New Portfolio Site

After years of procrastinating I finally have my portfolio online at its own domain and it is a very simple one to remember as it's just my name. Check out my new site at: www.alopalchuk.com.

You'll find photos in different categories but I have put a special emphasis in the travel category as that is really what I have been concentrating on in the last few years. I hope you enjoy it and your feedback is always appreciated.

There is also a contact address as prints in various sizes are available.

Wedding Field Trip

On Saturday Mar 3, 2012 I participated in a field trip with Sheridan College for a wedding photography course I am completeing. The images included with this post are 5 images that I myself particularly like.

The weather on this day wasn't very cooperative as we had hurricane like winds that for the most part completely disrupted our previously arranged plans. The only thing that went as planned was the bridal preparations at the Bronte Road Holiday Inn.

It was a little cramped however as there were approximately 30 people (photographer's and models) crammed into two suites trying to either take photos or get dressed. Personally I like the three images above that I captured from this portion of the trip.

The first image of the beautiful ring girl Anna speaks for itself. Who doesn't like a candid picture of a little baby dressed to the nines just enjoying herself while oblivious to all the commotion around her. The second image of a pair of bridal shoes intrigued me from the moment I saw it. While I can't quite put my finger on it I believe it simply comes down to the contrast between the shoe colour and the overcast sky in the background. The last image in the middle row is a simple detail shot of a boutonniere on a lapel. Simple but elegant I liked this shot from the minute I saw it.

The other two images are of the models that I shot for this assignment: Andre and Marianne. This couple was very easy to work with and I really enjoyed capturing their images. My only complaint's are that I simply didn't have enough time with them and the weather worked against us as it was also very chilly outside thus taking outdoor shots was for the most part out of the question. When I did get them outside however I did manage to capture this picture of Marianne seen at top. The diffused light was perfect and her coat actually "worked" for me in the resulting image.

The last photo I really liked because it seemed to capture the personalities of my two models. Marianne was very casual and relaxed and seemed to really enjoy the experience. At the same time Andre was a bit of a jokester and was constantly laughing and/or had a smirk on his face.

Overall I enjoyed the experience as I saw first hand many of the obstacles wedding photographers must deal with and overcome on a continuous basis. It was a very good learning experience!

Portugal - Part VIII - Obidos

I woke up early the next morning as I had a busy day trip out of Lisbon planned as we were venturing off to see quite a few sites in the spectacular countryside. My first stop was at the small town of Obidos.

Known as the "fairytale town" once I saw it in the distance and then pulled up inside I immediately knew that I would be spending more time here than I had originally planned as the place was simply gorgeous.

Sitting high atop a hill this medeival walled town was once one of the country's most important settlements. Dominated by the castello (castle) pictured at left the view from atop the town walls was unbelievable.

Pictured at left is one such view over the lush countryside with it vineyards and perfectly manicured sown fields. The town itself was abuzz with a summer festival and the narrow streets were packed with tourists and locals alike.


The small town of 11,000 people has been dubbed the "fairytale" town and it was easy to see why. Completely encircled by high defensive walls its cobble stoned lanes are lined with perfectly preserved and/or restored whitewashed buildings.

It was mid summer and all the flowers were in full bloom leading to some magnificent displays of colour. The small shops and cafes were teeming with activity. I strolled through various nooks and crannies and came away with a collection of shots and memories that I will cherish forever.

I ended up sitting down at one of the outdoor patio's and enjoyed a fine lunch while people watching and snapping away with my camera. I simply couldn't get enough of this pretty little town.

As always, I eventually had to leave as I had so much on my agenda this day that I knew that my overstay in Obidos was going to make it a longer day than originally planned.

Needless to say at only about 1 1/2 hours north of Lisbon I highly recommend that anybody visiting the capital should put a day trip to Obidos on their itinerary.

Bath Bombs

Above is an image of a "bath bomb" that I recently shot from a small business in Oakville named Pretty in Pink Spa. Not really sure what a bath bomb was my first task was to Google "bath bomb" and see what turned up. Basically a bath bomb is a mixture of chemicals used to add scent and colour to bathwater.

