Fashion On Broadway!

Recently, I was invited to shoot a fashion show at On Broadway by my friend, Lilli Garcia. It's a little out of the usual for my photography, even though I did shoot Fashion Week in Escondido for Studio 158 the last couple of years. It was a fun night, and I met a couple cool new models...

This is one of the models I made connections with, Yulia. She really knows how to work a runway!

Little bit of a booty shake! Seems to have impressed one guy, anyway!

Yulia, again, workin' those abs!

I don't know this girl's name, but she sure knew where the cameras were!

Yulia again, and another photog. I've worked with Eddie at a couple of weddings, he does video.

All in all, a cool evening and event. I'll probably be doing more of them, in the future...

The Car GM Shouldn't Have Stopped Building...

One of the things I do is take photos for a car dealership’s website, Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac in Temecula. It’s pretty fun, I get to sample a wide variety of cars. Some of them are pretty mundane, like the Chevy delivery van I shot a couple of months ago, but some of them are pretty hot, like the bright metallic orange ‘Vette from last week.
But one of them really stuck out in my mind a couple of weeks ago, partly because it’s a huge example of what might have been. What might have been, if the American economy hadn’t bottomed out a couple of years ago, what might have been if the American auto companies hadn’t so thoroughly lost sight of what made them great, and, most tearingly, what might have been if the American public hadn’t equally lost faith, justifiably, in those American auto companies, particularly General Motors. That car is pictured below, the late, lamented Pontiac G8. It came in three iterations, the base G8, with a certainly adequate 256hp V6, the GT, in the photos, with a 361hp small block V8 and a late introduction, the 415hp V8 GXP. The latter was compared, favorably, to the previous generation BMW M5 by several frontline auto publications.

It was a funny synchronicity that I was working with both the G8 and a Dodge Charger R/T on the same day, since the two cars were aimed at similar customers. They were even the same color, inside and out, white over black!
Now the Charger has been a huge sales success for Mopar, from the day of its introduction to the present day, selling nearly 100,000 copies each year, until the recession year of 2009, when it still managed to sell 60,000. It’s big, it’s fast, and it looks very much the part of the Great American Muscle Car.
The Pontiac, though, was an entirely different matter. Introduced just as the economic meltdown commenced, coupled with skyrocketing fuel costs, in 2008, it sold just 13,000 units its first year, barely a good month for the Charger, and only 30,000 units total for the two years it was in production. It was a victim not only of a downward spiraling economy matched by upward spiraling gas prices, but also GM’s loss of interest in maintaining the Pontiac brand and the public’s absolute loss of interest in any of GM’s products, other than Cadillac and Corvette. The car also seems to be aimed at a different customer than the Dodge. Built in Australia, it exudes a distinct European vibe, rather than being purely and unmistakably American, like the Dodge. As can be seen in the photos, it’s slightly smaller, looks a little more, ahem, delicate and not nearly as muscular. Its seats are more firm, the seating position is lower and the instrument panel is very evocative of the German brands.

The Pontiac, while very attractive, doesn’t have the muscularity of the Dodge. The flared fenders and side vent/repeater lights are very European in style, as is the front splitter. The only nod to its American brand are the fake hood scoops, harking back to the GTO of the ‘60s. It even has a slight kink in the rear side window, a la BMW.

The split grille and canted headlights evoke BMW in a big way, with the fender flares making it look like an M type from that manufacturer.



The steering wheel is distinctly American, but the seats could come from any mid level German car. They are not particularly supportive, however, but very adjustable.

The engine cover styling could come directly from an Audi S5. As motors go, the 361hp engine is very stout, moving the nearly 4000lb car quite briskly. The engine note, however, isn't that classic V8 rumble, sounding somewhere between a V6 bark and a flat crank Ferrari V8 wail. Not bad, just not what is expected.

The Charger, in contrast, looks much bigger, although it’s only 4 inches longer than the G8, overall.

Far more menacing, from this angle, than the slightly effete Pontiac. Seeing this looming in your rearview would encourage an immediate move to the right…

Very American design for the interior, and considerably lower quality materials than the Pontiac. Seats are very supportive, however, but a little less firm than the G8’s. The Alcantara seat centers help keep the driver’s and passenger’s derrieres firmly situated.

The Dodge's engine room. A very slight Mercedes look to the engine cover, but, overall not as styled as the Pontiac's space. While it gives away some 20 hp to the G8, it still moves in an authoritive manner, and sounds more like a classic American v8, with a deep throated rumble, even at idle.

Overall, although I like the Charger, the Pontiac G8 appeals to me more. Admittedly, I'm rather Eurocentric when it comes to cars, but the G8 seems to me to be put together better than the Dodge, its materials are of a higher quality and its styling, while derivative in its European flair, is a little fresher. It also seems more lightfooted, cornering more precisely with more feedback from the steering. Throttle response seems a bit more brisk, too.

