Drawing the War, Voices from Eastern Congo produced by Duckrabbit

Amazing images and stories. I love photography for the power it holds to describe is incalculable.

Drawing the War from duckrabbit on Vimeo.

(Courtesy of Stephen Alvarez's Blog)

Duckrabbit has produced a series of multimedia pieces on the Eastern Congo (website here). This particular piece is about children kidnaped by the Lords Resistance Army. As part of rehabilitation and counseling returned abductees are encouraged to draw their experiences. Eastern Congo is a hard place, suffering there is so common that it does not rate as news by the world media. The LRA in particular is a dark subject there is a reason that its leader is under indictment by the ICC.

-creative director of Duckrabbit,
"too often the photography world whirs around a sense of art and not people. Africa is the dark continent, but as I'm sure you know spend enough time there and your eyes adjust."

Well their eyes have adjusted well. They tell the story beyond the headlines -or lack of headlines- and bring back humanity. Theses are people suffering, people with names and stories.

Bahati's Story - Condition Critical from duckrabbit on Vimeo.

Commissioned by MSF Duckrabbit has put together fine pieces of advocacy and storytelling.

Keep Shooting.
-Braun

Help Portrait

Recently I had the great honor to be a part of a special project... Help Portrait. A crew of like minded and hearted UBER talented photographers got together and gave up their valuable time and amazing skills to shoot portraits of the south Dallas community centered around CornerStone Church....They let me tag along.

Help Portrait (Dallas) from jordan bellamy on Vimeo.

I left encouraged and moved after spending the day shooting a whole range of families and individuals. Some had never had their portrait taken....EVER. The Mom+Son+Aunt (shot below) hadn't had a family photo since Chris (the son) was 2 years old!

Their first family portrait! (below) So Why is this project so important? Well for one, History. These photo's will last generations. When a great great niece asks what Aunt Linda looked like, the family will have a photograph to show her. It's important for everybody to know that they are loved, beautiful, and worth remembering. Worth documenting their life.

This man helped start Cornerstone Church. The area is not in the best part of town. Pastor Chris told us stories about early days of drive by shootings and dead bodies found behind the building was a regular thing. This man shines love for his area. It was my great honor to take his portrait.

Here are the first video's of the founder of Help Portrait, Jeremy Cowart. Thank you Mr. Cowart for your heart.




Seeing great photographer like Chase Jarvis, Jeremy Cowart, and Austin Mann use their talents not just to pay the bills, but enrich other's lives out of the solid goodness of their hearts gives me a great hope for the future of photography. Keep Shooting.

Huge Thanks to everybody involved! Amazing job

Recently I had the chance to shoot one of my favorite Dallas Bands....ODIS. I've loved these guy's music for several years now, so I was pretty pumped when Larry, the lead singer, asked me to shoot them.

The direction from the guys is that they wanted this RAW.."just us".."this is me" kindv shots. No smoke or magic or uber lighting. If you are somewhat familiar with my work you know I like to explore the possibilities both in camera and in post. (computer software). WHAT NO PS, NO MASKS....NOPE. Oddly enough I felt liberated and challenged. It's good to be challenged.
Larry (Vocals)


Kindv kicking myself for not shooting some behind the scenes fun. Being the oldest of 3 brothers, makes me pretty at home with hanging with guys...doing guys stuff. Yes we had a nerf gun shoot out and Rob the guitar genius showed us how he could barely escape death while busting some sweet moves on the skateboard in the studio. My brothers and I all live pretty far away from each other now so just hanging out with these guys made me miss them quite a bit.
Mike (drummer)

While shooting we jabbered on about our favorite Bruce Lee Movies (Enter the Dragon...DUH) and the local Dallas music scene.
Rob (guitar)

Lighting: Imagine this!!! Subject 3-5 ft in front of the white backdrop.
An, AB1600 through a large octabox right behind me elevated pointed down. Another pointing at the back drop behind the subject. WOOWWWWW. 2 light was used.

Bristen (Bass)...(FYI Ashton Kutcher stole his sig look from Bristen)


HUGE THANKS TO Studman SEAN for all the help.

Have Fun and keep shooting!

Braun

I am...Moved!

Here some amazing video's that truly inspired me. Some technically, other's esthetically, and another competitively. Let me know what you think!
Land of Talk, "It's Ok"

Land of Talk - It's Okay from Saddle Creek on Vimeo.

One of my favorite photographers, Andrew Zuckerman's "BIRD Film".

BIRD film from Andrew Zuckerman Studio on Vimeo.

Behind the Scene of Andrew Zuckerman's BIRD Film

BIRD Behind the Scenes from Andrew Zuckerman Studio on Vimeo.

This cool vid from photographer Alexx Henry for a "future" Outside Magazine. Amazing!

