Posts tagged ‘Blair Bunting’

May 7

In Absence

This one is less of a photo post and more of an update on where things are with life in general.

I have been very lucky to work as much as I have over the past half year, all while making sure not to take any of the jobs for granted. One thing this industry will teach you is that you never know when your next shoot will be, and if I may add an extension to that idea, it is to always be grateful and humble to have work. The downside to shooting so much is the possibility of burning out, and by burning out I mean not giving everything on set, after all your client deserves more. Recently I took some time away with my wife to Hawaii to not think about work, but rather try and remember who I am when I am not the photographer.

In a sense I needed to return to the ground. My wife, my friends, my family and my photography all deserved a better Blair. A Blair that could care less about press releases, PR and contract negotiations, and was mentally in the room for once instead of thinking about numbers and productions during dinner conversations. I decided that I would not take a computer, and keep my phone turned off. It was a slight nightmare the first day, but I soon found what I was missing from times before photography was my job.

I knew coming home that I had three productions left until my next break, however nothing prepared me for life. The day we landed a family meeting was called, and I learned that one of my family members had been diagnosed with cancer.

Now I have worked on sets the day after my dog died, on days I had the flu, and on days that had seen no sleep the previous night, but nothing has ever hit me like this. The title of the post sums up my involvement with anything surrounding social contact lately. I have stayed away from Twitter, Facebook and this blog, as I have chosen that this matter would remain private. I felt that it was cheating all of you that I try so hard to be completely open with, but family must always come first.

The three campaigns that we shot in the past few weeks all turned out to be incredible as they served as a place for my mind to live, away from the reality. In time I will release the images and I promise they will impress.

I just want to thank the many that have lent an ear to listen and shoulder to cry on and words of support. I am taking the next couple months off to be with my family, but I promise you all that I will return stronger and more grateful than ever for this life.

In the meantime please allow me to end with a saying that a very close friend offered me, though it is vulgar, it has kept my resolve and made me laugh….

FUCK CANCER

Apr 9

Give Me Strength

To say that I have been absent from this blog lately is a slight understatement, in all reality I have been absent from life in general. I have been sitting on planes listening to podcasts more than I have been sitting at bars listening to friends. All for one giant campaign, Muscle Milk.

When the Give Me Strength campaign started, back in December, it was initially thought that it would cover a few days with a few athletes, and maybe a couple additional shots would come along later in the year. That was until we produced the first campaign of four images; a runner, a girl doing yoga, a lacrosse player and a basketball player. To say that the images went over well is an understatement and the call from Mekanism (Muscle Milk’s agency) came in to shoot four more, then another four, then three in NY, another in SF and a final in Aspen. All the while I was trying to keep up with campaigns that had been booked before we ever thought that there would be more shots.

In the end, this campaign cost me a substantial amount of my sanity, however it served to strengthen my appreciation for the people on set and in the office that have made it all possible. From producers to assistants to the DJ we hired to keep things light (yes, we seriously hired a DJ for the shoots and it was awesome), every person was incredible and shares responsibility for this campaign’s success.

With the extensiveness of this body of work, I have decided to release a series of blogs so that you the reader can take in what is was like to be on set. Also, with the amount of pro athletes that we were able to photograph, I figured some shots may warrant more time than others. In the end, once the final photos have been shown, we have also made a behind the scenes video so that you can see the shoot, the shenanigans and have a laugh at my dancing ability. With that said, let’s show some photos…

photographed by Blair Bunting

The idea behind these shots was to show the truest for of athleticism. When arenas are removed and fans don’t exist, the essence of sport is the athlete. Minimalism at it’s finest, we decided action on black would be the key to the series. For consistency we would need a lighting schemata that would be able to be used throughout the campaign. This may sound easy, however trying to find a ratio that holds a strong look over multiple sports like lacrosse, baseball, yoga and cycling is not an easy task at all. Originally I had five different lighting setups that I wanted to use, and then we reduced it to two, however choosing one setup to use for a campaign is like choosing between a Ferrari or Lamborghini… both are good, but you can only drive one.

photographed by Blair Bunting

With quality of light being key and speed needed to capture the action, we decided that we would shoot with four Profoto 8a’s power packs. I hopped around between 16 and 22 on the aperture as sharpness would sell the complexity of the shots.

