Hawker 900XP Jet at FRG Airport

Forgive me, my readers, as it has been a long time since I’ve posted. I may post things a little out of order but will post, nonetheless. This one is about a Hawker 900XP that was in need of some new images to advertise it for chartering.

I try to get some variation on the angle and as much as possible to get the plane away from other obstructions without needing to have help moving it multiple times.

This plane has seating for 5, plus the couch.

I think its always a nice touch to bring in flowers or glasses to make it more inviting. The crew I worked with on this shoot was nice enough to arrange this for me.

I can only imagine what its like to be piloting one of these in the air. Must be a rush.

Whiskey Anyone?

Over the years I’ve tried to be conscious of what I enjoy shooting. What would I shoot if I had complete control and could produce the content that I felt challenged by and can produce something that I’m proud of as an artist? For me, that is commercial work.

For this shoot, I had an idea to produce content that felt like it could be in a magazine or trade advertisement for a new passion of mine: whiskey.

Johanna was great to work with in helping me work through perspectives to capture the smell test. I wanted to add a bit of color so I accented the brick wall with a purple and green gel to add some visual interest. Just a slight turn from the model and a different color gel bring a very different feel between these.

I wanted to create a mood, an atmosphere that brought you in and made you want to be a part of it. In my research for this idea I found very few ads of women with whiskey so that was appealing to do something different from what you normally see.

Again experimenting with different lighting here. I have just two lights on Johanna. I had planned for a third but when I arrived to setup, one of my lights died so I had to make due with two.

Athletic Shoot with Erke

I've worked with Erke multiple times and when you see the results, you understand why.

We did this shoot in Dumbo which is a very popular place to shoot since it provides this kind of scenic background.  This happened to be a very cold day but Erke was unfazed by the temperatures.

Until next time - and I'm confident there will be one...

Fitness Portfolio with Lance

On Tuesday mornings I take a class at 5:45AM with a bunch of other loyal attendees to workout with this guy.  Lance is full of energy, intense and focused on having fun while giving you the workout of your life.

The workout takes place at Lifetime Fitness, although I know he does training and classes at various gyms around NJ.

He was very gracious in front of the camera and we had a good laugh in between shots being taken as he came up with these very intense poses.  Looking at him here, he's not someone you'd want to end up on his bad side however, he's the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet.

This is the first of hopefully more trainers and fitness professionals I'll be able to shoot with in the coming months.  Looking forward to more.

Corporate Headshots

I was recently given the opportunity to shoot some headshots for Michael to be used for LinkedIn and other social media.  Whenever doing headshots I like to make sure there's plenty of conversation both before and during the session to make sure the client is comfortable.

Capezio Activewear Shoot #2

I had another opportunity to shoot with Stef to feature some new clothing by Capezio.  We had the luxury of having a gym to ourselves for a few hours so we took advantage of the space and time.

Another advantage of having the whole gym to yourself is you can use any of the "props" that are around.  How about a super large tire?

We were going for demonstrating strength and maybe a couple tricks to show flexibility.  I think we did both in this shoot.

We also had a small team that helped on this shoot.  Big thank you to the following: 
Model: Stefania Damiano
Hair + MUA: Samantha Linn
Retouching: Olya Bro 
Gym: JD Core Training

e-Commerce Clothing Shoot

Tamasha-Knit, a Persian based company, asked me to shoot their holiday line.  The company is a family run business and was founded by two sisters.  Priya was my contact for this shoot and she was fantastic to work with.  We spent a lot of time up front talking about the look she wanted and how we would achieve it.

One of the first aspects of the shoot was to choose a model.  I gave them a couple choices based on people I had worked with in the past.  As luck would have it, I had only worked with Cassandra one other time but she proved to be as great selling clothing as she did kicking sand around during some beach volleyball.  The client loved her as well!

I think it really comes across in the images that these colors and fabrics and really nice to wear and look at. Cassandra incorporated some fun movement into each of the items and I just tried to catch it.  

