OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

It is not every day that we have an opportunity to work with a client that is a completely new company. We were thrilled to have the chance to work with the very cool people at Topo Athletic as they were launching a whole new brand of footwear. Being part of company in it’s infancy is very exciting and we are looking forward to watching them grow. Below are some of the collateral pieces used for their website and sales catalog, enjoy!

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Tui Stark from Ennis, expertly places the shoes on set.

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The next pair are ready to go!

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Michael is famous for making sure every detail is lit perfectly.

SMOOTHIE POWER!

With the change in weather, we thought it was time to get fit and ready for the summer. We started off our beach diet shooting with the great a client to get some healthy and tasty images into their cafes. All of the smoothies were delicious and gave us the energy to power through and create great pictures all day long! See below for a few of the final ads;

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Food stylist, Maria del Mar Sacasa works her magic on set.

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Maria carefully tops off the hero smoothie.

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Mmmmm Peanut Butter Cookies! The Cookie Monster would be in heaven!

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Michael and Maria discuss the perfect placement of these tasty cookies.

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All artists need paint brushes; in this case the canvass is food!

GETTING READY FOR SUMMERTIME SUN

Since spring skipped Boston, we moved straight into summer! Our good friends at BJ’s Wholesale Club asked us to help out with their summer preview member journal and we were ready for a little sunshine in the studio. It was super fun to work with the kids and the team at BJ’s; who wouldn’t want to spend a day at the beach!

2013016_Bjs_3Kids_0074     These adorable kids from The Model Club are ready for the beach!

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    Cindi Emery holds court giving the kids a pep talk before they go on set.

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    The array of beachwear.

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Kacie Corbelle from Ennis works her magic on the talent as Cindi “The Child Whisperer” gets the best performance from kids!

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This beats going to school! Right?…….

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    …Well, not when you have to have your haircut! This little guy was a trooper.

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    The parents relax in our client area and can keep an eye on set by watching the TV tethered to the camera.

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    Victoria shows Natalia the activity on set. She might follow in Dad’s footsteps behind the camera!

EARTHKEEPERS FOR TIMBERLAND

We were really blown away with how our client, Timberland, used our photography from a recent shoot in the design of their rustic, moody catalog.  Take some time to check out a few pieces from the latest Earthkeepers Collection below; we hope you feel as inspired as we did after this shoot!  (Special thanks to Mari Quirk who provided some amazing surfaces for this shoot.)

Check out some behind-the-scenes from this fun photo shoot:

Tui Stark, stylist represented by Ennis Inc., expertly styles the Timberland bomber jacket in preparation for the shot.

The prepped shoes line up by number to take their turn on set with Michael.

Organization is key when shooting so much product in one day.  Michael and his team have a highly organized system (especially when dealing with product!) to keep the shoot flowing smoothly and seamlessly every time.

Studio dog Sophia says, “Wait a second, I want in on the action!”  Because what shoot is complete without our playful Golden Retriever?

TIMBERLAND: 1 PIECE, 3 WAYS

We recently had the opportunity to work with Timberland on their new line of clothing and shoes for their “1 Piece, 3 Ways” microsite.  With an incredibly talented team of wardrobe stylists and hair & makeup artists, and direction from a truly creative team at Timberland, we found countless ways to show off these great new products.  Who doesn’t love a piece of clothing or footwear you can get 3+ completely different looks out of?

Here are our photos, as featured on Timberland‘s website (then keep scrolling down for some behind-the-scenes!):

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Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the multi-day shoot:

Our happy model is prepped by our talented stylists, Abby Beilagus (left) and Lori Green (right) of Ennis, before going on camera.

Wardrobe stylists choose the perfect combination of clothing pieces to accentuate each Timberland product.

Sly Anthony tries to sneak in a shot of Michael between takes — little did he know Michael was actually taking a photo of him!

As Michael prepares for the next shot, the client is able to view images in real time on our double computer screen and also tethered to the big screen.  No matter where you are in the studio, you’re never far from viewing the images.

Clients are able to sit back and relax as they’re working hard in the comforts of the client area (complete with massage chair), watching their images come in on the big screen as the shoot goes smoothly in the shooting area.

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1992!

We had a great turnout for the studio’s 20th Anniversary celebration.  Thanks to all of you who came out to toast to twenty years!  For those who couldn’t make it, check out the video and photos below for a glimpse into some of the night’s fun.  Some of our clients many not even recognize the space, but the party actually took place in our very own studio – transformed over just 24 hours into a Miami lounge scene right here in Southie.  A fun time was had by all.

– Click below to view the video –

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Here are some of our favorite photos from the night:

Lounge areas were designed by Style Studio, and beautiful orchids, topiaries, and succulents provided by Stapleton Floral.

As a way to say thanks to his many loyal clients, Michael gave away party favors to each guest who attended the celebration.

Ice sculpture with 20th Anniversary logo created by Brookline Ice & Coal, lounge music mixed by DJ Mario (ESC Music Design), and event photography by Michael Young of StopDownFire,

We like to “roll out the red carpet” for our clients here at the studio… so we couldn’t resist doing just that for our Anniversary Party.

Above and below are some of our favorite clients who came out to celebrate with us.

A couple special ladies even flew in all the way from California to toast with Michael.

 Even Momma got the red carpet treatment!

Delectable hors d’oeuvers and flowing cocktails were provided by The Catered Affair,

From a martini bar on the patio to specialty drinks being passed inside, no one went thirsty at our party.

Everyone had plenty of cocktails and laughs throughout the night.

Smilebooth provided hours of entertainment for all.