Big Freeze + Creed

These past couple of months have been pretty crazy. Finally home for a little bit. Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. Let's catch up!!

Lately I've been working on huge projects with my mentor Robert Latorre with his camera system....THE BIGGGG FREEZE. Our latest adventure was a couple of shows for the band CREED.

Robert Latorre with his Big Freeze at the Houston Creed show. Can you count all 3 rigs??

Tech low down. We used 48 Nikon D700's, 42 Nikon D300's, and a ton of the original film freeze system. It just so happened to break a World Record of Most Camera's used in a live production. Total of 250!! (breaking Jusin Timberlake's of 42...Sorry JT) Here is a guy from the guinness book of world records they flew from London to verify the system. He liked it a lot.





The lead singer Scott showing off his skills on how to blow stuff up. "This is how I torch and melt Nikon cameras! AHHHH!!!!!"


The Real Rock Star....TRAVIS!!



The footage came out amazing...I will post after Creed's DVD comes out.
Photographer/Production tip #11...Never publish the work before the client can...takes all the surprise out of the fun.
Photographer/Prodcution tip #93...When the Pyro Tech's yells.....PRYO TEST!...Seriously watch where your standing!

THE ENTIRE FREEZE TEAM DID AN AMAZING JOB! It was my honor to work with everybody!

Video from my new Iphone 3gs. Love this thing!!


Keep Dreaming and Keep Shooting!

Braun

Recent Update.

Nike: Exploit Yourself

Amazing new Nike video. "Exploit Yourself". Here is the commercial and the "Making of" short. (reminds me of my morning runs ;) ) Enjoy!

The Runner -Exploit yourself- from BLR_VFX on Vimeo.

MakingOf -Exploit Yourself- from BLR_VFX on Vimeo.

Keep Moving Forward!

Recently I've been asked, How's Business? How are things?
Is this out of general conversation manner or genuine interest? Sure.

Anybody that is watching the news, or (like I do) read headlines of papers as you walk by, they know that the economy is suffering. Budgets are being cut. Money isn't flowing like wine anymore...right now. Is this the end? A lot of people are hanging up their hats as creative professionals. I get it. Things are hard.

OK what do we do? Maybe Nike isn't blowing your phone up? Are you at the point where they should? maybe so, maybe no. But what this little "time out" lets us take a moment to be still, to look at us, our profession, our skills....with a little more clear mind. USE IT.

One of my favorite sayings is from Walt Disney (the man), KEEP MOVING FORWARD...._________________(fill in the blank with any excuse) KEEP MOVING FORWARD, but ____________________(another excuse) KEEP MOVING FORWARD, another _____, another ______. Are we getting it? KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

The only real currency in this world is time. Ask any Billionaire laying on his death bed, and I promise he will trade his fortune for more time. Luck favors the prepared. I truly believe that. I can't tell you how many time I should learned that (the hard way).

Keep Moving Forward. Get Creative. Maybe clients aren't paying big money all the time. But think about this. When the time comes, Are they gonna spend their money on the guy that has been sitting in his room all day waiting on them. OR will they go with the person constantly putting out new work, fresh ideas, creative concepts. Which professional do you think will stick in their mind? Build your brand, your name, your work. I believe in you!

Have fun. Keep the faith

(SNEAK PREVIEW to one of my new personal projects)

Sam THE Magic Man

Recently I had the great privilege of shooting an amazing entertainer. Sam the Magic Man. A VERY gifted magician. Seriously, when the guy makes you flip your card up (facing the floor) and its one, snaps his fingers, and then its another... that will make you think twice about what is real in this world. But besides his fantastic gifts, he is as funny a person as I have found.

Recently Sam has turned his attention to modeling....and being a not so horribly ugly guy...I'm sure he'll turn heads doing that as well. The above photo was shot with my favorite car in the world. My Dad's 1982 Porsche 911. I grew up in that car, and somehow it show's me my dad more than any picture could. He loaned (hesitantly) the sweet German to me for the shoot. Sadly we didn't have much time to really spend much time shooting it. But I'm not done with it yet. ;)

Contact Sam: 214.384.5049

Find the joy in all that you do. Be a blessing.

Braun

AMAZING DSLR Vid by Timescapes!

Everybody knows I'm a super sucker for creative ways of making video with DSLR's. This takes the cake!!!!!

I love love love this video that Timescapes did with the 5d markII. Truly amazing. ENJOY. (WATCH IN HD IF YOU CAN!)

Timescapes Timelapse: Learning to Fly from Tom @ Timescapes on Vimeo.

Here is his magical genius rig!

Timescapes: Timelapse Dolly Project from Tom @ Timescapes on Vimeo.

Stay Inspired! Keep Creating!

Braun

Stay inspired!

