Case Study: Making NASCAR images without a traditional car studio.
I was commissioned to photograph Daniel Hemric and the number 8 OnDeck Capital car. I live in Charlotte, NC. Which is the home of the NASCAR hall of fame. Another fun fact if you drive 30 mins north you will be in Mooresville, NC AKA “Race City USA” home to 60 race teams. You can bet we have a few car studios with large CYC walls. There are even a few drivers and teams with their own studios. Rumor has it that Richard Childress started his studio after getting a speeding ticket when he was late for a photoshoot in Charlotte.
Why did I not have a studio with a large CYC wall for this car and driver shoot? The answer, budget and availability. The studios that were within the budget and available during our shoot window were booked. The producer and I started brainstorming ideas and we called on friends with personal studios. I knew that as long as I had a large space I could build a background to give clean lines for the retouching that would need to be done. If the images had been shot on a CYC wall they would still be clipped out to pure white or transparent backgrounds.
So what did we do? We used the truck bays at the race shop. The teams all have semi trucks that house mobile command centers for race day. The truck bay was wide enough and plenty deep for me to run the two sets needed to cover the clients image requests. My assistants hung 3 12 x 12 white silks to make a large backdrop. We positioned the car and started capturing the requested angles. The second set was a 9 ft gray seamless for portraits of the driver. With a great team and some solid pre production we delivered 28 final images to the client.
Please reach out if you have any questions or have an obstacle keeping you from getting the results you want!
Why I will never do an unpaid test again..and neither should you.
A few years ago a local photographer referred me to a clothing brand who has their corporate office in Charlotte NC. They needed 300 plus pieces of clothing photographed as laydowns. They were looking to shoot twice a year to cover their seasons.
Once I made contact, we set up a video chat with the creative director and the senior graphic designer. They were unhappy with the current photographers output. They were only getting 8-10 finished images a day. They wanted to use the images for everything. I told them I have a lot of experience with photographing laydowns and could easily do 30 plus a day with the right team. They seemed very excited about this and asked me to do an unpaid test with some of their products. They gave me their image requirements and asked me to deliver images ready for upload.
I dropped by their office to talk with the senior graphic designer and picked up the clothing for the test. We talked about the small studio they built and the issues they have been facing. I got on the phone and called two of my friends who are fantastic soft good stylists. They agreed to help me after hours since both were on set that week.
I went and bought all the supplies needed for laydowns. Foam boards for pinning, batting for stuffing, foil tape, etc. I even steamed everything out myself before the stylists got to the studio to maximize the time we had. I picked up some food and drinks for us to have and gave each stylist a bottle of wine as a thank you.
After we finished photographing the clothes I made my selects and sent them to another friend for retouching. He silo’d them out to white, cleaned them up and then cropped and processed them to fit the image requirements. While he did that I was working on my estimate.
Building an estimate is an art, you never know how it will hit your client. I took everything they told me into consideration. 300 plus items photographed front and back. Which makes 600 plus images. They wanted the work done in one to two weeks. They would be using the images for everything.( E commerce, line books,email ads and social ads, mailers and point of purchase)
I would need a crew that could handle the volume, catering for the crew, supplies for laydowns, seamless paper, lighting and computers to run multiple sets to maximize efficiency, retouching, and someone to pick up the clothing from the distribution center. Then the big one…. Usage. They essentially wanted unlimited usage. How do you price that?
Once I got my images back from the retoucher I sent them via WeTransfer and emailed my estimate to the client. They loved the fast turnaround. Then crickets… I finally reached out to ask how they liked them images and was told
“We were gone all last week doing our lifestyle photoshoot in Blank,Blank so I’m still slowly digging out of email madness right now. Sorry for the delay. We’ve decided to go another direction for our full on laydown needs but I’d certainly like to keep you on the contact list for any specific shots/social/IG posts etc. for the future. You have a talented team and we should certainly work together at some point!”
Well more than two years later I have heard nothing from them, no specific shots/social/IG posts no anything.
In the end the test cost me money for supplies and gifts for my badass freelance friends. More importantly it cost us all our TIME. Moral of the story. Charge a testing rate and do not let the idea of a big client and job forget your time has value.
Should I Assist ?
I always liked the idea of being able to find a Photographer who wanted a solid first assistant. A Photographer that would help to pass on not only photography knowledge but business sense as well. An apprentice program of sorts. That is still a reality for some, however it is hard these days to find someone who is comfortable with sharing their craft and industry secrets. Egos are alive and well.
