Tim Mantoani Photography

Change of Address

2009-08-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

Hey Gang:

Thanks to all that are following my posts and keeping up with my Blog. I will be moving my Blog to www.mantoaniblog.com in order to keep the design in sync with my website. Please drop in and resign up to follow me since "following" me on blogger does not transfer over.

Thanks for your support.

Tim

Behind Photographs Opens at Brooks Gallery 27

2009-08-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from the opening at Brooks Institute. I was able to hang over 80 images from my project. Since the show will be up for two months, I plan on swapping out some of the images at the first of September. This will give me the opportunity to share all of the images to date. Special thanks to everyone that came to the opening and to Brooks for hosting a great evening.

Behind Photographs - Brooks Institute

2009-08-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

I've been in Santa Barbara the past few days hanging prints for a show at Brooks Institute's Gallery 27. This is a partial show of my Behind Photographs Project. There are 40+ 20x24 Polaroids in the show and 40+ 11x14 prints. It is great to be back in Santa Barbara and very fulfilling to have this show at Brooks. Hard to believe it has been 18 years since I graduated! The opening is tomorrow night 8/6/09 from 5-8, please drop in if you are in town.

Jens Voigt - Out of the Tour

2009-07-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

I was bummed to get several youtube links to Jens falling in the race today. I photographed him last year just prior to the tour start in Southern California. I wish him a "speedy" recovery, that was one nasty spill.

It also looks like Carlos Sastre is starting to turn it on. Last year's winner was in studio a few months ago after testing in San Diego's wind tunnel. I was shooting some ads and took the opportunity to get a frame of Carlos on 20x24 Polaroid.

Should be an interesting next few days as they head to the hills.

Remembering Julius "One Shot" Shulman

2009-07-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today I got news that Julius Shulman passed away at 98. While I was saddend by the news, I also found myself smiling. Julius LIVED life. It was an honor to have the opportunity to make a portrait of him at his home in Los Angeles not long ago, one of the most memorable days of my photographic career.

I called Mr. Shulman about my Behind Photographs Project and he agreed to sit for me as long as I came to his home studio to make the portrait. Marshall Williams, Luis Garcia and I made the drive to LA that day with my 20x24 Wisner Camera. When we arrived, we found ourselves setting up a backdrop in his office/studio. He lived in a mid century home, that he had designed by architect Raphael Soriano in 1947, it was a wonderful home with lots of windows, beautiful light spilled into office.

As we began to set up, Mr. Shulman stopped me. "Don't make a production out of this, I don't have a lot of time," he said. I tried to explain the project to him over the phone, but I don't think he understood that I was bringing a 20x24 camera to his home. I quickly went to the car and told Luis that we needed to get the camera up. I knew that once he saw that camera, he would give us the time we needed to make the picture. When he first glanced at the camera, he said, "Look at that box, that is beautiful." So we finished lighting the set, found a print for him to hold (He wanted to hold a photo of a Chinese Junk he shot on vacation), sat Mr. Shulman in a chair and shot an exposure. We processed the image in my 20x24 Polaroid processor which we set up in his garage where we had built a small black tent to cover it. His garage also had a full wall of windows and we did our best to keep light from entering the film holder. When I pulled the Polaroid, there was a large blue light leak that crept into the top of the frame. I took the image back to Mr. Shulman in his office and he loved it. "It is perfect, I love the light leak, it's all about me 'letting in the light'."

So that was it and we began to pack the car. I asked Mr. Shulman to sign the bottom of the print and write about his image, Case Study Home #22. He told me that each time he made a picture, he only took one frame. He explained there was no reason to shoot more. You wait until the frame is perfect and then, and only then, do you make the picture. He wrote," My Portrait: a photographer's responsibility to capture "my essence"! A pleasing reward to respond to my personal procedure - I am called by my good friend, Benedikt Taschen: "One Shot Shulman." This "scene" was also a one shot endeavor!

Many people that live long lives do not always live full lives. Julius Shulman did both.

July Rangefinder Magazine Article on Behind Photographs

2009-07-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out the 8 page story in the new issue of Rangefinder Magazine. They have done a wonderful feature on my Behind Photographs Project. Special thanks to Bill Hurter for the support. You can view the article as a PDF on their website http://www.rangefindermag.com/storage/articles/RF0709_Mantoani_Brownstein.pdf

Steve "Air" McNair

2009-07-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

New 2009 NFL Rookie Portfolio up on www.mantoani.com

2009-07-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

I just posted a new gallery of 2009 Rookie images on my site. These portraits, shot on a white backdrop, were from one of the 4 sets we shot each player on that day. August is just around the corner and I am ready for some football! Here is a quick preview of the images.

"ULTRA" Mark Murphy Mini Zine in Progress

2009-07-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

I had a fun shoot this week with Mark Murphy for a new project entitled "ULTRA". We shot a large collection of Japanese toys from the original "Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot" and "Ultraman". I can't believe the creativity and imagination that went into these characters. It took me back to my childhood and we were laughing all day. I love my job.

If you want a flashback check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0RgWnkQ0_s

If you are going to Comic Con this year, stop by booth 4833 to take a peek. This photography will be featured along side of the amazing artwork of Joel Nakamura.

APA - An Evening With Tim Mantoani

2009-06-16T19:15:00.001-07:00

APASD has asked me to present a lecture this month at my studio. The event is on June 25th, doors open at 6:30. Studio: 3615-B India St. San Diego, CA 92103. 619-543-9959. Special thanks to APASD, Chrome and George's Camera Exchange for sponsoring.

I will be showing a variety of work and be discussing the process and inspiration behind my Behind Photographs Project. I'm currently in Boston and NY shooting more photographers for this project. More to come. Hope to see you next week.

The Lighthouse Cookbook - Recipes from Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast

2009-06-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend at a book signing on the Oregon Coast at The Heceta Head Lighthouse B&B. I discovered this unique and charming location on assignment for RCI Endless Vacation Magazine a few years back. It was one of our stops on a whale watching story that took us from Canon Beach to Florence. The B&B is not only known for its charm, but the incredible seven course breakfast prepared with recipes from Michelle and Carol Korgan. I not only fell in love with the magic of Heceta's beauty, but the food as well. Michelle and I discussed the possibility of working on a cookbook together and after several trips North and even more hours in the kitchen, we are happy to say it is here. If you are interested in purchasing a signed copy, please email us at the studio, Luis@mantoani.com or ring 619-543-9959. Price is $28 + shipping.

