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"Disintegration" Behind the Scenes

2012-01-08T20:39:00.002-07:00

I finally got around to edited the behind the scenes footage from the recent themed Disintegration Shoot I had the honor in collaborating with some very talented people. This shoot was 2 months in the making and about 80 hours of post production. If you haven't seen the Video on my Youtube Channel, turn up your speakers and lend me 14 minutes of your time.

Help Portrait 2011

2011-12-28T22:58:00.002-07:00

I am priveledged and honored to once again be invited to participate in this year's Help Portrait event held in my local capital of Salt Lake City. If you haven't heard about Help Portrait and you are an amateur or professional photographer, you need to stop what you are doing right now and check out the link. In a nutshell, Help Portrait is an annual international event started by Jeremy Cowart where photographers all around the world grab there cameras and donate their time and talents, finding people in need, and taking their picture. We then edit, print, and deliver the image to the people on the spot. The people could be those of less fortune, including homeless, single parents, low income families, and pretty much anyone who wants to come get there portrait taken.

These images aren't for financial gain, portfolios, or taking the picture. In Jeremy Cowarts words, Help Portrait is about GIVING the picture.

Help Portrait Promotional Video

See some of the amazing images from our local Help Portrait Event and dive into some of the heart felt emotions shared that day after the jump.

Find the "Hero" of your image

2011-11-04T00:04:00.000-06:00

Model: Emilyne MUA: Heather Shelton

Many photographers both amateur and professional alike tend to shoot images of gorgeous people, or should I say people that are deemed beautiful by today's western culture and society. Travel back in time 150 years and you'll hardly find that that a size 4 was considered to be attractive. I am not stating that a there is anything wrong being a size 4 or size 24, but I'm rather leading this post to making a point about photographing fashion.
What makes a photograph fit in the genre of fashion? Is it the outfit, pose, or model?
More after the jump

Le Vino Rouge- A New Behind the Scenes Video

2011-10-24T12:41:00.000-06:00

*A Quick Note: I recently signed up for Google Plus which conveniently links all user account related apps together including this blog. I was not reading the fine print and accidentally deleted a default album which happened to contain ALL the images this blog ever had posted. As you can imagine, my frustration cannot be described in politically correct terms as I now have the task of attempting to reload all the images for nearly 2 years of posts. I cannot guarantee I will get this done as I am having to work on it in my spare time.

On a lighter note, this post is about a recent collaboration I did with Audrey, a local cosmetologist and part-time model that approached me with this creative and unique concept about love, wine, and elegance. I was instantly on board with this concept as I felt it would be a great opportunity to share some basic lighting techniques and film another behind the scenes video and Strobist tutorial. And Audrey does such great work with hair, I had to work with her again. I initially met Audrey during the Audrey Hepburn and Jean Harlow shoots as she did the hair.
See more images and the Video after the jump...

Marie + Wayne

2011-10-03T19:35:00.001-06:00

I met Marie last year during another wedding I was shooting. She happened to be a coworker of my friend and partner in crime. Business cards were exchanged and nearly a year later, I was pleasantly suprised when she gave me call asking Chris and I to cover her wedding. Chris as usual would be handling the video and I would be producing the the still photography.

Escaping Monotony and Shooting for Yourself

2011-09-12T16:40:00.000-06:00

Photo by Warren Workman

I realize it's been nearly three weeks since my last blog post. I know this is unacceptable. I've got some nice behind the scenes and lighting videos just around the corner. This summer has been busy with weddings, family portraits, and other film related gigs to where I just haven't had time to shoot for myself and do anything "just for fun". Although putting all my efforts in attempting to run a successful photography business is my long term and lifetime goal that requires the majority of my time, it doesn't always provide the rewards and benefits a struggling artist such as myself desires. This includes financial security and more importantly, artistic fulfillment in my work. This can lead to frustration, loss of passion, and days that make you want to sell all the equipment and walk away from it all.

To escape from the loathes of day to day monotony, I've had the opportunity to work on several local independent low budget to zero budget films as a Director of Photography or Gaffer. After all, motion and picture and still photography are very closely related and I take pride in titling myself as a Photographer and Cinematographer. It's funny how many video guys are afraid of still photography, flashes and strobes while many still photographers are afraid of video and motion picture.
I am a hybrid and have bridged the gap that separates the two.
More images and reckoning after the jump...

Read more »

Brittany + Mike

2011-08-22T20:04:00.002-06:00

I had at the opportunity to shoot the events leading up to and after Brittany and Mikes big day. They ended up getting married in a private ceremony on another continent. However I was there to shoot their Engagements, Bridals, and a Reception held in their honor. Brittany and Mike are a fun couple and were open to my suggestions and locations as I created images that match their lifestyle, personality, and tastes.

More after the jump

What the Hell is TTL?

2011-08-10T16:28:00.000-06:00

This weeks episode on FRAMED Equip Tips is all about Flash and using proprietary triggering systems to fire your speedlights such as Nikon CLS. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of TTL modes versus Manual modes. And for a special treat, we discuss the newer Pocketwizard TT1 and TT5 Flexes and their ability to cheat sync speed.
Basically, we get high speed sync in TTL mode with all the advantages of radio triggering. Join special guest, Scott Jarvie and myself in this informal conversation jam packed with information.

Our second video is a fun blooper reel of last week's episode with Ryan Muirhead.

Other news is that we've nearly completed post production of Zombie Prom-- The Movie in which I was the Director of Photography, Camera Operator, and Colorist. The short film was created in efforts to promote Strankenstein's Zombie Prom, an annual community event held in Ogden, Utah where all proceeds go to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The film will premiere soon to a local theater (to be announced), the web, and film festivals across the country and potentially, world.

Another episode of The Basement as well as more Behind the Scenes Shoots coming soon...

Film Is Not Dead

2011-08-03T11:13:00.000-06:00

Check out this week's episode of Equip Tips with special guest, Ryan Muirhead. Ryan rarely shoots digital anymore and his work and knowledge of the film world is unending.
For those of us who have lived and worked in the digital age of photography, we discuss what it would take to step back in to the film world and how it can make you a better photographer. Open up your mind, eyes and dynamic range and watch this week's episode of Equip Tips.

A Tribute to the Great Jean Harlow

2011-07-21T23:22:00.000-06:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to shoot a retro/vintage shoot in a tribute to the infamous starlet of the silver screen, Jean Harlow. The idea stemmed from Robinette Desrochers, one of my favorite and amazing creative directors to collaborate with.

If you are unfamiliar with who Jean Harlow was, just click the link above or google her name. She was an amazing actress who lived during the glory days of film and cinema.

More Images and learn how I lit this after the jump

[FRAMED] Equip Tips

2011-07-18T14:44:00.000-06:00

Join me each week as myself and some special guests discuss the technical aspects and "geeky" side of photography. Equip Tips is a part of [FRAMED]'s 6 days a week lineup with a new episode each Monday. Want to know about what next lens to buy? Want to learn how to meter a proper exposure and get the most of your camera's manual mode?

Then these first 2 episodes are for you. Whether you are a seasoned pro, amateur, or the hobbyest that desires to take better photos of your children, you don't want to miss this. And of course all this content is free.

All ABOUT LENSES

ALL ABOUT METERING-

[FRAMED]

2011-07-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

I am a week behind on the blog, but in case you haven't seen it, 3 talented local photographers including myself were featured in the season 2 premiere of Framed, a weekly web-based show all about photographers. The episode was about a shoot-off between the photographers with 2 challenges aimed to highlight and expose our strengths and weaknesses. Watch the episode below and take the jump to read more about my experience with Framed

Marie Antoinette- The Video + The Big Announcement

2011-06-30T11:51:00.000-06:00

After being stuck in Limbo with so many projects this entire month, I finally completed the Behind the Scenes Video and Strobist Tutorial for the Marie Antoinette concept I shot a while back. I've added more narrative and educational jargon in to this one as I've taken the feedback from the youtube channel seriously.

