Bry Cox Interviewed on What to Look for in a Photographer (Pictureline)

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Published, Wedding Day, AlbumsPosted on No Comments

I was interviewed to help brides on how to pick a wedding photographer, and the article published today. Brides are confused as the term “professional” has been muddied. There is nothing wrong with being a new photographer, but there should be disclosure and brides should know what they’re paying for when they hire someone to cover one of the biggest events of their lives.

If you’re a bride and you follow the help in this article, no matter what level of photographer you hire, you should have a much better knowledge of what you’re getting beforehand.

http://www.pictureline.com/blog/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-wedding-photographer-thoughts-by-bry-cox/

Beautiful Panoramas and Scenics from Southern Utah

by BryCox (Admin)Art Images, Bry Cox Photography BlogPosted on 3 Comments

I have so many things to blog about right now, but I’m so excited about these desert scenics I created last weekend in Southern Utah. I had this image in my mind of what I wanted, and passed many different mountain ranges because the clouds weren’t perfect. They would have just been a well executed photograph of beautiful scene, but nothing that would really grab you. But after some driving, we eventually did find this range with the perfect clouds and lighting! This image is my favorite, and I especially love how all the shapes and lines work together so well.

The line of the clouds, the angled rock in front, and the bush for balance in the bottom right corner — it all is so nice. And the detail in these images is incredible. Hopefully someday you’ll get to see them big where you can really get lost in them. I worry that small web versions just don’t do them justice.

On another day after a pretty hike up a ridge, we came across this valley at dusk. I originally shot this for black & white, but ended up liking it in color better. There was a cool wind blowing at us from this valley, and the scene was just surreal.

And here are some fun abstract vignettes taken near the first scenic. I really liked what the light was doing and thought these may work in a series of some kind. All of these images are finished with my new custom made edges that I’ve been working on too.

Soon I hope to have my online art store back up, and then I’ll offer some of these images on there. My store is down because I’ve been converting it to a new system and storefront which is taking longer than expected. But the new store should be better, more efficient and more versatile.

Would you like some new artwork for your home? Maybe some scenics like these or perhaps some new custom family portraits? Give me a call at 801-728-3317 and lets talk.

The BEST Award Winning Wedding Albums for the BEST Images!

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Wedding Day, AlbumsPosted on No Comments
When you hire Bry Cox as your personal wedding artist, you get four areas of expertise — four things that no one else can match: (1) an internationally acclaimed and award winning photographer, (2) the best photographs of you and your wedding day, (3) the best album design and layout, (4) and the best built album possible!
Plus there are various collections that can be customized to fit your budget and investment level!

As one of the only Master portrait photographers in Utah, I know just how to make you look amazing and real, without making you look stiff, even in candids!  I then take those beautiful images and instead of using a pre-designed, drag-and-drop album templates, or an out-of-town design house (full of people who don’t know you and weren’t at  your wedding), I instead personally design each page from scratch.  I design each page to be a vignette or mini story with impact and emotion, so that every page turn makes you say, “WOW!”

It’ll be completely unique because I also use my own edges, fleurs, and other embellishments that I personally have created.  It’ll be unlike any album you’ve ever seen.

Finally, each double-page spread is printed as one large print, avoiding a gap or seam down the middle of the page.  Each page is coated for protection, then bonded to a stiff art board.  The pages are then book-bound by artisans in Italy into your custom first-edition book.

Why go through all this trouble?  Because portraits matter!  These images and album will be an heirloom for you and your future family to enjoy.  There’s a lot of things that you can spend money on for your wedding, but only photographs will last generations.  Everything else is gone the next day.  Your photographs are an investment — they actually get more and more valuable as time goes on.  Have you ever heard of someone running into a burning house to save a couch?

So why stop at the end?  Why create great images, do a great design, but then finish it off in cheap book that won’t last?  In fact some photographers use albums that don’t even last them a year or two as a sample.  The more people look at them, the more they begin to fall apart.  Mine on the other hand look brand new, even after winning awards and traveling around the country, being handled by hundreds of people at conventions and bridal shows.  They really are built to last and look beautiful!

You even have your choice of covers, from a classic full leather (in black or other colors), to an etched photo metal cover (shown in top image).  And your wedding album will also be presented in a black briefcase for storage, carry, and protection.

When it comes to the best image creation, the best album design, and the best albums, nobody can do all three things at the level at which I’ll do them for YOU!  Come meet with me and see them first hand to see the difference for yourself.  I think you’ll find that the images, design, and workmanship will all be a perfect fit for you.

