Posts from the ‘photojournalism’ Category
The World Series Time-Lapse
Lately, as I’ve been transitioning into cinematography, I’ve been experimenting with time-lapse photography. I’ve had a lot of practice while working on my latest project, Betrayed, (a motion picture short shot exclusively with the 5D Mark II staring Seth Gilliam from ‘The Wire’, Cara Buono from ‘The Sopranos‘ and PJ Sosko and is due out very soon!) so I decided to take what I’d learned to the World Series because I thought it would be a great opportunity to attempt this hit-or-miss process.
This time-lapse is a compilation of over 5,000 still-images I took from 3 cameras from about 25 locations, all around the inside/outside of Yankee Stadium, that gives a narrative of attending a game-winning World Series during the inaugural season of baseball’s most famous stadium.
This was probably one of the most tiring and time-consuming processes I’ve undertaken with still-photography. I arrived at Yankees Stadium around 3PM prior to the game and began scouting out locations for the time-lapse. The process itself took many hours and required me to rush around the monstrous stadium – scaling the upper decks, zipping back and forth from the outfield to the infield, and inside and out. Finally, I arrived home around 1:30AM and began downloading to my computer the 125GB (12,000 images) of RAW footage I’d collected.
After properly organizing all the files, I set my computer to stitch and render all the still images together in a low-resolution format just so I could see if the time-lapse actually worked. Exhausted, I finally got to bed around 5:30 AM while my computer rendered the files down. Given that the time-lapse consisted only of still images and not video, the files were 3-4 times the size of HD! Needless to say, my computer spent a good chunk of time rendering all the data.
The next morning, I woke up early to check out what I’d shot, and was truly excited by what I saw; the already visually interesting images came to life in a surreal way.
Finally, after stitching together all the raw footage, I handed over the files to my trusted editor/web designer, Laia Prats, to throw everything into Final Cut Pro and help me put it all together and add the audio track. I truly couldn’t have done this without her help. (THANK YOU soooo much, Laia!) If you ever need a website built, logo made, or any graphic design, I highly recommend Laia! She’s my designer.
Also, check out the write up on the New York Times LENS Blog.
A selection of snaps I took while at the stadium:
World Series Snaps – Images by Robert Caplin
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – World Series Performance
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – World Series 2009 – Images by Robert Caplin
Wow, what a night!
While shooting the World Series for MLB’s public relations dept., I had the opportunity to get some pretty exclusive access to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ performance prior to the opening pitch. What I found so amazing about the experience was that I felt I was documenting a genuine moment in both performer’s lives.
Jay-Z and Keys started their walk to the stage from center field which created this amazing scene where they were walking towards me far off in the distance while the Jumbotron overpowered the stadium with their larger-than-life figures. Upon arriving to the stage entrance, which is where I was shooting from, they had a few moments to wait until the live broadcast began when they could take the stage. At that point, you could tell they were super excited as the hammed it up to the camera and shared animated glances at each other. I would imagine, no matter how many concerts or stadiums they’ve played in the past, this had to be one the the most memorable moments in their lives happening in front of me. I know both are native New Yorkers and Yankees fans, quite an honor it would be to play for the world LIVE on television and in front of thousands at the Stadium. I was truly honored to have been given that opportunity. I’ll never forget this evening, that’s for sure. What a show!
I hope you enjoy the photos!
Congrats to the Yankees and to Jay-Z and Alicia on the killer evening!
Here’s the broadcast on YouTube!
More World Series photos to come….
A week with Team USA Soccer in Salt Lake and Trinidad
US Soccer – Images by Robert Caplin
October turned out to be one crazy month involving quite a bit of traveling.
I was commissioned to shoot a documentary assignment for ESPN The Magazine to photograph the US Soccer team in their quest to make it into the upcoming 2010 World Cup being held in South Africa. The assignment was to generally hang out with the team at practices and hotels prior to and during two qualifying matches, the first of which against El Salvador held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following day I hopped on a jet AND followed the team to their next game against Trinidad & Tobago way down in the Caribbean. I cant complain about that!
Though I was afforded better access than most to the team, I still was very limited. I was given only the first 15/20 minutes of practices and the normal press access during games. I worked with the team’s publicist to photograph them hanging out in the hotel, loading onto and off of the bus, as I was also staying at the same hotel.
Beyond working, the highlights of the trip including visiting my pal and fellow photographer Chris Detrick at his home in Salt Lake and firing up the BBQ. Also, down in the Caribbean I was able to spend the day prior to the soccer match buzzing through the windy mountainous roads to the exquisite beaches in Trinidad. I also had the opportunity to try Shark and Bake (fried shark sandwich), which is apparently is the national dish of Trinidad. It was alright. 
Check out the rest of the archives from Slat Lake and Trinidad.
Here’s how the spread ran in ESPN The Magazine:
Soccer Layouts – Images by Robert Caplin
A Night Out with Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian Night Out – Images by Robert Caplin
As I mentioned in my previous post about Madeleine Albright, I’ve shot a few of these “Night Out” columns for the NY times that put a reporter and myself out for an evening chilling with a celebrity-type.
I got the assignment and was told I would be photographing Kim Kardashian….but I wasn’t exactly sure who she was. I’d heard the name on TV a few times…but since I watch all my TV on Hulu, I dont see all the reality TV that on so often. So I googled her and quickly became a little too familiar with her….
