Photography

What is your workflow for saving raw and edited images to the archives?

Efficiently storing and accessing images: A workflow for archiving raw and edited files.

Coming up with great questions. What is your workflow for saving raw and edit images to the archives? So for me, I like to personally use an external hard drive, right on my the back of my laptop and that will just stay on there with velcro. And these are five terabyte hard drives. They are not necessarily super cheap but they are all I know $160 at the Apple Store and I will use those until it gets filled up and then that basically becomes my archive so kind of a stack of all of these hard drives that I like to, you know, go to if I need to go back and find an image or find a raw. But for the most part I will keep and you know, this is how I do it because I found it. Fitted me, the, every image that I take doing a shoot, I'll usually keep, you know, like sometimes like to go back and re-edit but definitely sometimes people like and I'd like to shop, we like to purchase this or do something with this. Can we have the, you know, the full size of that and I have to go back and find that. So I keep it very organized by date and location or who I'm shooting with or stuff like that. So if someone finds a shot, I can go find. We know what date that was and I can go. I know exactly where to go, find it.

I store my images in an external hard drive and organize them by date and location.

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My workflow for saving raw and edited images to the archives involves using external hard drives. I personally attach a five terabyte hard drive to the back of my laptop using velcro. These hard drives are not cheap, costing around $160 at the Apple Store, but they provide ample storage. Once a hard drive is filled up, it becomes part of my archive, creating a stack of hard drives that I can refer to when needed.

To keep my images organized, I categorize them by date, location, or the individuals I am shooting with. This way, if someone requests a specific shot or the full-size image, I can easily locate it based on the date or relevant details.

By utilizing external hard drives and organizing my images systematically, I can efficiently store and retrieve both raw and edited images for future reference.

Is there one image that launched your career?

Capturing a Career: The Power of Relationships in Launching a Photographer's Journey

Is there one image that has launched my career? I would say there might be one that has kind of been, one of my most favorites and one that gave me the most validation real kind of early on in my career. This was the first time that I captured a shot that like I did just kind of blew my mind. This is a photo of kaimana takeyama hanging 10 at Queen's and kind of just doing like what's called like a soul Arch and it ended up on the 100th cover of Pacific longboarder magazine at the time when that hit the cover, I had only been shooting photos for maybe a year and a half or so maybe less. But I was just one of those people that just kind of really fell into loving to shooting longboarding and capturing some style. And, you know, I think that one was definitely the cover, but I think the thing that has definitely, I wouldn't say I launched my career. I would say that the relationships I've built, you know, everyone from, you know, who I've shot. Some people that have done work for some people that I've met just while surfing, those are definitely Only the biggest things that I've launched my career. I think one of the biggest things people can kind of underestimated is who, you know? And so, you know, if you are setting out to create a network and do well and do good things in the world, people are gonna, you know, want to reciprocate that. So I think learning that lesson really early on was more of a career launcher than an actual image.

One image that launched my career was a photo of Kaimana Takeyama doing a soul arch on Queen's which ended up on the 100th cover of Pacific Longboarder Magazine. However, I believe relationships and networking are more important for launching a career than any single image.

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Is there one image that launched my career? While I wouldn't say there is a single image that launched my career, there is one that holds a special place for me. It was a photo of Kaimana Takeyama hanging 10 at Queen's, captured during my early years as a photographer. This image, featuring a soul arch, ended up on the 100th cover of Pacific Longboarder magazine. At the time, I had only been shooting for about a year and a half, so it was a validating moment for me.

However, I believe that the relationships I've built throughout my career have had a more significant impact than any specific image. The connections I've made with the people I've photographed and those I've met through surfing have been instrumental in launching my career. Building a network and fostering meaningful connections has been crucial. When you strive to do good and create a positive impact, people are often willing to reciprocate and support your journey. Learning this lesson early on has been more influential in launching my career than any individual image.

