Stephanie Cottle Photography

Daquan's headshots

2010-01-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

I know I won't ever update this thing if I wait until I've put up all the photos taken before this shoot, so why don't I start with the most recent? That way I can backtrack when I have time, as well as updating with new stuff.

Daquan and I met up a couple weeks ago in Hollywood to shoot his headshots, even though most of the shots ended up being around Melrose. Daquan is a dancer who recently moved from NYC to LA. We had a lot of fun, and I really love the images we got! Thanks for a great shoot, Daquan!

Update

2009-03-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted in a really long time. I thought I should update!

I just moved to Los Angeles to pursue photography. I'm looking for photo assisting jobs right now. I'm still trying to figure out what type of photography suits me best, and what I want to focus on to eventually have my own photography business.

I shot a wedding back in October along with my fellow RCC graduate, Alexa. She has just started her own wedding photography business! She's great, so I suggest you check out her site.

I'm posting some of my images from the wedding, as well as a recent headshot I took for my friend Anna back in Greensboro!

My portfolio

2008-08-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

Check out my temporary site with all my portfolio images, and more!

By the way, I am now a graduate of the photography program at RCC!

www.myphotofolio.com/members/cottles

La Republica Dominicana

2008-04-01T22:45:00.001-07:00

I went on a mission trip with my church to the Dominican Republic last week for spring break. It was amazing, and I can't wait to go back. I miss it so much already. Here are a few images.

Internship

2008-04-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

I'm actually enjoying my internship more than I thought I would. My initial thoughts were "Oh, it's shooting furniture. It will be boring but at least I'm getting paid." But it's really interesting! I think so anyway. I get to shoot all day, and I'm learning so much about lighting. It's always a challenge trying to get the lighting right, and I love the challenge. Here's an image from my first shoot, which was only a week and a half into the internship!

Caroline Faust

2008-02-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

I went to Atlanta this past weekend and took some pictures of a graffiti tunnel in Cabbagetown as well as Miss Caroline Faust for a soundslides project. Here are some of my favorites!

Winter Wonderland

2008-02-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

A week ago we had some unexpected snow in Greensboro, and I woke up early the next morning to take pictures before it melted! Here are some photos around my house...

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

Canon 30D
ISO 1600

Photo #1 - 55mm lens, 1/80 sec at f/5.6
Photo #2 - 22mm lens, 1/125 sec at f/8
Photo #3 - 18mm lens, 1/160 sec at f/11

Sportscenter

2008-02-14T12:12:00.001-08:00

Here are some images from Sportscenter - a gym in High Point. Paige O'Brien and I went there to take pictures and record audio for a slideshow we have to put together for John's class. These are some of my images...

©2008 Stephanie Cottle
Canon 30D
17-55mm Canon lens
ISO 1600

Getting close

2008-02-14T11:45:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos from this week's Macro endeavors. The first is the inside of a Snickers bar, and the last two are of a rose - top and bottom.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle
Nikon D300
105mm Nikkormat lens with extension
ISO 200
1/30 sec @ f/8

Macro: Week Four

2008-02-07T14:18:00.001-08:00

Here's a couple more macro images I shot in the studio this week.

Nikon D200, 60mm macro lens
ISO 100
Beads - 1/60 sec at f/5.6
Yarn - 1/60 sec at f/11
Sidelit from the right with a speedo

NC Zoo

2008-02-06T07:07:00.001-08:00

NC Zoo

2008-01-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Paige O'brien and I went to the zoo yesterday to get some photos and audio for an assignment. I thought I'd share some of my pictures!

That last image was taken by Paige O'brien, but I'm putting it on here b/c I take partial credit for it...I told her to take a photo of it with her wide angle lens, because I had a telephoto lens and couldn't do it myself. (Canon 30D, 24mm, ISO 100, 1/640 sec at f/4)

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

Canon 30D, 70-200mm lens
ISO 200
Fish: 1/160 sec at f/8, 70mm
Bobcat: 1/500 sec at f/2.8, 200mm
Wolf: 1/250 sec at f/4.5, 200mm

Old NYC Photos

2008-01-24T13:56:00.001-08:00

Oh NYC, I miss you.

