Jeku Arce Photography

Update FujiFilm x100s Review: I’m having too much fun

Jeku Arce — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:47 +0000

I’m having a blast with this camera. So far I’ve taken it to NYC, Boston, and Baltimore over the past couple of weeks. I’ve hit the up the streets, rooftops, and the bright daylight.

The coolest part is the stealth mode the camera has. It’s so quiet that no one can hear you. It’s also not as conspicuous large DSLRs. It looks retro, but it’s not. Oh the places you can go and the things you can do with this camera.

I’m still having fun playing with this camera. More to come.

Standing Tall – Happy Mother’s Day

Jeku Arce — Sun, 12 May 2013 12:45:47 +0000

Photo by my friend Mariano Friginal

Mom, I know you’re not doing too well. I understand it’s uncomfortable, it hurts, and it’s frustrating. I know it’s frustrating being at home when you want to be up and about working at the hospital as well as keeping up with your garden. I know about the recent ultrasound that showed that your liver isn’t doing too well.

But I want you to know that I’m with you 100%. We got through the first year of your breast cancer. We will go through this year together to fight it like we did last year. Keep standing tall mom. Keep standing tall.

I love you mom, Happy Mother’s Day.

Going Against the Grain – Headshot with Leonard Casiple of Vertical X Ltd

Jeku Arce — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:18 +0000

My headshot style is based on Peter Hurley’s style of headshots. Peter’s style is not of the typical vertical photo with blank stares. It’s horizontal, it’s a white background, but most importantly there’s life in the photo.

While I do shoot in this style, I wanted to do something different with Leonard Casiple, founder & president of Vertical X Ltd. I turned off my background lights to get a nice grey background with one light I lit Mr. Casiple. I also took this photo and did a B/W conversion in Lightroom 4.

It’s different from what I normally do, but trying new things is important for creativity.

Double Trouble – Cairyl

Jeku Arce — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:03 +0000

I’m digging the new space I have to shoot. Headshots, products, and now full body shots on white seamless. Thanks to Cairyl for letting me test out my Westcott Apollo 50″ Softbox. The HurleyPro Gear Proboard works like a charm in getting that shadow on the bottom. Helps ground the subject.

So You Want to Be a Creative Rock Super Star?

Jeku Arce — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:43 +0000

Being a creative isn’t easy. The hardest thing I believe being a creative is handling the funk. Yes we have feedback from our peers and our clients, but we are the worse critics of our work. We’re hating our work, looking at others’ awesome work, and then hating our work even more. We’ll put down our tools for days, weeks, months, sometimes years. We shouldn’t be doing that, but we do due to our pride.

After that time we come back because we realize why we are a creative. We remember the feeling we have when we make great work. We remember the impact it makes on our industry and our community. We remember that it’s an extension of us.

If you’re starting out in the creative industry, go out and do. Do your craft. Make mistakes. Learn from them. Learn from others. There isn’t a magic formula for success for anyone. Some artists are finally recognized after they’re gone.

Therefore go and do, be yourself, create.

Light is Light

Jeku Arce — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:41 +0000

Light can come from anywhere, even from an iPhone. Taken backstage at Easter Jam 2013 at Methodist University, Fayetteville, NC.

FujiFilm x100s F2.0 1/30 ISO6400

Preview: FujiFilm x100s

Jeku Arce — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:00:07 +0000

Just got my FujiFilm x100s yesterday! Testing it out as the subject first! The Hurley ProBoard is a great tool to use for product shots. The reflections are awesome! I put some weights on the side to keep it flat on the table.

I’m doing a lot of testing with it this month! My review soon.

In the mean time check out reviews of the FujiFilm x100s by Zack Arias, David Hobby, and Brian Kraft.

See It Before You Take It – Pre-visualization – Boone Hall Plantation, South Carolina

Jeku Arce — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:56:54 +0000

During my trip to Charleston, SC I got to check out an old historic area that has put this area on the map – Boon Hall Plantation. I went to check it out with my friends Christina and Nathan (who just got the front cover of Carolina Bride). We had a blast exploring the huge plantation, conceptualizing our shots, and testing out some compositions.

As we were in our own “zones” (as what may happen when you get several photographers together), I realized that we were all using pre-visualization, a concept Answel Adams made popular in his day. By creating the image in our mind: making our frame, building our composition, directing light, etc., we are able to make our photo.

Anyone today can snap a photo on a digital camera and take a new one if they don’t like it. But is it important to be able to take lots of bad photos or to take few great photos? Do you want quantity or quality? Slow down and take time out to make your shot before you take it.

You don’t take a photograph, you make it.
Ansel Adams

Check out this short clip about visualization from Ansel Adams himself.

Below are a couple fun snaps from my visit to Boone Hall Plantation.

Fact: Spanish Moss isn’t really from Spain or truly moss. It’s an angiosperm. It collects nutrients from the rain and air. More here.

April Fools – Peek A Boo

Jeku Arce — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:00:32 +0000

Playing games are a fun way to get kids comfortable in front of the camera. Peek a boo is one of my favorite ones. Usually I have kids play peek a boo with my camera. Raven decided to play peek a boo with her Uncle Nick AKA Uncle Horsey.

Flat Stanley Travels to South Carolina

Jeku Arce — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:00:04 +0000

My friend Jennifer sent over Flat Stanley earlier this month to hang out with me for bit. Honestly I didn’t know much about Flat Stanley so I had to do a little bit of research on him. When I saw the concept I immediately thought of El Bob, Tony Yang’s version of “Flat Stanley.” Do check out El Bob. He’s such a hoot.

This a fun project to work on. I made it simple by using my iPhone 4S and Snapseed+ for basic color correcting.

Flat Stanley visiting the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, SC. Interesting enough, there no sad people at this place.

Late night munchies with crab cake eggs Benedict. Fork and knife ready.

Flat Stanley at South of the Border, SC. Asked his new friend “Orange you glad to see me?” No response.

That hat at the top of that tower would be an awesome hat, but it would mess up Flat Stanley’s awesome hair.

Flat Stanley’s casting photo for Jurassic Park 6.

Love comes in all shapes, sizes, and species.

One on one checkers with Flat Stanley.

Flat Stanley can take him on. He’s got bananas.

Checking out the fireworks store. Flat Stanley found something to put in his room.

At the epic Boon Hall Plantation spanish moss entrance that isn’t really spanish or moss.

Those poor Bool Weevils.

So much cotton!

In front of the Boone Hall Plantation mansion. Flat Stanley found out that this place was used for several large film productions. Wants to stay and wait for a casting director.

Flat Stanley at the Angel Oak Tree in John’s Island, SC; one of the oldest trees in the country. Said to be around 1500 years old! Too bad Flat Stanley can’t climb on its lap.