Le blog de reflex-photo.eu

Le blog de reflex-photo.eu

SAMEDI 15 OCTOBRE 2011

Voila un nouvel interview sur le blog. Il s’agit d’une interview de Joe Morahan, photographe passionné de photo sportive … entre autre! Il partage sa vie en Denver et  Los Angeles.

C’est en découvrant son travail que j’ai voulu le partager avec vous. Etant lui même anglophone, l’interview s’est faite en anglais.

Joe Morahan – Interview du photographe

Tell me a little bit about yourself ?

I am a creative sports photographer, DP and Director.  I love what I do and work almost every hour of my life.

What is your favorite food?

A Big Chipotle Burrito-extra rice, little chicken, corn salsa.

At what time do you get up on Sunday ?

I get up everyday between 4:30-5:30am.  Love the mornings and that’s when I get my best and most creative work done.

Where are you, right now ?

Sitting in my office returning emails

Everybody is knowing where you come from, but where do you want to go now ?

Well it depends on how I interpret this question.  Physically I would love to go to New Zealand and goof around for a few months, or maybe go ski the Alaskan Mountains.  As far as a goal, I would love to be shooting for companies like Adidas, Nike, Under Armour.

How did you come to photography ?

It all started out when I dropped out of college and started working room service at the local hotel.  I hated everyday I had to work, and never felt challenged, and felt my creativity was being wasted.  That’s when I enrolled in Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara.  I majored in Industrial and Scientific Photography, knowing all the while I was going to be shooting sports.  I figured that a background in high speed would come in handy while shooting fast paced sports.

Is there something you would do different in your career ?

Ya, I wish that I had gone to a business school before starting Brooks, so that I would have that business background.  However, its better to stick with what you know, and for me that’s shooting.

How do you imagine yourself in 5 years ?

A family man.  I hope to have my first little one within the next five years.  I also would like to think I will be a bit closer to working with my dream clients.

Could you describe your style ?

Different.  I love being different.  I don’t care if its my cloths, cars, images, as long as I am not following the pack and being a sheep, and I happy with that.

Same thing in 5 words ?

Different, creative, abstract, unique, vibrant

What is for you the perfect shoot you would like to do ?

I would love to shoot a campaign for Nike someday.  I  don’t care what sport it may be, or who the athlete would be, I just would want to work with Nike and help with a creative and unique campaign.

Are you working alone or with a team ?

Lately I have been working with a team, as I get more into being a DP, and Directing.  However, many of my still images were created with the goal of being submitted to stock agencies, and many of those I was working alone

Lets talk equipment a little bit, what cameras/lens is your most used combination ?

I would have to say my Canon EOS 1DS Mark III is my camera of choice.  Its got that huge sensor and can hold a lot of detail.  Lens….geeze, I would have to say my most common lens would be my Canon 17-40 f/4.  Its not the fastest lens I own, but I think its lucky!!!  I also would like to say I only use Hoodman cards while shooting.  They have never failed on me, and I trust that no Hoodman card would ever fail on me. I also use Lowepro for my packs, while out on location.

I’m sure you love the light, what lightning equipment you use the most ?

Profoto B2 Kit.  It’s a life-saver to me, and helps me get the sort of shots that I do.  I can’t say enough about Profoto.

What is the “must have” accessory for you ?

The Hoodman HoodLoupe 3.0  I love that thing, it reminds me of shooting on the old 4×5 and being under the dark cloth.  The HoodLoupe allows me to check my images, even if its sunny out, and make my adjustment on the shoot, rather that doing it in post.

Any tips to give to my reader ? I will keep that secret, I promise 😉

My tip would be if you get a job you love, you will never work one day of your life.  Its easy to wake up and get to work if you have been dreaming about it all night.

Which is your favorite Film ?

This one is tough, but I would have to say, Usual Suspects.  What a great flick.  But I am also a big TV fan and for that it’s an easy answer, The Office.  It makes me kind of miss working in an office with others.

Who is … your favorite photographer ?

Hands down Ralph Clevenger.  His imagination is what I love best about Ralph.  Nothing is impossible to him, and he inspires me to keep pushing to that next level.

Some links to give me?

http://www.joemorahan.com   -website

http://joemorahan.wordpress.com   -blog

http://www.twitter.com/joemorahan   -twitter

https://plus.google.com/105876411269426233971/posts   -Google+

Thanks a lot for your time !

Filed Under: Press

Shutterbug Magazine: Student Union

Shutterbug Magazine: Student Union – Joe Morahan 

Kick Start
Joe Morahan graduated from Brooks in December, 2005, with a degree in industrial photography. Currently working as an assistant photographer for the bodybuilding publication Iron Man, his long-term goal is free-lance advertising photography for sports gear manufacturers and outfitters, specifically location action images that highlight the gear in use by athletes.

“I was playing sports from the time I could walk,” Joe says. “Skiing, basketball, baseball—you name it, I played it.” When he took up photography in high school it was natural to combine his two interests. “As my father said, ‘If you find a job that you love, you’ll never work one day of your entire life.’”

