BryCox.com – Celebrity Style Imaging, Inc.™

The Parade of Homes just started, and one home in particular, home #18 off Fort Lane in Layton, Utah is worth seeing.  It not only is fantastic and designed very well, but it also features my artwork throughout the home.

It was built by Haskell Homes, and was designed by the team at Noble House in Bountiful, which includes my good and dear friend, Jenna Rix (JM Design Sparrow).

The large oil painting above the console there, is actually from my cousin, Tony Cox.  The image to the left, above the stairway, is one of my photographs, stretched on canvas.  This particular image I took while strolling the streets of Tuscany a few  years back.  It’s a 40×60 and fits that wall just perfectly!

Here’s that same room, looking the other way, back into the kitchen.  The design team asked me to also photograph the house, so these are some of the interiors from that shoot — the day before the parade opened.

I don’t normally get to shoot images like this one above when doing interiors, but fortunately Jenna loves this style.  She loves the kind of images that show you what the room ‘feels’ like, so I was able to play and get some of these cool images too.

Here’s the office, with an Eames chair and one of my images on the wall.

The master bedroom upstairs.

Another view of the master bedroom.  The lighthouse canvas on the wall was taken on the shores of Oregon.

The guest bedroom downstairs featuring “Blue Jalopy” taken in Tuscany, and “Serenity at Twilight” (on the right).

Here’s the team the day before the big opening: Jenna (with Noble House), Guy Haskell (the builder), and Karen (owner of Noble House).

Of course one of me and Jenna,

And the house alone.

Noble House had me design up some large prints for their store.  Here’s what they look like.

Now of course, there are plenty more images and much more to show you, but instead of posting them all here, you should instead just go by and see the place.

Haskell Homes are incredibly energy efficient and Jenna and the team at Noble House are fantastic designers and carry unique and beautiful furniture as well.  Everyone has been great to work with and it’s been fun to see how it all came together.

And you really need to see my artwork in person.  Some are images that have not been seen enlarged before either, like this rainstorm in Shanghai finished as a 40″ image.

Or this one that won a number of awards this year, “Fan of Wisdom,” taken at the Confucius temple in China.

This lighthouse was one of many that I found while photographing the coast of Oregon.  The colors were a perfect fit for the room it was placed in.

And this image was also in Oregon, near Canon Beach.  You may recognize the rocks in the background.  It’s called, “Looking Forward.”

These art images and others are discounted right now while they are on display at the Parade of Homes.  Let me know if you’d like prices on anything or need something made up custom for your home.

And it’s also the best time right now to do family portraits in the garden studio here at Bry Cox Studio.  The place looks fantastic and the weather is perfect.  Call now to schedule something soon.  I have some specials going on right now too, which is an added bonus to getting a Bry Cox portrait right now.

Also, browse some of my past blog entries (BryCox.com/blog) or even my my main website at BryCox.com.

I have won another award!  Yes, I won the high score for Utah!

My four prints that are in professional image competition, have gone on to the district/regional level, where I had the highest case score (total of all four prints added together).  From this point these prints will go on to the national level in 2012.

You may remember these four images when I first entered them at the state level, where I won Master Photographer of the Year, along with TWO Kodak Gallery Awards, a Judges Choice Award, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place, and the Court of Honor!  (past blog entry on these images.)

Here are the four images I entered this year.  I’ll keep you posted as they continue on, as well as keeping you up on the next four prints that will be entered next year in the State level in April.

If you’d like some fantastic award winning images of yourself that are really cool, funky, while at the same time classy and professional, give me a call at 801-728-3317.  And feel free to check out my main website at BryCox.com (or my blog if you’re reading this in a separate feed readerBryCox.com/blog).

My book, “Impressions of China,” is in its final proofing stage! I have received the artist proof from the printer and have been checking every detail before the final copies are printed and bound.

I am very excited by the look and quality of the images in this proof edition, love the presentation of one image per page. The entire book is 185 pages, and cost me a bit more to produce because it is printed in full color — all 185 pages! It contains images and street portraits that I created while traveling throughout China on two different speaking engagements last summer.

The book has been designed to match the look and layout of my earlier book, “Impressions of Italia” so that the two books can be a set, whether displayed on a coffee table or bookshelf.

If you’ve been following my blog, then you’ve seen some of the images that will be in the book already, like the two photographs below that I recently won some awards with, including Master Photographer of the Year!

I would love all of you to have an early copy of this book, and have decided to sell the first set of these for my material costs only, $75!

I will also include a gift certificate for the same amount that you can use on your next portrait session or order, so it’s like getting one or the other for free! If you’d like to be on the list and get one of the early copies for only my material printing costs, plus a gift certificate for $75, then let me know by sending me an email at web@brycox.com, or visit my website at www.brycox.com and click on CONTACT to get ahold of me. Make sure to put in your name and contact info in the email so that I can get a hold of you.

