Category: Behind the Scenes

Pick Up The Phone!

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

Stressed about your company’s visual needs? Would you rather spend time having fun in the sun? Let Studio 3 ease your mind this summer. We’ve been smashing out countless videos back to back, while continuously providing outstanding photography and flawless production. Oh, did we also mention that our digital team is amaze balls? Trust us, you don’t want to be the only tanless, overworked one at the company party because you didn’t know about Studio 3. Save the embarrassment of all the “are you kidding me?” looks. We’ll make sure you meet that crazy deadline. There’s no reason to miss out on all the perks of working with Studio 3. And no reason to keep on reading, you’re wasting precious beach time – make a Pina Colada, and start dialing!! Make that golden phone call!!!
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And to make it that much easier, if you didn’t have our number yet, here ya go:

Portland Studio 503.238.1748, ask for Dalcetta

Seattle Studio 206.282.0939, ask for Marcella

 
 

#TBT: Old School Legends, New School Talent!

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In the honor of the Portland Trailblazers’ new–school talent like Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and team fighting their way into the NBA playoffs this year, we thought it would be fitting to showcase a shoot we did of a couple of Rip City legends! Clyde Drexler and Sam Bowie are not just your average NBA players (which is a huge accomplishment in itself.) No, these two changed the game.
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Effortlessly earning the legend title, Clyde Drexler was not only a trailblazing star; he’s a Gold Medalist and key player in the 1992 US Olympic Dream Team, and also happens to don one of those shiny NBA Championship rings. Drexler laid the foundation down in Rip City for incoming stars like Sam Bowie, who was second pick in the 1984 draft. Bowie showed up and showed out during his first year, earning him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team. You can only imagine how ecstatic Studio 3 was to receive the opportunity and honor to capture these stars in their prime.
At Studio 3, we honor icons of our own – the ones behind the camera. Studio 3 legend, Craig Wagner, had the amazing opportunity to work with Drexler and Bowie. Sharing the responsibility as they do to lead the way, many have come after Craig and learned much of what our All Star has to offer. Studio 3 is lucky to have it’s own Dream Team consisting of its founders and original shooters, Jim Felt and Henry Ngan. To our lead shooters that have played for our team for almost 30 seasons now, Craig Wagner and David Bell. Not to mention our up and coming rookie squad with explosive talent, Chris Eltrich, Jonny Brandt, and Erik Knudsen. A team can’t be complete without it’s bench and it’s cheerleaders, which is the role that the rest of this squad proudly inherits! Studio 3 is the NW All Star Team of Photography, and we look forward to those Championship opportunities, one shot at a time.

Studio 3's Digital Artists: One Baaahh-d Team!

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

Everyone has their own prediction of what the future has in store for our world. Some say flying cars and others say crashing computers… For Studio 3’s Digital Artists, it’s bionic sheep.
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This freaky farm friend was brought to life by our deft digital dudes who were approached by Frank Creative to make their furry vision a reality. Lead Digital Artist, Alex Gumina, who worked on this project states that “…in a way, putting together this digital art piece was like making a collage. We sourced different mechanical pieces and worked to make them blend well together.”
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Here at Studio 3 we do a lot more than take and make top-notch pictures. We envision. We create. And we deliver.
To Alex, the essential main objective of the production was “try to make a sheep look like a badass.” The project began with an average farm dweller much like this one. But after a series of trial and error, what once began as a timid, hornless sheep later turned into a fearless, powerful, ram.
The future is all about being innovative and original and we take that very seriously. We believe in being pioneers for visual solutions and producing the most unique and inventive images that are fit to “WOW” any crowd. We love creativity and we support the future and as a result, there isn’t a project too crazy or insane for us, because after all, the best inventions began as wild dreams.
 

Throw "Back Alley" Thursday!

