Fiora…. Who Needs Advertising? (JK!)

Literally 8 days before the first mandated COVID-19 lockdown we shot a campaign for Fiora Paper Products. It was a fun campy group of images that were paired with simple tag lines the likes of “Smart feels good!”

We shot these in a central Los Angeles studio in tandem with a commercial shoot for the products (something we do quite a bit). While the commercial production had a ton to do in a limited amount of time, we opted (in support of them) to shoot plates of the two sets and do all of our talent shots in an adjoining space to as to maximize their time with the sets & talent.

We got a TON of great images with talent and with the subsequent lockdown we had plenty of time to finesse things in post production. After elects we made and set plates were cleaned up we were ready to dig in and start compositing. We wound up with about a dozen hero’s (give or take) and were not only anxious to deliver them but also to share them out in the world!

“Put the brakes on that!!”

Remember what was happening at the beginning of the COVID lockdown? There were massive runs on all paper products… Toilet Paper, Tissue, Paper Towels.. everything! Why on EARTH would anyone want or need to spend any money on advertising these products when they can’t even keep any on the shelves?!

Flash forward 6+ months, to the end of 2020, and FINALLY the new campaign launched! We were finally able to post and share the imagery and the new Fiora website splashed on the scene. The imagery is still in use and we hope to be able to produce more quirky imagery for them in the near future!

fatherhood.gov – Behind the Scenes…

Did we share our lates BTS video with you?? I don’t think so!

Behind the Scenes with fatherhood.gov

This was ANOTHER hysterically fun project we shot in tandem with a commercial production! Though, this was purely ours.. We cast our own separate talent (which is half the fun on jobs like this) and had own own separate day… Casting was hilarious as of course we needed over the top action with little to no concerns about such things as being self conscious! Talent pulled out all the stops, and we got three unique scenarios with both print and motion elements. Take a look, I am sure you won’t be able to tell that we had a good time on set! The print campaign (Dance Like a Dad – fatherhood.gov) were plastered on bus shelters EVERYWHERE!

Public Safety Campaign for San Diego Gas & Electric

30 Second Stop Motion Animation Broadcast Spot

As the pandemic geared up, folks were ending up at home with a lot of time on their hands. Those languishing home improvement projects all of a sudden became a sensible way to fill that time. So as folks started to “dig in” on their maintenance and upgrade tasks, San Diego Gas & Electric had a sudden uptick of emergency calls from people hitting gas and power lines as they starting digging before researching.

In late April of 2020 the creative team at The Shipyard reached out to us to collaborate on a Public Safety Campaign to draw attention to this issue and encourage homeowners to “Call BEFORE you dig!” SDGE‘s 811 line would assist in identifying if it was safe to dig in areas slated for activity.

The original as was for two print ads and a modest amount of motion for web and social media use.

Being the start of COVID, productions were still navigating the safest ways to execute shoots while still delivering much needed visuals, especially in the arena of PSA’s! As we laid the groundwork for remote castings, remote wardrobe fittings, remote make-up tests, and ultimately remote shoot days, the project morphed into a heavier emphasis on motion with the print portion playing a supporting role.

The creative team at The Shipyard was excited about telling the story through stop motion animation… with people!

To keep variables at a minimum we opted to use my home as the location and incorporate ALL of the other “remote” options, so on the day of the production the only bodies on set were, talent, one stylist, 2 assistants, my producer, and a sanitation officer wiping every surface that might be touched. ALL other stakeholders were streamed in via Zoom. May 2020 was early days in COVID production, but we pulled it off.. our first COVID-Safe production.

The shoot itself was a day and a half of meticulous frame by frame capture of the various scenes, and then a whirlwind half day of executing the two print ads.

When all was said and don’t eh motion portion, which was supposed to be for web use only, exceeded the clients expectations and they option to expand the license to include full broadcast rights so as to air on local TV in the San Diego market. The print ads were also licensed for additional use beyond the original scope of work.

We’re thrilled to have been at the forefront and produce this great campaign for SDGE collaborating with the fantastic Creatives at The Shipyard.

Seniors are vibrant too!!!

Please tell me we have seen the last of the silver fox couple in white linen walking down the beach hand and hand. The cliché idea of health and aging gracefully. 

I want to take photographs of people that are at their most vital. Images that connect with the baby-boomers who come from an incredible generation of music lovers, dancers, movers and shakers. 