photographed by Blair Bunting

Now I know that a lot of photographers are touchy about showing their RAW files to the public, but I want this blog to teach, so here it is:

mm-basketball-raw

The spray was originally for texture, but over the progression of the campaign it was decided that smoke would be better, and it the transition was made. It was felt that if we could get a strong shot out of camera, then the authenticity of the image and sport would convey better. All to often the “hyper real” style seeps into sports campaigns and we get this very action driven image that consists of 40 photos composited together and called a photograph when it should be called a collage. The sheer number of pieces in this campaign would have meant years and millions spent on the retouching alone, so the realism and action would be done the old fashion way, lighting and timing.

As I said early, we had a crew of people from Muscle Milk, Mekanism and my end that made this one possible, I wish I could write the list down, but I fear way too much chance of forgetting people. So instead, please enjoy some behind the scenes pics (shot by my assistant Dan) of us all making these four shots possible and stay tuned to the blog as we will be releasing the first series of pro athletes in the coming weeks.

Mar 20

The Best Photographer Alive

Hey guys, sorry about the lack of behind the scenes and photos lately. To be honest, things have never been busier, but that has come at the cost of keeping up this blog the way that you deserve it. I thought of bringing on a team to keep up my social media and blog, but at the end of the day I feel that is almost disingenuous to those of you who actually read my blog to hear my thoughts. Originally I started this blog because I thought it would be fun to write, never was there a thought that so many would enjoy reading it. I can remember the first conversation where someone said, “you know, you should use your blog to get more jobs.” I cringed. Why should everything in life be used to make money, and why is the default measurement for anything a photographer does how much he made from it? I have seen photographers brag about, “shooting the covers of magazines” only for the image to be among a mere tile in a collage. The ideas of doing work one is proud of and shameless self promotion got trashed, and this is the bastard child they produced.

A common email I get usually goes along the lines of, “Hi Blair, I am a beginning photographer and am wondering how I can get into ad agencies to shoot ad work?” While the question is valid, the approach is one that feels as though it is the pulse of the industry in it’s current state. I encourage those that have written and those that read this to not search for how to get into agencies, but rather look for where your passion is in photography. Ask yourself what you style is, what is unique to your eye and what you really love about this hobby. The truth of the matter is, many will not get to the upper echelon of photography, some by lack of drive, and others by unwillingness to give up that much of their lives. Even if success at the ad level is achieved for those that want to make money, I promise there is a crushing blow awaiting, for if you don’t have a love for photography first, it is easy to get lost when the work goes away.

Think of it as a friend that you met at a business networking event. Perhaps the relationship is fun and you may exchange texts, but no real trust is formed as it is all topical conversations thinly veiling your want to work together. Is this really a relationship at all? When shit hits the fan, are you going to call this person and tell him you had a bad day, your girlfriend left you or that you have insecurity in you job? No. This is just a “relationship” and there is no ground to stand on in real need. The same can be said about photography.

There will be more recessions, and we all will see times of no work. However, those who based this career on a passion for creating will always have photography, and those that based this career on the want to look cool and make money will be lost. I have often contemplated who the best photographer alive is….. Is he or she a person that is always booked, a jet setter that sees first class more than they should, living a lifestyle of interviews and sponsorships?…… no

I believe the best photographer alive today is most likely a math teacher that cares more about ensuring his kids learn geometry than his possible lucrative career. He loves photography and probably just shoots to decorate his house. He might have a broad knowledge of gear, but would never brag about what camera he is shooting. Most likely he will live a life of humble means and may one day be appreciated for his work after he has passed and his children show his art to a collector. He is a man that I envy, for he will never know how to justify a quarter million dollar campaign, but more importantly, he will never care.

Be proud to be a photographer, but never try to be the “best” photographer. Care little about how much you can impress others with your work, but be passionate about it. After all, photography without passion is accounting.

Mar 8

Bb at WPPI… kinda

So I had originally planned to sit out WPPI this year, as my shooting schedule has given me very little time to spend with my wife and dogs. However, there are some sponsors that I need to meet with and a contract that needed to be signed, so…. I’m going

I am only going to be in Vegas briefly, as in hours, but wanted to give y’all a heads up. I will be around the Nikon, LowePro, LiveBooks and Photoflex booths, so if you see me, please feel free to say “hi”. I am always down to chat photo with anyone, so don’t think I am unapproachable.