Exclusive Use: Adobe Lightroom Classic for Editing

What editing software do I use? I pretty much exclusively use Adobe Lightroom classic. I will from time to time take stuff into Adobe Photoshop. To the only time I'm really using that is for taking something out of a photo like that, you know, maybe like someone got in the way of one of my surf shots, and I wanted to like, take them out and just make it look like there was nobody there. You know, every once in a while I'll do that, but Most part, I would say everything I'm using, is in Adobe Lightroom classic. I've just kind of gotten really used to how all those tools work and I've started to learn more and more as they keep updating. And I think they're really, they have such a really great tools. And for me and my business, it's a really affordable price.

I mostly use Adobe Lightroom Classic and occasionally Adobe Photoshop for taking out elements from photos.

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I primarily use Adobe Lightroom Classic for editing. Occasionally, I will also utilize Adobe Photoshop, but mainly for removing unwanted elements from photos, such as someone obstructing a surf shot. However, the majority of my editing is done in Adobe Lightroom Classic. I have become accustomed to its tools and have continued to learn and adapt as the software updates. I find that Adobe offers excellent tools, and the pricing is affordable for my business needs.

What is better to spend more money on, a good piece of glass or a camera body?

Investing in Your Camera Body or Glass: The Key is Aligning with Your Goals

What is better to spend more money on a good piece of glass or a camera body? I really think that that comes down to goals. So, you know, for me, I'll give you a case, I shoot a lot of surf. So I really prefer to have a camera body that does a high frames per second when you're shooting Stills. So, you know, my first camera was a kid 7D Mark to. And I think that did like 10 frames per second, you know, kind of the burst mode, but, you know, kind of went really fast and that was Me to pull the trigger at a certain time when a new, like critical things were going to be happy. I want to catch capture as much as they could, to get the image that I'm looking for at that point. The lens or like the quality of glass to really didn't matter for me. So for a surf photographer and what I do and Michael's were the camera body was the biggest thing for me, I knew that over time, I was going to spend more money on glass and so I I think for me and my goals, buying the camera, buying the camera body. First was the, it was better for me. Now, that's not to say that I could have taken, you know, a kit lens, and a kit body, and had the right settings, and done an amazing job. But at the time, I prioritized having the frames per second for Stills, so that I could get those critical moments that I was really looking for the lenses, came second for me. So that would be Be that would be for me for you. It all comes out to your goals. What you need to do, what you want to commit to. You can have a camera that takes one really good photo. And maybe the glass is what's really really important. You know, it all depends on your strategy or seeing it all depends on your goals. So let that dictate your answer.

The answer to this question depends on the goals of the photographer. If they need a camera that can take high frames per second for stills, then it might be better to spend more money on a good camera body. However, if the goal is to take one really good photo, then it might be better to spend more money on glass.

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When deciding whether to spend more money on a good piece of glass or a camera body, it ultimately depends on your goals. Let me give you an example. As a surf photographer, I prioritize a camera body that can shoot at a high frames per second to capture critical moments. In my case, the camera body was more important than the quality of the lens. I knew that over time, I could invest more in better glass.

However, it's important to note that with the right settings, even a kit lens and body can produce amazing results. It all comes down to your specific goals and what you prioritize. Some photographers may prefer a camera that can capture one exceptional photo, while others may prioritize the quality of the glass for their specific needs.

Ultimately, let your goals and strategy dictate where you should invest your money. Consider what you need to achieve and what you are willing to commit to. Your answer will depend on your individual circumstances and objectives.

What was the first camera body and lens you owned ?

Canon Rebel T6: My Journey from Beginner to Pro

What was the first camera body and lens that you owned? The first one? I owned. I bought from Costco. It was a kit lens, I think like 20 for 105 or something like that. 18:35 I don't really remember but it was a Canon Rebel. Like I was like a rebel T6 or something like that, but I remember getting it and I was like I just want to take some nice photos. I mean, little bit better than my iPhone at the time but that was My first one. And then when I bought a water housing, I bought a used water housing, and use camera body. And that looks like Canon 7D Mark to already had over 100,000 actuations on it. And I used it for like, I don't know, six or seven months until it kind of just crapped out. And then I had someone take a look at it and it would have cost more to fix it than to buy a new one. So, I ended up buying another 70, Mark to move to a 5D Mark 4 and then a 1D. X2 and currently using using the Canon mirrorless R5. Been using that for almost two years. Now, I love it, it's a solid solid camera for Stills and fills my needs on the video side.