My dear 75-year-old friend Susan hosts a zoom happy hour every week. 
She is planning her first trip after COVID to Morocco. 
She always takes the stairs. 
She laughs with her whole body. 
She had the IPhone-12 the week it was released. 
She is not “old”. 
Susan is a wonder woman.

When Susan sees pictures of people, supposedly her age, whether in an AARP magazine or her insurance email, it doesn’t resonate. She feels it is meant for someone else. Not her. 

My hope is to work alongside creative teams to create content that honors this ever-important generation with imagery that reflects and connects.

13th International Color Awards…

We are Super Excited to announce that one of the images we shot for the fatherhood.gov “Dance Like a Dad” campaign was awarded Third Place in the Professional Advertising Category in this year’s International Color Awards! We were also nominated in the Professional Abstract, Aerial, Food, and Still Life Categories! With over 6000 entries from around the globe this is truly an honor to be included in such a collection. Check out these and a bunch of other fantastic imagery at ColorAwards.com

“Dance Like a Dad” – 3rd Place “Honor of Distinction” – Professional Advertising
SVP4 – Nominee – Professional Abstract
SVP1 – Nominee – Professional Aerial
“Tamarillo”- Nominee – Professional Food
“Sponge” – Nominee – Professional Still Life

Lürzer’s Int’l Archive Magazine’s 200 BEST AD Photographers Worldwide

I know I announced this a couple months ago when I was alerted to it, but it is now official as the book has been printed and distributed. I feel really honored to be included in this year’s edition of Lürzer’s International ARCHIVE Magazine’s 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide. It is a select group that I am truly humbled to be a part of. There are some of my great American colleagues but a wealth of really talented International image makers as well! The Online version is not up quite yet, but once it is you’ll be able to check it out here. The printed version in its 1½” thick glory is out and being distributed. Check it out if you have the opportunity, as there is a lot of great work to be seen!

Thanks ARCHIVE!

Dana Hursey Photography selected as one of ARCHIVE Magazine's 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide.

American Photography 35…

I am really honored to have my portrait of “Fritz” selected as one of this year’s winners in American Photography 35. You can see the image in the Winners Slideshow. The slideshow is alphabetical so I am right there in the middle – though you can search by artist in the upper right corner.

I consider myself to be very lucky to be able to do what I do as a living, and getting the occasional shout out, like this, is gravy. I have spent the last few days with some amazing colleagues, both at our APA National Board Meeting and also at Palm Springs Photo Festival, and must say I do love hanging with my tribe, swapping stories, bitching and celebrating over our chosen path, and geeking out on new equipment.

A big thank you to all who are part of my collaborative endeavors! While I may make the decisions and press the button, I rely on so many other talented professionals to be part of creating the final visuals. It is truly a team effort and the kudos belong to all who play a part!

Portrait of a man with very long hair flipping it up over his head. © Dana Hursey Photography
Fritz

Dogs Playing Poker…

We get all of the fun assignments!

Recently we were called upon (for an undisclosed client) to create a photographic rendition of the classic Cassius Marcellus Coolidge painting “Dogs Playing Poker“. We weren’t tasked with exactly duplicating the original, or any of its subsequent variations, but rather to incorporate some characteristics and personalities of the talent we were going to be using to create the tableau. God this was fun!

It of course all began with pre-production. We got the opportunity to pull in set & prop stylist Hiroshi Yoshida who worked closely with us and the client, to ensure we captured the essence of each role without things going over the top. Hiroshi’s sensibilities brought the perfect understated tone, while keeping in the spirit of the overall theme. And under the heading of serendipity, go figure that Hiroshi already had a personal collection of quirky dog art that was a spot on fit for our smokey backroom. Over a several conference calls we settled on color, tone, mood, and all of the various props. We also discussed our game plan for how we would ultimately shoot the vignette.

The day of the shoot was a blast. Hiroshi came in with his crew started building our environment. We played with variations and worked the camera angle, till we found our sweet spot. Once we locked down the camera and set, we started by shooting plates and elements that we could use in post-production to fill out the scene.

Then it was time for talent on set! They say “don’t work with Animals or Kids”. I disagree! I love working with both. Our talent’s personalities were as varied as their breeds. I have been on both the great, and challenging ends of working with animal talent. For me it is three things, professional animal talent, a great trainer, and PATIENCE. Thankfully we had all three. We had budgeted the appropriate amount of time that we needed for this setup and having the peace of mind that you are not rushed brings an air of calm over the set, which animals clearly sense and consequently react accordingly. We also had a great trainer who had a long relationship with all of our talent, so there was an ease and comfort as we explored various positions and poses. The on camera time was chill. Everyone hit their marks and then some. And there was still time for some romping and belly rubs.