As we got further into the shoot, we had a pretty quick rhythm that we established to make the most of each piece, get something from the front, side and back and move onto the next piece.

In addition to the heavier material, there were also some light-weight scarfs that had some amazing colors to them.

As a part of their holiday line, they are also making travel blankets and the accessories that go with those sets like a pillow and mask.  Overall, such a fun shoot and always great to work with new clients.  I look forward to the next line we can capture together.

Corporate Headshots with Marloes

I was hired by a company representing the WTC Netherlands Alliance Magazine to photograph Marloes, a Dutch lawyer from Amsterdam, currently living in NYC and working for E&Y.  We took a variety of shots starting with these...

As I'm sure you can tell, we spent our time together in Time Square.  This felt like the best setting for her since she's showcasing her time in NYC and to non-New Yorker's, what's more characteristic of NYC than Time Square?

I was thrilled to see that a few of these images made it to the WTC Netherlands Magazine.  Thanks to Frank van Bergen from ASEGA Media for finding me for this gig and to Marloes for taking some time out of her busy day to capture the snapshot of what her life is like now in NYC.

World Trade Center Netherlands Alliance Magazine #6 - TOC

World Trade Center Netherlands Alliance Magazine #6 - Full Article

Antigravity Yoga with Jen

I was recently invited to photograph a long time friend of mine doing some anti-gravity yoga.  Its something I've never seen in person or experienced so it was insightful to take a few photos and see what it is all about.  This, in general, is one of the things I like most about being a photographer - being in situations I wouldn't have otherwise been in.

There's a lot of focus and attention inward.  I came in once the session already started and we didn't actually say hello until she was done with this private session.

This is a nicely lit studio in NYC that was fun to explore from a photographers perspective.  Shot all in natural light.

One of these days I'll try this anti-gravity session and experience for myself.  Looking forward to our next shoot.

Capezio Activewear Shoot

Stephanie, whom I've worked with multiple times in the past, recently was selected for an opportunity to model some new Capezio clothing.  She asked me to help capture some images to market these clothes to the active, fit females everywhere!

We had access to a gym that she works out in called Fairlambfit in Northern NJ.  We pretty much had the whole gym to ourselves which allowed us to explore without having to ask people to step out of the way :-) 

Steph had a few pieces of clothing to feature so we moved around a bit to keep in the sports/active mode while featuring the clothing, and her, in action.  She got a little workout in the meantime.

Keeping it real.  Steph has been a dancer for many years which allows her to move and stretch like one.   

For this last one, we got a little help with the edit. Thanks to Olya Bro for some photoshop work on this one to clean up the surroundings.  Great kick!

Beach Volleyball Sports Shoot

I planned a beach volleyball shoot in the summer and it didn't work out and boy am I glad.  This is the shoot I planned but not when it was originally scheduled.  For various reasons we had to push it back to early September and we were blessed with a beautiful warm day and nobody around since it was a day when most people are back to their lives after the summer is over.

I had worked with Erke before but this time she brought along a friend, Cassandra.  Super fun to work with and her height came in handy for jumps like you see above and even beforehand with hooking up the net since none of us could reach without a step stool.

We headed to Bradley Beach on the NJ Shore and pretty much had the run of the place.  We started shooting around 3pm and shot until the sun set.  Now these girls are not pro volleyball players but you'd never be able to tell.  We were fortunate to have help with the location and instruction from Landa (true volleyball player and referee).  

Both of these girls went at it pretty hard all day with jumping and diving for the ball.  We took a break just before the golden hour and got back to it for some of these shots.

Such a fun shoot on the beach!  This last set above is more of their expertise.  Love working with talented people!  Big thanks to Erke & Cassandra!

Handbag Advertising Shoot

This year I had a very specific goal to execute several advertising shoots during the course of 2017 to show the execution of a concept to delivery of images.  This is the second in this series.  The first was a jewelry shoot featuring some David Yurman pieces.  This one is all about the handbag!

