Muscle Beach This Weekend!

Summer starts at Muscle Beach in Venice California! The place where muscles were born!

Monday will be the big show opening with an Air Force fly-over! Bodybuilding, figure and bikini competitions take center stage along the boardwalk in the Sun, next to the sand and at the Pacific Ocean. On Saturday and Sunday you will also see Sumo Wrestling and Amateur Boxing. So be there, I will!

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The Cal! - Be There, I Will!

It's called "The Cal" and everybody in bodybuilding knows what that is! One of the biggest and most respected of all NPC shows and it is this Saturday May 28th in Culver City, California...

Bodybuilding, figure, bikini and IFBB Pro Figure all in one place with hundreds of top notch competitors. It is a must see and must go. I'll be there! MuscleContests.com

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More Train Racing!

It was great fun doing a photo-shoot with Charles Johnathan Flanagan racing a freight train. In my shoots we do things for real. In the gym we lift heavy weights and if we are going to race a train, we race a train! Here is a behind the scenes photo to give you an idea. To the far right is Charles waiting for the train to get up with him to come out of the blocks!

He not only raced the train, he put on some distance and kept up right until he got about to my shooting position. Wow!

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Train Racing!

Racing a train, a great idea for a photo-shoot! But I said "Why did you wait so long to come out of the blocks?". He said "I wanted to give the train a fair chance!". So I give you, coming in 2nd place to a Union Pacific Freight Train, Charles Johnathan Flanagan!

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My Interpretation Of "Just Do It!"

You have seen him in Nike ads and on America's Next Top Model surprising the girls as the real fit model in their photo-shoots. Now you see Charles Johnathan Flanagan in front of my camera...

I think we gave him a little more of a look, my interpretation of "Just Do It!"

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Mr Olympia Natural At 48!

The original Mr. Olympia Natural, John Hansen, shows us what we should be looking for in looking good and being healthy at age 48. Outstanding! From our photo-shoot the other day...

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"Just Killed A Photo-Shoot"

Angela Segovia said "Just killed a photo-shoot with Ian L. Sitren" Well she sure did! Off the hook, fantastic hot!

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Yes This Is The Same Person!

Juliet Banks was the final installment of the monthly Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month...

This was a wonderful monthly series that I both photographed and wrote for 3 years for Bodybuilding.com and Iron Man Magazine. Juliet's wonderful story and the changes she made to her life and lives she touched were a wonderful finale to a great series. Thanks Juliet! Very cool!

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A Guy Who Walks The Walk!

A guy who walks the walk. Carlos Ariss, owner of Power of Fitness Gyms in Palm Springs and Palm Desert California...

I photographed Carlos in his his gym right after he won his over 50 class overall at the very prestigious NPC "Cal". Carlos did the Cal as he turned 50 and 20 years after he last stood on the bodybuilding stage. A great guy who runs a great gym and is much more than just talk. He walks the walk! Thanks Carlos and Very Cool!

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OK, I Do Have Fun Doing Photo-Shoots In The Gym...

If there is one type of place I do photo-shoots more than anywhere else, that is the gym. So between shooting in the gym and working out myself, that is a lot of gym time. And I think Daniel Hill and Angela Segovia had fun with me too!

It is a good thing I have a great gym to go to. This is at Power of Fitness in Palm Desert CA. A Great Gym with a location in Palm Springs too!

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So Much To Say About Amy!

I have done two photo-shoots with Amy and always feel compelled to tell people about her!

Mother of six and grandmother. One of the most popular of all time members in the huge fitness online community of BodySpace. Inspirational and motivational. And always looking great. Thanks Amy!

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Looking At You!

We see a lot of photos everyday. But how often do we feel like the photo is looking at us?

In my photograph here of Sasha, you cannot escape the feeling that she is indeed looking at you!

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The Heat, The Sun, The Desert and Black & White...

Palm Springs in the hot months is one of my favorite places to do photo-shoots. I like the environment!

I like the heat radiating everywhere, the hard direct sunlight, the many places and locations to shoot; and the high contrast black and white photographs we can create. 

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"Life Lessons of Special Olympics"

More smiles and happiness than you will see anywhere. Join me in seeing my photographs of one Summer Games of Special Olympics of Southern California. I am sure you will be gratified, uplifted and perhaps humbled by these wonderful athletes. Here is a sampling...

Life Lessons of Special Olympics by Photography and Observations by Ian L. Sitren

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Guitar World Magazine...

Featured Guitar World Magazine girl, Kathy Pack made the front page of the magazine website from our photo shoot along with a total of 5 photos featured!

Good going Kathy and great fun!

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The "Arnold" Up Close!

I have photographed on assignment many bodybuilding competitions across the country from local amateur shows to the Olympia and Arnold. Often I am asked what it is like to sit up close and center in the press pit at a major professional bodybuilding show. Well this is what it is like at the "Arnold Classic"...

The Arnold Classic 2007 Redux from SecondFocus on Vimeo.

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I AM NOT IN LONDON...

