BLOK BEATS: Mike's Shooting Playlist
Our newest Blok employee, Mike, turns it up while he’s photographing! Check out his custom playlist that he listens to when he’s in the studio.
More About Mike:
• Favorite thing in your closet right now: My Sneakers!
• Best piece of advice you’ve received: As he thinketh, so is he
• Favorite movie ever: 6th Man
• Astrological sign: Aries
• Biggest strength: Personality
• Biggest weakness: Stubbornness
• One thing you need every morning: Breakfast
• Who’s your biggest inspiration: Mom Dukes!
• What does music do for you: Inspire, Motivate, & Energize
• When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur: When I graduated from college
• What’s it all about: Vision & Vibe
• Favorite cocktail: Tequila & Lemonade
• Favorite food: Tacos
• Favorite midnight snack: Twizzlers
• Describe yourself 10 years ago in 3 words: Still learning a lot
• Where do you go to relax in the world: The couch
• You’re having a party, what song do you kick it off with: Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill or Big Bank by YG
• What do you love about photography: Bringing visions to life
• Favorite subject to photograph: People
FOLLOW ALONG FOR MORE CURATED PLAYLISTS:
Behind the shot: Motion Blur
An easy way to create drama in a shot is to add some motion blur. This can be used to show motion of an object and draw your eyes to a point in the frame.
In this shot, I wanted to create visual tension. I contrasted the emotional softness of the color pallet and her expression with a little bit of blur to introduce tension and curiosity.
To achieve this effect you will need to blend the light from your strobes with ambient or any constant light. The strobe will freeze the subject while the ambient or constant light will leave the blur. Take into consideration your strobes power in relation to the ambient or constant light. The relation between the two is affected by both the strobes’ power and the amount of time the shutter is open for. It's definitely a balancing act. Too short a shutter and there's no blur, too long of a shutter and there’s too much blur. If the strobes power is too low it wont freeze the subject, too powerful and you get little blur.
A good rule of thumb for me is setting up for a normal shot with lighting and camera settings, then just drop the shutter speed to about 1/5th sec and observe the results. A few ways to experiment with this technique is to try light or dark backgrounds to achieve different levels of contrast. You can also use a colored constant light to change the color of the blur.
Just remember that when lighting, be aware of the light sources and how and where they affect your subject. If the strobe and ambient or constant light are illuminating the same spot on the subject, they will compete for what is frozen and what's in motion. So be specific where your key light is and where your ambient or constant light is coming from. Make sure to have intent with the effect, so it conveys the appropriate visual message and is in harmony with the rest of the image. But most importantly have fun and experiment!
- Thomas Ingersoll
See more of Thomas’ work here and follow him on Instagram for more behind the scenes.
Learning Resources for Creatives
It's challenging to stay positive and motivated during this COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of us are worried about finances, health, when we can get back to work, and what the new normal will be when this is all over. It’s a test of resilience. As for me, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster thus far. We have to keep going; life always moves forward. I’ve been utilizing this “down” time to stack new skills and sharpen current ones. Skill stacking is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. It makes you a more valuable candidate in any market and empowers you to solve problems unique to your abilities. Below you’ll find a list of free or discounted online learning resources. We must stay sharp during this time so we can all hit the ground running when things get back to the new normal.
Online Courses / Webinars
Michael Woloszynowicz Tutorials (Capture one and retouching tips)
Professional Photographers of America EDU (1100+ courses free for two weeks)
CreativeLive (60% off sitewide classes)
University of California Davis Free Online Course “The Strategy of Content Marketing”
Kaist Free Online Course “Meditation: A Way To Achieve your goals in life”
Matt Day Tutorials (Film photography tips/discussions)
Goal Digger Podcast (Solopreneur marketing tips)
Community over COVID-19
Blok Studio will be closed for the month of April in order to comply with Gov. Ducey’s shelter-in-place order. We’re taking these measures to help protect our community, both our clients and our employees. Nothing is more important to us. Full refunds will be given to all existing appointments. We know that the Phoenix creative community is resilient, and we are looking forward to serving you again as soon as it’s deemed safe.
