Journal
Read MoreJoin the J.Pecora Photography Email list! - 02.28.2014
Hello everybody! It's less than 24 hours away from March and in the single digits out there! It's hard to imagine Spring is just around the corner, but if you sit by a window and feel the sun there is no doubt :). Spring is coming!
I am starting an Email list as a way for me to share community events, other interesting happenings, special offers, seasonal portrait events, and referral programs.
It is my hopes that I can make it into something you look forward to reading and not just a stream of adverts.
The Print shoot and package winner will be announced on March 13th!
Looking forward to seeing your email on the list!Aura - 02.08.2014
Learn to Light with me!
What was needed: Glow sticks, Off camera flash, flash sync cable or wireless trigger, Black background, Something to block flash from background such as black side of reflector. One subject, One assistant, friend, or fiance.
Camera settings: f-6.3, 20 second shutter exposure, ISO 800, 77mm focal length.
Method: You are going to want an assistant to accomplish this shot. This is because your work space has to be very dark to capture the glow sticks. You could try the timer on your camera but than you will be racing back to your posing position in the dark and risk tripping over your lights.
With the lights on, have the subject pose and hide the glow sticks within their reach. Once the shot is composed turn off the lights, tip toe back to the camera without kicking your tripod and throwing off the composition, then hit the shutter release.
The strobe flash will freeze the subject in place. Once the Flash goes off the subject grabs the glow sticks and spins them around while imitating techno music for the remainder of the exposure time. Presto!, you got a light Aura!
Note: Replacing the glow sticks with something brighter such as LED light sticks would allow you to shoot with a shorter exposure time in a room that isn't completely dark. But as always the best gear to use for a shot is the gear you have with you.studio portrait fun experimental glow sticks francelys fabian joe pecora j.pecora photography hazleton pennsylvania professionalfeb
Hazleton Out Town Radio
02.04.2014 - The band Room For Error performing during a live interview at OurTownRadio.
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02.04.2014 - A detail shot of some of the equipment used at OurTownRadio.
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02.04.2014 - I had a chance to meet, OurTownRadio (OTR) ,a local internet radio group based out of McAdoo P.A. this week while doing a shoot for the April cover story of Hazleton Life magazine.
This was my first time inside an internet radio studio, and they had the band "Room For Error" in for a live interview while I was doing the shoot. I had some great laughs and shot some great photos. OTR does great stuff for local music. You can tune in at http://ourtownradio.net/.february 2014 editorial our town radio internet rock interview band music hazleton life magazineourtown
Grapefruit Experiment
01.28.2014 -Learn To Light With Me-
This shot was created by cutting the bottom off of a grapefruit half. A flash was then shot through the bottom of the fruit. The first shot came out overly red to the point where color clipping occurred.
Color clipping occurs when the colors captured become so saturated they go outside of the displayable color range (gamut) ; such as adobe RGB color space. This causes blotches of same color in an image without any tonal transition. Aside from looking weird this also causes loss of detail.
To counteract the over abundance of red in the image I placed a blue gel over the flash shooting through the grapefruit. This brought the color passing through the red flesh to a manageable saturation level and gave the grapefruit this pleasing orange red glow, as well as casting a cool blue outline on the hand holding the subject.january2014hazletonpennsylvaniajpecoraprofessionalhazlebrookfruitexperimentgrapetranslucentglowtextureabstractlighting
Jazz Under the Christmas Tree
I swear he makes this face on purpose whenever I photograph him.
How do you do that?
This is a cool effect I really enjoy. It's not always easy to get but it can really add to an image. The idea is to have a low f-stop say 2.8 and compose the image so there are highlights far ahead or behind your subject. If the highlights in the image are octagonal then you know the lens aperture is also octagonal. Looking at the highlights you can see the aperture on my 77mm is almost completely round when wide open.
