Fancy Footwork

Or FOOTWEAR as the case may be for this entry...

And my footwear of choice is usually a pair of rubber flip-flops unless the given occasion is something very special... like an agency portfolio review. This, one would think, should make me an unlikely candidate to work on a footwear manufacturer's catalog. But, not so very long ago, that was exactly the assignment... shoes... lifestyle focused on shoes... product shots of shoes...

In pursuit of footwear fotos, a large crew was assembled over the two-day shoot... numerous locations including a luxury private estate, world-class surf spots, dense jungle forests... even a 72' sailing yacht was pirated. Half a dozen beautiful young people, agency & manufacturer reps, producers, caterers, water-safety officers, stylists, assistants were also enlisted for the production.

Days were long, the food incredible and opportunities to swim, cruise around on jet-skiis and otherwise enjoy the scenery at each location were plentiful during the harsh, mid-day hours.

Below... a handfull of my favorites from the effort.

Lodging Magazine

I recently had a sneak peek at the eagerly anticipated Andaz Maui Resort. I had just stepped off a plane after a 26 hr. flight returning from S.E. Asia only three hour prior... quickly showering, loading the gear in the car and driving down to the island's south shore to meet the publications Art Director and our subject for the shoot, new GM Michael Stephens.

Though I was wrapped in a fog of culture shock & jet-lag and the property covered in a good layer of dust and crawling with round-the-clock construction workers, I could easily see that this property, a new "boutique" arm of the Hyatt chain, would be a stunning addition to the star-studded resorts lining the beaches of the Wailea resort area. Watch for an opening either late this month or early september.

The photos appeared in the July issue of Lodging Magazine, landing on the cover, table of contents page and a double page spread on the inside.

Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle

An amazingly productive shoot resulted from last weekend's outing on behalf of designer Maggie Coulombe. Crew & talent all worked in a rare synchronicity to produce thousands of fantastic images highlighting M's creativity in the realms of resort fashion & swimwear. 

Many thanks to pal Scott for allowing us to use his luxurious resort as backdrops for the production. Kudo's to make-up & hair stylist Theresa for a job well done and to model Callie for... well, for being naturally beautiful, poised, patient and simply fabulous in every way. Also thanks to 1st assistant Niki for keeping me organized equipped with the essentials. None of this could have happened without the efforts of all!

When It All Comes Together

There are many factors that fall outside your control when producing an assignment... weather, tight budgets, unfamiliar talent, unfamiliar locations... 

When the pieces all fall into place and the shoot comes together in such a way that gorgeous images are the result... when you can feel it with each pressing of the shutter button, it's like floating on air! 

Many thanks to Michael, Nina, casting agent Cynthia, commissioning client & resort guest traffic controller Scott, assistant Niki for the opportunity and assistance in a somewhat complicated poolside shoot. Could not have produced results like these without your exemplary efforts to the cause. Mahalo!

It's been a busy, creative & productive week yielding good results. I sense the recent move to the new studio has ushered in a brand new era of creativity & efficiency to end the year. May the coming year allow the pace & creative juices to continue.

It's A Maui Thing

When the immensely talented Saedene Ota calls, it's always with some tasty potential assignment and always a great opportunity to flex creative muscles. Sae, besides being the Creative Director of SaeDesign, one of the state's most sought after graphic design firms, is also the force behind Maui Thing, a new activewear/youthwear clothing line based on Maui. Launched, presumably in response to the popular Ainokea (translation: "I No Care" for our pidgin challenged readers) line of T-Shirts & stickers/decals, Maui Thing is a company making a difference for our island youth by transmitting the positive messages of community, conservation & environmentalism. Maui Thing's logo, an illustration of an octopus... and their motto, "Stuck On Good..." says it all.

Needless to say, when Sae called a couple of weeks ago asking if I was interested in shooting a new marketing campaign for the line, I was down for the task. Sae assembled a great crew of young, fresh and very cooperative talent for the production... most of them having never modeled professionally before. Add the very talented make-up artist Ryan and hairstylist Michelle to the mix and the day of shooting became almost effortless, very fun and extremely productive. The Market Street area of Wailuku, just steps outside my studio door & Kepaniwai Park on the way into Iao Valley served as location backdrops and lent a real island flavor to the production. Hat's off to all the young people involved. You did absolutely great & I had a blast working with all of you!

You can find Maui Thing clothing and accessories at their retail boutique located at 7 North Market Street in Wailuku. Telephone: 808.249.0215. You can also shop online at the Maui Thing website here. Get your kids "stuck on good" today.

Here are a few outakes from the day of shooting:

  

Models Cierra & Jaren take shelter under a leaf of haleconia

Tiare strikes a glamorous pose

Jaren strums a uke

Cierra basks in the Market Street sun

Kaui in front of Iao Theater, Wailuku

Cierra & Kaui by the Kepaniwai waterfall

The talented talent: (l-r)Kaui, Jaren, Cierra & Tiare