For more information on booking a stay at the Heceta Head Lighthouse B&B, visit http://hecetalighthouse.com. There are only 6 rooms so book your trip in advance. You will love it!

The white building on the right side of this image is the B&B. Heceta, is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world due to this amazing vista on highway 101.

Yep, I shoot food too!

Sofisticati

2009-06-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

I was asked by a new online magazine, Sofisticati to be a part of their inaugural issue. They first became familiar with my work at my LA show for MOPLA. Take a moment to check it out, there are several other photographers featured in the issue and some very nice work. http://www.sofisticati.com/features/15-tim-mantoani

Triathlete Magazine Swimsuit Issue 2009

2009-06-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

Check out the newstand for the new issue of Triathlete Magazine. We shot the entire feature in Arizona. Special thanks to our host, The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa.

San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine

2009-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'm featured in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine this month. Special thanks to the amazing Phyllis Van Doren for this opportunity. Phyllis was one of the first editors in San Diego to give me an assignment when I moved to town in 1991.

NFL Photo Shoot : The Last of My 55 Polaroid (Almost)

2009-05-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Matt Stafford

I had a shoot with a bunch of NFL Rookies last week and took the opportunity to shoot some Polaroid 55 images with an old Linhoff 4x5 camera. Sad to say, I am down to the end of my stock pile. It is sad to think that soon I will soon never be able to shoot this film again.

Mark Sanchez

Michael Crabtree

Jason Smith

Andre Brown

Competitor Magazine

2009-05-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest issue of Competitor Magazine. We shot the cover of Taylor Phinney and Craig Alexander in my studio when they were in town for the annual Competitor Endurance Awards. Two amazing athletes and two great guys in front of the lens.

LOST SLUG

2009-05-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

I came upon this sign while dropping off Lucas at school. Keep an eye out and please.... watch your feet!

EA ACTIVE NOW IN STORES

2009-05-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

A few months back in San Francisco, I shot the box art for a new Wii fitness game from EA Sports, Active. The game looks very fun and I am looking forward to giving it a try on our Wii at home. Check out the Active site at http://www.easportsactive.com for info on the game and how it works.

Times Square Billboard

2009-05-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a snap of my shots on the new Madden 10 game box in New York!

Life Rolls On - Jesse Billauer

2009-05-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Every year I shoot images for a few non profits. This week, I was working again with the amazing people at Life Rolls On. Life Rolls On was founded by Jessie Billauer. In 1996, on the verge of becoming a professional surfer, Jesse Billauer suffered a spinal cord injury while surfing. While physically rendered a quadriplegic, Jesse’s spirit was not broken, and the phrase “Life Rolls On” was born. A few years later, the love of the ocean was too much for Jesse to bear. With the help of friends and professional surfer Rob Machado, Jesse found himself back in the ocean, surfing again! Within just a few years these efforts would be showcased in the motion picture, Step Into Liquid (and later Highwater in 2009)

Life Rolls On became the official charity of the US Open of Surfing in 2002, which culminates each year with a disabled surfing exhibition in front of 100,000+ spectators. Since 2002, LRO has delivered a powerful message to over 600,000 people, that life does indeed, Roll On!

Over the years, these efforts have been recognized by Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, TLC’s While You Were Out, Nonprofit Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Orange County Register, San Diego Union Tribune, Ability Magazine, Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, Transworld Surf, Riverside Press, E! Entertainment, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, FUEL TV, MTV and dozens more.

Life Rolls On's They Will Surf Again program has made a profound impact on the lives of thousands of people with disabilities, along with the volunteers who help make dreams possible.

EA SPORTS: Madden 10 Cover - Behind The Scenes

2009-04-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

It is amazing for people that don't work in this industry to see what it takes to pull off a production like shooting the cover of Madden 10. Someone asked me if I worked with anyone else on this shoot. When I answered, they were shocked to hear that about 30 people contributed to make the photo shoot happen.

We had an amazing crew, Uncle Mark Hofmann, who is literally my uncle. If you are looking for a great producer, look no more http://www.markhofmannproductions.com. In no time flat, he found us a location, had the production team lined up and made everyone feel like, even the forecast for rain, was under control. Alicia Addis, who did the catering and is also part of the Hofmann Production Duo. Bobby Flay watch out, she put a twist on your chicken and it was the bomb! Luis Garcia, Alisal and Jeff Wiant who moved a ton of gear from San Diego to LA on more than one occasion. Your days starts before everyone else and ends long after. Your hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed. Dominic and the lighting crew from Screaming Broccoli (great grip service) www.screamingbroccoli.net. Susan Seligman, stylist with a smile. Judy our runner who was all over LA picking up FedEx boxes of footballs, uniforms, props and cameras. Two "Stand-Ins" for the talent to help with the lighting set-up and our test images. Sandy who made sure the talent arrived safe and on time. The Limo and motorhome drivers. The helping hands at our location, The Home Depot Center (electricians, grounds crew and facilities). The EA crew, Larry, Larre, Mike, Anthony...thanks for trusting us to do "our thing". The equipment managers of the Cardinals and Steelers, thank you for getting the uniforms to us. The NFL folks who helped us with patches, pylons and official Superbowl balls. Mark K from Popgun Design and his retouching crew. And of course, Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu. I have shot a bunch of athletes over the years and can honestly say they both are class acts and a pleasure to work with. Thanks for running the same plays over and over and over and giving us your time with a smile.

So a huge "THANKS" to everyone involved, it was truly a team effort and I couldn't have done it without you!

Troy and the EA crew look over some of Mike Young's Superbowl images for inspiration.

Troy taking a dive for the cameras.

Larry takes his mark on the set while we dial in the final changes to the lighting and exposure.

Tim test drives the helmet for our Troy "Stand In" while the chin straps are adjusted.

Standing in for one of the photos that will be used as art in the game.

Tim and Larry review a few images.

Larry running a few plays at Larry B from EA. We wanted to simulate the lighting of an NFL game and give the images some "pop". The set was lit with a couple of Xenons for edge lights and a large bounce flat to sneak some light under the helmets.

