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!
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
A Real Time Saver
Very time efficient when you can get lots of services in one place. Actually a store front that caught the interest of my camera on a photo excursion the other day. This is in old downtown Indio California.
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!
Tuskegee Airmen Flies His P-51 Mustang Again!
Lt. Col. Bob Friend, 95 years old, flying in the P-51D Mustang made famous when he flew as a Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. “Bunny” has been fully restored and now flying at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Back on the ground, the Colonel was greeted by Air Museum Director Fred Bell, the man who made the restoration of this great aircraft possible over the last three years. The P-51 pilot for the Colonel and Bunny was Tom Nightingale.
It’s My Job!
By the end of the day she walked away on stage with a First Place Trophy at Muscle Beach/Venice on Memorial Day. One of the amazing, wonderful, outstanding people I had the opportunity to photograph that day. And I say this every time, Hannah Gordon Etherson is one of the most beautiful women I have ever known!
But back to business! Time to sign up for me shooting your photographs at the July 4th show at Muscle Beach. On stage, backstage, and even your own personal photo shoot the day before or the day after. I can only photograph so many people so please sign up now and let’s do it! Thanks! Sign Up Here… https://squareup.com/market/secondfocus
Maria And My Camera
Maria Bertrand in front of my camera. She is always just so beautiful and perfect. We had just finished shooting photographs for magazine features she is writing on Yoga. Maria slipped on a sweater and some heels, just her and myself and a camera among all of the other people at the beach. My favorite kind of photo shoot. Ok so who is next?
July 4th Muscle Beach Photo Shoots
So Much Fun photographing so many of you at Muscle Beach on Memorial Day weekend! I will again be at the Muscle Beach July 4th show to photograph you on stage and backstage in the workout pit. I am also considering doing individual, perhaps one hour photo shoots, on the beach both before and after the show on Friday July 3rd and Sunday July 5th. A sign up form will be available next week but for now, if you are interested in knowing more, please send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com. Thanks!
Yoga Photo Shoot Wrap Up
Finished up a photo shoot on the beach with Maria Bertrand for a series of magazine features on Yoga. This is her “I’m done now, let’s go get a drink” Yoga pose.
Wild Times In Seattle
I am here looking for some wild times in Seattle before I get to wild times at Muscle Beach/Venice on Sunday and Monday. I think Google got my request wrong. But this is fun too!
When She Crawls In To Bed
From my file of Photographer Best Hints. When your beautiful model crawls into bed, take a photo! From my photo shoot with Shawn Towne on Facebook at Shawn Towne Modeling. Makeup and Hair Styling by Christine Copeland. My assistant and posing and wardrobe coach for the day, Jennifer Chamberlin. — at Bellagio Las Vegas.
Sign Up For Your Photographs At Muscle Beach
Are you doing the show at Muscle Beach this coming Memorial Day weekend? I am providing photography at the show. After 10 years of shooting at the Muscle Beach shows where so many have asked if I could shoot your stage photographs I have decided to do so. So this is where you sign up and there are a few different options. So take a look and please sign up as soon as possible. If you wait until the last minute, I might not be able to add you. And I really would love to shoot great photographs of all of you! Thanks and SIGN UP HERE!
Muscle Beach Labor Day 2014
SecondFocus Blog 