Katie and I first got together in January of 2013 and have worked together a couple times since then. These images are from our very first shoot together. This was very much a run-and-gun style shoot as we ran around a Philadelphia area town called Manayunk and captured images in several different areas of town. This shoot was a stylized, fashion-influenced, environmental portrait shoot to get Katie some unique and fun pictures that she could add to her portfolio.

The light source in these images was a single light, a 400W head with a 39” Rotalux Deep Octa bank (one of my personal favorite lighting modifiers!)

Check out a few of the images we captured below.

Lauren sings the National Anthem before every Philadelphia Flyers home game, a tribute to her late father, legendary National Hockey League Hall of Fame announcer Gene Hart, known for 30 years as “The Voice of the Flyers.”

Lauren’s musical career outside of the Flyers includes the release of multiple albums. Her addictive blend of classic songwriting and edgy swagger is a soulful tip of the hat to the music Lauren listened to growing up in New Jersey: the sounds of Motown – Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, and Gladys Knight; and the grooves of Philly Soul – Gamble and Huff, Hall & Oates, and the Hooters.

This Philadelphia vocal treasure has performed at the Presidential Inauguration, where she shared the stage with Bill Clinton, and on the French Riviera, where she lived for several years, performing for such artists as Stan Getz, the Gipsy Kings, Harry Belafonte and Frank Sinatra. In the U.S., she has appeared on the CBS Morning Show from New York City, and opened for Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Train and 10,000 Maniacs.

Lauren is not only notable for her musical prowess, but also for her work in charity and the charitable organizations she is committed to;  The Gene Hart Memorial Fund, Echoes Foundation, and ONE.

Lauren sits on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy Awards), the Advisory Board of the Pennsylvania Hospital Cancer Center, and is an honorary board member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Southern New Jersey Chapter. In 2007, Lauren was honored by the Society with its prestigious “Person of the Year” Award.

We shot a series of looks on location in Philadelphia using a variety of simple one and two light setups. Scampering around Love park, right across the street from City Hall, was a fun time as we navigated the scores of people who turned out for the park’s holiday festival and seemingly followed us around as we walked and took photos.

You can check out Lauren’s latest music and news on her website right here »

Also, check out a few of our photos below:

Marissa is a pure joy to work with and is a natural in front of the camera!

All the photographs are lit with two 7-inch reflectors, Elinchrom’s 17” White Beauty Dish, as well as some light from beneath courtesy of a small 24”x36” softbox. The final result was the composite image in the alleyway which was shot over seamless white and transferred to the grungy Philadelphia alleyway.

Working tirelessly to create and promote their music, Trel Mack and Q the Question are two hard-working young musicians/promoters who are making a name for themselves in the Philadelphia music scene. With the persistence and grit exhibited by both of these artists it’s only a matter of time before they make some serious waves in the national music scene.

Talent, Skill, & Hard Work

It only takes a moment to hear the opening atmospheric notes that lead you into Trel’s latest track, “Dreams of a Winner” to realize that this is no amateur musician. The smooth undertones and urban feel of an amazingly well put-together music video further catapult this tune to new heights. Trel Mack records constantly with Street Knowledge Entertainment (SKE Records), an independent music label located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in an effort to create new music and produce his big hit; knowing him, it shouldn’t take long.

“Dreams of a Winner” Music Video »
Trel Mack Twitter »
Q the Question Twitter »
SKE Facebook Page »

I’ve had the pleasure of working with these guys a few times since this shoot and we’ve had an absolute blast each time working together since then!

Below are some of my personal favorites from our shoot about six months ago.

I got together with Actor, Dancer, and Choreographer, Sonam Sharma, to shoot a series of creative portraits with an eye toward fashion and lifestyle photographs/photography. We had a blast shooting in the freezing January air on the water in the shadow the Outerbridge crossing spanning from Perth Amboy, New Jersey to Staten Island New York.

Check out Sonam’s Facebook Page here »

Simple on Location Lighting

I used my favorite lighting setup, an Elinchrom Ranger Quadra with a 39-inch Deep Throat Octagonal Softbox, in strong winds gusting off the water all evening long. The softbox gave us beautiful, soft light with amazing catch lights!

Check out a few of the photos we shot that evening.

Eden and I got together and shot some dynamic portraits of her on an evening in mid-December of last year. Temperatures hovered in the 30s, but felt even colder with a brisk wind cutting through us every couple of moments and a mixture of rain and snow slowly turning the ground around us into a cold wet slushy mixture. The weather was miserable, but it was all in the name of great pictures! We endured the rough weather (including her mother acting as hair stylist, makeup artist, and pulling wardrobe and my assistant) and managed to get a number of beautiful photographs!

Young Talent

In one of the more memorable shoots of my 2011, Eden let her skill shine loud and clear as she proved to be one of the most talented and easy-to-work-with subjects I had photographed all year! At just 16 years old she handled the shoot like a seasoned pro and took direction amazingly well-in the rare event that she even needed direction!

This young model is sure to leave her mark in the industry as she combines her remarkable looks, an undeniable talent, a great personality, as well as a perpetual hustle to book work as she juggles school, music, sports, and her budding young modeling career. Look for this name (and face) to quickly rise to the top in the pool of talent in Philadelphia and across the nation!

Check out Eden’s website here »
Check out Eden’s ModelMayhem page here »

We shot these images with an Elinchrom Ranger Quadra and a 30×24 Elinchrom Rotalux Softbox. My assistant held a bare bulb Canon 580 EXII speedlite on a paint pole which acted as our edge light to give a little shape to the subject. We triggered the shots with the RadioPopper JrX triggers. Nearly every shot was shot at F4 and 1/100th of a sec.

