The Ashton project interiors

This is a recent favorite interior design project I photographed for Katie Conner & Lisman Studio. Katie is talented beyond her years and this is the latest of several shoots we’ve done together. Here’s what she had to say about the project:

“This luxe interior in the heart of Salt Lake City combines ultimate comfort with sleek and refined craftsmanship. When our client approached us looking for a luxuriously sophisticated second home, we jumped at the chance to bring their dreams to life. Their only requirement for this entire project was, "Wow". I mean, what more could a designer ask for? 

Bringing a strong skillset and intense creativity was a must. We spent nearly 6 months simply refining the palette and diving deep into unusual materials and processes. After working very closely with our most trusted local craftsmen and builders, we pulled together a uniquely stunning home with incredible architectural features and luxurious furniture.”

-Katie Conner

People Magazine Feature

I’ve always had dreams and ambitions when it comes to my career and life in general, but I never thought that my photos would end up in People Magazine. Thank you Chris and Angie for trusting me to capture these images and help you share your story.

Click on the image above to read the full People feature.

Portrait work for Utah Business Magazine

I’ve had the great pleasure of shooting for Utah Business Magazine for the past 2 years or so, and I believe that this experience has led me to become a better portrait photographer. Most of the people who end up in front of my camera for these shoots are not exactly ecstatic to be photographed. This is simply the case with most people who are not professional models, or influencers, whatever that word means… I realized pretty early on that my people skills had to improve if I wanted to get something special out of my subjects. The great Annie Leibovitz once stated: “There’s this idea that it’s the portrait photographer’s job to set the subject at ease. I don’t believe in setting people at ease.” This is only works some of the time in my experience, but I believe that most people do need to be guided towards a place where they can slightly lower their guard. Most people have a rehearsed “photo face,” but that’s the last thing I want. I’m always on a mission to get a look, a moment that seems candid, genuine, and authentic.

manicproject photography, utah business, brian g lloyd,

Brian G. Lloyd

manicproject photography, utah business magazine, nikki walker,

Nikki Walker

manicproject photograhy, christopher sanchez,

Christopher Sanchez

Steven Larsen

Tina Larson

Joseph Carbone

Amber Leavitt

Amir A.H. Jackson

Sam Hobson, manicproject photography, sauce media group,

Sam Hobson

brooks kirchheimer

Brooks Kirchheimer

Yasmen Simonian

Chris Crittenden

2021 So Far...

Hi there. I wanted to share a few things that we’ve been up to in 2021. I don’t have to tell you about the crazy times we live in, but I can tell you how thankful we are whenever we are able to create and do what we love. We seem to forget all the troubles of the world when we find ourselves enthralled in a project. Luckily we’ve had a few that we’d like to highlight here.

Shades of Radiance Beauty:

Liz, the makeup artist, reached out to me on instagram and asked me to help her create some outstanding images for her portfolio. This was our first time working together, and it went just about as well as either one of us could have hoped for. The first image (leopard gloves) was actually the last look we spontaneously put together, and it is my favorite. Hair magic provided by Tenesha Luckett and the incredible model pictured is Kasemire Dieumerci. Shades of Radiance Beauty

Brickyard Bar:

Had a great time photographing this private lounge room along with the fantastic cocktails and delicious food at Brickyard Bar. Being able to taste everything was a major bonus for a foodie like myself. TheBrickyardBar.com

Dexterity Salon:

Yet another collaboration with my Dexterity family highlighting their new product “in:dex.” Makeup by Kristen Packard | Model: Sadie Olson. DexteritySalon.com

Anne Carr Design:

It’s always flattering to be approached by out-of-state clients. Anne is an incredibly talented interior designer based in Los Angeles, CA. This is a project she helped design in Victory Ranch, UT. See more photos here: annecarrdesign.com/victory-ranch

Khalm Skincare:

Rebecca and I love to combine business with pleasure and we were able to do just that while capturing some of the photos you see here. The environmental shots of the beautiful Khalm bottles above were captured along the stunning 17 mile drive in Monterey, CA. The studio shots were also a blast to create. We love having the freedom to experiment and improvise on our own time, it’s always a fun and educational experience. KhalmSkincare.com

Girls’ Life Magazine:

Sofia was such a pleasure to photograph. She’s obviously super comfortable in front of the camera. I love the soft and painterly quality of these images. Styled by Wilford Lenov. Hair by Angelina Panelli. Makeup by Mylah Morales for Six K L.A. Beauty copy by Erin Reimel. On-set prop styling by Whitney Brielle. Painted backdrop by Ultraviolet. GirlsLife.com

Julie Assenberg Design:

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I love being able to put my graphic design background to use. I was able to photograph and design this ad for Julie Assenberg, which appeared in the September 2021 issue of Architectural Digest. My style is always clean and simple with a pop of color. In this case, the pop of color comes from Julie’s vibrant designs. JulieAssenberg.com

Baranof Jewelers:

This shoot was a dream. I obviously LOVE having my love and partner Rebecca in front of the camera. Yes, I’m a little bias. Her beauty perfectly compliments and elevates the jewelry in my opinion. Major credit goes to Sophie Islip for her vision, direction, and styling. Hair by Nikki Breedlove. Baranofjewelers.com

Sascha Test Shoot

Rebecca and I spotted Sascha at one of our favorite restaurants while brunching. We both though she had a lovely face and my instinct was telling me that I should photograph her. We gave her our business card and hoped that she would reach out. Luckily she did. Sascha proved to be a natural just as I expected. She took direction extremely well, her natural beauty and softness was easy to capture. I’m not sure if Sascha is going to pursue modeling, but I certainly hope she does.