What made these "bombs" a little different was the fact that they looked like cupcakes. So much so that I actually thought they were. As mentioned, these wonderful looking products can be found at Pretty in Pink Spa. Check out their website at www.prettyinpinkspa.com. A neat idea this spa caters to girls aged 5 - 18 and features 100% organic products. A unique concept that I'm sure will be a huge hit in this community.

Portugal - Part VII - The Royal Town

After spending a couple of days discovering what Lisbon had to offer I headed out of the city to check out the world famous town of Sintra. Located about an hour west of Lisbon this UNESCO World Heritage Site was the favourite home to the former royal family of Portugal and is a real life fantasy land with some unmistakable landmarks.

Located high atop a granite mountain the location was for centuries THE spot to reside in the country and its beauty and breathtaking views are spectacular.

First and foremost is the must-see Palace of Pena which is pictured in the first three images at left. Standing on the highest peaks of the Sintra Mountain it is simply gorgeous and is quite unlike anything to be found elsewhere on this planet. Completed in 1885 its extravagance is unmatched and is an image taken right from a fairytale.

With architectural styles from various cultures it is a unique   masterpiece that simply must be seen to be believed. Its towers, ramparts and gates are at the same time odd, yet beautiful. I spent the better part of two hours browsing through the Palace and came away convinced that this was royalty at its most opulent. I highly recommend that anyone visiting Portugal simply MUST see Sintra and its Pena Palace.

Not to be outdone and at the very heart of the old town of Sintra lies another spectacular building, the National Palace of Sintra pictured at the lower left. Built in the 14th century this building was the actual residence of the Portuguese royalty for 400 years. The defining part of the palace is the two huge conical chimneys which emanate from the kitchen.

Exploring Sintra and its palaces and sights on foot involves quite a bit of walking and climbing up and down hills along its cobbled streets and winding roads but this is pretty well the only way to get around. This is a medieval town with narrow streets and no parking and does get quite packed in summer so driving around is not really an option. Be prepared to be tired at the end of a long day but the journey is well worth it.

Pearl images

A few weeks ago I was also asked to duplicate an image of pearls that I had sourced online. I searched through Pinterest.com but couldn't come up with something I liked so I searched through Google Images and came across the image at left comprised of both pearls and wedding bands.

I gathered the necessary items but try as I may I could not come across two matching wedding bands so I decided to come up with an alternative, a band and an engagement ring. The final result is the image pictured at the lower left.

Creating it was fairly straightforward. I started by going outside in a shady area to give me nice evenly diffused light. I arranged the elements on a small table covered by a tablecloth and set out to capture them.

My biggest challenge was trying to get both items into acceptable focus. I started off shooting at f2.8 and focusing on the pearls as this was a pearl assignment but the rings ended up totally soft. I reversed it and focused on the rings but the result remained the same just this time on the pearls.

After taking half a dozen shots I finally ended up shooting at f8.0 but zoomed in fully with my 28-70mm lens and focused on the rings. The result is as displayed on the left, both the rings and front section of the pearls are acceptably in focus resulting in what I believe is quite a nice looking duplicate.

Shoe photography

I was given the assignment of picking an image of a pair of shoes from the Pinterest.com website and then duplicating that shot. The shot at left is the image I chose. The image below is my attempt at re-creating that shot.

For the most part the two images are identical except for the obvious difference in shoe styles and colour. I tried to duplicate the background as much as possible but encountered a busier backdrop than the original.

At first I tried shooting at f2.8 so as to completely blur out the background but this resulted in too shallow of a depth of field and the shoes weren't as sharp along the edges as I liked. I ended up shooting at f5.0 and while the resulting background was a little cluttered for my liking the shoes were acceptably sharp along most of their length.

Portugal - Part VI - Lisbon

I made it into Lisboa (Lisbon) by mid afternoon and for the first time since entering the country I encountered traffic. Since it was rush-hour the congestion was on a par with Toronto along the QEW or 401. What made it worse was the fact that to enter the city I had to cross a bridge as the city lies on the west bank of the Tagus River and there is only two bridges that span this mighty waterway.  The bridge was so spectacular that the first thing I did was drive down by the riverside and grab an image of it.

