Dominic DiMaria

Moving On

2011-08-28T10:43:00.002-04:00

It's about that time of year again. The summer noir slowly crossfades into the beautiful drama of fall. The trees are changelings, and this is about the time they transform from the green of youth to the brown of dying maturity.

Seasons fade. In nature as in life. My life is dissolving into something new just as the trees are.

I feel as though Jesus has turned about my path to somewhere I never dreamed it would go. But that's just how I feel. It was meant to go here all along, and I was the one wandering along until this point.

My goal, my dream, my passion was always to do pro artistic work. And for the last couple years I have been doing so off and on. It has been hard to sustain. With opportunities igniting and fizzling perpetually, I got a part time job. That helped, but took up so much time I found that between studying, work, and sleep I had little time for art.

Then God opened a door that no man can shut. And my path became a little more clear. I always felt called to media. I still do. But should my greatest passion be my career? That's a question I cannot yet answer. But I know this. When you do something you love everyday, you begin to love it less. Then, when it becomes what you rely on for sustainment, you don't respect it the way you used to. It changes to become an obligatory chore. It's not the thrill of spontaneity anymore, but the frustration of lacking.

I still love making films and pictures and memories. I hopefully always will. But it seems God has opened a door that I must walk through. The media is still a passion. I love photography. And I will not give it up. I never want to cease from making films. Hopefully I will still assume the responsibility of making a splash in my culture with the images I produce, moving and still. Hopefully people will see each of my works of art as a liturgy for Christ.

But now my career path may be a little more clear.

Back in July of 2010 I applied for a position in Apple Retail. A few weeks ago, after six interviews, and nine months of praying, God opened the door. I now work for Apple as a Specialist.

Apple is a culture of inspiration. My arts are encouraged. My dreams are collectively pursued. And I have the opportunity to help, teach, love, inspire people everyday.

So in celebration of paths revealed and a life directed, I am making some changes around here. The biggest of which being that this blog will no longer be updated. I am moving on. I've been posting here now since 2007. I have created a new site, largely based on the archived content from this site. But with an entirely new look and feel. My goal on this blog was to never create a post without an image. Once instituted, I never failed that goal.

But my new blog will be slightly different. Instead of just imagery and motion, I will be posting my thoughts. I plan on still producing and publishing many images and hopefully many more films, but I also want to share revelation. Revelation and how God is changing the world. And how we can participate in the Magnum Opus of the Alpha Omega.

I will share the billows of emotion and life. And I want you to join me.

I have included all the archives (yes, even the really old embarrassing ones) from this blog on the new blog, so you can always go back and reference them if you are so inclined.

So much of our lives, our world is powered by light. And it's time to shut off the lights to this old adventure. And turn the lights on for a new one.

Join me.

Outlast Everything

2011-05-30T10:37:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest video!

Outlast Everything from Dominic DiMaria on Vimeo.

Huge thanks to everyone who helped make this project possible, specifically Geno DiMaria and Nathan Bollinger for their hard work and masterful art.

Thanks for watching, and spread the word on Twitter!

On Actor Headshots

2011-04-18T08:26:00.001-04:00

The facts. Based on some requests for photos I've had within the last few months, I had to look into what the proper level of retouching is for an actor's headshot. Obviously you want to stay artistic and creative, but you also must stay true to life. For these type of shots that casting directors are going to be counting on, there can be no photoshoppery of eye color, permanent blemishes, etc.

The following are some notes of mine that I use as guidelines for shooting actors and actresses.

Remember, you are not shooting glamour models. You are shooting human beings that have to look like human beings. Your job is to express the deepest personality of these actors.

Specifically when dealing with teen actors and young adults, there will be blemishes to remove. Any hot spots, scabs, pimples, etc. should be removed digitally if you aren't able to cover them up with make-up during the shoot. All these blemishes are temporary and any casting director would notice in an audition that these would be disguisable during a live shoot. Anything that can be hidden with make-up, whether real or applied in Photoshop, should be removed.

However, any blemishes, such as scars or growths that can not be veiled by physical make up will have to stay on a person's face. For instance, a mole. Although you should generally try to minimize the appearance, it is your job to create a realistic impression of this person's facial features. Moles that are large enough that they cannot be covered should be left unaltered in post. The last thing a casting director wants is to see a wonderful shot of an actor or actress just to find out at their audition that this person has a large blemish in the middle of his/her face. Be nice to the casting directors.

Hannah Miller

2011-04-07T17:58:00.001-04:00

Hannah Miller, originally uploaded by dominicdimaria.

Purity

2011-02-27T16:39:00.001-05:00

Purity, originally uploaded by dominicdimaria.

The stillness of the pure. They don't waver. They don't die. Purity is lasting.

Steampunk Gallery

2011-02-11T22:04:00.003-05:00

Steampunk Gallery, originally uploaded by dominicdimaria.

My most recent addition to the pool for The 50mm Journey. Have you joined yet? http://www.flickr.com/groups/the50mmjourney/

Today It Begins

2011-02-01T18:47:00.001-05:00

Join up! It's never too late to be inspired.

