RouseGallery...The Blog

Lynn at The Loft II: Intense

Actually, I'm not sure how came up with all these contemplative expressions since I am apparently quite adept at providing the entertainment on shoots by sliding across hardwood floors on my socks and nearly strangling myself with lighting cords. Well, whatever it takes to get the shot!

Best of all, I have the privilege of working with Lynn. We've been shooting together for twelve years now! And I have yet to convince her of how stunningly beautiful she is (yes, after four kids, even).  Being the humble and down-to-earth person that she is, my comments are typically brushed aside with a hearty dose of laughter.

But, that's okay. I'm just relishing the thought of another twelve years of working with Lynn.

R

Lynn at The Loft I: Playful

Welcome to Lynn's shoot; it's been a year since the last one...so, this is a huge deal! And what better location for this lifestyle shoot than the loft (see previous posts).

Lynn has a husband, four kids, two dogs and a cat at home...so, I think getting out of the house for this shoot was a one-night vacation for her! I was only too happy to oblige. I have to admit though, I bribed her with offers of coffee, soda pop and vino!!

Actually, the best part about needing wine for a prop on the shoot is that you get to sip it afterward!

See you for more tomorrow.

R

Sam, starring in: "If you can't go to Colorado..."

"...then create Colorado!!"

I think we did a pretty good job of that, actually.

Although, I'm not sure anyone told Sam that this modeling stuff may involve getting snow in your boots, doing wardrobe changes in the backseat and attempting to fend off snow blindness! Sam, being the trouper that she is, took it all in stride, flashing her beaming smile and convincing me that we're gonna see lots and lots of great pictures from this girl for a long time to come.

Oh...and one more thing. If you want a model to leap and run and romp about through the winter landscape, undeterred by six inches of snow, book a gymnast! For me, this would equal a major cardio workout...but for a gymnast, I don't think it even qualifies as a warm-up!!

You know, after all weathering all this wintertime trauma on her first shoot, I think we're gonna have to reward Sam with a shoot on a nice, warm, sunny beach this summer.

Wow, does that sound refreshing right about now...

R

Sam's Debut

Everybody give it up for Sam...our newest addition to the lifestyle modeling talent crew!

We met Sam at the Lupo gymnastics invitational several weeks ago (see "...In the Moment with The Girls from Level 8" in the promotional/publication archives) and I just knew she would do an awesome job with the talent work. And you can totally see that in these images. There are plenty of adult models who would be challenged by conjuring up the intensity to do shots like these; Sam, as our only seventh grader on board and for that matter, our youngest talent model, totally aced it on the first time out. For her very first shoot, she definitely receives an "A+".

I'm now working on digging up the official Sam photo shoot theme song..."Sam" by Olivia Newton John, circa 1977! Coming soon to a boom box near you...

Tune in tomorrow to see Sam romping about in the snowy winter wonderland. For now, I leave you with these amazing photographs.

R

Artistic Manuevers in the Dark: Sara Part Two

Note: These images were captured handheld on the new Nikon D300 digital camera at 3200 ISO, showcasing the stunning low-light/high ISO performance exhibited by the D300 (and it's sibling, the D3)...performance that is unrivaled by any other digital SLR in the marketplace. Only months ago, it would not have been possible to create images like these, prior to the implementation of the new Nikon technology.

So you start out the evening in the sunlight and you wonder if you'll find that elusive magic, if that drama is going to happen...because you're always chasing after the genie in the bottle, the buried treasure, the distant dream. And you're afraid it's not happening...but then the darkness falls and the light is absolutely spellbinding and Sara is just right there with the perfect expression every single time, just completely enchanting. And everything you do turns to gold and it's just mesmerizing and you're thinking, this is it, these are the moments you want to stretch out for an eternity...

R

 

Artistic Manuevers in the Dark...with Sara

Eighties music fans...remember OMD, better known as "Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark"?? Hence, our title for this series of posts, aptly named I would contend.

More importantly, allow me to introduce you to what I consider the ideal shoot: wandering around the city at night, creating images at will, feeding off the interplay of the colors and the distinctiveness of the light. Relishing the spontaneity, the aesthetic possibilities, the opportunity to work with the perfect model.

All that...and pigging out on Chinese take-out with the crew at the end of the night. These are the shoots I live for.

R

 

The Loft: Encore Post

I know we're going to have so much positive feedback from our initial post of loft images that you deserve a second helping! So, continue on the grand tour with me...following up yesterday's focus on the open living/dining/kitchen area with a waltz through the remainder of the apartment. Note the roomy master bedroom and adjoining hallway bordered by the walk-in closet and bathroom...as well as the inset hallway shelving spaces, carved out of the original nooks for murphy beds that adorned the original apartment spaces in the location from many decades ago.

R

 

Wanna Buy A Loft??!!

The upstairs loft in the former Mr. Wish building in downtown Minot has been the focus of several high-end commercial lifestyle shoots lately...and it's time we introduce you to the location. The loft apartment is absolutely stunning, as you'll see in these images. The apartment features a spacious 2300 square feet of living space, 14 foot-high ceilings and appealing hardwood floors throughout the main living area. Best of all, it's for sale! If you are interested in a living environment that brings a touch of Manhattan or Minneapolis to the Magic City, let us know and we can put you in touch with our gracious hosts for these recent and upcoming shoots at the loft.

Two Days of Shooting with Anabelle: The Finale

So we're set up to shoot in the kitchen, solely with lights and shielded from the daylight to maintain some control over the scenarios I want to capture. And I just happen to peek into the rear-facing master bedroom only to find the setting sun flooding the room with an almost angelic light, casting dramatic shadows on the walls. So, we're scrapping all plans to shoot anything except in the bedroom and I'm firing away in a panic, racing to keep with the rapidly-fading light...feeding off the breathtaking quality of the interplay of highlight and shadow, sending Anabelle out to change as often as I can, trying to make the most of the moment. And her expressions are just on every time and the light is almost epiphany-like in its beauty and display...and I'm thinking, this is what I live for. These are the moments you never anticipate and they are always the pure, unadulterated moments of grace, the moments that leave you breathless...

 

Two Days of Shooting with Anabelle: Day Two

The second day of my marathon shoot with Anabelle finds us at the loft downtown for a mainstream commercial lifestyle focus in our images. A perfect opportunity to capture not just my star model but the sweeping panorama of our location in the photographs, infusing each frame with a sense of place and the juxtaposed elements of setting, lighting and expression- the perfect recipe for success.

Another advantage at the loft was, for once, not being crammed into a corner shooting! Ample room to breathe, move around, position the lights at will.  The outlay of a perfect day's shooting.

R