Bryce Boyer Photography

Fresh off the Griddle

2010-04-23T16:59:00.005-06:00

I took two images from our recent Colorado Lifestyle Shoots, River Love and Beach Fun, and enhanced them for portfolio prints. Here's where I ended the day.

Colorado River Love

2010-04-22T11:40:00.030-06:00

It was a long and busy winter here in Denver, but Spring is in now in full bloom! We had a break in our hectic schedule, so this week we have been shooting images of fun summer outdoor lifestyle in Colorado. We went to a local river canyon and did a shoot with two of my favorite models Ben and Charlene.

Here are a few "behind the scenes" images:

Schlepping the gear to our location.

A boulder for a scrim frame tie-down.

Nicky Lee, our makeup artist.

Checking files in the Village Blackout Tent and changing room.

Special Thanks go to Spencer Reudelhuber & Paige Morris (above) for assisting!

Models from Maximum Talent: Ben and Charlene

Hair and Makeup: Nicky Lee

Colorado Beach Fun

2010-04-21T11:47:00.000-06:00

Spring is here and we are taking every advantage to get out in the sun!

Here's another day of shooting Colorado Outdoor Lifestyle photos.

Wess Ferguson, master of all things digital and Georgia Benjou

Models by Maximum Talent: Justin, Shane, Meg, and Brittany

Wardrobe: Georgia Benjou

Hair and Makeup: Nicky Lee

Digtal Tech: LA Digital Assistant Wess Ferguson

Assistant: Spencer Reudelhuber

5280 Magazine March Fashion Spread

2010-04-09T15:30:00.009-06:00

Here's a fun 8 page spread I shot for 5280 Magazine. At a pre production meeting with the PE, AD, and Fashion Editor, we looked over several stylistic directions the spread could go. After learning that the wardrobe would have a '70s vibe, we decided to shoot for a clean background and minimal, but stellar hair and makeup (i.e. no wigs, etc.). I was thinking a lot about Richard Avedon's jumping models shot in the '60s and '70s.

We shot a casting, specifically looking for someone fresh and unique, with a high fashion figure and hair that could have that '70s vibe. After sifting through heaps of beautiful Denver models, we found Jordan.

At the casting, we gave each model a chance to move and grove to some thumping bumping beats. Not only is Jordan striking, but she has a very natural grace to the way she moves. She made small leaps and flowing steps look elegant and effortless. That's not easy to do in 5 inch heals.

To freeze the motion, we used Profoto 7As and a D4

Photo Editor: Sarah LaVigne

Art Director: Alese Pickering Becket

Hari and Makeup: Matthew Morris

Fashion Editor and Wardrobe: Georgia Benjou

Snow Shoot

2010-02-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

This year is quickly coming to an end! If my blog posts are sparse, that means I'm crazy busy and that's a good thing! Don't think I don't love you for checking out my blog!

This year came to a close with some terrific jobs and wonderful clients. Forgive me for not keeping my blog updated. But when it comes to the end of a long day I have a choice to make: blog or be a good dad and husband - it's a no brainer; my family will always get my attention over my blog.

Anyhow, here's a quick still from a "behind the scenes" video of a recent shoot. I can't post details until later, but I just wanted to say how much I'm loving the studio's new Hasselblad P45 system! Lots of pixels to push around.

Here, we are shooting with a full digital lab in the Village Blackout Tent. On a bright sunny day in the snow, it would have been impossible to see a computer screen. In the tent, the art director and I can examine every pixel as we shoot and my digital tech can alert me to any issues that might come up.

Special Olympics & Broncos Billboards in the News

2010-01-24T16:22:00.007-07:00

Channel 7 News in Denver mentions my billboards in this video. Thanks for sending this Eric!

See the complete blog and more pictures at this link.

Haiti Relief Photography

2010-01-21T17:45:00.009-07:00

The Earthquake in Haiti happened while I was shooting a job in Las Vegas last week for Cricket. The images pouring in really moved me. When I returned to Denver I got a call to shoot an airlift of 18 Metric Tons of emergency supplies leaving DIA from the WoldVision Warehouse VIA FedEx. I teamed up with fiend and photographer Don Cudney to shoot video and stills of the airlift for WorldVision from 12:30 AM to 4 AM. All the FedEx employees were volunteering their time to load the plane.

Above, Don Cudney. You can read his post about the shoot here.

I just got this email from World Vision:

"Just wanted to give you some great feedback! Our Senior Vice President of
Engagement and Communications asked that we tell you that she
loved the work you did for the airlift in Denver. I don't think I've ever
heard her give feedback like that before!

So thank you for all your great work- in the middle of the night even!

Also, one of your images was selected to send to CNN, with some other World
Vision photos so keep an eye out for that!"

If you would like to donate to the relief effort, here's World Vision's LINK

The Bone Collector

2010-01-09T15:45:00.006-07:00

Here's a nice portrait of Dr. Charles Musiba of CU I shot for 5280 Magazine. Musiba is from one of my favorite countries, Tanzania. I would love to follow him on his quest for the worlds oldest footprints. Why footprints? Footprints tell how prehistoric man walked and could answer some nagging questions about evolution and early man.

The story is quite nice, read it here.

Photo Editor: Sarah LaVigne

Art Director: Alese Pickering Becket

Denver Snow Show

2010-01-09T15:13:00.005-07:00

Some recent Visit Denver tourism photography. We shot this as a pitch to push illustrate some concepts to a client. The client went another direction in the end, but we had some fun.

Art Director: Sean Topping

Agency: Karsh + Hagen

Copywriter: Matt Ingwalson

Steve Hayden's NDAC Talk

2009-11-13T14:11:00.011-07:00

Last night I saw Steve Hayden, an advertising giant (Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather North America), speak in Denver at the Curtis Hotel for the New Denver Ad Clu b. I won't try to regurgitate all the relevant thoughts he surfaced, but I will mention what I walked away with.

Steve said if you simply add the letter "L" to the idea of an ad campaign - you have an "ideaL." His recent success has been marked by the ability to define the purpose of an ad with a noble or humorous statement like, "The world would be a better place if _____ did _____."

The best example I saw in his many commercials was the "Real Women" Dove campaign. With a noble purpose attached to a generic product, consumers became evangelists of the campaign and it spread like wildfire. I forget the actual line, but it was something like "The world would be a better place if the Dove Real Women campaign helped women feel beautiful about themselves."

Thank you Steve Miller of NetNewsDesk.com for asking me to shot some snapshots of the talk. Hayden was a real gentleman. I took a quick portrait, above, on a deck outside the conference room.

Project Veronica

2009-11-03T23:56:00.014-07:00

Here's a sneak peak at a series called Project Veronica that we just rolled out for a sound company called Blorp Corp, "a sonic laboratory specializing in custom and library music solutions for TV, film, and advertising." The premise was for Matt Hubball of Crispin Porter Bogusky and Evan Pollock to be creepy retro scientists constructing the perfect virtual cyborgenic receptionist who will actually answer the phones at Borp Corp.

When Matt Chiabotti of Cactus Communications described the project, I was into it 100%! I love it when clients have conceptual work that involves heavy retouching and compositing. If you have any work like this, please call me. I love it!

The above "assembly" shot was created from about 6 images. The big doors are huge 12' tall metal bi-fold doors that were used in a paint booth when my studio was a car garage. When we remodeled, we took down the doors and had them sandblasted. The doors separate the studio kitchen from the back studio space. I did all the retouching on these images, but Matt Chiabotti put the perfect final touch on this shot by adding the wires sticking out of the arm.

The above "power up" image was really fun to create. This image was made from 3 images. The wooden speakers on the left were duplicated and flipped to create a beefier stand for Evan's sound board. The electricity was created in Photoshop. The chair is a 1920's optometrist chair that Evan and Matt secured just for this shoot. I wish I could keep it for the studio makeup chair! It fit the creepy green theme perfectly.

And here you have the final "receptionist" image. The background is from a firefighter's museum. I remembered seeing it about a year ago during a scouting search. It worked perfectly for Veronica's office. The wall was plain and white, I had a good time staining it up in post. This is one of my favorite images to date.

Art Director: Matt Chiabotti

Stylist: Katelyn Simkins

Update!

