Kind of funny that people expect that because I typically am not interested in doing gallery shows that my work is not seen. More people have seen my photography in a month than most will be seen in their entire lifetime.
From bodybuilding and fitness to fashion and now aviation, my photographs have been in ads and magazine features, major newspapers, motion pictures, news broadcasts, brochures and billboards around the world.
This one is among my latest, a full wall size backlit display for the Palm Springs Air Museum at the Palm Springs International Airport. A few million people in a year will see this one. Thanks!
Talking with Charles Glass last Sunday at the FitExpo about our ad shoot for Bodybuilding.com. A huge favorite for both of us that was in magazines and online for a couple of years.
Charles Glass, the most famous bodybuilding trainer in the world, alone in a gym training a dog. So much fun!
What it looked like at the FitExpo Los Angeles yesterday, Sunday. My most distributed photograph ever (millions and millions), Arnold’s stand in and body double walking in the crowd (my friend Roland Kickinger), and look for Newd Gym.
OK! I am officially open for business again for 2018! Long time professional photographer in magazine and advertising extensively published around the world.
One of the most viewed and best known bodybuilding and fitness photographers. Fashion work from shoes to edgy nude, from designer to private commission. Also working extensively in aviation. Social Media manager for building and maintaining your business presence small and large.
Have something in mind for this new year? Send me a note, I would love to chat with you! Thanks! Ian@SecondFocus.com
One of my favorites from a video series created around my photo shoots for advertising and features for Bodybuilding.com. Here with one of the most admired and respected women in the entire world of fitness, Ava Cowan.
Some more posing behind the scenes with model Xtine at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. The BTS video here was not lit. Sun directly behind her. Lighting the photo shoot was with a Broncolor white beauty dish held by my assistant with a Broncolor 1200L Move pack. I was using a Hasselblad digital camera system.
Note the very windy conditions. I have seen photographers bring soft boxes and umbrellas out here for light modifiers and try to put them on light stands. Not a good plan. The wind just turns that stuff into kites.
Another point is having a model who can pose without being micro-managed. The model will not be able to hear you over the wind noise. So your discussion of posing will all be between “takes”.
A great body is the latest fashion accessory! The print ad that was shot during the video I posted yesterday. My all time favorite advertising photo shoot and the print ad ran in magazines in total hundreds of times. Thanks!
Getting lots of questions about my studio shoot last week with NYC fashion model Nora Zainglein. It was in a studio near downtown Los Angeles at the Brewery Arts District which is very cool I must say. Had not been there in many years.
Some of the really important details are the people I get to work with. Blanche LeBeau is a premier Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist working around the world with Estee Lauder. I cannot begin to tell you how lucky I am to have her enjoy shooting with me. This shoot was even more fun with her talent of body painting! Very Thankful for Blanche LeBeau!
Then there is my newer buddy Harmoni Everett. Wow is she a find! Harmoni is best friends with another best friend of mine, a most gorgeous professional model, actress and beautiful woman. Harmoni has been a professional model, a successful actress and has worked in producing photo shoots. And is a wonderful photographer herself. She not only worked with me on this photo shoot as my assistant carrying and moving heavy stuff, but also wardrobe ideas and shooting behind the scenes photos. On top of all that we photographed Harmoni too and those photos are astonishing! She is wonderfully creative! You will see those photos soon.
Then there is Nora and she is wonderful. Blanche introduced me to photos of Nora probably a year ago or more and I said then that I really was looking forward to photographing her. This is now our second photo shoot together and she is just perfection. Nora looks incredible in front of the camera, knows her stuff, easy and so very fun to work with. I adore this woman!
It is the people you work with who are so very very important! Now people always say it is the photographer and not the gear that makes great photographs. And that is certainly true. But for me I do not like to short change what I do or what I do for my clients. So I go with the best gear possible. It is just what I do.
My camera system for these types of shoots for me is Hasselblad. I have always admired Hasselblad cameras and the images they produce. And the history of Hasselblad creating the photographs, the most memorable in history including going into Outer Space and to the Moon. Only sorry I didn’t start with Hasselblad sooner in my shooting. Then there is my lighting gear, Broncolor. For any number of reasons moving up to Broncolor is like going from a great car to a Rolls Royce or Ferrari. There is just nothing else like it.
I will not say that I am a great photographer but I can say I give it all I have got all the way around. So my results are quality, consistency and sometimes really great photographs. And I always try to make sure that everyone has fun doing it! That is my behind the scenes details on this and many of my photo shoots. Thanks!