Anyhow, I met up with Kim and her sister, Chloe, the reporter and another of their friends at a hip/modern dinner spot called Delicatessen. It was a strange experience for me because I felt like I was with these celebrities who I really had no knowledge of. In fact when we left the restaurant I got scared to death by a paparazzi! Little dude scared the crap out of me! So after dinner we headed to a club called Avenue where we hung out for a spell….and that was pretty much the night….
Take a gander at the article here.
You’ll notice she was on her phone under the table twittering….this was before I really knew what the heck Twitter was….she asked my username and i didn’t even know what it was. (You can see her asking me in the third pic in the slideshow) I guess she was going to tell her fans she was hanging out with me and the reporter….I later looked at her page and saw she has over 2 million followers…dang that would have gotten some eyes on my website.
Guess what my twitter account is? @robertcaplin ….sigh
There’s just something about a roofdeck….
Green Roof – Images by Robert Caplin
I had a quickie assignment last week to take some overall shots of a green roof-deck. Many builders are adding these as an amenity to the tenants. I know I sure like my outdoor space and gardening. Maybe I should blog about gardening….I might be better at that.
Check out the New York Times article by clicking here.
Back in Action – Barnstorm XXI
Wow, it’s been a long time since my last update….I’d forgotten how it sometimes gets tedious to continually update these things…but hopefully I’ll get back on the ball….
I’ve been trying to figure out what to write about as there’s been a lot that’s happened in the few weeks of my blogging hiatus… I figure my first post should be about the Eddie Adams Workshop. I was privileged to have the opportunity to attend the 21st Barnstorm workshop at Eddie Adams’ barn in Jeffersonville, NY. (For those of you who dont know what this is, check it out HERE)
Anyhow, this year I was truly impressed with the talented students and all the slideshows and multimedia presented at the end of the workshop…some really amazing work by all teams. I’ll link to all the presentations once they go live online.
There’s something truly special about this workshop Eddie created. I never had the opportunity to meet him as I was a student during Barnstorm XVII, two weeks after he passed away, but I feel his presence when I’m up there. It may sound silly, but in an atmosphere where you’re surrounded by 100 of the top photography students in the industry, dozens of volunteers who are photographers/editors, the amazing faculty, and all the sponsors…everyone being there to help eachother out…I feel that is the essence of who Eddie Adams was.
So basically that’s what I have to say. I’m so grateful I was able to be there and see old friends and make new ones. Being there inspired me to keep taking pretty pictures and never take for granted what it is I do as a profession.
Thanks to everyone who attended. Thanks Alyssa and August for continuing this monumental workshop and allowing everyone up to your home. And of course, thank you Eddie.
Here are some photos from the workshop…if anyone wants to see more, please check out my PhotoShelter gallery….and if you’re in any, and/or would like high resolution, send me an email and I’ll give you download capabilities:
Students meet with their groups for the first time on Day 1.
Students arrive…my boy Denny Culbert from OU
Walking to the memorial
August Adams places his dad’s hat on the memorial
Balloons over Jeffersonville during ceremony
Ryan with the legend Bill Eppridge
Gerd Ludwig of National Geographic speaks
Frakes watches Brown Team’s presentation in the Barn
The boys on the barn’s roof for the workshop portrait
Woods in peak color
Stanley Greene speaks to his group at lunch.
Economic Woes
Yesterday I was out shooting the turbulent economy for the Wall Street Journal. Morning started at 630 at the corporate headquarters of Lehman Brothers, the over century-and-a-half old financial services firm that filed the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. My job was to make pretty/interesting photos of the headquarters.
Afterward, I went down to the floor of the stock exchange to take more pictures. Which meant I had to wear a jacket and tie, blah! Then to the New York Mercantile Exchange, and back to the NYSE floor for the closing bell. It turned out I shot the worst drop in the Dow Industrial since 9/11.
It seems our economy is in the pooper. Crap.
Street vendor Vincent Torres prepares eggs outside Lehman Brothers
Broker Terry Toal outside the New York Stock Exchange
Broker on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange
Brokers on the floor of the NYSE
Brokers on the floor of the Mercantile Exchange
Lehman Brothers World Headquarters at dawn
Lehman Brothers World Headquarters
Lehman Brothers World Headquarters
Lehman Brothers World Headquarters
Lehman Brothers World Headquarters
Athens Messenger runs Cuba Article
My hometown paper in Athens, Ohio ran my article about my trip to Havana, Cuba in their most recent Sunday edition. To read the article you can read the original article on Sports Shooter or take a look at my first blog post.
Cool New Client – Tiki Recreation
I’ve started working with a cool new client, Tiki Recreation, a playground equipment company that partnered up with former New York Giants football star Tiki Barber. Always fun to wake up in the AM and hit the playground with a football star and a bunch of kids for a catered shoot. Yummmmm, muffins!
Tiki is a really cool, down-to-earth kind of guy. I got to hang out with him and his twin brother, Ronde (also a NFL player), while on assignment a year ago when they were promoting their new children’s book. They dabble in everything.
Some pix:
Tiki plays on it, so should you.
Converse
I can climb for fun angles
Tiki’s former job. (left)
Tiki and Ronde in the FOX NEWS newsroom before Fox & Friends 5AM….ugh…
Getting pretty.
On-Air
