Find out on how to create fragile, randomly chaotic and crazy images.
Today’s show I interviewed Clay Cook. He’s an amazing photographer from Louisville, Kentucky. He shares his underground rock star story with us. He inspires us with an amazing image of Albert Blaise Cattafi balancing on chairs. In the create section, we jumped into how we took these amazing pictures.
Share – A rock star turned into an amazing photographer.
Inspire – Be amazed with an amazing image on balancing on chairs.
Create - How we took these amazing pictures.
So, stick around and listen to this episode. I think you will be amazed at all the production and all the work that goes into creating an image.
Enjoy! Brent & Johny
I want to
make
money from
my
photography
I want to
learn to take
stunning
Portrait
image
I want to
learn to take
amazing
Landscape
pictures
In this episode:
(01:00) - A rock star turned into an amazing photographer.
(01:31) - Learned about arts and creativity, marketing and branding
(02:31) - Played rhythm guitar; hard rock music
(04:22) - Be amazed with an amazing image on balancing on chairs.
(04:49) - A promotional image for Albert Cattafi's website
(05:20) - “King of the Mountain”
(07:25) - Coming up with the concept
(07:50) - Fragile, randomly chaotic and crazy
(10:25) - How we took these amazing pictures
(10:50) - Stack all the chars and built the set beforehand
(11:49) - A combination of a 2 light set up
(12:31) - A step by step sequence
(14:20) - The production and the set
(15:35) - The gear and the tools
(16:19) - Great tips for one man show
Show Notes:
Clay's Website: HERE>>>
Clay's Instagram: HERE>>>
Clay's Facebook Business Page: HERE>>>
Clay's Twitter: HERE>>>
Clay's Periscope: HERE>>>
Clay's Portfolio: HERE>>>
Share – A rock star turned into an amazing photographer.
- Used to play in a band
- Sold 50,000 records and toured all over US
- Performed to 20,000 people
- Played rhythm guitar; hard rock music
- One of the lead song writers
- Learned about photography during that time
- Learned about arts and creativity, marketing and branding
Inspire – Be amazed with an amazing image on balancing on chairs.
- An image of Albert Blaise Cattafi
- He’s a choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil
- A promotional image for his website
- A lot of time and pre-production
- He was at the top of his career
- “King of the Mountain” – sitting & surrounded on a bunch of chairs
The concept:
- Represent on being at the top of the game
- An inspirational image from someone with a stack of books
- Fragile, randomly chaotic and crazy
- Sit on a chair and stack with other millions of chairs
- 10 ft. high
- Took a while to get balance and figure out the proper placement
Create - How we took these amazing pictures.
- The original image covers only the small section of the chairs
- Post processing played a huge role
- Stack all the chars, built the set beforehand
- Got the shots in 30-40 frames
- Giant fill lights; 6x6 silk behind the camera
- Put a modifier Photeksoftlighter; 46 inches soft lighter
- Profoto D1 behind the 6x6
- Key light 46 inches Photeksoftlighter with Profoto D1 45 degree in front
- Combination of a 2 light set up
A step by step sequence:
- Talked with Albert on the phone for several hours
- Talked to him multiple times in February and the shoot is summer
- 6 month process
- Went back and forth with ideas and collaborate
- Chat with him 10-15 minutes
- He’s a natural in front of the camera
- Just went with the flow
- Did some acrobats like balancing in the chairs
The production:
- Currently have 6 interns assisting me
- On the set we have the production designer, another assistant for Albert
- I had 3 assistants on the set
- The retouching and processing
The gear:
- Canon 5D Mark III
- Pro photo lights
- Photek modifier
- Tether tools and tethering equipment
Great tips for one man show:
- Have the time to do it
- You’ll be needing a lot of time
- You can brand out the lights
- You can bring your friends to help you out