These are some old photos I took in NYC when some of the photography students went there for the PhotoPlus Expo in Fall '06.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

I shot these on film with my old Minolta camera.
I can't remember the ISO, shutter speed or f-stop.

Week Two of Macro

2008-01-24T11:14:00.000-08:00

So, this is the second week of Macro photography. Last week I did a lot of shots with relatively flat subjects and a high depth of field. I decided to try some shots with less depth of field this week, and I like what I got.

Can you guess what these are? (Well, the other Macro students know...but if you don't, then take a guess!)

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

Canon 5D, 100mm Macro Lens
ISO 100
Used hot lights in studio and a reflector card
1/8 sec at f/8

Old photo

2008-01-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

This is an old image from last years portfolio when we shot everything on black and white film and processed and printed it ourselves. I scanned this image from my film. I don't remember what shutter speed or f-stop I used, but the ISO was 100 and I shot it with my medium format Mamiya RB 67.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

ISO 100
Mamiya RB 67

First time with Macro

2008-01-16T14:16:00.000-08:00

This semester the Biocom students have a macro class with Irene. These images are the results of my first time playing with the 5D kit for macro.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

1/60 sec at f/32
Canon 5D
100mm lens, 1:1
ISO 100
I used a speedo light and a reflector card for both.

Hurrell Assignment

2008-01-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

I shot this image last semester for our George Hurrell assignment in portrait lighing class. I think I did a fairly good job on it, but I wish I had used a hair light to make her stand out from the background.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

1/15 sec at f/7.1
ISO 400
90mm
Canon 30D

Holiday photos

2008-01-09T09:36:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple photos I took over christmas break. Both are taken with available light.

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

©2008 Stephanie Cottle

0.8 sec at f/4.5
ISO 400
18mm (first photo) and 40mm (second photo)
Canon 30D

Sunset

2007-12-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

This was a sunset in the Archdale area that I photographed. I was in such a hurry to get where I was and jump out of my car and take the picture! It took me a while to find my CF card, and I was afraid I'd miss it! Thankfully, I didn't.

Canon 30D
ISO 400
18mm
1/10 sec @ f/5.6

Fun stuff

2007-12-13T09:19:00.000-08:00

A while ago I went to Ziggy's to see a show with my sister and some friends. While we were waiting I was messing around with my camera, which was new then, and I took some fun pictures. It looks like they're diseased or something!

Canon 30D
ISO 400
18mm
3.2 sec @ f/3.5

Multiple Jordans

2007-12-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

For our digital class we had an assignment where we had to shoot a model in front of a bright white background, and then using skills we've learned in photoshop put our model on two different locational backgrounds. My friend Jordan came out to the studio so I could take some bridal portraits of her, so I used her as my model for this assignment. I think they turned out really great! What do you think? I love that she's breakin it down by herself in an empty living room and at the Duke Gardens. And that the boom box isn't even plugged in!

Canon 30D
1/125 sec @ f/18
40mm lens
Two speedos were set up to evenly light the white background, two black panels kept the light coming from the speedos from hitting my model, and another speedo with an umbrella was set up to light her.

Summer photos

2007-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post these because they're some of my favorite images from this past summer. Lucy Clement and I went to the Fun Fourth Festival in downtown Greensboro to check out the July 4th festivities, and we brought our cameras along to get some weeklies shot for Bill's class. We had such a fun time, and got some great pictures! These are a few of my favorites:

I love the second one! It was so much fun shooting everyone dancing, but I really wanted to join in! That was definitely a highlight from this past year as far as shooting exeriences go.

More portraits!

2007-11-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

I work at Intellect Resources, a recruiting firm for Healthcare IT in Greensboro. I only have time to work there on Fridays right now, because school keeps me so busy, and I have class everyday but Friday. My boss needed some pictures of my new co-workers (and a reshoot for one of them), and I told her I would love to help out! Hopefully I can use one of these for my small room portrait for Kevin's portfolio.