To make an appointment for a free consult, call the studio at 801-728-3317.

Then check out some entire wedding album designs here on my blog (category: Wedding Day, Albums) or on my website (click on Weddings > Albums).

Temple in a Snow Storm During Bridal Show

by BryCox (Admin)Art Images, Bry Cox Photography Blog, Commercial & Headshots, Wedding & Bridal ShowsPosted on One Comment

This last week I was one of the main vendors at the bridal show held at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake.  It is always a great show.  I look forward to it every year.  Here is a look at my booth if you didn’t make it.

During the show, there was a beautiful snowstorm and I created some wonderful storm images of the Salt Lake Temple looking out the window.  I created a few variations and I’m still deciding which one I like the best.  Which ones do you like?

I’m also excited that all of these were processed out using my new duo-tone black & white effects that I recently created, and are finished with my new line of  custom edges that I’ve been working on.  I create and sell these effects and edges to photographers around the country when I speak to save them time and money.  These are a part of my new line of effects.  I really love how they look, especially with these images.  I’ve also tried them with portraits and absolutely love it!  I will post them on my blog soon.

After looking out the window, I had to step out for a couple images outside.  Again, I shot two variations and can’t decide which one I like better.  One is shot faster to catch the flakes in the air and the other is slower which creates some really cool diagonal lines.  Both work for so many reasons.

Before running back in, I got a passing tourist to take a photo of me with my camera.  I love the snow in the air, but hate that I’m out of focus.  DANG!

Anyway, soon I’ll have those temple images ready to purchase in my art site.  But until then, let me know which ones are your favorites.

Portrait for American Idol’s Carmen Rasmusen’s New Project

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Commercial & Headshots, WomenPosted on No Comments

Carmen Rasmusen has recorded a new project for Desert Book, a talk on CD!  For the project, she came in for a fun photo shoot to get a great image for the cover of the CD.   This was the favorite and ended up being the cover.

It was a fun shoot and we created some amazing images  — some smiling, some serious, some color, and some black and white.  Here is another one of my favorites.

But in the end, the top image won out and the CD is now finished and on shelves.  Here’s an image I took with my iPhone while strolling through the store.

You can get the CD here from the official Deseret Book shopping site, deseretbook.com.  Also, check out Carmen’s commentaries as a blogger for the Desert News.  Good luck on your new CD, Carmen!

Official Portraits – Howard Wallack for Congress & Billboards

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Commercial & HeadshotsPosted on 2 Comments

It’s always an honor to be asked to create the official portraits for a campaign.  These types of portraits are incredibly important.  They have to be real, show personality and trustworthiness, and project professionalism.  Some people may never meet Mr. Howard Wallack in person, so his portrait that voters see on billboards, banners, website, and mailers must help tell them who he is.

There is an immense amount of work and skill that goes into a portrait like this, but this is what I do every day for children, families, wedding couples and everyone else — I create portraits that strangers look at and feel that they know the person.

I always like to have a flag in a professional campaign portrait, so we started the shoot in the studio with the flag that I originally acquired years ago when I did Governor Leavitt’s official portraits.  Then we moved to some more relaxed images for options.  I loved how these all turned out.  His smile is genuine, his stance is powerful yet relaxed.

To see more about Mr. Wallack, visit his website, howardwallack.com.  And keep an eye out as you drive along I-15 for some of his billboards!

Gregory & Natalie’s Wedding Album Design at the Grand America Hotel

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Wedding Day, AlbumsPosted on No Comments

What an honor it was to be apart of Gregory and Natalie’s wedding day love story.  They are from Tennessee and flew in to Utah to get married here at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake.  While dating, they had a great trip to Utah and decided it was the place for their romantic wedding.

Here are a couple page layouts from their final wedding album design.  You can see the entire wedding album as a slideshow by clicking on any one of the pages.

The day started off with Natalie getting pampered in the Grand’s spa.  Later, they began to get ready for the ceremony in their hotel room.

Keep in mind that these page layouts that you see here are actually double-page spreads.  They fold in the middle, so you are really seeing two pages up at a time.

Later the ceremony began out on one of the balconies overlooking the beautiful city and Salt Lake valley.

Gregory and Natalie flew out of town for this wedding to be in a quiet and serene place away from everyone.  This made it a very  unique wedding to photograph because there weren’t crowds of people — just us, the couple and me.  In fact, the hotel’s concierge and I were asked to be wedding witnesses.  Here we are signing the papers.

