Never Enough
I can never get enough of photographs with Maria Bertrand. So I thought I would try four of this one!
Model Maria Bertrand. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Photography by Ian L. Sitren.
She Sprinted To The Top!
I have to say Thank You and also post another photograph from one of my shoots with Randalene Sergent. Her photograph on my Blog here yesterday became the top viewed post upsetting another that has been the top viewed post for a year! And that other post is a series of nudes of someone else entirely. Super Duper!
Model Randalene Sergent. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Not Much To Say
The photographs of Randalene Sergent from our photo shoots are just fine without saying much about them. What do you think?
Randalene Sergent with Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Photography by Ian L. Sitren.
An Office Day For Me
One of my typical days in the office. Here with bodybuilders Grant Pieterse, Jake Sawyer and Xavisus Gayden. I wonder how many times and for how long I made them hold that bicep curl.
Bodybuilders Grant Pieterse, Jake Sawyer and Xavisus Gayden at Power of Fitness.
Santa… I Can Explain
Suddenly I am liking this time of year! Wish I were Santa so I could hear what Maria Bertrand has to tell him. From our Holiday photo shoot. And Makeup and Hair styling by my Elf, Natalie Lyle.
No Special Reason Required
I have no special reason to post a photograph of Ashley Owens Gulina from one of our photo shoots other than she is one of the most stunningly beautiful women I have ever had in front of my cameras. The superb Makeup and Hair Styling by the wonderful Natalie Lyle.
Nobody Does It Like Me!
Nobody shoots photographs like I do in Palm Springs… Nobody! Not even close! Ok it does help that I have the likes of the gorgeous Sherry Goggin in front of my cameras. But you get the idea I am sure!
December is a great month for shooting out here, the weather is great. Although we do have something like 350 days of Sun during the year. So whether it is your magazine features, fashion stories, advertising or maybe your own portfolio. From shoe fashions on beautiful women to fast moving airplanes or even a travel story. Just send me a note to SecondFocus@mac.com and we can chat about it.
Note that I shoot nothing but the finest of equipment. Hasselblad medium format digital and Broncolor lighting. For more portability and faster action I am now shooting the superb FujiFilm X-Series cameras and lenses.
I also have the finest makeup artists available and all kinds of shoot locations from desert to gyms. Just let me know and we can talk about it. And again, my e-mail is SecondFocus@mac.com. Look forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks!
$75 Mostly Naked Booth Babe, Is That You?
I have talked with so many of you about my opinion of working for cheap or free as models for supplement ads or magazine features and more. Basically if someone is making money using you, then you should be paid. And not in $50 of supplements or standing around mostly naked for $75 as some booth babe all day. A company making like $40 million a year can afford to pay you. Time to just say NO! This is what top models are making for the last year per Forbes Magazine 2015. Yes they are at the very top but hey, this is a very very long way from free. In between would be much better for most of you I would guess. If you want to chat about it, just send me message and I will try to help you out. My E-Mail is SecondFocus@mac.com
The Mask Behind The Shoes
The masked woman behind my photographs for Shoe Envy, Maria Bertrand. In front of one of the mesmerizing unique art works by Emma Ferreira. I love the Shoe Envy tag line… “Because Finding The Perfect Pair Should Be Easier Than Finding Your Perfect Date”. Shoe Envy from Envy Inc., “The Data Platform For The Fashion Industry”. The Booties and Poncho courtesy Skingraft. Art and Mask and Studio courtesy of Emma Ferreira. Thank You!
Photographed on Hasselblad digital and Broncolor lighting. My choice for superb detail and accurate colors. Only the best.
El Día de Muertos Year Round!
El Día de Muertos never looked so good as it does with Natalie Lyle. Makes me look forward to it year round! The Makeup and Hair Styling done by Natalie as well as the wardrobe and body! I just managed to get the lighting in the right place and push the button on the camera. Thanks!
Black Belt At Venice Beach
Alexandre Michel Franchini came all the way from Saint-Mihiel, France to stand on stage at Muscle Beach. Too much fun having him in front of my camera on the beach in the surf. Truly an amazing, talented and physically accomplished individual. And I must say, one nice guy with a superb sense of adventure. Photographed on only the best, Hasselblad.
Palm Springs Photographs
As might be expected, I have a huge collection of amazingly unique and different photographs shot by me here in Palm Springs and around the area. People, places, landscapes, events, tourist spots, museums, restaurants, models, bodybuilders, fashion and more being added all the time. From anywhere from downtown Palm Springs to the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree, the entire region. My photographs have been featured in magazine travel features, advertising, fitness magazines and so much more here in the USA and around the world. Very soon I will be making these photographs available for immediate use and licensing in a searchable and viewable archive resource online. If you are the art director, photo editor, editor, publisher, public relations person or advertising creator please check back or send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com to be updated when these photographs will go live and available. I think you will all be very pleased with what you will be seeing. I am also available for your special assignments within the region and elsewhere of course. I must say that I am very excited about this and additionally I must say, Thank You!
Again, Too Good Not Too!