Enjoy... And please view in HD.

Big News After the Jump

Onward and Upward

2011-06-14T15:55:00.000-06:00

The lack in frequency of posts hasn't been because there is nothing to blog about, but rather that I have been so swamped with projects and answering emails and strobist related questions-- I frankly haven't had the time. For those of you who read this blog, including my rants and raves, I thank you.

Some big things are in the works of production and post production. I have another BTS Strobist Video from the Marie Antoinette shoot I did last month waiting on the digital cutting room floor as we speak. I also have a couple era-based vintage themes including concepts based around the infamous Audrey Hepburn and Jean Harlow.

This Father's Day Weekend will be another sleepless weekend of fun-filled guerilla film making as the 2011 48 Hour Film Project returns to SLC. Our filmed completed or not as well as others will be screen on Tuesday, June 21 at 6:00PM at the Gateway Cineplex 10 in Salt Lake City. Please come out and show your support and appreciation for Utah's amateur and professional film makers.
Our entry for the 2010 festival can be seen on our Kaptain Kieodie site HERE

The biggest news of my journey as a photographer and Film Maker has to be kept secret for a few more weeks. Just plan on tuning in to the web on July 5th as a whole new platform of educational and inspirational resources for photographers will commence.

Jen + Rich

2011-05-31T23:11:00.002-06:00

Congrats to my good friends Jen and Rich on their Engagement. I've known Rich since grade school and Jen is the sister in law of one of my lifelong friends.

They wanted something modern and urban with a laid back twist.

More photos after the jump----

Graduation

2011-05-24T23:16:00.000-06:00

This weeks blog is all about Senior Portraits and Graduation. It is a fun time of year for those who are finally gaining their freedom from the bonds of the education system from which they served 12 years of enriching their minds.
I recall thoroughly spending my senior year embedded in advanced placement classes in attempt to knock out a semester or two college. Mean while, my friends were sluffing (Utah term for ditching) class and heading out to breakfast every morning during the hours of first period. Nonetheless, high school is a special in our lives and I agree with the popular crowd that Senior Portraits are a must.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Read more »

Marie Antoinette

2011-05-11T05:57:00.001-06:00

Here's another collaborative shoot with some amazingly talented people. The concept was based around the historic figure, Marie Antoinette. Our goal was to use a blossoming orchard as the backdrop in which our model, Jillian would pose in and around the rows and lines of the trees. Unfortunately, we were a couple weeks off from the blossoms being in full bloom. I had a tough time deciding what color design to give the final images and still maintain the elegance and beauty of the subject and have the trees not appear to be too gloomy.

More after the jump

Read more »

The Perfect Catch- Tips for Photographing Newborns

2011-04-26T22:29:00.000-06:00

A couple months ago, I blogged about shooting my long time friend, Christina's Maternity session. Well her son Ryder finally arrived and I also was given the honor of shooting his Newborn Session. These were all taken on location in Christina's living room and kitchen table.

I absolutely love photographing Newborns. A great tip to consider is that generally the best time to shoot newborns is within the first 7-10 days of their birth. Newborns are usually sleeping most of the time during this period which allows us as the photographers to easily pose and "shape" them without disturbing the peace.

More Tips and Photos of Ryder after the jump:
Read more »

The Basement Strobist: Episode 2

2011-04-18T12:48:00.000-06:00

My short web series based on introducing amateur photographers to off camera lighting has been a great success. Episode 2 has now been uploaded which discusses methods on triggering off camera flash.
Episode 3 will be posted soon which will be about light stands and booms.

Enjoy!

Simplicity and Rock n' Roll

2011-04-08T21:44:00.000-06:00

I consider myself on the advanced side of artificial lighting and design. Whether it be lighting a scene for a local independent film or playing with off- camera strobes, lighting is "my thing" and I love every minute I get to experiment and work with it. After all, Photography literally translates to "the study of light."

I finally splurged and purchased some studio lights to assist me in times when small speedlights and flashes won't get the job done. This has been a long time in the making and I have done hours and hours of research in finding what would work with my workflow and niche.
In the near future, I'll post a blog about the strobes and went with along with a complete review and examples. I am not gearing this post about it simply because I haven't shot with them enough yet to gauge an opinion.

For this week's blog, I going to recap one of my recent shoots in the studio with Mckenzie, a young and ambitious model with true professionalism and mutual respect. This was our first shoot together, hence the images are clear, concise, and clean cut showcasing her natural beauty and personality.

More images and story after the jump
Read more »

Growing Up...

2011-03-22T20:43:00.003-06:00

I had the opportunity to have a quick session with Carson and his little brother, Carter. We were kept in the studio as the Utah weather still hasn't made it's permanent turn in to Spring. It was a fun time and the boys behaved long enough to capture some great frames.

See more images after the jump

Read more »

The Basement Strobist: Episode 1

2011-03-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

With all my Behind the Scene Strobist and Lighting Videos on YouTube, I have been overwhelmed with emails, comments, and personal messages asking me about the basics of off camera flash photography such as what flashes do I use, what light stands should we buy, and how to trigger flashes wirelessly.

With that said, we created a new web based series geared toward answering viewers' photography and strobist questions. We affectionately call the series "The Basement" as it is filmed in my basement home-studio.

Take 6 minutes and learn. I would greatly appreciate your support in this endeavor and spread the word out to all photographers or photo buds you may have and are searching for answers or have technical questions they want addressed in future episodes.

Being Pregnant can be Nice.

2011-03-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

The title of this post has the potential to bring out a sleuth of negative emails and and beatings from ladies' purses. I have no idea what it is like to be pregnant and I never will since I lack the equipment to have a child.
I can say this, that birth is an amazing miracle itself. I witnessed this several times in my past experiences working in EMS. My father used to tell me during my adolescent years that there is nothing comparable to the bond between a mother and her child; that the love of a mother can't be matched or completely explained.

Maternity photos are a big craze right now. Not all women prefer to have them done, but those who are skeptical or extra conservative on flaunting their belly usually are glad they did it later down the road.

I had the opportunity to have a session with my long time friend Christina and her husband, Mikk. They are expecting their first child soon. I put them both to work in the studio on recent evening. See the results after the jump...
Read more »

The Devil Works in Mysterious Ways

2011-02-24T21:41:00.001-07:00

The X96 Radio From Hell Film Festival 2011 was a major success and fun had by all in attendance. The amount of talent showcased in this small local festival was through the roof. I enjoyed screening all the films.

Our Entry, The Devil Works in Mysterious Ways brought cheers and laughs from the audience. In case you missed the festival, you can watch it now.

Launch of the New Site

2011-02-21T01:24:00.002-07:00

After several years of discussion, we've decided to create a web page dedicated to our small production company Kaptain Kieodie Productions. The Kaptain has been a near life-long endeavor of a group of friends who started making home movies to entertain themselves. Now, over 17 years later, we have taken our combination of education and experience to produce cutting edge industrial, wedding, and commercial video as well as engage in the local Independent Film Community.

Our latest short film was created for the Radio Station X96's Radio from Hell Film Festival which will be premiering Wednesday February 23, 2011 at 7:00PM at:

The Tower Theater

876 E. 900 S.

Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Until then, take the jump over to the new website at Kaptain Kieodie.com

Utah Flash Mob

2011-01-31T12:27:00.002-07:00

During the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah a collaborative effort Utah's talent ranging from dancers, actors, Makeup Artists, Photographers, Producers, to Film crews came together to perform a Flash Mob right in the epicenter of the festival.

