Commercial Photography

Guitarist Promotional Materials & Album Cover Shoot Pass-A-Grille Beach Part 1

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Guitarist Musician Promo Shoot - Pass-A-Grille Beach St. Petersburg Florida Commercial Photography

To state it simply, this was one of the best shoots I have ever done, in all aspects.  Nathan (artist name Redd Sun) contacted me about making some photographs for use as his own promotional materials for his music as he liked the style of this vanishing point photograph.  The photographs in this post are obviously not that style, rather these are my own favorites from the shoot.  In post Part 2 I will put the shots Nathan chose edited in the grainy style he requested.  

What made this shoot one of the best, if not the best, for me was how Nathan wanted to be photographed.  He told me at the start that he did not want any poses or anything like that.  Of course I specialize in candid style so this was perfect for me.  He then said just photograph him as he changed his guitar strings and then as he played.  This could not have been more ideal instructions for me.  The bonus was I got to listen to his guitar playing while shooting, which I really believe helped me capture the types of shots he wanted.  Normally I just shoot in silence.  This gives me the idea to bring along a music source of some kind for future shoots.

Guitarist Musician Promo Shoot - natural light portrait on Pass-A-Grille Beach St. Petersburg FloridaI (we) was also lucky in that the Pass-A-Grille Beach was not that crowded, there was a great sunset and the natural light before sunset time was fantastic (see above natural light photograph).  This natural light allowed me to roam freely with my preferred Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens on my Nikon D300.

Guitarist profile shot for promotional materials - Pass-A-Grille Beach St. Petersburg Florida commercial photographyOf course I also used my own personally developed two-strobe setup for proper sunset shots.  Even in the above shot, however, the photograph remained a candid as Nathan seemed to not notice me setup my lights around him and just kept on playing.

Guitarist silhouette promotional shot - Pass-A-Grille Beach St. Petersburg Florida commercial photographyEven though we were at basically the same location for the entire one-hour shoot due to the ability to make both natural light and strobist shots, as well as using three different lenses, I was able to provide Nathan with a wide variety of shot styles.  

I really look forward to seeing how Nathan uses the photographs in his promotional materials.  Part 2 of this photo shoot, to come soon.

Cadillac CTS with Model Tampa Commercial Car Photography

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Model: Amber Car: Cadillac CTS setup: f/5.6 ISO 200 1/200th strobist: SB-800 @ 1/2 power to frame left, SB-600 @ 1/2 power to frame center-right

I returned to the Tampa Convention Center for another commercial car photography shoot, this time though, with the added bonus of having a great model, Amber (her website).  I was really excited about this project when contacted by the client and am very pleased with the resulting photographs.  I have photographed cars before, and models too, but never a car & model together, thus the extra enthusiasm for this particular Tampa shoot.

I used my typical two speedlight strobist setup for all the shots.  I mostly used the setting sun as a third, backlight source (see highlights on Amber's hair).  To setup the shots I first directed the client where and how to park his Cadillac CTS.  Then I showed Amber what type of pose I would like for the shot.  Next I setup my speedlights around her.  After this much setup the shooting part is easy, especially since Amber did her job very well.  All this allowed me to put into a photograph what I first envisioned in my mind.  

Model: Amber Car: Cadillac CTS setup: f/9 ISO 200 1/200th strobist: SB-800 @ 1/2 power to frame left SB-600 at 1/2 power to frame back-rightI do not normally use my speedlights at 1/2 power, which is a lot, but the sun was really strong so using 1/2 power created the amount of fill light I wanted.  I also purposefully tried to create some lens flare in shots, as seen in the above photo.  I also wanted to make sure to leave some color in the sky and not have it just washed out white.  The Tampa Convention Center can be seen in the background.

Model: Amber Car: Cadillac CTS setup: f/8 ISO 200 1/200th Strobist: SB-800 @ 1/4 power to frame left SB-600 @ 1/4 power to frame rightI really like Amber's pose in the above shot.  It was not easy for her to do so either while balancing on the front fender of the Cadillac CTS.  I set my speedlights to only 1/4 power this time because I did not have to over power the sun to light Amber how I wanted to.  Thanks again to the client and Amber for a very smooth, very effortless car & model shoot.  

