Jason Ryan Photography, The Blog!

On the Road Again! Traveling Light

2012-02-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I got a call at the office from none other than Roderic Deane, I'm a big fan and supporter of what he blogs about and for what he stands for. Anyways first thing out of his mouth was "pack your bags dude, your going to Washington D.C. with us!" So me being me, I said..."ok!" I then asked "um, what's going on in D.C.? " well, "it's called CPAC 2012 a once a year event, that takes place in D.C. it's a gathering of top conservatives, personality's, politicians, blogger's, pundits, in American politics". (Click the link for the complete line-up.) So after I thought about it for 2 seconds, I said, I'll do it, sign me up.

Roderic Deane
Photo by: Jason Ryan

Flights booked, hotel rooms booked, everything is in order, or as of now everything's in order... However, this tranquility will not last, much like "the calm before the storm", things usually end up taking a turn at the last minute, the story of my life. Oh and did I mention , the most important part? I googled the closest Irish pubs around the the hotel, hoping to get a chance to meet some new people, and maybe take some new pictures of some of the coolest parts of D.C. as well!!

Well I spoke to soon about everything being in order. WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO TAKE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT? Tripods, cameras, lights, gels, cases, lenses, umbrellas, soft-boxes?? OMG! Now I'm no Joe McNally, and I'm not going to bring 28cases of equipment, most importantly I do not have 28 cases of equipment. How he does anything on that scale, and still manages to keep all his brain cells intact is beyond me. (go check out his blog it's a great read and full of info)

If your a friend of mine, or know me in any way, your going to know that I tend to over do things just a bit, and I'm a great big disorganized mess! So with flying out of town on assignment, and not having a clue where I'm going to end up, or what kind of situation I'll end up in, I think I'll be packing as light as possible!

Ok first thing's first! Bag/case, this is the case that I don't go anywhere without Lowpro- Pro Roller x300 this is an amazing bag, and oh yes it has wheels! I Love wheels, can't get enough of em, especially in airports! Another thing to mention is that I live in the North Texas, Dallas area, so I get all of my gear from Arlington Camera, I go there to for everything, having a local go to camera shop helps any photographer!

My motto is less is more, and "be prepared" so here we go... here are some quick photos from the iPhone...

Ok so we have the bag, now on to one of the most important things LIGHTS, for this trip I'll be bringing

1 SB900, and 1 SB700, a 1 SD-9 High Performance battery pack for the SB900. Ring flash two honeycomb grids a 1/4 and a 1/8, and a set of pocket wizards.

Now for the camera bodies, I'll always have my Nikon D700, and or D3x I haven't decided which one to bring yet, probably the D700. And I also never go out of the house without my FujiFilm X100. I think for this assignment I'll be using the x100 for the most part, this sounds like real run and gun journalism, so again less is more. Defiantly going to have my go to lens 24-70 2.8, 50mm 1.8, and some other telephoto lens laying there, I'll put in there for safety sake, I think it's a 70-300mm.

Now, I'll through in a 5 in 1 reflector, it's collapsible so why not. Something else not shown, a pack of 20 AA batteries, chargers, some spare memory cards, gaffer tape, and cd's.

Everything in the above pic's all go into the bag with wheels and into the plane, or into the overhead space.

For the pics from the trip, check back very soon I'll have something up. Check out my WEBSITE , and also my 500px website , I think most of the photo's from this coming trip will be posted there for now, and also on my Facebook page via My Twitter account. If you have any questions please feel free to Contact me .

Cheers,

-Jason

500px Portfolio- My Everyday Personal Work

2011-12-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

Iv'e spent the past few week thinking over my work, printing out all the photos on my website, hanging them up and trying to figure out what it is exactly that I shoot. After a friend of mine asked me over dinner, "what is your proper title" and I took a pause and thought for a minute... well I'm...and I took off with the list and told him. He looked at me with a blank face, dude that's way to long. You need to trim that way down!

So that night and a couple bottles of wine later I started thinking, that is way to long. And so then the process began, sitting in my office with all the pictures on my website printed out... it looked like a photo album blew up. After looking, thinking, and asking my friends what kind of photographer do you think I am?

On the websites of photographers who I admire and look up to, most of them have the work that they are known for, and the work that keeps them working and paying there bills up there. Now you do have your odd ball out there who has everything up, but they have also been shooting for 30 or 40 years, so they can do that. I on the other hand have not.

So I edited down all the photos, took off the portfolios that had no right being up there. landscapes...gone, live music...gone... now that doesn't mean I wont shoot live music or landscapes, I love shooting both, hell I started out in this crazy business shooting bands live, and some of my landscape prints still pay a bill or two.

So now what to do about all those other photo's... well thankfully there is hope!! 500px is such a great website! Now it's not a flicker account so don't go dump all 99 photos of your Christmas morning on there, it's a website for great photos alot of very talented people on there, I love it.

For now a lot of my personal work will now be shown on there.

And for my professional and magazine work, that will remain on my website . So I guess now I have two websites you could say, that's not so bad.

So if your reading this, go check out both websites and have a look around.

Cheers,

-Jason

New Photo Project "Faces" Now casting

2011-12-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

Now for the past 4 months I've been working on a new photography project/book, simply called "Faces". The idea came to me when I was playing around with the iPhone camera, such a powerful camera in such a small phone. The basic idea is to take portraits of people, all kinds of people from all walks of life.

The book will have 50 photos of 50 different people, there "faces'' will tell there stories, up close and personal. The photos will be black & white, staying simple is key. Below are a couple of photos of the project so far.

