We like to be friendly to everyone here at AaronRiveroll.com…so if you are viewing the blog on your iPhone, Android phone, or other mobile device…you’re probably noticing a slight difference. :)
I spent a little time this afternoon installing a mobile Wordpress theme on my blog today…so if you’re on the go and out and about as much as I am and want to keep up with the nonsense or look at pictures of beautiful girls, then you can definitely do so. It’s totally easy to follow the blog, my Twitter, and to leave comments too…so I definitely think you should. All the cool kids are doing it. :)
Hope you enjoy the mobile theme…I have to admit, I think it’s pretty sweet. :)
This past December, I got to work with Bikini Team San Diego in putting together their 2010 swimsuit calendar. It was an intense two days of shooting in downtown San Diego. I think we had something like 16 models in front of my camera those two days…but we had a BLAST shooting. And of course, all the ladies were sweet and sexy as heck.
I haven’t been able to post the photos…but you are able to check them out on their web site at bikiniteamsandiego.com. You can also purchase calendars and posters, which I definitely encourage…because they are HOT. :)
My buddy, Thuy Tran, was on-site with us assisting and I asked him to bring along his Nikon D90, which shoots HD video. It was his very first time shooting video at all, and needless to say I was impressed…with his shots as well as the footage that the D90 captured. I think it has inspired me to delve into the world of HD video on a dSLR. Oh, the possibilities. :)
Anyway, check out this 5 minute video highlighting the shoots we did…
Last summer, I shot the swimsuit issue for Revolt In Style magazine here in San Diego…and even though all the ladies were incredible and the locations were stellar, one of my favorite shoots from the issue was with my buddy, Casie Kimball. The weather was a little weird that day, but if you can remember from my OTHER behind the scenes of the behind the scenes video, it was still an awesome shoot. Casie was breathtaking…the suits we had her in were killer. As a matter of fact, when I drove out to Birdrock Bikini to meet Case, my jaw hit the floor as she walked out in that turquoise bikini. And we had makeup artist extraordinaire, Marisol Garcia, doing makeup for us that day and my talented pal Kyle Karges rockin’ the video cam.
An amazing team to work with…and a super fun shoot.
Kyle cut this little video out from the DVD he produced for the shoots so I could share it with the world, so a HUGE thanks to him for providing this clip.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy watching us photograph the beautiful Casie Kimball with the gorgeous La Jolla backdrop.
Now that I have the time, I finally went through some old stuff and put together the behind the scenes video from my shoot with Mallory Clarkthis past summer.
It’s a little shakey…but she’s so hot, I think you can overlook that. :)
A few weeks ago, I got to shoot with one of my favorite go go dancers…the totally adorable Tiffanie Damian.
Not only did I get to shoot with her once…but I shot with her twice in one week.
We started around her pad…did some sexy fabulousness…
…then a couple days later, we splashed things up a bit and shot in a fountain near her apartment. Lighting the fountain was a fun adventure…and I’d be lying if I told you I stayed dry during the shoot. But no…I jumped in the fountain too. :)
For the nerds out there, this is how we lit it…a medium softbox on a c-stand just to the right of the model…and on the back, a gridded, diffused light on the model. We also played with our new toy, a Matthews light clamp…which let us double mount two lights on one stand…so we splashed a blue gelled light on the back wall for a little color.
When I first started taking pictures, I had just got my first job right out of college at a bank. We worked long hours…and I can remember looking forward to summertime because the days were longer…and the sun was still out when the work day was over.
More time to play outside. :)
After work, I remember trying to get to the parking lot as fast as I could so I could get to the beach before the sun went down. At the time, I lived in Point Loma…about 4 minutes away from OB…so on the way home, I’d stop by the beach, toss off the shoes…and take in the sunset. It was a great time to unwind and enjoy the view.
I’d bring my camera along sometimes and try to capture the “perfect” sunset. But I soon realized that there was no such thing…they were all pretty amazing.
But sunset is my favorite part of the day…where hectic schedules and to-do lists and everything else from the crazy day downshifts into the slow rhythm of evening.
As a photographer, I’ve sort of been typecast into the “bikini/swimsuit/sunset guy.” I mean, I take pictures of other stuff…you and I both know that…but the swimsuit stuff is what most people know me for and what most people want to shoot with me.