Patrick's Bayside Grill St. Pete Beach Commercial Restaurant Photography

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Patrick's Bayside Grill of St. Pete Beach owner Patrick Abulone - commercial restaurant photographyI went on assignment this morning for OceanFront Magazine to Patrick's Bayside Grill of St. Pete Beach to photography the eponymous owner and his restaurant.  Having never been to this restaurant I did not know what to expect, but as always I arrive prepared for whatever shooting conditions there might be.  The place was cozy and not yet open for business, so I had just enough room to shoot with my preferred portrait lens, the Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D (above shot).  

Patrick's Bayside Grill interior - 5-bracket HDR - Commercial Restaurant Photography St. PetersburgOne interesting piece decorating Patrick's Bayside Grill can be seen under the left-most TV in the above shot, an eye exam chart.  Patrick told me it was given to the restaurant by a friend of his, a former eye doctor.  I bet it is a great conversation piece and has no doubt resulted in many boastful challenges of eyesight prowess.  

Patrick's Bayside Grill - 5-bracket HDR - Commercial Restaurant Photography St. Petersburg BeachThe parking lot is not large and has some peculiar angles, so if you do not have to drive the Chevy Suburban there I would consider taking a smaller vehicle.  Patrick is also a real estate agent so perhaps I will see him again soon to photograph some of his listings.  

Luxury Real Estate Tampa Bay Apollo Beach Home

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Sweeping view of Tampa Bay facing west - Luxury Florida Real Estate PhotographyI believe the view of Tampa Bay from the Apollo Beach side is best because, for one, it faces west allowing for prime viewing of Florida's amazing sunsets.  Another reason that may only bother me is that there is a large electric plant on the Apollo Beach side.  So if you live on the St. Petersburg side this small spot of smoke stacks jars what is otherwise a flawless view.  It would slowly drive me crazy.  Of course if you live on the Apollo Beach side, then you have to be neighbors with the power plant.  Hmm, which would you choose?  

This luxury home in Apollo Beach had a great "backyard" for entertaining, i.e. no grass, an infinity pool and expansive covered and uncovered seating areas.  Personally, I would take a grassy backyard over pavers and a pool any day because I would want a place to run and play with beloved puppy Kiki.  Plus I am a recluse and never entertain.  However, if you are the opposite of me, as most people are, this type of space would be ideal.

Great Room opening wide to Tampa Bay - Luxury Florida Real Estate Photography

All along the back of the house are a series of sliding glass doors that all open in a cascading fashion into a pocket in the wall creating a completely open feeling to the great room as if Tampa Bay itself flowed to the doorstep.  

Estate-like Apollo Beach Home grand entrance - Luxury Florida Real Estate PhotographyRoyal palm trees do their best to create a curb appeal for the home to try and keep up with the million dollar water views from the back.  I think the front definitely holds its own.

Cushease commercial product photography Clearwater on a boat

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Model: Lindsay; Cushease product shot on location in Clearwater; f/11 ISO 200 1/250th with 42" reflectorA commercial product photography shoot with models for Cushease in Clearwater was my first experience shooting on a boat.  As soon as I came aboard I instantly realized that doing photography on a boat will be an all new challenge, with not the least challenge being not slipping overboard strafing back and forth to the bow.  I also learned that you will definitely need assistants while working on a boat.  I had already confirmed that the models when not in front of the lens would be willing assistants to hold either the 42" reflector or a speedlight.  On dry land you can setup a light stand to hold speedlights and reflectors, on a rocking boat, that is not possible.  

University of Florida Gator embroidered products by Cushease - Clearwater commercial photographyThe client was actually Karin, one of my new, dedicated DSLR Photography Lesson students.  Her company, Cushease, has a large product catalogue featuring weatherproof chairs, cushions and pillows.  The images from this shoot will be used to update her new website, print catalogue and in various advertising mediums.  That is Karin's dog on the Gator pillow above.  He was very well behaved and a willing model.

Cushease weatherproof chairs for boat & outdoor use - Commercial Photography in ClearwaterI made many of the shots from the upper deck of the boat, which required climbing up a very narrow ladder with my Nikon D300 dangling precariously from its strap.  I was pretty nervous at first but by the end of the 2-hour shoot had gotten pretty good sea legs.  I spent a lot of time on boats in my childhood and this commercial shoot started to make me miss the unique feeling one has when spending time on a boat.   