It’s Friday, so go get a drink… safely

Mar 5

1 Comment

Omega Speedmaster: A Giant Leap for Mankind

I have been fortunate to own many great watches, to celebrate accomplishments, anniversaries, memories. Significance may vary, but obsession is the common link that binds this passion together.

However, the watch that today’s blog is about was purchased not for my need to commemorate milestones of my own, but to remember the greatness of others. The watch I am talking about is iconic in simplicity, reliability, and a staple in every watch collection. I am talking about none other than the Omega Speedmaster, the first watch ever worn on the moon.

At first glance the Speedmaster is a nonevent in comparison to the exposed gears and super complicated movements that dominate the modern watch market. However, this watch isn’t one that is purchased to be flashy, as usually only other watch guys will recognize it. The Speedmaster is a purchase in heritage, history and respect. For many guys in their thirties, this is the watch that their fathers wore and will most likely become a family heirloom. It is a timepiece that floated into immortality when Buzz Aldrin stepped out of Apollo 11 and on to the Sea of Tranquility. Now yes, Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, however he had left his Speedmaster in the lunar module.

To me, the Speedmaster represents a bridge of accomplishment, the veritable milestone of mankind’s achievements. The mechanism of measuring the linear denotation of that which we know as “time” and its transcendence into the previously unmeasured heavens. Man created the concept of the second, then created the instrument to measure this concept, and then used it to travel to the moon… beautiful.

omega-speedmaster

There are many horological approaches to picking a model of Speedmaster that brings connotative sentimental to the owner. Some say that finding a pre 1969 (pre moon) model is best, while others saying the 1969 represents the accomplishment. For me, I chose a combination of retro and modern (like I did with my Tag Heuer Monaco) and went with the model dubbed the “sapphire sandwich” or 3573.50.00 for the uber watch geeks out there. After searching for many months, I found one and received it at my doorstep the morning of my 30th birthday party. It was August 25th, 2012.

I set it, put it on, and remember standing outside looking at it and then looking up, at first it was to remember where this watch had been, but sadly it found new sentiment soon after. That afternoon word came through that Neil Armstrong had passed away. I soon realized that fate had not delivered the watch to my doorstep that day to remind me of my success, but to let me celebrate, along with many others in the world that day, the success and the life of a man that embodied greatness and humility, Neil Armstrong.

Feb 12

2 Comments

The softer side of Pawn Stars

For reasons unknown, I receive many calls to photograph pseudo reality TV shows more than almost anything other than athletic campaigns. Like sports, I try not to watch the shows I photograph. It is not out of disrespect for what the celebs and athletes are doing, but rather I want to remain distant from the connotations put upon them from commentators or editors. As much as we’d all like to believe that everything about a reality TV show is real, it is often far from it. The shows must be interesting and engaging, and standing around a pawn shop in real life is often contradicting to both of these.

However, when I got the call to fly out to Vegas and photograph the Richard Harrison from Pawn Stars, I was going into a situation that was somewhat unfamiliar as I watched the show pretty commonly. It was one of those shows that I could get work done around the house while i had it on in the background and never really miss much. I have always been a history and museum type of person, and on the show it was like walking through the exhibits that never were. This also meant that going into the photoshoot I knew the characters, and in effect knew I was going to photograph a crotchety old man….. or so it would seem.

Pawn Stars

Upon arriving at the shop I found myself to be a bit taken back by how common it was. Other than the back of the shop where Pawn Stars merchandise is sold, it is a pawn shop, nothing more. Being a watch collector, I was hoping that the fame that national exposure brought them would bring along with it some nice timepieces, of which I thought I might pick one up for memento’s sake. However, it was a sea of ordinary horology, almost telling the stories of lives gambled away in the casinos down the street. There were family heirloom Rolexes that had seen many anniversaries and grandchildren, yet were pawned for a mere pittance in a final effort to earn back assets lost. The quick walk of the shop left me feeling nostalgically sad for what culminations led to the merchandise.

