SecondFocus Blog

I have been so busy going from shoot to shoot but here is one from the Memorial Day weekend at Muscle Beach Venice.

That is Jake Sawyer at his very first competition. He had a lot of fun! I will get some more posted soon. Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

Well I was there, where were you? Yesterday was the grand opening of the Pit at Muscle Beach at world famous Venice Beach California. There are probably some photos out there already from the day but not like mine!

This is Cara Basso, winner of figure competitions at Muscle Beach and you have also seen her in Iron Man Magazine features and on the cover. She came on out to be a part of the day too. Anyway, I will post some photos of the festivities in the next day or so, but I wanted to give you something to look at.

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

For taking good photos and to get something different, watch your backgrounds and where you are shooting.

And keep your eyes open for some action like in this photo of Marcus Haley. So like I said in the previous post, get your focus right, see if you are getting good exposure and white balance and then watch where you are framing your shot. Any questions, just send me a note to SecondFocus@mac.com.

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

One of the questions I am asked often is how to get good photos at a bodybuilding show. Here is one from a Southern California NPC show last year that is a good example…

What makes this photo work are a few things. First, it is in focus and second, the exposure is correct. And for digital shooting there is the problem of white balance where the camera is recording the correct color temperature of the lighting on the stage. The white balance in this photo is correct. And photos like these are not shot with flash or strobes.

Now if you are shooting at a show with your point and shoot with the screen on the back, for the most part you are going to get what you get, that’s ok. But if you are taking your more advanced camera to photo your girlfriend, boyfriend or gym buddy, there are some things you can do to make your photos look better.

If you don’t know what I am talking about from here, you need to read your camera manual so you can catch up some. So first set your iso higher, maybe to around 800 so you can use an aperture of f/8 or more if possible and a higher shutter speed. This will give you more depth of field for focus and less camera shake and movement.

Next, when you point your camera at your subject, point it at a mid-tone area so you get a more correct exposure. If you point your focus area at a really dark area, your photo will be overexposed because the camera will compensate for the lack of light. The reverse with a really bright area will give you a dark photo.

And when you focus, let your camera focus on the face with the center focus point and then frame your shot.

White balance is tricky so you need to read up a little. But for the most part, your auto white balance settings will usually fail and give you odd looking colors, not realistic. In auditoriums like this, you can usually go with a setting for Tungsten and be much better off.

So now you are an expert! Go take photos and have fun. Any questions, send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

I just realized that I may have done the very last photo shoot at the old "Pit" at Muscle Beach, Venice California. If you hadn’t read the post below, the old equipment has been torn out to make room for the new equipment sponsored by BodyBuilding.com. Well just the week before I had the chance to do another photo shoot with the reigning Ms. Figure America, Ava Cowan, at the old “Pit”.

Ava looked great but as I looked around that day I could really see how badly the "Pit" was looking. The upgrade was really needed. I am looking forward to getting in there and doing a shoot with the new stuff!

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

But coming back…

That’s right, that is all that is left, a small pile of rubble. But let me tell you why…

All of that equipment was getting pretty tired. So last year BodyBuilding.com agreed to buy all new equipment for the world famous "Pit" at Muscle Beach at Venice Beach in California. Even the flooring mats will be all new also courtesy of HeadBlade.

The Grand Opening of the renovated "Pit" is May 17, 2008 at 2 pm.

Of course Russ Deluca, Bodybuilding.com will be there to unveil the new equipment from StarTrac will be there as well as Todd Green from HeadBlade.

Following the Grand Opening, the 2007 Inductees into the Muscle Beach Venice Hall of Fame will have their plaques unveiled on the Walk of Fame. The inductees are Tony Pearson, Pudgy  Stockton, DeForrest "Moe" Most (both Muscle Beach pioneers), Franco Columbu and Lifetime Achievement recipient, Jack LaLanne.

Following the unveiling, Jack will be signing and giving away 200 copies of his new book "Fiscal Fitness".

All of this just in time for the big Muscle Beach Memorial Day Competition on the next week end. So if you can drop on by, it is history in the making at world famous "Muscle Beach". Even I will be there!

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

Do you want to be featured in Iron Man Magazine as one of BodyBuilding.com’s BodySpace members? All year a BodySpace member has been in each issue but we only have a few issues left. That’s right! In magazine world we are always many months ahead. So if you want to be photographed by me and see your body and face in one of the top bodybuilding magazines, get moving!

Send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com or a note here on my BodySpace if you want to be considered. Be sure to tell me about yourself and include the link to your BodySpace. Thanks!

And keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

I find it interesting that I get a regular number of e-mails asking if I only shoot women. Not the case, especially in this business. This is Jake Sawyer…

Jake is a one of the busiest and successful personal trainers around and actually does do a lot of work as a fitness and healthy lifestyle model. I used him in an advertising shoot for BodyBuilding.com last year. That is Jake in the brown hat with his back to you; yeah the guy with the arm…

So go on over to Jake’s BodySpace and say Hi.

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

I just finished another day of shooting with Ava Cowan in California on the beach in Marina Del Rey, on the sand in Venice and at the "Pit" at Muscle Beach. I don’t have any of those for you yet, but here is one from a past shoot with Ava in the gym…

Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"