The idea was born from Robinette Desrochers and Tina Thorup weeks before the mob took place. The reasons behind it were that large and small budget productions are being filmed here in Utah in which they bring in outside talent including everyone from the actors to the film crews that make the damn thing. They accept our state's tax breaks and use our diverse landscapes as backdrops in their films, yet refuse or scarcely hire local manpower and talent for their productions.

The Utah Flash Mob was a fun, safe, and public way for us to "show" these people that we mean business and have the drive and talent to succeed in the film world.

I was volunteered to be in charge of directing the video. I had 4 cameramen including myself so we could film the performance from multiple angles at the same time since it was a one-time thing. The day started off with blanket of snow. As we all conspicuously mingled around the performance area waiting for the cue for the mob to start, the snow ceased and the crowds of Sundance attendees poured out in to the streets and performance area. The music started and the Mob performed flawlessly.

It received the much anticipated attention it deserved and made headlines with the Sundance Channel, Salt Lake Tribune, and other local media groups. Within 8 hours of the performance, videos from cell phones were popping up all over YouTube.

Here is the Official Video I cut. The Utah Flash Mob YouTube Channel has more of the cell phone videos.
Please view in HD

New Behind the Scenes Video

2011-01-09T18:05:00.002-07:00

You may remember my recent shoot with the Winter Fashion theme and Sled Dogs. I finally got around to editing the behind the scenes video. You can view it on my Youtube and Vimeo Channels

When to Keep Going...

2010-12-24T12:26:00.003-07:00

I have found myself many times wanting to walk away from everything and do something else. Just put the camera down and return to a daily grind of a 9-5 job where I don't have to worry about managing a business, marketing, and keeping my art fresh and new within a technology driven base. This economic recession is a storm that will take its toll on many of us. It certainly has on me. Hell , I can't even afford a Christmas Tree this year... Recently, several promoters, studio owners, and other agencies have made successful attempts to take advantage of my talent while trying to smite my creativity in the process and ruin me financially.
2010 has been a difficult year. The holiday season has been even more trying due to personal loss and risen emotions of loneliness and destitute.

The storm is upon us. The question we have to ask ourselves is if we are going weather through it and come out from underneath the rumble and despair as not only survivors, but ones who have learned a lesson. I know I will.

And as melancholy and negative as this post may sound, the key point is a lesson to be taught. Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey says is best in 90 seconds. Chase Jarvis posted it to his blog and I am now posting here.

"To want. To be ambitious. To want to be successful is not enough. That’s just desire…"

Recapping Help Portrait 2010

2010-12-13T18:49:00.005-07:00

This was my second year volunteering for Help Portrait. I must say that it keeps getting better and better every year. This go around, the weather decided to cooperate and caravans were organized to shuttle our subjects to and from the the Road Home Shelter. The turn out was great and the day has been the highlight of my holiday season. An amazing group of photographers, hair and makeup stylists, and support staff spent the day turning a downtown night club and dance studio in to a full fledged photography studio where families and those in need could come get a hot meal, a warm coat, and a personal photo session with some of northern Utah's talented photographers.

A special thanks goes out to all those who made this happen, especially to Dave Brewer for stepping up to be the local organizer for the second time. It was great to see some familiar faces and meet the new ones too.

See the highlight video of this year's event.
Video 1
Video 2

Run with the Wild Fashion

2010-12-06T12:27:00.006-07:00

Animals have been involved in Fashion Photography as long as I can remember. I've seen everything from polar bears to snakes and even lions implemented into ad campaigns for clothing lines and fragrances.

Robin came up with this concept when she met the owner and driver of a sled dog team. Arrangements were made and the concept of this shoot was born to where we could create a fashion motif with the dogs. Winter had already started and most the canyons/ mountains had already received several inches or feet of snow. This would work perfect for our theme since we associate Huskies with snow and winter.

We set out to Little Cottonwood Canyon and found a nice area which had some large standing rock formations, dead weeds, and enough forested area to block out whatever sky might creep in to my shots. It was vastly overcast. For you photographers out there, this is great for lighting since nature has provided its own natural "Soft Box" or diffusion from the sun's hard and harsh light. With that said, lighting was simple and straight forward, with only a single flash and umbrella needed to light the subjects appropriately.

I forgot my sandbags and needed help balancing my boom arm containing the flash and umbrella. Luckily, I brought my assistant Trevor in as a V.A.L. (voice activated ligthstand) to hold everything. Without him, we would have been in some real trouble.

The shoot went off without any deaths or accidents and I was pleased with the final images.

Don't Give me no Bull...

2010-11-29T13:31:00.004-07:00

I had the opportunity to shoot a collaboration with Kelsey again. She had been wanting to do a concept involving her English Bulldog and intertwining a punk or grunge theme.

We headed to downtown on the last tolerable day of the year before the Winter chill took over and shot in front of some neat walls plastered with graffiti. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and we were shooting mid-day when the sun is working against us with harsh light and keeping shadows short. These shots were all captured in the smallest open shade of the buildings' shadows. In some cases we had only a couple feet to work with before the sun cast it's overexposing light onto the asphalt.

______________________________________________________

On another note, HELP PORTRAIT 2010 is this Saturday, December 4th. Last year was Utah's first year participating in this national non-profit event. I look forward to another amazing year helping out those in need.

Fall Leaves

2010-11-15T13:45:00.004-07:00

The Wasatch Front of the Rocky Mountains can produce some of most vibrant Fall Colors I've ever seen, given that the snow doesn't arrive first and the temperature doesn't freeze too soon. Unfortunately this year we had a vast cold front move in and "shock" all the leaves into their dead winter state, causing them to fall to the ground before their colors peaked or halting their chromatic change in a mix of a pale yellows and drab greens.

You now have clients running to get their family portraits taken with vibrant Fall Colors. What do you do?

Improvise. Scout, scout, scout, and scout some more. Move to lower altitudes to the wooded parks located in your backyard and valley suburbia. With luck, you'll find some trees with some color left. Utilize some camera magic and shoot with a large aperture and shallow depth of field to turn the background into a creamy, blurred bokeh of Fall color, avoiding the details the drab leaves are displaying.

Anthony is a paramedic / fire fighter I used to work with when I was still full time in EMS. Anthony is an outstanding medic with great skills and a genuine compassion for those who need help. I was excited to shoot his growing family. Their daughter, Claire was a natural in front of the camera and we captured some cute and fun images.

For it is All Hallows Eve...

2010-10-31T13:41:00.007-06:00

I've been wanting to do this concept for over 2 years now. It seemed each October, some other conflict would prevent me from doing it. Well, thanks to a creative collaboration with some very special people, this shoot became a reality.

A little back story with this one...
In recent years, we have all witnessed the increased popularity with vampires, including their myth, culture, and sensual appeal. With popular sagas such as Twilight and HBO's series True Blood, our western culture shows no signs of wavering their undying faith and interest in the subject. What I find interesting is all the different and diverse interpretations of what a vampire should look like, act, and relate with it's prey.
This shoot defines how I imagine vampires would be. No Edward, no glimmering sparkles, and certainly no compassion for the human species. These vampires are professional sirens who can seduce and draw their victims in with their beauty, pseudo libido, and ethereal charm. I imagine vampires are a highly evolved immortal creature that holds great strength, but rarely needs it. Why go to all the trouble of acquiring a meal when their prey wants and desires to be with them... They want to be bitten.
I think of the 3 female sirens from the film O Brother, where art Thou where these females hypnotize and serenade their victims with there beauty and song.

For you photographers reading this, the lighting on this one was a bit more complicated than my normal setups. These images had a minimum 3-5 strobes both bare and modified to accomplish the desired effects. My favorite is the bare flash hung upside down in the curtain to provide some separation.

