It is true, that the fashion in this issue is decidedly “Boulder”, and not on the scale of big budget New York fashion magazine. We were challenged to shoot in un-scouted pre-determined locations at local restaurants, use clothing from local clothing stores that may or may not be “fashion”, and to bring out the best in a mixture of local models and some who have never modeled before. Overall, we are happy with the results. There were some lessons learned that will be invaluable when we begin planning for the 2012 issue, which will undoubtedly be the best issue Boulder has ever seen.

On our first day, I immediately noticed these rustic buildings, that are located right on Main Street. Using an AlienBee 1600 and a bare reflector, I lit Jayme and the front building. I positioned a second AlienBee 400 to light the second building in the background.

My least used lens is the Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC. This is the older PC version, and not the newer PC-E, which means that you have to auto adjust the aperture ring. I usually don’t go for the extreme tilt shift blur effect … but today I’m liking it.

On our second day in Breckenridge, we went for a classic road bike ride over Loveland Pass. Upon our return to town we grabbed an incredible lunch at Amazing Grace cafe, followed by another little portrait session in the lot next door. I was working with balancing the strong backlit trees with some hard front light from a bare reflector. I take full responsibility for the um, “styling”, of Jayme’s hair!

For this first shot, I was going for something other than a typical close crop fashion portrait in vertical format. I really wanted to focus on the building architecture and textures, adding myself a human element in the composition.

OK, after Facebook feedback, I’m adding another pose from this location

I’m also interested in irregular light patterns. I’ve seen some portraits where the subject is placed in intentionally mottled light to great effect. I started out taking some shots with just natural lighting … and they were OK. But I added some fill light, and came up with the shadow on the wall, which I really like. Shooting self portraits using a manual focus tilt shift lens is quite challenging! But I like the way that it draws a visual tie from me to the tree in the foreground.

Another concept that I’m exploring is adding movement into posed shots to make them less posed. I tried getting some pictures of me walking, but I didn’t really like how they came out, except for this next shot. I was having trouble getting my remote trigger to fire properly. It was firing at all sorts of random times and generally giving me the technical difficulties that seem to be normal for me. But then came this happy accident, when it fired before I entered the frame. I love this shot, of just the shadow on the wall. The Mystery Man!

I was drawn to the colored peeling paint on this wall. This shot took me a long time, because cars kept coming out of the lot next to where I’m standing, and I had to continually move my tripod. I had a small audience across the street who was very interested in what I was doing. They probably thought I was some kind of wierdo. Or famous person … same thing. Anyway, this is my over the top GQ grimace. For this shot, the tilt function of the perspective control lens was used to create infinite depth along the wall of the building.

Thanks for stopping by … tomorrow we head into the bayou!

Happy Spring! On the 2010 vernal equinox we witnessed the debut of a new playa on the international male snowpermodel circuit. Sir Frostilicious has the crystalline structure to dominate the cuthroat snowway fashion scene for the foreseeable future. His bone chilling trademark look is known in Milan as “Icy Steel”. I am so fortunate to have been selected to photograph this controversial modeling session which features full frontal nudity. You will be able to see the full shoot in the centerfold of next month’s ‘Snowdude’ magazine.

It has come to my attention that there are still people who read my blog despite the fact that I haven’t been updating it with cool photos of mountain bikes and cute girls very much lately.  I’ve been soooo busy with September weddings, things have gotten away from me a bit.  And it’s hard to post fun stuff when you aren’t doing fun stuff.  Not that weddings aren’t fun, but those images go on the other blog.  But, I realize that it is not an excuse for leaving such an exceptionally un-Steve-Z post at the top of the blog for so long.  I have a plan in the works to further specialize my websites, in the future the corporate stuff is going to show up elsewhere.  In the meantime, I’ve dug up some photos of Julie that I haven’t posted yet.  And even better I have more swimsuit shots of her that I took way back in January on the beach that I have been saving for a rainy day.  I’m thinking it will probably be pouring on Tuesday.

My friends at Green Guru Gear/Ecologic Designs hosted a smokin’ fashion show and a rippin’ party to celebrate the expansion of their facilities in eco-friendly Boulder, CO. You may recall that last summer I headed out the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show with these guys in their vegetable oil powered Sport Utility Ambulance.

