• EVERYTHING BUT WEDDINGS!

    This blog is a pictorial journey of my photographic adventures through life when I'm not shooting weddings. As such it is a scenic mélange of my travels, with highlights from the portraits I shoot, street photography, the gear I use and the photographic books and training I read and watch. If you would like to be kept up to date with my photographic adventures hit the subscribe button above.

    My Portrait | Fine Art Website: Portrait | Fine Art Website

    My photography sites for photographers: Photographer Interviews and The Still Image

    My wedding work: Crash Taylor Weddings and Crash Taylor Wedding Blog

Summer Dreams | Crash Taylor Photographer



Photographer and Muse | Crash Taylor Photographer

Location – Hopkinson Building, Nottingham

Photographer – Crash Taylor

Muse/Model – Andrea H.

Make up – Leona Seymour

Assistant – Nicola

Equipment used – Canon 5D Mark II and Lastolite reflector

Crash Taylor | Photographer | All rights reserved.

Inspiration

This really got my creative juices flowing. Absolutely brilliant!

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

Studio 3b

I have several models/muses that I work with and they are usually available whenever I feel like pressing the shutter. I believe this is so important as a photographer to have models who REALLY enjoy having their photo taken but also have a creative influence in my art. We work hard together and create images we both are proud of. Some work, some don’t but you keep going and along the way you learn more and more which is what photography is all about.

All photos were taken with the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 70-200mm 2,8IS. Lighting was natural light through an 8 x 4 foot window and Lastolite reflectors.

The Subconscious

As most of you know, I have been spending every minute of my free time learning about all aspects of filmmaking and cinematography. I went to film school 10 years ago but boy have things changed. The photography skills help but it’s a learning process that really gets my creative inspirational juices flowing. I have hooked up with some great talent and have a lot of film projects in the works. Anyway, this is a still shoot I did yesterday for some ideas of an upcoming film that is buzzing around in the subconscious. I even have my wife on board as a writer which is awesome as I can’t write. She is an amazing writer! The journey begins and I’m looking forward to the many adventures ahead.

At the end of the post there is HDSLR video footage from the shoot. We decided to play to get an idea of some movement for the upcoming film.

Photos will be available as signature limited editions prints.

For updates on my HDSLR filmmaking adventures make sure to subscribe to the blog.


Studio 3b, Natural Light, Music, Espresso and my Canon 5D Mark II

Yesterday I finally had some time to concentrate on my other portfolio. As most of you know, I’m extremely busy with weddings, workshops and magazine work but I never lose touch with my personal work. I tell all of my students to shoot everyday even if it’s for 5 minutes and photograph something that is out of your comfort zone. I have several beautiful models that I work with to create the ideas that are buzzing around in my head! I never stop creating and have now decided to complete 5 short films this year with this one being the first http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh2CKvKp89U

Photography and cinematography is my passion and something I do everyday. It’s so important to constantly experiment and again I can’t stress enough how important it is to shoot everyday. There is no excuse not to!

For the below photographs I used a Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200mm 2.8 L IS lens and a Lastolite tri-grip. The main source of light is 15 feet of window:-)

All photographs are copyrighted 2011. Crash Taylor Photography Nottingham.


Leonie, Andy and Natural light! Studio 3b

Today Leonie and her boyfriend Andy came over to the studio for an hours shoot. Over the last year, they have become good friends and I really enjoy spending time with them and creating images. Andy is always my assistant, holding reflectors, a personal stylist for Leonie and an all round sound dude!  We all vibe, which as a photographer I absolutely love! Anyway, here are a few photos from today.

Equipment used – Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 85mm 1.2 L II and a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS L. Light was natural light coming through a 8×4 window in my studio and Andy was holding a reflector most of the time.

Strigoi Viu

Finally my first short film has been locked. The film was shot on a Canon 5D Mark II. The day was supposed to be a still only shoot but at the last minute we decided to make a short. This camera in video mode is amazing and the creative potential is mind blowing. We will be having a screening soon to discuss the film, photography and our next project. I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me an email.

After clicking on the link it’s best to change the setting to 720p opposed to 360p. Better quality.

The stills from the shoot are below.

Strigoi Viu and HDSLR filmmaking

As most of you know, my other passion besides documentary wedding photography is cinematography/filmmaking. In 2000, I went to Film School in Hollywood and enjoyed every minute of the filmmaking process.  I love films like The Ring, The Sixth Sense, The Others, Poltergeist, The Silence of the Lambs etc… So over the past few months during my free time, I have been putting a team together for a short film involving living vampiric witches or as they say in Romanian mythology Strigoi Viu . The actresses are amazing, my co-director and co-director of photography is top notch, an impressive make up artist, and a location in the countryside that just rocks. We don’t have a time schedule and we are in the process of storyboarding. I have never been this excited about a project, the creative side of it is just overwhelming in a good way! We will be shooting on Canon 5D Mark II’s and editing will take place on Mac’s using Final Cut Pro. There is so much to learn using HDSLR’s and the accessories, which adds to the excitement of the project. What you can do with these cameras, lenses and accessories is mind blowing. Anyway, this is what I will be concentrating on with my filmmaker friend Tom Wadlow during our free time.

