Zombies Invade Crypticon!

Last night I had an experience with the walking dead as they invaded the 2011 Crypticon expo. Gathered via social media (who would think zombies knew how to use a computer?) the several hundred plus crowd of zombies shuffled their way from the Westlake transit station to the Crypticon expo in SeaTac. Here are a few photos from last night's madness.
Eric Pope, the Zombie General, organizes the horde just outside the Westlake Transit station.
Surprisingly, the undead were as well-behaved on the Light Rail as the living.
For any zombies from last night's Zombie Walk that are interested in purchasing any photos, you can email me for info. I'm offering 5x7 and 6x8 prints screen-printed onto glass, plus standard 5x7 and 8x10 prints. Prices available via email.
Crypticon, the Pacific Northwest's premier horror convention, had a few zombie themed events for the walking dead to enjoy last night. There also was a lot of zombie-themed mayhem.
There are more images on my Picasa and Facebook pages. Captions and descriptions are to come soon! And if you want to visit the Crypticon home page, click on this link.

All images are © Tony Leonhardt, Art by Leonhardt Photography, 2011.

Please don't use images on websites, blogs or other media without consent of the photographer. Use prohibited for commercial purposes without prior written authorization.

Emergency Whistle, Rapture Whistle

Considering that the interwebs are abuzz with the advent of the Rapture -at least, according to Facebook and Twitter updates- I feel that now is a time where one simply cannot leave the house without bringing a trusty ©Rapture Whistle.


What to do when the end of the world is nigh? Do not fear! Frighten away those thieves in the night with a whistle that clamors with the strength of seven trumpets from on high.

This pocket-sized powerhouse packs quite the punch, and also can be handily accessorized with a lanyard. An item to use only in extreme emergencies -like the 2011 Rapture or the imminent Armageddon- the ©Rapture Whistle will ward off avenging angels faster than a fresh coating of lamb's blood on your door mantle.

Remember, this item is for use only in case of Rapture. When it comes to the end of the world as we know it, the best form of self-defense is an angelic whistle meant for offense.

Taking orders via email and Paypal. Items will ship within 4-5 business days.

Mixing Paint II

As a Seattle based wedding photographer, I typically enjoy shooting photos more than the post-production and editing process. There are so many different types of photo editing software available that it can become easy to get lost in the various selections or stuck on a specific program. So this post is a testing phase for which editing program I enjoy using most for the post-production of both my Puget Sound located and destination wedding photography.
The original image, shot at the gorgeous Hidden Meadows -north of Seattle- using a Nikon D80 and a Lensbaby composer. No post-production attempted.
The first revision of the image, using the Apple Aperture program.
The second post-production attempt, this one accomplished using the Nikon Capture NX 2 software program.
The third editing attempt, relying on the standard Adobe RAW editing program.
The last post-production effort, using Adobe Lightroom to modify the image.

While I have the most experience using both Lightroom and Aperture, I found that the software that I loved the most to work with was actually the Capture NX 2 program. This software is very similar to Lightroom, but surpasses much of what Adobe's program offers in terms of image control. I feel the photo yielded by the Nikon program delivers a better, more satisfying image than the results achieved using Lightroom.

The only thing worth noting is that the NX 2 software is probably best used for specific images -portfolio material. When it comes to fast batch edits of hundreds or thousands of photos -which I tend to shoot during a wedding- Lightroom performs much better and more quickly than the other programs tend to do.

Granted, my familiarity with each program will only increase through time. Which in turn will improve my workflow. But if you have a chance to try out the Nikon software, give it a go. I bet you'll be pleased with the results also.

Provençal Artwork for Sale!

In addition to the images from Mississippi that I'm offering on sale for Valentine's Day, I also am opening the portfolio of images that I have from Provence, France.
While I was in France, I received a grant to build a portfolio of images in Europe that I wouldn't have the opportunity to produce within the United States. Instead of one series of images, I developed three separate portfolios of work!

