GIRLS' LIFE Holiday Issue featuring Freya Skye

I received a last-minute opportunity to fly out to London to do a shoot for Girls’ Life Magazine in September. This was our first time (Rebecca and I) in London, and we absolutely loved it. The city is incredible, and so is the food, despite what you may have heard. We started with the cover shot in the kind of space I would like to have at one point - JJ Studios, which is fantastic! There is a ton of space, great natural light if needed, a coffee bar, equipment rental, etc. We then ventured out to some of the iconic parts of London to shoot the editorial. This was my first time shooting in a big city like London among the crowds; it was a wild experience and definitely worth it. Our subject - Freya Skye, was an absolute trooper! It was a long day, and I found myself getting pretty tired and hungry toward the end, but not Freya; she kept her energy and spirits up for the entirety of the shoot! I was really impressed with her attitude and ease in front of the camera. Thank you for the talented Girls’ Life crew: Wardrobe Styling - Whitney Brielle | Hair & Makeup - Sophia Hutch | Special assistance by Rebecca Lima.

A few BTS shots:

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

Phillip Istomin Voyage Utah Interview

Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Istomin.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been a creative person. Music was my first love and form of expression. I took some photography classes in college but decided to pursue photography full time after getting laid off from my job at an advertising agency after the financial housing crisis in 2010. I think I’ve always had a unique way of expressing myself and my ideas, but it’s taken me all of this time to really perfect what I do, and I’m certainly far from feeling like a master of my craft. My attitude is live and learn. You never stop improving.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has certainly not been a smooth road, but I think that’s most people’s experience getting anywhere in life. You only have control over your own part of it. I think the recipe to success is made up of many factors. It’s a serious challenge trying to make a living as an artist. I’ve always wanted to be my own boss and make a good living doing what I do, but that’s a tall order when you don’t cater to what’s popular or trendy. You only hope to stay true to yourself and attract a certain type of audience who appreciates authenticity, quality, and a desire to create something truly special and unique. I’ve had plenty of moments of doubt and thoughts of getting a “real job.” My parents have been an amazing support system, they’ve really helped me get through the tough times. I consider myself extremely fortunate. The feedback I’ve heard from people throughout my career has been something that’s gotten me through those tough times. Anytime I hear that something I’ve created has really resonated with someone, whenever someone picks up on exactly the feeling, a story, or an emotion I’ve put in one of my photographs… well, that makes it all worthwhile.

Read On…

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.

Red

Kayla has such a great face, I love photographing her. I was inspired by one of her posts on instagram in which her makeup was mainly composed of red hues. The color red is so powerful and impactful. I always say that a girl’s best accessory is red lipstick. I stand by my statement.

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.

La Vie Boheme jewelry shoot

I loved the minimal nature of this shoot. The jewelry designer really wanted a soft, feminine, and organic feel. This was another collaboration with my friends at Farasha. A tiny crew including myself, the model, and two stylists. That's it. Natural light throughout. 

Jewelry designer: La Vie Boheme | Styling: Farasha | Model: Lianna Michelle

TWOISM Fashion Editorial

At this point in my career I really want to challenge myself by doing something different as much as I can. I tend to carefully plan out all of my shoots in advance, putting a lot of thought and effort into the pre-production process. With this particular editorial I challenged myself to be less organized and more spontaneous. I had a general idea of the direction of the shoot, but I didn't have all of my exact locations scouted or specific scenes in mind. I also wanted to be more free with the way I lit my subjects, trying out new techniques and being less careful. The editorial was mainly an opportunity for Samantha Furden to get some wardrobe styling experience, I think she did a fine job. My dear friends and frequent collaborators Paula J Dahlberg was once again on makeup duties and Chad Seale provided his magic touch on hair. I couldn't be happier with the models we chose for this project. This was my first time shooting Allie Jo Holman, who proved to be not only experienced but mesmerizing, and Mitch Allen was the perfect brother / lover /  ambiguous relationship partner in crime. A huge shout out to the young and talented designer David Hong for lending us a big chunk of his collection for the shoot. I also challenged myself by spending A LONG TIME putting the editorial together as far as post photo processing layering goes. I really wanted to give the photos a dirty, grungy, punk vibe, very New York 1970's. I hope you enjoy TWOISM.

FARASHA Fall/Winter 2017 Campaign

Vanessa Di Palma Wright started her company, Farasha, around the same time that I decided to dedicate myself full time to photography. We connected in the early stages of our brand building and have had a working relationship ever since. I am always extremely happy to collaborate with the Farasha crew, this is our latest project together. 

Monochromatic Metamorphosis:

Production/Styling: Farasha | Hair: Tricia Snow | Makeup: Jillyn Leone | Model: Kerry Kalu