Troy standing in for some portraits

MADDEN 2010

2009-04-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

So the news is out of the bag, the cover of Madden 2010 was made public this a.m. in Time Square! Here is a link to the complete story . I will be posting behind the scenes images from my shoots with Troy and Larry soon. Stay tuned! http://maddennfl.easports.com/blog.action

The Picture Show on NPR

2009-04-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Behind Photographs is featured on NPR today, check it out! http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/

MOPLA - Behind Photographs Exhibit - Opening Eve

2009-04-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! Thanks to everyone that made it out for the MOPLA show for the opening, what an amazing night. The show will be up all of April and I hope to be doing a lecture at the show on the 21st, so stay tuned for an update. Check the MOPLA website for hours for the Pacific Design Center gallery B210.

Nick Ut at opening night

Douglas Kirland and Tim Mantoani

Tim Mantoani and Gerd Ludwig

MOPLA - Behind Photographs Exhibit

2009-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the fine folks at MOPLA (Month of Photography LA) and the Lucie Foundation, I will be showing about 30 of my 20x24 Polaroid portraits of photographers at the Pacific Design Center during April. The opening reception is on April 7th from 6-9 and is open to the public. Thanks again to all of the photographers and people to have helped support this project to date. I now have over 100 photographers recorded for this project and hope to have a book out in 2010. Hope to see you in LA.

Communication Arts - Behind Photographs Feature

2009-03-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am proud to say my Behind Photographs project is featured in the new issue of Communication Arts. It has been a little over two years that I have been working on this project. A special thanks to Anne Telford for the great article and six page spread. Pick up the March/April - 50th Anniversary Issue!

Scott Kelby Guest Blogger

2009-03-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will be the guest blogger at www.scottkelby.com. There have been some amazing and inspirational posts here in the past month, so check it out. If you haven't seen the post/film that Zach Arias posted there as the guest blogger, take the time to view it. Thanks Scott and Brad for the invite, I appreciate the opportunity.

3-D Contrast DVD wins HOT ONE Award

2009-02-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

I just received news that Professional Photographer Magazine gave a HOT ONE Award to our 3-Dimensional Contrast -Principles of Photographic Lighting DVD for one of the best educational products of the year. This program is based on Dean Collin's theory of 3-D contrast and covers a detailed overview of lighting for both stills and moving pictures. I worked with Dean for many years as both his studio manager and assistant. The information is presented by myself and director/cameraman, Bill Holshevnikoff. If you are looking to learn more about lighting for your photography, I think you will be pleased with this one.

We have a limited number for sale direct from our studio, please email Luis@mantoani.com if interested. Price is $45 plus tax and shipping. Also available at www.software-cinema.com.

You can learn more about Bill Holshevnikoff and his video lighting education at www.poweroflighting.com.

Brigitte DeMeyer

2009-02-16T17:59:00.000-08:00

Music lovers keep an ear out for the latest album from Brigitte DeMeyer. Red River Flower will be on sale starting tomorrow. I first met Brigitte on an editorial shoot in Half Moon Bay, California and teamed up with her again for the images on her new website www.brigittedemeyer.com. Take a peek and listen!

Forward Magazine

2009-02-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

While shooting an assignment for Dodge, the art director found out about my 1956 Chrysler, Windsor, Town and Country Wagon and asked if they could feature me in Forward Magazine.

So here is the spread, shot in Ocean Beach. If you are thinking about shooting in San Diego while most of the US is under snow, give me a buzz and I will provide door to door service with a smile!

Linsey Corbin - underwater photography without getting wet!

2009-02-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to shoot the latest issue of Triathlete Magazine, featuring Linsey Corbin. Linsey was the top U.S. female finisher in Kona last year and was a pleasure to photograph. The image was to appear on the cover of their wetsuit profile issue, and they requested a shot that involved water. I pitched the idea of an underwater portrait. Unfortunately the heater for the pool went out the day prior to the shoot. Linsey was freezing, but a true champ. I asked her a few times if she needed to take a break, "I'm a f***ing Ironman" she replied with a smile. Perhaps all models should do Kona once for perspective of what discomfort really is! The issue should be hitting news stands any day. To learn more about Linsey check out her website, www.linseycorbin.com.

We did the shoot at a sporting goods store that has a pool with had five large windows. Three of the windows are located in the store where patrons can watch scuba classes in action, the other two windows face the parking lot. To the right of camera, we put two large Chimera softboxes in the parking lot windows so they filled the entire windows. One Profoto Acute head and a 1200 pack powered each light. I was shooting from the windows in the store and blocked out the ambient store lights and reflections by placing a black curtain behind camera and getting the lens as close to the glass a possible. We shot with a 28-70mm zoom lens so I had some flexibility in composition as Linsey moved around. Strobes were triggered with Pocket Wizard radio slaves. The final image required a bit of clean up to retouch out a ladder from the background. No air tanks or camera housing required!

Qualcomm 3G Chipsets

2009-01-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

You are only as good as the crew you have working around you. This web video was put together by the very talented minds at Murphy Design and Ninthlink. It seems simple enough, but it took a casting agent, the selected talent, a wardrobe stylist, a make-up stylist, a sound designer, an art director, a web designer, a web programmer, an account executive, a photoghapher, two assistants and a client willing to do something outside the box to pull it off. The best projects are the ones that have not been done before.

In addition to the images of the people, we shot the stills of the phones in a variety of positions. These were later used to create the landscapes and backgrounds. Thanks to Matt and Jeromy Stallings, as well as, Mark Murphy letting me be a part of your team on this one.

Check out more of the talents at Ninthlink and Murphy Design.
www.ninthlink.com
www.murphydesign.com

Terenzo Bozzone - Triathlete Magazine Cover

2009-01-23T10:43:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to get Terenzo in the studio a few months ago for a cover shoot for Triathlete Magazine. We did a wide range of digital portraits to cover the bases. Once the art director was pleased that we "had it in the bag", I asked if we could do a shot with my 20x24 Wisner on Polaroid. We took two frames and they ended up loving it and used it as the cover. Not too much depth-of-field with this camera, even at f-32.

Here is a set shot of me shooting Terenzo and a snap of him holding the Polaroid. To learn a bit more about Terenzon check out his website, www.terenzo.com.

Nate Holland Seeks a Fourpeat

2009-01-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

Winter X is underway in Apen and Nate Holland is attempting to make it four Golds. I've had the chance to shoot Nate a few times, always fun to have in front of the lens. Go Nate Go!

Check out his win in 2008, on You Tube.

Obama, Charles Moore & Lee Elder

2009-01-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

On this historic inauguration day, I have found myself wondering what the future will hold for my family, myself and my dreams. Photography is often more than just taking pictures, it is about vision. Seeing things in your mind before you ever see them through the camera. This can also be said about life.

