Pool Party! Maybe Next Time…
It was a hot day out here in the desert when we were doing our photo shoot. So I had no problem persuading Ashley Owens Gulina to get in the pool. Actually our wonderful Makeup and Hair Stylist, Natalie Lyle dropped into the pool a few times herself. Good thing I was busy taking photographs or it would have been a pool party and not a photo shoot. Good idea! Maybe next time!
Hi Heidi!
Just thinking about my friend Heidi Cannon who is out at the 2014 WBFF Worlds Fitness Extravaganza in Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan Hotel. A huge event attended by people from around the world. By the way, Heidi is incredible in front of the camera. Have fun Heidi!
Bigger And Better!
Bigger is better and you can see the photographs as big as your biggest screen on my website. The quality is also much much better than what you see on Facebook, Instagram or other social media. Access my Blog directly from there too. Check it out at SecondFocus Dot Com. Please do! Thanks! http://www.secondfocus.com/
One Pill Makes You…
“One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don’t do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she’s ten feet tall”
– From the single “White Rabbit” by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane from 1967. In interviews Grace Slick said she grew up being read “Alice In Wonderland” and it was always a vivid memory for her.
Yesterday, my photograph of The Mission Theatre in Fallbrook California. An art deco movie house built in 1946. Now restored to much of it’s orginal classic design. I am sure they probably did not do a “White Rabbit” version of Alice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl89g2SwMh4
At The Yacht Club…
Sasha Brown in front of my camera at the Yacht Club at Salton Sea. She is just beautiful and incredible and an ultimate fitness individual known around the world. We had so much fun that day doing this photo shoot! My good buddy Sasha Brown Figure Competitor/Fitness Model! Thanks!
“On The Sunny Side Of The Strip”
I love this album cover! Would love to shoot some photographs like this. I actually bought this album just for the cover photograph. The dresses on the women, the excitement of the Sunset Strip in that era. Too bad the Crescendo and the Interlude are gone. What great names for clubs! Now I have to go buy a record player. So very cool!
Guys Too!
And yes I have great photo shoots with guys too. Big Daniel Hill from our photo shoot in the desert here in Palm Springs California. A very fun photo shoot where we created some amazing photographs! Of course he makes for a great person to have in front of the camera!
“Alluring”
“Alluring” – powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating; seductive. What words would you use to describe Ashley Owens Gulina?
From our photo shoot after her standing on stage at the NPC USA Figure competition in Las Vegas. The superb Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
What Is It Like?
Someone asked me the other day what it is like to photograph the incredibly beautiful women I photograph while I am actually shooting. Well I can sure say it is fun! We all end up being good friends. I am often in awe of what I see through the viewfinder of my camera. Seeing and editing the photographs afterward is beyond description. Randalene Sergent here from one of our photo shoots certainly fits all of that. An amazingly beautiful, intelligent, intriguing and fun individual. She stands on the NPC Bikini stage, works hard and is a driven business person. Always special when Randalene is here for a photo shoot! Just too good! Thanks!
Kosher Bakery Mural
What an amazingly interesting mural to have on the side outside wall of a Kosher Bakery! I photographed this yesterday on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. Actually Los Angeles is becoming known as a city of murals. Very Fun!
Summer Fun At Muscle Beach
It is so much fun in the Summer hanging out at the place “Where Muscles Were Born“… Muscle Beach/Venice. Lisa Marino Sanders having a good time during her photo shoot looking as bright and beautiful as that Southern California beach sun! The Makeup and Hair Styling for the day by the outstanding Natalie Lyle. Thank You All!
The Famous “ACE” Sign…
The now famous sign at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club here in Palm Springs. I say famous because after it’s opening, you quickly saw the Ace and it”s pools and this sign in lifestyle and fashion magazines around the world. Magazines and fashion houses quickly embraced the quirkiness and very cool vibe of the place. I enjoy it myself a lot! Very fun!
“EVERYTHING WILL BE OK”
“EVERYTHING WILL BE OK” A very fun sign at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs California. I just walked over from that direction but did not see anything special. I am going to go back and follow the sign. I will let you know how it works out!
Don’t Doubt It…
Don’t doubt for one second that even if you are a beautiful woman I won’t make you work it in the gym for our photo shoot! Tiffany Forni from our photo shoot for her feature as the Iron Man Magazine, Bodybuilding.com, BodySpace Physique of the Month. The great Makeup and Hair Styling byNatalie Lyle. Thanks!
