Creating Sunshine: Lighting, Props, And Backdrops

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Studio 3 Inc

Here at Studio 3, we create warm summer days year-round.

Our amazing team brings sunshine and warmth to the office every day. Likewise, we bring sunshine solutions to your product photography with lighting, props, backdrops, and our digital media team.

You bring the product, we’ll bring the summer. Location your budget approves.

Lighting and backdrops and props, oh my!

The most important technique our team applies to create sunshine for a photo is lighting. For example, one of our photographers, Craig Wagner, modifies and utilizes lighting at different angles to create specialized shadows and ambiance for your creative projects. Just call him walking sunshine. The key is properly spaced lighting to obtain the perfect shadow every time. High ceilings are used to our advantage for room sets creating that needed distance for a large subject like this shot for Marquis Spas.

Marquis Spa Behind The Scene Lighting Photo Marquis Spa Photo In-Studio Lighting

Our photographer’s crisp shadows and dramatic sunlight are not all we can provide in-studio. We also have amazing props and backdrops. The color and texture of the background add a sentiment to the photo evoking a mood. Backdrops can range from subtle soft colors to a crisp white or a seamless backdrop to create that sunny day.

In this photo, you can see how the backdrop, lighting, and various props tell a summer story on their own.

Our Digital Media team:

Along with our photographers, our digital media team create sunshine and warmth even on the rainiest days. For composite images, they combine multiple layers to create one beautiful and flawless scene. When putting together a composite image, one has to consider many different variables. The most obvious are the colors, placement, and size of different elements. As a result, these decisions will affect how, where, and in what order the viewer focuses their attention.

‘For this piece, I played a lot with the placement of the surfboard and boombox to make it feel natural, organic, and compositionally pleasing. Light and color also play a critical role in how a viewer responds to a piece and whether an image looks “realistic”. I wanted this particular piece to have a nostalgic, yet timeless vibe, and I think the long shadows and warm tones created by the sunset help convey this feeling.’

–Lucio Barbarino Digital Artists at Studio 3

Rain or shine, we at Studio 3 have your back to create that perfect photo you visualize for your brand. Give us a call. We would love to add a little sunshine to your day.

Our Process: From Start To Finish With Studio 3

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Studio 3 Inc

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When Studio 3 begins a photography or branding project, our first step is to sit down with the client and dream up ideas. Collaborating on a concept might involve a handful of approaches, depending on the project at hand – anything from examining examples of similar work, creative brainstorming with our in-house team, and establishing a shared visual language using Style Guides, Mood Boards, or Pinterest. Below you can see an example of what a typical brainstorming session looks like at Studio 3.
Once an idea is hatched, our Producer-Extraordinaire Eva Goldfarb kicks it into high-gear – scheduling stylists, organizing set builds, balancing budgets, and handling any propping/costuming as needed. This work frees up our clients and photographers to stay in a creative mindset, and not get caught up in the operational details of the project.
15611T_Tea Test Onto the shoot! Photographer Craig Wagner is among the best photographers in the Northwest – and has been with the studio since the early days. Forever perfecting his craft, Craig does what it takes to get the perfect shot – even if it means inventing a new piece of equipment specifically for the shoot at hand.

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We have a good time on set

_DSC0489 Lastly, our Digital Team steps in and works their magic. The processes of Color Grading and Digital Retouching are extremely intricate – just ask Sean Yates, one of our in-house Graphic Artists:

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“Color and clarity are of central importance when retouching images. …We always strive for and deliver accurate color.”

In reality, the Digital Team does a lot more than just retouching:
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Finished product:
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And that’s not the end! Studio 3 partners with the same clients year after year because they love the end result, and appreciate the creative relationships formed. We take the utmost pride in these collaborations and are always striving to bring something new and exciting to the table for the next shoot. Give us a call today, and find out how Studio 3 can help elevate your brand with the coolest+catchiest photography in the Pacific Northwest.

