I'm so excited to be able to announce some new technology that I received to play with recently. The amazing HTC Gluuv! With the trend toward wearable devices, this is a very interesting new direction. The prototype I played with has lots of features with still more to come. I'm definitely interested in getting one when it goes into production.
I've got to say, it's pretty cool to be able to try this technology before the world gets to see it.
Some of you may have noticed that I have been missing in action the last few months. This is why http://www.htc.com/us I had the opportunity to work with HTC, one of the largest cell phone manufacturers in the world and their new cutting edge top secret phone. I was part of the team that created all the images and web video for the launch of the HTC New One (M8).
The project started in November of last year with planning and pre production. We shot for a full week in January and have spent the last 2 months editing and assembling the final products.
There is no way I could have accomplished such a huge project without a team that had my back, extremely talented models that worked hard during the consecutive days of shooting and a great client. The HTC team had great vision, they conveyed it to me clearly and allowed me to craft a plan that we executed and lead to a final product that everyone was happy with.
In my next few blog pots I will go into greater detail about what it took to get this done. For now I am just excited to finally be able to share this great news with you! It’s been so difficult to keep it quite for the last 4 months!
I am so grateful to have such an amazing team! If not for them and their efforts none of this would have been possible! Thank you all!
Team -
Photographer - Tim Engle
Videographer - Kody Pickern
Production - Christine Alward
Makeup Artist - Jenifer Haupt
Hair Stylist - Mikel Sessions
Wardrobe Stylist - Simone Vianna
1st Assistant - Gene Wang
2nd Assistant - Dave Harlan
Video Assistant - Todd Beighley
Catering - Libby Carew
Security - Bill Thiry & Mike Claypool
Electrician - Wade Barton
Models - Cast Images
I had the opportunity to visit and photograph Tamarack Lodge (the former high security detention building of Preston School and PYA) in Ione, CA. As you drive up to the Preston Castle, if you continue straight towards the fence and look down the hill you will see this location down behind trees. It's a location that I have had on my "Photo Bucket List" for years! It did not disappoint! Visually it is quite stunning, it's like a movie set left in time, perfect but still very intimidating. I can only imagine how it must have felt like to have been in one of these cells day in and day out. It's remarkable that after only a few years of being abandoned, the deterioration is proceeding at such a rapid pace. I'm very fortunate that I was able to get in when I did to photograph it.
I'm excited to have my 1st guest post! Christine always has such great insights. She brings a unique point of view as a wonderful photographer that picked up modeling to help understand the other side of the camera.
Tim
So, I'm writing this and I have not seen the image yet. Not to say that it's not important, but what's most important to me is what went into the making of this image.
I'll start at the beginning. I was approached to be apart of a project recognizing the "Top 10" models of Sacramento. At first I wanted to say no to the project, but my husband, Ryan, convinced me to get involved. He helped remind me it was an honor to have been chosen.
After agreeing to participate, an incredibly talented makeup artist, Cesar Rivera, offered to lend his services for the shoot. Hair stylist Renne Alejandro, was also on board. Cesar brought along another great talent, Florlinda Ayala for makeup as they were planning to make me glow from head to toe! These three are some of the most talented and kind people I know. I couldn't believe they had offered to help me.
I also asked fashion designer Nolan Kouri to help me out with the angel wings that I was requested to bring for the shoot (oh did I forget to mention the theme for the 10 models was angels?) Let me tell you, I should have know he would blow my mind, what I expected and what I got, I... Was... Stunned!
Kouri made a set of 4 foot tall wings that could don the Victoria's Secret Runway. Funny story, I was dressed as a ghost in full makeup at a haunted house when I saw the first picture of them, let's just say I was not able to stay in character because I was so excited!
After realizing how much support I had and how much talent was being brought together for this shoot, I knew I wanted to pull off something extra, something special. For this I asked for Tim's help ( oh yeah, backing up again, he wasn't the photographer for the Top 10 project)
I was more stressed for this shoot than any other one I had been involved in. Even though I know and had worked with all these artists before, this time it was different. They were all there because I asked them to be and the pressure to produce something that represented their talents was felt on a much stronger level.
So this is what we made. Thank you to my friends that worked so hard to make this image! I can't wait for everyone to see it!
Cheers
~ Christine
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Designs by Nolan Kouri, www.nolankouristudio.com
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Hair Stylist Renne Alejandro, www.facebook.com/renne.limon
Makeup by Cesar Rivera & Florlinda Ayala
www.facebook.com/florlinda.ayala.mua
Male Model: Matt Webber
Here's a short video of the making of..
So after many months of work I'm excited to say the website is back up and functional. With the help my good friend Tony Yates I was able to get all the features I wanted in a very simple easy-to-use fashion. One of the things I've been trying to do for a long time now is have a blog. So here it is. My goal is to be able to post behind-the-scenes pictures and stories from different shoots as well as share some of the projects that I'm working on. Some very exciting things coming up and I'm very excited to show you.
Something else I'm really excited about is having guest bloggers. I'm very fortunate to have a great team around me. Their skills are world-class and without them my images wouldn't be what they are now. They offer a wealth of information in their respective fields and I'm excited to share that with you.
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So to start with, I asked Christine to give me some notes about a recent shoot we did with designer Michael Kouri, so Keep an eye out for that next.
I just received word the cover I shot for Sacramento Magazine was voted the 2013 Cover of the Year. My team and I put together the photo shoot early last year for the lead story and cover of the April issue. I photographed many of our Sacramento news anchors, it was such a fun day! We had Bethany Crouch from FOX 40 (KTXL) and Lisa Gonzales from Ch 3 (KCRA) as our cover models and wow, are they amazing together! I have never seen such great chemistry! They should have there own TV show.
I am so pleased with the team I had on this shoot. That cover shot came out of a very funny situation. After the shoot was over, Lisa and Bethany were playing on an old Honda scooter that was in the studio. I started shooting them with my iPhone. After looking at the iPhone images I realized that was the energy I needed for the cover shot. We went back and reshot the cover with the same configuration and style. Although the iPhone shot was almost good enough to be the cover by itself.
And who says the iPhone is not a real camera!
Makeup: Jenifer Haupt
Hair: Renne Alejandro
Styling: Simone Vianna
Production: Christine Alward
Had a great evening on Thursday. Nolan Kouri showed a gown from his fall 2014 collection. The full collection to be presented on the runway Sat February 22nd at Sacramento Fashion Week.
Model: Christine Alward
Makeup: Brooke Barker
Hair: Allure Salon and Spa
Stylist: Simone Vianna
