BLOK BEATS: Hassan's Shoot Playlist
Curious about what Hassan listens to when he’s photographing? Here are his go-to jams.
More about Hassan:
Favorite thing in your closet right now: College photo album
Best piece of advice you’ve received: Be mindful of who you surround yourself with
Favorite movie ever: Heat
Describe yourself 10 years ago in 3 words: Book a trip
Astrological sign: Gemini
Biggest strength: Patience
Biggest weakness: Oatmeal raisin cookies
One thing you need every morning: A mental plan
Who’s your biggest inspiration: Muhammad Ali
What does music do for you: Motivation & relaxation
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur: When the opportunity became accessible
What’s it all about: Being different
Favorite cocktail: Crown & Ginger
Favorite food: Persian
Favorite midnight snack: Slice of sweet potato pie
Where do you go to relax in the world: Parents’ house
You’re having a party, what song do you kick it off with: Mark Morrison Return of the Mack
What do you love about photography. The creative process.
Favorite thing to photograph: Candid faces
Follow along for new playlists:
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 13 - Jorge Ignacio Torres
Walking into Palabra is like taking a deep breath, one you didn’t even realize you needed. The encompassing white, fresh coffee brewing, and the soft noise of shears trimming in the background instantly put you at ease.
Palabra is a multi-use space created by Jorge Ignacio Torres. It’s both reminiscent and aspirational, similar to Torres himself. While talking with him, he reflects on a time when people more easily connected with their surroundings, but doesn’t shun the benefits technology has given us. In Palabras, he manages to find the balance in embracing minimalism without it being sterile. Instead, it’s all beautiful angles and thoughtful lighting design. He’s mastered what the Danish call ‘Hygge’, the art of building your own sanctuary.
Tell us about yourself?
My name is Jorge Ignacio Torres. I am first generation of Mexican descent. I’m currently wearing my wife’s jacket.
Why do you do what you do?
To build something for my family. I now have a fifteen year old son, so seeing things from a different lens drives me. Youth inspires me the most. It took me so long to find my place, I mean seriously thirty years. So now, if I can build something where someone can come in here and be inspired, at any age, that’s an accomplishment.
Is that why you opened Palabra?
Honestly, I used to be one of those cats that talked shit about how much Phoenix lacked. I came to the realization that I couldn’t depend on others to inspire me, I needed to build something that energized me.
The way I explain it is that Palabra is the mom. The mom that’s built this unique space to house and cultivate these different entities, grow them and then have them branch out on their own. It’s what we want with our people and also our space. We have a salon, a coffee bar, a small kitchen, and an art gallery.
What benefit does art provide to society?
Art provides a sense of community. I can’t think of any other thing that can bring people together more than art does. This is why it’s a privilege to be an artist. It’s not to gain profit, it’s to tell the truth.
What’s your advice to others chasing their dreams?
You have to go out there and seek it. You have to take action. It’s a trial basis of trying different things. If you sit there and expect things to come to you and wait, it won’t. When I first started doing things in Arizona, it was art galleries. It took a while to build and have people gravitate towards what we were doing. You just have to keep going.
For me, there’s no ending. There’s no, “I accomplished my dream, I’m done now.” You don’t want there to be an ending to seeking your purpose. When I feel too comfortable, I know there’s something wrong. I have to keep pushing.
I tell my team that we are our own competition. We need to always outdo ourselves.
What is your biggest inspiration to keep pushing?
Youth. Having a teenage son has taken me on a path to expose him to different things. Not everything is as accessible as you think. Too often, you’re stuck on your phone looking at shit. To me, to build something that someone can walk into and be moved by, whether it’s something they hear, see, smell, taste, touch. That’s the experience that I’m looking to build.
When you think of home, what comes to mind?
Family, always family.
BLOK BEATS: Matt's Shoot Playlist
Want to know what our cofounder, Matt, rocks to when he’s photographing? Check out his go-to songs when shooting. They will PUMP👏YOU👏UP👏.