HOW DO YOU HUE? Three Ways Studio 3 Makes It Pop

Posted on July 30, 2018 by Studio 3 Inc

When is the last time you were blown away by an image? Why was that? Perhaps you noticed a vivid background, strategically hued font, or impressively monochromatic scheme. You noticed color. Color impacts product integrity, branding, and consumer reactions.
A lot of components go into creating “the shot,” and Studio 3, Inc. handles them all from styling to post production. Our colorful team is here to make your visual dreams pop off the screen.
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1. On-Set Color Matching
Royal blue textured paper, the precise shade of orange gel, and Craig Wagner’s masterful lighting will get you out of any pickle. Our stylists and photographers address the details on set to ensure color is spot on from project start to finish.
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2. Add a Little Retouching Magic
In addition to phenomenal photography – we have a top-of-the-line digital team equipped with the tools to save you time and money, making your technicolor dreams come true. They are our color wizards: flawlessly color matching, and coloring up your product photography.
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3. Set Your Social Scene
It is important to be visible, impactful, and purposeful with social media posts so that potential clients can easily find what they might be looking for. Let us help you content create.
We like to use Instagram as a social portfolio. Our audience can then see that beyond our stellar images, we have an eye for style, beauty, and purpose. It’s important to keep content fresh, colorful, and trendy for your followers and future followers.
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Color psychology plays an important role in your marketing goals. Research has shown that color branding influences 90% of shopping decisions. That is a number opportunity we definitely would not want to miss.

What colors are consumers loving this month? Season? Year?

What does this mean for you? How can we help?

The most exciting part of the rainbow world in which we work is getting to put our skills to good use. Our commitment to client satisfaction and beautiful photography is unmatched in our field. From styling – to shooting – to retouching – to bragging about our clients – we love keeping life colorful. DO HUE?

Digital Retouching, Can you Didg’ it?

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Studio 3 Inc

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
― Mark Twain

The million dollar question: What sets us apart from all of the other photography studios in the PNW? Well, quite a few things. But it’s hard to talk about them all in 500 words, so I am going to focus on our in-house digital department.
Not only are our digital artists pixel-perfect, they have the ability to turn photos around faster than I can type this sentence. No, we’re not a marketing agency, but we love working with them. We are photography pioneers. We look past the norm and find answers to questions you have yet to ask. How? Magic. Or Intuition, as they call it nowadays.
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Our award-winning photographers work closely with clients and the digital artists who render our images flawless. Communication is our biggest secret for success.

“Without each other, the quality standards we achieve here would not be possible.” -Craig Wagner, Photographer

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“Having an in-house [digital department] allows me to have face-to-face conversation before, during, and after a shoot. Whether we’re discussing how we should approach a job, or what my intention was in how I shot it, I have the asset of having a digital team that feels like an extension of myself.”
–Craig Wagner, Photographer

Our digital team not only makes photos look better in post, they help the photographers shoot more efficiently. It’s photography plus.

“I have the opportunity to talk directly with clients, nipping problems in the bud, saving everyone time and money. We remove a step for the client without compromising the photos.” –Michelle Smith, Lead Digital Artist

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Working with a vast array of clients, we have shot some behemoths over the years; trains, planes, and automobiles to name a few. That’s a lot of surface area to make drop-dead gorgeous, which is why we keep stylists on the ready to spot check, scrub out smudges, and make sure each vehicle’s best side is showing. But we don’t have favorites. Whether it be a fleet for Freightliner, or a detailed shot of a Leatherman tool, each job gets the same level of attentiveness and digital mastery.

“It all breaks down to textures and tones. Fifteen minutes of proper styling and lighting prep during a shoot can save an hour of digital retouching.” –Michelle Smith

So what’s next? We are dreaming up bigger and better ways to make you look fabulous. Stay tuned, we’re 40 years young and constantly evolving.
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Who Runs Our World (Liz)

