One word "Plastics"

We had the privilege of shooting this ad for Sig Sauer recently.  Sig Sauer is one of the finest gun companies in the world because of the quality of their product.

Now, the rest of the story.  When photographing firearms the client can't just send you the product to photograph.   First, the gun has to be shipped to someone that has a Federal Firearms License.  Then you have to fill out all kinds of paperwork, they run a background check and then you can take it to the studio.

As long as you don't have any ammunition you can transport it in the same compartment as you are in.  If you have ammo, it has to be put in the trunk.  Once you're done then it has to be shipped back to someone with an FFL.  

It's always the little details that make the difference between good photography and great communication.

Between the 2 gun photos in this Ad we shot 40 shots.  Every little detail was carefully lit and shot then put together to subtly emphasize every edge and texture detail of the gun. 

The client wanted it to look manly, yet sexy.  I think it looks very 007. 

Nothing like the smell of beef searing first thing in the morning!

I thought you might enjoy a little behind the scenes grill marking show and tell.

Our grill marking guru and food stylist Trina Kahl prays she gets it right the first time. (;-)

We try to mark the spacing and angle we want the grill marks before we sear them in the meat.  As you can see if you look at the sticks on the meat above, they look off and at a weird angle.  Now, from the camera angle they look perfectly spaced and at the correct angles.

Different food stylist make grill marks different ways.  Sometimes it's done on set, sometimes they use hot skewers, sometimes it's done on the stove in a super hot grill pan.  No matter how its done it always give a great look of grilled meat to the final shot.

It may not be brain surgery, but it can be a close second.

If you've been in the photography business for awhile you'll eventually hear someone say that photography isn't brain surgery.   Their right, but sometimes it seems like a close second.  Someones life isn't on the line but your clients career and your reputation are. 

In my opinion, the difference between a OK shot and a GREAT shot is the attention to detail and passion one has for making the "Brand" look its best.

Quality photography takes time and attention to all the little details that may not be noticed at first glance, but make all the difference in the world to the final "Visual Branding" and communication.