Brandon Sapp Photography Blog

In Review: 2011

2011-12-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Once again, it’s that time of year where I take a moment to reflect on all that’s been accomplished over this passing year and all that on tap for the arriving one.
2011, marked a milestone year for me, as it was my fifteenth year in multimedia providing photography, web design, audio and video editing and overall general business consultation. As with every year, I’ve seen my share of ups and downs while conducting business, however, I feel that I’m better accomplished and much more education, having gone through my experiences over the past twelve months.

This year also, personally, marks the end of an era for me as I will be exiting the twenty-something club and joining the thirty-something club before year’s end. The twenties were – fun and exciting to say the least. A great learning experience and I’m fortunate to have gone through them with people I hold near and dear to me.

New Projects
As far as new business, since June, I’ve been actively focusing tons of time, effort and skill into a brand new business venture with some very wonderful people. Still in the testing phase, I am very confident and very excited to finish the final details and release the project to the public in the Spring of 2012. Stay tuned, it should be fantastic.
In addition, I’ve been hard at work managing the new website of my parent company, BrandonsVision® which looks great and is right on schedule. This will be bigger, better and more accommodating to my current and prospective clients for the New Year. Sign up to BrandonsVision’s twitter (@BrandonsVision) account to stay updated on the release, also slated for early next year.

Reflection
This year saw the ending of a business venture, I started with a great photographer in 2007. I viewed the experience as a learning tool that I will take with me into the years to come. As a person, as well as a businessman, it’s important to know when to leave a situation for a better opportunity – should one present itself. In this case, a great opportunity was on the horizon, which proved to be a smart and favorable decision in the end. To this day, we remain great friends and still keep the possibility of working on new projects very open. I wish him success in the New Year.

On a sad note, this previous September, BrandonsVision lost a great client and more importantly a great friend. Since 2009, I had the opportunity to closely with a well known and highly talented scarf designer, Fern Devlin. She often had her work showcased along Fifth Avenue in very prestigious stores such as Saks and I was always gracious to have the opportunity to tutor her in Photoshop and listen to her wonderful stories about business and life. To this day, I still dawn a hand-made cashmere scarf that she presented me for my 29th birthday. She was a great businesswoman, a great person and a dear friend who will be unbelievably missed. Thank you for the lasting memories Fern.

In Closing
On that note, I’d like to say life is a gift, which is why we live in the present. Take each and every day to actively work toward accomplishing your definite chief aim and consider all opposition irrelevant. Remember that you are taking on an idea of great importance to you and let no one or nothing stray you from accomplishing that goal. 2012, is a year of promise, optimism and opportunity to do great things for yourself and your fellow man. Take time to reflect and dream, then plan and act on that dream according to calculated steps. I believe you can do it and should you.

I enjoyed having an opportunity to work with some very talented people and some wonderfully great dreamers this year and I look forward to collaborating with them and many others to create and produce wonderful projects.

To you and your family, friends and colleagues, on behalf of The Brandon Sapp Photo Company of New York and the BrandonsVision® Multimedia Company, I wish you all a safe, healthy, prosperous and happy new year, two thousand and twelve.

Sincerely,
Brandon Sapp

What The FedEx!?

2011-09-06T11:26:00.000-04:00

Umm, I think those packages are going to be a wee bit late today…

I was on my way to pickup my school photo equipment form summer lockup, when I ran into this gem on Linden Boulevard. Apparently, the FedEx truck was about to make a delivery when a small sinkhole took out the front left wheel.

Irene Over NY

2011-08-29T10:51:00.002-04:00

Photo by Brandon Sapp | View Hi-Res Photo

Here’s a rooftop picture I took of Hurricane Irene exiting the New York area. It’s comprised of 6 shots taken on a rooftop (at an undisclosed location in Brooklyn). I took all of the shots freehand, which is very difficult to do when you’re battling 40-50mph wind gusts over 10 stories high, but the rush was absolutely awesome! I love the various concepts of contract that are in this shot, comparing the orange sunset against the bluish storm cover. I would have loved to post the original composite of the image, but it would’ve taken too long as it was about 23,111px wide by 3456px in height at full resolution (about 321in x 48in). This picture was 0.25GB (225.8MB) with all of the layers flattened in Photoshop so it’s a VERY big image. (More or likely, this will end up hanging on my wall as a super panoramic. I love DIY projects, so making a frame for this shot should be lots of fun. I’ll post a picture of the final hang-up.

Here’s the link to a smaller version of the image (4012px x 600px) (1.9MB).