I selected two bags that inspired me and worked with Brittany Rendon again to style the shoot based on the feel I wanted. The first shown here was a Michael Kors bag.  I love how the expression of love for this bag comes through on Erke's face.  Effrosyni also did a great job with hair and make-up changes throughout the day!

The great styling work from Brittany really shines through on the pieces above.  We also featured a variety of sunglasses to enhance the look on some of the images.  Erke effortlessly works a variety of poses to showcase the bag and the clothing to give a sense of fun I was imagining when first thinking about this shoot. 

I had to put this jumping image on its own.  Wow!  You should have seen the air this girl was catching and looking so effortless with bag in hand.  Special thanks to Olya for her attention to detail in cleaning up these images to look magazine ready.

The next bag was a Louis Vuitton that I thought had a very cool look to it. This one is called the Kimono just in case you'd like to get one.

So, Erke is a model but also an accomplished dancer.  I worked with her on a previous shoot when I first discovered her jumping skills and brought her back for this gig.  I leave you with a few more of her catching some air with Louis. Awesome shoot. Great team!

Model: Erke Roosen
Stylist: Brittany Rendon
Hair + MUA: Effrosyni Pimenidis
Assistant: Achim Harding
Retouching: Olya Bro 
Photographer: Darrin Estep

Kelly's Portraits

Kelly responded to a casting call I placed a couple months ago on Model Mayhem.  I had a lot of responses and she was my top choice but we weren't able to work together because of scheduling conflicts so I kept her info for another opportunity to do some test shots.

I'm glad I waited.  Her features are striking and what I was pleasantly surprised to find out as well is that she is very down to earth and fun to work with.  I started with a few images that were near a window before I broke out lights.  Natural window light is hard to beat.

She mentioned that she didn't have as much in her portfolio that are full body so I selected one of the dresses she brought to the shoot and we played around with this outfit.  

We ran short on time so I ended with a few headshots of her with this dress.  The session was short but sweet.  I hope we can work again in the future.

Model: Kelly Mulvihill
MUA: Nicole Maldonado

Modeling Portraits with KimC

Now and again I like to use ModelMayhem to help find new people to work with.  I put a last minute shoot together to keep things interesting and put a challenge in front of me to think on my feet.

As I usually like to do, we started with beauty shots.  I find this really helps to break the ice and for myself and the model to get a little time to connect.  Well, this was pretty quick and easy with Kim.  She looks intense but she was very down to earth and easy to talk to and I remember being impressed on the day of the shoot that she would very easily go from smiling and laughing to being completely "in character".

We had this nice exposed brick to work with so we played around with that for a couple looks. Kim has super long legs and I wanted to feature that in some of the images.  She asked if I prefer working with taller models and I said, "Sure, as long as I have my step stool with me :-)"

We were running short on time toward the end and there was a couch I wanted to use so I moved it in front of my black backdrop to isolate Kim against the couch.  Love what we got here.

Thanks to Kim (model) and Sheila on make-up for making it a fun, successful shoot.

Jewelry Advertising Product Shoot

One of most important goals I have for my business each year is to continue to push myself creatively and do personal work that's inspiring and challenging.  Its also very important to me to work with a team of people you respect and trust.  This is the first in a series of shoots this year that will showcase my ability to build out an idea, find the right team to collaborate with, and execute on that vision.  In my opinion, when these elements come together it can take the final output to the next level.

For this shoot, I developed a concept inspired by a well known jewelry designer and collection I was drawn to.  I built a creative brief and explored what would be featured, how I would display the jewelry to convey a feeling and emotion.  I wanted it to feel effortless while being very intentional.

One of the most important roles in my creative team was the stylist.  Brittany was a referral from the make-up artist (MUA), Lyndsey.  Her role is critical to helping bringing a rough idea to life and tell the story.  Its also critical to have a MUA that can deliver on what's planned and a model that can interpret the direction given and add her own bit as well.  Everyone is an essential part of the team.

