Atlanta AmericasMart Mural

It was sure great to spend time with one of our favorite clients in Atlanta at the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market! We have been shooting for Demdaco for the last several years and this year we attended the gift show that we have heard so much about. It was incredible seeing all of the various vendors and the way they market themselves. Demdaco truly stood out with their permanent showroom and the magnificent product displays created by their marketing team. Very impressive!



We played a part with a 12 foot by 25 foot image that we shot outside our new studio in Kansas City. This indoor billboard announced a celebration of Demdaco's Silvestri product lines. We were relieved to see how well the image, from a 35mm DSLR, held up to scrutiny at this size. Especially, when the public could walk right up to the image! This photo was part of their ad campaign that featured a vintage car with six models set against the giant glass wall that defines our new space. The campaign was great fun to shoot.

Bernstein Productions shoots video of new green technology

We just wrapped a production for a new client utilizing our video capabilities. The project involved proprietary green technology, so we will not be able to share the results just yet. But we can show off a still frame. We were challenged on this shoot by tight quarters and a rough environment. All that considered, we were still able to get some interesting shots using our Canon 5D MKII.

The machines we filmed provided several opportunities for unique angles, especially with our wide lenses. We had a long shot list of specific equipment we needed to capture in order to describe this new eco-friendly technology. Otherwise, we might have explored even more extreme angles on the equipment. Even on a tight production schedule in tough conditions, it is crucial to look for creative options. These compositions brought interest to an industrial video that could have easily become drab.

We used a mix of daylight and HMI sources to provide a natural look to the space. We did not want a theatrical treatment for this project. This frame captures a detail in this story. Our location was a prototype facility for a much larger facility to be built in the future. The tight framing and wide lens selection helps the audience imagine a bigger reality.

It's all about the edit!

My wife recently videoed my son jamming out on the drums. It was a short video (less than a minute), where she basically stood in the same place and shot it all in one take with our point and shoot camera. It was a cute little video for the family, but lacking excitement for the larger audience. I thought, let's see what I can do by just dropping it into iMovie and doing a quick edit job. So I imported it in and started splitting the video up into jump cuts, then added some transitions and different video effects to each clip. I even flipped some of the clips in the opposite direction. With that alone it had already taken on a totally different feel. I went on to add the soundtrack, made a few tweaks to the video and voila! Now by no means am I a professional video editor, nor am I claiming to be one, but with some software and a little know how you can do the same thing. So take it one step further and edit that video!

- Chad

It's BERNSTEIN, not Berenstain!

We recently celebrated 18 years in business and it seems that some folks just can't get the name right! We love the Berenstain Bears as much as anyone, so the association isn't such a bad one. But this latest confusion takes the cake!

This is a recent message left at our studio.

Convergence. Video + Photo

We have created various video and film projects over the years for some of our clients. Usually this meant a departure from our normal routine and assembling a crew of talented position players to carry out the clients vision. While I thoroughly enjoyed those collaborations, it is very exciting to have the tools to create high definition video, right in our own camera bags! Chad and I took some time to experiment with this emerging technology and bring our photography knowledge to bear on some little product videos. Of course, we do need to tool up differently with lighting for these studio product vignettes, but the ease for us to shoot motion, while in the midst of a still shoot, is very exciting to us.

Audience demand, for all things moving, will only increase as technology provides more outlets for streaming video and graphics. These moving product shots will give our clients the ability to create rich media at a fraction of the cost of a few years ago. We can also bring consistency to the over all look and feel of printed pieces and broadcast content.

Take a look at our latest product videos and let us know what you think! Special thanks to Jeff Miller for stellar work on the logo animation!

http://www.bernsteinproductions.com/

iPhone Pics (really?)

Recently I was asked if I was working on any side projects, anything personal? I thought for a second and replied yes, everyday. I have been shooting with my iPhone on a daily bases. Uh-what? I received a curious look, she was expecting to hear a specific subject or cleaver concept but not shooting from the hip with a 2mp camera phone. As busy as we are I don't always have the time to get out the DSLR and hit the streets. But I have found that I have always have my iPhone on me! You would be amazed of what you can find around you in a day that can make great photos. With all of the apps and add-ons for the iPhone you can have a lot of fun not just shooting pics but editing them as well. With my flickr account I can upload and social (picture) network all from the iPhone. It has really opened my creative eye and has made me a better photographer! Check out my flickr page and add me as a contact!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chigger33/

Testing 1-2-3

Sometimes when you set out to shoot an idea or concept you end up getting in your own way. Here is a shot of a mission style chair with a BCBG bag draped over the back. Oh wait, that is what I set out to shoot. After a few lighting tests, I realized my legs were captured in the shots. A light bulb went on, and a new direction was found.

It was quite a duel between my two personalities, one being the stylist and the other the photographer. Setting the timer, running into position, fluffing the jeans, click. It took a few cycles of this routine to get the perfect image. Then it seemed that I was a very lonely person with just legs and a brick wall. I needed to add some of my own personality to it. This was the point of true self reflection........................... music! After rummaging though Darryl's 8 tracks and laser disks to find some current media, the finishing props were found. Out of thin air I had created my first self portrait.

R.I.P- one Night Ranger cassette tape