For the first time in my photography career, I walked into a collaborative photo shoot completely clueless. No tearsheets, no mood board, no pre-lighting, just a strong team and a small studio.
Fashion photography requires a lot of pre-production; wardrobe, hair, makeup, concept, lighting and composition. Sometime ago, I was approached by a close friend and model, Casey Neel, whom had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. She had spent a few weeks in the gym to get back in the game and wanted to schedule a test shoot. I had been buried in commercial client work, but I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate. With that said, I contacted my friend and Project Runway alumni, Gunnar Deatherage, who was also itching to create. I also reached out to Casey Ritchie, a fantastic Mid-West makeup artist to round out the team. Collectively, we came up with a few ideas, but nothing seemed to click. I was frustrated and felt a hint of anxiety as I showed up to shoot. I didn’t know what I was going to do, nor did I know what the end result would look like.
While the model was being primped in hair and makeup, I was breaking a sweat, racking my brain back and forth for nearly 2 hours, switching backgrounds and swapping lighting scenarios. I felt dead in the water; I didn’t have a clue how I was going to light the set and didn’t have any solid direction. I was on my own. Soon enough, hair and makeup was complete and Casey changed into her clothing that Gunnar had so graciously prepared. It was a combination of high fashion sportswear and a lose-fitting ethnic garb. I loved it, but now all eyes were on me. I felt like a souped-up car that just needed some gas and an address.
I had settled on a blank, dramatic Studio Gray seamless in the hopes of potentially going black and white. I broke out of my normal setup and eventually settled for a Profoto Softlight Beauty Dish, something I rarely pull out of the closet. First shot was an absolute dud and I knew it wasn’t right. So, I pulled the plug.
Just when you thought a sinking ship couldn’t get any more dredged with water, buried in the stack of seamless paper backgrounds I happen to notice a bright blue color that was gleaming through the pile like a piece of shining silver. Miraculously, it perfectly matched the color of the headband and purse that the model was wearing. I had only used the Blue Jay seamless once, but it just seemed fitting. I asked Casey to take a quick breather and I changed the background. Burning up a second sweat, I then positioned the beauty dish accordingly and took a quick test shot… right out of the gate; we had our image. I didn’t know exactly which direction this was heading, but I liked it and I dug deeper. I worked with Casey on jumping, lunges and a slew of motions that could bring out the flare in the color and clothing. We worked, worked and worked some more. Nearly 30 minutes later we had the shot and moved onto the second look. Along with the motion shots, we captured some experimental products shots. I played with a new toy I had built several days prior; a 3-way mirrored prism. I thought it might be a great companion to the regular shots and add a more “advertising” finesse to everything.
I took down the blue seamless paper backdrop and by default rigged my hand-painted Oliphant canvas. It was the easy and comfortable move, I knew what the results would look like and I knew I could pull off a good image. But truthfully, I really didn’t know what to do next. Once our model Casey was ready to go in her second look I snapped a few shots and once again had that feeling of disappointment. This shoot needed to have the feel of an editorial. So took a step away and re-collected, then once again looked to the growing pile of seamless paper and grabbed theDeep Yellow roll. A few minutes later we were back at it and I was seeing smiles from all across the board. Everything felt right and it was the perfect accompaniment to the previous look. Once I had the shot there was no reason to continue; it was a wrap. I took a deep breath and scanned through the day’s images with a giant smile on my face. No planning, no preparation and somehow we came up with a shining set of imagery, all due to the bright colored Savage seamless paper. That was the piece of the puzzle that made it a picture.
The lesson here is that you can’t be afraid to step outside the box and experiment. When something doesn’t feel right, change it. When a lighting scenario just isn’t working, change it. When the backdrop isn’t right, change it. It took me nearly 6 seamless backgrounds and a dozen lighting setups to find the right course of action. Set yourself up for failure and you just never know what result might come of it.
Something intrigued me about Brooke, she was a fresh face and one I hadn’t seen much; she had a gorgeous look and was tall. We soon became friends via social media and when I put out a casting call for my workshop, to my surprise Brooke was one of the first to jump on board. I really needed a model with some experience for the workshop, but I figured I’d give Brooke a shot. Photographers coming at you from every direction and fighting of cold weather isn’t an easy thing, but Brooke pulled it off. She worked hard and gave it her best; so much, that I knew I need to get some one on one time with her.
So in a rush before the holidays, I inked a shoot on the books. We exchanged ideas and a team formed. I brought on board the amazing and very trusted makeup artist Isidro Valencia. Also, Sarah Julien, the young and very hungry new stylist in the scene. I spent a couple of hours pulling some look ideas and we expanded on it.
When the day of the shoot came around, I setup two backdrops, the Oliphant canvas and a Fashion Gray seamless. Our first looks we played with real raw emotion and natural makeup. I wanted soaking wet hair and a very sultry attitude. We played “whip your hair back and forth” for about 30 minutes, until we had the right shot. I liked the drama of one light and the Oliphant canvas served as a perfect background as always.
I knew Brooke hadn’t served much time in front of the lens, but this was the time to really work with her and break her out of the shell. I worked her pretty hard and she was a real trooper. Brooke took direction well and listened, many models have trouble with that. After we knocked out the first look, we moved onto a more dramatic second look. Big hair, bold makeup and a very fashion forward selection of clothing.