Safety Harbor Spa Florida Commercial Model Shoot

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Safety Harbor Spa - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/60th Strobist: SB-800 to frame right SB-600 to frame leftSafety Harbor Spa provided the backdrop for a commercial photography fashion shoot for a magazine featuring several models.  All the models were fun to work with and helpful, even offering to assist me in carrying some of my strobist gear around.  Much obliged.  Nancy is featured in the above shot, which turned out to be my favorite shot of the day, and I later found out it was the magazine editor's favorite too.  This shot was made in the "History Room" of the spa.  The dog statue was moved into the shot purposefully.  The spa staff later told me that many consider the statue to be haunted.  People claim it moves by itself and some even have said it tried to bite them!  It did have a mean stare if looked at from a certain angle, but I touched it and it only felt like cold bronze to me.

Safety Harbor Spa model shoot - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/200th Strobist: SB-800 to frame left & SB-600 to frame rightAlthough we shot at many different spots both inside and on the grounds of Safety Harbor Spa, the History Room was by far my favorite.  Young model (just 15!) Julie poses in front of an oil painting at the far end of the long and well furnitured History Room.  The length of the room allowed me to use my preferred Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens for this shot.

Safety Harbor Pier - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 1/160th Strobist: SB-800 to frame left & SB-600 to frame rightThe first shooting of the morning though was of the gentlemen out on Safety Harbor Pier.  The sun was already fast rising in the sky and with minimal space to place my speedlights, it was a bit of a logistics as well as photographic challenge to produce the above shot featuring Luke.  I wanted to incorporate leading lines and a bit of a vanishing point in the shot.

Safety Harbor Spa - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/9 ISO 200 1/160th Strobist: SB-800 to frame left & SB-600 to frame rightJulie again in this shot showing very good balance and flexibility allowing for what I feel is a bit of an Aloha State themed image.  If you have never photographed professional models before, I recommend hiring one for a shoot of your own and experiencing just how much easier it is to produce photographs when the subject already knows how to pose well.  Another option is to do a free TF (trade-for) shoot with a model where each exchanges time in order to build their respective portfolios.

Safety Harbor Spa - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 1/160th Strobist: SB-800 to frame left & SB-600 to frame rightThere was a makeup artist, hair stylist and fashion director that all worked together with the models helping me be able to photograph six models in total at eight different locations all in under four hours.  Thanks a lot everyone, it was challenging fun.

St Petersburg Florida Commercial Photography - Suncoast Electric Vehicles Richard Nimphie

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Suncoast Electric Vehicles Personal EV electric car - St. Petersburg Florida commercial photographyI was excited this week to get a commercial photography job photographing Suncoast Electric Vehicles and its personal EV car and green van, as well as to meet the dealership owner, Richard Nimphie.  My supercar passion is well known, but for my about town car I would definitely also have an EV car of some kind.  I am surprised with all the people of means that live in my neighborhood, I have only seen one Chevy Volt driving around and no totally EVs at all.  I guess EVs are still pretty rare and hard to get no matter what car budget one has.

Richard Nimphie of Suncoast Electric Vehicles St. Petersburg Florida inside the Personal EVI have unknowingly driven by the Suncoast Electric Dealership on 4th Street North I estimate at least 180 times since it opened earlier this year and never noticed it, and I am a very observant person, especially for cars!  The signage is small and low and the building is surrounded by trees.  I might suggest to them to somehow making the dealership much more visible to passing cars.

Personal EV plug with body graphic leaving no doubt where to put it!Mr. Nimphie and his staff were very friendly answering my questions about their EVs and helping me setup photographs highlighting the features of EV cars, which of course are their lack of a need for gas and electrical outlet for a gas cap.  Thinking now I guess in the future there will be something like sold laptop docking station built into the walls of garages that everyone will just connect to when they return home in order to recharge.  Maybe that will not even be necessary as some sudden, burst recharging technology could be invented along just a few seconds of plugin time to be back on the road.

The GREENVAN EVC1000 at Suncoast Electric Vehicles at 2401 4th Street North St. Petersburg FloridaIf you drive less than 40 miles a day and stay on roads with speed limits 40mph and under, which would be nearly all roads in St. Petersburg, then the Personal EV would make a great way to start the future in your garage today.

SUNCOAST ELECTRIC VEHICLES official site

2401 4th Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33704