Camera settings: F 1.8, Shutter speed 1/30th of a second. Bounce flash used for fill.january 2014 hazleton pennsylvania j pecora professional photographer sugarloaf drums cat christmas lights tree portrait jazz long hair persianjazztree
Love Your Self
We are often our own greatest critics and as such are the greatest reason we don't follow our bliss. Take some time to show yourself some love.
january 2014 hazleton pennsylvania j pecora professional photographer studio hazleton hazle township joe love yourself unconditionally inspirational spiritual writing man maleloveyourself
Snowy Yoga
Self portrait taken while walking the rails to trails in Hazle Township. It was a fun challange setting the 12 second shutter and then climbing up the post to pose before time ran out.
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Ibiyinka Alao and Jerry Pinkney at the 2013 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. I accompanied Ibi to supply documentation of his night for the United Nations. I met so many interesting artists including Jerry Pikney who has illustrated over a hundred books including Asaesop's Fables and The Ugly Duckling.
If there was one thing I learned from these veterans of the arts; it's to never stop following your dreams, never stop creating.governor's awards arts pennsylvania harrisburg whitaker center science and arts october j pecora tuesday2013govawards
Black Light Yoga 3
Practicing Kundalini Yogo under black light at Peace of Mind Yoga in Brook Hill pa. with Joe Longo instructing.
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10.24.2013 - Practicing Kundalini Yogo under black light at Peace of Mind Yoga in Brook Hill pa. with Joe Longo instructing. Kundalini is an awesome and powerful meditative yoga practice focused on awakening the energy at the base of your spine "Kundalini" and working that energy up through to your chakras.
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What's Cooking?
10.22.13 -Happy Halloween season everyone. I hope you are all having fun and staying warm. To make this shot I placed a flash in the pot with a red filter over it. A white piece of foam core was suspended above the stove to reflect off the dark reflective surface and bring out it's details. A fill flash was placed to camera left for general fill.
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Peace Signing
10.11.2013 - Having a great time in the studio with my brother Phill and our freind Ibi. Phill is a masterful chef specialized in baking and pastry arts. Ibi is an amazing painter and the art ambassador of Nigeria . Ibi lent us dashiki robes to wear during the shoot.
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Sunset in Hazle Brook
10.07.13 - A beautiful sun setting in Hazle Brook pa. Sunsets are like master pieces painted by the Earth and the Sun.
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10.03.2013 - Went on a photo hike with another local photographer and friend Joe Longo to the Seven tubs near Wilkes-barre. The sun was a little shy at first but after a little while it came out and gave us some beautiful images.
It's a beautiful trail, and it's not long at all. If you are ever in the area don't miss it!pennsylvaniaseventubshikingtrailwilkesbarreoutdoorsphotographyphotographerjoepecoralongostreamsrockformations
Up Up and Away 09.27.2013
A hike to the top of the white cliff trail in West Virginia. I decided I wasn't high enough and flew up into the sky to get a better view.
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08.26.2013
Had a great time hanging out by a campfire this past weekend. I would take a night outdoors with good friends over a night at a club or any other commercial establishment.
Something about sitting around a fire playing music feels like home.fire camp camping flame flames couple love outdoors hippy folk hazlton drums pennsylvania nightimgp0025
08.03.2013
Had A nice morning supporting the runners during the 5k in Conyngham. The run was held as part of the annual valley day festivities!
Congratulations to everyone for completing the race, and to those who placed as well.
My sister Becca place 1st in her age group and my fiance places 3rd in the same age group. Our friend placed third over all in the 8 mile run and was the first of the woman to complete the run!
Keep enjoying the summer!
~J.Pecora
Check me out on your favorite social networks! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Joe.P.Photog
Tumblr: http://jpecoraphotography.tumblr.com/
or Twitter: https://twitter.com/JPPhotogJuly 2013 summer 5k valley day sugarloaf conyngham fran becca jenny 8 mile run running athleticIMGP9763Edit
07.22.2013
Today I am Sharing a very important event in my life :)!
While In Hawaii I proposed, and my Fiance, Francelys Fabian, said yes!
We had a great time doing a self portrait engagement shoot yesterday along the Lehigh River in Jim Thorpe. This is where we had out first date.
I am the last of five men in my family to be getting married so we will have to make this wedding a good one.
I'm looking forward to many more amazing years with my sweet heart, best friend, and greatest supporter.