Getting Classy- Urban Bridals

2010-10-23T13:07:00.004-06:00

I've known my good friend Josh now since we were lads in middle school. I was more than enthusiastic during our consultation when his fiance Shelly had decided that she didn't want your typical traditional bridals with some flora and fauna background. She wanted an urban environment with a modern feel.

I went to work trying to get a grasp of her "style" and personality. I decided to go with the ever more increasingly popular fashion approach in which the images could easily be seen in your bridal magazine without a second thought of whether or not they belonged there. Shelly certainly did amazing as we set out to the side streets and alley-ways of Salt Lake City's industrial areas.

All images were shoot with one to two speed lights. This style of bridals is my favorite to shoot as editorial fashion is what I am know for.

Abandoned Macabre

2010-10-07T11:39:00.003-06:00

I recently had another great collaboration with Kelsey of Kel-Z Photography. This time she stepped behind her camera instead of posing in front of mine. We found a local designer who made several unique dresses created around a macabre theme. Kelsey provided the location, a little set of abandoned buildings just off the beaten path of a suburban neighborhood. Add three talented models and we were off, shooting away.
Chris and my production team came out to record the whole thing for the BTS video as well as to assist me with my lights.
Take a look at the results.
And be sure to view the video behind this to see how I accomplished these shots.

Beach Blanket Bingo- Behind the Scenes

2010-09-27T12:08:00.001-06:00

Photographing Children.. You can do it!

2010-09-17T07:03:00.004-06:00

It is in our nature as nurturing parents to love love our offspring and get all googly eyed and joyous when we see them. Hence, taking images of children is a breeze when compared to getting that perfect image of the CEO of a major company that has given you less than 10 minutes of his or her time to get the shot.

From my experiences, keys to capturing amazing shots of children include the following:
-Shoot them when they are most awake, fed, and not in an unusual place
-Get down low... I mean really low... At their level or even lower. Our normal perspective of kids is from up high. Give the viewer a different angle. Get low and make the subject appear larger than life.
-Light the eyes. Make sure their eyes are lit.
-Again, nap time isn't a great time to take photos.
-Have the parent stand behind or next to the camera so the subject will look toward camera and not the parent that is standing 6 feet to the right.
-Do something different. Go in your backyard, school, or park. The same tin wash tub with the cute baby in it has been exhausted by nearly every crappy Box Store portrait studio there is. Do something original. Let kids roam around and be themselves in their natural environment is great place to start.

New Behind the Scenes Video

2010-09-13T11:32:00.007-06:00

A simple and short Behind the Scenes Video of the recent Geisha photoshoot I collaborated with Kelsey of Kel-Z Photography. Unlike most of my tutorials that delve into off camera lighting and Strobist techniques, this one focuses on Natural Light and plainly getting out of the house with a concept in mind and shoot away.

Beach Blanket Bingo?

2010-09-07T12:04:00.004-06:00

The longer I live, the more I tend to believe I was born in the wrong decade. For this week's blog, I'm sharing the latest Pinup concept I photographed. I went back to Crystal for this one because she has the "look" and true form of what the vintage pinups used to be back in the day.

We headed out once again to the shores of the Great Salt Lake and started shooting away as the sun dropped behind the mountains and eastern shores of the lake. Lighting was minimal and included only a small Flash coupled to a silver reflective umbrella mounted to a boom arm and light stand. Some behind the scenes video was captured and another Strobist Lighting Tutorial should be done soon. As always, stay tuned.

-Ben

Trash the Dress

2010-08-30T11:57:00.003-06:00

75 miles from my home in Provo, Utah there is a group of photographers, models, and makeup artists that get together monthly to share their knowledge, time, and have some fun.
This past meetup was a Trash the dress theme. We had nearly 30+ photographers show up and close to 10 or so models. It was a bit crowded with such a high photographer to model ratio, but most photographers utilize these shoots for networking and fun rather than building portfolios and getting one on one time with a model.

For my setup this meetup, I took a simple one light setup with an old Nikon flash coupled to a convertible 43" reflective umbrella. I hung a sand bag from the light stand to keep from loosing a good flash and radio trigger to the murky depths. We were shooting at depths of knee deep water at times. A strong footing a trustworthy camera strap were a must.

In all, I had a great time and I am excited to join them next month as we head out to the Salt Flats for a shoot.

Kids are Cute

2010-08-23T10:14:00.003-06:00

The concept of this week's post is simple. Children... Children tend to be one of the photographed subjects there are. Parents, amateurs, and box stores are constantly capturing images of children. They are always cute, draw the viewer, and parents are attempting to "preserve" that moment in the child's life since they won't be that age forever and most likely will outgrow the shoes their wearing within several months.

These images were simply a few candid shots taken in between setups of a family portrait session of 19 people. These ended up being my favorites of the series.

Shelly + Josh

2010-08-13T11:11:00.005-06:00

I have been given the great honor of shooting one of my long-time friend's wedding. Josh and I met nearly 14 years ago in Jr. High School where we used to spend most our summers and weekends fishing the local suburban ponds and rivers in our backyard that makes up the Wasatch Front. While most young men were spending time at Lagoon or the mall making failed attempts at picking up ladies, Josh and I found our leisure hitting the rivers and making attempts of catching fish, all while being surrounded by the pristine backdrop of the Rockies in which we call home. Josh is an excellent sportsman although I've always given him crap about using bait and spin tackle while I pride myself as fly-fisherman and a "purest". However, it always played out that one method proved to be more successful than the other on any given day.-The fish were taking only Josh's lures or only my flies, never both. So usually one of us would get skunked while the other would gloat over their successful day's catch.

Enough of memory lane, lets delve into Josh's and Shelly's Engagement photos. From our consultations with the bride and groom, I found out they desired something a little less traditional than the flowers, greenery, and heavenly sunsets. We opted or a more modern and contemporary look in an urban street setting. We set out to the streets of Ogden one late afternoon. We found some cool walls and some great stairwells to utilize as backdrops. Lighting varied from On-Camera Fill to several umbrellas. I designed their invitation to match the same "feel" as the engagements as well as their wedding colors.

Getting Emotional

2010-08-03T12:33:00.007-06:00

Hayley contacted me months ago while I was still working on the Disney film in southern Utah. We finally worked out a schedule to where we could take a few hours during mid-day and head out and shoot.
When I asked her what concepts she was interested in, she made mention of shooting something with emotion. I knew this would be a fun concept since it could potentially give us more latitude than setting up your typical glamor or fashion motif.

While being a Strobist has its perks and advantages, it also has its problems, one of them overpowering the sun in the middle of the day. We were shooting close to noon, and the sun was directly overhead and not a cloud was to be seen in the sky.... So our options were to shoot in some open shade or find some dark, sun-less areas where I would be free to sculpt and create my own light with my speedlights.

We traveled a short distance from the homestead to a pedestrian tunnel that runs under a bridge and went to work. Each frame was captured with the concept of conveying an emotion. I gave Hayley no coaching and told her to simply "feel" what she wanted to convey, which was mostly dark and dreary moods and emotions. This went well with the dark tunnel and the final images are some of my personal favorites of this year's sets.
Enjoy

NOTE: All images were shot with a single speed light coupled to a Beauty Dish.

