I started out my career photographing sports for companies here in the NW. As my career has changed I find myself now shooting more fashion. Why not try to mix the two and try out a lighting idea that has been floating in the back of my mind. With some testing, rethinking, and more shooting, I came up with the below images. Thanks to all of those who helped me out on this little adventure.
And more images here: http://www.michaelschmitt.com/#/images/Colors/1
This past Fall I shot footage for a stop motion video for Merrell with the agency, the sparktank. What I love about shooting stop motion in these situations is being able to do two visual needs at once. Getting images to create a moving story and also images to use for still applications. You can also add strobe lights and do other magic tricks to your video without the need for CGI.
Well the video is finally done and it has a great song by ‘Apex Manor’ to keep the energy going.
In my mind 2011 was a good year for music. The reasons for these songs are the beats of coarse. But some hold stories of hope, travels, and the good and bad of life. This list all starts under a sky of blue. Speakers overhead get over 60,000 people ready. Who is this band I am hearing on those speakers? Ask a neighbor….
“I need to know because you are blocking the sunshine Hanging out his mouth, he’s a cowboy kid The stairs creak I should sleep Bump beats till beddy bye
We touched the walls of the city streets Your mind would never ache, Yes, here we go again, give you more, nothing lesser Just don’t sit down cause I’ve moved your chair
Hey hey can you feel it, we tripped into this ditch We were headlong into the abyss Oh my brother, Don’t you worry ‘bout me There’s a fire starting, bring me out the dark
The revolution comes, let the sun warm it’s way to me It’s two against one, pick your posies, los amigos Pack up your troubles, let’s head out So hold high have faith your reasons”
1. I Know You Don’t Love Me – Peter Bjorn and John
2. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
3. Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men
4. Tongue Tied – Grouplove
5. Lonely Boy – The Black Keys
6. Black – Norah Jones, Danger Mouse, and Daniele Luppi
7. DNA – The Kills
8. Make Some Noise – Beastie Boys
9. Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair – Arctic Monkeys
10. Romance – Wild Flag
11. Long Time – Cake
12. Headlong Into the Abyss- We Are Augustines
13. Lost In My Mind – The Head and the Heart
14. Rolling In the Deep – Adele
15. Got It All – Portugal The Man
16. Can’t You Tell- Vetiver
17. Two Against One – Jack White, Danger Mouse, and Daniele Luppi
18. Get It Daddy – Sleeper Agent
19. El Jefe – Mexican Institute of Sound
20. Let England Shake – PJ Harvey
21. Half Moon – Blind Pilot
An idea has to start somewhere. I was on location shooting when I overhear a conversation about the model buying a saddle for her chicken. The seed is planted. Next, wouldn’t it be really funny if a doll was riding on the chicken? What about a Barbie? Wonder if there is a Barbie witch? Happens to be one every year! All the pieces come together and the image is created. For all you chicken / animal lovers, Jenny the chicken was fine afterwards and even laid an egg that afternoon. She did buck off Barbie a few times during the shoot.
Last week I went on a hike with my mom to enjoy the aspen up by the continental divide. Has been a long time since I have gone on a hike in Colorado in the Fall. Wonderful to enjoy such a beautiful day with my mom. Hope that when I am in my 70s I can do something similar with my boys.
We talked some about the love of being in the outdoors and going on hikes alone. This led to discussing the movie “127 hours”. To be honest, when I put in the dvd I was already set to turn it off the moment I was bored, but director Danny Boyle and his editor creating a fantastic visual story of Aron Ralston’s ordeal in Utah.
Stay fit, enjoy the outdoors, and always remember to tell someone where you are going if you go alone.
A PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE
Have you been wanting to capture your family at this moment in time? Have you been wanting a fun, unique, high-quality portrait? With years of experience photographing corporate and editorial clients (http://www.michaelschmitt.com/ )– people who love getting their picture taken and those who don’t – I am combining my skills with my fun-loving nature for “A Portrait Experience”.