I've received several emails from peers asking to show some of the original images to show before and after retouching. So, I'm taking town the curtain to show you some before pictures. I grabbed approximate images used... these may not be the exact images selected for final output.

After a pre-production meeting with the art director and Blorp Corp, I sketched out the shots to help me visualize the composition and lighting.

We only had the model for a limited time, so we had to shoot a lot quickly to get the look we wanted. We started with the "nicest" hair style since we would tear up the hair after the hero shot.

We all agreed that the above image had the robotic feel we were going for.

Above, you can see that the image was off balance with the wood speaker on one side.

Above is a direction I was exploring that used a full body mannequin, but Matt's stellar art direction steered me toward the floating head below. We felt that showing less was more.

Above is the floating mannequin head.

Here is our model who provided the face and arm for the Assembly shot.

We shot the above picture to get the flame and reflections from the flame. I ended up shooting the flame again on a grey background at 1/8000 of a second to freeze the flame and give it good color.

Crew shot below.

Wine and Dinner Party

2009-11-03T23:02:00.006-07:00

Hot off the press, 5280 Magazine just published a spread of my photos from a Dinner party we shot in back in June. The editors did a great job laying out the spread and picking just the right imagery to tell the story. We also did our best to let the dinner party "happen" to make it feel natural.

Frasca's Bobby Stuckey poured the wine from Jason Huntley's Washington Waters Winery. This is some seriously tasty wine people! I'm saving a S.W.A.G. bottle for the Thanksgiving holidays! Get some!

Technical Notes: We shot in an 11th story loft downtown Denver that has some amazing natural light. For this shoot, I brought a 4x4' shiny board and several plastic mirrors with Matthews frames and bounced them off the white ceiling from a balcony outside.

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Art Director: Alese Pickering Becket

Writer: Amanda M. Faison

Special Olympics and Denver Bronco Heroes

2009-11-03T22:07:00.008-07:00

I had the honor of photographing some incredible Special Olympics kids with some genuine Denver Bronco's players in August. The Billboards have been strategically popping up right next to Invesco Field.

I was really thrilled that the three Denver Broncos were true gentlemen. On AND off camera alike, they were playing with the kids around the studio. I can report from the other side of the camera that this was more than just a photo-opp for these guys.

In addition, I'm lucky to get 15 minutes with a Bronco when I shoot for Sports Illustrated, but these guys hung out for hours laughing and boosting the egos of the kids. I truly believe all the kids left the studio beaming and feeling like a hero.

Broncos: DJ Williams, Andra Davis, and Darrell Reid

Agency: Pure

Creative Director: Gregg Bergan

Art Director: Jerry Stafford

Account Exec: Eric Espinoza

Volunteers of America

2009-11-03T21:18:00.006-07:00

Here is a billboard campaign I photographed for Volunteers of America recently. I've seen a few of these around Denver. I'd like to give a shout out to my crew who worked for peanuts to help out a good cause. Thanks also go to Kiona and Ezri for modeling.

Thank you!

Agency: Integer

Creative Director: James Pelz

Art Director: Brian Gritzmaker

Copywriter: Jay Roth

Stylist: Katelyn Simpkins

Digital Tech: LA Digital Assistant

Below is a video of the new studio tent for viewing images as we shoot on screen- in any weather or sunlight. I can describe the tent with one word: AWESOME! They are made by Village Black Out Tents. Get one here.

The tent can function as a digital darkroom, changing room, and staging area for gear. We were shooting in a seedy area of Colfax and it provided a sense of security to not have a bunch of open cases with camera gear sitting around. You'll be seeing this tent in a lot of upcoming posts as we are using it on just about every outdoor shoot.

FulCircle Brochure Photography

2009-11-03T20:58:00.005-07:00

An art director friend, Peter Reese, asked me to help create some unique photographs for a brochure he was producing for a packaging, receiving, etc. etc. company called FulCircle. At first, the job description began with the challenge to enter the warehouse and find circular objects to photographs for small 2 inch "buttons" on the brochure.

After a quick scout of the facility, I proposed that we create our own circles from objects that relate to the information in that part of the brochure. Here are a few of the many buttons that we created and a portrait of the CEO.

Below is my digital tech Wess from a test we shot before our

real models were pulled from the production line.

5280 Kids

2009-09-03T20:22:00.001-06:00

Aleah Vigil, 14 - Student Activist

You may recall a few posts back that I posted some pictures from a personal series called "Generation Lost." I had been playing with some post production techniques creating custom "wallpapers" to cross the line between illustration and photography. 5280 Magazine came to me and wanted me to photograph some special kids with special talents for their August 09 Kids Guide to Denver.

I pitched an idea that we could use this illustrative process to make the children look like saints using props relating to their interests. For instance, in the shot above, I took a single image of a bullhorn and created "flowers" for a student activist. All of these shots were shot natural light in the new studio on plane jane colored backgrounds.

5280 Mag took some risk and let me depart from the "safe shot" on colored background to make it something more. Thanks for the trust guys. I'm using a lot of "Quotes" in this post.

Davis Bryant, 9

(The next Tiger Woods?)

Hazel Allison, 11 - Bug Enthusiast

Isaac Crewse, 7 - Has severe asthma, but is running a Marathon - One mile at a time

Art Director: Alese Pickering Becket

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodword

New Portfolio

2009-07-13T16:24:00.006-06:00

I've been so busy over the last year that I haven't had the time to get new work into my portfolio. July has been a slower month, so here it is - page by page, my freshly printed book of mostly newer work. The prints are on Red River Double matte pages 12x12 inches in a shiny metallic aluminum cover.

I would love some feedback. Seriously... I want to hear your opinions!
-Is the work consistent?
-Do you have a favorite?
-If people will remember me by my weakest image, which one is it?

Don't just give me fluff... I want some real constructive criticism. I have thick skin, so let me have it... it will only make me stronger. Call me, email me, or comment here.

But if you like it, I'll accept compliments too. Better yet, call me for photography services.

ADCD Annual Show Awards

2009-07-13T14:41:00.010-06:00

I was notified that a homemade book I made got into the ADCD Annual Awards Show.

I took a book making class in college and have enjoyed producing my own portfolios and books ever since. This small book was a collection of images from a job I shot for Healing Waters International and Compassion International in the Dominican Republic. I recently re-visited those pictures and felt I had too nice a collection of images to be laid to rest on a hard drive. Besides, a nice coffee table book is a great conversation starter- and I love to talk about getting clean water to third world countries.

The book was printed here at my studio on premium Red River double sided matte paper with an Epson 2400 printer.

One of the annual show judges,Chase Jarvis, recently spoke the the Art Director's Club of Denver about how there has never been a better time for artists to do something personal and creative and self publish it. I can't agree more. Printing this single edition book took up some of my time and materials but it filled a need as an artist to say something with meaning... that's priceless. I hope that my images will cause someone somewhere to become more interested in the worldwide clean water shortage. Get Involved!

Here are some of the pages:

Above are the slums in Villa Duarte where a new water filtration system is helping bring desperately needed clean H2O to families living in deep poverty. Here is an invited peak inside one of the houses. The kitchen in the tin roof shanty is water damaged, but tidy.
Above are some boys playing in the slums and collecting water in buckets.
Baseball is the sport of choice in the D.R. Someone in the USA donated some baseball gear and these kids snatched it up with wide eyes and smiles.
I met this guy on the street with a blue "General Lee" and a USA shirt. Top right is an ad for a photo studio. Note the family commuter vehicle on the right.

These school kids will be directly effected by free water from the water filtration system. Education is key to ending poverty but it's hard to go to school if you are sick.

Above are slices of life and culture in the D.R. Below are Compassion International sponsors meeting their sponsored families and kids for the first time in the houses where the sponsored children live.

Happy 4th Of July

2009-06-30T23:51:00.003-06:00

God Bless America.

Pirate Signal Westword cover

2009-06-17T14:56:00.004-06:00

Here's a quick little cover I shot for Westword Magazine for the Cover of their Music Showcase issue.
Art Director: Jay Volmar
Writer: Dave Herrera

Generation Lost

2009-06-11T17:12:00.005-06:00

Here's some spec work I've pulled out of my hat for some potential clients. I love these images.
Kudos to Eden Talent for sending some teens my way. The crying girl above was styled by Nicky Lee.

