Fashion in far away borderless places

I am vibing off of something really old right now. After discovering that Washington State has its very own Stone Henge, I researched it and couldn't rest until I saw it with my own eyes. Now I truely believe that everything happens for a reason, and my reason is going to be a test of everything I know about photography and execution of an editorial shoot. The Stone Henge is nestled in a small town overlooking the Columbia River, and the architect, Sam Hill was a genious and clever business man indeed. If my research serves me correctly, Sam Hill laid the first 10 miles of paved roadway here in the U.S. right here in Washington State. He then advocated for paved roads everywhere, and although his aspiration for paved roads caught on, his vision for the town he built, went up in ashes when settlers never came and the town caught fire. Sam quickly turned those lemons into lemonade because from those ashes came this dramatic astrologically alligned and visual replica of a modern Stone Henge. Surrounded by vineyards, windmills, sweeping hills and a spectacular view of the Columbia River. Tell me about something worth being in pictures wherever you are and I will be pointing my lens in your direction. Have passport, will travel. I want to do something significant before the economy collapse completely, and I believe this is it.

So what does all of this have to do with fashion? Because just like Sam Hill, I have a vision for my first look book and that vision is going to begin at the Stone Henge site here in Maryhill, Washington and go to every place in the world that will sponsor my vision and project, ending it at the Stone Henge in Wiltshire, England. I plan to hopefully raise the funds to caravan my entire team and all of our equipment, to new locations where we will be greeted by the best models in those areas, as well as the best local designers presenting each geographical location fashion statement through the local designer's look. My kick off meeting will begin with my team and will reoccur as need be to incorporate each location that will participate, and I will run a project blog and list the progress as it occurs. Sounds difficult? Everything worth doing usually does. And if good Ol Sam Hill could keep bouncing back well so can Bluestill. 100 years from now people will be talking about this project as they turn the pages and read the history of your geographical wonderland. Any volunteers willing to help decide how we can raise the funds for this project? Any donors willing to send contributions to this fund? My roadtrip from Seattle cost me $100 in gas, $60 in picnic groceries and a priceless day of laughter and spectacular views for my companion and I for this one monumental look in order to bring your story.

High Fashion at a young age

I would like to think that I discovered her, but the truth of the matter is that I didn't. I am the third photographer she has shot with this year. At least that put me in the top 3 right? What I can take ownership of is that I have a lot of aspirations for this one. 5'9" tall with the glide of a gazelle when she walks, Chanel Milan B. is her name. I won't use her last name because she is a minor with a former Fashion Week mom name Belle who is extremely protective of her cub. And that is how it ought to be. Chanel's mom used her clout to get her daughter a fresh start in Seattle Fashion Week, and from what I saw with my own eyes, it is undoubtly in the bloodline. It was her fresh young look that bought her clout with Bluestill Photography. Enough clout that I took her name to "the family" for their opinions. It was worth the gamble. Chanel hit her mark on first poses, and flowed into the next one with precision and fluidity. For the first time, I wish I could have been in the audience watching this event occur rather than being stuck behind a small black box, peering through a smaller hole to see what was going on. But you know what? My view gave me a much better up close and personal view of a young model's aspiration for this industry. So what is this blog about? This blog is an attempt to over expose this young model until she lands in the right hands. This blog is the very beginning of The Chanel Milan B campaign which started with a meeting, a test shot, a little skin care treatment and grew into this fierce tiger you are now viewing. A venture worth investing in. There are a very few select who are fortunate enough to be spotted in a crowd and find themselves living the dream. For everyone else it takes work. Networking, self promoting, and finding the ideal teams to become a part of. I am eager to see how Chanel navigate her modeling career. The entire crew I call "the family" all agreed that this shoot was what a test shoot was all about, and young Chanel Milan B made the grade. But on a personal level, I learned through this project what passion is all about, and just how much I really love doing what I am doing. I think for the rest of this month I am going to give $10 off of all of my work (hehehehehe).

