Photography by Ian L. Sitren

Posts tagged “bodybuilding photography

The Pit At Muscle Beach

One of my all time favorite photographs I have shot at Muscle Beach Venice. I was thinking I have shot tens of thousands of photographs at Muscle Beach, but it is likely well into six digits. Bodybuilder Marc-arthur (Moses) Dautree.

Marc-arthur (Moses) Dautruchee working out in the pit at Muscle Beach just winning the overall bodybuilding title for Memorial Day 2013.


Film Was Is Good

I was still shooting film for my gym features long after everyone else went to digital. Here my buddy Jake Sawyer was the subject for me shooting a Leica M7 with Kodak Tri-X film. I love the look of film shot with a Leica and still do.

I did have to go digital to accommodate the need for fast turnaround when I was shooting bodybuilding and fitness competitions. Most of the time the photos were uploaded and online for my client, Bodybuilding.com, by the next morning. More of the photos would then go to the magazines and be in the next print issues. I was shooting 25 – 30 competitions per year all around the country.

Jake Sawyer


Curls and Pivotal

Among the things I do best, bodybuilding and fitness photography. And that is where I have been published many thousands of times over around the world.  This photo of my friend Travis Ely doing curls from one of our shoots a few years ago.

However this photograph has another point to it that was pivotal for me. This photo was done with what was at the time, the latest Hasselblad digital camera. Although I had been shooting other digital cameras at the time, for shoots like this I was still shooting medium format film. The Hasselblad gave me the colors, skin tone and look that I preferred in film.

For you photographer out there; this was shot with the Hasselblad H4D-40 with the HC80mm lens. No additional lighting, just the overhead gym lighting and natural light coming in from the large front windows. ISO 800, f2.8 and 1/60th second, processed in Hasselblad Phocus. Hasselblad files processed in Phocus create an almost magical perfect result. Thanks!

Travis Ely


Two In The Gym

Photo shoot with a Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Thank You!

At Cruz 2 Fitness personal training gym here in Palm Springs with Naomi (and Naomi). Best personal training ever!

Naomi Molina In The Gym


Fit In The Gym

What a great overall look of fitness! Weight training has done good for Naomi. From our photo shoot at Cruz 2 Fitness gym in Palm Springs. Real personal training that really makes all the difference. This is that on your refrigerator photo for after the holidays, new year fitness motivation!

Naomi Molina In The Gym

Photo shoot notes… Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Thanks!

 


Behind The Scenes In The Gym

Behind the scenes in a gym photo shoot at Cruz 2 Fitness in Palm Springs. Naomi worked hard for almost 4 hours. You really lift in my photo shoots. My friend Aaron Cruz has built a tremendous personal training gym. More to come. Thanks!

Behind The Scenes In The Gym


Gym Photo Shoots

Of all the bodybuilders I have photographed, amateur and the biggest name pros, it is Dan Decker who has probably appeared in more magazine features than any other.

Bodybuilder Dan Decker In The Gym


T-Shirts T-Shirts T-Shirts

T-Shirts! Sorry no I don’t have any left to give out as of some time ago. In the prior decade I did the advertising, features and bodybuilding show photography for BodyBuilding.com when they grew into a huge company.
 
It was brilliant marketing that they gave away thousands and thousands of t-shirts at bodybuilding shows around the country every month. And people would specifically look for my photography from bodybuilding shows and more so much that it became part of the marketing as well.
 
So BodyBuilding.com printed these shirts for me to give out. To my astonishment when Fedex delivered a room full of boxes of shirts to my house one day. It was very cool to see so many people wearing these shirts in the stands at the Olympia or Arnold and at other shows and gyms all around the country.
BBcom Shirt

A Favorite Cover

I have had my share of covers; but this one always remains one of my very favorites. Maybe because of the back story about how it landed the cover and a multi-page feature just before deadline. With my longtime friend, bodybuilder Robert Hatch.

Want to shoot with me or have a photo or ad assignment? Send me a note and Thanks! Ian@SecondFocus.com

PM-Cover-Hatch


Natalie Lyle Muscle Shower

One of my most requested photographs. “Natalie Lyle Muscle Shower”. The incredible Natalie Lyle, 6ft tall in her bare feet, but in heels and her long muscled body. Available high quality professionally printed and shipped directly to you. From 8×10 to 24×30. Also available for licensing. Go right here… http://bit.ly/2Gh2Z3o

Note: Your print or licensed image will be without the watermark.

Watch for more of my photographs to also be made available soon. Thanks!

Natalie Lyle Muscle Shower-wm


Nude, Instant & Fit

From our photo shoot with the gorgeous 56 year old Tammy Neslund. She is one incredibly fit Grandma and certainly a role model to be nude in our shoot. Love these throw back look instant print photographs with a Fujifilm Instax camera. The wonderful makeup by Estee Lauder featured artist Blanche LeBeau. At the Coachella Movie Ranch.

