» photography http://www.dustinfrancis.net Ann Arbor, Michigan Wedding Photographer | Dustin Francis Photography | Destination Wedding Photographer Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:20:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Michigan Photo of the Year Voting! http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/04/07/michigan-photo-of-the-year-voting/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/04/07/michigan-photo-of-the-year-voting/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 23:23:03 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=6126 One of my images has been selected for the Bliss Michigan Wedding Photo of the Year contest.  The image was selected was taken at Lindsay and Justin‘s wedding last spring and is also being used on the cover of their album :)   Click HERE to go to the page and cast your vote!  I don’t care who you vote for, just vote for the image that you like best and be sure to also leave a comment in addition to submitting your vote, only images with a vote AND a comment will count, so make sure to make it count :)  Voting ends on April 14th, so be sure to cast your vote before then.  Thank you!

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/04/07/michigan-photo-of-the-year-voting/feed/ 1 I love this stuff… http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/03/13/i-love-this-stuff/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/03/13/i-love-this-stuff/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:54:03 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=5958 Still loving instant film :)  Here I am…old and new, taken yesterday by my friend Wendy Martin at a wedding.

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/03/13/i-love-this-stuff/feed/ 0 A taste of things to come…. http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/02/25/a-taste-of-things-to-come/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/02/25/a-taste-of-things-to-come/#comments Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:55:05 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=5762 This isn’t a post about blog posts coming, but rather some sweet things I’ve been working on for a while…these examples actually show a couple of them.  Just thought I’d let fellow photographers to be on the lookout for something that will help you tons coming soon and something more having to do with developing your look later this year ;)  Any guesses?

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2011/02/25/a-taste-of-things-to-come/feed/ 8 Let’s Chat! http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2010/02/11/lets-chat/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2010/02/11/lets-chat/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:47:49 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=3949 I receive about 5-10 emails a week from photographers asking all sorts of questions.  I love to teach and share, but a lot of the emails I receive (about 90%) are from photographers out of state.  It is really hard and time consuming to get back to everyone and I feel bad that I can’t, as I LOVE to share, teach, and help people so that they can get to where they want :)  I will still be putting on my Shareshop, later this year, but one thing I’ve been doing for a couple years now, is helping people out through the internet…thanks to apps like iChat and Skype.  I’m thinking about starting to offer 90 minute sessions using iChat, so that those people that are not close to me, but really still want to learn, can.

I need some guinea pigs, that would be willing to receive a free 60 minute one-on-one session in return for feedback on ways I can offer more value to those who seek out my help.  Here are the details:

•5 people…the first 5 people to respond to this post using my contact link at the top

•60 minutes one-one-one with me

•I will cover whatever you like with no hidden secrets ;)

•Takes place over iChat (iChat is the most powerful app for teaching/helping online…sorry if you don’t have a Mac)  *internet speed can be a factor*

•No charge in exchange for good feedback

I will update this post when I have received the first 5 contacts, but please feel free to leave a comment with any words you may have and/or if this is something you are interested in :)  Chat with you soon!

5 GUINEA PIGS FOUND!!!!!

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2010/02/11/lets-chat/feed/ 5 Before & After | 1 http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/12/30/before-and-after/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/12/30/before-and-after/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:16:55 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=3835 People frequently ask what my style is.  Most times I answer the question by giving them the link to my blog and telling them to define it in their own words.  My goal, is to create simple, clean, emotional, and timeless imagery.  When I press the shutter, I am creating the image then and there.  What I do when I am in front my computer, is simply to “finish” the image.  I also have a very simple approach when it comes to finishing my images.  99% of my images are in “straight” color or black and white.  You can venture through the pages of my blog and see how I got to where I am today and while I am slowly tweaking my processing style, my intent will remain the same.  While style’s change over the years, I simply want my images to remain timeless.

With that said, there are basically three steps in the process with the final one being the one of the images you see on my blog as well as what anyone who orders a print receives.  The first step would be straight out of camera.  Personally, I do almost everything manually.  I shoot in manual mode, selecting the aperture, shutter speed and ISO.  I choose the white balance for the current lighting environment and I also select one of the 51 AF points my camera has to have the camera automatically focus on, but only when I press a separate button to activate the autofocus.  I then press the shutter button and voila, I have created an image or if you prefer, I have captured a moment in time.  Here is an image from Cara + Joe’s Engagement session straight out of camera (SOC).

The second step is the “proofing” step.  This is adjusting things such as; color, contrast, exposure, highlights and shadows.  This gets the image most of the way there.  These are the images that will be viewed in a gallery from an engagement session or a wedding and delivered to the client.  I also refer to these as Digital Negatives.  Here is the image in proof form…

The final step is my favorite and most fun to do…to FINISH the image for however it’s going to be displayed.  With this step, things like; eyes, skin, specific colors, and sharpness are all adjusted.  Every image ordered, receives these types of adjustments and each image is even sized and sharpened based on the print size ordered, to make sure it looks great!  Here is the final web or print form of the image…

Here’s another image.  Straight our of camera…

Proof form…

And in print form.  I converted the image to black and white to help keep the viewer focused on the emotion of the image.  I will also convert images to black and white if there are distracting colors in the image.  I frequently convert recessional, first dance and other images with a bit more emotion to black and white.

