Photographer and Author
Jan 20
by Brandy Isadora in Fashion, Portraits 0 comments tags: #fashionphotography, #fashionshoots, #model, #PAC, #photography, #photographytips, #phxphotography, #portraits, #portraiture, #strobist, fashion, NikonD800E, studiophotography

Getting the Right Pose

  When I first started doing fashion and artistic photoshoots, I struggled with posing the models. If the model was experienced, I didn’t have any issues because he/she already knew how to use her body to create certain looks. Personally, I have a difficult time posing in front of the camera, so it would also make sense that I would have a hard time explaining what I wanted from the model. This was especially true in the case when I worked with people who were uncomfortable being in front of the camera.   In a boudoir photography workshop I participated in a few years ago, the teacher showed us a notebook that was filled with different types of poses. The notebook was divided into categories, such as sitting, standing, and closeup poses. I thought this was a brilliant idea, so I created my own notebook. The next time I had a shoot, instead of describing the pose, I had the model look at some examples. It worked like magic. Since then I have always brought examples to my shoots.   My goal with poses is to find something that looks “natural” for the model. We’ve all seen those awkward photos […]
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Jan 13
by Brandy Isadora in Portraits 0 comments tags: #arizona, #bassist, #cellist, #Lightroom, #music, #musicians, #orchestra, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #photographytips, #phxphotography, #quintet, #silhouette, #silhouettephotography, #strobist, #violinist, #violist, NikonD800E

How to Create a Silhouette Photo in the Studio

  I had an interesting and unusual assignment of creating a silhouette photo for a string quintet. Silhouette photography is beautiful, but it requires planning. I have seen photographers do a few silhouette shots of their clients if they’re doing a photoshoot and the sun is setting. There is usually a short window of time while the sun is setting to get that perfect silhouette look.   Since I knew it would be virtually impossible to have 5 people available on the same day and time for a photoshoot, I decided that I would have to re-create the silhouette look in the studio. The process turned out to be much easier than I had thought it would be, but there are some factors to consider before you plan your shoot.   Background and Composition Before I contacted any of the musicians, I spent some time thinking about how I wanted the final product to look. The client wanted the photograph to be artistic and fit the personality of the quintet. Because I was working with 5 people, I needed to know ahead of time, how I wanted to position them. I also looked for possible backgrounds, so I could make […]
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Jan 06
by Brandy Isadora in Nature Photography 0 comments tags: #Alaska, #Alaskacruise, #coxmediagroup2016, #crystalcruise, #EldredLighthouse, #landscapephotography, #lighthouse, #naturephotography, #Nikon, #outdoorphotography, #photography, #wildlifephotography, NikonD800E

Every Picture Has a Story

  Sometimes serene photographs I post on social media have a funny or awkward back story. I almost didn’t get this photo. It was a fluke that I was at the right place at the right time.   In 2016, my father had won a cruise to Alaska. My mother hates to travel (and share a tiny confined space with my father, she would add). I went on the trip instead, and I had one of the most amazing experiences photographing scenic landscapes. I don’t usually photograph nature, but I developed an appreciation for wildlife photographers. So much of the beauty of wildlife photography depends on perfect timing as well as a really expensive and heavy telephoto lens.   On the morning of our disembarkation, I was sitting in my father’s room playing on my phone. He suddenly shouted, “Get your camera! Hurry!” I fumbled for camera and, when I stumbled out onto the balcony I saw this beautiful lighthouse against a backdrop of  majestic snow-capped mountains and heavy clouds. The ship was cruising, so I had to work fast. I felt like all thumbs as I adjusted my camera settings. I took as many pictures as I could until […]
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Dec 23
by Brandy Isadora in Uncategorized 0 comments tags: #arizona, #author, #authorslife, #goals, #portraits, #tattletales, #tattoobook, #tattoos, #todolists, #writing, NikonD800E, studiophotography

