Page 55 - Demo

www.MOSTmag.com || FITNESS MAG A ZINE || 55FMM: You have a studio in NYC, what percentage of your projects shot in the studio vs outdoor?JS: Yes, I do. I%u2019ve been in it now for just over five years. It is my creative den of possibilities%u2026 being able to use the space and develop shots that have a signature look to them is everything to me. I do love shooting outdoors and seeing things in a completely different way, but when in NYC and having a studio means you shoot in the studio, it%u2019s about 80% indoor and 20% outdoor. I even rent it to other photographers when I have days where I%u2019m stuck in frot of the computer all day%u2026 people seem to enjoy it%u2019s charm and I get to mingle with new people all the time.FMM: Do you offer workshops in your studio?JS: I%u2019ve been asked to, but quite honestly I like the one on one approach. I love sharing my experience with upcoming photographers, but haven%u2019t gotten the itch to share it to the mass market. There are a lot of shooters out there that do this kind of thing. I don%u2019t consider myself that kind of photographer.FMM: You also design websites, how did you get involved with designing websites?JS: I do. I started dabbling with HTML when I built my first website and years later I%u2019m still doing it. These days large scalable images and responsivewebsites are winning and I thought this would be a good place for my photography, so bringing those two worlds together just meant I could bring in more revenue to the studio and gave me another creative outlet. However, photography will always be my main focus.FMM: When you are out shooting fitness, how much of it is instinctual versus planned?JS: Interesting question%u2026 I always approach a shoot or picture-to-be with something in mind and somehow whether it is just being in the moment orit%u2019s the talent in front of me or lighting, it shifts from a very planned thing to something else. Once I shoot a test frame and see the nuance of the shot,things suddenly change. I try to adapt to it and strengthen the shot so everybody wins in the end :)FMM: What do you hope your viewers to take away from your work?JS: Well, I%u2019m not the business of thought provoking imagery or timelessness, but at the very least I would like people to say, %u201c That guy gets it.%u201d I put a lot of time into shooting action and movement based photography and figuring out not only how to capture something that looks interesting, but then how to light it so it brings more strength to a picture is something that takes experience. I%u2019ve dedicated the past eight years to this kind of work and want that to come through so that the model in the shot can shineFMM: What advice would you give to our aspiring readers if you had to start photography all over again?JS: Hmmmm%u2026 if I had to start all over again I would have probably spent my earlier years in business school and marketing. I never realized how much of the photo business has to do with making sound financial decisions and creative marketing strategy. Especially now a days... if you have a great marketing plan you can wow a client even if you%u2019re not that experienced. Clients love this stuff, and I wished I had done this more whenI was starting out.FMM: Do you make any requests of your subjects in terms of preparation for your fitness photo shoot?JS: Depends on the kind of shoot I%u2019m doing. If it%u2019s a physique competitor then there is a routine they have to go through to deplete their bodies ofwater and make them lean out and more vascular right before the shoot. If it%u2019s a newbie, it%u2019s totally different. I ask them to do some research on whatkinds of pictures they like and moves they can create and show them to me so I can help them >>>