I took yesterday off from work, Martin Luther King Day and spent some time with my 8-year-old son, Lucas, looking through the book, Powerful Days, The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore. It was amazing to see the reaction Lucas had as he saw, for the first time, images of dogs attacking people, fireman spraying people with hoses and the KKK burning crosses in the night sky. He could not understand why the police and fireman were hurting people. He had studied about Martin Luther King in school, but I don't think was until he saw these images that he really understood what was happening in our country at that time. The images of Charles Moore continue to have the same reaction today as the day he made them and without any doubt these photographs have helped make our world a more compassionate and educated place to live. Please take a moment to look over and appreciate some of his work, http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/features/moore/aboutCharlesMoore.shtml

In December, Golf Magazine ran an image they assigned me of Lee Elder. 33 years ago, Elder was the first African-American to break the color barrier at the Masters. Although his life was threatened, in the face of hatred he teed off in 1975, leading the way for Tiger Woods who was born in December of that same year. Today Lee is pushing hard to get more African-American kids into golf and his dream would be to see Tiger Woods in his 40's, slipping a green jacket onto the shoulders of a young African-American. "That would be going to the mountaintop."

I have been blessed that through my photography I have been able to meet and photograph some of my heroes, those who could vision and dream of the world in a better way, long before it was a reality. Thanks Charles and Lee for your inspiration.

A Visit From Photobooth.net

2009-01-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

Story on Photobooth.net about my booth.

Several years ago I came across a vintage photo booth, an Auto Photo #9, circa 1946, at Architectural Salvage (GREAT SHOP on Kettner Blvd) in San Diego that was for sale. Way too cool to pass up, so I laid down the Visa and it found a new home in my studio. The booth had sat for years in storage at a warehouse across the street from the shop and it wasn't clear if it was in working order. Back at the studio, I was at a loss on how to see if I could get it running. After about a week, I called the shop and asked if there was any chance I could speak with the prior owner (it was on commission at the shop) to see if they had any paperwork or info on it. "We've been hoping you would call," they replied, "We have a box of stuff we forgot to give you". So I went down to the store and picked up, the original curtains, owner's manual and even the sign for the top. BONUS!!!!

Through Photo-Me, I was able to order new paper and chemistry and with a little help from Mr. WD-40, I fired her up & out popped the first strip.

The booth became the inspiration for a series of images I made at the Pro Bowl of a bunch of NFL players for Directv and later some of the images were reproduced in Sports Illustrated. I found a discussion online about my images on photobooth.net as to if the images were faked or shot with a real booth. I contacted Brian, øne of the founders at the site told him about making the images look "booth like", but that in fact I did own a booth.

So last month, Brian was in town and came to my studio to see the booth and take a few pics. I didn't have chemistry mixed at the time, but it was fired up last week for my 40th birthday party. Nothing like walking into the studio to find over 100 people wearing Mexican Wrestling masks! Thanks to my studio partner, Marshall Williams, his brother John, Luis Garcia (The best studio manager on Earth) and my amazing wife, Lynn, for an eve we will be talking about for years! I love you guys.

Check out photobooth.net, you are in for a treat and will even be able to locate most of the photo booths in the U.S. that are still running!

A few of the Pro Bowl booth strips

Trevor Hoffman in my photobooth

AFC/NFC Championship Weekend

2009-01-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

So it is coming down to another great year of football. Who is it going to be in the Superbowl??? Joe Flacco and The Ravens, Big Ben and The Steelers? Early Doucet and Warner in Arizona or Donovan and DeSean Jackson with Philly? I know it won't be The Bolts or the 9ers!

Better luck for San Diego next season and it looks like Merriman is on the mend. I spent last Monday shooting Shawne and will be able to discuss the details soon. He walked out on the field, looked down at me and said, "Now which one of you am I supposed to tackle?" YIKES! I quickly pointed to my assistant. More to come....

My Day With The Heisman

2008-12-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Sam Bradford for winning the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman Trophy was modeled after New York University player, Ed Smith in 1934. Frank Eliscu was the sculptor given the task and modeled a clay prototype that was ultimately produced in bronze. This year marks the 74th year for the award that was originally conceived by members of the Downtown Athletic Club.

Several years ago, I was given an amazing assignment to photograph Barry Sanders' Heisman Trophy. I flew to Kansas City to his parents home and was unsure of how I would photograph the award. Of my top memories of the day, was a senior portrait of Barry on the wall in their living room, complete with a vintage fro and tux with ruffles. Classic! (I regret that I didn't get a snap of that). His parents were very kind and showed me where they kept the trophy. It was on a small bookshelf with a few other trophies and the setting didn't make for too dramatic of an image. I asked if it was alright to move the Heisman outside for the photo and the Sanders just told me to take it to a park near the house. It was a funny feeling carry the Heisman out of their home, but it made for a much better photo for my client. I clearly remember laughing to myself, thinking how strange it was that I was driving around Kansas City with Barry Sanders' Heisman. There was no Facebook or Twitter back then, but it would have made for a very funny update, "Tim is driving around in a rental car with Barry Sanders' Heisman". I found an area nearby with a field and decided to shoot the Trophy there in the grass. Low angle, 40mm on Hasselblad.

I am always amazed and thankful for the wonderful places being a photographer has taken me and every year at Heisman time, the memory puts a smile on my face. I also had the opportunity to work with Barry and shoot a portrait of him at the Silverdome. The president of the team came down to check on us as we set up on the field for a portrait. "Do you need the lights on?" he asked. "Sure" I responded, figuring a few lights would come on. He radioed a call and within a few minutes the entire Silverdome was fully lit as if it was game time. Not sure what it cost to light an entire stadium but I'm sure it wasn't in the budget.

A tight shot from the shoot ran as a full page ad in USA Today and a wide image, with the stadium lights, later made the cover of Beckett. Did I mention that I love my job!

Easton Hockey

2008-12-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

A few month back I spent the day shooting Henrik Zetterberg, Dany Heatley, Marian Gaborik, Ryan Getzlaf, Erik Johnson and Johnathan Toews for the 2009 Easton Campaign. Working with talented art director Mario Garcia, we shot a variety of images to showcase Easton's SE16 products. The images are currently living on the Easton website http://www.eastonhockey.com/SE16/#/english/ and in their new catalog.