So, given that it's a big car with obvious Euro influences, and never sold nearly as well as its rivals, why do I think it's a car that GM should still build? Well it's this. American tastes are changing, becoming more like those of the rest of the world. Ford, for instance, is realizing that they have marvelous cars being sold in other parts of the world that would sell well here. Americans, since they've become customers of companies that don't sell that classic American car, are more willing to look at cars from American manufacturers that also aren't classically American. The next generation Charger looks to be a bit more sleek than its predecessor, and with the Italian sensibilities of Chrysler's new owners, Fiat, there very well may be a change in the look of the whole line. Lord knows, it couldn't get any worse than it did under German ownership, or the way it was adrift under Cereberus. Sure, the Charger and Chrysler 300 were built under Mercedes guidance, but so were the Caliber and second generation Durango, the latter of which should serve as a case point in merchandise design classes on how to kill a viable brand.

The G8 was well built, well designed and had very good performance. Additionally, with all that performance, it was relatively economical. A comparison of the G8 GT, with its 361hp V8 to the Audi S5, with a 368hp V8, is telling. The Pontiac, selling for about $30,000, had similar accelleration and handling numbers, but got 26mpg highway, compared to barely 20 for the Audi. I think that, given people's increased faith in GM's survival, and increased interest in their products, the G8, or a similar car under another badge, would be a viable product.

The First Shadowcatcher Imagery Photo Safari!

Last week, I went out with our lovely and talented Shadowcatcher Assistants on a little photo safari. We all wanted to get a little shooting time in that didn't involve having to do things other people want us to. Also, I wanted to introduce our newest assistant to Canon cameras, since she shoots with Olympus gear. I also wanted to give us all time to just have fun and get better acquainted away from the hustle of weddings and studio shoots. I think we really succeeded in that, and I know we really had fun!

Our newest assistant, Cindy, cradling one of our Canon cameras. She's used to shooting with her Olympus E-510, so this was an opportunity for her to get familiar with the controls and ergonomics of Canon DSLRs. She caught on really quickly, but I expected her to. She's an incredibly talented photographer, even though she's just a relative newbie to photography.

This is another of our assistants, Theresia. We were having fun, getting "Arty" around these roots. Cindy set up this shot, and I just said, "Theresia, over here!" to get this one. Cindy's is much better composed, really.
Theresia is leaving us, temporarily, the end of August, to go to England to complete her Master's in Photography at the University of South Lancastershire. We'll miss her a lot around Shadowcatcher Imagery. She's not only a very talented photographer, but she's become Heather's right hand girl in the studio, for Boudoir and Glamour shoots. But she's promised to come back to us in a year, when she's done with England!

Just a portrait of Cindy, looking regal...

Theresia, languid on a railing.

A shot of Cindy that Theresia set up.

A shot of Theresia getting the shot of Cindy... T is going to hate me for putting this one up, but I couldn't resist! After all, people have to see what we go through to "get the shot," don't they?

Cindy, getting artistic with Theresia. These roots in Balboa Park have endless possibilities!

Gotta check the results!

This is our third assistant, Veronica. She was camera shy all day, I had to sneak this one late in the session. She's also an incredibly talented photographer in her own right, with a degree in Photography from Arizona State. Later, I caught her lying down under that bush with the white flowers, shooting up through one of the blooms with the light behind. Can't wait to see how that one came out...

Last shot of the night, Cindy was nice enough to take a break from being a photographer to act as a model for me, too.

So, all in all, we had a great time, learned some new stuff, and got to know each other a little better. We're going to do more of these little jaunts over the next couple of months, and I'll have some of their work to post, too. So stay tuned!

