Martin Trailer Productions » portrait

Authentic Portraits – Las Vegas, NM

Martin Trailer — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 08:00:11 +0000

Local teen in the town square, Las Vegas, NM

I am including something unexpected, but related into the mix of Authentic Portraits, street portrait photography. The origins of street photography began over century ago, so this is nothing breakthough, just up to date and current. Photographers like Atget, Steichen, Struss, Kertesz, Evans and so many others ( see more ) captured on film what or better how, we visually record and remember the past. Whether it was the fashion, architecture, decor or people just being people in their enviroment, these street photographers were the recorders of our past, our history of the day.

Walking around photographing unfamiliar places, stretches one abilities to “see” interesting places, people and situations, it forces you out of your comfort zone. When walking around the familiar, so much can be taken for granted and not “seen” or noticed as easily.

Fella's hangin on the front porch, Las Vegas, NM

These are just a couple of examples catching authentic people walking around an unfamiliar neighborhood, seeking and looking. By exercising those innate senses we all have , and as a photographer, sharpening that skill of recognizing ” the shot” that makes a photograph have that extra spark of life and value. It will just hit you and you’ll just know you have a great shot. The more you exercise that skill, the faster you’ll recognize it in the view finder the next time. Personal work is a photographers continuing education. Stuff you can’t learn reading a book, looking at what others have done or listening to a lecture. Ya gotta’ feel it, to know it.

Las Vegas, New Mexico is a quaint americana style town with the central square block of the downtown, a park where folks stroll, gather or just hang out. It is just east of Santa Fe, NM off the I-85.

People totally unrehearsed, no casting, no propping, no clients, just people in their element, being absolutely authentic. Capturing authentic is a skill learned by doing, convincing the viewer, real, adding to the value .

Real, relaxed and Authentic.

Martin Trailer, is a commercial/advertising photographer based in Southern California, working for clients worldwide. A working photographer for over 30 years, Martin has regularly provided thoughtfully produced photographs adding value for clients. Starting out in the newspaper business, covering general news, events, sports of all types, often on tight deadlines and honed the skill set of pushing to end up with the nearly intangible authentic final image. Over the years as a photographer, working in advertising, corporate, multimedia and editorial fields, consisting of autos, food, tabletop, fashion, architecture and destinations, all culminating on a focus of people and the authenticity of the person(s). Personal projects include most anything vintage themed and especially vintage trailers and there owners. Authenticity creates added value for the client, person, product or service. All images are registered with the US Copyright office. See more of Martin’s work at http://MartinTrailer.com

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Authentic Portraits – Peter

Martin Trailer — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:00:20 +0000

Peter Kuhn, PhD of The Scripp Reseach Institute with a model of the SARS virus. ©Martin Trailer

The goal of this “Authentic Portrait” is to portray a research scientist researching the SARS virus, with something tangible. Building a model representative of a polymorphic virus that causes the severe acute respiratpory syndrome (SARS), the virus was a challenge since the virus is much to small to actually see without an electron microscope.

A few years back when the SARS was spreading though southern China and urban areas of Hong Kong and Toronto infecting over 8,000 people, this research group was formed shortly there after to understand this new virus which had never infected humans before.

Peter leads a multi-disiplined, multi-city group of researchers.

Endeavor Vol 8, No 2

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Authentic Portraits – Irene (sort of)

Martin Trailer — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:00:46 +0000

Irene, Postal Worker, ©MartinTrailer

This “Authentic, to the creative brief, Portrait” was created for one of the smaller competitors of the Postal Service and widely used in several ways, ads, posters, mailers, etc.. The idea was to contrast the postal employees to the a private mail service in a humorous way garnering a second look. The agency of record ended up with the biggest private mail service, even though this was a controversial image. Some felt it was insulting to the Post Office and workers, one of the clients biggest suppliers. My studio mail carrier even commented as such, but once I explained it was all in fun, she thought it was a hoot and decided to embrace it, telling me that she knew folks like this at the post office.

I choose to post this because the substitute mailman said he had seen this everywhere. (BTW, if you do, let me know, please) It happens to be be in the lobby of my studio when you first walk-in.

This is a derivative from the original theme, “Authentic Portraits”. Previously, I have posted portraits of people authentically portrayed, thus “Authentic Portraits”. However, this time authentic is true to the creative brief and not specific to the person. (although some would argue in the advertising business, as a advertising agency print buyer, Irene Hook was pretty tough)

An apropos quote passed on to me; “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” – Marcus Aurelius, Meditation

Believable, comfortable and authentic.

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Authentic Portraits – David, Stefan, Geoffrey

Martin Trailer — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:20 +0000

BackScatter Authors and discoverers of Code Red, ©Martin Trailer

This Authentic Portrait is a group of programmers that for the first time ever, were able to track and see live on the internet a computer virus spread across the world. Until then, no one had been able to track a computer worm/virus over the internet, only within a local area network (LAN). (see below)

The guys are academics that had not been in the limelight before, so it was important to make them comfortable with the all the notoriety. When shooting people that are not seeking or comfortable with the limelight, it is important to ease that discomfort. The response to the comfort you provide will result in a much more relaxed, authentic photograph.

I met up with them at UCSD in their offices after looking around the campus prior to our scheduled time, and found a few locations that might work on campus, but three people with some relevant setting or background of value to the image, was not jumping out. Never giving up, we proceeded to do what we could constantly searching for some relevant visual. Nearing the end of our time together on campus, I asked if they were game to come to the studio later to do a shot in studio that would in my mind be much better. They were agreeable and we decide to meet a couple hours later at the studio. This gave me sometime to get some props and set-up the idea I had imagined.