I wanted to go with a strong black and white, full body, but really wanted to highlight Brooke’s legs. I knew I needed more than just one light to do it. So I setup a Profoto D1 with a large softbox camera right and then stacked two Alien Bee B800’s with stripboxes directly under for one soft tall line of light. This line of light put a strong shadow behind her for the very high fashion look as well as not to mention a sweet catch-light in her eyes. Once Brooke stepped on the backdrop we started molding poses. About 10 minutes in, Sarah noticed Brooke had locked in something unique, I noticed it immediately and we knew it was the one. We mastered it. Making sure the pose, clothing and light was perfect and I snapped 4 frames and set the camera aside.
I got up off the ground and walked outside. The studio was stale and we already nailed the shot. I didn’t feel the need to try and top what we had already shot. As I perused the surrounding area, I noticed a long fence line that we’re backed by some very ominous cloud cover. Although we didn’t have much options as we we’re right in the middle of a office parking lot. But, we got creative and used the fence in several different ways, until finally landing on a composition I felt would work well. I shot everything wide open at f/1.2 to blur the background and cranked the shutter to compensate. The aesthetic that was coming through reminded me of a London bridge or some sort of “Chanel” advertisement. Once we hit the pose and expression, we called it a wrap.
I always strive for imperfect perfection. Something that creates stimulation or mood. Editing plays a large role in that, but with these images, I wanted something that could square up with any major publication or advertisement. However, I really didn’t exactly know how I wanted to accomplish that. When I imported them in Photoshop, I just saw something in my head and did the best I could to replicate it. The point is; all it takes is a small vision or picture in your head, with that vision, do your best to bring it to reality. Once its reality, all of that hard work is instantly worth it.
Back in August, I was approached by Christan Turner of PinnacleTen to shoot a series of images in effort to re-breathe some life into her brand. We set a date, got a model and discussed ideas. The major vision was to create a “evolution” of fashion, which would eventually become the 10 image - 10 look composite.
For me it started out just like any other shoot. Fortunately, I had friend and master makeup artist Isidro Valencia by my side and I had worked with model Courtney Blanton on a few occasions. The day started with Christan lugging in hanger after hanger and shoes for days. It looked like a fashion bomb had gone off in the studio at Outdoor Photo Gear. What I found most interesting is that all of this wardrobe came directly from Christan’s closet. Initially I was shocked, but not surprised. What’s a stylist without a closet full of awesome clothing? Working with Isidro and Courtney was familiar ground, but I really didn’t know what to expect from Christan. What I came to soon realize; I adore her styling and respect her attitude for an original idea. She knows what she wants and that is the kind of player I like to have on my team. I had also never worked with hair stylist David Hudson, I was impressed with his energy and more importantly his work. Despite Courtney having short hair, he brought an edge that was much needed.
Once hair and makeup was complete Courtney jumped into the first look with a bang. When she steps in front of my lens, I never have really worry, she knows light and always plays the camera well. With our composite in mind I kept the same light setup and explored poses. Look after look we knocked out a series of portraits, experimenting with motion and unique positions. When all work was complete, we gave hugs and high-fives in celebration. But, the real work was about to begin.
Months passed and and the majority of the editing was completed, I decided to tackle the composite. With the help from my friend Chris Miske we made a “panoramic” style of image carefully position each model in our frame.
We quickly realized the issues, hands were in odd places, faces didn’t quite work and it was an uneven mess. I came back to Chris and we re-worked the entire image and made sure it was right, back and forth, back and forth. Blending the shadows is never an easy feat especially on a gradient background. When it was right, I knew it. A few hours and a lot of pixel peeping later, we had a solid composite.
I couldn’t wait to get it online and share it to the world. But, by the time the final image was delivered to my desk, the day had come and gone. I had to wait another 20 hours, if there is one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s to be patient and wait until everything is right.
This is an image I won’t forget, it plans to be a staple in my portfolio.
It’s been awhile. October has been the busiest month of my entire career. I’ve shot for 3 publications, a number of commercial clients and a gamut of random development sessions and test shoots. I’m finally catching up on edits and blogging. Amid all the hubbub I was able to schedule a shoot with new model Kristina Russ of COSMO Model And Talent Agency.
A few months ago, Kristina’s face came across my newsfeed and immediately I thought to myself “This girl needs to be in my portfolio”. I reached out to COSMO and Kristina shortly after and things unfolded as they should. After throwing schedules back and forth we landed on a date. Without hesitation I had a team on board consisting of Isidro Valencia, a masterful makeup artist. Hair virtuoso, Matthew Tyldesley and we all know the amazing Project Runway famed Gunnar Deatherage and his work.
I pulled a couple of inspiration images and after a few minutes had a clear vision of what I wanted to do. Long flowing fabric in a desolate desert with smoke or fire in the background, something outer worldly and very dramatic. It was the only look I really cared about, I wanted this image to magnify the possibilities and show people what can be accomplished with just a simple vision. You have to trust your team and as a photographer, they must trust you. Fortunately, this team is my dream team, we had all the right tools to bring my vision to life. I wanted to go big and that is exactly what we did.