It all came together in post-production. I was confident we had everything we needed while we were on set, but once in front of the computer, it was really gratifying to see that all of our preplanning had paid off. There was a good amount of screen time invested, and a few variations explored with poses and expressions, but ultimately our photographic homage to this humorous illustration came together in an amazing way, thanks to an incredible collaboration, and permission from the client to do what we do.

Photograph of Dogs Playing Poker

The Photographer / Retoucher Relationship…

Join us tonight at Samy’s Camera (Fairfax) for an insightful presentation; The Photographer / Retoucher Relationship

Join APA Los Angeles as two sets of Photographers and Retouchers explain the importance of their working relationships and how the come to the final work of art. Dana HurseyLisa CarneyJim Purdum, and Conor Collins are happy to share their process with the photography community. Get the insight you need to put forth your best work.

6p-7p – Networking and Check In
7p-8p – Presentation
8p-8:30p – Q&A

Register Here!

Ed Tech Winter 2019…

We recently had a fun shoot down at Mission Viejo High School for the current issue of Ed Tech Magazine. We were there to create imagery for the cover shot of the issue as well as conceptual imagery for the feature article. The topic was the rise of eSports teams in high schools. To say that the students involved are enthusiastic is an understatement. While we were shooting the portraits inside the team’s computer lab, they were oblivious to us, even though a photo production is not an everyday occurrence, and instead were so loud and engaged in the team sport that we could barely communicate over the yells and screams. It was really pretty amusing (if not ear piercing) The shoot had to be postponed a week, as part of the shoot was to take place on the schools athletic field, and in the rarest of circumstances we had a 100% chance of rain forecast in Southern California for the original shoot date! Thankfully we had perfect weather for the subsequent shoot day.

Cover Photograph of Ed Tech Magazine Winter 2019 - Photo: Dana Hursey Photography

Ed Tech Magazine Winter 2019 Feature Article - Photo: Dana Hursey Photography

 

PDN – Photo District News Feature…

Check out our feature in this month’s PDN (Photo District News)!
It is a great article on estimating post production for photo shoots. Along with other pro photographers, my bestie / retoucher extraordinaire Lisa Carney and I talk about how we avoid under bidding all of the retouching and compositing that we do on our productions, and best practices to make sure you don’t give away the farm!

How to Estimate Photography Post-Production Expenses (and Not Get Screwed)

New Site for Fine Art Prints…..

It’s official… I’ve crossed over…
I have seldom thought of myself as a “Fine Art Photographer”, and not sure I really do, even now… Commercial Art on the other hand.. now that is something I can wrap my head around.

With the emergence of a new personal project series of mine entitled “Botanicals” I have embarked on a new venture. This imagery (of which I have shared several pieces on my Instagram feed) is highly detailed super sharp LARGE SCALE images of various floral specimens and are perfect for oversized prints. Consequently I have opened an online store where these plus some of my other imagery can be purchased. You don’t HAVE to order large prints but you can. The site offers the ability to order prints in a variety of sizes, surfaces and framing options (including unframed). There are a couple of great features that help you in the ordering process to make sure you get the right size and look for the space you have in mind. I’ll share some of those in upcoming posts but for now, check out the new site (fineart.hursey.com) and THINK BIG!

Image of the Dana Hursey Photography Fine Art Prints Website homepage

Send Free Photo eCards!…

You may have noticed a few changes and some new features on our ever morphing website. The latest is the ability to send FREE Photo eCards!

If you like an image on our website and would like to send it to a friend, family member, or really anyone for that matter, it’s FREE and just a few clicks away. Maybe you want to send someone a Birthday Wish or just share an image to brighten their day, here is how it works:

Simply:

a. go to a portfolio gallery on our website
b. click on the image you want to send
c. in the lower left corner you’ll see a shopping cart icon with the word “purchase” next to it – click on it.
(don’t worry! it’s FREE to send an eCard!)
d. in the pop-up window – select “eCard” on the bottom menu bar
e. in the next window, enter your name, your email, the recipients email, and your personal message
(no need to worry here either! we won’t share any info with anyone.. it’s yours after all!)
f. click “Send eCard” in the lower right corner and voila!

