Muscle Beach Only Weeks Away!
July 4th at Muscle Beach had a very beautiful Stephanie C. Ramirez standing on the stage that the entire world thinks of as the place “Where Muscles Were Born”. Yes Stephanie went home with a well deserved trophy. She truly looks gorgeous and photographing her with a Hasselblad camera makes for those perfect skin tones, the wonderful colors and a radiance that is so much what you expect to see in that Southern California beach sunshine. Only the best!
The last Muscle Beach show of this Summer is coming up on Labor Day only a few weeks away! The Muscle Beach Championship will find me photographing bodybuilding and fitness competitors on stage and backstage in the world famous workout “Pit”.
But if you want me to photograph you, you need to sign up ahead of time so I can make sure I get you in front of my camera. I have made it very inexpensive so I can shoot photographs of as many of you as possible. Truly my purpose is to get great photographs for you who have worked so hard to stand on that stage and have come to Muscle Beach. Many of you from around the world! I do share in your enthusiasm and excitement.
I am also offering mini photo shoots the day before the show on Sunday, September 6th right there at Venice Beach or nearby on a beach in Marina Del Rey. Available to individuals and couples, you do not even need to be a competitor at the show the next day. Again I have made this very inexpensive so as many of you as possible can get some great photographs.
So please sign up now or as soon as you possibly can. Here is the link for online sign up, prices and more information. And Thank You! See you there at the real Muscle Beach! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Wanna Shoot With Me?
I bet you can guess that I shot this photograph of Chris Jantz over the July 4th weekend! It was the morning after Chris walked away with some great first place bodybuilding wins and trophies at Muscle Beach.
We are coming up on the last summer competition at the real Muscle Beach for this season on Labor Day. So if you are doing the show, it is time to sign up with me for photographing you on stage and even backstage in that world famous workout Pit.
Also on Sunday, the day before the show, you can shoot with me with your own mini photo shoot at locations at Venice Beach or Marina Del Rey. That is open to anyone even if you are not doing the show. You can even do a couples photo shoot.
Now is the time to make sure you get signed up to get your photographs if you are doing the show. And this will be the last time I will be doing mini photo shoots for this price this year. So click on the following link to get more information and to sign up. And if you have any questions, please send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com and Thank You! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Photographed on Hasselblad. Only the best!
A Difference You Can See
A close up from the photograph in the corner of model Kristen Dugas. Photographed by me just recently with a Hasselblad H5D-50c camera and Broncolor lighting with the Broncolor Para 133 reflector. This was during the Hasselblad Bron ProSolutions Tour at Edge Studios in Los Angeles.
Now look at the details of her beautiful face. Look at the detail in just the pupil of her eye, the pure and perfect colors, the real life skin tone and hair color. Look at the color and detail of her lips. This is what a photograph looks like when it is shot right and especially with such amazing camera and lighting equipment.
So very many of you are showing photographs that are so terribly bad. I know you shot with a part time photographer who says he is a pro, but it is to your detriment. No matter how many “Likes” you might happen to get because the photographer had you bend over in some juvenile sexual imagination of a pose. It is just that nobody ever showed you what is good and what is not. It does not serve you well if you are a model or fitness model trying to build your career when you have these photographs with your completely flattened out skin that looks like plastic and more bright orange than anything else. It does not serve you well when the bikini you are wearing looks brown and your clothing sponsor sent you a green one. It does not serve you well when your white shirt looks like just a big bright white out area when here should be lace visible or fine fabric. It does not serve you well when you actually look at the photo and it is just plain out of focus! We see so much bad photography that it has become the normal.
I could go on and on but feel free to send me any questions or inquiries you might have to my e-mail at SecondFocus@mac.com. Whether you are a model or an advertiser or a magazine or otherwise depend on quality photography I just want to see you do better. And I can do that!
Photo On Business Card?
I am often asked by other photographers if they should put a photograph on their business card. Well if you shoot photographs like I do of gorgeous women with amazing physiques like Heidi Marissa Cannon… Yes! I sure did! Heidi is on her way in two weeks to Las Vegas at the Cosmopolitan Hotel to stand on stage at the WBFF World Beauty Fitness & Fashion Competition. Although I think she is not hitchhiking. Outstanding!
Sexiest Summer FitBodies
Katie Madden featured as a Sexiest Summer FitBody for 2015 in the latest issue of Planet Muscle Magazine. And Katie is 56 years old! Is she just not too amazing for words! Good thing I shot the photographs. Makeup and Hair Styling by the ever wonderful Natalie Lyle. And yet another magazine feature photographed with my Hasselblad camera. Thanks!