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Studio 3 Inc

Studio 3, Inc. Producer, Liz Swales, is the driving force behind our photography magic. It’s truly amazing what all she can get done in a day. In order for all of you to get to know a little bit more about our Top Boss, I sat down with her at the Portland studio’s neighborhood tea spot, The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co.
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What do you look for in a photo?
“Overall composition; different angles, dimensions, lighting—something out of the ordinary. I always check highlights, styling, and color tonality but ultimately if a photo makes me feel, its good. ”
What is one thing from your Interior design training that has stuck creatively?
“Everything in design should be odd numbers. Always go odd.”
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What is your favorite thing about your role as Producer?
“Seeing the result of everyone’s work… from beginning to end. It is a cool process and one that only I get to see [come to fruition], whereas everyone else just plays their specific roles. I love delivering the final images to the client and getting their positive feedback— “Awesome! You guys are awesome!” or “Thank you so much Liz, your crew is great to work with.”
“Marquis shoots are really fun to produce. Showing up to the shoot and realizing Oh! I did that. I got the forklift, the model has arrived, the crew is working hard, the set is beautiful and the props look amazing. Seeing it all happen from beginning to end is a rewarding process.”
Read more about the production behind a Marquis Spa commercial here.

“Our top boss, Liz Swales! She oversees and schedules the organized chaos and somehow (probably magic) is able to orchestrate the entire production seamlessly.”

What is one difficulty in your current role that you did not expect?
“I have an eye for design and how things should be placed and layered, so when I was told I would be doing a lot of propping and styling, I thought, cool this will be fun and easy! But it’s not. Propping for the camera is completely different than interior propping. Things look like they are touching when they aren’t, colors don’t look good together, and balance can sometimes be hard to accomplish. Oh, and prop shopping is whole different kind of shopping. Let’s just say get 5-6 options of each item that you think you will need. Over shop, because you never know what the perfect item will be for the perfect image.”
What Studio 3, Inc. Image are you the most proud of this year?
“The top-down drink photography shot of GT’s Kombucha that I made with [Photographer] David Bell. Its something I would see in a magazine and think, “That’s beautiful.”

What is your favorite problem-solving tool?
“There’s a lot to be said for just a note pad and pen. I write things out, make diagrams. Before I do estimates I draw out how the job would go to make sure it makes sense or see if there is another way that would be better.”
How do you unwind?
“At the beginning of this year I realized I work a lot. At all hours of the day and night. All I was doing was working.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my work, but I needed to catch up on all the movies and TV shows my friends were watching. Just kidding, but I decided to make a change.
So at the beginning of the year I started doing yoga and Nia. It relieves stress and provides a physical break in my day. I go every day after work and afterwards I do not work any more. ”

What do you predict will be the biggest change in photography over the next 10 years?
“Virtual reality. People will want to interact with a product virtually before buying it. I think it will become a role within the studio, like our in-house digital team.”
Evolving with the photography, videography, and retouching business over the past 40 years we have picked up a few tricks. Possessing studios in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, our ability to meet the needs of our clientele is second to none, especially when you factor in our in-house digital team, producers, stylists and assistants at the ready. We take care of it all, so you can kick back, relax, and watch as we make your creative ambitions come to life.

Brand Identity; Telling YOUR Story Through Photography and Video

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Studio 3 Inc

In an era of constant online noise, brand identity becomes quintessential. Customers are seeking not only quality, but also an authentic buying experience; the real people behind the business. They are seeking companies with similar values and lifestyles as their own.
How do you build an unmistakable brand identity? How do you tell your story? Whether you are creating a new ad campaign, or updating your catalogue’s product photography, every image should speak to your customers.
Once you have defined your brand, you can begin to effectively market it. That’s where we come in. Studio 3, Inc. works with you to create personal visual solutions. We show the world how awesome you are.
Let’s take a closer look at how different photos craft different emotional responses. In other words, what your photography is saying about your brand.
1. Your Colorways; Cool vs. Warm

Colors evoke emotion. Cool colors calm, while warm colors educe action—like this photo for Nike that encourages me to get out of this chair and go for a run.

2. Your Lighting; Studio vs. Natural
Whether your image is sun-soaked or sleekly structured, the quality can’t be compromised.

This beautiful cocktail shot for Seattle Magazine is captured with a splash! Inspiring thought on what a customer should do next (hint: buy some whiskey). Need help deciding? Here are Five new Washington Whiskeys to Try.

Embracing the brand identity of Coca-Cola, natural lighting was used to flood the scene with a sense of summer. Now that’s affective lifestyle photography.
3. Your Audience; Outdoor vs. Luxury
Who is your target market? What do they value? Creating environments for your product takes target market research.