Kristina, having never stepped in a fashion shoot, was very green. it took some time to mold her expressions and I had to really work with her to gain the picture I wanted. But, she put everything into the shoot and I was very proud of her for stepping outside the box with us and trying new things. We did three looks and pulled out all the poses; jumping, lunging, glamour and beauty. It was a real challenge that she needed before she stepped on some sets. By the end of the 6 hour shoot, I felt like we had something I could dig my teeth into and was extremely excited to get into the digital darkroom.
The black and white image was a uphill battle. I was fortunate enough to shoot an original jacket designed by Gunnar and I wanted to make him proud. Also, Kristina had absolutely rocked the look, so I needed to make sure the final image was top notch. After re-touching, I just didn’t know where to go with it. I wanted it to be sleek and edgy, but I didn’t know which road to take. It took a lot of time back and forth with color, tone and curves to get what I wanted. It wasn’t until I created the large triangle behind Kristina, then it all came together.
The image in the desert was all shot in the studio and compositied on the a stock image of Death Valley, California. it was comprised of three images, one of Kristina with the fabric, a stock image of a brush fire and lastly the background of Death Valley. Like the shoot itself, processing the image was one big experiment. I took things to new heights and played with new techniques, including shadowing, sharpening and frequency re-touching. It just goes to show, you don’t need a million dollar budget to achieve a golden image.
This entire shoot was built around patience. I sulked on these images for days. I would pull a few out of the batch and play around, then return to some commercial work. I didn’t rush into anything, I took my time and executed when the time was right. It’s not everyday you get to work with such talent on a simple creative test shoot in…. Death Valley. Joking.
It’s been a busy few weeks and it’s only heating up. As a freelancer I spend much of my time doing editorial and commercial work for publications and clients regionally. I don’t tend to shoot many events, nevertheless, one of my favorite things to shoot is runway. I suppose it’s the thrill of the moment with the chance that you may capture that perfect expression or walk. Fortunately, I’ve got it down to a pretty hard science and when I show up to shoot runway; after a quick gauge of lighting, I can lock in and start snapping the shutter. Following the models steps and using the beat of the music to adapt to the models walk has helped with capturing a better image. About 5 minutes into the show, you learn when the model hits the light perfectly. Instead of spraying and praying, I have a more calculated approach to runway which has greatly cut down my number of shots. I used to walk away from shows with 1000+ images now its only a couple of hundred. When I was offered the opportunity to shoot the Younger Women’s Club Fall Into Fabulous Fashion Show, I’m jumped at it and made it happen.
Derby isn’t quite here yet, but this fall fashion taste has gotten me quite excited for the new year and more importantly Derby 140 and all the fashion that comes with it.
Sometimes it’s hard to put into words what I do with my time or what I do for a living. I have my hands in a lot of things; marketing, graphic design, art direction, filmmaking and photography. Some days present completley opposite adventures, and I love every minute. This past weekend I arose at 8:00am to prepare myself for some football and fashion. I started the morning in the press box at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium assisting Chris Humphreys with The Voice-Tribune and his ongoing project to create the ultimate gigapixel stadium image.
We decided to tailgate for awhile then return to the press box to setup the Gigapan to shoot 1,300 images that would eventually become one. By kickoff we let the device work its magic and headed down to the sidelines. I was thrilled, I not only felt like a special VIP, but I also felt like a dream was being fulfilled. I had always wanted to be on the sidelines of a big game or event and this was it.
It was refreshing to jump into a different style of photography and really be completely out of my element. I learned from others quickly and did my best to capture all the action. Shooting football isn’t easy. You lose sight of the ball quickly and unless you have a long telephoto lens, you have to constantly move from position to position. The results weren’t as good as I had hoped, but I certainly gave it an old college try.
Once the game was over and we had our Gigapixel image shot, we hightailed it out of the stadium. Ignoring the red sunburn and sweat, I grabbed a quick change of clothes and headed downtown to the Skyrise Fashion Show at the Muhammad Ali Center.
I walked in to a plethora of familiar faces and smiles, I felt like I was home. I setup and prepared to shoot the evening, but realized I was extremely early. At this point, the sunburn started to get to me and I felt like a heater burning up the room. I took my seat in a chair and sat down to relax and cool down. I love to shoot fashion shows, I can almost feel the same adrenaline that the models feel as they walk down the runway. There is a slight connection when the model glances towards my lens. Its very graceful and sometimes intense. Once the show began, a switch went off and I was into it. Luckily, there was some liquid courage provided.
It was a good first show for Anu and partners. She really made me feel special as my logo was on the step and repeat and I even had my own chair. I’m looking forward to seeing what SkyRise can bring to the Louisville fashion community.
Earlier in the day, Chris and I were discussing our respective jobs in the industry and photography. I think both of us are constantly amazed at the opportunities we’ve been given. And under 30 years of age, it’s humbling to even be able to get to do any of this, then make some form of living from it. For those that made this past Saturday possible, thank you.
What seems like many moons ago, photographer and friend Steve Squall contacted me about shooting for his new apparel company, Tribe. At the time, I had only heard of Tribe and really liked the branding and attitude behind it, but really knew nothing about it. Over time, Steve and I became closer friends and I really gained a liking for what Tribe represented and more importantly, the product they sold.
MONDAY
After we “tested the waters”, Steve and I scheduled the shoot date for the official collaborative editorial look book for Tribe’s new collection called “Strike First - Strike Steady”. The time line hit me like a freight train and before I knew it we were 4 days out and had no location, no models, nothing. Glass Label, my film production company, had just completed a 48 Hour Film Project and my life was a frenzy of shoots and meetings. The day was Monday, July 22nd and we had scheduled the editorial for that Friday, July 26th.