Often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco it was in fact built by the same company that constructed the San Francisco - Oakland Bridge (not the Golden Gate). Originally called the Salazar Bridge after the former long time Portuguese dictator it was renamed the 25th of April Bridge after the revolution that overthrew him. One of the longest suspension bridges in the world it features a huge Christ the King statue on its east bank. I made sure to go back at night to capture a shot of this beautiful structure all lit up.

Lisbon is nicknamed the "city of seven hills" and is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Primarily a maritime nation I headed down to the riverside area of Belem to see some sights from the former glory of this rich colonial empire. 

Pictured at left is the Monastery of Jeronimos. Construction started in 1501 during the country's heyday and took 70 years to build and cost 5000 kg of gold to complete.

The monastery is right in the heart of Belem, an area of Lisbon famed for centuries as the center of its discoveries. Nearby is the Monument to the Discoveries. This 171 foot monument shaped like a ships prow was built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, the man responsible for financing many of the overseas explorations. 

It is built on the exact spot of the former marina of Belem, a place where in 1497 Vasco da Gama embarked on his voyage to "discover" India and where in 1493 Christopher Columbus anchored on his way back to Spain after discovering the Americas. The monument is adorned with 30 statues of men who contributed important roles in these discoveries.

Just down the embankment is the UNSECO World Heritage - Belem Tower (also known as the Tower of St. Vincent). When completed in 1519 on an island in Tagus River this 100 foot fortress was the key to the city's maritime defense as it guarded its approach from the sea.

I spent the bulk of a day visiting the Belem area and a few other historic neighborhoods before heading back to my hotel as I had an early morning planned for a visit to the royal town of Sintra.

Wedding Venue

I was recently asked to shoot a wedding reception venue at night with a visible sign. This is right up my alley as I do quite a bit of dusk or night photography of buildings during my extensive travels. As readers to my blog know, my favorite time for capturing these images is just after the sun sets when the sky turns a beautiful shade of cobalt blue.

Unfortunately for this shot of the newly constructed Best Western Hotel on Hamilton Mountain I missed this narrow time gap by about 10 minutes. Nevertheless I still managed to capture quite a nice image of the building with its blue highlights. The fresh snow in the foreground accentuated the building perfectly resulting in what I believe is a very nice image.

Baby Photography

As most photographers know, baby photography is one of the easiest ways to crack into the professional market. Every parent wants beautiful photos of ther child and this is one of the few areas where they will pay to get them. The photo above is of my newest model, my grandaughter Faith, pictured at 4 weeks. While she obviously doesn't know it yet this was the first of many, many photoshoots to come.

Her mom was dying to get some shots off so I quickly set up a 3 point lighting scheme and began snapping away. As you can imagine she wasn't a co-operative model but I did capture a few images that are definitely portfolio worthy. Enough so that after posting online I have received a few emails from parents asking about my services.

After about 1/2 hour Faith had had enough and it was impossible to keep her awake any longer. I had one more idea before this shoot was over. Her faithful companion Dakota was brought onto the set and even though she was a bit apprehensive she did her part and I got the lovely photo at left of the two of them together.

It was all over quicker than I liked but as I mentioned before, there will be many more photoshoots to come in the future.

Verve Photo Company

The last site I visited and will write about today is that of Verve Photo Company (see www.vervephotoco.com) a Tronto based photography business run by two women Karen Fox & Melanie Galbrend-Chen. They specialize in documentary wedding photography and like to utilize natural light as much as possible. Shooting for a combined 13 years their work has been featured and published in a variety of media outlets.

After browsing through their site it is clear that their candid, unobtrusive method of capturing the moment has been refined and perfected and their attention to the minute details is excellent. Verve puts an emphasis on destination weddings and their site features a number of weddings thatv they have shot in various locations. They also specialize in underwater photography as demonstrated in the photo above and this gives them a unique advantage not offered by many other companies.

The location shoots themselves offer brilliant colours that enhance any wedding. That aside, I would say that of the three photographers (companies) that I have reviewed today Verve Photo Company is the least polished. That is not to say that I don't like and admire their work, it's just that the other two are in my opinion more advanced and artistic at this point in their careers.