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

There were a lot of good things in the ’80s, like “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” on Saturday mornings, neon Vuarnet t-shirts with acid washed jeans, and of course, “Mr. T Cereal.” But, there’s still one thing that beats all the rest… and no, it’s not the Richard Simmons Show (even though you were close if that’s what you were thinking). When it comes to the ‘80s, it’s all about the bodacious babes.
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With that said, let’s throw it back to the “hair-raising” era of the ‘80s for a totally tubular production with Quinton Cardiology Systems Inc, who is now in merger with Cardiac Science Inc. If you weren’t pumpin’ it in your living room to a Jane Fonda aerobic video, you were gearin’ up in the brightest ensemble with a pair of fabulous leg warmers to hit the gym. Every ‘babe’ was an accessory to any open treadmill around. This bad bod was captured at the end of the decade by our one and only, Lead Shooter Craig Wagner, who has an exceptionally keen eye for lighting. Craig recalls that this sultry production showcasing Quinton’s “Clubtrack” Treadmill, was made possible by an extensive amount of electric light generators and the edgy alleyways of our beloved Emerald City. But he says the REAL star of the show was the ever trending smoke machine which was infamous for adding a retro effect in almost every “mysteriously fab” ’80s photo/video.  Fun photo shoots like this were no rarity for Studio 3… and this one represents the epitome of the ’80s.
Now, we hope you’re feeling inspired. Get off your computer and GET PHYSICAL!
 
 
 

Erik Knudsen: Our Newest Team Member

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

We are so thrilled to inform you that someone has joined the fun house! Welcome our newest team member, Erik! He has a great story and we are excited to be apart of it.  Read below to learn more about Studio 3 Seattle’s new Assistant!

            I grew up on a skateboard in a small, Florida town. Constantly exploring my area and other cities, I met interesting people and saw many sides of many cities. With so many places to skate, trick combinations to experiment with and attempts gone wrong, I realized that skateboarding was a mental game. Those experiences pushed me to be creative and persistent – which is a great starting point for someone entering photography.
 
            Another personality-molding factor was that while I skated around in Florida, my mother was living in The Netherlands. Almost every year I would spend a month or two overseas. Being exposed to alternative cultures and ways of thinking at such a young age made me realize how much the world has to offer – and that Florida could never be my last stop.
 
            What I hadn’t yet mentioned, was that my father constantly talked to me about photography. Most of the time I didn’t know what he was talking about. I was more interested in skateboarding. Years later, I now realize his plan was flawless. The black-and-white film class in high school was my favorite. Followed up with a host of photography and video classes, I was hooked. Graduating with a photojournalism degree, I was well on my way to a career in photography.
 
            Realizing that my true interests reside in commercial photography and that the world was a giant place to explore, I convinced my fiancé to fly with me to Seattle. Without any idea of how it would work, we bought a couple of one-way tickets and headed west to crash my friend’s couch. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
 
            After a suspenseful interviewing process, I was brought onto the Studio 3 Seattle team and couldn’t be happier. It just seems right.

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Throwback To The Future!

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

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“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads!”
We’re taking a flight back in time with Fluke Manufacturing! This week we’re busting out the film strips and having a flashback to the days of pre-digital shooting. Our Lead Shooter Henry Ngan captures the era in this classic Fighter Pilot Tech shot on film! Henry and the rest of the Studio 3 crew had a blast working with Art Director Val Kurita, who now Product Manages Chaudiere Design, Inc. in Seattle, WA.  And with retired successful Graphic Designer Gary LaComa who is currently creating Fine Art Photography , you can check out his gallery at Saatchi Art and shop on Zentopia to snag some of his beautiful art work. Gary hops in the time machine to share a few words with us about his tenure with Studio 3…
“This image was a core brand image for a new product introduction for Fluke Manufacturing. It was designed to be the visual icon for this new product in advertising, print collateral, and point of sale posters. The overriding concept of the product was “speed” which lead to a vision loosely visualized in my head and sold to the client. The client’s trust in us to deliver the goods was the primary reason we got this project. It was a very important introduction that the company had invested in heavily. The stakes were high. 
…It was always exciting working with The Boys and getting the results we did on this and many other projects. This campaign, built visually around this image, was a huge success for the client.
I would like to add however that I chose to work with Studio 3 on many of my clients projects over a decade of effort for 3 primary reasons. First their technical expertise. Henry and his support crew were, and always has been, technically way ahead of their time (even back then). This image was actually created in the camera and on film, unlike today where a computer screen and digital manipulation reign supreme. Second reason was their attitude about working as a team. Unlike many photographers, they allowed me to work with them in the trenches. We worked together hands on… as a team. Many photographers are less than enthusiastic about this collaborative style of work and prefer that you sit in a chair and yes/no “their” creations. Third my confidence in them to deliver. I knew they/we would deliver the product we sold and to do it efficiently and within my client’s budget and schedule. “

It’s always fun sharing these stories from way back in the day!