More about Matt:
What does music do for you: Mood booster
Best piece of advice you’ve received: Remember what you like, forget what you don’t
Describe yourself 10 years ago in 3 words: Party all night
Astrological sign: Scorpio
One thing you need every morning: Exercise
Favorite thing in your closet right now: Brooks running shoes
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur: When I discovered my purpose
What’s it all about: Happiness
Favorite cocktail: A whiskey one
Favorite food: Mom’s Meatloaf
Favorite midnight snack: White cheddar popcorn
Where do you go to relax in the world: The sauna
Follow along for new playlists:
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 12 - Brandon Boetto
Images by Thomas Ingersoll
We appreciate art and creativity across any industry. When we discovered Brandon and his passion for architecture & concrete design, we knew he’d be the next artist to feature on Around the Blok. Brandon Boetto is the owner of SlabHaus, a high-end, artisan concrete studio located in downtown Phoenix. His portfolio and client base speaks for itself, and we took pleasure seeing him in action.
Tell us about yourself?
I am a third generation Arizona native. I grew up in Gilbert, Arizona where I found my passion for creating at a young age. I was a full-time computer nerd growing up. I was building websites at 13 years old and always wanted to be a 3D animation artist. This passion led me to a college that taught animation, but luckily I was quick to learn that you couldn’t find a job (at the time) doing that for a living. I switched my direction to graphic design, and that was my direction for 15 years. I have always had a strong bond with good design. Whether it be buildings/cars/ print, I knew what good design looked like and how it made me feel, and I always wanted to create that feeling for other people.
Why do you do what you do?
My drive to create was instilled at a young age. I was always fascinated with gathering materials and crafting something that had a purpose/function. My tinkering started with forts as a child and led to race cars in my late teens then onto architecture & concrete design in my late 20’s. My creations these days are fuel to live a happy life. I am so excited to go into the shop every morning with an idea and figure out how that journey will lead to a finished product that will be around longer than I. The process is the passion, not the product.
Photo Credit: Baxter Imaging
What benefit does art provide to society?
I think art evokes emotion. An emotionless society would not produce breakthroughs in technology; there would be no love, we would walking flesh bags with no purpose. When I say art, I don’t speak of it in the traditional sense. I don’t mean staring at a painting and trying to feel something about it. Art is in the eye of the beholder. Anything can be art, and I think this has been seen recently with popular contemporary artist. Buildings can be art, cars can be art, clothing can be art, performance can be art. The amount of interaction with art on a daily basis is vast.
What’s your advice to others chasing their dream?
Dream big. Keep a mental picture in your head of the life you want to live and tell it to as many people as you know. I think developing a vast network of friends, family, entrepreneurs, etc. will help you in more ways than you realize at first. Find your passion first! This can take years, and there is no rush. Find what truly makes you happy to wake up every morning and make that your whole intent. Give it 100%, it will be extremely tough, but if you have that vast base of people around you to uplift you when you are down then you will get through it. It will always be tough, and there will be waves of success and failure. Don’t ever let failure stop you, learn from that and quickly push it to the side.
What is your biggest inspiration and why?
Some of my biggest inspirations have been my friends. I get so excited to see the people around me living their best life doing what they want when they want. The talented people that I chose to surround myself with also give me life. I often have coffee with creatives and business owners on the weekends to hear their stories and often I walk away so inspired that it helps fuel my drive for creation.
2018 Holiday Photo Gift Guide
December is here, which means it’s time to start shopping for the holidays! We pulled together some of our favorite ideas for the photographer in your life. And if it so happens that you send any of these our way, we wouldn’t be mad about it. Happy shopping!
Gifts under $50
Wooden Print Dowel Hanger
Can be used on a variety of photo sizes.
SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO Memory Card
More memory, more pictures!
