I picked up my first camera as a kid, and have been shooting ever since. I’ve always had artistic talent and took college courses in art, but most of what I know of photography and cinema I learned on the job. I landed jobs in production studios early in my career, and even spent a few years managing a video production studio, where I worked more in video than I did photography, but I always kept a camera by my side and shot when I could. In the past 15 years I’ve had my own studio and I attended as many hands on workshops as I could. I still love to go to national level workshops and continue to learn. I like the term “lifelong learner’ and love to hear what others have to say. I try to go online at least a few times a month and watch educational videos to continually sharpen my skills.

My favorite gear today is the Canon 5d MarkII HDDSLR. I keep 2 Canon 5d’s in my gear bag along with a Canon 50mm 1.2 prime lens, a Canon 15mm Fisheye, a Canon 24-105mm IS lens, A Canon 70-200 IS lens, and a Canon 85mm 1.2 prime lens. 3 Canon 580 ex flash units with pocket wizards.

My accessories & lighting include:

• an ionic sensor cleaner for dust removal
• 50″ moon ring and a ringflash
• some various profoto studio flash units
• a half dozen 1k fresnels
• a few 4×6 California Sunbounce reflectors with c stands
• I keep several tripods, a small micro dolly rail, a small portable jib, a steadytracker, and lots of various grip equipment.
• I also keep a case with several Sennheiser wireless mics for audio recording. What I don’t have, I rent when I need it.

The Canon 5d Mark II is vital to me. That camera is such a workhorse, and the delivery is beautiful, brilliant, sharp images that inspire me each time I take a shot. I also love using large reflectors to modify & control light. And, I love being able to shoot video and photography on one camera.

I start a typical session with lots of planning and preparation. Depending on the budget, I like to dream big and create the shoot with a somewhat scripted storyboard like I would write for a video production. I like to shoot on location as much as possible, and scouting is vital. I keep the weather channel app on my iphone and schedule my shoots with the sky in mind. I like to know where my available light is coming from during the day, and how I can harness solar light for the shoot. Once I’ve scouted the location, I like to talk to the talent involved and give them tips on details needed for the shoot. If I’m working with a client or their art director, then I will meet with them and talk over all the details. If I’m the art director, then I like to be prepared with notes and the photography style I want to accomplish for the shoot. I will coordinate the makeup artists, hairstylists, and fashion stylist for the shoot. If I get to choose the models, I’ll dig through comp cards and try to find a unique model with a confident look in his or her portfolio. I’ll sometimes look for inspiration from other photographs, or images of art or even a movie that I like at the time. Once I have a style in mind, that dictates the lighting and look of the set. From the time the shoot begins to the time it ends, I usually feel good about the goals I’ve set and accomplished from the shoot. I then backup everything on my macbook pro and external drives, then later back in the studio I transfer my files to my mac pro tower. All my images and then proofed in Lightroom 3 and the task of post editing begins. If I’m shooting video, it’s basically the same procedures. My video clips are stored and pre-viewed in Final Cut until I’m ready to edit the project.

For the reel I created for Anna Knight, it all started as a fun dinner and drinks in a restaurant in New York. We had just finished a fashion shoot in Central Park that day. Another photographer who I work with and a good friend that lives in NY was interested in helping us style a new shoot when she came to Memphis on her next visit. We were all sitting in a bar laughing and talking about the shoot and it all came together. I love to dream big, and come up with crazy ideas that are over the top, and lots of times the budget is very limited. This was one of those self produced shoots with a minimal budget. We all wanted to come up with a high fashion style for the shoot and do it all on a dime. I started talking and said how great it would be shoot on a lear jet, next thing I know my
friend is on her cell calling her friend who happened to own a lear jet sitting in a hangar at the Memphis International Airport. I knew the hangar pretty well, and knew it would be perfect for the shoot. The next phone call she came up with a full Armani wardrobe for the model. The theme was style and travel. I had just shot Anna a couple of times earlier that year, so I called her in for the shoot. I also told her that I wanted to create a model reel for her as a sample for my portfolio. I arranged this shoot to include another photographer and I shot HD video and photos as well. This is pretty much how I go about starting and finishing a concept photo shoot.

