Back In The Saddle Again

These past 2 months have been crazy for me.  I've been on the road constantly, back and forth to Dubai twice, a two week trip to Ghana as well as Tucson and Salt Lake City.  The way I figure it, I've spent over 107 hours of flight time these past 8 weeks.  I'm slowly getting my legs back under me and re-introducing myself to the family.  I'm looking forward to catching up on blogging and sharing some lighting techniques with you.

Back in March, I was on assignment in the African country of Ghana.  It was my first time visiting Ghana, I found the citizens of Ghana a friendly and proud people. I have never seen so many cell phones in my life, everyone is connected no matter how far out of a city they live.  I was shooting for a mining company doing business there, it was their Ghana division that actually hired me for the photography.

I spent about two weeks shooting, I had a huge shot list, everything from social events to underground mining and helicopter aerials.  Prior to arriving in Ghana, I had spent 10 days in Dubai teaching at the GPP (Gulf Photo Plus), I had 3 days at home before heading back out for my Ghana assignment.  To say the least, I was pooped.

The short video above is a series of individual photos put into iMovie to show you a mining site blast, just one of the fun things to see while shooting for mining companies.

 While in Ghana, I was asked to photograph a groundbreaking ceremony for a new hospital in the community nearest the mine site.  The local chief of the area was on hand to swing the pick.  He was escorted by several helpers including his very own "voice activated Umbrella Holder".

Here is a group shot of the chief with all his friends including his VAUH.  The chief asked me through an interpreter, if I could swing by his palace to photograph him later that evening.  I thought it an honor to have been asked and heck, I wanted to see the palace.

An hour later I was driven to the Chiefs palace... a ranch style home, nicest on the field or lot.  When we arrived at the Chiefs place, the sun was just setting.  Once the Chief was informed of my arrival, we were asked to wait while he dressed into his formal outfit.

His formal chair was located in a large courtyard under a large overhanging roof.  As this opportunity to photograph the Chief was unexpected, I did not have any modifiers with me.  So I took the flashes that I had and bounced them off of a wall in the courtyard.  You can see the two strobes laying on the ground pointed to the wall, I also had one flash on camera directed on the wall as well.  All three flashes were set to full power as I had quite a distance to through the light.

Here you can see the final results.  The Chief seemed to enjoy the opportunity to be photographed, he asked me to wait so he could make a few outfit changes to be photographed in.  Here on of the final images of the Chief.

It was a pleasure photographing him, I can honestly say that I had never photographed a Chief before this time.  What a hoot.  DT