That’s it! Your personalized eCard is sent AND you will get notified when your recipient opens it!

Your recipient can even pay it forward and send their own free eCard from right within the message you sent them!

So go ahead and brighten someone’s day today and let them know you are thinking about them!

Here are some corresponding screen shots that show the process…

go to a portfolio gallery on our website

click on the image you want to send

in the lower left corner you’ll see a shopping cart icon with the word “purchase” next to it – click on it.

in the pop-up window – select “eCard” on the bottom menu bar

in the next window, enter your name, your email, the recipients email, and your personal message

click “Send eCard” in the lower right corner and voila!

Done!

World’s Top 10 Fashion Photographers 2018…

Is it Photo Contest Season or what? (Well, in reality, when is it not?)

It was a bit humbling, when this past week, we found out that we are a finalist in One Eyeland’s World’s Top 10 Fashion Photographers for 2018. You probably would not think of me as a fashion photographer, but in reality, that is how I started my professional career back in 19 something or other.

Recently we collaborated with our amazing stylist Stacy Quackenbush on a feature article for Style Loves Adventure entitled “Kings of Music” which highlighted some of the top movers and shakers in the Club / DJ / Music Festival world. We brainstormed with my partner Jeremy Cowin over pizza and beer one night and walked away with a clear vision of the imagery we wanted to produce, inspired by looking back to 70’s / Funk.

The shoot itself was an absolute blast and the artists we featured (Mario Melendez, Jamesen Re, Dede Flemming) were complete sports and totally played along. It was a day of intense fun, collaboration, and in the end some winning imagery. I love working with good people.. that is REALLY what is is all about and when you get to the end of a project and have something you love to show for it, really what more can you ask for!

You can check out the other finalists that were honored at One Eyeland’s Website.

Mario Melendez, Jamesen Re, Dede Flemming, © Dana Hursey Photography

Finalist Imagery from One Eyeland’s “World’s Top 10 Fashion Photographers”

International Spring Flower Competition…

Photograph of Billy Buttons against a white background - © 2018 Dana Hursey Photography

Billy Buttons | Craspedia – Winning Image from Artists Info – Spring Flower Competition

You might have seen recently that we have been working on a special project entitled Botanicals. In the coming weeks and months you’ll be able to see us add imagery to this collection by visiting the web gallery on our site.

In the meantime we are thrilled to have been selected as one of the 15 winners in an international art competition entitled “Spring Flowers”, juried and curated by Artists Info – A Global Artists Guide. You can see a virtual gallery tour of all of the winners here.

Our winning image (“Billy Buttons” – seen above) is one of our recent creations for this new series. Check out the rest and come back to see, as we add more! OR reach out to us and tell us what you’d like to see next!

5 Reasons Every Business Needs Professional Photos

by: Ashley Lipman

Collateral Benefits

Photography is important for a lot of reasons. Beyond the old maxim pertaining to information capture that most are familiar with—a picture says a thousand words—photography can have collateral benefits to your business that you may not have expected. This is one of many reasons you should have professional photography solutions silhouetting your operations. Following are five additional reasons worth considering:

  1.    Making The Right Impression Among Peers And Clients
  2.    Properly Showcasing Your Brand
  3.    Record Keeping
  4.    Organic Marketing Potential
  5.    Facilitation Of Employee Morale

Portrait of a small business owner.

Making The Right Impression Among Peers And Clients

This is the first and most notable benefit of professional photography. You want to present yourself well! You want to put your best foot forward, and make an excellent impression! Pictures that have a professional veneer which cannot be denied are a great way to do this.

For clients who have never worked with you before, such photography gives them a point of reference in a subconscious way which makes them comfortable with your business. Peers see that you’re a force to be respected and reckoned with, and altogether such things can help you retain competitive edge.

Properly Showcasing Your Brand

Tied to impressions is showcasing. Have you ever seen a picture of a meal like a fast food burger, or a dessert? Those pictures aren’t done with a smartphone in some corner of a kitchen. They’re staged with pristine ingredients and and styled within an inch of their lives. The right lighting is apportioned, the right angles are used, in some cases water is spritzed on the right areas to connote freshness—you get the idea!

Every picture of a burger from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Burger King has had just this treatment. When it comes to your brand, be it culinary or technological, the same kind of thinking is fundamental in order to showcase what you provide in a qualitative, desirable way. A new trend today involves using Instagram stories to exposit a given brand. Post professional photos, and you could gain a following just by “looking good”.

