Tips to Plan the Perfect Brand Photoshoot
Every successful brand photoshoot starts with a well-planned and executed approach. To achieve the desired results, you need to ensure your vision, the team you work with, and the overall logistics are on point.
If you want to make sure your shoot is an absolute success, here are some tips and tricks to ensure that your photos turn out exactly as you envisioned them.
Choose a Style
Before your photoshoot, decide on a style and theme that you want to capture. You could base your choices on a certain color palette, props, or vibe. This approach will help the photographer capture the look you want.
If you don’t know where to start, do some research and look at some inspirational photos online. You could also look through magazines and blogs to get ideas. Once you have a style in mind, communicate your ideas to the photographer and get their take on the best way to achieve your goal.
While you can decide on a style beforehand, keep an open mind if you have any creative ideas during the shoot. You never know when spontaneous inspiration will strike. Plus, your photographer can chip in with great ideas that could make your photoshoot even better.
Decide on Your Shoot Locations
Location scouting is an important step that you should not overlook. You can use location tracking websites to get an idea of what a certain area looks like and if the space reflects your brand and products. If possible, visit the location and take some test shots with your phone to ensure the lighting works and the background isn’t too distracting.
Think about the different locations you’d like to shoot in and how each one can add to your photoshoot. Depending on what kind of look you want, decide if an indoor or outdoor space works best. Outdoor locations offer more natural light and scenery, but indoor spaces provide a controlled environment you can easily manage.
You could work with a blend of both to create a truly unique vibe. A mix of locations would work best for a storytelling approach, but you can always opt for a single setup if your campaign is about one idea or mood.
In this case, you could use a studio as your base and then scout outdoor spots with interesting backdrops that will add to the overall feel of your images. This strategy allows you to mix and match, which can create a set of photos that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
Plan Out What You’ll Wear
If the shoot involves you or other people, your outfits should look cohesive and reflect your brand’s vibe. As such, you need to pick out the right clothes and accessories ahead of time.
Plan out different looks and come up with different combinations that would work well together. For instance, a crisp, white linen top coupled with black pants can look sophisticated and timeless if your shoot is for a formal event or product launch.
If you’re not sure what to wear, go for neutrals like white, beige, and black. These colors work well together and can look chic in any ensemble.
If your photoshoot is for a more casual occasion, go for comfy items like a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. You could add a few accessories like necklaces, earrings, or hats if you want to add a subtle statement. The key is to make sure you feel great in the items you wear and that they don’t overpower the overall look.
Make sure you bring extra clothes and accessories to add a bit of variety. This way, your photographer can switch up the looks during the shoot to create more dynamic images.
At Alstrin Photography, we understand there’s a lot to consider as you prepare for your photoshoot. As such, we always strive to make the entire experience a whole lot smoother for our clients. We can help you select the best locations, styles, settings, and poses to ensure that your photos remain timeless and unique.
The Phoenix Arizona band Southwest By Midnight uses advertisement photography via me this summer to help promote their new upcoming album due to be released on iTunes in early 2014. Southwest by Midnight is a band from Phoenix, Arizona that blends sun-drenched rock with a little blues and funk. I recently shot some of the band members laying down some tracks at Full Well Recording Studio. Patrick Discoll was the engineer who recorded the session the day I was there and got to contribute some imagery. Band members have opened for the Gin Blossoms and The Doobie Brothers and shared the stage with members of Guns ‘n Roses, Quiet Riot and Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers. The band consists of Lindsey Shannahan (Lead Vocals) Jacques Billeaud (Guitars, Keyboards) Pat Flannery (Guitars) Shaun Thurston (Bass, backup vocals) Chris Fiscus (Drums, Percussion)
The day I was there shooting these images they were recording pieces of their new songs “602” which is about life here in the valley, a goodbye ballad called “Done with you” and a roadhouse alternative country tune called “double Down” which is about hitting the reservation casinos.
The studio is hidden in a residential neighborhood that butts up against commercial properties so it has a nice downtown feel to it. The studio itself is packed with Marshall amps to the ceiling made up of both classic vintage and modern high tech pieces of equipment. There are extra guitars, keyboards, piles of pick, drums and more in about every crack and cranny that the eye can see.
