Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop" died today, June 25, 2009....

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Michael Jackson

Joe McNally's Lighting Workshops - Continued

All Images (c) 2009 Jeffrey Snyder

Nikon D700, 70-200 AFS, Lexar Digital Media

Another day of Joe's Lighting Workshops in Dobbs Ferry. The building that houses the rental space for the workshops is very cool & funky. Old, bad shape, hot & sticky, but high ceilings, and grat light blasting through the floor to ceiling windows. Again, the models did a great job, put up with everyone's cameras rapid firing all day. Enjoy...js

NYC then to Joe McNally's Lighting Workshops - Dobbs Ferry, NY

All images (C) Jeffrey Snyder 2009
Nikon D700, 24-70 AFS, 70-200 AFS, Lexar Digital Media

Started off the week with Margi, in Times Square, New York City for our anniversary. We had a blast, saw Susie Essman of "HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm" fame at the famous Caroline's Comedy Club on Broadway. She was hysterical....and just like her charectar on the show. From NYC we headed north up the Hudson to the Tarrytown/Dobbs Ferry area for Joe McNally's Lighting Workshops. Joe & his staff, Lynn, Drew, plus interns galore keep the sets changing for the workshop attendees, the models are filing in & out, and in a long 9am-6pm day, your mind is filled with ideas on how to take your flash images to an other level. No matter how many times, I've sat in on one of Joe's talks, I walk away with something new, not to mention alot of laughs. It was also really great to meet Syl Arena from the pixsylated.com blog, and of www.pasoroblesworkshops.com. The workshop continues this week thru Wednesday, then next week Saturday thru Wednesday. Worth its weight in gold, if you ever get the chance. www.joemcnally.com/blog

2009 CMT Awards - A new addition to the Jeffrey Snyder Experience

Taylor Swift

Julianne Hough

Kellie Pickler

Dierks Bentley and Jake

Trace Adkins with T-Pain

If it's Tuesday, I must have been in Nashville right? This past Tuesday I actually was in Nashville, on the Red Carpet for the 2009 Country Music Television awards. I wasn't alone, had to be thousands of raucous fans hanging over the barriers trying to get a glimpse of Taylor Swift or Keith Urban or Trace Adkins or T-Pain. Yes, I said T-Pain, the rapper. If you can figure it out, or wanna take the time to, knock yourself out. Dierks Bentley walked the carpet with his dog Jake, who had his own Media Credential hanging from his collar, and his own seat for the show. Then Def Leopard, the metal band from the 70's came down the carpet, I knew I musta been in the wrong decade...they did a duet with 19 year old Taylor Swift, who wasn't even a gleem in her parents eye when Def Leopard was on the charts. All in all a great event, extremely well run, hats off to the CMT Staff

Randy Johnson wins his 300th MLB game

Nikon D3, 24-70 AFS & 200-400 AFS, Lexar Digital Media

Had the opportunity to photograph history last night. An event that may never happen again in our lifetime. Randy Johnson, the 6'10" Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants was in town throwing speedballs against the Washington Nationals. He was pitching for his 300th win. Not too shabby for a 45 year MLB player. He was supposed to have pitched the night before, but the game was rained out. This game was the 1st of a double header, which was delayed 40 minutes for more rain, game began, and it was never called even with nonstop moisture all night long. Game and post game went fine, got the images needed. Took a fall on the way into the press conference, tripped on some loose fabric that was skirting the riser for Johnson to sit on, landed on both cameras. Trashed the 24-70 and 70-200 lenses. Evidently from what I'm told, Randy turned around to help me up. Will deal with the lenses this week.....ughhh
Here's a few images from the game, enjoy, as Randy Johnson did as soon as he saw his kids on the field.

134th Preakness Stakes

The final result

Blood-Horse Cover Image: Jeffrey Snyder 2009

Nikon D3, Nikkor 600mm f4 AFS, Lexar 300x 8GB Media

Rachel Alexandra with jockey Calvin Borel

Above: Nikon D3, 600mm f4, Lexar Digital Media

(l-r) Owner Jess Jackson, Jockey Calvin Borel, Trainer Steve Asmussen

A bit of history took place at the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. Rachel Alexandra with Calvin Borel aboard was the fifth filly to win the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the first since Nellie Morse in 1924...Yes, 1924, 85 years ago.
Pimlico Race track, a Maryland institution was the setting, with just over 85,000 in attendance, down by about 20,000. This was the 1st year that Preakness officials new rule went into effect, attendees could no longer bring in their own Beer. Where the infield was once wall to wall people partying the day away, this year you could see the grass field sparsley populated.
I was shooting on the Blood-Horse crew, my position was in the 1st turn, shooting head on with a 600mm lens as the horses headed directly at me. Always great to work with my friends Anne, Skip, Rick, Dave as well as Jerry and the infamous Jimmy McCue of the MD Jockey Club. A BIG thank you shout out to Tom Quinn for assisting me this year.
Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra into the eyes of Horse Racing history.....From the Start to the Finish line to the Winners Circle.

"Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian" DC Premiere

Owen Wilson, Robin Wiliams, Hank Azaria, Ben Stiller, Amy Adams

Last night at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum, it looked like Hollywood. The Premiere of "Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian" took place beneath and alongside Airplanes, Space Capsules and Rockets. With an A+ Cast, consisting of Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Ricky Gervais and Owen Wilson, this is sure to a box office hit. Robin Williams & Ricky Gervais were hysterical from the moment they arrived...My assignment, Red Carpet arrivals.

Caps/Penguins Playoff 's Game 7

There I am, behind the glass with camera pointed up instead of towards the ice...

Caps wave goodbye to the crowd after losing

What should have been an exciting game, with the crowd goin nuts, the Verizon Center (aka The Phone Booth) was not shaking as it shoulda have been. You could have heard a pin drop. What a disappointment....Caps lose 6-2. Maybe next year?

DLWS Kitty Hawk OBX Day 4 PM

What a great way to end DLWS, which is Digital Landscape Workshop Series, here in the Outer Banks. The DLWS team is simply amazing. I've been to 100's of workshops/seminars over my 30 years in this biz, and nothing compares to the DLWS series. Moose Peterson, along with his wife Sharon run a 1st class workshop, aimed at everyone with an interest in Landscape photography, Lighting Techniques (w/ Joe) , Digital Darkrrom assistance plus so much more. With a staff consisting of Joe McNally, Laurie Excell & Kevin Dobler, every participant gets as much personal attention as they'd like. It's an exhausting few days, dawn to 11pm, but worth every moment. If you have that photo bug, and would love to learn from the best, I'd urge you to check out the website for DLWS, and sign up. Don't wait, they sell out at every location.
For our last shoot, we headed to the Bodie Lighthouse for sunset. The top & bottom images above were shot in HDR, a series of 5 images, at different exposures, all processed via PhotoMatix. Once processed, the magic appears on your screen.
Next stop for DLWS, Bar Harbor in September, then NYC in October......I can't wait!

DLWS Kitty Hawk OBX Day 4 AM

Todays call time was 4:30 am, for the hour drive to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We made it there in plenty of time to see the sun rise over the ocean, and to see the beams of light from the Lighthouse, before it went off for daylight. It was a great drive to Cape Hatteras, very scenic.

DLWS Kitty Hawk OBX - Day 3 AM

Another 5am call time, we all headed to Wanchese Harbor, very near Nags Head. This is a working fisherman's harbor, so it was abuzz with boats coming & going. Enjoy.

DLWS Kitty Hawk OBX Day 2-AM

All images Nikon D3, 24-70 AFS & 14-24 AFS, Lexar Digital Media

Call time at 5am this morning, in the car, in line to get to the shooting location. We headed out for a sunrise shoot at the Currituck Lighthouse, near Duck, NC. Couldn't see how beautiful the area was on the way, but on the way back, with daylight, Duck looks sorta like Bethany Beach, but the homes are all lined up along the beach, many many very large homes.

DLWS - Kitty Hawk, NC OBX

HDR Image - 7 Frames processed with PhotoMatix

All images, Nikon D700, 24-70 f2.8 AFS, Lexar Digital Media

Down here in the Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk, NC for Moose Peterson's DLWS, Digital Landscape Workshop Series.  Amazing shooting for the next 3 days with Moose, Joe McNally, Laurie Excell and Kevin Dobler, plus 35 workshop participants from all over the USA and the world.  Great group of people, all completely into learning about how to make better images.  The images above are from last night, from the balcony overlooking the beach.  We start shooting for real tomorrow at 5am, yes i said 5am.

Central Park with Moose

What a fantastic day! You couldn't have ordered nicer weather. Adorama Workshops & Nikon sponsored Moose Peterson for a "Walk in the Park", Central Park that is, smack dab in the middle of NYC. In all the times I've been to NYC, I've not ever stepped into the park. We had twenty workshop attendees, who all had a blast listening to Moose's vision on Landscape & Wildlife photography while strolling through this oasis surrounded by skyscrapers from 8:30am till 6pm.
Here's a few images from the day...Enjoy