I spent a long time assisting, maybe too long. Lot of factors kept me in the game. The money can be very good and the work is normally fun. Yes, you might have to carry a lot of gear or spend 15 hours outside in 95 degree weather with high humidity. Honestly I found it difficult to find enough work as a photographer to quit assisting. I need to pay bills and sometimes it is hard to turn down a 4 day job at $500 a day working as a Digital Technician.
So why should you assist? The same reason you went to school, the same reason you got a book on photography. Knowledge! There is a real issue with young photographers who think they know everything. They scoff at photographers who they assist. “I could shoot this” “my lighting is better” etc..What they don’t have is any real experience with real time critical thinking and problem solving on set with a client who expects results. They do not have any experience working with clients. They do not know how to stand up for themselves when the scope of work changes. If you are smart you are watching the photographer interact with all members of the production team regardless of size. How does the photographer talk to the crew, the client, the art director? Is the photographer stressed out and then takes it out you ? I have assisted photographers from all over the world on productions with small 5 thousand dollars budgets to national advertising campaigns for massive brands with 6 figure production budgets. Assisting gives you a look in the world of those that are really doing it.
Whenever I was on set with a photographer I always looked for opportunities to ask questions. I wanted to know about their path and how they won the bid for this job. Some photographers understand most, if not all of assistants want to be successful photographers some day. However many photographers have egos that prevent them from being generous with their knowledge because they see you as a threat. They think you will take their client. Which is fucking absurb. Do not actively pursue a client you meet on another photographer's shoot unless that client reaches out to you directly. Do not be the snake, word will get out and you will not be assisting long.
The best part of assisting at the end of the day is getting a look at all the different types of jobs and clients that are out there. You then can make a game plan for the type of work you want to do as a photographer. You get to see first hand how it feels to not have a proper crew or production supplies. You get to see mistakes like a photographer not having a SOP for managing data and losing part of the job, they forgot the charger for the computer, or they piss the client or crew off and create a poor work environment.
The knowledge I have from years of assisting has made it possible for me to accomplish many different types of photography productions. I know the costs involved for high production work, I know how having one more assistant will make the day better for everyone. Most importantly I know how to communicate with a team to accomplish a common goal.
I think everyone should do some type of internship or assistant work. If you went to school for photography or art. Assisting is like a masters program. You have the theory but can you put it into practice. Food for thought
What questions do you have about assisting?
Photo by Kim Hummel Photography
8 Tips to Help You Crush Your Aerial Rain Session.
Your first aerial photo shoot can be intimidating. You might feel like you are not ready to showcase your hard work and passion. Here are a few tips on how to crush your session and come away with bad ass images to show the world.
Make sure you have had time to train and learn at your studio. Everyone is different but having at least 6 months to a year of training on the lyra will pay off come shoot day.
Plan Plan Plan. Figure out what poses you want to do and do not try something you are not 100 percent on. Make a cheat sheet with the poses you want to showcase. It could be just the names of the poses or images of you from class. This will maximize your time come shoot day, leaving you with a good problem… Lots of images to narrow down.
Wardrobe and Costumes. You have an hour to do anything you want! People have done IT the Killer Clown, Sailor Moon, and Disney Themes. The day of your shoot we can work together to bring your vision to life. Most Aerialists have had time for at least 2 changes, sometimes 3 or 4! Use your time wisely.
You will be soaked. I recommend bring two towels, a change of clothes and trash bag for your wet items. Wet legging are hard as hell to get off and on. Not speaking from personal experience. I have heard the struggle is real from many who have participated in past sessions.
Be on time! Once your hour is up, someone new will be coming in ready for their session.
Need some support? Bring an aerial friend to help you remember poses and give you some extra encouragement.
You will be drained. Aerial photoshoots are not like performances. You will hold poses longer than you would in a sequence. It is a good idea you practice your poses a week before your session date.
HAVE FUN.. Seriously this is your time to shine. The studio will have music and you can pick a playlist that works for you.
If you follow these tips I can guarantee you will have a great session and get some killer images. Images you can share on social media, use for self promotion or print to hang on your wall.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you at the next Aerial Rain Session!
Crowd Funding Image Creation
Last year I had several projects with start up companies that needed imagery for crowdfunding campaigns. I really enjoyed working with the entrepreneurs of each start up. Along the way I learned a few things about what makes a successful crowd funding campaign. The following images are examples of the different products I was tasked with. Each one had a different creative direction and their own set of challenges but all needed to highlight the products form and function.
Gracetech Hand Bags.
