Nick Asplaugh needed a few headshots to shop around to local agents so he came by my Los Angeles studio for a portrait session. Although Nick is originally from Nevada, he recently moved here to rock the LA model scene.
Last Sunday I met Courtney and Scott at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia for their engagement session. It was a really beautiful morning and we got started early enough that it wasn’t crazy hot like it’s been for the last few weeks. During one part of our session, a squirrel seemed to be really interested in Courtney and Scott’s apparent need to make out on a garden path (see the last photo below). I was hoping he would stick around, but since we didn’t have any food for him, he ran off to play with his friends. Next time I’ll be better prepared! Courtney and Scott get married in August so check back soon for my work as their wedding photographer. Here are just a few photos from last Sunday.
On April Marie Eden’s last visit to my Los Angeles. studio we did some great work. That being said, April recently contacted me again and asked for another headshot session. Although we had already captured several headshots that were “almost perfect” (her words), April thought we could do better. I don’t know if perfection is ever possible in any portrait session but we gave it a good shot. So what do you think?
As an added bonus for this blog post, I’m also uploading a photo April asked me to take of her super cool Star Trek tattoo (Starfleet logo). Live long and prosper!
Earlier this week I was sent out to Simi Valley by a hip and happening Iowa advertising agency (Performance Marketing). They needed a few business portraits for a Honeywell newsletter that they manage. It was there in Simi Valley that I met and photographed Scott Olson, owner of L & O Heating and Air Conditioning. Scott was super-easy going and shared quite a few cool stories about his favorite hobby–fly fishing. That ties in with fishing lures depicted on the cool belt he wore for the shoot!
Earlier this week we had a family portrait session in my Los Angeles studio. These sweet folks were a referral from one of my former brides (thanks Anna!). Mia is 22 months old and Joy is three years old. And although Mia wasn’t very interested in having her photograph taken, we were able to capture this timeless family portrait.
I’m often asked many questions about our Los Angeles studio. Those curious folks include clients, other photographers, neighbors, and Brewery Art Walk attendees). To answer some of those questions, I’ve developed this brief list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that I hope you’ll find helpful.
What is the Los Angeles Brewery?
Our studio is located in part of what is known as the Los Angeles Brewery Art Complex. There are exactly 300 live / work spaces located in this complex (located near downtown Los Angeles). The smallest spaces are 1,200 square feet while the largest space is 6,000 square feet. That being said, there are only a handful of studios larger than 3,000 square feet. That makes our studio one of the largest spaces on the property. This area is called “The Brewery” because many buildings on the property were once owned and operated by the Pabst Brewing Company.
What’s the history of your building?
Our studio is the found in the south facing wing of the former Southern California Edison Electric Power Station #3 building. The building was built in 1903 and is registered as a Historic Cultural Landmark by the City of Los Angeles. Our studio is rumored to be the transformer room for the original power plant.
How can I live in The Los Angeles Brewery?
Live / work spaces are rented / leased on a first come, first served basis. But before you inquire, there’s an important professional requirement if you want to live at the Brewery–you must be an artist. Some of our neighbors include photographers, painters, sculptors, metal workers, clothing designers, jewelry designers, doll makers, interior designers, belly dancers, trapeze artists, martial artists, commercial designers, graphic artists, stylists, location scouts, chefs, and illustrators. If you want to lease a space at The Brewery, call Carlson Industries frequently to inquire as to availability–typically at least once a month. The office phone number is (323) 222-3007. The typical annual turnover is only 5% so there are seldom many vacancies. Lease prices for spaces less than 3,000 square feet are typically $1.00 to $1.25 per square foot. The maximum lease length is three years. Most spaces in the Brewery are leased in roughed out condition. This typically means that you must build out your own kitchen, bathroom, storage spaces as well as provide your own means for heating and cooling the space.
How big is your studio?
The floor of our studio is 3,960 square feet, the raised mezzanine deck is approximately 675 square feet, and the fenced patio outside our roll-up door is 1,650 square feet. To the peak of the ceiling / roof, our studio is 4 stories tall (unobstructed).
How much is your rent?
It’s not inexpensive to live and work in a space as large as our studio. Although this answer may not satisfy your curiosity, we’ve decided that this is how we’ll answer this frequently asked question (unless you’re our CPA).
Do you like living / working here?
There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to living and working in the Brewery. Some of the advantages include the creative atmosphere, the low cost per square foot, and the convenience of being located near downtown. From this area, we’re literally 30 minutes from almost everything Los Angeles has to offer. With our large studio, we have the space we need to work on any commercial, private, or personal photography project without being constrained by limitations often faced by other studios. We also really enjoy living and working within a historic building. Although it’s been a monumental task to put our space together like we’d envisioned, we’re proud to call ourselves residents of the Los Angeles Brewery.
What do you do in your studio?
We’re professional photographers. Within these walls we photograph a wide range of subjects including people, products, and food. We also use this space to meet with current and prospective clients as well as show and sell our fine art photography. As our location is a live / work studio, we also live in this space. Our bedroom is located on the raised mezzanine level. Some of our photographic specialties include wedding photography, individual and family portraits, food photography, product photography, corporate headshots, event photography, lifestyle photos for advertising, and fine art photography.
Paul came by the studio today for a few corporate head shots, but I couldn’t help myself so I also took a few casual portraits. And since Paul is the Faculty Director at the Ahmanson Center for Advanced Electron Microscopy and Imaging, he asked me to make another photograph featuring a something he uses in his daily work.
Barbie and Ken recently selected me as their Los Angeles wedding photographer so I was thrilled to get the chance to photograph them this weekend. Although I’m usually really great at working with my wedding clients, I did have quite a bit of trouble getting different expressions out of them–they always had a plastic look on their faces. And don’t even get me started about how stiff they were (and impossible to pose). But I did my best and I think they’ll be really happy with these wedding photographs. I know that some of them will make my wedding photographer portfolio!
Barbie’s dress, shoes, makeup, hair, and jewelry are by the fabulous designer Mattel. And did you check out her pink diamond ring; you’d never even know it was a fake! As a tip for future brides, they saved a ton of money on the reception because they didn’t serve food; Barbie and Ken’s friends don’t eat! The highlight of the day was when Ken delighted Barbie with a surprise wedding gift–a brand new car! And although Barbie was a little disappointed that the doors didn’t open, she always kept a smile painted on her face to spare Ken’s feelings. As their wedding photographer, they were truly a pleasure to photograph. Here are a few of my favorites.
Although I’m a Los Angeles boudoir photographer, I don’t often get to publish my work publicly; many of my subjects are quite shy. That’s why I was thrilled when Barbie volunteered to allow me to post photos from her boudoir session on my blog! Here are just a few examples from our session; I feel like I’ve set new standards as her boudoir photographer! Make sure you check back soon as I’ll soon post Barbie’s wedding photos!
As a product photographer, one of my most difficult subjects is glassware–more specifically, glass photographed on a white background. And although there are thousands of photographers in Los Angeles, product photography for catalogs remains a specialized expertise. There are several ways to approach the photography of glass objects and here’s just one example–a simple wine glass. The key to photographing glass is to use black cards around the object along with specialized lighting to accentuate the shape of the glass. The other challenge is to ensure that nothing extraneous is seen in reflections on the glassware. If you’re looking for a Los Angeles product photographer who has the requisite skills to photograph your glass and glassware, I hope you’ll consider me!
