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.
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
Get Out Your Best Sox!
Get out your best sox! Maria Bertrand sure did! I will be photographing you backstage in the workout “”Pit” and on stage at the big July 4th fitness and bodybuilding show at Muscle Beach/Venice! You can even have your own mini-shoot the day before or the day after. But you have to sign up first. For more information and the online sign up form click here and Thanks… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Travis Ely On His Way!
Travis Ely working it in the gym on his way to the NPC Universe National Bodybuilding Championships next week in New Jersey. This is a pivotal show for a bodybuilder because it is what is called an IFBB Pro Qualifier. Top placing competitors will earn the title of “Professional Bodybuilder” in the IFBB, the most prestigious bodybuilding federation on the planet. Travis has done a great job with 20 weeks of prep, making great gains in muscle thickness, symmetry and detail. I do not say this often, almost never actually, but I expect him to do good!
By the way from a photographers perspective… Photographed with my Hasselblad camera producing incredibly accurate skin tones, colors, contrast and detail. So very impressed with Hasselblad!
And a big Thank You to Palm Springs Fitness for always being a great place to work out and being with friends and for supporting Travis Ely! Travis is a personal trainer at Palm Springs Fitness, go see him!
A Couple Of Firsts
Behind the scenes in my photo shoot with Katie Madden just recently. A couple of firsts here; the first time Katie will be published in a magazine. And the first of my photo shoots to be published photographed with my Hasselblad camera! The superb Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle. Very Fun!
Hasselblad Reality
When I announced that I had added a Hasselblad digital medium format camera system to my equipment, it generated a lot of interest. I received lots of messages and have been asked about it personally from photographers, models and people generally.
My decision to go Hasselblad, after trying out pretty much every high end camera system, came back to this one photo I shot of bodybuilder Travis Elywhen I first tried it out on a real photo shoot. Click on it to really get a look. The completely real colors, skin tone and definition were exactly what I wanted. It is more than a photograph, seemingly a duplicate of reality.
There are other reasons I chose Hasselblad. It is a legendary manufacturer of cameras made famous when chosen by NASA in 1962 to be the cameras to go into outer space. And of course used by so many famous photographers in the past and today. So who is next in front of my Hasselblad?
Location, Location, Location!
One of my favorite locations I will be using for photo shoots for July 4th weekend. Here with an incredibly perfect for the scene, Jake Sawyer. You can shoot with me on July 3rd or July 5th, the day before or after the big show at Muscle Beach/Venice. You do not have to be doing the show to take advantage of these photo shoots. I will be doing the show photography on stage and backstage if you are doing the show on July 4th. As many of you know I never make these offers of less costly mini-shoots like this but I really want to do it so I can shoot with more you. So please sign up ASAP and let’s make it happen. Click here for more info and to sign up online and Thanks… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Saw Randalene In A Coupe de Ville!
Oh wait! That was Maybellene when Chuck Berry was singing about her. Randalene Sergent would look good in a Coupe de Ville! I am thinking if he had seen her, that very first rock and roll song would have been “Randalene”. Actually Randalene looks good everywhere and especially in front of my cameras. And she will be in front of my cameras again on July 4th weekend. You can too!
I will be shooting at the big Muscle Beach show on July 4th. However even if you are not doing the show, you can shoot with me at the beach in Venice or Marina Del Rey on Friday July 3rd or Sunday July 5th. I will be working with a few people each day to keep it as inexpensive as I can for you. I would love to shoot with as many of you as possible but there is only so much time. So please sign up as soon as you can, it is right around the corner. For more details and sign up click here and Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
“Buying Size 10 Made Me Want To Cry”
Nicole Zimmer Toepper said that despite exercising and eating right that she was resigned to thinking that was just the way it was going to be after turning 40. One year ago she couldn’t button her size 8 pants and the thought of buying size 10 made her just want to cry. And then another incredible transformation with the help of Train Insane Gym. Nicole went from a very unhappy size 8/10 to standing on stage at Muscle Beach on this past Memorial Day only about a few weeks ago. That wiped away the tears!