The Photographer I Most Admire…
I am often asked which photographer I most admire as a photographer myself. The first person I always say is this man, Helmut Newton. His work ranged from erotic to kinky to fashion to scenes of life. Published in all of the finest magazines around the world as well as having photographed endless ad campaigns, he sought to photograph what he wanted to photograph and let the world accept what he did or not. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 83 but exhibits of his work are continuing to be shown in museums around the world. Google Helmut Newton when you have time and take a look. This is my photograph of a poster for an exhibit of his works last year at The Annenberg Space for Photography. Thanks!
Another Side Of Ashley…
I said I would show you another side of Ashley Owens Gulina from our photo shoot. I hope you like this side as much as everyone liked her other side yesterday. You can sure see the hard work she put in to get her on stage at the NPC USA Figure competition in Las Vegas last weekend. And I must give a big Thank You to Natalie Lyle for her superb Makeup and Hair Styling for the day.
My Date… Well My Photo Shoot Date…
When my date showed up yesterday I decided to not post on Facebook all day. Well she was actually my photo shoot date. Ashley Owens Gulina fresh from her weekend on the NPC Figure stage at the USA in Las Vegas. That working out stuff does a body good! And she is so beautiful. Over the top fantastic Makeup and Hair Styling all day by Natalie Lyle.
My Own Selfie
My own Selfie. Myself and the city of Budapest captured with the photograph displayed in the window of the X6 Photo Edition Gallery in Budapest.
Maybe I Should Be Wearing…
Maybe I should be wearing a tie and jacket when I do my photo shoots? A suit or tuxedo perhaps?
Classic Photography – Not Digital…
I am always amazed and gratified that my skills as a photographer can equal the great looking people I get to photograph. Jake Sawyer works very hard to sculpt his physique so even better that we get to shoot at fun locations in a classic photographic style. Most of you will have no idea what I am talking about when I say that this was shot on medium format film. A film that is actually of historical importance, Kodak Tri-X. Anyway, one of my favorite ever photo shoots! Thanks!
Who You Gonna Call? Me Of Course!
Who you gonna call? Me of course! When you want to shoot those gym photographs after you put in all that hard work. When you are doing your ads for the magazines or billboards or banners. When you are planning your magazine features. Or when you are looking for special photographs from my archive. I think Mark Ebinger in front of my camera was the right combination. He sure put in all that hard work! I can do it for you too. Thanks!
My Idea Of A Race Driving Uniform…
End of the race and Regina Piazza got there first! Any question that she knows how to dress for driving and winning! From our photo shoot with Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
“When Selfies Won’t Do” And Your Photos Stink!
My beautiful friend Saye Yabandeh from our photo shoot some time back. Saye has become a very accomplished and award winning actress and producer and being very smart about her image along the way has served her well.
To those of you for whom your image is important and that is many of you, I keep noticing a continuing bad trend. You are using photographs of yourself that are just abysmal. I don’t care who shot them, your faces are over processed, the exposures are too bright or too dark, your skin color is orange, the composition stinks and the posing awkward at best. That does not mean I want you to come do your photo shoots with me. I just would like to see standards come up and not keep sinking so low. Many of you will say, well I don’t know what is good. Yes you do! Compare to the photos you see all day in good magazines like Vanity Fair or Vogue or in fashion or cosmetic ads. Any similarity… No.
Here is an interesting story I urge you to read from a recent issue of the Fashion & Style section of The New York Times… http://tinyurl.com/kmh6tzq
“When Selfies Won’t Do”
“Wearing black leather pants and a cape top, she reclined on a velvet armchair under the frescoed ceiling of a 19th-century Florentine villa, flanked by a hair and makeup artist, as a photographer clicked away.”
“People buy you, more so than your exact services or goods,” she said. “My business is truly and authentically me, so I wanted to make sure that this came out in my social media presence.”
“Indeed, an impact photo is more than just a vanity statement these days, since it’s hard to say where “personal” ends and “professional” begins on Facebook and Twitter…”
“Social media is a place where real business is actually happening…”
Again please read the story in The New York Times and if you have any questions, please feel free to send me a note. Thanks! http://tinyurl.com/kmh6tzq
Hair Up For Tuesday Morning!
Here is Tuesday morning! One of my favorite photographs from one of my all time favorite photo shoots. For publicity photos for their screenwriting work, the dynamic writing team of Meghan McCaig and Maria Bertrand. Love them!
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