Steve Salt | Photography

Today I hung my photos for the PULSE Art Conference. Directly next to the East Auditorium. You can preview them here:
More info available on my Shows! page.
All are for sale:
Enee Point, Governor Dodge State Park
Kid’s Garden Windchime, Troy Gardens
Drying Rack, Troy Gardens
Farm on the way to Poynette, HWY F
Pope Farm Sunset with Snowshoer

I had the opportunity to do some promo shots of (Paul Lefeber). Paul cut a record (“Shouldn’t Be Said” – iTunes link) a little while ago . Some pretty sweet rockin’ bluesy grooves. Paul’s a solid guy and we had a good time chatting while setting up shots in his basement-studio, driving around Madison, WI, stalking State Street and eating BBQ.

Paul’s downstairs studio has an unfinished part and lots of cool things like a U2 poster, old wood stadium chairs, lounge chairs… Seriously, you’d think it was made for a portrait studio (minus the low ceilings).

Not to totally ruin the mood of this photo, but while he was playing and was setting up the light, i noticed the word “ASH” on the face of his guitar. “Sweet, man, you a fan of the Evil Dead?” … he kinda gives me a blank stare, “Wha? Yeah, i’ve seen it why?” Well, it turns out, the C is merely worn off the sticker… “CASH”… As in Johnny. My Bad.

We stopped at a new restaurant in Madison…the Brickhouse BBQ. Was pretty tasty. I had a lot of Photoshopping on this photo as there were no wetnaps though. (Just kidding.)

Walking near Memorial Union (aka “the Union”) on UW campus, “somebody” left a couch on the sidewalk. Well…college kids these days. Anyway, I work the talent pretty hard, so while i scouted the next location, Paul took a nap.

By the time we had finished up in his basement-studio, it was gla:re o’clock. I needed to make the best use of the light available (aka “Harsh”).

Another shot in the harsh sun. I like to think Paul was channeling his inner-Beastie Boys.

Paul lefeber mixing in his basement studio. He played around on his computer while we did these shots…I got to listen to some B-Side tracks that didn’t make the album.

Paul, listening to some tunes in his chair. The lamp is made from stained glass from his Dad’s church window, which had burned down.

Stolling through the Mall (the collegiate kind, not the moneypit kind), there was some great sun blasting down the stairs creating a neato stripe effect.

Heading back up the stairs to the car, we noticed this painted wall in the stairwell. One last shot in the corner.

So Paul sits down on the bench, and i compose a shot with some band posters and other home-made adverts on the staple corkboard in the background, and these three girls walk up beside me, “What are you shooting?” Well Paul here. he’s famous. “Really? Take our picture too!” I like to think they’re texting all their friends saying, “We just got our photo with Paul Lefeber!”

“Hey Camera Guy! Over Here! Here! Hey! Hey! Hey Camera Guy! Take my picture! Over here! Over here! Look at me! Over here! Hey Camera Guy! Camera! Camera! Hey!” Seriously. For about 45 seconds while i was lining up a shot of Paul farther down the street, this voice keeps bugging me. Finally, i get the shot of Paul i wanted and i turn and look over. Taxi Driver. I take his photo. He waves and drives off. Yes, he was blocking traffic that whole time.

I’ve spent so much time these last two years working with off-camera flash, i’ve forgotten my roots: simplicity. natural light is the best light (for portraits), and my buddy Matt and I wanted to challenge ourselves a bit with one-light setups outside. we picked a (photographically) horrible day… cold, overcast and snow covered…and it started snowing! Snow is great for fill light, but it is so bright, and omni-directional all photos are flat, and hard to expose for (too bright here, too dark there, etc).

The photo at top is Matt. We stopped for lunch at the Claddagh Irish pub, Madison (Middleton) wi, Natural lighting and a little reflection off the end of the booth wall (dark teak-like wood). Natural light rocks.

An attempt at Separation. adding a rimlight. Triggered with AlienBee, two nikon sb’s behind.

Simple fill light with on camera speedlite to illuminate his face, which would have been lost in shadow.

Set up flash on a stand, firing with a cactus trigger. I walked around him, he never moved, the lights never moved. this is the difference in what happens in re-composition and what light angles will do.

Today was a workshop at Blackhawk about Separation of subject. Joel stayed in the same place and i took his photo infront of a giant window, then i moved to his side and shot with a stone pillar behind him. he merely turned his head to look out the window for the second one.

These were two of my favorite shots of the day, and maybe even the year so far. And, with natural light. The best!

Last year, Jon asked me to help out with a golf outing he organizes to benefit the Sturge-Weber foundation. I whipped up a website and shot some photos of his son, Jake, who has Sturge-Weber Syndrome, then spent the day photographing the event. This year, unfortunately, i will not be able to make the outing. But the website is updated, and I will be donating a photo for a raffle prize.

Come on out and support a worthy cause:

The 2010 outing will be held Monday May 17 2010 at Bishops Bay Country Club in Middleton, WI. If you’re interested, you can learn more about The Jake Jordan Golf Outing Benefiting The Sturge-Weber Foundation.

I stopped in to Gail’s place again last week to shoot the Valentine’s line, and lo! she showed me the cover of February’s issue of Madison Magazine. “Did you see this?” she asked?

I looked up from my light stand, “Sorry?”

“We’re on the cover!” says Gail.

And the rest is history.