Another From The ProSolutions Tour
Another photograph from the Hasselblad Bron ProSolutions Tour at Edge Studios in Los Angeles the other day. Model Kristen Dugas looks incredible in this shot I did with a Hasselblad H5D-50c camera with a Hasselblad HC 100mm lens. The lighting was a Broncolor pack and head with the Broncolor Para 133 reflector. Truly amazing lighting and the skin tones and colors are perfect. Then there is the sharpness of details and an almost three dimensional feel to the photograph. I am very happy I am shooting Hasselblad and very impressed with Broncolor! 
Beautiful Model; I Say Use The Best Cameras And Lighting
Wonderful fun the other day at Edge Studios in Los Angeles, trying out and courtesy of, Broncolor lighting equipment and Hasselblad Cameras. Here I photographed our model for the day, Kristen Dugas with a Hasselblad H5D-50c camera and a Hasselblad HC 100mm lens. The lighting was a Broncolor pack with their very unique Para 133 Reflector. The photograph gives you an idea as to why lighting from equipment like Broncolor and the Para Reflectors is called light shaping. The dimension, detail and overall quality are equally only best interpreted by Hasselblad cameras. I am so very truly impressed with Broncolor and Hasselblad. Ok I am pretty impressed with Kristen Dugas too! Thanks!
Katana!
Had my martial arts instructor looked like Stacey Naito when he wielded a Katana, I dare say I would still be training with him. This woman is so gorgeous! From our photo shoot. With Makeup and Hair styling by the wonderful and very fun Blanche LeBeau.
My Ball Career Is Over
I don’t think I am going to be able to go back to my ball career. So I need you to sign up for me shooting your photographs on Labor Day weekend for the bodybuilding and fitness competition at Muscle Beach. If you are doing the show, you can have your photographs on stage and also backstage in the workout Pit. On the Sunday before the show you can have your own mini photo shoot at the beach whether you are doing the show or not. And you can even have a couples photo shoot. So please sign up as soon as you can so I can get everyone in. I have no idea where my mitt is anyway. Just click here and Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Behind The Scenes For Sure
Amy Jantz, who is too cute for words and more than beautiful, just could not resist a combination of selfie and behind the scenes photo. Offering to carry my camera bag as her husband Chris Jantz and myself walked out to the rocks at Venice Beach for more of his photo shoot early Sunday morning after his competition at Muscle Beach on July 4th. I thought she was just walking along behind us. Little did I suspect her mischievousness! Just too fun! Thank You Amy! 
Catching Muscle Beach Fun With My Camera…
Chris Jantz looking serious as he pumps up in the workout Pit at Muscle Beach on July 4th. But now look past him to the right. I think she is enjoying her view of Chris from the other side. It has always been that way at Muscle Beach and along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. All part of the fun looking at the great bodies on men and women in the Southern California beach sun. I am just really happy that I caught some of that fun with my camera!
This Is Muscle Beach!
This one photograph I shot at the July 4th competition to me speaks volumes about what Muscle Beach is all about. United States Marine Corp Gunny Sergent Jaren Wright looking good and having fun on stage. Obviously he has worked hard building his physique and I am sure he will keep it going. And he certainly deserved the two trophies he took home. But even more, Jaren will always remember when he stood on stage at the real Muscle Beach at the only real Muscle Beach competitions!
And as a photographer, again I am so very impressed with shooting with a Hasselblad camera. Bodybuilding and fitness photography has it’s own very unique needs to get right when taking photographs. Definition, color rendition and skin tones are what separates really great bodybuilding photographs from all the others. Just look around at other bodybuilders photos you will see orange skin, blurry looks and unrealistic color. Stop and compare to what you see here. When you do that, you see the difference. As I say, Hasselblad does not just shoot photographs, it duplicates reality, and maybe makes it even better!
First We Contact The Mars Rover…
First we contact the Mars Rover. Then we turn it around and light you up for my camera. And then I make you look so good! Try me! Send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com and Thank You!
Here Comes The Judge
Moji Oluwa backstage in the workout Pit just prior to guest posing at Muscle Beach/Venice on July 4th. Moji has been a judge at Muscle Beach for a long time now and is always encouraging and helpful to everyone. A good guy and a superb bodybuilder! I am always happy to see Moji!
Maybe Near You?
Have you been wanting to do a photo shoot with me but getting away to Palm Springs is really difficult. I will start letting you know my likely availability in other locations. So here we go…
I will have availability Saturday July 18th and Sunday July 19th in Los Angeles in the Venice Beach area. And again on Wednesday July 22nd. Other locations nearby would be considered.
