Zalmy Berkowitz Likes Nice People

There. I said it. I have come out of the closet. I like nice people. Why? Because they're nice. They make me happy. They make my heart sing. They make everything groovy.

I also like roasted almonds, polaroids, apple, cottage cheese and schug, kombucha, old cameras, beer (I really like beer, I think I'll have my clients start paying me in beer), sunsets, sunrises, blue skies, cloudy skies, rain and snow (dear fellow SoCalites; snow is a sort of frozen rain in which one might slide downhill quickly, or roll up balls of the stuff and chuck it at random strangers or past romances). I like saturated fat.

In my photographic journey I have come from being über (it's so much easier to find the "ü" character on an ipad) scared of the sun, to majorly in like with it. I have learned (learnt for my backwards driving, queen loving, cross-Atlantic (and Pacific) readers. Canadians don't count) to tame the sun, to make okay photos into spectacular works of art.

And I have come to enjoy shooting events. I like meeting people (especially nice ones, see above) working off the cuff, and looking cool with all my photographic gear (which doesn't actually look cool).

When Sophia's mom got in touch with me about shooting her daughters Bat Mitzvah her email just oozed with friendly funfulness and I knew I'd have an awesome time.

I did.

  

In Which We Played and Got Dirty

We ate. We painted. We painted some more. We got Dressed. We played. Then we played some more. And a bit more. And then we meditated for a few moments and played some more.

Playing is serious stuff.

Beverly Hills Backyard Shoot

This here wonderful family was referred by another wonderful family (never blogged for personal reasons, but let me tell you, that shoot rocked!). They are recent additions to our wonderful country from across the sea, where dragons live and queens are real. They also talk funny there. Cute but funny. Talking about cute, these kids were practically edible, well behaved and awesome personalities (the adults were okay too :)).

And here's the outcome (more outcome than income...):

What to do when you're watching cows

Part of my wonderful schedule these days is supervising cow milkage for Kosher purposes. It's okay work, quite easy (usually), yet ridiculous hours. I'm glad it's there as of now, but I eventually I'd like to move on. Having a camera handy makes it a bit easier. These were all taken a few weeks ago within a 5 mile radius of the farm. I really should take more pictures of the actual farm. Would be a nice challenge.

Mamiya 45mm, HP5 film.

Beach of Seals

And here we are. After going on a blogging diet for the past few weeks (yet the blog has not lost any weight. I my have to rethink this one), I have a whole bunch to post over the next week or so. Keep your eyes posted.

This loverly family here was (and since has) moving to New York and wanted one last session before the upheaval (I think they said something about wanting to get away from earthquakes). You may remember them from a few months back.

It's a Friday, so I got to help in the kitchen or with the kids (or both, being that the kids like hanging out in the kitchen, but only when we're there and there's lots to be done).

And we all say: Amen.

Shooting the Shoot {Soulwise}

As you may well know I love photography. All types. And while I say I'm a "natural light photographer" it is more of a "I-don't know-how-to-properly-use-flash-photographer" (that's just way too long and doesn't sound nearly as professional as the first option). Confiding as such to my photographer friend who works for this hotshot studio in Los Angeles, he offered to offer me help out in a shoot he was doing. It was a cover shot for the Soulwise magazine put out by the ever-magnificent Shmuel Marcus and Co..

And I learnt quite a bit. Mostly that studio equipment is ridiculously heavy. Shoots take time (a lot). And lighting is not that complicated (though lighting for constantly changing conditions like a wedding reception is a bit harder).

With me was my trusty Mamiya and a 45mm lens (and not so trusty light meter). All shot on HP5, processed at walmart and scanned on my Epson 700 (I got to figure out this dust issue). Oh, and for the record these are all the photos I took there. No masterpieces (that wasn't the point) but out of 9 shots, 9 were in focus and fairly well exposed (well...). I like that.

Most of the shots came out a bit underexposed, I don't think my meter (the built in one) likes bright lights. Lesson learned.

Who's who:

• Levi Tenenbaum - hotshot photographer
• Nechama Marcus - Design Genius (Creative Director of Soulwise)
• Menachem Krinsky - Can I use design genius twice? Also a typography freak
• Rabbi Hecht - Rabbi looking fellow (and author, talk show host, teacher...)
• Zalmy Berkowitz - Shlepper

Enjoy.