Get Your Dents Worked Out…
Stopping by for some auto repair? Maybe things running rough? Looks like he is not too busy but maybe not impressed with the idea of getting under the hood of your car. Knows his way around the garage. I’m thinking he does mostly bodywork. Ask him about getting your dents worked out. A much better idea! Jake Sawyer from our photo shoot.
Riding The Rails…
She walked out of the desert from that freight train. Was she riding the rails, maybe from somewhere colder? She did see me, she was looking around. The camera didn’t seem to bother her but the hot Sun was too much for leather and denim. She got more comfortable and I think she was looking for her next direction. Maybe she is coming your way. Amy Sedlatschek riding the rails. She can do that, after all she is the Mom to six and a grandma. She has earned whatever she wants to do.
He Shook The Moment!
The sound of Jon hitting that heavy bag reverberated throughout the gym. The slam like an earthquake shook the moment and made everything else stop. Even the bag wanted it to stop. Jonathan Rude working it out in front of my camera.
Pearl Harbor
The Aichi D3A Dive Bomber, nicknamed “Val”, was the aircraft carrier borne airplane that flew in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor to the end of World War II. It was responsible for sinking more Allied warships than any other aircraft. This replica flying out of the Palm Springs Air Museum was flown in both the movies “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and “Pearl Harbor”.
Cool Car And A Photo Shoot…
A very classic Ford on the streets of Palm Springs last weekend. I happened to see it and had to pull over and shoot a photo. Interesting that I saw a photo shoot going on just off the road down in a field among some scrub and bushes. I suspect this was their car. It looked like a photographer, an assistant holding a reflector and a model. The model did have her clothes on. I didn’t see the photographer but if this is your car or you know the photographer, just say Hi! I just want to say Cool Car! Thanks!
Across The Windows…
If you saw her across the alley from your window in her window? But did she see you?
Melyssa across the windows in our photo shoot.
He Did Good…
Not often, but it can get cold and gloomy out here in the desert. What would you be thinking about if you were alone out there. Of course if you were Sergi Constance with my camera pointed at you, you would be thinking about squeezing your abs. He did good!
She Was There
I know she was there, I saw her and she saw me. It was very desolate but I am thinking she can take care of things. I came back later after dark, but she was gone. My imagination perhaps?
Randalene Sergent from our photo shoot.
Much Attention
One of my photographs of Doug Brignole has been getting much attention today on Facebook. However of all my photographs I have shot of Doug, this one is always one of my favorites. Muscle Beach/Venice is world famous and tourists come from all over to check it out and maybe take some photos of some muscle guys and gorgeous women. Well I was having Doug do some posing in the workout “Pit” when this woman jumped in for her chance to get one of those sought after tourist photos for herself. She made it perfect for me. I could not have paid someone to do any better! Those things do happen at Muscle Beach!
I Am Mom Approved!
An email I received from Maria Yvonne Bertrand… “Ian L. Sitren, look at what is framed and hung in the hallway at my mums house. A really awesome photographer took the picture.”
I am Mom Approved! Too Fun! After all that Maria Bertrand has done her Mom picked my photo! How cool is that.
And what has Maria done… been a model for Guess, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, Le Vie en Rose, Dynamite, La Perla, Armani, Coke, Le Grenier and walked runway for wedding dresses, lingerie, jeans, high fashion, gowns and much more. She has done tons of catalogs, sports catalogs, and hair shows.
She has worked in Milan, Paris, London, Athens, Montreal, Toronto, Capetownand many places in between. Her magazine appearances and covers include Vogue, W, Chatelaine, Elle, Sante, Living Fit, Femme D’aujour’hui and more around the world.
How about commercials… Audi, Miller, Bud Light, Baskin Robbins, Molson Dry, Coppertone, Pela Windows, Comcast, Oceans, Michelob Ultra, Club Med.
Not done yet, Maria has been in eleven movies with the biggest stars you know and some cult favorites. Ands then numerous television shows.
So I am really good with her Mom liking my photograph of Maria enough to have it framed and hanging at home. Makes me smile!
You can click on this photo to see the actual photograph itself on my website.
Turkey Sushi
Maria Bertrand preparing her signature Thanksgiving dish, Turkey Sushi Le Moderne. She says it saves a lot of work because there is no cooking time involved.