So now I'm calling on you, the people to help me on this project. If your interested in being a part of this please contact myself (214-724-0429) and or my manager Yolanda Reed (214-766-0429) or email us at Jasonryanphoto@gmail.com subject line "Faces", so we can get you booked. I'm located in Dallas, Tx and will be willing to travel all over DFW metro-plex. For being part of this you will receive a copy of all the images taken that day on a disc. I hope to here from you soon!

Thanks,

-Jason Ryan

Click me now it's my website!!!! for more info on myself and my work.

Livin' on the Edge!

2011-10-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday and Friday I had a chance to work with a great group of people The Special Olympics of Texas. I had the chance to get strapped into a harness and hang/ repel off of a 18stor. building, and photograph some of the Olympic athletes do the same.

I have to say I've never had a problem with heights but when your up there with two ropes strapped to you, you do have a big hesitation to take that first step "off" the building and into thin air!

But I do have to hand it to this amazing little girl who basically ran down the building like spider-woman going after a bad guy!! When she got to the bottom, I went up to her and asked her what she thought of it, and was she scared at all? She looked at me, and paused for a moment and then said..." No I wasn't scared, but it just took the one side of my brain, the side that wanted to do it, to tell the other side that it was ok." I paused for a moment and thought how perfect her answer was. Simple yet, poetic.

Watching these kids are really inspiring, in every aspect of the word. And I can't wait to see them again.

More tk...

The best gear, may not actually be the Best!

2011-07-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was talking with a photographer buddy of mine, and we were discussing what the best camera might be. We are both Nikon shooters, but at the same time we both pulled out our camera phones, went to our app that we use to take pictures. And then laughed.

About a week later I have a photoshoot lined up with Lukas Nelson , now if you haven't heard of him you soon will he's is one of the best musicians I have herd in some time. I'm in the belly of House of Blues in Dallas, Tx hanging out and having a chat with Lukas and taking some portraits.

As the shoot was wrapping up, I thought back to the conversation I had with with my friend about the best camera. So I asked him to stay just a little longer and got out my phone went to the app that I use and snapped about four pictures, had a laugh when he said " do you always use your phone to shoot peoples portraits? "I answered back "no your the first." Shoot was over, we shook hands and then went to watch him do sound check and then the show.

This picture below is from the camera phone. So is it the best camera? or is the best camera just the one you have on you?

Lukas Nelson
© Jason Ryan Photography

In the presence of a living legend

2011-06-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

When I found out that I got the gig to shoot country music legend Billy Joe Shaver it meant the world to me. I am moved by music and by the art of playing live music as well. Music is a universal feeling. And Billy Joe writes and plays music in a universal way. He's probably one of the most influential singer/songwriters that Texas has produced.

Billy Joe Shaver

Photographing him and his band live was thrilling, I love photographing live music, always have and always will. It was a great show in a small, intimate Texas venue. I talked with him before he played, and after the show. He is truly one of the nicest and most honest person I've ever had the pleasure to meet and photograph.

When I found out how many other country legends have recorded his songs it was astounding! In my book he's one of the best! We may not "Live Forever" check that song out, but his music sure will. That's all for now...

Lights, Camera... Access!

2011-06-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

When I started shooting, I started with small bands. In local bars and clubs in the Dallas,TX area. Shooting everything I could for them and anywhere. I soon learned how to keep an eye on the minimal gear that I had, dodged flying beer bottles and fists! All in the name of getting a few good frames and maybe getting paid or at least having my bar tab paid for.
When a band called me to do some photos,for me that meant a great time, great energy, and of course setting a mood for the band through pictures I took.
It's kinda funny when I look back from then to now, and how dramatically my life has changed for the best. It feels like only yesterday I was shooting bands at the "Flying Fists Bloody Ball Room", to having complete access to Aerosmith, among other great bands,acts, and shooting for some really great publications.

Aerosmith 2009. © Jason Ryan Photography
Sometimes people ask me what the most important thing is about having access to a great band,ones known and unknown. For me it's getting to really know my subject. It's all about making a good relationship, and walking away knowing that they felt like you cared, and not feeling like they were just another notch on your bedpost.
Care about your work, and care about everyone you meet. Because if you don't care, then no one else will either.

Jason Ryan Photography, The Blog!: Lighting it up with Nikon SB700

2011-06-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

Jason Ryan Photography, The Blog!: Lighting it up with Nikon SB700: "OK, so I just finished up shooting a band Scott McCurry and the Mercenaries a great Dallas band, if you get a chance to see them, there not ..."

Lighting it up with Nikon SB700

2011-06-06T22:50:00.000-07:00

OK, so I just finished up shooting a band Scott McCurry and the Mercenaries a great Dallas band, if you get a chance to see them, there not to be missed. But anyways, I did the shoot with 3 of Nikons semi new SB700,and have to say they worked very well... now I do love the price difference from the bigger brother the sb900 much more affordable. There is not a sync port on the side so you can't use it with a pocket wizard, it does have an optical slave so that's how I used all 3 of them it for the shoot. Now it does work great with Nikon TTL. It comes with built it filters, thats very handy, I wasn't to thrilled with the flimsy gels that the sb900's have. So my over all review... Great ! Love em! I think 3 worked very well! I was pleased the band was pleased, and that's a wrap!!!

http://www.scottmccurry.com/

http://www.scottmccurry.com

http://www.jasonryanphotography.com