The TapRoom kevin@taylorartphotos.com (kevin@taylorartphotos.com)

We do a lot of unique events and working with The Village Players (the oldest community theatre in Hillsborough county) is a fun organization to create some unique imagery. Our goal is assist in the promotion of their shows as they typically have around 4-5 each year and operate as a not-for-profit theatre group.
 
**Just a side note, due to their non-profit status as 501c3 we do not charge the theatre for our time or image creation. We are a fan of the arts and The Village Players is our organization of choice to volunteer with and assist in getting the word out.
 
So what’s the process that we do help out and create some fun work?
Usually, we know the play in advance since the schedule is out - this helps as it allows us to start coming up with ideas. Currently as this is being worked on - The Music Man - our goal is to make some graphics that appear to match the era and feel of the of the early 1900’s. Since we haven’t started work, since that session is in July - our last play was Clue. I’ll do a post on the music man post session.
















Our sessions are booked 2-3 months in advance, our schedules are a bit crazy. We bring the studio to the theatre and a lot of times, it’s one of the first full dress rehearsals of their show.



Image are taken in front of a green or gray screen depending on what we’re working on currently as they’re relatively easy to extract. I’ll post a video on the extraction process and link it here - at this point it’s much easier and the AI tools make the process a lot smoother.
The image with the police officer is a post extraction shot.
Once we make extractions of the entire cast it’s time to place them into the images we created for the play. Usually it’s 2-3 show photos and the cast imager.
For extractions, we either use Pixnub’s EZ Green Screen or the Adobe Extraction tool - it really just depends.
 
Whether it’s theatre, sports or our Comic Lucy the process is very similar. It’s a lot of fun and we enjoy the process of creating new imagery for everyone we work with.
For the upcoming Music Man at The Village Players Valrico - the 2023 Show Dates are the following:
Performance dates are on August 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 at 8 p.m. and matinees on August 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. Doors open at least 30 minutes before curtain.
Tickets are on online at: https://tvpvalrico.ticketleap.com/the-music-man/ 

The Canon RF 28-70mm F2.0 L USM lens has been around for a while, but it was recently added to my lens arsenal as I update my equipment to mirrorless. It was purchased to replace the EF 24-70mm lens that I’ve used for numerous years and to this day is one of my favorite lenses.
Why did I take the plunge and spend a lot to get this lens updated?
Well… some of the events we have low lights and the lower aperture is another way to get these images to look better. Also, we’ve been using the EF-RF adapter and even though they do a great job, there always felt to be a little lag when using it on the Canon R5 mirrorless.
There are lots of videos/podcasts that go over all the specs, but I’ll do a quick and dirty.
Key specifications:
·         Full-frame format
·         Available in RF-mount only
·         Aperture range F2–F22
·         95mm filer thread
·         Minimum focus distance: 0.39m (1.28 ft)
·         Weight: 1430 grams (3.15 lbs)









The weight, which we all seem to here about is surprising at first but as I got to use this in various events I didn’t notice.  During the last few months, the camera was used in the following events
-          Cheer
-          Dance
-          Powder Sessions
-          Senior Sessions
-          Studio Images
 
After working with it and taking thousands of shots, I’m ready to go over my thoughts.
The RF 28-70 Lens takes beautiful images with great color and excellent handling of distortion at the wider end of the lens.  In action shots, zooming in and out, there was great sharpness – maybe a slight drop at 2.0 but in low light situations it seems to happen. Either way, the images came out and were what we needed.
 
RF 28-70 2.0L and focusing









Comparing it to the 24-70mm with the EF adapter, the 28-70 is lightning quick in focusing. This is important for us during live events, since we don’t get second chances during performances. When set to infinity, the RF 28-70 2.0L can focus on an object at the nearest focusing distance faster than I’m able to time it. When we were at the dance recital, I also noticed the lens was quiet and noiseless when going to electronic shutter.
Who Should/Shouldn’t buy the RF 28-70 2.0L?
This is a great action/sports photographers that need a versatile lens. It’s great in low light, clear images.  More then likely, I’d add wedding photographers into the mix as the lens will more then likely fit their needs.
Cost of the RF 28-70 2.0L
The Canon RF 28-70 is expensive. At $2899, it’s nearly twice the price of the Canon RF 24-70 2.8.
Conclusion
I love this lens, but it fit into the category of various uses that made our images better in lower light settings.  The 24-70 is also a great lens and half the cost but we were looking for a bit more pop in the lens. If you have a smaller budget, there’s nothing wrong in the
That said, if you use anything other than the EOS R (obviously), or have an EOS R but you want a wide-mid zoom lens that is incredibly sharp while not needing the extra stop of light of the 2.0 aperture, I’d recommend the Canon 24-70 2.8 instead. It retails for $1699, is much lighter, a little smaller, and takes images that are just as good.
In the end, the Canon RF 28-70 2.0L is a great lens, but it’s a little soft at f/2.0, and while it’s great at 2.8 and above, it doesn’t offer much that the Canon 24-70 2.8L II doesn’t. So while this lens is good enough, probably the best lens in its class, it’s likely not good enough to justify its $3000 price tag for most photographers. But if you’re looking for the best wide-mid range zoom lens ever made, this is it.
Pros
Very well built
Fast f/2.0 aperture
Quick focus in live events
Great image quality
Cons
Big and heavy
Expensive

We work with a lot of sports teams and one of our top products is a Senor Sports Banner. Whether it’s at the stadium, gym or arena they can really pop and also make for added touch in both team motivation and athlete support.
Working with a lot of teams, I want to share a few tips in the process. This can make the process easier, less stressful and avoid any last minute rushing.

Here are a few steps to get the process going for your sports banner search.
Find a photographer: Look for a photographer who specializes in sports photography. Ask for recommendations from friends, search online for local photographers, and check their portfolios to see if their style matches what you're looking for.



Discuss your needs: Once you've found a photographer, discuss your needs with them. Let them know you want to order a sports banner and what you want to include in the design. Provide any logos you want to include.
Schedule to have the photos taken with the photographer you want to have the images done. Be sure to plan ahead as the more popular photographers book out before the seasons start and may not be able to get the desired completion done.
Once the images are ready to preview, select the desired number of images via the proofing through the photographer. Once you've agreed on the design with the sports banner provider, review it to make sure everything is correct. .
Once the order is complete, wait for the drop shipment and then hang the banner:
 
This is a broad approach but the process needs to be planned out in advance, since the process can take a bit of time from appointment booking, photographing the athletes, image creation, proof viewing and ordering the final copy.
Most of the time, last minute waiting won’t result in the desired timeframe that you’re wanting.

Metallic paint photoshoots and podcasts can be popular for several reasons:

Aesthetic appeal: Metallic paint adds a unique and visually stunning element to any photo shoot or podcast. It can create a futuristic or high-tech look and feel, adding an eye-catching element to the subject being captured.
Creativity: Metallic paint opens up a world of creative possibilities for photographers and podcasters. It can be used in a variety of settings, from studio shoots to outdoor photoshoots, and can be combined with other elements, such as lighting and props, to create unique and captivating images or recordings.

Show Notes
 

In Florida, there are various ways to get Pinup Photos done, but we decided to put some tips together to help out the process.

Research and choose your photographer carefully: Look for a photographer who has experience with pinup photography and whose style you admire. Check their portfolio and reviews to get a sense of their work and approach.
https://tapcreative.studio/tap-room-podcasts

We recently had a discussion on why have a Sexy Photo Session and being in the Tampa Bay area, these can be done outside, inside or both - so what would the reasons be to do this?
Having a sexy photo shoot can be a empowering experience for several reasons:

Tap Creative Studio