Natalie Lyle says I had already posted this photograph on all of my social media. OK more later, but I think this is worth posting again! She is so gorgeous! By the way, Makeup and Hair Styling by her! And the wardrobe styling.
Muscle Beach Thank You!
Thank You to everyone who shot with me over the Summer at Muscle Beach! I had so much fun with all of you and look forward to showing off more of your photos here on Facebook and on all of my social media. And a big congratulations to Sheena Epps and Toto Djong for your wins on stage and my photos of you making the 2016 Muscle Beach banners including the huge 7ft x 14ft banner that will be seen on the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk next Summer. Millions of people from around the world will be admiring your great physiques and dedication! Thank You All Again!
I Am Down With Shoeenvy!
Getting down at shoe level for a shoe fashion photo shoot for Shoeenvy. I love the Shoeenvy statement on their Instagram page, “Because finding the right pair of shoes should be easier than finding the right guy.” Too fun! You have to check them out and download their App. You will be seeing some sexy and fun shoe fashion with some sexy legs in those shoes.
Yes this is me crawling around on the floor of an artist’s studio in Los Angeles, for the last of three parts of our photo shoot. The first of the day was around a pool in a garden setting. The second was in an upstairs crowded fun art deco looking apartment in the Melrose area.
Shooting Hasselblad and Broncolor was a huge advantage for a number of reasons. I was using the Broncolor Move 1200L lighting system which gave me a lot of portable power that could be moved around and the strobe actually being held by one person easily because it is so small and light. In the garden and by the pool it made it easy to move around quickly without being encumbered by power cables. In the other settings just one light stand made it simple and convenient.
The Hasselblad medium format digital camera was ideal for this shoot because I wanted to see the detail in the shoes. You see a lot of photos out there that are supposed to be fashion, but when you really look, you do not see any of the fabrics, stitching and so much that goes into it’s creation. Hasselblad and Hasselblad lenses gives you that detail. Adding in the color accuracy, real life skin tones, and exposure latitude combined with the very consistent Broncolor lighting and you have the right tools for a no compromise photo shoot. And I always want to give my clients and models and everyone involved a no compromise photo shoot on my part, no matter anything else.
So Thank You to everyone involved on this photo shoot! It was a lot of fun and the results are superb. And now go check out Shoeenvy and download their App. This is going to be the fun way you buy shoes! And there will be more real soon! But probably not a convenient way to get the right guy. Thanks!
Maybe You Can Afford To Work For Nothing
“Maybe You Can Afford To Work For Nothing” Funny how that resonates today! This is from a movie depicting the Old West, “The Fargo Kid’ from 1940. So many of you are going to identify with this: photographers, writers, models working booths at trade shows, being photographed and working with companies making multi multi million dollar sales figures and giving you little or nothing. Those of you who have worked with me can stand by the fact that I have continually pushed for more for you from companies big and small. I have personally declined paying projects for me as the photographer when the models were not being paid. Often I am paid as the photographer by models as well, however it is only when I am giving you personally that which is of value to you for whatever reason. I will continue to make sure that for any photography I do, it is equitable whenever I possibly can. Watch the very short clip below, it is very well said and Thank You!
My Choice Is Hasselblad… In Space
The history of Hasselblad cameras and the space program actually played a significant part of why I have made Hasselblad my own cameras of choice. I remember as a young student in school being so very fascinated with the beginnings of the first Mercury capsule with Alan Shephard and then John Glenn orbiting the Earth. Even from those years so long ago the name “Hasselblad” was imprinted in my mind. Here is one photo from a series on “Gear Patrol” “Hasselblad’s History In Space“. June, 1965: Ed White taking the first US spacewalk on Gemini 4…
Muscle Beach Is Just Like This!
Have you been to one of the Muscle Beach Bodybuilding & Fitness Shows over the Summer? It looks just like this! The greatest outdoor bodybuilding and fitness shows on the planet. The next is Labor Day, Monday September 7th! Be there!
And if you are doing the show you can have me photograph you on stage and backstage at this world famous location and in that world famous workout “Pit”. You can even have your own mini photo shoot for yourself or a couple the day before! But you have to sign up ahead of time and really soon! So here is the link for more information and to sign up. Don’t let it go by! And Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
A Helping Hand
Photo shoots can be so busy that it is always good to have an extra hand. Especially when we could not let a totally gorgeous and very fit Katie Madden participate in getting us in trouble on Social Media. Makeup and Hair Styling by the Notorious Natalie Lyle. Photographed on a Hasselblad camera. Only the best!
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
Thank You Dennis!
“Special thanks to my good buddy and amazing photographer, Ian L. Sitren, for photographing my recent paintings. Incredible detail and accurate color taken with a Hasselblad H4D-40 camera. He’s a pro! Thank you Ian!” www.dennisjohnsondesign.com.
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!
Wind and Hair And So Very Sexy
Sometimes the wind blows and hair gets messed up. I love those moments. Some are funny but some with the right look on the right model are so very sexy. And so this moment with Maria Bertrand. From our photo shoot the other day along Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. Photographed on Hasselblad.
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