Check out a couple of the shots we got below.

Up & Coming Excitement!

In 2010, Mary Grace made a dream of hers a reality when she entered the National American Miss Pageant and won “Overall Most Promising Model”. This promising young model entered the National American Miss Pageant contest once more in 2011 and, after winning, was named “2011 Miss Pennsylvania Jr. Teen Queen”.

This outgoing and adventure-loving teen is dually enrolled in Montgomery County Community College and poised to graduate high school as a junior this year. Mary Grace contributes in various charities in south eastern Pennsylvania including the ALS walk in Allentown in the autumn of 2011 as well as the Second Harvest Food Bank where she packs boxed food for more than 1800 local seniors.

Setting herself apart from the masses of teenagers in our modern age, Mary Grace leans heavily on her upbringing and Born Again Christian roots, preferring to be a leader for good among her peers rather than falling into rank with the commonly accepted stereotypes associated with today’s teens.

As she works tirelessly to better herself, finish school, and continues her charitable endeavors, Mary Grace awaits her next big break and opportunity to share more with the support network of people who surround her. Impressively, this teen seemingly grows up without getting older, it leaves little doubt in the mind that her next trip in the spotlight will be a more permanent one.

Mary Grace is currently represented by Expressions Models. See her information here »

Mary Grace, her mother, and I got together to shoot some fun fashion style photos with a cool edge to them; we had a total blast working together and below are some of my favorite images from that shoot!

Design Creatively

With a uniquely creative outlook and a passionate drive toward success, Taylor Nicholson has revealed herself to be yet another star burning brightly under the radar in Philadelphia and poised to burst onto the scene in the film industry. Combining beauty, drive, and intelligence is sure to create a winning combination for this young & talented woman.

Raised in the bustling small town of Dillsburg, PA (which features a New Year’s Eve Pickle Drop!), Taylor was initially interested in studying Film and Production, but quickly found that it was design where she excelled the most. Currently a student at Philadelphia’s Drexel University where she is majoring in Graphic Design, she devotes her spare time to modeling and acting. In addition to being an actor and model, she is available as a Philadelphia Graphic Designer for hire »

She was a competitive figure skater at a young age but let competitive skating take a back seat after suffering a back fracture in high school; these days she skates just for the love of it. Charitably, Taylor has also been an active participant in The American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” as well as a Recreation Counselor for a United Cerebral Palsy summer camp serving children with special needs. With close ties to her family and a desire to “set a good example” for her younger sister, Taylor isn’t content with being just another pretty face, but has squarely set her sights on being a beautiful person too.

Take a moment and check out Taylor’s website, twitter feed, portfolio on ModelMayhem, as well as her listing on IMDB.

Taylor’s Website »
@taylortweethart Twitter »
Taylor on ModelMayhem »
Taylor on IMDB »

Taylor and I got together to shoot some portraits for general use. From headshots to lifestyle candid shots with my own take on them, we had a blast walking around Philadelphia’s University City and capturing these images!

These images were captured with one Ranger Quadra on a pole with a 17” Beauty Dish. Strategically placing Taylor to use the sun as our second light and taking advantage of overcast moments we were able to get some great lighting patterns! Check out some of the best shots of the day!

South of Austin

With a blend of smooth country notes brightly complemented with a commanding and room-filling power, the voice of Austin, Texas’ very own Abraham Weaver is simultaneously captivating and unforgettable the very moment you hear him start singing.

Raised in Southern Texas and hailing all the way from Austin Texas, the “Live Music Capital of the World”, Abraham has been singing and performing since the early 1990s. Having reached a personal “point-of-no-return” in 2004 he transformed himself from a Dance Hall and Night Club singer, where he would perform up to 200 shows each year, to a Contemporary Christian singer & musician.

As he belts out the lyrics of thought-provoking tracks like “The Car” and “Like Matthew Sees You” you are seemingly transported to a world that began with the pursuit of ease, prestige, and wealth in this world, but has instead led this singer to a life of contented happiness at the feet of his Saviour. At any number of social functions, special events, or maybe even your local café, your ears may someday be delighted as you listen to this vocal gem from Southern Texas.

Abraham and I got together and shot a great series of photographs for promoting his music and putting together a consistent look for the images associated with his music. We found a massive old abandoned factory and wandered in and shot some great photos!

Currently we’re working together to build a new brand and website for his music!

Abraham Weaver on Facebook »
Abraham Weaver on ReverbNation »

Check out some of my favorites below!

Yes, Virginia

I had the opportunity to photograph Kelly Franks, a local singer, for the cover of her newest album “Yes, Virginia” which debuted on November 25th, 2011.

Check the album and listen to the track “Yes, Virginia” here »
Follow POP ROX band on Twitter »
Like POP ROX on Facebook »

The lighting for this set of images was a 28” Westcott Apollo softbox as an overhead light and a light with 7” reflector camera-right. I used 200W Elinchrom strobes for the lighting and Elinchrom Sky-port triggers to fire the lights wirelessly.

For the majority of the headshots I broke out my Lastolite tri-flector and had some fun playing with the angles in an effort to get a nice triple reflection in her eyes. With the Lastolite tri-flector I’ve found that using a light directly overhead and keeping each individual reflector at a near 90 degree angle to the chin and sides of the face (per each reflector). Check out a shot of how I was using the tri-flector.

Below are a few of the shots we captured that evening including the shot that was used for the album cover.