#photography Archives - Brandy Isadora

Photographer and Author

Nov 16

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #adobe, #art, #fineart, #glitterart, #Lightroom, #Nikon, #photography, #photoshop, #phxphotography, #productphotography, #sherrygoldberg

Tips for Photographing Art

I really enjoy photographing art because I love to photograph visually stunning objects. Taking pictures of art is a form of product photography, where the goal is to create an image that accurately represents the art piece. Some art pieces are much more difficult to photograph than others. For example, glitter has proven to be my most challenging issue when I photograph art. In my personal life and work, glitter is my obsession. However, glitter produces a lot of highlights and in other places it can appear much darker than it actually is. When I correct one issue, another one emerges. In this particular instance, I recommend taking multiple photos with slightly varied lighting settings and check to see what looks most like the piece. It’s always good to be in communication with the client. If there’s more than one option, let the artist weigh in on the selection. When I do art photoshoots, I work much differently than when I shoot for an art project or event. I’ve listed below some recommendations that have helped me. 1.) Use a cable to connect your camera to Lightroom on your computer: I usually don’t like to use cables […]

Oct 26

by Brandy Isadora in Art, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: #amwriting, #antiques, #antiquestores, #authorslife, #documentaryphotographer, #mannequins, #photography, #pinup, #vintage

Antique vs Vintage: What’s the difference?

Before I had started working on my second book, which explores the history of mannequins, I had always used the words vintage and antique interchangeably. It turns out that they are not the same. Antiques are items that are over 100 years old. There is no definitive rule for vintage, but it usually refers to items that are around twenty years or older. One of the models that I frequently work with is known for her beautiful vintage wardrobe. Her name is Liliana, and I met her roughly three years ago when I was working on my first book, Tattle Tales: Tattoo Stories and Portraits. Most of our shoots have been in the studio, but this time we decided to photograph at her home, which she has furnished and decorated with antiques and vintage items. Her home reminded me of something that I would see in a magazine or a museum. She told me that most of the items she found in Goodwill stores around the Phoenix metropolitan area. Needless to say, I was in awe of her home and often got distracted looking at all the figurines, artwork, and other items that I don’t usually see anywhere else. […]

Sep 14

by Brandy Isadora in Art, Self-Publishing 0 comments tags: #amwriting, #arizona, #author, #authorslife, #fiction, #fictionbooks, #fictionwriting, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #phxphotography, #shortstory, #tattletales, #tattoobook, #writing

Adjusting to the “New Normal”: Life in the time of COVID

I know everyone has been affected by COVID-19 in one way or another, and some have been more affected than others. In fact, I’ve been reluctant to express how the pandemic impacted me because I know that on the spectrum of struggles there are people out there who have it much worse. However, regardless of where anyone is in the spectrum, it’s important to acknowledge that there is a connection between current events and our emotional health. As a dear friend once told me, “Pain is not a competition.” Since we are in the midst of unprecedented times, I’ve had to completely rework my timeline and strategy for my projects. Most of my freelance work has been on hold because people aren’t hosting or attending large events. This means that I have had to reevaluate my budget for publishing, marketing, and advertising. Since I’ve had a career in the arts since I was eighteen, I understand that uncertainty comes with the territory and being able to adapt is crucial. For me, this means exploring new ways to create content and generate revenue. I’m still in the process of figuring it out, but I’ve made changes to my workflow […]

Aug 31

by Brandy Isadora in Self-Publishing 0 comments tags: #amwriting, #arizona, #author, #authorphoto, #authorslife, #branding, #brandyisadora, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #portraits, #portraiture, #writing, headshots, studiophotography

Author Photo: Why you need to have one

Having a really good author photo is especially important because anywhere between 600,000 and a million books are published each year. That’s a lot of competition. Even if you’re a phenomenal writer, you still want to do everything you can to increase your chances of a potential buyer noticing your book. While you may think of the author photo as just the small square image inside your book, there are many other uses of your photo that you probably haven’t considered. In this blog, I’ll explain why author photos are important and give you some tips on making sure you put your best foot — or in this case your face — forward. Why do I need an author photo? Some people just don’t like having their photo taken. I completely understand those people because I’m one of them. However, there are some things in life that you simply can’t avoid, and this is one of them. Creating your brand is one of the most important elements in creating a successful career as an author. Your photo is a part of that branding. You don’t have to have a bunch of photos of yourself, but I do recommend having […]

Jul 13

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #artisticphotography, #beauty, #bodyart, #bodyart; #inked; #tattedup; #tattoochicks; #amazingink, #brandyisadora, #colorgels, #fashion, #fashionphotography, #Lightroom, #model, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #phxphotography, #sonyA9, #strobist, studiophotography

Playing with Color Gels

During my last photoshoot with Angela Jordan, I decided to take a few minutes to experiment with color gels. I have never taken a class on color theory, but I frequently check out Pinterest and Instagram to look at other photographers’ lighting techniques. I’ve notice that photographers use certain color combinations, and I tried to incorporate what I liked in my photoshoot with Angela. I think when used correctly, color gels can really make an impact on your images. I had so much fun with this shoot that it’s inspired me to do more shoots with color gels. I also want to thank Angela Jordan for being my muse once again. She is one of the few models that I frequently use for my photoshoots. She’s versatile, and I’m always amazed at how she poses her body to portray drastically different themes.