It was fun to shoot in a dark airconditioned room that is about nothing else than music.
Your wedding photographs will be significant future mementos of your big day, so they should be epic. For satisfying wedding photographs, be clear about the individual photography style of your photographer. A photographer’s strategy, illumination, viewpoint, and arrangement are a few things that determine their photography styles.
Before you hire a wedding photographer, discover some wedding photography styles to know about and what makes them unique.
VINTAGE STYLE
A digital camera’s lens with attached special filters can help a photographer achieve vintage wedding photography. Also, a film camera and proper editing techniques are significant requirements for a vintage photography style. Coloring like sepia and tones like heightened brown and graininess can also help a photographer achieve a vintage wedding photography feel.
BLACK-AND-WHITE STYLE
Black-and-white photography style can keep your wedding moments ageless and convey your feelings and emotions in a much better way. The easiest way for a photographer to achieve black-and-white-style photos is to use a black-and-white camera. Also, the photographer can decide to transform digital color images into this style during post-production.
REPORTAGE STYLE
A reportage photography style is the best option if you want a photographer to create your wedding documentary. Since your wedding documentary or story must be genuine, the photographer should only capture real emotions and natural moments of your big day. Skilled photographers in reportage photography are quick in their camera settings adjustments and don’t focus on the wrong elements.
EDITORIAL STYLE
An editorial wedding photography style can be a good option if you love magazine photo shoots. Many confuse editorial photography with a photojournalistic style, but the two aren’t the same. A photographer will pay more attention to how you pose and photo lighting during editorial photography. Editorial photography also means the photographer will direct and control everything to ensure perfect wedding photos.
CLASSIC OR TRADITIONAL STYLE
Traditional wedding photography styles don’t involve much creativity, which makes them formal. But, the classic look in these wedding photography styles makes them long-lasting. Incorporation of a traditional wedding photo style into your family portrait can make the best photo album.
LANDSCAPE STYLE
Landscape photography is a good option for nature enthusiasts. For instance, your landscape wedding photography can take place on a beach, mountain, or other scenic places. You, your spouse, and the photographer should find a suitable location and visit it for scouting before the wedding day.
FINE ART STYLE
For perfect fine art–style photos, your wedding photographer must be creative and innovative during the filming and post-production editing processes. Unlike other wedding photography styles, like the classic style, fine art photography is usually bright, softer, and airy. Such characteristics make fine art photography styles best for romantic celebrations.
Consider a fine art photography style if you intend to have an amazing bright outdoor wedding.
DARK AND MOODY STYLE
A dark and moody photography style is a good option if you intend to have a quirky wedding vibe. Photographers use camera lighting or natural light to create dark and moody images. Once the photographer films a wedding’s images, they alter their tonality during post-production editing to make them more filtered and dramatic.
DESATURATED STYLE
Desaturated and moody photography styles have similar colors but vary in subjects. Unlike in moody photography, where your pose will convey your moods, desaturated style requires the photographer to edit an image’s saturation. A desaturated photography style is also a good option if you intend to have your wedding occasion outdoors.
AERIAL STYLE
Since the photographer will take your wedding images from an elevated position, they must have special equipment. For instance, the photographer should have a quality drone with the best camera. In this case, the camera takes high-definition images.
If you have a wedding but don’t know who to contact for quality photography, worry no more. Alstrin Photography guarantees you the best wedding photography and customer satisfaction.
The world is increasingly driven not by words but by images. Do you have the right images of your products and services? Do your images convince customers to spend their hard-earned money? Do they build your brand the right way? Or could you use help reframing your brand and image to grow even more?
One simple way to accomplish all of these goals is to consult with a professional product photographer. In an era when many people have a camera in their pocket at all times, small business owners may not realize the value of working with an outside photographer. To help you find the best solutions for your business challenges, here are a few of the most important ways professional product photography will benefit you.
1. IMAGE QUALITY REFLECTS YOUR PRIORITIES
If you want customers or clients to see your products in the right light, you need to show images of them in the right way. Poor quality images can easily cause a customer to see your brand as cheap, unmotivated, poorly managed, or amateurish. On the other hand, the right quality pictures make you look larger and more professional than you may feel. They also capture your products in the best possible manner.
