h m m . . .

new gallery

2011-09-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

i just released a new gallery on my website of athletic portraits. go check it out.

hanging out with architect, reed finlay (pun intended)

2011-06-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

every two years the department of energy sponsors a solar decathlon competition in the united states. only 20 schools around the world are chosen to compete and are challenged to design and build a net-zero, solar powered home to be displayed on the national mall in washington, d.c.

this year chicago born, leed certified, architect, reed finlay will be participating as the acting project manager for the sci-arc/caltech team in los angeles, ca.

training with pro volleyball player, evie matthews

2011-06-14T07:09:00.000-07:00

i caught up with professional volleyball player and personal trainer, evie matthews last week in burbank, ca where i was able to photograph him training for an upcoming match.

just a little taste...

2011-05-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

currently working on a project inspired by athletic women.

santoki dog blog

2011-05-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

christine and santoki are the two creators of the daily toki and it just so happens we live in the same neighborhood. christine and i met at a ladies who launch workshop last month and i've been a huge fan of the daily toki ever since.

gluten free guru

2011-05-10T15:46:00.000-07:00

named by philadelphia magazine as one of philly's 'gluten-free gurus', i recently had the pleasure of photographing health and wellness coach, jennifer fugo, of evolving well while she was here in los angeles.

Read more »

runner's stretch

2011-05-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

i am totally impressed with runner, model and chef, lenora marouani. not only is she gorgeous but she's also an accomplished chef, a determined athlete and she is teaching herself french. with her background in fitness and fine foods, i thought it only appropriate to ask lenora about her favorite post run meal....

paola

2011-03-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

something happens after you graduate high school... you stop getting your portrait taken.

there are of course exceptions: weddings (that doesn't really count though), the ever so popular drivers licence and passport photo shoots... perhaps you received a headshot on your latest work badge...

luciana

2010-11-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

this is luciana barbosa. I first met her at a coffee group i belong to designed as a social outlet for women who freelance/work for themselves. what I found to be the most fasinating about luciana was that she is originally from brazil and she owns a small business specializing in selling rare gems and minerals from brazil to gem collectors.

recently we became even better friends upon learning that we both share the same joy in good food, dining out and cooking. luciana highlights her two passions, cooking and gem collecting on her blog, between a rock and a hearty place. she also has a great photographic eye so the blog is as visually stimulating as it is interesting. you can also check out her website, lucianabarbosa.com.

creative co-op

2010-10-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

working from home has it's pluses and minuses..

pluses... i make my own schedule (provided that i'm not shooting that day),

the commute is amazing and i don't have to deal with day to day office politics or gossip. unfortunately, the minuses include being alone all day.. everyday (provided that i'm not shooting), no one around to bounce ideas off of, too many trips to the kitchen and no "water cooler" encounters.

now insert... the best of both worlds.

i recently joined 6 other creatives in a co-op space on the tenth floor of the allied crafts building in downtown los angeles. now on a daily basis i can actually see and talk to other human beings. by sharing our new 1600 sq foot space we're all hoping to network, bounce ideas around, collaborate and, most importantly, conduct our own personal businesses in a space outside of our homes.

each member in our studio will have enough room for an office set up and we are in the process of creating a common area and a kitchen area where we can relax, socialize and also meet with clients.

so far the group consists of: 2 photographers, 2 film editors, 1 graffic designer, possibly a writer and possibly someone else.

check out the beginning stage of our collective and our rooftop view of los angeles.

the results are in...

2010-10-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

to check out what karen christensen thought about our shoot and to see her final edit go here.

photographer and model, all in one day..

2010-09-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

this past sunday my photographer friend, karen christensen, and i took turns photographing each other. with karen's natural beauty and her background in acting and modeling she made for an amazing subject. i couldn't be happier with this final edit.

I'm loving this

2010-09-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

PARK(ing) Day: User-Generated Urbanism from Brandon Bloch on Vimeo.

meet karen christensen

2010-08-19T15:29:00.001-07:00

Since I've moved to the west coast, I have met the most amazing people. One of them being Karen Christensen. Karen owns a boutique portrait studio called, The Legacy Boutique, not too far from my home and is a really talented artist. Her easy way and personable attitude is what makes Karen such a success and an overall awesome woman to be around.

With mentors like, photographer, Julia Radick and her Emmy nominated fiancé, Timothy Wheeler, an accomplished documentary film maker, Karen has been able to set up the delicate balance of successful business woman and creative artist.

Her specialties include engagement sessions, domestic and destination weddings, maternity and newborn portraiture, headshots and documentary projects supporting women and children. Many of her clients have described her work as sensual, edgy, emotional, vibrant, romantic, arresting, intimate, sexy, whimsical and playful which she graciously and rightfully accepts.

When I asked what lessons she's learned personally and professionally she answered... "never take yourself or your work too seriously, If you're lucky enough to do what you love then respect the billions of people who don't have that luxury by being appreciative, Value your time, at best you can make your choices out of faith not fear, Get back to basics.. if you're feeling off course go back to the root of what you loved in the beginning and do more of that."