Digital Dark Room

2009-06-10T01:54:00.002-06:00

I first started printing black and white prints over 21 years ago. I have always loved the challenge of bringing the best out of an negative. Now that the digital age has replaced my enlargers and trays of smelly and sinful chemistry, I still have fun in the darkroom. It's different, but boundless. Photoshop is such an amazing program. Just when I think I know a lot about PS, I find a new canyon to explore and realize there is still so much to learn. And that is what makes it fun.

Dual Life "Style" Photography

2009-06-09T13:48:00.010-06:00

At the end of last year, I shot a campaign for Johnson and Johnson Acuvue Contacts. The concept revolved around the idea that people who wear contacts have a life "styles" based on wether they are wearing their contacts or their glasses. This was a fun challenge technically in that the faces and attire are shot in two shots and composited into one. Quirky and fun. It's pretty weird to see what people look like with and without glasses in one glance. But add all the product type, logos, and the miles of legal stuff and it's a really cool ad.

You can see the background build here.

Client: Johnson and Johnson
Agency: Integer
Art Director: JB Leach
Stylist: Nicky Lee

Inspire Magazine

2009-06-03T20:53:00.000-06:00

This portrait was shot for Inspire Magazine for a cover and spread assignment.

ART DIRECTOR: Sheila Schirz

Grand Opening Party

2009-05-25T09:03:00.014-06:00

Wow! What a party! Thank you everyone who came. It was great to catch up with a lot of old friends and clients and to meet some new friends!

There are some thanks that need to be given to friends and family who helped out in the 11th hour to make the party great.

Thanks to AIGA and ADCD for sponsoring the FAC! Don't forget the ADCD Annual show is coming up! The deadline is extended to May 29!

I have rad parents. My mom came in the week before the opening and helped watch my kids while I worked about 100 hours to make some deadlines and get the studio ready for the party. On the day of the opening, both my parents helped clean and touch up paint. Towards the end of the party when the 5 cases of beer and a keg were tapped, my dad made a beer run to keep the party rockin'. I want to be like you guys when I grow up!

I'd like to thank Deven Gores for some last minute metal work that I couldn't get to.

A shout out goes to Passion Flowers. My neighbor Barb gave a gift of life to a very grey and industrial space... a huge palm plant! It looks great!

Kudos go to Ian Cooke who filled the studio with the gift of sound. Ian's music was the perfect fit for creative conversation and I saw several people getting serenaded with their own personal concert.

Thanks to Greg from Healing Waters who had a table set up with information about his awesome company who helps bring clean water to people in third world countries. Healing Waters has sent me to Guatemala and to the Dominican Republic to shoot marketing photography. I asked Healing Waters to have a presence at the party because of all the thousands of pictures I have taken in the past few years, these make a true difference. I hope some of you got some information from Greg about the dire need for clean water and how we can help.

Thanks to Marco who brought the Villa Real Taco Truck! The tacos were delicious and a huge hit!

Thanks to my assistant Randall Bellows for these pictures and for encouraging me through the long and sometimes stressful process of renovations.

My endless thanks go to my beautiful wife Christie! When the caterer I had planed to cater the FAC couldn't make it a the last moment, Christie came up with sushi and snacks for about 50 hungry creatives who showed up for the happy hour after work.

Behind the scenes, Christie is my rock. She has been a constant source of encouragement and vision for me. We have sacrificed a lot of time and money to make this dream come true and Christie has been graceful through it all.

Finally, thank you everyone who came! There was no RSVP for the event so I had no idea what the turnout would be. We had over two hundred people show up and the studio was packed from 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm. Thank you Denver creative community!

-Bryce

Grand Opening Announced

2009-05-01T21:02:00.002-06:00

My friend Rick Messer has made a couple of snappy Grand Opening Party Invites out of a recent test I shot. Thank you Rick! Check out his site... he's phenomenal!

The Art Director's Club of Denver and AIGA are going to sponsor an FAC at the studio followed by the big party. Details to follow.

Studio Progress

2009-05-01T20:56:00.003-06:00

Finishing touches are going into the studio and we are ready for action! This is the main shooting bay and I'm quite proud of how far we have come!

In search of the perfect Grip Truck

2009-04-20T11:19:00.007-06:00

If you know me, you know I geek out on the idea of the perfect grip truck. For years I have been searching for the right combination of capabilities for my studio. My goal is to have a 4x4 vehicle that can get me and my gear to hard to reach locations as well as to shoots in the city. But there are challenges of finding the perfect truck or van.

If I go 4x4, I sacrifice the gas mileage of a Sprinter Van. If I go with a van, could it get to where I want to go? EarthRoamer and Sportsmobile come close, but are (in my opinion) priced way too high... I don't think $250K is the best choice for this economy. Are you kidding me?

However, I've been talking to a guy named Marc Wassman who is in the beta testing stage of a new camper that comes pretty close, called the XP Camper. The price is more reasonable than the above options.

What also makes the XP Camper attractive to me is that it is removable from a flat bed utility truck. In other words, Marc can attach the camper mount to almost any sizable truck frame and the camper can be removed when you want to leave it behind. This would help a bit with gas mileage when you don't want to haul it around.

The XP Camper is a pop up camper, but it is mostly a hard shell, which is attractive to me for cold weather. Other pop ups are made with fabric that just won't do. My only other concern is if the camper can be configured in a way that would allow for storage for enough equipment. The access door looks a little small and may not be wide enough to get gear in and out. Marc tells me he can arrange the camper to suite my needs.

But for now, this is the best I've seen! Check out these pictures and the link to the XP Camper Website.

Recycling photo gear

2009-04-07T10:32:00.003-06:00

I totally want one! Wristbands made from old camera gear. What a great way to recycle the old paperweight!

Break it in Easy

2009-04-06T01:17:00.004-06:00

It's 1:15am Sunday night and I'm going to squeeze in a blog entry before finally get some rest after a full working weekend... following a marathon couple of months. This is all new work shot in the new studio. What do you think?

I hope to have some time coming up to fill this blog with new material that's been collecting dust since December. I have some amazing stuff shot, but can't get to it. If I can find the time soon, it will be amazing blog material from a campaign I just finished for Johnson and Johnson Acuvue contacts.

George Karl, Nuggets Coach

2009-03-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

George Karl proved to be a gentleman when I shot him for 5280 Magazine's March issue.
Art Directors: Mike Leister, Alese Pickering Becket
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodword

Here is a very short little time lapse of the shoot. This is pretty typical of editorial jobs... get in, set up fast, shoot, and get out.

5280 March Cover

2009-03-01T01:41:00.000-07:00

Art Director: Mike Leister
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodword
Stylist: Georgia Benjou
Hair and Makeup: Jennifer Samuel

Thanks NDAC!

2009-02-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

I just read the New Denver Ad Club's newsletter and I'm so thrilled to have volunteered to help with the Super Ad Sunday promotional pictures. Check out this blurb...

"Great Shots Make Great Events"

"One of the best things about Super Ad Sunday was the campaign that promoted the event. The campaign featured photographs taken by Bryce Boyer, one of Denver's best shooters. Hunkered down behind the camera like Las Vegas Elvis, Bryce transformed the patron son of Denver advertising, Jim Glynn, into the cynical and acerbic Ad Ref. "I was happy to help the NDAC promote the event." said Bryce, "It was a bonus we got so many good shots. And we discovered Jim Glynn has a hidden talent for modeling, too."

How to get work

2009-02-26T20:41:00.002-07:00

If you are like me and you would rather be working than wondering where your next check is going to come from, I'll let you in on my top secret formula:

1. Start remodeling a studio with costs that could crush you and will require daily check ups on contractors who will give you daily homework. I'm at the new studio at least 2 hours, almost every day to answer questions and push and prod.

2. Plan a vacation. This never fails for me! If you really want a big job, plan one somewhere with nonrefundable deposits and no cell phone reception.

3. Pray hard. I don't know about you, but I get the willies some nights and just can't sleep. When I'm wondering how I'm going to make it another month, I pray. With all the expenses of this new studio I find myself asking for help more than ever.

