Nadine Kalmes + Associates BLOG

Steve Bonini and Alter...Create Winter in Summer of 2011

2012-01-25T09:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!

This Nike Campaign was featured on Workbook's Blog in November 2011.

I am embellishing it with more photos and comments from Abe Finkelstein, with ALTER, who helmed the retouching process.

During the searing summer heat of 2011, Steve Bonini shot a running apparel campaign for Nike, "The Holiday 2011" campaign. The images were published in the late fall and winter months.

Below are Abe's comments.

Abe: " For me, one of the challenges in the rain images involved adjusting every part of the image to compensate for the severe change in lighting.

The images were shot in high contrast daylight (heavy shadows and highlights with heavy directional lighting). The final image required a low contrast overcast sky (softer shadows and highlights with minimal directional lighting).

The other challenge involved filling the entire image with rain. The image was shot with a rain tower, but this only covered the area directly around the talent with rain. This rain from the tower also had to be adjusted to interact with the new background feel.

Then the other 80% of rain had to be filled. We created multiple CGI rain environments and incorporated them to make the rain look natural with the concrete overpasses and rain from the tower." A.F.

The challenge was to create lots rain,

a layer of frost,

and the dark of night

in order to show off Nike's rain repellent and dark reflective gear. These effects were created when there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the temperature hovered around eighty degrees.

"We combined real time effects and post-production retouching by Alter in Chicago. Using rain towers, fake ice crystals, and a collection of ominous storm clouds that we dropped into each scene to give a dark, wintry look, we got the images to evoke the weather even before handing them over to Alter." S.B

When the project was done, they had pushed the calendar ahead by four months! A wonderful collaborative effort by all involved. The images are outstanding!

http://www.stevebonini.com
http://www.thinkalter.com

Photographers on Photography: An Interview with Caterina Bernardi

2011-12-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful and informative interview with Caterina Bernardi. It gives insight into her personality, her history and into the mind of a very creative and passionate individual. I love Caterina's work! I completely respect her immersion into all forms of art and how it influences her photography. Thank you Alison McCreery for conducting a fantastic interview and sharing your great Blog.

Q&A with Advertising and Editorial Photographer CATERINA BERNARDI

Caterina Bernardi is an award-winning San Francisco based advertising and editorial photographer. The driving forces behind her career are immense talent, a sophisticated eye for beauty, a uniquely passionate vision and a love for photography that has her chasing the light and remarkable settings and landscapes around the world so that we may share her inspiration in the pages of international magazines and in ad campaigns for some of today’s top brands. The passion for creating beautiful images is grounded in a capacity to live and see in such a way that the magic and the mundane co-exist and to transport viewers to this place with both her commercial and personal work.

I first saw Caterina’s work at last year’s APA Something Personal show, a beautiful and somewhat mysterious image of two near-naked young girls on a tiny island in the middle of a Norwegian lake. Carrying the powerful innocence of childhood – they are topless, captivating and charming—when there is still a relationship with the magic of life. They are anchored in a mythological landscape to ensure it doesn’t become a memory. It is this level of talent, the ability to build complex, redemptive images that drew me to her work. Art that is used for commerce in a way that adds beauty and motivates people to participate in life from the place that is real and a little magical and to do it from a place of discovery, power and delight.
I contacted Caterina for an interview and beyond an enthusiastic and immediate yes, she insisted we meet for tea. Six hours, one microwave lasagna and a Swedish folk song later (a song she hadn’t heard since childhood just happened to be playing in the coffee shop where we met), I had a new friend and had gotten to know an incredibly talented and just delightful photographer who is deeply passionate about life and her work. It was a pleasure to get to know her and to interview her for POP.
A big thank you to Caterina for all her time and energy on this interview and for sharing her beautiful work and several amazing childhood pictures with us.

POP: When did you first become interested in photography?
My connection with photography first blossomed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where I lived in the very early 1990’s. There, I learned Portuguese, encountered very passionate people and discovered my own passion for photography. A friend had found a producer to make her first CD, and I took pictures of her recording music with the famous Brazilian artists in the studio. It was an incredible experience that compelled me to pursue photography, which eventually led me to San Francisco, a magnificent city to go to live and work.
I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in San Francisco and assisted various photographers until I ventured out on my own to shoot.
POP: You grew up in Norway, but are Italian and Norwegian. Did you spend time in Italy while growing up? Did this shape your aesthetic in any way?
Italy has a rich art history and I am certainly inspired by the country’s incredible talents, although I would say my childhood experiences are separate from that. It was as a teenager in Norway that I immersed myself into the arts and found it to be what I was most drawn to.
My dad is Italian but I never lived in his native country. The time I spent in Italy was during my childhood summers when we would drive for two days straight from Oslo to Italy and spend a month on the beach somewhere. I remember vividly the part of driving down the Autobahn in Germany at what seemed a million km per hour; coming from Norway’s slow speed limits it was a surreal experience. As a Norwegian there is an incredible longing for warm summer days after an arduous and cold winter, so being able to run around all day bathing in the sun was like heaven.

Me and my mother on the coast of Italy

POP: Clearly the soul and landscape of Norway and your travels have been influential for you. You are also personally very expressive and inspired and seem to find magic in the moments that go unnoticed by most. Where do you think this comes from? Were your parents artists?
My mother was an artist. She was from a little town called Orkanger (where I was born) up north in Norway, and in the 1950’s she moved to Oslo in pursuit of acting and modeling. Working in theatre took her to Copenhagen for a few years and finally to Italy, where she performed on RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) and modeled – It was certainly the belle époque of her life. This is also where she met my dad. They later moved back to Norway and settled in Oslo.

I think artists in general have an innate appetite for life, and speaking for myself, I find that curiosity and passion drive me to explore and create, to be mesmerized by life and it’s constant flux of magical encounters, fears and achievements; my vehicle of expression is the art and craft of photography.

POP: Have you always lived in this way or did it come with an artistic maturity?
Ever since I can remember! The world was a mystery I intended to discover thoroughly with much curiosity.
There was not a clear definition of what those things would be, this slowly came with maturity, but the drive to make, create and explore was certainly there. My mother says I was a hard worker as a kid, making and building things all the time from recycled materials. I used go to flea markets and buy textiles to dye and sew my own clothes of, plant a garden in the backyard, draw and write a comic strip book, disappear on adventures in the woods in the summertime and only come back at night. There, I would philosophize and establish a dialog with the mysterious world.

POP: You have masterful conceptual and formal skills and high production values without sacrificing a depth, warmth and relatedness. How do you achieve this while producing complicated shoots, many times in international locations?
Connecting with the talent is very important when shooting in order to capture beautiful moments, and I work hard to make them comfortable and excited so they give their best. This also relates to the importance of having a good rapport with the team working with you; with great collaborations everyone wins and walks away with a sense of achievement. Thorough pre-production facilitates the workflow, and when complex issues and problems arise, the expertise of a talented producer can save the day. Every element of the production needs to flow well, and a producer running a tight show like Jenny Bullock facilitates the job immensely and gives you peace of mind to focus on the shooting and to be creative.

POP: You get such a nice genuine emotion from your models. Have you had to overcome any challenges in getting to this point or did you know intuitively how to work with people?
Oh, I thank you, that is a great compliment! It is what a photographer strives for in an image, to get genuine emotion and expressions from their subjects. Sometimes it happens very naturally, and sometimes it is a real challenge to put a person at ease, to make them feel comfortable and enjoy having a camera pointed at them. Establishing a connection with the talent requires a certain confidence and people skills on the part of the shooter, and I do think that the more experienced you are the easier it is to interact with models and direct them. There is a steep learning curve to become a good photographer, (10,000 hours they say it takes to master a craft) and only by lots and lots of practicing do you manage to go into the deeper layers of photography, which is reflected in your work becoming stronger and more defined.

POP: Your landscape and water work is incredibly beautiful and bathed in gorgeous light. What are your current inspirations for this work? And what inspires you in general when shooting landscapes?
My new favorite location is the Sydney Opera House; it is a stunning architectural marvel, a true masterpiece in every sense of the word. To think of the time it was actually constructed, without the access to modern computers, is incredible, and makes the structure as much of an engineering masterpiece as well as the design. The curved tall shapes of the shells that make up the opera house are truly beautiful and massive, you have to walk around and explore to really grasp how impressive it is. These structural details remind me of sails on a ship, giving an impression of the yearning for exploration or discovery.
Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect, designed the opera house, but actually never got to see the finished work due to a fierce fight for control over the project with the city’s officials. There was a lot of drama behind the development of this icon, which makes it even more enthralling; hopefully someone will make a movie about it one day.

Another one of my favorite locations is Hitra, an island north on the west coast of Norway. My water series emerged from travels up north in Norway where the Norwegian Sea bathes in this unbelievable light in summer. At dusk, in calm waters, there is a silver layer on the surface of the water that becomes like a mirror. It is both incredibly beautiful and surreal. I have not seen this anywhere else.