Making Maternity an Enjoyable Time

2010-07-26T10:26:00.004-06:00

Maternity photos... Either you love them or you despise them. It's a trend that is nothing new, but becoming more and more popular as looking pregnant is "in".
Just a few years ago, women tended to wear loose, baggy, and concealing clothes to disguise that bundle of joy maturing within them. Nowadays, I see more women wearing tighter fitting, almost what is deemed "fashionable" outfits to celebrate and show-off their current state.
Whether you feel it is appalling or amazing, I enjoy shooting maternity photos for these reasons:
-Just as any photograph does, it captures "that" moment in your life in "that" state.
-It gives me great joy watching the expectant mother and father react, pose, and share a special bond in front of the camera.
-Wouldn't be great to have the child see those memories of their parents once they are all grown and an adult?
-It allows the parents celebrate the miracle of birth in a different and fun way.

Let's face it, pregnancy is a challenge and trying time for any women. Even for us men acting in a support role, it has it's challenges. Create an enjoyable time during your 9 months of love, happiness, and hell and get some images taken.

One Light Can Work Wonders

2010-07-17T16:52:00.005-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I set out to do some test shots of Emily, a lovely and outgoing local who is considering getting into modeling. I was asked to do some "test shots" too assist her in finding her own level of comfort while being in front of the lens as well as gauge what type of photography and modeling she would be most suited for.
We started the session in the studio with some simple head shots. We later ended up taking a short 10 minute drive to a small field and rural back-road for some more charismatic themed shots during the last minutes of daylight.
All that was used was a single speedlight coupled to an 43" relflective umbrella placed at various axis around the Emily and the camera. Once in post processing, I gave the images a bit of lomographic curve (which I tend to do lot) and crushed the blacks a tiny bit. Here are the results...

Getting Cultural

2010-07-06T14:38:00.006-06:00

I recently did a collaboration with a fellow photographer and artist Kelsey Beacco of Kel Z photography. I met Kelsey last winter during a benefit for Haiti at a local art gallery. I became an instant fan of her work as well as her personality and abilities to exhibit creativity both in front of and behind the camera. We had been wanting to collaborate for a while and finally a day came where both our schedules were congruent enough to hit the streets of Ogden for an afternoon.

The concept and credit goes to her on this one, for she came up with the entire concept and theme of this shoot. All I did was pick the locations, capture the frames, and make the edits.

Kelsey was cool enough to help me step out of my comfort zone and go for a complete natural light setup... If you know me, I always drag my flashes and umbrellas around with me no matter where I shoot. The sky happened to be completely overcast, eliminating all harsh shadows and creating the perfect "natural softbox" to utilize at our discretion. Cloudy days are great for shooting natural light portraits, as long as we are careful not to show the gray sky itself, since it is so flat and boring.

I love the end images from this shoot and I am glad to have been able to collaborate with someone as talented as Kelsey.

Rock Bottom

2010-06-29T11:30:00.001-06:00

Many of you have seen the film, but here it is in case you haven't... For some reason, it's cutting off the right side of the video pane, so please click on the video itself to open it in a new window :)

The 48 Hour Film Project

2010-06-21T21:43:00.004-06:00

I just wrapped on our third production for the 48 Hour Film Project's stop here in Salt Lake City. I feel we created our best short film yet. And with our new hardware, we were able to create a true cinema feel with amazing color grading and a nice shallow Depth of Field.

The 48 Hour Film Project is an international competition which takes place in many cities throughout the world, Salt Lake being one of them. It's primary competitors range from beginning amateurs all the way to SAG talent and professional indie film makers. It's basically a run and gun fly by the seat of your pants deal where you have only 48 hours to write, film, edit, and produce a completed original 4-7 minute short film. And when I state original, that includes all music and dialog too. To make the competition official and prevent any pre-production, you have no idea what your film's subject matter is going to be until the Friday night kickoff where each team draws a genre out of a hat. From there, you are given a prop, line of dialog, character name and their career which must be implemented into the film.

This year, our team had the following:
-Genre: Film Noir
-Prop: Egg
-Line of Dialog: "that's what I'm here for."
-Character: Ed or Edna Keegan who is a reporter

We made a great film and it will premiere on the Big Screen tomorrow night. We are excited and anticipate winning something this year. We had an excellent crew. I love making indie films as much as I love photography! The film will be loaded to YouTube and Vimeo later this week following the premiere.

Street Bridals

2010-06-14T16:02:00.005-06:00

Theses were taken earlier this spring during a cold sunny day in March. I love when a bride has an open mind for some non-traditional concepts when we get to ditch the normal "bride in front of the flowers" or staircase shots.
Karina was one of those brides who placed her complete faith in my hands and said "do whatever you think will look good..."
I decided to shoot a urban concept where we explored some of the older industrial areas of Salt Lake City. Despite the cold March weather, we captured some great frames. Most of these images were accomplished by using only a single off camera flash coupled to an umbrella in one way or another.

Going Green

2010-06-10T19:28:00.007-06:00

Since we are all out of college and no longer have access to the professional fancy video and studio equipment we once did, we have slowly had to save (or should I say spend) our own bucks to purchase our own. We started with a nice camcorder and lighting. To test it out, we made a spoof public service announcement on going Green and saving water. Enjoy.

See it HERE on Vimeo HD

Behind the Scenes Strobist Tutorial: Pinups n Hotrods

2010-06-04T00:52:00.006-06:00

I finally completed another behind the scenes tutorials in off camera lighting. This one was from a shoot last summer where a retro pinup concept was developed. The entire shoot was built around the dress, including the model, car, and location. Please view in HD and full screen if you have a high speed connection. Some exciting projects and shoots coming up including a urban Geisha theme today...

Return to the World

2010-05-30T13:41:00.004-06:00

I am back! I finished up Disney and now I have triumphantly returned to society in nearly one piece. There is so much to catch up on. I have another Strobist Tutorial nearly completed as well as the 48 Hour Film Project later in June. Weddings, Photo sessions, and Behind the Scenes footage coming soon.

While I was unable to photograph my usual subjects, to keep my sanity I dusted off my lens and shot some HDR landscapes. I ventured to Glen Canyon Dam as well as the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It truly earns its title of one of the 7 wonders of the world. Such beauty, grandeur, and uniqueness made me take a step back and look at what a wonderful world we live in. I am editing the images now.. Stay tuned

Naughty School Girl

2010-04-30T11:05:00.001-06:00

Naughty School Girl
Originally uploaded by Big Ben "BTS Photography"

Megan's images from Flickr.... I cannot directly upload from my phone...

Still alive...

2010-04-30T10:25:00.002-06:00

I'm still down here in the desolate buttes of southern Utah working on the Disney film. Keeping connected with the world has proven difficult since the only online connection I have is my phone which is currently roaming with a 2G signal. Ay least my phone has a QWERTY keypad so I can type half of normal speed.
For this post, I'd like to share some themed images from my last shoot before I left. This is Megan. She wanted some tasteful sexy images taken for her husband's birthday. The played theme was a "naughty schoolgirl". Megan had no prior modeling or camera experience and she did an amazing job! Special thanks to my Makeup and Hair Artist Tabi

Photocamp Utah

2010-03-31T11:09:00.002-06:00

A while back I had the honor and opportunity to teach a lecture on off-camera lighting and using speedlights to obtain studio quality lighting...

Photocamp Utah is an annual get together or fellow photographers and friends that share our knowledge of photography and put on a full day's worth of workshops, including two keynote speakers. This year the closing keynote speaker was Zack Arias, an Atlanta based photographer and creator of the OneLight DVD in which he utilizes a true Strobist approach using only one light to create amazing quality images.

Being a Strobist myself, I tended to idolize this guy and get all giddy when I had the opportunity to meet and thank him after his presentation. I implore any budding photographer out there that wants to shoot people and learn lighting to purchase his DVD and attend one of his workshops.

Photocamp had a limited number of tickets and the event sold out in hours of the tickets going on sale. Thus the organizers and a special team of technologically advanced people provided a live stream of the workshops.

