Wonderful light was on my side throughout the day for this shoot with Jordan. I don’t usually set up the fog machine for modeling shoots, but after the results I got for this shoot it will inspire me to do it more often. This was also the first shoot since receiving my brand spanking new Magbox by MagMod. If you are a fan of speedy setups and beautiful artificial light then the MagBox is a product you need in your life.
Makeup and hair for this shoot was handled by Nicole Sacco. Wonderful job, Nicole!
If you are looking for a “normal” engagement session, I officially don’t do them anymore. This engagement session is next level. The Latin Circus discovery happened on accident and my only regret is it seemed to be vacant that day or else we would have definitely tamed a lion. I’ve known these two characters for a while now and enjoy seeing two wacky people that genuinely care for one another. It’s a pleasure to shoot the reality of it all. When I asked Vin to lay down on a questionable furry rug and have Jenna rule over him like a Queen…they both did it. Top notch effort all around.
I haven’t really talked about my gear much lately. These days I shoot on the Sony A7RII which is definitely the most versatile camera body I’ve ever used. For both my photo and cinema work, there really hasn’t been anything engineered like this camera. The quality of the final images is slamming, the files are easy to work with and the dynamic range through the roof. Not to mention it has in-camera image stabilization. In the new year I will be transitioning over to Sony lenses. Far less weight, much sharper and less expense than the EOS mount lenses I currently use with a Metabones adapter. The Sony Carl Zeiss and G Master lenses are designed to take full advantage of all the bells and whistles the camera offers me.
Now let’s cut to the chase and behold the greatness of Vin and Jenna’s engagement session highlights!
Brooke is one of the latest fresh faces to come through the doors of Cleri Models and I got to photograph her recently at my studio in Paterson, NJ.
We went through several hair and makeup changes throughout the day, but I think the hippie look definitely had the most impact. The natural light throughout the studio was perfection, but we did light some of the scenes artificially with flash. A Lastolite softbox containing one flash is a powerful tool for working quickly and yields nice, flattering, warm light.
Special thanks to Makeup by Wanida for another great job on hair and makeup and LFM for superior assistance start to finish.
To schedule your photography session, contact me through my web site. Enough blabbing and more showing. Below are highlights from the session.
Who is ready to bust out some sweet dance moves on the beach? You are? Are your sure about that? Can you bust out dance moves without fracturing your entire spinal column?
Andrea and I continued our shooting partnership by venturing down to sunny Asbury Park, NJ for some photos along the beach. The breakers near Convention Hall were particularly dry that day and made for a nice flat surface to photograph some sweet dance moves.
I shot in black and white to keep the focus on form and movement. Most of the shots were taken in the direct sun because the light was extraordinary. The thing I love about working with Andrea is she is a relentless perfectionist. We review shots on the spot to make sure everything is the way it should be. Take note, dancers! That’s the way it’s done to get results like this.
Special thanks to Lew Monty for running around like a maniac bringing me lenses and batteries as per usual. If you don’t have a Lew Monty…well, that’s too damn bad because he’s on Team TW!
Just a few minutes outside of New York City is a world of industrial buildings that were formerly used to produce everything from fine silks to guns. That’s been my headquarters for the past month and it’s been so much fun finding interesting spots to shoot.
For portrait photography, I have different tastes. Sometimes I like it straight forward and without any distraction. But most of the time I like it to feel lived in. Shooting in a space that has been lived in, or worked in, lends itself to giving the person a bit more gravity in the scene. They absorb the essence of what the space is about. Hard work and determination are skills we can all relate to regardless of the line of work we’re in.
Mia has the energy and confidence you would expect from someone that models. It’s natural for her. I’ve also worked with models that are sort of shy in person, but convey a whole different feeling once we start shooting together. This was a great shoot from top to bottom and I’m happy to share some of my favorites from the session along with a couple behind the scenes shots courtesy of my assistant Lew Monty.
Are you ready to learn some sweet piano moves? Angy found out about my work from fellow musician Veronica Parrales.
Our space for this particular shoot was a bit cramped, but I can make just about anything work to my advantage. Angy needed some straight forward portraits for use on her new web site. The photographs needed to convey warmth and experience.
A portable backdrop was used for headshots. The same backdrop also came in handy for the shots where I wanted to completely isolate Angy and the piano from the plain walls of the practice room.
Singers singing in the hallways. Dancers dancing in hallways. The Ripley-Grier studios in Times Square are always full of talented and determined individuals. Had a super cool shoot with Dani at Ripley-Grier in Times Square. She’s a pro and busts out all types of sweet moves.
Lens choices this go ’round were the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art and Canon 28mm f/1.8. Enjoy!