These images were photographed in Provence, France, using 4x5 black and white film and shot on a view camera. Exposures were generally 20-30 minutes long and shot on a small aperture using a tripod. Two are from the Mediterranean city of Sanary Sur Mer and the third was in the tiny Provençal village of Lacoste.
So if you're interested in prints, email me for prices and include the phrase "Cupid Stole My Heart" in the subject header. Do that and I'll give a 15% discount on prints, which are available in 8"x10" to 11"x14" and also "16x20" plus 20"x24" sizes. If there is a different print size that you are interested in, I'll work with you to get you the photo you want! Simply shoot me an email! The sale goes until Valentine's, so there is plenty of time to order the print you love for your special Valentine!

Cupid Stole My Heart, pt. 5

This blog post is the last of my updates for my catalogue of photography from Mississippi. Each update features images from my fine art photography catalogue that I'm offering for a Valentine's Day sale. Simply email me with the subject header "Cupid Stole My Heart" and I'll offer a 15% discount on the price of prints.

I suppose you can say I've held onto the ones I like the best for last. These images are among several that have been compared to the Color Field paintings by Mark Rothko-which I've considered a huge compliment.
The deliberate process that I took while shooting this series -over a span of four days- yielded a total of 25 portfolio images. I attribute that success to the subject matter and style I used to capture the images. I've always held a desire to return and re-photograph the area, or even in other places that have been damaged by natural disaster.

The image below is of a church steeple that was knocked to the ground from the force of the hurricane. If you look closely, you can see the oxidation of the metal from years of exposure to the elements.
So this week I've been busy posting blog entries of the entire series -in sequences of 5 images- that I'm offering for my Valentine's Day sale, but if you want to see the entire collection of images you can visit the gallery that I set up online.

All of the photos from this series are available in varying sizes, from 6"x6" to 10"x10" photos even up to 14"x14" or 20"x20" prints. They are all available for this special sale, so contact me via email with any questions you may have!

Cupid Stole My Heart, pt. 4

One more in the series of updates from the series of images I photographed in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast. This sale that I'm offering extends until Valentine's Day itself, so all you need to do is email me with the header "Cupid Stole My Heart" to get a 15% discount on your prints.
Image sizes range from 6"x6" to 10"x10" photos -or even up to 14"x14" or 20"x20" prints. So there is a size available for any wall space!
After seeing vast destroyed landscapes of the Gulf coast my focus for the entire series was to pull the view of the camera in close, to capture a piece of the tragedy, and focus on what beauty could be found in the still remains of what was left behind.
Each image was shot analog, on film, using a Hasselblad camera. Working with available light, each image was carefully composed using camera, tripod and a lot of patience.
After I complete the posts for this series of images, tomorrow I will feature a new portfolio of black and white photography. This entire week is going to showcase multiple images and portfolios -all available for the "Cupid Stole My Heart" Valentine's Day sale.
So feel free to email me if you have any questions. I'm more than happy to accommodate to the best of my ability.

Cupid Stole My Heart, pt. 3

As I've been plugging away at today, I'm offering a Valentine's Day sale on my fine art photography. Email me with the subject header "Cupid Stole My Heart" to get a 15% discount on this series of images that I shot in Mississippi several months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf coast.

Images from this series are available in varying sizes, from 6"x6" to 10"x10" photos even up to 14"x14" or 20"x20" prints. I'm opening my entire image catalogue -including these images here- for this special sale, so contact me with any questions you may have!This image below features 100% genuine Katrina mud that, according to a local I spoke with, seeped up drywall paneling to attach itself to the original wooden planks the building was constructed with. After the drywall was pried away, the mud remained.
This image I captured inside of an abandoned restaurant. The plaster wall had actually been knocked away in this exact manner. I wonder if you see the same thing that I did..
One of the most noticeable things throughout buildings that, though standing, were condemned and abandoned was the random objects left behind. This image has one, if only you know where to look.

As late as it currently is, I am going to post more images tomorrow. Following the updates for this current image portfolio, you'll see more fantastic fine art photography to come! So feel free to email me with questions or requests!