August 22nd I will be at the Anaheim FitExpo and Iron Man Naturally. I will have availability to shoot in Orange County on Sunday August 23rd at a likely gym location. Other locations could also be considered.
Labor Day September 7th will find me at the bodybuilding and fitness competition at Muscle Beach Venice. I will again be doing competitor photo shoots of you on stage and backstage if you are doing the show. I will also be doing special individual photo shoots with you, even if you are not a competitor, on Saturday September 5th and Sunday September 6th. These shoots will be at Venice Beach or a beach in nearby Marina Del Rey. I price these photo shoots very reasonably because I can get a number of you in during the day. So you really want to take advantage of this pricing because I really can’t do it otherwise, not even close!
Most of those photo shoots that I do out of town are based on being less complicated and less time than I would usually be doing. So again they are very reasonably priced as compared to my usual shoots. You will still however get the great photographs I am known for creating! I really enjoy shooting with as many of you as as I can, so please try to take advantage of what can be as much as only 25% or less of what i would have to charge otherwise.
For those of you who would like to see me in an area near you, let me know. If you have a few others who would like to be in front of my cameras, we can bring your individual costs way down and make it work for me coming to you.
Please send me an e-mail with any of your questions or for more information. I am at SecondFocus@mac.com and Thank You!
By the way this is from a photo shoot I did in Marina Del Rey a few years back with one of the most popular and respected women in all of our world of fitness, Ava Cowan.
The July 4th Muscle Beach 2015 Over 50 Bodybuilding Champion
Billy Robinson became the Muscle Beach 2015 Masters Men Over 50 Champion this past weekend. When I saw him in the morning I knew he would be taking home a big trophy. It does take years of hard work to build thick mature muscle like that. Great job Billy and well deserved!
I Am Not Surprised!
Theresa Russell told me “I had men following me around telling me I was stunning and tons of strangers wanting pics with me”. And I said “I am not surprised at all!”. She did go home with a well deserved trophy from Muscle Beach on Saturday. I didn’t do any pics with her, I know on which end of the camera where I do best!
Not A Recent Photo
I did tell them that it was not a recent photo. If you are one of over 24,000 photographers who get Professional Photographer Magazine, there I am full page! For over 100 years with members in 54 countries, it is the official membership magazine of Professional Photographers of America. And no I am not still using that camera. Too Fun!
Everyday!
Might be a message there! What do you you think? Chris Jantz pumping up backstage in the workout Pit on July 4th at the real Muscle Beach/Venice. The big Summer bodybuilding and fitness competition saw Chris take home two first place trophies, one second place trophy and a big win as Overall Champion Novice. Everyday!
Candy And Muscle Beach And Trophies!
United States Marine Corp Gunny Sergent Jaren Wright practicing advanced food science supplementation prior to getting on stage at Muscle Beach/Venice yesterday LOL. Don’t be fooled, he went home with two trophies!
Will Be Looking For You!
We will be looking for you tomorrow morning at the big Muscle Beach/Venice show. You can still sign up now for me to shoot your photographs at the show on stage, backstage in the workout pit, and even your own mini photo shoot on Sunday. And I know that many of you are traveling and it might be difficult to sign up online. So see me backstage in the workout pit after you check in. Just ask for me and I will be wearing a yellow Muscle Beach cap. You can also ask for my gorgeous 6 ft tall assistant for the day, Natalie Lyle. Here is the online link for sign up and more information and Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Muscle Beach July 4th Is Here!
Muscle Beach/Venice July 4th bodybuilding and fitness competition is here! If you are doing the show and want photographs, time to sign up! You can have your photographs on stage, back stage in the workout Pit or even your own mini photo shoot on Sunday. I am driving to Venice Beach this morning for photo shoots but if you have any questions, send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com or a text to 213-712-1929. Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Girl Can Jump At Muscle Beach!
Laura Bailey was jumping for joy because I was photographing her backstage in the workout “Pit” at Muscle Beach/Venice. You can too! Saturday July 4th I will be doing the stage photographs and backstage photographs. You can even have your own mini photo shoot the day after the show on Sunday. I can still get you in for a mini photo shoot tomorrow. But you have to sign up. Here is the link for the online sign up form and more info. And if you have any questions just send me a note. Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Banners Are Up And I Am There!
Very Fun! The banners are up for the July 4th show at Muscle Beach/Venice and I am there right in the middle! I remember walking along that boardwalk as a young guy seeing those big bodybuilders working out in the “pit”. And also the almost naked women walking along the boardwalk as well. If you are doing the show, or for that matter want to do your own photo shoot over this weekend, I am taking sign ups now. For more info and to sign up online click here and Thanks… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
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