The 50mm Journey

2011-01-18T22:09:00.001-05:00

The 50mm prime lens is and always has been the staple lens of photography. It used to be what the pros called the "Standard Lens." So much can be achieved with this one focal length that it has been famed since the olden days.

Now it's our turn. We are the next generation of artists. We have to maintain the life of the 50mm. We need to use it to its potential.

So, I invite you, photographer, to join me this February of 2011 to take part in a challenge. A challenge to take a 50mm journey to see what you find. I challenge you for the entire month of February to use only your 50mm prime in your hobby shooting (if you have professional work to be done that requires other glass, that is understandable). Sure, you will miss shots that you could have otherwise. Sure, you will be putting limitations on your own artistic ambitions. But limitations are the key to creativity. So unlock something.

Join the group on Flickr and each week try to post at least one image that you've taken in that week. You may post up to 7 images per week.

Help me spread the word! Even if you're not interested in participating, forward the link to your photographer friends and see if they would be interested. Post it on Twitter and Facebook. Link to this blog post or my Facebook page.

Hope you have a good journey.

Reach for the Sky

2010-12-30T19:53:00.001-05:00

We all know the feeling. As creatives we face it often. You've been working on a tough project all day. The project you think is worth all of your effort and energy. The project you think is going to get you recognition. Your dream project.

Then someone comes along and you ask their thoughts. And they proceed to list six, seven, eight, a bazillion ways your project, your dream project, could be better than it is. And, deep down, you always knew it was not as good as it should be. Even though you've talked yourself into loving it and being satisfied with the result, it just doesn't look like what you dreamed.

Some people may not know the technicalities of a certain technique but can recognize when it doesn't look right. A lot of people who are well-versed in a certain technique can be blunt, forward, and, face it, sometimes down right rude in their presentation of their critique. Don't let the critique from outsiders dishearten you. Rather, use that instruction, even from people who don't know the technicalities of what you're doing, to be built up. Don't let it bring you down, but take it and learn.

Love the instruction. Do the best you can do in everything (including learning). Learn how to learn. It's a lesson that even people who know need to hear often. I need to remind myself often. Be tough and take it like a pro. Learn and move on to better things. Reach for the sky and don't let anything stop you (especially your own pride).

Fall on the Waterfront

2010-11-13T16:26:00.001-05:00

Fall on the Waterfront, originally uploaded by dominicdimaria.

It's November. For most people Fall is transforming into Winter. Here in Charleston, the Fall is just beginning. The weather cools, the trees finally begin to change, and the sun warms to a golden blaze.

Two Totally Radical Skateboarding Dudes

2010-10-31T10:16:00.021-04:00

I was down in Charleston for a day, and I ran into these two guys at the Mt. Pleasant Waterfront Memorial Park. So... we shot some photos!

(Thanks a bunch to Crae and Yamamir for letting me take some shots - you guys are great!)

-Dominic

Tweeting the SAICFF

2010-10-26T20:18:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you all know, I'll be tweeting throughout the duration of the SAICFF, so if you want the inside scoop on what's goin' on during those three days, follow me on Twitter!

(Also, Slightly Dramatic will be blogging about the everyday events of the festival, so check back there for more in-depth updates!)

Demo Reel | Fall 2010

2010-10-25T22:43:00.003-04:00

This video is a reel compiled from the last 8 months or so... The Lord has blessed me with some amazing opportunities to shoot this year, and I've tried to take advantage as best I can!

So, please, enjoy my demo reel for the Fall of 2010! (And be sure to watch in HD!)

Demo Reel | Fall 2010 from Dominic DiMaria on Vimeo.

Anthony DiMaria, Actor

2010-10-21T08:16:00.001-04:00

These are actor headshots I took last week for my brother Anthony. I did some research as to the amount of retouching expected in an actor's headshot, and I came across some interesting info that I would like to do a post about at some point... but for now, here are a few of the shots that resulted!

Charleston Magnolias

2010-09-28T18:36:00.001-04:00

These images symbolize some of what I feel when I stroll certain parts of Charleston. West of the shopping district is where most of the residential area is. These three shots, all of Magnolia trees, were taken as I roamed those streets.

Introducing Slightly Dramatic

2010-09-23T22:31:00.001-04:00

Slightly Dramatic is a new blog for creatives. I will be writing periodically, as well as some of my brothers and friends in the creative community. We are going to explore film, imagery, God, and creativity in general as we discover more about the world and the arts and our Savior.

So, hop on over and take a look at the first post, and get ready for more to come!

'Grand Canyon' Makes SAICFF!

2010-09-23T16:15:00.000-04:00

I am very pleased to announce that the documentary I directed this spring, Grand Canyon, has been accepted into the 2010 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival! I will be attending this year and hope to see you there!

Mystery

2010-09-01T20:01:00.000-04:00

Schmoller & Mueller Piano

2010-08-22T14:42:00.002-04:00

These images are of my family's piano.

These are the keys I play everyday...

Simply Fruit

2010-08-21T22:59:00.000-04:00

Grand Canyon DVD Released Tomorrow!

2010-07-30T12:37:00.000-04:00

Hey!

