The Charlie Sheen Effect

It was in the wee hours of the morning, while tweaking a few images from my recent trip to the Bahamas, that it occurred to me:  this peculiar man I see plastered on my TV (who is so compelled to talk incessantly and who is thoroughly enamored with himself, regardless of making even Ginger Baker look like the posture child for clean living) was curiously analogous to the special effects I was applying to the dilapidated buildings I had just photographed. It motivated me to explore further.


After a few hours of tweaking, and exposing myself to more this man's tirades, I finally derived at a new grudge preset, which I have entitled  The Charlie Sheen Effect. It is noted for evoking a feeling a being worn, damaged, impaired, shabby, broken down, falling apart and derelict. The effect is now saved as a present in my OnOne software, allowing me to apply it at will. Gotta' love OnOne!

The Charlie Sheen Effect 1 - ©Mark Jordan 

My humble apologies to the man who bears a resemblance - it was not my aim to fabricate reality but only reflect it.

Now then, as to the heart of the matter, I don't know about you but I think a Charlie Sheen backlash is not too far from his future. Since my first posting, Charlie has been fired, and it may be only a matter of time. We can only hope he is able to surround himself with people who love him and get him back on track.

However, in the meantime, I must give credit where credit is do. I am grateful to you Charlie for motivating me to create an effect which expresses the current state of affairs of a crumbling career, if not one's personal world. It would be funny were it not so apparently tragic.

The Charlie Sheen Effect 2 - ©Mark Jordan 

Should you want details of my grunge effect and the OnOne Software where I perfected it, as always, no concern is too small. 

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

Mark Jordan Photography specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County. The portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where photography studio services are offered are in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Coto de Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Northwood, Orange, Orange Park Acres, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Corona del Mar, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Quail Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Winchester, Chino Hills, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Montclair, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, and San Diego Country Estates, Turtle Rock, Shady Canyon. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Beach Portrait

Orange County Senior Portrait

Orange County Children Portraits

Orange County Headshot

Belly Art Photography

Wordle™ Puzzles

The Art of Storytelling Portraits

Thank you for dropping by.

If your looking for Orange County photographer, Mark Jordan's blog post on The Art of Storytelling Family Portraits it's only a clink away.

Here you go:

The Art of Storytelling Family Portraits

A Walk in the Park - ©Mark Jordan Photography

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography
Orange County Family Portrait
Orange County Beach Portrait
Orange County Senior Portrait
Orange County Children Portraits
Orange County Headshot
Belly Art Photography
Wordle™ Puzzles

Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography, an Rancho Santa Margarita Photographer, specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer (with a Rancho Santa Margarita portrait studio), and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County and Southern California. Mark Jordan's Orange County portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where Mark Jordan photography studio services are offered are as an Aliso Viejo Photographer, Anaheim Photographer, Costa Mesa Photographer, Coto de Caza Photographer, Dana Point Photographer, Dove Canyon Photographer, Huntington Beach Photographer, Irvine Photographer, Ladera Ranch Photographer, Laguna Beach Photographer, Laguna Hills Photographer, Laguna Niguel Photographer, Lake Forest Photographer, Mission Viejo Photographer, Newport Beach Photographer, Northwood Photographer, Orange Photographer, Orange Park Acres Photographer, San Clemente Photographer, San Juan Capistrano Photographer, Santa Ana Photographer, Tustin Photographer, Villa Park Photographer, Westminster Photographer, Yorba Linda Photographer, Corona del Mar Photographer, Riverside Photographer, Temecula Photographer, Chino Hills Photographer, Loma Linda Photographer, Rancho Bernardo Photographer, Carlsbad Photographer, Coronado Photographer, Del Mar Photographer, Escondido Photographer, San Diego Photographer, San Marcos Photographer, Solana Beach Photographer, Carmel Mountain Ranch Photographer, Rancho San Diego Photographer, Rancho Santa Fe Photographer, and San Diego Country Estates Photographer, Turtle Rock Photographer, Shady Canyon Photographer. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

From Rain Soaked to Family Portrait

After the Rain - ©Mark Jordan Photography

We got a call from a wonderful couple who would soon be visiting Orange County  from Texas. Their son and his family live here, and they wanted to remember their visit with a family portrait. What they did not count on, however, was that they week they were here was the same week where Southern California had experienced unprecedented rain totals. 

