Meet Dixie Dixon

When I first met Dixie she had just given a presentation entitled, "Get Lit" at the WPPI Road Trip in Austin, TX. I was expecting a professional wedding photographer to stand up and talk about posing, but when I saw Dixie's images I knew she was not a wedding photographer. Her passion is high fashion and her images are undoubtedly attention-grabbing, which is why she has clients like Kodak, Living Magazine, HDNet TV, MAV TV, Florsheim Shoes, ProFoods, Meregrass Jets, Garland Drake Int'l, and Darian Thomas, just to name a few. Dixie graduated from Texas Christian University in 2007 with a major in Business and opened her own studio, Dixie Dixon Photography, in 2008. Dixie currently resides in Dallas, TX, which means a lot of traveling to California and NYC, but she says Dallas keeps her grounded and it's near her family.  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dixiedixonphotography
Twitter: @iamdixiedixon

Websites:
http://www.dixiedixon.com/
http://dixiedixon.tumblr.com/
www.camera-crush.com

Awards:
2006 FujiFilm Contest Winner
2007 Hy Sheanin Int'l Emerging Photographer of the Year
2009 Accolade of Excellence in WPPI 8x10 Print Competition

What is a day in the life of a fashion photographer like? How is it different from portrait photographer?
As with any type of photography, a day in the life of a fashion photographer is an insane amount of work! Though if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life! Honestly, most of my days consist of some of the following:  dreaming up ideas, planning out shoots, pre-production work such as casting, researching and scouting locations, portfolio/website updates, designing promos, cold-calling, networking events, blogging, paperwork/bill pay, traveling, and last but not least, SHOOTING! My hours are all over the place, but I find that I am most creative in the evening after about 10pm, so I tend to work later hours.

Which Kubota Action could you not live without, and how do they help your workflow? 
Kevin's actions have completely ROCKED my workflow!  Basically, they allow me to transform my raw images into magazine-ready work in a much shorter time period. That way I can spend more time shooting and less time editing! "Sepia Deep Black 3" is definitely one my faves, but it's really hard to choose just one!

Tell us about your Camera Crush business.
The business nerd in me is always looking for ways to supplement my photography career with passive income. Camera-crush.com is about merging two of my favorite things- Fashion and Photography! This project is in the very beginning stages so I'm working on a bunch more products to come besides just the camera necklace. We'll see where it goes.

You spend a lot of time traveling, what do you do in your down time?
The past few months have been crazy! I've been working in Toronto, Miami, Costa Rica, Ibiza, Barcelona, and LA, but when I do have some downtime, you'll find me hanging out with friends, drinking wine, or catching some sun. Honestly, I feel really lucky to be able to travel, it's definitely one of the perks of being a photographer.

What is one goal you have set for yourself this year?
To find more balance in my life. The past 3.5 years I have literally been married to photography. I love it and it is definitely my passion, but you have to make time for what is most important, or life will pass you by!  

Business-wise, I am currently working with a consultant on a marketing plan that will roll out Jan 2012...I'm really excited about this!

What is your favorite charity and why?
I've shot for and been involved in quite a few different charities, but eventually I'd love to be involved in or start a charity that helps encourage kiddos to dream BIG and supports creative endeavors such as music, painting, photography, fashion, etc. In my opinion, art is just as important as math, science, or English because we all are creative in one way or another, most just need the opportunity to use it and exercise it. I love this quote, which comes from Pablo Picasso,  "All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."

Posted by Kubota Image Tools 

Meet Photography Dynamo and Classy Superstar, Tamara Lackey!

Facebook:
facebook.com/TamaraLackeyPhotography

Twitter:
@TamaraLackey

For our August SNAPshot we offer you a real-life Wonder Woman. Tamara Lackey is no stranger to Kubota Image Tools and really ought never be a stranger to you. Simply put, she is a photography dynamo and a classy superstar.

If you're unfamiliar with Tamara and her multitude of photography-related ventures, please brighten your day by visiting any of her web links above. You'll read about her unique approaches photographing children, the inspiring stories she shares via her web series, her broad range of praised educational resources for both consumer and professional photographers, and her widespread speaking engagements and featured publications. It's easy to gather a sense for Tamara's intelligence, talent, and charisma. 

