guitar

A Christmas Music Message for You

Posted December 14, 2016 by BryCox (Admin)

I was wondering what to send out to everyone as part of a Christmas message, and it hit me. Why not something more personal like me and my sister playing some Christmas music?

Every year, my friends and I have a dinner together and host an acoustic night. We invite a small group over, I bring in some sound gear, and perform along with a few others. So this year, I recorded my numbers to share with you all.

This first one is me singing with my sister, ‘O Holy Night.’ We winged this for the first time together as we performed. I printed off some words and chords, and we talked it through before going on (I’ll sing first, then harmony together on chorus, then a harmonica break, then harmony together on verse and chorus once more through). I really liked how it sounded.

For my second number, I got out my tenor sax to play and sing one of my all time favorite jazz and Christmas numbers, ‘Christmas Time is Here.’ It’s a Vince Guaraldi chart written for Charlie Brown.

A few things I have always loved about the original 1965 Charlie Brown Christmas program were the very things CBS hated about it. First, Linus quotes Luke 2, and in a wonderfully moving way too. CBS thought that was just inappropriate. Second, I love all the great jazz music throughout, which CBS considered bar music not to be mixed with a cartoon. And finally, actual children were used to voice the characters which CBS disapproved of, thinking adults should have recorded everything I suppose in an awful baby talk. Thankfully CBS lost, and Charles Schulz got his way, partly because it was too late to change anything. It was an immediate success and became one of the highest rated and most adored Christmas programs ever.

I love watching it and am moved by it still to this day.

(Video note: my camera feed died part the way though, so I did a freeze frame, but the sound continues.)

As a plug for my sister, she recently crossed 1 million spins on Pandora. 🙂 If you’d like to hear more of her music or to get some of her CDs, visit MusicByElise.com

Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoyed these. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Commercial Photos for Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand

Posted November 29, 2016 by BryCox (Admin)

It’s the Christmas season, and I wanted to share some commercial images that I’ve created for the band, Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand. These images were created completely from scratch here at my studio. We only had 20 minutes because the band stopped at my studio on their way to a gig. I had the lights set up for a particular look and I photographed each person separately. That gave me the ability to create a version of this of just Ryan alone for when he needs a different version.

I’ve learned to be very quick in the studio and during shoots. It’s easier on clients and it makes for better and more believable expressions on people. But being a commercial shoot, there was far more digital work to be done. So I created the composite of everyone together and built from scratch this cool blue background. I love how these turned out. They have a gritty band energy while also having a very appealing Christmas look to them. I hope these images work well for the band and their concert promotions.

And here’s a version with a taller background to incorporate their logo, designed square for social media platforms.

If you’d like some awesome images for your business that make you stand out, give me a call at 801-728-3317. I’d love to create something wonderful for you too.

Merry Christmas, and until next time, America.

Commercial Portraits of Musician Ryan Shupe

Posted September 28, 2015 by BryCox (Admin)

How do you relate the visual story about a musician that plays multiple instruments, is changing up his sound, while matching the album title, We Rode On? Creative commercial portraits that tell a story are some of the most challenging and fun images to create. That’s why I love photographing musicians, they appreciate and want these types of dramatic images, understand the time and work that goes into creating them, and these images get used in print and promotion for some time. They need to be powerful, professional, eye-catching, while telling the story of the musician.

Ryan Shupe has been a long-time friend, and I have done his professional photography for so many years, that it’s crazy to think about all of the shoots we’ve done and all changes that have happened in both the photography and music industries over the years. But Ryan has also helped me push my creative boundaries to continually create new and innovative images that have visual impact and commercial appeal, and this latest photo shoot is for his new album, We Rode On, is no different.

For more information on Ryan Shupe and his new album, visit his website at RyanShupe.com and If you’re a musician and need some killer photographs that you can use for posters, CDs, media, and web use, give me a call at 801-728-3317.

And until next time, America.

Taylor’s Senior Portraits

Posted May 14, 2014 by BryCox (Admin)

I loved photographing Taylor for her senior portraits. She is gorgeous, and fun, and a joy to be around. She is also one of the state’s top runners and is an accomplished singer/song-writer too. All of this made for a great shoot full of awesome images.

In wanting to show off her portraits, I thought it’d be fun to share with you some of the double-page spreads from her custom 10×10 album that I’m finishing up for her.

It starts off with a set of my signature textured pieces (above), then later in the album we have this gorgeous collage (below). All of these were created here in the studio, and for the collage below I wanted it to have the look of a magazine ad for Nike.

We mixed in some gorgeous head shots lit with a fashion flare (above) with some album-cover style images (below) with her and her guitar.She has won so many medals that I really wanted to show them off. That was the inspiration for the set of images below, where I loaded her arms up with them as well as hung them and laid them in behind her. I love how these turned out.

I made this double-page spread a trio because I loved how all three of these images worked together.Well there is a sampling of her shoot and album. Of course there are even more great images that would take too much time to share here.

Thank you Taylor for the awesome shoot and for coming in, and congrats on your running accomplishments and new college. I hope you win a lot of awards with them too and continue writing songs and playing guitar.