Jun 29

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #amwriting, #arizona, #brandyisadora, #bust, #fashion, #fashionphotography, #mannequinhead, #mannequins, #model, #photography, #photographypractice, #photographytips, #selfpublishedauthors, studiophotography

Working with Mannequins

When I was working on Mannequins: Stories of the First Supermodel, I purchased these two busts for an idea I had for an artistic photoshoot. I have not yet finished this project, but I have worked frequently with these two beauties. As someone who likes to try new ideas with lighting, I like the idea of being able to practice before experimenting at a photoshoot. When I’m working with a model, I like to be fully prepared. It doesn’t mean that I’m not making adjustments during the photoshoot, but I don’t want to waste precious time. If I do want to try out an idea, I’ll wait until the end of the shoot. Mannequins are great because you can practice your photography whenever the mood strikes you. They can’t talk back or complain that you’re taking too long. They are very patient and forgiving models. 😉 The names of these two mannequins are Melina and Monique.

May 11

by Brandy Isadora in Fashion 0 comments tags: #Bisadora, #brandyisadora, #fashion, #fashionphotography, #photography, #photographytips

How Fashion Shaped My Photography

When I was eighteen, I invented the Bisadora Hip Purse, which earned an engineering patent. Being involved in the fashion industry taught me a lot about photography. There are so many genres of photography and, in the fashion business, I learned about product, lifestyle, and editorial photography. During my time as a handbag designer, I became more involved in photography and I ended up doing a few of the photoshoots myself. Product photography taught me the importance of lighting and posing. Color accuracy is important for obvious reasons, but I also learned that the pose was just as important. I ran an online shop, and the models had to show how the purse would look on the body. In these types of photoshoots, the handbag was more important than the model. Product photography is more straight forward compared to other types of photography because the purpose is to show the product as accurately as possible. Also, there’s immediate feedback if customers feel that the website description is inaccurate. When I worked on photoshoots for marketing campaigns and social media, I learned about the importance of storytelling. Without using words, I created lifestyle shots that I felt best […]

Mar 23

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #artisticphotography, #bodyart; #inked; #tattedup; #tattoochicks; #amazingink, #model, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #phxphotography, #sonyA9, #strobist, #tatted, #tattooedwomen, #tattoomodel, #tattoos, studiophotography

Don’t Be A Negative Nancy!

When I’m working on my books, there is a lot of pressure to make sure everything is perfect. A lot of research and marketing/advertising experiments are involved in self-publishing. Last year, there were so many days that I just came home and sat in front of the television because my brain felt fried. I missed being creative, but I didn’t have the energy to do anymore. This year, I’m trying to allow myself a little more time to work on my personal projects. So far, it’s been a challenging balancing act, but one that I feel is important to maintain. The Women Series One night, I asked my mother, “Where did Negative Nancy come from? What did Nancy ever do to deserve that title?” In fact, the Negative Nancy meme goes back to the 1960s when President Lyndon Johnson called his critics of his Vietnam War policies “Nervous Nellies.” The name caught on and soon people were applying the idea to other names, such as Debbie Downer, Chatty Cathy, ect. I thought this was comical, and I decided that I was going to challenge myself to find a name for every letter in the alphabet […]

Mar 16

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #artisticphotography, #brandyisadora, #compositephotography, #fineartphotography, #PamelaColmanSmith, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #photographystyle, #photographythemes, #RiderWaiteDeck, #tarot, #tarotdeck, studiophotography

Tarot Cards

I love working with themes. Because I’m interested in so many different artistic styles, I enjoy immersing myself in a particular style for a period of time and then switching it up to do something else. Many years ago, a friend introduced me to her Gilded Tarot deck, designed and written by Ciro Marchetti and Barbara Moore. I immediately fell in love with the colorful artwork. Each card was packed with symbolism and meaning. Since then, I have purchased a few of my own decks, one of which is the Gilded Deck. Each deck has its own theme, whether it’s fairies, cats, Steampunk, or collage. I do go through periods where I use one particular deck because the artwork resonates with me at that time. In fact, the photo I’m using for this post is from The Steampunk Tarot deck illustrated and written by Aly Fell and Barbara Moore. I immediately fell in love with this deck because the cards look dark and mysterious, and I love anything that is Steampunk. One of the most recognized decks is the original Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. In 1903, Arthur Edward Waite, who wrote the booklet, hired a young artist named Pamela […]

Mar 02

by Brandy Isadora in street photography 0 comments tags: #brandyisadora, #concertphotography, #eventphotography, #flashphotography, #musicians, #outdoorphotography, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #photographytips, #rosieshouse, #sonyA9, street photography

Rosie’s House

A couple of weeks ago, I was hired to photograph a Mardi Gras party that was raising funds for Rosie’s House, an organization that offers music lessons to disadvantaged children. The festive event was a huge success, and it was pretty clear that everyone was having a great time. One of the young students from Rosie’s House performed a very difficult piano piece that received a resounding applause from the audience. Even though event photography can be exhausting, I truly enjoy it. I always meet such incredible people, and there’s something very satisfying about contributing (even if it’s a small part) to events that benefit such organizations. Over the years, I have done many different types of photography ranging from concerts, fashion, portraiture, and weddings. Event photography can be fairly easy or really difficult depending on how well the photographer prepares. Before this event, I practiced with a mannequin to make sure that I knew how I would handle different lighting situations. The important thing to remember about event photography is that very little is in your control. Chances are you haven’t seen the venue, you can’t change the lighting, and the attendees are busy, which means you have […]