Last I told you about my impromptu (it’s all true, I promise) photo shoot with Nora around the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach. The feeling was sultry, I was pouring cold water over her and down through hair, and she was wearing more which was really less. On my Blog here to get you started.
Another oddity at Bombay Beach… a wall of hay convenient to the shore, of course! A recent addition for the Bombay Beach Biennale just past. What better place to lounge and take a break with Nora changing into something appropriate to lounge and take a break in. Well at least for a Manhattan fashion model laying around on hay. More of this tale to come.
Photo shoot notes… New York City Fashion Model Nora Zainglein. Estee Lauder featured Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Blanche LeBeau.Hasselblad digital camera system. Did I mention that I am the photographer? Thanks!
You have been seeing a lot of my aviation photography mixed in with my bodybuilding and fitness, as well as my edgy lifestyle photo shoots and photo excursions. It goes back to when I was 9 years old and taking pictures of my model trains. At 12 I was shooting through my telescopes at the skies. My bodybuilding and weight lifting started at age 12 too. Building model airplanes as a kid and then getting in the airplanes. My interests along the way have always been accompanied by my photography or driven by it. Anyway some were asking, so I thought I might say something here about it all. Thanks!
Six times Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath. This photograph from his very first pro bodybuilding show win, the 2006 IFBB Colorado Pro. The photographer, me on assignment for Bodybuilding.com. If you have ever read a bodybuilding and fitness magazine, visited Bodybuilding.com, you have seen my photographs from shows, magazine features and advertising more than you would ever know. All around the world. Ready for me to shoot for you… send me a note to Ian@SecondFocus.com. Thanks!
A moment of peace and harmony poolside with the ever so heavenly Catherine Kwong here in Palm Springs. Makes everything so much better!
Makeup and hair styling by the so very talented Natalie Lyle. Photographed with my Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Only the best!
So I came up with this new idea for staffing and uniforms for the Safety Crew at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Professional model Gabriella Muttone was kind enough to volunteer for a few photographs and show us what I had in mind. It is my understanding that the concept is under full consideration and everybody would like to see Gabriella return as soon as possible for further demonstrations.
The subject came up about all of the photo shoots I did for Bodybuilding.com. Having become one of the most visited websites in the world, sales for the company had grown to exceed a half billion dollars per year. During those growth years, I photographed their advertising, online and print magazine features and endless bodybuilding and fitness competitions around the country. Most memorable for me, so many, very many. But way at the top was the advertising, video and features that came out of my photo shoot with Maria Rogers. “A picture is worth a thousand words” and way more!
I think this is the one type of photograph I have shot more than any other. This “gym portrait” of my buddy Chris LaCascia was actually photographed for a multiple page brochure I was shooting for Bodybuilding.com. And it is one of my all time favorites. More gym portraits on my website at SecondFocus.com Thanks!
What do 164 magazine editors, art directors, public relations companies, sportswear companies, supplement companies, fitness websites and even CBS Television have in common? They are all signed up and have used my archive to search for photographs that fit their needs and usage.
Going into 2017 that archive will be greatly expanded with much more from edgy fashion to lifestyle to bodybuilding, fitness, yoga and Palm Springs scenes and more. Just this week I have been asked for photos ranging from a Presidential motorcade to a beautiful woman in a swimming pool. And yes I had what they wanted available! So if you are going to be looking for photographs for your needs, send me a note and you will have access too. Thank You! Send me an e-mail to Ian@SecondFocus.com
Sometimes I prefer simplicity. A 45 year old Polaroid instant film camera and one of my favorite models, Aristodeme. I think I will do more of this in my photo shoots. What do you think?
She walked into the party, like she was walking on a yacht. And they all dreamed that they’d be her partner, they’d be her partner… Ashley Owens-Gulina. Sounds familiar, do you know from where? From our photo shoot. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Only a few minutes into Autumn and I am already looking back at Summer. I can’t help it, I had such wonderful models in my pool for photo shoots like the breathtaking Noel VanBrocklin.
Shoot Notes… The wonderful makeup and hair styling by Blanche LeBeau. Hasselblad digital camera system. Lighting by Broncolor. Only the best!
This is not Fall flowers, this is Amber Flowers and she is just perfect. And wardrobe styling by Amber as well. She is so good!
Shoot notes… Hasselblad digital camera system. Broncolor lighting with the Broncolor Move 1200L pack and one strobe head in the Broncolor Para 133 reflector. Only the best!
So great fun doing photo shoots in interesting and scenic places. Sometimes they do not seem scenic at first, but then just use your imagination. The imagination of knowing what something will look like in the photograph. One of my favorite photo shoots, this time with bodybuilder Daniel Hill.