Everybody Makes Friends On My Shoots
One of the very fun things that happens on my photo shoots is that everybody makes friends with everyone else. Bella found a perfect companion! Photographed with my Hasselblad digital camera and Broncolor lighting. I love this gear!
A Guess First
It was July last year when a so very gorgeous Maria Bertrand was photographed by me in this beautiful dress by Marciano by Guess. It looks like Guess decided that it was so beautiful on Maria that they had to put it on Gigi Hadid for their billboards and magazine ads.
Maria Bertrand Photographed along Mulholland Drive by me with my Hasselblad. Gigi Hadid for Guess.
Bonnie Waiting
Bonnie waiting, but for who? Who is Bonnie? More of this story to come.
Emma Mesrobian is our Bonnie. Makeup and Hair Styling by Estee Lauder’s world traveling Blanche Le Beau. Broncolor lighting and Hasselblad digital cameras. At the Orange Empire Railway Museum. Thank You!
Net Proceeds
I am guessing I got my accounting confused with my photo shoot plans. However Nova did happen to have the right wardrobe for net proceeds anyway. I am looking forward to doing net revenue next. Who wants to help me out? Thanks!
Nova photographed with Broncolor lighting and digital camera by Hasselblad.
Train Robbery In Progress
Yesterday behind the scenes with Emma Mesrobian. Too much fun and photos soon! Makeup and Hair Styling by Blanche LeBeau. At the Orange Empire Railway Museum. Broncolor lighting and Hasselblad digital camera for the actual photo shoot.
Some history for now… This is a Union Pacific Steam Engine built in 1921. It saw service in Idaho and Utah puling freight and passenger cars and retired in 1955. It weighs 300,000 pounds and the driving wheels are 63″ in diameter. It is a 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotive. 2 small pilot wheels, 8 large driving wheels and 2 small trailing wheels. And yes it is really big!
Nova With Nova
When I was getting ready to do a photo shoot with Nova, I was excited to find that she had been featured in one of my favorite publications, “Victor” by Hasselblad. A beautiful publication that began as a very large format magazine and progressed to a book format. It is partially responsible for my having selected Hasselblad as my camera system.
So I was excited to have Nova sign her photograph in my copy of Hasselblad Victor Photography Book One during our photo shoot. And I am in great admiration of the original photograph and the series “Personal Visitation” by photographer Damon Loble. Applause!
This photograph with my Hasselblad digital camera and Broncolor lighting. Thanks!
Fashion Styling
I often think I should use a fashion stylist on my photo shoots. But then again sometimes I get by. This is the “Papier Doux” look. Okay maybe not. What do you think?
Photo shoot with a Hasselblad digital camera and Broncolor lighting. Aristodeme, one of my very favorite models.
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!
Fine Art Nude?
A panel discussion at the Palm Springs Photo Festival last week raised the question of what is fine art photography. Personally I do not like definitions such as that. Is the difference between fine art and not fine art a really expensive frame perhaps. I guess this is my idea of a fine art nude. Aristodeme the model is nude and she is holding fine art. Photographed with a Hasselblad digital camera and Broncolor lighting. That equipment is fine art, and so is Aristodeme, of that I am sure!
Porno Chic
It is not just naked. It is called “Porno Chic”. A term created by New York Times art critic Hilton Kramer in the 1970s to describe the work of fashion photographers Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin and Chris von Wangenheim. Editorial and advertising photography that uses nudity, eroticism… sexual and sultry to be more than pornography. I also refer to it as “edgy lifestyle” and think it is great fun. That is why you see it in my photography. It is not just being naked.
If you follow my Blog you saw an earlier post I did jokingly talking about this series selling chairs or furniture. Actually this photograph does work. Does it not get your attention about the chair? You can see very well how it is made, the details of it, and the model makes it look really comfortable. It is helped out by having a great model. And also works because it is photographed with a Hasselblad digital camera and lighting by Broncolor. Only the best all the way around. 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!
Sports Theme
I always admire my photographer friends who shoot sports. Some of them have shot the Olympics many times. They photograph at the Superbowl, the World Series, major sports league games and the biggest fights. So just to feel like I am part of things, I like to add a sports theme to my photo shoots now and then.
Photographed by me with a Hasselblad digital camera. Broncolor lighting with a Broncolor Para 133 reflector on a Scoro pack. I truly like the light out of that Para! Only the best!
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!
You and My Camera
Simple is my favorite way of creating photographs. Here Melyssa, window light, and a medium format camera loaded with Kodak Portra film. The only camera I have really enjoyed as much as shooting film is my medium format Hasselblad digital camera. It creates that film look of color, tonality and depth that I want to see in my work. Only the best! Thanks!
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!
Blindfold & Shadow
If you are blindfolded and nude, is your shadow also blindfolded and nude?
Model Aristodeme in our photo shoot. Photographed with Hasselblad digital and Broncolor lighting. Only the best!
Aristodeme in Blindfold and Shadow. Photograph by Ian L. Sitren
Naked Home Furnishings
This is my idea of photographing home furnishings. Makes me want to buy those chairs! I think an entire home furnishing designer line or catalog photographed by me like this would be much better than what you usually see. Don’t you!
Photographed by me with a Hasselblad digital camera. Broncolor lighting with a Broncolor Para 133 reflector on a Scoro pack. That is for you photographer type people. Only the best!
Look Into The Light
Never doubt for one moment the “Professional” part of “Professional Model”. One of the first things she said to me: “I love the fabulous lighting”. A Professional Model who has been photographed around the world, appeared on the most well known magazine covers and magazine features and is much in demand. The other comment she made to me during our photo shoot; “Is that a Hasselblad DIGITAL camera? Wow!” And yes the lighting is Broncolor with their Para 133 Reflector. And yes the camera is Hasselblad digital. Only the best!
Photographed on Hasselblad Digital. Lighting by Broncolor with a Broncolor Para 133 Reflector. Only the best.
More Posing Fun…
Some more posing fun from my photo shoot the other day. Watch for my best assistant walking in on the left to make sure everything is going OK. The actual photo shoot on a Hasselblad digital camera. Lighting with a broncolor Para 133 reflector and a broncolor Scoro pack.
It’s All About…
It’s all about the shoes. Or maybe it is all about the jacket from St. John Knits. Perhaps it is all about the superb lighting by Broncolor or the incredible image quality from the Hasselblad digital camera. Well actually we are all looking at her. That works!
The Fit Life Journey
More from our photo shoot with Chris Polityka. Photographs that show that you really can work out in the gym as part of your fitness journey and have fun through your whole life. I like this! Thanks to Power of Fitness gym in Palm Desert for sharing their great gym with us. Thanks to Hassleblad digital and broncolor lighting. Only the best!
It Happens Above The Ears!
I really like this photograph of Chris Polityka we did at the Power Of Fitness gym the other day. It shows what I have been saying for years and what Chris promotes as well. If you want to be healthy, look good, be fit, it happens above your ears. Listen to these stupid talk show diets or go into the gym and just pretend that you know what you are doing and you will just stay fat and look the fool why you are at it. So seek out people like Chris who know what they are doing, go to a real gym and get some help like at Power of Fitness, and continue your journey above your ears. That is how you do it!
Chris Polityka at Power of Fitness gym. Photography by Ian L. Sitren. Photographed on Hasselblad. Lighting by broncolor. Only the best!
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