Monday Morning Post: The Economy

2011-08-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Photo by Brandon Sapp

I think I found where the economy went…and how it got there in the first place.

Monday Morning Post: 100 Step Challenge - Top of the Rock

2011-08-08T10:00:00.006-04:00

I recently started participating in a new and creative project for photographers called the 100 Step Challenge.

In a nutshell, The 100 Step Challenge is a photo exercise where you choose a starting point and then begin to walk 100 steps, which at that point you stand in place and look around to see what creative image you can capture, repeating until you finish your set time limit. It may sound easy, but a true photographer will have to use all of their cumulative skills to capture an image that is both interesting and symbolizes the surrounding area.
This a great exercise for a photographer who has a creative capture block or an enthusiast who wants to test their skills of photography and creating a story out of a group of collective images.

With this challenge, I try to limit myself to no more than 30 minutes of walking. Besides being a great photo exercise, it is also a great physical exercise as you’re strengthening your art and your body at the same time. Here’s a few renditions of my first submission for the 100 step challenge. I want to add a little twist to it by posting the same image using different post processing techniques. This week’s subject is a vintage New York City light post on the historic Eastern Parkway strip in Brooklyn.

Original Image: No Post Processing


Processing Technique: Nashville style Lomo


Processing Technique: X Pro II style Lomo


Processing Technique: Walden style Lomo


Processing Technique: Sutro style Lomo

Processing Technique: Brandon’s Lomo

Monday Morning Post: Mixed Emotions

2011-08-01T11:01:00.003-04:00

Photo by Brandon Sapp

Monday Morning Post: Twin Suns

2011-07-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

Photo © Brandon Sapp

Monday Morning Post: Dreaming Flower Girl

2011-07-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Photo © Brandon Sapp

Candid shots are always the best. I love how they show the beauty of life in its natural form. This is a shot of a flower girl from a wedding I shot with Dan Elinskas in New Jersey. The after effect is a grungy lomo.

Monday Morning Post: Coney Island Lomo

2011-07-11T07:00:00.009-04:00

Photo © Brandon Sapp

For some, Monday mornings are a day to dread. It symbolizes the start of five days of getting up early, bustling through crowded trains and buses and putting in a full day of work. For me, Monday mornings are highly welcomed, as it’s a chance for me to get a fresh, new start on my goals and embrace the creative challenges of the ays ahead.

To help commemorate Monday mornings, I’m starting a new weekly post of my own, called The Monday Morning Post. I t will feature articles, photos, videos and op-eds by yours truly, focusing on anything (and probably everything) dealing with photo, cinematography and multimedia. Once in a blue I will feature a guest blogger, but for now, I’m it.

My first post, reveals a bit of nostalgia from my childhood and weekend trips I used to take to World Famous Coney Island. I’ve always I always loved going to Coney Island with my mom and seeing Deno’s Wonder Wheel. My first memory of Coney Island was actually, on my way to Coney Island. It must have been about 1986 or 1987, but, I remember running down the train station at Stillwell, looking at the long fluorescent light bulbs and the smell of the ocean as you approached Surf Avenue. It just immortalize what summertime was all about. I’m glad that I can, now, share that experience with my own son. Above is a shot of the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island, post-processed with a Lomo Effect.
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Grunge Lomo: Asia

2011-07-05T12:51:00.001-04:00

Ever since I first worked with the Russian made, Lomo LC-A camera in high school, I’ve always loved the results the eye-popping vibrancy of the colors and the crass vignettes it produced. I always wanted to add the LC-A to my collection but it was always so pricey as it primarily uses a film source, which can be rather expensive to develop nowadays. Like most modern photographers, I primarily shoot digitally, so I had to find a way of recreating that effect digitally. Here’s the result of a series of actions I created to automatically produce a grunge-style Lomo effect in Photoshop CS5.

On Set: “Blackout” Video Test Shoot

2011-07-02T14:00:00.003-04:00

Here’s a quick shot from yesterday’s shoot with HMB artist. Mr. Brite. We were shooting test footage for his upcoming video, “Blackout” and decided to get a few frames in.

Panoramic Property Shots

2011-06-29T12:12:00.001-04:00

One of my newest ventures has been shooting residential properties for various agencies around New York City. I started shooting real estate photography back in 2007 and recently jumped back into the photo market.

One of the things I love about shooting properties is that it tests your artistic creativity, in addition to challenging you technical knowledge of photo capture. Anyone can pick up a camera and take a picture of a building, but it takes a professional to understand how to shoot a properly capture the essence of the chosen property.