My first camera body and lens was a Canon Rebel T6 with a kit lens. After that, I bought a used Canon 7D Mark 2 water housing and camera body until it stopped working. I then moved to a 5D Mark 4, 1D X2 and currently using a Canon mirrorless R5.

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The first camera body and lens that I owned was a Canon Rebel, which I purchased from Costco. It came with a kit lens, possibly around 18-35mm. I wanted something that could capture better photos than my iPhone at the time. 

Later on, I bought a used water housing and a Canon 7D Mark II camera body, which already had over 100,000 actuations. I used it for several months until it stopped working. Repairing it would have been more expensive than buying a new one. So, I upgraded to a Canon 5D Mark IV, then a 1D X Mark II, and currently, I am using the Canon mirrorless R5. I have been using the R5 for almost two years now, and I love it. It's a reliable camera that meets my needs for both still photography and video.

Who is your favorite longboarder to shoot with?

Capturing the Effortless Grace: Shooting Longboarding's Top Surfers

Who is my favorite longboarder to shoot with. Oh, that's a tough one. Honestly, you know, at all ask kind of go back to tooths to to definitely win the one that kind of got me started on shooting longboarding. I'd say another guy really enjoy shooting with his Connie Connie Stewart. He just kind of keeps elevating his game. He's obsessed with surfing. He's definitely on the more Competitive Edge of, you know, the surfing world. But man is he pushed? And it's just really fun to watch and he's just an all-around good human and I think for females, it's got to be his cousin Kelis Kelis kaliyappa. Her in Honolulu Bloomfield are probably two of my favorites watching them serve its they just make it look so effortless and literally all I got to do is just push the button. I think Korean tourism, coal is also another one that I just really enjoy, she just kind of looks like a ballerina on a board and like she's dancing and it's just it's just kind of dream you to watch those type of surfers. Yes. And you know kind of makes me want to surf like that, but I do, I know, I don't think I'll ever be able to but at least, I get to capture some of it but yeah, definitely. Some of those are probably my top five. So that's a really good question. Thanks for asking.

My favorite longboarders to shoot with are Connie Stewart, Kelis Kelis Kaliyappa, and Korean Tourism Coal. They all make it look so effortless, and it's a dream to watch them surf.

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My favorite longboarders to shoot with? That's a tough one. I have a few that come to mind. To start, there's Tooths, who actually got me started on shooting longboarding. He's incredibly talented and always pushes the limits.

Another longboarder I enjoy shooting with is Connie Stewart. He's constantly elevating his game and has a true passion for surfing. He's on the more competitive side of the surfing world, which makes it exciting to capture his skills in action.

For female longboarders, I have to mention Kelis Kaliyappa and Honolulu Bloomfield. They both make surfing look effortless and it's a joy to watch them ride the waves. They truly inspire me.

Lastly, I have to mention Korean tourism, Coal. She has a graceful and balletic style on the board, almost like she's dancing. It's a dream to capture surfers like her.

These are just a few of my top favorites, but there are so many talented longboarders out there. It's a great question, thanks for asking!

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Tommy Pierucki has been a Hawaii resident since 2013. After first getting on a surfboard at Baby Queens in Waikiki, he has dedicated his life to giving back to, enjoying, and capturing the beauty of the islands and its people. He works with AccesSurf, a charitable organization that helps connect those with physical and/or cognitive disabilities to the ocean. His photography has been featured on the cover of Pacific Longboarder Magazine's 100th issue, The Surfer's Journal, Hana Hou! Magazine, and by brands like Roxy, RVCA, Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii Magazine, and more. He has also photographed celebrities like Tom Holland, Halsey, and Lily Chee. His work is currently featured at Gallery Waikiki, Green Room, and Koko Marina. He is an ambassador for Toes on the Nose and Banan.