Long Shutter using strobe lighting in the foreground

My love is fashion photography. Nothing beats it. Well, except for the no hassle, no flakes, no deposits, permits, designers, cliques, etc, etc world of landscape photography. A few camera adjustments, take aim and fire away and move on to the next subject. That was until I decided to incorporate the wonderful world of modeling into the unique world of night photography. Not that I am the first to do it, but I like to think that nobody does the dew like Bluestill. I always attempt to exceed my own expectation, and as I promised when I first began shooting the long-shutter series, I would include how I shoot with a strobe to light up the always seemingly dark foreground when shooting long-shutter. All the equipment needed is the same as I explain in the first of this series, except for now, I add a very beautiful and willing model. I had her dress in relatively dark clothing for a particular reason, and that reason being so that I could exaggerate how that once very dark foreground is so well lit, that even dark clothing is defined without having an affect on the light from the background. So how is it done you ask? I start by setting my camera again on the same settings as I used for the long-shutter shoots (see previous blog: Long Shutter Night Photography [series 1]). As stated earlier, all the same equipment and add

1. strobe or speedlight and stand.

2. power source (vegabond, generator, etc)

3. light modifier (grids, softbox, beauty dish, etc) to assentuate the model's beauty.

4. model or subject to stand in all that beautiful light you are now creating.

Hook up your lighting equipment, and make adjustments for settings. I personally like to stop my strobe down to its lowest setting because it doesn't take a lot of light to light the subject or you would notice a lot of blowout in the finished product. If your camera is capable of being placed in the rear shutter sequence for flash, use this setting. Why? Because it allows the least amount of interference between the metered background light and the fidgety subject wondering why there was no flash when you clicked the shutter button. It helps to explain the process to the model, and make them aware that they can move without causing too much blur, but they might want to be in position once the countdown to the shutter speed setting reaches about half way (example: shutter speed is set for 10 seconds of duration. Upon the shutter closing the flash will be triggered as the rear door of the shutter closes, so your subject just may want to strike the pose as the countdown reaches about 5 seconds). Small movements beforehand will not cause ghosting of the subject as long a a strobe/speedlight is used. The strobe flash will freeze movements when it fires. I have attached two photos that I processed from the shoot. Again, some small post edit work might be necessary or desired, but not necessary. Only you know your own post edit capabilities. I suggest you grab your camera, strobe and a willing model and go give it a try and see what you come up with. Practice makes perfect and nothing is set in stone about the settings you will use except for some general ballpark figures that are necessary for long shutter photography. Good luck, give it a try and tell me what you think by commenting, and let me see your results. Again, thank you for following this series.

Taking a shot in the dark (series 2)

"Is something suppose to happen tonight? What are you seeing out there? It's nothing but black." were the comments I got while standing at the edge of the water with my lens pointing into the murky dark sky and darker water. I smiled at first, thinking this would be the best time to pull one of those pranks where you get people to stand around waiting for something to appear while knowing all along that nothing will happen. Instead I kindly explained the process of "long shutter" to both couples. The first couple was a young artist who raps and his girlfriend. The second couple was a ballerina dancer and her boyfriend. This night was definitely meant to be a blend of talents, I would say. The dancer and her boyfriend, also aspiring photographers really became interested, so I look to soon read a blog and view some photos from them. The first photo is what the naked eye saw standing on the shoreline of Ruston Way. The second photo is the goldmine found only from shooting into the darkness. My camera (Nikon D700 with a Tamron 17-35 f2.8 lens) settings were as follow: 20mm, ISO 2500 f18, 10.0 seconds. As I mentioned in my last post, you must use a tripod. I also use a remote shutter release and shoot from my camera's mirror up mode to eliminate all possibilities of vibration movement. Here in this use of long shutter, there are no moving lights. Everything is stationary instead of streaks of light moving fast across the photo, as in my previous blog. My next post on this subject will incorporate using a model while shooting with the shutter open for an extended period. The strobe is used to light up foreground and to freeze the natural movements of a subject in the foreground while shooting long shutter. I am excited about doing it, and seeing the results. If someone decide to do it before I do, please drop me a comment and show me your results.