One of our earliest encounters with Tamara was her visit to our studio in Bend, Oregon, to create her Artist Series Style Book. She was so very friendly, easy to talk to and radiated so much positive energy. Her approaches to editing her images with our very own products really turned heads among our staff who marveled at her creativity. Kevin was beaming with enthusiasm in anticipation of sharing the way Tamara was using our Kubota Actions with our DASHBOARD. By the end of her visit, we'd grown accustomed to dimming the lights because her energy lit up any room she occupied.  ;)

Not long after that, Tamara returned to our studio, virtually, as a special guest webinar host to talk about her Artist Series Style Book and share some examples of how she uses and manipulates Kubota Actions to help reveal the style she envisions for her images. When our entire office building lost its connection to the internet and to the webinar, Tamara continued forward with the broadcast through to its end. Yeah, she's cool under pressure, too.

I remember presenting an in-booth demonstration at WPPI this year and, properly charged with coffee, feeling pretty confident about my delivery. A few spontaneous jokes tickled the spectators and I had them eating out of my hand. I continued working with one of my favorite Actions and quickly the crowd began growing and I'm thinking I'm on fire. Before my demonstration was complete every inch of the floor around our booth was packed with smiling photographers. I received an ample round of applause and I'm thinking I might just need to get my own booth next year. I looked behind me wondering if my teammates were seeing any of this and, standing there, readying herself for her scheduled presentation at our booth, was none other than Tamara Lackey. I turned my head slowly back to the concert-sized crowd and said, in my head, "Ohh."

Yes, Tamara has a very large and loyal following, and it is not difficult to see why. Allow me to turn this SNAPshot over to Tamara while you read through our Q&A interview, and I'll exit with an uproarious "CHEERS!" to our admired friend, Tamara Lackey. 

Before you decided you wanted to be a photographer (or, realized you ARE one!), what did you want to be when you grow up?

Before I decided to become a photographer (it was a decision - a great deal of effort, education and practice went into making that a reality!) I thought I'd love to be either a writer, teacher or professional conversationalist. Bizarrely, I'm doing all of these things for "work." 

What's the biggest challenge over the years you've encountered as a professional photographer and how have you faced the challenge?

Probably the biggest challenge I've faced over the years is to constantly manage the significant amount of tasks involved with being a photographer, running a business, constantly learning more about photography, and overseeing an associate-based studio. I find that it is an absolute requirement that I keep reviewing our business processes and updating them often to keep things as efficient as possible!

How familiar were you with Photoshop before being introduced to the Kubota Actions DASHBOARD and how would you describe the way the DASHBOARD changed the way you accomplish your post-production work?

I was quite familiar with Photoshop before I started using Dashboard, and I'm not kidding when I say that I don't ever want to work in Photoshop without it again. I create a significant number of my own actions, often a mix of Kubota actions and my own tried and true steps in Photoshop. I can't imagine how I'd keep it all straight without Dashboard.

If there is a photography-related desire on your bucket list, what is it?

I had the great joy of meeting Annie Leibowitz when I was photographing President Obama during his campaign. I would absolutely love to interview her for our new webshow, reDefine. That would definitely be a wonderful treat.

Here are a couple of Tamara's outstanding Portraits and corresponding Kubota recipes:

Black Satin BW 4 [Artistic Tools V3]
81K Warming [Artistic Tools V1]
Creamsickle [Artistic Tools V4]
Midpuller [Artistic Tools V2]
Copper [Texture Tools - Industrial]

Midpuller [Artistic Tools V2]
Digital Fill Flash [Artistic Tools V2]
Sharpen KPD Magic Sharp [Production Tools V2]
Interactive Color Luminizer [Artistic Tools V4]

Tamara's Favorite Kubota Actions

81K Warming [Artistic Tools V1]
Midpuller [Artistic Tools V2]
Black Satin BW 4 [Artistic Tools V3]
Creamsickle [Artistic Tools V4]
Luminizer [Artistic Tools V4]
Shadow Killer Brush 2 [Production Tools V2]

Posted by Kubota Image Tools 

A Real People's Photographer: David Hakamaki

For our July SNAPshot we offer you super-friendly and super-talented photographer, David Hakamaki.

