Stop Scrolling

When was the last time an image made you slow down or even stop to look closer, and then read the text too?

The competition to achieve just that today is fierce, and you need every help you can get to achieve it.

New stats say that your image has only 3 seconds to make an impact (no pressure right?)

Our client was graced with big competition to engage/entice young adults with makeup and this is what we delivered.

Social media now is king, quality and creativity is noticed and appreciated. With the new features like Instagram shopping tag, users are already able to buy products without leaving the app. The possibilities are endless, as well as opportunities.

The time to make sure your social media presence is as polished as you can make it is… now!

Let me know what your thoughts are?

Cheers, Mirza

Gold

Just imagine having a group of creative professionals in a studio with a gold spray – yes, you’re right - it would end up being loads of fun!

Our neighbors ended up with big question marks that day because, hey they thought they have seen everything in Hollywood, and then they get a ride in an elevator with a half-naked gold painted gorgeous dude – yep, another unforgettable experience brought to you by MirzaStudio!

Want to see how it all went? Well, when you ask so nicely we have a video of the experience added to our behind the scenes video.

The creative team includes:

Model with a face mask: @shann_elaine

Model with two braids: @cyndalmckay

Model male: @stevie_jwall

Makeup: @megoharebeauty

Hair: @ashleyantoinebeauty

EP: @ritchielove7

Video: @mia_fendi

Photography: @mirzaphotography 

Some technical detail: Canon 5D Mark IV, Canon 50mm f/1.2L, Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS, Canon 70-200 f/2.8L II IS, Elinchrom strobes and modifiers, Capture One Pro and Adobe Photoshop CC software.

Hermosa Beach Pier

Hermosa Beach Pier was a fun shoot. You can't see it here but it was very windy and cold. I am always impressed with surfers who venture into the freezing ocean.
This pier is really something beautiful, and I love the opportunity it gives me to shoot the sunset over the horizon uninterrupted.

Tips:
You need patience, and a good quality tripod. I used Manfrotto 190X with a ballhead, a camera which in this case was a Canon EOS 6D and great Canon 16-35 f/4L IS lens. Filters I recommend are 0.9 ND combined with a circular polarizer (Hoya or B+W) and a cable-release remote.
Very important, always shoot in RAW. That's what I do and then perform all editing in Adobe Lightroom CC.

Also good to have are a warm jacket, lots of snacks, coffee and a strong dust remover to clean up the sand that will be everywhere.
 

Did someone say Drone?

This was a super fun shoot for our client Skyrocket Toys. An exciting product that can actually fly.

Even the name is cool, it’s called Sky Viper Drone. Because the Sky Viper engineering has enhanced the Cleanflight control firmware which is commonly used in racing class drones. The result is Viperflight, a state-of-the-art technology that makes Sky Viper drones incredibly stable, fast and easy to control. Super easy to control actually, and fun to use in the studio too.

It’s lines as well as the “viper head like” logo inspired this shot.

We wanted to show the sleek design and exciting lines that viewed from this angle make it look almost menacing. With the dark background and the spot lights pointed only to selected areas like the front camera (yes you can shoot HiRes video with it - just imagine the possibilities), the logo, front “fangs” and the blades.

And yes this calls for a #lovemyjob

Now for the technical part:

2x Elinchrom BRX500, 2x Elinchrom D-lite 400it, 2x Elinchrom Mini Recta SoftBox, Elinchrom Mini SpotLite projector attachment, Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM.

Cheers! MirzaStudio

Death Valley

The place where Star Wars was filmed (Episode IV: A New Hope) among many others, but don’t blame us if we have our favorites from the list :-)

Golden Canyon trail

When people hear the name "Death Valley" their only thought is: “Who would want to visit a place with a name like that??” After just a few days of exploration we completely fell in love with this incredible place. It ended up being a land of contrasts and paradoxes. The subtle colors and unique lighting of the landscape, turns out to be a place of solitude and beauty for all those who take the time out to explore this beautiful and unique National Park.

On the road to Artist's Palette

The ominous name was given to it because of one unfortunate situation; when a group of pioneers were lost there in the winter of 1849-1850. One member of the group lost his life there but the others also assumed they would join him. So, upon rescue one of them turned, looked back and said: "Goodbye, Death Valley." And with that, he made history.

Miles and miles...

It is 140 miles long but after spending a couple of days there, it seems as if it could stretch forever.

Badwater Basin salt craters

Badwater Basin in Death Valley, is this below-sea-level area with steady drought and record summer heat, which makes this National Park a land of extremes. An otherworldly place located 279 feet below sea level, which makes it near the lowest point in the western hemisphere. This low point is actually sitting on a 9,000 foot deep accumulation of sand, silt and gravel. And it was pretty fun walking on salt too.

Artist's Palette, Badwater Basin and Red Cathedral

Artist's Palette location best shows all the colors Death Valley is rich with. As the rocks wither and erode, their sediments splash the hillside with an unusual array of colors including green, purple, mustard, and orange-tan. The colors result from the mixing of red and yellow iron oxides with minerals found in volcanic ash. 

Vistas galore

So what do you think? Is it worth a visit? We believe so, and before you go, plan and take care because it is still the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park.

Why this photo?

As a product photographer, I was always inspired by the liquor photography. Just look at all those artistic bottle designs that you can only see in perfume bottles. That special design that sends us all a message that this liquid is something to behold. It's a promise by the manufacturer that you will enjoy every single drop of this heavenly drink. 

Rémy Martin XO cognac

It is so special, that pouring it in any regular glass would diminish the elegance of the experience. And I thought about that glass, searched for it, and finally found the balance that this one has with the enchanting swirls of the bottle. Then it was a matter of the surface you would place the two on. It could not be any simple table, it had to be an old antique mahogany table surface. The one to help you transform yourself closer to the very selective gentlemen's club, where sipping it would mean that not only you belong there, but you can taste the essence of success. 

Before and after

Why the purple background you might ask? Because purple was always regarded as a Regal color that fits perfectly to the idea I had when composing this image. Attention to detail always rewards you in the end. 

How I managed to get the glorious amber liquid to shine in this shot is more technical in nature, so for those of you that are interested, feel free to check out my Facebook page for the specifics. 

Cheers,

Mirza