Shot on Film: Ann

I was recently shooting a group photo, and overheard someone walking past my camera bag say “I haven’t seen one of those in a while”.  I am sure that he was being genuine and I just smiled.

I am pretty certain that he was referring to my Sony A850, which is my ‘go-to-camera’.  The shoot went well and I actually ended up using my Sony A7RII instead.

I later learned that the gentlemen making the comment was a photographer, and was wondering why so many photographers feel that ‘only the latest gear’ will do.  Just think about all the amazing photographs taken through the years, all with what is now outdated technology and equipment.  This of course has inspired me to post something I shot years ago on film.  Even at the end of the film days, I was primarily using a manual focus camera with absolutely no automation.  It’s what I was comfortable using, and what gave me the best results which is all I am ever concerned with.  I also preferred using color reversal slide film as opposed to shooting color negative film.

The images here are shot using my well-worn Minolta XE-7 and a Minolta Rokkor 50mm 1.4 prime lens on Fuji Astia 100 color reversal film.

Lighting used was a Vivitar 285 on a Vivitar flash bracket as a main light, and a Carl C. Buff White lighting CPS 10,000 mono light, attached to a Larson 22” Softbox firing into a single 48” gold reflector as a kick.  The images were scanned full frame using a Minolta DiMage 5400 dedicated film scanner with no adjustments applied. 

For those interested, this is still my all-time favorite camera and lens combo.  I still use them, and they still give me amazing results.

Everclean -

Saim from Level Construction asked us to shoot a recently constructed car wash for their online portfolio.  We had done one a few years back that turned out exceptionally well.  

We elected to shoot the building as soon as it closed, so that there wouldn’t be in vehicles in the parking lot or carwash.  This would give the images a cleaner look and highlight the architectural aspects of the project.  

 

The shoot took us about two hours and went extremely well due to the cooperation of on-site manager Josh Ogiba.  Josh made sure that everything was clean and well lighted for the shoot, even staying after hours so that we could get the shots we needed.

 

Thanks for the help, Josh!  Below are just a couple of images from the shoot.

 

Lauren Coburn Interiors -

We had a photo shoot earlier this year with Lauren Coburn.  Lauren and Senior Designer Susie Chavez met us on-site to walk us through the incredible transformation of this project.  This is an early century estate, that is just filled with craftsmanship.  Staying true to the character of the home Lauren, and her team updated the house by removing walls, opening up spaces, modernizing all of the living areas and making the home more beautiful, comfortable and opulent then one could possibly imagine.

When we arrived on the first day of shooting, Lauren and her team were fully prepared, having everything perfectly set and staged for the photo shoot.  As someone who shoots nearly every day, I really appreciate all the hard work and preparation that they put forth to make the shoot run smoothly and allowing us to capture as many images as possible.  Just look at the attention to detail in the images.  This is what true high-end interior design is all about. Artistry in the home.

You've read about Lauren and her team here before, and below is why her firm is considered on of the most exclusive and sought after Interior Design firms in the Chicagoland area.  Enjoy.

Quick Turn Around Shoot: Orren Pickell Builders / Michelle's Interiors

We got a call earlier this year from Patrick Falso to do a super quick photo shoot of a lower level interior with Orren Pickell Builders and Michelle's Interiors.  They needed a shoot done for a magazine article and the turnaround time was almost immediate.  Of course, you only get calls like that when your are already in the midst of a full schedule.

Michelle, Roher-Lauer met us on-site to outline the compositions she wanted and to do some quick staging.

We had only about an hour of iso to shoot but were able to work quickly and get what we needed.  Processing the images began as soon as we were back at the studio that same evening.

We enjoyed working with Patrick and Michelle.  Below are a few highlights.

Shooting Cinespace Studios Chicago

Earlier this year I met up with Dana Tatge of Key Interiors at Cinespace Chicago.  Cinespace is the largest film studio in the Midwest.  It houses an impressive 36 active sound stages and over 1.6 million square feet of production space.  Couple that with the numerous Cinespace studio locations spread across the US, Canada and Europe, and it's obvious why this is the studio of choice for feature film and television.

Key Interiors recently updated some of the office spaces for the key staff members at Cinespace.

Below are a few of our favorites.

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Shot on Film: Catfight Band 2005

Back in 2005 we were photographing a series of bands at Bruce Starrenburg’s Light Box Studio in East Dundee. Remember, 2005 were days of film, and Light Box was the finest processing and printing lab in the business. 

We would shoot upstairs in the studio loft, while Bruce processed the film downstairs in the lab.  Not digital fast, but still amazing service for 2005.  

 

We had recently photographed a couple of bands, and were looking at proofs with one of the band members and his wife Lori, when Lori said, “I wish we could do a photo shoot like that for my band”.  ‘You’re in a band?” I asked?  “Catfight”, she replied, “we play every week.”  I had no idea.  Before we knew it, we were scheduling a shoot for Catfight, which appears to still be playing regularly here in 2023.

 

The band worked hard and we all had a blast, going from several set and costumes changes. We photographed nearly 200 proofs, all on Fuji Astia 100F color reversal slide film.  Studio lights used were four Photogenic Machine Studio Master II’s, firing through a couple of Calumet 48” soft boxes, a Westcott 40” umbrella, Photogenic Machine Studio Kick Lights and a Photogenic Machine Hair light.  Cameras used were a Minolta XE-7 and a Minolta X-570 mounted on an MD-1 motor drive.  We shot with Prime lenses consisting of a Kamero 100mm f2.8, a 58mm Rokkor F 1.2, and a 35mm Rokkor F1.8 for wide shots. 

 

Below is a small sampling of the slides.  These were all scanned full frame using a Minolta DiMage 5400 Scan Elite dedicated film scanner, with no enhancements or retouching.  The final images did include some minor retouching, i.e., fixing wrinkles in the back drops, and small clean up.  I could have used those, but I wanted you to see what the film looked like before any corrections were made.  There is a magic about film that digital cannot reproduce.

 

Trust me, if they called, I would do this all over again.  We had so much fun!

Creative Spotlight: Stephanie Nickolson Design

We had a fun shoot earlier this year with Stephanie Nickolson Design.  Stephanie's talents cover a tremendous scope, from residential to commercial and hospitality.  You may recall reading about Stephanie back in June 2020, when she was previously featured in our Creative Spotlight.

This lake front condo in Chicago is an excellent display of Stephanie's work.  Clean lines, inviting spaces, with custom furnishings throughout.  I especially love the open floor plan which is perfect for entertaining, yet has personal spaces to cozy up in. 

 

If you are looking for a high-end makeover of your existing space, give Stephanie a call.  Below are a few of our favorites from the shoot.