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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Category: Food & Drink
Gobble Gobble, Thanksgiving Is Here!
In food photography or in your own kitchen, using the freshest of fresh ingredients is always critical to making a beautiful final photograph – or in your case, a meal! One of our favorite ways to guarantee freshness in the Pacific Northwest is to get our ingredients from Whole Foods Market. Now you don’t even have to leave your desk to get those ingredients because there’s Instacart – a food delivering service that can get you groceries in as little as an hour.
The countless hours you’ll spend in the kitchen Thanksgiving morning are going to require some extra energy. Our client Portland Juice Co. might have just the perfect juice blend to get you that energy. One of our favorites is the Mantra, made with Carrot, Orange, Ginger, Turmeric and Cayenne!
Alright IGers, we know there will be a lot of you posting beautiful photos of your Thanksgiving masterpieces on the big day. Check out our interpretation of a still life painting inspired by the Old Masters Floris van Dyck and William Claeszoon Heda. Using expert lighting techniques and beautiful styling, this photograph was done with no retouching … #nofilter, people!
Make sure you have all hands on deck when it comes to making the perfect Thanksgiving pumpkin pie. Sur La Table can get you all the professional cooking tools you need, starting with this pie-making dish.
While we’re all thankful for the opportunity to share this special holiday with family and friends from near and far, we’re most thankful for the person taking care of cleaning up ALLLLLLLL the dirty dishes!
Happy Thanksgiving from the team at Studio 3 to you and your family.
Food, Family & Fun
The two best things about the holiday season? Here’s a clue. They both start with the letter “F.” Food and … family. If you want to plan some outdoor activities for when the kids are home, or even in between those stomach – stuffed meals, check out your city’s local events that are happening on the Thanksgiving holiday. There’s the Holladay Park Turkey Trot in Portland, and Green Lake Gobble & Mashed Potato Munch Off in Seattle.
For a second, close your eyes. Think of the senses that bring the holidays to life in your imagination. Do you smell the cranberry sauce in your grandma’s crystal dish, sitting patiently waiting to be eaten on the dining room table? What about the cinnamon smell of the house you grew up in? Infuse your home with the traditional holiday smells from NEST Fragrances.
Can you smell that? The smell of deliciously oven roasted turkey? You can’t have Thanksgiving without a bird, and you can’t have a bird without a superior turkey recipe. The Pioneer Woman has all the recipes you could use to make a Thanksgiving meal. Pay extra attention to The Pioneer Woman’s Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, she promises it won’t be hard to make.
Tablecloths, white plates, fall-themed napkins, cutlery, red wine – everything you need is at Costco. So go. On a bus, in a car, on a plane, or in a train, we don’t care. Your local Costco is calling your name.
If you’re not able to make it home for the holidays, wherever that is, Consumer Cellular can make you feel right at home. Anyone can find a plan that works for him.
Favorite Fall Food (and drink) Recipes
Need new fall traditions?
Ginger-Turmeric Tea. Its got cold remedies mixed into the sweet and spicy liquid that goes oh so nicely next to a warm fire or in a to-go thermos on your morning walk. It only calls for four ingredients – powdered ginger, powdered turmeric, lemon, and water. A lot of Studio 3’s work is of food and drink photography. You can check some of it out here and here. Feelin’ hungry? Call us.
Did you know that the origin of the pomegranate is from modern-day Iran? You can use pomegranate seeds and juice for lots of things – sauces, garnishes, smoothies, baking, cooking, and … pomegranate cosmos?!?
You can also use mushrooms in practically anything – mushroom soup, mushroom pasta, mushroom risotto, (an all time favorite), the list goes on and on. When people think of mushrooms they think of cooking, and when they think of cooking they’ll usually go to a grocery store to pick up their shrooms. But, there’s a more adventurous way to get your shroom on … there’s a new hobby on the books – mushrooming hunting. Here is the 2015 Mushroom Guide for Oregon and Washington. And if you want to get your shroom hunting on, you’ll need these essentials.
If you’re like some of us and you just don’t have the time for cooking, (or maybe you just don’t know HOW to cook), bread, pears, and cheeses are perfect appetizers to start your fall-themed night off right.
Oh! Is that the dinner bell?
Fall in Love With These 6 Tools
It’s that time — yard work needs to be done without the help of rain to make that soil a little more easy to dig into. Gerber Gear in Portland, Oregon, has been getting the dig-job done since 1939, and has a one hundred percent success rate when it comes to cracking open the earth. Their products are so strong that they’re Army Strong. Gardeners and tradesmen are not the only ones who use Gerber Gear. Gerber Gear is carried along side the United States Military.
We’ve shot Leatherman Tools for over twenty years, and we know from personal experience how important their gadgets are in the workplace. Their new model, Signal, has a few extra additions to the traditional multi-functional tool: A blade sharpener, a fire-starting rod, and an emergency whistle. (now go put THIS on your holiday list).
When the light is right and the product is so beautiful it just about walks itself off the page. Fashionable, durable, AND cool…it could not be more NW.
