Photoshoot: "John and Jane" (07/24/10) Edits

A collaboration with stylists MyBFCloset.com and Jane Park, stylist of MotionScope Studies for an androgynous photoshoot.

Big thanks to everyone involved for a practically 10 hour photoshoot!

Full Credits:
Talent: Jane Park
Photography: JJ Casas
Make Up: Karen Wan
Stylists: Jessica Phan & Agnes of Fernandez of My BF's Closet
Stylist Assistant: Tristan Orlino
1st Assistant: John Enriquez
2nd Assistant: Rina Pera
BTS Photographer: Nicole Velazco

For BTS photos, check em out here!
For BTS video, check it out here!

Check out the final photos below. It is the quick story of "John and Jane" who meet and greet, have a great time, to only find themselves in a troubled relationship. Hope you enjoy it and all our hard work put into this long shoot!


"The Meeting"

"The Picnic"

"The Morning After"

"The Night Out"

"The Argument"

Concept: "The Sound Lab" for IQ

Click to view larger image

This first conceptual art image is for upcoming rapper and producer IQ of sickasounds.com We met last week with his manager and discussed the concept for the image series we are aiming for.

As usual, I sent out my questionnaire to him prior to our meeting so I have something to brainstorm on. In one of my questions, "Who did you want to be when you were young?" he answered "Scientist" and my mind worked to incorporate who is now and who he wanted to be when he was young.

The image above is to illustrate what I'm looking for in his wardrobe and to assist my stylist who will help piecing this together.

More conceptual art to come! I still have to finish IQ's and also another photoshoot I'm doing in July as well.

Concept: Anna Lisa "Vanity"

I met with Anna Lisa through... Twitter? I really forgot. haha But when I found out she had some shooting experience and is nearby in the Bay Area, I was up for the task of networking and seeing if she'd be up for a promotional photoshoot.

As I explained to her in our meet and greet, I want to go out and create pictures and not just pictures that "look good." For me, I find it easy to make a picture look good. My blunt equation is flattering light + good looking model = good looking picture.

So instead, I love working in concepts and projecting a story into the picture. If the saying goes "A picture is worth a thousand words," I want my pictures to be worth the sum of the pages that contain those thousand words.

I truly believe that this is what sets good photographers from the best mother effin photographers in the world that can capture audiences from all ranges.

Before I proceed with the logistics of the shoot, lighting, location, make up artists, assistants, etc, I first give the model/talent a set of questions ranging from "Describe yourself to me" to "What is your favorite color." My point is to get into the model/talent's head in order to come up with something that can relate to them so they'll feel natural when it's time to come in front of the camera.

For Anna Lisa, she has had experience with modeling as well being in pageants. I felt that a mirror strongly represents vanity and that notion of self-awareness is important in all of us. I suggested for her shoot that we utilize a mirror in almost all the shots using reflections.

I'm not the best illustrator but I do get into the habit or drawing out an outline of what kind of shots I'm looking for. Below are conceptual drawings for Anna Lisa's shoot entitle "Vanity."





Once again, not the best illustrator but this will be the "standard headshot." It will be her looking at the camera through the mirror. Again, the theme is Vanity and will illustrate Anna Lisa self aware of herself and image.

Part of the shot I wanted is to create this image of purity and so using white as the primary color can help illustrate this idea of pureness. Her dress will be long and fluid and the room/background will be white as well. In other words, a high-key shot.

While we were discussing our shoot, she brought up an idea of shooting somewhere near trees for a "foresty look." This is just in case if we can't get space to use for the background set up she explained and after a few moments I love the concept of shooting the same dress and mirror poses in the midst of a forest location. It would look something out of the pages of a fairy tale of some sort.

We are scheduled to shoot third week of February and we are finalizing the location as well as having a stylist and make up artist on board.

Concept: DJ Zita "DJ HD"

These series of conceptual drawings are for DJ Zita as we've been trying to work on a concept over the summer and hopefully will execute it at the end of this summer.

The photoshoot I have in mind is inspired by the high end fashion ads/photos in magazines that I subscribe to [Interview, Vanity Fair, Elle, to name some..] and hopefully I will be able to work together with other creatives on executing the makeup, hair, and ward robe.

I envision this photoshoot to be an interpretation of a female DJ set in fashion. Currently this project is entitled "DJ HD"--high definition--for every part of these images will be of great detail.