I just finished a job in Hyannis, MA on Cape Cod, and afterward decided to take a bit of time to myself to photograph a nearby lighthouse.  I don’t know what it is exactly that is so attractive about lighthouses, but I love to photograph them.  It is always so serene to be in these places.

I drove to the top of the Cape to a small town called Provincetown.  On the edge of town there’s a jetty.  I hiked across the jetty to photograph this lighthouse that was way out on a little piece of land.

Once on the other side, I hiked around in the brush to get just the right spot, where the sun would only be lighting the side of the lighthouse — creating some depth.  This was one of my favorites.

Then I decided to create some self-portraits because I have realized that when I go to fun and beautiful places that I only get great photographs of my surroundings, but never of me.  At some point in life I’m sure I will want to look back and see photographs of me on one of my adventures.

So I set up my tripod with a radio shutter release and went to get in the photo when I could hear the camera snapping photographs randomly and without my control.  I ran to the camera to stop it and as a result of my camera’s mishap, I got these two images which I really like.

The movement gives them a certain interest and life, which makes them more interesting than me just standing there next to the lighthouse.

After I got the release working I took some more on purpose, but kept the idea of movement in the images.  The running images made me think of Richard Avedon’s self-portraits that he did while in 1950′s Paris with the Eiffel Tower.  I used that inspiration and created this set of images.

It was so quiet and serene out on that little piece of land.  I tend to be more introspective when I’m out of town, and especially when I’m in a beautiful place creating a photograph just for me.

There’s something about just relaxing and getting away from the distractions of life, and just looking at light, and being creative … and just thinking.  It took me about four hours total to cross the jetty, take some photographs, and hike back to land.  A very fulfilling night!

On the walk back, I took this image, looking back towards the lighthouse.

And here is the jetty looking back towards Provincetown.  I wanted to get across before sundown while there was still light to see, and I just made it.

When I got back, I saw a quaint hotel right on the beach and I booked a room.  It didn’t have a restaurant, so I headed into town for dinner, but missed everything.  All the restaurants were closed.  I went to bed on a few candy bars, but felt very fulfilled!

This week I won EIGHT AWARDS, including ’Master Photographer of the Year!‘  I also won TWO Kodak Gallery Awards, a Judges Choice Award, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place, and the Court of Honor!

Each year photographers are allowed to enter four images, and here were my four entries:

It was an exciting night, but I was actually out of town during the entire awards ceremony, speaking in Georgia at their annual professional photographers convention.  However, I was keeping tabs on the Utah convention by phone, trying to see how I did.  When the news came in, it was even better than I had expected.  I not only won the big award of the night (Master Photographer of the Year), but a number of other great awards as well!

The level of competition is very difficult in the Masters, as I compete against the absolute best of the best.  I am always trying to raise the level of quality that I offer my clients each year, and to do a better and better job in every way possible.  As expectations and competition in the industry continues to rise, I hope that clients see these awards as a sign that my quality and commitment to great portraiture also rises each year.

Now these images will go on to regionals and then nationals.  I’ll keep you all posted on how they do.

Last week I was in Maine.  I was asked to judge and speak at the Professional Photographers of Maine convention.  Afterward, I took a day to myself before flying home to just drive the coast looking for some great photographs.

I started at Portland Head Lighthouse, in Portland Maine, because it’s one of the most beautiful and photographed lighthouses on the east coast.  I woke up at 5:00 am and left my cozy and warm hotel room to battle the freezing cold in hopes of a great sunrise image.

This is one of my favorites, because it shows the rockiness of the coast.  I love the yellow coming in from the horizon, and you can barely see another lighthouse on the water in the far distance.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse

Here’s a closer and vertical image of the same lighthouse.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse 3

I really liked this one. I used a Lens Baby shift lens to give me optically soft edges, and then breathed on the lens to fog the glass.

BryCox - Portland ME Lighthouse 4

Later that day I found this lighthouse, Pemaquid Point.  It was getting late as I did this panorama.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 1

Here was a little building just to the side of the lighthouse.  I liked how all the rocks pointed to it.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 2

This was a little bench that looked out to the ocean.

BryCox - Pemaquid Point 3

The next morning on my drive back to the airport I stopped to photograph this frozen lake.  It was so cold there.  I was just out of my car for a moment, and absolutely froze.

BryCox - Maine Frozen Lake

It was a great trip and I’m very happy with the images I created.  I hope to have a reason to get back there sometime soon…and hopefully when it’s a bit warmer.

After I was done speaking, I took some time to create some art images of the people and places there.  A few of us photographers chipped in and hired cars to take us to some remote places in China so that we could see some unique things.