And guess what! This formula has worked this month for sure! Besides shooting two more magazine covers in the last month and an assignment for the Wall Street Journal, I'm in the thick of moving my studio and producing a MONSTER job for Johnson and Johnson. I'm supposed to move into the new studio Saturday and then head off again to sunny California... it's going to be a marathon month of shooting.

The pressure is cookin' and I'm super thankful. I'm thankful for the work and also to have teamed up with two super producers, Bill Anderson of Slanted Eye Productions and Lisa Schrag. Bill has been working around the clock to meet our impossible deadlines for the California leg of this job. Lisa is producing the Colorado shoots.
There is no way I could pull this all off without this fantastic team! Thanks Bill and Lisa!

If I can surface for air, I will try to post pix soon.

Zack

2009-02-18T17:27:00.006-07:00

It feels like I've been swimming up stream all day today. Everything that I've needed to get done has been met with obsticles and diversions. The smallest tasks that should have taken 10 minutes seemed to explode into 2 hour ordeals.

By some some freakish accident, I stumbled across a link to an old friend's video blog online. I don't usually pimp other photographers' work here, but Zack's video seemed to set my day straight. It starts out slow, but the last 2/3rds what caught me off guard and reminded me of some things that all us creatives need to be retold. You can watch it here. Thanks Zack.

Denver's Top Singles for 5280 Magazine

2009-02-01T22:51:00.001-07:00

Hot off the press, 5280's Romance Issue.

5280 Magazine

Art Director: Mike Leister

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Wardrobe: Georgia Benjou

Makeup: Jennifer Samuel

Assistant, Randall Bellows

Model: Jill Hodges

This is actually a milestone. Since the Top Singles issue runs every other year, this cover marks the 3rd anniversary of my first cover with this fabulous Denver Magazine. Tomorrow, I'm shooting my 10th cover for 5280. Thank you Mike, Steff, Alese, Max, and Dan for an awesome three years!

Remember "Many Me"?

2009-02-01T22:15:00.008-07:00

This Spread started to take shape last November. I scouted the most amazing loft that would have been my first choice as alocation to shoot these "panoramics" of Denver's Top Singles for 5280 Magazine. However, as we approached the shoot date, it soon became apparent that some of the people would not be able to come to my studio in the two days of scheduled shoots. Furthermore, (without a lot of distortion) shooting a wide panoramic of 12 people wasn't an option.

To solve this problem, I used a wall at my Osage studio and shot four groups of 6. I carefully measured and locked down two heavy-duty tripods about 20 feet apart and sandbagged them so they wouldn't move. The center of the image falls in the gutter of the two page spread, so it worked well to hid any minor imperfections when I stitched the two photos together. I roughly tested the idea and you can see the results here.

Here are the final two panoramas. Three of the people in the following 4 photographs were shot separately and two heads were grabbed from other images to get the best expressions.

The singles include: former Colorado first lady Frances Owens, now executive VP for community affairs for the Galloway Group; Denver's 7 reporter Jane Slater; Jill Hodges, graphic designer and TV host for New Media's Shoetube.com; Denver Foundation's Lauren Casteel; Merrill Lynch VP Marti Awad; former Denver District Attorney Norm Early; Colorado Avalanche forward Wojtek Wolski; The Huffington Post columnist Waylon Lewis; gay activist and aspiring ski bum Daniel Gonzales and Sukle Advertising owner Mike Sukle.

Here are behind the scenes pix snapped by my assistant Randall Bellows:

More NDAC Ref Calls

2009-01-30T15:48:00.004-07:00

A whole website is now up to promote this Sunday's NDAC Superbowl Party. Check out the site and see you at the party!

Here is more of the photography I did for the tongue-in-cheek calls.

Set Build Time Lapse

2009-01-23T19:03:00.003-07:00

My studio is in a constant state of flux. The studio evolves with every assignment. Here is a sneak peak of what a day and a half looks like at my Osage studio as we metamorph from the disaster of returning from a location job to the set up of a shoot in the studio.

I've been playing with time lapse videos shot with my old Nikon D2X. The "old" camera system was sitting around depreciating faster than I could put it on Ebay, so I decided to put it to use. Though I've created several videos, this is the first I can publish because the others have editorial content that I can't upload until they go to print. So, enjoy this one and I'll upload the others when I can.

NDAC Super Ad Suday

2009-01-23T18:40:00.006-07:00

The New Denver Ad Club is hosting an event where Denver Creatives are invited to come judge the Super Bowl commercials. It's going to be a great party.

I had the pleasure of collaborating with some of Denver's best to create a series of humorous referee calls to illustrate calling "foul" on the commercials. Here is the first in the series with more to come. See the link above if you would like to join us at the event!

Copy: "You had to have it your way. The client was nervous. The director baffled. Your partner jumped ship. But hey, this is the Super Bowl baby. Screw compromise... right?

Wrong dimwit. Even David Lynch is scratching his head. You’re a true auteur. Too bad you’re in advertising. Or at least you were until you shot your career in the face with that big fat double-barrel ego."

This one is super dark... others will be more light hearted.

Art Direction:
Jeff Mason, Hero Design Studio
Greg Ryan, Juice Communications
Steve Miller, NetNewsdesk
Copywriter: Brian Wilkens, The Integer Group

Studio "Progress"

2009-01-14T15:41:00.004-07:00

A lot of friends and clients are asking how the new studio is coming along. I'll bring you up to date.

I don't know if you call it progress. Maybe I'm your average "I'm so frustrated my construction progress is taking so long" guy- but this seems ridiculous. Our timing really got beat around by the holidays and city red tape. I had hoped to be in the studio by now, but it just ain't so. To give you an example of the city stuff I'm dealing with... we have to have an approved drinking water fountain in the studio. (Did I tell you I have a phobia about water fountains? I try to stay away from them. And I have to spend $$$$ to install one in the studio. Argh.)

Anyway, our last rough inspection passed today and we can now put on the drywall, which was delivered today. Things should really speed up from here.

Silence on the Blog

2008-12-11T09:00:00.003-07:00

I haven't added much to my blog for a few weeks, but that doesn't mean things aren't happening here at the studio. I've been consumed with producing a large job for December that I'll be shooting next week. I've also had several clients asking me to do many songs and dances for projects that will be shot in January. Add family time and a heap of holiday stuff to do and there you have it... violins playing while I make excuses for silence on the blog.

The coming weeks promise some great blog material though. Stay tuned!

Holiday Design Party shoot.

2008-12-03T11:40:00.004-07:00

In December's issue of 5280 Magazine, I have a spread of pictures shot for a story about a non-traditional holiday party. There was enough sushi at the shoot to sink a ship.

The party featured neighbors, friends, and professional peers who often get together throughout the year. The mix of friends brings smorgasbord of backgrounds and thus a little of everything. A traditional holiday party is out of the question.

This shoot was unique because I lit and shot the whole party with hot lights instead of strobes. I wanted to create a warm and natural light that would feel "real" and not "lit."

Art Directors: Mike Leister and Alese Pickering Becket
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Many Me

2008-11-24T19:32:00.007-07:00

I have a client that wants to shoot twelve people that can't be in the same place at the same time. I shot this test today to see if I could pull it off in my studio.

I didn't light this... just threw up single hot-light and started jumping around with the self timer. I then composited the images together using layer masks. I put this together in 45 minutes. I learned a lot about how to pull this off. Yes, there are things to perfect... I can't wait to shoot the real thing.

I love that my job challenges me to learn new things everyday. It stretches me... and multiplies me. Ha ha.

Pre-Season Snow Cats

2008-11-24T13:05:00.005-07:00

I hit Breck this weekend with some family from out of town. With only 5 runs open, there wasn't a lot of sick skiing happening. I did hook up with some great riders that let me invade their facial space for a few moments. I hope to be spending a lot more time on the hills this year, so look out for more action sport photography in the future.

!!!New Website!!!

2008-11-18T17:31:00.007-07:00

The new website is up and running. I'm re-branding myself "Bryce Boyer", formerly known as "Bryce Boyer Productions."

BryceBoyer.com

Why? When is came down to it, the word "Productions" got to be too confusing. There you have it. Let me know if you have any feedback, or if you see any typos, please let me know.