After seeing an ad for perfume [I believe], it was a simple head-on shot of a model with her hand over her head. For DJ Zita, the twist is to implement DJ elements and for this case I see a vinyl being used.


This one is the one I'm already envisioning to be a real good photo. It will be a profile shot of DJ Zita and covering her eyes is her pair of headphones.

Plays in with the whole "seeing the music" aspect of DJ-ing.

Inspired by ads that showcase beautiful models and handbags, this will simply be her holding her headphones.

I have a lot of ideas for this, involving the turntables, speakers, and even cassette tapes! haha

In short, I definitely want to answer "What if DJing was implemented in fashion?"

--
All images were concetualized and drawn by JJ Casas.

Photoshoot: Self-Portrait "Soloist" [06/24/2009]

I completed a self portrait series for 1) practice with my new boom arm, 2) practice in general lighting, and 3) for my cousin's request of a [new] photo of me.

The Setup:
The first time I used my garage to take pictures and am only wondering why I haven't use it before. The only drawback is the low ceiling otherwise, this is what my set up looks like.

Equipment Used:

• Alien Bees 400 strobe with standard 7" reflector
• Alien Bees 800 strobe with 32" inch umbrella on Boom Arm [I hate attaching that 11lb counterweight]
  
• Alien Bees Vagabond II Battery Pack
  
• eBay heavy duty light stands
• Clamps/Grips Home Depot
• Calumet Photo seamless white background
• Manfrotto tripod
• Minolta IV Light Meter
• Sony a700 + Tamron 17-50mm lens
• Sony wireless remote trigger
  

I got lazy first of all so the white background is only lit by 1 Alien Bee 400 strobe head [instead of the usual 2 on opposite sides to create an even background]. Connected to both strobes are CyberSync's to make sure it is triggered correctly from my camera. The white seamless background is from Calumet Photo in San Francisco for about $20. Clamps [green ones] are from Home Depot and are about $2 each instead of buying in camera specialty shops for about $6/each. The new boom arm I bought will allow me to take photos using overhead lighting without having a light stand in my way.

Here I am posing on my [client-autographed "Photograher's Chair"] triggered by the Sony remote [something you Canon and Nikon users don't have that comes in the box! =P haha] You can see that I'm holding in my right hand. The glasses are from Perpetual Kid online store. I've been using a photo of myself in 2006 as my avatar for many online sites which had a camera instead to cover my eyes.

The concept in short is that photographer's in general are known for their pictures and not themselves [at least initially]. I'd like to keep myself anonymous and let my work speak for myself with my name written all over it.

For anyone wanting to know the settings:

• Background light set to f/16
• Main Light set to f/8
• Shutter speed 1/125
• Aperture f/8
  

I'm planning to print [one of these] for my cousin and possibly wallets for myself. I don't know who to give it to but maybe use it for my senior pictures? haha jk. I might plan to blow it up and replace my 24x18 picture hanging above my bed of a previous concept I created.

This is the photo from above's set up but finalized with the white background and black and white conversion.

This happens to be my favorite tie by the way. So I tend to wear it a lot. [Look at the cotillio of Mary Ann below and I'm wearing it as well haha]

Thanks for the look and hope you enjoyed the post and its details.

New Photo/Book Project for 2009

Snippet of cover of new project

I just finished designing the unofficial cover for my new project that's scheduled to start in First Quarter 2009.

More details to follow but for now, do know that the team that brought Nonage to life is back: myself as the photographer and my friend Catherine Abalos who will write the introduction.

This project will feature fine portraiture and will be printed on higher quality materials than my first book Nonage.

Stay tuned for more details.

Photo Concept: "Evolution"

"Evolution" by jj casas | 5x15"
click to enlarge.

Last night, I went on a photoshoot spree and took pics of various things around the house and came up with something along the way.

This is a photo concept dedicated to my friend Pat, who's an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles. It basically chronicles his path to a filmmaker starting with himself, then with a home video camcorder [that he shot home made movies with] and onto a video dolly [?] used professionally.

Entire piece is sized at 5x15".

Set Up Shots
The final product is clean... but remember, I'm doing this on a budget:
This is my "studio" set up:
- White poster board as background
- Giottos Rocket Blower [the thing shaped like a rocket] used to blow out the dust on Lego
- Sony a700 with Tamron 28-75mm mounted on Manfrotto tripod
- Alien Bees ABR800 with 32" Moon Unit attached as main lighting source; triggered wirelessly
- Metered with Minolta Auto Meter VF to set lights at f/11 to keep everything sharp as possible.

