From Spain to Muscle Beach...

Fitness model Sergi Constance from Spain came by to visit Muscle Beach on July 4th and to check out the show and happenings. Sergi is getting to be very popular in Spain and also starting to appear in television shows. You can also expect to be seeing him in the magazines right here too.

From around all corners of the globe, everyone knows and loves and comes to Muscle Beach! The place "Where Muscles Were Born"!

She Had No Idea!

Allison Taylor pumping up first thing in the morning before pre-judging. As she is getting ready moving some weight in the pit, gazing off, do you think she has any idea what the afternoon will bring?

Because by the end of the day, her first figure competition will bring her the Championship win for Overall Figure as well as two armloads of other trophies. A very special day for a very beautiful Allison Taylor at Muscle Beach on July 4th 2012. Great fun at the place "Where Muscles Were Born"!

Al Pacino At Muscle Beach...!

AL PACINO AT MUSCLE BEACH...! That's right! Al Pacino was at Muscle Beach yesterday on July 4th. The man who has been called the greatest film actor of all time came to see his long time friend and trainer, legendary bodybuilder Eddie Giuliani be inducted into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame.

Eddie was there too along with his photograph and family to receive the honor bestowed by the equally respected publisher of Iron Man Magazine, John Balik.

In my post here on Tuesday I said "You never know who you might see at Muscle Beach!". Well it was Al Pacino on July 4th. The next show at Muscle Beach is Labor Day, September 3rd. So, if you have been thinking of doing a show and standing on stage at the place "Where Muscles Were Born" or just want to come on out there, be at Muscle Beach on Labor Day! Because I can tell you again right now... You never know who you might see at Muscle Beach!

Muscle Beach... Be There!

Terrance Harris, overall Bodybuilder winner, on stage at Muscle Beach at Venice Beach on Memorial Day 2012.

Terrance stood where the entire world envisions as the place "Where Muscles Were Born". People in all corners of the globe know Muscle Beach and Venice Beach. It embodies that look that became iconic as the beautiful bodies on the sand on the beaches of Southern California.

Tomorrow July 4th will be the next Muscle Beach show. It is fun, it is free to watch, and you have the entire boardwalk and beaches of Venice to keep you entertained. And remember what I am telling you right now... You never know who you might see at Muscle Beach!

I will be there, see you tomorrow!

Star Athlete Randalene Sergent!

Congratulations to Randalene Sergent on her full page feature by Lone Star Distribution in the brand new issue of Natural Muscle Magazine for July 2012!

From our photo shoot, I think it well deserved for one of the most beautiful and enthusiastic women I have ever had in front of my cameras! Randalene Sergent!

Piercing Eyes & Powerful Lines!

It is almost impossible to focus on those piercing eyes when you are drawn to that muscled shoulder giving way to the powerful lines of her arm mapped by those veins pulsating like high power electrical cables.

Incredibly beautiful and incredibly fit, Sasha Brown evokes a confidence that embodies everything that she is. One of my favorite people in front of my cameras. You can see why!

An Over 50 Shining Light!

In the middle of the crisis of increasing obesity we find the shining light that is Doug Brignole. Especially a shining light if you are a guy over 50!

Lifelong bodybuilder, weight lifter, student of exercise and nutrition and widely acknowledged expert in all of it, Doug is an inspiration wherever he goes. And go he does!

This is Doug Brignole in our photo shoot the day before he got on a plane to Dublin to compete at the NABBA World Championships just a week ago. NABBA is the first and the original competitve bodybuilding association. Formed in 1950, NABBA's first Mr Universe contest was won by Steve Reeves. Top bodybuilders who won the Mr Universe title include Reg Park, Bill Pearl and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Keep it going Doug!

"Forever Marilyn"

You know what I like about "Forever Marilyn"? It just seems happy and fun. Look at her face, makes me smile.

The temporary installation of "Forever Marilyn" is here in Palm Springs. It is a 26 ft tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe created by Seward Johnson. I think most everyone in the world has seen the photographs that were the inspiration for this artwork. It was a scene from 1955 movie "The Seven Year Itch".

Actually there was controversy about bringing it here to Palm Springs. Despite the costs being absorbed by private donations, there was a lot of old grumpiness about it. There was even a bunch of false modesty concerns about being able to look up her dress. I have my doubts that there is anything lewd in being able to look up at painted aluminum and stainless steel white panties.

As you might imagine "Forever Marilyn" is a huge (in more than one way) tourist attraction. People are around it all the time and they are all smiling too. Everyone taking pictures so I decided I needed to take a photograph too. I think she is fun!

I just remembered that my friend Nicole Hansen was Marilyn Monroe in the Billy Idol music video "L.A. Woman". Nicole I have an idea LOL!

Billy Idol - L.A. Woman by BillyIdol-Official

Salute!

It was just a few weeks ago! A truly special event with the Tuskegee Airmen honored on Memorial Day 2012 at the huge Muscle Beach show. From left to right, Tuskegee Airmen... Levi Thornhill, Buford Johnson, Edward Tillman, and Ted Lumplin.

Brig. Gen. Roger W. Teague, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base came to Muscle Beach to also be a part of this extraordinary day.

And giving everyone a reason to smile, Heather Clay, the overall Bikini Competition winner. She also gets my vote for absolute best salute of the day... or year for that matter!

Another Thank You to my good friend from Fujifilm, Larry Battistello Jr for use of the new advanced X-Pro1 camera for the day. I like it!

