Brian Vogel's Photography

Updated old posts.

2009-09-22T12:47:00.003-05:00

Hello,
So apparently I am not a good blogger.

There were incomplete posts, and some never posted posts so I went back and up dated them.

Also, website updated! Check it Out!
www.TheOtherMrB.com

Here is a list:

Tutu Tuesdays

The Spiderlite Endeavour

My Time in San Marcos

Make Your Escape, Live at RocBar

Homemade: DIY vs Store Bought

Tutu Tuesdays

2009-09-06T15:17:00.005-05:00

Meet Chelsea.

As some of you may or may not know, I also work at a bar in my spare time, when I feel like paying my bills.
Chelsea is a Bartender at the bar I work at.
Well every Tuesday her and another girl wear their Tutu's and have a Tutu Tuesday. Cheap drinks all night and just fun.

I was brought in to shoot fliers and ads for is, and these are 2 of the shots I ended up using.
There were going to be more, but I ended up loosing 2 drives and a thumbstick this month so I also lost a lot of files.

Not really to much to say about this shoot, but I hope you like the shots.

(Click the image to be taken to the flickr)

The Spiderlite Endeavor

2009-08-16T17:05:00.012-05:00

This is going to be just a quick blog. I just wanted to show off some images of the spiderlites I built using tutorials online. I wonder if anyone would be interested in buying these from me.

(Spiderlite with all five bulbs on. Daylight bulbs)

(This is a shot of the spiderlite with a blacklight in the center position and the other four bulbs off.)

(This is a shot with the two black lights on, and the actualy black glass bulb on in the center.)

(This is a shot with all lights on. Two reds, two purple, and the one black in center.)

(This final image has the daylight spiderlite off with the color spiderlight only lighting the blacklights.)

My time in San Marcos

2009-08-16T15:06:00.007-05:00

Earlier this week I found myself in San Marcos along with all of my "portable" camera equipment as I tend to keep it in my car on trips. After a fun filled morning of exploring highways, back roads, wrong turns, and a dried up river bed it was lunch time. A FreeBird burrito and a mixed beer bucket later, phone calls were being made and messages sent. The resulting idea was to get some of the girls Britney knows to help me get a shot I thought of while I was previously in town.
The first girl we talked about using for the shot was inaccessible as people tend to be when you don't have their phone number. The second choice was Nicole, a room mate of Britneys, who was just getting off work. Finishing our beers we ventured to the house to tell Nicole of her participation in the shoot. After some introductions and chatting we were on our way to the predetermined spot.
When we first got to the river, the two girls got into the water and I immediately wish I had brought a suit. It was a very hot day, and the water felt amazing. However it was a bit of a task to set up the lighting and position myself for the shots. There were some local guys already in the area we wanted to shoot in, being as they were friendly and even a little helpful, it was no bother to myself or my model.
After the first half of the shoot, I told her what I was wanting out of the second half. This is were things got tricky. I had to actually walk into the river where it was almost waste deep to the shaded area we wanted to use next. This proved to be difficult trying to keep my shorts dry while carrying a light stand and my camera over the rocks and through the water. I eventually ended up removing the shorts in lieu of my boxers so I could get into the water and get the angle I needed. After lots of maneuvering, and blocking of prying eyes, we ended up getting the shot I was looking for.

(Prepping myself for the river as Nicole takes her position.)

(Final shot of Nicole on the Guadelupe.).

These pictures and more from the set can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianvogelsphotos/

Make Your Escape, Live at RöcBar

2009-03-31T17:32:00.004-05:00

Well about a week ago I received a message from a friend of mine about an upcoming show his band was playing and that for being supportive I was going to be put on the list. I thought, "Since my two loves are music and photography, I will combine the two."

I will be posting some of the pictures here, as well as a link to the complete set, as well as the band(s) profile(s).

I got there at 7pm expecting them to go on at 8. Once arriving at RöBar Corey told me that they were pushed back until 10pm.

This ended up being a happy circumstance since other than my friends band, the first band was the only decent one in the bunch.

These are a few shots of the first band, InnerState.

http://www.myspace.com/innerstateonline

Then prompty at 10pm Make Your Escape went on. It was nuts the way the crowd reacted to them.
During every other set people were scattered around and and had their attention elsewhere, but upon hearing the first notes from MYE everyone seemed drawn in.

(Update months later.)

Okay, I thought I had posted this but I guess I didn't... my bad.

http://www.myspace.com/makeyourescaperock

Prepping for a shoot.

2009-03-26T13:04:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was woken up by a phone call from a local girl asking for a photoshoot to get some photos on her new website.
I was a bit hesitant when she said she wanted to have the photos by Friday. I accepted her offer, and instead of setting it up and shooting yesterday as a responsible and intelligent person might, I took the procrastinators route and told her that shooting Thursday would be best... so I could keep sleeping of course.
While going into work I decided on a location I really like and have used in the past. I called the Houstonian Hotel, Club, and Spa and told them about my ideas for the shoot. After speaking to a few people at the Houstonian they offered me a guest room for the day.