2. PROFESSIONALS KNOW HOW TO TELL STORIES
Today’s brand pictures aren’t just ways to show your products or services to customers. They’re ways to tell potential buyers a story you want them to know.
Consider a local honey producer who sells at farmers’ markets but wants to expand their range. How can they tell the story of their honey business through images? What values can they project? What image do they want distant customers to see? As a photographer gets to know you, your goals, and your business, they can help you find new ways to tell these stories.
3. PICTURES CAN BE USED AND REUSED
High-quality photos aren’t just for one-time use. Even though you may purchase them for your website, for instance, you can also use them in brochures, print ads, banners, trade show booths, social media posts, signs, special promotions, and even on the walls of your business. You’ll never need boring stock photos again.
4. IT CAN BREAK YOU OUT OF A RUT
Perhaps your business has already been operational for a while, but you’ve hit a wall in growth. Has the initial thrill of being a business owner worn off and you aren’t sure where to go next? Bring your enterprise and your own enthusiasm to life by looking at it through a new lens.
Aside from their training and skill, professional photographers are independent outside parties who can help you see things in a different way. They may suggest new angles or props, experimental techniques, unusual settings, or camera tricks. Any of these can help you refresh or refocus your energy.
5. YOU DON’T NEED TO LEARN NEW SKILLS
While your cellphone camera can do many things, it can’t substitute for a proper, high-quality photographic setup. But do you know how to create a professional photo shoot? Most owners aren’t familiar with lighting techniques, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, or using a rangefinder, for example. If you want to improve the quality of your product photos, though, you may need to learn these skills.
Do you have time and money to invest in equipment and training in good photography? Probably not. So why not work with someone who already has all these things and will bring them to the table without your extra effort?
Ready to give your small business the boost it deserves? Start by meeting with Alstrin Photography. We’ll help you find the best images to tell your story, build your brand, and attract the right customers. Call today to make an appointment.
Recently I got to photograph the six graduation ceremonies at Grand Canyon University for Moses Advertising. As a photographer in Phoenix I get to photograph and meet a lot of entrepreneurs and interesting people. Erik Wahl was the inspirational motivational speaker at all of the graduations and custom tailored his speeches and paintings for each of the different graduating colleges. It is the best part of my job. Photographing, meeting, hanging out with and working for super creative people like Erik Wahl and all the people at Moses Advertising and Grand Canyon University. Erik makes his creations both upside down and in the length of a single song cranking loudly through the stadium filled to the brim with people.
Through his study of graffiti artists, Erik has been blown away by graffiti art’s freedom to break all the rules. Art no longer needs canvases, libraries, concert halls, museums or art critics. Art isn’t about requiring opening and closing times or paying money to experience it. Just as nature surrounds us with its beauty, graffiti art can also exist and spread the messages of its creator. Graffiti art breaks all the rules of creating and viewing art, allowing for the public to encounter it in the strangest places at the oddest moments.
In an effort to continually challenge his own artistic abilities, Erik’s vision has moved past the canvas to new mediums, such as public walls, sidewalks, empty factories, barren deserts and the middle of a forest. He incorporates new artistic tools like driftwood, dirt, rocks, seashells or even shoelaces.
In the past 10 years, he has shared his incredible message with the largest and most influential companies in the world, leaving behind his prized artwork as a reminder of his passion for breakthrough thinking. He’s the Warhol of Wall Street, the Renoir ofROI, the Picasso of Productivity, the Jobs of… well, having a Job.
Erik has a new book coming out on June 14th which I am really excited to get. It is called UNthink (a word he has trademarked) It is about re-discovering the keys to unlock your fullest potential. UNthink is a book that pushes us beyond our traditional thought patterns. UNthink is a book to inspire everyone to rediscover that we are capable of so much more than we have pre-conditioned for. Creativity is everywhere and in everyone who has the courage to unleash their creative genius.
UNthink will help you reframe your thinking so that new creative actions become possible. You’ll step outside convention to discover unexpected solutions to business challenges. You’ll inject your daily grind with passionate new solutions. You’ll rethink your assumptions about your role at your workplace. And you’ll begin the process of rethinking your life as a blank canvas of limitless opportunities by which to create your masterpiece.