Steve and I work on a different plain. I like to be “overly” prepared with a timeline, shot list, storyboard and whatever I may need to get the best results. Steve on the other hand; fly with the wind, run and gun, improvisation…. So, Monday I received a text from Steve asking about models, I went into pure planning mode. We passed back and forth about 20 texts and I send out a gamut of Facebook messages regarding the shoot. Fortunately, we had already scouted our models, but contact had to be made.
We had 3 of 5 models booked and on board. Our next goal was the completion of our team, we called in a favor from the talented makeup artist Isidro Valencia and brought on a stylist Megan Thomas to assist. Tribe founder Jeremy Richie rounded out the team as creative director. Our next step was concept and mood.
TUESDAY
We finally received confirmation from 4 of the 5 models and decided to move forward with the 4. We knew the aesthetic, but needed “conceptual characters” to forge from. Our aesthetic was simple; 1985, pacific northwest, summer, warm, lake & beach.While Jeremy spent time on story boarding, Steve had called in a favor from Brian Atchley who owned a small power boat. Will all those images in mind, we employed Brian to take us on a scouting trip UP the Ohio River.
WEDNESDAY
Over the course of my high school years I had spent many summers on the river and remembered a few cool spots, the only problem: it was going to be a long boat ride. As we jetted down the Ohio, memories flooded into mind and I soaked in the evening sun over a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon. What a life, I thought to myself. We hit two or three spots with average results, I honestly wasn't impressed and started to second guess the scouting adventure. There were no beaches or nothing that resembled what we wanted. After travelling up river 20 miles we hit a man made cove that didn’t catch my eye until we idled across to the lateral side. My initial thought; “This might work”, by the time we headed home; “That’s it”. The mountainous sand dunes and patchy grass was the perfect element to add to the overall aesthetic. The 45 minute boat ride home was a long one, especially because my iPhone died right in the middle of an epic Facebook update.
THURSDAY
With the location on tap and the mood board coming together, I was starting to feel confident. We still had to set a time and place for hair and makeup. Fortunately, my parents live near the Ohio River and about 2 minutes from our “cast off” dock. That evening, I was able to set a call time at 3pm, at my parents house, 24 hours before the shoot. Also, I was able to finally verify model Melanie Hernandez. I knew she would be a much needed asset to the team. I felt determined and excited to take on the shoot, but for whatever reason I was still had a tinge of nervous anxiety about it. The travel logistics weren’t in our favor.
FRIDAY
3pm came quickly, I showed up at my parents house to a barrage of cars already and waiting. I rushed up the driveway and opened the house up for load in. Isidro showed up shortly after and the process began! Unfortunately, we were pushing time. Minute by minute the sun was moving down and we still had a 45 minute boat ride to our location. By the time hair/makeup was complete and we arrived at the dock we were about 45 minutes behind schedule. The boat was filled to capacity with 11 people on board. We rushed down the river and didn’t slow once. Our sun had dissipated into a mild overcast evening, but we had plenty enough light to work with for 2 hours. Once we beached, we unloaded gear and I setup one light and a few essentials. While Dylan did some fixing up on the boat hair, I grabbed Melanie and dove right into the first set.
I started powering through shots with a steady quickness. I was all over the place, mostly on the ground rolling in sand and dirt. As Steve was capturing B-roll video and grabbing stills himself, I rallied couples, groups and individuals. Over an hour had passed and we were reaching our departure point. I still had to get in the water. I popped my camera in the underwater housing and jumped in the river, I had been looking forward to this moment for sometime.
Since the camera eye piece is only about an inch above the lens, when your camera breaches the surface of the water so does your eyes, nose and mouth. You can’t see anything and you’re holding your breath. So, I switched the camera to continuous mode and took a deep breath and guessed. The shutter rattled off like a machine gun. Focus and repeat. I did this for every model from depths of 6 feet to 10 inch shallow water. I had no idea what I had captured, but by the last individual set in the water, the sun has set and it was time to go, like right away. I broke down my light(that I didn’t use whatsoever) and jumped in the boat for the chilly ride home. It was a breath of fresh air and I felt very accomplished, despite only using natural light. From what I could tell the images looked fantastic and dramatic.
Once we arrived at the dock, we all said our goodbyes and bailed. Steve and I meet an hour later for drinks and a calm celebration of our success.
The editorial was released two weeks later to a wonderful applause. Despite Tribe closing a chapter and shutting down their retail store the day after the release, the editorial has solidifiedtheir online presence which is were their sole focus has shifted too.
Just think, this all came together in 4 days, imagine what we can do in 4, 6 or even 8 weeks. Plans are in place, this whole thing will come full circle.
It’s always a true pleasure and great opportunity to work with fashion designer and stylist Gunnar Deatherage. I’ve had the chance to work with him on many occasions now and we seem to constantly up our game. Fortunately, with Gunnar and NFocus Magazine, I have a space of creative freedom that I’ve pushed to the limits. This particular shoot was no exception.
When I think of July, I think warm weather, fireworks and that summer nostalgia. I really wanted to push my camera and step outside the box. I had been doing a lot of commercial work and I wanted to flex my creative muscles. I approached Gunnar with an idea; using a combination of sparklers and steel wool, I wanted to create portraits that “shined” through the pages.
