Tasteful Nudes from my Archive for Throwback Thursday

I wanted to take the opportunity to participate in Throwback Thursday; these images are from my archive. These images were shot on film, it was a job for a restaurant called Spice. 

A Little Taste of What I've Been Up To

Over the last month I've been shooting portraits of people in their beautiful homes right here in Chicago. Related Realty wanted to use the real people who live in these marvelous homes for their ads. I can't show the others just yet, but I wanted to provide a taste of what I was up to, hope you enjoy!

New Ad Work Just in Time for Spring!

Vail Colorado

The Early Years : Q&A with Lisa Sciascia

I decided that this week my blog post would be a Q&A about my early years in the industry. I work with lots of young, just out of college assistants and I felt this post could provide some insight as to what it takes to be a full-time photographer. My social media manager provided me with a list of questions for this post. If you're a young creative with more questions feel free to comment below and I'll get back to you.

 What made you decide to work in the industry?
I graduated with a degree in Finance and went to work at a bank. Within the first 6 months, I wondered is this what life was about? I was incredibly bored. I wondered where the enjoyment was. Was I suppose to work and feel fulfilled during my off-work hours? No. I searched for something more interesting.
    During that time my younger brother was in high school and had an interest in photography, he didn't pursue a career in the industry, but his interest led me to question whether it could be a career option for myself.
   Till that point I had never done anything in photography. I was alway envious of people who were able to work creatively. I decided to enroll into a photography program. At first I enrolled into a adult ed classes, then decided to attend the program full-time. I was hooked.

What year did you begin working in the industry?
1990

What city did you work in?
Atlanta, then New York during my assisting time.

Did you work as an assistant, did you have to supplement your income with a waitressing job (or something similar)?

I spent 3.5 years working as an assistant and some of that time I worked in the equipment room of a photo studio called Industria, in New York City.  I did not do anything else.

Did you have to get an internship to obtain work? What was that like?

No, I did not do an internship. All my leads come from word of mouth. I had a friend introduce me to a photographer and she took me under her wing for a 6 month full time studio manager position. After that I freelanced with photographers, mainly in the fashion arena.

Was your first year really the hardest year? 
The first year out of assisting was the absolute hardest. It was MY first shooting year and I had NO idea how to find clients.There was no internet at the time, no way to search for them easily.  It was hard to remain positive. However, I was lucky and one of the photographers I worked with passed my name to one of their old clients, I started shooting advertising for some mall clients. I considered it very lucky.

How long did it take to transition to a full-time shooter?
1 -2 years

What's the best piece of advice you could give to someone starting out? 

Always do your best job! Go all out, keep all of your connections, don't burn any bridge. Take risks.  Make sure you buy the best equipment for the job, even if you have to buy it very slowly. Work for free to get the right experience, being at the right place at the right time is important.

The World's Most Prolific Tinkerer

This holiday season I was able to experience The Edison Ford Museum which has hundreds of Edison's inventions and artifacts. From Movie Projectors, to record players, to the light bulb, it's awesome to consider his contributions to the photo and film industry.  Thank you Thomas Edison! This got me thinking about my role in the creative industry and about people stepping out of the norm to create something new.  I loved that he really didn't pay attention in school and it appeared like he was not intelligent in that way, but went on to be an amazing inventor.

The Edison Ford Museum has hundreds of inventions, artifacts and special exhibits. - See more at: http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/#sthash.0b4z8enn.dpuf

The Edison Ford Museum has hundreds of inventions, artifacts and special exhibits. - See more at: http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/#sthash.0b4z8enn.dpuf

 

 The winter home of Thomas Edison, is poised along the Caloosahatchee River. In 1885, Thomas Edison first visited Florida. He purchased property along the Caloosahatchee River and built a vacation home. The vernacular structure, completed in 1886 and dubbed "Seminole Lodge" by the Edisons, served as a winter retreat and work place for the prolific inventor until his death in 1931. The home, designed by Mr. Edison, was built in sections in Fairfield, Maine in 1885. The sections were then transported to Fort Myers by four sailing schooners and erected in 1886.

Behind the Scenes for YMCA

Our prop stylist getting outfits ready 


 On November 15th (this past Friday) I had the opportunity to be the photographer on an incredibly fun photo shoot for the YMCA. These images are some behind the scenes photos from the day.

                                Look at all the shoe options! 