Building are unique to architects like children are to parents. You may see a row of buildings that look the same, but they are the brainchild of the architect. Whether I’m photographing a glamour model, a bottle of perfume or a mini-mansion, my job as a commissioned photographer is to make the final image pristine, beautiful – and most importantly – sellable and usable.

I was commissioned to shoot a property in Queens Village that will be listed on the market for around $1.4Million. Naturally, my first job was to make sure I had a plan of action about how I chose to tackle the property. As I usually do, I tackled all 4 levels of the house (including about 6 bedrooms), making sure I shot my specialty angles.

With a property that has matured to a 7 figure value, I had to deliver a WOW factor to the client. I chose to shoot a panoramic shot of the front of the property, post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CS5. As just a side note, I used to work for an ad tracking company in Long Island City, where my primary job was to piece photos together to create one overall photo, in a process known as Photo Stitching. Needless to say, since 2005, technology has advanced to make Photo Stitching more efficient and less time-consuming.

When I saw the results of CS5’s Photo Stitching process, I was blown away by the results of the final product, as was the client, who chose to have it printed and mounted – which is always a humbling flattery to my artistic vision. I’m always proud at the fact that I was able to produce a photo that will continue to bring the clients joy, even after they sell the place they’ve called home since the late 1970’s.

Here’s a breakdown of the post-process stitching:

Here are the original seven shots the panoramic consists of:

Original Shot #1

Original Shot #2

Original Shot #3

Original Shot #4

Original Shot #6

Original Shot #7

Now, is how CS5 took bits and piece of each shot to create one panoramic:

Layer #1

Layer #2

Layer #3

Layer #4

Layer #5

Layer #6

Layer #7

And here is the final panoramic shot:

Click on the picture to view the final image or click here.
All photos © Brandon Sapp. All Rights Reserved.

Tainted Sun Dream

2011-06-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

Cold Stare

2011-06-18T08:59:00.001-04:00

I never did get her name, but she was one of the most captivating models at the event.

Hold Your Pose

2011-06-17T08:19:00.001-04:00

Mad Of Us at Brooklyn Bridge Park

2011-05-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

Mad Of Us, Photo by Brandon Sapp for BrandonsVision®.

DUMBO always holds a special place for me when it come to shooting photos and video for my clients. The summer of 2011 will make 5 years that I’ve been photographing in and around DUMBO, Brooklyn and no matter how many times I shoot here, I always manage to capture the area in a different way.

I recently shot the premiere music group, Mad Of Us in Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of a promotional campaign for their single to be released later this year.

The number of challenges greatly increase when shooting, on location with a group. Factors to watch out for are every and anything from sun glare to choosing the correct location (not to mention that, virtually, every minute the sun moves which dramatically changes your lighting from frame to frame).

I like shooting with new talent, because it gives me a chance to challenge my control and direction on-set (in this case, on location) and gauges where I am as far taking ideas from concept to fruition. Granted, I’ve worked in the area since 2006, so I have an advantage of what sweet spots to shoot in, still, capturing a shot that best represents someone you’ve never met is a big challenge unto itself.

Happily, the shoot was a great success and I’m looking forward to filming the music video for their premiere single during the summer. Stay tuned.

Book your next shoot with BrandonsVision®. For more information, email Photos@BrandonSapp.com or follow me on Twitter (@BrandonSapp).

School Photos – PS/IS 208Q

2011-04-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

My latest assignments found me at PS/IS 208Q in Belleville, Queens. This school is like the ‘90210’ of New York City schools. It’s located inside of a huge gated community, that looks more like a college campus than an NYC public school. This was my second time at the school and the staff, as always was so friendly. This time, I was back shooting a 2-day Spring portrait assignment for the school. The difference between the Spring Shoots and the Regular Shoot (usually in the fall) are the way the kids are posed. The company I contract with uses a special type of pose in which the kids are standing rather than sitting. I’m not a big fan of the selected poses, but the parents and kids seem to like it and it’s a popular sell item, so ehh what do I know, huh? All in all, working with the kids was great and I look forward to coming back next year for more shots. There was even a parent there who I swear was related to Regan Gomez Preston in some way or form, even though she said she wasn’t – one of the perks of working with others.

A “Gigante” Performance at Club Rebel

2011-03-25T15:03:00.000-04:00

Photographer and Cinematic Artist, Brandon Sapp records Mottz Gigante at Club Pyramid in NYC.

Here's some footage I recorded of underground hip-hop artist, Mottz Gigante performing at The "Elegant Hoodness Show", hosted by (@ADTheGeneral) at Club Pyramid in NYC. Mottz has a great way of working the crowd and keeping everyone motivated throughout his performance. Expect to see big things from this artist in the future. Mottz is part of the indie hip-hop production company, HandmadeBeatz in association with TTT/FRF Productions.

