So, the random thing about finding a bunch of video on your camcorder that you’ve done absolutely nothing with is you edit clips, upload them to YouTube, and they all pretty much pop up and become ready all at the same time.

So, I’m going to blog about it now rather than later…mostly because I want to.

So, as you know, I shot with the beautiful Kaitlin back in January. She was amazing to shoot with…and we got some awesome weather too. Kait’s friend, Rinata, was also there at the shoot, so I passed off the video camera to her and she shot a little bit of video. The result is a 2-minute short of the shoot…mostly of Kaitlin getting baby oiled by makeup artist, Jazmin Strobelt…and some shots of the shoot with the amazing surf in the background. I’ll try and run more video at future shoots…I know, I slacked it up this time. But take my word that it was fun. Wish we would have had some video going during the sunset portion of the shoot…the colors were amazing. But, well, you can see the pictures yourself. :)

Here’s the video…

So my good friend Kimberly, whom I’ve shot with several times and known for a few years now, is getting back into modeling. She took some time off because of school and work and, well, life, basically. But she loves being in front of the camera…and being a successful model is one of her dreams…so she’s really pursuing it and getting things done as of late.

One of the things she’s doing is working with as many different GOOD photographers as she possibly can that will really add to her portfolio.

One of the photographers she’s going to be working with is one who’s work I really admire. I was like, “yeah, you should definitely work with him.”

Now, I don’t expect people to know about me. It won’t bruise my ego to know that someone has never heard of Aaron Riveroll. I mean, it’s unlikely because I’m pretty much the man (just kidding…), but seriously, I won’t get offended. But when Kimberly met up with this photographer for the first time the other day to discuss the shoot, and the conversation went to past work, etc…she mentioned my name and asked this photographer if he had heard about me.

He had, in fact, heard of me. He was like, “yeah, doesn’t he shoot a lot of girls in bikinis?”

Ouch.

Yes, I do shoot a lot of girls in bikinis. But this was the first time I had ever been typecast before.

That can be a good thing and a bad thing. Here’s why it’s a good thing: people recognize your work, your style, your niche and the will go to you when they want that look.

Here’s why it’s bad: people will go to you when they want THAT look.

It’s great and all that I’m in business. People see the shots and they are like, “Wow, I want HIM to shoot me in a bikini.” So they come to me for that. And I’m not gonna turn them down. But eventually, that becomes all you do. Beach shots.

Believe it or not, I can shoot lingerie. I can shoot dramatic stuff, happy stuff, colorful stuff. I can shoot people in clothes too. I like to shoot everything…and I do.

But yes, people mostly come to me for beach shots.

This is why it’s important to think outside the box sometimes. And not just wardrobe-wise and style-wise…it’s important to stretch yourself as a photographer and be as versatile as you can possibly be.

I was having a conversation the other day with my friend, Jon, who is also a photographer. We were discussing commercial work…and I was telling him about how important diversity is. I tell all my models this…how they should have as diverse a portfolio as possible; and the same is true for photographers. Take for instance one of my idols, commercial photographer Nick Onken. He is known for his lifestyle images…but if you look at some of the ads he’s shot for, they look nothing like his usual style…but they are still amazing. He can shoot with natural light. He can shoot with artificial light. He is versatile. And I think as a commercial photographer, or any photographer for that matter, it makes you more marketable if you can shoot lots of different things.

So my word of advice is just to think outside the box.

And if you must shoot girls in bikinis…don’t limit yourself to the beach.

I found this video the other day of Ennis and I scouting locations for the January Revolt Ten on 10. I was prepared to shoot this at the beach. It’s safe. It’s comfortable. I know how to light it. How to shoot it. It’s not a challenge. I know what the results will be. When I showed up at Emily’s house to shoot, she asked me where we were shooting. After thinking a bit, I knew we needed to be different than all the other beach shoots. Where could we shoot? A boardwalk? An alley? On a boat? Yes, yes, and yes.

In retrospect, shooting in a place you aren’t familiar with makes you think a little more about the shoot. You aren’t going through the motions anymore…you are actually putting your skills and knowledge to work to create that great image. And I like working sometimes. Because the harder you work, the more amazing that image will be. It will be a standout. And you walk away from the shoot feeling pretty damn good. I know I did. :)

Anyway, here are the endless ramblings of two photographers…and if you want to see the shots and the behind the scenes video with Emily, give it a look.

No seriously, I think the burger IS hot. Spicy, actually.

And the commercial is pretty spicy too.

I don’t watch Top Chef all that much, but I think I might after watching host Padma Lakshmi eat a Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

Damn…who knew a commercial for a burger could be so exciting??

