Shooting My Way...

One of my favorite photos from a favorite series I shot on assignment for Iron Man Magazine and Bodybuilding.com...

The subject is Nick who was selected as an Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month. I both photographed and wrote this feature monthly for 3 years, many of them of course photographed in the gym.

However this time I decided to show the ripped body and tattoos of Nick out in the desert landscape. Sadly for Nick it was freezing cold that day but at least it had stopped raining! Nick braved it through and had much fun despite his teeth chattering through much of it.

The other thing I decided to do was to shoot medium format film. With almost everything we see anymore shot on digital, I wanted to give the photos a different look and in my mind this setting and idea translated very well to film.

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The Extra Effort On Both Sides Of The Camera...

Of course I do a lot of photography in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. You see my photographs and features in the magazines all the time. It marries two of my favorite things and two things I know a great deal all about, working out in the gym and photography.

This photo of Xavisus Gayden from a photo shoot we did for Bodybuilding.com and Iron Man Magazine exemplifies, for me, photography and pushing iron in the gym...

In the gym, you are always challenging yourself. Not against the guy next to you, but against those iron plates hanging on each end of the bar. Sometimes it is not pretty, sometimes it is not perfect, but you push and next time that heavy weight yields to the next heavier weight and a sense of accomplishment that you have done your best.

Much of my favorite photography is not necessarily posed but does show people at their best in one way or another. The best in character during trying hard or maybe in a vulnerable moment, perhaps in a time of happiness or sadness. But always in a time of being human and special and unique to their own person. The candid moments are very true and fun!

However don't forget that I am really good at shooting the beautiful posed times too!

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Do You Look This Good In The Gym?

I think fitness model Angela Segovia looks pretty good during our photo shoot doing triceps. What do you think?

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Intensity And Big Equals Bodybuilder Daniel Hill...!

What more needs to be said? Big Daniel Hill is indeed the youngest IFBB Professional Bodybuilder. And he is busy making a name for himself. You cannot pick up a magazine lately without finding Daniel Hill featured in it. So keep watching, there are even bigger things coming for this big guy!

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A Favorite "Ab" Photo...

"Ab" as in abdominal muscles and these belong to bodybuilder Steve Chen. Deep cut and thick abs, and with the lighting just how I envisioned, made for a photo, as a photographer with a specialty in bodybuilding and fitness, that was just perfect.

Of course Steve had something to do with the great photo, having built a superb physique that made for a great shoot with him as an Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month.

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Bodybuilding Is A Product Of More Than Lifting Weights...

I photographed Kelechi Opara as an Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month and Kelechi epitomizes what can be done by a bodybuilder with not only working hard in the gym but working hard based on learning how the body works and how to lift...

Kelechi has studied and learned "working out" and diet. He is as much a product of his search for knowledge as he is pumping iron.

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My Favorite Brazilian Bombshell...!

And one of my really fun photos shoots was with IFBB Figure Pro Larissa Reis...

Not only is Larissa great to look at and knows how to turn it on for the camera, she is a lot of fun and a really nice person. Can't ask for much more!

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Silvio Samuel, One Of My Favorite Bodybuilders...

Silvio became an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder in 2006 and in 2007 moved to the USA where I first photographed him at the Koloseum Gym in Fullerton California.

At the time Silvio and IFBB Pro Hidetada Yamagishi were being trained by Milos Sarcev and subsequently started moving up the ranks of success and popularity. It has been fun following their careers and seeing them both make it to the Olympia stage. I will post a favorite photo of "Hide" soon too.

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No Time To Workout?

No time to workout you say! Well this is what you can do in two minutes. Try it!

A very quick video I shot with bodybuilder and fitness model Jake Sawyer at the Power of Fitness Gym in Palm Springs California.

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Rock 'n Roll and Rock Hard!

Selling 65 million albums and going multi-platinum did not stop Phil Collen from living a life of health and fitness. The legendary lead guitarist and vocalist from one of the biggest rock groups of all time, Def Leppard, is featured in the January 2011 issue of Iron Man Magazine in a story photographed and written by me!

So read the story about how Phil turned his life around some years ago. And now he is a devoted weight lifter and Muay Thai Kickboxer trained by Champion Jean Carrillo. There is more story and more photos too. Check it out, Iron Man Magazine is on the newsstands now!

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Biceps, As In The Best!

IFBB Professional bodybuilder Moe Elmoussawi is said to have among the best biceps ever. I think so! From our photo shoot for New Zealand Fitness Magazine...

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Helping Wounded Veterans On Talk Radio Through Fitness...