I do gain inspiration from other photographers, photography books, movies and the people I shoot. But like I mentioned earlier, I like to stretch myself and try new things. I have a few photographers that I follow from time to time, and like to see what they are up to. I tend to be an available light photographer, but modified light techniques to me can accomplish that style. If the available light is not in the scene where I want it, I just bounce it around until it looks like natural light. With all that said, I’ll check out other images that I like and try to gain inspiration from those images. I don’t like to copy others work, but I do like to study images and adapt my shoot concept to that particular style. There are other times that I may try to find inspiration, and simply don’t find what I’m looking for. Then I basically erase the big blackboard in my mind and try to come up with creative things that may not have been done before. When I’m photographing a scene or a person, in the back of my mind I’m thinking how it would look like as a movie frame. I ask myself how can I connect this image to another image and tell a story through a series of photographs. When I’m working with a model that is really into the session, I get even more excited. I wish more models would take acting lessons, even if they don’t plan on acting. It helps them play better in front of the camera. Some of the new models are scared to death, I don’t mind teaching them, but I’m more inspired when they turn on their switch and go for it!

I shot film for many years, but now I’ve totally embraced digital photography. To me the challenge is how to make digital photography look like film photography. I love computer technology, after effects and the ability to manipulate an image with software. If someone handed me two cameras, one with film and one with digital, I’d likely pick up the digital camera. I love seeing the fascination of new photographers with film, and it’s definitely an experience every photographer should have.

I tend to like shooting subjects, but I do enjoy both. I love to photograph a person and find ways to bring out their emotion on the photograph. It’s definitely a challenge, and some subjects make you work harder than others. I have to find ways to get them comfortable with who they are, and with me. If they are hesitant, it will show in the image. If they are not confident, it will be a much harder job on me. I do find that shooting objects has it’s own challenges. I tend to light a subject for a long time
to get the shadows and light the way I want, and at the same time, I find that lighting an object can be just as challenging.

I actually created & head up FilmIndesign, it is my company that focuses on video/film production. Indesign Creative is a separate company run by another photographer that I met a couple of years ago. We’ve combined some of our portfolios to reach a broader market, and we share the website of Indesign Creative to show video and photography for projects that we collaborate on together.

I’m the creative director for the commercial video projects and come up with the concepts for most of the shoots. I’ve found that a lot of companies like to hire a photographer, and they hire a cinematographer separately. With my background in cinematography and photography, I feel I have a unique offering, with both photography and cinematography, but its hard to concentrate on both at the same time, so it’s good to have a working relationship with another really good photographer. I also realized that most video production companies do not have a professional photographer on staff, they end up outsourcing photography work, often the photographer and cinematographer clash with their differences in lighting and design concepts. Having a relationship with Indesign Creative comes in handy when a project calls for both cinematography and photography.

I created Anna’s video reel to do just that. I think that Model Portfolios are missing something today. The combination of great professional headshots, editorial samples, and a personal interview with the model can get the model in more doors that just a typical comp card. I’ve seen a few photographers that try to make a slideshow of a models photos, but the slideshow concept fails to show the personality of the model, and typically most slideshows are not very interesting. With my film style video reels, I want to draw in the viewer in the first 15 seconds with a scene concept that says “Wow, I want to watch this!” I wanted to make a model reel that not only showed the model’s photos, but introduces the model to whomever sees it. Anna’s reel shows who she is, confident, yet approachable and real. She is very genuine in her reel, she wasn’t acting, she was being just like she might be in a live interview situation. Anna’s HD film has caught a lot of attention for her with over 55,000 views in just the last few months. It’s even helped her land background roles in several music videos with very well known recording artists like Jamie Foxx and the late Michael Jackson. I think model reels will help models get their foot in the door a lot faster than just a plain portfolio. Just a few years ago the cost for producing really great model reels was very expensive. With the new technology of a camera that shoots both photos and stunning HD video, that cost has been greatly reduced. But at the same time, it takes a great artistic concept for the reel to make it work, it can’t just be a slideshow. Models have to be willing to spend a lot more than they do for a headshot photo session.

Anna’s model portfolio was the first for the website. My vision was to create this one to show models what could be offered in a model reel. I’ve had several models express interest, and I’m are working on a few new ones that I hope to have completed this summer. I want each project that I create have it’s own distinctive creative style. I’ve also been meeting with a few model and talent agencies and they agree that models and actors really need to invest in better professional level portfolios. I think it’s just a matter of time when they will be knocking down our doors to get on my list. I’ve done several other profile reels for individuals and small businesses, and those have been just as successful for helping them with their marketing goals.