It's a fairly nice room, plenty of room for storage of gear, as well as changing and just plain old relaxing.

Pictured here is Room 334, it has some pretty nice furniture, good lighting, a flat screen, and iPod dock, and just an over all elegant feel.
Oh, did I mention free WiFi?!

Okay, I just got a call from the girl and she is on her way, that means I'm going to post this and update it later when the shoot is over.
Wish me luck!

Update 2:15pm

...still waiting...

She was supposed to be here at 1pm
:(

Update #2 2:42pm
She jsut sent me a text saying
"Hey sorry im scared to drive in the rain so im waiting for it to let up a bit until i drive"
I think I'm going to just go home and eat the $50 room charge. At least I got to blog.

Update #3 2:50
Okay, after about 2 hours of waiting, we are postponing until tomorrow.
More updates then.

Last Update
Never showed. Never rescheduled.

-Mr.B

The Burning Couch

2009-03-26T12:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been some time since I have posted on here, and for that I apologize, yet.... I feel no one really reads these accept perhaps Brad.

Anyway, onto the story.

I got a call a few nights back from a friend of mine that pretty much is summed up by this one sentence, "Hey, come over; we're burning a couch."

I was of course upset. From the utterance of that phrase, ideas were racing through my head about what I could d to set up a shoot with said couch.
Well, I got lucky as there were in fact 2 couches and they were waiting for me to get off work before lighting the other. Upon hearing this, I told my friend on the other end of the line, to put on some corduroys, a decent light colored button-up shirt, and to wait for me.

I got to my friends at roughly 3:30am and announced that not only did I need the aforementioned items that e also needed lots of water and a fire extinguisher. It was at this point that my friend learned he would be siting on the couch while it was ablaze.

After returning from WalMart with 12 gallons if water we proceeded to soak the middle of the couch with a great wattery devide, and the left half with lighter fluid. We took some test shots for focus, and white balance and other various things and were then ready. We set the lighter to the couch and...... nothing. For some reason it wouldn't light. After a few tries we got the flames going, waited until the desired volume of flame and I told him, "Okay, go sit on the couch."

I like to think it was a good effort by all and I am very happy with the final image.

Ryan Crowe
4am, Katy, Tx

this image on flickr

This is why I love 4am shoots.

-Mr. B

Skating Photos with Eric M

2009-02-16T20:42:00.000-06:00

Hello again everyone.

Yesterday I went out with a friend of mine from a skating message-board that I have been moderating for about 3 years, and a member of for 6.

We decided it was time to go get some new pictures. There isn't really much that needs to be set up in these shots.
I used my vivtar flash, along with the new Quantaray slave and both my Fisheye and my 50mm lenses. One of my favorite things to shoot is skating. Always has been.

These are the some of the pictures completely un-retouched.
More can be seen at my photobucket.

Ally-Oop Top Soul

Same as above

Earlier in the day, Backside Backslide

Homemade : DIY vs. Store Bought

2009-02-09T13:42:00.003-06:00

Some people may have loads of cash, or long lines of credit to go out and spend endless amounts on equipment and gear. Well I unfortunately am not one of those people. Not only do I not make enough money to pay for school, rent, or my ridiculous car note, but I can't hardly afford batteries for my flashes.

Solution?

DIY.

A few months back I tried my hand at building my very own ringlight.

Results? Amazing. This thing turned out like a champ. It's a great diffused light source, as well as a great effect.

(Click on the photos to be taken to the set, or to see larger.)

I like it so much I use it often. I even used it here along with these.

New Gear : New Shots

2009-02-08T23:09:00.001-06:00

The other day I went out with a friend to check out some lenses and get some ideas for what to get next.

Well I ended up leaving the local Ritz Camera with a Quantaray PZ-1 DSZ
(pictured to the right with "The Original Lens Baby"). I payed about $100 for this bad-boy, with a 10 day money back guarantee.

So far I am really enjoying the flash, it's a great baby brother to the Nikons SB-800. t has the swivel/tilt head, as well as an assorted butt load of settings. I can even set the front flash to go off and swivel the head to face back toward me and blind 2 people at once!

I took this flash out for a test run on my D300 to see how it would work in an actual shoot. I was pleasantly surprised. I could adjust the flash speed, intensity, burst mode, everything. As far as cheap flashes go. I'm sold.

Starting this Blog.

2009-02-08T22:03:00.000-06:00

So this is the first Blog I've ever done really, aside from random posts on myspace.

It all started with Brad Edwards.

I received a text message tonight (Sunday Feb 8th) from Brad.
"Hey Guys! Started a photo blog if any of you want to follow it. Thanks! Talk to you all soon!"
With the following link attached, bradedwardsphotography.blogspot.com.

Well I checked it out since Brad is a cool guy, and I like his photos.

Then I got thinking, maybe I should start a blog as well. So here I am, in hopes to share some of what I see of the world.