First Dance at the Moundsville State Penitentiary

www.realweddingphotoworkshop.com

This image was taken at my real wedding workshop for Ryan and Janette at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.  It was an amazing wedding workshop where we shot their wedding while I brought photographers who could learn and build their portfolios...at a real wedding!

During the first dance they unleashed a cloud of fog which made it beautiful.  Congrats to Ryan and Janette! We are currently working on finalizing more real wedding workshops for this year and next.

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/200 sec at f/7.1, 19mm at ISO 1000, flash fired.  Taken at 7:14pm.

The Sugar Shack Reaper

www.supernaturalshoots.com

This image was taken at the historic Sugar Shack in Moundsville State Penitentiary during my Supernatural Shoot there in April 2013.  We gave the model Rachel black sheets to swirl around and using back and front lighting with flash and video lights I captured this image.  

Moundsville is one of my all time favorite places to shoot and I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to do so many times!  Looking to go back next month!!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/80 sec at f/4.5, 16mm at ISO 4000, flash fired.  Taken at 12:29pm.

Daddy Daughter Dance, images for wedding photography

www.moundsvillepenitentiary.com

This image was taken at my REAL wedding workshop at the Moundsville State Penitentiary during the wedding reception for Ryan and Janette.  This is the flower girl dancing with her Dad...or maybe pouting just a little...:)

www.realweddingphotoworkshop.com

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/200 sec at f/7.1, 24mm at ISO 1000, flash fired.  Taken at 7:24pm.

Moundsville Penitentiary Bridal Shoot, images for wedding photography

www.moundsvillepenitentiary.com

This image was taken at my bridal shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary in West Virginia.  It was just starting to rain when we were taking these shots outside, and I loved the contrast of the white wedding dress against the dark prison...

www.destinationweddingphotographerneeded.com

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/80 sec at f/2.8, 14mm at ISO 100, flash fired.  Taken at 8:47pm.

Bored Bride in the Moundsville State Penitentiary, images for wedding photography

www.moundsvillepenitentiary.com

This image was taken at my bridal model shoot the day before my REAL wedding workshop at the Moundsville State Penitentiary in West Virginia.  I've shot there 5 times now, and I can tell you it's one of my favorite places on earth to shoot.  So much texture, so much character, just a fabulous building!!!

www.jasonlanierweddingphotography.com

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/100 sec at f/2.8, 14mm at ISO 200, flash fired.  Taken at 9:01pm.

New Supernatural Shoots Website!!

www.supernaturalshoots.com

Hey everybody,

The new Supernatural Shoots website is up!   You especially have to check out the videos that show our adventures and everything that we went through to make these shoots what they are...a ton of fun!  This image here was taken at our last Supernatural Shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.  I captured this using off camera flash with my Nikon SB910, Ray Flash, and Pocket Wizards.  It started raining so we didn't have long to shoot outside, but it was a BLAST!!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/160 sec at f/4.0, 16mm at ISO 800, flash fired.  Taken at 7:20pm on April 16, 2013 by Jason Lanier.

Creating an Outdoor Studio with Rotolights

www.funphotoworkshops.com

Ever needed to create a studio look outside?  Well, that's what I did last night at my workshop.  Having portable LED lights and a few tripods can enable you to do just that...and the results are AMAZING!  Can't wait to share pics!!

Using my Rotolights at Miami Workshop in Wynwood

www.funphotoworkshops.com

This image was taken at my workshop in Miami last night in the Wynwood area which is the artistic portion of downtown where all the crazy people like me congregate.  There are so many advantages to using video light over flash in a situation like this one.  For starters it's easier to focus and pose the model because you can see.  Secondly there is no bounce back nasty reflection on the wall from a flash being fired.  Third, you can get beautiful even lighting over a great portion of the wall.  I love my Rotolights!!

How To Build Your Portfolio with Jason Lanier REAL Wedding Workshops

http://photographerpodcast.com/2013/04/30/realweddingworkshops/

Listen to my latest Podcast for advice on how you can build your portfolio at a REAL wedding workshop.  In Episode #5 of Jason Lanier's Podcast Series he discusses the struggles for newer photographers to build their portfolio and how he provides a REAL Wedding Workshop series that helps them build their portfolio faster with amazing images that they can use in their portfolios. www.funphotoworkshops.com

Off Camera Flash at the Moundsville State Penitentiary

www.funphotoworkshops.com

This image was taken at my Supernatural Shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia earlier this week for my workshop there.  To get this shot I had my assistant Joyce holding my SB910 Flash with the Ray Flash accessory on it, and then with my Pocket Wizards I triggered the flash off camera blasting the light through the fence to create a really cool look.  Thanks to the beautiful Rachel Anne for modeling and for Ryan Britt for getting us into the penitentiary!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/160 sec at f/4.0, 27mm at ISO 800, flash fired.  Taken at 7:24pm on April 16, 2013 by Jason Lanier.

Who smiles while locked inside of a penitentiary?

www.funphotoworkshops.com

It was all smiles at my workshop this week in West Virginia.  To make it even better we did our Supernatural shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary and as we started it began to rain.  I wanted to do a shoot in between the fence and the building, but as soon as we began the rain, thunder, and lightning came, so we moved our shoot indoors for an amazing time.  If you haven't been on a Supernatural shoot with me you are truly missing out.  Seriously the funnest thing I do at every workshop!

Moundsville Penitentiary Model Shoot in "The Hole"

www.funphotoworkshops.com

This image was taken at my Supernatural Shoot in Moundsville, West Virginia at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.  The lighting for this shot was achieved by placing 1 Rotolight behind the model (the beautiful Rachel Anne) and then we used two Rotolights on the left and right in front.  No flash was used for this shoot and it was pitch black down in there except for the Rotolights.