It’s through these unfortunate times that community is vital and supporting each other is even more vital. We’ve listed a few helpful links below that explain the recently approved CARES Act. This bill gives us small businesses and freelancers more resources to survive through this uncertain time. Things such as freelancers, gig workers, and contractors being eligible for unemployment benefits, forgivable business loans, and payroll tax deferral. Please read through the information below and seek professional counsel when necessary.
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 18 - Erick Cedeno
Spend a few minutes with Erick, and you’ll see it’s evident he’s passionate about cycling, community, and culture. So much so that he created Bicycle Nomad, a brand dedicated to inspiring dreamers and riders. He’s traveled all over the world by way of bicycle, his most notable journey being the Underground Railroad, a historical ride from New Orleans, LA to Niagara Falls, NY. Erick also owns Bicycle Nomad Cafe, located inside The Velo. It's known for its delicious coffee, foods and serves as a landmark for cross country riders passing through. The day we met at the cafe is when I was introduced to Siwei Zhong, a cyclist on his way to completing a 7-year long ride around the world. Erick allowed him to stay at the cafe to regroup and continue his journey. It was an honor to be around such an incredible person, the passion for what he does is inspiring. We’re happy to feature him on this install of Around The Blok!
Tell us about yourself?
I’m Erick Cedeno, born in Panama and raised in Miami. One of my favorite hobbies is to travel the world by bicycle and engage with people and nature along the way.
Why do you do what you do?
Bicycle travel feeds my curiosity and my soul. Bicycle Nomad was created to inspire and motivate people to travel by bicycle and see what I have seen; love compassion, kindness from people.
What benefit does art provide to society?
Art builds community. At the Bicycle Nomad, art is essential to the brand’s mission statement to promote cycling and community through art, photography, and film.
What’s your advice to others chasing their dreams?
We have one life to live. Live life with no regrets and follow your passion.
What is your biggest inspiration, and why?
Seeing people traveling by bicycle. Using their bike as a tool to discover themselves, their communities and their world. Engaging with nature and people.
When you think of home, what comes to mind?
My wife and my community in Phoenix.
When To Work For Free
“We can’t pay you, but you’ll get lots of exposure.”
As freelance creatives, we’ve all heard this phrase before. It can be disheartening to hear when rent’s due, but there can be a time when working for free is mutually beneficial. But, it’s definitely not all the time. ⠀
Here are circumstances where I’m down to work for free: ⠀
⠀
• To fill a gap in my portfolio: For example, if I wanted to shoot more coffee shop images but didn’t have any coffee images in my portfolio, I would go to a coffee shop and offer to shoot their products for free to use in my portfolio. I’d give them free use of the images as well, but ask to be credited on social media. It’s a win win!⠀
⠀
• As a trade: I love doing trades with artists. Earlier this year, I shot some product images for my friend who’s starting her own jewelry line and in exchange she’s painting me a large piece for my home.⠀
⠀
• To learn: This is a big one. I’m happy to do something for free if I’m gaining valuable insight and skills through the process. I always make sure that whoever I’m helping, whether it’s assisting a photographer or writing a guest blog post, understands I’m using it as a learning opportunity to manage expectations. ⠀
⠀
• As a gift: I recently photographed my sister’s family as her birthday gift. It was a meaningful gift for her, and it felt good giving her something she can enjoy for a long time. ⠀
⠀
I think in general working for free can be a positive experience as long as you feel you are gaining something valuable and not being taken advantage of by the client.
Member Spotlight: Brad Olson
We sat down with Phoenix-based commercial photographer and Blok member, Brad Olson, to talk about his journey as a professional photographer and his advice for establishing a long photography career.
How long have you been a professional photographer? How did you get into it?
