Jon Sams strikes again!

Seems like this guy never misses. This is the third episode from series of FD sessions captured by unstoppable photographer Jon Sams. This time in Hill 4, catching harsh afternoon sunlight in the black&white. The model for the shoot is Justin Painter of Ford Men’s Fresh Face division. The MUAH work by Aliy Smalls .

Make sure to follow Jon Sams’ INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE if you are into great portraits. Totally worth it.

Jon Sams strikes again! -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Los Angeles, Justin Painter, Jon Sams, FD photo studio, DTLA, blog, beauty shoot, Aliy Smalls, !Hill4, !done

Stage Hill 4 is one of our largest and brightest stages. Advantageously positioned with the windows facing west and north, this stage gets plenty of sift indirect sunlight in the first half of the day and lots of direct sunbeams in the second half. Hill 4 is furnished with several comfy and photogenic couches of cream and and golden/brown leather color. As with any our other stages a standard package of three basic backdrops and three lights is available within the stage already. For more information visit stage Hill 4 on our website.

WINNERS of Winter 2018 Yelp Contest

The magic is happening once again! We are ready to announce this Winter 2018 term Yelp review winners! Wanna freebie? A top notch quality studio time in any of our stages for free. You are in luck! Every season we count in Yelp reviews left for our studio and draw winners with the work of the sorcerer called Google random number generator. The rules were simple; all of our creatives were welcome to participate, including photographers, videographers, hair and makeup artists, models, talent, etc.; and all you had to do is write a review about your experience at FD Photo Studio.

We randomized the names and selected to generate our winners! Here they are: 1st Place: 12-Hour Package – The first place prize goes to Ben T. You can check out his review HERE. 2nd Place: 8-Hour Package – In second place, Danielle “Dani” U. receives an 8-hour package! You can view his review HERE. 3rd Place: 4-Hour Package – Elle D. will receive a 4-hour package ! View the review HERE! Packages can be used at any stage at any day of the week. Be sure to keep those reviews coming in! We’re doing another drawing in the spring 2018! Thanks again to all of our great clients that shared their feedback with us, we will grow and continue to provide you with great spaces for your creative projects. To see the full details of our package giveaways, visit our website

Why you should book our studios BEFORE APRIL 1!

Cover photo credit: Photographer aestheteandderive Model @sophieduncan98

Here at FD we always strive to provide best customer service, awesome props, breathtaking stage interior and still retain the name of the most affordable studio. Alas, with growing rent rates, equipment prices and other factors we must take some steps towards adjusting our hourly rates and fees, just to keep up with the harsh reality of the business world. Starting April 1st, we will introduce new rates for our customers. For any booking request that comes in after the fool’s day a new rate will apply. That’s for the half empty glass. For the half full glass,

NOW is your chance to still get a cheaper (current) rate IF you place a booking request before the April 1st, 2018!

We will gladly offer you a current rate even if your booking is months ahead. For our most frequent clients who have their continuous production clientele in place, we would strongly recommend to plan bookings ahead and place it all before the deadline, April 1st, 2018. If I were you I would be filling out that reservation form right now and booking nice summer dates of 2030 for cost of peanuts (which is our current hourly rate). And just to remind you where your money go, take a look at our recent prop updates! Fancy, isn’t it? 🙂

Why attending the Rooftop mixer is important.

why-attending-rooftop-mixer-is-important

On March 8th we will be hosting our monthly Rooftop Mixer at the art location, the event dedicated for photographers, models, MUAs, stylists and other industry professionals to expand their network over a few drinks and good music. So why is attending this event important and beneficial to you? The industry that we are in is personal experience oriented. In order to organize a photoshoot you usually need at least 2 -4 people to participate. So the social engagement is not only inevitable, it is essential to your career. Over the course of multiple interviews with well known photographers we have come to realization that most vital connections and resulting projects were a result of personal encounters and meeting, not the online advertisement. Thus, it is really important to get involved in networking events, for your own good. Most networking events however would charge a fee to get it. Here at FD, we decided to go one step further and make the Rooftop Mixer event absolutely free! Aside, from friendly conversations, participants get to set shoot at the event in any manner they see fit – the entire rooftop is your playground. We have already witnessed tons of great pictures being made at previous events. Take a look at the Rooftop Mixer Event page and photos that were made on our Website. Now, if that does not persuade you to pack your gear bag and head over to the Art location on March 8th, 3pm – I do not know what will. Let’s meet up, have some fun, shoot some photos! Let’s get creative!

Lucas Dell + Jon Sams

Photographer Jon Sams never ceases to amaze us with his constantly amazing stuff coming out on a frequent basis. This time he shot the Youtube/Instagram persona Lucas Dell. Going for a black and white style, Jon was still able to preserve the dynamics of the contrast on the photo, producing both crisp and vintage look.