Head over to the Block One Studios blog for details on tomorrow's release of our new documentary film, Grand Canyon!

My Latest Journey - Illinois!

2010-07-27T17:57:00.000-04:00

I apologize for disappearing. See, about a month ago now, my computer was struck by lightning. Yes, I had it on a surge protector, but it was still zapped. Motherboard fried. Too expensive to fix the machine considering it's age, so I'm going to be getting a new Mac eventually.

But for now, I wanted to show you what I've been up to! The following are mobile photos from my recent trip to Illinois. I was not able to bring my 7D (*Sob*) due to luggage restrictions, so my phone was all I had.

On the road to IL, crossing in to Indiana from Kentucky.

Behind the scenes. We had a fun photo shoot in Peoria.

Christy observes the waterfall.

Eye ball in Chicago! I have no idea who these people are.

Dessert. Grand Lux Cafe.

In Chicago we stumbled across the Transformers 3 set. This, I guess, is a transformer.

We rode the ferris wheel at Navy Pier.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Buckingham Fountain.

Dusk in Chicago.

Pretty effective phone booth.

Abstract.

On my way to the airport.

So, that should get you caught up on what I've been up to lately and also make up for a major gap since my last mobile photo update.

Thanks to all my friends who made my trip up to IL such an amazing adventure! Miss you all!

-Dominic

Christy's Ballet Flats

2010-06-18T18:23:00.000-04:00

I think these shoes are totally cool...

Charleston Spoleto 2010

2010-06-12T19:56:00.002-04:00

Last week Geno and I were hired to shoot the Spoleto Festival in Charleston. I snapped a few shots while we were downtown that I thought I would share.

I loved the retrospective feel of the "Berlin's" sign. I found it very transporting. Great feel.

Love the contrast and the shapes here. This shot was taken outside the Charleston Public Library.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Dockstreet Theater.

A locked-off graveyard.

Geno shooting Galliard auditorium.

Loved this building. There is only a front. No sides, no walls, no rear. Just the face of a building.

Dusk in Charleston.

An HDR I shot on Battery Street.

I had a good time shooting that evening. After walking literally about 15 miles all over Charleston, I found a lot of interesting subjects that all had a story to tell.

On another note, you may have noticed the new design to the blog. Blogger has recently greatly upgraded their design capabilities, and I am very happy with some of the changes. Cool stuff...

Cioccolato

2010-06-06T09:31:00.001-04:00

Conceptual Design

2010-05-19T12:27:00.001-04:00

This is a conceptual design I was inspired to create. I was looking at some designs not too long ago and the style really stood out to me and inspired me. I liked it so much that I just decided to try my hand at the same style. I did it for no actual reason besides artistic inspiration - which is a very fun experience.

Maybe I can use this graphic for something real someday...

How about you? Do you ever create designs based solely on inspiration?

creativeLIVE

2010-05-01T11:32:00.002-04:00

creativeLIVE is a media education website, created by Chase Jarvis and devoted entirely to sharing professional information with people who otherwise may not have access to it. Each class is broadcast live over the internet for FREE. Absolutely free. If you like a class or would just like to see it again, you have the option of purchasing it afterwards for a fraction of what it would cost to see these professionals at live workshops. The instructors include Vincent Laforet, Scott Bourne, and Zack Arias - big names.

Yesterday I started Vincent Laforet's weekend-long course on DSLR Cinema. I have been absolutely amazed at the amount of info I learned in half a day. These guys are so full of knowledge, and so willing to share. They understand the the importance of sharing what they know with the next generation of creatives. Media is generational like anything else. If no one is there to warn against mistakes, explain what causes what, and execute what they say effectively, many of us can very easily make the same mistakes.

So, I very highly recommend creativeLIVE to anyone who wants to learn a wealth of info regarding all different kinds of media. Vincent Laforet's amazing DSLR Cinema course is going to continue today at noon, and will go through tomorrow and I hope you consider tuning in!

-Dominic

How to Update Firmware on Your 7D

2010-04-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

Today's post is going to be a simple tutorial on how to update your Canon EOS 7D to the latest Firmware version. There is at least one other way that I am aware of to update the firmware, but this is the method I used with success, hence it will be the method I use in this tutorial.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY OCCUR TO YOUR CAMERA BY FOLLOWING THIS TUTORIAL.

1. Go to the following link: http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos7d/firmware.html

2. Scroll to the bottom, and click Agree. This will take you to a download page.

3. Download the file specific to your operating system.

4. Once the file is downloaded, run it by double-clicking. This will unzip the firmware file in the location of your choice.

5. Grab your closest CF Card, make absolutely sure all your photos and videos are backed up to a hard drive, and format the card. This will erase the card, and rebuild the 7D's file system on the card.

6. Using a memory card reader, copy the .fir firmware file to the card.

7. Insert the CF card into your 7D, and scroll to the Firmware version menu (at the very bottom of the third yellow menu). Using the Set button on the back of the camera, click the Firmware Ver. X.X.X button. The firmware update program should begin.

8. Select the firmware file using the Set button.

9. Confirm that you do indeed want to update your firmware version by scrolling to the OK button and selecting it. The firmware update will begin.