David is the owner of Cutting Edge Photography, located in beautiful Upper Michigan. Despite living in a small, rural community, he's gained national attention for his intriguing methods for capturing and mastering images, which are consistently selected for publication. His unique and personable approach has placed his sessions for High School Seniors, Families, Children, and Weddings in very high demand.

Davidʼs philosophy on photography has always been: “Listen carefully to what your clients want and then provide them with a creative, custom photography experience that exceeds their expectations.” While walking his clients through a preview of their session, he listens for ideas he will later incorporate into posing, scenes, and lighting. This builds personable comfort and trust with his clients who then ultimately become his greatest marketing source.

Earlier this year, David was a guest speaker at our Kubota Image Tools booth at both the Imaging USA and WPPI expos. It's clear to us that David is a smart, very down-to-earth speaker who "gets" the photography profession. We were impressed with not only his outstanding photos, but his savviness for running his business and relating so well with his clients. Before one of his talks in our booth, we were experiencing some glitchy internet connections that caused a slight delay in his start time, but David stood by cracking jokes until it was time to ease into his presentation like the true professional he is.

He has also been a great example for how our Kubota Tools can be used. Says David:

"Enhancing images with KIT is a simple process with the Action Dashboard. Even making multiple enhancements that would normally take tens of minutes or hours to do in Photoshop can be accomplished in less than 30 seconds. What a huge time saver for me, since my time is better spent behind the camera and not staring at a computer monitor.

"Kubota Actions allow me to take an already fantastic High School Senior Portrait and master it into a customized work of art. The Kubota Tools allow my images to stand apart. I consistently hear how my images 'look different' from other photographers, which is why my studio has become the hottest studio in the area for HS Senior Portraiture."

We salute David Hakamaki for his kindness, wisdom, and awesome talents. We look forward to collaborating with David throughout our future.

Here are a couple of David's killer Senior Portraits and corresponding Kubota recipes:

David's Kubota DASHBOARD Recipe for Creating this Moody and Edgy Feel:
Hot Fudgier [Artistic Tools V2]  "For that great warm, antique tone without yellowing the skin like a normal sepia."Edge Burner [Artistic Tools V2]  "To focus attention on subject."Popsickle [Artistic Tools V4]  "To give definition and make details pop."
Enter the Dragon [Artistic Tools V4]  "To really make the details come out and get edgy."
Krypto Glasses [Artistic Tools V4]  "A finishing step to really create a contrasty image."

David's Kubota DASHBOARD Recipe for Turning this into a Unique Image that Pops:
TexSixties [Artistic Tools - Viva La Vintage] "For that fun retro look... flashbacks baby!!!"

David's Favorite Kubota Actions:
Creamsickle [Artistic Tools V4] "Great softness and creaminess to the colors."TenSixties [Artistic Tools - Viva La Vintage] "Whenever I want to flashback to the 60's and get groovy."BW Museum [Artistic Tools - Pow Wow!] "Rich and luscious black and white... you almost want to lick these, they are so deep and liquid."
Pow Wow [Artistic Tools - Pow Wow!] "Just a nice POP to brighten any image... first pow, then WOW."

Posted by Kubota Image Tools 

Our Business Savvy SNAPshot: Sal Cincotta

Website: http://www.salcincotta.com
http://www.behindtheshutter.com
Twitter: @salcincotta
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Salvatore-Cincotta-Photography/57471668979

For this edition of the CLICK SNAPshot we offer you business wiseguy and talented wedding photographer, Sal Cincotta.

Sal and his wife, Taylor Cincotta, are committed to raising the bar of professional photography through their talent, passion, and business savvy. From real-world experience, corporate senior leader turned imagemaker, Sal, shares the secrets to his successful rise in the notoriously tough photo industry. His easy-to-understand techniques and business background allow his workshop participants to implement his teachings and transform their studios into profitable businesses. In addition to running a full-time studio in Illinois, Sal is a contributing writer for Rangefinder magazine and a platform speaker at WPPI and PhotoPlus.

Beginning in July, Sal will kick off a 25-city tour of his in-depth Wedding Bootcamp workshop. Chances are, he'll be traveling to your city where you will be able to attend his hands-on seminar and walk away with bundles of photography goodies. Don't miss it!

