livebooks blog

Gretchen Bell is a wardrobe and prop stylist based in Seattle. Her client list includes Kraft, Levi’s, Target, Chevrolet, Amazon, Omni Resorts and Tommy Bahama. To see more of her work, visit: www.gretchenbell.com

In some ways, I feel I was destined to become a stylist. As a child, I was always wearing fashion trends before anyone else and modeling in local fashion shows. When I was about 13, I remember reading an article in Seventeen Magazine about the woman who was the stylist for The Cosby Show and thinking that would be my dream job, little did I know!

Photograph by: Christopher Bell

In college, my major was television Communications, so my career began working in video production as a production assistant and doing graphics for the news at the NBC station in Minneapolis. I then spent several years working as a modeling agent, before taking a job as a studio manager and producer for a successful advertising photographer, Craig Perman. It was there that I began styling commercial photo shoots for many large national and international clients and really learned about all aspects of production. So my whole career has really been about seeing things in a visual way.

Photograph by: Greg Montijo

In a great photograph everything matters, the color of a shirts, the kind of coffee cup, the style of the shoe, the position of the elements to one another. Everything in a photograph is helping to convey a client’s message or tell a story and that is my job. That is the fun and the challenge of being a stylist. What is going to make a photograph funny or moody or nostalgic and how are my props and wardrobe going to help do that? People don’t realize I might spend hours looking for just the right underwear that will be funny on teenage boys or searching for the perfect feathers for a still life shoot because it all matters. That is why stylists bring so many choices to the set for every shoot, so we can figure out what best helps tell the story.

Photograph by: Christopher Bell

It is very much a collaboration to tell a great story and it’s not always successful. Everyone is bringing something to the table at the shoot and when we all have a clear and concise vision, I think then it makes for a great photograph. As a stylist, I am coming to a shoot with my interpretation of what my client wants, but also run through a filter of my personal style. If a client wants playing cards, there are lots of playing card options out there. It is really fun to see a shoot come together successfully and see how elements from each member of the crew helped create that moment.

To me being a stylist is really about being part of a team; I can’t do my job without the rest of the crew. My props and wardrobe are only as good as the talent booked for the shoot, the lighting, the photographer, the makeup artist, the vision of the client and the layouts. Again, everything matters.

Photograph by: Melissa O’Hearn

Ian Boddy is a top kids fashion and advertising photographer that has worked with clients ranging from Vogue Bambini to Harrods. His works demonstrate an airy-feel and clean colors that pair well with children’s advertising. We are very excited to share his story and how it came together perfectly with the liveBooks 8 platform:

I work with children of all ages from babies to teens. I don’t particularly set out to specialize in that market, I just drifted into it about 15 years ago and realized it suited me better and was a good fit…and I love it!

Q: How would you describe the aesthetic of your website in three words?

IB: Clean, simple, and easy to navigate

Q: How often do you typically update your website?

IB: Whenever I get a break from shooting, which isn’t very often. I must go and update it now!

Q: How do you choose the photos you display on your homepage?

IB: I rotate every now and again…just whatever is my favorite picture at the time.

Q: What is your favorite new feature of liveBooks8?

IB: I love how easy it is to manage my own content so I can update my site anytime from wherever I happen to be.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to someone designing their website?

IB: Keep it simple!

See more of Ian Boddy’s amazing images on his liveBooks 8 site at: www.ianboddy.co.uk

As the end of the year approaches it’s an opportune time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next. We decided to check in with longtime friend and fine art and commercial photographer Claire Rosen to see what her most memorable moment was this past year and what she plans to do in 2013. We are looking forward to seeing the conceptual fashion shoot with real giraffes!

What was your most memorable moment from this past year?  

My most memorable moment of 2012 was playing with baby tigers while on a fashion shoot in Thailand. The photo below is from that shoot.

What is your biggest goal for 2013?  

To create a conceptual fashion shoot with real giraffes!

How has liveBooks changed your business?  

liveBooks has been an essential part of my business as it relates to my online visibility and the way I connect with people. Most of the time, sending a link to my website is the first point of contact whether I am requesting a meeting with a potential client or reaching out to a new stylist, modeling agency, location etc. With liveBooks I am confident that my work will look good on any screen or device, and that the site is a clean design that is easy to navigate. I also appreciate not having to spend time fussing with it and when I want to add new images or projects it is a super easy workflow for me.

Photo courtesy of Claire Rosen

Story: “A Leopard Among Tigers”

Credits: Photographer: Claire Rosen, Model: Josie of Red Models

Location: Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai Thailand, H&M: Chai Surasen, Styling: Kate Lee

Name: Josh Maready
Website: joshmaready.com
Age: 30
Location: NYC

What kind of photography do you specialize in?
I shoot mostly fashion and portraiture, but I feel really connected to photojournalism and documentary. I like capturing pieces of history that otherwise might have been lost or forgotten.

Personal project name and short description
Pic-A-Pet: This is a slideshow and interview with Mr. Madonna, the owner of a small plant and pet store named “Pic-A-Pet” in my hood in Inwood, at the very top of Manhattan.

When and why did you start it?
My old apartment was right above where the super put all of the trash overnight before he put it out on the street, and because of it there were always some stray flies that found their way in. I got pissed and went on a search to find some Venus fly traps that led me to Pic-A-Pet. I loved that place ever since I first walked in.

I have soft spot for old stores — the dirtier and more cluttered the better. Those places are so full of stories and have so much soul, you know?  I instantly wanted to take pictures of that place and hear some of those stories, so I grabbed my camera and voice recorder and sat down with the owner, Mr, Madonna.  Sadly, he had Stage 4 cancer and died a couple of weeks after our interview. It’s pretty amazing to think that because of the interview I did, a few of his stories will always be alive. That’s powerful stuff.

Mr. Madonna by Josh Maready

Do you have a particular image you are especially drawn to so far?
From this story, I like two images the most: a portrait of Mr. Madonna smiling and a picture of his cluttered cash register that he told me he hasn’t used since the first day he opened. In the portrait, maybe it’s the smile he’s wearing, even though I knew he was in pain, or maybe the sunlight hitting the dust on his glasses. The register, to me, is a perfect summary of everything I love about old stores.

What has been the most challenging thing about the project?
The most challenging part was the editing. I sat down and talked with Mr. Madonna for almost an hour and a half. So taking all of those stories and condensing them into 10 minutes was tough.

What has been the most rewarding thing about it?
Just what I said earlier — to know that I was a part of keeping someone’s legacy alive is a huge honor.  Mr. Madonna was loved by so many people. And even though this is a small and unworthy tribute for such a good man, at least it’ll give people a taste of what he was like.

In your ideal world, where would this project end up?
I hope this ends up in front of the eyes of people who appreciate the stories of the unknown heros of the world as much as I do.

Do you recommend personal projects to other photographers, and why?
Totally. I try to find time to fuel the creative fire by shooting things that really mean something to me. This project was time consuming and finding free time is hard. Freeing up time is usually hard to justify. But to look back and feel like I’ve done something good for the world is worth it.

Wow – you wanna hear something weird? Right now as i’m writing this I just got an email from someone who had known Mr. Madonna. They told me they just watched the slideshow/interview and then poured their heart out about Mr. Madonna and told me a few of their own stories about him. That’s it, man! That’s why I love this stuff! That’s good fuel for the fire and motivation for the next few stories I have in mind…