Grace tech bags are designed for you to change the outer shell with new patterns as your style and taste change. We spent one day in Charlotte and visited four locations. It was a long day. I had two models, HUMA, First assistant/DT, PA and a producer to help me make this happen. The client flew in to be apart of the process. It was great having the client with us because she could approve as we shot, it helped to speed up the process. I used mostly available light with bounce fill and a sunbrella to soften direct sun light. I shot tethered to a laptop and had a car with gear on stand by. There was no budget for scout day so I used google street view and my own knowledge of the city to create a creative deck for the client.
HoverStash
HoverStash is a premium display product used to show off cannabis. The shoot took place in a suburban home. The product had a hover feature that was accomplished with electromagnetic technology. The plexiglass cube had magnifying lens to show off the cannabis inside. The idea behind hoverstash is that humans like to display or show off items of interest especially vices. Think liquor cabinet, wine rack, and humidors.
TRIPDONGLE
Tripdongle is a piece of hardware linked to a mobile app. It can charge up to three devices, track your mileage, help you find your car and alert you when you parking meter is about to expire. We shot this on location. The client was from India and could not be on set with us. We had two creative calls to set up exceptions and get a creative direction. In addition to still images, I worked with a small video production team to create a video that would accompany the images on the crowdfunding site.
Eat our Fork
Eat your fork is biodegradable cutlery made from corn. Eat your fork is a solution to help combat single use plastic. The images were shot in studio with continuous light to aid in the speed of the accompanying video production. The crew was very small and consisted of a photographer, videographer and a food stylist.
GOODTIMER
Goodtimer is a children’s behavior monitor and reward system. If the child is good for the set amount of time they receive a reward in the form of a token. The token is dispensed from the product. Parents assign value to the token for the child to redeem. Makes me think of tickets from Chuck.E.Cheese. We shot on location in a suburban home. I had a a first assistant and help from the video crew. We shot a full day with a model playing mom and 4 kids to work as siblings. We shot bedroom, kitchen, vehicle and living room lifestyle scenes.
Maggie, Walt and myself in a room scene set for Belk Department store.
The importance of a good team
Commercial photography is not a single player game. Some photographers get lost in their own ego and forgot about the team that’s helping to make the shoot happen. Where would you be without a great assistant? How do you run three sets without help? The team works together to make the client happy and to make the shoot day run smoothly. No matter the size of your team, each person brings valuable knowledge to the set. When you have help, you can focus on making the best images possible. I lean on my crew to help me navigate the day, and make a plan for a successful shoot.
DIgital Tech Chad and PA Steven getting me set up for the first shot on location.
I have worked on sets with 30 + crew members - all working in harmony to get the production flowing. A production assistant is at the bottom of the totem pole. I find them to be the backbone of any production, they are normally the first to arrive on set and the last to leave. The production assistant is a huge asset for anyone working that day, and yes, they might get coffee and set up catering - but the tasks they take on are one less thing you have worry about.
Greg holding a gray card for an aerial portrait session.
The first assistant is your right hand. He or She is there to support you, and they are your buffer from the rest of the crew. Your second in command. The best first assistants are photographers as well. They can get in your head and help make suggestions for things you may not have thought of. They understand what is takes to make images, and they have the knowledge of the gear you are using. When you get excited and start beating the recycle time on your power packs - they dial you back in. The first assistant is attentive and ready to solve any problem that pops up.
Chad doing double duty as my First assistant and Digital tech for a shoot with Cobra Electronics.
The producer is the team leader. They have mapped out the day and thought about the little things that make the day run smooth. They take into account the needs of the crew and make sure you are taken care of. The best producers have an iron fist in a silk glove. As well as checking in on the process of the job and putting out any fires that come up, they also have your back. The producer will stand up to demands from clients that go outside the scope of work.
Client and Director reviewing on a video/still production for Coolerbox
The Digital Tech is running your computer, managing your files and showing the client and AD the images as they import into your capture software. They provide valuable feedback on the images as well. When you are in the zone, hearing that your exposure has changed or your images are slighting soft lets you work faster. You do not have to walk away and review it for yourself. At the end of the day they back up the job and get the client the files needed to take the job to the next step.
Chad showing the images to the client.
The stylist, and I’m not talking about the instagram fashionistas. Soft, hard, food and wardrobe stylists are a huge asset to a team. They specialize in making fabric, food, props and just about anything in the image look the best it can. They are working along your side to translate the client vision into reality. A stylist shows up with a tool kit of pins, metal tape, tacky wax, batting, and brushes - all the items they need to get the job done. The job dictates what kind of stylist you need, and some wear many hats.