Canon 30D
ISO 200
55mm
1/125 sec @ f/11
Alien bees w/umbrella

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving break we had to take a "seasonal portrait" of someone to turn in for our portrait class. I shot this on Thanksgiving, of my aunt and cousin. I used my flash as a fill light, and the sun as the main light. I really like it, but I know the shadow from my aunts nose drops a bit too low and I wish Coy (my cousin) wasn't squinting so much. I also know that this image doesn't indicate a certain holiday, but you can tell it's fall from the color of the leaves on the trees.

Canon 30D
ISO 200
55mm lens
Canon 550 flash
1/40 sec @ f/22 (I blurred the background and used the history brush to bring them back in...I need to stop shooting portraits at f/22!)

Outdoor Portrait

2007-11-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

For our portrait lighting class, we had to take an outdoor portrait balancing our flash with the available light. I used my sister, Brittany, as my subject, and I shot this in my backyard. This is the first portrait that I am really proud of! I was very happy with it.

Here are a couple of others I liked. One is really flat, but I think the background is pretty so I'm posting it.

Canon 30D
70mm lens
ISO 1000 (I thought I had changed it to 200, but apparently not!)
1/50 sec at f/22

Greene St.

2007-11-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

On Friday night I went to Greene Street, a club in downtown Greensboro, to see my friends, The Urban Sophisticates play. O Period opened for them, and they had some guys breakdance before they went on. It was so cool! They were awesome. The show was so fun, and Benton even pulled me onstage at the end of the show to get some cool pictures of the crowd. The place was packed!

Like always, I used my Canon 30D. ISO 1000. 17-55mm lens. Canon 550 on camera flash.

Tough kids

2007-11-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

I went to the Greensboro Parks and Rec League's football game Tuesday night, to take pictures of my friends son, Mac Renslow, who plays on the Lewis Center Pee Wee Varsity Team (the Panthers). It was their championship game, against the Guilford College Steelers. I actually saw Robert Franklin there, taking pictures for his internship with the Greensboro News and Record. Here are a couple of my favorite shots. These kids are intense.

And I gotta throw this one in from earlier in the season - the ref and his short shorts:

Shot at ISO 1600 wih my Canon 30D. The first two were taken with the 70-200mm lens, and the one of the ref was taken with the 300mm.

A Difficult One

2007-11-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

This image is probably one of the most difficult images I have attempted in the studio so far. It was for my object lighting portfolio. I took a picture of my setup, but have since deleted it. Basically, I had reflectors everywhere. I had a small speedo light with a grid off to the back right hand side of the rings, probably five feet away. I also had a diffusion screen in front of that light. I also had a skinny gobo that I held about two feet from the rings in order to control the specular highlights. Then, I had white reflectors on both sides of my camera, as well as underneath my lens. This image also required some photoshop work.

Overall, I am very pleased with it. It also has some sentimental meaning, because these were my grandparents high school class rings. I never met my grandfather, because he died when my mom was three, while serving in the Vietnam War. So, getting to photograph these for my mom was a privilege.

I shot this with my Canon 30D
ISO 200, 1/60 sec at f/5, 105mm lens

Environmental Portrait

2007-11-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

For our photojournalism class we had to take an environmental portrait of someone in the medical field. This is my image. I forgot to take a picture of my setup, but I just used an alien bee with a soft box off to the side. I like the look of the dramatic light. I also like the way the sky was darkened a bit to where it matches his shirt.

I shot this with my Canon 30D
ISO 200, 35mm lens, 1/100 sec @ f/11.5

Chocolate

2007-11-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

This was my final image for our "Chocolate" assignment in Object Lighting. Even if I did take a picture of my set-ups from object lighting, I apparently erased all of those pictures from my portable hard drive. I back lit my chocolate, and used reflector cards on the right and below my camera lens in the front. Looking at the image now, after Kevin pointed it out to me, I wish that I had taken the piece of chocolate in front out. I think this would have made for a better image.

I shot this with my Canon 30D
ISO 200, 105mm lens
1/125 sec @ f/5.6

First post!

2007-10-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

These are some of my favorite images taken during my career at RCC so far.

The black and whites are from first year, and the ones in color are from this last eight weeks of object lighting.