The Most Important Part of a Photograph!

The least important part of photography is the camera! What or who is in front of your camera is the important part. One of the most fun times I have had was when I first introduced Jamie Eason for Bodybuilding-com back in 2007.

Early that year Jamie and I shot for two days in Pasadena California in a studio and at Gold's Gym. Those photographs became the epicenter of Jamie becoming the face of Bodybuilding-com in features, magazines, advertising, news papers and so much more. Well deserved for Jamie Eason, who is truly exceptional! Thanks!

"Live Forever"

What is the magic of photography to you? Can you imagine what it was first like in the year 1826 when the first photograph appeared on a polished metal plate? How that has changed the world!

The company called Kodak changed the world of photography too. Many of you have no idea just how much. But for those of us who to this day are so very captivated by the photograph, this commercial produced a few years ago really shows just how much and why.

It is a little long for the internet audience, over 6 minutes. But it is 6 minutes that can change you and change how you look at a photograph, any photograph. So whether you take photographs for your own fun or you aspire to be a professional or shoot professionally like myself; Watch this "Live Forever"...

Please a moment to visit my new Facebook page. I can't take any more friends on my first page, it is full past the 5000 friends limit. "Like" my new page at http://www.facebook.com/SecondFocus. Thanks!

Launched!

LAUNCHED! SecondFocus Photography by Ian L. Sitren, my new Facebook Fan Page. You just have to Like "SecondFocus". http://www.facebook.com/SecondFocus

So PLEASE everyone, Like my Fan page even if you are on Facebook as my Friend. I am going to work extra hard to keep the content up on both pages and each different to some extent. My photography actually covers more than just bodybuilding and fitness so I am going to have some different content added to the SecondFocus page as well.

So again... PLEASE Like me athttp://www.facebook.com/SecondFocus

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

You Got To Have Friends!

You got to have friends! But somehow overnight, my Facebook friends count went from 4,825 to 5,536 putting me over the 5000 friends limit on this page. I am going to get my photography page going, possibly by this afternoon.

So if you were trying to add me as a friend on Facebook today, my apologies and please send me a note. I will message you when the next page is ready. I really do so greatly appreciate all of you who have honored me with making me your friend and I sure don't want to miss out on many many more!

My photograph here is from the 2010 Olympia. Phil Heath and Jay Cutler on stage at the finals just before the winner was announced. These photos were much of the Olympia coverage in Planet Muscle Magazine that year and the cover. Thanks!

The Miracle That Is Maria! No Not That One!

The miracle that is Maria Yvonne Bertrand! Why a miracle you ask? Well, put this woman in front of a camera and everything transforms. Her, you, the scene, what you envisioned. I love her in front of my cameras!

Maria is a professional model and actress. You could be seeing her in television commercials for major companies, movies opposite many a famous actor, or from fashion magazines in photo shoots around the world in exotic locations.

And even more lately you see Maria as a fitness consultant and a team member of Green Galaxy Enterprises for Renewable Energy Consulting, Business Development, Humanitarian Aid Coordination, Green Media/Event Production, TV/Film Product Placement, PR/Marketing.

That is Maria Yvonne Bertrand!

A Palm Springs Photo Festival Symposium Discussing Me!

SYMPOSIUM: Entrepreneurial Photographers & Monetizing the Internet... A program from the presitigous Palm Springs Photo Festival this past April 2012. This Symposium started out after 8 minutes of introductions and such with Allen Murabayashi, CEO and Co-Founder of PhotoShelter opening the program with a discussion about me.

An Olympics First!

Siona Fatima Fernandes will be one of the first women boxers at the upcoming London Olympics! For the first time in the 116 year history of boxing at the Olympics Games, women will compete in the sport. Siona will be one of only two boxers from New Zealand and both of them women. How exciting is that! From my photo shoot with Siona... Congratulations!!! WOW!!!

This was one of my first tryouts with the Fujifilm GF670 Camera. Film processed and drum scanned at the Icon in Los Angeles.

En Route To The Championships in Dublin!

Bodybuilder and exercise fitness expert Doug Brignole in our photo shoot the day before he gets on a plane to Dublin to compete at the NABBA World Championships on June 16th. 

NABBA is the first and the original competitve bodybuilding association. Formed in 1950, NABBA's first Mr Universe contest was won by Steve Reeves. Top legendary bodybuilders who have won the Mr Universe title include Reg Park, Bill Pearl and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Randalene, Lone Star and the Olympia!

A big shout out to Randalene Sergent for now being on the athlete team with Lone Star Distribution and featured with one of our photographs from our shoot! You will meet Randalene at the Lone Star booth at the Olympia this year making the rest of the Olympia just an add on for something else to do! Very Cool!

Working Out And Looking Good!

Interesting thing about working out and eating right... It can make you look good in clothes too!

Seriously, this is my good friend Xavisus Gayden. Staff Sgt. in the United States Marine Corp. Bodybuilder and Physique Competitor. And a great single Dad to two little girls. From one of our photo shoots when he became an Iron Man Magazine BodySpace Physique of the Month for Bodybuilidng.com. He is one good guy!

Even Fresher!

Even fresher than the produce at the Farmer's Market is right off the vine. Especially here at the Twentynine Palms Inn. 

They have wonderful gardens growing much of their own produce for their kitchen serving wonderful food in the restaurant. It makes you really think that eating better and fresher is much healthier.