My comfort zone

hokies2379 · Feb 26, 2019

Had a new promotion ask me to do promos for their posters, so I delivered the standard promo stuff which they were happy with.

But I did take some time for myself to do the stuff I like. If you can’t tell, it’s moody, slightly over processed black and white stuff.

Sent from my iPhone using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app

Call_me_Tom · Feb 26, 2019

I’m not into B&W but I enjoyed these, minus the tongue guy.

DaPOPO · Feb 28, 2019

I like them all, #1 is the best though!!

smoke665 · Feb 28, 2019

Great set! A little information on the backstory please. How exactly did you get into this relatively specialized area of photography? Were you a wrestler, fan, friend....?

zombiesniper · Feb 28, 2019

Excellent set.

What one person calls over processed the next will call perfect. Moral of the story, they're not over processed, just perfectly processed to your liking.

hokies2379 · Feb 28, 2019

I am a lifelong fan of pro wrestling. When younger I was involved in the business for a brief time, but when I got married and started a family, I walked away and focused on my career.

A few years ago, I showed up to a show (in Iowa we have 4 independent promotions that run shows on a monthly or more basis) and just took shots from my seat. It was just something fun for me. I posted a few shots to this promotion's social media page and at the next show the owner asked me if I did this for a living. I chuckled and said nope, just something fun. I was invited to start shooting from the ringside area. A couple of months into that I was asked about promotional pictures for the posters etc. I hadn't done it and gave it a try. One thing led to another and I currently am paid by 6 promotions on a regular basis in 4 states and will be shooting my first WWE event (for a publication) in April.

The worst thing is, I go back and look at my earlier stuff and I want it erased from the internet, stuff people were fawning over, I wouldn't even take credit for today. I thought I knew what I was doing, I didn't. I still barely do, but I can get a decent shot or two out these days.

hokies2379 · Feb 28, 2019

zombiesniper said:
Excellent set.

What one person calls over processed the next will call perfect. Moral of the story, they're not over processed, just perfectly processed to your liking.

thank you. I don't over process the color (at least on purpose) but with my b/w they're usually only for me and the performers, so it has kind of become my unique "calling card" so to speak.

hokies2379 · Feb 28, 2019

This is an example of the “standard stuff” for posters. F8, 1/160 100 iso. Just blah stuff that looks good on posters and is easy for graphic designers to cut out.