Tali and Melanie.....

On Sunday, 06-15-14, I was back in the studio with both Tali and Melanie. Both of these ladies were in a runway show a year or so ago that I photographed. Since then I photographed each one separately in the studio.  A couple months ago Melanie and Tali contacted me wanting to know if  I would do a photo shoot with both of them together. I didn't have to think about it...these two ladies are both fun and easy to work with. It just took a little while for us to get a day where all our schedules worked out to do the shoot. Thank you ladies... a very fun shoot!

Tali and Melanie

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Driller Promotions & Sterling Entertainment Group Present: Mecca 5- Premier MMA at Mystic Lake Hotel...

On Saturday, 05-31-14, I was scheduled to photograph some boxing with Ismail Muwendo (14-0) as the Main Event at another venue. I was notified that Ismail's opponent came to the weigh-in 7 pounds over weight and then went back home. 

I decided not to shoot the boxing event, so I contact Jeremy Bjornberg with Sterling Entertainment Group to photograph his MMA event at Mystic Lake Casino. 

This was the second time photographing MMA at Mystic Lake Casino. I also believe the lighting was slightly better than the last time I was there so it was nice to get some decent images. The last venue that I shot MMA at the lighting guy didn't show up so the images weren't of very good quality.

I've posted a few images here from Mystic Lake, but there is a link after these posted images to my website where you can find images from the eleven fights.

You can find the results... HERE

MECCA V Gallery

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My Product Photography Set-up....

I've never shot any type of products before so on Friday, 05-02-14, I went to the studio to see how I might set-up for one. Before going to the studio I stopped by a few stores looking for a 4' x 8' sheet of white formica, but I couldn't find a store that had any sheets in stock. 

I had some extra sheets of 4' x 8' Thrifty panel boards that I use on white seamless when shooting models. I wasn't sure it would bent the way I needed it to but it did. 

My friend contacted me a couple weeks ago to see if I would be interested in shooting an item for him that would be going into the Menard's store. Menards needed an image to put in their advertisement. The item on the white board isn't the item...I was just doing a little practice.

The image below of my set-up was shot with my iPhone. 

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MMA: MECCA IV at the MUSE in Minneapolis

On Saturday, 04-26-14, I went to the MUSE Entertainment Center to photograph Driller and Sterling Entertainment Groups MMA event: MECCA IV. 

I've never photograph at the MUSE before so I had no idea how the lighting was going to be. Sometimes its hard to tell until shortly before the event is going to start. 

Well, the lighting was the worst I've been to for shooting for a Sterling Entertainment Group event. Many times for these MMA events in the smaller venues I will shoot at ISO 10,000, f/ 2.8 with a shutter speed of 1/1000. Not this night...I was changing my ISO from 16,000 to 51,200 with a varying shutter speed of around 1/320 to 1/500. I figured I wouldn't get many decent images...and I was right. 

I initially posted a couple images from the main event, Nate Howe vs Ben Smith, on my Charles W. Ryan II Facebook page. I wasn't going to post anymore images from the event because they aren't that great, but I eventually decided to post them after people were looking for the links. 

Later, I was told the lighting person for the MUSE didn't show up. There is another event at the MUSE on June 13th. There are additional lights, but I'm not sure how well the cage will be lighted because the lights are set up for stage lighting.  The images that I posted in this blog post are of Nate Howe vs Ben Smith from the Main Event. This was one exciting fight for the fans...not so much for the fighters. Ben Smith came away with the win.

Here is a recap of the fights from MN MMA News   

MECCA IV

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