Yes.. that's Honey Bunches of Oats in the background...this is all done on my kitchen table after all.

Photo Concept: "Liberthene"

Original concept drawn by JJ Casas "Liberthene"

courtesy of tfsimon.com

Using a short questionnaire I gave to my friend, I finally was able to come up with a concept. She [and two others] have requested something to put up on their wall and as of now, my main focus have been more personalized portraits--conceptual portraits.

I did my homework using a symbols book and took answers from the questionnaire to come up with something that suits her. So first off, her name is Liberty and yes.. I know there's a Statue of Liberty so coming up with something new was the first objective. From the set of questions, one of her hobbies is sewing so I looked up crafts and came across Athene.

Athene is the Greek goddess of intellect, one of the principle deities as well as the patron of crafts. She was credited with inventing the Olive tree, the potter's wheel, and the flute. She beat Poseidon in order to be the patron Athens [named after Athene] after winning an invention competition [Poseidon made a fresh salt spring while Athene invented the olive tree--a source for oil for lighting, cooking and perfume, and symbol of peace]. So that is why I chose a picture of Athene and based the portrait on that. And yes, that's a sewing needle in place of a staff.

Liberty has an affinity for purple and Puma shoes. In the concept, she's wearing a dress and a shawl...Purple means the color of royal and dignity in the ancient world [the pigment back then to make purple was uber expensive as they say] and a puma... a cat essentially... means a lot of things including cleverness, stealth, the power of transformation, and sensual beauty to name a few.

And check this out out: In Rome, the cat's self-sufficient freedom made them emblems in the Temple of Liberty.

The sewing machine on the feet of Liberty is just a final touch to credit her creative ability.

--
Definitions of the symbols are from The Complete Dictionary of Symbols (Tresidder)

Photo Concept: "Tiffinized"

My friend wanted something to post on her wall and asked me if I would be able to do something. I've been lagging on my personal goals for this summer but I finally think August is going to be a mad rush before school starts to get this and about 3 other photo concepts done.

To start off, my friend, how should I put this, likes(?) renaming things in her computer under her name. For example: "Tiffocuments, Tiffusic... " etc. So what better way but to "Tiffinized" the world outside her computer!

It will all start off with a Tiffinized Krylon spray paint.. with her favorite color pink.

The next image will be an image evenly divided by bold lines with various retailers/brands tiffinized..aka vandalized with that spray paint. Apple > Tiffapple; Target > Tiffarget; Lucky's > Tiffucky's hahah.
The final image of the three part series is her posing with the spray can with a fashion esque edge and possibly the wall behind her tagged with her name.

Gangsta.

Photo Concept: Hopie Spitshard: "See, Spot, Mine"

This photo concept is for emcee Hopie Spitshard--the Diamond Dame--and nothing is final. The premise is that Hopie is out in some greenery where the grass are filled with microphones. There in the distance she sees a large tree and something is glimmering in it.

She steps forward to get a better look and there in the tree amongst the leaves of microphones is a large diamond. Definitely, she must get it. Cuz well, who wouldn't?

After all the hard work of getting the diamond, she completes her day by taking it and grabbing a bite. It is this diamond that shows who she's made of.

Photo Concept: DJ Busy B: "Defy"

Sketched on March 27, 2008

For all my conceptual shoots, I sketch a drawing of how I want the final image to be.. usually I draw it on my personal journal called a Moleskine. [Btw, these journals are good quality stuff.. pricey but well worth it to get those creative ideas flowing onto paper]. After I sketch an idea, I resketch it on my tablet computer so I can send it out to the client for any feedback.

This particular sketch is for Daly City born DJ Busy B. I have 3 sketches for a concept and here's one of them. Basically, he will be wearing a suit, preferably a tux, and will be posing as a magician. One of my first sketches is of him levitating two records with his hands. This sketch above shows him levitating himself.

If I had the money and production team, I'd like to do a big shot wide shot of a club scene in which everyone is levitated by his music. I'd need the money to rent out a club, models to be in the scene, make up artists, lighting to simulate a club scene, wardrobe manager.

Or, I could just go to a club.. and count "1..2... 3.. JUMP!"