Long Shutter Night Photography (Series 1)

Equipment needed:

camera (one you are familiar with)

tripod (strong and sturdy)

sharp lenses (you are going to need that sharpness at hand.

flashlight (aid you with checking settings and making adjustments after dark).
Today I could not wait for the sun to set because I was anxious to shoot some landscape photography; in particular "long shutter or night photography". I have spoken about low light and just touched on the description difference between low light and long shutter shooting. Taking a look at the two photos posted to the left, you can have a go at it with these settings on your camera and attempt to create similar photos. Chances are, you'll create something totally original and worth bragging about: The settings are basically the same with only two variables between the two; a different lens and a larger ISO number. Yet looking at the differences, one can only wonder how did this happen? Shall we begin?

The top photo: shot with a 17-35 f2.8 set at f18 with a long shutter speed setting of 10.0 seconds. ISO setting is 800.
The second photo was shot with a 24-75 f2.8 set at f18 with the same exact shutter speed setting of 10.0 seconds ISO setting of 200.

Important note to remember for someone just starting out in photography or if you are unfamiliar with shooting this way, is that camera shake will be a big problem and therefore a tripod is mandatory. I used a manfrotto tripod with a manfrotto ball-head tripod mounted. The ball-head is my favorite for many reasons. The main reason is that I have never gotten any creep from my ball-heads, as I get from other models (especially when you need to flip that camera into a vertical mode. The joystick-head is the worst to use for long shutter). I say that because I have just never ever had any success with that head, no matter what I am shooting.

Moving lights are the best subjects for shooting long shutter, and for the record "long shutter may or may not be the term typically used for night photography, however it's a creative spin that I decided to call it as I was learning the technique". You can vary the amount of time you decide to leave the shutter open, and see how it affects the photograph. Infact I encourage you to tweak all the settings I just gave you because that is what I do.

So let me explain the higher ISO and different lens. By increasing the ISO, I just wanted to brighten the light to bring out the buildings and structures near the moving lights. Notice how the long shutter doesn't alter these structures at all as long as the camera is mounted on a tripod. If you want to put a person in the foreground, you can do so, and use a strobe to completely light that person. I recommend using the rear shutter sync on your camera if it have this function. I will shoot a long shutter with a person in the foreground and blog it in my 2nd series blog on long shutter shots. The different lens explanation is simple. I just want a different view of the same area. You know, just give it more of a up close and personal view with more detail than a bluebird's-eye view. (Get it, Bluestill, Bluebird LOL).

Yah, yah, I know this was sort of techie, and probably boring to those of you who like reading my blogs because they are normally a geek free writing style, but I really needed to explain these photos for those who might enjoy them and wonder how they are created. So with that being said, whenever I am going to post a technical blog I will always include a series number in the subject. Okay, the sun is shining and there is someone out there undiscovered awaiting the opportunity to get Bluestilled 101.

Note: I used Lightroom to slightly exaggerate the saturation of colors in these photographs but it isn't necessary and you'll love your finished results either way.

