Epson: Imagine!

There's one client that never fails to excite me when they reach out for event coverage, and that client is Epson. Whether working with the USA women's synchronized swim team or on holiday festivities, they always have creative and exciting ways to engage with their customers and always have events that highlight that inspired ingenuity. No less can be said about the most recent event I worked with them on, "Imagine," promoting some amazing new technologies that will undoubtedly revolutionize the industries they exist within. Whether creating new methods to print textiles in the fashion world or putting out the latest drone technology on the market, the event certainly lived up to its namesake, and in amazing technicolor fashion. And as a photographer, I certainly appreciated the chance to see what they've been cooking up in regards to the high-quality printers they've been developing (and I may have added one or two of them to my wish-list!). Here are some of my favorite shots from the event, and already looking forward to my next collaboration with the Epsonite crew!

24 Hour Film Race: Growing Over You

If you've followed my work at all, you know I love when I get to be the set photographer for film projects, no matter how big or how small. There's something very magical and unifying about working with a film crew, and inevitably the people you work with become an extension of your ever-growing film family. That's why the 24 hour film race is something I look forward to every year, and last year's was by far our best one yet.

If you aren't familiar with how a film race works, the concept is this: write, shoot and edit a film with several requirements (a specific line of dialogue, a chosen prop, and a theme) that are announced at the start of the competition. Given that all this would normally take weeks or months to complete, it's quite the ambitious undertaking. Despite the rigorous schedule, it's always fun and inspiring, and often brings out the best of our creative abilities. 

We may be exhausted at the end of it all, but it's the most fun I've ever had intentionally working myself to the bone and combating the sleep that threatens to invade. Many cups of coffee and red bulls later, I never cease to be amazed by what we've pulled off and how we've managed to bring it all together, and I think that's why I love it so much. Sometimes you need to do the work for the love of it and nothing else, and being able to focus on creating beautiful imagery without working through client concerns or deadlines or bottom lines is a much needed rejuvenating process as an artist. 

Personal: Our 'Staycation'

Last week, my partner and I went back to basics with a 'staycation' in the Poconos for some much needed rest and relaxation. Not only was it a greatly appreciated break from the constant hustle and bustle of the city, but also served quite well as an excuse to hike/location scout more potential spots to work on my Natura series. It was lovely to get back into the vibrant and incomparable lush green of the forest, and the misty, cloudy forecast made it easy to capture some really great images. I'm not sure if there's anything I love more than being out in nature with nothing other than my camera and my partner/photo assistant, and this trip was exactly what I needed to get my creativity gears grinding again. It's easy to get burned out in the city that never sleeps, so I was immeasurably grateful for a long week of unwinding, and I think I found some really spectacular locations to shoot next. Hope I get to go back out into the forest soon!

Marvel's Daredevil!

I'm so happy and proud to share with you all one of my most exciting jobs yet; working with Marvel & Netflix to promote the worldwide premiere of Daredevil! I was asked to document the installation of street art going up in Hell's Kitchen in NYC, and it was easily one of the most interesting jobs I've ever had. I've always wondered how the process worked for putting these large graphic elements on the sides of buildings, and loved getting so see how in a matter of minutes, a blank space turned into a giant work of art. It was so much fun to be a part of this project, as the same thing was happening simultaneously in 12 other cities, including London, Berlin, and Mexico City, and I couldn't wait to see what the other pieces of art looked like. I also was thrilled to be working for Marvel and Netflix, clients I only dreamed of having previously, and now having seen the show, I'm so proud I got to be a part of it, even if only in some small way. Here's to getting more jobs like this in the future!

Behind The Scenes of Six Windows, Round 2!

Back in January, many of my good friends and I were hard at work filming the second block of Six Windows, a web series exploring six people's different experiences dealing with the challenges of New York City. Despite a blizzard or two trying to interfere with our last few days of shooting, we successfully wrapped in a little over a week, with a lot of fantastic footage. While the series won't be released until this coming summer, I have a few images from behind the scenes of the project that will hopefully hold you over until it's finished! Directed by my inspiring and deeply talented friend Brandon Taylor, this series is sure to remind you of the growing pains of life, love and loss. Starring such pretty fabulous actors, including Tracy Willet, Shannon Terrel, Gabryal Rabinowitz, Ellyse Burnett, Cornelius McMoyler, Susan Moses, Hamza Zaman, Nicole Im, and many others, I'm positive this series will turn out wonderfully, and I can't wait to see the finished project. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite moments behind the scenes on the set of Six Windows!