Okay, so I know it ain’t spelled the same, but this girl has the same effect. :)

Here are some shots that I took on Valentine’s Day with super hot gogo dancer Laleh. She’s from LA…and thought she’d spend Cupid’s day making pretty pictures with me. I’m not gonna complain…I would normally be alone on V-Day. :)

Anyway, here are some shots…

She definitely epitomizes the phrase “Bootylicious.”

Trying some new things in the studio. Inspired by Ennis and photographers like Mike Prado and Steve Cain, there is a lot to be said for messing around with different textures. A lot of times, shooting in the studio can be so limiting and lifeless because of trying to keep things simple and shooting against plain backgrounds. But what makes glamour photos interesting is playing with colors and textures. It’s been fun being creative and thinking of new things to throw behind the models to make the shots more interesting. I’ve also collected several samples in my ideas folder from other photographers and how they have incorporated different textures into the scene to make a boring studio shot more interesting. I’m going to be making some trips to Home Depot in the next few weeks…I seriously love that place. :)

But you can definitely achieve different looks with the same background just by the way you light it. You can incorporate gels and grids to set the scene or to play off what the model is wearing (or not wearing :) ) And if you get far enough away, you can still play with depth of field and making the model stand out.

And maybe I’ll pick up some Blue Steel while I’m at Home Depot? Wait…no need…got some right here…

I’m not sure what it is with country music and cute girls… but I’m definitely not complaining. :)

I’ve had a thing for Dancing with the Stars’ Julianne Hough for the longest time. Not only can she dance, she can also sing. She gets double points on my talent crush list. :)

And she’s super cute too.

Check her out on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and give her self-titled album a listen too (opens in iTunes).

So I blame my sister for getting me hooked on Veronica Mars. A few years ago, during the bad wildfires that hit San Diego, my sister was displaced from our family’s house in Ramona…so she spent a few days down here at our grandma’s house. Along with her extensive shoe collection, she also brought all her DVDs, which included Veronica Mars.

Now, I had never even seen the show before. I knew it was filmed locally…Brian had gone to a casting for extras…and seriously, who could mistake such familiar landmarks as the main quad at San Diego State…or the seedy Body Shop and Les Girls in the Point Loma/Sports Arena area? But anyway, I started watching the show and was hooked. We watched an entire two seasons worth. It took a while too. :)

The show was cool…but damn, Kristen Bell who played Veronica was HOT. I’m surprised I hadn’t blogged about her until now. What is my problem?

So…I now blame my brother for letting me borrow his copy of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Because not only could I lust after Kristen Bell in a bikini, I could ALSO drool over the sexy and completely adorable Mila Kunis. You may remember her from That 70s show…which is another show that I never used to watch…and dude, I am so bumming over that decision. Mila is SUCH a fox, I am without speech.

So there you have it. Kristen and Mila. Mila and Kristen. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Last month, we headed up to the snow with Revolt to shoot the cover and the Ten on 10.

We got delayed a little bit…but happy to report that the issue is now out….

And our Ten on 10, Hope…

If you haven’t checked it out yet, check out the behind the scenes video by videographer Kyle Karges.

So, I just had to share this little gem from Brian’s blog…

Apparently, my best friend and his lady have stumbled upon this street in Ensenada.

Yes, it is my relative.

My great, great grandfather was quite the balla back in the day and owned quite a bit of property down in Meh-hee-coh. So yeah, I guess it’s pretty cool having a street named after me.

Well, not ME…but you know. :)

• Brian Mounts | Yo Riveroll.

I think I’ve mentioned it more than once, but it is SO important to think outside the box sometimes and stretch your limits. It’s great to perfect your craft and hone your style…but if that’s all you do and you don’t venture and grow, things can become boring very quickly.

And that is why I love working with models that are creative, fun, and challenging. Models that have awesome ideas. Models that can pose. If you look at my portfolio, there are ladies that I consistently photograph…but it is because they challenge me as a photographer…they make me think about things differently each time we shoot. And I love the challenge.

I recently shot with one of my gogo girls, Natalie…and I just have to say she kept me on my toes the ENTIRE shoot. First of all, she brought several amazing ideas to the shoot…so it wasn’t just another beach shoot. Fun wardrobe, props, and concepts make for interesting photographs.

Another thing is that she’s a dancer…so she can pose her little booty off. And she did. Having a model that knows her body and knows how to pose herself in ways that are flattering is really helpful as a photographer because it lets you think about other things…technique, composition, lighting, etc. One thing I noticed while shooting with her is that she was actually making me THINK about those things…and I ended up with some great shots that were a little different than the norm.

Anyway, here are some of the photos from the shoot.

The blue beach ball…

The black bikini…

And a wet, white shirt…

And our blue steelness…

UjENA makes some of the hottest swimwear around. The name has been synonymous with hot bikinis, hot models, and their famous Bikini Jams, where models and photographers from all over congregate for a week and take pictures, party, and network in places like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Spain.