Tammy Neslund Car Nude 1-sm


Accidental Behind The Scenes

This is fun… One of the extra cameras was in movie mode during our photo shoot for a couple of minutes. Tammy Neslund with Estee Lauder featured makeup artist, Blanche LeBeau. At the Coachella Movie Ranch; a superb shoot location.


An Extraordinary Woman!

Such an extraordinary individual. 56 years old and a grandmother. Tammy Neslund from our photo shoot at the Coachella Movie Ranch.
 
Makeup and styling with Estee Lauder featured artist Blanche LeBeau. Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting.

Tammy Neslund At 56


Grandma!

Tammy Neslund, age 56, mother of two and grandmother. Being fit and healthy is better and is the fountain of youth!

From our photoshoot at the Coachella Movie Ranch. Makeup and styling with Estee Lauder featured artist Blanche Lebeau. Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Thanks!

Tammy Neslund At 56


Fit At The Windfarm

One of my favorite photographs that I have ever shot. IFBB professional bodybuilder Tina Chandler after her appearance on stage at the prestigious Olympia in Las Vegas. Here in Palm Springs.

IFBB Proferssional Bodybuilder Tina Chandler in Palm Springs


Amazing Transformation

From my photoshoot with my friend Jessica Holohan. I hardly recognized her, she built an incredible body. Perhaps one of the astounding transformations I have seen in my years as a bodybuilding and fitness photographer. Good job!

4


Squats & Social Media

From my photo shoot with Mark Ebinger and a Social Media post from it…

Mark Ebinger

Lifting weights, a little or a lot, it all makes you stronger, no matter how old you are. For your body and your mind, working out has always been shown to be one of the best things you can do for yourself ever!

Come on in and give it a try at Palm Springs Fitness Center! For A Free 7-Day Pass, text PSFC to 95577. All in air-conditioned comfort and fun! And any questions, just check in with one of our trainers to get you going on your fitness journey. Thanks!


Iron – The Best Supplement

My favorite supplement has always been Iron! Lifted, pushed, pulled, and curled. Typically in as much weight as I could handle. One of the reasons I have always liked Palm Springs Fitness Center as my gym… 150lb dumbbells. Always needed them for one arm back rows.

Pro Bodybuilder and United States Marine Xavisus Gayden​ from one of our photo shoots. Thanks!

Bodybuilders Xavisus Gayden working out during our photo shoot in the gym


Look Good Naked

She said it not me… From a series I did for Bodybuilding.com. You will see me hard at work. The photographs went on to be magazine ads and features too. Thanks!


Fitness Journey

A thought from IFBB Professional figure competitor and fitness icon Ava Cowan from her magazine photo shoot at Palm Springs Fitness Center

– The feeling of contentment to me is one of the most satisfying feelings in life. I can usually feel this to be present when I have arrived at and have become a higher version of myself, within my life’s journey, and fitness is a part of that journey.

– I thought to look up the definition. And after combing through several variations of the definition, this is a portion of one that resonated with me the most.

“Contentment is a mental or emotional state of satisfaction maybe drawn from being at ease in one’s situation, body and mind. Colloquially speaking, contentment could be a state of having accepted one’s situation and is a milder and more tentative form of happiness.”

– When I looked at this photograph last night, that is the exact emotion I see emitting through my eyes. I absolutely looked past the weight training aspect of the image. A moment in time and there I was… content.

– Contentment on my fitness journey in life captured in the moment.

Ava Cowan In The Gym


Heavy Lifting

Some heavy lifting in a magazine photo shoot I did with IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Daniel Hill. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.

Bodybuilder Daniel Hill

 


Don’t Eat The Weights

A fun photo shoot with my buddy Rob Carbo this was! It was for Bodybuilding.com published in Iron Man Magazine. A feature I sourced, wrote and photographed monthly for three years. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.

Rob Carbo for BodySpace for Iron Man Magazine


Bicep Curls Done Right

From one of my photo shoots with IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Dan Decker. Dan has always been one of the most consistent and admired bodybuilders around and been published in more magazines than I am sure he can even tell you. At Palm Springs Fitness Center.

Bodybuilder Dan Decker


I Love This Book Cover!

Yes I shot it and it is exactly what I had imagined. It was with Doug Brignole for his very successful book “Million Dollar Mu$cle – A Historical and Sociological Perspective of the Fitness Industry”.

In the fitness and bodybuilding world for over forty years, Doug has competed in bodybuilding all around the world since the age of 14! He is a very respected author, speaker, trainer and historian of the world of bodybuilding.

Photographed at Palm Springs Fitness Center where not only have I worked out for eleven years but where I have done many of my photo shoots. Also now the Social Media Manager there, you will be seeing much of my photography on their Facebook page. Please check it out and “Like” it! Thanks! Right here at Palm Springs Fitness Center.

Doug_Brignole-book