Team Kubota conducted a Q&A with Sal, and below is what we learned. Thanks, Sal!

TK: Which Kubota Action(s) comes to mind for you as a favorite?
Sal: Almost impossible to answer. Right now I'm stuck on the texture pack. I have been using them a lot lately and love how easy they are to use. The thing is, I almost never use a single action. That's the beauty of the toolset: you get to experiment and create your own recipes for that unique look.  

TK: If you could choose any occupation other than your own (as though you can nail down just one, right?), what would it be?
Sal: I actually had every intention of being a corporate attorney… got sidetracked in college and ended up working for Microsoft for 8 years. Turned out I had a knack for the techy stuff. I loved it, but the truth is, my real passion has always been photography and to be able to do this for a living at a professional level is the greatest gift of all! 

TK: What is something most people don't know about you?
Sal: I play a mean game of UNO. Yes, UNO. We even created some house rules to make the game a lot more exciting. So, if you are looking for me during the next WPPI, there is a good chance a mean game of UNO is going on somewhere. ;)

TK: What are your pet peeves?
Sal: Being late. DRIVES ME BONKERS! The most precious resource I have is time and when people just show up late without letting you know, it shows a lot of disrespect towards the other person. So, I try to be very sensitive and respectful of others' time and make the most of it. 

Here are some examples of Sal's stunning work:

This image has been enhanced with our Kubota Image Tools DASHBOARD using:

Nostalgia (100%) - Kubota Artistic Tools VIva La Vintage Pak
Buj (78%) - Kubota Texture Tools Earth Pak

Bring It On to sky and field - Kubota Artistic Tools POW WOW!
Skin Cream 2 - Kubota Artistic Tools V1
BW KK Secret Formula - Kubota Artistic Tools V1

Venetian (80%) - Kubota Texture Tools Earth Pak
If 60s were 90s (100%) - Kubota Artistic Tools VIva La Vintage Pak
Dirty Shoe (80%) - Kubota Texture Tools Earth Pak
Created 3 layer copies using dirty shoe to give the blown out sky some life with 80% each layer.

Posted by Kubota Image Tools 

June SNAPshot: Craig Strong

For the month of June, we offer you a soft-focus SNAPshot of Lensbaby® "Mechanical Imagineer," Craig Strong. We are fortunate enough to operate only three hours by car from Lensbaby headquarters in Portland, Oregon, where Craig heads up research and development as the Chief Creative Officer for Lensbaby, LLC.

Any photographer with an appetite for the unconventional and exceptional should keep a Lensbaby lens close by at all times. 

For those of you unfamiliar, the idea for the Lensbaby was born out of Craig's longing for a certain style he once captured through film but was too often absent from what Craig viewed as the "sterile" images coming out of his digital camera. Attempting to create a look resembling a hybrid of a selective focus, Tilt-Shift lens with the lo-fi, toy camera feel of a Holga, he began assembling a lens out of a vacuum hose, a camera body cap with a hole poked through its center, and an old Kodak lens he swiped from his bookshelf where it had been ornamentally on display. Crude as it may sound, Craig was immediately pleased with his results and decided to bring his new invention to photographers at the 2004 WPPI Convention. Through demonstrations with a second more refined lens (constructed with the same materials except he traded the Kodak lens for a magnifying glass) his Lensbabies were a huge hit at the show and he suddenly found himself the owner of very successful business.

If you haven't yet walked away from this blog post to go inspect the piles of random remnants in your garage for a brilliant invention idea, please be obliged to excuse yourself. I'll wait for you here until you return.

We have joined creative forces with Craig many times over the years. One of the earliest ventures was working side by side with Kevin Kubota in a darkroom to create the Kubota Sloppy Borders™. Craig has been a fixture at our Digital Photography Bootcamp as a guest speaker, and he loves to introduce new ways for such visually inspired artists to see the world. Last year, Kevin teamed up with Craig to create the Kubota Creative Tools Lensbaby Pak™. More recently, we visited Craig at his lab in Portland for a photo shoot Kevin will be including in his upcoming Lighting Notebook™. Below is a photo taken at that zany shoot.