Photograph of the perfect juicy cheeseburger.

Record Keeping

Pictures that have been professionally taken can help you to define an era, identify employees, and keep track of things. This is a strange example, but there is a film called The Shining in which this is dramatically demonstrated.

Basically, a guy goes to curate a hotel in winter and gets cabin fever through the long lonely time with only his family. He goes on a crazed rampage and then dies in a frozen hedge maze. As the film ends, it is revealed that the same man was in a picture from a hundred years earlier, indicating he is either a ghost, or was possessed by one. Creepy!

Well, in a similar way, if you’ve got regular pictures of your brand, of your employees, of your management, of your varying production facilities, of upgrades, or newspaper clippings, etc., you can find secrets and forgotten information by perusing old photo albums. That information may not seem important, and for the most part may not be; but all you need is one picture with vital information to make a big impact.

Organic Marketing Potential

With the Internet of Things (IoT), Search Engine Optimization (SEO—here are ten considerable SEO tips), and Social Media Marketing (SMM), there is a lot of opportunity to reach a diverse body of viewers. If you’ve got engaging, professionally-done photos, you’re likely to increase your online visibility, which organically can make outbound marketing efforts more effective.

Facilitation Of Employee Morale

Last, but certainly not least, you want professionally done photos for the sake of your workers. If everything looks cheap or lackluster, employees will either believe you don’t care, or don’t have the resources, to do things better. If you’ve got professional photos, then they see that you value their business, and transitively, them.

Macro Photograph of the inside of a computer hard disk drive.

A Glimpse At The Future

A final reason to maintain professional photography in your regular operations regards remaining cutting edge. New means of photo capture and utility are being developed with regularity, and may come in handy down the line.

At photomodeler.com, you can find some very interesting solutions in terms of photography technology that can help you take professional photography to the next level; according to the site, “Using multiple photographs, we can compute the position of a point in 3D space by simple geometry…”

There are diverse uses for such tech, and they can be properly impactful to your business in facilitating the points outlined earlier, and in more dynamically exploiting photography.

 

International Color Awards – 11th Annual Edition

We picked up a couple of Honorable Mentions in the recent 11th Annual International Color Awards! This years specs were 5,642 entries were received from 73 countries! There is a slew of amazing imagery in this years gallery of winners. Head over here to check out the various galleries. Our wins were for Advertising for an image we did as part of a campaign for Lowe’s Home Improvement, and also in Wildlife for a personal portrait of one of my amazing rescue pups, Azzurro. This image was also featured in the “Something Personal” Exhibition for APA San Francisco and will also be included in this years “Off the Clock” Exhibition for APA Los Angeles (opening gala – Saturday April 21, 2018, 7:00pm – Free Event – Register Here!)

Photograph of an empty wall where photos use to hang showing that the paint has faded over time.

“The photos are moving with us. Not the Wall” © Dana Hursey Photography

Portrait of a white Siberian Husky / Samoyed mixed dog looking straight into camera

Azzurro © Dana Hursey Photography

 

Silliness on Set…

When we went to North Carolina to shoot a campaign for Lowe’s Home Improvement, most of us involved with the production were meeting each other in person for the first time. We were gong to be spending some long days together and while you can usually get a sense of peoples personalities over the phone, there is still the “unknown” factor when you come face to face, in close quarters, for extended periods of time.

The campaign called for doing 8 sets at a large production facility outside of Charlotte, NC, near Lowe’s corporate headquarters. When we first arrived we scouted the facility and scoped out a cozy corner of the massive complex were we had the luxury of a lot of space to be able to have 5 sets going simultaneously.. another set was slated to be created out in a garage on the complex grounds, while we would float in a simple flat for the 7th set and repurpose one of the original 5 sets for our final shot.

After surveying what would be our home for the next week, we roughed in a few camera angles, refined lighting visions with the crew, discussed how best to fine tune the sets that would be built, did a show and tell with the set stylist, and one with the wardrobe stylist.

Time to eat!

With less than a half day of interaction with the whole creative team, it was clear this was going to be fun. But really, when isn’t it?

On the second to last day of the shoot, we were doing a bathroom scene. The concept was that it was time for a face-lift as the bathroom in question had not seen the outside world since the 1970’s. The original layouts were skewed more towards a 1940’s bathroom but after a couple creative calls we all agreed 70’s would be way more groovy.