In his pictures he tries to capture his feelings as an athlete. “When I step onto the field, I forget about everything else.

The photos are trying to show my mood when I’m out there playing the game.”

Joe may have graduated from school, but he knows the learning is far from over. “The more you think you know about the art and science of capturing a compelling image, the more you realize you have to learn.”

Joe Morahan was recommended by Carla White, a consultant to Brooks Institute of Photography.  By Jay McCabe   •

Running at Chatfield State Park, Colorado

Running at Chatfield State Park, Colorado

March 20, 2009 By Joe Morahan

A woman Running down a path at Chatfield State Park, Colorado

Faces of Hunger- 1st Place Image

Faces of Hunger- 1st Place Image

Professional Winner: Joe Morahan, Denver. His story:

Charles Alcott is the face of hunger but also heroism. He sits on the bank of Cherry Creek near Speer Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue. To the right of the photo is where Alcott risked his life in April by diving into the icy, raging water and saving a man who slipped on the bank of the creek and fell in. A witness called 911, and Alcott dragged the victim ashore as rescue crews arrived. Alcott is a Native American from the Crazy Horse People and is a mix between Oglala and Diné. His family still lives on a reservation, but he has been living near this path for years and calls the Denver parks his home.  (denver magazine)

Filed Under: Press

First Storm of the Year

The First Storm of the Year Hits Aspen, Colorado During Fall Season. This could be the closest I have ever come to a painting in my life. I took a look at this file and was very surprised on how much it looks like a painting. There is no post production or photoshop manipulation to this image. Just a massive amount of snow falling early in the season. There is a pine tree and a few yellow aspen tress in the fame, but they are a bit difficult to make out. The snow was coming down so hard I could not see more than 50 yards in front of me. I took around ten images of this, some focused on the trees and some in the foreground where the snow flakes are focused. The difference was massive and the final cut was a simple choice. This shot was taken at the top of Pearl Pass at around 12,000 feet. The early snow was wet, heavy and really coming down fast.Shot details:Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

f/2.8; 1/500 sec; ISO 100; 3744×5616 Pixels 

Lens Details: Canon EF 70-200 2.8 L IS USM

Focal Length 135mm;

Accessories:

Hoodman RAW  8 GB CompactFlash

Sunrise at Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado

Sunrise at Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado

July 1, 2005 By Joe Morahan

The sunrise at Maroon Bells, Colorado during the fall season was one sunrise I will never forget. It was a perfect morning to be their shooting. I wake up at my hotel at around 4:30am and started driving right away. I arrived at the parking lot at maybe 4:50am thinking I would be the first photog on the scene. Nope. Not even close. There had to have been 150 other people with tripods and cameras all set up waiting for the shot. I met some great people while out there and look forward to meeting more next year. This shot was a composite of a group of five images all taken that morning. You can see the sunlight just barley hitting the mountain peaks. The aspen trees are all yellow with color and the reflection in the lake was just perfect for me and all the rest there waiting to witness this event.

Shot details: f/11 ; 1/4 sec; ISO 100; 5318×3546 Pixels 
Focal Length 26mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Rainbow of Colors on Aspen Trees

A rainbow of colors on a group of aspen trees near Aspen, Colorado. The fall season in Aspen is something that is hard to explain. Its so beautiful everywhere you look there are aspen trees that are gold, red, orange and so many colors. The ground in drenched in gold from the leave that have made their flight. I noticed this group of trees off the road a ways and thought why not. It was the best group of trees that I saw the whole trip. I pulled over, put on my earphones, and started walking. It seemed close but it ended up taking around a half hour before I arrived at this spot. I was all alone, it was dead silent and I took a moment. Man…this is nice!! Anyway I started snapping away for a few hours and this was the shot.

Shot details: f/11 ; 1/320 sec; ISO 400; 5616×3744 Pixels 
Focal Length 17mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Fitness at El Mirage Dry Lake Bed

Fitness at El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, California

I recently had the honor of shooting with Branden Nicholson at the Dry Lake Beds in El Mirage.  Here is a quick link to Branden’s website.   Anyway the shoot was a success and here is one of my favorite images.  It shows Branden with a resistance band, stretching it over his head.  The form is what caught my eye, and I had him stand in front of the sun.  It made for a cool silhouette, and was very graphical.  The image is straight forward, nothing special, no lights, no compositing, but ended up being one of my favs.

WPPI – IN STUDIO and ON SCREEN

Producing an Advertising Shot for Less Than $1000

By Joe Morahan and Tiffany Mulherin

WPPI PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY – OCTOBER 2008 – IN STUDIO and ON SCREEN

Not long ago, my girlfriend Tiffany Mulherin and I were awarded an assignment for creating an advertising shot for a tea drink–good news and an interesting opportunity for two up-and-coming photographers.

The bad news? Between the two of us, our budget was $700 for everything: models, lights, camera, set, props and all the other hidden costs that go in to creating the final work product. That’s a rough budget to work with even with our strengths in professional planning. Accurate, thorough preproduction planning was essential to this shoot.

