Mimetic Muscles: The Muscles of Expression

          It started on Christmas 2008 when my wife matched the mac book I got her with a Canon Rebel Xsi. Prior to that, I had been shooting for fun for the last 4 or 5 years and had never considered taking up the art form seriously despite what people were saying about my work and suggesting that I do. I now understand that I was scared and is the reason why I never really, really considered buying an SLR and if i said I did (which I probably did) I was bullshitting the person and my self. I thank my wife for handing me my balls, I thought I would never see them again.
          And so I spent a year with my camera just fucking around (keep in mind that before I received my SLR in 2008 I knew nothing about photography), really it was a very frustrating year where for a while I was convinced that my previous snap and shoot was better somehow. I was also dreaming that once one had in there possession an SLR, that all those incredible shots from fashion and wildlife magazines would simply be possible. I was intimidated by the cameras manual capability where I had spent most of the previous years shooting in auto modes. So I went about and did some research and from there the snow ball began to take form. My 1st attempt to take some professional type photos came in the purchase of my Canon 430ex speed lite (external flash). It turned out that the pop up flash really sucks and gives you really flat and unnecessarily shadowy photos. With the capability to aim the flash at a white ceiling and bounce light to wash your subject with even light, I started to become very happy with my camera, and its potential was clear to me at that point. Wikipedia helped plenty, where I learned the depth of aperture, ISO and shutter speeds. The concept of these three exposure factors took weeks and months of reading the same article until it became clear and I had a full understanding of its use. I was also very discontent with the lens the camera came with, Again I was under the assumption that I would be able to shoot in a large range of zooms (dont ask me why I was so stupid). So my 1st lens purchase was a Canon 100-300mm. The motivation to buy such a zoom lens was so that I can capture up close shots of the Red Tailed Hawks that inhabit my neighborhood. I cannot explain to you how exciting it was for me to stand in freezing weather on my 15th floor balcony waiting for hunting Red Tailed Hawks to appear. And eventually I got my shots and many more after. Those were 2 really big purchases and I learned that my photography would have to be built, and so I began.
          Lets skip to Halloween 2009, when my sister and my wife were in my home getting ready to go out to a Halloween party and for some reason I decided to shoot them in costume in front of my white wall. About 2 weeks after that for some reason I decided to edited these photos and see how close I get to some professional looks. I spent days just tweaking and logging on to You Tube to see how the pro’s did it. While in this editing process I felt that I needed a place to dump some of my best shots for display, and that is where the concept for my photography website was born. So here I am with no direction, editing photos and brain storming about my website. And suddenly one day in early November my co worker Raul Angel Cruz stopped me at work and let me know that his step mother was getting married on January 16th 2010 and that she was looking for a photographer, Raul had refereed me. I think that he was aware of “my work” from the company party photos I took on September 2009 and had uploaded on some computers at work (everyone went crazy for the photos). I nervously called his step mother and she booked me just based on Raul’s referral, although she did desire to see my portfolio before the wedding and so I now had real motivation to launch the web site (that wedding would become my 1st paid gig). Severals days later, after non-stop thinking came up with the name RealDepthOfField registered it as a domain name, found a templated photography website and purchased space, registered a business email and began production on my 1st business cards. On November 20th my website launched and I consider that the day RealDepthOfField was born.
          Since I have had over 30 paid gigs (6 in the month of November 2010, a record so far), I have added 71 pieces of equipment valued at over $7,500 ( Dont ask me how I did it, I dont even know). I have traveled twice to upstate New York one being to the beautiful town of Yorks ville where I had the privilege of shooting a horse and his rider. I have been requested to shoot a wedding in Italy for 2012 (still pending, but exciting non the less), I have been hired to shoot the New York City skyline for a clients window shades that will be panoramic between two corner windows and was asked to place my signature on it, for the client considers it an art piece (shades are currently at the manufacturers).
          Many thanks to Daniel Mendez who him self is a learning photographer and has accompanied me on some weddings shoots (for free!) and look forward to growing together. My wife Merline who has now taken the responsibility of managing and marketing for our company and who is now self teaching her self the art of digital photography and post production. And many thanks to those with positive things to say but more importantly critical things to say. 
          Its hard to believe that its been a year already, I’d have to say that its been the longest year of my life……in a good way.

Happy birthday RealDepthOfField

Words behind the photos:

My 1st paid gig Natividad Aponte, Luis Garcia 1.16.10
Canon Rebel Xsi 50mm ISO 400 f/2.8 1/200sec

Had the last second idea of using props that would describe who they were. This was shot at my good friends mothers home. It was my 1st time shooting strobe.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 100 f/6.3 1/160sec

Part of a series of lifestyle shoots I’m doing for a client. The horses name is Flash and this was in a ranch 2 hours north of NYC in Yorks Ville.
Canon 5D 70-200mm ISO 100 f/3.2 1/800sec

On the set of our Wall street fashion shoot across the street from the stock exchange. We did scouting 1 month prior, the day of the shoot we were asked for permits several times and we simply told them we had permission from the NYPD and the stock exchange security and it was enough. Thats my wife Merline on the lower right.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 800 f/4 1/40sec

Traveled to Hoboken New Jersey where we scouted along the Hudson river looking for the best view of the skyline. Several days later we returned and walked about a mile along the river until we found the spot. We spent 2:30 hours shooting 30 second exposure shots. These shots are being used for window shades.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 100 f/11 25sec

UPDATE: Here is the final product of the New York City skyline photo I took above. During the day the shades are almost completely see through, allowing for the sun to enter the room through a series of very small unnoticeable holes. Once nightfall all the details of the photograph are revealed. The colors and details are stunning. The printers did a great job.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 100 f/9 1/160 sec

Heres the most I can give away from this secret project. Its a 100 year old theater and is being remodeled as a restaurant. We plan to approach the company who owns it to see if they have interest in the project. My vision is to have a portion of the restaurant dedicated to the shots.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 1600 f/4 1/13sec

Part of our 1st fashion/beauty studio shoot. 2 months of planning, over $1000 invested in the shoot.
Canon 5D 70-200mm ISO 100 f/13 1/160sec

Yes that was the last piece of the famous Yankee stadium where the New York Yankees won 26 world series. I had to walk the tracks to gain this vantage point. This photo consist of 4 photos put together in photoshop.
Canon 5D 17-40mm ISO 100 f/5 1/640sec

This is across the street from the Chinese consulate on 42nd street 12 ave where Tibetan protesters have daily peacefull demonstrations. They are protesting the invasive occupation by the Chinese in Tibet among st other things. The photo portrays a protester gesturing to the icon which is the consulate building.
Canon 5D 70-200mm ISO 160 f/2.8 1/80sec

What I consider to be my best shot yet. This was taken along the Hudson river somewhere around the 60′s. Theres a stair case that leads down to wards the river, and when I shot him while facing the stairs we got the reflection. Coincidently he was wearing stripes that day.
Canon Rebel Xsi 100-300mm ISO 100 f/5.6 1/400 sec

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