Our Photos on Engadget & Gizmodo!


Labels: engadget, gizmodo, hypermac macworld


Labels: engadget, gizmodo, hypermac macworld
|
|
|
|
|
Labels: external battery, fashion photography beauty makeup hair styling, hypermac apple mac ipod iphone macbook pro, iPad
I've been really privileged to photograph NFL and NBA Cheerleaders for their swimsuit calendars for the past few years and have always look forward to the assignment. These sessions have produced gorgeous individual portraits and calendar shots. And I’ve had a fabulous time. The cheerleaders are just as nice as they are great-looking, and the energy, from start to finish, is totally positive and fun.
Maybe it was that energy that attracted the attention of MAXIM, the international men’s magazine. I was delighted to learn that 20 of my portraits of the Buccaneers cheerleaders recently appeared on its website. This is huge for a couple of reasons. First of all, Maxim usually features only 1-2 images from a photographer. And second, the Maxim website has content that never appears in the magazine. Because of that, it’s become very popular with masculine viewers around the globe.
In this positive spirit, I want to offer a few tips from my experience in photographing women. These tips work, whether you aspire to appear in a magazine or just want to have a great picture of yourself taken. Here goes:
Tip #1 - Unless you haunt the gym and have amazing abs, never face the camera head on. Always angle your body slightly away. You'll appear slimmer and more buffed.
Tip #2 - Turn your face toward the main source of light, which could be the sun, a lamp, or a bright wall. That will throw some of your face into shadow, which is not a bad thing. This brings me to tip #3.
Tip #3 - Show off your strengths and minimize your weaker points. For example, if you think your face is too large, use the shadow created by the light source to make it seem smaller. You can also use your hair to hide parts of your face. Or, if you have beautiful hands, use them to cover areas you don't want to emphasize. The possibilities are endless.
Tip #4 - Chin up! Yep, your mom was right. Lifting your chin just a bit will give you an automatic face lift and help you look self-confident and happy! Very appealing.
Tip #5 – Forget the camera. It’s not there. Yeah, right, that’s really good advice… The camera and the photographer ARE there, which is why you’re there. So here’s a trick to help you feel and look more natural and relaxed: Use your thoughts to create an environment that you love, like the beach or the mountains, and “go” there. You did that time and time again when you were a kid, and your imagination can serve you just as well now.
- Michael Soo
Labels: 20 photos of cheerleaders, Maxim magazine, online
Behind the scenes footage of the NBA Warrior Girls' swimsuit calendar shoot. Photographed in Napa Valley's own The Meritage Resort. If you have not seen the Trinitas Wine Tasting Cellar of Napa, you have to check it out, it's a cave, a wine tasting bar, a cellar, a spa and a huge traditional banquet hall, all in one.
(View in HD)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labels: NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers' cheerleader team photoshoot
As with all weddings, I will only recommend the best makeup artists and hair stylists. Take a closer look (click on the image on the right) at the flawless makeup by Beauty Expert Tiffany and extraordinary hair styling by Mikel Sessions. You'll now have a few phenomenal vendors at your disposal.
Many thanks to Margarita and Kelly for being such amazing models.
- Michael Soo
(Click on images below to see them LARGE)
Labels: bridal, bride, couture, fashion, San Francisco, sintak, studio, wedding
Never-ending deadlines, continual search for new content to publish, reviewing new equipment for readers, replying to emails and mail from million of readers. These are but few of the challenges that face the editors in a publishing house. This becomes an upward battle, especially when it's a large publisher, like Popular Photography & Imaging, the largest photography magazine in the world. They have to constantly feel the pulse of the readers, facing the impossible task of pleasing everyone.
PopPhoto has always been kind to me. This is the organization that gave my photography business a good boost a mere 3 years or so ago. Receiving one of the most prestigious and coveted international recognitions, the Photographer of the Year award from PopPhoto did a lot to extend my credibility and promote my business.
Recently, after months of hiatus from not hearing from PopPhoto, I'm just so glad that I will be doing a short 8 pages of photo work for them. On top of that, one of my images of Tiffany is the February Cover!!!
I personally know a number of photographers who get jaded along the way after being on numerous magazine covers, spreads and what not. I have been published dozens of times in various magazines, newspapers like The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, etc. However, being in a magazine will always be refreshing to me. I feel very blessed to be able to work as an artist.
John O, Jason B, Pete K, Debbie G, Julia S, Linzee K, and everyone in PopPhoto, I want you to know that each and every one of you made an impact on my life, and I want to thank you for it.
