Archives for October 2013

President’s Photographers at National Archives

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I joined official presidential photographers David Valdez (Bush 41), Sharon Farmer (Clinton), and Eric Draper tonight at the National Archives for a panel moderated by former Clinton press secretary Dee Dee Myers. It was a great evening before a sold out crowd, and I think Sharon should run for mayor of DC, she is the best ambassador this city has ever seen! We will always miss our departed colleagues Yoichi Okamoto (Johnson), Ollie Atkins (Nixon) and Mike Evans (Reagan).

Presidential photographers Sharon Farmer and Eric Draper and moderator Dee Dee Myers at the National Archives.

Presidential photographers Sharon Farmer and Eric Draper and moderator Dee Dee Myers at the National Archives.

Before and After

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This morning in Malibu I took a picture of a surfer standing on his board backlit by the rising sun. The first shot is how it looked before I lowered the levels in Photoshop. There is no manipulation outside of dropping the exposure level, and what a difference. It looks like one of those A-bomb test on the Bikini Atoll. The photos were taken on the iPhone5s using Hipstamatic App, Tinto 1880 lens, and Big Up film.

This is the RAW file:

Raw file of surfer in Malibu before Photoshopping

Raw file of surfer in Malibu before Photoshopping

After using curves to decrease exposure:

Malibu Lagoon pic after photoshopping only using curves to drop exposure

Malibu Lagoon pic after photoshopping only using levels to drop exposure

A Few Shots From the Road

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My trip earlier this week produced a few photos that I found on when I went back through them. It’s always a good idea to take a second look at your takes. I took this as the sun rose in the east over spectacular clouds.

Flying out of LAX Oct. 26th

Flying out of LAX Oct. 26th

Here’s the engine from my window in the early morning light

Jet engine in the early morning light

Jet engine in the early morning light

Flying over America produces good photos–I always try to sit by the window not over a wing

Formation in the desert on the way to Denver

Formation in the desert on the way to Denver

A Quick Trip To Wyoming

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Like most of us who travel regularly for our jobs, I only get a few hours in any one place. The last couple of days are no exception. I’ve been in Wyoming since day before yesterday, and of course had to satisfy my picture-a-day project that I’m shooting on the iPhone. My first stop was Yellowstone, which was a left turn out of the Jackson Hole airport, and a couple of hours to Old Faithful and some other wonderful sights. Yesterday I was shooting a job most of the day, so I got up before sunrise, and headed over near Moose, WY for a quick glance at the Grand Tetons. First light is one of the best times to shoot, so I made the most of it!

A walk across Excelsior Geyser Crater. Yellowstone Nat'l. Park

A walk across Excelsior Geyser Crater. Yellowstone Nat’l. Park

View of the Grand Tetons, early morning just after sunrise.

FenceTetons1

During my shoot yesterday, I spotted a young Moose peeking into someone’s window. You never know what you’re going to see, so always have your camera ready. This one was made with my Canon 5D Mark II with a short 70-200mm lens.

Moose2

Old Faithful Overcomes Government Shutdown

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I was in Yellowstone National Park today, and a ranger told me, (jokingly), that Old Faithful kept erupting during the government shutdown, even though nobody was around to see it. I’m glad something in this country is working without a pause for politics!Geyser1

Gravity is Great!

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gravity-movieSaw Alfonso Cuaron’s brilliant film Gravity last night at the AMC theatre in Century City. It’s Das Boot in outer space. Visually stunning, push-you-back-in-your-seat drama. For those who have a bad case of the plausibles, this isn’t for you, but as off the wall incredible entertainment, you have to see this. As a reporter asked the director, “how was it to film in outer space?” It definitely looks like it was shot there.

3-2-1 Blastoff! New Kennerly.com site launched.

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The Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off returning Senator John Glenn, who flew the first American manned mission to orbit the earth Feb. 20, 1962, back to space,at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, October 29, 1998.

The Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off returning Senator John Glenn, who flew the first American manned mission to orbit the earth Feb. 20, 1962, back to space,at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, October 29, 1998.

Announcing the new, improved Kennerly.com, and its official arrival into the 21st Century! We have retired the first iteration of Kennerly.com, and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution as an excellent example of one of the first comprehensive photographer’s websites to appear on the internet.  The new site is designed and built by the amazing Kristina Romero at KR Media & Designs.

Almost everything on this site is new, but here are some cool features …

  •  My new BLOG. Starting Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, all of my rants, daily photos and upcoming event alerts will be posted on the blog.  Don’t worry, new posts will show up on my Facebook and Twitter feeds, but the central hub will be the blog!
  • Check out my brand new STORYTELLER VIDEO, produced and edited by Todd Hillman’s Hollywood Media Services, with footage from a Today Show profile, Jules & Gedeon Naudet, and Red Thread Productions.
  • The Classic Kennerly gallery contains fifty of my best known images, for which I have recorded audio captions and observations. Just click on the audio link in individual images, and turn up the sound!
  • The Portfolio section includes a number of galleries which we’ll update regularly, including a brand-new Business gallery featuring some exciting images I’ve made for great organizations and companies.  I’ve also added a gallery of iPhone pictures I’ve taken along the way.

We’ve updated every single page and included many other avenues to view the photos, so feel free to poke around.

National Archives Appearance – Washington DC October 30

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Ninth Annual McGowan Forum on Communications
Communicating the Presidency: Presidential Photographers

Wednesday, October 30, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater

What is it like to photograph the most powerful person in the world? The Presidential photographer documents history, capturing official events, and private moments. A panel moderated by Dee Dee Myers, who served as White House Press Secretary during President Clinton’s first term, includes veteran Presidential photographers David Hume Kennerly (Gerald Ford), David Valdez(George H.W. Bush), Sharon Farmer (Bill Clinton), and Eric Draper(George W. Bush). The panel will discuss the photographs as they are projected on screen, and their personal recollections of photographing the Presidents. Presented in partnership with the White House Historical Association and the White House Correspondents’ Association.
This program is generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.

Free appearance in Seattle, WA – November 3

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Kennerly keynotes the Kenmore Camera Expo in Seattle, Washington on November 2, 2013.  Click here for full info on the two-day event taking place at the Lynwood Convention Center.  With over 28 photo industry vendors, free seminars, over 35 classes and special guest speakers, Kenmore Camera’s Digital Photo Expo is the largest photo show on the West Coast.  The expo takes place NOV. 2ND  – 10am-6pm and NOV. 3RD  – 10am-5pm.

 

Kennerly’s talk, “Behind the Scenes of History” is sponsored by Canon’s Explorer of Light program and open to the public.  It takes place on Sunday November 3 from 1 – 3pm.

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