With a love for travel, Karen finds inspiration in absorbing all that other cultures have to offer. When she's not in her studio you may find her producing documentary work, directing, painting, writing, doing yoga, riding her bike along the beach and being inspired by her young nephews who live in this world "wild and free".

I have been truly inspired by spending time with this extraordinary woman.

Check out her work and give her a call. I think you'll be just as impressed as I am.

p.s. check out my Q&A with Karen at The Legacy Boutique blog

brian & emery

2010-08-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

i'm really into these images i made of my friends, brian and emery.

creative outlet

2010-07-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

Lately, it's been all work and no play, so it was nice to be able to collaborate with someone creative like, Maria. Here are a few portraits we worked on together yesterday. No pressure, just personal work.

morning surf

2010-07-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

This morning I was supposed to get up at 5:15 and do a 6:00am bootcamp workout. Instead, I woke up at 7 and watched some people surf... it's better this way.

home sweet home

2010-07-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

new apartment. new view.

silly symphony swings

2010-06-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I was hired by Disney to photograph their World of Color event. It was also the opening of their newest ride, The Silly Symphony Swings. Unfortunately, taking a test ride wasn't on my shot list. I was, however, lucky enough to get a few interesting images of it's premier spin.

disney's california food and wine festival

2010-05-31T10:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was hired by Disney to photograph the final weekend of their food and wine festival. How fortunate considering two of my favorite things are food and wine. For their final weekend the festival offered a variety of activities for guests. Cooking demonstrations lead by The Food Network's celebrity chef, Jeff Henderson, and the Hansen Brothers of Discovery Channel's The Deadliest Catch.

There were also wine and beer tasting booths, wine and tequila tasting seminars and yummy tapas-sized bites available for purchase. I sampled the beer battered halibut and a pear and gorgonzola salad. Unusually fancy fare for an amusement park but greatly appreciated.

At the end of the day I photographed the final event of the evening. An after party called, "Taste". This festivity included beautiful and delicious dishes presented by local chefs from high end restaurants, various bands and performers and even a Bollywood production.

Had I not been hired to photograph the event, I would have loved to have been a guest... but I think I had the best of both worlds.

Rae

2010-03-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

Meet Rae gross. Blogger, tweeter, social media extraordinaire.

I first met Rae through a mutual friend. When I discovered that she was starting new ventures in her life I was excited to help create some dynamic portraits for her and her public relations.

These photos above are not what she'll be using for her business promotions, however, at the end of our session we allotted ourselves time to work in a more relaxed setting to allow for more creativity.

What's in store for Rae in the near future?

"I am working on growing my blog, applying for jobs and finding new clients. I am waiting for the weather to warm up so I can learn how to surf and I am desperate to get some new stamps in my passport. With my free time I am going to train for a half ironman, make it a goal to make my bed every day, do laundry in a timely manner and learn my new blackberry."

Rae lives in the OC and happens to be available to help companies grow their online presence and manage their online reputation using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, YouTube... ahem...

New Year's Update

2010-01-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! A lot has happened since my last post. I traveled to Guatemala for a wedding, to Texas shooting for the World Wrestling Entertainment to Santa Monica, CA volunteering for the YWCA's Girl's in Action group and back to CT for the holidays to visit my family and my newest nephew who was born on December 29th.

The most interesting thing that happened in December though was that I traveled to NYC to shoot for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. I was hired to photograph celebrity chef, Mario Batali, in one of his restaurants, Otto, for their February issue. Not surprisingly, I had about 20 minutes with Mario and 2 setups to achieve. Stressful, but we pulled it off and the magazine was very pleased.. that's all I can ask for. It's out on the newsstand now, so check it out!
Also, check out some highlights from my trip to Guatemala.

Farmers' Market

2009-11-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about Los Angeles so far is the abundance of farmers' markets around. On any given day there is for sure a market up and running within a short distance from my home. Farmers' markets are not only a great way to provide people locally grown and produced products, they are also a great way to bring a community together. I also appreciate that it brings us closer to the source by introducing us to the the people who have taken part in the food's production.

On Friday morning I woke up early and brought my camera to the Venice Farmers' Market. I was pleased to find that all the vendors were friendly and knowledgeable. Some vendors were even on a first name basis with many of their customers. On top of that, everything looked fresh and beautiful, as though it was all waiting to be photographed. Although, I have only been in town for two short months, being there made me feel as though I had always been a member of this community... if only for a couple of hours.

Special thanks to Jim Murez at the Venice Farmers' Market and to all the vendors who allowed me to photograph them and their products.

Halloween

2009-10-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

This past week I was given the assignment to photograph a few of the WWE Divas in their Halloween costumes. Although, I took the time to set up an entire studio complete with a background and several lights, it was this simple setup that worked the best.