After the ceremony, we went about creating fantastic and romantic images of the two of them.  I love this double-page spread of the two of them kissing in the hotel’s courtyard.

We even walked around the streets of Salt Lake creating photographs for their album.  And though Gregory and Natalie are not Mormon, they love the city and the beautify of the iconic temple in the center of town.  So we stopped there to create a few images as well.

This was a wonderful and emotional day.  I loved being apart of their day and spent a lot of time designing the absolute perfect wedding album for them.  If you’d like to see their entire wedding album design as a slideshow, click here.

Beautiful Rachel

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Senior/Grads, WomenPosted on No Comments

I loved meeting and photographing Rachel.  She was a blast!

We may have had a short shoot, but the images were fun to create and she looked so great!  This first image utilizes my own custom made edges and overlays.  That is the only image with any enhancements, by the way.  The rest of these are still un-retouched, but I like them as straight images.  They have such a sense of reality to them without any retouching or effects.

I loved Rachel’s genuine smile, the gorgeous shape of her eyes, and her long dark hair.  She was such a great model!  I feel like you get a sense of who she is from these images.

I used this deep, rich brown background to set off her blue outfit and added just a touch of rim light on her hair for dimension.  I am so pleased with these photographs.  They have POP!

And for this final image I added some heavier edge lights to set off her hair and collarbones.  There is a lot of dimension in this and her smile and sparkle in her eyes is so genuine and real.  I really hope that she loves these images.  It was great getting to know her.

When it comes to portraits, everyone needs to be lit in a custom way for them.  I’m one of the only Master photographers in the state and I know just how to light YOU and make YOU look amazing!  So whether you’d like some images for your fashion or model portfolio or would love some kick-butt senior portraits, then give me a call.  I have some specials running during November that you will love! 801-728-3317.

My shoots are so much fun and I know just how to make you look great, beautiful, feminine, and sexy — without being risqué or cheesy.  And overall, you will LOVE your images!

Give me a call to schedule your appointment.  801-728-3317.  And feel free to browse my main website, BryCox.com and my blog at BryCox.com/blog.

Underwater Photography & Music Videos

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Commercial & Headshots, Senior/Grads, ThoughtsPosted on One Comment

I recently created a few short music videos with a new camera capable of going underwater.  I’ve had other underwater cameras in the past, but this one is my new favorite!  I can shoot in true and high-def HD and can shoot in true slow-motion too, giving a terrific and smooth slow motion, rather than a jittery slow-mo that is created from just slowing down clip shot at normal speed.

Check out this demo video I created while testing this camera last weekend on my friend’s boat.  I love the abstractness of the bubbles and water.  I shot for that quite a bit.

During this underwater shoot, I securely mounted the camera to my wrist, my chest, and even to a pole.  I tested it in sunlight, underwater, with movement, and everything else I could think of.  I’m excited because I didn’t have to edit any of the clips.  All of what you see is exactly what I created in camera — no adjustments.

About a week before I also tested it for time lapse ability and also wanted to test the mount I got for it to secure it to the outside of a vehicle.  I wanted to see how it would hold up to the wind at freeway speeds.  Here’s what I created while driving from my house to 7600 South in Salt Lake.

I am very impressed and have a bunch of new ideas for using this camera now.  I really hope to use it on high school seniors.  Years ago I created music videos from weddings and seniors, but the time involved to produce the pieces was so time consuming, that the packages became very expensive.  Now though, with this camera and with the newest editing software that I’ve also been testing, I hope to be able to create these kinds of things again for seniors and wedding couple, but in a more cost-effective way, and with even greater production value.

If you’re a high school senior and want a hip music video that you can post on your facebook page, then give me a call!  NO ONE creates images like me!  My shoots are super artistic, fun, and I know just how to make you look great!  You will LOVE your images!

Give me a call to schedule your appointment.  801-728-3317.  And feel free to browse my main website, BryCox.com and my blog at BryCox.com/blog.

 

Bethany, Night Portraits in Atlanta!

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Senior/Grads, WomenPosted on No Comments

I had a blast photographing Bethany in the city of Atlanta at night.  She was a beautiful and fun model who even had a few call backs with the TV show, America’s Next Top Model.  But besides having a fun and beautiful model, creating high-caliber images in this type of environment is very difficult on many levels.

However, it’s that higher level of difficulty that makes the entire shoot extra fun for me because I feel a surge of creativity when things are technically difficult.  That’s because I value photographs even more when I know that other photographers wouldn’t be able to create them standing in the same setting.  Therefore creating superb images in difficult situations makes the images all the more valuable to me.

