The ANDOLSEK "Romanov" collection

I’m happy to finally share the full gallery of a collection I photographed for ANDOLSEK in 2022. This was yet another magical collaboration between an incredibly talented and unique fashion designer - Michael Andolsek, and a crew filled with some of my favorite models, hair & makeup crew. My partner, Rebecca Lima, helped me produce this project; I couldn’t have done it without her.

Here’s what Mr. Andolsek himself had to say about his inspiration for the collection:
”I made this collection during the pandemic— about a hundred years after the February Revolution in Russia. In 1917, the Romanovs’ lives changed forever at that point, and those of their compatriots and subjects did too. The poignancy of this struck me. Only barely a century later, the COVID-19 pandemic instigated profound cultural shifts of similar magnitude. A phenomenon of reevaluation swept the globe for many. It impacted me, too, and I reassessed things in my life.”

Credits:
Wardrobe/Design: Michael Andolsek
Production: Rebecca Lima
Models: Elsa Harper / Kasemire Dieumerci / Leanne Freedman
Hair: Steven Robertson
Makeup: Liz Oyeneyin - Shades Of Radiance Beauty

Manifest

I am doing highly creative work for clients who value what I do and are just as invested in building long-lasting professional relationships built on trust and respect.

My clients encourage me to bring my ideas and concepts to the table. They recognize that my creativity is one of my most valuable parts. There’s a difference between just taking pictures and telling a story and creating a narrative.

My clients hire me because my work has a unique voice and aesthetic. There’s a level of taste and sophistication that is rare, especially at a time when so much focus is placed on trends.

I work with people who yearn for authentic human interaction and create content that truly stands out. We value the importance of the creative process and the artisans and craftsmen who have influenced the world around us as much as anyone in the tech industry.

I am grateful to follow my passion and do what I truly love for a living. I am happy and content knowing I am fulfilling my life’s purpose.

-Phillip Istomin

SCELTO Restaurant Interiors

I had the pleasure of photographing a gorgeous new restaurant - SCELTO. The interior design element was executed by two incredible, multi-talented people: Gary Vlasic and Jamie Clyde. The space has a dark, moody, swanky, sexy vibe. I love the richness of velvet, the sleekness of stone, and the warmth of wood throughout the interior. Gary’s own original art is also on display in the private dining room as well as the bathroom entryway. Salt Lake City keeps growing and evolving into a place that I feel proud to be a part of. The food scene here is pretty fantastic, and SCELTO is just one of the latest additions. Hope you see and taste it for yourself.

iDKHOW GLOOM DIVISION

I was fortunate enough to be contacted by Concord Records last summer to see if I’d be interested in shooting the album artwork as well as press photos for Dallon Weekes and his band I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME. I jumped onboard with little hesitation since music was my first love and form of creative expression prior to photography. I’m always excited to have the opportunity to combine the two mediums. Dallon’s vision for this project matched my aesthetic perfectly, it was a natural fit. I had a great time collaborating with everyone involved to bring Dallon’s vision to life. I recently got my hands on an actual physical copy of GLOOM DIVISION and was blown away by the the quality and execution of the packaging. Here are some snaps:

iDKHOW GLOOM DIVISION credits:
Photography: MANICPROJECT
Creative Direction: Dallon Weekes
Graphic Design: Sage LaMonica
Styling: Farasha
Hair&Makeup: Paula Dahlberg / Nikki Breedlove

---

Press photos and magazine covers that have come out recently:

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.

Brian G. Lloyd

Nikki Walker

Christopher Sanchez

Steven Larsen

Tina Larson

Joseph Carbone

Amber Leavitt

Amir A.H. Jackson

Sam Hobson

Brooks Kirchheimer

Yasmen Simonian

Chris Crittenden

Lisman Studio Work

Last year we gained a wonderful client - Lisman Studio, a commercial and residential interior design firm. We have collaborated with a number of talented designers on the team in photographing some of the residential projects featured in this post. Interior design photography has become a major point of emphasis in our work over the past five years. Our goal is to keep improving, evolving, and working towards creating a feeling of being in the space while viewing the images.

Seul Mais Pas Solitaire

This fashion editorial was a complete labor of love. People ask me all of the time what type of projects I enjoy doing the most, and I would have to say that this is a perfect example of that. It’s truly a magical experience to conceive an idea and see it all the way through. It takes a lot of time and dedication to put something like this together, from wardrobe to location, to juggling everyone’s schedules… but it is all worth it. The images last forever, and the enjoyment of everyone collaborating together to bring an idea to life fuels the soul.

Wardrobe & styling: Rebecca Lima
Hair: Randi Hieb
Makeup: Carissa Deppe
Model: Elsa Harper
Thank you: Taylor Olson & Mariana Harper

Utah Business 20 in their 20s

I was asked to photograph this project recently. I loved the visual concept which consisted of red lighting, black wardrobe, and strong contrast. The honorees were fun to work with, most everyone being game to try anything and just have fun with it. Thank you for having me, Utah Business.

Read on

Acknowledgements

It’s always a good feeling to be recognized for your work. Here are a couple of articles that came out recently.

peerspace.com

---

giggster.com

Voyage Utah Interview

A recent interview I did with VoyageUtah.com. Read it HERE.

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:

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.

"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.

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.

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

Base Jumping

This is a Winter slopes fashion editorial shot for Park City magazine.

Wardrobe/styling: Farasha | Hair/makeup: Paula J Dahlberg | Model: Hannah Tessen @NIYAmgmt

Story: https://www.parkcitymag.com/articles/2018/12/8/base-jumping-step-up-your-layers

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

It's been a while since I've done a fun fashion editorial. The concept for this shoot was based around having lots of color and somewhat busy locations that would play off the wardrobe. I wanted the images to be loud, poppy, and bright. The crew did a fantastic job helping me bring this vision together, a real pleasure to get to play with such lovely and talented people. 

In Living Color

A super fun and eccentric shoot/collaboration with wardrobe stylist, Erin Zachman.