From our photo shoot with Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Freeze Frame!
“Her lipstick reflex got me wound
There were no defects to be found
Snapshot image froze without a sound”
– “Freeze Frame” – J. Geils Band
Maria Bertrand from our photo shoot the other day! Fantastic Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle!
Holiday Photo Shoot Behind The Scenes
Some behind the scenes views of a Holiday photo shot with Maria Bertrand. There is a very special series we did for Thanksgiving but you will have to wait a couple of days to see even a teaser of that one. It is just way too fun!
I have to say Thank You to my good friend and also a great photographer Jaime Klein for allowing us to invade his studio. He was also kind enough to shoot a few behind the scenes pics with my little point and shoot camera. Jaime is in Van Nuys, so especially if you need those head shots, go check him out! And he is moving to a bigger studio just nearby.
A big Thank You to Natalie Lyle for yet again, another day of Makeup and Hair Styling. Thank You to Chris my assistant for the day. Good job for the first time with me.
The big Thank You to my Super Model herself, Maria Yvonne Bertrand. Always beautiful, always knows how to look in front of a camera. And she has a certain sense of humor that makes it all work! You will see that soon!
The Prowler Arrives!
How very fun is this! A United States Navy EA-6B Prowler arriving at the Palm Springs Air Museum for it’s official retirement. This plane, flown by it’s Navy crew, made it’s way across the country, from active duty in the Persian Gulf on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, to NAS Whidbey Island in Washington to here in Palm Springs just this morning. I have some real cool video I shot as well. More later!
7 Weeks In Budapest For Six Dance Lessons
Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks – The Movie was 7 Weeks in Budapest, Hungary for me. The movie website features many of my photographs shot as the still photographer on the production. To be released in a few weeks the movie is based on the hit play which has been seen in 24 countries and 14 languages. Starring Gena Rowlands, Cheyenne Jackson and Rita Moreno. Check out the website and trailer and go see the movie, it is great fun! http://sixdancelessonsmovie.com
“Does This Plane Match My Outfit?”
Fashionably fit Sharon Lim deciding if the Boeing Navy Stearman matches her outfit or if she should keep shopping. Personally I think this is the one Sharon should take home with her. What do you think?
From our photo shoot at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Thanks!
How Lucky!
How can I possibly explain how lucky I have been to have some of the most astounding and beautiful women in front of my cameras. Victoria Kirsanovaout in hot Sun in the hills above Agua Dulce. Personal trainer, professional horse trainer and an amazingly creative individual with a fascinating life from around the world. From our photo shot with Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Thank You!
She Is Actually Real!
When Ashley Owens Gulina is in front of my cameras sometimes I just laugh because I can’t believe that someone so incredibly gorgeous actually exists in the real world. The Makeup and Hair Styling that makes it even better, by Natalie Lyle.
My Relationship With Keira Knightly
Well other than thinking that she is just gorgeous and I very much enjoy seeing her in movies and photographs, I do not have a relationship with Keira Knightly. Except for perhaps in agreement with some of her views about photography. She was recently photographed by famous fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier for Interview Magazine. And she also was the interviewer of Demarchelier for the feature. More below…
Keira Knightley by Patrick Demarchelier For Interview Magazine
In the interview Keira brings up a few points and asks questions of Demarchelier about shooting film versus shooting digital as she sees a difference in how photographers relate to the subject or model. Here are a few of those questions…
KNIGHTLEY: I’ve noticed that the people who started on film still have the ability to see the person in front of them. Whereas for a lot of photographers who have only ever worked in digital, the relationship between the photographer and the person who they’re taking a picture of sort of doesn’t exist anymore. They’re looking at a computer screen as opposed to the person.
DEMARCHELIER: Exactly. I love digital, but the only problem is less intimacy. People look at the screen right away. Before, nobody saw the picture before you saw the final picture. There was more privacy in a way.
KNIGHTLEY: Do you miss any of the physicality of it? I think I’m a horrific kind of romantic about film. There’s something about that single shot that was one moment in time, and something about the physical process of the light hitting the lens and the dark room. I find it difficult to see the romance in digital.
DEMARCHELIER: It can do that too, actually. I do a Polaroid before shooting. A Polaroid you do one picture, three pictures, it’s really a moment. Capturing that moment with those pictures is interesting.