Photographing landscapes gives you a lot freedom in some ways as you “only” have to focus on the landscape composition and the light. Often I do some “Photoshop” with my imagination while shooting, and wonder what it would look like with certain elements dropped in, thinking of how to expand the scenario in front of me. Sometimes I do use location shots and play with compositing in post, other times the image stays as is and I leave it up to the viewer to imagine a story.
POP: I remember reading a piece in, I think, Harper’s many years ago in which the Prime Minister of Norway spoke openly about his belief in the unseen beings: gnomes and fairies.
Hmmm, from what I know it was the former Icelandic Prime Minister Finnbogadottir who expressed this; “No one has proven the existence [of invisible beings], but no one has proven the existence of God, either.”
Having said that, Norway has a deep tradition in mythical figures like trolls and fairies; it is the root of our fairy tales and legends. Dotted across Norway you will find troll statues along the roads as a witness to the other-worldly creatures that have been a part of our culture since the beginning of Norway’s history, starting with the native Sami people. Although these creatures are usually referred to in past terms, they might lurk in the corners of your house or in the lake.
This image was inspired by moody, troll-filled fairytale paintings from Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen.

POP: You draw on a tremendous amount of art history knowledge for your work. You must have loved studying art. Do you regularly go to museum shows, read art magazines, go to galleries?
Going to art school was like therapy to me. I immersed myself in all aspects of the arts, and I still do, with cinema, performances, music, galleries, travel, and a good read. Recently I visited a museum in Sydney where I discovered an amazing Australian turn-of-the-century artist with these immense paintings depicting peasant village life, and I thought about the unbelievable labor-intensive work displayed before me. Moments like these might have an influence in future pieces I create.
An example of work inspired by a painter is the underwater image of Aliona, a nine month pregnant woman submerged in water covered in a white chiffon cloth. Boticelli’s famous painting “Primavera” has an angelic and ethereal feel that heavily inspired the creation of the piece.

POP: You bring so much inspiration to your work. How do you bring this to your commercial work? And have you ever lost touch with it and had to find it again?
I have the same enthusiasm whether it be commercial or personal work because the creative process in itself is what is inspiring. Before shooting I do quite a bit of research and look for inspiration to be prepared. Each assignment presents different needs and when approaching a project I try to bring as much as I can to the table; this way my eyes and ears are wide open and ready to explore the process ahead. As for most things in life the better prepared you are the better the results, so I try to stir my creative juices and tailor-make the best scenario for each job then immerse myself in the project.
We all feel uninspired from time to time, and then I am drawn to get out of the house, go for a walk, do yoga or see a movie. This separates me from what I are trying to achieve and gives me a chance to have a fresh approach. Travel usually inspires me the most, I want to climb every mountain and get to the highest peak to seek out fresh perspective, then go home with stories to tell and new images I aspire to make
POP: What was your process for learning to work with a retoucher?
This was a natural progression for me when technology changed and Photoshop evolved into a more complex process in creating the final image. Retouching became such an important element that collaborating with a dedicated master in this craft just makes sense. I believe a lot of the artistry in an image nowadays is done in post-production, which gives you the opportunity to create layers to further extend the story telling, and manipulate the mood and color palette.

The collaboration between a photographer and a retoucher takes the artistry of an image to a new level, and helps create consistency in the photographer’s work. It is also a very exciting part of the process to see what the final outcome will be, as the post-production can be taken in to so many different directions. Adam Moore’s retouching company Sugar Digital, have been instrumental in continuously defining a fresh and contemporary look and feel to my images with its sophisticated talent.

POP: Challenges on shoot, surprising situations, things that that made an impression?
I have had many interesting and memorable experiences from productions, but one that had a profound impact on me personally happened months afterwards. It was a campaign for Gilead (for an HIV drug) where all the talent were HIV positive. 3-4 months later the 1099 forms were sent out and one of them came back marked: “returned to sender.” After some research I found out that the address the talent had put on the model release was to a hospice in San Francisco, and that she had passed away… It was so very sad and heartbreaking and reminded me of how fragile life can be. This woman holds a special place in my heart.
POP: Photographers and artists whose work is particularly inspiring to you?
The inspiration for my work comes from both masters of my craft (Photography), and masters in other artistic disciplines. Henri Cartier Bresson is one of my favourite photographers, along with Sebastião Salgado, Gregory Abbott and Edward S. Curtis to name a few. These photographers are a major source inspiration for me, along with painters such as Gustav Klimt, Caravaggio and Theodor Kittelsen. A common goal these artists strive for is what Henri Cartier Bresson called the “The Decisive Moment,” the fraction of a second in which the photographer has to capture and immortalize the essential moment. There is a lot to be learned from these masters, and one of the lessons is to be humble in your craft.
I always attempt to create striking images, and finding new ways of tapping into a creative source where an idea might come from. This way I attempt to stay fresh and challenge myself to exceed the last achievement. Nature is a big part of my life and I never go tired of walking at Fort Funston in San Francisco, (talk about therapy!) that gives me a clean slate to start thinking creatively again.

On a personal level, I often brainstorm with my husband, Guido Muzzarelli, a filmmaker and animator, and to have someone so close to be able to bounce ideas off with is brilliant.
Guido on the set of “Return of the Jedi,” filming with an 8 mm camera at age 12.

POP: Your work is full of rich, saturated colors and dramatic light. This takes a certain uninhibited creativity in which I see in your personality. Did you evolve into this style or did you step into it when you first started shooting?
My creative style has certainly changed and evolved with time, and depending on the direction I am trying to establish in an image, the effects can go from the very subtle to a more dramatic, from a cool palette to a warmer one. The options are infinite. To expand on this and take my work to new levels, I want to collaborate with a matte painter to composite photographic elements and matte paintings into final pieces. This gives me the opportunity to explore new frontiers in image-making and to evolve my portfolio, and hopefully create images more beautiful than my imagination.

POP: What do you most enjoy shooting?
Undoubtedly beautiful, striking, creative images, no matter what the subject matter is.
POP: How much do you preconceive the post-production when you are shooting?
Depending on the complexity of an image I have to take into consideration all the elements that make up the final piece, and shoot accordingly. Sometimes people, backgrounds, skies and other details are all composited in post-production, so photographing the elements in the right angle and light is crucial; otherwise the composition will not have the correct perspective, light, etc.

POP: How did you get the shot of the hiker at Kjeragbolten that was featured in the 2011 Communication Arts Photography and Advertising Annual?
After a 3-hour hike up and along a steep mountain I reached “Kjeragbolten,” a boulder wedged in a mountain crevasse. Kjeragbolten is located on the west coast of Norway at the very beginning of a fjord called “Lysfjorden,” close to Stavanger. Just below the boulder is a nerve-wracking 1000-meter drop straight down into the fjord. The subject of the photograph, a young adventurer from Stavanger, did all sorts of acrobatic moves in the rain, jumping up and down on the boulder as if he was on solid ground. It was a perfect moment to capture the dramatic scenery with his fearless moves, a surreal performance that lasted a fraction of a second. The image was done for an adventurous lifestyle request by Getty Images.
The work on the image with Kjeragbolten reflects a sensory duality, the fragility and danger of a man in the elements coupled with this man’s self-awareness and defiance of this position. Moments like these, which offer a contrast in a moment, are images I feel that can have a strong impact on the viewer.

POP: We talked about a shoot on an eco farm in Norway in which you decided on location to use the farmer’s daughter for the model.
The owners of the farm wanted a beautiful looking image with a Norwegian traditional feel to it, and the animal had to fit the story, so a gorgeous, fairytale looking horse was a must. The farmer’s daughter was a raised with horses and was the ideal model when an animal wrangler was needed. She had the sweetest rosy cheeks and managed to keep the horse at bay for two hours, an extraordinary amount of time for a horse to “pose.”

POP: Do you plan to go back to shooting more fashion again?
My background is actually in fashion, I studied it for four years in Norway and thought at a young age I was going to be a designer, but photography trumped the desire to work with fashion – although I absolutely love to shoot it. The creative collaboration involved in photographing fashion is perhaps unparalleled by any other subject matter. I think the lens loves to capture adorned, glamorized and beautified models. I have been caught up in more lifestyle work for many years now, but it is my intention to pursue more fashion work in the future. It would be such a delight to balance lifestyle and fashion work.
The “The Sound of Beauty” story, graced the pages of Graphis Photo Annual.

POP: How has the way you see has evolved? And when do you know it’s time to evolve? It takes a certain trust and courage to leave one style behind for the unknown.
It is a continuous process to keep your vision fresh and sophisticated, and yes, it changes with time (though with a certain consistency). The expansion in my work is influenced by a wide variety of external things besides personal growth; it can be technology, a subject matter or location, an experience that had an impact or perhaps something completely different. Sometimes I consciously make an effort and venture into new places with my work, but most of the time I believe that by staying productive I can naturally evolve and change.
This is a process that never ceases…and, as they say; “you are only as good as your last image…”

POP: How is your work different than it was five years ago? And what’s next?
I think technology has been crucial in the evolution of photography in the past decade, with access to digital equipment and in the advancement of Photoshop, post production has become an ever expanding and integral part in the making of an image. This has very much defined changes in my aesthetic style and continues to add complex layers to explore.
There is usually a natural flow in how an artist grows, and in my own work, technology and experience has triggered the biggest changes. What I shot many years ago might have a different look and feel to it, rendering it often as ”outdated.”
An exciting project for 2012 is a collaboration with my husband on a feature film he is writing a script for. I will shoot stills and create a coffee table book of the project. Filmmaking is so infinitely more complex in scope than photography, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge and learning experience.
The movie “Tree of Life” inspired me to see photography through cinematography, I wanted to live in the lens of the camera that shot the film. So, another project I want to do is to shoot images reflecting the tender emotion expressed drenched in sublime/ethereal light. Images that remind you of a dream state somehow.
Guido and I in Cannes, 2010.