One of their staff models is a gal by the name of Crystal Milana…and I’m just going to come out and say that she is HOT.

There you have it…but in the words of Levar Burton…don’t take my word for it.

So the past few days have been nice. For the past several weeks, I’ve been extremely overwhelmed…so I finally took a day off yesterday to just hang out. More on that in a second…

This weekend, Crystal had a friend visiting for spring break. They met while at a shoot in Miami back in January and when she got back, she told me, “You have to shoot with this girl…you will love her!”

And she was right. :)

Her name is Jackie, and she is the sweetest, cutest gal from Delaware. We got to shoot all afternoon on Monday…and believe it or not, it was only her SECOND photo shoot ever. Her first shoot ever was for Hef, if you know what I mean. ;) But we had a blast shooting some fun, cute stuff that really showed off her fun-loving, adorable personality.

Yesterday, Crystal and I took Jackie ALL OVER San Diego. I decided I wouldn’t even THINK about work…so it was nice to spend the day with friends…and hot friends at that. ;)

We started the excursion with shopping in PB. We, of course, HAD to have Yogurtland…Jackie discovered it when Crystal took her earlier in the weekend…and it became her instant obsession. :) After lunch, I took them my favorite swimsuit shop, Gone Bananas…followed by a walk in Coronado. We followed everything up with a trip to the mall for some lingerie shopping. Tough, tough life I lead, I know. :)

Jackie and I were so tuckered out from the day, we sort of ditched out on the St. Patty’s day festivities and indulged in a lazy evening on the couch watching a movie…but not before hitting up Yogurtland AGAIN, when we discovered there was one in Mission Valley and that it was the only place open past 10…which honestly is pretty sad for Mission Valley.

It was sad to see her go…but she’s gonna be back in May for a party at the mansion, so we are gonna get our fro-yo and picture-taking on fo’ sho!

Anyway, here are a few shots from Tuesday. :)

I’m not gonna lie to you…Anna Faris is hella cute.

Yeah, I said “hella.”

She’s cute enough to make me want to watch The House Bunny. I’d say that’s pretty effing cute. :)

Check out some video from her GQ Magazine photo shoot.

So, I’ve tried a few different Twitter applications for my iPhone…and just recently, I came across one that I actually LOVE. It’s sort of weird.

It’s called TwitterFon…and it basically does everything I need it to…lists the Tweets from everyone I’m following…let’s me post pictures, let’s me see my replies…it pretty much kicks butt.

And it’s free.

Check it out…

And while we are on the subject of Twitter, Flor sent this little link to me that is effing hilarious…and sadly true. But I still LOL-ed. :)

• SuperNews! Twouble with Twitters

I’m like a little kid…a nerdy little kid, but still a little kid.

Apple showed off it’s preview for the new version of iPhone’s OS, version 3.0, which is supposed to be coming out this summer.

Out of the 100 new features they announced, the top four are really the only ones I’ve been TOTALLY waiting for, as I’m sure many others have been too:

• Search your iPhone
• Cut, copy, and paste
• Send photos, contacts, audio files, and location via MMS
• Read and compose email and text messages in landscape

I’m SO excited I could do a little dance. :)

Apple – iPhone – iPhone OS 3.0 Preview

So as of late, as much as I hate to admit it, I’ve been REALLY bad at keeping track of stuff. We’re talking keeping on top of projects, remembering to email people back, forgetting meetings and even photo shoots. I’m glad that in those instances, the other parties forgot too or needed to reschedule. But had they not forgotten, I would have looked like a major ass. I’m not gonna lie. And that’s so not like me. I usually have it together. So I’ve decided that I’m going to be using my calendar more religiously. I just hooked up my Google Cal with my iPhone via Google Sync…so now any changes I make on my phone are reflected immediately in Google Cal and everything is synced over-the-air.

To keep on top of my to-dos, I’m going to start using my Remember The Milk account again. I stopped because I was being horrible at getting things done and didn’t want to deal with stupid lists…which is funny because I do love lists oh so very much. There is now an iPhone app for RTM…so no more web interface. It’s an actual app. All you need is a RTM pro account and seriously, if you love lists, why wouldn’t you have a pro account?? But I seriously got back into it just a little bit ago…cleaned everything out…added my new tasks to the list. And now my lists are longer than ever. LOL. But I felt so productive today, so I’m sure il blaze through these lists in no time. :)

I gotta keep it together…and with things being so crazy and hectic these days, I can’t afford not to be organized. :)

I also have a little notebook I carry around for jotting down ideas for shoots and other stuff, convos, etc. So valuable to have something you can write stuff down in. Pen and paper…who would have known?!

Anyway, I’m tired. It’s been a long, productive day. Looking forward to a great shoot today with Jackie, one of Crystal’s friends she met at the Playboy photo shoot in Miami, and then In and Out afterwards. ;)

More later!!