Sometime soon I’d like to do a workshop for people who want to photograph scenics in Utah. In thinking about this, I thought I’d post some images I created while exploring and scouting locations for Adobe’s event that I posted about previously. While exploring, I shot some really fun scenics and wanted to post them here. They really get me excited for warmer weather and for doing a workshop sometime soon here in the beautiful state of Utah.
While I was driving, the time of day was perfect, the sun was setting and these meadows and aspens really glowed with the low angled light. Plus it was fire season, so there was a lot of smoke in the air which added to the dramatic look of the setting sun.
This black and white was particularly fun and probably one of my favorites from the day. I’d really like to make this up large and have it in my home.
And this last image shows a real teepee off in the distance, used by a rancher. The warm smokey air in this image really makes it for me.
It’s amazing the kind of scenery we have here in Utah and it was a fun adventure looking for routes and places to visit. Again, I hope to workshop here in Utah sometime soon, specifically on travel photography and scenics. If you’re interested in coming, let me know.
This summer, some friends and contacts of mine from Adobe’s California office had some meetings in Park City. They invited me along as a local tour guide and helper on their creative day of shooting, and had events scheduled that ended at the Heber Valley Railroad (aka Heber Creeper).
Here are some of my images from that day. I started out using one of my Lens Babies as I photographed the train yard.
The colors were so vivid that day, and the selective blur was a great look I thought for the train cars. With older and nostalgic train cars, I thought an older lens look would match perfectly.
They had lined up this model too, who came in this authentic conductor’s outfit. I think he was my favorite subject to photograph, and I created images with both a selective focus…
…and a normal lens. His outfit and expression were perfect. I really liked balancing the converging lines in the background with him.
Here are some abstracts from an area of the train yard that is normally closed to the public, but with special permission we were able to walk around and explore. It’s hard to explain how fun it is to crawl around in areas like this and just shoot photographs for fun.
It’s always fun to get away and create new images just for the sake of being creative, and it was fun being with photographer friends from Adobe. They really had a fun night planned and I am grateful I could be apart of it.
It was announced that Google Maps is now doing street views inside some of Utah’s most historic and prominent buildings, and one of which is the old Hotel Utah, now called the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. At the very top of that building overlooking the Salt Lake Temple, is the Roof Restaurant which has chosen to decorate with my artwork.
In this view now available on Google, you can see some of my pieces on the walls.
There are also some of my large stretched canvases there too, but the Google view does not allow you to see them because of the chosen angles.
If you’d like to see these and more art images, they are available to view and buy at BryCoxART.com. And if you’re looking for a nice dinner with a great view, the Roof is the perfect place.
It is always important to get family portraits, and right now is especially an important time for the Healey family, and I feel really honored that they hired me to create the portraits for their entire family.
Overall, their entire group was about 40 people, including married children and grandkids. We set up in their family yard during a wind storm and rainy week, and miraculously found a dead spot from the weather. Their yard made for a fantastic backgound and the images all loom wonderful.
I’m excited to post them today, even though the web just can’t do them justice. This first image is now a beautiful canvas hanging over their fireplace.
I love this large grouping. Everyone is positioned comfortably and realistically, the entire shape is balanced and keeps your eye moving, the expressions on everyone are real and happy, the background has depth and texture but is dark enough that it isn’t distracting, and lighting on everyone though difficult, looks amazing.
Big groups are more difficult to do right than you’d think, but they are very satisfying. I really love how this portrait turned out. It has to be my new favorite.
With every large family group, I also like to do smaller groups. Above is the original children gathered around their folks, and below is each individual family.
Each family is grouped and lit a little differently depending on the family, but the overall look of each group matches in case people want to create a wall grouping and hang these portraits near each other.
Each family has their own personality and every child looks great. I really love photographing families and especially love getting little kids to all look cute and smile. It’s more than just doing some tricks to get a smile, but rather work to get each child to show their personality in both the pose and their expression. These little boys below look perfect. I especially love the tough pose of the boy standing and leaning into his mother.
When people are positioned right, lit right, and they have a real and believable expression, the result is a portrait that is fun to look at, and yet classic and timeless.
These little girls below were so funny and wiggly, I was surprised to get any images with all of their feet down on the ground. They were so giddy and were laughing so hard at everything I did, that it was cracking me up too.
And finally, here is the couple that started this big group. I really liked this image of the two of them.