From what I can tell, the models, talent and agencies have not quite understood the value of a video reel quite yet. I recently did a Business Profile film for an interior designer, a potential client saw her reel, and she landed a $25,000 a year contract. I also recently did a Profile Film for a music composer, and it helped him achieve funding for his next big project in less than a month. When models realize how this could fast track their careers, they will get serious about getting a professional film reel shot. It will require some investment on the models part. Shooting a concept reel like I offer will cost more than a typical headshot session. I think using a big video production firm that focuses on $20,000 – $50,000 music videos don’t want to scale back and take on the smaller $2000 – $5000 projects like model reels.

I also think blogs like yours will help spread the word and educate both models and agencies on the value of a well produced video portfolio. I think the models that try to cut corners with the “home slideshow” won’t get in as many doors as a unique, well produced concept reel like Anna’s.

I love them both, I do more photography, but I have an equal passion for cinematography. There’s a unique feeling of accomplishment when you create a film that turns heads. If a picture says a thousand words, then a film
says a million words. The creative process for cinematography is very different from photography, it sometimes takes months to shoot & edit a short film.

I do head the art direction for most my of my films, but I also love working with other producers and directors to help them achieve their vision.

That’s a tough question for a photographer. I tend to get a new favorite every year or so. I remember a quote from one of my favorite singer/songwriters, Paul McCartney, from one of his interviews a few years ago. He was asked what his favorite or best song was that he had written. He answered by saying that he still hasn’t written it yet. Wow, what an answer from one of the worlds best musicians. He said that he continues to write songs every day, and he’s continually trying to write better music, that he does not want to rest on his achievements. He is driven to always be his best. Not that I’m trying to compare myself to him, but his answer inspired me to wake up each day and set out to shoot my best photo.

After all that being said, I think my best photo session was with a couple of models I shot in the Bahamas a year or so ago. They were on location shooting for the Baltimore Ravens, and I asked them if they had time after their shoot to work with me and my team. Usually the chances of that kind of random, last minute shoot happening is impossible, but their manager was very excited about it, and set the time slot up. They were such a delight to work with, very professional, and what better place to be shooting beautiful models than in the Bahamas. The weather for the shoot was perfect, the light was amazing, and the models were excited to be doing the shoot. It was one of those shoots that was just for the fun of it, there was no particular job assignment, no set deadlines, or any pressure. I think I walked away with some of the best images of my model portfolio, and had a blast doing it.

I’m glad you asked me that question, in late February I headed to one of the top 12 Destinations in the world, a little town called Seaside Florida. It happens to be where they filmed the movie, The Truman Show, with Jim Carrey and Laura Linney. This was a fashion photography shoot for a well known wedding publication, Southern Bride Magazine. I also hosted a photographers workshop along with the fashion shoot. where a half dozen photographers came to learn some of my photography techniques. I’ve brought in another successful commercial photographer that has worked many years with Southern Living Magazine that helped lead the workshop and photo shoot. The photographers learned advanced photography techniques and got a chance to shoot hands on and contribute their images to the magazine spread. I love to teach photography, and recently wrote a book called “Lifestyle Wedding Photography” for high end weddings that I use in my workshops. I plan to announce 2-3 more workshops this year geared toward commercial styles of fashion model photography.

I’m also in production now of a short film with an indie film crew that I met last year on another production. I’ve shot most all of the film now, and I’ve shot several pickup scenes for the final edit. The film is in editing for the next several months. Last week I shot a behind the scenes interview for the film trailer and I’m looking forward to seeing the film come to life. The producer has good success in some of his past short films in film festivals, and I think this one will be another success. They have asked me to shoot another film this summer, and I’ve got several small film profile projects in production now, as well as a lot of regular photo studio sessions that I book all during the year.

There you have it. I want to say a big thank you to Michael for doing this intervew. I think this has been my best and most insightful RM Talk to date. I concur, it is only a matter of time before everyone starts knocking on your door. If anyone looking for elite level work done and is in the Memphis/Nashville area, you would be making a big mistake not to get a hold of Michael and the team at Filmindesign. I look forward to staying in touch for future updates. Stay tuned for the next RM Talk.