Impatient Me

2008-11-18T17:20:00.004-07:00

OK, I just couldn't stand it any longer. I needed a location to shoot a cool band (Anisette formerly The Messengers) and so I made use of my studio in progress. It was awesome. Despite the fact that we had to set up by the headlights of my car and the lack of amenities, the high ceilings are awesome!

I also took them out to a second location.

Absolute Finish

2008-11-13T18:07:00.004-07:00

I'd like to give a quick shout out to Brad and his crew from Absolute Finish. These guys have worked through the days and nights of the past week on the interior perimeter walls of the new studio. I brought these guys in because they've done a great job on some painting jobs for me in the past and I knew I could trust them to get a gargantuan job done quickly.

The job has been challenging because we are trying some experimental finishes. I want a lot of cement and metal in the new studio... we have been sampling and testing a lot of ideas that leave the product manufactures scratching their heads. We are almost through and the plumbing is being installed.

Trees Through the Forest

2008-11-13T17:36:00.004-07:00

It's been a while since I added anything. I've been so busy wading through menial tasks that it's hard to see progress. I've gotta get out of the trees, and that's what blogs are great for.

So what's up?
-I've had a few editorial shoots, but I can't publish them here until they're published.
-I've been generating some estimates for some sweet jobs... cross your fingers.
-I've taken countless trips to the new studio to make decisions with contractors. (next post)
-I've also been working tirelessly, trying to take some advantage of some down time to design a new website that I will be publishing shortly. It has actually been a joy to go though 15 hard drives looking for images for the site that have a thread of continuity. I'm just a bit surprised at how long this process has taken. There's still so much more to look through!

I'm not ready to publish the site yet, but here are some of my travel images that will be on the site. I used to have a "travel" link on an old web site and I'm resurrecting the thought on my new site.

A historic night!

2008-11-04T23:04:00.009-07:00

Whether or not you voted for Obama, I think you would agree with me that he gave a moving speech tonight accepting the tough task of being our next president. Personally, I think he brings so much hope- optimism needed in our country and around the world.

The eyes of people watching this event around the country said so much. I was especially moved by the healing he has brought to our country's racial wounds. I hope I have the honor of photographing him someday.

I haven't photographed Oboma (YET), but I did get the opportunity to photograph Mark Udall for 5280 Magazine. Mark Udall just won the seat to be our next Colorado senator. I found Mr. Udall to be gracious and a gentleman. Congratulations Udall!

Art Director: Mike Leister
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Acute Resolute

2008-10-30T14:05:00.018-06:00

New York has always had a magnetic attraction for me, but on this trip she lost some of her sex appeal. I'll visit her again in a heartbeat, but let me explain.

I once passed up an opportunity to go work for Richard Avedon. It's a long story, but I chose to go backpack in Europe for six months instead. I came back from that wonderful & LONG trip- broke and lonely. It was perfect timing to meet and fall in love with my wife. We moved to Denver soon after we were married. Here's my point. I have often wondered, "What my life would be like if I had jumped on the opportunity to join Avedon's team?"

I just got back from a 9 day trip to NY. This trip and other visits have been confirmation for me that New York is truly one of the greatest cities on earth, but I'm happy for the divine providence that put me in my current place. I'm loosing my regrets.

I hope I'm not stepping on your toes if you live in NY. I'm just forming a personal resolution that I love where I am now (In Denver) more than ever, (and that pretty woman with the ruby red lips off in the distance isn't my type now that I've seen her up close. Perhaps if we had met in another life...)

Here are some random images from my last two days:

Here are some random observations:

-I believe that printed portfolios are becoming a thing of the past. (Do you agree?? Please comment if you do or don't.)

-Don't clip your fingernail on the Subway. It's disgusting.

-If your watch alarm goes off in the Subway, turn it off immediately.

-The sun is much warmer in Denver, even at the same temp.

-Don't go to show your book the week magazines are closing.

-The rowboats in Central Park are an excellent date.

Thanks again to Jonathan and Lynn for letting us stay at your place!

Physiognomy

2008-10-27T22:30:00.010-06:00

phys⋅i⋅og⋅no⋅my [fiz-ee-og-nuh-mee, -on-uh-mee] The art of determining character or personal characteristics from the form or features of the body, esp. of the face.

Between my scheduled appointments, I had some time shoot some NYC street photography. I sat with my coffee on Broadway this morning and tried to think of what to shoot.
Everywhere I looked, tourists were shooting the same sites and scenes as me. I wanted something unique. I don't get inspired to shoot architecture much and I don't have a reputation of a pure photojournalist, but I do get hyped up by people. So I decided to use a small white background to capture a few NY faces. Maybe it was the coffee, but I felt energized when I had a goal. So here are some people who graciously shared their faces for my anthroposcopy.

Misc. snapshots

2008-10-26T23:11:00.003-06:00

Balance

2008-10-26T22:00:00.009-06:00

Things have been so steady and strong for me this year that I decided to drop all my photo related priorities this weekend and focus on my greatest relationship ever, my family. It's been a great weekend, and an exhausting one too.

I've grown in appreciation for anyone who has two or more young kids in NYC. Getting around the town with a double stroller is quite a chore. We have literally walked for 12 hours at a time both days. Its great exercise, but it's left me beat.

My friend Mark made a comment about Manhattan and I concur. He said that while you are in The City, you feed on the energy that's all around you. But when you get back to your apartment and all the stimulus gets unplugged, it's easy to get wiped out. So true.

So, I don't have much imagery to show for the weekend, and it's fine with me. There's no greater reward than the closeness I've felt with my family. It's a balance worth pursuing.

Groundwork

2008-10-24T07:18:00.007-06:00

Yesterday, I spent most of the day doing the not-so-glamourous part of what I do when I visit NYC... making lots of phone calls and connections confirming and laying the groundwork for my meetings, most which are taking place on Monday.

I did have the pleasure of meeting on old friend from Boulder. Lauren Jones is a clothing designer who modeled for me many times in Denver and is now attending Parsons.

I didn't shoot much today, but on my way home I ran into a beautiful Jamaican folk artist named Monique Fagan Smith. The colors of her fabrics and the contrasting color of the cool blue sky light mixed with the warm reflection of light off a building stopped me in my tracks. I loved the mix of cool and warm light, each on one side of the face.

NYC, Day 1

2008-10-22T17:25:00.012-06:00

I spent the day today in Central Park with Christie, Ian, and Olivia. The leaves aren't peaking colors yet, but it was still a nice crisp fall day.

We went to the Central Park Zoo and hung out with a polar bear.

We saw a few nice leaves.

I met up with Kristen, an ol' school friend from high school year book staff... it's been 16 years!

We hooked up with my friend Mark Swanson.

We ended the day with a trip to Crumbs and took home some monster cupcakes. Attention Parents: No child should consume this much sugar! Olivia only had 1/4 cupcake and we are still trying to calm her down.

Halloween is just around the corner and skulls and goblins abound.

Memorial Statue

This is the view out our condo window at dusk.
I'd like to thank my friend and very talented photographer/producer Jonathan Ragle & his lovely wife Lynn for letting us stay at their place while they are out of town. I'm humbled by their generous hospitality.

Smooth Moves

2008-10-20T23:40:00.005-06:00

If you want to shoot with the big boys, you have to learn all the smooth moves. Here I demonstrate two master yoga shooting positions that have taken me many hours of practicing in front of the mirror to polish to this level of skill... obviously. Actually, I think my wing-man Randall is trying to show me just how uncool I look with these great behind the scenes shots... ha ha. Well, here - Randall demonstrates HIS coolness factor sporting matching super hero shirt and hard hat. That's the way we roll, people!

It's been a really busy week with two large ad jobs and an editorial shoot. I'm wiped out and operating on my last ounce of energy to get a few things in line before I fly to NYC tomorrow for some meetings with art directors and photo editors. I'm also prepping the launch of my new website, BryceBoyer.com. I think I've averaged 5-6 hours of sleep this week and mostly worked between the shut-eye. I'm glad my wife and kids will be in NYC with me to enjoy some time in Central Park with the leaves changing colors. I can't wait!

Before I go, I'd like to give a shout out to Matt Chiabotti and Danielle Bryan of Cactus Marketing Communications who has been such an incredible client. Cactus took home 15 awards from this year's ADCD annual show... they are clearly one of Denver's best, and an honor to work with. We shot 4 models in 7 locations in two days. I'll post pix when I they become unclassified.

