Featured here is Michkael Baker, founder and creative director of Showcase Networks and Showcase PDX. The images were photographed in his Portland office at Milepost 5. Michkael is a visionary and connector. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him since fall of 2008. He is someone you should know.

Tech: Shot on a Canon 30D with 1 triggered Vivitar 285HV speedlight. Light was shot thru a white umbrella and positioned high and centered on the subject. Background was a plain white wall and exposed with only the fall-off from the key light. The underexposure makes for a rich, neutral grey. Using Adobe Camera Raw, the images were processed minimally with the exception of the skin. In Photoshop I used a few adjustment layers that included Color Balance, Curves and Levels.  To enhance the clarity of the images, local dodging and burning was used along with two overlay layers of high pass set to 1px. No sharpening was applied.

Copyright © Tyler Kongslie, 2010. All Rights Reserved.  Official Website: www.tylerkongslie.com

This could not have been a more fun photo shoot. In late October I met Stephani Norwood at a networking open house and she explained to me that she sells “cute and sexy” hostess aprons, perfect for contemporary home entertaining done in the style of 50′s suburban homemaker. She was planning a photoshoot to update her website with new imagery but hadn’t found a photographer yet. She said that she was completely ready with a confirmed location, models, and hair/makeup but hadn’t yet found a photographer. Voila! The job just fell into my lap. The concept was to feature these cute hostess aprons in a perfect homemaker’s setting. I thought the concept was cool, the product was cool and the majority of the preparation had been taken care of. I immediately said I want to shoot this and we set a meeting for a formal briefing.

The location selected was Mother’s Bistro & Bar in Portland–a perfect location because of its house-like charm on one side and a gold-laden, rich and sultry bar on the other side. The restaurant afforded us different ‘looks’ that provided varying contexts for the aprons to shine. We shot a total of 5 different looks: some included the group of models, others were individuals; some were homemaker and some were sexy. 

What we got in return from everyone’s hard work and patience, was a number of on-strategy and creative images that Stephani is thrilled to use on her website ApronAddiction.com. The shoot was a great example of collaboration and positive energy, which made for a successful and memorable shoot. I’m excited about these images and I hope you’ll stop by the website to buy the cutest hostess aprons on the planet!

Models: Stephani Norwood, Leah Hunter, Krisa Park, Logan Loomer, Irisa McCausland, Dusty Bodeen, Ian Anderson, John Hayden
Tech: Shot on a Canon 30D with 2 triggered Vivitar 285HV speedlights, silver umbrellas and my DIY beauty dish. Using Adobe Camera Raw, the images were processed minimally to preserve the natural and clean feel they had out of the camera. In Photoshop I then used a few adjustment layers that included Channel Mixer, Color Balance and Levels to enhance the clarity and cleanliness of the images. Further dodge and burn strokes were applied to ‘pop’ the aprons and hair/makeup on the girls. And finally, unsharp mask was applied.

Copyright © Tyler Kongslie, 2010. All Rights Reserved.
Official Website: www.tylerkongslie.com

In collaboration with Michkael Baker of Blue Voice Media, I was commissioned to create out-of-home posters to promote the official launch of ShowcasePDX.com–a website that celebrates creative innovation in business and the arts, and promotes the local community in Portland. The posters feature local artists, entrepreneurs and creatives who are pursuing their own unique vision, but who each share a common passion to make Portland a vibrant and livable community. My responsibility on this project–by way of original photography, art direction and design–was to create an effective, buzz-generating message to attract a following of other like-minded individuals and business who want to spread their message to the community via Showcase PDX.  When you’re out and about in Portland’s social hotspots, look for one of the 100 posters produced. 

Copyright © Tyler Kongslie 2010. All Rights Reserved.