Here’s my first video showing how I edited one of my shots. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave feedback regardless of whether its positive or negative. Thanks.
Posts Tagged ‘photography’
Fashion Shoot #1 Complete
April 29th, 2011 
Angel 
Christina
I was finally able to wrap this fashion shoot up but it didn’t go as smoothly as planned. I seriously didn’t think so many things could go wrong in one shoot! Everything you could think of went wrong. I mean everything! I had models cancel, MUA cancel (but this was valid), hair stylist no show, & my assistant bailed on me the night before the shoot! Awesome! Or as Christina, one of the models, would say, “not winning”!
Between lugging around equipment and directing the MUA (and now hair stylist) it was really a hectic day in which I really had to take a step back every once in a while to make sure that I was still on track. Having to think on my feet and provide direction to everyone there, I was happy that I had taken the time to prepare for this shoot the way i did. As both models put it, “you’re so organized & punctual”.
Tanisha
Regardless of all the chaos that went on in the background I feel great about the final images produced from this shoot and at the end of the day that’s all that matters. The end result!
I had the pleasure of working with models Tanisha & Christina on this shoot and they were amazing! Especially after they realized how mad I was because of the hair stylist not showing up. lol.
Cathrine Raffaele, the MUA, did a great job on makeup as well as saved my butt by stepping in and taking care of the hair styling. Thanks again!
And last but definitely not least, my wardrobe stylists Beth & Jess put together some great outfits.
The location was better than I can put into words! The Mountain Mermaid was an excellent location to shoot and the owner was very easy to work with. The scenery and landscape on this property made it very easy to jump from one look to the next. It really was an ideal location for a fashion shoot.
Christina
In my previous posts (post 1, post 2) I described my thought process throughout the planning stages for this shoot. I included sample images used for inspiration, thoughts on locations and other ideas I was considering.
Tanisha
I would like to think that the steps I took in preparing for this shoot allowed me to pull it off. Had I not taken the time to plan as I did, this shoot would have turned out to be a disaster.
Finally I would like to mention that if you are interested in working with anyone mentioned above, you are free to contact them. I have added links to their websites and you can find their contact information there.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about my little adventure. I’m now working on the next one. Come back to see how that turns out.
Portfolio Shoot Update
March 24th, 2011 Angel After much consideration and scouting for different locations I have made the decision to completely change the images that I was using for inspiration. The main factor behind this decision is the location. I found this unbelievable place in Topanga called The Mountain Mermaid which is a 1930′s villa that has been completely restored.
I have booked the location, wardrobe stylist, MUA, Hair stylist & model. I may add another model but that’s hasn’t been determined just yet. All in all you could say the shoot is well on its way.
Anyway, here are the new images being used:
I will continue to update the status of the shoot as well as the results once the shoot has been completed.
Please Link to Me
Storyboard Templates for Photographers
February 18th, 2011 Angel Some photographers like to set up a shoot and see what comes out of it as the shoot progresses. They figure they could just show up to the studio or location with a subject, a MUA, maybe a hair stylist and start clicking and hopefully, they’ll get something good out of it. And that obviously works for them, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Storyboard Template
There are others, however, that prefer to think of a concept, plan out the wardrobe, makeup, hair, style, location, and sketch out a series of frames according to how it is they envision the results. For those of you who like to take a little more time on your preparation, I have found a website that offers free storyboard templates (not for commercial use). Make sure you read their terms of use before you download any of their templates.
Printable Paper offers a variety of templates with different sizes of sheets and many options in set up. I understand this isn’t anything you couldn’t simply create yourself using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or even Microsoft Word, but I thought I would mention it for those that would prefer a ready to use template that seems to fit the bill.
Fashion Portfolio Photoshoot #1 – Concepts
February 16th, 2011 Angel So I have been going back and forth all day trying to figure out what steps I need to take in preparing for my first portfolio shoot and determined that I needed a form to keep me on track. So I created this Pre-Production check list. Feel free to use it if you like.