Neewer 43-inch 5-in-1 Collapsible Light Reflector
Translucent, silver, gold, white and black with a bag for storage.
Ultrasonic Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser
Long hours of editing images is better with this soothing aromatherapy.
Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs by sally mann
A beautiful memoir that any photographer will enjoy.
Photo Clear Microfiber Lens Cleaning Cloth
Keep that lens so fresh and so clean, clean.
savage seamless paper
Choose from a rainbow of colors in a variety of sizes.
Sun Seeker App
See where the sun will be and when. This app is great for planning outdoor photo shoots.
Hand Photo Clip
Hold your favorite memories with this photo clip made from speckled stoneware.
Tether Tools TetherPro USB 3.0
The perfect tool to see images right as you shoot.
gifts under $100
Wacom intuos wireless tablet
This small size is perfect to use as a travel tablet. We like the pistachio color.
Leather Embroidery Camera Strap
Add boho-flair to your camera or bag!
2 Hour Blok Card at our vanburen studio
Give space to bring their vision to life.
1 TB LaCie Rugged external hard drive
A photographer can ALWAYS use more hard drives.
Annie Leibovitz: Portraits 2005-2016
This collection is a great example of Leibovitz mastering portrait lighting.
Acrylic Hanging Display Frame
Display your favorite artwork.
gifts under $200
Think Tank Photo StreetWalker Backpack
Take photography gear on the road.
TUTOrial: CHRIS KNIGHT TEACHES THE ART OF A DRAMATIC PORTRAIT
We love this RGG EDU tutorial.
4 Hour Blok Card at our vanburen studio
Even more time to bring their creative vision to life!
Breakthrough Photography Brass Circular Polarizer Filter
2x Filter Factor and 1-Stop. This filter saturates skies and reduces reflections and haze.
Slik Pro 700DX AMT 3-Section Tripod with Pan and Tilt Head
A solid tripod with 19.8 lbs capacity and 6.23 ft maximum height.
X-Rite ColorMunki Display
This calibration system helps photographers tackle color management.
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 11 - Travis Fetting
Images by Thomas Ingersoll
Travis is a graphic designer and illustrator living in downtown Phoenix. His passion for drawing, design and riding bikes led him down this path of the arts. He’s worked with clients such as Tapestry Comics, Dunlop Customs, Honest Brewing Co and Slabhaus. Thanks for taking some time to chat with us, Travis!
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’m a designer and illustrator born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m a relatively reserved and shy dude, but I love creating and learning new things. As a kid, I loved drawing and was always out riding bikes with my friends. Not too much has changed over the years except I don’t ride my bike nearly as much as I should and I spend too much time on my computer. When I’m not behind a computer screen or on a bike, you can find me out with my friends or going to a show.
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
When I was in High School, I worked with a guy who had a small t-shirt company, and he was going to school for graphic design. I had no idea that you could have a career as a graphic designer, but I knew I wanted to learn more about it. I've always been passionate about brands because of the experiences they created, but I didn't realize this was a part of graphic design. Fast forward to now, I want to create those experiences that people will remember because I know first hand how much a great brand or experience can impact someone. Outside of that, I have no idea what I would be doing without design.
WHAT BENEFIT DOES ART PROVIDE TO SOCIETY?
Art provides a space for people to be themselves. As cliche as it sounds, the world can be an ugly place, but I think art has the power to make it a much better place. I also believe art creates community by bringing like-minded people to not only create art but also for others to enjoy it.
WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE TO OTHERS CHASING THEIR DREAMS?
As someone who is still on that chase, I think it takes a lot of self-exploration and understanding what it is that you actually want. Results don't just happen overnight, and good things don't come to those who wait. You need to put yourself out there and get uncomfortable. I hate both of those things, but I’ve found most success I’ve had has started with at least two of those things.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION AND WHY?
