Chameleon
Catherine Kwong poolside in Palm Springs
Never!
I am trying to remember the time I got tired of looking at the photographs I took of Randalene Sergent… NEVER!
Photo Shoot With Randalene Sergent. Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Break The Rules
I just love this photograph I shot in a studio with Melyssa. Very casual and sexy. But it does break some of my photo rules. The left side is really somewhat over exposed. But I like it! It was shot on film, Kodak Portra in a medium format camera. Part of the magic of film is that you would, after processing, get back photographs that were not actually what you were expecting in one way or another. So fun!
Something else I sometimes hear from people is… “I don’t like that she is naked, I like something left to the imagination”. Well that’s fine, but I like her naked. I like the other gorgeous naked people in front of my cameras and the photographs we create too. It is wonderful and fascinating! And I like breaking these rules of society. Thanks!
Rising Star!
I photographed Catherine Kwong on Saturday, posted her first photograph from our shoot on Monday across all of my social media, and the response to her has been wonderful! A professional model and actress who has had her successes, Catherine Kwong is taking it to another level. From fitness to fashion, from the small screen to the big screen, I so look forward to seeing her rising star!
Photo shoot notes… The superb makeup and hair styling by Natalie Lyle. Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Side note… the teak lounge from Gloster.
Catherine Kwong poolside in Palm Springs
You Do Look Good!
She said… “Good golly Ian! You make me look good!!!” Of course she does look good! Beautiful and gorgeous actually! Catherine Kwong in our photo shoot. Professional model and actress, you have seen her in ads for Nike and Adidas, on the screen in Grey’s Anatomy and The West Wing. From lifestyle to fashion to fitness, yes Catherine Kwong… You Do Look Good!
Photo shoot notes… Natalie Lyle for wonderful makeup and hair styling! Clyde Sawyer, my ever present do it all assistant. Hasselblad digital camera system. Broncolor lighting. Only the best!
The Beginnings Of An Icon
Jamie Eason, for almost 10 years one of the biggest names in fitness. From her cover and feature in Planet Muscle Magazine, she came to the attention of Bodybuilding.com. They assigned me the very pleasant task of photographing Jamie for two days in a studio and a gym. Her very first gym photo shoot by the way. That led to her signing on as spokesperson for Bodybuilding.com and launching her success and helping to propel them to the behemoth of the fitness business they are today, pushing towards $1 billion in annual sales. Maybe I should shoot your advertising and magazine features! Send me an e-mail to Ian@SecondFocus.com and Thank You!
Hitchhiking to Muscle Beach
I imposed upon Maria Bertrand to demonstrate the proper form and universal sign for hitchhiking to Muscle Beach. We were on Mulholland Drive above Beverly Hills so the results for cars that stopped included 17 Ferraris, 14 Lamborghinis, 6 Bentley Coupes, 11 various Rolls Royces, 4 Lincoln Town Cars and one black Loach helicopter with no markings that dropped out of the sky. However last I saw of Maria for the day was as she rode off on the back of a bright red Vespa with a really cute blonde wearing a matching helmet who had really long legs. I went back to the hotel with my Hasselblad camera and my memories of the day, in my photographs. Sigh…
Alternate Energy Sources
I was going to use this post to tell you about the difference between Windmills and Wind Turbines. But never mind. Instead just a breathtaking moment with Heidi Cannon in front of my camera.
Find Her Find Me
She is truly amazing in front of my cameras. As my often Makeup and Hair Stylist on my photo shoots she is incredibly talented. As my assistant at Muscle Beach, at 6 ft tall and gorgeous, she makes it really easy to find me. So when you look for me back stage in the workout “Pit” in the morning at check in, look for Natalie Lyle. I am the guy with the cameras next to her.
For the details and sign up for my photographing you at the huge Muscle Beach Show on Memorial Day weekend please click here. At the show or even if you are not doing the show for photo shoots that weekend, please take advantage of me. My photo shoot costs are usually at least ten times that what I charge for these Muscle Beach weekends. But you have to sign up ahead of time and ASAP before I book up. Thanks and click here… MuscleBeachPhoto.com
So Very Sexy, Fit And A Chocolatier
You can have your chocolate and look great too! Katie Madden at 56 years old in my pool on front of my Hasselblad camera. She is a Fitness Professional, a Corrective Exercise Practitioner, and to top it off, a Chocolatier specializing in artisan white chocolates. She is just so incredible and oh so very sexy and gorgeous. I am sure happy I shot photographs because I really don’t know what more to say! The superb day of Makeup and Hair Styling by the equally superb Natalie Lyle. Thank You!
Your Photos At Muscle Beach!
Here we go! Muscle Beach only a few weeks away. Are you doing the show? I am available to photograph you but you have to sign up ahead of time. You can have your photographs on stage, backstage in the famous “Pit” or even your own personal, or as a couple, beach mini photo shoot. If you have wanted pro photos or have been wanting to shoot with me, time to sign up. I do not even remotely make the costs so very low except for Muscle Beach. And for the mini photo shoots, you do not have to be doing the show. Any questions, just send me a note and there is the link for more info and to sign up. Thanks! https://squareup.com/store/secondfocus
Basic Safety Rule
A basic safety rule to be followed at all times. Avoid looking at photographs of Sherry Goggin for more than 30 seconds or you may lose the ability to focus and concentrate on anything else for as long as 24 – 72 hours. There is no known cure at this time nor expected to be in the near future. From our photo shoot near the windmill farms and the bikini from her own Fit Girl Wear designs.