Go into any Target store and you’ll spot the Levis. In men’s section, women’s section, and can you guess it? Kid’s section. They’re an all-around-brand for that year-round fashionista. They’re also perfect for fall. Dark wash screams cool and collected, and it also keeps the dirt smudges at a minimum.
We live in a society where people like to stand out, and if you’re one of those, you’d want this type of bike. Renovo is a bike brand made out of…wood. Their bikes are lightweight and sustainable, just the way we like it here in Portland!
That cold, misty, smooth sip of apple cider may be the most important tool in your 2015 toolbox. Looking for unusual hard cider flavors?
We hope these 2015 tools help your fall get off to a great start. Need things photographed for your fall catalog or product launch? Give us a ring.
Ready, Set, Fall!
The alarm is going off, it’s time to start the day. The number one thing that helps with this process? Coffee. That warm, wonderful wake-me-up-cup. Portland and Seattle are known for their hole-in-the-wall coffee shops along with their hand roasted coffee beans. If you’re more of a stay-at-home coffee drinker, Espresso Supply in Seattle, WA, has phenomenal products and tools to help anyone who’s interested in using, making, (AND TASTING), specialty coffee and coffee products.
With fall comes cold weather, which means an extra excuse to pile on the layers. Start this season looking F R E S H – outside AND on the inside, too. The cold weather brings more hours spent inside, and opportunities for a refreshing drink…water. Yes, water. Those florescent lights can be draining, so hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. PLUS, water is good for your brain. Really good, especially if it’s mineral infused water.
Ride to work in style. Biking is in, and it’s in big time. People do their part to save the environment, they exercise and look sleek while cool cruising to first period class or that 8am meeting. Finding the right bike for your lifestyle can be a bit time consuming. River City Bikes in Portland, OR, is a great place to start. They’ve been around the block for twenty years, and can help you with that first new (or used) bike purchase. Looking for a less “traditional” type of bike? Look no further.
Admit it. A phone is a good distraction for that afternoon slump. With the amount we use them these days, they’re always visible. People don’t just want their phone to be smart, they want them snazzy & sexy. There’s plenty of alternatives to all those Apple products, too.
Eating is an important component to a productive day at school and work. People say breakfast is the most important, but we say lunch! If you don’t have time to pack your PB&J in the morning and want to spice things up, try this pulled pork recipe. It’s fast and easy. Everyone around you will be oinkin’ at you for a taste.
Ready, set, GO! Give Studio 3, Inc., a call this fall season. We look forward to hearing from you.
Salad, Sangria, & Salmon: Get Foody With S3
The school year is here but before you say goodbye to all the summer festivities, remember there are still plenty of weekends to salvage the warm weather and sparkling sunshine. Which, as we know, is especially important to us PNWers who are used to…let’s say… a “shadier” type of living. It’s like we all announce, a packed week calls for a packed weekend!
Here at Studio 3 we LOVE cookouts. So why not sneak in one last backyard BBQ full of salad, sangria, and salmon?
It’s always great to start with fresh ingredients from Portland Farmers Market.
Easy tip: Use the Chef’n Citrus Juicer for a delectable topping to your salad.
When you’re waiting for your charcoal to heat up on the grill, why not whip up this Sangria recipe made with Stash Tea.
Grilling adds smokiness and texture to your salmon – it’s also an essential for any sort of backyard meal. Are you fishing for the perfect salmon recipe?
Fall is around the corner but there’s still time for fun. Enjoy this meal and remember to soak up the sun. (and DRINK!).
17 Ways to Get Your Clients to Love You: A Studio 3 Guide
We’ve been in business a long time, working with some clients for a decade or more. To us, the client relationship is paramount, and we go above and beyond to nurture it. What would you experience if you were a client of ours? Here are some direct quotes from our Team Members about what we mean when we speak of “Studio 3 Customer Service:”
Client Relationship Manager Jessica Lynes:
We take the time to anticipate our clients’ needs, ensuring that they have exactly what they need/want before they even know that they need or want it!
We always have their “favorites” when they’re here: foods, drinks, music, etc. is met with a “Wow! Thank you so much, I can’t believe you remembered!”
Portland Producer Liz Swales:
We get the client’s job done: efficiently, flawlessly, and simply, while exceeding their their expectations.
We take care of them like royalty…AKA feeding them fun and amazing food!
Chaos Wrangler Niki Gillespie:
We streamline the behind-the-scenes details to ensure the smoothest client experience. Clients love our process but never are over-aware of it. No bottlenecks.
Seattle Producer Kaitlin McMillan:
We will do anything! If the client wants it done, we’ll get it done for them – no hesitation or questions. Any budget, any client, any person, any product… we have a solution for even the most difficult of requests.
We create an “atmosphere” while a client is on set: you can bring your laptop and do work, you can play ping pong when you’re just here tagging along for a shoot, you can watch the news and drink coffee with your feet up on a couch. We inspire creativity and hard work all while in great company.
Digital Artist Carl Beery:
Clients appreciate our experience in pre-media print and web production. Knowing how print collateral and websites are built helps me ask the right questions before problems arise.