My Dad was a huge inspiration for me growing up. He had a no-bullshit attitude, but if there was something I wanted to pursue, he was always right there to support me. Whether it was BMX racing or when I decided to pursue design as a career. My Dad is no longer with us, but he still plays a significant role in my drive to do better. I’m also inspired by other creatives who are continually pushing the boundaries.
WHEN YOU THINK OF HOME, WHAT COMES TO MIND?
Arizona. I have a love/hate relationship with Arizona, but the desert has made me the person I am today. My family is here, my friends are here, and I know if I ever go anywhere else, it will be hard to beat. Besides that, home is a place for me to gather my thoughts and honestly, just relax. Life is a constant and we all need a place where we can unwind and be with who we love most. For me, that’s my girlfriend Bree and our weird range of pets from our hairless cat Lydia to our bearded dragon, Liu Kang.
Blok Beats: Females First
Images by Blok Studio owner, Matt Martian
It feels right to start our Blok Beats series with a playlist for all the badass ladies in our lives. Blast these songs on any shoot to help create a feeling of empowerment.
And a shout out to one of our favorite females, bell hooks, and this perfectly logical statement that inspired this playlist:
“I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance.”
Makes sense, right?
Blok Beats: Series Intro
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” Damn, that’s a big statement by an old German guy. But think about it, and it kind of rings true. Without music, how would you get hyped to run that last mile? Or what would you dance to on Saturday nights? Or cry to after a breakup? Music is in us (even our hearts have beats) and music is emotional.
It’s no surprise then that music plays a big part in creating the atmosphere of a photo shoot. Ideally, the music on set should change depending on the subject matter and mood you’re looking to achieve. Studies show that emotions and mood are affected by music (it’s science, y’all), so why not start the first hour of your shoot setting the tone you are looking for?
In this blog series, we’ll bring you personally curated (no algorithms here), hour long playlists for different photo shoot subjects and themes. Follow us on Spotify and stay tuned, friends.
AROUND THE BLOK. VOL. 10 - Brandon Sullivan
Brandon Sullivan is an advertising and editorial photographer that works out of and co-owns the iconic Legend City Studios in Downtown Phoenix. He's worked with major clients such as ESPN, WIRED, Grand Canyon University, Miller, PING and so many more. The photography industry is a competitive one; it's rare to find people so open and honest as Brandon. It's evident that he's found his purpose and his love for family, photography and community is inspiring. We're humbled to have him as our next artist.
Tell us about yourself?
I’m a family man, entrepreneur, artist, teacher, Michigander turned Phoenix lover, working to be the best version of myself every day. I have a psychology degree but my life’s work is photography. It’s my hobby, career, and most things in-between to me. I struggle to call myself an artist, but at the end of the day it’s what I am most. Lately I’ve been enjoying getting my hands dirty through wet plate photography, which helps it feel like more of an art form than the digital revolution has left it feeling. It’s nice to slow down and make a couple images an hour with some mildly unpredictable results.
Why do you do what you do?
What else would I do? I’d be lost without photography. It’s my life’s anchor. I love the craft and the people it brings into my life. From crew mates and inspiring subjects, to mentees looking for advice, I’m grateful for every relationship. Most of the closest people in my life are there because we’ve been brought together to create photographs. It’s a bit scary how closely my identity is tied to my work, as it can be extremely unhealthy at times. Validation is one of the strongest motivators of human behavior and, for better or worse, I am no exception.
What benefit does art provide to society?
I think it’s different for everyone and how far they are willing to go with the process or interaction with it. For some, it’s simply eye candy and for others it can create critical discourse challenging beliefs and ideals. Regardless of where people fall on that scale, I believe it has a positive impact on all of society.
What’s your advice to others chasing their dreams?
Action is the source of success. Great ideas and an unlimited knowledge base are nothing without action. Fear is an exciting indicator to know where you should take action. If something in your life plan scares the crap out of you, get at that thing first! Also surround yourself with people that, no shit-no kidding, hold you 100% accountable to pursuing your dreams. I am beyond fortunate to have a lot of people in my life that ride my ass to go for what I say I want to create, and know when I’m bullshitting them with excuses as to why it’s not happening. Surround yourself with those folks, accept feedback, and you’ll do well.