10. Once the installation is over, the LCD will display a message stating that you have updated your firmware. Click OK using the Set button.

11. Power down the camera, and remove the battery for at least two seconds. Then re-insert the battery and check your firmware version. It should display version you installed, which is hopefully the latest version.

And there you have it! It would be nice if I could condense this down to 10 steps... just sounds better than 11...

-Dominic

Friends

2010-04-16T16:52:00.002-04:00

It was amazing. We traveled 2000 miles, from one side of the country to the other, and then 2000 miles back. We didn't stay in a single hotel. God has blessed us with so many good friends that volunteered to let us stay with them that we didn't need to stay in one hotel. The following are images of some of the many people we stayed with.

I made an awesome new friend - Elsie is so cute!

My good buddy Chad came with us!

Mom and Mrs. Carsey.

Mom and Mrs. Robison.

The Block One group with our friend, Gabe Eagle (second from the left.) We had e-mailed with Gabe online for a couple years, but this was the first time we met him in person. He's a great guy!

Anth and Reis, uber compadres.

Andrea, Reis, Anth, and Geno.

Western sunset silhouettes.

Hope you all enjoyed this series of posts! Too bad it's over today... Maybe I'll do another series soon. It was fun. I should. We'll see...

-Dominic

P.S. To everyone who housed us, pictured above or not, I would just like to thank you for your hospitality! It was such a blessing.

The Saguaro

2010-04-15T17:35:00.000-04:00

The Saguaro Cactus is one of the main attractions of the West. Having relatives in Tucson makes it pretty simple to get close to these giants.

To see some more of my black and white shots of the Saguaros, check out my previous post, Arizona in Black and White.

-Dominic

Amazing Automobiles

2010-04-14T16:41:00.003-04:00

During our visit in Scottsdale, AZ, I had the opportunity to shoot a local classic car show located in the Shops at Gainey Village shopping center. I never dreamed I would have had the chance to shoot Lamborghinis and Ferraris from a foot away... It was amazing!

Two classic Lamborghinis.

My all-time favorite muscle car.

My favorite car is a '57 Corvette. This is a '59. They are very similar, so it was an amazing opportunity to shoot this car!

Assorted Awesomeness.

Porsche badge.

GTO badge.

Ferrari badge.

Pontiac GTO!

Custom Ferrari.

The extremely rare Dino Ferrari.

The new Nissan 370 Z... wasn't aware they had come out with the 370 Z until I took this photo.

Vroom.

This Lambo was my favorite of the entire show. It was an amazing car!

Classic Porsche.

Classic Jaguar.

A REALLY classic Ford.

Ferrari 308.

White wall tires with red wheels... That is a classic combination.

A Viper, up close and personal.

Hope you enjoyed looking at these photos! If you want to see some more, click here to see the album on my Facebook page.

-Dominic

Arizona in Black and White

2010-04-13T17:08:00.001-04:00

Today's post is a compilation of some of the black and white shots I took on my film camera while I was in AZ. Hope you enjoy 'em!

A Saguaro standing tall at Saguaro National Park in Tucson.

The spines of a dead Saguaro.

Saguaro Silhouette.

The path at Javelina Rocks, one of the stops at Saguaro National Park.

My brother, Geno, shooting footage for our upcoming Grand Canyon documentary on the rim of the Grand canyon.

A view of the Grand Canyon.

Anthony and Chad, as they photograph from Mt. Lemmon.

The charred remains of many trees that were scorched in the fire on Mt. Lemmon.

An aged log on Mt. Lemmon.

One of my favorite shots from Mt. Lemmon.

Look for another post with more photos here tomorrow!

-Dominic

The West

2010-04-12T16:36:00.001-04:00

Over the next few days I am going to show you several images depicting some of the adventures I had on my recent voyage back out West. Arizona is where I come from. Last time I was there I didn't know half of what I know now about photography, so I was very excited to apply what I've learned to scenery I love.

This week I will be doing a blog post every day with different images of different places, people, or things that I saw while I was out West.

Javelina Rocks is a stopping point in Saguaro National Park, located in Tucson.

During our video shoot for our upcoming documentary on the Grand Canyon, I was able to snap some photos.

The day we left my all-time favorite city, Flagstaff, God gave us a gift of snow.

Everything was in bloom in Scottsdale.

The night before we left, the sun made a spectacle of its setting.

Hope you enjoyed these photos and stay tuned this week for a new post every day!

-Dominic

Mobile Photo(s) (3-26-10)

2010-03-26T14:05:00.002-04:00

I have a bonus this week. Instead of just one mobile photo, I'm going to post several!

This is Anth, Hannah, myself, and Christy at Cypress Gardens during the Miller's trip down to our place a couple weeks ago for Spring Break. Thanks to Heidi for taking this.

At Mt. Lemmon near Tucson.

Arizona Skyline...

These are mobile photos describing my life for the last couple weeks!

It's been a good couple weeks...

