Silence on the Blog

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.

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

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

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!!!

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

Balance

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

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

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.