Our Process: From Start To Finish With Studio 3

 
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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.
IMG_5522Once 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 TestOnto 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

_DSC0489Lastly, 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

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?
 
 

Let's Unpack This: A Look Inside Studio 3's Location Lighting Kit

When shooting lifestyle or product photography on location in the Pacific Northwest you rarely know what you’re going to get. The rain gods in our home states of Oregon and Washington are prevalent and powerful. Deluge or mist, the Studio 3 team arrives on location prepared for anything.
How do we juggle variously lit environments, keep a tight timetable and budget, and still exceed our client expectations? Experience. We have perfected our method in the madness that is this glorious industry.  Now, thanks to the Internet and the power of social media marketing, we are able to share some of that wisdom with you.

What does the Studio 3, Inc. team need to create beautiful photography on location, you ask?

Be it a location shoot for Danner Boots, ShedRain Umbrellas, Amazon, or Kaiser Permenante our fail-safe location lighting kit includes;

  • Radio Slaves
  • 3 Lighting Stands
  • 3 ft. Soft box
  • Medium Umbrella
  • AA Batteries
  • CTB Gel
  • CTO Gel
  • Light Meter

This minimalistic kit is best used for atmospheric, lifestyle, and commercial work.
“[This lighting kit] is best used in situations where your key light is the light already available. When working on location you’re supplementing available light with the strobes you bring with you. An important part of that is to match the color temperature of that available light—we do this using gels [CTB or CTO]. This allows you to separate your subject from the background and really focus the viewer’s attention on the product. ” – Joshua Romberg, Photographer
In need new lifestyle photography for your next campaign? Give us a shout; we’ll get the gear.

Digital Retouching, Can you Didg’ it?

“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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Stepping On-Location with 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Written by: Eva Goldfarb, Marketing Coordinator @ Studio 3, Inc.

Pick Up The Phone!

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: NIKE, "We Have Liftoff."

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s….a….Nike Columbia? Reintroducing Nike’s soaring style named after it’s twin, NASAs Space Shuttle Columbia. This ground breaking style, very much like the Columbia Space Shuttle, is meant to endure long (st)rides. In an effort to blast this amazing new running shoe into the world of athleticism and fashion, Nike made sure to run it through several laboratory tests. According to the article below, after more than 800 miles, the shoe proved to show no loss of cushioning and minimal wear on the anatomical outsole. To launch this shoe the right way, David Kennedy, of Wieden & Kennedy, asked our team at Studio 3 to hop on board for this project. We then worked together, and knocked this Nike ad out of this world.

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When Studio 3 Lead Photographer, Craig Wagner, was asked to shoot this product – he was excited to the moon and back. Keep in mind, this ad was done in the early ’80s during the pre-digital days.

“We worked with Wieden & Kennedy quite a bit when they first started out. It was great to collaborate again on this project and compile an image together before the era of digital technology. Wieden & Kennedy provided the idea and the stock image of NASAs Columbia Space Shuttle. I shot this on a Sinar 4×5. This was actually my first time taking an image and lighting the product to match.”

Taking a flight back in time with this ad shows that our capabilities and imagination are beyond the world of digital art and computer technology. A little bit of old fashion simplicity and creativity, in this day in age and in the future, can still do the trick. Call us to find out how we can provide you with a stellar production.
 
 

Spring Into Style With Keds!

Spring means a lot of things: blooming flowers, constant showers, and our favorite… spring-cleaning. Now, before you decide to write us off as crazy, it’s important to consider the positive outcomes that spring-cleaning can bring. In the best-case scenario, you will open up your closet (that by now looks worse than the aftermath of “Twister”), throw away your worn-out kicks and threads, and HOPEFULLY replace them with new ones. However, in the chance that you experience the worst case scenario… Well, we can’t help you with that. BUT we can produce some pretty sick photography and would LOVE to use your closet as a still-life, that is if nothing is growing in it. But, for the sake of helping you spring into style, let’s just say this is a best case scenario. So get ready to do a little seasonal shopping! With that said, let us introduce you to our favorite spring essential, one the most emblematic shoes in history, the Keds’ classic Champion Sneaker. Keds
This undying style was captured by lead shooter, Craig Wagner. Craig created this elegant black and white image by doing what he does best: applying  just the right amount of light and shadow for a flawless, timeless look. However, Craig isn’t the only star in this production. Did we mention our Portland Studio Producer, Liz the Whiz, is building her hand and foot modeling portfolio? If you want these photogenic stems in your next shoot, contact Studio 3 for bookings. You hear us Keds!? To put it plain and simple, if you’re one of those spring-cleaner’s out there who happens to own a pair of stylish Keds, let us be the first to admit it’s not always necessary to say “goodbye” to the old. Unless you don’t own a pair. In that case, get to cleaning your closet and say “HELLO” to the new!  Get off on the right foot this morning and go get yourself a pair of Keds… the only shoe worthy enough to pass under the spring cleaning radar.

Throw "Back Alley" Thursday!

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!