Oakley Ads- Europe

2008-11-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

These are some images that I shot in Barcelona for Oakley. Barcelona is one of my favorite places to travel, so it was a bonus that we got to shoot the project there. The ads included images of Supermodel, Esther Cañadas, along with snowboard guru Eero Ettala, and MotoGP riders Sete Gibernau and Nicky Hayden. We shot Nicky in California. Here are some of the images of the shoot and how they were used. Always a thrill for a photographer to see their images BIG in public venues.

Bus wrap on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, a Helsinki train station and the streets of Copenhagen.

Ads in Brussels, Paris buses and bus shelters in Amsterdam

Shooting Nicky Hayden in Orange County, California, 4x5 images on lightbox.

Sole Junkie Book

2008-11-04T13:37:00.001-08:00

I've been working on another great book project with designer Michael Long of Transit Creative and Steven Cedre, aka Sole Junkie. Steven is an incredible artist that has been hitting it big with his custom painted kicks. His clients have requested the likes of Steven Tyler, Tito Puente, Roberto Clemente, Superman or even portraits of themselves to be on these wearable works of art. Here are a few snaps from the project. The book is due out in a few weeks. If you are interested in ordering a copy, please email the studio or drop us a line at 619-543-9959. Be sure to check out Steven at http://www.solejunkiecustoms.com/ After all, Christmas is just around the corner and now you know what to get that person that "already has everything".

PHOTO PLUS, NYC - More 20x24 Polaroids!

2008-10-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

I was back in New York for the photo expo and took the 20x24 Polaroid to Javits to shoot. It was a great trip and I was able to record another 17 artists for my "Behind Photographs" project. Life Magazine legends, Henry Groskinsky and John Dominis came in along with Danny Clinch, Lauren Greenfield, Gary Knight, Lois Greenfield, John Iacono, Howard Schatz, Bob McNeely and several more. (Don't want of give it all away yet!) I could have never done it without the continued efforts of John Reuter and Jen Trausch from 20x24 Holdings LLC. Thanks for helping to bring this project to life. If you would like to shoot with this camera, you can rent one from John Reuter in New York or Tracy Storer in San Francisco. Expensive, but worth every penny. But watch out, it is addicting, you have been warned!

We had a small room to shoot in, about 12x12. Let's just say it was cozy by the time we got the camera, lights and background in place and if you miss the toxic smell of Polaroid, I got enough for myself and every other photographer in the country over the three days.

You can check out a video of the shoot at http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2008/10/spotlight-tim-mantoanis-polaroid.html Special thanks to John Harrington for coming in and documenting a bit of the shoot.

And congratulations to Johnny Iacono (pictured here) for this Lucie Award this year for Achievement In Sports. Thanks for helping to pave the way for the rest of us! I know V.J. Lovero is looking down on you with a big smile John.

Another Hard Sunday for The 49ers!

2008-10-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

Got to watch a bit of football this weekend and even catch a little of the 49er game. Hard to believe the Giants kept Frank Gore to 11 yards on 11 touches. Yikes! I got smoked in my fantasy football league by the last place team who managed to shut me down 100 to 113 thanks to some amazing plays put up by Steven Jackson and LenDale White. I think I am now in the basement and like the 49ers hope for better next Sunday.

Life Rolls On

2008-10-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

I made the mecca to Hollywood's Kodak Theater on Sunday for a gala charity event to help raise funds for the Life Rolls On Foundation. If you are unaware of Jesse Billauer's story, visist the foundations website at www.liferollson.org for some inspiration and a reality check. The foundation is raising funds for spinal cord research and to better those disadvantaged by unfortunate accidents. It was great to see not only a few Hollywood stars like Jenna Fischer (The Office), Dominic Purcell (Prison Break) and Nikki Hilton show up to give support, but the highlight for the crowd was the opportunity to visit with 9 - time world champion Kelly Slater, along with Rob Machado and Brandon Boyd of Incubus. A special thanks to Josh and Jessie Billauer for letting me be a part of the Life Rolls On family.

If you are an Incubus fan, check out Bradon Boyd's latest art book, From The Murks of the Sultry Abyss. I worked on this project with the very talented Mark Murphy to record Brandon's artwork for the book.

Inside Analog Photo

2008-10-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to a radio interview with Scott Sheppard on Inside Analog Photo. Scott interviewed me for Rangefinder Magazine's radio show last month and was kind enough to invite me for another show about my "Behind Photographs" project where I am shooting portraits of photographers on 20x24 Polaroid. I will be back in New York shooting again during Photo Plus and will be back with an update. Thanks for reading.

http://www.insideanalogphoto.com/

Remembering Paul Newman

2008-09-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to work with Paul several times over the past few years, covering his team at Champ Car races, The Indy 500 and following him through Baja when he raced the 1000 back in 2004. He was generous and passionate. Whether it was watching one of his drivers take the track or himself behind the wheel, he was a competitor at heart and he liked to win. I think it is safe to say, as far as an amazing life, he has taken the checkered flag.

More 20x24 Tales from NYC

2008-09-11T09:58:00.000-07:00

On my last trip to New York I was able to get in another day at the 20x24 Polaroid studio. I have added these images to the Behind Photographs, folio II, on my site www.mantoani.com. These include the amazing work of Harry Benson, Jim Salzano, Chester Higgins Jr, Art Brewer and David Doubilet. Please stop by and check them out. I have now documented 87 photographers for this project and will be in New York again for Photo Plus to shoot more. Again, my sincere thanks to all that photographers that have been so willing to share their time and images with me.

One of the highlights of the shoot was hearing Harry Benson tell his story about The Beatles "Pillow Fight" image, taken in Paris in 1964. Harry was set to go to Africa while working for a newpaper when he got the call. He didn't want to go shoot "a band", he wanted to go to Africa. The Beatles were just starting to get some press and he was told, "You ARE going to Paris".

One night the George V, one of the guys mentioned a pillow fight they had in the hotel room as few night prior. However, there was another photographer in the room, so Harry didn't say a thing. However, I couple of nights later, they were at the hotel late and their manager, Brian Epstein came in with a message to say they were #1 in American and that The Ed Sullivan Show wanted them to come to the US. That is when Harry asked about doing the pillow fight. Lennon said it was a very stupid idea and that was the end of the conversion, until he snuck away and moments later banged Paul in the back of the head with a pillow..... "And that is how it all began".

This evening lead to Harry coming to the US with The Beatles and yet another of his famous shots of them getting off the plane, but that is another story!