Layers

2008-10-14T08:39:00.005-06:00

I was out location scouting early yesterday morning and it was unusually foggy for Denver. I was scouting construction sites and came across this scene. A little selective composing and this could be anyplace in the world. I was drawn to the mountainous layers of dirt caused by the atmospheric conditions. Glad I was up early enough to catch it. Half an hour later, the shroud of fog was gone and so was the magic.

Studio Update

2008-10-12T18:24:00.003-06:00

The ceilings are finished being power washed. It took a whole week to complete and the construction crew is now on to new chores, such as scraping paint from the cement floors. Isn't it a beauty!?

Framing may start tomorrow. It was delayed because of the ceiling and I am still making last minute decisions... where power outlets need to go, door placement, floor treatment, wall treatment... etc.

At the same time, I just took on a nice sized shoot for Cactus Communications this week... AND I'm prepping for a trip to NYC next week to meet with some art directors with an updated portfolio set that I have yet to print updates...uh.... when? Lots to do, but I'm thankful to Cactus for keeping me busy the week before I go! Thanks Matt!

I'm so happy to have had a great vacation last week!

Yurt so cool!

2008-10-09T20:11:00.012-06:00

"YURT" - a circular domed dwelling that is portable and self-supporting.

I just got back last night from a Yurt camping trip near Walden, CO. The yurt was sort of like a cabin, but more like a permanent tent. Like a tent cabin. And with 4 young kids, it was a circus. Like a circus tent... cabin... thing. Anyway, it was a new experience for me, and I love to experience new things.

The colors in northern Colorado were at their peak = a photographer's feast. I shot all day while frolicking through the woods with my wife and kids.

The crackle of the wood burning stove would fade and I'd have to rekindle the fire throughout the night while shooting 40 minute exposures of the night sky.

It sounds like work, but it really was a vacation. You can see more pictures from the trip on a separate blog I'll write next.

I'd like to thank our dear friends, the Hasners, for setting up a trip with their family and ours. I had no idea how cool this would be!

No Coast

2008-10-04T19:49:00.004-06:00

They're not east coast, they are not west coast, they are a Denver based band called No Coast. I shot this band a few weeks ago but haven't have time to blog it. I'm blogging on vacation. Go figure.

The fun thing about this shoot happened after I said we had what we needed "in the can". The band said they had another change of wardrobe to make... then they came out in ridiculous 80's apparel and wanted a photo for their Wii Rock Band photo. I love a good laugh and we started having so much fun making fun of 80's band photos. Good times!

Just for the fun of seeing

2008-10-02T21:12:00.007-06:00

I had a client ask me today if I had any recent work that leaned toward landscapes. It seems most of my assignments involve people... I felt inspired (and challenged) and went out and shot some stuff in the magic light of a Colorado sunset... just for fun. I also wanted to play around with the newer Lens Baby 3G.

I feel so blessed to be in this business... the business of seeing. So often, I stumble through the day looking, but not seeing. And then a client asks me to stop and see what I'm looking at. Colors pop. Lines compose. Action freezes in the decisive moment. All that matters is the chaos becoming "something else" in the boarders of my frame. I love my job.

New Studio Update

2008-10-01T21:34:00.000-06:00

The studio is coming along painfully slow as we strip the wooden ceiling from years of industrial guk. (Is that a word?) From my calculations, it could take 9 more days to power wash the ceiling. I asked my contractor if we could get a second power washer so two guys could work on it at the same time and split that time in half.

What do you do when your shoot gets rained out?

2008-09-29T17:33:00.004-06:00

Keep shooting! I just got back from a trip to Kenosha Pass to photograph Tough Girl rider Andi Holste. Everything was perfect. Blue skies, yellow aspen trees... a beautiful sight that only lasts a short season and then it's gone. After hauling a ton of gear to this site I had scouted years ago, we got hit with one of those sudden Colorado storms. Experience has taught me to keep shooting and deal with it later. I was cold and miserable on the outside and jumping for joy inside. I didn't even have to pay for a rain truck for this shot! You never know when a little unexpected weather will give you a little unexpected "coolness-factor" to your photo. Keep on shooting... that's what I say.

Here's what the shoot started with... notice the looming dark cloud approaching over Andi's right shoulder.

Hot off the press, 5280's October Cover

2008-09-29T17:03:00.005-06:00

Denver's Top Docs. These guys were fantastic to photograph. This is the second year I've shot this cover and spread for 5280. I'm thankful for the work... even more thankful that I haven't had to meet these guys in the ER!

After all the money I've spent on gear and learning the craft of lighting... this was a natural light shot. Just pure, simple, beautiful window light!

Art Director: Mike Leister
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Bryce Boyer Studio Update

2008-09-17T06:45:00.004-06:00

The dumpster went in yesterday and the demo has begun. I snapped a few photos before the the place gets destroyed. Since most of my previous posts were shot with my iPhone, I thought I'd take some higher res. images to better show y'all how cool this building is.

Thanks Denver Egotist!

2008-09-16T20:02:00.007-06:00

I just want to give a shout out to The Denver Egotist for mentioning me on their blog. The Egotist is one of Denver's most respected (and sometimes feared) ad-community blogs. The mystery writers are brutally honest. They will compliment you or chew you up and spit you out. Fortunate for me, they gave me a complimentary mention. Thanks Egotist!

Ready for Recon

2008-09-14T14:34:00.004-06:00

Christie and I just went by the new studio building. The previous owners are all moved out. The reconstruction begins on Monday! The first step will be to expose the wooden ceiling and remove some walls. I can't wait to get this place up and running!

Khale

2008-09-14T10:04:00.010-06:00

Khale is a crazy cool emerging band that I have fallen in love with. It ends up that these guys are my neighbors! I found out how much of a cynical person I am when in casual curbside conversation, they handed me a CD to check out. "Yeah, right," I thought. However, I fell in love with their CD at the first listen. Keep these guys on your radar if you like indie ambient pop.

Devotchka for Westword Magazine Cover

2008-09-14T09:35:00.004-06:00

I had the pleasure to photograph a band I really admire for their unique sound. Devotchka is an exploration of styles and an instramental adventure. But writer Dave Herera says it much better in this Westword story. You can read it HERE.

By the way, if you want to see one one of the best band websites I've seen in a long time... check out the Devotchka band website HERE

Here is our set. Thank you Jeffrey Nelson for the production stills.

CEO Kevin Loughrey for Canada's National Post Magazine

2008-09-12T17:58:00.007-06:00

Here's a portrait for Canada's National Post Magazine and a sneak peak at the set.

This is why I'm a photographer, not an illustrator. No really, before I left the studio, I sketched out my idea for lighting. Sometimes this changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes it works to do something spontaneous. In this case - I knew what I wanted to do before I walked out the door. Careful planning helps to pack the right gear for the job at hand. I never want to get to my location an wish I had brought "X".

Dominican Republic

2008-09-06T23:57:00.006-06:00

I've put together a small blog about my recent trip to the Dominican Republic. Use the link button to the right, or click here to go there now.

It's Official, there's no turning back now!

2008-09-03T06:52:00.009-06:00

Yesterday, we closed on the new studio building purchase!

This is HUGE for me in a lot of ways. I'm busting at the seems in the frame of my current studio space and this new building is like a big empty canvas!

I guess you could say the building is also like a half dead person that needs to be revived. The good news is we have a crew of trusty and talented surgeons in place ready to perform the facelift as soon as the city permits. Permits... argh... I hope we sail through through that whole circus ring! We've been through this before with my current studio and I have complete faith that this dusty garage is going to be one of the best studios in Denver.

Everyone is asking me how long will it take to get the space up and running. First, as the video shows, the current tenants have to move out... they say they can do it in a week. This video was shot at least a month ago and they have made a lot of progress since I filmed this.

The second variable is the permit process mentioned above. God only knows how long that will take.

Then comes construction. I'm being an optimist and hoping the construction can all be done in two months. But I've got enough experience in life not to bank on it.

I'd like to thank the sellers, Bill and John, for being patient and trusting in the process of this purchase. Throughout this whole transaction, you guys have felt more like happy uncles than what I would expect in this day and age of cold real estate deals. Come by any time to see the transformation.

