Relay for Life Book and Video Out

I'm done.  Finished.  The book is ready to be sold!  The photo video is uploaded to You Tube!  As a way of raising more money for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, I put together a book for sale at Blurb called "Hope: North Valley Relay for Life."  

It is made up of photos from 2011 to 2015 Relays held at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix.



The book is listed at $29.99 and $7 of that will go to the North Valley Relay for Life. 

Hope: North Valley Relay for Life by James Gordon Patterson | Make Your Own Book

   

I primarily edited the photos with Adobe Lightroom.  I imported some 60-plus photos into the Blurb bookmaking program called BookWright.  The book is being sold on Blurb.  I could have sold on the Apple site or Amazon, but costs would have run higher meaning less money going to the Relay for Life.  

I created the video using a program called FotoMagico.  It allowed me to lay down a music bed and narrate the video, too.  Then I uploaded to You Tube to share with you and the world.

This is all part of the "photo philanthropy" concept... giving back with a camera.  I hope to do more of this in the future.  

Until My Next Adventure, 

(Sedona, Environmental Portraits, with the Arizona Professional Photographers Association)

See You On Down The Road!

Jim Patterson

Relay for Life at PVCC Friday 10 April 2015

The Survivors Lap

It's time for another North Valley Relay for Life at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Arizona.  This is a benefit for the Cancer Society and my fourth year photographing the event.

Young Students Show Enthusiasm

This year, it did not go overnight like the other ones had done.  It started at 4pm and ended around midnight.  

This time around, I had a specific idea in mind.  I am going to put together the best of the last four Relays for Life at PVCC and publish a photo book that you can buy to benefit the relay for life.  Stay tuned on that as I'm still putting the book together.  I can tell you it will be on the Blurb site and hopefully we can sell it to you on the Amazon site, as well.

Shoshannah Raised Money with her Dolls

I had a shot list of things that I needed for the book.  Mostly, I wanted to do some wide angle photographs.










We had some excitement around 5pm.  Seems a dust devil hit were some booths were set up, throwing the tents and paperwork high into the air.  

Dust Devil Hits Without Warning!

Everything Thrown High in the Sky!

They had an interesting contest involving trying to tear apart a frozen tee-shirt and putting it on.  This guy tried so hard to get that frozen tee on!

Trying to Tear a Frozen Tee-Shirt Apart

Here are some other shots from the 2015 Relay for Life at PVCC...

My Attempt at "Art"

Bagpiper

Until My Next Adventure, 

See You On Down The Road!

Jim Patterson

* Look for my soon-to-be published photobook on the Cancer Society's Relay for Life.  Sales to benefit the Cancer Society!

Click HERE to see all the photos from the Relay for Life!

Opening Day at Country Thunder Arizona

The Main Stage!

I've always been interested in concert photography.  I've done some shots in the past of country bands and really enjoyed it.  What kind of photographer am I?  What do I love photographing?  These are important questions really.  I do what I love.  I love country music.  I love photography.  A nice match.  I don't have any feeling for loud rock music or rap, so I won't photograph that.  I also like horses, cowboys, cowgirls, and rodeos.  So I photograph them too!  

Old Pals Jim Brady and Faron Hall in the VIP Section!

Before Country Thunder, I would just go and shoot... but I did something smart at the 2014 Photoshop World.  I took the Alan Hess/Scott Diussa Real World Concert Photography workshop.  It really helped me photographing the opening day at Country Thunder.  

First off, I'm a former newsman/broadcaster, so I'm used to how they treat media and the need to get a media pass.  I was able to secure a media pass, so I could get up nice and close to the acts.  As Alan said, you have to ask.  Worst that can happen is you get turned down.  I asked and got one!

Use burst mode on your camera.  I found that was good advice.  Burst mode ensures one of the photos will be sharp and the performers eyes will be open.  

Open up the aperture.. as low a number as the lens will allow.  Lighting is weird at these concerts, so I also started with ISO800 and as it got darker outside, I switched to ISO1600.  My Canon 5D Mark III can handle the higher ISO without much grain or noise.  I found the Canon 70-200 lens was my workhorse.  I also used the 24mm setting for some wider "establishing" shots from my Canon 24-105mm.  

As for my goals, I wanted to focus on the opening acts, the up and coming performers.  The headliners like Brett Eldredge, Blake Shelton, and Luke Bryan are what everybody goes for.  These are the acts where photographers are told the limitations:  maybe you get to photograph two or three songs and that's it.  Or, in the case of Blake Shelton, none at all.  The artists I photographed had no limitations on how many I took.  Frankly, I want to photograph the hungry ones, the soon-to-be-stars so I can show them what I can do.  Who knows?  Maybe I will impress the artist or their publicity people and get them again when they hit it big!  By the way, I had another commitment on Friday night, so I missed my all time favorites BIG & RICH!!!  This was the duo that got me interested in country music in the first place.  

Little Girl Gonna Get an Autograph from Clare Dunn!

I also looked behind me at the fans.  By the way, another reason I like to photograph country artists?  The fans are the nicest in the world.  Just like the performers.  

Happy Country Thunder Fans

I photographed Old Dominion.... 

Old Dominion

The amazing Clare Dunn... pressure is on with her because I found she just doesn't take a bad photo!  I hope you agree.

Clare Dunn

American Longspurs...

American Longspurs

and






The Railers... a group from Arizona!

The Railers

A special thanks to KMLE Country Radio (my favorite station!) in Phoenix for being the major sponsor and Caitlin DeForest, Publicity and Events Manager for Webster Public Relations, for helping me with the media and parking passes!  

Until My Next Adventure, 

See You On Down The Road!

Jim Patterson

* Look for my soon-to-be published photobook on the Cancer Society's Relay for Life.  Sales to benefit the Cancer Society!

Here are all of my photos from opening day at Country Thunder Arizona.