Model: Sade Falana
Model: Narayan Mims
Location: Buttercup Horse Farm
Photographer: McArthur Newell

As a North Carolina native, the rural scene holds a bit of nostalgia.  Although I was not raised on a farm, I passed many on my way to and from home.  Landscapes with lush green fields, colorful sunset skies, broken wood and scattered hay easily remind me of the things I saw when driving in North Carolina.  Perhaps for this reason, I have always appreciated looking at advertisements for fashion production companies like Guess Jeans and Abercrombie because they would show these types of landscapes in their editorial shoots.  In respect to those rural area advertisements, I wanted to create an editorial shoot that told a love story through the fashion it showcased.  “Summer Love + Blue Jeans” is a story that most of us have heard and some of us have lived.  The story of two, young people falling in love (or lust) over the summer and hoping to connect within those few months before heading back to school in the Fall.

It was a pleasure to work with Narayan and Sade for this shoot.  I previously worked with Narayan on the “Ain’t No Sunshine” concept.  His demeanor and professionalism impressed me more than enough to look forward to working with him again.  I like drama and emotion in pictures and I feel Narayan is able to bring that to any shoot.  This was my first time working with Sade.  At 5’11″ with emerald green eyes, I knew she was a perfect compliment to Narayan.  Sade did well to fit into the concept and allow the images to tell the story of a rural life girl taking note of her male companion.

A special thank you to Paula and Joe of Buttercup Horse Farm for allowing me to use their location!  We really appreciate your hospitality and openness.  Many times, we stopped and watched several of your beautiful horses run around and feed between photos.  They are amazing animals – very friendly and well groomed.  I look forward to returning soon.

Here is the story of “Summer Love + Blue Jeans”

"Here is where we always remember"

"I know she knows I'm watching"

"If I could only tell him that there is more to me than he sees"

"If I could only tell her that there is more to me than she knows"

"Hoping the sun can burn this memory into me"

"We are much the same, but very different"

"Blue is the color of truth and confidence"

"The summer is ending and fall will be here soon, but for now..."

"Summer Love and Blue Jeans"

To view all or more images, please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boldlifestyle/sets/72157624845942750/with/4943736021/

Model: Julia Sosnovskaya
Makeup: Ms. Arit
Hair: Letia Thomas
Photographer: McArthur Newell

Okay, so this time I decided to do a little something different – a studio photo session.  Up until last weekend I have been strictly “on-location” doing everything outside or in a building somewhere.  I really stuck with that editorial/photojournalistic style.  Normally, I will bring my own lights if I felt I needed more lighting or some cool effect.  But I decided I would try the studios out due to the upcoming winter season.  Let’s face it, at times it’s just too cold to be outside and deliver a good shot!  Well lately, it’s been too hot – oh well you get my point!  I took the suggestion of another “photog-friend’s” and went to “Sly Horse Studios” in Rockville, MD.

Just to be sure I didn’t mess the studio reservation up, I contacted Kevin Hooker, the owner, directly.  Kevin was great and actually walked me through the steps of getting everything all setup.  I was setup in no time and preparing for my shoot.  I contacted Julia Sosnovskaya (Model), Letia Thomas (Hair), and Ms. Arit (Makeup).  Let me tell you, once I walked into the studio and spoke to Kevin and David – I was totally at ease.  They were very cool guys and very helpful with me setting up the lights how I requested.  The cool thing about Sly Horse Studios is that the lights are already setup and ready for you.  All you need to do is place your transmitter on the hot shoe and go to town!  Letia did her thing with the hair.; styling it just the way I asked.  Ms. Arit, whom I never worked with before, delivered on the makeup.  My experience with Julia let me know that she was going to bring it.  It was all up to me figuring out my light and composition.

There was a red, chaise lounge in the studio.  At first, I had Julia standing without using the lounge then I thought, what the heck and decided to give it a try.  My first few shots were very bright and it looked too much like a studio shoot – if you know what I mean.  So I decided to draw the light back.  This was crazy easy because Sly Horse uses Alienbees!  I have been waiting to try the Alienbee lighting out for quite some time now.  I absolutely love them and cant wait to get some of own – hint, hint Ash!!  When I did this, I kept composing in my mind and dug into concepts that have been influential as of lately.  One such inspirational concept is a show my wife and I love to watch every Sunday night – True Blood.  Something about the lighting and red of the chaise lounge had me in that zone.  So here is what I came up with…

I love my team, I will definitely be going back to Sly Horse Studio, and I have many, many more concepts for you to see soon!  Thanks for checking me out!