Joel Sarvis, our set stylist, had a heyday pulling together all of the various elements so make the bathroom sing.

The client? Totally supportive in letting us do what we do best! There were times where we would say to each other “Is this too over the top?” We’d look to the client and they would just shake their heads, shrug their shoulders and then put their hand out to us and say “Do what you think is best”.  :-O    (We LOVE when that happens!)

So we put the finishing touches on the set and captured the final approved image towards the end of the day. As we strike for the evening, Joel (set stylist) comes up and asks, could we leave the set up until the morning? “I would like to take a picture of myself in it, but want to wear something different than what I have on now.”… “No Problem!” We not only left the set but went ahead and left all the lighting in position as it would take no time to move to the next set in the morning (it was right behind us).

The next morning we get in and there is Joel dressed in 70’s garb, COLOR MATCHED to the set! PERFECT! He posed with his gold aviators, a glass of O.J., brushed his teeth with cigarette in hand, we were all laughing and having great fun..Then the Creative Director and I looked at each other knowing we had the same idea at the same time… “Joel.. one more shot….”

I love when projects allow you to churn out a great product, make the client happy, get to know a bunch of new people AND still leave time for a little levity.

Photograph of a man in a 1970's decorated bathroom with gaudy wallpaper and orange and gold accents standing in front of a toilet peeing with cigarette in hand.

“Joel… one more shot…”

Photograph of a1970's decorated bathroom with gaudy wallpaper and orange and gold accents. for Lowe's Home Improvement.

Approved shot

Photograph of a1970's decorated bathroom with gaudy wallpaper and orange and gold accents. for Lowe's Home Improvement.

Lowe’s final Ad

BTS Photo of the creative team

BTS Photo of the creative team.

Think Thin…

We recently shot a new campaign for Think Thin in which they introduce Grace and Mia. Two BFF’s that always have each other’s back. Think Thin has a wide array of heathy products and Grace and Mia had to try them all, so consequently we were in the studio for a long day to ensure we captured every bite. It was, as you can imagine, filled with a lot of shenanigans and hysterics. So now that the campaign has launched we are happy to share the fun with you. But you’ll have to run out and buy your own if you want the full sensory experience!

2017 International Color Awards…

Our image, “Let Your Voice Be Heard“, won an Honorable Mention in this years International Color Awards in the Professional Advertising category. We also had some of our images nominated in the Food, Portrait, and Architecture categories. This is always such a fun show to be a part of, due to its broad reach (entries from 75 countries)  and notable jurists, not to mention all the great imagery to peruse…

Photo of a mouse on a stool, speaking into a megaphone.

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Cup Noodles…

Image of man slurping Cup Noodles
images of people slurping Cup Noodles
Okay, so you HAVE to know that casting and shooting this project for Cup Noodles was, well,… humorous to say the least! We had to cast three talent, and by the end of the day, the double entendre’s were flying. You see, we had to be sure that each talent was capable of well… slurping noodles! So at the end of a full day of seeing a couple hundred people and repeatedly telling them to “suck”, and then “suck harder!”…. we’ll I think you can let your imagination run with that, and probably still not approach the 4:30pm punchy hilarity of it all…

The shoot itself? Just more of the same… laughs, winks, and a fun finished product. Everyone played along and had a great time. So check out these new ads for a classic product!

Check out the animated banners too!

Here

Here

Here

and Here!

Creative once again by the talented folks at High Wide & Handsome.

Now go get some Cup Noodles!!!

Carlos Mendez Roca…

One of the things I love most about what I do is the variety. One day we could be photographing quirky humorous images with the new cameras in 2017 in North Carolina for Lowe’s, the next could be nitro cold brewed coffee for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Los Angeles. Recently we were commissioned to create imagery for an exclusive boutique architectural and interior design firm in San Francisco. Part of the project was shooting portraits of the creatives that make up the firm. Rather than shooting the traditional “head shots” that adorn so may web sites and corporate brochures, we wanted to do something that was more iconic and spoke to the personality of the firm. We shot the images with the intent of using them in a black & white form, mimicking the graphic tone taken by the designers. However, after returning to the studio in Los Angeles and starting to play with the imagery from the shoot, I kept going back to the same frame of one of the principal’s, and I kept reverting it back to color. I worked a few different interpretations of the file, but after several hours of experimenting I found myself returning to the same visual direction… and what I was drawn to was an image that I felt had a classic, almost retro 1920’s/1930’s feel. It was and still is my favorite image from the session…