Now back to planning the actual shoot. The plan is to shoot three looks all of which will be simulated fashion advertisements. With that in mind I began to look at various magazines and online references to fashion magazine ads that would inspire me and this is what I’ve found so far:
Look #1
FENDI-AD
fendi-ad #2
This look is obviously focused on presenting handbags. I like both of these images because they integrate the background very well while successfully retaining the focus on the model and the product.
Look #2
This look focuses more on the presentation of fragrances. It portrays an image of elegance, class and sophistication as well as somewhat flirtatious.
Look #3
Bvlgari
Chanel Eyewear
Look #3 presents eyewear. As in look #2 a sens of class, elegance and sophistication is also portrayed in these images.
My biggest obstacle right now is finding a location that will accommodate all three looks. I realize that the simple solution would be to split each shoot up into individual shoots, however, because I am working with a limited budget I am trying to take full advantage of the time I have with my wardrobe stylist. Meaning, she has a three look minimum per shoot and I would like to shoot three different usable portfolio pieces.
That said, I feel that looks 1 & 3 would easily be accomplished in the same location but look #2 will take a little more creativity to pull off. In the next few days I will begin scouting locations trying to find one that will accommodate all three looks. Hopefully, I can find a place with a range of backgrounds. Wish me luck!
If you have any comments, suggestion or questions I would love to hear them.
Posted in Journal 
Tags: ad, advertisement, bulgari, bvlgari, chanel, escada, fashion, fendi, photography, preproduction 
No Comments »My Journey Into Fashion Photography
February 15th, 2011 Angel As many people who are close to me already know I am looking to break into the world of fashion photography. Specifically fashion advertising. That said, I have decided to revamp my entire portfolio to reflect that change (which is why, as of this posting, there aren’t many images in my portfolio). I am currently in talks with stylists and models, as well as scouting locations for shoots that will give me the look I am pursuing.
In an effort to make myself more accountable and to help others that may be in a similar situation, I have decided to add a “Journal” category to my blog, where I will document the process of not only building my portfolio from the ground up but also what I do with it once its complete, including: prospecting, marketing, and eventually acquiring new clients (I hope).
Feel free to make comments, suggestions or ask questions as you read through my experiences. I look forward to a great 2011 and I hope that by blogging my experiences someone else will benefit.
West East Magazine Fashion Photography Contest
January 24th, 2011 Angel 
West East Magazine Cover
West East Magazine, in association with Photographer Benjamin Kanarek is hosting a fashion and beauty photography contest that I am planning on entering. West East Magazine is one of the most Prestigious International Trendy Press Magazines, with 60,000 copies sold in all of the major capitals in the world.
The winner of the contest will be publishes in the Summer issue that comes out in June 2011. There will be two winners, one for fashion photography and the other for beauty photography.
I am planning on entering the fashion photography contest which must abide by the following rules:
- Original submission. Meaning, the images submitted have not been published by another magazine
- Featured clothing should be from the most recent collections
- The Fashion story should be at least 6-8 images
In The Mood by Benjamin Kanarek © West East Magazine
The theme for this contest is “Harmony”. I am looking to put together a team to tackle this project and create some amazing images worthy of being published in a magazine such as west east. Since I just made the decision to enter, I am looking for the entire team. If you are interested in contributing to this project feel free to contact me via email.
If you are photographer wanting to enter the contest, you can find all the details on Benjamin Kanarek’s Blog.
Lighting Diagrams
October 20th, 2010 Angel Lighting is the most important tool we as photographers use when creating art. And keeping track of how we used light in a particular image is done, by most photographers, by drawing out a schematic of the setup by hand. Not that there is anything wrong with drawing but if you saw how I draw you wouldn’t know the difference between a soft box and the model.
I recently came across this diagram creator that makes life a whole lot easier. It allows you to display backdrops, the models position, the camera’s position, your lights, and modifiers all in a neat and easy to read diagram. Once you have created your diagram you can export the file to your desktop or if you prefer you can download the program onto your computer. Either way this is a great little tool that will help you keep track of your lighting in a neat and professional manner. And the best part is that it’s available for FREE!!!
Here’s a sample of what a diagram might look like.
Sample Lighting Diagram
To use the diagram creator simply Click Here. Although it is free to use the developer does as for a very reasonable donation of $10 for commercial use.