Got Your Attention!
So much fun getting your attention with my photography for Bodybuilding.com. The Bodybuilding.com Mission:”To help our visitors reach their health, fitness and appearance goals through information, motivation and supplementation.” “The largest online sports nutrition company and recently ranked the No. 1 most visited bodybuilding and fitness website in the world!”
How To Find Me
If you are going to be at Muscle Beach for the big Memorial Day weekend show, this is how you find me. Look for my 6ft tall gorgeous assistant Natalie Lyle. Most often on my photo shoots as Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist, she is very exceptional in front of the camera too. Natalie will be helping me keep track of the people who sign up for photo shoots. For signing up details, click here… http://squ.re/1Sl56iQ
I will be shooting everyone who signs up with me and I am the Muscle Beach photographer. Bikini class, Vintage Swimsuit, Bodybuilding, Physique, all of it, I am your photographer. It will be a really busy show and to be fair I will only be photographing the people who sign up for photographs. I just will not have enough time otherwise. At the show, you can have your photographs on stage and also you can select to add on backstage in the world famous Muscle Beach “Pit”.
You can also have your own mini photo shoot for just yourself or a couple. On the Saturday and Sunday before the show, I will be photographing right there at Venice Beach and nearby on the beach in Marina Del Rey. And you do not have to be doing the Muscle Beach show to sign up for a mini photo shoot.
If you have at all been wanting to shoot with me or wanting to have some great professional photographs, this is the chance at a really reduced cost. I make these prices available only for times like this when I can photograph a lot of people. I have really done this so it can be as inexpensive as possible for everyone. For the details, here is the link and Thank You! I really hope as many of you as possible get in front of my cameras! Click here and please sign up right away, only a few weeks left… http://squ.re/1Sl56iQ
Chainmaille Beauty
The beauty and fitness of Stacey Naito draped in a one of a kind Chainmaille masterpiece by artist Jerry L. Hanson. The magnificence of it all enhanced by the superb Makeup and Hair Styling by Blanche LeBeau. Thank You!
Perfect Set Up
Still so very proud and excited to have shot this cover photograph of Doug Brignole for his book, co-authored with Adrian James Tan. Sure looking forward to doing the next one too! It was a photo I had in mind all along and it set up perfectly. It all worked from Doug looking great to following my directions and the lighting set up. Great fun! Check it out here at Cognella Publishing.
You Are Not A Bodybuilder
A note of honest clarification for some of you who reach out to me. I am happy to work with you, but so you know… If you are 5-10 and weigh 160 pounds and have enough room in the sleeves of your medium size t-shirt to stuff a loaf of bread in next to your biceps, you are not a bodybuilder. You might be a fitness model for juvenile size underwear, which is fine. But you are not a bodybuilder. If I can help get you in the right direction that is great. However just because a few people around your gym swoon over you while you are on some pastel color Pilates ball with your little chrome weights will not convince me. My buddy Jake Sawyer here is a bodybuilder. Any questions, let me know. Thanks!
Lucky Tree
It crossed my mind to wonder what kind of tree it was that worked so perfectly for our photo shoot. Then I figured it out… a very lucky tree! Maria Bertrand, a very lucky tree, my Hasselblad camera and me. That is a good day in the park!
The Tools Of My Work
I do get asked about my set ups for shooting, lighting and background and studio and such. Often it is somewhat simple. However I choose the tools for my work very carefully. Here you can see what has become my favorite lighting, the Broncolor Para 133. This photo shoot had it powered by a Broncolor Scoro E pack. The camera also my favorite, a Hasselblad digital. Yes my choice of gear is the very high end of equipment. But I think about the amazingly wonderful people who are in front of my cameras and in that lighting. Many prep for a very long time for these photo shoots and often it is their career. Thereby deserving of the best on my part. That is my commitment. If you have any questions or would be interested in shooting with me or have me photograph your advertising or features, please send me an e-mail to Ian@SecondFocus.com. I would be more than excited to chat with you. And Thanks!
Chain Link
It can be fun to go get around and photo shoot in places that you might not think would be great. But then it is. My model here the very beautiful Randalene Sergent.
Always Special!
I always try to make photo shoots something special. The locations here in Palm Springs sure help out. With Chris Polityka and my Hasselblad camera. Only the best! Thank You Chris, you looked outstanding!
15 More!
That look you get when you tell them that you want 15 more reps at 405! Well not really but we had a photo shoot that was just superb. Chris Polityka could not have been better in front of the camera. He does make looking good in the gym work because he knows what he is doing. Check out his company MacrosEdge and you will understand why. https://macrosedge.com
Chris Polityka photographed in the gym with Broncolor lighting and a Hasselblad digital camera. Only the best! Photography by Ian L. Sitren
Flying In To Muscle Beach
Of course Lisa Marino Sanders would arrive in her United States Air Force F-16 for her photo shoot with me at Venice Beach.
The high flying Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Flight wear styling by April Ann Styles. And the real F-16 courtesy of the United States Air Force. Only at the real Muscle Beach for the real Muscle Beach/Venice bodybuilding and fitness shows.
Posing Your Face!
The incredibly beautiful Ava Cowan in one of our photo shoots. Posing is also facial expressions and engaging your audience. Ava gets a solid 10 for that one and more!
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