gadgets, filmmaking, and obviously custom camera trucks capable of racing in the Baja and destroying anything in its path. Last month he got me a sneak peek of this Ford ad (below the break) before it aired and introduced me to the director, Tim Damon, who told me about his incredible custom Ford Raptor that he used to film rally racer Tanner Foust as he thrashed the new Ford Fusion in the hills of California.

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Capture One Express 7 Announced – Phase One’s Affordable Raw Processing Software For Under $100

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:20:10 +0000

Phase One announced their new Capture One Express 7 raw image processing software today and it’s free to try for 60 days and only $99 to buy! Express 7 is actually a streamlined version of their advanced Capture One Pro 7 software, which is what I personally use, focusing primarily on RAW processing. Also, I’m excited to mention that they are using my Mad Max photoshoot on the marketing material. :)

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Like Shooting Tethered? Check Out Some Of These Awesome Products From Tether Tools

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:30:40 +0000

If you haven’t heard of TetherTools.com yet, well… you have now. Tethered Tools makes a wide range of fantastic products to make your tethered shooting go more smoothly. They are THE one stop shop for all of your tethered shooting gear needs including software. They have seemingly infinite customizable tethering configurations that you should definitely check out.

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Functional Warplane-Inspired Camera Straps By Vulture Equipment

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:30:26 +0000

I’m a lifelong motor head. I salivate at a great custom exhaust on a big block V8 engine, or a custom candy paint job on a 1957 Chevy BelAir. I literally dream of pro-touring modernized 1960′s muscle cars. So as a photographer, it would only make sense that I would crave to customize my cameras, especially after recently investing in a Phase One digital medium format which I cherish like I would a car. For years, I’ve been looking for a cool rugged camera strap system that fit my style and functional needs. Thanks to Vulture Equipment, I think I’ve finally found it.

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One Photographer Wants To Make A Difference In The Wake Of Hurricane Sandy

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:00:19 +0000

One of my fellow photographer buddies, Andrew Link, the photo director for Rides Magazine, is native to Staten Island, which was hit very hard by Hurricane Sandy. Although, I never knew the extent until I saw his photo series. For a commercial car and portrait photographer, he put together quite a compelling group of photos telling the story of the difficult rebuilding process in Staten Island.

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Tips For Travelling Abroad On A Budget By Photographer Nicole Fallek

Douglas Sonders — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:06:47 +0000

By the age of 24, my buddy Nicole Fallek has done a lot of travelling with her camera. She decided that she wanted to see more of the world, but realized she didn’t have a big budget to do so. Nicole put together this extensive blog post for you guys using her vast travel knowledge to help ensure your world travels will go more smoothly and affordably. Check out all of tips & some of her travel photos/design below.

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Mad Max Apocalypse Photoshoot

Douglas Sonders — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:55:24 +0000

A few months ago, I hit up my buddy Paul Miller, who is a movie director out of Southern California. Regular readers of my personal blog site may recognize Paul from my previous Mad Max Interceptor shoot. Paul told me that he is part of a group of folks that essentially constructs clothing, weapons, and even vehicles to re-enact the Mad Max post apocalypse in the Mojave desert, much like some re-enact the US Civil War. They are often referred to as “Wastelanders” after their annual gathering entitled “Wasteland Weekend”.

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