Again, it was a real pleasure to work with everyone in this family. I loved all of the groupings and families, and love how everything turned out. I always feel it an honor to create and capture memories for people, but especially for this family. I really love these images and hope that they all do to.
This week I finished and delivered this beautiful canvas wall print to the Prete family. It’s always hard to get families together, and in this case their youngest son had just returned from serving a Mormon mission. It was the perfect chance to get everyone together.
We did these in the studio, and created a few options. This first image was the favorite for the wall canvas.
It’s always nice to have some options when it comes to family groupings, and this one below was perfect for smaller table sized prints.
During the shoot I like to do smaller groups, and in this case created a trio collage of their married children and single son. I really like the colors and the natural triangle shape or arc created by the faces.
And of course a beautiful couple portrait of the parents. I really liked this cut square and printed in a bright and warm black & white.
Photographing this family was a real honor for me as I’d known them for many years. It’s always fun for me to create family portraits for people, and this particular project was really fulfilling.
I’m sure your family is constantly changing, and perhaps because of that you’re putting off getting a family portrait. But remember that’s exactly why right now is the perfect time to come in and get a new and updated family portrait. If you are at all unsure, then please see my guarantee.
Give me a call at 801-728-3317 and let’s talk about current promotions, clothing and locations, and let’s set up a time to create something amazing for your home and for future generations to enjoy.
While in Canada and Banff, I took a number of images on my point-and-shoot camera and iPhone. Part of being creative I think, is just taking photographs everywhere, and using any and all tools, including small cameras.
Many times I’ve looked back on my life and have found that I have beautiful images of the places I’ve been, but no images of myself. As we get older, we wish we had images of ourselves at certain times, so I’ve made it a goal to try and include myself in more photos, even if I don’t like them at the time. It’s always good to have photos to look back on.
I particularly love my point-and-shoot, because it is a professional version with full manual controls, dials instead of menus, and it captures in RAW so I can edit it or convert images to black and white with more clarity. I have it rigged with an extendable stick so that I can get photographs of myself when I go places, without having to rely on strangers for focus and composition.
Below is a panorama created with the new iPhone 5. It does a fast job of panos, and in this image you can see my main camera around my neck and my point-and-shoot camera on an extendable stick in my hand.
The rest are some iPhone images of my trip. I like shooting for fun with the iPhone, because it’s a challenge. There are no controls, so you have to think differently when using it — you have to think around the fact that you can’t control some things, yet you still have to make the image artistic and work.
These first two images (above and below) are me flying out of the inversion and bad weather of Utah and seeing some blue sky again.
This is me flying into Calgary. I dragged the exposure for motion blur.
While shooting scenics in Banff, I shot some on my iPhone as well. I really like this image in black and white.
Here is some close-up details of frost on some grass coming out of the frozen lake.
My friend Cam took me to see the Banff Springs Hotel, and inside was this old ad.
Here it is from the outside.
And finally, as I was leaving Calgary very early in the morning, I found myself alone in the airport. I really liked the lines in this image, along with the 70′s looking multi-colored chairs.
Once on board, the flight was delayed due to a storm. I took this looking out the window of my airplane, waiting for takeoff.
Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed seeing these images. Make sure you check out the previous post (part 1) to see the scenics I took while there.
After speaking at the Alberta Professional Photographer’s Convention this month in Calgary, I took a free day to go to Banff. Here are some of the images I created that day.
I was taken there by a long-time photographer friend of mine, named Cam Colclough, that I met over 10 years ago in Oregon when we were both speaking at the same convention. We’ve stayed friends ever since, and he was kind enough to take me on a tour of some of his favorite places in Banff.
And here are some of the images I created in this area. I really loved the slanted mountains and awesome clouds in the background. It helped give me some contrast and directional light on the mountains, so I worked to create a variety of images by changing the foreground. A good foreground helps create depth, especially when there’s great depth created naturally by the lighting.
I was lucky to shoot these when I did, because right soon after, the weather changed dramatically, everything became foggy and overcast, and shooting scenics was no longer an option.
I really like all four of these scenics for different reasons, but I am having a hard time deciding which one is really the best. Which are your favorites? I’m curious as to what others are drawn to and why.
As part of my Banff Part 2 post coming up, I’ll show a completely different set of images — fun images I created solely on my iPhone and point-and-shoot camera.
This is the best weekend to get some beautiful and inspiring Bry Cox art pieces. Because of Black Friday and because I have completely revamped the entire BryCoxART.com site, I’m having a huge sale where everything is marked down 35% off through this weekend only. These are the best prices I’ve ever had on these, and there’s even more images to choose from than before.
