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Rangefinder Magazine
May 2003

Insight/ On the Cover by Bill Hurter

The lines between commercial photography and other disciplines have become decidedly blurred over the last few years. Today’s commercial photographer is a master of many mediums. He or she must be a top-notch product and illustration photographer, as well as be able to handle any camera format required by the job. He or she must be well versed in digital capture and manipulation, as well as be proficient in pre-press and desktop publishing. It’s a lot of hats to wear all at one time, but that is the fate of the modern commercial photographer.

This month we present four very different photographers who are considered to be both specialists as well as generalists—i.e., commercial photographers. Alan Farkas (page 14) is an in-house studio photographer for Eastman Kodak. He produces everything from ad slicks to test photos using new Kodak imaging products. He has to be both highly innovative as well as technically proficient. Would he rather be out on his own? Not really. He prefers the pace and schedule and does not miss the time spent promoting and tracking down new work. Chris Lalonde (page 6) is a commercial photographer who was brought into Anthony and Frank Cava’s prestigious portrait and wedding studio in Canada to open up a commercial branch of the studio. Chris has been named the Canadian Commercial Photographer of the Year twice and loves his craft, Photoshop and teaching.

Darrell Wong is the preeminent wind surfing photographer in the world (page 22). When publications or ad agencies need something special, they call Darrell, who at 47, still ranks among the best of the best in a profession dominated by youth. Larry Lee (page 42) is a commercial and industrial photographer who specializes in working for the oil industry. He has been around the world more times than he can remember and been in countless situations that most of us would consider perilous or dangerous, but which he considers routine.

Bill Hurter
Editor

PHOTOGRAPHER: Alan Farkas
TITLE: “Blue Man”
CAMERA: Horseman 4x5 view camera
LENS: 210mm Nikon
FILM: Kodak E100SW 4x5
PROCESSES INVOLVED: Straight E-6,
normal process
SOFTWARE: Photoshop for compositing in the eyeglasses and X-ray image.
COMMENTS: This image was shot for Eastman Kodak’s Health Imaging Department. This shot was part of promotion for X-Sight X-ray film, used as ads, posters, brochures etc. The main shot was lit using strobes with blue gels to illustrate the glow from a radiologist’s viewing room and the glasses were lit while on the model but with a different lighting setup. CTO gels gave the glasses a nice warm tone. Then the X-ray was backlit and moved in close so it would reflect into the glasses.

Alan Farkas is a commercial photographer and part of Eastman Kodak’s in-house staff of photographers.
For more information on Alan Farkas, see Jen Bidner’s article, “More Than Kodak Moments,” which begins on page 14.