But Craig's connections to Kubota Image Tools has not been limited to merely the Pacific Northwest. He journeyed to one of the very first Secret Italy Workshops™, too. "Take an exceptional group of people (Kevin attracts the very best), add the beauty of an Italy rarely seen, and an already amazing workshop becomes magical," recalls Craig. "Every time I know Kevin is with a group of photographers in Italy and I'm not there, I get really jealous." We know how you feel, Craig, when you're in your lab conjuring up your next remarkable invention.

I learned how to use my first DSLR with a Composer Lens loaded with a Double Glass Optic. It was a fantastic way for me to immediately get used to capturing images through a more heightened, creative perspective with an easy to operate, lightweight, portable and very affordable piece of camera gear. Speaking on behalf of our entire company, we are big fans of Lensbaby and of Craig Strong. His intelligence, creativity, and genuine kindness makes him a dear friend to Team Kubota.

Bravissimo, Craig. Thank you for helping us all see in a new way!

Here are a couple of Craig's incredible images:

Craig's Formula Using KIT Actions:
KPD Hollywood Intensity
Radiance Landscape 1
Punch Lite
Sloppy Border - Cherry Bomb

Craig's Formula Using KIT Actions:
Fuji Snapit
Ancient
BW KK Secret
KPD Magic Sharp
Sloppy Border - Fishtail

Craig's Favorite KIT Actions He Uses:
Hollywood Intensity
BW KK Secret

Posted by Kubota Image Tools 

April's SNAPshot

Introducing: Michael Corsentino

Kicking off our monthly SNAPshot is award winning wedding and portrait photographer, and good friend of Team Kubota, Michael Corsentino. Based in Northern California, Michael (or as we sometimes call him, "MC") has been shooting digitally since 1999 and also happens to be an Adobe Photoshop & Lightroom expert, author, national speaker and workshop leader. He made his first exposure when he was 12 years old and hasn’t put his camera down since (I've shared a hotel room twice with Michael during trade shows and I can vouch for his passion for photography--he regularly falls asleep with his Canon by his side and his opened MacBook Pro balanced on his stomach). 

MC visited us at our home office in Bend, Oregon, last year and encapsulated his stylish, dramatic, edgy and modern vision in our most recent Artist Series Style Book. In it he shares every detail of how he acheives his blend of photojournalism, fashion, and editorial styles that have made him an in-demand portrait and destination wedding photographer. We were impressed with his fierce attention to detail, the level of commitment he gives his work, and his very easy-to-like personality.

We've crossed paths, deliberately, a number of times since then. MC has used his passion for educating at our trade show booth three times and even joined Kevin  here in Bend for our Digital Photography Bootcamp back in November. MC is always ready and enthusiastic to share his lighting and posing secrets, post processing techniques, time saving workflow strategies and shooting philosophy with other photographers. He's very serious about his craft, but knows how and when to have fun: "My shaved head is another sign of my commitment to creating cutting edge lighting techniques. I use my head as a reflector and it's always with me."

I asked MC, "If you could choose any profession other than photography, what would it be?" His answer? Film Director.

Thanks for your contributions to the photography industry, Michael Corsentino, and for being a great friend!

Featured Image Recipe:

81K Warming X2 [Artistic Tools V1]
TenSeventies [Viva la Vintage]
Smokeless Burn [Artistic Tools V2]
Digital Fill Flash [Artistic Tools V2]
Enter The Dragon Old World Color [Artistic Tools V4]
Daily Multi Vitamin [Artistic Tools V2]
New Starburst Vignette Interactive [Artistic Tools V4]
Lighten via SCREEN 1 third stop [Production Tools V2]

MC's favorite actions:

Sharpen KPD Magic Sharp [Production Tools V2]
Digital Fill Flash [Artistic Tools V2]
Daily Multi Vitamin [Artistic Tools V2]
Chai Stained [Viva la Vintage]
Doll Face [Artistic Tools V3]
Enter The Dragon Old World Color [Artistic Tools V4]
Bleach for Mike C [Viva la Vintage]
BW Warm & Snappy 1 [Artistic Tools V1]

Best,
Craig

Posted by Kubota Image Tools