Sandi fixing the models wardrobe on location.
The makeup artist is essential when photographing people. No matter who you are, a little (or a lot) of hair and make up is going to make your life easier. They have everything to make anyone look their best and get them camera ready. Some of the more experienced makeup artists will ask you what kind of lighting you are using because they know what make up will look best. They see things you might miss and will jump in to fix flyaway hairs and knock down any shine on someones forehead. The makeup artist is present in the process - watching what come up on the monitor and on set.
Sandi the double threat getting last looks for models before shooting.
Not every job will need every person. Some jobs need multiple crew members. It all depends on the production, budget and goals of the job. Many hands make light work. With a great team you can accomplish anything!
Sneaker test BTS
When I have the time I like to test ideas or new lighting. Last week I had a chance to photograph two pairs of shoes. Before I wore my new kicks out and about I prepped them for photos. I carefully laced them and stuffed them with leftover plastic grocery bags and used a wooden skewer to prop the tongue of the shoe up. The day's leading up to the test shoot I covered some cardboard in drywall paste to create a textured background. I used an old box and roll of white seamless paper to create an environment for the shoes to float in. I purchased a white piece of styrofoam to use a base for the shoes. That with wooden skewers I could elevate the shoes for a floating effect. I used a bare Profoto B1 to light the shoes. You do not need a lot of space to create small still life images like these.
I am set up In my kitchen, I pushed the table against the wall to create an open space to shoot in. I like shooting tethered. It gives me a large screen to work with and the ability to use live view while I style. This might not be the most impressive studio on the planet but it was enough room to make the ideas in my head come to life.
After shooting I adjusted levels and did a little color correction due to the color contamination created by the colors of the shoes. The red puma created a red color cast on the white paper. A few quick brushes with the desaturation tool made it disappear.
Freelance Photographer-Full Time Dad
I no longer get upset when childless people say they do not have time. I was that person for most of my life. I would say my time management skills have improved since becoming a Father. Time is relative and is not experienced the same by others. I will say it has not been easy working out babysitters and work schedules. We have been lucky enough to not need daycare. Which is very expensive and creates constantly sick little ones. However, being freelance resembles being unemployed at times. At least that is the joke. It has allowed me to provide care for my daughter for over a year now. I get to see her grow up and learn, she is currently playing with a diaper box in our mud room.
When it comes to shooting days I have an extra bit of pre-production with hiring the most important crew member who will never make it to set. Our group of grandparents and babysitters are my first call when I need to lock down a date for production. I can say that single parents are badasses and I cannot imagine doing it alone.
I know that having children is not for everyone. I knew I want to have kids and it would interfere in some way with my career path. If anything it has made me more deliberate with my actions. I cannot afford to make decisions without careful thought and planning. I have another life to take care of and nurture. I need to consider her needs as well as mine.
Eleanor has become my most photographed subject this past year. How could she not? Her Dad is a photographer and she has been in front of my camera since she was minutes old. I am not sure what the future holds but I will stay hopeful and enjoy every moment with my little lady. I know sooner then later she will have grown up and have a family of her own. I will cherish every chest nap I have left and hope I a make her proud.
7 tips for looking your absolute best in a corporate headshot/ staff photo/ social media profile
Just about everyone I have photographed that is not a model loathes having their picture made. Hell, most of my photographer friends dislike being in front of the camera. A few simple tips will help you get the most out of your head shot session.
Wardrobe consultation.
This image will be a professional visual representation of you. This is not the time to wear your favorite band T shirt, ironic graphic Tee, or your pajamas. The focus is you, and we do not want to distract from that. The clothes you choose are secondary to your smile and expression. Sometimes patterns and stripes can cause a wrinkled effect (or moire) that is less than desirable on small screens. That is not always the case, but it’s something to consider when picking your wardrobe. You should feel confident in your clothes. This helps to make you feel better in front of the camera. Once you have your clothing selected, be sure everything is clean, pressed and/or steamed, and fits you well. It may have been a few months since you last wore your favorite dress shirt or suit jacket. I cannot begin to count the times I have had to run out and purchase a new shirt for a wedding or event due to a less than amazing fit!
Shiny skin.
Your forehead can become a reflector for the studio lighting being used to create your portrait. I normally have finishing powder that I’ll brush on before the session begins, but you can help out. For the men, wash your face with a cleansing wipe just before you shoot. Ladies, a bit of foundation and concealer will do the trick. If you enjoy riding with the windows down on a hot day - consider using the A/C. A sweaty mess is never the best thing to photograph - unless you just won the super-bowl.