I love doing editorial photo sessions.  Not sure if it is because I have a literature background or if its just because I love the dynamic environment, but I have always enjoyed viewing on-location, editorial shoots.  Editorials have so many things to consider: lighting, foreground, background, shape, tone, color, mood, model, fashion, style…etc.  But most of all, you want them to look and feel real.  A good friend and mentor of mine, Ray Soemarsono of Apertura Photography, reminded me of a quote by Rachel LaCour, “Talented photographers make me LOOK, brilliant photographers make me FEEL.”  I have kept that idea in my mind since and have decided to make more than just pictures – I want to make feelings.

Music has always moved me.  I normally listen to music that makes me “feel” regardless of the artist or genre.  My selection carries all music from Lil Wayne’s, “BM J.R.” and Pastor Troy’s, “Vice-a-Versa” to Seether’s, “Fine Again” and Thom York’s, “Skip Divided.”  These songs drive me creatively and move me to conjure concepts for various photo sessions and video layouts.  One song in particular is “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Soul 4 Real.  As I discussed in my earlier post, the song is romantic and moody.  I was glad to connect with Narayan Mims for the concept.

Narayan, a DC fashion model, is very cool and laid back.  Shooting this concept with Narayan was low stress and easily managed – definitely a great model to have for a shoot in the busy streets of McPherson Square.  Earlier that day, it was lightly raining which would have been perfect for the mood of the shoot.  It soon lightened up and we made due with what we had.  Narayan easily sold the feeling I was going for in this editorial shoot.  Here are a few highlights from the session…

Location: Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden
Model: Julia Sosnovskaya
Model: Nadia Christian
Makeup: Danyel Wilkins
Photographer: McArthur Newell
Videographer: Jamil Woods

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of working with two models and a makeup artist next to the National Mall.  Nadia Christian is a regular fashion model in the Washington DC metropolitan area.  We met during a show held in a foreign embassy last year.  I wanted to work with her for sometime but our schedules were always conflicting.  Luckily the time finally came when both our schedules were open. I met Julia Sosnovskaya online.  After looking at her portfolio, I knew her look was perfect for my style of photography.  Julia is fairly new to the United States coming from Russia.  She brings a beautiful conviction to those that photograph her – what better characteristic is needed for a “BoldLifestyle” photo session?!  Danyel Wilkins, Hair and MUA, worked with me on the Tashia Senn shoot a few months ago.  Danyel has the artistic ability of painting faces that allow the eyes to pop and the skin to pristine.  I was surprised to see my co-photographer, Jamil Woods, at the set.  He was really sick a few days before and had to still be feeling the effects of medication and illness.  But he was there, and got some really great video clips as well (video posting soon).  With this team – I was incredibly excited.  I chose the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden as the location for the session primarily due to a friend’s recommendation and because it would best fit the differing looks of the models.   Here are a few images from our Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden set…

You can view the entire collection here ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/boldlifestyle/sets/72157624212311075/show/ ).  Please comment on the blog, on flickr, or our Facebook Fan page.  Let me know if any of the images speak to you.  Thanks!

I met Letia Thomas, Hair Stylist and Make Up Artist (MUA), on the Tashia Senn Fall/Winter 2010 LookBook shoot a few months ago.  She told me that she was going to contact me about doing some photos for her lookbook.  I was already excited.  One look at Letia and you will know she is all about styling.  Tatted up, blond hair, rocking bold make up – Letia looks like a work of art.  Her concepts are creative and expressive so working with her was much like two pianist playing next to each other.  One of her models, Dominique, I met at a previous event.  Dominique designs shoes for women.  She takes the normal pump and pimps them out resulting in a work of art.  I told Dominique I wanted to photograph her designs a while ago and this shoot allowed me to get a few photos.  Here are a few from the session this past weekend…

View more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boldlifestyle/sets/72157624186084280/show/with/4661754745/