The Editorial really pulled my strings

I started getting nose bleeds, waking up in the middle of the night to jot down an idea on paper, therefore I kept a pen and pad on the nightstand to keep me from having to turn on that computer. Wait, I just lied! My computer went to bed with me every night, and I would fall asleep while getting lost in translation of conveying my thoughts into text. My social life once again became a thing of the past and all I ever talked about with anyone, was this editorial shoot we were working on. Friends would remind me that my voice mailbox was full, and only then would I scan to see who left a message. And if the name wasn't associated with this shoot, the call generally went unanswered for a long period. After all of these were Wai-Ching gowns. Hand crafted, and every detail hand sewn. There would be no mistakes on this project I reminded myself. However, when the eleventh hour struck, there would still be more changes that would require some war room changes. We titled this editorial shoot "Pull my strings". It was the day before the shoot, and I had just gotten the worst news I could have possibly gotten. My lead model had double booked and had another commitment. The makeup artist had to cancel, but then she reworked her family schedule just so she could be there for us, and that meant a huge bit of gratitude to me and I immediately informed Em that we were good for makeup again. He just happened to swing by the studio and said we needed to take a break and get something to eat. While sitting at the dinner table in our favorite restuarant The Happy Teriyaki #4, my nose began to bleed again. After about 10 mintues in the men's room, I finally got it under control and returned just as my food had arrived. I told Emerson the news and as always, he in his cool, calm, way said "We just need to slow down and rethink this". I was losing my mind. This would be all over with by this time tomorrow night and we had a duty to get this right the first time because of the deadline. Again, as calm as ever Emerson told me to eat and let's head back to the studio. Before the night would end, we had rewritten the storyline for the editorial, replanned the storyboard and tweeked how it would play out. I spent that entire night laying wide awake in my bed staring at the ceiling. The day seemed to creep and then without warning slammed into the hour of execution. And do you think it was smooth sailing from there on? You bet your last dollar it wasn't. Luckily enough for us, the venue owners where we were shooting had the kindest of hearts and for that I am eternally greatful because they really made this evening worry free.... well almost. Down to one model from three, and she had not arrived. Suddenly my phone rang it was our featured model. She was lost, but not so lost that I couldn't jump in my car and find her. Reeling her in, it was game time. And I saw the people around me being the very best they could be. No one argued, got angry, got pissed because the night got really long since we had 8 dresses to shoot and only one model to fill all of them. The clock struck 1 a.m. and we were finally finished. So so much had been learned and experienced between the hours from start to finish. I knew that I had some sure winner shots on my digital card in my camera, and as Emerson and I unloaded the last of the gear back at the studio, we shook hands and congratulated one another on a job well done. The next few days we committed to photo editing, and the day after we submitted our photos, we dedicated to thanking each and every person in a way that showed how much we apprecaited their contribution. What we had just done did not realy strike me until I was sitting in the coffee shop next door to Chrissy Wai-Ching's studio enjoying a hot cup of coffee, watching the rain fall, while waiting on her to return so that I could present her with the gift Emerson and I wanted to give her. The 5 most important elements of this project that really stood out to me during this controlled chaos was 1. Katie, our model. She had worked a long day, driven all the way to Tacoma from Seattle, endured all the stresses we must have put on her, never complained, worked till the wee hour of the morning, and then driven all the way back to Seattle. 2. My keygrip guy Kevin, whom I knew started work at 4:00 a.m., so when I saw him virtually passing out between wardrobe changes, I had to beg him to go home and assured him we could handle it from here. 3. Ashley & Kristen, the hairstylist were so gung ho from the very beginning. And they never once faltered and kept such a huge positive attitude throughout. 4. Tara, our MUA. I will never forget hearing her say she had to back out because of her family commitments for that evening, then resurging and rearranging her family schedule just so she could be there for us. That's character. 5. Mary & Tom, the venue owners. You have no idea what this couple had been through just days before, and where I should have been reassuring them, they were reassuring me with the warmest hospitality you will ever know on this planet. Shooting editorials are nothing short of a lot of work, and a lot of commitment, and I loved every painstaking moment of it, and now look forward to taking a much needed vacation to think a few strategies out. But the good news is that I am not taking my laptop with me, no cell phone, nothing that will connect me to anyone or thing in the U.S. When I get on that plane and fly out of the country I am going to officially be on a little work and a lot of vacation.