My buddy Jake Sawyer, bodybuilder and personal trainer, did a great job this morning on local AM 920 Talk Radio discussing his ideas and plans for helping wounded Veterans get back into life through fitness. This is Jake from one of our photo shoots this year...

Drawing on his personal experience of being wounded in Iraq and helping himself and others reconnect to nature and fitness, even taking trips to Belize and Alaska, Jake really understands what these people are going through when they get back from combat. Good going Jake!

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Very Fun Ads I Have Shot For Bodybuilding.com...

I have shot a lot of ads but among my favorites have always been the many I have photographed for Bodybuilding.com. These have appeared in more magazines and newspapers than I can tell you. Here are some of them, take a look!

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Me At Work, I Always Try To Make It Special...

In the world of bodybuilding and fitness, so much of the photography we see is always the same. So I really strive to make my photo shoots very special and very different. I know a professional photo shoot for most people is a new experience, so I go out of my way to make it unique and fun. And it makes it much more creative and fun for me. Here is an example of one part of my recent shoots...

My model here is amateur figure competitor, Sharon Lim, who was shooting with me all the way from Singapore. I created a photo story around her that we shot over a big part of two days. We had much fun and I will be finished weaving it together soon. So watch for it!

In this photo is Sharon off in the distance, myself of course, and my makeup artist/hairstylist Victoria Rubell, who is a veteran professional of magazine features, movies and television work. The photo was shot by my assistant.

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Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Features By Me!

The Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month was conceived by me a few years ago to showcase people from all walks of life who are special in their own individual ways.

Featured monthly in Iron Man Magazine itself and on both the websites of Iron Man Magazine and Bodybuilding.com, I wrote the stories and did the photo shoots of each and every person.

From nearby to around the country and as far away as Sicily, I had the honor of meeting wonderful people all bound together with the common interest of health and fitness. 

So take a look here on Bodybuilding.com and I hope you will enjoy their stories and photos.

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Check Out My Cover And Feature Photos In The Next Issue of Planet Muscle Magazine!

My photography from the 2010 Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas is the cover of the big upcoming Olympia issue of Planet Muscle Magazine!

Inside you will find many more of my feature photos in a great kick-off for the January 2011 issue available everywhere next week starting November 23rd. Check it out!

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WOW! Phil Collen of Def Leppard at FitExpo and in Iron Man Magazine!

Phil Collen, the legendary guitarist and vocalist of Def Leppard will be at the Los Angeles FitExpo at the Los Angeles Convention Center on January 29th and 30th 2011!

Phil is a fitness fanatic, weight lifter and Muay Thai Kickboxer. He will be doing kickboxing demos with his world famous trainer Jean Carillo as well as meeting and talking with fans at the FitExpo. Phil and Jean want to bring health, fitness and nutrition ideas to people to take home and start sharing to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity and change the lives of kids, and their parents, everywhere! This is the kickoff event for Phil to bring his message across the country and around the world!

When I photographed and interviewed Phil for his upcoming feature in Iron Man Magazine, I had it in the back of my mind to get him to the FitExpo. And then Phil's enthusiasm brought him out to Muscle Beach over the Summer for the July 4th Muscle Beach show...

Well one thing has lead to another and what I had envisioned has come to pass. There are a lot more details to come about what Phil and Jean will have going on at the FitExpo but keep checking back! And this is a big point! This is a kickoff event for Phil to take his message out there to really start us doing something about childhood obesity. We are killing our kids people and it is costing us all in so many ways. Let's be a part of Phil getting the message across and out!

And Phil's big feature story is in the January 2011 issue of Iron Man Magazine available everywhere on December 4th just a couple of weeks away!

Personally I am so gratified and honored to have as a friend, one of the greats of Rock with one of the greatest Rock Bands of all time! Def Leppard!

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The Joy of Lifting and the Business of Muscles!

For 3 years I have photographed and written the story of individuals who are members of the online community called BodySpace, now numbering over 660,000 like minded people interested in health and fitness.

The feature appears in the print edition of Iron Man Magazine and as well online at IronManMagazine.com and BodyBuilding.com as the Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month. 

This last month's issue featured Kelechi Opara. An enthusiastic bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast, like so many, Kelechi was hoping to make his avocation his career. Among the people I have featured, a number have gone on to some success in the fitness business and more, and now that includes Kelechi.

Appearing in a number of magazines now, Kelechi has even been picked up for sponsorship by Optimum Nutrition, a premier nutritional products company. It makes me very proud to know that I was part of another person in our community of health and fitness getting ahead in the business.

Here are some more photos of Kelechi from our shoot. I hope you like them!

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Shutterbug Magazine and Me!

