Recent Professional Works

[Jeremy Roussak]

Sorry, my screen is calibrated, but those shots epitomise everything that I currently dislike about the genre. Within their type they are good, but it's the type of thing that annoys me terribly. I just can't get how anyone can accept plastic people as having anything to do with beauty or fashion. Where is the humanity? Without that, just shoot window dummies; it's cheaper. Perhaps these are?

I'm so glad you wrote that, Rob: those were my thoughts exactly but I find myself wondering, not for the first time, whether I'm in a minority of one. To me, she looks horribly artificial: not attractive, not alluring and certainly not sexy. I suppose that if that's what magazine editors want, then it's what those who need to please magazine editors will have to provide and I hope Charles is paid well for his trouble.

The (female) human body can be a truly gorgeous thing: think of Michael Ezra's work, for example. Here, though, it just isn't.

Jeremy

[chiek]

apple, the beginning... Self promotion, 2011
iPhone vs androiders
captured by apo sironar digital 35mm / 3 stitching images

[bcooter]

Though not exactly medium format, I guess the RED is sort of the medium format of digital cinema.

Recent color graded dailies, still screen grabs knocked down from 4k footage.

From our film "The Musician".










And 2 Production stills








BC

[michele]

James, UAU!!!!
I really want to see the final film!

[HarperPhotos]

Gidday James,

I have to say for a man with a new toy you are certainly enjoying yourself, nice stuff.

Cheers

Simon

[bcooter]

Thank You.

[fredjeang]

I like very much the gradings.

I also have a question: does the chair with wheels really worked on the paved parisian streets? I mean, I imagine a lot of vibrations. I like the system though.

[bcooter]

I also have a question: does the chair with wheels really worked on the paved parisian streets? I mean, I imagine a lot of vibrations. I like the system though.
[/quote]


It worked ok, though the weight of the RED showed more frenetic bumps when the sidewalk went uneven,  though looking at the footage later it wasn't as non smooth as I thought.

Regardless, I shot most of this scene with a 5d2, because the weight of the camera allowed me to use my arms as a gimbal and hold the camera out in front of me, which absorbed some shock and gave more of
a floating look, than a walking look.

IMO

BC

[Rob C]

In the weelchair shot, is that Mrs Cooter walking on the far right? I imagine so, because she wears the same resigned expression that did my better half at some moments during our work... between professional flashes of lovely teeth, that is.

Nice shots, and I do like that sort of blurred lights/colours background; I seldom got the chance to do much like it, most beaches being short on electricity, but out-of-focus splashes on waves looked okay...

I walked the marina after lunch, looking for things to shoot with my almost virgin 180mm but couldn't see a damned thing - either lost it completely or just have to confine any recce to through the lens!

Have you watched those cycle race motorbike tv guys doing their thing? I think I'd get seasick riding a bike backwards.

I remember seeing photos of the late Arnaud de Rosnay using a 500 mirror on his Nikon and being wheeled in either a pram or a shopping trolley, I forget which; that, too, was Paris. I wonder what his stuff looked like: f8 and what shutter/film to handle that!


;-)

Rob C

[Tim Jones]

Bcooter,

Thanks for sharing. Very interesting.
Tim

[bcooter]

Yes, the smoothness is a real issue. I tried several post prod stabilizers and they need a super tracker but then of course the footage has to be zoomed to avoid black edges.
In short, not recommended.

I used to think that Cine prods where too heavy, but

Actually, other than the effect it has on telling a story, smoothness can be highly over rated.  Obviously you don't want jiggle or something that looks like a technical mistake, but the mind quickly adapts from smooth tracking, to hand held and unless it's over top doesn't notice.

If you have Southland in your part of the world view it.  It's shot on RED and of course being a cop show is somewhat gritty so the hand held movement works, but a little movement can add a touch of realism that the all too smooth Hollywood look can wash away.

One of my favorite directors is Mike Leigh, of Secrets and Lies fame.   He shoots in a very raw pallet and at first you kind of go oooohhhh those people are not very attractive, but he is so good at story telling, 20 minutes into the film you find yourself thinking, hmm I kind of like this person to finally you think, yea she really is kind of pretty in her own way.

Rob,

Yes it's my partner and wife and no it's not a sense of resignation, she is looking at all the details of the talent.  (If I could show you all 380 production stills you would notice).



Ann is one of the few non photographers I know and have worked with that honestly can see details and the composition in 2 dimensions rather than the standard human 3 dimensions.

Back during the film days, she would say, "that model's hands we're clinched" and I'd say no, I don't think so and everytime she was right.

When we're working I can tell if a shot is good, mediocre or really good, just by looking in her eyes.  

She knows.

IMO

BC

P.S.


The black and white photo above is what happens when an actress uses a Leica.

Now if she gets even more famous (and Roman is well known in Paris) that blury photo will probably be hanging in a gallery with a $25,000 price on it.

I hope she does.

[Rob C]

Cooter -

That's 380 shots I'd love to look through; not a lot of people create that amount of interest in my mind. So, for what it's worth, consider yourself up with the gods!

Great work.

Rob C

[bcooter]

Thank You Rob.

[fredjeang]

Cooter -

That's 380 shots I'd love to look through; not a lot of people create that amount of interest in my mind. So, for what it's worth, consider yourself up with the gods!

Great work.

