A Win From Venice Beach To Pittsburgh!
A few weeks ago she stood in front of my cameras at Venice Beach. Then on this last Saturday she stood on the bodybuilding stage in Pittsburgh and walked away with her IFBB Professional Bodybuilder Card! Congratulations to an astounding Lisa Marino Sanders! Just wonderful!
Whoa!
The photo my assistant shot as he scrambled out of the way. As I stood up they were an arm’s length in front of me but Victoria Kirsanova had brought them to a stop. You can see the big smile on her face. What a fun photo shoot with an amazing and truly unique and very beautiful Victoria Kirsanova. A professional horse trainer and personal fitness trainer and top rated NPC Bikini Competitor. Just outstanding!
The Perfection Of The Lines Of Her Body
Look at the perfection of the lines of her body in that dress! Good thing I had a camera or I would have stared endlessly! Sasha Brown in our photo shoot at the Salton Sea.
Stacey Naito Always Leaves Me Speechless
Stacey Naito never fails to leave me speechless! From our photo shoot.Stacey is so amazing and beautiful in front of the camera! Makeup and Hair styling by Estee Lauder Makeup Artist extraordinaire Blanche LeBeau. Just Wow! Thank You to my good friend, and a great photographer as well, Jaime Klein who hosted us at his studio in Van Nuys CA. And Thank You to my assistant Clyde Sawyer for doing so very much!
How Do You Get Your F-16 Home After Your Photo Shoot?
It’s Good To Have A Pool!
One of the advantages I enjoy in having my own pool to use for my photo shoots, especially during the really hot weather here… I have no problem getting Randalene Sergent in it!
The outstanding Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
My Monday Mind’s Meandering…
Wouldn’t this be very cool as a bus bench! Would you take the bus if Maria Bertrand were waiting for it with you? And wouldn’t it be more great if people dressed more fun like this all time! My mind’s meanderings as I think about the week. More Please!
You Can Get My Attention For Your Photo Shoot!
First person to bring me a battleship for a photo shoot has my full attention and resources!
I Love Selfies! Wow Natalie!
I Love Selfies! And I especially love this Selfie! This is Natalie Lyle, the Makeup and Hair Stylist on so many of my photo shoots for a long time. When Natalie started with me a few years ago right our of makeup school, she had never been exposed to the world of bodybuilding and fitness. Well with me, she sure has many times over and embraced it. Now look at her! Check out those arms and shoulders! Keep it going Natalie! Outstanding!
I invite you to send me your selfies and I will show you off on my Blog and all of my Social Media as well as my Facebook pages. You will be seen by so very many! Girls and guys, whatever you want to send. In the gym, showing off the hard work you have put in, at the pool, or just having fun. Anything a little too edgy will go on my Blog and I will censor it for Facebook. You don’t have to have ever done a photo shoot with me or even met me in person. It will also be a great way for me to see you and talk about photo shoots. Let’s do this, it’s all fun!
You must send me the selfie to my e-mail at SecondFocus@mac.com or as a message on Facebook. I will say that I might have to pick and choose to make it manageable and hold some or change when I decide to post them for one reason or another. Thanks!
Which Camera? What Settings?
What camera do you use? I hear that all the time. Or what settings are you using? Thinking that if someone uses the “same” settings they will get the same result. Well not going to happen. The camera and the settings are only a small part of the equation.
Here is a photograph of Maddy who was kind enough to follow my lead about what I wanted in a look. This was a demonstration shoot at the Leica Store Los Angeles of the Leica S-System. Last night I decided I wanted to re-look at the photographs I shot there to see the differences in that camera system from others. When you are holding a $30,000 camera and lens in your hands, you have to shoot better to really take advantage of it. Also on hand was lighting by Dan Cuny with Profoto USA. Thank You to everyone for letting me play with all that gear! Truly an asset when you can take advantage of such fun opportunities.
Trying out the Leica S-System at the Leica Store in Los Angeles.
Ok Let’s Do This!
Bodybuilder and fighter Daniel Hill in our photo shoot.
Wineries Not At Muscle Beach
Thursday was a wedding and then Friday was touring wineries. These wine grapes at Leoness Cellars. Although the wines that were a favorite of the day was at Lumiere Winery. Not at Muscle Beach but in Temecula. There are a lot of wineries in Temecula! Very Fun!
A Wedding And Not Muscle Beach
A huge congratulations to Aaron & Kelley Maman. Aaron is the son of long time friends, so being at the wedding even mean’t me not being at the show at Muscle Beach for the first time in 10 years. Well worth it and great fun! I know I should post a photograph of the groom and his bride, but this photograph just is too good and it was the last one I shot for evening. And I just fell in love with Kelley watching her all evening LOL! Thank You Yossi and Scarlet Maman!
Photo Shoot Time Is Now!
Have you been thinking about doing a photo shoot with me? Or doing your advertising or a magazine editorial. I will be booking up the next 60 days as much as I can possibly get in. So send me a note now and you might find the time is right for a lot of reasons! Visit my website to take a look at what I do across the big screen of your computer. The photographs look much better than on Social Media! Also click on my Blog and take a moment to subscribe to my updates. I can show you much more there than I can ever do on Facebook. Thanks and click here… http://www.secondfocus.com
A Swim On A 1920’s Luxury Ocean Liner…
Wouldn’t you love to do a photo shoot here! This pool was a topic of conversation the other day so I thought I would follow up with a post about it. This is a photograph I shot of The Health Club Pool at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
Modeled after the decks of 1920’s luxury ocean liners. Solid brass trim on windows, doors and railings, teakwood deck chairs and hand-laid Italian mosaic tile on the walls and in the pool are original.The Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel had it’s grand opening in 1923 and was the largest hotel West of Chicago. It was the early home of the Academy Awards and the place of the 1960 Democratic Convention acceptance speech of John F. Kennedy.