I was excited to discover that our studio space provided us with a dark corner with red wallpaper. A perfect fit for a background. I found that using one small light source was a good way to give a more dramatic feel in celebration of this spooky holiday.

The Main Event

2009-10-13T19:18:00.023-07:00

Now that you've seen the light test and read about the set up, here is the actual shoot...

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to collaborate with a colleague of mine, Maria.
I always get a kick out of working with Maria. Not only is she gorgeous but she's also a lot of fun and very comfortable in front of the camera.
She arrived at my place at 10am with a suitcase full of clothes and a lot of energy. We went straight to work starting in the studio.
After 3 wardrobe/make up changes and several variations it was time to head outside for a change of scenery. We chose Venice Beach for the location shots. This location provides for some pretty interesting backdrops and for even more interesting banter from onlookers. As you can imagine Maria is a big hit wherever she goes. I took the liberty of capturing a few images of two young men sneaking shots with their cell phone cameras. These guys photographed above were only a small portion of the attention we received.
At the end of a rather long day we went back inside and reviewed all that we had accomplished. We were very pleased with the results. A successful shoot day is always a good source of inspiration to do more personal work. I wonder who I will photograph next..

Light Test

2009-10-13T15:57:00.021-07:00

For my first personal shoot in LA, I chose to photograph a colleague of mine who lives nearby.

I rearranged my furniture and set up a seamless background in my living room.
The photos you see above were supposed to be a light test that I had my boyfriend, Reed, stand in for. However, I actually liked the way they turned out. Now the one on the left has a home on my website.
Many thanks to Reed who was patient with my set up and a living room full of photo gear.

<-------all the way across the country

2009-10-13T14:56:00.015-07:00

Much has happened in the last few months that I have been absent from this blog. I moved from my second story walk up in Brooklyn to a block away from the beach in Los Angels. A huge change for me. Not only is it the furthest away from the east coast that I have ever lived, it's also entirely a clean slate. I have very few connections in LA so it will be exciting to get to know all the new people I encounter in the coming months. The drive across the country was more amazing than I could have ever imagined.
With my Jetta (that already had 132,000 miles on it) packed to the brim with both mine and Reed's belongings, we crossed the entire country without one mechanical issue.
phew.

Now that things have settled somewhat I'll be able to post more often.
Here are just a few images from the expedition I took from coast to coast.

Aunt Eileen

2009-07-25T10:11:00.007-07:00

I woke up early this morning to photograph my Aunt Eileen, who is visiting from out of town, before she left to go tag sailing.

Santa Fe: Extra Credit

2009-07-13T05:21:00.001-07:00

Assignment: Photograph another instructor teaching at the workshop.

This was my favorite portrait by far from the week.
I was fortunate enough to be assigned Cig Harvey, whom I admire greatly.
Admittedly, I was nervous about this shoot, it's not easy for a photographer
to photograph another photographer.
However, as soon as she stepped onto the seamless, I felt much more at ease.
We definitely hit a stride and came out with some amazing images.

Santa Fe: Day 5

2009-07-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Day 5

Assignment: was assigned for each individual by the instructor and the class based on personal strengths and weaknesses.

Since I had mentioned that I wanted to hone in on my directing skills throughout the week, the class instructed me to blindfold my model to reinforce the communication between the two of us

Interesting assignment.

Tying his wrists together was just one more aspect of the photo to go along with the blindfold.

Santa Fe: Day 4

2009-07-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

Day 4

Assignment: What have we learned up to this point?

With 3 days behind us and only two more to go it's time to show the class what we gained up to this point. For me I learned how to be better prepared going into a shoot and how to be a better director. In order to highlight this, I stayed in the studio and concentrated on my communication skills with my subject.
I'm glad I did because these were amongst my favorite portraits of the week.

Santa Fe: Day 3

2009-07-08T04:00:00.009-07:00

Day 3

assignment: to do a self portrait... only we weren't the subjects being photographed.
We had to photograph a model the way we see ourselves.
Narcissism at its best.

The location was at the Masonic/Scottish Rite Temple, near downtown Santa Fe.
Amazing location and less creepy than the penitentiary from the day before.

I decided to play off of my 5'1 size frame, and force my model to be small like me.
No easy task for this taller gentleman.
He was a good sport and I was glad he was so willing to go along with my crazy ideas.

Santa Fe: Day 2

2009-07-07T07:17:00.008-07:00

Day 2

Assignment: To make surprising portraits in the New Mexico State Penitentiary.
It was a bit creepy being there, however, it did provide for some pretty amazing available light.

Santa Fe: Day 1

2009-07-06T11:15:00.010-07:00

Day 1

Just arrived back from Santa Fe where I attended a workshop called
"the surprising portrait" by Chris Buck.
Our first assignment: photograph Chris in a surprising way

new work...

2009-06-11T11:37:00.013-07:00

Making the most of my free time, I found myself in New Canaan, CT last weekend shooting some personal work. Feel free to visit these images on my website.