This was shot in the solitary confinement section of the prison also known as "The Hole" where many prisoners took their last breath.  We found this chair down there, draped the model in a bed sheet, and started shooting.  I love creating something out of nothing and we worked to do just that with this shoot.  The water on the floor was thanks to the heavy rain we received during the shoot which made this even better.  Hope you like it!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/125 sec at f/4.0, 16mm at ISO 6400, flash did not fire.  Taken at 10:32pm on April 16, 2013 by Jason Lanier at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.

Shooting in Solitary Confinement

www.funphotoworkshops.com

This is a production still from my Supernatural Shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary this week.  We were taken down to "The Hole" where they kept the real bad dudes.  Since it was raining hard that day it leaked and there was 2 inches of water all over the floor.  With the use of my trusty Rotolights and MeFoto Tripods, we were able to shoot in pitch black darkness.  Just an unbelievable experience!!!!

Next Workshops: Miami, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National Park and more!

Supernatural Group Shot

www.funphotoworkshops.com

This is a group shot taken at the Moundsville State Penitentiary in Moundsville, West Virginia.  I always love doing the group shots, and just like I try to do at weddings, we always try to make them a little fun and different than just sitting there.  Thanks to all who came!  I'm trying to set one up for my workshop in Miami....

Prisoner's Perspective at the Moundsville State Penitentiary

www.funphotoworkshops.com

I snapped this shot of my group as they were taking a break during my Supernatural Shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.  I was on the upper levels just outside of the jail cells and was starting to work my way down when I saw them and took the picture.  This is  a good representation of what these shoots are like.  It was pitch black and the only illumination on this shot came from the two Rotolights that we were using as flashlights at the time.  Y'all have to join me on one of these, they are so much fun!

Walmart Fashion in a haunted prison

This image was taken at my Supernatural Shoot at the Moundsville State Penitentiary on Tuesday.  This was shot without flash, using three Rotolights, one behind her and two in front, to the left and the right.  I had a challenge from the group to do a shoot using Walmart clothes...so I took the challenge, went into the local Walmart about 10 miles from the penitentiary and in 20 minutes bought the hat, skirt, jacket, and did the shoot!

We had an amazing time and I thank everyone who came to shoot with me.  This Supernatural shoot was truly unforgettable!

Who does a fashion shoot in a haunted penitentiary? Well, me.

www.funphotoworkshops.com

So who else does model fashion shoots inside of haunted places like the Moundsville State Penitentiary...just me baby. This is a production still from the Supernatural shoot on Tuesday that was literally out of this world.  It was straight out of a movie, a thunder and lightning storm moved into town immediately as we arrived, and we went around calling for the ghosts it started to pour, as soon as we stopped, it stopped.  Don't believe me?  We have all the video to prove it.

In this shot you see our gorgeous model Rachel who I was posing at the visitation booths where they would use a telephone handset to talk to the prisoner on the other side of the wall.  Just wait until I start showing you shots from "The Hole" where I had one of the best shoots I've ever done.  Because of the thunder storm the water leaked through the walls and down into "The Hole" which was isolation where they locked up the prisoners who were the worst of the worst. With the water coming down the walls it left 2 inches of water on the dirt floor...it was just epic.  Can't wait to edit and post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again for these amazing Rotolights....I need to buy stock in their company because all my students are buying them!  Thanks to all my assistants Vanden, Faye and Joyce for doing so much...I love you guys.

Next Workshops:

• Miami, Florida- April 30, May 1st
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 7th and 8th
• REAL Wedding Workshop- May 31, and June 1st in Moundsville, West Virginia

Come With Me to the Moundsville State Penitentiary

This image was taken at my bonus night session while I was doing my workshop out in West Virginia last year.  The great thing about doing these bonus sessions is that it gives you the opportunity to practice from very difficult lighting scenarios that most people can't or won't do.  Best of all is that since it's at a workshop you are free to try everything and test some things without worrying about screwing something up for a paid client!  This image was taken at the end of our shoot and it was just a BLAST!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/30 sec at f/4.0, 16mm at ISO 10159, flash fired.  Taken at 11:34pm on October 24, 2012 by Jason Lanier at the Moundsville State Penitentiary.

Angel in the Sugar Shack at the Moundsville State Penitentiary

www.funphotoworkshops.com

One thing that we love to do at my workshops are bonus night sessions where we go to a Supernatural site and do a model shoot inside of the place.  There's nothing evil about it, we don't do any seances or use any ouija boards, it's just good natured fun in a place that will get your excitement level up.  This was taken at the Moundsville State Penitentiary at my workshop there in October, and the place is absolutely amazing.  We backlit our beautiful model Yvonne using my Sony video lights and used flash for the front lighting.  It was an awesome time, and we're going back next month!!!!

Camera settings: Nikon D800, 1/20 sec at f/4.0, 28mm at ISO 3200, flash fired.  Taken at 9:14pm on October 24, 2012 by Jason Lanier.

"You must photoshop a lot to make your images look that good!" No, I just know how to shoot.

www.funphotoworkshops.com

I get asked all the time to post images pre-edited so I thought I'd post this one from my workshop in West Virginia last year as a side by side with the completely edited image.  I'm not trying to be cocky, I'm trying to show you all that if you take the time to learn and put in a lot of hard work your images should not require that much post processing at all.  If I taught a photography school I wouldn't allow any students to even start editing classes until they showed great aptitude and ability in the photography skills.

STOP RELYING ON PHOTOSHOP.  AS LONG YOU DO YOUR WORK WILL FALL SHORT.