Portrait of Carlos Mendez Roca by Photographer Dana Hursey

Carlos Mendez Roca – © 2016 Dana Hursey Photography

New Work with Dean’s Dip…

We recently finished another campaign with one of our favorite agencies and favorite clients, High Wide & Handsome & Dean’s Dip (respectively). We always have a blast on these projects! Casting is always hysterical, and then it only becomes more fun as we get on set. You can check out some behind the scenes footage here. Thanks to everyone who contributes to make these productions sing!:

Arpen Productions
Eastside Studios – Casting
Jacob Rushing
Dillon Padgette
Zac Hardy Capture
Chris Monberg – BTS
Stephanie Greenleigh – Food Styling
Stacy Quackenbush – Wardrobe & Props
Stephanie Daniel – Hair & Makeup
and the rest of our amazing crew…

Below are a few samples of the finished work.

Photograph of man dipping a pizza crust into a tub of Dean's Dip Photograph of woman topping a baked potato with Dean's Dip Photograph of woman dipping a turkey leg into a tub of Dean's Dip


    

    

    

International Photography Awards 2016 (IPA’s)…

We are thrilled to announce (as we were just informed) that two of our images were awarded Honorable Mentions in this years International Photography Awards (IPA’s)!

With over 17,000 entries from 162 countries it is always an honor to be included in such a distinguished community of talented visual artists.

I love what I do, and genuinely love the amazing people I get to do it with. Every shot is always a team effort and I have been amazingly fortunate to be able to work with a generous and brilliant team.

Check out all the amazing imagery that is honored this year: IPA’s

Portrait of Man against Pink Background

Pondering Pink – Honorable Mention 2016 IPA’s – Advertising: Self Promotion

Photograph of a cocktail glass filled with punch.

Bubbling Pineapple Punch – Honorable Mention 2016 IPA’s – Advertising: Food

Benji is Back!!!

Remember back in the mid to late 70’s when wallabies, chocolate-brown corduroys and a yellow and orange stripped t-shirt were very likely to be your wardrobe? Well during that time there was a string of feel good movies that were all the rage staring and adorable pooch whose character name was… Benji…

Benji was a rescued mutt that went on to become world-famous through a string of films and TV specials.

Flash forward 40 years and Benji is Back! A few months ago we shared that we were on a super secret project and now we are finally able to say that Benji was that project. We were selected to shoot the very first pics of the New Benji and here he is…

Photograph of Benji the dog Photograph of Benji the dog on grass.

He is back with upcoming projects so check him out at Benji.com to keep up with all that he is doing.

You can also connect with Benji on his Facebook Page, on Twitter, and on Instagram.

We’re hoping to work a lot more with this adorable dog and his team as the day was fun, entertaining and surprisingly laid back for as hard as he worked (with plenty of doggie breaks)!

Creating Imagery for Lowe’s Movers Campaign…

So we recently started shooting imagery for Lowe’s Home Improvement. They have created a fun and humorous campaign revolving around helping people with the process of moving. Whether buying, selling, or renting, there is always a laundry list of things to take care of when you move from one abode to the next. Lowe’s Mover’s Program is meant to support everyone through that process, and we were more than thrilled to be selected to create imagery to humorously introduce people to the program. Here is one of the first images from the new campaign…

Woman peering over hedge through binoculars

These Recipes ROCK!!!….

Last month we did yet another shoot for Darling Magazine. This next issues has a Cuba theme. We shot three recipes:

  • Strawberry Rhubarb Semifreddo with Meringue Drops
  • Rose Wine & Red Currants Granita
  • Matcha n’Ice Cream w/ Pomegranate, Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Drizzle

OH MY GOD! As we shot and finished each set up we sampled the goods, and with each shot we stared bug-eyed at each other with how amazingly good each tasted, one after another, the food stylist, Kara Dykert, saying “Right?!”

I know, I know, I always sing the praises of this magazine and I am partial. But it is a beautifully produced quarterly and I am very proud to be able to contribute on a regular basis.

But if for no other reason than to get your hands on these three recipes, you NEED to get this issue! It hits the stands on the 15th.

Photo of Strawberry Rhubarb Semifreddo with Meringue Drops

Photo of Rose Wine & Red Currants Granita

Photo of Matcha n’Ice Cream w/ Pomegranate, Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Drizzle

 

Darling Issue 16 Cover