Below is the 4 spreads (8 pages) of the story.
Labels: artist, award, cover, editor, Feb 2009, newspapers, photographer, Photographer of the Year, photography magazine, PopPho, Popular Photography, publisher, San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times
We worked both days and had some fun setting up different categories of shots to create a complete portfolio: headshot, commercial, athletic, and business-style photos.
The collaboration brought us from the studio, to San Francisco downtown, to the garden in my backyard, to a local park. We really covered her comp card in more ways than one. Tiffany Chiang did the makeup wonderfully.
Being a model is about versatility and acting. By creating photographic situation for the model to act out her role will dramatically increase her chances of being cast into a role.
My best wishes follow Elizabeth back to Los Angeles, and I hope my photos will bring her great luck with her modeling career.
- Michael Soo
Labels: business-style, career, Cupertino, glamour, head shot, Los Angeles, model, modeling, portfolio, professional
If you remember back in April, a local Vietnamese hairstylist, Allan Ngo of Allan's Salon, approached me to photograph his work for a huge competition, namely, Goldwell's Trend Zoom 2008 Color Challenge. This is very much akin to the Grammy award for hairstyling. (The blog can be found here)
Allan has previously entered in the annually held competition, to no success. For him, it's really about the exposure and not much else. A month ago Allan called me, "I made it into the semi finals!!!" he exclaimed. He was elated.
Then a week ago he called again, "I WON !!!"
He went on to explain that the image I created for him showed the proper shape, texture, color, depth and lighting of the hair that is crucial to become a winning image. On top of that, makeup artist Aimée Lam really brought home the matching colors of the eyes and accentuated the look with her tedious 1-hour makeup work on Danijella, the model.
It just pleases me tremendously that I am able to help Allan "uplevel" his business and reputation a big notch. What used to be an underdog local hairstylist is now a big name. A true "American Dream" success story.
Allan is now sponsored to compete internationally in October. This time, in Spain. Congratulations, Allan!!! I'm rooting for you! We all are! ;-)
(The winning image is on the right.)
- Michael Soo
Labels: 2008 Goldwell Trend Zoom Elumen colorist North American winner
How I Spent My Summer Vacation…
It might be difficult for some of you dyed-in-the-wool football fans to believe there is more to summer than training camp…but there is. It's cheerleaders-calendar-photo-shoot time! Boy are we excited or what!!!
This July, I wrapped up the photographs for the upcoming 2008-2009 NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar. I am the photographer for a few other cheerleading calendars, but this was my first season with the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers' calendar, and, as with all of my photo sessions—from brides to bananas to business environments to cheerleaders' bodies—this shoot was exciting.
The locations were the first plus to this project. We worked exclusively in Southern Florida, the Buccaneers' neighborhood. The hours were brutally long hours each day of the week-long shoot. And as the physique wears down, the creative mind slips away along with it; hence, we began our location scouting hours, if not days, ahead.
With 32 girls in tow for the calendar, avoiding similar-looking locations was challenging. This was especially so with the restrictions we had to adhere to: e.g. not too many waterfall shots, because they used so many waterfall shots last year; constraints of only outdoors; non-cheesy spots; etc, etc. We had to squeeze every last drop of creativity we could muster.
We began the photography work weeks before the calendar shoot with the team and individual shots. That allowed us to get to know the girls a bit better before the calendar shoot began.
Another plus was having the rookie cheerleaders assigned to me as gophers and assistants. Yes, I remind you…I was paid for this gig… ;)
The models began their days at 4 am and we wrapped up about 11 pm. Keep this in mind as you admire the twinkles in the eyes of these ladies. As I mentioned, the cheerleaders themselves helped out at the locations. But there was also an enormous team working on this project, over 20 people in all.
This shoot had its drama. On the way to an island location, we serendipitously passed a sunken, abandoned sailboat and decided to use it as a backdrop.* The models risked life and limb to reach the boat and board it—there was a reason it was a shipwreck!
You probably are wondering, does getting up close and personal with 32 beautiful women, all in bathing suits, over the course of a week change a guy? Be sure to check back to see my continual evolution. ;)
And of course, the final bonus is the collection of wonderful, eye-catching, colorful, memorable pictures of a fantastic team of talented, patient, and hardworking young women. Enjoy!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Labels: NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders 2008 / 2009 Swimsuit Calendar Photoshoot