And, no now that you are at the bottom of the story Erik Wahl did not get shot “shot” he was just photographed by me which I call shooting.
I was lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving eve hanging out and photographing Random Karma at Martini Ranch. As a Phoenix event photographer I get to shoot a lot of events and have tried photographing these guys before but they are not the easiest band to catch. They are each individually successful outside of the band so they don’t play in public where you can see them near enough. The live show these guys put on is great. They give the feeling that they want the crowd to just have a great time and that is exactly what happens, a good time. Each musician knows the ins and outs of their instrument and when they set Louie Moses loose on the drums he shows off the kind of drum talent that Arizona has and experience leads to.
The band is made up of brothers Erik Ramnath and Al Ramnath handling guitars and vocals, Greg White on bass and vocals and Louie Moses on drums and percussions. Just a lot of talent and a lot of fun when they play both awesomely entertaining covers and creative tight originals. They are real rock and roll.
I really recommend checking these guys out if you get a chance. They can often be found opening up for Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers and usually play in Rocky Point at Circus Mexico.
Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers along with The Gin Bossoms are two of the best and two of my favorite bands out of Arizona. I have been following Roger Clyne and have watched him at countless concerts since he started his previous band The Refreshments. I have been doing Phoenix AZ event photography of the bands more recently as I have had more access to do so via my friends who make up another band called Random Karma. I also was grade school and high school friends with Scotty Johnson of The Gin Bossoms who now also has a band called Elvis Before Noon that played that night as well. On the eve of Thanksgiving this year all three bands played in one night on one stage to a very intimate crowd at Martini Ranch and it was a really good time. The night started out as a meet and greet with Roger sharing his Mexican Moonshine tequila with the guests and amongst friends and fellow other band mates. The sound was great and the crowd was casual with plenty of elbow room which was is certainly nice when watching musicians on occasion. They all still jammed and it certainly had the signature feel of a full on RCPM concert with plenty of sing alongs and tequila shot toasts.
Martini Ranch has been host to many a bands since 1994 when it opened its doors. Being in this intimate setting with plenty of room to get around made it nice to photograph the three bands through out the night and have a great time along the way. Heres to life!
As a Phoenix Arizona photographer both loving art and specializing in events going to Burning Man is like going to Mecca. This is of course if you also like hanging out with hippies and don’t mind dust. I happend to be fine with both and have a underwater case case to protect my expensive camera for the week. It is about a 1500 mile round trip trek and almost a two week commitment to do it right and not have to rush in or rush out. You also have to bring all the supplies you need for the week and bring home every single piece of trash you create because nothing is for sale there and it is a no trace event.
Imagine a city where you get get hugs throughout the day from brief acquaintances, a place where there is no such thing as reaching in your pocket for tender, where bars and coffee houses have free drinks just in exchange for a roll of the dice and an act of chance on your part to entertain the barkeeper, where the very best farmers markets offer beautiful fruit for free, where a single temple at the quietest part of the city that encompasses all beliefs, a place where yoga classes and massages are free and common, where constant passing music playing cabs are everywhere that you can board for free, a place where art, kindness, and entertainment is abundant and almost everywhere you look.
There is such a place for one week of the year.
This year I had been at Burning Man four days and still not made it out to spend some time at The Man. I had seen him of course from the various trips around the city because he is pretty much visible from everywhere.
A few of us were out bar hopping when the biggest storm of the week set in and we were about a mile and a half away from our camp out by the sound camps and huge music domes at the far end of the city. At this point I was by myself and decided to take shelter from the 30-40 mph winds with zero visibility in some large extra pieces of truss that were used to build the domes that I stumbled on to hoping the white out would pass.
After about 30 minutes I decided to slowly try to head back to camp after putting on my goggles, face mask, and covering myself with flashing light lights front and back so nobody would run over me. I walked and pedaled for a good long while and thought I was getting close to where I wanted to be when I came across The Man right in front of me appearing out of the dust 3 or 4 stories high.