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MASK METAMORPHOSIS | A Salt Lake Magazine feature

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Original editorial by Vanessa Di Palma Wright | Owner, Farasha

A creative collaboration produced in Covid friendly and safe parameters  between Farasha and team MANICPROJECT during the Covid-19 global pandemic of 2020. 

Times of uncertainty and discomfort lead to moments of solace and reflection.   The pandemic  has encouraged all of us to look within and hit the pause button to ponder the complexities of our mere existence. To question our routines and even the meaning of life and our “raison d’etre.”

The message is clear. This is a time of renewal. A moment to reset. An opportunity to listen and to learn. To be better humans. To be humble. To be environmentally responsible. To make more socially conscious decisions. To support our communities and one another. To stand up for what is right. To show more empathy. To be kinder. To redefine purpose. To be more present. And to live in the moment. 

May this transformation be the start to a new beginning. A fresh perspective on the future. A vehicle to embrace challenges ahead with more clarity. May this rebirth be a gift to Mother Nature and future generations. 

Together with MANICPROJECT, Farasha invites you to take the time to adjust, recalibrate and to meet today’s challenges and those ahead by being responsible, sensible and mindful of the impact of your actions. Wear a mask to stay safe and to keep others safe. Wear a mask because the alternative is simply to stay home. And since you must wear a mask, wear it well.

"HOT LIGHTS" Fashion Editorial

I always get the itch to do a fashion shoot just for fun, just for me, if I haven’t done one in a while. This was one of those shoots. I love Hedi Slimane’s vision for SAINT LAURENT, his creative direction and photography for the mega fashion house was the main inspiration behind this shoot. Naturally I wanted harsh light and sleek wardrobe with a reflective quality to it. My partner, Rebecca, took charge of styling duties. We ended up getting all of the wardrobe (except for a pair of shoes and one accessory) at ZARA, which is always a great source for pulling looks. This was my first time working with Kylie (repped by NIYA Models) and she couldn’t have been more sweet or professional. It makes such a huge difference to have quality people on your team, those are the people I want to work with time and time again in the future. Yesinde Oyeneyin did a phenomenal job on makeup and Tenesha Luckett provided her expertise on hair.

Julie Assenberg Design

We photographed this interior design project by Julie Assenberg located at Bear Lake a couple of weeks ago. I love the mix of traditional and contemporary design displayed here. The marble used in the master bathroom as well as the kitchen really stands out for me. Rebecca and I love shooting interior design because we have a real appreciation for any discipline in which every detail matters. We can be as meticulous about our process as we need to be. Rebecca is excellent at being my second set of eyes when it comes to staging and Julie is the perfect client because she has full trust in what we do.

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Miss Americana editorial for Girls' Life magazine

This editorial was shot in the middle of the shutdown, on my birthday to be exact. Our small crew was diligent about wearing face masks and keeping our distance, working outdoors in gorgeous Eden, Utah. This shoot was also the first project with my love and now partner Rebecca Lima on styling duties. All of these factors make this experience so significant in my mind. These are rough times not just for America, but for everyone on planet earth. I hope we can all find the light and do our part to infuse some positivity and see a better version of ourselves on the other side.

Hair/makeup: Paula J. Dahlberg | On set styling: Rebecca Lima | Model: Valerie Lundquist

TBT: Til Death Do Us Part

A few years ago I wanted to create a gothic wedding fantasy. My aspiration was to get it published in one of the Utah wedding magazines. In hindsight, perhaps that was too ambitious of a thought. Turns out Utah wedding publications are only interested in publishing bright and happy editorials, where everything looks like everything you’ve seen before. This story ended up finding a home at HUF magazine, a publication with a much larger viewership than any of the Utah wedding magazines. So, in the end, you have to do what you feel is the right thing for you, follow your creative calling, and let the chips fall where they may.

Girls' Life magazine "FIRE & ICE" fashion editorial

This is the second issue of Girls’ Life magazine that I’ve had the pleasure of shooting for. I actually photographed the cover story of Jayden Bartels as well. I was so happy to bring on my go-to crew of frequent collaborators and friends on this shoot (see credits) who always make the time spent together extremely fun and enjoyable. The shoot took place at one of Utah’s main attractions for any photo or video production - the epic Salt Flats. It was a fantastic day of shooting, laughing and improvising along the way.

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Hair: Jeff Martin / Randi Hieb (Dexterity Salon) | Makeup: Carissa Deppe | Styling: Rachael Domingo | Models: Apio & Aria (NIYA MGMT)

Jeff Landry UTAH Style&Design Feature

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this blog, my apologies. Winters are usually a slower time for me, which gives me a chance to catch up on things, such as posting more blogs. It was wonderful to see one of Jeff Landry’s projects featured in the September 2019 issue of UTAH Style&Design. Jeff has been a fantastic client of mine for a few years now, and it’s always such a pleasure for me to photograph his work. We photographed the Deer Valley ski house over a span of 2 days.

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See the UTAH Style&Design online article HERE

Northbound

Last spring I went on a road trip with my good friend and fellow photographer Brandon Cruz. We set off for Seattle, then Portland, continuing down Oregon coast all the way to Big Sur, CA. It was an epic adventure that included several nights spent sleeping in the car. We got the full scope of weather, everything from snow to sunny skies. The landscapes were gorgeous, moody at times, and there to be captured by two happy travelers. Here are just a few pictures from the trip.