The November issue of Shutterbug Magazine featured myself and 3 other great photographers in a discussion about Websites in the photography business. Take a look!

The story was written by top photography business consultant, writer and lecturer, Maria Piscopo. My Thanks to Maria and Shutterbug Magazine for the opportunity and for believing I had something worthwhile to add to the discussion!

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Beautiful and Powerful from Singapore!

Words escape me but WOW also works! Sharon Lim graced the lenses of my cameras for a photo story that is very intriguing! You will see more soon, but for now...

Sharon is a Figure Competitor and has a spirit and enthusiasm I would describe as full of adventure. We had a great deal of fun! Hair and makeup was by Victoria Rubell. Sharon was coached in diet, nutrition and also training and competition by the incomparable Ava Cowan. I just had to shoot a photo here and there. The hard work by Sharon Lim!

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It Is Dangerous In The Desert!

You have to be careful about what comes walking out of the desert.... Might Get Ya!

Dena Anne Weiner and Sherry Goggin from our recent photo shoot.

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Traffic Tie Up!

A day in my life or how I almost caused a traffic tie up on the adjacent freeway! Dena Anne Weiner and Sherry Goggin from our recent photo shoot.

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The Gym Saved His Life!

For 3 years I have photographed and written a monthly feature for Iron Man Magazine and Bodybuilding.com, the "Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month". From the online community of what is now over a half million like minded people interested in health and fitness, I selected individuals who not just looked good but who are special in other ways. Featured in the print magazine and now online is Ken Williams...

What is so special about Ken? Well, the gym saved his life! Not just the gym of course, Ken took control of his life and made big changes! So read about Ken right here and I do hope you like the story!

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In The Open!

I do love shooting outdoors. Although I often shoot in studio settings or created studio settings as I just did for "Private Clubs Magazine" photographing the Executive Chef at the Indian Wells Country Club, my mind will usually run with the idea of getting outside and using all types of scenery.

Such was my choice for my recent photo shoot with fitness models Dena Ann Weiner and Sherry Goggin. So I hope you like the scenery I selected and a couple of examples of the scenery the girls provided!

I call this next one "Sherry On The Rocks".... Sherry Goggin that is!

I hope you like them, let me know. More to come!

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Featured By Induro Gear!

My trip this year to photograph the most prestigious event in Professional Bodybuilding, the 2010 Olympia in Las Vegas, was worthy of the attention of Induro, the manufacturer of the finest camera tripods and support equipment. Take a look on the Induro Gear Blog!

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Me In Shutterbug Magazine For November!

Even I get to be in a magazine as me now and then! Writing for her monthly series on Business Trends in photography, Maria Piscopo features myself on website best practices, marketing and more. And I think I was my usual candid self. So go get a copy of the November issue on the newsstands very soon and see what I had to say!

Among the photographers featured I am one of the very first adopters of what has become the industry de facto standard for professionals, a liveBooks website. Now utilized by even National Geographic and the famous Magnum Agency, liveBooks has been one of the best decisions I have made along the way in my photography business.

In addition my online presence is further enhanced by my use of PhotoShelter where again I was one of the early clients utilizing their system for online archiving and now for much more uses like searchable image galleries, image deliver and licensing and more!

Together my liveBooks and PhotoShelter sites really provide me superb online presence, marketing, display, sales tools and more. Check me out!

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My Favorite Body-Part...

I am often asked what is my favorite body-part, especially on women of course. I guess it is because I photograph so many beautiful women with fantastic bodies and often lacking much clothes. So I get asked questions like "Are you a leg man?" " Do you like girl's ______ best? You know!

Well, my favorite body-part is the face, whether it is women or men. I find faces interesting and of course often very beautiful like this face belonging to hot fitness girl, Tiffany Forni. What do you think?

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The 2010 Mr. Olympia Photos From Judging!

Coming up tomorrow I will be bringing you the best Mr. Olympia photos you will see period! The judging took place on stage with a background that with proper exposure is just black. And then doing the photos themselves in black and white you will see the competitors close up with all  of the muscle and more that you would see if you were right there with me looking through my camera lens...

It does not get better than this so...

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Def Leppard Photograph!

I seldom post to my blog anything else but what I do... However! I am working on a new project, my second, with Phil Collen, the amazing lead guitarist and vocalist of Def Leppard! So, me being a photographer, get it! Here is Photograph by Def Leppard!



Phil Collen is an amazing Muay Thai Kickboxer, a weightlifter and a fantastic example of living a life of health and fitness. This photo is from a shoot we did for an upcoming issue of Iron Man Magazine. This is Phil and World Famous Muay Thai Kickboxing Trainer Jean Carrillo...

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