If you need video for your next event or performance:

Email: BrandonsVision@Gmail.com
Twitter: www.BrandonSapp.com/Twitter
Facebook: www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook

Hip Hop Artist, Mr. Brite “Blackout’s” Club Pyramid

2011-03-18T18:50:00.001-04:00

Photographer and Cinematic Artist, Brandon Sapp records Mr. Brite at Club Pyramid in NYC.

Here's some footage I recorded of underground hip-hop artist, Mr.Brite (@mrbrite77) performing at A.D the General's "Elegant Hoodness Show" at Club Pyramid in NYC. Mr. Brite is part of the indie hip-hop production company, HandmadeBeatz in association with ToTheTop Productions.

If you need video for your next event or performance:

Email: BrandonsVision@Gmail.com
Twitter: www.BrandonSapp.com/Twitter
Facebook: www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook

2011 Swag In The City Fashion Show

2011-03-16T11:00:00.004-04:00

Photo and Video by Brandon Sapp for the BrandonsVision Multimedia Co., of New York

I recently purchased a new dSLR outfit for shooting photo and video. My first assignment with the new camera was the annual Swag In The City Fashion Show at Club Rebel in Manhattan. If there was any assignment that would test the strength of my cinematic and photographic intelligence, this was it.

Shooting a fashion show in a nightclub setting can create tons of issues, from low lighting to mega-bass stereo systems. Luckily, I overlay tracks to most of my videos, which was a mission of it's own, but I digress. I shot the entire night using a f/1.8 aperture at an ISO of 6400, and I could have even went as high as ISO 12800 (but the grain would have been unbearable).

Even with all of the technical issues to deal with, I was very pleased with the end result, which gave the video a nice cinematic feel.

Check out the 1080i HD BTS video on my YouTube page, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sasNb9Y2hUA&hd=1.

For Bookings (Photo & Video): BrandonSappPhoto@Gmail.com or (646) 481-5004.

School Photos - JHS 234K

2011-03-14T07:06:00.001-04:00

My latest school photo assignment found me at JHS 234K (Arthur W Cunningham Junior High School) in Midwood. The layout of the school was rather unique, since it was part of a two-schooled gated community, which is a rarity in Brooklyn. I was on board to photograph 6th and 7th graders who missed the original shoot date. This was an absentee shoot, which usually means the day would go quick. My assistant and I started setting up around 7:45am and was back in my car, ready to go, by 9:30am (good thing my pay terms are pre-arranged and not hourly). Surprisingly, the students were really good. Usually, kids in the middle school grades could care less about getting photos done, but the students of JHS 234K were a pleasure to work with. Never the less, the shoot was good and I'm never at a complaint when my work day tops out at 2 hours.

For more info about booking Brandon Sapp Photo, email BrandonSappPhoto@Gmail.com.
Follow me on Twitter: @BrandonSapp
Friend me on Facebook: www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook.

So I've been MIA...

2011-02-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

February has been such a crazy month, most of which has consisted of playing catch-up from January's "snowmania". Happily I've been busy working a few new projects, which explains my MIA status for the past few weeks.

This year, I'll be adding a few new touches to my blog, showcasing more than just photo shoots and videos. In addition, I am re-branding the entire BSPNEWYORK project to include more than just a photo focus, which should be an interesting endeavor. That means, tons more posts and tons more opportunities for you to take a closer look at the inner workings of BRANDONSVISION, so stay tuned in March for the latest!

For more info about booking Brandon Sapp Photo, email BrandonSappPhoto@Gmail.com.
Follow me on Twitter: @BrandonSapp
Friend me on Facebook: www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook.

Brooklyn Freeze Fashion Shoot with Teaa Charles

2011-01-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Video Footage of my shoot with Teaa Charles (@taste_teaa)

2011 kicks off my fifteenth year in the world of Photography. Since 1996, I’ve been avid in helping aspiring models gain an advantage in the world of modeling. This year, I decided to take that mission one step further. With my work, I spend a lot of time studying photos and one of the main problems I see with most new models is a lack of direction. Either they have no idea how to market themselves or they lack the necessary resources to gain a fair advantage. My aim is to change that.

I’m starting off this year with the official introduction of one of New York City’s premiere models, Teaa Charles. Teaa is very dedicated to honing her skills and gaining a better understanding of modeling and how the modeling business, in general, really works. Along with the help of Daniella Browne and Danielle Imán, we got together for a quick Portfolio shoot in East Brooklyn. Teaa and I have worked together since 2006 and I have seen tons of growth and progression. I expect 2011 to be a breakthrough year for Teaa.