It’s called light painting. With digital camera trickery and a bright light source, you can create out of this world stunning imagery. Many photographers have mastered light painting, but none have mastered it with fashion and portraiture. It’s called “painting” because when you click that shutter open the rest is up to your creativity to “paint” whatever you want for the image to display, as long as your tool creates a strong light source. In this case we chose sparklers and steel wool.
I’m constantly finding ways to set myself up for failure and this shoot could have certainly gone down hill quick. Inspiring from photographers like Aaron Nace and Brett Jarnigan, I took what I what I had learned and dove in head first, trial by fire. It was certainly one of the most challenging photoshoots I’ve ever taken on. You just don’t get instant results as most shoots. Light painting takes practice and time, with this style of photography the “3rd time MIGHT be a charm”. It’s all a gamble.
Being my worst critic, I can’t say I’m 100% confident in the work, I feel like I could fill a page on the imperfections, but at the end of the day, its art. It’s the imperfections that make the images stand out. Despite my own fuss, I’m proud of the creativity we put forth, it’s not everyday you push yourself and the entire team out of a comfort zone.
Things are moving at a pretty fast pace these days. I have so much work I’ve shot and most of it being publication work, I have to wait… and wait for release. Nevertheless, a shoot like this comes along and its quite the opposite. Shoot, Edit, Share. Time is everything.
Chris Caswell contacted me a month or two ago to shoot another campaign for Heyman Talent Agency. The last campaign was such a success and so much fun, I immediately cleared my schedule and agreed.
Not only would the advertisement be for Heyman, but also a portfolio piece for the 6 models that are set to head north to New York City for agency meetings at the end of June. Planning started immediately and we came up with several ideas and locations. It wasn’t easy by any means! We went back and forth on who was apart of the team, where we would shoot it and what date the shoot would be scheduled on.
That seems to always be the hardest part, it’s never the execution, its simply the planning beforehand to make it happen. After a week or two and a couple of meetings we finally landed on a date and had our team in place. But, location was still up in the air. First, we had our eyes on a rock quarry on the east end of the city, then we had plans to shoot at a beautiful poolside location called Lakeside, both turned out to be broken leads. Chris finally made the executive decision and set the location to a remote part of Waterfront Park. Honestly, I wasn’t confident we could make it work, but, we had to make the best of it.
Since Heyman Talent photographer and coach Chris Kaufman would be on board and on location, whom mentored young stars like Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence and Nicole Scherzinger famed Pussycat Dolls, we reached out to WHAS11; a local news channel to potentially cover the shoot. It wouldn’t be the most enthralling news in the world, but future stars and any news about J-Law can attract an audience quickly. The bouncing of dates and locations made scheduling a live report nearly impossible to plan. Nevertheless, after a plethora of emails, in the end we were able to get a crew out to film the shoot and work a couple of interviews.
Day of the shoot; I woke up worried about rainy weather, I went to bed worried about the deathly sunburn I had received as a result of the head pounding sun. The day was flawless and everything went off without a hitch. We managed to squeeze in two very different sets on the Waterfront without the result looking as if we were actually in a park.
For months I’d been eyeing a Westcott Scrim Jim and it finally arrived a few days before the shoot. I was anxious beyond belief to break it out on a hot mid-summer day, this was perfect opportunity. The 2-3 stop silk created a gorgeous overhead light and its the sole reason these image came out as they did.
The entire team played a crucial part in the success of the day. I want to personally thank the fantastic team we had on board that day, as well as a special thanks to Cheryl Franck who brought in a king’s feast of food for the models and staff.
Below, I display the side by side comparison of the SOOC version and the edited version. This is a composite image and I spent a lot of meticulous time with the highlights and color.
I don’t usually post about development or commercial shoots, but this one was quite special to me. Despite working with many many models from all over the region, this shoot had a special place and felt like a baptism of brilliant new talent.
Months ago, Cheryl Franck had reached out to me to book a model development session for her daughter and Heyman Model, Lauren. After many phone conversations and even a few live meetings we had our ideas in place and team set. Inspired by Gucci, Prada, and Dior ads, we wanted to go high fashion and fashion that could sell the look. Nothing over the top, just sexy, simple and sleek. It took a couple of re-schedules to finally land on the right time and location. Thankfully friend and photographer Josh Eskridge stepped up and offered his studio/loft space for what we needed.
Lauren had only posed in front of the lens a couple of times. It was my job to not only her teach her a few techniques, but also the ins/outs of a full-on fashion shoot. When Lauren showed up I really didn’t know what to expect, I had shot her the previous week, but only for video and a few short stills. I liked her elegance, but was really looking forward to one on one time with Lauren. Although somewhat reserved on set, I was impressed with her poise and attitude.
Our team consisted of master make-up artist and hair stylist Isidro Valencia, Apricot Lane manager and freelance wardrobe stylist Katie Meinhart, my amazing intern Jenna Madiona and assistant Josh Eskridge.
The day started early and I had all the preparations in place. I was completely enamored and very excited for what was in store. By Noon hair and makeup was complete and Lauren suited up in her first look. She stepped on the backdrop and I started firing away.
