Uncle Eddies Cookies: live action.

After spending a good amount of time shooting high-speed short commercial clips of assorted chocolate chip cookie scenes, we just couldn't help but turn into true cookie monsters. All in good, messy fun though... Imstepf sought out a couple of models who didn't mind getting down and dirty for the day. The concept involved having the basic ingredients of chocolate chip cookies literally being chucked at a girl's face from all directions. Of coarse, this all just looks so sweet utilizing a super duper high speed camera that could capture every grain of flour rebounding off our model in mid-air. Other ingredients that were thrown at the models included chocolate chips, oats, and..yes..even a generous bowl of syrup. What can we say, food.. and everything that goes into it..is our forte.

Fish and Fruit a Dole Party

Who could think fish and fruit fit together?

Well the diet dictocrats have alot to say about fruit and mixing it with anything other than itself.

A whole lot of segregation issues. They have bookloads to say on the topic of 'food combining" with fruit.

Nutrition trivia aside,

we found

ourselves spending hot summer days with our fruity friends at DOLE.

HQ was leading this one on setting the market a blaze for the mega fruit empire.

We called on Susan Kucera, our star fish food stylist to lead the way on this project.

The results were no less than stunning, fresh,

light, refreshing and exhilarating for our collaborating Art Directors, and Marketing managers alike.

IMSTEPF's new member: Intern Cristen Geller!

Recently graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography, Miss Cristen Geller couldn't be any happier to have found an internship that suits her perfectly. She a visual artist with a hunger to express her creative soul. Cristen navigated herself into the foodie village of IMSTEPF studios. Cristen expresses a passion for food photography and food culture. In addition she has a great desire to learn, grow,expand her knowledge and experience the business of food photography. Her interest in FOOD, photography, the business,the work, the aspects of shooting, producing, planning, researching, and shooting are some of the things she participates in on a daily basis. Cristen shows great promise in becoming a cohesive and collaborative member of the ever evolving IMSTEPF crew. Born on the east coast, Miss Cristen then eventually moved to Saudi Arabia, for almost a whole decade. She currently resides in the incredible city of Angeles. Imstepf Studios is her current nest. WE are her LA family: a village of creatives and collaborators who she shares yummy treats. Together WE toast to all the sumptuousness of shooting, living, love, and laughs. Hats off to Miss Cristen!

Syrup: Blue Syrup is cool, but is it edible

Blue syrup seduces the creative eye. Well actually its blue soap. This steely blue magic acts like syrup, plays like syrup.. in fact its a good cousin to syrup in texture and viscosity. It gets a bit more bubbly.. as in bath bubbles. It looks so freaking cool-- Technical for cool blue tones/hues; and blown out highlights. This way of shooting does not adhere to conventional definitions of commercial advertising. OOps.. hey let's invent our own rules... let those corporate square pants envy creative ones like us. They can drool over the freedoms of the artist struggle: like the unknown;an inconsistent existence of a working artist -whatever that means-- the endless late nights obsessing over ways of seeing something, or interpreting it, telling a story in your own voice.. not keeping all your ducks in a row! .... ya.. those square pants corporate yahoos,,, can chew on that one, while they enjoy keeping to their calendars!

Syrup: The Journey Continues

The sticky stuff: syrup continues to amaze the eye. It's never the same. Never still, with every movement you see the unlimited possibility of showing such a simple subject in so many ways. Then there is the idea that if you want put it on the reel, it has to be practical. As in how does this apply to the market,, the commercial world. How does an art director see the potential in an abstract shot of syrup. Well maybe an AD can see it but clients, can be very block headed and not see the forest beyond the trees. "They" say .... bla bla.. this is what works.. that is what works.. works for what!?..the reel, the client, the buying audience,, the who? Do we shoot to catch fish, or express ourselves? What about just shooting what you love.. and not worrying about marketing... How about the idea of " build it and they will come?" WE could get lost for weeks generating the coolest shots of high speed... syrup pours over pancakes,,, waffles,,, suspended fantasies of endless worlds withing worlds... Shoot it, and they will come.

Syrup: A Visual Journey through the Sticky Stuff

Syrup is a beautiful viscous substance up close and personal. Drippy drop shots are dutched, and scooped down low, on the high.. macro up close wett gooey oohhhweeey. Point is.. this stuff in the RED camera is an obsession that could last a while. Hours, days, weeks,,, months?… Well, we don’t really want to go that far. Practical is important.. like how about something for the reel, the website,,, the client to drool over. That is another spot. We spent the month counting the virtues of oil, how to light the stuff, on black, white, low light, back light.. under light.. perspective a-z , and surfaces unlimited. Very moody, subtle and requires the patience of a saint. Don’t get that stuff on the camera!!!

10 Days Looking

10 days is a personal project seeking, looking, and lingering in places, and spaces.

Shooting for clients and “working for clients”all the time has a way of getting in the way of SEEing

Feeling makes the way to see again. Coloring outside the lines; following instinct over structure can

be a liberating relief… below is a view into that process.