Rob C

Agree Rob. On the photographers I follow regularly and influence me, Cooter is up with the gods. Specially recently, more I look at his works more I love them. I must say that I'm learning a lot simply by watching the results and specially the atmosphere and stories. I feel thankfull that he is sharing all those images here.

Something that I feel particularly strong with JR is that he is enjoying like a kid despite being very serious on the commitment with clients. This very important (winning) combination is not always the case. I saw so many great photographers sink into boring repetitions and monologues. BC knows how to keep himself fresh and creative. Not staying too much in the confort zone and embrassing new techs and lenguages with the traditional knowledge.  

Oh, and I can't help thinking about the role of the wife. Rob you know that as well.  

Ps: I totally agree with smoothness. Too much perfection on that kills the realism. That is why I suggested the motorcycle because it can be really stable but not totally, you feel it's not rails.  (I think they used that on an old Bond to simulate a persecution that I can't remember the title but with Connery and it was very good)

[bcooter]

Fred, Rob both of your are very nice, but you make me blush man.

I'm not trying to be modest, because usually that comes off as false, but I've never felt I was 100% there in anything I've shot.   Sometimes I've got close, but as you know we are all trying to get better.

Actually I think that is the true nature of a photographer or artist, regardless of level, talent, pay . . . to always move the goal line just before they get there.

We've moved more heavily into motion because I do believe it is the future for medium to larger budget advertising (yes even for still photographers) and because it's different.  

Of course it move the goal line another 50 meters away, which means we have to work harder to cover that territory.  Really though, I'm a product of what is put in front of the lens.  Something inspiring, inspires me, something boring and overdone  . . . whew . . . it's difficult not to get boring and overdone.

You know the funny thing is the best photographs I've shot, the best work I've ever done was work I can't show because what was in front of the lens was so difficult, so challenged (to put it kindly) it
took everything I had to just save it and no matter how hard you try to justify you should show it in your repertoire, you just can't.

Thank you both anyway.

BC

PS

I am sorry to add to this, because I know this is a place to be showing photos rather than talking about photos, but recently there is a whole bunch of seminars that are screaming the line, "hire a photojournalist, hire a producer" because they say it looks more real, they say almost anyone can punch the button and of course their final selling line to these seminars is photojournalists work cheap.   (Im sure their next seminars will be buy a I-phone and shoot it yourself).

Now, I'm not going to get into a debate over the talents of any photojournalist, but if you work in commerce vs. just making pretty pictures, there is a difference.

I'll admit I'm biased on this subject, but I'm not hired to shoot because everything is going smooth.  I'm hired to shoot to make sure it goes smooth repeatedly/professionally and know what to do when the wings fall off.

(Anyway, enough of that and once again sorry for straying off subject).

[Rob C]

Blushing can be becoming in a grown man, but I wouldn't recommend it - it plagued my life for many years.

I don't think anyone reaches 100% because that doesn't really exist. Any created situation consists of a mixture of random and contrived possibilities and the artist's job is to mix'em and match'em to suit his mind and that of the client (in a pro situation), and there are always so many ways you can turn anything that it's only your own sense that guides you in making the choices - there can be avenues you just never get around to exploring during any shoot, and it wouldn't be rare for me to look over the stuff and wish I'd done just something a bit different somewhere during the build-up of the theme/motif. Then there's the model, who may or may not be as creative and positive to the thing as anyone else involved. You are lucky to get good, never mind 100%!

You write about pushing boundaries. I think it's just as difficult to push oneself - harder, because we sometimes stand in our own way and don't even know what we've been doing to ourselves until it's too late.

Fred mentions the input of a wife. Yes, you are lucky and so was I; mine didn't get very involved in the photography beyond reflectors and spray cans, and some accessories/wardrobe work (I realise it all mounts up to more than I thought a minute ago), but her incredible value was in keeping the waters calm. People found it very hard to fall out with a sunny nature. What she found in me, God alone knows, but I'm happy she found whatever it was enough to have her stay.

Enjoy your career.

Rob C

[Craig Lamson]

Fred mentions the input of a wife. Yes, you are lucky and so was I; mine didn't get very involved in the photography beyond reflectors and spray cans, and some accessories/wardrobe work (I realise it all mounts up to more than I thought a minute ago), but her incredible value was in keeping the waters calm. People found it very hard to fall out with a sunny nature. What she found in me, God alone knows, but I'm happy she found whatever it was enough to have her stay.

Enjoy your career.

Rob C

It's amazing seeing others happy to be enjoying the professional journey with a spouse.  I can't fathom doing what we do without being a team.  I often tell her she is more important that the equipment.  And after 15 years of 24/7/365, I simply can't see it any other way. 

Thanks for sharing.

[ChristopherBarrett]

My wife and I have had entirely separate lives in our work, so we can't often understand what the other is glowing or bitching about over dinner.  This Spring, however, we'll be working on a short film together with a friend of our's who is writing/directing.  I'll be DP and my wife has been asked to art direct (she has an amazing sense of style).  I'm really looking forward to the experience and collaboration.  I think it's going to create memories that we'll treasure for years.  In this, I have to be a little envious of Cooter's situation.  We already understand each other so completely (after 16 years) that it's going to be really interesting to see how the dynamic affects us on set.

CB

[ChristopherBarrett]

and, oh yeah... Recent Professional Works...

[Craig Lamson]

Very nice Chris, trees AND green are a nice sight after this midwest winter. I hope your shared working experience with your wife is a joy.