You can view my lecture HERE and view the OTHERS as well. Click over and take advantage or some great resources.

A special thanks to all those who put this together

Let's go Rollin'

2010-03-24T13:48:00.004-06:00

I had the opportunity to collaborate with the amazing Destiny Hartley in a recent Pinup themed studio shoot. I wanted something of great color and contrast that was better than the usual black or white seamless backdrops, so I went to my local supplier and picked up some of the brightest rolls of yellow and blue paper I could get my hands on. Destiny is a seasoned fitness model and adjusted well to the pinup theme. We are currently putting together another shoot for this summer, so expect to see more of her soon.

More Behind the Scenes Videos coming soon and a Photoshop Retouching Tutorial will be posted to Vimeo and YouTube today.

Greetings from Southern Utah

2010-03-07T20:10:00.002-07:00

I've temporarily relocated to a remote location in the Southern Utah desert to work on the crew of an upcoming Feature Disney Film. Due to contract and confidentiality agreements, I cannot say more about the film other than this is one of the largest productions going on in the world at this time.

I've condensed 3 months worth of photo sessions into this week, thus I'll be home and have internet access.

For this post, I am posting some images from a recent engagement session from Karina and Kim.

Enjoy!

Fekky

2010-02-19T20:05:00.004-07:00

These were from a commission for a local rapper and musician, Fekky Lala. Fekky is preparing to release his album and needed some fast promotional photos for his latest single.

One Light... One Beach...

2010-02-06T14:46:00.003-07:00

I was able to complete the first of three upcoming Behind the Scenes videos... Take 4.5 minutes out of your day and watch... And as always, please take advantage and view in HD.

BTS Photography coming to Video

2010-02-05T23:54:00.004-07:00

Last year during some of my memorable shoots, I had my friend and fellow film tech Chris Thompson accompany me to shoot some behind the scenes footage so that I might one day create some editorial or how-to videos pertaining to my work and how I ended up where I'm at.
The first video is of that of a on location beach shoot with Stephanie, a local model for Chic Elite. It centers on how we achieved three looks in three locations while only using one flash or speedlight.

The second video will be that of a studio oriented shoot of a model that desired some basic flattering looks for her portfolio.

And the third video will take us out on a conceptual pinup shoot with a model and a hotrod. We will discuss the techniques of shooting automotive subjects, including learning how to light a car only using speedlights, controlling glare on reflective surfaces, and what happens when we interject a model in to the scene.

Stay tuned... The first video will be out the first of the week.

Doctor Strobist

2010-01-29T21:51:00.004-07:00

I absolutely cannot stand Self Portraits... There is a reason I stay behind the camera rather than in front of it. But for certain projects and specific instances, it becomes necessary to capture that dreaded image.

For Photocamp Utah 2010, I am excited and honored to be teaching a workshop on utilizing a Strobist approach to obtaining studio quality lighting from using nothing but flashes. This image is an example of just that, a self portrait using 4 off-camera flashes. Photocamp here we come!

Boogers and more

2010-01-22T12:26:00.004-07:00

May I introduce Booger, one of the few fortunate animals that was rescued and adopted to a good home. Booger had been in an abusive home where he was beaten and permanently scarred. His adopted and loving owner wanted some portraits taken of him while he could still get around on his own four paws.

Celebrating a Great Man's Life

2010-01-11T12:28:00.004-07:00

On January 2, 2010 my father and hero, Norman R. Sant passed away. While this has been a trying time on myself and my family, life goes on and the "one day at time" saying tends to hold true to assist in my grieving and healing. My father was a great man who loved family and serving his fellow man. He served in local government as a mayor, city councilman, as well as chairman of county and state committees. He always took time to teach, give advice, and share how he learned from life's mistakes. He taught me my work ethic, how to be responsible, accountable, and to do what is right regardless if it is the popular thing to do or not. In general, I am the man I am today because of him. Although I am 27 years old and have sustained to bury both my parents, I am strong because of their lessons, sacrifices, and eduring love. Despite a void or emptiness that cannot be mended or filled, I will press on and continue to remain true to their lessons. I would ask anyone that reads this to give your parents or guardian a big hug, and thank them for all they have done and continue to do.

Happy Holidays....

2009-12-26T00:52:00.001-07:00

Hope everyone had a great day... Here is my annual Christmas Card from our Kareoke Band, The Metric Ton.

Help-Portrait wrap up

2009-12-18T15:25:00.010-07:00

Help portrait was a major success, especially it being Salt Lake's first year to attempt to put such a large scale photo session. We had over 30 photographers and 8-10 complete studio set-ups. I met so many talented people I surely was in "geek" mode with all of the amazing gear. I learned a lot observing everyone's studio set-ups. Although we had a significant amount of downtime, we did manage to get some of our target subjects to come in a get their portraits taken.

One of those people a 6 year old named Isaiah. He came with his mother and in all my time shooting at a professional level, I have never laughed so hard! Isaiah had a big smile and even bigger imagination. He worked the camera as if he was a professional model, and I'd have to say that he as more "looks" than half of them.

As I mentioned above, with downtime and so many photographers, what else would we do? Shoot each other! Here are some of those shots:

This is Megan of Clandestine Images. She is an amazing photographer and artist and I believe she could even model. She was playing in front of the camera and this is one of the candid shots captured.
You can see Megan's work at Clandestine Images

The above image is yet of another photographer, Travis Hougland. Travis and mine's studio were set-up next to each other. Travis was kind enough to assist me in getting all my gear prepped since I was lacking an assistant for the day. When Travis was posing for this shot, I told him to play up his long hair and find his chi. You can see Travis's work at his website at Hougland Imagery

Life's Turns

2009-12-13T13:41:00.006-07:00

It has been a while since my last post. Things have been a bit crazy lately and the normal flow of life has led me through some crazy twists and turns. After working nearly 4 full time years as an EMT-I for Salt Lake City, my employer has not been able to secure financial stability and has made the decision to leave our great state, which will render me unemployed and laid off 4 day before Christmas. This is a first for me as I have had continual work since I was 13. I will miss serving the citizens of Salt Lake and running an ambulance on the street. Working within the 911 system of our capital city has been a life-changing experience.

To raise my spirits, a good friend of mine contacted me on Face Book about Help Portrait, a growing national movement where photographers get together on a set date and take professional studio quality photos of those who cannot normally afford to have them done. This included everyone from families, single mothers, and the homeless.

The day was amazing and while the number of subjects was limited, I met some great new photogs and captured some great images. This was Help Portrait's first year here in Utah, so next year will only get better. During downtime when we were not shooting our designated clients, we spent our time shooting each other. It is very rare to find me in front of the camera...

My next post will highlight some of the great photographers I had the honor of meeting and include images and the stories behind them as well as some of our subjects that came in for their portraits... Stay tuned.
-Ben
http://www.help-portrait.com
KSL News Article

Seduction

2009-11-20T12:35:00.005-07:00

I often shoot for Chic Elite Models and this is one of those shoots. These were shot on-location at the Circle Lounge in downtown Salt Lake. Because the very nature of any lounge, club, or bar, the lighting was nearly non existent with the exception of some small colored LED's around the walls and the ceiling. This is good and bad. The good is that I can very easily control the amount of light of the scene without needing a lot of power. I easily manipulate the scene utilizing several speedlights with modifiers. The bad is that is is so dark, it becomes difficult to direct, pose, and communicate with the subject. Not to mention that even as great as my Nikon is, it certainly struggled to obtain autofocus at times.

The lounge had large soft, curtains wrapping around each booth and seating area. A large white curtain particularly caught my attention and I decided to utilize it in shoot as a giant diffusion screen by firing a bare flash into it. It worked out perfectly, and I believe the end shots would have not have turned out as great as they did without it. As always, please click on the images to see the full-size.