I was over a mile from where I thought I was. But, I was finally there, by accident, as the sky started to clear. It was awesome beyond words. This place is somehow more beautiful, dirty, harsh, magic, and full of lessons more than any place I have ever been. I fully understand why hundreds of thousands of people over the years have gone there and forever referred to it as )'(ome.
Super cool and useful iPhone camera case accessories are finally here! I have done a bit of research and found the Phocus Accent to be the best and most user friendly. It fits well in your hand and pocket too. It is very lightweight. I actually have been wanting such a case that would protect my phone if I dropped it. Ok, when I drop it. The standard “Accent” case comes with the case and a two piece lens and when attached it is wider than the normal iPhone lens which is a nice feature. If you unscrew it you can use the base part of the lens for macro or close up photography on it’s own. It’s a great starter kit for a photography enthusiast and it is only $99. Being a professional photographer I of course want to have an entire arsenal of lens options so I opted for the two extra lenses for a very small additional fee. One is a fisheye and the other is a telephoto. These combined with my small tripod in a nice little bag makes up my advanced kit.
The case also has a mount for a LED light for pictures and video at night as well. Smart Phocus even has a Nikon and Cannon adapter rings so I can put my professional grade lenses on my iPhone. There are countless benefits to all this for me. When I am going to a event, party, or place that I know I will be taking more than just a picture or two then I bring my small lightweight iPhone bag to be able to have access to all my tiny gadgets for what ever opportunity arises. The case has three different tripod mounts making almost anything possible.
When on a photo shoot for a client I can now capture files with my Nikon D4 and work on them for the client when I get back to my office before I deliver them. But, when on location for the shoot I can duplicate what I will be giving my client with my iPhone and send it to them right away for layout purposes, Facebook applications, or what ever. Awesome!
As the phones get better and better I think we will be seeing a lot more of Smart Phocus and it’s products in the future. The link below will take you directly to their site and please tell them I sent you in the comments box and get started expanding your iPhoneography.
Generous people all gathered around a awesome car museum to help the Darrell Gwynn Foundation raise money for kids in wheel chairs who’s families either can not afford them or who have been turned down by insurance. Doing event photography Arizona is not the only place my job takes me. This month it got me out of the heat and took me to Corona, California where the Day family was kind enough to host a fund raising Gala for the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. It was a gather of many people who are in the motor sports industries in all sorts of ways with a dinner, silent auction, a live auction with the popular and always entertaining young guestauctioneer Cole Ashley, followed with live music on the rooftop of the Day Family Museum. I am lucky enough to be able to call Darrell Gwynn a friend of mine and he is one of the nicest and most inspirational people I have ever met.
Darrell was in a tragic top fuel dragster accident just over twenty years ago which left him in a wheel chair. Since that day once he recovered he dedicated his life to helping others in wheel chairs have a better quality of life through better mobility. Darrell and his foundation raise money non stop all year long all over the country getting involved with events from fishing tournaments to the Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auctions.
The gala had such celebrities attending as Craig Jackson, Bill Goldberg, Don Prudhomme, and Ryan Friedlinghaus of West Coast Customs. It was a great evening at a great place with plenty of awesome cars to check out. And, for those who stayed late the party ended up around the Day’s bar with Cole’s father schooling the Day family, Ryan of West Coast Customs, and a lucky few other of us with some top shelf premium moonshine.
I went to the very first Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale in 1971 when I was just a little kid. Now, as an event photographer Arizona is home to both my business and still theirs. And, a life long love and appreciation of cars has come of it. That weekend was and is probably the reason I have spent my life as a fairly avid car loving guy. I rode my bike up to the hotel parking lot where the auction was held and walked around asking people for work until one guy handed me some wax and a towel. He told me to to start at nose end of his Corvette and wax my way to the rear bumper. And, then when I asked him what I could do next he said now wax from the rear to the front. And, that is what I did all day long and I think I waxed that car probably five times that day. When the day was coming to an end and the car was getting ready to get rolled on to the auction block he handed me a $20 bill which I excitedly pocketed.