When I was a kid, we always watched movies. Always. I love them. I'm still addicted to them. If you rolled over to my Mom's there was (still is) a solid 96.459% chance a Disney movie was on. In her eyes they were the best. We all loved them. (too many short sentences Braun, get to the point) Recently I had the chance to go see UP in 3d. Great movie, but more importantly (to me) is what came on before the movie started. The opening title with the Disney castle. Few things throw me back to childhood like that little melody. I sat there excited in bewilderment.

THE POINT IS....being a professional creative in this UBER connected world is hard and dangerous. Meaning, you can "numb out" to being inspired really quick. Don't misunderstand me, I love this time we live in....has there ever been a more exciting period? Always search for new inspirations. Look for what gives you butterflies like when the world first hit you as such a magical place. Before you figured out what CNN was talking about. Inspire yourself. Try these

• Create your own world.
• Get around people that are better than you...iron sharpens iron.
• Spend time alone.
• Be still.
• Explore.
• Listen.
• Try a new creative outlet.
• Go to the wrong side of town.
• Go to the right side of town.
• Get out of town.
• Go in to town.
• Get lost
• Have fun
• Do something random
• Do something kind unexpected
• Talk to a stranger
• make your own list
  

Braun

Busy and Blessed!

This past month as been wild. Wild and amazing. I've been shooting a ton of fashion and portraits.Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to shoot for the brand new Dallas Museum of Biblical Arts. Amazing amazing building. I can't wait to see it when it opens!

Here is a fashion shoot I did in the new studio, (images coming soon! promise)



Good buddy Collin was good enough to humor me while I was bored at my house

The Lives of Famous Men. Great guys, shot them in the SMU Library.

The beautiful Adrienne

Have fun! Keep shooting. Don't ever give up on your dreams!
Sincerely

Braun

Denmark Poice Tactics

This video of new Police tactics is shocking! ;)

HOWWWW???

Tell me how they did this and I'll buy you a snow cone....a realllllly good snow cone!

Down, Set, ACTION

Recently I had the great honor shoot some great guys from a semi pro team. These guys were a blast and were pretty fearless whatever I asked them to do. Both Ryan and Eddie are pretty amazing athletes

For the shoot I used 3 ab1600's. 2 bare behind the guys left and right. the other through a large octabox behind me


Besides being cool guys and brutes on the field...both of these gents are quite the contributors to society. Ryan, (old college buddy) is an aggressive financial investor. Eddie is another entrepreneur that has a couple of successful companies and also gives a huge amount to Susan G. Komen. Pretty amazing dudes.


Mucho thanks to Michael for helping wrangle the lights on a windy day. Have fun

Braun

2.0, networking, marketing

OK Here goes some food for thought. Part will be my take on 2.0 world, part will be just a step back approach. I talk in blurts....so please excuse such random thoughts. Please don't take as negative, but more of a thought provoking ideas.

In the last couple of years we have really supercharged our approach and involvement with the world. Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Blogs, Websites, SEO, Google Keywords, Video's, Flickr...etc etc etc. All are pretty much free in terms of cash dollars. Any new thing comes up that we can utilize and we immediately think....WILL THIS BOOST MY AUDIENCE AND SEO ON THE LOCATION LIST?

I believe in all these approaches and efforts. The bar has been raised at what it takes to run with the big dogs. But is this turning into a popularity contest? Chase Jarvis can pretty much go to any company and show them his google analytics...and get a truck load of whatever just to flash for a second on his video blogs. RIGHT? I'm a huge fan of Chase.

Power will and forever be in numbers. Everybody wants Jordan's shoes so they can dunk like Mike.

Flickr is a huge online resource. Hobby and McNally have educated everybody so damn fast that the bar is flown out the damn window. I LOVE IT. I've heard it takes 2 years to learn what it took used to take 30. Technically I completely agree. But Instinct develops over time and experiences.

"It's not who you are, it's who you know" is still king these days. I've never heard of my jet clients looking for a photographer online. My friends at The Richard Group and The Marketing Arm, young people, still say that meeting somebody face to face (and having great shots) is crucial. People want to know how this photographer is going to mix with my client they are sending them out with.

This is coming from a young photographer that has made money just from the web. In one case key wording photo's on flickr put me in contact with an architect in Japan!

A great businessman told me to remember to not confuse busy with productive. The difference is one lets you collect a check.

A question I want us to ask ourselves. Are we working at being the best photographer, best marketer, or best networker (there is a difference). I know not always do "the best skilled" gets the job...but the better businessmen. YET, I think there should be a balance. There is no replacement for quality work.

I see all of us going crazy to keep up with the other, reminds me of the 50 kids in starbucks trying to be punk rockers....dress like us, talk like us...and you'll be different. lol.

We can't forget to shine.