NFL ROOKIES 2008

2008-08-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Another season of football is just around the corner. Here are some pics from this years NFL Rookie Premier I snapped some of the images using an old Polaroid. Look for our photos on 2008 Upper Deck products. For more athlete images please visit our website at www.mantoani.com.

Brian Brohm
Chad Henne
DeSean Jackson
Jake Long
Eddie Royal
Kevin O'Connell
Matt Forte
Matt Ryan
Darren McFadden

Bryan Clay, "world's greatest athlete"

2008-08-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Bryan Clay for bringing the gold home to the USA. Bryan won the decathlon, the first American since 1996. It is believed that when King Gustav V of Sweden presented awards at the 1912 Olympic Games of Stockholm, he proclaimed to the decathlon winner at the time, an American Indian named Jim Thorpe, as the world's top athlete. "You sir, are the world's greatest athlete." Since that time, the winner has earned the title, "world's greatest athlete". 10 events over two days.......I have to agree!
This shot of Bryan was taken in our San Diego studio. For more athlete portraits, visit www.mantoani.com.

7 For All Mankind Opens Flagship SoHo Boutique and Gallery with Mantoani Exhibit

2008-08-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

New York, New York - Last week marked the grand opening of the flagship boutique and gallery for 7 For All Mankind. My 'Behind Photographs' project was selected to be the first exhibit at this location. The opening for their first NYC location was kicked off with a VIP cocktail Soiree hosted by Vogue and Grey Goose. NYC nightlife aficionado DJ Paul Sevigny was at the turntable for the packed house. The work will be up for the next 30 days at 394 West Broadway. Special thanks to the amazing crew at 7FAM and Vogue for putting on such a great event, Chrome Photo Lab in San Diego and ZBE Chromira for the amazing prints.

Check out the pics and scoop at:
www.papermag.com/blogs/2008/08/about_last_night_seven_for_all.php
www.nymag.com/nightlife/partylines/2008/08/15/

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

2008-08-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

WOW! The opening ceremonies in Beijing were amazing. Here is a portrait that we were hired to shoot for the USA Olympic Softball Team. We have had the fortunate opportunity to work with these amazing ladies a several times over the years. Let's see them bring home the gold again.

Raider Nation: Keep An Eye Out!

2008-07-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

We were hired by the very talented folks at Swirl in San Francisco to work on the current advertising campaign for the Oakland Raiders. The campaign revolves around real season ticket holders with the tag line, "THERE'S A LITTLE RAIDER IN ALL OF US." We shot a wide range of fans including kids, a minister, a fireman, a Stanford doctor, a flight attendant and a teacher, just to name a few. I've heard that the billboards are up in Northern California. Here is a sample of one billboard and the ticket folder with my image of Jamarcus Russell.

Team CSC: Tour de France

2008-07-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

I am sending my best wishes to the Team CSC Saxo Bank riders for this years tour. I had a great shoot with a few of the team members, Fabian Cancella, Stuart O'Grady, Andy and Frank Schleck, Carlos Sastre, Jens Voigt and Bjarne Riis for Speedplay. Here are a few of the ads that are out there running in the cycling pubs. Hope to get the chance to photograph them again soon in yellow!

Amanda Beard: Triathlete Swimsuit Issue 2008

2008-07-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Triathlete Magazine Swimsuit Issue has hit the newstand. This year we were in Kona with Olympic Gold Medalist, Amanda Beard, along with Koya Webb, Karena Dawn, Lewis Elliot and Dave Low. Kona proved be be an amazing location. We were hosted by the Sheraton Keauhou.

Behind Photographs : Overview

2008-04-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

Douglas Kirkland

The past few years in history have marked an amazing change in the world of photography. We have seen the passing of such industry icons as Richard Avedon and Arnold Newman. Photographers that not only documented a generation, but helped define it.

Bill Eppridge

These image makers worked in large and medium formats, in darkrooms and with silver based film. They were true photographic craftsmen, artists and visionaries. With the introduction of digital capture, the web and advancements in computer hardware and software, the craft has changed and photographers around the globe, have a new world of image making at their fingertips. This change marks the end of one era and the beginning of a new, as corporations, like Kodak and Polaroid, fight to survive with the times.

Al Wertheimer

Behind Photographs began as the personal quest of photographer Tim Mantoani to document the living legends of photography. "We have come to a point in history where we are losing both photographic recording mediums and iconic photographers," Mantoani comments. "While many people are familiar with iconic photographs, the general public has no idea of who created them. Behind Photographs became a means to do that, the photographer and their photograph in one image."

Barbara Bordnick

Using a soon to be extinct photographic medium, 20x24 Polaroid, Mantoani is using the handful of these giant view cameras that exist to document his project. Each instant photograph is 20x24 images in size and cost $75 per exposure. Mantoani explains, " I chose the format for two reasons. First, in just a couple of years, Polaroid film will no longer exist. It seems appropriate to celebrate a process that we will soon no longer be able to enjoy.

Arthur Elgort

Second, to me, this is THE ultimate view camera. If you are going to call the greatest living photographers and ask to make a photo of them and you are shooting 35mm digital, they may not take your call. But if you say you are shooting 20x24 Polaroid, they know you are serious about it."

Amy Arbus

Tim Mantoani's desire to record photographer's came shortly after the death of his photographic mentor and good friend, Dean Collins. Dean was an icon in the world of photographic education and passed away at the age of 53 due to complications from cancer. "Dean and I shared an amazing bond, especially the past few years of his life. I had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when I was 30, just a short time before Dean was diagnosed," Mantoani comments. "It came out of the blue for both of us and made me realize how precious each moment we have is. Dean was such a visionary and made me understand the power of 'now'."

Carl Fischer

In December of 2006, Tim Mantoani began his project in San Francisco by photographing photographers Jim Marshall and Michael Zagaris. Over the past 14 months, he has documented 55 photographers working in California and New York and has even purchased a 20x24 Wisner camera with a Polaroid system so he can travel to photographers. He plans on shooting into early 2009 when film for his project will no longer be available.

Charles Moore

Deanne Fitzmaurice

Jean Pagliuso

Elliott Landy

Fabrizio Ferri

Jay Maisel

Portfolio One : Baseball : Game Day

2008-03-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

April is soon to be upon us and the American and National Leagues will begin their 2008 Opening Day ceremonies coast to coast, Canada and Japan. I am looking forward to taking in some games, there is nothing like a sunny day at the ballpark.