Guido and Caterina at Cannes 2010

POP: What is most challenging when bidding on jobs and writing treatments in the current market?
As much as the photography market is changing, you just have to change with it, be innovative and reinvent yourself and your work. We have to be really open-minded and think creatively in our approach, despite the difficulties the business is facing. It is an inherent trend in many creative fields these days as they have become saturated with an excess of talent and tighter budgets, and this new fierce competition has shaken a certain hierarchy that used to exist.
This means I try to stay acutely updated and current, as the demand changes fast and technology challenges us. It also pushes me to continue to demand more of myself as the market does of us. If you see it as an opportunity to set the bar higher by creating conceptual, fresh new work, then you might actually be one step ahead.

POP: In addition to a busy commercial career, you shoot a lot of high-end stock. How did you evolve this part of your business evolve?
Shooting stock was a natural expansion of my business, and has given me the opportunity to shoot a wide variety of high-end content with a commercial value. It keeps me constantly producing and shooting, creating new collections of work and eliminating the concept of “downtime.” Shooting libraries has become a popular trend for companies, and I will often hire second and third shooters to create as much diversity as possible for the client on larger productions. The clients vary from pharmaceuticals to hospitality to finance, to technology, etc. Shooting for stock requires that you are fast and can come up with quick changes/concepts on the spot, and have a great talented team – particularly if there are second shooters – and good coordination to make sure all aspects of the shot list is covered.
Having an expansive image library to tap into can be very helpful when bidding on jobs. I can create mood boards and find images related to the art director’s or client’s concept and vision. I find that creatives appreciate visual input for their story telling process, and this way we can bounce ideas back and forth. (It can also sway their decision on whom to award a certain project to.)
Stock productions can be small to large-scale projects abroad, like the one where I cast over 200 people for a couple of shoots in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These were all styled by Shannon Dunn. For the fist image I casted a gorgeous model who possessed the inherent Brazilian sensuality, and a “Latin lover” looking guy, who had to look great in a pair of speedos. The teenagers in the Ipanema Beach image shows the diversity of the talent one can find in Brazil.

With stylist Shannon Dunn at the Hotel La Suite

POP: What is your marketing strategy?
There are so many different venues that offer exposure making it hard to dissect sometimes where to invest your money. Currently I am working on a promotional piece I would like to run in a resource magazine and print promos of, but I am still deciding on what approach to take with it.
Speaking of dissecting venues, there seems to be an infinite options for contests too, and I try my very best to stay on top of them. It is an excellent way of getting exposure for a very reasonable amount of money.
POP: What surprised you about your own path?
Ha, many things I guess…what I am more naively surprised by are all the things I have not been able to do in this lifetime, yet. Photography is so incredibly time consuming and labor intensive I often wish there were more hours in the day to do it all. Every detail with photography can be refined and perfected till no end, so when the day is over you are (hopefully) happily tired and just want to have a glass of wine.
My dream is to have a project using photography for some social cause that leaves a mark with people and that does not go unnoticed, having an impact, small or large.
POP: Advice to young photographer?
Following your heart and passion is for me the best rule of thumb. If you feel photography might be your thing, don’t give up on finding your path in this craft until you are happy and can see a way to make a living at it (whether the creative outlet is commercial work, weddings, photojournalism, corporate, or anything else related to photography like retouching, styling, producing, etc). The chances are it is going to take a lot of hard work no matter what, but stay true to your vision and make it work.
All the emails I get from recent graduates or emerging photographers initially display great enthusiasm and interest in pursuing photography, but eventually the difficulty in establishing oneself puts the person to the test and their pervasiveness will decide whether they are actually fit for it or not. It might feel like Somme and Verdun at times; progress may be slow, incremental and challenging, so a positive attitude, tenacity and innovative-forward thinking is a must.

Tags: Featured, Photo Q&A

The Sydney Opera House seen through Caterina Bernardi's eyes.

2011-10-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

When Caterina is awarded a job she immerses herself into ever aspect of the shoot. Her day scouting the Sydney Opera House was no exception. The images are strikingly beautiful. It is hard to believe they are scouting shots!

Her images of the Opera House reveal its sexy curves and majestic form.

The Opera House is a stunning architectural marvel, a true masterpiece in ever sense of the word. It was designed by Jørn Utzon, a Danish architect. He never actually saw the finished work due to a fierce fight for control of the project with the city’s officials. There was a lot of drama behind the development of this icon. Hopefully down the road someone will make a movie about it.

The beautiful model for the shoot.

These angles of the opera are seldom seen in print.

Sydney seems to have a stunning vista from everywhere you go.

Jørn was awarded the winning design of the Opera in 1957. It is truly impressive to think that this ground breaking and monumental expressionistic design was built without access to modern technology.

In many ways Sydney has a lot in common with San Francisco, where I live, a beautiful bridge and a harbour.

Steve Bonini In the "Land of the Big Sky"

2011-09-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

Steve recently spent a few days in Montana.

Here are some point and shoot personal images, Steve Bonini style.

"The one thing for me has and always will be Emotion. "

"Whether or not there is a person in the photograph, I strive to ignite inner stirrings of passion, longing, motivation, and connection." SB

Works for me. When I saw these, I felt the vastness and beauty yet emptiness of the land. How quiet and deserted places are that once had life. The Patriotism of times past in towns that no longer bustle with commerce.

Not a soul on the street and like so many small towns across America, For Sale signs in the windows.

In just a few images Steve tells a story and truly evoked emotions in me.

Rick Chou, Frankie the lizard and APL Shoes

2011-09-01T12:27:00.000-07:00

Frankie, the lizard, showed up on set with a bit of trepidation. Rick held him and stroked his warm, soft belly a few times, whispered to him and soothed his savage soul. The bonding was complete. Later, Rick realized that his initial shyness was all for the extra belly strokes! Frankie loved being in front of the camera. He sat under the hot lights all day, basking in their warmth. He was patient and took direction like a pro. What a fantastic model.

Frankie, of course, wanted to see his images and give his feedback. He spent quite a bit of time with the Digi Tech going over the images discussing angles, lighting and making sure the final picks showed off his youthful and well toned physique.

Afterwords, he hung out with the crew. Just like one of the guys. His mellow, yet colorful personality had everyone on the set fawning all over him.

What a superb day with Frankie the lizard.

PS. He was adopted by a young son of one of the assistants, who adores him and grooming him for his next modeling gig.

HELP - by Curtis Johnson

2011-08-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

In Curtis' words:
"This was an extremely challenging shoot from the technical and logistical side. HELP was just one of the various headlines for the campaign. All in all we needed 19 different letters and symbols to accomplish this. I spent a few days creating our letter and cubicle configurations using schematics and sketches I made.

By using the individual cubes as the building blocks for the letters, I was able to simplify things down to four different cube configurations that were built to create all of the letters and symbols needed. Letters like H, E and L were easy. Letters such as X and W were a different story.

I also had to come up with a budget friendly method for creating these words.

Logistically, we needed a studio space with a 35-40 foot ceiling to achieve a camera perspective that gave us a ‘parallax neutral’ image. The art director, Steve Mitchell from Hunt Adkins, hoped that I would have to hang 40 feet in the air from a flimsy harness. I opted for mounting the camera on the ceiling and operating it remotely!

By shooting various one and two-person cube configurations, I was able to capture enough variations of people and cubes to pull it off. In the end, we shot 50 people with four different cube-desk configurations. We had to create enough variety in the talent so there would be no duplications. I shot the 50 chosen models then changed each of their wardrobe and hair styles 3-4 times.

Retouching by Jellysquare brought the whole thing together. I worked closely with them on each step so we could simplify the production and post work. Each person at his or her cube and the individual sitting across from them is one shot with numerous layers to create the final image.

This was a very mathematical shoot. Paying very close attention to detail. The cubicle configurations had to be shot perfectly so they could be retouched into a legible word.
In the end it all worked because of the great efforts of the agency and entire crew. Hats off to Sally Mars, my producer, for a another great production!!"

All able bodies were needed. Curtis is in the image as well! Above he is photographing himself. Take a look, he is the man standing on the left side of the image. Where's Curtis?...He is the image a few times.

Gatorade With Coco Ho and Ryan Lochte, Bonini style.

2011-08-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Over the years Steve has shot a lot with Gatorade.

This shoot was fast and furious at a private gym in LA, 6pm to Midnight.

An evening of vein busting workout drills led by premier fitness trainer Jay Blahnik.

Jay was in the face of our two athletes being a true drill sergeant.

He put each of them through a couple of hours of muscle burning routines.

Gatorade wanted the look of intensity, grit and sweat.

The tunes were cranked up. Gatorade was chugged.