And you know…I’m okay with that. I mean, I get to spend time at the beach with amazing people while taking in one of the coolest things God’s created. And after everything is done…I get to relive those times in photographs.
Tonight, I got to spend time with Emily…one of my most favorite people. We went up to Swamis up in Encinitas to shoot some beachy bikini stuff. When we got there, it was a little chilly and a little cloudy and grey…but we started shooting anyway…and all of a sudden, the clouds parted and the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds. This is what we got…
Who could ask for more? A beautiful sunset…a beautiful girl. Nothing could be better. :) A local surfer agreed…and as we were getting ready to wrap up, he said, “You have this amazing San Diego sunset and this beautiful girl…you should do some shots with a surfboard.”
So he handed us his board and we took a few So Cal surfer shots…
I had a fun shoot with my pal, Kaitlin this week. The weather is starting to clear up a bit…and since we had some shizz we needed to shoot, we planned a little afternoon sesh.
Except, she upped the ante a little bit and went bikini shopping right before she came out…and she showed up with this hot little blue Diesel bikini. So…I took pictures of her in it:
Now, I guess this place is as good as any to mention my new toy…I’ve had it for a couple weeks, but only been able to put it to the test most recently…
Upon the suggestion of my best friend, Brian…I went out and got a Flip Mino HD.
Now, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, the Flip is one of the world’s smallest camcorders. About the size of a cell phone or iPod, the Flip fits in your pocket. I totally agree with the thought that the best camera is the camera that’s with you…and with the Flip, you can always be ready to roll video.
Ahem…HD video, to be exact. It records in 1280 x 720 video resolution. The one that I have holds about an hour, or 4 GB worth of video…perfect for snapping clips here and there. And it encodes video in H.264 MP4 format…ready for editing, or uploading a quick clip directly to YouTube.
So far….I LOVE it. I carry it with me all the time. It’s great to have in my camera bag too for impromptu moments during photo shoots. Still getting used to motion and getting smooth video…but it takes practice.
And, so far I’ve talked two of my friends into getting one…one being a pro photographer…and the other, being a pro HD videographer. Once he had it in his hand, he said it felt great…and the quality was just enough for those short, quick moments.
So there is my product endorsement. If it’s good enough for a pro HD videographer…the Flip is good enough for me. It’s gets the job done…like Bacardi and Cola.
Another fabulous hottie that I’ve had the pleasure of photographing recently is Tawnya. She’s another one of my Mission Valley Hooters girls…and again, I met her when I shot the Rancho Bernardo Hooters bikini contest last year. She was a finalist along with Natalie, who I got to shoot with a few weeks ago.
Tawnya is smart, funny, a little on the quiet side…but she has this confidence about her that makes her oh-so-sexy. We had a blast on our slightly chilly beach photo shoot…and here are a few pictures from the day…
Again, to share a little technicalness to the shoot, I always try shooting a variety of different styles during shoots for a number of reasons.
For one, power. I’ve sadly noticed recently that my Vagabond II is not holding the charge like it used to…which means it’s time for a new battery. A way to prolong battery life during the shoot is simply to shoot on a lower power setting, saving the power for later in the shoot when overpowering the sun is more of an issue.
To compensate, I’ve been challenged to use other methods of lighting…reverting back to my days where I used only a reflector. I had forgotten how much I LOVE natural light sometimes.
Don’t get me wrong…I’m not a purist. I think artificial light is dandy and can be amazing…but natural light should never be overlooked…and can sometimes be more amazing than artificial light when done right.
Also…and this is one of the awesome side effects to using different lighting methods during a shoot…the model ends up getting different styles of photo. Changing up light, location, clothing, and style really gives the client a variety of different looks…it ends up looking like the product of several different shoots…and ultimately gives you and the model variety and shows your versatility as an artist. So there you have it.
Some of my favorite shots from the shoot were the bright, natural shots of her in the white bikini…which was achieved by placing the light opposite of the sun, turning down the power, and shooting with a more open aperture. This blurs and blows out the background, making her the central focus of the shot. This also softens the image as well.
So there you have it. Anyway, Tawnya was a lot of fun….and we have an indoor shoot in the works, so stay tuned for that.
Last week, Revolt Magazine released its annual swimsuit issue, of which I was fortunate to be a part of. This year, Ennis helped out as a second photographer…as well as my good friend and videographer, Kyle Karges…who produced a kick-ass companion DVD.