Photography For Your Ad Campaign…
I am ready willing and able to photograph your advertising campaigns, magazine ads, billboards and more. So this is my shout out to you supplement companies, clothing, sportswear, fashion, art directors, marketing managers. Just send me a note to my e-mail at SecondFocus@mac.com. Thanks!
Getting Ready For The West Coast Classic Bodybuilding Competition…
Travis Ely getting ready to stand on stage tomorrow at Lonnie Teper’s NPC West Coast Classic. Getting in some posing practice in the mirror with his coach Jake Sawyer. Looking good and looking even better tomorrow!
Three Of One Doug Brignole!
Three of Doug Brignole in one photo. And it makes perfect sense!
First there is Doug Brignole the bodybuilding competitor having just returned from bering on stage at the 2014 NABBA World Championships in Belfast, Ireland. It was the Nabba Mr. Universe that launched a guy named Arnold. How cool is that!
Then there is Doug Brignole, a recognized expert in the field of exercise physiology, author of endless columns and features in bodybuilding and fitness magazines. The author of the published book “Million Dollar Mu$cle” along with Adrian James Tan. And as well, Doug is an amazing historian of the world of bodybuilding.
And third, there is Doug Brignole the personal trainer who has brought along people to heights of health and fitness they never would have guessed they could have achieved.
So three of Doug Brignole in just one of our photos from our shoot… Perfect!
From The Air At Muscle Beach!
This is really fun! Early in the day at the Memorial Day show at Muscle Beach. Later in the day would have been fun to see as well because the stands were jammed, the boardwalk was filled with people as was the booth areas, the beach and around that Air Force F-16. And yes I was there shooting photos of course! Very cool!
Bus Stop, Mall or Social Media
It was in a shopping mall where Maria Bertrand was handed a business card and told she would make a great model. She ended up modeling and appearing in ads and magazines for Guess, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, La Vien en Rose, Dynamite, La Perla, Armani, Coke, and Le Grenier. Maria worked in Milan, Paris, London, Athens, Montreal, Toronto and Capetown. Then commercials for Audi, Miller, Bud Light, Baskin Robbins, Molson Dry, Coppertone, Pela Windows, Comcast, Michelob and Club Med. Also there are about 20 movies and television shows. And like Maria said to me “I forget half the stuff I have done “. Pretty good for being spotted in a mall!
So where is the “mall” today. One top model, Asheigh Good, who is all over everywhere today, said she was spotted at a bus stop. “They took those photos, and then nothing much happened”. But three months later they went up on Facebook. “It was only two hours before a call came in from Ford Models. One week later, Ashleigh had booked the Givenchy in Paris, as an exclusive.” – Interview from “CR Fashion Book” Spring/Summer 2014 issue.
So I am making a point… Social Media is very powerful. For those of you looking to move ahead, be the person you want to be and be careful how you use Facebook and other Social Media. And if you are using horrible photos of yourself, well, that is what will be seen. By the way, all my Social Media is watched and has been seen by millions of people from all walks of life. That includes the owners of major companies, editors and art directors from all kinds of magazines and so very more. I have found it for me to be the most powerful tool I have ever used for “getting out there”! If I can give you any assistance or ideas or when you are ready for the photo shoot, send me a note to SecondFocus@mac.com. I love seeing people become successful! Thanks!
In Front Of My Cameras…
I have had so much fun photographing so many of you. This is what it is like in the gym in one of my photo shoots. Well with a couple of exceptions. The tall hot blonde is usually my Makeup and Hair Stylist, Natalie Lyle. But she is very amazing in front of the camera as well. And you don’t see my assistant, Clyde Sawyer, because he is taking the photo. The big guy there is Jonathan Rude. You know he is big because Natalie is 6 ft tall. Put her in 6 inch heels, and I have, well you get the idea! So who else wants to be in front of my cameras?
Taking Another Hard Hit!
You just know that this heavy bag is about to take another hard hit. And you can just hear the thump as it rocks back from the blow each time, over and over. With a very big Jonathan Rude working it out for my camera. Outstanding!
Not “Cat In The Hat”!
This is not “Cat In The Hat” but it is by Dr. Seuss. “The Rather Odd Myopic Woman Riding Piggyback on One of Helen’s Many Cats” certainly depicts a different side to his satire. In a gallery in Laguna Beach.
“Mississippi Burning” 50 Years Ago Today
Fifty years ago today, three Civil Rights workers were murdered by members of the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan including members of the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department and Philadelphia Police Department of Mississippi. James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael “Mickey” Schwerner were working on the “Freedom Summer” campaign registering people to vote. This story has been retold in the 1988 motion picture “Mississippi Burning” which was actually the name given the investigation by the FBI. Outrage over the murders of these three young men were among the many outrages that led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
My photograph here… So ordinary but yet so very profound in the history of this country and in all humanity… A section of the lunch counter from Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina that became pivotal in the protests against racial discrimination on Feb. 1, 1960. A non-violent protest by four very brave students, five months later the entire Woolworth’s chain was desegregated, serving blacks and whites alike.
One of the very moving and extraordinary things I saw, many unexpectedly, on my trip last year. On display at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.
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