motorcycle

Jason’s Acting Portraits

Jason was a great model during his acting shoot. He owns a tech company that he runs during the day, but in his free time, he does acting and needed some cool new photos. This first one was one of my favorites from the shoot.

BryCox_Jason_Acting_1

Being based in Utah, we can easily do a variety of looks, especially right here at the studio. For instance here, we created images inside the studio and outside as well, including this cool one with a motorcycle. BryCox_Jason_Acting_2 BryCox_Jason_Acting_3 BryCox_Jason_Acting_4

These are just some of the many images we created, but I think they show a variety of looks and different sides to his personality, which is something you try to get across in an acting photo.

If you need some cool new photos for your business, give me a call, 801-728-3317.

And until next time, America.

 

BlackRapid Motorcycle Ride 2015

For two weeks, BlackRapid (maker of the coolest and fastest camera straps) is on a motorcycle tour of the backcountry of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and California as part of their #livethemoment mantra.

BlackRapidMotorcycle

The night before the ride, they used my place to setup and prep for the next morning. And I have to admit that I really liked having these cool bikes in my driveway and parked in my garage for the night.BryCox_BlackRapid_01

The next morning we had a 70% chance of rain so we trailered some bikes behind the BlackRapid support van while Mike Ridinger and I rode our bikes and we headed out to Pictureline in Salt Lake City for some strap giveaways. BryCox_BlackRapid_04

Here’s a closeup of BlackRapid founder and owner, Ron Henry, his wife Shawna, and my good friend Mike Ridinger, a serious and long-time biker.BryCox_BlackRapid_06

Here’s a shot I took of Mike as we rode into Salt Lake City that morning, with storm clouds looming around us, and a bit of light rain.© BryCox.com, Bry Cox

Once we arrived at Pictureline, the sky cleared up. Even the weather apps changed to show better weather. Here, the BlackRapid team set up and gave away straps for a few hours, answered questions, and let people try out the straps with their own cameras.BryCox_BlackRapid_08

Then by early afternoon we headed south towards Moab. I had to be back for appointments the next day, so I just rode for the day with the team. We had wet roads most of the way, got a little rain, but never anything too bad. In fact we watched heavy storms pass to the right, the left, in front and behind, but never right on us. Here is Ron on his Harley.

BryCox_BlackRapid_10

Mike on his chopper. BryCox_BlackRapid_12

And yes, these were taken one-handed as I rode, using a BlackRapid strap. I didn’t look through the camera obviously, just held it out and shot guessing by instinct on the composition. I really like this one below with my handlebars and Mike and Ron in the distance.© BryCox.com, Bry Cox

Here’s Shawna on my bike during a gas break.BryCox_BlackRapid_09

Part of the fun of being on a bike is that you are out in the environment, you feel everything, smell everything, and you see the entire sky, and not just the frame of a sky through a car window. And the sky that day with the storm clouds was unbelievable. © BryCox.com, Bry Cox

We were always seeing storms to the side and behind us, smelling the rain, feeling the wind, but never a huge downpour on us. Here’s an iPhone pic I took of our bikes with the support van as we watched a storm to our left and one in front as well blow by.BryCox_BlackRapid_16

Here’s Mike with that storm in the distance, sporting a small BlackRapid strap for his point-and-shoot.BryCox_BlackRapid_17

Below is an image of another great storm to our side, and the clouds and light were perfect. Mike pulled over to shoot it and I had to do the same.

© BryCox.com, Bry Cox

I took one of it too with my iPhone so I’d have something to post to social media accounts that day as we were riding. This is one of my favorite iPhone images from the day.

BryCox_BlackRapid_18

And this rainbow was to our left as we approached Moab.

BryCox_BlackRapid_20

After reaching Moab, we ate dinner and I as they settled in to camp, I got back on my bike and headed home so I’d be back for my appointments the next day.

Well that is just DAY 1, and for me it was a 550 mile ride round-trip ride. But the BlackRapid team will be riding for two weeks and you can follow the trip on BlackRapid’s social media accounts, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as Mike’s Instagram and Facebook account.

And if you’d like to see what I posted from my phone (besides this blog post) they’re on my iPhone Instagram account as well as to my personal Facebook page, using #BlackRapidMotorcycle2015.

Until next time, America.

Motorcycle Road Trip To and From Boise

I was asked to judge at the Idaho State Professional Photographers Convention, and because I didn’t need any equipment at this event or really anything other than a dress suit, I decided to ride my motorcycle. It was just shy of 800 miles round trip and I took some images along the way.

Due to safety, I couldn’t look through the viewfinder, and had to shoot one handed off the cuff, framing in my mind. I had slung my professional point-and-shoot camera over one shoulder so that I could grab it when I needed. I set the exposure manually (which is one of the things I love about that camera) and would swing it up when needed, and swing it back down after the shot, never looking through the viewfinder. Coincidentally, I have not cropped any of these images. I love how they came out exactly. Each is perfectly cropped as it is, and I love that about them.

I have not sharpened or blurred any of these images in post production. They are as I shot them. What is sharp and what is blurry is natural and only accentuates the images for me. The vibration of the bike in the image below works great, and even zoomed in the ground is crystal clear, and perfectly sharp, in a motion blur kind-of way. I love the sharp lines that the road creates, juxtaposed against the vibration of the bike.

I decided to process out these next two as black and white and really like them. In the first, I love the swoop of the clouds filling the negative space created by the mirror and handlebars. And the mirror just barely touches the side of the image.

And this broken sign was just standing like this with awesome cirrus clouds behind it, waiting for me to drive by and capture it. It’s the kind of thing you only see in small towns or off the beaten path.

There is a small grove of trees on the west side of the freeway, and I had one shot at getting it — no turning back. As you drive by, you see each perfect row flash light at you from the end – bam, bam, bam, bam, and then it’s past. This image showing one of those rows with the blurry foreground is one of my favorites from the ride.

When you’re on a bike, you’re IN the scenery. You’re not observing it from within the confines of a car, or looking at it through some frame. You instead are really in it. You see the road beneath you, you smell the fields that you pass, you feel the warm and cold air pockets, and you look around at great scenes like this that surround you.

As I got closer to returning home, the awesome skies made up for the colder and colder weather. I was trying to beat a storm at my back and didn’t want to ride in the rain. I was getting cold enough. But storms bring great, dramatic skies, and great skies make for a great ride.

I love the lines of these clouds. This was to my far right side, almost over my shoulder.

Getting closer now, crossing the border back to Utah. You can see I’m much colder as the temperature was now about 50º, which is especially cold with the wind chill of riding through the air.

And one last one getting closer to my town.

During my ride, I listened to one of my favorite books on audio, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.” A book on neither Zen Buddhism nor on mechanics,   it’s a philosophical book on a man’s search for Quality, Purpose, and the search for Values. I tend to re-read it every few years or so, and this time opted for the audio version while riding. It was the perfect book for the ride to stir my thoughts during that long solitary time.

I wrote about the same book years ago after finishing it again, and I wrote this blog post (for those who follow me regularly, you may remember it). In any case, the ride was great and I’m especially excited about the images that came from it.

If you are need of great portraits for spring, something artistic and meaningful like some updated family portraits, let me know. It’s a great time to get in. 801-728-3317.

Dallin’s High School Senior Portraits

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.