The plan was to shoot the cart and owners chunking burritos in a master plate. Then I would shoot a couple of dozen different poses of the elf and composite them into the master plate. As long as I matched the lighting it shouldn’t be to bad.

I tend to follow the David Hobby philosophy of lighting, which is to start with your background and then layer your lights in. Simple and effective. If you haven’t yet check out his blog www.strobist.com it is a must for any inspiring photographer.

I had a lighting sketch worked out but as soon as I got on site it had to be tossed out. My plan was to use a couple of umbrellas and a ring for fill. However I had the following challenges -

1. A bright silver aluminum cart in full Key West sun. I tried my ring flash but the reflections were unusable. It looked like someone was shining a flashlight at the middle of the cart.

2. It was blowing 30+ mph so the umbrellas may have well been sails.

3. Although it was sunny it was about to piss down rain (20 minutes top) so I was going to have to recreate the lighting and shoot my elf model on a separate day in the studio.

I cranked down my exposure until the aluminum reflections came under control and I had some shadow detail.   Given the time factor and the fact I didn’t want to chase my umbrellas down the street I opted for a quick two light source (three if count the ambient exposure). The key was a beauty dish high and camera left to avoid excessive reflections. The other was scooped strobe shooting through the side window of the cart to add a little definition. I managed to get off about 12 shots before the rain came. I quickly jotted down the lighting set up and camera setting and got the hell out of there.

It was about two weeks later before I managed to shoot my elf model. At that point all you can do is recreate your lighting setup and hope to hell your notes are accurate.

Once in photoshop it was a matter of cutting out each elf and laying them into master plate. Time consuming but I am happy with the results. Not to mention surprised that my note taking skills held up.

Mike

First up is Phantom Press owned by David L. Sloan and Christopher Shultz. They are the writers of a series of great Key West titles that you can find here www.phantompress.com

Originally they wanted to do a western scene, complete with dogs playing poker, a dead Santa and Dave holding a smoking gun. Great idea but the thought of photoshopping multiple dogs playing poker scared the hell out of me. We went back and forth a bit and settled on a russian roulette “Deerhunter-ish” concept featuring, of course, a dead Santa. It was Dave’s idea to throw in the sexy prison guards.

I always like to work with a strong concept before hand ad have it planned out as much as possible. I find this allows for more improvisation once you are on site. Once I have the concept my next step is always to draw out a sketch. It doesn’t matter if it is in a sketch book or on a napkin, having a visual representation of your idea helps in many ways. It is especially handy to show the subject what you are thinking. Below is my initial sketch and lighting setup, which I ended up paring down.

This was a very basic setup as I wanted it to be kept simple and stark. I wanted it to feel like it was lit from a single hanging bulb. I created this with a beauty dish flown directly overhead and cheated slightly toward Dave (the man holding the gun). Originally I was going to grid the beauty dish and use a ring flash an on-camera fill but the results were lacking the harshness I was looking for. The bounce was provided by the table and I used a flagged Einstein Strobe gelled green for the rim light. It gave just enough light to separate the prison guards from the background and add a little dimension. I choose a green gel because well… it felt jungle like.

As far as direction it pretty much consisted of “go bat-shit crazy”. Worked well enough. I actually ended up using one of the out takes as a key promotional piece. I think it pretty much sums up how a lot of people feel during the holidays.

Mike

Forget the patter of reindeer paws this holiday season. Florida Keys photographer, Michael Marrero, tears open the shutters and throws up the sash with a twisted photo exhibit for a twisted season.

Drunken Santa’s, angry elves and reindeer stew kick-off the holiday fare with more than 25 holiday scenes created by Marrero with well known Keys businesses that run the gamut from restaurants and brew pubs to publishers, locksmiths, beauty salons and dentists. The participants have been tight-lipped, but Marrero promises over the top holiday scenes featuring well-known residents indulging in outrageous holiday behavior.

“The scenes are the kind of Christmas cards you would expect from your crazy uncle – if he stopped drinking long enough to send a Christmas card.” Marrero explained.  “This isn’t a show for children. Adults who still believe in Santa or the sanctity of Christmas might want to stay at home too, but people who love the quirkiness of Key West will find this puts them right into the holiday spirit and keeps them laughing well into the new year.”

Marrero is known for his photo and video work throughout North America. His feature length films have been shown in festivals around the world and he is a frequent contributor to shows at The Red Barn Theatre and Tropic Cinema. His most recent exhibit premiered at the Studios of Key West last November. Titled ‘ReMARCable’s’, it showcased the life dreams of Monroe’s disabled citizens and earned him the MARC House Volunteer of the Year Award as well as being exhibited at the State Capital. ”As rewarding as last years show was I wanted to step into something more silly and fun for this years exhibit. To be honest I don’t think I could have picked a project more polar opposite in terms of style and tone. The holiday images are meant to be campy, colorful, offensive and most importantly, fun.”

Happy Effin’ Holidays promises to deliver the impact of a strong Christmas nog. The 20”x30” metallic prints will be available for purchase opening night, as will the coveted Effin’ Holiday Card Set featuring all 25 scenes (and a few that were too risqué for public viewing).

The event unwraps November 17 from 6-9 at TSKW and continues through December 18. Admission is free. Stop by opening night for photos with Drunk Santa, cash bar, a miscreant elf and an unforgettable holiday experience with friends that could only happen in Key West.

I asked these questions of 35 Key West residents with intellectual and physical disabilities. Over the next 12 months the MARC House residents stood before my camera and transformed into a fighter pilot, a fireman, a villain… even James Bond. The camera captured their moments, but the biggest transformations happened beyond the lens.

The project with the MARC House (Monroe Association of Retarded Citizens) started in 2008 with a “day in the life” editorial style concept. Initial meetings with the residents led to participation in their events. That participation led to new friendships and it wasn’t long before I was coaching a bocce league with some truly remarkable people.

My approach to photography has always been personal when it comes to breaking down barriers between subject and viewer. I wanted the world to know how the MARC citizen’s viewed themselves and, with this in mind, created questionnaires to steer the goals of the new project: Allow each MARC citizen, if only for a moment, to live their dream.

Authenticity was key. Real sets for real dreams. A coach’s portrait on a real football field during a live practice with an official uniform. A doctor’s portrait in Lower Keys Medical Center’s new CAT scan facility. A City of Key West fire engine and an authentic squad car. Each scene brought challenges, but they were far outweighed by the rewards. The final portraits were unveiled in early November during a special reception at The Studios of Key West. Each resident stood proudly beside their portrait, posing for more photos and answering questions from an emotional audience.

15 agencies, 32 sponsors, 35 dreams and 1 community helped this project come together. I started this project as a man with a camera. As it continues, I’m a man with a camera who has been forever changed by other peoples dreams.

For the full portfolio visit my projects page or click here.