I have been going back to Barrett Jackson auctions on and off for pretty much my whole life. Eight years ago back in 2005 I got to photograph my first auction for Barrett Jackson directly as one of my clients. We both have grown a lot since then. Now Barrett Jackson event are filled with a range of nice clean affordable clean cars to ultra high end one of a kind rare gems. They are also populated with celebrities like Bret Michaels and Jay Leno and filled with charity cars that raise millions of dollars from each and every auction.
It has been great to watch them grow and to be able to be a part of that. Darrell Gwynn is a hero to many for raising money for wheel chairs for kids and families who can not afford them. He is also one of the many people I have been lucky enough to become friends with through my doing photography at Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auctions. There are many of us and you know what they say… Once a car guy always a car guy.
I got up at 5am today grabbed my camera bag and walked to the end of my street to St Francis Cemetery. There are over 50,000 people buried or in the mausoleums there. It is one of the original cemeteries in Phoenix and has many men and woman there that served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the handful of Middle East Wars we have been in since. There were tens of thousands of flags individually put on each grave site for each person who has served this country in war. While I was wandering around the 60 acre site all of the staff was raising all of the flags to half mass and putting extra flags around certain areas specific to groups of men that were buried together. It is quite awesome to see all those flags at sunrise blowing in the wind and to see all those names individually and continually row after row after row.
And then if you start to think about the fact that there are probably hundred and hundred of places just like this all around our country it just leaves you speechless and in awe. It took me almost three hours to walk a giant lap around all the grounds while taking some pictures and I ended up at my childhood neighbors grave who died way too young at the age of 30 in a helicopter crash.
Walking back to my house I stopped by and sat in the outdoor mass they have every year that had at least a thousand people. I could not be more proud to be one of the photographers in Phoenix Arizona who has the freedoms to be able to make a living taking photographs of those who served and sacrificed in this country. It would be so great if they could just leave it the way it looks this weekend all year long. But it is quite cool when the look changes in the fall for the holidays and a handful of other times during the year. But, Memorial Day Weekend is always the best and my favorite to see right at the end of my street.
I myself as a Phoenix commercial photographer am in the middle of doing a year of coaching with Sarah Kay Harrison owner of Live Evolution who specializes in high end life and business coaching. We met over a year ago when doing the Forum Class at Landmark Education. Landmark Education does similar type of coaching but in a classroom environment where Sarah does a more personal one on one coaching with a longer commitment. I am working with her for a one year contract where we meet once a week and do continual work on my goals, my business interactions and avenues of growth, and my personal interpretations and interactions with the people in my daily life. I am a advocate of taking classes and having a person on your side on occasion through out your life to continually help keep you on track to reaching your goals and dreams. These things can be hard to do on your own and easily forgotten as time quickly passes by. Sarah specializes in giving individuals, groups & organizations the razor edge on success. She works to give you the tools, training, and education you need to become your own greatest asset. She invests in you. Coach Sarah personally shows you how to get results in any area that you lack satisfaction.
Life coaching is a practice with the aim of helping clients determine and achieve personal goals. Life coaching uses multiple methods that will help clients with the process of setting and reaching goals. Coaching is not targeted at psychological illness and coaches are not therapists.
Life coaching differs from counseling in that it is primarily focused on the present and the future. It may be necessary to look back to find the root causes of some unhelpful thinking patterns, and then untie some knots, but the process returns to the “where are we now?” and the “where do we want to go?”
Life coaching is for anyone who wants to improve some aspect of their life. There are 4 main areas of focus in coaching agreements; Success, Health, Relationship, and Growth/Wisdom. Under each of these areas fall most challenges, opportunities and new possibiities on which to focus. For example, you may want a promotion, to write a novel, to find your perfect partner, to find new self confidence, or get rid of a destructive habit. Alternatively, you may want to create more balance between your work or private life or you may have an unrealized goal to start your own business, find the focus necessary for passing important exams or it may simply be you are unhappy without knowing why.
Whatever you want to change or create, coaching can probably help. There are a couple of notable exceptions. One, if you have a mental illness or a hard drug problem, then coaching is probably not the best primary option for you.
I am all about more people being happy and reaching all of their dreams making the world overall a better place to live for everyone.