First up was Kick ass surfer Coco Ho, the youngest female competitor to enter the world tour.

Next swimmer Ryan Lochte, a 6 time Olympic medalist.

In case you haven't heard of him much, just know, he has beaten Michael Phelps a few times.
Nuf said.

"It's always great to watch young athletes at the top of their game!" Steve Bonini

Last but not least, ALTER then took over working their magic, creating the muted background and making the athletes "pop".

The Client was, oh so happy! Another great assignment. Thanks Gatorade.

Jumping Kjeragbolten: Caterina Bernardi's Award-Winning Image

2011-07-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Caterina Bernardi on being selected again to appear in Photography Annual (#52), the July/August 2011 issue of Communication Arts!!
"The inspiration for my work comes from both masters of my craft (Photography), and masters in other artistic disciplines. Henri Cartier Bresson is one of my favourite photographers, along with Sebastião Salgado and Gregory Abbott. These photographers are a major source inspiration for me, along with painters such as Gustav Klimt, Caravaggio and Theodor Kittelesen, to name a few. A common goal these artists strive for is what Henri Cartier Bresson called the “The Decisive Moment,” the fraction of a second in which the photographer has to capture and immortalize the essential moment. There is a lot to be learned from these masters, and one of the lessons is to be humble in your craft."

"Everyday I strive to put forth my very best, to better my work and exceed the last achievements. I am grateful for having the opportunity to do what I do, being mesmerized by life and it’s constant flux and magical encounters, fears and achievements, and express this through the art and craft of photography. It is in the intensity in what we create that makes magic happen, not in the duration of its existence afterwards."

"This photo was taken after a 3 hour hike up and along a steep mountain, where we reached 'Kjeragbolten,' a boulder wedged in a mountain crevasse. Kjeragbolten is located on the west coast of Norway at the very beginning of a fjord called 'Lysfjorden,' close to Stavanger. Just below the boulder is a nerve-wracking 1000 meter drop straight down into the fjord. The subject of the photograph, a young adventurer from Stavanger, did all sorts of acrobatic moves in the rain, jumping up and down on the boulder as if he was on solid ground. It was a perfect moment to capture the dramatic scenery with his fearless moves, capturing a surreal moment that lasted a fraction of a second."

KIA Hybrid Shoot: Rick Chou

2011-06-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Here's what Rick Chou had to say about the shoot:

“It is always challenging executing interior shots without having a car buck. We moved around, again and again, trying different distance-to-car, height-to-car and lens perspective in order to find the desired look to match to the layouts.”

"We were pushing the camera and lens perspective to get the right dynamic for the Hybrid badge shot. We experimented with different format cameras and lens combination's to finally settle on the look."

View more of Rick's work @ www.RickChou.com

The Attributes of Personal Work

2011-06-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

I am constantly telling my Artists, "When you are not on an assignment, get out and shoot your personal visions." It is through personal work that the Artist is truly able to express themselves. Often times creating imagery they would not normally be assigned. It is through personal work that the Artist can expand and experiment. Steve Bonini is known for his "sports photography", but there he is at a fundraiser, seizes the moment and does award-winning Portrait work!

"I was at a fund raising event and saw these big, bearded men dressed as nuns and wearing platform shoes...I told the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to pose as if it were a driver's license photo." -Steve Bonini

You can view the original series on Steve Bonini's website.

First, he won the 2010 Rosey award for excellence in direct response advertising.

Then, Bart Cleveland, Creative Director and Copywriter, from McKee Wallwork Cleveland contacted Steve. Together with Art Director Bruce Johno, they created Ad's for Village Frame Crafters using Steve Bonini's unusual portraits.

This once again shows what personal work can do to add to the Photographer's repertoire.
Personal work also opens up avenues the Photographer may never drive down via assignment work. Giving Art Directors and Clients the chance to see personal visions they did not know the Photographer has. And, doors fly open!

[click on an image to view it larger]

"Don't embarrass yourself with a cheap frame."

"Express yourself. With a really, really nice frame."

"Surprise your mother. Use a custom frame."

"With the right frame, it's not Uncle Bob. It's art."

Personal work demonstrates the Artist's love for their media and their true desire to create. When doing portfolio shows the people who hire are always drawn to the personal work. It shows that the Artist can do a lot more than effectively re-create a comp. It exhibits their passions and uniqueness. Photographers, Art Buyers and Creatives I would love your thoughts and experiences.

You can hear Steve talk about his vision in this short 2 minute video:

"I like to do slices of life that might not be part of the slice of life I live in." -Steve Bonini

Classy, Sassy Fish People by Curtis Johnson

2011-06-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Curtis Johnson brought these fish to life for Fuji Ya. Aron Shand and Paul Swiatek from Kruskopf Coontz were the Creatives for the Ads and really reeled in fantastic concepts!

Here's what Paul Swiatek (Copy Writer) had to say about the shoot:

"Curtis is great. He's so adept at picking up on the vision of the idea. But the coolest thing is that he throws in ideas of his own, little 'maybe we should try this' kinds of things - and that's what makes your idea that much better."

"The Fuji Ya shoot was definitely an experience. The fish were very demanding. They freaked out when we didn't have the bottled salt water they wanted. But Curtis took charge, calmed them down and talked them out of the trailer. The shoot went great until lunch, when we served tuna fish sandwiches. AWKWARD!"

Aron Shand (Art Director) added:

"I really enjoy working with Curtis. He helps make our wildest dreams come true (everything from robots on trains to fish people on cell phones). He's great at taking a highly conceptual idea, finding the elements to pull out, shoot, and piece it back together beautifully."

The metamorphosis from human to fish:

struttin' his stuff

Ann (AB) proving her "anything for the job" attitude.

Rawr - where's my bottled salt water?!

Click any image to view it bigger or go to

www.CurtisJohnsonPhoto.com

for more of Curtis Johnson's humorous and conceptual work.

Caterina Bernardi's Imagery is Graceful and Relevant.

2011-05-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Caterina Bernardi has a unique ability to capture the moment with mature adults.
Her images are vibrant and real.

Click any image to view it bigger, or go to www.CaterinaBernardi.com to view more of her photography.

A few shots of Caterina working her magic.

Rick Chou Shooting Moody Lifestyle

2011-05-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Not many know that previous to becoming the extraordinary Product and Auto Photographer he is today, Rick Chou shot fashion in Europe and people...back to his beginnings, sort of. Milwaukee Tools came to us recently asking Rick to shoot "a different look" of construction workers on site using their tools.

Rick and his Digi-Tech

Milwaukee Tools secured a real construction site at UCLA where a building was being demolished to be replaced by dorms. It was floors of dripping water, dark empty cavernous spaces with beams and exposed metal. Milwaukee Tools got permission from UCLA to work with the construction company and destroy sections of the building.

The Crew

Before Rick and his entire crew were allowed to even step on site, they had to attend an intensive two hour safety training session. Then, with the Construction Supervisor close by at all times, for 3 days they maneuvered their way through the building, between floors, walkways and narrow shafts. As Rick said, "It was like creeping through a dungeon." It was loud, it was wet, it was dark, and extremely dangerous, but exciting.

Rick and his crew pre-lit the scenarios. With his crew acting as stand-ins, they emulated the construction workers jobs and movements. Finally the real construction workers, who were "on the clock", came in for less then 10 minutes. Rick made them feel comfortable and relaxed in front the camera, lights and crew. Action! The tools were fired up, noise bounced off the walls, floors vibrated, dust flew, as Rick shot fast and furiously to get the most out of his 10 minutes!

And, of course, a few of the final shots:

Click on any image to see it bigger, or view Rick's other work @ www.RickChou.com

Salvation Mountain - Steve Bonini's personal work

2011-05-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

"Salvation Mountain" in the Slab City area of Salton Sea.

This guy, Leonard, (above) has been painting the hillside and preaching the gospel out there in meth country for decades.

Curtis Johnson and the Creatives

2011-04-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Recently Curtis Johnson and Nadine Kalmes were in Chicago meeting with Creatives and Art Buyers.

Here's a couple shots of Curtis showing his portfolio:

Curtis Johnson at AbelsonTaylor discussing his imagery.

Curtis chatting at Energy BBDO (above and below)

Showcasing new video work on the iPad

You can view Curtis Johnson's newest video series too! Just click play below and go to "motion".

Steve Bonini shoots Major League Baseball

2011-04-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

Steve just finished a really cool job shooting Major League Baseball players in Las Vegas for Nike.

Matt Holiday of the Saint Louis Cardinals. (above and below)

"I thought it would be a really good idea to bring in a coach to assist me in getting the players fired up, so I hired a great guy who played in the majors for 13 years. We had each player for about 45 minutes to an hour, so it was important to get right to business."

"We had a quick pow wow with the players where I told them what I wanted to achieve, then after that, I'd have a quick talk with the coach. Pretty much, he spoke to them in 'baseball talk' and then they started pretend playing. You really know you're shooting a pro when they get right into character. Doesn't matter if it's bottom of the ninth with bases loaded, or against a seamless in studio. Impressive, and the shots show it!"

Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays. (above)

Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants, 2010 World Series winners. (above and below)

And a few production stills:

You can't even tell these were shot on white seamless in the final images.