Considering that in the previous 30 years of photographing families we had been rained-out only four times, even with the dire forecast, I still did not give it much thought. However, once they arrived, and one day of rain melded into another, they were getting nervous. I must admit, so was I. 

On the day of their session we were lucky, with the morning rain turning into sunshine. "Besides", I later told them, "even if it does rain, California rain lasts for only a few minutes and then stops long enough for us to capture your family. We'll just wait in our cars until the rain subsides, then dash out and get it done!"

Rain Soaked and Distracting Colors

Kari and I arrived to our location a bit early, as usual, and the weather was holding, if not ideal. However, for whatever reason, our portait family was running behind. Yes, you guessed it - they arrived 20 minutes late, enough time to have photographed them. And just as they stepped out of their cars, the skies opened up. We quickly returned to the warmth and shelter of our autos and sat, waiting for any opportunity. Kari and I were actually praying...

Then it happened. About 15 minutes later, we saw all but a few drops on our just wiped windshield. We motioned for everyone to come out! Quickly, we arranged them, trying to separate them from snuggling close to keep warm. Just as we did our white balance and were ready to go...well, as you can see here from the photo on the right, a sudden downpour. Back to cars we went - the waiting game began once again.

I don't know if you can tell in this small format, but the spots on their shirts are from the large raindrops. And the slight blur you might make-out is diagonal falling rain (right to left).

Not to belabor the story, we only had to wait maybe 10 more minutes before the rain once again subsided. This time we were able to finish, albeit, much wetter, colder, and even in the midst of several nasty spurts. 

What I thought might be of interest, even more than our tenacity, is how I finished the artwork aspect of their family portrait. Regardless of colorful boots, dappled leggings and a lavender tutu with black lace, I was able to extract the best attributes and mitigate the less desirable elements. Did it take a bit of work? Well, I'll let you compare and judge for yourself. 

By the way, the family loved their portraits (we also created one of dad with son and kids), and is soon to arrive at their doorstep in Texas. You just gotta love the internet - how else does an Orange County Photographer commission a family from Texas!

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic, philosophical observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

Mark Jordan Photography specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County. The portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where photography studio services are offered are in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Coto de Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Northwood, Orange, Orange Park Acres, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Corona del Mar, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Quail Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Winchester, Chino Hills, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Montclair, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, and San Diego Country Estates, Turtle Rock, Shady Canyon. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Beach Portrait

Orange County Senior Portrait

Orange County Headshot

Belly Art Photography

Wordle™ Puzzles

Posting Portrait Price Lists Online - PART 3 of 4

For the Rice Krisper, Photo-Babble Reigns Supreme

THE RICE KRISPY PRINCIPLE

Continued from Part 2...

As I see it, the challenge of the day is that regardless of the the detrimental reverberations from posting one's cut-rate price-lists online, for many a neophyte, they appear to be content on building their business with the ubiquitous, short-term mentality. I refer to this as the Rice Krispy Principle. For the online price-poster (aka, Rice Krisper), it's all about the snap, crackle and pop.

SNAP
Firstly, photo-babble* reigns supreme for the Rice Krisper, where artistic nirvana is achieved with each manifold snap of the shutter. Plainly, the primary focus of their business model is making a quick, easy buck.

CRACKLE
The significance of a Kripser's aesthetic expression is limited to making slight, rapidly repeated noises, resulting in shallow, surface cracks, upon upon an otherwise unfathomable reservoir of both intrinsic and financial reward.

POP
Subsequently, they give little concern to foresight, long-term relationships, or leaving a legacy of remarkably crafted photographs. They and their customers, pop in, and they pop out. What else can it be - it's a "relationship" founded on price. How do I know? The photographer told me so when she posted her price-list online.

Where neither client relationship building or mastering the art of writing-with-light (or even creative expression) is the photographer's emphasis, nor the crux of their business plan (i.e. assuming the time has been invested to draft one), most assuredly, a Rice Krisper is at the helm.