Make up and hair
If you have the budget, I recommend hiring a hair and make up professional. They are accustomed to working with strobe lighting and have professional make up that works the best. If that option is not available to you, keep it natural. This is not the club or a big event at a fancy restaurant. You might look great, but is it appropriate for your headshot? Do you have long luxurious hair? Bring your styling accessories, or at the very least have a brush. Guys, make sure you have worked your hair product in throughly so we do see pieces of it in your images.
Your best side
If you hate having your picture made, i’m sure you have learned over the years what your best side is. Sharing this information will make your photographers life easier and hopefully put you at ease. Some people have a crooked nose or a small eye. This can be cheated and camouflaged with perspective, posing structure, and the angle of my camera.
Glasses
I wear glasses regularly, and if you do too, you should wear them in your portrait. We can always get an option without them. That being said, make sure you clean the devil out of them! Bring your cleaning solution and a micro fiber cloth, ensuring we do not see spots and dust particles that will create distractions in your images. Secondly, make sure your glasses are fitting properly. You want your glasses back, and flush to your face. We want to see your eyes!
Whoa! Chatty Kathy.. Zip it.
I get it. You're a little nervous. Remember, you hate having your picture made and you have told me 5 times already. Pictures with your mouth open or making a silly face do not make the optimal head shot. Take a moment to relax. Take a deep breath, and exhale. Plus, I will be chatting with you before we shoot. I enjoy meeting people and learning new things. Chances are we have something in common, and once we connect, we will be friends just hanging out making some great images.
Smile! Smile! Smile!
Sometimes a smile can look forced - especially if I keep asking you to do it. I will try and make you laugh or tell you a story that sparks some joy. You can also think of something funny in your own life. Did your child throw a whole roll of TP in the toilet? Did your significant other do something stupid? That way we can capture a genuine expression, which always looks better. How will you choose to smile? Lips closed or open? We can shoot a mix of both and select the best version of your smile.
When life hands you lemons...
It was Thursday January 4th, I was printing liability waivers for the weekend of aerial portraits I had coming up. When I get a text from my studio mate that our studio was on fire. My reply. Call the fire department! Turns out it was the suite next to ours that caught fire. For years the space was rented by a church, when they moved out a carpet recycling company moved in. The new tenants hired an electrician to work on their power needs, when the breaker box arched and caused the piles of carpet to ignite. The fire department arrived and started to fight the blaze. They smashed our sky lights and pumped enough water to saturate the cinder block wall that divided our space.
The fire damaged the building and I had to reschedule the aerial shoot. I was a giant stress ball. I had another aerial rain shoot coming up in two weeks. I was without a studio and a plan. I racked my brain on my options, cancel this one too? What studio is available and affordable? How will I build my rain set? Can I pull it off? I was stretched. With the help of my wife and a few close friends and a ton of A clamps it worked out. I built my rain set, photographed 17 strong women, and learned I can do anything with hard work. I gained more confidence in my ability to produce under pressure.
Mouth Sounds
Daniel Howie is a multi instrumentalist and all around good guy. We met when we both played in local bands during the mid to late 2000s. I remember hearing his band Sugar Glyder on 90 minutes the local music radio show hosted by Divakar. We ended up playing a lot of shows together and supported each others as audience members. It was a great community of people and players. Now many of the venues we played have been torn down or have called it quits.
Daniel’s new project is a solo effort called mouth sounds. While Mouth Sounds instrumentation finds its foothold in electronic elements, Howie’s cutting vocals soar free and clear from vocal processing typical of the genre.
We had the chance to create branding images for his upcoming record. His rose colored glasses are a homage to his Aunt who taught him how to play the piano. This instruction and support set him on his musical journey.
Testing... Why I do it.
If you don't use it, you lose it!
I love testing with local creatives in the same way I love to jam or improvise with my musician buddies. You are free to create and change things instantly. You brush with hard light and the shadow sharpens. The stylist adds the perfect element to still life scene and your image comes together. That is a rather romantic way to look at the process. However without continued practice and performance you will lose your chops. It ok to get frustrated during the process you will learn what works, what doesn't and when to apply it. Which is why I test. Practice makes perfect!
Last week the fabulous Stylist Jessica Anderson and I had a little jam session. I got some sets and surfaces together. We used our personal props and few extras to make 6 images in an half day of shooting. We chatted and caught up on life while exercising our creative skill set, no spotlight or stress from a AD or Client. We walked away with pride and made new work to showcase out talent.