The storyline here follows three parts: 1) Preparing for a night out 2) The night out itself and 3) Reflection.  The first two images above represent the preparation.  Everyone gets ready with this much bling on, right?

The classic little black dress (LBD) helps feature a variety of the pieces we had for this shoot.  We simply turned it around for a different perspective.  Another aspect I explored in terms of the final output is color or black & white.  Which do you like better?

With the level of detail and scrutiny I've given to these images it gives me an appreciation for the final results.  There's a LOT of work that goes into the planning and executing of a shoot like this.  I really love it though.  All of it.

Finally the "reflection" image.  What I've gathered here are a small sample of the great images that came from this day.  As I mentioned above, I worked with a team of people that I want to thank and recognize for their contribution to this project.

Model: Stephanie Damiano
Stylist: Brittany Rendon
MUA: Lyndsey Ariel
Assistant: Tom Spota
Retouching: Olya Bro 
Photographer: Darrin Estep

Laundrylux Laundromat - The Bronx

I know I say it a lot but I'll say it again.  I love referrals and repeat business.  This, to me, is so important.  This was the second laundromat shoot I've done now for Laundrylux which manufacturers commercial laundry equipment.  The first one was in Queens and this time I was in The Bronx to shoot a location that was just about to open.

I wish I would have counted the number of people that stopped by this location to ask, "Are you guys open yet?" while I was shooting this space.  It was impressive and there's obviously demand for it in the neighborhood.  The space is GIANT (as the name indicates), clean and new and ready for your laundry needs.

Pictured here was Jim.  He was my contact at this location and one of the owners of the space.  Super nice guy and I wish him all the success in the opening of this beautiful location.

Interactive Corporate Meeting

Stride invited me in to capture the inter-workings of their collaboration at this off-site event.  They have a few of these each year to keep things fresh and the ideas flowing.

People talking and collaborating...

They had a great space for this event and was able to capture some of the amenities.

One final "fun" image with the entire group.

Mother/Daughter Photos

Recently I was hired to shoot some photos of a mother & daughter.  It's something that so far I've not had the opportunity to do...and after this session its something I would definitely do again.  

Mom (Katrina) and I had many conversations about the type of look we were going for and we agreed the images would be more on the serious side however, we wanted to have some fun as well.  As you can see, we did both.

Gabby (the daughter) wasn't super comfortable in the clothes that mom brought but she went with it.  We made sure to allow for some time for her to stretch her wings a bit.

We ended the day with a few of Katrina.  Fun session with the two girls.  We have more scheduled for later in the year.  Can't wait.

Corporate Headshots: Mastiff LLC

A company that I've worked with before, Mastiff LLC, called on me again for photos of a new employee, Bryan.  He interned with them before and now he's been hired on as a full-time employee.  

We went to nearby City Hall Park to grab some photos while the weather was still warm.  Later, we joined the others for some group images near the office.  Love the repeat business and look forward to working with this group again soon.

Dance Photos in NYC

As usual, there's a backstory to every shoot.  Months ago I wanted to setup a shoot with dancers to do something creative.  Just a personal project.  I spent the time thinking through all the logistics and concepts, did lots of planning, set a date and - it rained.  Ugh.  

Fast forward a couple months and I thought I wanted to pick up where I left off but it was very last minute and none of the original team was available.  Fine!  I still want to do it so I'm going to post something online to see what I can put together.  Lucky for me, Erke answered my casting call and Alexa was available to help with make-up - and boom.

I started with headshots.  We only took a few because we were limited on time and I really wanted to see this girl jump.  I was NOT disappointed.  I picked this location from suggestion from another photographer and it was perfect.  It has all the elements I wanted: interesting but not too busy, very NYC but not something you see all the time and open shade which is so much easier to work with.

Dance Shoot Crew:

Model: Erke
MUA: Alexa
Assistant: Tom Spota