Shot after shot we seemed to be nailing it and I could tell Lauren had been practicing and gaining inspiration since we first shot together. She had a ferocity in her eyes that I hadn't seen. She turned the switch in an instant and went from a lovable teenager to a powerful and engaging subject that demanded attention. I told her some of the best models I had ever worked with were photographers or had some knowledge of lighting and photography. She caught on quick. She learned her key and noticed her kicker. I was very proud of Lauren.
I kept the experimentation at bay, but brought on a few newly learned photographic skills to the table. We used Josh’s V-Flats, broke out the gold reflector and even explored the use of two reflectors at once.
I expected the shoot to last every bit of 6 hours, but with 4 looks, I quickly learned this would be an all day affair. We started at 10am and by nearly 7pm we had completed the shoot. 4 completely different high fashion looks in the studio, out on the roof and inside the complex.
I left the shoot feeling completely satisfied and excited to get into post process. Derby would come and go and the images sat for a bit. But, in the end, I put a lot of work into the editing. I spent meticulous time on color and the aesthetic of each image. Some took 30 minutes to edit, others took days of back and forth scrutinization. All the wait was worth the result.
I’m very proud of what our team accomplished that day, not only did we build all portfolios, but we walked away with a sense of accomplishment and our creative tank filled for more.
I’ve heard things like “New York” and “one of Heyman’s brightest” from all around. This is only the beginning for Lauren Franck.
Honestly, I thought I would never work with Karah Leigh Cannon. I first saw her in an image published by my friend and photographer Lana Wilson. I was astonished and immediately reached out. A blond bombshell with a fantastic look that could stand in for any Marilyn Monroe piece. At the time, I had zero professional work and I was still in my infancy as a photographer, Karah never corresponded. I finally had the chance to meet her at a Derby Fashion show, it was a quick discussion and we spoke about working together, but nothing came to fruition. It wasn't until Micah and I started the beauty book sessions that we really wanted to pursue Karah as a model and it just so happened that Karah stumbled into Lana’s studio one day while I was assisting on a shoot for Nfocus Magazine. I quickly took advantage of the impromptu rendezvous and discussed our plans for the beauty book. Karah was on board and agreed to shoot, after we wrapped I left with a sense of pride and clapped my hands on the way out. I’m not sure why I was so excited, but perhaps it was some form of pseudo goal to work with Karah and I would soon be accomplishing that.
A month passed and we were finally in the position to schedule a shoot with Karah. At first our ideas were all over the map, but when the time came we had honed our ideas into a solid style and lighting. It would be a extreme modern take on a vintage time line.
The evening before the shoot was spent cleaning my studio and setting up what would be our first set, a true photography challenge. I wanted dramatic flash lighting but also some extreme bokeh which resembled city lights. I bought 150 red Christmas lights and strewn them across a dark cloth background the positioned one Alien Bee about 15 feet away from the backdrop, with enough room to shoot Karah from a long focal length. I still had to bring in the ambient light from the Christmas lights, so I turned my Alien Bee to its lowest setting, opened my aperture to f/4, positioned my test subject a.k.a roommate and took the shot. The results were just OK. I made a few adjustments and saw my “test subject” getting frustrated, so I gave up and decided to test it on the fly in the morning, which is exactly what I did.
We started at 10am on a Thursday morning and dove right into hair and makeup. Karah being a makeup artist herself got along fine with Micah and the two connected on many topics. I took advantage of the time researching light setups and balancing ambient light. I probably switched modifiers maybe 4 times before settling on one strip box set on a overhead boom with a grid. This would be my first attempt.
Micah wrapped up the first look and I was excited to get started. The first look was a “preparatory” stage in which Karah looked as if she was prepping for a evening out, the looks would progress into ultimate beauty. We positioned her in front of the strip box and I asked Micah to hold a silver reflector for bounce. The first attempt was an absolute failure. I wasn't happy. I switched modifiers to a beauty dish. Second attempt, failure. I just couldn’t nail that dramatic look and light with the ambient bokeh in the background. At that point I explained to Karah, that it was purely experimentation, but was confident we could lock it in. Finally, I attached 37" Octobox with a grid and popped off a few shots, way better. The light was full, but gave a sort of mysterious spotlight to Karah’s face. Nevertheless, slightly frustrated, I sent Karah into the second look.
I didn’t browse through those shots, I didn’t want to face the fact that I may have blown that set. Moving on, I broke down the dark background and pulled the Christmas lights to expose a seamless white background. Shockingly enough, this would be my first time shooting on white ever! I had always used fashion gray or some other color, so white was a new venture.
Karah came out of the second look stunning. Glamorous and powerful. She stepped onto the seamless under a 3 light, clam-shell setup. Karah’s expressions were downright flawless, her attitude cast a captivating, foxy beauty, she knew her looks and what her face could ultimately do. 50 frames later, I was upbeat and convinced we had scored the shot.
The next set would be a challenge, I would be shooting a red vinyl backdrop that emitted strange reflections from indentations. So to avoid those reflections being too apparent and distracting, I setup three lights, one on the backdrop and two beauty dishes in the same clam-shell setup about 10 feet out. Within 15 minutes, Karah was ready and I had only started testing. Needless to say, that backdrop proved it was absolutely worthless, but I knew I had to make it work, as I needed that pop of a orange-red. After a few light adjustments I had the setup locked in and we fired away. I had decided to purchase a turquoise old phone as a prop and Micah had the ingenious idea of having her hold it above her head. This was it and we all I knew it.