                          

                                                                                    

                         
              

Production Packet and set 

Our lovely producer Barbara 

Having fun on set with the client! 

On a ladder getting some great shots!

The shoot was fantastic! I had a great time, my crew was amazing and the talent was exceptional!

Special thanks to studio and crew: 

Studio // studio 2255 
First Assistants // Donte Tatum & Mark Doddato 
Digital Tech //  Brian Schilling 
Second Assistant // Anastasia Page  
Behind the scenes // James foster

Spotlight on Prolific Fashion Photographer Helmut Newton

Last night, while I was thumbing through Helmut Newton's book, I realized many emerging photographers may have no clue who Helmut Newton was. After considering this, I felt compelled to share some of his more well known pieces (that are safe for work).

This is predominantly work from Vogue magazine, more of his work can be found online and I highly suggest everyone take a moment and get inspired.

Parisian Modern Classic Photos

These are a few finals from the post I made in October about the shoot I was working on. Hope everyone likes looking at them as much as I liked shooting them!

Social Media Tips for the Creative Professional

Being a creative professional in today's industry is no easy task, it requires a large assortment of skills and a colossal amount of time. I wish there was more than 24 hours in a day to get everything I needed finished, I bet that's a familiar statement to most creatives out there!

Our day-to-day is often jam packed with conference calls, interns, editing and shooting it's understandable that social media often takes a backseat on our list of priorities. 

In an effort to aid my fellow creatives I've decided to use today's blog post to share a few tips and tricks to enhance your social media.

1. Determine your Social Media Goals 

Before beginning your online journey to get as many followers as possible stop, and ask yourself "what's my direction and how am I going to get there?"  Every plan, even a social media plan, needs a little thought. Do you really need every app, will you consistently update more than one social media outlet a day? 

2. It's All About SEO 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is more than just keywording appropriately it's about getting your online presence performing at it's best. Understanding how to do this requires a little studying, my tip is to check out Fstoppers article about SEO for photographers.    

4. Give and Receive 

The internet is a great place for information and content sharing. One of my favorite tips is 'Give and Receive' it means avoid being a provider of narcissistic content. Think of the things online that you love to follow, I doubt it's bloggers or Facebook users asking you to 'like' or share something every second. Share content with your audience that you enjoy, engage them in online conversation and you'll receive more followers and organic visitors.  

5. Have Fun 

An audience can tell when you're posting because you're suppose to, stop that! You're audience will expand if your content is interesting, engaging and good; the best way to achieve that is to have fun with it.  

Parisian Modern Classic

Autumn is here in Chicago and that means fall fashion, photo shoots and producing new work! I had been playing with the concept of using elegant style with modern clothing, a kind of contemporary Audrey Hepburn look, in the photo shoot. The concept was executed perfectly with help from my stylist Giselle and my model Bryn. 

We were going for a moody light, haute couture look which I believe we totally achieved (check back soon for final photos). 

A quick candid image taken before shooting 

Me on set with my helpful assistant James.

A big thank you to my model and crew for an amazing photo shoot.
Carley Martin     // Makeup artist
Bryn                  //  Model
Giselle Gatsby  // Stylist
James Foster    // Photo Assistant

Marlene Atelier

September has arrived and as I mentioned in my earlier posts I am going to be one busy photographer. Tomorrow I’ll have the pleasure of working with Marlene Frank, a Chicago based business woman who makes custom-tailored professional women’s wear. During my shoot I’ll be posting some fun behind-the-scenes pictures and create a blog post about the days events and what it was like working with an independent entrepreneur.

Free at the beach!

Reminiscing of great times in the summer, this shoot captures the feeling perfectly.  Free and fun at the beach.  I took a few girls out and just gave them a little direction and really worked on just capturing what happened.  It was me and my camera and 3 girls and some props.  We had great fun and captured some simple shots.  I ran into one of the girls this week and she asked if we could go out and do it again. I thought that was a true testament to a happy shoot!

Gaining Momentum

As summer draws to a close I’ve been reflecting on the recent months and look towards the following year with great anticipation.

                                   

  Saying goodbye to summer, I can't gain momentum in a sandal

Over the past few months “what am I doing for the future?” has been moving through my mind. This is not a question demanding an answer, it’s a question that demands action. Beginning in September I'll have two days a week that will remain ‘free’ for clients, an intern aiding me with a variety of tasks and a month of booked shoots.