After a few minutes the producer came and told me that the old man would like to see me, and that we could start getting ready for the shoot. In all honesty, I was apprehensive of what the next couple hours of my life would bring. Opting to not go right into shooting, I chose to sit down with the Old Man, and talk to him, get to know the non-celebritised person with hopes to develop a report that would show in my images. As is many times the case with talking to a celebrity, I learned more about who I was in the efforts I took to learn who he is. Beneath all the gripes on the show and the almost iron fist that he rules the shop with, he is a very soft, kind person. I had just lost my grandfather a couple months before the shoot, yet sitting in a small room talking about cars, family, life, it was as though I were being allowed to have a conversation with him again. It was also very familiar to me from the days that I shot The Deadliest Catch, because the compassion for family mirrored that of Captain Phil’s love for his sons.

I then started to realize that people like the Old Man and Captain Phil existed on a level of character that prevailed regardless of cameras of fame. While so many have given their lives over to the proverbial “15 minutes”, these men were of a generation of bona fides, where legacy meant more than worth. Irony thrives in the idea that the shows we watch now seem to have diluted a real creed by exploiting a false reality.

Feb 7

Plague Inc.

With the demands of this job calling on one to travel as much as I do, having an app that can make sitting on a plane enjoyable is priceless. As much as I want to say that I am working on every flight and that I can be productive while sitting next to some lady that doesn’t fly much and feels the need to tell me how to make a good cobbler, I can’t.

Often I take the opportunity to attempt to zone out of life completely. Be it through podcasts, catching up on shows or playing games. Today’s blog is about the latter, a game called Plague Inc. on iOS and Android. It is mindless and monotonous, and centers around eradicating humanity by creating a plague. Twisted, yes, but while I sitting on a flight full of super flu carrying kids that stick random toys in there mouth and then put said toy on the tray in an effort to spread whatever sore throat or fever they have, it is nice to see what their efforts are contributing to.

While I’m on the subject of the kids on a plane (much scarier than Snakes on a Plane, and not as funny), when can we have adults only plane flights? I’m not talking skeevy flights with the stewardesses dressing like nurses or school girls, but flights where people wash their hands and don’t cry on take off, landing and all the time in-between. As much as I would love to have chairs with massage functions built into them, I would equally like to not have the five year old behind me take out his angst against mommy by kicking the back of my seat.

On Bb Air, we would still be paying $10 for the alcohol, however the bottles would be bigger than the thimbles that they currently serve them in. Also, pets would not fly below the plane… I will be booking out the row so that I can sit next to my German Shepards, who actually have better hygiene than the kid that caused me to write this. Oh, and did you know that you can actually fly on a plane with a freakin pony? Seriously, go check it out, I’ll wait. Imagine how many “bad turbulence” stories you can trump with, “the person next to me had a horse.”

Oh, and go get the game.

Feb 1

1 Comment

Ferrari F138

Contradictory to the lifestyle that goes along with being a commercial celebrity photographer, I am actually quite shy. At this past Imaging USA, I was fortunate to receive invites to a lot of the parties and cocktail hours, however attended none. It is not out of a holier than thou stance towards the forced conversations while looking around for an exit that are parties. It is because, frankly, I’m that guy that goes to places like Vegas, only to sit and watch the Bellagio fountain 7 or 8 times a day, not to see the water, but to see the effect it has on the people watching it.

So why the statement of social awkwardness to start this Friday’s blog? I just want you to have reference of my proclivity before telling you that I am also that guy that screams like a little girl every time a Ferrari passes a McLaren.

For those that don’t know what I mean by this, it is a reference to my unhealthy obsession of Formula 1 racing. It started when I was in high school. I would sit around watching the races over and over again while my other friends had lives. It is one of the aspects of my life that makes no sense at all.

I never get star-struck by celebrities, as I have to photograph them regularly, this would be detrimental to my work. However, in the presence of the crowd at the US Grand Prix, I was totally guilty of screaming every time one of my favorite drivers was shown on the Jumbotron.

Said passion finds its culmination in one team, the only team, Ferrari.

While scientist research at CERN in an effort to find dark matter, I am going through the same scientific analysis to prove that we bleed red because God is a Ferrari fan.

Today marks the launch of Ferrari’s new horse in the F138, and so my hats off and a toast to a season that sees them winning so easily that fans become bored and watch reruns of Magnum PI in order to see a Ferrari move a bit slower.