Tacoma Fashion quickly becomes a standard and proves it is more than just a show

I was first approached about this fashion show months ago during its early planning stage. It sounded complicated, it sounded like a lot of work, it sounded like the Seahawks winning the Superbowl might be somewhat easier. Trust me when I say this, winning the bowl would have been less complicated from the ground work of this show. You see, this wasn't just going to be one of those typical shows you can find on any given night in Seattle. These ladies were not playing around. More intricate than the plans that took Osama Bin Laden out of the game is what was in stored. And by sheer coincident, it would be happening on one of the biggest nights for Seattle's Fashion Week. What Chelsia, Elizabeth, Julia, and Tina (names strategically placed in alphabetical order) had planned out would seem virtually impossible to pull off. I mean considering the logistics of venue location, catering, sponsoring and the ugly C word; cost, would either have them standing in bankruptcy court or quickly promoted to 4 star generals. Well, I must say, these ladies earned their stars on this night. I will speculate that there may have been a little bullying and throwing some weight around, but let's face it, "Donald Trump didn't get to where he is in the real estate world without utilizing these very tactics", and besides, the world of fashion is no place for the weak hearted anyway. "Feelings are bound to get hurt so be tough skinned". Sparing you all of the boardroom conversation and fast-forwarding to event night, the stage was set. The models looked more than divined and seasoned for the show. The wardrobe consisted of four different genres of fashion. Which is one of the reasons I stated that this was going to be tough, because each genre had a very strong and pronounced personality that weren't about to bow down to the other. Chelsia Design is a signature all its own for the confident woman who didn't need the flash and flair of the couture world to hit its mark. Chelsia designs simply allowed you to be you as an individual for whatever it is you do. Elizabeth's Anew Thyme target audience is expecting mothers. Stylish, gently worn maternity clothing and hand crafted baby items made being pregnant, comfortable on the woman and the wallet. Julia's A Little Touch of Magick (ALTOM) screams dark, gothic, chic, and outspoken. Her audience is all over the map from highschool rebel to the sophisticated and elegant "say what's on your mind" mature. Her collection has no age limit or limit of any kind for that matter. Last but not least is Tina's London Couture Vintage. Top fashion at its finest hour. from the blast from the past in vintage high fashion, to the latest chic in juicy couture fashion seen today. Elegant and classy, and nothing less of dripping and draping of fabulous fashions from places we can only dream of one day visiting. London Couture. Sequined glamour, and little black evening dresses served up daily.
The Show
The show's emcee was none other than the popularly known Taylor London Couture. Trust me, describing Taylor's accomplishment is a blog all itself, and I look forward to covering an event that will involve Miss Taylor London Couture so that I can elaborate on these accomplishments, but for now we are going to stick to the show. Fantastic hosting, gift bags and red carpet greeted the guest at the entrance, gorgeous birds on a wire hanging out in gigantic cages, and catered food with select wines, awaited the guest. The D.J. was spinning the hits, the crowd was ecstatic, and the it was show time. There were dancers strutting their peacock feathers and belly dancers winding, twisting and snaking their way across the entertainment portion of the show. Followed or proceeded by raffles of fabulously expensive giveaways. If you don't have one of those chic iPads yet because of your budget, this was the night to spend a few bucks and win one. This show lived up to the hype and excitement of what fashion show networking is all about. No one left disappointed and their were bids and offers for the clothing right off the models back before they cleared the runway. Yes indeed. I called this night "the greatest show on earth".
The models
What I wont' do is attempt to name each and every model in this show out of fear of leaving someone out or misspelling a name. What I will do is say that the models earned their keep and did a super great job of keeping the crowd aroused in excitement, and beautifully displaying the garments while entertaining the pool of photographers eagerly awaiting that signature pose that would give him/her bragging rights. And you know what. I think I got each of them. Kudos to each and every model that graced the catwalk that night. And for the record: "The baby bump in the photo is not real.
The Photographers
This is my favorite part. By now each of you know how much I love photography. I would give up my first born for a lens cap. Now that is true love LOL. It always feels good to be entrenched with familiar faces and newcomers attempting to step up their game in fashion photography. With all the hustle and bustle, photography etiquette is at its finest hour in the photographer's pit. That is not to say that nobody got in anyone's way; it's just to say that no fight broke out in the pit. And me, I'm still Bluestilling 101. Chopping it up with the old timers and the newcomers. Always willing to listen to a new idea and share a thought. Oh yeah, and snap photos for my clients.