-Dominic

Gone

2010-03-22T06:20:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you all know that I will be in Arizona for the next couple weeks. Going back to visit old friends and family, and also to work on a dream project of mine - shooting photos and video of the Grand Canyon. It's been a long time since I've been there... Our good friend, Russ Miller, will be guiding our team. This is exciting! Prayers are much appreciated.

I will have limited internet access, so this will probably be the last post for a little while until I get back home...

Laters!

-Dominic

Epic Fail

2010-03-13T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you've been following my Twitter feed, or my Facebook page, you've probably heard that I've been shooting with a Canon Elan 7n film camera lately. I was really excited to use some throw back technology for artistic purposes. So, I shot lots of photos with Black and White film.

The film was old. The following is the only retrievable frame from the film.

Yeah... Epic fail...

-Dominic

P.S. I did, however, get some brand new B&W film to shoot with, so hopefully I'll be able to get some good shots with that... especially at the Grand Canyon next month.

Lightroom Preset Downloads

2010-03-12T19:00:00.000-05:00

Hey!

I developed a few Lightroom Presets - download them and check 'em out!
Crisp - http://www.blockonestudios.com/html/dominicdimaria/crisp-dominicdimariapreset.zip
Old School (B&W and Color versions) http://blockonestudios.com/dominicdimaria/oldschool-dominicdimaria.zip

Or you can download them over at PresetsHeaven!

-Dominic

Volkswagen Elektrisch Gitarre

2010-03-10T19:00:00.000-05:00

Some of you may know that I am an avid guitar player. I love the instrument. I play mainly praise music, but I have also recently taken up classical. There is something very soothing about playing the guitar...

Anyways, some of you may also remember a couple years back when Volkswagen released a line of guitars to go with the purchase of some of their cars. Well, my dad happened to know someone who happened to buy a new VW. This person also happened to know that I play the guitar. She gave me the guitar! For which I was very thankful.

So, yesterday I was experimenting with my 7D, my old D40, and a Canon Elan 7n film camera. I have yet to get the film processed, but the following are a couple shots I took with my 7D and retouched in Lightroom.

My Volkswagen guitar...

-Dominic

SC '71

2010-03-09T17:04:00.001-05:00

Well, today I was doing some experimentation and decided to take my D40 out of storage for some shots. I was shooting with my 7D, Elan 7n film body, and then the D40.

I put on my 50mm f/1.8 prime and shot one of my retro license plates. Then I took the photo into Lightroom and used my Old School B&W preset with some modifications, and here it is.

SC '71, originally uploaded by dominicdimaria.

An SC license plate from 1971...

-Dominic

Eyes

2010-03-08T18:01:00.000-05:00

Anthony's eyes.

With a Lightroom preset and some editing...

-Dominic

life.

2010-03-03T11:04:00.000-05:00

This is my latest video. I shot all this video in its entirety yesterday, and I used Chad Stembridge's GlideTrack for every shot in the film.

Shot on Canon EOS 7D. Edited in Final Cut Pro. No CC.

This film is dedicated to my mother because most of the subjects in most of the shots are of her doing. Whether it be her decorating, her candles, etc. she is responsible for how I see home life everyday.

life. from Dominic DiMaria on Vimeo.

Let me know what you think!

I love the GlideTrack...

-Dominic

Hangin'

2010-03-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

Last Christmas I received an IKEA Asker for hanging my prints up. Yesterday, I was finally able to mount it and hang some prints I had sitting around on it. It's a pretty awesome doo-hicky - I love it!

Okay, this one may take a little more explaining than the top one. Ya see, I had this old pair of jeans that had some really cool-looking paint stains on them, and I thought, "I'm going to use these for something artistic someday." So, I kept them. Then I had an unfortunate incident playing football one day that resulted in a pair of my plaid shorts getting basically destroyed. That's when the idea came. I decided to cut both items apart, glue them together to a piece of wood and create a slide-in picture frame. Enter piece of wood. We had a towel stand in our bathroom that had a few shelves on it. Eventually it got worn down by all the humidity in the bathroom and my family was getting rid of it. So, I took the biggest shelf as , you guessed it, my piece of wood! I used craft glue, scissors, and a sharpie (and one tiny piece of duct tape) to put this puppy together. Once it was together, I just slid my print in!

I think it turned out...okay...

-Dominic

Mobile (2-21-10)

2010-02-21T21:49:00.001-05:00

Here is this week's mobile photo.

This is my view of the floor at the Trident Technical College testing area.

I took this after my last test there...

-Dominic

Tow Chain

2010-02-19T22:59:00.000-05:00

This, my friends, is a tow chain...

-Dominic

Changes

2010-02-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

Recently there have been a lot of changes to this site. With Blogger's addition of being able to add pages to this blog, I have been able to develop it into a fully functional website without having to worry about paying additional hosting. So, because of this new feature, I have been making major additions to this site.

The main change is obvious: I have several more pages in my menu bar. I've removed the About Me section on the side bar of the blog page, and added an entire new page where you can find out more about me. I've also added a page linking to all of my social networking pages including my Flickr stream - feel free to add me as a contact! My all new Twitter feed - follow me! My Facebook Fan page - become a fan and get updates! And, for videos, my Vimeo channel, and, of course, YouTube channel. (You can also find all the same links on the sidebar now.)