I'd also like to give a shout out to Jeff Laws at Highland Mortgage. Thanks for all your help and guidance! This is the go-to guy if you want a great lender.

It's a long story, but I'll sum this up that I'm amazed at how several paths in my life have crossed at this time and this moment... right now. Right here. I've never been so excited about my career than this year. I have so many clients to thank for supporting me. Thanks also to my beautiful wife who has been an ever present encourager and my biggest fan. You're the best!

Hot off the press, 5280's September Cover

2008-09-01T14:04:00.006-06:00

Thanks 5280 Magazine for another cover. These cats are so fun to work for. I didn't really walk away with any stellar "behind the scene's" pix of this one... Sorry about that.

Art Director: Mike Leister
Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

On the way to press.

2008-08-30T15:05:00.001-06:00

I recently shot another cover and spread for a magazine on Denver's top Doctors. I'll post images when it goes to press. Here was the set. We also shot some stellar natural light portraits of the docs too. One of those will be the October cover. Thank you Caleb Opp for the production still.

One for the Book... or three.

2008-08-06T16:20:00.007-06:00

The busier I get, the harder it is to shoot for my book/portfolio. Sometimes I miss the days of struggling to get work... I had so much time to shoot for fun.

Last year, I scouted and incredible Euro looking roof-top-pool near downtown Denver and I knew I would have to shoot something fun for my book when the weather warmed up. I picked two of my favorite models I had worked with over the last year, booked one of my favorite stylists (Nicky Lee), and we set a date to shoot for all of our books.

Of course, three important things came up that day and almost canceled our shoot, but I plowed through. I believe that as a photographer, I must keep reinventing myself and shooting for the pure joy of it.

Thank you Nicky, Anjelica, and Alexandria!

Gulf Coast Light

2008-07-26T12:38:00.013-06:00

I'm in Florida near Tampa to see my good school buddy and artist, Robert Boland, get married to a fantastic gal named Jade on a small island beach called "Pass-a-Grill."

There is something so great about Coastal Light. I'm reminded of this each time I get the chance to visit the shore. I walked this morning on crunchy shells on the beach. I snapped some frames, drank coffee at sunrise, and wrote in my journal. Rare downtime. Played paint ball this morning with some other photo school buddies, including old time amigo Doug Davis.

Jade's grandfather is a WWII war hero. He has amazing stories and draws crowds around every time he talks.
This is Berto. He's getting married in an hour.
What is it about these "pay per view" binoculars that are so cool? I love the face.
This guy is a native. He showed me which shells are "the good ones" and told me all about Dolphins. Traveling alone is a great way to meet people, though I miss the Fam.

Berto shows his true colors.
Congrats Robert and Jade!

Coach Dan Hawkins, CU Buffs

2008-07-18T11:28:00.010-06:00

Art Director: Mike Leister

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

Yesterday, I photographed Coach Dan Hawkins of the CU Buffs at Historic Folsum Field for an 5280 Magazine.

After we loaded up my stylin' grip truck at the studio, I turned on the engine and something sounded terribly wrong. One quick peak under the truck and it was obvious that someone cut the catalytic converter out of my exhaust pipe! I called my mechanic and he said it wouldn't hurt to drive to our location 45 miles away in Boulder. However, it's costing me $270 to fix it so some crack-head can get a $20 fix. It really pisses me off. Word has it that catalytic converters are being stolen and shipped to Mexico, where the platinum is removed with a chemical process. Word on the street is the platinum is selling for something crazy, like $2k and ounce.

Anyway the shoot went well. Thanks Randall for the productions stills!

Boulder Cruisers for Bicycling Magazine

2008-06-27T12:51:00.004-06:00

Publish Post I just got this issue of Bicycling Magazine in the mail yesterday. The shot was for the back "Finish" page. Highlighted here are participants in a cycling group called the Boulder Cruiser Ride. These guys are awesome. They organize fun Thursday night costume bike rides through Boulder. They often have themes, like robots, nerds, and super heros. Next weeks theme: Red, White, and Cruise.
When we go there, I was joking about it being a windy day. We used so many sand bags on the background and scrim that I took a risk and left one head with a 20" beauty dish "un-bagged."

Sure enough, near the end of a shoot, a front moved in, ripped the 12' white seemless off the stands, and blew over my soft dish light. Gotta hand it to Dynalite, they make a good product. Even though the handle was bent into the head, the fan and head still work fine.
My assistant Randall shot this picture (above) right when I was shooting the image that ran.
What a great assignment and what great people. I love shoots for Bicycling. Thanks Stacey and Kaitlin! And thank you Randall for the production stills!

Playing with fire

2008-06-25T15:47:00.006-06:00

I'm playing with some ideas for retouching some of the fire fighter's images that were shot on black... This is just a rough sketch... I didn't spend too much time on selections, or placements... I'm mostly playing with my approach to layers and textures to figure what my final attack would be. It's a lot of fun. I don't know if it will work for the calendar, but I envision a gritty, grungy, movie poster look.

Remember the days when working with 2 layers in photoshop could take half an hour to render a simple change? I don't mean to sound like an ol' geezer, but I can't say how much I appreciate how far computer speeds have come! A fast computer just puts the fun back into the game!

The Future of things to come!

2008-06-23T13:22:00.006-06:00

Cats and kittens, hold on to your seats, because BIG changes are coming to my studio arrangements. Though I love my current digs, I've outgrown my shooting space. We are under contract for a new building that will expand my capabilities to the next level. Let's just say that several paths converged and this may be the best risk I've ever taken. A lot will need to happen in the coming months... if you have vision... check out these pix and join me in my excitement!

The building is garage... check out the vaulted ceiling! Two garage doors!

This is the view from the roof where we plan to put a deck!

Boulder Fire Fighters

2008-06-16T11:22:00.015-06:00

I was asked by a client if I would shoot a fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Burn Unit. Are you kidding me? Of course! My pitch to the AD was to combine the expected safe "sexy" look of the firemen with an edgy "heroic" look. They liked the idea and we were off to the races. We spent days scouting and shooting. The above image is just a basic test from the shoot... I'm still playing around with where I'm going with these images in post.

I'll have to split this shoot into several blogs... the job is huge.

Part of the honor of shooting this job was a tour of the Children's Hospital Burn Unit. I walked through the halls with last years calendar Firefighters and got to see first hand what this huge effort is going to help. It was awesome and frightening at the same time. The unit is a harsh reality I hope to never visit with my kids.

We met a boy (about 11 years old) who wants to be a weapons designer when he grows up. He filled a huge squirt gun with gasoline, trying to build his own flame thrower. Instead, he built his own napalm bomb which melted and shot flaming gasoline all over his legs. You get the picture. Ouch. Reminds me of the time when I was his age and some friends and I were playing tennis with a gasoline covered flaming tennis ball. It's a wonder any of us are alive. Part of the effort of this calendar is to educate kids to be smarter than I was.

Anyhow. This was a fantastic project. What guy didn't at one time want to be a firefighter? What girl at one time didn't want a fire fighter ???

Our first shot was a sunrise shot at the top of a training tower. We had to lug a couple thousand pounds 5 flights up to the top. Firefighter do it all the time.

My top secret lighting here is the 6x6 ScrimJim to cut down the ambient light, two Uni400s with grids on booms for back rim light, a Profoto 20" softdish reflector with grid and then a Profoto top secret multi-million dollar (insert laugh) custom grid pictured below.

Boulder is beautiful in the morning. I love my job.

This is the tower and we are setting up for the next shot... a firefighter named Tony in the bucket of a ladder truck.

Meet Nicky Lee, she is a rockstar stylist and a papillon.

In addition to the "action shots" we shot each firefighter on a stationary second set for the option of a cutout.

Here we are about to drench this firefighter with water from above for a sexy shower shot... yeah baby!

this shot is smokin'. LOL

5280 Magazine June '08 Cover

2008-06-16T10:32:00.013-06:00

Art Director: Mike Leister

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward

It was a great honor to shoot 5280 Magazine's June cover (the "Summer is Here!" issue) for the second year running. Careful scouting landed the perfect location to show a happy couple walking over a hill with stellar views of mountains in the background. Bad weather the week before the shoot threatened the deadline, but God came through and we had a beautiful early morning shoot. I couldn't have been more happy with my my weather and the crew. Kudos to Katelyn Simkins who did a great job with makeup. Randall Bellows, my wingman, Caleb Opp, and Micah Dekorne were camera assistants. Georgia Benjou was the clothing stylist.

