#photography Archives - Brandy Isadora

Photographer and Author

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 […]

Jan 27

by Brandy Isadora in Art 0 comments tags: #artisticphotography, #beauty, #fashion, #fashionphotography, #Lightroom, #model, #Nikon, #phoenixphotographer, #photography, #phxphotography, #socialmedia, headshots, NikonD800E, studiophotography

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Shoots

Whether you’re hiring a model or someone has hired you for a photoshoot, efficiency and time management is extremely important. You want to get the most from your shoots. With digital cameras there is no excuse not to get more than what you actually need. As a musician, I’ve been to my fair share of shoots. Some photographers were so unorganized that I spent an entire day sitting around just to be photographed for a few minutes. They were horrible experiences. No one likes to have their time wasted. The biggest reason that photographers have stressful shoots is that they don’t do enough planning ahead of time. Obviously things may happen on the day of the shoot that are not within your control. However, if you put some thought into what you want to get out of the shoot, you’ll be able to adapt more quickly. I’ve listed a few tips that other photographers have shared with me. It may seem like common sense, and that’s because it is. There’s a lot to think about when you plan a photoshoot, and sometimes certain logistics get lost in the planning. It happens to everyone. That’s why it’s helpful to […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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!