I have been a full-time photographer for about 10 years, prior to that I worked in video production. When digital cameras became comparable to film cameras, I was really attracted to still images, especially once I learned Photoshop and its capabilities. I found the immediacy and creative control when working with digital images very appealing.
What was your first camera?
My father gave me my first camera. It was a Nikon 35mm film camera and a simple ‘kit’ lens.
Do you have any advice for how to make it as a photographer long term?
I think that you have to first decide if you are an artist or a business. If you are a photography business, you need to develop your clientele and continue to bring value to your services. Now more than ever, everyone is a photographer to some extent and as a commodity, images are very abundant. From a business perspective, it works best with a narrow and deep niche. Find a very specific type of photography and then become great at that one thing. If you are an artist, you need to have a highly desirable and unique style that attracts a market - and then a whole lot of luck.
What’s your photography niche?
I primarily shoot commercial images within the fashion industry: look books, e-commerce, catalogs, fashion editorials and advertising campaigns.
How has having a Blok Membership helped you build your business?
Having a professional studio environment to bring clients into and work comfortably in is a huge asset. Blok Studio has been great in making sure the studio is inviting, clean and ready to shoot.
What’s your favorite thing about the Blok Membership?
One of the best things about Blok is the online scheduling system. It is super easy to check availability and schedule time. And with the Blok Membership, there’s no minimum hourly booking requirement so if I just need to get in for a quick 1 hour session, I can do that.
Best photography advice you've ever been given?
Train your eyes to be more critical. It’s simple enough to learn how to use your camera and lighting, but none of that means anything without a critical eye.
Interested in becoming a Blok Member?
The Power of a Picture
Blok Studio was built with the idea of community in mind, and it has always been our mission to give back and inspire others to do the same. At Blok, we know the power of a photograph and the impact it can have on a person’s self-image and confidence. That’s why we are excited to have recently teamed up with St. Joseph the Worker (SJW) to provide complimentary headshots for Fast Track, a one-day seminar program created by SJW to help less fortunate men gain the resources they need to build their careers.
SJW has been helping homeless, low-income and other disadvantaged people become self-sufficient through quality employment opportunities for over 30 years. The people SJW help are the ones who want to be in the workforce but may not have the necessary knowledge or tools available to them. SJW works to help individuals secure quality employment by offering a variety of resources, including resume preparation, mock interviews, communication tips, internet access for job applications, professional clothing and bus passes for interview transportation.
With SJW’s Fast Track program, they take it a step further by working with local businesses to give these men additional resources. The people who participate in the Fast Track program start their day by getting fitted for a suit they can wear to interviews, often the first suit these men have ever owned. Throughout the day the participants get a crash course in resume writing, interview strategies and a LinkedIn seminar to gain insight on the digital world of employment. LinkedIn brings along the visual aspect of the job hunt, where companies now can put a face to a name when looking at a person’s online profile. That’s where Blok Studio comes in.
“Wow, I have never seen myself look this nice in a photo before, I can’t believe that’s me. I think this photo can definitely help me get a job. ”
“I’ve never had my headshot taken before. It doesn’t seem like thats me. I’m hoping this leads to better employment opportunities. ”
The power of a headshot can go a long way with employers. It gives a personality and a face to their profile. It makes them a real person and not just another application. We were thrilled to offer our photography services to this cause, especially when we learned that a professional headshot can increase the chances of employment by 36 percent. With this information, we knew the best way for us to help the participants was by providing them with a professional image they could use for their resumes and profiles. In this digital age we often take for granted services like photography, but for many individuals this is still an unaffordable luxury. We wanted to change this for the Fast Track members. Our crew set up a full headshot station, complete with viewing monitors so they could see their images instantly. We photographed 10 members going through the program, and each of them were hesitant to step in front of the camera. Many of them were either shy, uncomfortable, or wanted to “get this over with”. Before we started shooting we would break the ice with an introduction and a conversation. We then would pull reluctant smiles out of each one, with a few jokes or light hearted remarks about how we won’t let them leave without at least one shot of them smiling. Once we got the shot, they would walk over to the monitor to review their images. Each of the 10 gentlemen would stare at their image on the screen. For every single one of them this was the first headshot they had ever had. Seeing themselves on the screen, they had a new air of self-determination and hope. The look in their eyes is hard to put into words, but that’s what a photograph is for, right?