I also made the purchase of my domain, www.dominicdimaria.com, so you can now simply type my name plus a little ".com" into your browser and, boom, you're here.

Keep your eyes open for additional...um... additions, and more and more content to be added here! I plan on really expanding the content I put on here. With my 7D, there are several videos I am planning on making, so also be on the lookout for those!

Hope you enjoy this site!

-Dominic

Southern Snow Storm

2010-02-18T09:20:00.000-05:00

Hey! Here is the first video I shot and edited with my Canon EOS 7D. I had some rendering issues in Premiere so I couldn't get an HD version up, but I may try it again in Final Cut... we'll see.

Southern Snow Storm from Dominic DiMaria on Vimeo.

7D... And Snow (For Real)

2010-02-13T16:54:00.000-05:00

Okay, let me tell a little story. I've been saving my pennies for a Canon 7D ever since I learned how much better the video features were than the Nikon D300s. I would have preferred to stick with Nikon, but the video side is so important to me that Canon's 7D won the bet. I happen to be a filmmaker, so video is something very very important to me.

So, I was praying that God would provide. And He was. I was having some steadier work and was getting very close to the mark. Then... work stopped. I didn't have any jobs for a while, and wasn't really making any money.

I have some great friends coming to visit next month and my goal was to have the camera by the time they came, so I could document their visit with not only photos, but high quality video, too. So, I prayed that God would just provide this camera. The very next morning, Geno and Chad come running down the stairs from the studio to tell me that Amazon is selling the Canon 7D kit for $100 less than B&H. I was so close to the price with what I had saved, but still did not have quite enough. Geno and Chad very generously offered to pay the extra amount. So, I prayed about it for a few hours, then ordered it! The very next day, the camera went up about another $80. Had I waited, I would not have been able to buy it.

It arrived yesterday, just in time for a very rare occurance: it snowed. Yes, here in SC, we got 3 inches of beautiful snow. Perfect timing. God provided the subject and the equipment to shoot it with. Jesus is amazing.

The following are photos taken with just this morning with my new Canon 7D.

I'm also working on a video of this snow storm. Hope to have it finished up by next weekend! Be looking for it here on my blog...

-Dominic

P.S. Here is a photo of me with my new camera.

Photo credit goes to Chad Stembridge for this one.

Mobile Photo (2-10-10)

2010-02-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

This week's mobile photo:

It's a lamp...

-Dominic

Mobile Photo (2-3-09)

2010-02-03T16:17:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's mobile photo, peeps!

My guitar doesn't have a normal sound hole, it has F holes...

-Dominic

Geno

2010-02-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

So, today Geno asked me to take a new photo of him, so he could upload a new profile picture to Facebook. The following is the result.

Lightroom is pretty much my favorite...

-Dominic

Mobile Photo (1-26-10)

2010-01-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's mobile photo!

Going Mobile

2010-01-19T16:37:00.000-05:00

Recently I watched a very intriguing, inspiring interview on PhotoshopUserTV. Scott Kelby was interviewing Chase Jarvis about Chase's style, inspiration, etc. One of the issues that was prominent through the interview was "What is the BEST camera?" Chase Jarvis made a very interesting point when he said that the BEST camera is the one you have with you. He said whether it be a $8000 Nikon or an iPhone, the camera you have with you is the BEST camera to snap the photo with.

Chase has some truly incredible iPhone photography, and it inspired me to pull out my cell phone and see what kind of art I can create with my little 2 megapixel camera in my Motorola Rival.

The following were all taken with my Rival, and edited in either Lightroom 3 Beta or Photoshop.

I think now that I've discovered how fun and inspiring this is, I'll try to post a new mobile photo every week...That should be fun...

-Dominic

Ansel Adams

2010-01-18T17:06:00.000-05:00

www.anseladams.com

Here's a very interesting and totally cool video I just came across.

Snow! (Kinda)

2010-01-11T17:52:00.000-05:00

Well, here in the south, it doesn't really snow much... like, at all. So, we have to go to great lengths to create our own illusions of snow. Today, we created paper snow flakes.

And this bottom photo, ladies and gents, is the honorary Block One Studios snow flake. Can you kinda sorta make out our logo on there?

I was having flashbacks from my origami napkin-folding days while doing this...

Rembrandt Lighting

2010-01-06T19:23:00.000-05:00

Rembrandt lighting...

This is the result of my first tethered shoot. I used the free Windows application called DIY Camera Control. I would also eventually like to do one using the free Mac app Sofortbild... we'll see.

Shot on: Nikon D40, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8.

Specs: Aperture - f/1.8, Shutter - 1/200th, ISO - 200, Exposure Comp. - +1.3 stops, Exposure Mode - Manual.

-Dominic

New Post

2010-01-05T22:39:00.001-05:00

Lightroom Musings

2009-12-06T13:09:00.000-05:00

Here are several of my latest experiments in the new Lightroom 3 Public Beta.

Geno

2009-11-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

Hey!