Elizabeth Kaye Photography

I also checked out the site of Toronto based photographer: Elizabeth Kaye (see www.elizabethinlove.com). This very accomplished photographer has developed a unique style and creates some truly amazing images. Her use of soft pastel colours, combined with natural light, short depth of field and on many occassions, what looks like a pro mist filter, results in images that are incredibly beautiful and have a vintage look and feel to them. An example is the image pictured above, the model and photo have the look and feel of a 1940's photo shoot sans the colour.

Her images have been published many times in Wedluxe Magazine and one Valentine's Day feature is definitely worth checking out. Her use of soft toned pinks and whites with the odd dash of vibrant reds and greens is beautiful. Her compositions leads one to believe she makes use of a stylist or is a natural stylist in her own right!

While I'm not really a fan of the pro mist type of look myself Elizabeth uses it to her strength and manages to pull it off with beauty and elegance. The style is all hers and it's easy to see why she is so successful.

Tyler James Photography

I recently checked out the site of a Niagara Falls based photographer named Tyler James (see www.tylerjamesphoto.com). Tyler has recently been named one of the 25 most inspiring wedding photographers by Wedding Bells Magazine and it is easy to see why. He is incredibly adept at making use of natural light to capture images that will forever be cherished by his clients. He uses a candid approach to catch emotions and as you can see from the sample photo above he does so quite well.

He states that his philosophy is to capture romance through the lens and after browsing through his site it is clear that he definitely manages to achieve this goal.

His detail shots are portfolio worthy and I really noticed that he has developed his own style and has several signature shots. An example is the leaning bouquet pictured at left. It is a re-occurring shot that I will definitely begin to emulate in the future.

Portugal - Part V - The Road to Lisboa

After leaving the beautiful town of Monsanto I continued heading south on my way to Lisbon, the country's capital. Along the way I planned a few stops at points that I knew would be of great interest to me.

First stop was the small town of Vila Vicosa. With a population of under 10,000 there isn't really much to see or do in this sleepy hamlet but two things drew me to putting this spot on my itinerary. First was that the area is the epicenter of the country's marble industry. The pink marble quarried in this area is world famous and results in most of the buildings being constructed from it. A truly unique and interesting sight to see.

Second was the Ducal Palace (Duke's Palace). The building (pictured above) was started in 1501 and is spectacular. The residence of the Dukes of Braganca it's inhabitants eventually assumed the throne of Portugal and this palace remained a family home right up to their  deposition in 1910. Its opulence is a sight to behold.

I really didn't get to explore the Palace as I was pressed for time and had to make Lisbon by nightfall and the place I really wanted to see was the next stop on my itinerary, the beautiful walled city of Evora. What really drew me to this small city of 55,000 inhabitants was the Roman Temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. This was the first time I had encountered a Roman structure of this magnitude and it was as impressive as expected.

While the construction happening around the temple diminished its appeal somewhat the magical setting amongst this UNESCO World Heritage city definitely made this stop worthwhile for me. After leaving the temple area I strolled through the narrow cobblestone streets admiring the beautiful buildings, many dating from the middle ages. After a quick lunch on a terrazzo overlooking the city I hopped in my car and made my way out of the city in the direction of Lisbon.

After passing through the city gates I was immediately struck with the sight of a huge aqueduct. While at first I thought it was a Roman structure I later learned it was actually a 16th century construction. It was nevertheless still an impressive sight to behold as the photo as left will attest. As I had to make Lisbon by nightfall and was still a few hours away I couldn't linger for long so I hopped back in my car and was on my way.

Lens calibration

For a while now I have felt that one of my lenses (28-70L) was a little soft with regards to focus. Not that the images I was getting were really out of focus but just that when I zoomed in at 100% in Photoshop they didn't seem to be as tack sharp as the images created by my other lenses. As I am going away on vacation this week (tomorrow) and this will probably be my most used lens I wanted to be sure everything was spot on with regards to this issue.

My first test was done a couple of weeks ago when I shot some photos of my better half, hand holding the camera and focusing on her eyes. The results showed the focus to be bang on with no issues. Still not convinced I searched online for a calibration test as my camera (Canon 5D Mark II) allows me to calibrate individual lenses to the body.

I downloaded the scale above (it can just as easily be created on any sheet of paper), and set the camera up for the test as per the image below.