If you’re interested in a possible shoot or learning more about my Model Management project, email me at Photos@BrandonSapp.com, tweet me at www.Twitter.com/@BrandonSapp or hit me on Facebook at www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook.

In Review: 2010

2010-12-29T14:00:00.002-05:00

A letter from Brandon Sapp, Founder of BrandonsVision® and Brandon Sapp Photo:

Every December I like to take time to reflect on the year that will soon become just a memory. As mentioned in previous years, it truly is the end of a year for me, since my birthday is only but two days before years end, so as with everyone else, I get a chance to start the year “anew”.

2010 represented my fourteenth year in the world of Photography and Creative Arts and also symbolized a cultivation of my skills as an artist and an active business owner.

As in previous years, I’ve had an opportunity to work with some of the most beautiful unsigned talent in the world, as well as some of the most venturesome and aspiring musical artists of the future. Working with raw, natural and aspiring talent has always been one of my pleasures in business, as it allows me to leave a lasting impression on a budding future in the Creative Arts.

Since I decided to dedicate myself to the art world, back in 1996, I’ve made a conscious effort to help those who are serious about achieving their dreams. 2010, gave me a prodigious platform to provide others with a stepping stone, which continues to be of the main objectives of BrandonsVision® and its subsidiaries. With the current American economic state, I feel extremely blessed, honored and humbled to be able to continue doing something I absolutely love, and in the process, creating great opportunities, strong connections and lasting friendships along the way.

During this year, we also saw the completion of the fourth version of my official photography website, www.BrandonSapp.com, which I am extremely proud of, welcoming over 16.4 thousand unique visitors to the website, by far, the best year on record for the company.

So, with the twinkling of 2011’s dawn on the horizon, you can expect to see much of the same dedication, professionalism and creativity that you’ve seen in previous years, incorporating new techniques and technologies to help you achieve the goals you seek for the New Year. With the help of my dedicated affiliates, I’m expecting another great year for Brandon Sapp Photo. Of all things, I’m again looking forward to meeting and working with great people, spending time with my family and continuing to grow as an artist and a young entrepreneur. Through smart work and hard thinking, 2011 should be a year of fun, excitement and fantastic stories.

To you and your family, friends and colleagues, on behalf of The Brandon Sapp Photo Company of New York and the BrandonsVision® Multimedia Company, I wish you all a safe, healthy, prosperous and happy new year two thousand and eleven.

Sincerely,
Brandon Sapp, President BrandonsVision® / Brandon Sapp Photo

Reader’s Question #5: How Much Should I Pay a Model?

2010-12-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

Submitted by Aleigha, Yonkers, NY

Thanks for the question Aleigha.

If I need to acquire a model for a particular project or assignment, I prefer to go through an agency rather than choosing my own model, for many reasons.

I like working with an agency over pulling models from networking sites, because agencies have a working reputation that they need to protect through their chosen talent. By researching an agency, I can see what type of talent they have in their catalog and also what work the talent is best suited for, which is essential for the success of a commissioned assignment.

Another benefit of using agency represented models is that the agency is responsible for the reliability of the model. In my experience I have cast models who I thought were serious about a gig only to flake out at the last minute. I have a zero tolerance policy for models who are tardy and who do not show up at all for an assignment (especially when being paid). Most inexperienced models treat photo shoots as leisure instead of business, failing to realize that they are being paid to perform a JOB, just like another 9 to 5 employment. In some of these cases, I was the one left to explain to the client that the model flaked and we would have to reschedule, which is not good for a demanding client. By working with an agency, the responsibility of the model, and in the rare care, the model’s replacement falls squarely on the agency. I like to delegate tasks as much as possible to help focus on the overall goal at hand, avoiding the added stress of casting models and the like.

Now, you can use the alternative and cast a model through an online database search, which I recommend if you’re just starting out and don’t yet have the capital to bring on experienced professional talent. You can still find non-experienced professionals, but keep in mind that you may have to be stronger person in the photographer-model relationship. At any stage rates depend on what the assignment is, what the final product will be used for and working fees (for you and your hired help). My advice is, at casting, ask the model what their per hour and per diem rates are, that way you can assess how the model portrays their worth and also, if lucky, get an exceptionally talented model for a very modest rate.

If you'd like to ask a question, email me at Photos@BrandonSapp.com, tweet me at www.Twitter.com/@BrandonSapp or hit me on Facebook at www.BrandonSapp.com/Facebook.