A few shots…
First, our cover…with the gorgeous Sarah McDowd…
My good friend, Lara Hardy…
The beautiful Emily Deyoung…
And our Ten on 10 and centerfold, Casie Kimball…
The behind the scenes video is on sale now and is available on DVD as well as iPhone format. Shot in stunning high definition, the video highlights beautiful swimwear, cool San Diego locations, and of course, our gorgeous models.
So for the last week and a half, we have been shooting the Revolt In Style Magazine swimsuit issue, which is due out next week. We photographed seven BEAUTIFUL ladies in and around San Diego and had a blast. There were challenges getting everything together…but in the end, it all worked out…and the finished product should be amazing. :)
New this year, I brought in my buddy, Kyle, to shoot some behind the scenes and he’s putting together a DVD that we are planning on selling at the issue release party this Friday at Anthology. He just shot me over a brief clip…and I have to say, it’s pretty amazing. Shot in stunning High Def, Kyle and his second videographer, Billy, got some amazing footage of our amazing models.
I would be slacking if I also didn’t give a shout out to my buddy, Ennis, for being a second shooter on the project. I had a lot on my plate…and Ennis, as usual, was there to get the job done and get some amazing shots.
Last Thursday, we shot with my pal, Casie…and she was the last girl to be photographed as we went to print the following day. But Casie and I always have an amazing time shooting…and this time was no different.
I brought my Flip out to the shoot and shot some behind the scenes of the behind the scenes…really, it’s only a teaser compared to the stuff Kyle and Billy shot. But it’s fun…and Casie is so cute. :)
Had an AMAZING photo shoot yesterday in Laguna Beach with my foxy friend, Emily. She was absolutely stunning…the weather was amazing…and the sunset was perfect. Couldn’t have asked for a better day. :) I even rocked the OC collar pop. ;)
My buddy Kyle came out and shot some ridiculously hot video of the shoot, which of course I would love to share with you.
Just got back from a 3-day trip to Sin City. Let me tell you, it was quite the adventure. My buddy Mike Crouch and I headed out on Tuesday morning and rolled into town and did some location scouting. After a killer dinner at the Rio, we did some LATE late night photography of the strip. We would have done more, but we were TOTALLY wiped.
The next two days were a blur…but we photographed 8 models in 48 hours. We shot at a cool dry lake bed, a sweet spot at Red Rock Canyon and a park in Henderson. Made some cool friends too.
The elements were against us…winds on Thursday reached 55 MPH at times…which made it near impossible to shoot at the dry lake bed. There was nothing but a huge cloud spanning the entire area. It was pretty nuts. We spent lots of time trying to cope with the wind and still getting great shots. I think we succeeded.
Anyway, good times…but let me just say that if anyone ever tells me that photography is easy, let me just say it’s not. We worked our ASSES off…and definitely earned our pay for the day.
Speaking of work, I’ve got a long day ahead of me tomorrow…shooting Melissa and Jason’s wedding out in east county. Should be fun, though. I will leave you with a few shots from our Vegas trip…more later, though…
First, let me just say I can sure rock the iPhone camera. :)
Here’s a shot of Lorin and Vanessa at Red Rock Canyon…
While Mike was shooting, Mimi (one of our models) grabbed my phone and snapped this one of me and Vanessa…
Mike has yet to join the technological age…and so he brought his entire desktop computer to work on images in our hotel room. Here’s his setup…
Seriously, get a laptop, bro. And finally, a shot of the mountains. Seriously beautiful…
Peace out, my homies. Stay tuned for pictures from the week.
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. :)
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. :)
The narrator's voice is totally creepy. Great show! RT @Feather_Heather: Watching Forensic Files..love this show! >>2010/03/09
Where do I sign up? RT @MarkBrooke: And I am officially going to start a new workshop... "the art of marring up." (my wife is so DAMN HOT!) >>2010/03/09
Wham, bam, thank you ma'am Just did a shoot. 3 looks in under an hour. When you're good, you're good. Not me, her. lol. >>2010/03/09
Smart cars are a good idea in theory...unless of course you're a 250 pound dude who needs a shoe horn and some Vasaline to get in it. >>2010/03/08
We like to be friendly to everyone here at AaronRiveroll.com…so if you are viewing the blog on your iPhone, Android phone, or other mobile device…you’re probably noticing a slight difference. :)