Fortunately, I knew from previous shoots, that Tiffany is a creative genius with a limitless imagination. So letting her take on the creative side of the project while letting me focus on the technical aspects was an easy decision. It seemed like a totally sensible delineation of responsibility… until my creative partner informed me that the idea we were going to work on would focus around the theme ofAlice in Wonderland in a tea parlor.

My first thoughts were “Oh no, more images centered around a movie I’ve never even understood, and don’t think I’d like even if I ever did understand it.” I knew my look of horror was evident, as Tiffany quietly provided me more of the details of the theme and why her approach would turn out great. I was a tough nut to crack because it took her three days to win me over to her concept. But, like most converts, once I got it, I was totally into it.

With the theme planned, colors agreed upon, emotional feel established and shot specifics worked out, our biggest problem was the location, or lack thereof. We don’t have a studio and our apartment was too small and would never work. But necessity is the mother of invention. We did have access to a carport. Yes, a carport. It was perfect for the shoot, as long as we could cheaply make sure the carport would look like a tea parlor that Alice would frequent. What could be so hard about that?

While the carport itself may have been perfect, it did present some logistical problems. Figuring out where to position lights, props and models in a space that was only eight feet wide with a wall on one side and overgrown bushes on the other was not unlike trying to solve a Rubik’s cube.

We built two false walls that Tiffany demanded must be “puffy.” I didn’t know what “puffy” walls were but I knew they didn’t sell them at Home Depot. However, Home Depot does sell cheap plywood boards, 2-by-4s, Styrofoam sheets and roofing insulation.

Presto! In the blink of an eye, we built frame walls, attached insulation to the sides and covered the contraption with sheets of blended colors in the hues Tiffany had envisioned. Pulling the sheets tightly over the insulation, we proceeded to poke tiny holes in the sheets at various points and screwed down the sheets to the wood, creating a pillowed effect across the body of the plywood. The result? Puffy walls. We attached painted pink buttons on top of the screws to give the walls an ethereal quality.

It all looked great except that the two plywood walls did not fit exactly right together. Then, in a flash, it occurred to me, we needed noodles. Yes, bright yellow noodles– the kind that kids use in swimming pools. I may not have been a carpenter, but I was once a kid. The walls looked perfect slid between the yellow noodles.

We then took a kitchen table, covered it with a sheet and took odds and ends and painted them all sorts of crazy colors. The same was done to inexpensive kitchen cabinet door panels, creating an otherworldly, but completely Alice in Wonderlandlook to the room.

Two lights were set up camera left. Camera right was set high in the bushes. The models were costumed and we began to shoot. Before long everyone on the tiny set actually believed we were in “Wonderland.” The location may have been tight and our budget may have been low but, with a lot of enthusiasm, a high degree of creativity and a good deal of hard work, we got the shots we needed. The end product turned out to be very high quality.

This was an excellent learning experience for me for many reasons, not the least of which was that I had to listen intently and use my imagination to understand the vision of another artist at work. Then, when I fully understood the concept, to respond to our set requirements with an enthusiastic, creative burst despite our obvious budget and site limitations. Throwing money at a problem is not the answer. At the end of the day, what clients want and what they pay for, is for you to bring your talent, ingenuity and creative flair to obtain the expected great shot.

I will never forget that crazy situation, and the great work that was produced by two young photographers whose energy and enthusiasm exceeded their pocketbooks.

You can see more of our work atwww.tiffanymulherin.com.

Joe Morahan is a professional photographer, with a degree from Brooks Institute of Photography. A talented athlete in his younger days, Joe never lost his passion for competition and thrills at the opportunity to catch an athlete in the midst of his struggles. His penchant for understanding the details of sports allows him to frame shots from unique and exciting perspectives. Whether a soccer match, an extreme sporting event, or a surf competition in dangerous waters, Joe is always in his element. Joe is a part owner in Fattail Gallery in Denver, CO. You can view more of his work at www.fattailgallery.com.Tiffany Mulherin is a professional photographer, a graduate of Brooks Institute, with degrees in commercial advertising and digital imaging. She has made her mark in, and has a passion for, fashion photography. Her easy to work with demeanor, yet critical eye, has led her to produce attention-grabbing work. Tiffany is also keenly interested in the production of fine art. She has focused in the field of Polaroid emulsion transfers and image transfers. This allows her to produce incredibly distinctive, one of a kind pieces. Tiffany enjoys not only her creations, but the process itself; it is a challenge to say the least.

Filed Under: FeaturesTagged With: how-to, WPPI

Lake Molas near Durango, Colorado

Lake Molas near Durango, Colorado

May 10, 2005 By Joe Morahan

Molas Lake Durango Colorado. Lake Molas in Durango was a great place for camping and even better for shooting. I loved the Bob Ross feel that the scene presented. It had some happy trees in the foreground. Both trees have happy little neighbors next to them. The lake looks almost unreal and with the jagged Rocky Mountains in the background and making a reflection. What a great place to shoot at. –

Filed Under: NatureTagged With: Colorado, Lake Molas, landscape, Silverton