JAMES HODGINS PHOTOGRAPHY

Mike is another Instructor at Team Submission Factory Brazilian Jiu-jitsu that I just recently photographed.  I plan photographing one more portrait so that I can montage the three instructors together for advertising purposes.  Lighting on Mike is fairly simple.  2 lights behind him on either side for kicker lights, and one light on the floor pointing up to highlight his face and give that “spooky” lighting effect.  I photographed Mike on a white backdrop and then dropped in some stock images and textures for the background.

This Sudbury Wedding couple will be tying the knot next summer right here in Sudbury and even though it’s still a year away things are moving fast.  We photographed their engagement session last week and opted for an grunge feel with a more conservative look.  Finding this graffiti area in New Sudbury many years ago we figured it would be a great place to get a good variety of images with the setting sun, the clouds, and some of the concrete jungle architecture.    Throw into the mix that Natasha has these “stunning” eyes that  would jump out of the image and the way that the two of them melted into each other when they were close I knew we  could come up with some amazing images.  Thanks again to the both of you for choosing us to document your wedding next year.

I completely forgot about this and while I was on  facebook just now I came across the post with my article.  A few years ago we chartered the Catamaran “Mustang Sally” to sail the British Virgin Islands and do some snorkeling and diving.  We had a great experience with our hosts Doug & Wendy and to thank them I wrote an article about our experience that was published in BVI Yacht Guide Magazine.  You can read the article here “Sailing to shoveling in 24 hours” and if you are interested in a very unique vacation, check out the Mustang Sally.

All images and text by James Hodgins

So as you know we moved to a newer house from our small little comfy home of 10 years.  Joce and I fell in love with our new house the minute we walked in the front door.  Here is a quick snapshot of our kitchen/dinning area.  Sorry I couldn’t use OCF but Joce wouldn’t let me put any stands down on our hardwood floors.  Can’t blame her though.   Have a great long weekend everyone.

As I stated in my previous post we photographed my Jiu-Jitsu instructor George Murphy  (Now I just need to get the other instructors in the studio).  Since I have been up since 5:10 am this morning I am now starting to play around with the images.  We really didn’t know what we were going to do or what these images were going to be used for (Of course to promote Team Submission Factory) so I kept the lighting fairly simple yet effective and opted to shoot on a solid white background for easy extraction.  Lighting on this image was two softboxes 90 degrees to the left and right of me and 2 monolights lighting up the background behind me.  I then extracted George from that background and placed him on this one that I created using various textures I have from over the years.

Woohoo, we now have internet in our new house so it’s time for me to start posting again.    Today I photographed my Team Submission Factory Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Instructor (check out the facebook group) George and his son.  George wanted some image for TSF and also some casual portraits of him and his son Jay, but before we got into those we opted for this image below, sort of like when the MMA Fighters square off at the weigh-ins.  I will be workflowing more images from the session but I quickly wanted to share this one with you and get back into my daily routine of posting on the hodgeblog.

Also, if anyone wants to know any information about the Team Submission Factory Classes, just let me know and I will steer you in the right direction.

We just got back from documenting Julie & Derek’s wedding in Geraldton Ontario.  Where is Geraldton you ask?  Well it’s about 9 hours North of Sudbury past Hearst Ontario that’s where.     Like all my wedding days I start it off with a normal enough routine.  I wake up, have a coffee, relax a bit and watch the weather network.  This past Saturday I decided to do something different.  Normally I have my coffee first THEN I brush my teeth but Saturday I decided to brush my teeth first so I feel fresh and minty.  Now I know why I don’t do this.  After brushing for a few seconds I noticed that my toothpaste had a very menthol taste to it, and it was very very “Cinnamon” like taste.  Very cinnamon.  A few seconds more I notice that it’s a little hot and spicy as well.  As I am walking around the hotel room I am thinking, “I don’t remember my colgate tasting like this”.  After about 1 minute my mouth is burning so hot I just can’t take it anymore and I rush into the bathroom to see what I have just put in my mouth.  Well, turns out my “Icy Hot” Muscle Rub cream looks just like a toothpaste tube from the back.  I am now AWAKE.

Now that I started the morning off right, I check the weather to confirm the very hot and sunny day they forcasted…………yesterday.  Still says sunny on the WN channel, but of course, they have mislead me again, as it starts to downpour, and I don’t’ mean any downpour I mean let’s get the rods out and start fishing in the parking lot downpour.  Dang (well I didn’t use that terminology).  We head out to the resort wear the guys are staying and it’s still raining walley and pike.  We wait about 45 minutes and catch a quick break in the sky to get some cool shots of the guys and about 1 hr after that the skies opened up and we had the most gorgeous day for a wedding.  When we were just finishing up the last of the photos, the clouds came in, the thunder rolled and the rain started just as I was snapping off the last shot of the rings.  Talk about perfect timing.  Below is one image we captured taking advantage of the dark clouds in the background.

Jocelyne and myself would like to personally  thank the Poulin and Wilkins family along with all your relatives, friends and bridal party.    EVERYONE was in such great spirits, full of smiles and very helpful and accommodating. THIS, in my opinion makes a wonderful event SPECTACULAR!  Gaetan  thank you very much for offering up your property for some of the photos it is very much appreciated.  Julie & Derek, thanks again for a great day, for a wedding like that, we would have traveled across the globe to do it all over again.

Here are a few natural light B&W images we captured during our Event last month.  A shootthru and white reflector were used to isolate shadows and and spotted sun. We really wanted to “highlight” the kids eyes.

Later this summer Vanja & Anthony will become husband & wife but today they were just as happy being engaged for their engagement session with us.  Now we hear this a lot…….”We don’t really photograph that well” and it always makes Joce and I laugh.  Let’s be honest, how many of you have gone and had Professional Portraits done before?  As a couple?  Not to many I am sure.  Most of your couple pics would be from family snapshots on special occasions or friends snapshot while partying.   In the end however our couples quickly realize that they DO photograph amazingly.   Especially when it’s with someone you love.  When your in love, you are always at your best, and the camera captures it exactly how we see it.  Thanks again you two, it was  great time with an amazing location.  Looking forward to posting more.

Halfway through the session Anthony mentions that he has his guitar, and it really means a lot to him and is a big part of his life.  Vanja has a good laugh while I roll my eyes and say “you tell me this NOW?  Why not say something before, OF COURSE we will do images with the guitar!!”  hahaha.  And of course we did.

Well the feedback so far is unanimous.  Those that took part in our Fathers Day Event “Fathers Favorites” are telling us that Dad’s LOVED their fathers day presents, and why wouldn’t they?  We must tell you that it was a lot of fun photographing your kids again, it’s amazing how big some of the have gotten.  We are THRILLED that the dads enjoyed their images.  We also had to laugh at some of the excuses you had to tell dad to get your kids away without being overly noticeable hahaha, covert ops and Hodgins photography LOL

I thought I would show off your kids to everyone else since they are all beautiful and handsome.  Thanks again everyone.

Mom told dad that she was helping in  the kids classroom that day, so if he needed her to call the school. Of course the teacher would tell him that she was busy and would call him back later.  Nice!

Mom was taking yearly pictures in the backyard (in case the kids said something)

These 2 boys had a dentist appointment.

Dad saw the charge on the Credit Card, but mom quickly said that we were having a great deal on family portraits and she couldn’t pass it up.  Hmmmm maybe we will.

These girls were off to an impromptu dance lesson.

This dad is just clueless all the time hahaha, just kidding Jamie.