As I pulled off the last shot, I gave a deep exhale of success and celebrated with high fives all around. 4 shoots and months later we had finally wrapped our beauty look book. I could barley contain the excitement, I had accomplished a goal and worked with models that I had been eyeing since I first started photography. A true triumph indeed.
I decided to really experiment with these shots in post. I did a few things outside of the box and really explored my inner graphic designer. With the help from Google Translate I decided on “Die Heute” as the title. German for “Then Now”, it tells the story of exactly what we wanted to express with these images.
Now, several weeks after the shoot, the response has been beyond anything I have ever posted on Facebook; a growing 439 likes and nearly 40 comments across the three images. A fantastic way to close up a amazing shoot and project. Expect a wrap up blog and video once the book comes to print.
At some point early in December on a crisp Saturday afternoon Josh Eskridge, my assistant Chris Miske and I set out on an journey to find a trashy motel for Josh’s documentary “Exposure” and his “Evolution of Style” concept. We had met beforehand for some lunch to discuss initial plans for the documentary, but decided that a nice Saturday scouting wouldn’t be a bad idea. After driving over to Indiana and all the way over to Dixie Highway we settled on a small motel named Biff’s. The shoot can be seen in the documentary HERE.
During that scout we ended up passing a mysterious and large house, completely abandoned off the side of the road, well within viewing distance from the highway. We decided to take a gander. We rummaged through the house and took a stroll across the several acre plot of land with shacks and garages. At that moment we knew we had to take full advantage of this location and setup something. Something big.
The house was wrapped in vines and looked as if it had been flooded hundreds of times over. From the top floor you could see the Ohio river bank. On this plot of land laid the remnants of a shipping yard or place of business. A large concrete flood wall ran the course of several hundred feet and rusty oil tanks sat decaying. This place was a photographers dream.
A month passed and we had finally wrapped up the “Exposure” documentary, my “GAGA - A Portrait Series” was getting started and things were hectic, but we knew we had to get this shoot on the map. We told no one of our elementary plans and kept everything under wraps, even when casting the models.
Long before this shoot even came into the picture, I wanted to do a shoot inspired by an image from Joe McNally. A woman in a swamp holding a lantern, her mysterious expression told a thousand words and gave the impression that she was searching for something and something was missing. Influenced from that image I began brainstorming concept ideas, but kept it to myself until I could formulate a plan.
TALENT AND TEAM
Becky Patterson, a stunning tall brunette from northern Kentucky was first to join the team. Josh had done some fitness stuff with her before that I claim are some of his best pieces, so when her name was brought up, I was 100% game. I couldn’t of been more happy to have Becky on board and was excited to work with her. She was immediately in-tune with the project and really got things kicked off for us.
Conveniently enough, Sarah Terry had moved from overseas(Wales, UK) to Louisville, KY because of her husbands work, who happens to be Rob Terry, a wrestler in the TNA. She had sent Josh and I a simultaneous message on Model Mayhem inquiring for a photoshoot. When Josh and I discussed this, we decided she would be a perfect fit for this shoot. Browsing through her portfolio we noticed she exalted an elegance and boldness that we needed.
In late January I worked with Katie Justis on a cinematography project for Scooter Ray. An incredible redhead who has one of those “all eyes turn when she walks in a room” type energies. Josh happened to be on the set and I seem to think that a decision was made right then and there, her poise and charm was the final piece of the puzzle.
The models had signed on and everything came full circle when we rounded up our fashion team of Isidro Valencia and Liz Lane. I had worked with Isidro on the “Exposure” documentary so I was stoked that I finally had the opportunity to shoot images for his fiercely creative makeup. Isidro not only brings original and striking makeup to the table, but also a lovable humor that can raise morale in seconds. Liz is just a blast, I also worked with her at the “Evolution of style” shoot for “Exposure” and her work speaks for itself. She could turn a horses mane into a Diana Ross curls, color it silver and style it for Vouge. That woman knows her hair. Both artists were ecstatic to be apart of the project.
BREAKTHROUGH
February 11, 2012 we created a secret group on Facebook and set a date of March 31, 2012, right around the time my GAGA series would be coming to a close(or so I thought at the time). The ideas started flowing and I really like what I was seeing. Our original thought was to put the models in some elegant and outlandish outfits and counterbalance them with the broken down aura of the location. The closer the date became the more I began to think of the story.
It wasn't until March 17th, that Josh and I discussed plans for the “Searcher/Specter” concept for entire back story. I always wanted to the “searcher” theme, but never had the right resources, insert the group “Epic Abandoned House Shoot”. This was the ticket. Once I brought up plans for my concept, the ideas snowballed. Josh had been wanting to do some “levitation” images, where models, through camera composting, are perceived to be floating in mid-air and he showed me several examples, perfection. Why don’t you be the what my “characters” are searching for? Souls, ghosts, etc.
SEARCHER/SPECTER
I would be representing the “light” or “searcher” side, a more natural beautiful look, warm colors and graceful posing. While Josh would be the “dark” or “specter” side, a more edgy, contrasted counterpoise with restless lines.