What better way to appeal to Danner Boot’s outdoor customer, while staying true to the Brand’s value of craftsmanship, than to put their boots to the test in the Pacific Northwest.

“Hold a Danner boot in your hand and you’ll notice the hand crafted precision. Try it on and you’ll feel the difference. Test it against the elements and you’ll appreciate the value of a product that is built to last.” -Danner, Since 1932

However, when your marketing luxury like Jimmy Choo, the environment changes with the contrasting brand identity.

“A 21^st Century Luxury Accessories Brand, with shoes at its heart, offering an empowered sense of glamour and a playfully daring Spirit.” – Jimmy Choo

4. Your Appearance; Organic vs. Styled

Are you showing a process or presenting it’s end result? As brands and agencies move towards targeting the holistic customer, we see the shift manifest in an increase of lifestyle photography… And that’s in addition to the perfect product shot, 360-degree spin, and detail so good you can almost feel it. It’s a comprehensive marketing approach. You are your brand, and we are your people for all things photography, videography, and retouching.

5. Your Quality; iPhone vs. Professional Photographer
If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, just wait until you hire an amateur… said a brilliant person. After meeting with a client, and doing a little research on their product, we stumbled upon this brilliant blog post that couldn’t say it any better.

“It’s amazing how big of a difference having really nice pictures of your space can make. A few months ago I ran an informal experiment (as research for another project) where I listed my apartment for rent on craigslist. They were both the same price, in the same area. One listing had really nice pictures taken with a high quality dslr and wide angel lens and the other had badly lit pictures taken with my iPhone. The listing with the nice pictures got 10x the emails.” – Jon Wheatley of Need/Want

Maybe it’s obvious, but maybe not. In today’s digital age everyone has a camera in their pocket, and iPhone 7s are promoted as so good they can be used for magazine covers and advertising (We won’t name names). We are bombarded with mediocre images… like this production still that I took versus Craig Wagner’s beautiful image masterfully finished by digital artist Michelle Smith. See the difference?
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Regardless of the project or scope, Studio 3, Inc. works with our clients, building relationships and crafting the perfect image for their brand. If you have yet to work with us, what are you waiting for? Drop us a line, let’s put our heads together to create something beautiful.

Meet the Marketers

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Studio 3 Inc

Studio 3, Inc. has added new members to our close-knit team, and we would like to introduce them to you. Jack Biehn has an impressive resume for his young age. He is already fast at work developing client relationships in the Portland and Seattle markets in his role as Ambassador of Accounts. If you haven’t already met him, stop in, or give us a call. We have a feeling you will like him, it’s hard not to.

“Born and raised in Portland, OR, I am a Portlandian down to my very core. Being raised in a family where advertising and the arts were important, I was fortunate enough to know what I wanted to do from an early age. My other passion besides the arts growing up was sports. Playing football in high school and some in college, I learned the discipline that helped me succeed in whatever venture I decided to go into! Being everything from a Market Research Analyst to an Assistant Manager at Voodoo Doughnuts, I never knew quite where life was going to take me, until one day Account Management chose me.
After being in a creative space, and being part of so many amazing campaigns, there is no looking back. You can find me on my days off traveling to the coast, in the tattoo parlor, getting my ink touched up, or on adventures to parts unknown!”

Eva Goldfarb has already put on a few hats at Studio 3, Inc. She is busy creating social media campaigns for our photography studios Portland and Seattle as well as assisting on the Portland production team. Let’s get social! Check out what Eva has been up to on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and gain an inside view of what it’s like to work with Studio 3, Inc.

“I slay in the kitchen and in the studio. My artistic eye and word witticism keep my marketing material funky fresh. Stereotypes of the solitude writer aside, I love people and am quick to pick up a quirky conversation with just about anyone. Moving to the PNW after an epic six-month cross-country trip, Portland glistened as the best city to be a creative, foodie, and adventure seeker.
After receiving my degree in Arts Management, I served my time in the service industry and traveled as much as I could—gaining insight into the global art sector and collecting ideas. Having finally found my idiosyncratic home, it’s time to flex my marketing muscles.”