Lucas Dell + Jon Sams -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Lucas Dell, Los Angeles, Jon Sams, FD photo studio, DTLA, blog, beauty shoot, !Hill4, !done

Follow Jon Sams if you haven’t already, on INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE for more tremendously impressive work. Make sure to check out Lucas Dell’s social media channels such as TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and YOUTUBE.

Here are a few Instagram picks from photographer’s Instagram:

One of my favorite shots of the year featuring @theseanodonnell Hit up my InstaStory to read me being all emotional and grateful and stuff. – #annieleibovitz2017 @masterclass Shot on @canonusa 5D Mk3 24-105 L Series Lit by: @paulcbuffinc AlienBee B800 with a deep Octa . . . . . #discoverportrait #portraitphotography #bleachmyfilm #postmoreportraits #portraitpage #makeportraits #quietthechaos #pursuitofportraits #moodyports #underwear #jonsamsjpg #mensfashionpost #guyswithstyle #mensfashion #menstyle #thecreative #blue #canonphotos #canoneos #seanodonnell

A post shared by Jon Sams (@jonsams.jpg) on Dec 30, 2017 at 1:48pm PST

So incredibly proud to have been able to create with my faves @matthew_crawford and @tonydevoney for Matt’s new 2018 calendar XXIII. We created some really interesting, beautiful portraits featuring aspects of Tony’s stunning abstract style. Matt put his whole heart into this and made it so personal. Go check it out and purchase on his account! Shot on: @canonusa 5dmk3 💡 @paulcbuffinc 2 DB800s . . . . . #discoverportrait #pursuitofportraits #portraitfolk #mood #portraitphotography #profile_vision #bleachmyfilm #postmoreportraits #portraitpage #portraiture #makeportraits #moodyports #modellife #malemodels #modelling #modelphotography #testshoot #modeltest #jonsamsjpg #canoneos #canonphotographer #canonphotography #daddycrawf #blackandwhiteisworththefight #bnwmood #monochrome #blackandwhitephotography #editorial

A post shared by Jon Sams (@jonsams.jpg) on Dec 29, 2017 at 3:14pm PST

How to shoot window light portraits by AdoramaTV

“In a world gone mad… …three young people… …stood for justice..” is the kind of approach that photographer Joe McNally would use to tune models into the right position and capture the look he has in mind. On set with notorious Daniel Norton and Adorama TV, Joe shares some tips and tricks of how to shoot with the window light only, using V-flats and duvetyn as a reflector and background.

How to shoot window light portraits by AdoramaTV -window light portrait, window light, Tutorial, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, Photography blog, paid photography, modeling, Los Angeles, Joe McNally, How To, gear, gallery, FD photo studio, fashion photographer, DTLA, Daniel Norton, copyright image, copyright art, copyright, blog, Adorama TV

For camera setup Joe prefers to shoot in an aperture priority mode, using +-EV constantly. For this shoot, he chooses to be in the overexposed, the + range. Since the light is hitting the model from one side and then goes behind her, he needs to overcompensate in terms of exposure and brighten the picture a little bit. However, one always have to be careful of not going too far and blowing out the image, since the V- flat on the other side from the model still gives that extra reflection and brightness. So to sum up – check the highlights. The rest is pretty simple. In Daniel’s studio in New York there is lots of beautiful natural light filling the room. A sort of natural light our FD stages are famous for as well. So a beautiful light adorned by a beautiful model, a v-flat and a camera is your complete toolkit for amazing window light portraits.

During the set Joe McNally points out a difference in approach while shooting with natural light as opposed to a strobe lights. When shooting strobe, your light is very precise, properly angled and tilted, geometrically thought through. You shape it with a high detail on the model. With the natural light however, there is a massive light source that evens out all details and really lets you shoot a little loose and fast with fast position changing and improvisation.

In this setup V-flat becomes a very versatile instrument, serving as a reflector in first setup, and as background in the second setup. Since the surface of v-flat’s foam is a bit reflective, the photographer decided to use duvetyn to completely eliminate and bounce back and create even deeper contrast between the model (front) and the v-flat (back).