So here's the point. Are we selling to other photographers...or clients that need our skills? Both is a completely fine answer.

We've changed the way certain people can find us....which is great....the problem is we are a few (or more) clicks away from others as well. Don't forget to bring it.

Let me know if I'm off my rocker. Lookin forward to meeting you.

Braun

BIG FISH FILMS

Recently I had the opportunity to do some cool staff photo's for a client and good friends of mine, Big Fish Films. It's always great to have clients that have a cool sense of humor and open mind to try some new things.

Besides being a great group of people, everybody is extremely talented in their own areas. Over the past several projects we have really had fun building camaraderie working on various locations.


This was one of the funniest things on the shoot. This image (above) was comprised of 2 shots of Chris, 1 of him showing excellent form of a flying dragon kick. The other was an somersault gone wrong....I just turned him up. We didn't shoot these with this image in mind. But sometimes you never know what you will get. Remember you can shoot to make interesting ingredients for larger visuals. haha.


Set Up shot below: I used 2 9 foot white paper rolls, slightly overlapped. lighting/strobist: 2 AB1600's through large softboxes as rims for backlights on the guys. 2 Ab1600's through large octabox's left and right of the camera as fill to light the front of the hooligans. 2 Bare 1600's (with reflectors) on the backdrop. crank them higher than the others so it blows out the white paper.

Since we were in town, Patton declared he would come as well. He is pretty good at keeping everybody's spirits up

Definitely check them out if you get a chance. Amazing work.

Keep the faith!

Braun..and Patton

Saving lives, Tilt Shift Style

OK I know I have posted a few of these tilt shift time lapse videos. But this one is really great. It comes with a story!! (kindv) .... I loved it


Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Braun
Dallas Photography

Worldwide Encouraging Music Collaboration

From the award-winning documentary, “Playing For Change: Peace Through Music”, comes the first of many “songs around the world” being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it traveled the globe.


One Love - Song Around The World from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

Braun
Dallas Based Photography

In search of a studio, In search of credibility

For the past 3 months I have been dwelling seriously on the idea of investing in a studio. In quite the unaccommodating economy and the thousand other reasons to argue with myself. But as Momma used to say, Fear is not Faith. SOOO I decided to go through with such a professional gesture. Choices, decisions, options come rushing on like a Texas Football team storms the field. Here's a few:
-How Big?
-How many sq ft do I need?
-What things should I have the option to shoot?
Cars - High Ceilings, respectable space, and of course a really big door
Food - a chunk of a kitchen and preparation space
Models - Shower, Makeup, and Hair space
ETC ETC ETC

So I look at great photographer's studios. I've been in a few as well. They come in all shapes and sizes. But for clients to spend a chunk of money requires a chunk of trust. Meaning...Great photographs ain't enough. ;) Besides the shot potential a studio gives, a studio to a photographer means credibility. Even though you may shoot 99.999% on location, like I do, a studio says I'm legit. I'm not saying every successful HAS to have a studio, but it can't hurt.

I'll continue posting my search. Check out a few of these really sweet studios...as you can see, all shapes and sizes.


Jackanory Studio Visit: 1RN from andrew hetherington on Vimeo.

Keep Shooting!

Braun
Dallas Photography

DANG! Athletes have skills!

-Braun
Dallased Based Photography

The J. Walkers!!!

By complete randomness I got hooked up with these wicked talented gents. THE J. WALKERS! When their cool friend, and talented model Amy Lynn Brown told me that they had a cool location in mind, honestly I wasn't expecting much. So we set out! Everybody grabbed some gear and off we went. (their 25 roadies happened to have a union mandatory vacation day)

Lesson learned! We showed up at this awesome abandoned penitentiary and I was practically watering at the mouth to check this place out. Check out the pano below.



Klint showing us his mad rodeo skills....and fun personality.

Before shot of the location we shot them jumping at me. We used a 3 light set up. 2 bare ab1600's as rims (as you can see) and behind the camera was another ab1600 through a large octabox to light the front of the guys.

This shot will be used for their album cover! So cool! The guys were great. We must have done 25 or 30 jumps. If you really want to die laughing you should come hang and I'll show you the different takes. So many priceless faces and expressions.

The place was filled with huge abandoned rooms like this

Seriously, we kept looking up at the roofs to make sure they weren't coming down on our heads!

So we are shooting outside and the guys keep chunking rocks at the building next to us. Being the oldest of 3 boys I was in familiar territory. So what the hell, "Hey lets shoot ya'll blasting that building with rocks" Like kids in a candy store, they went at it. Turned out some of favorite shots of the guys. Brought out their personalities. Boys will be boys....always.


HUGE Thanks for my runnin buddy Gerry. As always you make every shoot a success bro!

Keep Shooting. Check out the guys.

Braun
Dallas Based Commercial Photography