So what have we been up to so far. Tom and I have been passing ideas back and forth. We are both new to HDSLR filmmaking although Tom is a filmmaker. I am a photographer who loves filmmaking but haven’t been involved with it since Film School. We decided to have a test shoot with the cast and crew on Sunday. Tom was shooting high def video with the Canon 5D Mark II and I was shooting stills. We did our location scouting on the farm and briefed the amazing actresses. We spent the day learning and testing the equipment for our next shoot. The next step is to storyboard the film and start using the different accessories we will need to accomplish the effects we are after in production and post production. One of them being a camera dolly.

I know you are asking, are we going to be able to see a preview. Yes you sure are! Below are the stills I took during the day, which will give you an insight into what we are working on. The preview of the video footage should be finished in a few weeks.

Tom and I have lot’s of plans and if you would like to be kept up to date subscribe to the blog above. I will be dedicating a new blog to this project and all future HDSLR projects including workshops in the future:-)

Take care,

Crash

The below images are in a cinematic Panavision widescreen format.


Photo Training Overseas, Egypt 2011

I just got back from 7 days in Egypt attending the 2011 PTO event. I was honoured to be chosen to teach this year among so many amazing photographers. We all had the best time and I made so many friends that I will keep in touch with forever. This is a 7 day workshop that every photographer at any level should attend for taking your photography, inspiration and creative mind to the next level. A huge thanks to the sponsors, George Dawber, and all the delegates. An even bigger thanks to my drinking buddies and good friends Joe Smith, Richard Kilpatrick and to Kevin Wilson for his mentoring.

I will definitely be attending next year and every year from this point on. Thanks so much PTO!

Here are a few images I took over the course of one week. All images were shot on a Canon 5D Mark II and various Canon L lenses. Lighting was natural light with the occasional Lastolite reflector. A few photos were taken while doing a test shoot with the Elinchrom Quadra Ringflash.

Photographer 2011

Espana Part II

Espresso, sangria, cerveza, paella, sea, mountains, street and camera.

7 days in Espana with my new Kata bag, Canon 5D Mark II and my two favourite travel lenses, the Canon 24-105mm f4 IS and the Sigma 50mm 1.4.

These are the images I have captured so far while walking around with the family. As most of you know, the camera is with me 24/7 ready for anything that inspires me and I feel needs to be captured for my personal portfolio and my own creative purposes.

The photographs are in the order they were taken.

7 days in Espana = 63 images

Eggnog Latte, Brownie and Camera

Leonie at Studio 3b

Photographer: Crash Taylor

Assistant: Andy E.

Model: Leonie M.

Camera: Canon 5D Mark II

Lens: Various Canon L lenses

Lighting: Natural window light only

Creative Process: Have fun and experiment

Post Production: Photoshop CS4 and Wacom

Starbucks, Chicken & Avocado Pitta and Camera

Green Tea, Banana, Yogurt, Apple, Leonie and Camera

Triple Espresso, Sushi, Baileys, Banana Cake and Camera

New Website - http://www.crashtaylorphotographer.com

Image

On the shelf of my photography library

Love this book. Helmut was definitely on top of his game.

On the shelf of my photography library

My signed copy of East 100th Street by Bruce Davidson is by far my favourite book sitting on the shelf at the moment. I highly recommend that all photographers check this book out. Love it!

Here is a link http://store.magnumphotos.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2214

Espresso, Sardines and Camera

Espresso, T-bone Steak and Camera

Last night I decided to take a short evening  photo walk. Yes I was very cold but it was definitely worth it. This is what I came home with. Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 24-105mm L handheld.

Image of the day

Photographed in Nottingham Park Estate

Title – Morning Walk

Image of the day

Photographed in Studio 3b

Title – My old camera

Image of the day

Photographed in Los Angeles October 2010.

Title – Uncle Mick

Canon 5D Mark II – Canon 85mm 1.2 L and natural light.

Crash Taylor Photographer 2010

On the shelf of my photography library

As well as a colossal collection of photography books, I also subscribe to 10 + Fine Art photography magazines. Today’s inspiration is 125, which is a super awesome visually simulating magazine. It covers photography, fashion, art and style. Definitely a double thumbs up. Check out there website – http://www.125magazine.com/

Crash Taylor Photographer 2010

On the shelf of my photography library

Another one off the shelf to share with you today. Robert Frank – Brilliant! Check out this review by the New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/14/090914fa_fact_lane

Crash Taylor Photographer 2010

Espresso, Cornflakes and Camera

On the shelf of my photography library.

I have decided to share my immense photo book library collection with you all. As you know, photography is my passion and besides wanting to take pictures 24/7 I also want to read as much about the art of photography as possible. The books I will be sharing with you are monographs of all aspects of photography. The photographers, the history and everything in between to the present day. The first to start the series is Women by Lillian Bassman who is definitely one of my all time favourites. It’s a photo book every photography collector should add to their library! Full review here: http://fashionismymuse.blogspot.com/2010/02/book-review-lillian-bassman-women.html

Crash Taylor Photographer 2010

Espresso, Boiled Eggs and Camera

This morning’s photo walk was 20 mins armed with my Canon 5D Mark II and lovely Sigma 50mm 1.4. I highly recommend that every photographer tries to commit themselves to a daily photo walk. They really get the creative juices flowing and it’s great exercise on the eyes:-)

Tomorrow I will be posting my new inspiration post. Stay tuned.

Crash Taylor Photographer 2010