This is Me - Tom Wehrle

Think of how many Christmas’s you can actually remember. Now tell me, who wants to have one they’ll remember for the rest of their life? Well, that means ya need to do something truly unique for Christmas. How about stop getting caught up with the ordinary and get involved in things that matter. Checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…and yes…even Tumblr every 15 mins doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Reaching out and being a friend, lending a hand and helping someone in need…that’s something that matters.

I was just reading this article about the NYC cop who dropped $75 to help a homeless man who had no shoes, and his feet had blisters on them. Great story and simple reminder that’s so much more to life than all the modern gizmos and gadgets we covet so easily. It also reminded me of this this book called Love Does that I read while on vacation this year out in Colorado. It’s a truly an inspiring book that’s hard to put down. I don’t think you can read that book without it changing your life. And changing it for the better as well.

It’s Dec 1st, you have plenty of time to think of some way you can help someone in the next 25 days to make their Christmas (and even yours) a truly incredible/memorable one. Stop reading…get going! Merry Christmas! :)

I randomly found a girl last summer that I was intrigued by. So naturally, wanted to try and get to know her better. If you know me at all, or don’t have a clue, I’ll fill ya in…

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So I was recently asked by someone if I could explain how I took a few pictures. So I said “sure, what pictures do you want to know about…” - I figured that maybe someone else might want to learn a thing or two. And if a lot of people were curious about different photos I’ve taken, maybe I’ll do this more often for those interested (just let me know what picture I’ve taken you’re curious about, if so). So here goes…I’ll start with the Taylor Swift photo, here it is:

The first thing you should know when you photograph a live concert, you can never use flash (unless it’s a really small venue with no-name bands). I honestly don’t think I’d want to use it even if I could, for the lighting would be to flat for my taste. It would have to be off camera flash, I digress. Anyhow, I’ll start with the settings on my camera:

Aperture: 2.2
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 1250
Lens: 35mm 1.4
Camera: Canon 5d mk2
White Balance: Tungsten
File type: JPG
Mode: Manual

This was one of the last shows I shot in jpg and the White Balance at Tungsten. I now shoot everything in RAW and Auto White Balance. If I could do this show over again, I’d most certainly do it the way I do it now, as it allows for a little more forgiveness if you don’t nail it in the camera. Normally for concerts you can shoot for the first 3 songs, maybe 4, then you have to go. For this show, I was allowed to shoot the 2nd and 3rd song only. One thing you always have to be prepared for is that the openers (for this show it was Needtobreathe) is that there lighting is not nearly as much (or bright) as Taylor Swifts, naturally. Normally I’m always fine tuning my settings between shots with the lighting, as it’s changing (which is all the time during a song). So if you’re looking for tips, hopefully I’m helping with this, but be prepared to be constantly monitoring your light meter on your camera and adjusting accordingly when things change. I also always shoot in Manual Mode as it gives me full control to silhouette people if I’d like, or properly expose the artist while blowing out a light in the background. I pretty much am always wanting to properly expose the face of the artist/subject and am perfectly alright with allowing the lights to be overexposed. I generally try not to go below 2.0 for my aperture, and sometimes I’ll drag my shutter as slow as 1/40 which will get ya blur on someone playing guitar or drums.

The next thing I’m constantly doing is waiting for “that moment” - instead of taking a thousand photos, I try to take a few hundred at most. It’s easy to get nervous when you start thinking about who you’re taking pictures of and how popular they are, especially someone like T-Swift, but you just gotta calm down and remind yourself to take photos that “are in the moment” or in the sports world “peak performance.” Anyone can take a picture of an artist singing into their mic, but that’s not normally that exciting. I try to go for expressions from the artist, and sometimes that’s when they’re not singing at all, and sometimes it is. Every artist is different when they’re performing. If there are other photographers in the pit taking pictures as well, I normally don’t want to be by them. What’s the point in getting the same shot that someone else is getting? So I’ll normally move and get a different perspective of the artist from a different angle.

I also carry two bodies on me while shooting concerts, one camera with a prime 35mm lens (which is what was used in this picture) and also another camera with a 70-200mm 2.8 IS to get close headshots (if I’m down in the pit). Overall, with this picture, or any of Taylor…it would be pretty hard not to get some great photos of her live…she has a huge and amazing set, and she’s a great performer. Just remember to try and be ready at all times for something amazing to take place and then click that shutter to get a great picture! :)

The second photo is of Brryan Jackson:

I’ll start with my camera settings again:

Aperture: 7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/80
ISO: 800
Lens: 35mm 1.4
Camera: Canon 5d mk2
White Balance: Flash
File type: RAW
Mode: Manual
Alienbee B800 with a beauty dish w/sock on.