What isn't a Baby Cute?

2009-11-06T09:26:00.004-07:00

Before Winter comes in and leaves turn to fertilizer, My nephew Dave and his lovely family commissioned me to shoot some simple family shots. The latest addition to his family is Lucy, which of course, had my camera's attention through most of the shoot. We set out on a warm Fall afternoon to a local park where I knew the leaves still had enough saturation and vibrance to give us the look we were after. The session went quick and so did Lucy's attention span. However, we captured some great shots...

Fall Snipits

2009-10-27T14:34:00.004-06:00

Since I focus most of my time talent, and energy into shooting people, I felt like I should attempt to branch out and work on some of my weak points which would have to be Still Life and Landscapes. The Fall colors were in full swing and and large thunderstorm was rolling in. I knew I had only a few minutes before the storm would start drenching my equipment, so I drove to a nice spot along the Union Pacific RR which is located 10 minutes from my house. Here are the results... And yes, they are all HDR images

Not your Typical Family Portraits...

2009-10-16T11:05:00.003-06:00

While having the perfect setting with grass, trees, wildlife and sunshine on our shoulders is nice and appealing to most families desiring group portraits. Sometimes it is a breath of fresh air to break away from tradition and the norm to create something completely different. The Bangash family wanted just that, and I became eager and excited when their oldest sibling approached me in shooting some non-traditional photos of her family.
They wanted a hard, crisp, and flattering look with a grudgy and atypical theme. Downtown Ogden was just the place to accomplish this "look". We had a productive shoot and the images were a sure bet not to disappoint.

Simple Elegance

2009-10-07T12:53:00.004-06:00

Crystal had never been in front of the camera, but decided she wanted some professional photos taken. We wanted to be able to share these with her family and friends, but also wanted for her portfolio if she decides to go that route in the near future.

I went for a simple, clean, elegant approach. And while her images might be considered test shots, I feel her true personality can be seen in these images. She did her own hair and Makeup...

Being the Family Photog...

2009-09-24T10:27:00.002-06:00

Throughout my family it is well known what I do. But up until now I haven't had any requests to do family photos... With the seasons changing and the holiday season fast approaching, I will be shooting each of my siblings and their families. Here is the first set of my sister Kathy, and her lovely ever growing family....

More Pinups...

2009-09-12T15:52:00.006-06:00

I love tasteful Pinup art. If I had to choose one sole focus in photography to work on for the rest of my career, it would be that of the vintage and modern pinup culture. Pinups are always classy, tasteful, and respectable, yet still have that flair of sensuality and femininity to catch the attention of any man or women.

The key to any pinup photograph or image centers around the eyes... Yes, the eyes have it all. It doesn't matter whether you are the most endowed model out there, a mom with a dozen kids, or a mirror image of the infamous Betty Page. If the eyes don't convey that specific expression or emotion, not even the perfect theme or outfit can save the image.

This was my first time shooting with Melissa. We met out in Granstville at Strickly Trucking's Fleet Shop, which was a greasy, old garage out the in the middle the desert complete with old run down vehicles, Farel cats, and the perfect Rat Rod to shoot with. We decided to go against picking a completley vintage motif since Melissa has a beautiful half-sleeve tattoo that would be perfect for a more modern Rockabilly theme. Outfits were chosen, lights were set, and we shot into the early evening. Melissa did a spectacular job and I feel she conveyed the expressions and emotions of a true pinup model.... And as usual. please click the images to see full size.

Wind, Fire, and Bats

2009-09-05T14:22:00.007-06:00

Please click images to see full size*

I had met Angie through Chic Elite earlier this year when we were casting for a supporting female role in our last film "Out of the Clouds". Angie is an amazing actress and model. She can surely hold her own on and off the screen. She has a queen sense of fashion, thus I can worry about shooting ans let her take care of all the wardrobe, hair and makeup. We had discussed on several occasions on how much I love shooting in abandoned and desolate places, in which Angie knew of a great place that wasn't too far from suburbia. Our goal was to utilize a high-fashion motif and place it in desolate, dirty, and distressed environment. While this concept is far from original, it's fun as hell and I felt I could bring something a bit different to the table. We scheduled our day to shoot.

Apparently, I have walked under to many ladders or ran over too many black cats, because as with all my shoots, the tide always seems to work against me. It started with winds that were in excess of 60-70mph... Okay, we are in a building. We could stay out of large open areas and stick to the corridors where the wind would not bother us. Then two large wild fires decided to stir up the Salt Lake Valley, which closed down the interstate and the airport. The thick smoke in air nearly diffused out the sun and the I ended up being close to an hour late due to the traffic. The building was close to half mile walk from where we parked. I felt relieved that I had all my lightweight strobist gear that day instead of having to lug around a bunch of studio lights and battery packs. The wind pounding and trying to dismantle Angie's hair and makeup, we made it to the structure. If there was one positive thing the wind did do, it was keeping the bats in the rafters at bay. It also hindered the wasps from attacking me when I sat on their hive while compositing a shot. The only casulty was one umbrella.

Here are some of the results. I have entered one of these in the Utah State Fair. I'll post if it does well.

Back in Time...

2009-08-28T16:12:00.006-06:00

On a hot summer evening earlier this month, I felt as if I had jumped into Doc. Brown's Delorean time machine and ventured back into the 1960's. This shoot was concept of Chic Elite's owner Robinette Desrochers. She had found this amazing green and black dress that was straight out of the late 60's. Every entity of the shoot was planned around this dress, from the car, the model, and even myself as the photgrapher. After a month of searching for the right car, we found the featured 1937 Plymouth right under our nose. Tabi Strickland, one of my most utilized makeup artists belongs to a family of "wrenchheads" and hot builders. The own several custom vehicles and are continually working on new projects. Our model featured is Crystal, who like the car just happened to be Tabi the makeup artist's good friend.

My assistant and best friend Chris Thompson accompanied me on the distant drive way out to the rural community of Grantsville, UT where we met Crystal and Tabi as they were completing hair and makeup. I honestly felt as if I had stepped back into time and was staring at Jackie Kennedy! Crystal was certainly the one to pull off this look. Her natural smile and curves complemented the dress as it did her.
We drove a short distance to an non-busy road as the sun was starting to set and commenced to set up the shot. Being the budget photog I am, I utilized a minimal strobist approach implementing 1-3 speedlights that were bare or had a simple umbrella as a modifier. The car's matte non shiny paint made keeping hotspots and specular highlights to a mininum. We shot through the golden hour as the sun set and ended at shortly after dark when the mosquitos overpowered our wits and equipment. We had a blast and I special thanks to all that made this shoot come to life. The colored image shot from the side even took a blue ribbon 1rst place at the county fair!

You can shoot out of your home and still be a professional

2009-08-13T17:04:00.005-06:00

This was one of the few shoots I got in my basement before the great flood. This is proof that you DON'T need some large fancy building and thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of Studio lights and battery packs. All these images were shot on cheap photo background paper which I picked up for about $40.00 a roll from PICTURELINE. Lighting was accomplished with 1-3 old nikon speedlights which I have slowly purchased from ebay over the past few years. For the budget conscious photog, a STROBIST setup is the way to go. I have had the opportunity to work with sevral big buget monblocs and 1500 watt strobes. And I have to say that I love my strobist setup the best due to it's low cost, low maintance and best of all, its portability.

The model featured here is Shay DelaCruz, an old aquaintence from way back in Elementary school. We happened to bump into each other on a Modeling website. From reading her profile and viewing her portfolio, I knew she had more than just the looks to model. I commenced in setting up a photoshoot. The funny thing is that when I approached her, we had no idea who each other was. I didn't make the connection till I saw a friend suggestion on Facebook with her name and the same photos that were in her portfolio. We had a relaxed, laid back shoot on a late afternoon. It was fun reminising about grade school, old teachers, and times past.