Of all the Arizona event photographers, I have been lucky enough to photography Carroll Shelby and his wife quite a bit the last ten years. I have also photographed him with all sorts of other people as well with the range including starting with Sammy Hagar all the way to Muhammad Ali. He lived life well, long, and charitably. He was Born on January 11, 1923, in East Texas, and is considered one of the truly great American success stories of the 20th century. Race car driver, WWII “Flying Sergeant”, philanthropist, automotive entrepreneur and racing team owner, he came to embody the ingenuity, tenacity and grit needed to win during his 60+ year career. In just a few short years, he became a dominant figure on the racing scene. He was courted by the top car manufacturers in the world to drive for them, including Ferrari. Shelby captured three national sports car championships in the United States, earned a spot on the Aston-Martin team in Europe, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and set land speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats. Twice, he was named Sports Illustrated’s “Driver of the Year.”
Still in his prime, a heart condition caused him to abandon his driving prematurely in 1960. Instead of reeling in self-pity, Shelby turned his attention and talents to race car design and automotive manufacturing. At the same time, Shelby’s operations turned out the Shelby 289 and 427 Cobras, as well as a succession of Mustang-based Shelby’s created at the request of Lee Iacocca at Ford Motor Company. He scaled back his California operations in the late 1960s when new government regulations and insurance rules began to affect the sales of performance cars. For several years, he operated businesses in Africa until civil war in the region closed them down. He was also a pioneer for modern licensing programs in the automotive industry. Beginning in the 1960s, he began licensing his name and designs for various products. Unfortunately, he was forced to assert his right to his famous trademarks and designs many times over the years, too.
He spent 50 years establishing and protecting his name, trademarks and car design rights, and in the 1980s he established Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., which licenses companies worldwide to manufacture, market and sell everything from the best and fastest muscle cars on the road (e.g. the 1960s Shelby Cobra 289, 427 and Daytona Coupe, and more recently the Ford Shelby GT-500) to premium Shelby memorabilia.
He considered his greatest achievement to be the establishment of the Carroll Shelby Foundation™. Created in 1992 while Shelby was waiting for a heart transplant in the hospital, the charity is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in in need, including children. The Foundation also supports educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefits the Carroll Shelby Automotive Foundation.“Carroll formed a foundation to give something back to those who have not been as fortunate as him, in both medicine and education,” explained Carroll Shelby Foundation Board Member M. Neil Cummings, Esq. “The Foundation is well endowed to continue Carroll’s vision.”
Carroll remained active in the management of each of his companies and the Foundation until his death, even though he endured both heart and kidney transplants in the last two decades of his life. An innovator and pioneer, he achieved an almost mythical status that never diminished. He traveled the world, socialized with movie stars and beauty queens, made and lost numerous fortunes, won races, built cars and lived large.
As an event photographer Phoenix is my home base but I often find myself doing projects all over the metro area usually with some project and clients taking my around the state, country, and even out of the country at times. First Western Trust has been a client of mine since they started their business. Ironically and with much success they opened their bank and first branch in Scottsdale, Arizona the month the US economy crashed in the fall of 2008. As a testament of what kind of a bank and what kind of people run it they are a continually growing success today with now a second branch office opened in the Biltmore area of Phoenix, Arizona and nine other branches out of state. Each year they have a speaker come and speak to their bank members for an evening gathering with a great dinner and drinks on the edge of Tempe Town Lake. The speaker is usually a presidential advisor or someone who has a vast knowledge and understanding at forecasting the financial future of the year to come. I have been lucky enough to be able to both photograph and sit in to listen to these people speak.
This year it was Sam Donaldson who was a very down to earth and almost over the top friendly and personable. I liked how he always simply introduced himself to people by saying hello I am Sam. He is a 44 year ABC news veteran, served two appointments as chief White House Correspondent for ABC covering Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Clinton. He has covered many major news stories such as the Vietnam War, Watergate, the House Judiciary Committee impeachment investigation, and the Gulf War. He currently lives on and runs a cattle ranch in New Mexico.
As First Western Trust continues to grow the continually are making a bigger impact supporting more charity foundations. This year they awarded donation checks to representatives of Boys and Girls Clubs of greater Scottsdale, Child’s Play, The Arizona Hemophilia Association, and Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. I really enjoy all my shoots with all the people of First Western Trust as they are some of the best people I have ever met.