As always I hope everyone is having a wonderful life!
~J.PecoraJuly 2013 Family 4th of july independance day summer home hazleton sugarloaf pennsylvaniaIMGP9599Edit
07.02.2013
Today I am designing new business cards!
I am excited to start handing them out. All my business cards are designed by yours truly :)!
Here is a peek at one of my designs. Making smoke in Photoshop is always lots of fun!
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
As always much love to you all,
~J.Pecora06.01.2013
I've been doing a lot of experimenting with light lately, and this is one of my more challenging shots so far.
It's not easy to light your subject through a screen, if you light them from the front then the screen will catch most of the light and the subject behind it remains dark.
To pull this shot off I hid a flash behind the solid door and angled is so that some of the light silhouetted my dog, and the rest of it bounced of the wall to camera left and lit the front of his face.
Total lights used two, the sun and one flash05.17.2013
This is my pup Loki helping me with a set in the J.Pecora Studio.
I know I say that sarcastically as he mostly lays around and gets fur on the backdrop.
I have to give him credit though, when I'm free he's always up for an adventure, and after a long day he's always down to chill on the couch and do nothing.
When he misbehaves he teaches me patience, but he always shows me love04.29.2013
I dug this shirt out of my dresser today, It was given to me from one of my previous employers while I was still attending Penn State.
She had made a very positive impact on me while I was working in her cafe as a waiter-cashier-dishwasher, and occasionally kitchen assistant.
That was the first place I was able to display my art work to the public.
Sometimes I miss working there and waiting on the Mayor of Hazleton every morning, and all of the other great people that came through.
Waiting on people isn't my dream job, obviously photography is, but It's always been something I enjoy doing.
You never know who you might meet, and what wisdom can be gained from a stranger whose path crosses yours if only for a moment.04.27.2013
A great game of night time Crockett with the RPO.
"Wicked Wickets" Course Hazards included holes dug for apple tree saplings.phill kate grandmom pecora crocket fun family night sugarloaf AprilIMGP6759Edit
04.05.2013
Went for the first bike ride of the year. So glad it's Spring again,
I hope you all get a chance to enjoy the awesome weather!AprilApril bike bycicle outdoors hiking hazleton stippin joe springIMGP6652Edit
02.16.2013 - Did some fun studio shoots with two different couples this week. I really enjoy being around two people and capturing the deep connection and love between them.
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Tumblr: http://jpecoraphotography.tumblr.com/
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Much love to the world!
~Joe Pecora
Me finding zen in my studio.couple couples portrait valentines day love white red married marriagecouple couples portrait valentines day love white red married ma
01.19.2013 - Hey all, I'm starting to run promotions. To help build my portfolio and meet new types of clientele.
These promotions are major discounts on photo sessions.
The first promotion I want to run is for people in a similar situation to my own.
Starting a new business, or selling locally created goods; whether the goods are clothing designs, hand made jewelry, wood works, etc.
Anything is fair game as long as it is business or product focused.
These projects can be studio shoots, or on location.
This major discount will apply to the First Four clients to contact me and schedule a shoot.
Quality imaging helps portray professionalism and pride in ones product or service.
If you are interested or you know someone who might be interested, send me an email!
Also if you have another kind of shoot you'd like to see me run a promotion on in the future let me know.
~J.Pecora12.05.12 - A couple weeks ago, I was making apple cider with the family. My father has a beautiful little apple orchard so all of the apples used were home grown.
The sun was striking this pot of flowers and lighting it so nicely, and one of the photos I took was a double exposure. At the time it just seemed like a silly fun photo.
Now with the days growing shorter, it reminds me that even though we might be bundled up trying to stay warm, spring is only a few short months away.
I hope everyone is staying warm.
~J.PecoraWell, It's the end of another awesome summer. I had a lot of fun hanging out with long time friends, and our new friend Ibiyinka Alao.
I Finally have a great website up, and am looking forward to sharing a lot more of my work in the coming months.
I hope you all had an awesome summer, and hope we can all learn to love one another a little more and work together towards a great future in these crazy times.