Earth Day is the world’s largest environmental movement, celebrating sustainability, environmental protection, and the green movement across the globe. Today, we celebrate the earthy efforts of our team and clients- highlighting six clients who put their green foot forward.

Working to reduce our ecological footprint our team jogs to work, takes the Tri-met and Metro Transit systems, and runs errands on our bikes.

Many members of our team have adopted an eco-friendly plant-based diet, positively impacting the planet with each meal. Here are a few of our favorite neighborhood eateries: Sudra, the Slice Pizza Company, and Providore.

Studio 3 Service Day

Each year our team decides on a service day to honor our community and environment. This year we volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank’s Eastside Learning Garden to dig in and work together on seasonal gardening projects. We prepped, weeded, and cleared garden beds to then plant rows of swiss chard. Go, team!

In alignment with our office values, many of our clients strongly believe in and practice social and environmental responsibility.

Stash Tea reuses and recycles packing materials in their shipping department while investing in renewable energy through the purchase of green power through Portland General Electric.

Have you heard of Ecoroofs?

We captured Portland’s Ecoroof Program for Portland client, Environmental Services. These Ecoroofs replace conventional roofing with a living, breathing vegetated roof system. They save energy, reduce pollution, decrease erosion, and significantly lower stormwater runoff.

Other Studio 3 clients such as Costco, Amazon, Adidas, and Nike do their part to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

“Costco understands that it has a responsibility to source its products in a way that is respectful to the environment and to the people associated with that environment. Our goal is to help provide a net positive impact for communities in commodity-producing landscapes, by doing our part to help reduce the loss of natural forests and other natural ecosystems, which include native and/or intact grasslands, peatlands, savannas, and wetlands.” – Costco Spokesperson

Amazon has installed rooftop solar on distribution warehouses and has implemented wind and solar farms in Ireland, Switzerland, and the United States.

Adidas recently unveiled Futurecraft Loop, a running shoe that was made to be re-made. Adidas designed the shoe with 100 percent reusable TPU and it’s constructed with no other added chemicals or adhesives.

Nike started a Reuse-a-Shoe program which encourages its customers to recycle their shoes. The program accepts any brand of athletic shoes and grinds them into new sports surfaces. So far, 28 million shoes have been tossed in the shredder box.

We have entered the era of conscious consumerism.

In need of photography or videography for your farm, production, recycling, or shipping methods to demonstrate your eco-friendly side? Studio 3 will capture the greener side of your company. We’ll bring cameras, drones, and herbivorous snacks.

Happy Earth Day from Studio 3, Inc.

The post Happy Earth Day from Studio 3, Inc. appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

1. Choosing the right background for the food at hand

Not all surfaces and backgrounds are photogenic. And while others might be beautiful on their own, they still may not necessarily complement the food/beverage at hand. So, what are some factors to consider when selecting a background? Color is a big one. Ideally, you want to avoid overly-bright colors or busy patterns that will distract from your subject. A shiny surface probably wouldn’t be a good choice either. Using neutral or pastel color palettes can go a long way in making your food/beverage ‘pop’- in a similar way that a certain color might bring out a person’s eyes. For instance, if most food contains warm color tones, it might be a good idea to shoot against cool-toned surfaces to create a pleasing contrast. If you want to learn more about how to create ‘color harmony,’ check out this helpful article on the subject, which also includes some useful guides.
You can also use the background to express character, suggest a mood, or establish a sense of place. Here’s a photo taken by Studio 3’s very own David Bell, which showcases a delicious chocolate cake placed in a rustic environment. The flooring suggests farm-style, naturalism, organic ingredients etc., while the rich brown tones in the wood compliment the chocolate perfectly.     

2. Knolling style – to use or not to use?

You may not be familiar with the term, but you’re definitely familiar with the style. ‘Knolling’ refers to this style of photography:

Bright + even lighting, Birds-Eye point-of-view, and a meticulous arrangement of items. First popularized in 1987 by a janitor who would fastidiously arrange the various construction tools he found around the warehouse, ‘Knolling’ photography has recently taken over Instagram as one of the most prolific trends in recent years – and has also found a strong niche in food/beverage photography. It’s easy to see why: if executed correctly, Knolling photography has a unique way of making any subject look bold and dazzling – even if it’s just some popcorn. Right angles, clusters of color, and clean/crisp lines are the name of the game. An appreciation of image composition, as well as the spatial relationships between objects will help your Knolling photography soar.

3. Using mist, glycerine, and other fakery

Want that ultra-fresh, dripping condensation look? Simply hit your glass with some mist! Or even better yet, many professionals will use Glycerin to the same effect. It gives your food/drinks a cold, fresh look, which in turn makes them appear more delectable. This is especially true of foods like fruits and veggies. If you see food in photographs looking wet or frosty, then you can bet your top dollar that glycerin was used! Think of your classic vending machine: can you picture those big water droplets rolling off a cold can of Coke on the front image? Yup, that’s either mist or Glycerin.

If your image requires ice, we highly suggest the use of fake ice cubes. Obviously, real ice melts, thus requiring frequent re-sets, which can take time and money away from your project (and also make a mess!). If you happen to be using glass, real ice will also cause significant fogging, obscuring your subject even more. These are just a few of the reasons professional photographers have embraced the use of fake ice and other perishable food prop replacements.   

4. Styling: Paint, pins, and putty

It takes a fine touch. There are countless cosmetic steps food stylists can take to improve the overall quality and composition of your food/beverage photography. Remember, we’re not actually serving the food, so no need to shy away from using un-edible items to get the necessary shot. Metal pins, for instance, can be used to hold food in place if you want to display the perfect balance of ingredients without them falling over. Photographer and food stylists will also use non-stick putty to the same effect, like so:

Ultimately, it’s about arranging and styling your subject to maximize it’s photogenic potential. Is your food stackable, or should it be fanned out, serving style? Does your subject have green stems? Should a side dish be included? What about some unique serving flatware? You can even utilize acrylic paint to boost colors, cover up blemishes, and even create patterns if desired. Get creative here! Like any good dish, there is a lot more to the finished product than merely the sum of the individual parts. It’s about how they all interact!
Here at Studio 3 Inc., we not only specialize in food and beverage photography, but also portraiture, lifestyle, sports, and product photography. Since 1974, we’ve been making your photography dreams come to life! Partner with us for your next creative endeavor, and see just how we stay inspired.
 

The post A Focus On Food: Our Tricks And Tips Behind Food + Beverage Photography appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

We have a good time on set

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:

“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:

 
Finished product:

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.
 

The post Our Process: From Start To Finish With Studio 3 appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

“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.
 

The post Who Runs Our World (Liz) appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

The post Stepping On-Location with Studio 3, Inc. appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

The post 14 Reasons to Love Studio 3, Inc. appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

The post A Glimpse at Photography Production appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

The post Studio 3 Rides Out On Ducati appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

So, if you’re feeling stressed, excited, discouraged, confused, wired, or tired, go ahead and start your very own video. You might be surprised with the outcome. And if you’re looking for a little extra sunshine in your day, give us a call or pop by the studio. We’ll do everything we can to ensure it’s an experience so grand you won’t need an app to remember it.

The post 1 Second Everyday appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.

Portland Studio 503.238.1748, ask for Dalcetta

Seattle Studio 206.282.0939, ask for Marcella

The post Pick Up The Phone! appeared first on Studio 3, Inc.®.