NOTE!

Sorry folks this morning my e-mail and facebook accounts were hacked. As some of you may know, me giving out a password or falling for some scam giving it out is something that would never happen. Nor would any phantom key-logging software get installed across my computers.

It looks to me at the moment that it was what is called a "brute force" attack across facebook. Sadly my facebook password was the same as my e-mail account. My facebook account is still down and I cannot access it, hopefully that may get corrected.

Facebook even has a special help section for this type of hack and money scam so apparently it happens often. Facebook is a great resource but also a target for those seeking to do bad in the world.

RECOMMENDATIONS!

Create a separate password for everything and do not make them simple, letters and numbers, capitals, symbols, mix it up.

Never give out info blindly online, NEVER!

Never download anything from an e-mail unless you are expecting it.

And finally...

Lets send more letters and cards in the good old mail! I like it and still write in pencil too!

Thanks!

The Los Angeles FitExpo... I Will Be There!

The Los Angeles FitExpo is this weekend, the 29th and 30th, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Bodybuilding, MMA, Powerlifting and more events will be taking place along with 300 booths from sponsors.

I am especially proud to be there this year along with Def Leppard's Phil Collen following his feature story in the January 2011 issue in Iron Man Magazine which I both photographed and wrote.

Def Leppard's Phil Collen At The Los Angeles FitExpo 2011 from SecondFocus on Vimeo.

Phil along with international Muay Thai Kickboxing Champion and trainer, Jean Carrillo, will be doing kickboxing and weight training demonstrations. Phil will also be talking about his life of health and fitness and his future plans for helping raise awareness about childhood obesity and health eating habits.

So come to the FitExpo it will be much fun; and send me a note, it would be great to see and meet you.

Promo video directed and still photography by yours truly.

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"Desert Dispatches" - Not Your Typical Fitness Model Photo Shoot!

"Desert Dispatches" - A Photo Shoot Adventure with Sharon Lim.

She had arrived from Singapore not knowing what to expect for the next two days. Be sure to turn on your sound...

Desert Dispatches from SecondFocus on Vimeo.

Photography by yours truly, MakeUp and Hair Styling by Victoria Rubell, and the able assistance of Clyde Sawyer.

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Jack LaLanne Across Generations

My favorite encounter with Jack LaLanne was at the Los Angeles International Airport a few years ago. On my way to the Arnold Bodybuilding and Sports Festival in Columbus Ohio, may people waiting to board were people I personally know from the world of bodybuilding. And the joining us was Jack and his wife Elaine. Fresh off the bus from his home in Morro Bay 200 miles away, he was full of energy and excitement.

A flight delay gave Jack the chance to do what he truly seemed to love, meeting people and spreading his message. Never sitting down, he never stopped to greet and meet all ages in the terminal, take photos and talk about fitness and food. A pilot probably 50 years his junior recognized him and asked "Jack are you going to pull the plane out to the runway" recalling his many feats of strength in his life. Jack's message and fame had spread across many generations.

On Labor Day in 2007 at world famous Muscle Beach Venice, Jack LaLanne was inducted into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame. I am proud to say that I am part of the Muscle Beach family of today and was there as usual.

Jack enthusiastically accepted his award and taking the microphone, this man well into his senior years, spoke clearly and loudly, joking and emphasizing profoundly his message of health, fitness and diet. His message again resounded clearly across the generations present and certainly showed his profound love of life.

Jack LaLanne was a pioneer in health and fitness. I remember watching him on television in the 1950's when my mother would watch his show. I remember being a member of his health clubs, one of the earliest chains of gyms. I remember his many feats of strength, like swimming with a line of boats tied to him. Actually a diminutive man in size, he was a giant of our lifetime.

Many of you will not know Jack LaLanne of the past. Take a moment to read up on the man and his message. You will be happy you did, The take his message to heart and spread it, you will help to make others better for it and we will all be better.

Thanks Jack!

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Def Leppard Phil Collen featured guest at the 2011 Los Angeles FitExpo!

Legendary Def Leppard lead guitarist and vocalist, Phil Collen will be at the Los Angeles FitExpo coming up on Saturday and Sunday, January 29th and 30th at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

I had the great honor and pleasure of photographing and writing a feature story about Phil which was just in the January 2011 issue of Iron Man Magazine, one of the most respected magazines in bodybuilding and fitness.

Phil along with world famous trainer Jean Carrillo will be doing demonstrations of his Muay Thai Kickboxing training along with his weight lifting and diet that keeps him in great shape year round, even during concert tours. It was many years ago that Phil gave up the stereotyped rock-star life a alcohol and bad eating for a life of health and fitness. A confirmed Vegetarian, Phil is a great guy with a great story and a great life to share.

I had the great honor and pleasure of photographing and writing a feature story about Phil Collen which was just in the January 2011 issue of Iron Man Magazine, one of the most respected magazines in bodybuilding and fitness.

For more information visit the Los Angeles FitExpo and Iron Man Magazine!

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