Not only would it be a great narrative through imagery, but also a great way to cross promote each others work. An 100% team collaborative effort and something that Louisville fashion industry had never seen. Many photographers and models in this industry are out to get each other and knock people down to get to the top. What I’ve learned from my days in music is that only team work and keeping solid relationships alive and rich can get you where you need to go. This was a true example of how professionals working together can create a wonderful body of work.
My style is dark, I like shooting in the dark and creating a very dramatic ambiance. So this was the perfect excuse to really challenge myself and forget the 2 light setup and settle for the reflector.
EXECUTION
I pretty much packed up every single prop and piece of gear I owned. Hair and makeup started at 10am, the energy in the air was alive. It was beaming with excitement and I think everyone could feel it. It was something we had worked hard on for months and the time was now. When Liz whipped out a wal-mart bag and started making a wig on site, I was like, here we go! Then Isidro takes out a sheet of paper that had been cut up to look like Swiss cheese and started applying black makeup on top of the paper over Sarah’s face, I was floored.
We met our goal of heading out by 3pm and we packed in 4 cars and trekked out to the abandoned house. Our sets would begin by trading off models, I would begin with Katie and Josh would begin with Becky and Sarah, once Josh closed up his sets, I would begin with Becky and Sarah.
After un-loading all of our gear and getting a big stretch in, I whisked Kate and Katie away to the far end of the grounds where my infamous “concentration camp” wall gleamed. We setup shop on the outer side of the wall in a set of chest high weeds, placed one light with a diffused beauty dish, 45 degrees camera high right and popped off a few shots. Made some adjustments and ended up at 1/125, f/13, ISO 100 for the perfectly balanced shot. We borrowed a Vagabond-Mini from Josh for the flood light prop which Katie would be handling to “search” for her “specter”. We actually tried to use a fog machine but the Vagabond just didn’t have enough juice to power it. Working with Katie is always a pleasure, her posing is aesthetic and queen-like. She had a scorching hot flood light in her hand and steamrolled through it like it was no big deal. We did 5 sets with Katie in that look, mostly natural light and a reflector. After about an hour with Katie, I browsed through the images and knew I had what I needed, Katie went right into hair/makeup to prepare her “Specter” look.
There was some downtime to change up looks which gave me the opportunity to scout around for Becky’s “Searcher” shots. At this point we had company; two teenage fellows had come around curious. They seemed almost starstruck that all this was going on in there usual hangout spot, where I’m sure they get away, drink alcohol and cause a ruckus. I think everyone was like “who are these kids”. Instead of kicking them off set or ignoring them, I ended up chatting with them and Josh put them to work! One of them had a point and shoot camera and started snapping away. It was fun to have our own little paparazzi that day.
We started Becky’s sets, like Katie, on the far end of the grounds near a broken down garage and two decrepit shacks. I gave Becky a small LED light, I needed the prop to be different from the others and but still poignant. Her posing would be the thing that made or break the imagery, so it needed to stand out. As soon as I laid out my vision, Becky was on it. Boom, Boom, Boom. Her posing was technically unique and to the point, which made for some excellent shots. Because of her fitness background and stature, she pulled off moves that many models couldn’t fathom doing. It took some time to lock in the light, I had a hard sun to work with, but I played that to my advantage using it as a kicker light. After we nailed a few small sets with Becky on the grounds, we moved into the house and concluded her session with a dramatic one light set, which I ended up scraping in post.
We stuck to a schedule and knocked it out of the park. I had a few sets to wrap up with Sarah and we were done! By this time Isidro and Kate had to say their goodbyes and hit the road for previous engagements, but the rest of the team pushed through to the end.
Once I started with Sarah Terry, I really didn’t know what all Josh had shot, all I knew that it was going to be good. I had to bring my A game with these images. We we’re losing light fast, so things we’re rushed at that point. Josh had finished up with Katie and all eyes were on me to wrap the entire shoot. We started on the top floor of the house, I had Sarah hold a $20 fake battery operated lantern I had bought from Amazon.com for a previous shoot, but had never used. The lantern was clunky and almost distracting, so the composition would have to be just right or the shot was a waste. I decided even in low light to shoot mostly all natural with no artificial flash. It went against my better judgement and did what I try to usually avoid, that is, cranking my ISO above 800. Fortunately, my camera and a decent handle on noise and we nailed some solid ambient light shots. Sarah had done this before… her portfolio had been impressive and I was sort of nervous to be shooting her. But, once we got into the groove, every shot was my favorite! She had a class and rhythm to her posing almost like a ballerina.
We moved at a fast pace and 30 minutes later we were outside setting up my last shot, at this point the sun had set, so I setup one speedlight on 1/64 power and used the little natural light I had left to score a beautiful pose which was to become my final shot of “Searcher/Specter - A Portrait Set”.
Throughout the entire evening my phone was buzzing off the hook from people partying/watching the UK vs. UL Final Four basketball game and here we are in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t care, I was high on the success of the day and couldn’t wait to roll out the images. After a quick group shot, we packed our gear back in, threw on a quick change of clothes and headed down to Wicks for some beer and pizza.
SUCCESSION
Two weeks later Josh and I met and coordinated the simultaneous image upload and rolled out the coolest collaboration I had ever done. I was very proud of what we accomplished and what I gained. I reached outside of the box and challenged myself on location and in my office to develop some outstanding work that every member of the team can be spirited about.
Thank you to the entire team for an experience I shall surely not forget.