This big metal box thing is outside of the Scottrades Center in downtown St. Louis. I could of sworn when I had seen it last that it was lit up and changed colors, so that’s what I was anticipating when we got there that night. But alas, that wasn’t the case…not even close. These big boxes weren’t lit at all. But I still wanted to try shooting there. So…I chose the B800 over my Einstein because I didn’t want or need that much light. From what I remember, I didn’t have the strobe turned up that much (probably around 1/64th power). I cranked my ISO to 800 and had my aperture higher so I could keep the detail of that big metal/silver box thing, as it’s more common for people to throw their aperture down to something super low and blur all of that out. I liked the detail though. The placement of the strobe was approx 3-4 ft away at about  45 degrees above him, and about at the 1-2 o’clock hour if squared off from his shoulders. Here’s a diagram:

This gave me the shadow under his chin and also the shadows on the left side of his face, and just enough to keep his right eye lit.

Sorry that was a little long winded, but I hope it helped for those curious. :)

I started to write this post a week ago after hearing Bob Cassilly passed away, but never finished it. Yesterday though, as I drove by some of his artwork in St Louis I thought about this post…then a few hours later I heard that Steve Jobs had passed away. So I guess I’ll finish this…

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This is a blog written out of boredom that I kind of stole from my friend Cassandra, or am just mocking it slash plagiarizing it. I’m not saying any of these ideas below will work for sure, but it’s better than not asking her, right? Cause then you’ll be able to say “Hey, at least I tried.”

1. Just ask! You can start with “Hey ________ (hopefully her name isn’t a bunch of underscores, cause if so, I wouldn’t know how to pronounce that), I’d really like to go out on a date with you to… on…”
2. Write them a note. “Being interweb (insert the social network medium of your choice) friends with you is great and all, but over the past day or so I’ve read through every comment, tweet you’ve made public, and you really seem awesome. Not to mention, your current avatar (default) pic is the super fresh and hot. Would you join me for a date on Monday evening (during Monday night football in case it gets really boring so I have something else to entertain myself)?”
3. Make it a surprise! (Not advised if your secret admirer hates surprises.) “I want to take you out on a date, but it’s a surprise.” First off, make sure it’s not a surprise for yourself when and if she says “yes”. Make some sort of plan, even if it’s going to McDonalds and eating off the dollar menu. Which, for the record might not go over so well if they’re a vegetarian/vegan. You may also want to make clothing suggestions based on climate, occasion, etc. So if you’re going to the beach, use what you know from #2 and say “Wear that one bikini from that one picture, cause that was super mega hot”.
4. Don’t tell them it’s a date. Now, I know this appears to counter what the subject is of this post, but I assure you, it’s not. Nothing like tricking a girl into a date! “Would you like join me for a walk in the park, this weekend?” Or how about “Want to go to this concert with me?” See, little do they know, when they say yes, everything will sound like a date when you tell all your buddies the next day. But when she said yes, she was saying yes cause it was to go see Justin Bieber, her favorite male (or is it female) vocalist (which you learned from stalking her on facebook).
5. Suggest that you meet somewhere. There are several ways to play this one. Like “My car won’t start, can you give me a ride to work?” Or, I’m up at the mall and need a ride home…” Or, if you really wanna get bold “Tonight after work, instead of going straight home, let’s meet up for a date…”
6. Make it about them. “Babycakes, I really want to spend some time with you this evening. Where would you like to go on a date?” See, so few people would ever call a girl “babycakes” this should definitely get her attention someway or another. The reaction is a total crap shoot.
7. Choose something that you have in common. “Babe, let’s face it. I like food, you like food…. We should go out to eat together.” How can this not be the most logical way of asking a girl out. The kicker here would be, if she’s broke, she just might say yes on the reality that she needs to eat that day. Timing could be very key here.
8. Relive an old place that you shared in the past (awesome memories only!). “Sugarplum, do you remember that little theater in Townville we used to go to? I know it sounds like we’re ready about to start filming a horror movie if you say “yes” but I assure you, to my knowledge, it’s just the cheapest place in town to watch a flick.” Feel free to word that a little better if you like.
9. Beg them. Okay, we’re getting close to 10 and we need a filler in here somewhere, but hey, it’s still always an option. “I know you don’t like me and never will, but will you please, please, please make my millennium and let me take you out to dinner? I’ll even pay for my own meal!”
10. Write a blog post about ways to get ask a girl out on a date, then ask them to proofread it. And at the end of it, throw there name in it somewhere to make it personal. In all seriousness, if this inspires you, and works….all I ask is that you give me cred if in 5 years you two are hitched and are living in house with a wrap around porch and white picket fence. Fair enough?

A few weeks ago it dawned on me that this day (9/11) was fast approaching. It got me thinking “how did that one day change my life?” This may not truly answer that question, but I’m gonna try my best.

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