Thank you Micah for these awesome production stills!!!!

Catering table and "Harvey the RV", my first class Grip Truck... sort of.

Katelyn hard at work.

Gotta live high walkers... This location is 80's RAD!

Summer issue shot in 40 degree weather... note warm clothes.

You have to pose like Bono when you shoot covers.

My top secret lighting: Uni400 with 18" dish key, 2040 head with 2K WS. blasting thru the 8X10" scrim for fill.

Mike (AD) to my left and Steff (PE) to my right.

Macbook Pro with external 18" screen and external hard drives powered by a Dynalite Battery in my computer tent.

You want some of this? 300mm lens compresses the subjects and Mountain background.

Here we are setting up to shoot the index page.

Sandbag tripod. Real High Tech.

Sorry for the view Randall... Thanks for saving my (and the Models') life. A great assistant will sacrifice all comforts to help get the shot... ha ha.

The Sports Authority

2008-05-08T02:13:00.006-06:00

Bayard Advertising awarded me a job for The Sports Authority. We photographed athletes in corporate and fitness garb for an upcoming campaign.

Coaching the model on a disassembled treadmill

And the crew photo at the end of the day.

Dave Kingsbury for Bicycling Magazine

2008-04-24T12:43:00.005-06:00

Dave Kingsbury is one of my new heros. He exemplifies the dream to live life in a way that is fun and fit. Besides working for Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Boulder, he has a skateboard park in his back yard and he had just returned from a surfing trip to Panama the night before the shoot! How cool is that? Bicycling Magazine did a story on him because he has been commuting to work without a car (whenever possible) for 15 years or something like that. His current commute is something like a triathlon- by bike, boat, and skateboard from Nederland all the way to Boulder. For those of you not from these parts... that's not an easy accomplishment.

His job title at CPB is "Sr. Cognitive Anthropologist." What the....?

I can't post the images until they go to print, but they are cool. Here are some options the magazine didn't choose:

GolfTec

2008-04-02T12:31:00.001-06:00

Peter Reese at GolfTec needed some quick photos for some ads, web, and press coverage of his growing company, Golftec. They specialize in one on one training for golf.

Eric Lombardi for Newsweek Magazine

2008-03-31T00:13:00.000-06:00

Paul from Newsweek Magazine asked me to shoot a portrait of Eric Lombardi who runs a company out of Boulder called Eco Cycle. Started by a couple of hippies back in the day, this is now a serious business that is getting some much needed press. I learned more about recycling in the afternoon spent at EcoCycle than I have in year. The thing they do different is they recycle "hard to recycle" products such as computers, plastic bags, shoes, clothing, books, etc. These guys are the real deal... they have a heart for keeping the environment green.

The final image looks so simple but it was a complex set. Would OSHA approve?

Charles Carlson for Bicycling Magazine

2008-03-13T23:13:00.002-06:00

Stacey from Bicycling Magazine has been so kind to me... You rock Stacey! Here's another fun assignment. Charles Carlson rides 500 miles a week... often from Boulder to Rocky Mountain National Park (and back)- a 100 mile solo ride with 10,000 ft. of elevation gain in 5 hours. The guy is FAST. In fact, he could be one of the best racers in the country, but he says he loves cycling too much. He does it just for the love of it.

I was asked to photograph Charles riding and looking fast, combined with a portrait. Right up my alley. I love assignments like this. I spent part of an afternoon dangling out the back of a truck photographing a really cool guy getting his workout. Of all the celebrity athletes I shoot, I have to say cyclists are the nicest. Thanks Charles for a great day and some dynamic images!

Here are some production stills compliments of my assistant Randall

Crocs CEO Ron Snyder for Inc Magazine

2008-03-11T22:39:00.001-06:00

Inc Magazine's Kate called on me to photograph Ron Snyder the CEO of Crocs. Do you ever have one conversation with someone and just know they are a great person? That's how I felt when I got off the phone with Kate. That same vibe flowed to the end of the job. Thanks Kate for being so cool!

Despite the location being very boring and corporate, we made the mag happy with two options shot in about 5 minutes with a very busy guy. In and out... I used to work for this great photographer Steve Seeger who called it "combat photography."

Production stills by my assistant Randall:

Nice picture of my butt and our usual cart of stuff.

This is the challenge: Isolate the subject and light the shot in a way that doesn't say corporate headquarters, USA.

The Good Soldier

2008-03-01T18:26:00.002-07:00

I shot the March 20th cover and a spread for Westword Magazine for art director Jay Vollmar. The story was about how many veterans of the war in Iraq are not getting the medical benefits they deserve and how one man, Andrew Pogany, is fighting for their rights. When Jay asked if I would be interested in the story I jumped on board. I shot a still life for the cover and a few people who's lives have been effected by the injuries in the war. I photographed Teresa in Colorado Springs... her husband had a brain injury that is internal and is effecting his temperament. She is left to run all the aspects of their home while he is in a hospital in California. She learned recently that he may never leave the hospital.

These young kids are coming back with major baggage and their stories need to be heard. Andrew Pogany is representing injured troops who are not getting the help they deserve.

Andy Hampsten for Bicycling

2008-02-24T21:55:00.002-07:00

I photographed American Andy Hampsten for Bicycling Magazine near his home in Boulder, Co. Andy is best known for his historic win of a stage in the Italian Giro in 1985, 26 years ago. Despite freezing temps and 2 feet of snow, Andy rose to the top and his victory made him a national hero in Italy.

Here is our set. My assistant, Caleb, and I had to lug all the gear down a short but steep path to this nice rock on Flagstaff Mountain. I was just getting over a terrible fight with the flu and my throat felt like razors were ripping up and down inside as I breathed in the dry high altitude air. (Enter violins and cello music) HAHA... well, we did get the shot. We were perched with all kinds of lights, battery packs and heads hanging over the edge of a cliff. Thank God for sandbags!

Matt Holiday for Sports Illustrated

2008-01-30T17:53:00.006-07:00

Sports Illustrated asked me to photograph my third "SI Players" full page portrait in January. The subject? Matt Holiday- Denver's 23 million dollar Rockies star player. My sister almost fainted when I told her. She's a big fan. Girls love Matt. Sorry ladies... he's a real family man.

Matt's PR guy, Jay, was the nicest PR guy I've dealt with yet... the way they should be. He made sure we had the access, the location, the information, and the time I needed to walk away with some nice shots. You would think PR guys would want to help you get a good photograph for Sports Illustrated... unfortunately, it's usually the opposite. Jay was great and deserves a shout out... Thanks Jay!

Matt was really down to earth... we chatted and compared notes about our kids. He takes his son to practice as much as possible... like I said, he's a real family guy. I love it... he seems to be able to "keep it real" despite his celebrity status.
My assistant Caleb and I set up our key shot and then prepped some gear to do some shots from the hip. SI chose one of those pictures of Matt sitting in a booth. It seemed to capture his relaxed and approachable character.
I don't ask for signatures, but Matt gave me a signed ball for my sister when I told him she was a big fan... she nearly hit the ceiling when I gave it to her. Thanks Matt.

Here is our set for the shot with the bricks that are typical of Coors Field

January Politics

2008-01-30T17:24:00.006-07:00

How do you get two competing Congressmen- one republican and one democrat- onto the same set for a personal debate photo op.? You don't... it just ain't gonna happen. 5280 Magazine contacted me to photograph (I can't say "shoot") the two congressmen in two locations. My job was to recreate the same lighting for both sets and to get Congressmen Bob Schaffer and Gary Udall to gesture light heartedly- as if in a friendly debate.

Both shoots were typical of high profile politicos... super fast and short. Writer Patric Doyle was on set to follow up the shoot with an interview. Both politicians could turn on the charm for the camera and both were surprisingly trusting.

Udall impressed me with the claim to have climbed most of the fourteeners in Colorado.

Art Director: Mike Leister

Photo Editor: Steffanie Woodward