A couple of test shots

Like most photographers, I test my lighting setups (we used to shoot polaroids) before the talent is ready.  Ideally I like to get the basics right before the talent even arrives on set so I can get to know them a little while they are in hair and make up.

Avalon was our model a few weeks ago I grabbed this test of her, mostly because she's awesome.

A few months ago we rented a studio for a shoot.  While I was setting up and bullshitting with the studio manager (unfortunately I'm kind of horrible with names) he offered to stand in.  I love the braided goatee.

Test shoot Yesterday

My friend Mary asked me to do a test shoot with her, so yesterday we shoot the beautiful America.  T and I drove out to Downey.  Mary planed to do three looks, and be done in four hours, five looks and seven hours later I think everyone was a little tired.

This is a quick edit I pulled out for a personal project I've been working on.

Fun photographing my wife

 My wife is awesome, for one she loves me, which amazes me most days; on top of that mostly unbelievable revelation she is one of the smartest people I know, damn funny, and pretty.  Tara's mother gave her a collection of old glasses that belonged to family members.  Tara has been collecting vintage outfits for as long as I can remember.

So a few weeks a go we played pictures for a couple of hours ... enjoy please.

Beauty shoot from last week with Cj Jetphukthai, by Cutts Imaging Group

I hooked up with Make-up Artist and Hair stylist Cj Jetphukthai last week to shoot a portfolio for him.  Cj rented Smash Photo Studio in Long Beach, and shot most of the day.  

Here are CJ's picks.

Gabrielle.

Shannon Torres Gilman

Ava Lily

Lauren Leese

D'Angelo Miller Headshot by Cutts Imaging Group, Los Angeles

Matt Drago: LA Headshot by Cutts Imaging Group

Laura Hunter: Headsot Los Angeles, Cutts Imaging Group

Quigley Fine Wine ... again ... great people, great wine.

Bryant Duke, Los Angeles Headshot/personal work.

Bryant sent me a message last week, he meet with an agency and, needed a natural light headshot to complete his portfolio.  So I drove in to L.A. and met with Bryant again, we busted out his headshot, and I talked his girlfriend Hailey into getting in front of the lens for a few minutes.

Since I went out to shoot his headshot I thought I better throw it out here.

The Morning Birds

T and I drove up to Idyllwild Sunday to photograph Jenn, Sam, and Esteban.  Not only did we make some great photo's but I am pretty sure we made some friends.  It is nice working with good people.  Oh and T's camera was at canon being rebuilt, she shot film until she ran out then borrowed my camera and shot one of these.

T. and her Hasselblad.

Wednesday's pick!

Since I hinted at it yesterday I'm tossing out a couple images I shot for Malus Adonis on Wednesday.  I found Leora and her partner Shannon on Craigslist, they brought their friends and we made some great photographs.

Behind the scene

A quick BtS on a shoot I did for Malus Adonis yesterday  Dig it!

Thursday was actually kind of boring, okay not really.

Main light is a Dyna-lite 4040 head with a beauty dish on one pack at half power, there is a white reflector at Marci's waist to bounce a little fill into her eyes.  Two Dyna-lite 2050 heads shot into umbrellas at full power on another pack for the back ground. 

On a few I shot to fast for the back ground pack to fully recycle, but I dig how it looks.

Gorgeous Makeup by Kuniko Yamamoto

Fabulous Hair By Liz Martinez

Beautiful Model Maric Miller