Stepping On-Location with Studio 3, Inc.

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Studio 3 Inc

Three weeks into the job and it was time for my first on-location shoot with Studio 3, Inc. I boarded Bolt Bus, a company favorite, and set off for Seattle, eager to see Studio 3, Inc.’s cool studio space in the shadow of the Space Needle.

The day started with Chanel Everett, the studio’s Princess of Production, hand selecting an Adidas wardrobe that interpreted the clients’ art direction. With a mood board compiled of different lifestyle, apparel and shoe photography, we set off for the previously scouted Seattle setting.

Two vintage cars, a cooler, breakfast, lunch, snacks, racks of athletic apparel, dope enough to make any rapper weep, and the slaying photography skills of Studio 3, Inc.’s Trevor Boone—all the ingredients needed for success. I loved the Seattle cityscape, lifestyle photography theme and getting to assist with production stills.

The location was picked to compliment the Seattle rapper’s song “Hometown.” Bringing the urban background of the city into portrait photography, Trevor Boone was able to capture stunning duality that showcased not only his professional talent, but the personality of Raz Simone and an edge to Adidas footwear photography.

Images just came through the Studio 3, Inc. digital team, and we are stoked! Our in-house digital department works closely with our photographers and marketing team—removing power lines, clearing alleyway undesirables, and bringing the client’s vision to life every time. Check out a few of our favorite shots from the day.

We will be dropping more images from the shoot, so be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. When you decide to become a part of the fun, give us a call or stop by one of our studios to talk photography, video and serious retouching skills.

Written by: Eva Goldfarb, Marketing Coordinator @ Studio 3, Inc.

5 Things to Consider When Hiring a Professional Photographer

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Studio 3 Inc

It can be tough to find the perfect photographer for your images. Who to work with? How do you know what you’re getting? What will ensure the quality of the final image…and a great outcome? When weighing portfolios and websites, it is necessary to look at these 5 areas before you make that professional photographer hire:
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1. Capabilities: Do they have a portfolio of similar work? Do you see something congruous with your ideas (a similar style for the photography, for example) – that would lead you to believe that they can do this for you too? If you don’t see a professional photograph similar to your concept, that doesn’t mean the photographer in question is incapable of producing the work…it just leaves more up to chance. Go through the portfolio carefully to see if you can envision this particular person creating a photo evocative of your vision.
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2. Experience: Who have they worked with? Who are their advocates? Do they have a roster of clients that speak to their abilities…or are you unsure of who their clientele are? Do you see behind-the-scenes shots or shoots referenced on their social media channels? Do you hear clients singing their praises…or just crickets? Basically the question is whether they have the experience and the chops to execute the shoot you envision…as well as the experience to deal with anything that could potentially go wrong. And right it immediately. And make it amazing.
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3. Professionalism: How professional do they seem? Website, social media, email interactions, project management – are they on top of things or do they seem to drop the ball? Do they have a Team that handles whatever you could need on your project? Do you feel taken care of? Is their focus on YOU? This is an area where, if something is amiss, it is usually obvious immediately. From your first interaction to your last, you should feel that you can trust the professional you’ve chosen, and that they have all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed.
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4. Quality: Is the overall feel of the photographer’s work high-quality with a great deal of thought put into it…or do you see slapdash mistakes? How is the styling, the lighting, the sharpness of the photo? Do all the details cohere to create a uniform story? Is nothing overlooked? Do all the elements support the story…or detract? When you feel a balanced harmony when looking at the photograph, the overall quality will shine through.
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5. Results: A photo is a means to an end. Will it make people stop in its tracks…or will it be glossed over? Will it tell the story you want it to…or will it miss the mark? A lot of this relies on your gut feeling about your photography partner prior to the shoot…but you can also make an educated guess based on the work in the photographer’s portfolio. You also need to define what would be a success for the photography you need…and how to gauge the results once complete.
If you haven’t gotten the results you’ve been looking for from your photography provider, maybe it’s time to switch. The Team at Studio 3 is always here to partner with you to execute your vision…and push your campaigns to the next level. Give us a ring and see.