On this image above, I love the play of warm and cool tones (warm in the foreground and cool in the background), creating a lot of depth and impact!

Shooting in a city is fun at any time of day because I have to create backgrounds from the environment, and make them balance and play with the subject correctly.  Everything in an image has to work for the portrait or else it works against it.  Most photographers don’t take into account how lines, shapes, and colors in a background affect the foreground subject.  But I am a stickler about the details and won’t take a shot unless everything looks great — including how the background interacts with the foreground.  I will continue to change my setup until things work.

But then when you add night to the mix of shooting in a city, you add another layer of difficulty — LIGHTING!  Lighting isn’t used to create an exposure, but rather to specifically sculpt a subject.  Therefore it must be used specifically!  It must come from a very specific angle depending on the model, despite any surroundings.  And at the same time light has to balance with the background in both intensity as well as color temperature to avoid creating images that are too dark, flat, or dull looking.  An image, even when created at night, should instead seem 3-dimentional and have pop!

So with that in mind, Bethany and I had a great time just creating images on this city block.  Her style was cute and fun, and we got a lot of variety.

I love this smiling close-up above, and this serious expression in the image below.  Both created in the same spot.  The vertical lines in the background above play off her angle and her soft hair, while the curve of the sidewalk in the image below leads your eye back to her and adds balance to the left side.

I really like the shadow of a the figure off camera in this next image below.  It helps create a mysterious mood.  It was created by some stranger walking by, and I liked it and waited to take the shot once the shadow moved into the open space of the image where it wouldn’t visually touch and compete with the rail in the foreground.

I used the effect of light color temperature to create different moods and looks throughout the shoot.  I love the color, the angle, and her expression and stance on this image below.  The hair softly blowing at an angle really makes this image work!

I ended the shoot with a light up close, sharp, and at a hard angle to create deep shadows.  The mix of vertical and horizontal lines of the background, and light and dark areas are all broken up by her pose — making it all work together beautifully!

It was really fun meeting Bethany and creating these images.  We had a great time and I hope that she does well in her career.

If you’d like to built your modeling portfolio or just get some wonderful fashion portraits, or perhaps if you’re a high school senior and want a fashion style session for your senior portraits, then give me a call!  NO ONE creates images like me!  My shoots are so much fun and I know just how to make you look great, beautiful, feminine, and sexy — without being risqué or cheesy.  And overall, you will LOVE your images!

Give me a call to schedule your appointment.  801-728-3317.  And feel free to browse my main website, BryCox.com and my blog at BryCox.com/blog.

 

My 2011 Gift for YOU: Wasatch Christmas CD!

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Commercial & HeadshotsPosted on 3 Comments

Every year at this time, I design, layout, and print about 20,000 Christmas audio CDs for a client.  I always make sure that I get some copies for all my current clients and friends.  This year’s album is all finished and back in my hands, and it’s so wonderful!  I am excited for you all to get a copy.

This is Wasatch Christmas, a Christmas CD that is produced every year by one of my best friends, James Conlee.  In fact it is a joint project of friends in many ways because the cover painting is by another friend of ours, James Christensen (a famous painter with Greenwich Workshops), and some of the tracks are by our other good friend, Ryan Shupe (Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand), as well as some tracks by James Conlee himself.

The name of the cover painting is, “Saint Nicholas of Myra.” James Christensen’s paintings are always so incredibly captivating.  This particular painting I hadn’t seen until working on this project, but I love it.  The colors, the details, the expression — everything just keeps me looking deep into this painting.  It really made this CD artwork wonderful.

It’s a little known fact that I design all of the CDs that both James Conlee and Ryan Shupe produce, and I think that this is the 12th CD I’ve designed for James.  Some can be seen right here (James Conlee – Sunday / Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand – Last Man Standing.)

So for all my holiday clients that are ordering this time of year, whether you get a large collection of various wall portraits or even just reorder one small 8×10 print, I am giving you a FREE Wasatch Christmas CD!  The cover painting is phenomenal, the music is phenomenal, and the whole production is worth owning!

We are getting close to Christmas as far as appointments go, so if you’d like some fantastic images of yourself or your family, now’s the time to get in the studio.  Give me a call at 801-728-3317 to set thing up.  And remember, I’ll include a Christmas CD with your order.

And feel free to check out my main website at BryCox.com (or my blog if you’re reading this in a separate feed reader BryCox.com/blog).

Dallin’s High School Senior Portraits

by BryCox (Admin)Bry Cox Photography Blog, Senior/Grads, WomenPosted on 2 Comments

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.