Spring 2011 and some poses

SAFP says yes to practicing your craft:

I am posting this after a recent shoot with a beautiful model that was pretty new to being in front of a camera. It took a lot of time for her to get comfortable with the idea of not over thinking it and just being herself. The inspiration has to come from somewhere. There are lookbooks everywhere, this one is just models doing their thing for Cushnie Et Ochs (via refinerey29.com) with all the snow and cold here without winter officially starting yet I am posting these pictures of what spring should look like in 2011. out

See more designer lookbooks.

 

Rhymefest campaign Kickoff at the Shrine

Some pictures of Rhymefest's campaign kickoff at the Shrine. Fest brings 'em out even on a Sunday.

The dope part was that there was a good mix of people - man of the people style. Since he announced his candidacy they have gotten right into him for previous infractions but this seems to be the way of communities adn the peope that comprise them. People make mistakes and at some point you need to give them space to get past it. Focus your lens on communities and you can't just keep tearing down the bricks and mortar of a neighborhood and think that you are truly changing an area for the better. This going to be an interesting election year in Chicago.

- out

Rhymefest at the Shrine from Football Films on Vimeo.

Portfolio is up

Allright. At long last a few portfolio pictures to check out. Boom Blaow!!!

- SAFP

The space

A few pictures of the space.  The backdrop actually goes up to 12 feet I just didn't realize it would look so short in the picture and I wasn't putting it back up to prove it.  It's as tall as a house though.  The models in back don't show through at all due to the rear lighting...

The space is complete with a private changing room and a bathroom.  The space is pretty well self contained.

out

Molasses

Sooooo,


Gangstas don't twitter.  I have been working on everything except for online marketing.  I am just assuming that even though I have one follower, thanks Jocelyn, that people somehow stumble onto my blog because the name is dope so I commit to posting more often than every ~30 days.  To my earlier comment this either makes me a gangsta or just overwhelmed...

The studio is up and running on Milwaukee, next to the Bongo Room on MIlwaukee in Wicker Park - Saturdays and Sundays by appointment.  All you beautiful mofos can get me through email for booking times and the address.  Following this post I will be uploading pictures of recent projects including some with Chicago's superstar aldermanic candidate - Che Smith - known by some as Rhymefest.  I also had the good fortune to shoot a show for Horacio Nieto who is dope with the needles.  I flexed my slideshow skills for your enjoyment as well.

With that check out these photos from Hector Nieto's west loop release - The Desert and The Sea.

p.s. - if video doesn't play, click a couple seconds forward in the slideshow.  That is a google server thing not me.

- Big A

Fashion Focus

Really quick post.  Pretty cool event last night at Mil Park, the Tricocci Model search and Elite had a crew of established and up and coming models in an official show.  Got some cool photos of of everything, hoping to make it to a follow up event Friday but enjoy these.

Fall style 2010

All right.  If you see yourself as successful you have - in some way - been able to reinvent yourself - repeatedly.

Today's post was going to be some looks at some beautiful people from the summer that is behind us and then I came across this video from Oki-Ni - "Styled by Stephen Mann" and the obvious choice is embedded in the blog.

Style on top of style and...Some people/entire industries find one or two easy buttons to be productive and ride those all the way home.  The styling in this video is dope but the way it is handed off is the fresh part.

enjoy

2nd start for the 1st time

All right, so when everyone was saying go with Blogger I had to be an original and go with Tumblr and since I am realizing that Blogger may be more robust I'll just have two identical blogs for the time being until I get this worked out...

What do I do? 'focus my on work on aspiring models providing the materials necessary to becoming famous - period.'  After several years of shooting fashion photos from state to state, I'm setting up shop in Chicago to make the shift from a successful endeavor to doing something I love on a daily basis - taking photos of beautiful people.  Also, separately, like any other writer, sharing my commentary on the random things I come across.

Although their models vaguely look like eunuchs, I am kicking this blog off with a single photo from Paul Stuart.  Paul Stuart has New York roots but I appreciate their success in Chicago.  Who knew the ultimate reason (I'm guessing high ass rent) but after having much success based out of the John Hancock building they "downsized" to a smaller location, albeit on Oak street, from which they offer an unparalleled experience to their corps of shoppers.  Paul Stuart set out to offer one thing well, superbly tailored clothes with an emphasis on quality, innovative work.  I am not looking to become the biggest in photography rather I want be recognized as offering the best to those that work with me.  Among my defined collection; read limited: a tie, a dress shirt, cuff links; I also have a plain white Paul Stuart t-shirt.  It is the attention to detail paid to a simple plain white shirt that I bring Paul Stuart up at all.  If they put this thought into an undershirt then things have to go up from there on everything else.  The intended correlation being Paul Stuart, their shirts,  my photography and attention paid to fine details that other photographers don't.

I appreciate Bottega Vennetta, Ozwald Boateng, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi like I do Rag & Bone, Moncler, someone's home crafted/vintage style, or a pair of Levi's (M&C or regular).  Label dropping - look, I have come to appreciate the value of fully representing your style/brand based on the clothes/fashion you wear as well as the values you represent through your actions, your success(es) and even your aspirations. Catching someones physical and innate style on camera is an art and skill like any other - I am looking to be among the best at showcasing style through photos not simply capturing how you dress in a photo.

I invite you to follow the blog to stay tuned for dope pictures, raucous commentary, and in roughly 6 weeks the 1st calendar for the initial round of shoots will be released.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned.

-S&F