Big Chill for Luxe Magazine

I was asked to photograph, Orion Creamer, the owner of Big Chill for Luxe Magazine.  I had looked at Big Chill's products online, which are retro looking refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers, and had a lot of fun ideas for the shoot.  They have been featured in many magazines like Martha Stewart Living, O (Oprah's magazine) and even on the set of Rachel Ray's cooking show.

When we got to the location in Boulder there was a huge open warehouse that would be a great background for the shoot.  We moved a bunch of refrigerators into place, set up our lights and started doing some test shots.  The photos were looking good and then we converted the image to black and white and everything changed.  Most of the fridges were pastel tones that all turned to gray and were indiscernible in black and white.  Luxe prints all of their people features in black and white, so we were stuck and had to figure out something fast.

Ryan, my assistant, recommended that we shoot in the alley where we had seen a bunch of ivy growing as we drove up.  I thought it was a great idea because the soft lines and colors of the fridge would contrast with the busy ivy.  It was right outside the warehouse door and ended up working out great.  It was a fair amount of work to get a fridge safely outside and off a pallet, so we decided to work with only one fridge.

We had great diffused natural light from a lightly overcast sky and bounced light into the shadows with a large piece of white styrofoam that was in the warehouse.  We put Orion into position and started shooting.  He was very comfortable in front of the camera and everything came together.  I was very happy with the final product and the important thing is that Luxe was too.  The first image is the one they selected and the second was one of my favorites.

Fashion Photography

I recently did a test shoot for Vince Varia, the owner of the salon near my studio.  He needed some updated photos of his hair and makeup work and I wanted more experience shooting fashion.  He provided the models and I provided the studio and it was a great trade for both of us.

I really enjoyed the challenges that went lighting and shooting to show off Vince's work the best.  He put a lot of work into both of their hair and makeup.  One of the models was given "barcode bangs" as Vince calls them with white stripes in black bangs and he used 12 different colors for the eye shadow on the other model.

One of the most enjoyable things for me was seeing how far I have come in my knowledge of lighting.  Being able to shape the light and accentuate certain features is really something you learn best from experience.  Seeing the results I was able to get with the lighting of the models was very satisfying and proved to me that I am continuing to grow and learn as a photographer. 

Here are a few of my favorites.

Quick Update

I try to be very consistent about updating my blog on a weekly basis.  Unfortunately with all the traveling I have been doing and my workload while I have been home, that hasn't happened.  After being gone to China and Montana for 26 of the last 42 days, life and the blog will be getting back to normal.  I have been shooting everything from fashion to landscape architecture recently, so look for regular updates again starting this week! 

Last day in China

July 21st

This is my last day in Hong Kong.  It has been an amazing trip.  Everything from photographing the English Camp to soaking in the view from Victoria's Peak overlooking Hong Kong has been great.  I really enjoyed China and look forward to coming back some day.  It is an incredible and unique place with amazing sights and people.

Today I did not take any pictures.  I am pretty worn out at this point.  I did take a bus down to the harbor to take in the amazing view one more time.  The rest of the day will be spent traveling home.

I want to thank a few people for allowing this trip to happen and for being a part of my experience.  First I want to thank my wife, Kelly.  Without her support I would have never been able to take photos of this part of the world.  The commitment it took from her to manage the boys and our life back at home for the 17 days I have been gone is amazing.  I definitely am blessed to have her support and love while I am away and at home.  I want to thank Phil Eyster of EPI for his belief in the power of my photography and for asking me to go on this trip.  His continual support of my photography and using my abilities to help to promote EPI's mission means the world to me.  I want to thank all the English Camp students.  Their never-ending smiles and their desire to learn was a pleasure to be a part of and was fun to document through the lens.  I want to thank the entire EPI China team.  It was a pleasure getting to know all of you and your energy and desire to share with the students was a blessing to witness.  I want to thank Ryan, my associate at the studio, for holding down the fort while I was away.  It is nice knowing I can leave and trust that everything will continue running smoothly.  Lastly I want to thank all of my supporters.  Without your financial support and prayers this trip would have never happened.

Thanks to everyone!

Cheung Chau Island

July 20th

Today I went to Cheung Chau Island, which is about a half hour ferry ride from Hong Kong.  It is largely a fishing village and was an enjoyable place to take pictures and walk around.  You can see fishermen fixing nets and preparing their boats to go out to sea all over the harbor.

I did learn that you can't always trust guidebooks.  The book I was using said you could hike up Peak Road to a cemetery and look out over the harbor for some great views.  I found Peak Road and I found the cemetery, but I didn't find the views.  No matter where I went the views were blocked by the heave foliage on the hill.  It wore me out hiking up there in the heat and humidity, so I wasn't very happy that I had tried.

I did enjoy a great lunch at a cheap seafood restaurant right on the harbor.  I enjoyed my meal and a Tsing Tao while watching the boats go in and out.  Every once in awhile when I'm traveling I have those moments where I think "I can't believe I am here experiencing this."  For some reason enjoying lunch on an island off the China coast was one of those moments.

Looking at Hong Kong from across the harbor with the International Finance Center in the middle.

One of the deck hands for the Star Ferry taking a break.  The Star Ferry takes people back and forth between Hong Kong and Kowloon.

A fishing boat resting in the Cheung Chau Harbor.

The Cheung Chau Harbor full of fishing boats.

A man walking by a couple fishing boats.  I got lucky with how they framed his head.

An elderly man working on his fishing boat.

Me enjoying lunch on the Chung Chau Harbor.

A woman walking through an alleyway on Cheung Chau.