No Bra! It’s OK!
It is National No Bra Day today! From my photo shoot with model Aristodeme. The jacket is vintage St. John Knits.
Take A Walk On The Wild Side!
“Killer Heels” a superb exhibit of high heels and more at the Palm Springs Art Museum. From sexy to kinky to fashion to fun. Did I mention sexy and kinky! Got my attention. There are three video installations as well and they are just incredible! I will be going back again but here are some photographs of a few for now. So much art and craftsmanship in these designs!
First a 2012 Prada Sandal that evokes a Mid-Century Modern car design very appropriate for Palm Springs.
Then a sexy bright red 2012 – 2013 Heel by Giuseppe Zanotti.
Pump 2013 Springs/Summer with gold and clear Swarovski crystals by Nicholas Kirkwood. Behind them, 1959 black pumps by Salvatore Ferragamo worn by Marilyn Monroe.
And for those of you who have not taken that “Walk On That Wild Side”, Lou Reed…
A Rare Photo Out In The Wild… Of Me!
I just found this, didn’t know I was in the photo! A very rare photograph of me out and about with Rosie, who loves photos with her iPhone. This is in the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal Canada. That is me on the left, and no, those people are not looking at me aghast that I am walking up to the front. They are listening to a tour guide to my left.
Naked Selfie From The Diocese
This one is just funny. On Facebook there has been huge increase of these fake profiles doing friend requests. All cute young girls with flirtatious photos. Of course they are designed to lure you in so they can flood your Facebook profile with spam or even hijack it. I get as many as 10 per day and lately they have been given more of a look of legitimacy with listings of mainstream employment and schools. However the group that created this fake profile made a very funny mistake. Along with the naked selfie, they gave this profile a history of being with the “Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento”. Perfect!
Each Of Us Can Work To Change A Small Portion Of Events…
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – 1966
Please join with me and an amazing resource of living history, the Palm Springs Air Museum, in building this working memorial to the many who have served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The support we provide now will honor those who have given so much and will influence so many who will one day walk through those doors. Thank You! And please click here… https://www.gofundme.com/fb5e43ac
Palm Springs Photographs
As might be expected, I have a huge collection of amazingly unique and different photographs shot by me here in Palm Springs and around the area. People, places, landscapes, events, tourist spots, museums, restaurants, models, bodybuilders, fashion and more being added all the time. From anywhere from downtown Palm Springs to the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree, the entire region. My photographs have been featured in magazine travel features, advertising, fitness magazines and so much more here in the USA and around the world. Very soon I will be making these photographs available for immediate use and licensing in a searchable and viewable archive resource online. If you are the art director, photo editor, editor, publisher, public relations person or advertising creator please check back or send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com to be updated when these photographs will go live and available. I think you will all be very pleased with what you will be seeing. I am also available for your special assignments within the region and elsewhere of course. I must say that I am very excited about this and additionally I must say, Thank You!
Flying Time!
Coming up on the time of year when the Palm Springs Air Museum starts running all kinds of great programs, events and flight demonstrations. Truly my favorite place! I can’t hang out there enough. Like so many of you I was the kid who built model airplanes of World War I and World War II fighters and bombers and then jets of all kinds. Imagined what it would be like to be behind the stick of these machines speeding above the Earth, close to the ground or catapulting off the deck of a carrier. Later myself taking to the air in a Cessna and occasional other small plane. And very excited to see my buddies like Hunter Johnson take to the air too, this time in the bombardier position of FiFi, a still flying B-29. Too Fun!
Again, Too Good Not Too!
Natalie Lyle says I had already posted this photograph on all of my social media. OK more later, but I think this is worth posting again! She is so gorgeous! By the way, Makeup and Hair Styling by her! And the wardrobe styling.
What Am I Doing?
Editing some photographs from one of my shoots with best buddy Natalie Lyle. This is one of the behind the scenes photos. Anyone want to see any more?
Muscle Beach Thank You!
Thank You to everyone who shot with me over the Summer at Muscle Beach! I had so much fun with all of you and look forward to showing off more of your photos here on Facebook and on all of my social media. And a big congratulations to Sheena Epps and Toto Djong for your wins on stage and my photos of you making the 2016 Muscle Beach banners including the huge 7ft x 14ft banner that will be seen on the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk next Summer. Millions of people from around the world will be admiring your great physiques and dedication! Thank You All Again!
Paris Without The Jet Lag
As was said by my friend Matthew Frary from Hasselblad Bron. Montreal is like Paris without the jet lag. Loved it there! Great fun!
Ogilvy Pipers
Jeff McCarthy, Piper, at Ogilvy in Montreal Canada. Since the 1940’s a Bagpiper has played through the store honoring the store’s Scottish heritage. Much of the store is devoted to designer brands, however Ogilvy itself is a destination complete with a 300 seat oak paneled music hall on the top floor with a huge pipe organ. The history of Ogilvy is worth time reading and time to visit.
Back To School
Back to school in Montreal seems like it might be more fun than where I see parents go shopping.
Women’s Shoes As Art
Since my photo shoot for ShoeEnvy I have been more conscious of shoes as stand alone art. Women’s shoes for me have been that to complement the beautiful women I photograph. Taken by themselves however, women’s shoes especially, exhibit tremendous creativity. These shoes on display at the Musée du costume et du textile du Québec. the Museum of Costume and Textile of Quebec in Montreal. Next I will have to get over to the Palm Springs Art Museum to see their new exhibit “Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe“.