What is your biggest inspiration and why?
These days, my children are my biggest source of inspiration. Their undying persistence and the way they tackle things that they have no idea how to accomplish, often gives me pause. If I could go for what I want in my life the way my 6 year old goes for a toy she wants, I’d have the exact life that I dream of. I guess what it really boils down to is I’m most inspired when I experience people obsessively dedicated to their mission, whether an artist, successful entrepreneur, athlete, or my kids. I love experiencing people that have a clear vision and fully go for it with 100% commitment.
When you think of home, what comes to mind?
Without a doubt, being with my wife and three children in the safe space we’ve created to exit the madness of the outside world whenever we need. Home really is wherever they are. The open and honest dialogue, free of judgement, that I’m able to have with my wife, Sarah, and knowing she has my back 1000%, and that I can trust her to hold me up and believe in me, even when I don’t believe in myself, is more than I ever dreamed possible in a relationship. A close second is my tribe that I’ve found in Phoenix, fellow creatives, entrepreneurial mentors, and my personal development family. What I’ve found in Phoenix is an open community full of folks that want to see others succeed. I believe we find (create) whatever we're looking for. I choose to create love and abundance.
Hard vs Soft Light: A Beginners Guide.
Choosing a light modifier can be a daunting task when you're faced with so many options. Beauty dish, ring flash, umbrella, softbox, grids, scrims, flags; things can get overwhelming fast. The type of modifier you should use will depend on the results you're looking to achieve in a shoot, as each light modifier produces either soft light or hard light. In this article, we'll review the difference between hard and soft light as well as a few basic things to consider when determining which light is right for your project.
Hard Light vs Soft Light
All modifiers can be placed into hard or soft light categories. The size of the light source relative to your subject will also determine which effect is achieved.
Soft light tends to come from a large source in which the light "wraps" around the subject. The shadows are diffused with very soft edges, perfect if you're looking to minimize or soften the shadows in your image. Soft light is also great as a fill light source as it can reduce existing shadows without creating additional ones. It produces less contrast and works for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and making the skin look more youthful. Softboxes, octaboxes, umbrella softboxes and shoot through umbrellas are all considered soft light modifiers.
Hard light comes from a small source and is more focused and controlled. The shadows are more dramatic, have harder edges and produce more contrast. Hard light is useful for creating edgy looks or adding more drama to a shot. Some outdoor situations may require hard light when attempting to overpower the sun or balance ambient and natural light. It's often used in sports, action, and fitness photography as well as some product photography. Beauty dish, narrow/wide reflectors, ring light or magnum reflectors are all considered hard light modifiers.
Things To Consider When Choosing a Modifier
What's the creative direction or desired mood of the shoot?
You won't know how to build your light if you don't have a good understanding of the shoot concept. Are you creating images with a happy, bright, airy mood? Or something more punchy and dramatic? The lighting style for a carefree lifestyle shoot would look very different from an aggressive fitness shoot.
What kind of light do you want to replicate?
Do you want to mimic 2 pm sun or a cloudy day? Matching the quality of natural light is a good rule of thumb if your mixing ambient light with strobes. For example, hard light conditions like the full sun can pair well with a hard light modifier such as a beauty dish or a softbox would look better on overcast days and early morning light.
What are the physical characteristics of your subject?
If photographing a person, what's the condition of the skin? Softlight tends to be more forgiving on a more textured skin or someone with more wrinkles. If shooting a product or object what are the characteristics of the surface? Is it highly reflective or has a matte finish? Hard lighting can make a matte surfaced product pop more.
These aren't hard, fast rules but good fundamental concepts to begin with. Our upcoming lighting 101 class covers this topic in depth. To learn more about what the course offers, click the button below.