Through this experience we learned about the real impact a photograph can have on a person’s life. We work with photographers and models every day, but when these men got their first professional headshot it brought a new meaning to what we do. We realized how much we can help people with the skills and tools we have. Each one of these men were so grateful for the opportunity Fast Track and these photos are going to give them. An opportunity to make a change and take control of their life. We are so proud to be a part of their journey back into the workforce.
We can all help in our own way. It doesn’t always mean donating money or clothes, sometimes it’s your time or services. These are our community members, our friends and neighbors. When we can help individuals grow, we can help our communities grow.
If you would like to help St. Joseph the Worker with their mission please go to their website for volunteer opportunities!
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 17 - Paris Stanford
For this month’s Around the Blok, we have Paris Stanford. This is a unique ATB as Paris is a professional MMA fighter. Our features extend beyond the traditional classifications of art and what it means to be creative. We are all artist of our lives and creativity is the tool we use to develop the best possible experience we can have. A huge thank you to Paris for taking time out of his schedule to sit with us and to Fight Ready for allowing us to occupy their facility for this feature!
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Paris R. Stanford III.
I was born in Yuma, AZ, on Christmas Eve 1982. As far back as I can remember, I always recall having a deep appreciation of solitude, using my vivid imagination, and strangely, I’ve always felt drawn towards martial arts. There’s something about disciple and order that has always resonated with me. I grew up a sensitive kid that never liked confrontation. But, like some of the characters in my favorite kung fu flicks, confrontation always seemed to come my way. In fact, most people that knew me from childhood are shocked at what I now do for a living.
My father was a U.S. Marine from New York and my mother, whom he met at an embassy in the U.K., was originally born in Jamaica. Not long after meeting, they would move to Arizona. I was one of a handful of black kids in my neighborhood and at my school. For me, this meant growing up not looking like your peers, which at times lead to being picked on or treated poorly. Not just by my peers, but also authoritative figures, and other adults I was supposed to entrust to teach and protect me. My upbringing, in many ways, showed me how important it is to be able to stand up tall and fight for yourself.
I learned that to survive, you must be strong not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. This eventually set me on a journey that would lead me to become a professor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Fight Ready MMA and fitness and a professional MMA fighter.
“I learned that to survive, you must be strong not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.”
Why do you do what you do?
I enjoy teaching people new things and pushing them past their current belief system. In doing so, I find that there is a mysterious being that is locked within us all, waiting to reveal itself. One can develop themselves exponentially from the experience of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts alone. Teaching gives me a great sense of purpose and meaning in my life.
What benefit does art provide to society?
Our society has become one in which the average person is more stressed out and frustrated than ever. We all need an outlet, somewhere to vent and purge ourselves of all the daily negative energy that society can offer us. To speak exclusively on BJJ for a moment, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu consists of a great community of people that are focused on challenging themselves to become better. Community is something that is lacking, and I feel it is essential to have. Before sparring with someone, (or rolling as we call it in BJJ) it is challenging to tell, beyond the color of the belt, of course, the skill level of the person across from you. This serves as a constant and great reminder to never judge a book by its cover. In BJJ, you’ll find yourself on the mats with people from all walks of life. People that you otherwise may never fraternize with. It doesn’t matter about your social class or how much money you have. On the mats, we are all equal.
What’s your advice to others chasing their dreams?