Bring yourself, a loved one, the kids, a special group of friends, or the whole family and let’s have some fun. This is not a portrait studio session. This is an experience in working together to capture who you are – as an individual, a couple, a family. It can be fun and silly or serious and artful. Engagement photos, holiday cards, pregnancy photos, photos of the kids or the family pet, celebrating a friendship are all good reasons to come get your portrait taken.
THE DETAILS -
When: -Portland: Nov. 5th, 6th,12th, and 13th, 2011
Book your preferred time here: http://michael-schmitt.genbook.com
Where: - Portland: 1420 NW Lovejoy
What: A festive and fun Portrait Experience. Come and relax over cup of coffee, juice, beer, snacks, prep for the photo session, and have some fun! Thirty minutes will be plenty of time to relax and primp, with 15 minutes in front of the camera to capture the perfect shot. ***Please note that when booking for a portrait, you are signing up for your arrival time.
How: Sign up for your Portrait Experience at the link below. A payment of $100 for your ownership of one high-resolution image (a digital file large enough for a 11×14 print or bigger if requested) is due at the time of the photo session; check or cash only. Within a few days, a private online link to your Portrait Experience will be emailed to you, enabling you to view the best images and select your preferred photo(s).
Pricing: The offering and pricing of A Portrait Experience is unique. There is no sitting fee nor package cost surprises. You will be given high-resolution ownership of the professional-quality images that you choose. You will then be able to freely use the image to make prints, cards, post it on your social media sites, etc. Printed photos of your purchased image(s) will be offered as a convenience as well, for those interested at an additional charge. You may also request a list of recommended quality places to order prints. The payment for the base order of one high-resolution image is due at the time of the photo session.
Image Files:
1 high-resolution digital jpg file – $100
Each additional high-resolution digital image – $40
Prints: (only for images bought) 8×10 – $25, 11×14 – $45, 16×20 – $80
Come join the fun at A Portrait Experience and receive an image that you will always treasure!
Book your preferred time here: (http://michaelschmitt.genbook.com).
Reviews from Portland 2010 participants:
“We loved our experience with you and like I told you everyone loved our picture and said it was the best xmas card they had ever gotten! We loved it too thanks so much for all the fun!” Laura
“The whole experience was very easy and satisfying. We were not at all stressed during the photo shoot, unlike previous experiences, and the pics turned out really well. We get lots and lots of compliments. Being able to order the prints myself has made Christmas a lot easier for me since I didn’t have to make so many decisions right away.“ Danelle
“I hate having my picture taken, but you actually made it fun” James
Here is samples of my boys showing off the background for this year and also some images from last year.
Kid’s imaginations are wonderful to experience.
Had the pleasure of photographing Patrick Lamb for the cover of his new album. What I like about this image is the possibility of experimentation. Marcelo Anteparra-Naujock from Caffelli ( http://www.caffelli.com/ ) and I had discussed ideas ahead of shooting, but our experimenting during the shoot is what brought this images out. A fresnel spot with a smoke machine adding atmosphere in the background.
Found this treasure at Whole Foods in Raleigh, NC. An old cigarette machine turned into a $5.00 art dispenser. 22 artist creations that fit into a small box. What a fantastic idea.
Went to Annville, PA (close to Hershey) for a visit with my sister and her family. Just down the street from their house is a building that George Washington stopped at to have some lemonade back in the 1760s. Living in Portland, buildings over a hundred years old are considered old. This house brings into perspective what is really old in this country. I love the idea of what happens in a building over time. From being an inn or store, to having families call it a home. To try and imagine what things looked like back in the 1760s.
We also went into a home being remodeled that was built in 1795. The walls were made of limestone and it had this huge sub-basement carved out of the rock to be used as cold storage back in the day. This home was part of an old grain mill. The man who owned it asked where we were from and his response was, “never met someone from Oregon before.” I found this striking at the time, but I now love his honesty. I think unless you have traveled a fair amount in this country it can be very easy to never have met someone from a certain state or two.
Last, I want to share a couple other images from this small town. Lots of buildings in the town with two owners and two color choices. No Photoshop trick with this building. Also my love of windows and the reflections around them or what you see when you are looking thru one.