Boy Code: Behind The Scenes!

I love getting to work with new people, and this film was certainly no exception. Not only was it my first experience working with talented director Christian LaMorte and his fabulous crew, but it was also the first time I was fortunate enough to work with Elijah Trichon, an up-and-coming actor who plays the lead role in Boy Code. A witty yet critical film that explores the difficulties of growing up in the hyper masculine world of teenage adolescence, this coming-of-age story not only appeals to me artistically, but also culturally. I was thrilled to put my skills to work helping bring this film to fruition, and I can't wait to see the finished project when it premieres at the The Dusty Festival, hosted by the School of Visual Arts in NYC. 

Six Windows: Behind The Scenes!

This past month held one of my favorite projects from the past year; working as a Unit Stills Photographer on the set of the web series Six Windows, directed by one of my wonderful friends, Brandon Taylor. Not only did I get to work with some of my favorite people again, but I also was fortunate enough to meet some fabulous new cast and crew members that were simply amazing to work with. We spent a whole week shooting 3 of the 6 episodes that will encompass the first season, and I can't wait to see the finished product. Not only was the cast absolutely solid in their acting abilities, but the amount of love and enthusiasm invested in this project by everyone involved was undeniable. Starring Ellyse Burnett, J.W. Harvey, Alyssa Kempinski, Michelle Jones, Lauren A. Kennedy, Gregory James Cohan, Zach Sciranka, and Carolyn Blair, this project is sure to reveal the challenges and growing pains of navigating New York City. 

Here are some of my favorite moments behind the scenes  of this fantastic production; I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Behind-The-Scenes: Not Our Living Room!

About a month ago I had the pleasure of working on a new project from Congested Cat Productions, titled Not Our Living Room, a short about two brothers getting ready for their mothers' anniversary dinner. However, things take an ominous turn when they try to leave the living room.

Not only was there an overabundance of talent and enthusiasm on set, but I was also fortunate to get to work with an old theatre friend of mine, Adam Jepsen, who I had previously photographed at Penn State! We filmed the whole short in one day, an impressive feat, and I can't wait to see the finished product. Getting to work with a new crew was wonderful, and I can't wait to work together with them again! 

The 24 Hour Film Race!

As is typical of artists/creative people, we always look for new ways to push ourselves to the limits, to inspire our creativity, and to challenge ourselves in new and exciting ways, and this weekend was no exception! From 10pm Friday night to 10pm on Saturday, Hollow Tree Films competed in the 24 Film Race, and I was elated to work on it with them! 

The Film Race is certainly a refreshing way to spice things up; we take the entire film process, from conception and script-writing to filming and editing (a process that normally takes weeks to months, depending on the size of the project) and make the whole thing happen in under 24 hours! A tad bit stressful, with many cups of coffee and a lot of exhausted bodies after, I think we made a pretty spectacular short, and I can't wait to see how it fares in the competition.

Regardless of if the film wins anything from the Film Race, it was more fun than I've had in a while, and the best all-nighter I've pulled in quite some time with some of the most fabulous people I know! 30 sleepless hours later, these are some of the Behind The Scenes shots I took over the course of the project. More to come soon!

Newest Booya Fitness, Behind-The-Scenes!

I finally just completed my most recent set of photos for Booya Fitness, and so have decided to give you all a sneak preview with some glimpses behind the scenes! Once again, I was in collaboration with my wonderful and talented friend Ben Hallman of Hallman Productions, and working with him is always a treat (and it never feels like work!). Already counting down the days to the next shoot!

I can't wait to see the newest finished videos, and  start making time to work out, because these videos are pretty awesome and actually make me want to exercise!

"They Hunger" Behind The Scenes

This weekend, I had the pleasure of photographing on set to develop a proof of concept project called "They Hunger," which I hope comes to fruition because the script is absolutely fantastic! Both Brandon Taylor and Brendan Steere, two fabulous filmmakers and close friends of mine, are heading the project, and I can't wait to see what they can do. I'll be posting more on the project as things progress, but keep your fingers crossed for more good news on this front!

I don't think there's anything quite like working on a film. I love it more than words can describe, and I deeply cherish getting to work with such talented and spectacular people. I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I can't wait for the next project to start. They are some of my best friends, and working with them never feels like a job, but rather a wonderful way of life. I can only imagine where the world will take us.