Cheers!

Jan 29

5 Comments

Can someone get the Rattlesnake off my back?

Whenever I talk to another photographer the topic of “personal work” always comes up. Usually in the casual form of, “hey, have you shot any personal work lately?”

This standard artistic rendition of the workplace, “how’s the weather” is usually brushed off as soon as the first round of drinks arrives and more enjoyable “which celebrity is a jerk?” conversations quickly replace it. However, for me, it is probably better that my “personal work” remains limited, for doing it usually leeds to bodily harm (or in this case recurring nightmares).

You see, I’ve always had a fascination with dangerous animals, be it sharks, snakes, heck if a bird could kill you, I’d probably think it’s cool…. but they can’t and that’s why birds are boring. Anyways, one day I got the grand idea that I would love to photograph the poisonous snakes of the world. (even writing this has made me realize how bad of an idea this was, but trust me, it gets worse). Somehow in my obsessive compulsive quest for sharpness, many… let’s says safety precautions… were skipped. Actually now that I think of it, I don’t know of any safety precautions we even had other than “don’t get bit”.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

This is where it gets dumb….

My first request for sharpness was that we not have anything between the camera and the snake. Every layer of glass that is not needed is only a source of flare (hence, why I don’t use filters on my lenses) and must be done away with. Now you’re probably saying, “oh, that’s fine, you can just use a cable release and stay the hell away from the snake.”

Black Tailed Rattlesnake

This is where it gets real dumb…

In wanting to be able to see what I was getting and autofocus when the snake was over my preferred AF point, I decided I would lay behind the camera. My logic was that snakes only see heat and movement, so if I laid still I would look like nothing more than a rock to them.

Arizona Black Rattler

The final bit of stupidity…

Snakes, when cold, are very lethargic. So we decided to keep them cold when we brought them to the set and therefor prevent any snake shenanigans. What we failed to account for was how fast two Profoto heads at full power can heat them suckers up. And so, on snake number 3 (a Diamondback Rattlesnake) we found out why I shouldn’t shoot personal work.

roughday2

Let me just say that I was kind of correct in that the snake didn’t see me as a threat, as I was looking it eye to eye (notice it has PASSED the camera). It proceeded over me and into the Tenba case that I transported my lights in, which was laying on it’s side. The wrangler then shut the case and we cleared the set, everyone was safe….. the wrangler, the assistant and the crying little girl that was a photographer only minutes before.

Since then I have decided to move on and never return to photographing snakes, especially pissed off poisonous ones. Instead I am pursuing a different avenue of personal work…. sharks… more specifically Great White sharks. So in September we depart for the Guadalupe islands to shoot a portrait of great white, safety precautions and life insurance policies are currently being evaluated.

Jan 23

5 Comments

Nikon

Terminal E, Gate 18. In a chaise lounge made up of my roller case and an available chair, I await my flight home. The last three days have taught me more about myself than I believe I have taught others about photography. This time the only absent item was the camera, sharp irony considering I was speaking for a camera company. However, even in the absence of my D3X, I have a newfound pride in Nikon. This one is based not of some technical number measuring depths of sensor latitude, but of a very apparent value that often goes unnoticed in a camera purchase. I am talking about the people behind the curtain that make it possible for us to tell our stories, for me, they are the people at Nikon.

Over the last few days I have learned what it is to be a part of a team, and what it’s like to have real pride in my equipment. I can never again say I shoot Nikon, it’s not fair and too topical a comment. With shots and lighting planned around how much the sensor in the D3X can deliver, it is only fair to say that Nikon is truly a part of my image, my images, and will be the future of my imagery. The sensors that lie at the heart of their cameras are the heart of an exposure and in practice have given me the ability to create the images that have marked my style for years. The sharpness of the 24-70 has been equally as important as my eyes in pulling out every last detail a campaign requires.

The request from Nikon for me to speak on their behalf was an honor and a surreal feeling. While on stage, I felt more like someone talking about why they loved their family rather than a photographer talking about a piece of camera equipment.

Twelve years ago today a dad gave his son his very first Nikon, today that kid just spoke for the company.

… a dream realized

Posts tagged ‘Blair Bunting’

Subscribe

Recent Articles