The last thing to keep in mind is the ever-changing nature of the ambient light. Across the time the direction and the intensity of the light changes and so will the dynamic of exposure. Watch the full video of Adorama TV here:

How to shoot strip light portraits, AdoramaTV

Photographer Joe McNally famous for his National Geographic work was invited to the studio by another prolific camera master Daniel Norton from Adorama TV to shoot series of portraits using gridded strip boxes. Playing with two light setup, Joe uses the strip on camera’s right as the portrait side light, and a strip on camera’s left as the highlight for model’s hair, placing the light a bit behind the model. The background is chosen to be black to eliminate any light spillage and reflection. Since the grid is used on both light, it is very important to establish a precise position for it. The direction of the gridded light is very narrow, which may result in a huge shadow on the face if the angle is off a few degrees. During the photoshoot the two lights were switched with each other, now making the camera’s left light the main portrait light and camera’s right the highlight light. Following the attitude and demeanor of the model, the photographer wanted to add to it using different light variations. Even with two same lights positioned differently, the picture changes in its delivery, overall attitude and perceived look. The third and final set up Joe got to use was a classic “clam shell” position where both lights positioned in the center, bottom light shoot up from 45 degree angle and the top light shoots down from 45 degree angle. Designed to eliminate any harsh shadows model’s face, this light setup never disappoints. During the photoshoot Joe noticed the difference in skin reaction to the light. Female model’s skin was more reflective then the male’s resulting in misbalanced exposure. Switching models’ positions as well as fine tuning the f-stop usually remedies the situation quickly. Watch the full video on Adorama TV youtube channel:

PRarri’s Cassandra will leave you in awe

Photographer PRarri has a little to say about himself, if you want to put it in words. In photos however, his story is never ending. Bringing the A game every time at the photoshoot, the maestro always impresses us with fresh, crisp shots. Following series of photo session at FD, this time we present to you “Cassandra.”

PRarri's Cassandra will leave you in awe -wrongron, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, prarri, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, Model, Los Angeles, FD photo studio, DTLA, cassandra, blog, beauty shoot, !Hill4, !done

Make sure to check’s PRarri’s WEBSITE, BEHANCE and INSTAGRAM for a top notch work, trulls one of the best I have seen so far.

Here are few picks from photographer’s Instagram feed:

Model: @gabriellemcguiness Photographer @p.rarri ©2017 . . #newyorkmodel #losangeles #losangelescalifornia #art #newpost #nyc #fashionphotography #imageoftheday #picoftheday #nyphotographer #laphotographer #londonphotographer #parisphotographer #japanphotographer #nymodel #parismodel #fashionblog #miamiblog #newyorkblog #parisblog #labloggers #howboutdat #cashmeoutside #firstpost #laphotographer #losangelesphotographer #kpop #koreanmodel #koreanphotographer #koreanfashion

A post shared by @ p.rarri on Sep 11, 2017 at 2:17am PDT

Model @latashialarae Photographer: @p.rarri Studio: @latchlab . . #newyorkmodel #newyorkfashion #art #newyorkphotographer #nyc #fashionphotography #imageoftheday #picoftheday #nyphotographer #laphotographer #londonphotographer #parisphotographer #japanphotographer #nymodel #parismodel #fashionblog #miamiblog #newyorkblog #parisblog #labloggers #howboutdat #cashmeoutside #firstpost

A post shared by @ p.rarri on Jul 20, 2017 at 4:21am PDT

“Desecedant” by Dynasty Fashion Photography

Photographer Dajuana Jones also known as “Dynasty Fashion Photography” has made a right decision by choosing stage Hill 3 as his photo field for a photoshoot. Although it is unknown where the name of the session – “Desecedant” – comes from, the photos turned out warm, bright and clean; the kind of result you would want for a perfect photoshoot.

"Desecedant" by Dynasty Fashion Photography -wrongron360, Wrong Ron, Studio Photography, stage Art 1, shot at FD Photo Studio, rental stages, Photoshop, Photoshoot, photography services, photographer, modeling, Los Angeles, hill 3, FD photo studio, fashion, Dynasty Fashion Photography, DTLA, decesedant, Ciera Foster, blog, !done

Quick info about the photographer:

“Los Angeles Fashion Photographer Dynasty Fashion Photography offers fashion,beauty and headshot photography for fashion models, fashion designers, advertising campaigns, fashion editorials, fashion magazines, catalog, brands, billboards, fashion campaigns, modeling portfolios and actor head shots.”

This session’s crew comprised of:

Makeup Artist: Sarah Huggs

Wardrobe Stylist: Luka Tonic Studio

Fashion Designer: Maison Privee PR

Hair Stylist: Ashlei

Photo Editor: George Buczko

Model/Actress: Ciera Foster

We hand picked few perks from photographer’s Instagram feed:

Photography by: Dajuana Jones

A post shared by Dynasty Fashion Photography (@dynastyfashionphotography) on Jan 17, 2017 at 10:00am PST

Stage Hill 3 is one of our largest and brightest stages. Advantageously positioned with the windows facing west and north, this stage gets plenty of sift indirect sunlight in the first half of the day and lots of direct sunbeams in the second half. As with any our other stages a standard package of three basic backdrops and three lights is available within the stage already. For more information visit stage Hill 3 on our website.