Green Guru makes groovy cool products out of all kinds of stuff that we normally throw away. Bike tubes, fabric from Coke bottles, climbing rope, and lots and lots of vinyl billboards. The bag you see above, the runway, the backdrop, and even the outfit you see below once clogged up the landscape with marketing slogans trying to make us buy stuff. Personally I’d rather have ladies acting as billboards trying to make me buy stuff.

The finale featured a contortionist wearing an outfit made from recycled inner tubes. Can you figure out how she has gotten her leg up there? Yeah, me neither!

I volunteered to take some photos for the Boulder International Film Festival’s KidsFringe Teen Fashion Show. Uncharacteristically for Boulder, we got rained out of our outdoor location at the Bandshell. So we had to move indoors at the last minute to Zing Salon. This wasn’t the ideal backdrop, but we made due with the small space.

I’m hoping that the kids will help me network my way into some senior portrait photo sessions. I want to do more really creative and fun photo shoots. I think that there is a big market in Boulder for high end portrait sessions where kids get really custom and artistic photos that will really make them stand out in the yearbook. I see so many senior pictures where the pro photographer takes them out and stands them next to that same tree on campus and takes a portrait. How boring! Boulder is the perfect place to find some seniors who want to do some really fun shots.

OK so I did another modeling photo shoot. I’ve been working on improving my lighting and I’ve been interested in combine mountain scenery nature shots with a fashion style of lighting. I was able to get Arianna to model for me at the last minute one morning when I awoke to great clouds (again). She did such a great job; I think she’s super photogenic. I used an assistant and 1 softbox for all these shots. I don’t have too much else to say so just enjoy the gallery!

More images after the page break!!!!

I’m imagining that I’m sitting on the beach, squishing the warm sand in between my toes. Mmmmmmmm.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Welcome to Part 2 of the Crystal Fashion Shoot. Chronicalogically this was Part 1, but never mind that! Crystal needed a photo to run in her local La Junta newspaper in an ad for Cinco de Mayo festivities. I could have taken one good shoot and have been finished . . . but that wouldn’t be my style. I have a way of going overboard when it comes to getting “1 more good shot . . . ” Things are busy busy these days, so I’m not going to jabber on, and I’ll leave you to the gallery.

There are a couple more after the break . . .

I have been on the lookout for interesting locations to shoot in Boulder.  I keep whining that Boulder doesn’t have much interesting architecture to shoot in front of.  It seems that everywhere you turn there are more brick buildings.  I was determined to find somewhere urban and edgy to shoot downtown.  In the end, I would up being somewhat foiled by the monotany, and I shot in front of bricks.  Again.  Oh well, I brought out the Strobist gear to add some hard light to give an edgy feel to some of the shots.

I was able to find a narrow alley that looked somewhat city-like. The whole scene was pretty funny, as we were getting quite a few inquizative looks from Boulderites.  People are used to seeing engagement and wedding shoots, but this fashion stuff is pretty radical for 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon in The Republic.

Check out some more  photos after the page break . . .

These photos are actually from the second half of our shoot.  I’m saving the first half for Cinco de Mayo, since there is a bit of a theme involved.  So check back in a few days to see Crystal in an entirely different light!

In the past I haven’t taken my fashion photography very seriously. I’ve done a few shoots here and there to practice my lighting, and to have a little fun. Then I did those swimsuit shoots when I was down in Florida. Once again, those were mostly to practice in some different shooting conditions than I normally get in Colorado. Now it seems that I’m getting some recognition for my efforts, and I’ve started to get paying requests for my work.

I thought that the only purpose has been to improve my portraiture, and maybe work on some fashion bridal type shoots. I’ve been a bit reluctant to invest too much time into an area of the business where there are tons of guys who will do this stuff for free.

Personally, I find that shooting and editing these photos are no fun at all. No, I won’t do any more. Stop twisting my arm. Ow, ow, ow, quit it!

Welllllllllllll . . . mmmmm . . . OK. Maybe just one or two more bikini shoots. But only because I need the money. I don’t enjoy it at all.  Wherefore art thou cubicle?

There are a few more after the break . . .