Pasadena

Four Individuals & Shared Creative Direction

Portrait Headshot Lifestyle Photography

Photographing business owners and entrepreneurs such as myself, is more than a job, it’s a responsibility. First impressions; how a business showcases its product and how the staff reveals its brand to the public is vital to their success.  As a photographer I take pride in the success of my client’s business, their professional achievements and their public image.

After sitting down with the creators of Pure Wax Studios; Mandy, Lucy, Emily and Roly I got the sense that individually they could have had their own exclusive and brilliant career, however banding together, creating their own salon, they truly have formed something extraordinary.  An urban backdrop and the Pasadena skyline seemed like a perfect location to showcase how exceptional and in sync these individuals really are, four independent minds equally contributing to a distinct shared creative direction, there was something familiar about this group!  I knew I wanted a shoot that was iconic something with a rock and roll feel, after all Mandy was wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt!  Shooting this group was fun and refreshing; they allowed us the liberty to take creative direction while shooting them in their livelihood.

As a loyal client myself, I am excited, honored and motivated to share their story as well as their vision. Pure Wax isn’t your average run-of-the-mill day spa, these fearless bands of risk-takers promise to work in harmony and change your outlook and expectation when it comes to your trip to the salon. Each one an artist, each inspired through creativity and bound by their unconventional personal attention to their clients and to their craft – this salon is fueled only by their reputation, motivated by one vision, you.

Hopefully these photographs not only capture their personalities but make you think of another group of four imaginative dreamers who combined forces and changed their industry forever.  Ever hear of Abbey Road, the red and blue albums?! Embracing their uniqueness and capturing their individual personalities, how they reinforced and inspired one another for a common goal was all too easy.

Pure Wax Studios: www.instagram.com/purewaxstudio

Shot on location: Old Town Pasadena, Green St. and roof top Regency Studios Pasadena.

Equipment used: Icelight www.fjwestcott.com/shop/lighting/led/ice-light-2

 Camera's used: Nikon D810, 24-70 mm & 70-200 lens & Sony A7R-ii, 55 mm lens

www.sony.com/electronics/interchangeable-lens-cameras/ilce-7rm2

www.nikon.com/index.htm

Pasadena, CA Business Lifestyle Photography
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Business owner lifestyle session photographer in pasadena, ca
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More than Spouses...

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Disney Hall Downtown Los Angeles
downtown los angeles

We are more than spouses or even co-founders, we are each other’s personal cheerleaders and each other’s biggest advocate.  Being a couple for twenty years it was pretty simple to identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses, we embrace our differences and leverage them accordingly as it relates to running our business.  Being married to your business is a challenge but we found out that if you give 100% to each other every day the business side just works itself out.  We always try our very best and then the next time we do it better.  We formed a relationship, then a marriage and now we are building a business together. 

New to my website but certainly not new to my business; introducing my wife, my co-creator and the only one I would take this journey with.  She cheers me on when I feel like I can't make it? She is a hustler at making my dreams come true. My #1 fan! 

Her name is Shell, not Michelle. Jesus help us all if we don't call her by her nickname. Because she is the loyalist person I have ever met, she is the best friend you have always dreamed about, she has a heart of gold and is the 1st person you call when you need help. She defies all the rules of what it means to average, she is exceptional, she puts "hipsters" to shame with her style, she is the love of my life, like of my whole life, I have loved no one more than her. Don't worry I won't keep her all to myself, because when you work with me, she comes with the package. You will love her from the moment you say hello. I promise.

I am so lucky to be doing something I love with someone I love!

Los Angeles River Garden
Down Town Los Angeles Low Rider

Tournament of Roses 2017

Here’s to a new year, a new business, a clean slate, a new start in every sense of the word.  I have always felt that there is a reason and a purpose for everything and 2017 has started with a purpose. There is no better place to celebrate a new start than at the Pasadena Rose Parade.  Photographing the parade seemed like a dream, but everything from the application, to the passes, to the parking fell easily into place for us. 
 
We sit here with a renewed sense of purpose, excited and motivated.  Maybe it was the imagination of the float designers, the selfless acts of the all the volunters, or the engineering wizards who somehow brought these ideas to life, we aren’t quite sure.  Standing at attention next to my wife, I marveled at the impossible precision of the Marine Corps Band just after the B2 Spirit crept up on us, I turned to Shell, she was captivated not by the floats but the people in the crowd.  The expression on the faces of everyone, from all walks of life was one of pride, contentment, wonder and joy, even if just for today.
 
We were charmed by the endless color, the smell of millions of roses, the marching bands synced in perfect time, all of our senses put to the test.  However, watching the collective physical reaction of the crowd as organ donors and their recipients made the right turn down Colorado hand in hand, forever holding hands as they walk life’s road really put 2017 into perspective, talk about a new start.
 
We hope our business is like this parade, always new to someone, always fresh and inspirational and like these brilliant engineering masterpieces of creativity, our hope is to progress at a pace bringing smiles to the faces of many and may this company be around for 128 years too.