(left to right) Steve Bonini, Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies, and Creative Director, Jeff Dooley, looking over the images of Troy on a tethered iPad.

CGI Nissan Murano by ALTER

2011-04-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

Some of the newest CGI work by ALTER.

David Mitchell from ALTER was the CGI artist on this project.
We asked him a few questions about the creation of the image.

What were the challenges with this project, and how were they overcome?
David: The lighting style needed to fit a specific look to match the campaign. It is always easier to create a lighting scheme than to match one.

What elements went into making the Nissan Murano?
David: Lighting the car in 3D allowed us to get closer to the look than with photography. Retouching was also required to take the render to final quality.

How do you get it to look so real? I’m ready to drive off in this baby.
David: We use render engines that correctly bounce light for excellent realism. We use real world lighting methods and elbow grease.

Anything else you’d like to share about it?
David: The 3D models that were provided needed a lot of cleanup work to be usable, so I guess it involved a bit if grinding, welding and polishing.
This was a quick turnaround job and required long hours to meet the deadline but it was still a fun project. I'm looking forward to doing more.....perhaps with a little more time.

Home Team Sport Fans by Steve Bonini

2011-03-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Steve Bonini helped his friends at Citrus create a series of spontaneous, high energy images to be used during a presentation at Nike.

"The presentation was all about "talking" to college age people who are big home team sports fans, so it needed to convey the drama and passion you'd see during rival team games.

We decided that the best way to get our "real talent" amped up was to create a party like atmosphere, so we brought in food, drink and a kick ass sound system and cranked up the volume.

You never really can anticipate how someone will respond once there's a camera in your face, but these guys were amazing, and without inhibition. We got way more that we had hoped for!

In the end, my voice was hoarse from screaming, and my ears were ringing, and it was one of those perfect shoot experiences."

^^27 second video of shoot in progress^^

Underwater Reef by ATLER

2011-03-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Dive-In by ALTER

(click the image to see it bigger)

Here's what the Art Director had to say about it:

"The art looks fantastic and worked out really well production-wise...And the client LOVES the art. Everyone here loves it as well. The start/stop/GO! GO! GO! dynamic of pharma advertising can sometimes be a challenge, but we really appreciate your team's responsiveness and excellent work - and patience."

Nissan Infiniti by Rick Chou

2011-03-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

A sneak peak of Rick Chou's studio on his most recent Nissan - Infiniti shoot:

And a few of the final images:

Nissan Infiniti Rogue

Nissan Infiniti Murano

Nissan Infiniti Cube

Steve Bonini Shooting Golfers

2011-01-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

Steve recently shot with his client Taylormade Adidas Golf in Chicago.
As always, when he's shooting the world's greatest golfers, he lays down (or stands) in the line of fire while 100+ m.p.h. balls whizz by, just to get the perfect shot.

As the client once said to him ...."Bonini, don't worry, these are the best golfers on the planet."
So, nothing to worry about, right?
But as one of the worlds best golfers said to him, "Hey, I could make a mistake."
Think about it - a golf ball going that fast, hitting your head... OUCH!

Curtis Johnson's Worst Sales Call EVER

2011-01-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

This project was created for the Hunt Adkins agency by Curtis Johnson. Their client was Calabrio, a company specializing in workforce optimization software for corporate call-in centers, call recording and speech analytics. The theme of this campaign which involved 4 videos and 3 direct mail pieces was, "The worst sales call ever". The central character was "Dick", an old school sales guy calling on "Allen", an IT associate for a large corporation. Dick is desperate to make a sale as is evidenced by this series of videos. The agency built a micro-site for their client. The videos were rolled out one at a time. One was posted each week on the micro-site until all 4 were running from that site.

"This was my first chance to direct a video project and see it through from beginning to end. A much different process than most of my still work but one that I found to be very collaborative and enjoyable. It was a great experience and I look forward to doing more in the near future. " - Curtis Johnson

View more of the video's and photography @ www.CurtisJohnsonPhoto.com

Andrew Wilz Takes on ARB

2011-01-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

A bit of desert-time pre-holiday season with ARB by Andrew Wilz
"We got our chance to snap into production for a day and a half right before the holidays. A new Wrangler JK edition and a Toyota Tacoma were our subjects; hosting ARB's products from front to rear. The Wrangler was built up as a SEMA show-vehicle for ARB, showcasing OME (Old Man Emu) suspension products alongside ARB's full rolling-platform."
"What an amazing time we had! We had to find a location that wouldn't be disturbed by blowing snow, didn't look too much like Australia (they shoot everything in AUS typically), and would be a natural-looking place for the vehicles to be showcased, w/o being dangerous to get into, and wouldn't require hectic insertion or extraction. I had the perfect place!"
"We shot on location outside Helper, UT in relatively balmy mid-40 degree temps. We were blessed with copious amounts of sun on our first day (which was a gimme...) and partly cloudy-conditions the second day.""THANK YOU ARB! We look forward to working together again in the great outdoors!" -Andrew Wilz

AND a Happy New Year~

2010-12-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays & Solstice, from all of us @ NKreps.
Wishing you health, peace and good fortune in the new decade!
Photo by Rick Chou.

Caterina Bernardi's APA Award

2010-12-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Caterina, on snagging 4th place in the APA Something Personal Exhibition!!

Photo's from the party's photobooth can be viewed here.

Team Fortress II by ALTER

2010-12-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

Lay your eyes on what ALTER did with this Team Fortress 2 game art!

^ game art ^

^ CGI render ^

^ photography ^

^ Final Composite ^

Pretty cool stuff!

First image, Game Art, is the inspiration for the final image. Alter took the Team Fortress 2 screen shot and turned it into a photo-real CGI composite image.

Eric Sahrmann did the people photography, first casting for individuals that resembled the game characters and then, once their sizes were known, purchasing the proper attire. They were shot in studio to match the CGI lighting for the recreation of the low-poly game set, which was in simultaneous production.

Read more on ALTERS blog.

Award Winning CGI by ALTER!

2010-11-29T09:50:00.000-08:00

We are proud to announce that Alter has won a slew of awards with their amazing CGI.

MM&M Gold Award
Rx Award of Excellence
Client: GSW Worldwide

Rx Silver Award
Client: Dudnyk

Manny Award Finalist
Rx Award of Excellence
Client: Brand Karma

Rx Award of Excellence
Client: Pacific Communications

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE AMAZING WORK ALTER!

Rick Chou's Sexy POM bottle

2010-11-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

Rick Chou’s POM bottle image used in POM’s sexy “Aphrodite” commercials.

Here's an intresting behind-the-scenes video as well:

Andrew Wilz makes semi-finals in Red Bull Illume contest

2010-11-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Andrew! Out of 23,000 entrants, Andrew Wilz was one of 250 semi-finalists of the Red Bull Illume, a world-wide action and adventure sports photography competition.

The rider is Andy Holloway doing a flat-3. The photograph was taken at a contest in Berthoud Colorado. Cool dude!

A Tribute to Fran Crippen, Open-Water Swimmer Who Died last Weekend

2010-10-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Fran Crippen, the 26-year-old open-water swimming star, died of a heart attack during the last leg of the Marathon Swimming World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Steve Bonini got the pleasure of photographing Fran Crippen before his untimely death and here are two of those shots.

A Tribute to Fran Crippen:

"I had the good fortune of photographing Fran during my 4 years shooting for TYR, and was saddened to hear he had died during a race last week. In addition to being a world class competitor and athlete, I also saw that he was kind, thoughtful, and a great guy to hang out with. No frills, no b.s, just the kind of guy this world needs more of." ~Steve Bonini

You can go to Fran Crippen's official website here.
Or read more details about the news from ESPN here.

Shoes BANNED by NBA

2010-10-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

Rick Chou shot the shoes that just got banned by the NBA!
The shoes were banned because of a spring-like device hidden near the front of the shoe, which violates a league rule against ‘Undue Competitive Advantage’ that increases a player’s vertical leap.

Here's what Rick had to say about it: "I was very impressed by the design and the technology of the product. But even more so, I was impressed by the people who made it happen. The principals of the company are some the most inspiring clients I have ever worked with. The shoes have unique texture and colors, we experimented with different lighting, angles and background treatments aimed to give the viewers an initial impact as well as something we can carry into the future."

Read the article & video from the LA times.
Or read the story by the New York Times.
It's also on NBC, ESPN, Wired, CBS, MSNBC, Yahoo.... Everywhere!

Caterina Bernardi and the Primavera beauty

2010-10-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

"In the famous painting 'Primavera,' the artist, Sandro Botticelli, draped the women subjects in a translucent chiffon to highlight the contour of their bodies and create a romanticized angelic feel. This was the inspiration for the underwater images I took of Aliona at her pool in LA a week before she was due to deliver her baby. She and I had brainstormed quite a bit and agreed we wanted something different than traditional portraits, and the underwater idea was definitely a winner."

"The inside of her pool has a gray/blue tone cement finish which gave a beautiful background to work with, plus perfect weather created gorgeous natural lighting conditions underwater. We experimented with different colored chiffons but the white one felt more ethereal and aesthetically compelling against the blue water, and also enhanced the shape of her belly. Aliona worked with grace despite the extra weight she was carrying, and at the end of the second day Aleksandr was kicking quite a bit (he was tired too).
Adam over at Sugar Digital sprinkled his consistent magic dust to finalize the images."