Money Saving Workout Wear For Women
This is a great idea! Why spend all that money on hot clingy workout wear to exercise in the park? This would be much more practical for women. At the Botanical Gardens in Montreal Canada.
Better Than Uber!
I have decided that this is my preferred way of getting around here in Montreal Canada.
Getting Good Parking In Montreal…
Even up here in Montreal Canada, if you have a really cool car they valet park your car right at the entrance.
Not From IKEA
I am thinking than none of this came from IKEA. The Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal Canada. Walking in was indeed an “Oh Wow” moment. Dedicated in 1829.
Cadillac On Your Feet
Continuing photographing shoes but this time just a storefront window in Montreal Canada. I am thinking this is an old Cadillac rear fin motif and color. Pretty cool!
Women Love Shoes!
Women love shoes and women love Shoeenvy! I do too now! One photograph from our shoe fashion photo shoot on Monday. Already used in multiple places on the company websites. I think we could say this is kind of fun, kind of sexy. Oh Yes! Go check out Shoeenvy!
Photographed with only the best equipment, Hasselblad camera and lenses and Broncolor lighting. Thanks!
I Am Down With Shoeenvy!
Getting down at shoe level for a shoe fashion photo shoot for Shoeenvy. I love the Shoeenvy statement on their Instagram page, “Because finding the right pair of shoes should be easier than finding the right guy.” Too fun! You have to check them out and download their App. You will be seeing some sexy and fun shoe fashion with some sexy legs in those shoes.
Yes this is me crawling around on the floor of an artist’s studio in Los Angeles, for the last of three parts of our photo shoot. The first of the day was around a pool in a garden setting. The second was in an upstairs crowded fun art deco looking apartment in the Melrose area.
Shooting Hasselblad and Broncolor was a huge advantage for a number of reasons. I was using the Broncolor Move 1200L lighting system which gave me a lot of portable power that could be moved around and the strobe actually being held by one person easily because it is so small and light. In the garden and by the pool it made it easy to move around quickly without being encumbered by power cables. In the other settings just one light stand made it simple and convenient.
The Hasselblad medium format digital camera was ideal for this shoot because I wanted to see the detail in the shoes. You see a lot of photos out there that are supposed to be fashion, but when you really look, you do not see any of the fabrics, stitching and so much that goes into it’s creation. Hasselblad and Hasselblad lenses gives you that detail. Adding in the color accuracy, real life skin tones, and exposure latitude combined with the very consistent Broncolor lighting and you have the right tools for a no compromise photo shoot. And I always want to give my clients and models and everyone involved a no compromise photo shoot on my part, no matter anything else.
So Thank You to everyone involved on this photo shoot! It was a lot of fun and the results are superb. And now go check out Shoeenvy and download their App. This is going to be the fun way you buy shoes! And there will be more real soon! But probably not a convenient way to get the right guy. Thanks!
Sadly Sean Jones…
As we grow older we are visited by the sadness of the passing of those who have touched our lives. Yesterday many of us learned of the passing of Sean Jones. It was few years ago, Sean took the stage at Muscle Beach and it was obvious that for everyone else that it would be a fight for 2nd place. Actually Sean that day set a standard that would be hard to beat for a superb aesthetic bodybuilding physique for anyone to have matched. Sean went on to become a much sought after and respected body paint model around the world. He touched many many lives. But this photo I shot of Sean, the day after that Muscle Beach show, is one of my all time favorites and has been on my website ever since. And it will remain so. It makes me smile as he did whenever I heard from him and followed his journey. Much better seen full screen for this big guy on my website at http://bit.ly/1LgKKrt
Get Paid! Rant Ahead, Read At Your Own Risk!
GET PAID! Please! Rant ahead, read at your own risk…
As we are coming up on the Olympia weekend in Las Vegas, the most prestigious of all bodybuilding and fitness extravaganzas, I am again getting calls and messages from so many about this dilemma about getting paid. Basically it goes like this… “They want me to work their booth and want to pay me next to nothing. And last year they had $40 million dollars in sales.”
The next to nothing in this case is $100 per day. Others are not even getting that much or nothing. Stand around all day in almost no clothes and high heels for almost no money or none at all. No breaks, barely get to the bathroom. Why? Because starting back in about 2008 nobody was saying NO when the offers got less and less. Now you are all paying the price.
Remember when you are nursing your sore feet, blisters and headache, the president or owner of that company will be at the best restaurant in town sucking down the best call Vodka, double, at $40 a glass. And then having that $88 steak.
I am going to tell you right now, don’t do it! I know you want to get ahead in the fit biz but no one is going to “discover” you while you are standing in that booth handing out little packets of fat burners. So just say NO and this is what you can do…
Buy yourself an Expo ticket and walk around and meet people and also enjoy the Expo you never get to see because you are stuck in that booth! Hand out your business card, talk to people. Just remember to get their cards too so you can follow up. Every one is distracted and busy at the Olympia Expo, be brief and to the point and make an impression.
By the way, many of you “photographers” are just as guilty. You worked for cheap or free and made it worse for everyone. Now you can’t buy lunch! I told you!
Get back to me with any questions and check out this short video from famed author and writer Harlan Ellison. It is to the point!
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