(clockwise from left) Lauren (account exec), Michael; Millie; Caleb (studio producer); Shannyn (CFO); Jen (digital tech/assistant); and Elise (former intern) have a blast in the Smilebooth!  Thanks again to everyone who came out to celebrate this milestone with us!

20TH ANNIVERSARY

It is hard to believe it has been 20 years since I opened my first studio! It feels like yesterday that I welcomed my first client at 355 Congress St., in the late spring of 1992. I have enjoyed every day and every shoot; it has never felt like work to me.

I would like to thank each and every client I have had the privilege to work with over the last 20 years.  It is largely due to their loyalty and innovative ideas that the last 20 years in business have been so rewarding.  I’m not in this alone; my staff of professionals makes it possible for me to focus on what I love most: capturing the perfect image.  It goes without saying that without the support of my family and friends, I would not have achieved this level of success.

Although many things have changed in the photography industry since I snapped my first photo with a Pentax K1000, the way I think about my clients has remained consistent. From day one, my philosophy has been to bring my clients’ vision to life within the comforts of my studio.

My first studio at 355 Congress St.

Former producer, Heather, and I brainstorm before a shoot.

My first client Computervision, Inc., sent me around the globe for 5 weeks in 1993. I traveled with two assistants to South Korea, Italy, Germany, France, Japan (pictured) and Canada photographing CEO’s and factories for companies such as Hyundai, Siemens, Audi, and Fiat, to name a few. That’s me on the far right, with assistant Jeff to the left of me.

33 A Street Before

33 A Street After

I wanted a place where I could provide a comfortable space with all of the amenities. Luckily, I found a building that was a diamond in the rough at 33 A Street right in South Boston. This has been my home away from home since 1998 and continues to be today.

The patio area at 33 A Street became an outdoor shower for models, Sylvia and Mark, during a shoot for Crabtree & Evelyn.  Assistants Aldo (far left) and Joe (right) had a fun time too!

(From left) Goji, Jeff, Mark, myself, and Al behind-the-scenes at a baseball stadium for a Papa Gino’s shoot.

Hanging out with Jay Leno after I shot his portrait in Burbank, California. I found out that our families descended from the same town: Avellino, Italy!

Below are some of my favorite portraits and personalities from over the past 20 years. It’s been quite a ride – thanks again to everyone who has made it such a memorable adventure!

And here are just some of the thousands of products I’ve had so much fun shooting over the years.

I’m very excited to see what the next 20 years hold for the future of the studio.  If they are anything like the past 20, I can’t wait to get this party started.

– Michael

WARDROBE CHANGE!

We’ve been shooting apparel like crazy in the studio lately, so we wanted give a shout out to some of the highly talented wardrobe stylists and makeup/hair artists (some who we’ve worked with before, others brand new to the studio) who have helped to make our shoots so successful over the past couple weeks.  Thank you, Ennis, for providing us with such delightfully skilled talent!  They have been a pleasure to work with.

Abby Beilagus picks out the perfect outfit.

Lori Green touches up our model’s makeup on set between shots.

Abby and Lori work in tandem to create the perfect look in our dressing room.

Stylist, Eileen Eisele, prepares the clothing for the perfect shot.

Wardrobe stylist, Evan Crothers, puts the finishing touches on some sporty attire, moments before Michael begins to shoot.

Makeup and hair stylist, Kacie Corbelle, perfects our model’s makeup before sending her off to set.

ALIEN INVASION! THE MEN IN BLACK ARE BACK!

Here come… the Men in Black. (again)

While we may secretly wish that we could announce we shot Will Smith’s promo portraits for the upcoming Men in Black III premiere here at the studio, we are proud to say that we did play a fun role in the promotion of the new film, which premieres nationwide this Memorial Day weekend.

We had the unique opportunity to help kick off ice cream season with some of Baskin-Robbins’ new flavor tie-ins to MIB III, which is predicted to be a summer blockbuster.  Enjoy some of our behind-the-scenes shots below, and indulge yourself in a scoop (or two or three) at your nearest Baskin-Robbins store this weekend.  What better way to kick off summer than with some Lunar Cheesecake or Pink Surprise Cake ice cream, a Spacey Sundae, or the new Triple Mocha Cappuccino Blast?

Aliens invaded the studio for one day only — though we had to do some hand grooming before taking them on set.

Prop designer, Shannon Shea (“The Captain”) flew in from Los Angeles to “handle” our alien hand. He paid close attention to every intricate detail on the hand, which was actually used in MIB III.

Cradled by alien hands, Lunar Cheesecake ice cream makes its debut on set.  Videographer, Justin, captures some behind-the-scenes footage in the background.

Michael works his magic behind the lens, capturing the perfect angle of the Triple Mocha Cappuccino Blast.

We think the final ad turned out great!

Have an extra 30 seconds? Check out our video to get an even closer look behind-the-scenes:

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IN STYLE WITH BJ’s

We had the great opportunity to shoot for the BJ’s Member Journal recently. Working with their creative team and many different talented stylists over the course of multiple days was a fun time. The variety of the sets and shots are one of the great parts of shooting for them, as well as seeing some familiar faces.

Always relaxed and calm, Sara Mills-Broffman stakes her spot on the beach set, for the next shot.

Prop stylist turned florist, Caroline Woodward trims the stems of these beautiful roses.

Food stylist Sunny Ricks sorts through and cuts up the best pieces of fruit for an attractive and appetizing looking platter.

Multi-talented stylist and hair/make-up artist, Courtney Kilmartin keeps a watchful eye on the models skin under the studio lights.

The guest of honor, Lulu,  blissfully takes a nap in Loretta’s arms.