Click on either image to to view more of Caterina Bernardi's work.

Samsung Smart Phones by ALTER

2010-10-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

The above ad, "Space Ships" is a geeks dream!

What's makes Alter stand above the rest, is how well the CGI terrain and stock terrain work together. A lot of times when you put CGI next to a photograph of something real, it will make the CGI look fake. This is not the case with Alter - they integrated the two seamlessly. The mountain tops add and intensify to the CGI created background.

The terrain is made with a mixture of CGI and stock imagery. The space ships are CGI custom built then composited together with the photographed explosions.

Hide and Seek Robot

2010-09-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

New personal work & thoughts from Curtis Johnson:

"The inspiration for this idea came from a scene that I witnessed while enjoying a beautiful summer evening. I saw 2 boys playing at a playground and one of them was chasing the other around using a remote controlled toy car. I thought it was pretty funny and the image is a result of this experience. I had the Robot prop built for me and I decided to change things up a bit and went with girls playing instead of boys."

"As is the case for much of my work the entire image was shot in pieces. 7 shots in all were combined to create this image. The various shots are as follows: playground scene, sky, tree on the right, Robot, and 3 separate shots of girls. I performed most of the retouching with the final touches added by Brad Palm, a retoucher whom I work with fairly often. The result is a wonderfully fun scene of kids at play as if it were just another day at the playground. I'll be using this as a promotional piece for myself."

Curtis Johnson's medical portraits

2010-09-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Curtis Johnson shot these images for 3M Infection Prevention Services.

"It was a 2 day shoot that was done at Woodwinds hospital in MD. It was difficult to shoot these during normal hospital hours but we got it done with minimal disruption to staff and patients. We shot in an OR, ICU room, Pre-Op room, Hallways, Entryways and at a Nurse's station. They really wanted to communicate the pressures that doctors are under, yet portray the quiet confidence needed to perform on a daily basis."

Andrew Wilz hikes for Project Athena

2010-09-08T00:09:00.000-07:00

Another pro-bono mission for Andrew Wilz.

Over the Labor Day weekend Andrew Wilz hiked and shot for the Project Athena Grand Canyon Trek. Project Athena gives grants to help and empower survivors (of cancer, car accidents, autoimmune diseases, etc.) to live out their athletic dreams.Andrew was not only the photographer, but also part of the support team. "I wasn’t just there to document and record… I was there to do my part to ensure that we made it as a whole to the North Rim."Hiking the Grand Canyon is no joke!
44 miles, close to 24k vertical ft total, in 2 days, in over 100 degree heat.

"I think along with me, some other folks didn’t quite comprehend the level of physical commitment involved in the undertaking. It ended up probably making the experience all-the-more profound, and I’m happier for it. People were stretched, bonds were formed, and attention shifted from self-serving to group-serving. Everyone pulled together, shared food, shared love, shared encouragement, shared their voices… to sing our way up-hill in the dark during the last 3 challenging hours it took for us to wind our way up the last several thousand vertical ft to the top of the North Rim."

To view more photos and read more about the hike, visit Andrew's blog.

Rick Chou pretzel mania

2010-09-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

Rick Chou recently did a photo shoot for Pretzel Crisps.
Not only did he shoot the "hero" shots of the packaging, he also did the flavor cues.^ Buffalo Blue ^
Buffalo Wing Pretzel Crisp, Blue cheese, Celery sticks^ Scandinavian ^
Cream cheese, Smoked salmon, Fresh dill^ Mini Margherita ^
Garlic Parmesan Pretzel Crisp, Fresh Italian mozzarella, Sliced cherry tomatoes, Fresh basil leaves^ Brie-for-All ^
Everything Pretzel Crisp, Baked Brie, Sliced grapesRick said it was a very successful shoot and that he had never tried Pretzel Crisps before but now he loves them!

Steve Bonini most published in Archive!

2010-08-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Steve Bonini is the most published US photographer in Archive this year.
Congratulations Steve!

Summertime is almost over

2010-08-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

NEW WORK BY CATERINA BERNARDI!

"The inspiration for this image comes from one of the most popular Norwegian artists, Theodor Kittelsen. His work evokes the legends and fairytale stories I grew up with, tales of moody and mystical Nordic environments brimming with depictions of trolls, princesses and nature."

"These two girls look like they are in a scene from one of Kittelsen’s paintings. All that is missing is a troll surfacing in the water..."

Curtis Johnson stops the pests

2010-08-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

"Here's something I shot in early June. This ad illustrates the concept of what Viptera can do for your corn crops. It is not a herbicide that is sprayed on the field but is bio-engineered into each seed. The deadline for the job and the growing season dictated that the corn field be shot in Florida. The road and pasture were shot in Minnesota. The sky is from my personal files, shot in Mexico and the hand was shot in my studio. The bugs were created CGI."

Woof, Woof

2010-07-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Steve Bonini recently got back from a shoot in Oregon's Columbia Gorge, for a line of organic pet food.

"We arrived mid-morning and shot 5 or 6 different locations all within walking distance of each other. It was one of those beautiful ethereal Northwest days with diffused light and nice clouds. Thankfully, we had a mellow and well behaved dog (not from a talent agency). That is until the very end when he dove off a 6 foot rock into the Columbia River. Not a big deal, until his owner said he had never been in the water before. ...Never... Since he didn't know anything about swimming, we had to jump in and drag him back to land. Fortunately, we had the shots in the can by that point, and good thing because he was a wet furry mess!"

Steve Bonini's tribute to Jimi Hendrix

2010-06-02T06:28:00.000-07:00

"So, I had this idea to recreate a famous rock photo of Jimi Hendrix, who, during a performance at the Monterey Pop Festival of the 70's, lit his guitar on fire and prayed to the fire gods while on his knees. Great portrait of the music scene during those years.
Anyway, this guy looks nothing like Hendrix, which is what's funny about this shot, I suppose!
Just a friend and aspiring musician who had no idea what I was talking about, and some 40 years later...." ~Steve Bonini

Making of the TYR bus by Steve Bonini

2010-05-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post with out-takes, and commentary on how the TYR bus image was created!

Final image:

Alison Miksch answers: Why Flowers?

2010-04-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Why flowers? For me, a country girl from Lancaster PA, growing up surrounded by beautiful fertile fields filled with everything you can imagine, was an early influence for my natural, earthy, style.
I love the details... Love a close-up. I can remember laying on my belly in my neighbors yard as a kid and falling in love with the velvety texture of the deep purple and yellow faces of violas, one of the first spring flowers.

They have delicate textures, gorgeous deep rich vibrant color, light penetrating transparent petals, and luscious scents filling the air... a very sensual subject.Shooting flowers for Kimberly Clark, for the classic brand Kleenex tissues, has been a challenge and a highlight.
First round of the shoot we were working in a South facing daylight studio in Chelsea mid July. It was hot. Flowers are incredibly delicate and require cold to remain in perfect shooting condition for this kind of work. Unfortunately, the air conditioning in the studio went down for 2 hours in the midst of our shoot. We were working with single selections of some cultivars that didn't tolerate the lack of air conditioning very well. The outcome was, however, a great success and the client was exceptionally happy coming back for rounds two and three.

A ferocious looking street Car by Alter

2010-04-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

Wanna race? :)

Get Lucky with Curtis Johnson

2010-03-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

Curtis Johnson recently did the above ad for the MN state lottery.

Below are some of the photographs that were pieced together to create the final. All-in-all 18 separate photographs were composited together to create the Winning image.

Rick Chou's New Studio!

2010-03-24T06:11:00.001-07:00

Location:
3221 Hutchison Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90034
at the Historic Helms Bakery in the Culver City Art District

Features:

36' x 35' three wall cyc
Hair and Makeup Room
Private Bathroom with Shower
Full Kitchen
Client Work Stations
Wireless Internet Access
12' x 14' Rollup Door with Loading Zone
Delegated Parking

Caterina Bernardi wins Photography contest!

2010-03-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Caterina Bernardi has won the Go Indie Photo Contest!You can view the entire winners gallery here.

Golf Pride, images by Steve Bonini

2010-03-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

Check out these final ad's for Golf Pride:

Also, Steve just added new imagery to his site!
www.SteveBonini.com

How a Caterpillar is Metamorphosed

2010-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

Check out this video by Alter showing how they created this beastly caterpillar from scratch.

A quick shoe shot by Steve Bonini

2010-02-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

Steve recently returned from a shoot for Taylormade/Adidas Golf. He was photographing pro golf great Natalie Gulbis at a private course in Henderson, Nevada. The day was spent either balancing on 10 foot ladders or trying to avoid making contact with the ball as it flew over his head at 100 mph! This shot shows the cool new "Signature Natalie" shoes being worn by Natalie on the 9th hole.
All in all a great shoot that wrapped just before a monster dust storm rolled in. Talk about timing!

Dennis Welsh takes you on vacation!

2010-02-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

Dennis Welsh recently shot the campaign for Hacienda Beach Club & Residence, located in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Dennis and crew had 3 days of shooting to execute the creative director’s vision of what the resort had to offer. He said it was both a terrific challenge and a great deal of fun.