Because of Black Friday, many people stand in terribly long lines at stores to get some deep discounts on things they won’t even care about in a year or two. But if you’re somebody who enjoys and is inspired by great art, you can instead avoid the lines and browse the BryCoxART.com site in the warmth of your home, save big money, and enjoy your art pieces for many years to come.
NOTE: The discounts will be applied after the pieces are added to your shopping cart. So see what you like, add it to the cart, and see how much you’ll save.
For example, 35% off means that you will save over $200 on twenty inch canvas gallery wraps and save about $350 on thirty inch canvas gallery wraps. I even have my art books, Impressions of Italia and Impressions of China books marked down. And every image is completely unique and different from anything you’ve ever seen.
I have serene and inspiring art pieces from Italy, China, and the US, including seashores, lighthouses, and LDS temples.
So this weekend, get something for your home or your office. This is the best sale on these items that I’ve had. Happy Thanksgiving!
Coming home from the east coast, I went straight on over to the west coast to do a job in the Seattle area. I got there a day and a half early to relax and take some photographs. Upon arriving, I caught this sunset behind the Space Needle.
The next day I went into town to hang out at Pike Street Market and eat some fried fish and chowder.
I then took a ferry out to Vashon Island to find and photograph the Point Robinson lighthouse that I had read about. I got there early in the afternoon, and the sun was already setting on it. I made it just in time. It’s not just enough to photograph it, I really want to create something amazing and that means lighting it just the right way. Since I can’t move the sun I have to time my schedule around the sun to shoot it when it’s lit the best.
Here are some of the images I created that late afternoon, starting with this panorama with the shadows touching the bottom of the building.
By the time I set up for a straight-on shot, the shadows were already half-way up the lighthouse.
After getting that I just worked quickly to get a few more options. I switched to a Lens Baby tilt-shift lens and set up a shot with the tip still in the sun.
And then to another lens from the side catching one more with just the tip still in sunlight.
After that I hiked back through the woods back to my car, packed up, and called my girlfriend to chat while making my way back into the main part of Vashon to find some dinner. After eating I caught one of the last ferries off the island and headed back to my hotel to get ready for work the next day. Spending time on Vashon was amazing. It was a very fun and cool night. The air was perfect, the island was serene, and I met some very nice and colorful locals along the way, and the ferry ride in the cool dark air was invigorating.
Coming up in part 2 of Seattle, more images of another beautiful lighthouse. See you then.
On my way home from New Hampshire, I had trouble with my out-going flight at the Boston Airport and got stranded for the night. They said I needed to fly out the next morning so I took the extra free time to rent a car and drive up to the Cape Neddick or “Nubble” lighthouse. I love lighthouses and this one was new to me. I arrived by late afternoon went up to scout out the place for later. While there I immediately created a panorama, then came back later at twilight, then the next morning at sunrise as I drove off to the airport.
This first one was when I first arrived. I really loved the blue sky, green grass, and the beautiful waves and color of the water. Having a bit of a trip beard, I did a self portrait of myself as well.
I then left the lighthouse to find some food and get a place to stay for the night, but I returned at twilight to create this image below – my favorite from the trip.
Then the next morning I got up at around 4:30 am to get the sun rising in the distance. I shot it a few different ways, first with nice sharp edges…
…and then with soft blurry edges. I really like them both for different reasons.
As I was heading back to my car I created this image of a bench with my same soft lens.
Here’s the place where I stayed the night. I talked to a local who recommended it. They had small one-room cottages in the woods that were quiet and perfect. They also had a very tiny and amazing ice cream shop across the street as well located in the town’s old post office.
My cottage was elevated and up a short hill. It made for a very quiet and quaint night. I wish I had more time to stay there. The place and the entire town was just cool, calm and relaxing with a very fun main street. There were plenty of things to do at night just walking around. Next time I’m out that way, I’ll be sure to go find my way to this fun town.
After leaving the east coast I immediately went to the west coast and found more lighthouses. I’ll post about them in upcoming blog entries.
While doing a wedding in San Diego this last weekend, I arrived a day early as I always do for out-of-town gigs to avoid travel complications. I found some food and then went out to find a great rocky shore on the ocean to create some smooth-ocean sunset scenics. It took some driving, but here are some of my favorites that I created that night.
I knew I had the right spot when I found this sign.