I just wanted to post a recent portrait I took of Geno. On Saturday he worked his last day at our local Sears Dealer Store before going into filmmaking full time. So, as a bit of inspiration for his new line of work, I got him an ivy hat!

I edited this in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta following Scott Kelby's latest class on Kelby Training. Lightroom 3 is a free Beta download until April, and so far I am absolutely blown away by it!

Lightroom rocks...

Dominic

P.S. Oh, I also wanted to mention I took this with some new glass I recently purchased: Nikon's Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D. I am really really uber pleased with it so far and I am hoping to do a post about it some time...

Block One Studios.com

2009-11-09T17:07:00.000-05:00

Hey!

Just wanted to announce that we have officially launched our Block One Studios website! There is still much development to do to finish up the site, but we will be adding content regularly, so stay tuned!

-Dominic

BROS Is Out!

2009-10-09T08:01:00.000-04:00

Hey all!

BROS is officially released today! Click here to view the entire film online for free!

Enjoy, and God bless!

-Dominic

New Look

2009-10-07T17:50:00.000-04:00

Hey again!

Just wanted to announce the newest new design for my blog/site. I'm changing my design scheme quite a bit this time, as you can see. The site is not complete yet, but the blog images are here!

-Dominic

River Run Farms

2009-10-06T18:01:00.000-04:00

Last week we went to River Fun Farms to pick up some beef we had ordered from them, and Dr. Oliver was kind enough to show us around his farm.

The Donkeys were great, but this was my favorite animal:

This is one great dog...

-Dominic

New Design

2009-09-22T17:36:00.000-04:00

Hey all! Sorry I haven't posted on here this month - been really busy! But I wanted to make sure I got at least one post in this month, so I figured I'd announce my new working design. As you can see there is a new header image here on my blog, but, aside from moving my blog to a new address, I'm also working on my new site design, which I will hopefully be able to finish soon.

Since I'm working on a logo and site design job right now, my own site may have to wait for a little while, but I'm really excited about the changes.

I'm also really hoping to do some more shooting here soon - I haven't had much time to do it lately... so hopefully there will be some more content coming soon! Just wanted to update and say I have nothing to update about...

Toodles!

-Dominic

Corn

2009-08-07T16:09:00.000-04:00

A couple days ago after breakfast I noticed that the sun was beaming an incredible light down onto our garden. Currently our garden contains some dead corn that has an amazing golden tint to it. So, I snagged my camera and ran out there. I was really amazed at the color that came through in the photos.

So, there you have it! Corn...

-Dominic

HDR

2009-07-29T16:36:00.001-04:00

2009-05-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

Hey there! Man, it's been forever since I posted on here. Things have been really busy and this will most likely be the last post for while, because we start shooting BROS on Thursday! You can follow that production here: www.us4him.com/bros.

Anyways, lately I've decided to shoot in RAW. I don't really like it but I'm going to have to get used to it sooner or later...and I'd prefer sooner.

Also, I've discovered a new love for Black and White photography. Since I got my speedlight, I've been trying to learn more about flash photography and portaiture. I'm a big fan of Low-Key (dark dramatic, interesting) portraits. I was told after a couple of tries at low-key portraits that my lighting should be more of a strip of light across a certain area of the model, rather than a regular large, bright light illuminating the whole area.

So, with that in mind and my camera set to B&W and RAW, I recruited Anth to be in my photo.

Now, I was able to get a semi small circle of light by using my home made flash snoot. I was actually looking into buying a snoot for my flash, but for the money I thought I could probably find something around the house that might work for the time being. I would recommend using a piece of black cardstock rolled up to create however large of small of an opening you like, and depending how close you are, setting your flash to a lower setting. I believe I had mine set to 1/4 power because I was pretty close to my subject.

So anyways, hope you like the photo and expect to see some more black and white stuff around here from now on! I won't totally switch to black and white because color has a lot of value in my opinion. But I do love black and white images, and I'd like to practice a little more with it.

Until next time (which may not be for a little while), see ya!

-Dominic

Full Website Launch!

2009-04-25T14:27:00.000-04:00

Greetings!

I'm very very excited to announce the final site design has been completed and launched!

Head over to http://www.paintinglightphotography.com/ and check it out!

-Dominic

The Old Churchyard

2009-04-11T17:40:00.000-04:00

Well, Chad Stembridge gave me some awesome Photoshop brushes today, and with these new brushes, I was able to create this image in probably less than ten minutes.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Old Churchyard:

These brushes are incredible...

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

I've Done It

2009-04-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

I made the leap. I told you some thing big was coming. Now, I will tell you what the big thing is. So, here it is. Are you ready? Okay, I'm gonna tell you:

I bought a Speedlight!

Here's a couple images I've taken with it. They're nothing spectacular, but I was really surprised at how natural the light looks coming off of the flash unit.

It's flash photography, the final frontier. I will now immerse myself in the world that so many a photographer have inhabited before me. Now I begin the new journey of flash photography...

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

Announcement!

2009-04-04T10:52:00.000-04:00

Hello again!

Today I'm very excited to introduce my new website: www.paintinglightphotography.com/!

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

Black and White

2009-04-03T16:53:00.000-04:00

Howdy again!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, but things got really busy again.