I hope to do an art book of just Chinese art images similar to my Italian art book I did a few years ago.  I will first need to sort and choose my favorites, as well as do some slight artwork on the images and adjust for contrast and proper cropping.

For right now though, here is an early preview of some of my favorite images, before post-production artwork.  It was a fantastic journey and I’ll be excited to show these images after they are finished.

By the way, feel free to let me know some of your favorites!

BryCox - China Art Images 1

BryCox - China Art Images 2

BryCox - China Art Images 3

BryCox - China Art Images 4

BryCox - China Art Images 5

BryCox - China Art Images 6

BryCox - China Art Images 7

BryCox - China Art Images 8

BryCox - China Art Images 9

This weekend I went down to Moab, Utah for a bit of relaxation and to create some new art images of Southern Utah.  It really stormed on the way down as well as the few days I was there which created some amazing lighting and some fabulous skies!  Here’s some of the preliminary images I’ve been working on.

This first image I created on the way down there.  I just loved the storm clouds and my inspiration on framing this was based on many of the paintings I’ve seen of my favorite painter…my cousin Antony Cox (AntonyCox.com).

If you look at his work, check out the paintings he did from 2000-2004 with his really low or really high horizons.  I’ve always found that intriguing.  So when I saw this scene, I thought of Antony’s paintings and framed it in a similar way.  I also love the rain falling onto the mountains in the center and how all the lines in the clouds point to the rain.  So cool!

BryCox - Moab 1

This is one of my favorites!  It is of  an old church.  I love the colors, the cool background and the warm foreground.  Storms create amazing directional lighting that shines under the storm clouds and light up objects.  I was very excited to see this and had to stop and photograph it. I love how there’s a touch of blue in the church too that ties it all in.

BryCox - Moab 2

I’ve been a regular visitor to Moab, to visit Arches and the other National Parks looking for great images, and have rarely seen such a great sky for photography.  Aside from exposing images just right, the weather is really key to great scenics in my opinion.  Static images may seem amazing in real life, but pale in comparison after they are photographed.

I think all photographers have been disappointed when they’ve looked at images they tried to create of some magnificent scene — I know I have.  My conclusion is that something else is needed other than a great scene, good composition, and a perfect exposure.  But rather something has to make the inanimate objects seem more dynamic, and that comes from great directional light and interesting weather.  These extra ingredients have to be there as well in order to add drama to the inanimate objects.  That is what makes the image of the church as well as these other images so fun for me to look at — all of those elements are there!

So here are a few exposures from Arches National Park.

BryCox - Moab 3

Again in Arches…

BryCox - Moab 4

And here is me at Delicate Arch — one of the most famous arches!

BryCox - Moab 5

And one of me under the arch.  This particular area is usually packed with visitors because it is so famous, so people have to be creative in how you frame and cut the image to give the illusion of being there all alone.

BryCox - Moab 6

When I narrow the images down to the final art prints, I’ll process them out separately for the best color and depth possible, and then add my unique touch of artwork to them, custom print them and offer them on my art site, BryCoxArt.com.  Maybe I’ll put a post up here on the blog when they are ready.

So until next time, America!
– Bry

A few weeks ago I posted a very unique image of the Salt Lake Temple which has caused a lot of excitement.  Many people asked it was available for purchase.  Well I have it now, ready for purchase as a custom 20×36 inch stretched canvas gallery wrap.  It looks absolutely gorgeous.

To kick it off, I’m offering the first 10 for $300 off, and am also including free local delivery or FedEx Ground shipment to the lower 48 states.

I know that by offering the first few at a big discount that many of your friends and families will see it displayed your homes and want one for themselves.

Bry Cox - Mountain Tops

This image is called “Mountain Tops” due to the composition and as a reference to the Old Testament use of mountains as a symbol of the temple.  Here’s how it looks from the side.

Bry Cox - side view of Mountain Tops

In getting “Mountain Tops” ready to release, I also decided to release and offer another image that has only been seen at my studio but has always created a big buzz — “The Sacred Grove!”  It’s amazing how great this looks close up!  It’s also been fun to have a religious piece of artwork that only certain people recognize as well.  Some have simply thought it was a beautiful scenic, but those who know, appreciate it on many levels and are stunned by it.

Bry Cox - Sacred Grove

This is available as a 24×36 stretched Canvas Gallery Wrap and I’m doing the same thing with this: offering the first 10 for $300 off!  This too also includes free local delivery or FedEx Ground shipment to the lower 48 states.

Both are available at my online store which is BryCoxART.com, or can be ordered by phone by giving me a call at 801-728-3317.

Call with any questions too.

Thanks, and until next time, America!
– Bry