What It Takes

     I was recently on a product shoot for a large medical company photographing a brand new product for a brochure that required SEXY lighting.  Often times, I don't think people realize what goes into photographing the things they see in magazines and in this case brochures.  So, I thought I would give you a glimpse into the world of what it takes to make something look fabulous.
     For this particular assignment it took 15 lights, 11 power packs, 14 extension cords, 27 stands, 5 sheets of plexiglass, 5 mirrors, multiple flags and cutters, 4 exposures with one camera and a mono stand.
Now I can't show the actual product, but I thought it was very interesting and a bit crazy when it was all done to see what it took to make this one shot.

My Directorial Debut

     Here it is, as promised.  The Community Foundation's "Your Life. Your Legacy." video debuted last Tuesday night to a packed house at the 25th Anniversary Donor and Volunteer Event.  It is the first video that I ever directed so go easy on me.

     It was a real privilege for me to help create this video for such a great cause and equally great people who receive this money as well as those who make it all happen.  I'd like to thank everybody at C. F. along with everybody involved in the process of making this video.  YOU HAVE NO IDEA what and how many people it takes to create such a piece.  I know it's relative, but WOW!  I am blessed to work with such talented, kind, hilarious and hard working people.  I hope you enjoy watching the video as much as I did helping create it.
Thank you,
Shane Van Boxtel

   

   
 

Jack the Intern

Inspired by The Mary Tyler more show, Jack the Intern was helping me with a lighting test for a Pub. shoot.  Isn't he cute; )?  I think he's gonna make it after all...

Test Shots (Standing in)

Little Greg workin' it for a wide angle test.

Pickin' Crackers

Jimbo pickin' the PERFECT crackers.  Food Styling, what a sweet gig.

Test Shots (oldiesbutgoodies)

As promised, although I pulled these from the Insight Magazine archives, these test shots are well worth a look.  I've been working with Insight Magazine and A2Z since the beginning.  It has been an awesome ride and I have had some really fun times meeting some incredibly interesting people.  Rarely do you see what all goes into one of these shoots that happen every month.  There are always test shots. 

More to come...

Test Shots

God I love test shots.  Everybody seems to ham it up when the camera is on "practice mode".  Too often I just delete them to clear space on a card or thinking too hard about what's about to come.  Well no more.  I am on a quest to keep these special moments, and share them with you.  At least I say that now.  I have good intentions anyway.
Location scouting can be FUN!  Like I said, Rhonda and Jeff HAMMING IT UP.

The AssMan Cometh

I'd LOVE to show you the shots I took for the compositing process, "butt" I'll keep it PG this time.  It was quite an experience that I won't forget about for a while.  Yeeesh!

It should be a pretty exciting show.  I hope to see you there.

Lights, Camera, Action

     WOW what a month!  My world of Photography included architectural interiors, on/off figure fashion, magazine cover stories, delicious food photography, yoga, group shots, a slew of 7 year old kids, furniture, creative portraiture, helping the community and DIRECTING my first video!!!  What a rush!
    
     As much as I would LOVE to tell you about it, in this case I mean the video, I have to wait until it is ready to launch.  However, I will do my best in the next few weeks/months to feed you with clips from what was an incredibly gratifying and rewarding experience.

The Dueling Divas at The Trout Museum of Art

  
Diva... A word that has been used to death since the late 90's.  Sadly used more often to represent Omarosa and reality TV.  When the REALITY of it is Diva initially defines a famous female opera singer.  Translation: HEAD CHICK IN CHARGE.
     Well, a few weeks ago I went to check out The Dueling Divas act performed by Fresco Opera Theatre, and of course, brought a camera.
     They let me back stage too.  What a great bunch of people.  Man can they belt it out!!

     As you may or may not know, the Appleton Art Center has had a make over.  Aside from some beautiful cosmetic changes, the name has also changed.  It is now The Trout Museum of Art.  Check it out.

Pick One

More often than not, it's that ONE image we are going for.  Change this, move that... perfect!  Shoot it.  However, sometimes there are just too many great frames from one shoot and it doesn't seem fair to settle for just one.  But how do you show them all?  Here is a solution.

BTW, this was shot about three years ago.  I just decided to show it today.  Graham is the star of this photo.  You may have seen him grabbing a cup of coffee downtown.  Say hi to him.  He's a good guy, and very photogenic.

Spring is in the air

                                             Without winter, spring would not be SO SWEET.

GIVING is the UNITED WAY

     "Kindness in words creates confidence.  Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.  Kindness in giving creates love." - Loa Tzu

     Since 1887, the United Way has been focused on advancing the common good and mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to GIVE, ADVOCATE and VOLUNTEER to improve the conditions in which they live.

This year, A2Z and myself helped our local chapter, with the concepts, design and photography for the 2010 Report to the Community.  Here are a few shots from that shoot.

Testing Testing

I was digging through an old folder labeled TeST SHoTS and laughed pretty hard at this one.  These types of memories make me love this job so much.

Brandon, Me and Jeff...

Insight Magazine-Mohit Uberoi

For those of you who don't subscribe or come across the monthly issue of Insight Magazine, here is the opening spread for this months issue on Mohit Uberoi.  It is one of my favorites this year.  Even if it is only February.

Design Council*Print With Purpose

Ahhhhh UTOPIA, a place where the print industry is alive and thriving.  That's how I said it last year and I see no reason to change it.
Once again, I had the pleasure of covering the U360 Competition this year held in Chicago.  Being the type to occasionally enter a contest myself, it is really interesting to be a bystander in a room with tables full of incredible work and see how they get whittled down to the finalists. Tough crowd too.  Some beautiful work never saw the light of day.
Congrats to the winners...


Sidebar:  The W Hotel was Awesome!  Very Swank!   I even found a face.

If you are into diner food, you have to check this place out. They have been around since the 20's and it taste like it.  You are greeted with homemade doughnuts fresh from the fryer and everything on the menu is made from scratch.  It truly rocks.

Lou Mitchell's

565 W. Jackson Blvd

Chicago, IL 60661

An Evening with Victoria Vox

I know, I know, the tree is curbside, the leftover cookies and candy are in the garbage and you've all started working out and have moved on from the holidays.  Well, better late than never, I have one more morsel of goodness that I would like to share.  An original Christmas song sung by the one woman band, Victoria Vox on December 23rd at Ledgestone Vineyards.  It was a very cozy night.
Happy New Year everybody!