Update

2009-08-10T20:44:00.000-06:00

Things have been crazy the past couple weeks. I have been shooting away and attempting to get the studio rebuilt in time for some scheduled shoots next month. I will be shooting another Pinup theme with a Rat Rod later this week. While I am shooting away, I am still behind in editing. I am tending to remain three shoots behind, for as soon as I complete the edits for one shoot, I have another one loading up from my memory cards... I am battling a ruptured ear drum due to an ear infection, which tends to cause headaches and affect my equilibrium.

I am ready for a vacation. I am planning on taking a camping trip to the high Uinta's later this month

If anyone reads this, thank you for the support. More images to be posted soon...

THE GREAT FLOOD

2009-08-03T09:13:00.002-06:00

I had built and moved into a new home about 2 months ago. It has a large and spacious unfinished basement which I have slowly converted into my new studio space. I acid washed the floors, painted the walls black , installed a sound system, and after a week's worth of labor, I had a pretty decent area for a "home studio"

I had noticed when I had moved in that the basement drain which catches the condensation from the central air unit and softener was draining slowly. I placed a call to the builder, and I was told that some the other homes in the area had slow drains and that I should remove the grate-cover and shove the drain lines from the water softener directly into the hole. I did as instructed and it seemed to not backup as much, but I felt it was still not draining appropriately. I placed a second call to the builder... I was immediately blown off and pretty much told to quit whining and to enjoy my new home.

We roll forward in time to 3 weeks ago. It was one of those triple-digit days and the air conditioning wasn't keeping up. I decided I'd better run downstairs to check on everything and low and behold, as I reach the bottom of the stairs, I step into 4 inches of water! Lightstands are floating, props are bumping around as if they were toys in a bathtub. Besides my studio space, I had used a separate area of the basement to store all my old stuff and seasonal goods. As I rushed over to that area, I knew that there was no way in hell that my diplomas, old electronics, and my late mother's Christmas ornaments would be spared.

What would casuse such a thing to occur in a new home? Get this... When they built the home, one of the subcontractors decided it would be okay to dump his excess concrete, stucco, or tile grout material down the drain and into the sewer.

Now 3 weeks later after a maxed out credit card, a newly poured driveway, and priceless heirlooms and sentiments ruined forever, I have realized that we can never prepare for the unknown, and that we have to take life as it is dealt, regardless of the hand you hold.

As for me, luckily the builder is going to take care of the cleanup and construction costs. But covering my lost setiments is another matter.

Don't mess with the Roller Derby

2009-07-22T15:43:00.002-06:00

I have been graced with the opportunity to work with Ogden's very own full fledged Roller Derby team, the Junction City Roller Dolls. These ladies mean business and I sure would not cross one of them in the street on a bad day. They possess true talent, desire, and leadership skills necessary to build and maintain a solid sorority and team. Roller Derby is an entirely different subculture and lifestyle of its own. I can excited to be working with them and surely have more to come

2009-07-15T00:20:00.005-06:00

It's been a while since I have thrown anything up here, but according to the counter, some of you are visiting this blog.... Be sure to check out my site at BTS Photography
I finished the new studio area in my new home. As with most of us freelance photographers, it is located in the basement. It is an upgrade compared to my old single car garage and I can do a hell of a lot more now than I used too. I've been keeping busy shooting fireworks and enjoying the holidays of July. I have been commissioned to shoot many weddings and have also commenced in doing some film-making again. Everyone be safe and enjoy the summer! The top photos is a bottle rocket exiting my friends hands...

Weddings and more

2009-06-16T22:30:00.003-06:00

I have several upcoming weddings. Although much of my time and focus has been on fashion and glamor oriented photography, I always have a wonderful and refreshing time coming back to my roots to shoot where I started getting into the industry...

How high can your Boots be?

2009-06-08T22:22:00.003-06:00

I had the opportunity to spend a late afternoon on the streets of downtown Salt Lake City shooting a Punk Theme with Brandy, an beautiful and amazing model. A lot of time had been placed into her attire, hair and make up. I must give kudos and a shout out to Denise (DC Makeup) for doing such an amazing job. We had a blast with this shoot. I kept lighting simple with one and two light setups. Our only complications were the interuptions from all the intoxicated homeless people trying to get at Brandy. Fortunately, it pays off to be a 300 pound photographer...

A Busy May

2009-05-14T11:06:00.005-06:00

The weather has finally warmed up enough to where we can start taking advantage of our state's great backdrops. From the Great Salt Lake to the old, distressed brick walls of downtown Salt Lake, here are a couple of the results

2009-04-07T12:14:00.002-06:00

Fairies, Pixies, and Lore...

Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to the middle of nowhere to shoot "Miss Dun D". At the end of last year, she had shaved her head in support of a friend with cancer. This takes a lot of moxy, especially when your a model with such amazing hair. When I first approached Miss D about shooting with her, I discovered she had always wanted to do a Fairy photo shoot. She knew a perfect spot near a river where she had grown up. We set the date and had a great shoot. The only casulty was an umbrella that happened to fall over during one breath of wind that came when I had the umbrella set up...

Fun with Friends

2009-04-02T18:47:00.006-06:00

During the cold month of February, I met Lindsay during a meeting. She is an amazing make up artist and model who offered to help a starving photographer out. After doing a Test-Shot session, Lindsay was kind enough to plan a full day's event in which she gathered all her girlfriends and do several themed shoots.

It was a great day! I took over 1000 images and shot 5 models. We ended the day tired and exhausted, but captured some great shots and looks.

Cheers to my new found friends.

Valentines Special

2009-01-22T15:40:00.002-07:00

Now that the Holiday season is over, we are ready to get on with the new year and that mean Valentines day! I am offering a Valentines special for couples.

1.5 hours of shooting
On Location or Studio
CD with all your images with corresponding print release
Prints offered for "at cost"
Online proofing with password protection
Image editing and touch up services

Seasonal Special for $50.00. Good through February 20, 2009
Ben
698-6474
BigBen@BTSphotography.com

Happy Holidays

2008-12-14T18:03:00.002-07:00

Happy Halloween

2008-10-30T10:36:00.001-06:00

If anyone reads this, I am wanting to wish you a ghostly Halloween. I've been experimenting in the dark arts and here is one of them..

Grand Tetons

2008-09-24T19:06:00.002-06:00

Just returned home from visiting the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. The Fall colors were just starting, so I unfortunately was a bit early to catch the peak of the amazing colors fall has to offer. It rained and even snowed most time so, finding that perfect light was difficult. The wind almost blew over my tripod!

Even all said, it was a blast to get away from the norm and try some landscape techniques I have been studying. Look to the site in the next while for images!

Looking for People willing to be shot outdoors

2008-09-19T00:54:00.000-06:00

The Fall is quickly approaching and that means cooler weather and snow! I would like to get in some last shoots outdoors before it gets too cold. I have several vehicles, including one of my own which could use some beautiful faces in front of them, possibly for a 2009 calendar. TFP offered.

Please contact BTS Photo Today!

My Blog is up and Running

2008-09-04T12:25:00.001-06:00

Welcome,
This is my first attempt at this, so please bear with me as I learn to use this site. I have created this blog to post updates on current projects, seasonal specials, and to communicate with those that like my work.

Please subscribe to the RSS feed so that you can receive the latest news, current projects, and specials via email instead of having to check back here all of the time.

For all of you who I have worked with, I thank you for allowing me to establish my portfolio and get things up and running. I hope to hear from you soon.

BIG BEN