A couple months ago I was doing some in-camera black and white. Of course, it doesn't look as good as B&W that could done in post-production, but I did get a couple decent shots; so, I decided to post 'em on here!

2008-12-12T14:07:00.001-05:00

Well, okay, yesterday the temperature went up from like the 50's to the 70's...In December. So, yeah, it was a little warm (and humid) for Winter. However, with the warmth and humidity came the storm clouds. It looked dismal and gray all day long until about 6:00 (I think...) when I looked outside and saw gold light everywhere. It was really really amazing. So, I grabbed my camera bag and ran outside. Now, thanks to my new WarmCards I had a really nice warm White Balance set, so the photos I took turned out really well.

(BTW, THIS IS MY 100TH PHOTO ON THIS BLOG!!!)

So, yeah, I'm really happy with how they turned out!

Also, I wanted to mention that I haven't been retouching photos a whole lot lately. I think it's because I've been learning a lot about photography lately, so I know enough that I can set the look I want in camera. It's pretty cool...

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

The Joy of Digital Photography - Review

2008-12-02T18:50:00.000-05:00

It's here! My video review of the book, The Joy of Digital Photography.

Enjoy!

(If you are having trouble viewing this video or would like to see it in MUCH better quality, click here or you can view it on the side bar)

Also, for my birthday my mom got me a set of WarmCards. I got them in the mail today and tried them out. Here are a couple tests.

This one was taken with a warm White Balance setting.

And this one was taken with a cooler setting.

So, yeah, they're pretty neat little things. I already recommend them! You can find them here. They're pretty sweet...

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

The OTHER Photos

2008-11-14T16:52:00.001-05:00

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF "THE OTHER PICTURES."

A Trip to Patriots Point

2008-11-13T16:23:00.001-05:00

Well, this past weekend we had a surprise visit from our good friends the Stembridge's, and we went on an excursion to Patriots Point! For those of you who aren't sure what Patriots Point is, it's the area in Mt. Pleasant where the military has placed the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, and the USS Clamagore submarine. They are open for tour, and I took a bunch of pictures. Very tricky lighting conditions in there; I was constantly having to change around my aperture, flash, and shutter speed trying to get the right lighting. I did feel like I've made a lot of progress in learning my camera, though; I really felt like I knew what to change and when, so that was good.

Anyways, here are some (unretouched) photos from Patriots Point!

This one could use a little work, but that's Yorktown.

On the pier, walking to the Yorktown. That is the Arthur Ravenell Jr. Bridge.

Here's a photo of the Clamagore, which we toured later in the day.

This is a photo of an escape hatch in the Yorktown.

A good ol' regular hatch in the Yorktown.

Okay, now that we're past some of the somewhat lame photos, here are some more artsy ones.

Whew, I think that's the most photos I've ever posted on here in one post! Well, that's all for now, folks!

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

P.S. Oh, yeah, thought you might want to see this:

Yeah, I hit my head on it...

Finally Fall

2008-11-08T16:38:00.000-05:00

Well, it's finally Fall, although here that just means that it's gonna be cool in the morning and will be about 75 degrees in the heat of the day.

Anyways, I digress, as usual...

So, this morning I went outside and took some photos. This one I took with an extremely washed out sky...

So, then I changed Shutter Speed and Aperture and got a better one...

But I still wasn't totally happy with some of my washed out whites, so I turned to...Photoshop!Alas, I am still not satisfied, and I don't believe this is what I would call a "good" photo of mine. I may have to try something else...

Yours Cheesey,

Dominic

A New Style of Portrait

2008-10-22T12:32:00.000-04:00

Wow, I haven't posted in a while. I haven't been taking a whole lot of photos lately because I've been busy with school during the week and hunting on the weekends.

Anyways, I recently developed a new type of portrait...The Reverse Portrait!

2008-07-12T21:21:00.003-04:00

Here's photos of all kinds from the beginning of this month...

Here are some aperture tests. You'll see that I closed my iris quite a bit and then gradually openned it back up...

Every Tuesday and Thursday I walk with my (dearest) mother early in the morning. Lately I've been bringing my camera with me and snapping a few photos. Every now and again there are some incredible situations that just need to be photographed.

Here's picture of my cute little friend, Snoopy.

And a picture of an impending storm that looked rather threatening.

And one more artsy photo...
Yours Cheesey,

The Vision Poster - New and Improved

2008-05-06T20:18:00.000-04:00

It's not finished, but I think it's turned out pretty good so far... I'll post the finished one on here when I'm done.

Beware of Viruses

2008-04-17T08:14:00.000-04:00

RED ALERT!

Hey, if any of you see a comment that says "See please Here" (with Here as a link) don't click on it. It's a new virus called XP Anti-Virus 2008 that is disguised as an anti-virus software and is feeding itself into various sites like Blogger, Photobucket, etc. I've already had to delete several comments like this so if you see one please leave a comment or e-mail me saying that there's another one and I'll remove it as soon as possible.

Again, if you see a comment that says "See please Here" do not follow the link. It will automatically download onto your computer and infect your system.

-Dominic