A Year in Review

  At the end of the year, I take some time to review my work and reevaluate my goals. I’m certainly not one of those people who does New Year’s Resolutions, but I do like to hold myself accountable and make sure that I’m using my time wisely to accomplish everything I want to do. During my review, I list what I think went well and what I would like to improve in the future. When I was a graduate student, I worked with Susan Griffin, a writing mentor and renowned feminist and author. Every time she looked at my writing, she would first tell me what I did well. She explained that it’s just as important to know what you’re doing right because you want to build on that.   Looking back at the past twelve months these are some of the strengths and weaknesses I found in my own work.   Strengths 1.) An education in self-publishing: I had to wear many hats this year because I had to learn about the process of designing, printing, selling, and marketing my book. I’m by no means an expert, but the education I got this year will be extremely important […]
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Dec 16
by Brandy Isadora in Portraits, Tattoos 0 comments tags: #author, #authorslife, #bodyart; #inked; #tattedup; #tattoochicks; #amazingink, #fashion, #gypsytattoos, #inked, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #sonyA9, #tatted, #tattletales, #tattoobook, #tattoomodel, #tattoos, portraits, studiophotography

Liliana

    While working on my book, Tattle Tales: Tattoo Stories and Portraits, I met many incredible people. I first met Liliana at a photoshoot. When I saw her amazing ink, I asked if she would be a part of my book. Since then, I have worked with her on other projects.   Last week, I did a photoshoot with Liliana, and she shared her new tattoos with me. Her latest additions were Gypsy tattoos, beautiful women adorned with elements of nature. Until I saw her new ink, I didn’t even know there was “Gypsy” style. It still amazes what artists can do with tattoos. Body art has grown and expanded so much in the last decade that it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve in the next ten years.
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Dec 12
by Brandy Isadora in Uncategorized 0 comments tags: #author, #authorslife, #bodyart; #inked; #tattedup; #tattoochicks; #amazingink, #cardsagainsthumanity, #coffeetablebook, #gift, #giftideas, #giftsforcoworkers, #holidaygift, #holidays, #letsgetgalacticart, #outofprint, #phoenixphotographer, #secretsanta, #tattletales, #trubluesteel, #tshirts, #whiteelephant, #winetumblers

Holiday Gift Ideas

Holiday gift shopping can be challenging, especially if you wait until the last minute. I’ve gotten better at making my purchases earlier in the year, but I still struggle to find unique gift ideas. The hardest are the White Elephant or Secret Santa Gifts. Most often gift cards work really well. Who doesn’t love an Amazon Gift Card, right? However, there is something gratifying when you can find that perfectly gift for someone that will make them laugh or smile. Here, I’ve listed some gift ideas that might elicit a chuckle. Everything I’ve listed below is available for $25 or less.   1.) Wine Tumblers by Tru Blue Steel I know a lot of people who like to enjoy their wine with their significant other or friends. While the Yeti brand can be a bit pricey, there are many other brands that offer the same features for a fraction of the price. These Tru Blue Steel tumblers are BPA free and dishwasher safe. Plus, they run just over $20, so they won’t break the bank.   2.) Lets Get Galactic Art For several months, I’ve been following Holoreader on Instagram. Holoreader is an Instagram account that belongs to Cassie Lola, […]
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Dec 02
by Brandy Isadora in Uncategorized 0 comments tags: #camera, #digitalcamera, #DSLR, #holidaygiftideas, #holidaygifts, #photography