The culprit of this mindset, you may be wondering, is none other than delayed gratification - that is, the lack of it. Is it any wonder why it is the bane of our culture and the progenitor of a host of human foibles? Who wants to wait to obtain something when they can have it today? After all, aren't we taught from the earliest stages of our life to genuflect at the alter of NOW! Whether it be food, love, or a big screen TV, it can all be had quickly, and with relatively little effort. Why would building one's business or mastering a craft be any different? What would make us believe that the enticement of creating an instantaneous digital image would be any different as well?

So then, let me ask you, what does it cost a Rice Krisper to enter the photographic marketplace? I would venture to say nothing more than an urge, a camera and a website. An aspiring Krisper can become a professional photographer and begin earning a few bucks within a few clicks of a keyboard. Whenever the price of entry is low, such as the profession of photography, there's a mad dash to decree one's profession! Today, when one's practice is routinely established by a mere digital shingle, it puts a whole new spin on the commotion of a similar gold-rush of another time. The difference is that gold has remained valuable. How long will we be able to say this about the portrait artist?

Yes, the Rice Krispers know deep in their heart-of-hearts that one reaps what they sew and that in order to realize the earnings of a brain surgeon, or dentist, one must put in the time and study as they have. However, it's the immediacy of photography that beckons them. It's all much too tempting - especially putting off today what they might enjoy to even a greater extent tomorrow...

Oddly enough, the Rice Krispers I've talked with readily defend their adverse practices and deny it is far from what they intend, but also admit they have little awareness of how they are actually being perceived by their clients. They seem to be remarkably self-deceived, priding themselves into being masterful photographers, yet all the while failing to see they have positioned themselves as a commodity instead of an expression of art (more often than not, it's because their imagery IS a commodity). And once one's business wares are appraised as a product, rather than a service, it's darn near impossible to change that position in the minds of mortals. Human brains simply aren't wired to maintain two opposing pictures - and the impression that remains is the one that first occupied their thoughts: price!

Nonetheless, if the budding Rice Krispers's vision of being a "photographer" is an emulation of... Part 4

Part 1
Part 2

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* photo-babble [foh-toh-bab-uhl] - noun: 1. a form of candid or portrait photography where practitioners employ jargon, buzzwords, and stereotypical language to give an impression of photographic plausibility. 2. taking an overabundance of exposures in lieu of competence, in the hopes of getting something right.
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Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and philosophical observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography
Orange County Family Portrait
Orange County Beach Portrait
Orange County Senior Portrait
Orange County Children Portraits
Orange County Headshot
Belly Art Photography
Wordle™ Puzzles

Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography, a family portrait photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita, specializes in crafting striking family portrait photography with styles ranging from contemporary, traditional, and storytelling. Mark Jordan photography (as award winning beach photographer) also specializes in beach family photography, high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity and headshots. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer (a Rancho Santa Margarita portrait studio), and provides family portrait photography throughout Orange County and Southern California. Mark Jordan's Orange County family portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where Mark Jordan photography studio services are offered are as an Aliso Viejo Photographer, Anaheim Photographer, Costa Mesa Photographer, Coto de Caza Photographer, Dana Point Photographer, Dove Canyon Photographer, Huntington Beach Photographer, Irvine Photographer, Ladera Ranch Photographer, Laguna Beach Photographer, Laguna Hills Photographer, Laguna Niguel Photographer, Lake Forest Photographer, Mission Viejo Photographer, Newport Beach Photographer, Northwood Photographer, Orange Photographer, Orange Park Acres Photographer, San Clemente Photographer, San Juan Capistrano Photographer, Santa Ana Photographer, Tustin Photographer, Villa Park Photographer, Westminster Photographer, Yorba Linda Photographer, Corona del Mar Photographer, Riverside Photographer, Temecula Photographer, Chino Hills Photographer, Loma Linda Photographer, Rancho Bernardo Photographer, Carlsbad Photographer, San Diego Photographer, Turtle Rock Photographer, Shady Canyon Photographer. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our family portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.