"My favorite image of the entire shoot is the little girl draped over the model’s shoulder on the beach. I had this idea in mind before we arrived, but this little girl had never modeled before. When I discussed the idea with her and the model, who was playing her father, she said 'Great!' That little girl put absolutely all of her energy into it. When we got back that evening and went over all of the images from that particular shot, it was the very first frame that we used. I knew at that point we were off and running!"

"When it came to shooting the kids, I simply let them be themselves. Whether it was in a pool, with an underwater housing, at the ocean’s edge, or in a boat. I shot quickly and never stayed too long on one idea. That gave us the best energy and the kids looked natural, because they were just being themselves and having fun."

"The mornings were early and the evenings ran late. It was an amazing collaborative effort where everyone gave their best and the hard lines of job descriptions were softened. I can’t tell you how many times I saw my digi-tech carrying his equipment and an armload of dresses on hangers!"

"All in all, this was an amazing shoot – efficient, fun, and completely without pretense. That’s what made it, in my estimation, an effective production and I think it shows in the campaign."

Caterina Bernardi = amazing photographer

2010-02-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Caterina Bernardi is now being repped by Nadine Kalmes & Associates!!Check out her photography @ www.CaterinaBernardi.com

Rick Chou Takes out the Trash

2010-02-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

Rick Chou recently did a photo shoot for the new Glad trash bags.

^The Final Advertisement^

Below:

"Stephanie, the stylist is stuffing a trash bag to make it look perfect in camera. Which turned out to be a very challenging assignment. It requires tons of patience and team work. Aesthetics aside, photography is really about problem solving."
-Rick Chou

Bonini's Clunkers

2010-01-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

Recently, Steve was contacted by Creative Director Bart Cleveland to see if he had any existing images that depicted run down automobiles. Well, he was in luck because when Steve isn't out there on jobs, he can be found roaming the U.S. shooting an array of oddities from planes to people, dogs to drag queens, and well, in this case, run down cars.

Bart loved what he saw, and a campaign was born for client Slipstream Autocare, based in Colorado.

By the way, Bart was the same guy who hired Steve to shoot the images for the conceptual Porsche of Albuquerque Ads. A memorable 2009 campaign that landed in the award books.

Robotic corn field by Curtis Johnson

2010-01-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

Shot in Florida by Curtis Johnson. The robotic arms are all CGI.
At the time this was shot, the corn was recently planted and growing incredibly fast. Curtis said he would come back the next day and the corn would be 2 inches taller!

I guess Money DOES grow on trees!

2010-01-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

I know a few people who want one of these...

by Curtis Johnson

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

2009-12-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Click the card to see it bigger.
Made by the fabulous assistant Ms.Candice Phrogus.

APA Something Personal

2009-12-16T16:51:00.000-08:00

On Friday Nadine Kalmes and her assistant, Candice Phrogus went to the well attended APA (Advertising Photographers of America) "Something Personal Exhibition" and Holiday party!

Julliete Wolf-Robin took this great photo of Nadine, Candice and Kate:
Here are some photos Candice took with her handy, dandy iPhone:

The girls: Kate Chase, Juliette Wolf-Robin, Nadine Kalmes and Diane Eames

Louis Lesko (we use to rep him!) and Nadine Kalmes

Rob Prideaux, with part of his "Flame" series coming right out of his mouth!

Nadine Kalmes and Caterina Bernardi - from the photobooth!

Kate Chase and Nadine Kalmes

O no! It's the end of the party and someone has run off with Nadine's jacket! It's the middle of winter and cold outside, what to do, what to do!?

humm.... that coat looks familiar....

O - maybe because it's mine! Nadine commiserating with the jacket thief.
All's well that ends well.

And outside while the last few stragglers take off. Looking forward to seeing some new and familiar faces there next year!

NKreps now does CGI

2009-12-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Exciting News!

NKreps is now representing Alter on the West Coast!

Check them out!

How to Grill Everything!

2009-12-02T04:20:00.000-08:00

Grill Masters Fire it Up! the 2nd book in the series by Alison Miksch (also published by Chronicle) will be available in the fall of 2010 with more than 500 recipes 150 color photos!!

One of the most comprehensive grill books - this book is organized by ingredients… A primer on handling a wide range of unusual ingredients:

Including Mollusks like Octopus, Lobster, Conch and Squid.

Vegetables and fruit like Baby Bok Choy, Broccolini, Clementines, Leeks, and Edamame

Working with animals like:
Sheep, Pigs, Bison, Venison, Squab and other game birds.

"The story behind the head shot of the pig is they were being raised organically by a small local farmer and very feisty, curious creatures. I had to be placed inside a portable cage, inside the pig pen to be able to shoot them. They were nibbling, poking, and generally a rowdy crew to try to get a decent shot. Although you'd never know it from the soft look on this guy smelling the apple."

And recipes for:
Pulled Pork made from a Fire-Braised Barbecued Pork Shoulder

Whole Grilled Sea Bass In Wasabi Crust
Sage-Brined Roast Turkey Stuffed with Chestnuts and Sausages

Steel Worker portraits by Curtis Johnson

2009-11-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

These guys work in a steel yard along the Mississippi river in Minneapolis. Their job is to transport, cut apart large girders, slabs and plates of scrap steel and load it onto rail cars for reprocessing. They are a great group of guys that work their asses off everyday.It is dirty, sweaty work. Not for the meek or those afraid to get covered in grease, grim and filth.

Waverunners by Rick Chou Studios

2009-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Check out these Yamaha Waverunners by Rick Chou!

Shot in studio, on location, in Alanta, GA.

Also just for good measure, check out some shots of his crew on set! :)

Steve Bonini's Award Winning Photographs

2009-10-28T05:45:00.000-07:00

Steve Bonini has 4 images featured in the 50th Anniversary Photography Annual of Communication Arts!

Advertising
(series)
photographer: Steve Bonini
art director: Pat Feehery
creative director: Bart Cleveland
retoucher: Scott Klingsoehr
ad agency: McKee Wallwork Cleveland
client: Porsche of Albuquerque

Institutional
photographer: Steve Bonini
art director: Job Hall
retoucher: Filtre Studio
client: TYR Sport

Dennis Welsh takes home the APA 2009 Landscape award

2009-10-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

Exciting news!

Dennis Welsh has earned the title of top landscape photographer of 2009 by the Advertising Photographers of America (APA) National Photo Competition!

You can view the image larger and download it here, as well as see the other 2009 APA winners.

SISTERS by Steve Bonini

2009-10-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

Steve recently worked on a personal project photographing some of the regional members of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in Portland Oregon.
Steve was given the OK to visit the once monthly Bingo session held by the Sisters as a fund raiser. He set up his lighting and a simple seamless background. Then the fun began! About 20 Sisters "stepped in the studio" and struck a pose. Quite the festive group!Steve tells us that this may continue as an ongoing project as there are many more Sisters who want their picture taken. And as one told him, "Sisters LOVE to have their picture taken!"

Alison Miksch's Grill Book~

2009-09-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already heard the sizzle, Alison Miksch has been added to the NKreps roster!

She also has a grilling book hot off the presses, and another on the way.

The first cookbook title is Mastering The Grill – The Owner's Manual For Outdoor Cooking published by Chronicle Books in San Francisco.

The book is targeted toward men knowing men like to play with fire and manage the grill. It's a man's domain. It's organized like an owner's manual to make it comfortable for guys to work with unlike more traditional cookbooks. The focus of the book is the science behind grilling. "We aim to explain how grilling works, how to make grills work better, and how to use simple flavoring and cooking techniques to cook delicious grilled foods."

"If you have ever sacrificed a rack of ribs to the incendiary powers of a backyard grill, or tried to convince yourself that 'black and crusty' is exactly how you like your chicken, then you know firsthand the ambiguous art of cooking over an open flame."

There are the usual suspects like:

Molasses-Brined Pork Chops with Roasted Corn Salsa

Porter House Au Poivre

and
Tuscan Roasted Chicken Stuffed With Fragrant Greens

But then there are the more unusual like:

Grilled Cranberry Chutney

Clam Bake on the Grill
and

Scotch Steaks In The Coals With Stilton Butter

Alison told us how the image of the coals that starts out this post were shot and lit at her indoor studio... and things did get a bit smoky and somewhat out of control at one point. She only warned us that the fire extinguisher definitely came in handy :)
Beautiful shot and totally worth it. I'm tempted to fire up the grill and play with a little fire myself right now.

Dennis Welsh splashes down in Maine

2009-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

Dennis Welsh recently did a few shoots in his beautiful home-state of Maine.

Check out those awesome overalls Dennis is sporting!

Here's Dennis enjoying himself on the job, with the kayakers gliding off in the distance:

and Dennis (in front) taking a 'lil break from shooting all day to do a little rowing himself:

These two are neat because you get to see the angle at which he took the image and also the actual image. The colors in these are really stunning and and make me want to go on a kayak trip!

Bonini and the boulders

2009-09-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Over the Labor Day weekend Steve Bonini risked life and limb traversing boulder fields and soggy terrain in the North Cascades region of Washington State to reach Ingalls Lake.