Muscle Beach on July 4th I will be doing the photography on stage and backstage if you are doing the show. And even your own photo shoot the day after the show or the day before. But you must please sign up as soon as possible. For more information and to sign up just click here and Thanks… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Just Wonderful!
There are so many wonderful’s here in this photograph but I will start with Katie Madden. She is just incredibly gorgeous and has built herself a beautiful fit body. A health and fitness professional she actually started in fitness at the age of 42. I first photographed and interviewed her at the NPC Nationals competition in Miami 9 years ago. Now are you ready for this… Katie in my pool here in Palm Springs for this photo shoot on Monday at the age of 56!
The next wonderful is the Makeup and Hair Styling by my ever present Natalie Lyle. She never ceases to do wonderful work and brings a trusted professionalism to every one of our photo shoots!
And another wonderful is Hasselblad. A historic name in camera systems that has seen work in the finest fashion houses, in the hands of the most famous photographers and has even seen Outer Space and the Moon. Now in my hands producing a realism, perfect colors and skin tones and the definition that I have always wanted to see in my photographs. Don’t be fooled, lesser is not just as good.
Always So Many!
Only some of the many looks of Katie Madden from our photo shoot the other day. The hard part for me is always selecting the very best shots when all are so good! MakeUp and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle who makes it equally tough on me by doing such great work!
When It Is This Hot…
Behind the scenes from Monday with a totally captivating Katie Madden. Finished doing our studio shoot and with it being so very hot here in Palm Springs what better then to move the photo shoot to the pool! I must say that Katie did not do anything to lower the temperature!
Makeup and Hair Styling for the day by an also very hot Natalie Lyle. The hard work was down by my assistant Clyde Sawyer. And I got to use my new favorite Hasselblad camera. Outstanding!
She Did It In Eight Months!
She did it in less than a year! Catie Fernandez Magdaleno said she always “hated her body”. She was a runner doing 8 -10 miles per day! Figured she could eat whatever she wanted because all that running took care of it. Did not work. So 9 months after having a baby, when this before photo was taken, she joined Train Insane Gym, stopped running and went on their program of food and lifting. The results speak for themselves. This gorgeous woman went from September 2014 to standing on stage at Muscle Beach/Venice on this past Memorial Day! Just WOW!
Are you going to be on stage at Muscle Beach on July 4th? I will be doing photographs but only if you sign up ahead of time. On stage, backstage or even your own photo shoot the day before or after. It is only a couple of weeks away so please sign up ASAP. There is a limit to how many people I can do. Here is the online sign up with more info and Thanks! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
OK Smile!
Actually a small part of a building size mural in old downtown Indio California. Went on an excursion yesterday to photograph around old downtown Indio and Coachella and anything interesting along the way. There were many a great mural of incredible art. This one was especially extraordinary. I photographed with my Hasselblad medium format digital camera. The results are more astounding that I had imagined. The realism, color accuracy and sharpness create more of a duplicate of reality than just a photograph. Another photographer asked me if I had the clients who warranted such an expensive camera system. I said yes… Me! I expect the best photography I can do from me!
Her First!
You have seen her makeup and hair styling work in my photographs in magazines and online for some time now. Now you get to see Natalie Lyle herself in a magazine from one of our photo shoots. The latest edition of Planet Muscle Magazine. Yes this is the same Natalie who was helping me on my photo shoots all day at Muscle Beach on Memorial Day during the show. You will see her again with me on July 4th at Muscle Beach. So bring a copy with you and take a selfie with Natalie and the magazine and have her sign it. How Fun! And if you want to sign up for photo shoots at the show or that weekend, here is the link… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus Thanks!
I Don’t Have Enough Words!
It is a good thing I shoot photographs because I would not have enough words here. The incredibly beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, sensational fitness icon and my long time friend Ava Cowan. From a photo shoot we did in Marina Del Rey.
This is one of the locations I will be using the day before and after the July 4th Muscle Beach show. If you want to do your own photo shoot with me as well as have me photograph you on stage and backstage at the show, you need to get signed up. Here is the link to the online form and more info. I would love to photograph all of you but there will be only so many I can do. So please sign up as soon as you can, and Thank You! https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
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