The camera was set up on a tripod and fired with a remote control to eliminate the possibility on any camera shake caused by me hand holding. I zoomed in the lens as far as possible and opened up the aperture all the way to F2.8 to have the smallest depth of field, adjusted the shutter speed to get the proper exposure, set the autofocus to focus on the line in the middle of the scale and took 5 shots for comparison. Each of the images were identical in focus (as they should be). See the sample image below.

While there was a slight difference in the front and back focus the test showed me that this was minimal (and acceptable) and the lens didn't need any calibration. As this lens has no image stabilization (IS) I will make sure I never shoot slower than 1/100 second and will make sure my focus point is set exactly where I want the image focus to be. This is even more critical as I tend to shoot quite a bit in the F2.8 - F4.0 range.

I believe this is a great test that everyone should try once in a while with all their lenses even if your camera doesn't allow for any calibration. Even if it does or if you find something off and don't feel comfortable doing the adjustment yourself take it in to a camera shop and let them do it for you.

To sum it up I feel any "softness" I saw before in any of my images was the result of the operator (me) and more care will now be taken when using this lens to ensure tack sharp images.

Requested Background

I was given an assignment recently to find a green background to undertake an engagement shoot. Being pressed for time I only had about an hour to find something adequate because I was off to my day job prior to coming home in the late evening and packing for an overseas trip and assignment (to be discussed in a later post).

The task was to find a bright, vibrant colour on a background that wasn't just plain and boring. With so little time the task proved more difficult than I imagined.

I did however manage to come up with a few different options. My personal choice is the image pictured above as the colour really pops and while somewhat plain the bricks nevertheless provide a nice textured surface. I know it would allow me to create some truly outstanding images.

I did also manage to find a couple of other backdrops that also meet the criteria but to me didn't seem as interesting and definitely not as colourful yet it did provide an option for the client to ultimately decide. No matter what the ultimate choice, I know that I will make it work to achieve the desired result.

Product Photography II

Another recent product photography shoot that I undertook was for a hardwood distribution company based out of Mississauga called GRS Hardwood Flooring. They needed some shots of their various lines for both their website and also for any print brochures or products that they would like to distribute.

They had attempted to do this in-house with their own point and shoot digital camera but as you would expect the results left a little to be desired. To get professional results that will help them sell their products they needed the help of a professional. That is not to say the same results you see included with this post could not have been attained with a point and shoot, as they certainly could have. What I mean is that the items had to be presented in a professional manner with the proper lighting being controlled to display the items at their best.


As you can see from the included images the final results look exceptional and best of all, the client was thrilled. The detail in the shots really highlight the quality and colour of the wood and make customers browsing on line at ease knowing that what they see is what they will get when placing their orders.

All told I ended up shooting over 60 skews for GRS and have been retained to shoot all their new products as they come in. All because I took pride in the shoot even though it wasn't a "glamorous" item but I undertook it like every shoot I partake in, "I need to produce the best images I possibly can"!

Product Photography

I recently had the chance to do a product shoot for a local Oakville business named Saratina Bridal Boutique. They are looking at updating their website and I offered to take some shots of a few dresses as I was looking for some more images for my wedding photography business Colosseum Productions and this opportunity fit in perfectly.

It also allowed to get back in the studio, something I hadn't done in awhile excluding some recent commercials I had shot on video but I was eager to get my strobes back out, set up a backdrop and create some images I think the owners at Saratina's will be proud to display both online and in print if they so desire.

I pulled out a backdrop I hadn't used in years and I think you can see from the images in this post that it worked our really well. It allows the beautiful white dresses to really pop and stand out against it. I used a 2 light set up shot through umbrellas to get a nice soft evenly lit image with the lights placed more to the sides of the dresses than to the front to highlight the texture and lines of the fabric.

                                                    

I shot at f-4.0 so as to give a slight blur to the background to try and minimize any wrinkles in the muslin backdrop. Exposure was critical as I didn't want to blow out any of the details of the white dresses. Spill from the two strobes only resulted in about a 1 sop drop-off at the backdrop.

I ended up shooting 5 dresses of various styles shooting both from the back and front as well as close-ups of various details, included in this post is just a small sampling of some of the images.

I was quite happy with the results and definitely ended up achieving my goal of creating some nice images to put on my website and also giving the girls at Saratina's something they can use to proudly show the quality of items in their store.