Having shot there years ago for Nike/ ACG, Steve has mentioned this place to us before and wanted to do a return trip.

Steve almost spent the night in the forest because of a wrong turn, but luck was on his side when he stumbled upon the trail after an hour of saying " Where the *#@ am I ? " Time for someone to get a Trail / GPS !

Five vertical miles ( mostly up ) on a wet Northwest day and well worth carrying the extra weight in cameras and lenses!

Everyday Heros

2009-09-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Some neat images of everyday super heroes by Curtis Johnson:
Curtis has also just redone his whole website! Take a look:

CurtisJohnsonPhoto.com

A Twist on the Usual Product by Rick Chou

2009-07-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

View the entire series all big and pretty @ RickChou.com

Summer is HERE

2009-07-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hip-hip Hooray!Summer is finally here, so dont forget, it's time to relax and play.HAVE A GREAT 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!

Photo's by Dennis Welsh

To the Dogs

2009-06-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Steve Bonini takes some snapshots of man's best friend.

Wag more, bark less.

And here's Daisy, Nadine's dog. Photographed by Candice, her assistant extraordinaire!
Aww... too cute! :)

Waassssuuuppp?!, from Curtis Johnson

2009-06-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

New Golf Clubs by Rick Chou: Simplicity reigns

2009-05-27T13:55:00.001-07:00

Baby it don't matter if he shoots on black or white.

Modern Day Abe by Curtis Johnson

2009-05-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

This pro-bono project was done by Curtis Johnson for Martin Williams. The images reflect that anyone can be a modern day Abe Lincoln. The Modern Day Abe Campaign's mission is to bring awareness and abolish modern day slavery and human trafficking. Unfortunately, it still flourishes in today's world, including the the United Sates. Pretty sad!

EAS Production Stills

2009-05-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

...with commentary by Steve Bonini

The shoot was really fun and diverse ranging from boxing shots in a gym environment to scouting treacherous terrain on mountain bikes to find gnarly switchbacks surrounded by beautiful vistas.

The shoot consisted of photographing Superbowl stud, Larry Fitzgerald, Mountain bike racer Mark Weir, and Quarterback Brady Quinn over the course of 3 days in beautiful Sedona and Phoenix Arizona.

Nobody got stung by varmints, although a few of us got pierced by some pretty scary cactus!! All in all, it was a great shoot and I love the images.

Make Believe Dinosaur & the Huddle

2009-05-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Dennis Welsh just sent over this shot. ~~Adorable!~~ Ferocious!Here is what he had to say about it:

"It is part of a series of images depicting how a child would view
the world at a certain time in history - this one being when dinosaurs
roamed the earth. I'm always attracted to the clarity of their vision
and I've tried to convey that here. More of these to come!"

Here's another interesting image from a recent shoot Dennis did in Kentucky:

"Coming out of a sports background, I'm usually capturing the higher energy of a sport, but in this shot, I tried to concentrate on the inner-connectivity and the more pensive side of teamwork."

Rick Chou's new conceptual work

2009-04-29T14:01:00.001-07:00

Here are two of an ongoing series that Rick Chou shot, composited and retouched for agency TwoxFour in Chicago. Client: Grossmont.Easter

Mother's Day

Steve Bonini and the Pendleton Roundup

2009-04-15T11:01:00.000-07:00

Steve Bonini went to the Pendleton Roundup and captured some out of the ordinary Rodeo shots:

"I hung around the back part of the arena, which is way more interesting to me...the part the public doesn't get to see much. They could go back there if they wanted, but they're mostly up in the stands... This is not the event, it's all the stuff that leads up to the event."

I asked Steve how he 'saw' the above shot, and he said that he is always trying to look at things differently and "I just liked the way all these cowboy boots and jeans met the dirt."

Curtis Johnson in PDN's April Magazine

2009-04-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Curtis Johnson's work for H&R Block is featured in this months Photo District News magazine!

"He's a great photographer for landscape...he's also really good at bringing in effects." according to Campbell Mithun creative director Gary Carter.

Go to Curtis' website and click on "advertising" to see the series.

Dennis Welsh and the Biplane

2009-04-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dennis recently told me the story of how he achieved this awesome shot:

Click play to hear it from the man himself:

Lexus HS 250h launch ad photographed by Rick Chou

2009-03-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

Car: 2010 HS 250h. (First purpose-built Lexus hybrid. )
Introduced: 2009 Detroit Auto Show
Photographer: Rick Chou

Curtis Johnson's panoramics

2009-03-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

(Click on a panoramic to see it bigger.)

"I've just finished putting a couple of these together. I love this format, it is fairly unique in the photo world. Basically I like to shoot these because it simulates more of how your eyes see the world. A wide horizontal perspective. These panoramics are shot in pieces, 3-7 images are combined to create 1 final image. Often I'm capturing an entire scene that encompasses 180-300 degrees of angle of view."

"I look for interesting imagery that would lend itself to this particular format. Scenic vistas, interesting architecture, stormy weather or unique light. It's always interesting to shoot these and then get back to the studio and put these together. You have a pretty good idea of how it's going to look but until every image is combined and in front of you, it's a bit of an unknown."

"People say you just need to use a wide angle lens to shoot panoramics in one shot. That is not true, the results are very different when using the proper lens, camera and panoramic tripod head."

You can view more of Curtis' landscapes on his webpage: www.CurtisJohnsonPhoto.com

Larry Fitzgerald final ad

2009-03-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

The Larry Fitzgerald ad Steve Bonini recently shot was featured here, on the Denver Egotist.

click the image to read the text, production stills below!

Dennis Welsh's take on Cuba

2009-02-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

I’ve been wanting to go to Cuba for a while now. Over the last couple of years I’ve been shooting quite a bit in Mexico, but for one reason or another, haven’t had the opportunity to go over. Now, with the change of administration in the U.S., and the 50th Anniversary of the revolution in Cuba, I thought it was really important to go before sweeping changes took place.

Not knowing exactly what to expect, I went with a couple of story ideas, and was completely and utterly surprised at what I saw. Food rations provided by the government and monthly salaries aren’t enough to support a family’s dietary needs. Everyone that I met seemed to be scrambling in one fashion or another for more.

I knew I was going to be photographing fishermen that relied on what they caught for their sustenance, but what I didn’t expect was really how desperate it was and how very important it was for them to catch fish consistently.

Amidst all of this poverty, what astounded me the most was the sheer graciousness and generosity of the Cubans that I met. Whenever I sat down to a meal with a family or friends, I was always served the most, and turning it back was unheard of. The Cuban people are so proud, proud of who they are, proud of being Cuban. In spite of what’s going on there.

Without a doubt, I’m heading back as soon as I can. And hopefully any changes that take place in the meantime will be changes for the better.

Golf Pride by Steve Bonini

2009-02-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

Steve Bonini recently shot these images for the new Golf Pride campaign. The clouds just look absolutely stunning!

And here's a few production shots for good measure:

Bil Zelman interview up now

2009-02-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Bil has an interesting interview up at The Strobist today. He gives out some advice and delves some trade secrets.

Click here to check it out.

"Photoshop was something I resisted using for years, but I’m now pretty good with it and clean things up and sometimes remove things and such. But I would never use it to try and make a dull photo interesting -- which we now see a lot of."

Rick Chou new BMW Diesel ad's

2009-02-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

Rick Chou recently shot these playful ad's for BMW.
A lot of creative and technical discussion centered around props and execution. For example, they had to really search high and low to find the butterflies in mind. Construction of the rocket took a few rounds as well. For the Rocket image, the idea of flame shooting out of the engine was crucial. The art directors and Rick collaborated well together, exploring different angles, colors and arrangements of the butterflies. All in all, a very challenging and rewarding project.

Behind the scenes with EAS

2009-01-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

Steve Bonini just finished a shoot for EAS.
This is a shot of Andy Sherman, the art director, on set by Steve Bonini.Photo-op! Jeff Martin, creative director, (left) with Larry Fitzgerald (middle) and Andy Sherman (right).Here is what Andy Sherman, the fabulous art director, had this to say about Steve:
"The man, the mystery, the eye! Master photographer extraordinaire! The maestro of the lens, able to bend steel with the slightest of wide-angle lenses.

Besides shooting photos, he loves to look at, and over direct, photos of himself. Steve also likes long walks on the beach, and wine (his preference is whatever the bartender would order for himself).

Behind the cool hat and dark shades lies a man with so much RAW (the file type not meat temperature) talent, professionals shudder (not shutter) in his mere presence.

I present to you, Steve "The Master of Snap-sure" Bonini."

Larry Fitzgerald the wide receiver for the Phoenix Cardinals, running (above) and looking over the images (below) with the digi tech Joe Kurihara(left) and art director Andy Sherman (right).Joe Kurihara (left) and Andy Sherman (right) getting their hands wet for the Jen Perez swimming shot.Setting up for the Chase Utley shoot. He is second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies.Steve shooting triathlete Jen Perez running and biking.Video of Steve shooting Jen Perez.

MIGHTYKarma recommends Steve Bonini

2009-01-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Jeff Martin talks about working with Steve Bonini in a recent PDN article.