A Trip Down Memory Lane, In Freightliner Trucks! #TBT

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

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A trip down memory lane takes us back to summer of 1983, and we’re in the middle of the Alvord Desert. For a few years around this time, we’ve been shooting calendars for Freightliner Trucks in-studio. These trucks were a work of art, show-trucks that were built and painted particularly to collaborate with the themes of each year’s calendar. But it was time for something new and fresh! This was our first attempt to shoot the calendar on location. Tom Stuart, our lead photographer at the time, scouted a few places that’ll be a great large flat space to offer beautiful surroundings to match the hues and beauty of the models and show-trucks we were shooting. So we arrived at Alvord Desert! Tom Stuart and our current Lead Shooter Craig Wagner, geared up, packed the studio van, grip truck, two RVs, and three 1984 Freightliner beauty trucks. They headed to the desert with two clients, three assistants, three models, a hair and make up stylist, and 3 truck drivers in tow.
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For a week, our crew, clients, models, truck drivers, and stylist camped in the dessert shooting at sunrise and sunset and finding time in between to soak up the scenery and it’s activities. While our clients, models, and stylist camped in the two RV’s, the truck drivers slept in the semi-truck sleepers and Studio 3 rolled out our sleeping bags without hesitation, and slept under the stars.
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The fun didn’t stop with shooting during the beautiful hours of sunrise and sunset. Thanks to the wind and rain, most of the day was spent getting equipment set up, with our crew jogging for a quarter of a mile at a time to retrieve our belongings. When we weren’t running for our lives, or shooting with the sun’s timing, the crew was enjoying BBQ’s, the local farmers hospitality with horseback riding, and dipping into the hot springs. With that said, take us back to the summer of 1983!
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It's In The Details

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

Another one from our creative and innovative team of Digital Artists! Being experts in the industry, they’re crazy efficient and solution-oriented artists, with crazy teamwork that collectively gets us to where we need to be. Let our Digital lead, Alex Gumina, tell you how we never overlook the small details and work together with our clients to get to the final product!
“When I originally received this image for post-production it was so clean that I wondered what needed to be done to it. Upon reading the photographers notes I discovered that the client wanted the reflections removed from the marble tile, the imagery on some of the screens changed, and a host of other fairly intensive edits. Swapping out the images on the screens was easy – we do this sort of thing all the time. However, when it came to removing the reflections from the marble tile I had to formulate a game plan. Because of the perspective, simply cloning tile to tile wouldn’t work. The grout lines wouldn’t match up. My first inclination was to path out each individual tile and clone sample in from other areas, but I knew there had to be a better way. I decided to make a complex system of open-ended paths over the grout areas in between the tiles themselves. I then created separate paths for the different areas of colored tile. I filled in each of these areas with a solid color, which I sampled from the actual floor tile color. After I had each of the areas filled, I used the path I made over the grout lines to fill in the grout and applied an inner bevel. The result looked good, but didn’t really make sense because the reflection was completely gone. I scaled it back, showed the client, made a few minor adjustments, and arrived at the end result.”
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The Sweet Change Of Seasons!!

Posted on by Studio 3 Inc

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In the change of seasons, we at Studio 3 like to capture the highlights of what each period has to offer. Here, we’ve highlighted the rustic winter feel with its bright beautiful contributions. Senior Shooter David Bell goes in depth about his inspiration behind the shoot:
“This is one of a series of 4 shots. The harvest season was coming to an end, winter was starting to set in. I wanted to show the beauty and pretty color of the season. The dark wood and lighting with longer shadows is indicative of winter. The sun is low and we have shortened days with more darkness. Within this is the pop of colors of the season. I am always so happy to see the Satsumas return to the market. They are so bright, sweet and refreshing. The bright green leaves contrasting against the bright orange is always a treat. The rich red color of local Tart Cranberries along with sweet earthy brown Chestnuts make for delicious feast to the taste and eyes.

Pretty dappled lighting created in studio with strobe light captured with a Hasselblad camera with a longer lens to compress the elements. Bringing all of this together.”
– David Bell
Below, are the rest of the series. These gorgeous shots embody everything David spoke of. What a great way to bring bold and beautiful color to a dark and cold season. The pop of color helps us prepare for what the upcoming seasons will bring! While we wait for the sunshine, it’s warmth, gardens of colorful flowers and bold greenery to make it’s comeback; we can thank David for reminding us to skip the hot chocolate and slices of pie every once in a while, and enjoy the sweet delicacies that nature has to offer during the winter season.
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Happy sweet change of seasons!!!