I have been fortunate, to have captured Cy Young Winners, Batting Champions, Perfect Game Winners and Coaches over the years working such icons as Mark McGwire, Tony Gwynn, Roger Clemens, Dusty Baker, and dozens of others.

I will be adding more baseball images to my new website, check back soon and remember to swing for the fence.

Portfolio Two : NBA Basketball Playoffs

2008-03-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

The 2008 NBA Basketball Playoffs will be upon us in the next few weeks. We will find out if the West is superior or if the East has a chance or if it is all hype after all. There will be a tight race for the MVP featuring Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady.

And let’s not forget this years rookie camp for the Rookie of the Year Award. Tim Mantoani photographed many of these future super stars, and was on location making it happen, last summer, celebrating all the up and comers: LaMarcus Aldridge, (Portland Trailblazers); Adam Morrison, (Charlotte Bobcats); Shelden Williams, (Atlanta Hawks); Brandon Roy, (Portland Trailblazers); and many others.

So who is it going to be? The Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs or the Cleveland Cavaliers? We shall see. More soon.

Portfolio Three : Personalities

2008-03-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tim Mantoani loves photographing people. Whether Tim is on a commercial assignment or photographing special moments impromptu, he understands the essence of time. So much so, that in many cases, there is only a brief moment available to capture the moment Tim is looking for. Tim is interested in his subjects and celebrates "their" essence by capturing their persona through the camera.

Tim has worked with ESPN Magazine to Sports Illustrated, Qualcomm to Coca-Cola, and on assignment for magazines and ad campaigns worldwide. Personality portraits is an art form and a special part of the photographic process. Thankfully, and for all of us, Tim enjoys this process passionately.

Tim Mantoani by Anne Telford

2008-03-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

Tim Mantoani photographs an America you almost think you remember. He makes honest, simple pictures of everyday Americans. His is not so much an Avedon vision of America as a Cartier-Bresson one where through the small moments we all experience we are made to feel part of the larger community of man. Athletes celebrate their prowess and people react with their environment in uncontrived settings.

It’s apparent upon first entering Mantoani’s photo studio that he appreciates cultural artifacts. A rusted-out refrigerator holds stereo equipment and an old photo booth and soda machine lend a small-town 1950s air to the efficient and eclectic space near San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, conveniently located next to a camera store. If the vintage touches don’t instantly ground you, go into the kitchen, pick out your favorite candy from a variety of jars, and sit at the picnic table that serves as a conference table.

It’s also clear that Mantoani feels an emotional connection with the athletes he has photographed since the age of 21. He took his first photographs on a school field trip. He started out at U.C. Santa Cruz but transferred to Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, his sophomore year, when he realized he really wanted to be a photographer.

As a child he had an Instamatic 110 with a flip flash and relished the opportunity at holidays to use his grandmother’s Polaroid SX-70. “The first time I looked through a 35 SLR camera I was a freshman in high school,” Mantoani relates. On a summer school trip to Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania he remembers standing on the steps above the Liberty Bell when one of the chaperones handed him his camera and asked him to take a picture. He can relate in excruciating detail what type of camera and lens it was, and the feeling he got when he framed his subject through the telephoto lens. That was Mantoani’s decisive moment. His neighbor in the San Francisco Bay Area town of San Carlos owned the local camera store and encouraged his father to buy Tim a second-hand camera. He still has that camera, and many more.

Mantoani comes from a family of collectors. His mom has collected Kewpie dolls since childhood and his dad, a hunter, collects duck decoys. Tim collects photographs—moments—which he captures with a variety of equipment. He muses about the sentimental value of cameras that one finds in thrift stores. “I think it’d be great if every time a photographer sells their camera, there’s a little journal that goes with it. I think of my Hasselblad... If this just showed up anonymously at the swap meet they would have no idea where this camera had been. What has this camera seen? What images has it recorded?” he wonders, ticking off the names of famous athletes he has captured over the years on his own equipment.

Photographer Dean Collins was his mentor. “He was the photographic educator,” Mantoani explains. Collins had an internship program, and Tim came to San Diego for seven weeks to work with him. He’d come down whenever he had a break, sweeping the studio and hanging out. Collins offered him a job as studio manager fresh out of school. Three years later Tim moved to associate photographer and after Collins retired, he and colleague Marshall Williams set up shop at their present location.

“The portraits that I’ve done have some staying power as far as a historical body of work that will live beyond me,” Mantoani says. “With the athletes I can say ‘I documented this group of people that were at the top of their sport in this period in history’ and that will have historical relevance versus shooting widgets in the studio for catalogs.”

Mantoani’s latest project documents both a disappearing medium—Polaroids—and photography’s old guard, the guys who apprenticed with the greats and refined their techniques in the darkroom. At home with a view camera Mantoani is using a Polaroid 20 x 24-inch camera to make portraits of noted photographers. The angle he has hit upon, photographing the photographers holding a print of one of their iconic photographs, is powerful and simple, much like his work. His honest, simple pictures scratch the surface to reveal the personality of his subject: their character, their passion. In the process he is honoring both the vanishing photographic medium that pioneered “instant” photography, and the venerable lens men who have collectively captured decades of culture and celebrity with their own cameras. Legendary rock photographers Jim Marshall, Michael Zagaris and Dan Kramer have posed for Mantoani, along with Walter Iooss, Neil Liefer, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Pete Turner, Eric Meola and Roberto Salas.

It’s not surprising that he gets to the heart of things. Nearly seven years ago, he developed a rare form of cancer. His son Lucas was born ten days after Tim’s surgery. No wonder that when asked what he likes to do in his spare time, he replies “Be a dad.”

“If you want to get all your stress out of the way at once, you buy a house, find out you have a tumor in your leg, close escrow on your house 3 days later, do 30 days of radiation, have your leg sawed in half, have a baby 10 days later and then do 6 months of chemotherapy,” Mantoani explains.

His mentor Collins’s death at 51, and his own brush with mortality, have informed his work in many ways. A surgeon telling him “get your affairs in order, you’re not going make it through this,” made him realize there was a limited time to make the Polaroid portrait project happen. He is creating a body of work that will be more relevant as time passes and the materials disappear.

“As a photographer, we document other artists and cultures and parts of society. But there are only a handful of people I can think of who have documented photographers,” he muses. “I don’t think anybody has done it in this format and it’s coming at a time when all of the film has been made, there are factories being torn down and I don’t know how long it’s going to be—maybe two years from now? There’s a good possibility that you’ll never be able to shoot in that medium again.

