Aroostook's Best

Photograph by Ken Lamb & Becky Shea - Used with Permission

Just after the club started some years ago, I remember telling the members that Aroostook County could produce some of the best photographers in the State of Maine. The club was diverse coming from many different photographic backgrounds, sports, wildlife, landscape and portraiture. All of us had an enthusiasm for photography and most importantly, the desire to learn, grow and share our skills with others.

Living in Aroostook County we are far from the rest of the world. It is hard to get good education in areas such as Photography. But my wife Eva new a fellow student that went to the same school she had while living in Africa. Chris and Cami Smith of "Chris & Cami Photography" are professional wedding photographers. It is their business and the only thing that they do for a living.

About three years ago Chris and Cami came up to do a workshop called “Bending the Light 411” that focused on flash photography. It was excellent and the spark we needed to un-leased a wave of creativity that is still developing today. Even in new members that came into the club after Chris & Cami’s workshop, shared by those in the club that were there those two days.

This brings me to the photograph above that was produced by Ken Lamb and Becky Shea. When I saw them pair up to form a business, called Sha-Lam Photography, I instantly knew things were going to take off! Ken brought to the table a commitment to quality (not saying that Becky didn’t as well) and a tenacious desire to improve. Becky brought an incredible ability to connect and work with people, both have a great sense of humor, both are exceptional photographers. It was pretty obvious that they were going to make it in this business and do well at it too.

I spend a lot of time looking at photographs. I know a good shot when I see one because I go back to it time and time again. I may place many that are of interest into the “Flickr Favorites” but few really grab me. Maybe one in a thousand photographs really catches my eye. There is an unusual quality about a great photograph that can’t be explained… great ones are magical. This one amongst several others on their website did just that. Let’s take a look at this one more closely, click to enlarge.

Notice the composition. The placement of the keys interlocking through the wedding bands, a metaphorical meaning to say the least. Look at the quality of the light, soft and defused but clear. The color balance is just right. Even though the light is a yellowish orange the silver of the rings and the diamonds stays true. The Depth of Field is just perfect (the area in focus is on the rings). And the Bokeh (the soft defused areas of a photograph) are wonderful, both with the flower arrangement in the rear and in the reflection of the ring/keys in the mirror. To create a photograph like this takes hours and hours of practice. The work put in to improve themselves as photographers shows.

Any good photographer could critique this and suggest changes, but I don’t think that any would improve this photograph at all. It is just a wonderful piece of work! Congratulations Becky and Ken!!!

To see more of their work please go to their website at the link above.

Shazam Sha-Lam!

Photograph by Becky Shea & Ken Lamb Used with Permission

Ken Lamb and Becky Shea work in their client's barn with their old MGB. Using multiple flashes in front and behind adds the magic of light and life to the scene. It was turned to a B&W during post processing. Neat stuff!