BTS of the last set up for the day.
“Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.”
― Johannes Brahms
Kurt Leuschner- Friendship at 36,000 feet
Friends since middle school Kurt and I have had years to make memories together. Kurt is a Pilot, veteran, a trustworthy friend with a sometimes dark sense of humor. In the almost 20 years of friendship we have played rock shows, partied, laughed at our own stupidity and supported each other as groomsmen. He now occupies the sky in a A321. An office at 36,000 feet getting you, your mom, and friends everywhere they want to be. He is based in NYC, Lives in another state and it always on the move. My first question is always.. Where are you now? When I am lucky enough to see him in person, we always get dinner or coffee. Any chance to catch up and weigh in on how life is treating us. Being friends for so long it is like talking to a brother. We can talk about the realities of our lives, not the Instagram life. I am glad we still keep in touch and the last time he stopped by I made a few portraits of him after dinner.
Friendship Series
Chan man the chandy-gram. Another Tour brother and frontman of the now defunct band The Verdict. Chandler Martin is currently the director of the non profit Road to Hire. Offering technology & Sales career training, professional development and job placement for recent high school graduates in the Charlotte metro area.
I remember first photographing Chandler in high school, for a documentary project for my photo class. It was the battle of the bands and my band was playing as well. We became friends later on and he too was on the breaking the news tour. Jason was his drummer. He is an extreme talent with an incredible voice and knows how to make a catchy melody.
Fun fact I introduced him to Thai food while in St. Louis, we had time to kill before for a show and went walking around town.
Friendship..
What makes it work? I often think how did it get so lucky to have truly great friends. All friendships are forged with different materials or experiences. For me, music and bands played the biggest role. Dreams of being a rock star with a new hit band, veins of competition and lots of late nights. Out of that time I met some wonderful people and made a lot of memories. As I got older and priorities shifted I felt I needed to start creating moments with my friends. So a portrait series seemed fitting, sort of my own personal "where are they now".
First up. Jason Howie. He is my unofficial big brother and a fellow drummer. We first met in Boy Scouts. Later we played in the local music scene and did a joint tour. Our bands teamed up and hit the road for a month. I was 20. Now 11 years later. Jason is still the same super talented, funny, smart and caring gentleman. Only now instead of rocking behind the kit, he is saving lives and fighting fires. It was great hanging out at the fire house to make this portrait, the rest of the squad joined after some jokes about "Howie" the male model.
Lighting Test With My Lovely Wife.
On my days off I try to experiment with lighting tools and control for use in upcoming jobs. I had been meaning to use my Matthews standard reflector for sometime. I used a C stand to hang a weathered canvas and a medium roller to hold the silver reflector. I used my canon 5d and 50mm 1.4 as well as a 24-105mm f4. The sun is the key and I positioned Andee to be back lit for some images and then bounced the sun in to area of open shade for one. I used the reflector to simply bounce some light her way. Varying the distant and angle of the reflector gave me some different qualities of light. I would say it was a success.
Still Life Test
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing a test with Matt Tuttle. A very talented stylist based in NYC but a North Carolina fellow like myself. We talked for a few weeks about doing our spin on a golden age dutch masters still life. Matt found some amazing props and after a trip to the fish market and grocery store we had everything we needed. I was using a sinar X 4x5 studio camera with a rollei 100mm lens and a leaf 75s digital back tethered to Capture one pro. Lighting was one extra small chimera soft with grid, powered by a broncolor A4. I used a mixture of flags, fingers and fill cards to shape the light. Images coming soon. retouching is always the time consumer.
Kit Walters
Mr Walters and I go way back, like high school photo class. I feel blessed to be surrounded by so many talented people. Music has been apart of my life since I can remember. Playing in bands is what defined us in high school. Kit has gone on to accomplish a lot since those days and I was glad we could still collaborate in a slightly different way. Kit had a vision for a promo shot and this was the result of a few weeks of back and fourth chatting. Check Kit out at www.kitwaltersmusic.com
Mark Eckert. Drummer, Engineer, Producer
I had the privilege of helping Mark create promotional images for his brand.
Mark Eckert is seriously talented. You would be hard pressed to combat that statement. So, let me introduce your new best friend. Mark has an uncanny knack of wanting more out of life then the average person. He is sometimes to hard on himself but for good reason. This kid is on fire. Can't stop won't stop. check him out on instagram @markeckert.