Whenever I shoot publicity stills for bands, I always imagine how they would look framed as album covers. “Albums,” for those of you born after 1980, were how people used to store recorded music since the early days of the last century. I know that people dig digital music, but there was something about the physicality of a 12″ disk and its big, poster-like cover.

Anyway, I’ve always been a big fan of the cover art used by the Jazz record label Blue Note back in the 60′s. I thought it would be a cool little exercise to take some of the shots we have of Zealous and Lamont and create album art in the style of those old Jazz Albums.

Hey Lamont and Z, what do you think?

Pedro is exactly like that. Despite his protests otherwise, I swear I could sense that he dug being in front of the camera. Vicky, on the other hand, was just like her good friend–and our former client–Jackie: relaxed, confident, and funny. We thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with these two. Here’s to you, Vicky and Pedro!

Now unlike the last time we had a shoot, this time we shot in a very public place, Downtown San Diego. More than a few carloads of gawkers slowed down to look, and even a few creepy knuckleheads followed us as we wandered through the alleys shooting. It made Kristen a little uncomfortable at times, and I felt really bad. I should’ve anticipated that.

But then we had a costume change where Kristen wanted some shots of herself in her pageant gown and tiara. This also attracted crowds, but this time they were significantly less creepy and rude. All these little girls gathered around Kristen, wide-eyed and awestruck. “Are you a princess?” some asked her. Even the few adult males who came around were decidedly more sweet and respectful, asking to be photographed with her. Amazing what a difference a change of clothing can make. The next four shots are Ron’s. Wonderful!

They are an impossibly cute, young couple who happen to perform music together. They came to us looking for some publicity stills, so we got together on a cold, fall afternoon and shot some pick-chars.

He’s a humble guy, self-effacing, quiet, very centered. Jon is the chief psychologist at Paradise Valley Hospital’s Behavioral Health Services where his job is to help people who have become lost within themselves. He’s become one of my heroes.

Jon is heroic to me, not because of some grand financial achievement, or because he won academic or intellectual accolades. He’s a hero because he’s one of the few people I know who had the courage and ability to follow his conscience and do something to help his fellow men and women. The fact that he even has a conscience is a pretty remarkable thing, these days.

One of my favorite definitions of heroism is the willingness to do the decent thing in the face of an absurd world. This fit’s Jon to a T.

She contacted us not long ago for some new photos to update her portfolio. We jumped at the chance, because we knew working with her would result in some great images. But when we actually started shooting, she impressed us again by how well she was able to pose in front of the camera–she hardly needed any coaching at all.

Kristen is a Filipina-Hawai’ian–it’s funny, but she is the second Hawai’ian woman to approach us for portfolio shots. We hope this trend continues!

Enjoy the photos! Hair and make-up by the lovely Hope Phipps.

Nathan’s party was great: so many cute kiddos! It was hard not to snap a good photo there.

Happy birthday, Nathan!