Picking Out The Right Camera

Sometimes people have asked me for camera recommendations. It’s usually people who are fairly new to photography, and they want to purchase their first DSLR camera. The technology has improved so much over the past decade that you can’t really go wrong with any of the top camera brands you see on the market these days. So when people ask me what camera I suggest, I ask them what are they looking for in a camera. When you figure out what you want in a camera, it helps narrow the field.   Here are some examples of things to think about when looking at cameras: Weight/Size: I know a lot of photographers have recently switched to mirrorless cameras because they are smaller and lighter weight, which puts less wear and tear on their neck and shoulders. Type of Photography: Some people don’t know what they want to shoot, or maybe they’re interested in learning many different types of photography. When I first started, I really enjoyed concert photography, so identifying a camera that performed well in low light venues was important to me. Budget: Obviously this factor will have a lot to do with influencing your decision. You don’t have […]
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Nov 25
by Brandy Isadora in Tattoos 0 comments tags: #beauty, #bodyart; #inked; #tattedup; #tattoochicks; #amazingink, #inked, #leo, #liontattoo, #model, #necktattoos, #phoenixphotographer, #photojournalism, #tatted, #tattletales, #tattoobook, #tattoos

The Importance of Tattoo Placement

Meet Angela Angela Jordan is a personal trainer and owner of Camp AJ Athletic Conditioning. When I interviewed Angela for my book, she emphasized the importance of tattoo placement. The body is the canvas and tattoos are art, so where it goes on the body is very important. She explained that a tattoo can make the body look better or worse. For example, a poorly placed tattoo on the thigh can actually make the leg look bigger, whereas certain shapes of tattoos can make the body look leaner.   At the time of the interview, Angela didn’t have nearly as much ink. As a trainer, she felt it was important that people could see her physique. Several months ago, when I saw that Angela had added a glorious lion neck tattoo to her collection of body art, I decided to reach out to her. Even now, it’s rare to see neck tattoos. She first seriously considered getting a neck tattoo when she saw a photo of herself with a large necklace that covered most of her neck. She liked the look and quickly decided to take the plunge. While she has received reactions from people, Angela says that there hasn’t […]
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Nov 18
by Brandy Isadora in Nature Photography 0 comments tags: #arizona, #icelight, #lighitng, #model, #naturallight, #naturallightphotography, #nature, #outdoorphotography, #phoenixphotographer, #phxphotography, NikonD800E

Working with natural light

    When I first started doing photography, I did a lot of photo shoots using just natural light. It was nice to focus on composition and getting familiar with the camera, without having to deal with a lighting kit. I feel that if you try to focus on too many things, it can feel overwhelming. Now that I’ve been doing photography for a while, I’m much more adept and comfortable incorporating studio lights.   Before you plan your photo shoot, there are some factors that you should keep in mind.   Time of Day The mornings or late afternoons tend to offer the most flattering light. The sunlight is not as intense and it’s not directly overhead, creating distracting shadows on your model’s face. I have done shoots in the middle of the day, and you can make it work. The most important thing is to be aware of the shadows. Shadows can create a cool effect. Just be patient with yourself and get creative. The second photo is from a shoot I did at a junkyard. It was the middle of the day, and I was really struggling with the shadows. Eventually I made it work, but I […]
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Nov 15
by Brandy Isadora in Tattoos 0 comments tags: #arizona, #author, #authorslife, #bodyart, #marinetattoo, #military, #navy, #navytattoo, #Nikon, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #photojournalism, #phxphotography, #portrait, #poseidon, #shiptattoo, #tatted, #tattletales, #tattoobook, #tattoopolicy, #tattoos, #veteran, #veteransday, NikonD800E, portraits

Zach, US Navy: Tattoo Interview

In the past decade, tattoos haven’t just artistically evolved, but they have become so popular that many industries have changed their policies regarding body art. The military is no exception. In honor of Veteran’s day, I’m posting a portrait from my book, Tattle Tales: Tattoo Stories and Portraits. Zach got his tattoo in honor of his time in the Navy as well as his love for the sea. The tattoo on his chest is the Greek God of the Sea, Poseidon. Zach also enjoys snorkeling and spear fishing.   I’m always grateful to have the opportunity to speak with soldiers and veterans. I know that as a civilian much of what veterans experience is outside of my paradigm. Nevertheless, I think it’s important for me as well as everyone else to be a good listener and honor what they have done for this country. Thank you for your service, veterans!
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