“Maybe this kind of a project hasn’t been done, because it’s very intimidating to contact these people, ask, and then they walk in the room and you think ‘OK, I’m going to take a picture of you and you are one of the best photographers around!’”

In an age where it’s hard to tell what is real and what is digitally altered, it’s refreshing to find a photographer who likes to keep it honest and simple. The result is powerful portraits and unvarnished craft. Mantoani speaks of the purity of the single frame in black-and-white photography. You can see in his eyes that that ideal sparks his creative drive; the dichotomy between shooting nearly limitless frames with a digital camera, with composing $75 pieces of film, offers a desirable challenge.

As for his latest project, “I think I’ll be done when I can’t think of anybody else to shoot who’ll come in, or I can’t shoot anymore because there’s no film left,” Mantoani says.

Brandon Boyd, Hanna-Barbera and Mark Murphy

2007-12-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

I have been working with the amazingly talented Mark Murphy, www.murphydesign.com, on a few books. Mark is a kid who actively archives living artists, as well as designs incredible art and coffee table books. It is interesting how he assembles collections and how he needs the support of photography to assist in the story telling.

First is "From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss," featuring a collection journals, paintings, photographs and drawings by Brandon Boyd. If you are an Incubus fan, this is a must see. Working along with Mark, creatively photographed Brandon's art work in the studio. Mark and I manipulated the painting featured on the cover of Brandon's new book to enhance the contrast so that specialty printing techniques and typography could be easily identified. The book turned out great and Incubus fans will not want to miss.

The second book is The Hanna-Barbera Treasury, published by Insight Editions, an imprint of the Palace Publishing Group. Mark and I worked together photographing a private collection of Hanna-Barbera collectibles. It was a trip, as we were somewhere, in a warehouse, filled with Batmobiles, Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers, and piles and piles of Hanna-Barbera artifacts. Mark worked on this project for over 7 months, and we were given one day to photograph over 120 artifacts. The book was presented like a scrapbook and there were over 20 collectible artifacts featured within the book. It is a great assembly of unique cartoon favorites including: the Flinstones, Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry, Spaceghost, Atom Ant, Huckleberry Hound and hundreds of others.

Behind Photographs in New York

2007-11-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

I was back in New York working on my personal project, “Behind Photographs.” I have been photographing well known photographers holding one of their favorite or most famous images on a 20" x 24" Polaroid. On my most recent trip back to New York, I had the amazing opportunity to photograph Bill Epperidge, Eric Meola, Pete Turner, Carl Fisher, Walter Iooss, Daniel Kramer and Neil Leifer.

My goal is to publish a book and have an exhibit of this work and find this work extremely important, as it celebrates the "living legends" of photography. It is fascinating to me to hear the personal stories behind each of the photographer's photos. It is really an honor to celebrate their accomplishments and create portraits that extend beyond my portfolio of work.

I will be shooting again later in the year in both New York and California and have recently purchased a 20x24 Wisner with a Polaroid system that will enable me to travel and capture more photographers on location.

There is a very limited window of time while Polaroid will continue to have film for this camera, so if you have a special project you are an art director or photo editor and have always wanted to shoot in this format, give me a ring. It is truly a magical medium.

NFL Rookie Photo Shoot : Los Angeles

2007-08-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

I spent the day shooting at The NFL Rookie Premiere. The day is set up so trading card companies can build a library of images for card sets prior to the next NFL season. I was one of 6 photographers shooting, each photographer has a completely different set-up so the client ends up with a variety of looks. Chris Covatta had the set next to me that included a snow machine for a winter scene. His snow kept drifting onto my set, nothing like a little winter in Southern California.

Over the course of the day we photographed 30+ rookies. The day is challenging since you have limited time with each player and need to get a variety of looks. I worked with three simple lighting set-ups and a variety of colored backgrounds that we had painted for a shoot at the NFL Pro Bowl a few years back. Since the players are running from set to set, they get a bit tired of the whole thing by the end of the day. I would show them several images so they would get a feel for the shots and see that they were looking good. Once they got a feel for what I was after, they seemed to get into a bit more and be more animated.

Tony Gwynn : Sports Illustrated Cover

2007-07-01T17:00:00.001-07:00

I came back from a shoot in central California photographing wineries, to find a package from Sports Illustrated. I was fired up to see my photograph of Tony Gwynn on the cover for their special S.I. Presents, Hall of Fame issue. This image of Tony is from Spring Training in Arizona in 1997 and was shot with a 4x5 view camera. There is also one of my images of Tony with his silver bats on the inside. We did the “bats” photo in my studio for No Fear years ago. At the time, Tony had 6 batting titles.

Tony Gwynn could only hold 3 bats in his hands and had to add the rest in Photoshop. We added them each time he won a new title.The reflection of the baseball in the tops of the silver bats was created in camera. I photographed a baseball in the studio and made a large, 3x3 foot, backlit print. This print was placed over a large light source in the studio and reflected into the bats. The ends of the bats are cropped out in this issue of S.I., but here is the uncropped version which appears in the Sports Illustrated Baseball Book.

By the way if you like Vino, check out Peachy Canyon, Linne Calodo, Firestone, Sterling and Via Creek. I had the chance to photograph these wine makers in Paso Robles and they are making some tasty stuff.

Triathlete Magazine : Swimsuit Issue

2007-06-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the June, Swimsuit Issue of Triathlete Magazine. We shot the cover and a 39-page feature on the South Coast of Jamaica. Our models included actress Maxine Bahns and the latest Bachelor, Andy Baldwin. I had the pleasure of working with Max and Andy a few years back on the same shoot in Moorea, they are both great people to work with and amazing on camera.

Tara Kulikov, Hannah Cornett and Kristin Zimmerman were our other models that did an amazing job. It is always great working with the actual triathletes because they’re used to training long hours--getting them up for sunrise is never an issue. The shoot took place over three days, and as you might imagine, there was plenty of photographs being taken.

If you are heading to Jamaica, I highly recommend staying a Jake’s. It is a two-hour ride from Montego Bay and offers a unique and eclectic accommodations. YS fall is a must see, the location for this year’s cover shoot. If you missed the last year’s issue, here is a copy featuring Grace McClure from Australia, shot in Puket, Thailand. Enjoy.