And if you’re a high school senior and you’re graduating soon, it’s not too late to get in and get some amazing photos. I am a Utah based photographer that photographs clients all along the Wasatch front including Provo, Salt Lake City, Bountiful, Kaysville, Layton, and Ogden areas. But I also do a fair amount of work out-of-state too. I have a beautiful studio in Davis County with the ability to shoot inside and outside, but can also travel to exotic locations. I would love to create some images that capture who you are and say something about your personality. Give me a call at 801-728-3317.

And until next time, America.

Dallin’s High School Senior Portraits

Posted October 10, 2011 by BryCox (Admin)

Senior shoots are so fun. I get to do all the fun fashion stuff that I love to do, and seniors love it! Dallin came in for senior portraits and here’s some of my favorites from the shoot. This first one is on my magazine background, and uses one of my custom pealed edges. It has a cool retro feel.

Dallin did the Senior Mix Session, which includes both Color and B&W, both indoor and outdoor portraits using a number of sets, and multiple clothing changes. We mixed looks and created images that show his interests and hobbies.

I love this one below of Dallin playing the guitar. I toned it with as a multi-tone b&w, and then added some light-leaks on the corners. Originally when I was shooting the image, I wanted it to look like a band poster. Now I can totally imagine text on it, advertising his next show.

We also did some cool black and whites in the studio, using some high-contrast fashion style lighting. This first in a casual shirt, and the second in his letterman’s jacket.

Then some dressy images in the studio and out. One of my favorites was this outdoor image, taken in my studio gardens.

And then finishing up with some cool images that use his various school jackets. This first was with his officer’s jacket and his guitar. I used a set that consisted all of browns, to match his clothing.

And this second with his leather letterman’s jacket and riding a motorcycle.

If YOU are a high school senior and would like a Senior Mix Session like Dallin that shows off you and your personality, give me a call to schedule your appointment. 801-728-3317.

You know that you are only a senior once, so don’t settle for photographers who try and copy my style and look. If you want real magazine-style images, remember that my images are used by Capitol Records, national and international magazines like Billboard Magazine and American Girl Magazine. I have photographed a lot of famous people like Lee-Ann Rimes, Olivia Newton-John, Mitt Romney, and the last four Utah Governors (to name a few).

I WILL do an AMAZING job for YOU, and YOU WILL LOVE YOUR SENIOR PORTRAITS!!

CURRENT SENIOR SALE!

If a Senior Mix Session doesn’t fit what you need, I have other options including a sale right now for only $199 which includes the session fee, 1 outfit, 2-5x7s, 8-wallets of your favorite pose, and a digital copy for facebook and your iPhone. Give me a call now to set up your time or call me to ask any questions you may have. 801-728-3317.

And visit the senior web page to be entered for prizes and to get more info.

Musician Portraits for Scott Foster’s New CD

Posted October 7, 2011 by BryCox (Admin)

Scott Foster is coming out with a new CD, and we created some awesome images for his project. We started in the studio and then moved to one of my favorite outdoor locations.

This first image is very captivating. The expression is great and the selective focus is real, created in camera and not in post-production. There’s something so great about true, organic, soft-focus and selective focus. This image is reminiscent to me of a Rolling Stone interview portrait.

Everything we created in the portrait studio was done with the mindset of being different and unique. A CD has to stand out and almost ask to be picked up, and the images have to do that. I used a very edgy fashion lighting style on these to create a different look, mixed with a unique stance and fun background.

We then switched it up to Scott playing his electric guitar, again with selective focus before moving outside.

We then went on location to one of my favorite places because it’s so far from anywhere. As far as you look on the horizon, you won’t see civilization. We are really in the middle of nowhere, and the colors and textures are so great! I really like the lines in this particular image, and how they all work with the guitar’s neck.

And here’s the same image in a multi-toned black and white version, because it just looks so cool! The textures really pop this way.

I love working outside and using the clouds and terrain in Utah. They add so much drama to an outdoor image if you know how to light it. Shooting in the desert with exposed sun is very difficult to do well — which is why I love it so much. Few people can create images like this in direct sunlight. There is a trend amongst new photographers to call themselves “Natural Light” photographers, because they don’t know lighting and can’t work inside and can’t work outside unless it is in shade or the sky is overcast. There is no control and their images all look flat and dull.

Contrast that look with these images. They have depth, they have real highlights and shadows, the colors are real and dynamic, and the sky and scene has drama, and all the lines and colors all work together. There is no “plastic” looking photoshop effects. Everything is real and because of that, you feel like you can step into these images.

We ended the shoot with Scott walking away, feeling that this could perhaps be the back of the CD or a foldout page inside. It gives room for text and design work.

And here is the same image, but in my special multi-toned black and white. Both are so cool! Which one do you like?

Well, I can’t wait to see the final CD design and hear all the new recordings that Scott has been working on. He is a great musician and a real artist and it was fun to be able to create this images for him.

If you’d like to check out his music and get his new CD, his website is TheRealScottFoster.com.

Well thanks for looking and if you need some new portraits for your project, business, or family, give me a call. 801-728-3317. And browse my main website, BryCox.com and my blog at BryCox.com/blog.

Invest in Forever. Art is Forever.™