I then took this self-portrait of myself, hiked down the cliffs, set up, and waited for the perfect time to shoot.
While working, I tried to get another self-portrait of myself using a second camera on self-timer on a pole, but a big wave almost got me. It took a few images of me saving my camera.
I really loved the results from that night. Each image is great in its own way. If you’re a photographer, subscribe to my photographer workshop site and see the full story of how I created these, step by step.
And if you’re a family, it’s that time of year again for family portraits! The studio gardens are lush and beautiful, the weather is great, and I have a new, fantastic promotion running through June. Call now!! 801-728-3317 to set up a time.
And feel free to browse my main website at BryCox.com.
I’m so excited about these images and can’t wait for you all to see them! This is an outdoor commercial shoot that I did for Katherine Nelson. You may recognize Katherine as the actress that played Emma in the LDS Church film, “Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration.” That movie plays daily at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and she was also in the movie “Emma Smith: My Story.”
Katherine is also an accomplished singer/songwriter, winning all sorts of awards for both her solo work as well the work she’s done with various groups like the Nashville Tribute Band and Kenneth Cope.
For this project, she had a specific need and concept, so I chose one of my secret locations that matched what she wanted to create.
I set up all sorts of lighting equipment imaginable to take control of the scene. Lighting this scene was difficult, but it needed to be specific and controlled in order to create images that pop, while still being real and natural. The results are phenomenal! I was especially excited that a storm had gone through earlier, giving us great storm clouds to work with. I love a sky with drama!
Katherine is a fantastic model and a joy to be around. I find her easy to photograph, easy to direct, and she really had great expression. She even did her own styling and created her own clothing, accoutrements and flag for the shoot. It all worked together so well. I flipped out when I initially saw her and the details of her outfit. It was all so perfect. I especially love her red skirt against the green grass.
We really had a fun time at this shoot. Looking back over it, two of our initial favorites were the image above and below. I love the sun shining through the clouds in the photograph above, and in the image below, the flag blowing against the awesome storm clouds with a little bit of blue peaking through, really makes this sing!
And this next portrait below is one of my all-time favorites from the entire shoot. I love the stance, the directional lighting on Katherine, and the color harmony with the dominant blue sky. The clouds have wispy pink highlights painted by the sun that has now set. This image is at twilight, and has such depth! I actually put this up on my website’s main splash page today, cropped square.
We were having so much fun that even after the sun set completely, I continued to shoot and create in the dark, using all artificial light. However I did it in such a way that it looks like real sunlight. The scene in these next images was actually dark to the eye at the time, but with the right techniques the scene glows and feels like sunset.
Then to end the shoot, I finished up with some close-ups, again with all artificial light because the sun had set at this point. The idea was to create a fake sunset but with the control of darkness, and these images are some of my favorites! (That’s one of my lights as a fake sun in the image below because it’s actually dark outside.)
You really need to see the entire shoot, but there’s not room enough on the blog, so I created a slideshow set to music. Start it up and enjoy.
It seems funny, but anytime I post a shoot like this, I get a lot of emails and phone calls asking where my images were taken. When I suggest that they hire me and I’ll photograph them there, some will admit that they just want to go to the same spot with a cheaper photographer – as if my locations are what yield great results. This is of course untrue.
Being in a great location with the right gear and a beautiful model certainly doesn’t hurt, but the real key to creating great photographs (whether it be outdoors, in sunlight, at twilight, sunset, or even after the sun has gone down) is specific control of lighting. And lighting people specifically and artistically is my unique skill.
I sometimes point to my list of awards and credentials, not to brag, but to show that when you hire ME, you’ll get something completely unique and personal, you’ll get phenomenal photography.
No matter who you are, I will make you look great, real, and natural, and generations from now people will still love your portraits and appreciate your purchase.
Now is a great time to set up your Spring appointment. I’m sure it’s time for a new family portrait, and high school seniors are getting ready to graduate. Give me a call at 801-728-3317 to schedule a time. And feel free to browse my main website at BryCox.com.
While I was driving, the time of day was perfect, the sun was setting and these meadows and aspens really glowed with the low angled light. Plus it was fire season, so there was a lot of smoke in the air which added to the dramatic look of the setting sun.
This black and white was particularly fun and probably one of my favorites from the day. I’d really like to make this up large and have it in my home.
And this last image shows a real teepee off in the distance, used by a rancher. The warm smokey air in this image really makes it for me.