I want to say that I really understand what Keira Knightly is saying. By example when I am shooting on location in bright sun and shooting digital, you can’t see the screen on the back of the camera anyway. So I do find myself shooting more like when I do shoot film. Less as an observer and more working directly with the model. There is more of a connection, kind of an eye to eye thing. I have caught myself lately making that digital mistake. I see other photographers, younger photographers who have not shot film. being totally detached like they are watching selfies on an Instagram feed. As a consequence their photos are truly uninspired.
So what have I done to stay connected? Simple things that make me slow down. You might see me shoot with the camera on a tripod. Let’s me pay more attention to the model and details. I do shoot way fewer photos than other photographers. I hear models tell me that they shot with some photographer and they shot thousands of photos in a photo shoot. That usually only means you have a whole bunch of mediocre photos to look through and the photographer is just being a button pusher and watching.
To paraphrase a story about the great photographer Helmut Newton; it is said that for the cover assignment for a very prominent fashion magazine he only shot three photographs as the selections. When confronted by the very famous editor that he only sent in three, Newton responded “Well you only need one”. That “one” was always a work of art and not just one of many photographs.
And from time to time you might see me shoot film. When you only have 12, 16 or 36 frames before you have to reload the camera that will slow you down. Especially when you consider that each roll of film will cost $35 – $50 each to be developed and scanned. Every now and then some of you may have even seen me bring out the Polaroid cameras. I intend to do that more as well. For many of you it will be a new experience. No screen to look at not he back of the camera. One model I worked with was very confused by it and she said “Is that like movies?”. Don’t worry I won’t make fun of you. It’s all fun!
Well I hope Keira Knightly sees this and stops by to do a shoot on film with me. Maybe she or Interview Magazine did call me about this feature and I was at the gym or something. I will just keep telling myself that. Thanks!
Why Photographs From Movies?
Last year I was in Budapest, Hungary shooting the still photography on a motion picture. I was surprised that so many people asked “Why do they need photographs from a movie?”. The photographs are used for everything from movies posters, advertising, promotions and more. By example, here is one of my photographs from that movie “Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks” in the Hollywood Reporter the other day. The movie will be released on December 12th nationwide. And below you can see the movie trailer. It is great fun! Thanks!
Totally My Hero!
Jennifer Henry is totally my hero! None so few have come up from so low in their life to overcome adversity. Now she stands gym built and healthy lifestyle strong to compete on the fitness and bodybuilding stages. Go check out her Facebook page and learn more about Jennifer. I promise you will be inspired and motivated! From our photo shoot.
She Lives A Life Of Fitness
She lives a life of fitness in so many ways. So Duyen Ariss in front of my camera after competing in the Las Vegas Classic just recently was the place to be! I have known her for some time now and she looks better than ever. Lifting iron and eating right does a body good and I must tell you that for Duyen, she looks 20 years younger than her actual age. She also has the biggest smile and a laugh that is there all the time. Ok I love her! But her husband Carlos Ariss knows it and he is a good guy too! Thanks!!
Kim Kardashian Gets To The Bottom Of Paper Magazine
There are so many things I find exciting and intriguing and fun about this new cover of Paper Magazine. For a start it is just a great photograph! Hair, makeup and wardrobe are superb! The design and execution of it by French photographer Jean-Paul Goude is perfect! I truly acknowledge Kim Kardashian herself for really going that extra edge, very artistically I might add, and for creating the perfect facial expression and looking absolutely beautiful. Then there is Paper Magazine itself which went way out on the edge as well to create a cover that is a work of art with a touch of the erotic, but so very playful! A non-stop round of applause here and a standing ovation!
I would also like to say that as I do, please go and subscribe to, or buy on the magazine stands, your favorite magazines. There is something about a printed copy of a magazine that greatly exceeds the experience of just looking at it online. And there are titles out there that are so very much more intriguing than your usual magazines. High end lifestyle magazines filled with the best photography, art, insightful stories of fiction, discourse on facets of life, and documentary. If you would like to know my favorites, send me a note. And with that said, here is a link to Paper Magazine. Take a look and maybe subscribe. And you can buy this issue that is the one to “BREAK THE INTERNET”.
SecondFocus Blog 