Straight out of camera…

Proof form…

And in final print/web form…

One last one for now.  Straight out of camera…

Proof…

Final…

I will try and do one of these every couple months. :)

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/12/30/before-and-after/feed/ 9 The OC and The Workshop… http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/06/04/the-oc-and-the-workshop/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/06/04/the-oc-and-the-workshop/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:02:29 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=2075 I am writing this post from my hotel room in Orange County.  I am here for Jasmine Star’s fabulous workshop aptly named; The Workshop.  The OC has been treating me oh so well!  I flew in Monday and Monday evening I was already hanging out with a dozen photographers from all over the country.  We were all here for The Workshop, so decided to get things started early and shoot a bit around Balboa Pier and then we grabbed some food at BJ’s.  Last night, there was an OC vs. LA bowling showdown and my new friend Wayne Toshikazu invited me to join in and represent the OC.  I have to say, I represented well, getting the high score for the OC helping slaughter LA….HOLLA!  I also made new friends there and had lots of good conversation…I’m lovin’ it.

The Workshop was held Tuesday and was everything I was hoping for and more.  Jasmine and JD did an amazing job of organizing everything and just creating an awesome atmosphere making the expereience that much better.  Everything was so simple…I loved it!  I’ve met Jasmine a few times before and I (like 10,000 other people) check her blog daily to read what inspiring or funny words she has to say and if you’re reading this Jasmine, yes, I DO think you are funny :)   It was refreshing to be able to hangout and share with 20 other photographers lead by someone I find to just be, well fabulous.  I got so much out of The Workshop and recommend it to anyone looking to get inspired or step up their skills.  A big thank you to Jasmine for making this happen and making me love my job and our industry that much more!

Some pics from The Workshop…

Jasmine, you’re in my shot…

the-workshop01

Oh wait, maybe I’m in your shot.

shot_01

Mark and Tiffany were looking fierce…

the-workshop02

Are you being a diva here?

the-workshop03

I love to laugh!

the-workshop04

I’m jealous of all the gorgeous shoes women get to wear and these were no exception…

the-workshop05

Workin’ it for Jasmine.

the-workshop06

the-workshop07

Love this pose Jasmine set up.

the-workshop11

the-workshop08

the-workshop09

Thanks for working it Mark and Tiff.

the-workshop10

Definitely check out Jasmine’s pics on her blog.  Here are the attendees…some amazing peeps in there!

shot_02

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/06/04/the-oc-and-the-workshop/feed/ 13 Dustin Francis Photography: Featured http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/05/21/dustin-francis-photography-featured/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/05/21/dustin-francis-photography-featured/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 19:26:40 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=1977

I was contacted about a month ago about Zayna and Rani’s fabulous wedding images that were already featured in Metro Detroit Bride to be featured in a magazine based out of Beirut called Sayidaty.  It is a women’s magazine with heavy readership in that area including fashion and tech savy places such as Dubai.  The article turned out to be an interview about wedding photographers and what brides should look for on their photography and more important photographer, which of course I thought was great.  I mentioned a few of my friends and and fellow photographers in the article.  Jasmine Star, Kenny Kim, Millie Holloman, Ben Harrison, Nicole Ladonne, and Jackie Blair are all awesome people and give me great inspiration as well as add so much to our amazing industry.  The interview is a 4-page spread with images and I am quite happy and suprised how everything turned out.  Also, the most current issue of my favorite photography magazine Rangefinder has a few images that I took in Las Vegas while helping my awesome buddy, Kenny Kim, covering WPPI.  Thanks to everyone who made this possible…I love my job!

cover-sayidaty

spread_01

spread_02

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/05/21/dustin-francis-photography-featured/feed/ 8 New Website! http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/03/14/new-website/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/03/14/new-website/#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 05:05:27 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=1756 It’s about time…my new website just launched about 15 minutes ago, so go check it out!  CLICK HERE! You’ll notice it is much different from my previous site and much more ME!  The images are full screen and the design is much sleeker.  Also, now my blog and website match and I’ll be able to keep the website up-to-date much easier.  Over the next week or two, I will be adding galleries to it, but there are already a few hundred images to check out.  I am very happy with how it turned out and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

1

2

3

4

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/03/14/new-website/feed/ 12 WPPI in Las Vegas! http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/02/23/wppi-in-las-vegas/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/02/23/wppi-in-las-vegas/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:41:23 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=1743       Friday morning at about 2am I got back from Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada.  It was my first time there and boy was it a great first!  I was there for one of the largest photography conferences in the world.  I was helping my buddy Kenny Kim cover the entire conference…it was crazy.  We had another photographer, Kenny Nakai, who rocked out some images as well.  Both Kenny and Kenny are from Chicago, IL, so I was the lone MI photog.  It was such a great way to experience WPPI and Vegas and I’m not sure much else can come close for me over the years.  I met an amazing amount of awesome people and awesome photographers and partied a little bit like a rock star.  I totally get why people say Las Vegas never sleeps.

      The conference was hosted at the MGM Grand Conference Center and was such a great venue to host such a large conference.  I honestly could talk for hours about all the experiences I had and all the sweet people I had the opportunity to meet.  I want to thank Kenny for giving me this huge opportunity and also thank everyone with WPPI and all of the attendees for making this experience unforgettable.  BE SURE TO CHECK OUT KENNY’S BLOG FOR LOTS OF PICS AND MORE INFO!!!

 

Here we are!

wppi_2009_mgm_blog-201

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2009/02/23/wppi-in-las-vegas/feed/ 4 [b] School! http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2008/09/03/b-school/ http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2008/09/03/b-school/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:53:24 +0000 admin http://www.dustinfrancis.net/?p=1013 Awesome wedding photographer and business guru Becker from Orange County, CA is less than a month away from launching what is said to be one of the best things to happen to wedding photographers in years!  It’s called, [b] School and I’m stoked for opening day and really looking forward to how it can help me grow my business, which will do nothing but enhance the experience for myself and more importantly, my brides and grooms!  WOO-HOO!!!

 

 

]]> http://www.dustinfrancis.net/2008/09/03/b-school/feed/ 0