I have always loved shooting food photography. Probably because I know I will be eating really good on those shoot days and will most likely be taking some home as well. I recently did professional commercial photography of about a dozen of the featured specialties at The Wrigley Mansion. I also photographed many images of the infamous Sunday buffet there as well which is acknowledged as one of the best in Phoneix. The Wrigley Mansion has an eclectic synergy, blending elements of the 1930’s art deco style with the energy of today. Enjoy signature cocktails or a light snack, while viewing the best sunset in the valley. With the view as dramatic as the atmosphere, you should go and experience the passion and history of the Wrigley Mansion. tWe had to have the entire shoot done before the restaurant opened on a Sunday morning for the spectacular buffet.
The first plate out to me was this amazing presentation of a caesars salad and I knew it was going to be a tasty day. It was followed by plate after plate of beautifully laid out edible pieces of fantastically tasting art. We had lights and everything set up in the other room as well waiting to shoot the infamous Sunday buffet right at the last minute before it was completely set up and before the first customer was to would walk in.
I would recommend checking it out whether to sample some appetizers, to have an elaborate meal, or indulge in the Sunday feast. And, if you can do it on a day when they have the guided tours of the mansion you will get the most out of your experience and visit. Aaahh, some of the benefits of doing professional commercial photography in a city with such great food as Phoenix, Arizona are priceless.
As one of the leading Phoenix event photographers I was out in Las Vegas shooting the Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction in the fall. We do a lot of work in Las Vegas where there are more events than anywhere in the world. This event was at Mandalay Bay Resort which was really nice being able to stay, work, and play all in the same destination without ever having to leave. Whether shooting myself or with a team we always use only the ultimate and most up to date top of the line Nikon and Cannon equipment. Though photography is all I have ever done my entire life it never gets old because of the ever changing technology whether it be at my end being the user of the cameras and software or because of the clients ever changing technologies. It all supports a unique ever changing ever evolving challenge and ability to continually re invent and create new and different for my clients.
The Las Vegas auction is always packed with celebrities and this time I photographed Criss Angel, The Old Man from Pawn Stars, Rick from American Restoration, Josh Duhamel, and many others. Of all the Barrett Jackson Car Auctions the Las Vegas show has the most super cars and the most rest mods which are my two favorite types of cars. And, in addition to all these good things it is a nice relaxing half days drive across the desert so no planes, no security, no rental cars, and we just travel at our own pace and stop along the way to collect odds and ends out of the middle of nowhere desert.
It’s almost impossible to be a Phoenix event photographer and not be also regularly shooting high end events in beautiful close by Las Vegas, Nevada.
Though usually when I get to go out of town I am doing it for photography work. I have been lucky enough to go on one trip for work and one trip for concert watching, Mexican food eating, Pacifico drinking, sunset watching relaxing fun this summer. The trip for work was for Barrett Jackson Orange County included a week of photographing beautiful cars and enjoying weather in the 70s. The trip to Mexico was to renew my Mexican business license but mostly to see Random Karma and Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers play for Circus Mexicus. Both, beautiful places and included is an image from each of two of my other favorite places – Oregon and Burning Man. T
As an Arizona event photographer I travel anywhere for my clients and went to Orange County, California for the Barrett Jackson 2011 auction. It was literally cool and Costa Mesa, California cool. They had $14m in sales, $850k was raised for charities, and 60,000 people walked through the gates. 60{04376f0484412bd48343ece1a3e3868b55ebaad017cd0762f25929f2022e4fa0} of the bidders where new to Barrett Jackson and they purchased half of the cars. I got to photograph all the cars, the people, the auctioneers, the charities, the celebrities, and the action. It was a great event and very, very cool.
As photographers in AZ I photograph people, places, and things. I work out of Phoenix, Arizona but will be more than glad to go anywhere, especially when it is 120 degrees in the shade here in the summer. Here are some iP4/Instagram images for ya to check out. No job to big, to small, or to boring for me. I just love working and love being able to make a living at being a photographer. It is all I have done and all I want to do. I hope you enjoy.
I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend. Heres to a great rest of the year!