Dominic Musulman November 13, 1952 to May 31, 2010

56 years. I'd known Nick for 56 years. 56 years, 10 days, to be more precise. We met on my first birthday, which would have been May 21, 1954. I've known him longer than I've known anyone else, and longer than even his brothers and sisters. And, this morning, he died. At his desk, at work, but alone on a holiday. He'd come in to meet with a client, and only expected to be at work for a little time.
It's impossible to explain the impact Nick had on my life. He was "Uncle Nick" to my daughter, friend and confidant to my wife. He was the big brother I never had, as an only child. I often reminded him that he was older than I, by a rollicking six months. He got me through some of the toughest times I had in college, introduced me to a lot of obscure music, and, through conversations late at night and early in the morning, helped form my thoughts. Without him, I don't know who I'd be.
Too, we helped him through some, but not nearly all, of the tough times in his life. I talked him into coming back to California after a stint on the East Coast. He slept on our couch, babysat our daughter, changed her diapers in the wee hours of the morning, so we could get some much needed sleep.
Nick had the ability to make all around him comfortable, feeling like they'd known him for years. I have a photo of him and another friend, Jay Wiestling, sitting on recliners on the tailgate of a moving truck, beers in hand, laughing at some long forgotten joke. He and Jay had just met, but got along as if they'd grown up together. Nick was like that. All of my closest friends who met him remember him vividly, and all have at least one story to tell about being around him.
He hated to disappoint. If anything, I think this led to him disappearing from time to time. He would commit to being someplace, or promise to call, or some such thing. When he was prevented from doing so, he'd drop from sight, only to reappear sometime later. Sometimes in an entirely different place. He "had the bear in him," as my wife says. The need to wander, to explore, to not repeat an experience. I sometimes think he was born in the wrong era. He needed to be in a time where men lived closer to the earth, when having a "job" wasn't necessary to earn a living. He'd have been an itinerate handyman, or wandering peddlar or something that would bring him into contact with a wide variety of people and experiences. Staying in one place was foreign to him for many years.
Recently, he'd married, for the second time, and had his first child, a daughter he called his "little miracle." He seemed to have found the place and time in which he wanted to be. We just wish he'd stayed a little longer...
He will be missed. This gives Memorial day a whole new meaning to me and mine.

It's Tough Being Me, Part II

At least that's what a friend of mine said, while he was picking up the disc of shots I did of his black Ducati. That was because, right then, he saw all three of the above models came out from getting their hair and makeup done so we could work with them at Cruisin' Grand in Escondido. Heather and I thought it would be fun to have four models out on the loose with a bunch of classic American Hot Rods, Muscle Cars and other classics. One of the girls we had originally enlisted, Erica, fell and broke her leg two days before the adventure, so we soldiered on with the three ladies you see in the photo, from left to right, Melissa, Nicole and Alyssa. The car is a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biaritz Convertible, an awesome piece of American luxury, owned by our friends, Dan and Eileen. By the way, Erica was seriously bummed, but not seriously hurt. We're going to do another one of these Cruisin' Grand shoots when she's better.

Here's Nicole and Melissa, strolling down Grand Avenue from Studio 158, where the stylists did a great job of getting our three girls ready!

Melissa with a 1956 Chevrolet 210. We just had to photograph her with this car, her tube top and the car matched so well! By the way, my Dad had one exactly like this, back then, even the same color.

Nicole with her dream car, a red 1967 Mustang. I met Nicole last year at Fashion Week Escondido, where she was a runway model. This is the first time I've had an opportunity to work with her one on one, and you can bet it won't be the last! She was great!

Here's Alyssa and Nicole with a street mime. I just couldn't resist...and neither could they!

Alyssa with a '56 Chevy BelAir Convertible. Her Fables by Barrie Romper was the perfect match for the red and white classic!

They've got legs! Melissa and Alyssa, looking like an ad for tires in a '50s Hot Rod magazine!

No, she's not in trouble... she's just posing with a '30s California Highway Patrol car. Cool, huh?

Back at the Cadillac, Nicole in the driver's seat!

And Alyssa out front of the Caddy as the sun goes down.

It was a really great day, and I got to work with three incredible, and beautiful, models. Melissa, I've worked with a lot, and we really connect. Nicole, I'd met before, but, like I said, it's the first time we've really worked together. She's bright, open and fun, and we'll be shooting again in the near future. Alyssa worked mostly with Heather this day, but I really enjoyed the time we spent working with each other, and we're all planning another shoot, maybe more fashion/pinup oriented, next time.

Like my friend said, "It's tough being me!"

Another Shoot with Another Old Friend

A while back, I had another great shoot with an old friend, Brooke. Her last name is the same as mine, Middleton, thus we sometimes refer to each other as "cuz!" She's a fun one to work with, and up for just about anything. We once did a shoot in a salt encrusted abandoned trailer out at the Salton Sea. We got some memorable images from that day, I promise.

She can get truly dramatic, if needed. She really got into working with this guitar, too.

A girl like this, pinup becomes inevitable. And green with red hair is just as de rigeur.

Everbody loves this pose, both models and photographers. Everybody wants to either do it or photograph it!

I also, later, did a shoot with Brooke and her adorable son, Dallas. I'll have images from that up in a week or so, so stay tuned!

It's Tough Being Me, Part 1

Sometimes, you meet a new model and make an immediate connection. Melissa is one of those models. She's quite young, at least relative to me, but she has an old soul. She combines impulsiveness with thoughtfulness. She's open to expanding her horizons. That she's beautiful is icing on the cake, as it were.

So, now she and I collaborate on projects, and have a lot of fun doing it. She's into old cars and ink, which make a great combination. You'll be seeing more of her, here and elsewhere, in the future. We've submitted images to a couple of magazines, we'll see where we go from there.