Don’t expect it to be easy. In fact, try not to expect anything. Expectations that aren’t met can seem as if they’re a landmine, placed subtly on the pathway to your dreams. Many unforeseen situations and circumstances are inevitable on the journey. Always keep your head up and move forward. Hope for best, but you must always be prepared for the worst. Don’t ever expect anyone to believe in your dream more than you. It is your dream for a reason. Always remember your “why”!
What is your biggest inspiration and why?
Jesus is my greatest inspiration. I think if Jesus came to this earth, lived as a man, was perfect in his life, and was still crucified, then when would I ever think that everyone is going to always love me? In some regard, we all have a cross to bear. Because of the teachings of Jesus, I have learned not to be so down when difficult and unfavorable situations arise. All things work for the good of those that love the lord. I believe that my steps in life have been ordered by God, so it is important for me to travel in the direction that I feel I’m being pulled. The more that I choose to walk with faith, the less burdened I feel by the perpetually unknown.
When you think of home, what comes to mind?
When I think of home, the first thing that I think of is belonging. We all yearn to be somewhere we are loved and accepted for whoever it is God made us to be. Home is somewhere you can safely rest your mind, body, and spirit. No matter what it is I manage to achieve on this earth, I feel as if there will always be a giant void inside of us all. You can attempt to ignore the feeling and cover it up with any and everything on this planet, but the feeling shall remain. I believe that it is only after this life, when we return to wherever it is that we come from, shall we truly be fulfilled, and truly be home.
5 Essential Tools for Wardrobe Styling
Each shoot brings along its own set of players and personalities, expectations and roles, directions and shots to get. In this sometimes hectic environment, the part of wardrobe is key to keeping an organized set. To help you have a smoother set in the future, we asked stylist, Berly Baray, what she recommends as the 5 essential tools to have on set for any styling job.
Berly Baray steps in to pin fabric down. It’s all about the details!
STEAMER
This is so crucial! Steaming the garments helps the seams and details of garments flow better on the body. I like to pre-steam the wardrobe the night before a shoot to give me a headstart on set. My favorite steamer is the Conair Extreme Steam Handheld Steamer. I’ve used it on a wide variety of materials, and it never fails to get out those stubborn wrinkles. Don’t forget to always bring your own extension cord for your steamer. Also, doing a thorough job steaming the wardrobe will be greatly appreciated by the retoucher.
EXTRA WARDROBE ESSENTIALS
Bringing a range of basic wardrobe essentials can save the day. Sometimes the talent doesn’t bring suitable undergarments or it turns out a basic white tee looks best paired with a statement skirt. To make sure you’re covered, keep these neutrals in your kit:
Neutral tone undergarments, including a strapless bra and new seamless underwear.
Black and white basics, both top and bottom options. These are great to be used in layering.
Belts in both black and brown.
Socks in a variety of colors.
Nude and black shoes for women, brown and black shoes for men.
TOOL BELT
A tool belt is extremely important to have on you doing every shoot. Your tool belt will hold everything you might need away from your homebase on set, and they are especially useful on location shoots. In your tool belt, you should carry:
Lint roller
Safety pins
Double sided tape
Tide pen
Travel size static spray
Scissors
Clips
Two great options are:
Home Depot and Amazon
ROLLING RACK
You may not always need to bring your own rolling rack, as some studios like Blok Studio provide their own, but it’s important to have one in your car incase of a need. Rolling racks will help you carry wardrobe from one location to another, steam items, and separate your garments by shots and who will be wearing it. My favorite rolling rack has a bottom shelf for shoes. I like this one from Home Depot and these dividers Amazon.
Both of our studios have a steamer and rolling rack included with your rental.
ACCESSORY TRAYS
A tray with separated sections, like a jewelry tray, helps you display accessories so you can easily (and quickly!) see everything that is an option for your team. It’s simple to layer them on top of eachother and carry with you. You can find these trays at Home Depot, The Container Store, and Amazon. I also love using a hanging jewelry organizer on shoots. It’s great for smaller accessories.
Got more questions for Berly on styling essentials? Head to her IG and send her a message!