The globe was the prop I had in mind and once we were in the studio working out the lighting and grouping, I began to think about how these guys were really detectives in their own realm. The sunglasses were quickly sourced and they were game, they were enthusiastic with the idea.

By then we had done several variations and once the glasses, globe and lighting all came together, the shot came alive.

The guys were totally into the worldwide detective idea, relaxed and authentic.

This is a animation of how the Code Red virus spread worldwide. Click Here.

Comments welcome.

Martin
MartinTrailer.com

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Authentic Portraits – Irwin

Martin Trailer — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:44 +0000

Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs is founding chairman and CEO Emeritus for Qualcomm Incorporated.

Creating a comfortable, safe space when shooting a CEO can be a challenge especially when in their space and/or when there is a gallery of employees watching. It is not any different if you were the subject out in the public square. The secret to get them comfortable and authentic is to get them to focus on something other than “they are on camera”. Here is a well liked CEO, Dr. Irwin Jacobs co-founder of Qualcomm using and focused on the new, at the time, “Q phone” and myself.

After several other spec’ed shots by the public relations people, I explained to him my idea and he was intrigued. I described to him I would be shooting a very slow shutter, so the people would be a blur and he would be sharp in focus and would be independently lit. He would have to stand very still and comfortably. I suggested a stance with one bent knee (subjects can pass out with locked knees) and looking up two floors above in the HQ lobby, disregarding all the people around. This was the last shot of the day and based on the number of times it has been published, the most successful. Takes time to get the subject to relax, get comfortable and reveal their personality, authenticity.

When the you need to photograph a business executive, getting some background about the person can help immeasurably making the photograph exceptional.

Comfortable, assured and authentic.

Comments welcome.

Martin Trailer, is a commercial/advertising photographer based in Southern California, working for clients worldwide. A working photographer for over 30 years, Martin has regularly provided thoughtfully produced photographs adding value for clients worldwide. Starting out in the newspaper business, covering general news, events, sports, professional and college often on tight deadlines honing the skill of finding “the” authentic shot. Over the years as a commercial/self-employed photographer, projects include advertising, collateral, corporate annual reports, multimedia and editorial types of media and consisting of autos, food, tabletop, fashion, architecture and destinations, all culminating on a focus of people and the authenticity of the person(s). Personal projects include most anything vintage themed and especially vintage trailers and there owners. Authenticity creates value for the client, person, product or service. All images are registered with the US Copyright office. See more of Martin’s work at http://MartinTrailer.com

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Authentic Portraits – Ed

Martin Trailer — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:19 +0000

Ed Lum at the Monterey Trailer Park, former Auto Camp in front of a Gold Tone Airfloat. ©Martin Trailer

This Authentic Portrait of Ed Lum is part of my personal work seeking vintage trailers. Personal work like continuing education keeps sharpening your skill set and adds to the “10,000 hours” I mentioned in the first of this Authentic Portraits series.

Ed lives in a trailer park in Monterey Park, right next to Pasadena, California. I just showed up because of an article I read the day before in the Los Angeles Times about the trailer park. Ed does not live in this gold tone Airfloat trailer, but it was the rarest in the park and a vintage travel trailer. Most all the trailers in the park were vintage park types, versus the typical travel or pull types I seek. It was highlighted in the paper since the place has a history going back as an Auto Camp on Route 66 and further to the days as a Pony Express stop.

My experience and with Ed, when I explain what I am looking for and why, most folks are very cooperative and are very helpful with suggestions and willing subjects.

Ed is in his element, relaxed and authentic.

Comments encouraged.

Martin
MartinTrailer.com

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Authentic Portraits – Red

Martin Trailer — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:00:12 +0000

Red Baron, the man with the most "helmet tickets" in the country with his new bike, wearing pink SDPD and yellow CHP no helmet tickets. ©Martin Trailer

This authentic portrait is of “The Red Baron”. I was to make a portrait of a “biker” and private investigator working for a national law firm that defended motorcyclists who refuse to wear a helmet, for Blvd Magazine as a feature story. Red has the record for the most “no helmet” tickets in the country and rode a custom Harley Davidson chopper, with his red hair in the wind. Unfortunately, it had been recently stolen and replaced with a new stock bike. The only customization was the skull face on the headlight, so far.

Prep included creating a suit of tickets he collected, pink on the top issued by San Diego Police Department and the yellow on the bottom issued by the California Highway Patrol.

When preparing for any portrait, the interview of the subject or review of the story line is important, so all the elements come together and to insure their “buy-in” to the visual solution. This will begin the process of creating a safe space for them which is one of the keys to getting an authentic portrait.

Your pre-visualization needs to happen well in advance of the shoot time, not when your subject is there in front of the camera. Shoot time is when the photographer makes them comfortable to insure an authentic look and feel.

Authentic, cool and confident.

Comments welcome.

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Authentic Portraits – Linda

Martin Trailer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:00:59 +0000

Linda Stirling, SVP RBC Wealth Management

This authentic portrait of Linda Stirling was featured in a group of financial advisors recognized for service to the community. Linda was hosting a grief support group for mothers who are dealing with the death of a child.

Working around her scheduled meeting of mothers, a tight deadline and exploring a few shot variations, the last one with the group waiting for her was the best.

She is in her element allowing others in and at ease. Authentic.

To read the article, Click here.

Comments welcome.

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