The picture right appeared on the cover of the September 2008 issue of Shopping Centers Today, an international tabloid-size trade magazine. The location of the shot is the rooftop of a shopping mall, currently under construction in Santa Monica, California. The men pictured are top executives from 3 different shopping centers in Southern California.

 

There was no electricity available at the construction site, and I knew there would be harsh shadows on the men’s faces in the mid-day sun. I decided to bring my 1,500 watt second battery powered studio lighting system to overcome the shadows caused by the hard hats. This system is totally portable, and can deliver light 3 times more powerful than the sun in any outdoor or remote environment.

 

The next challenge was getting the expressions I needed from the subjects. I told them jokes, gave them sexually charged funny phrases to say, and let them relax and make up their own poses.  The second shot shown was used in the inside spread of the magazine, and I shot it when they were not expecting it while one of the subjects was on a phone call. The Art Director of the magazine was very happy with the work, and the layout of the image allowed lots of blue sky for their masthead.