Years of experience interpreting markup also helps us make the edits that clients want to see, ensuring a flawless final outcome for all.
Digital Artist Tom Radio:
We make the impossible POSSIBLE when it comes to post-production!
Video Director David King:
We care about building relationships throughout the creative process and we keep client satisfaction as our #1 goal.
Photographer David Bell:
Listen. Pay Attention. Make them the most important thing happening then and there. Make it fun.
Photographer Craig Wagner:
We always try to give our clients more than what they’re initially asking for (like different angles on the same setup), and we are ultimately flexible when working. We won’t consider the creative brief set in stone, and are bold enough to run with an idea, which clients appreciate on set.
Photographer and Studio 3 co-founder Henry Ngan:
By offering them any level of service they need to make their projects a success.
By thinking out of the box creatively to provide a unique vision and fresh look.
Photographer and Studio 3 co-founder Jim Felt:
We always follow through on our promises.
We care about the future relationship with every single client. We value their friendship and the ability to create fun images for them. We are proud of our relationship with each and every client, large or small.
Can’t wait to experience what it’s like to be a Studio 3 client? Reach out and bring us your next project. You’ll experience all of the above…and more.
This Photograph Inspired My Entire Career: 4 Professional Photographers Weigh In
At Studio 3 we have a number of talented professional photographers ready to take gorgeous, arresting images for any client need. But all photographers, even those at the pinnacle of their careers, got started somewhere. Often it was a single, iconic image that ignited the creative passion. For example:
Jim Felt, Photographer and Co-Founder of Studio 3, Inc.
For Studio 3, Inc. co-founder Jim Felt, the iconic photograph that inspired his love of the FUN side of photography was the album cover photo from The Doors’ Strange Days. Shot by Photographer Joel Brodsky (with much of it put together on the fly with minimal budget), this photo spoke to Jim’s love of the absurdity of life. Up until he saw this photo, Jim says that he shot mostly in black & white and didn’t like color photography that much, but this photo spoke to him with its moody monochromatic palette. As a photographer he was drawn to the idea of directing any scenario imaginable and shooting it, and thought it so much fun to see the details throughout the image that wrapped all the way around to the back of the CD (where the band’s portraits were relegated!) (Interesting story behind the photo here.) Radical for its time in that it was album cover art that didn’t depict the band, this photo captured Jim’s attitude to photography in genera;: that we shouldn’t take it so darn seriously because it’s so incredibly FUN.
Jim Felt specializes in portrait, large vehicle, and lifestyle photography. His photos often depict a lot of things happening that draw you into a picture with fun and interest.
Lifestyle photography by Jim Felt.
Henry Ngan, Photographer and Co-Founder of Studio 3, Inc.
For Henry Ngan, the other co-founder of Studio 3, the French master of candid photography Henri Cartier-Bresson proved most inspirational. This particular photograph, he notes, shows Cartier-Bresson’s ability to capture the moment as it happens. The photographer carried a small 35mm Leica camera in an age when the professional camera was huge – and he did this in order to be able to shoot spontaneity unobtrusively.
Of Cartier-Bresson, Henry says: “He inspired me to capture the decisive moment.”
No matter how big or complex the project, Henry embraces all challenges and always makes the cutting-edge look its very best. A master of texture, he specializes in product, large vehicle, and technology photography.
Vehicle photography by Henry Ngan. (Shot while sitting inside a large Caterpillar shovel and hoisted aloft to get an aerial view!)
Craig Wagner, Photographer
Craig Wagner originally started as a Photography Assistant at Studio 3 many years ago. For Craig the photograph that inspired him the most at the beginning of his career was Omega by Shedrick Williames (above, from Craig’s personal collection). After hearing a talk by Williames in his college class, Craig sought him out to apprentice for him. Williams (or “Shad” as he was known to friends) took young Craig under his wing and taught him high standards for black-and-white photography and his exacting methods for quality prints.
Craig says, “I still enjoy this image of his, the sense of isolation: a new beginning for Man. I feel that even today the statement he may have been making is still current.”
Craig’s photography exhibits a depth of tonal ranges, bright colors, and stellar lighting. He is known for large product, vehicle, beverage, and indoor/outdoor photography.
Vehicle photography by Craig Wagner.
David Bell, Photographer
Photographer David Bell has been with Studio 3 for over 10 years, and cites Bert Stern and his great pyramid shot for a Smirnoff ad as his inspiration. Shot on location and the pyramid reversed in the martini glass, all of his work at that time was very inspiring to the young photographer and provided a window into the world of advertising photography. The original bad boy photographer, Stern’s images redefined art and fashion in the 1950’s and 60’s. David was particularly drawn to the bold and graphic nature of this shot, one that changed the advertising world in its simplicity.
David says about this photo: “The light. Waiting for the right light. Beautiful.”
David Bell is known for his dedication to creating delectable food and beverage images and makes each item pop with his expert lighting. He specializes in product, food, drink, and vehicle photography.
Food photography by David Bell.