Brook Pifer, photographer, director, animal lover and a day dream believer

BEHIND THE LENS: Photo Shoot Master Mix

2009-09-24T09:19:00.004-04:00

BEHIND THE LENS: Photo Shoot Master Mix from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: Jay-Z, Blueprint 3)

Yesterday I had a meeting with a nuclear guy/director/friend, David Bermejo. We talked shop, talked passion, talked what it takes to make it in this crazy business we're in. One of the things we kept coming back to is doing what we love and making sure we have a good time doing it.

One thing that is crucial to any set I'm on be it still or video, I want to make sure my client is having a good, NO, GREAT TIME. Its very simple really, good vibes, good times, great attitude, all that does go into making an amazing image or video. When everyone is feeding of each others energy the creativity really comes naturally.

Joan Red

2009-09-14T09:42:00.005-04:00

BEHIND THE LENS: Joan Red from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: aerosmith, doors cover of love me two times)

Did anyone else have this problem with the new iTunes....after the update it can't locate 30% of my music library. Yes the songs are there and its making me locate each "missing" song individually. Not a problem but I have over 50+ gigs of music. Very annoying. Maybe one of my interns won't find this as tedious as I do. Or if they do I can reward/bribe them...

Much to get accomplished this week. Be sure to check out Joan Red, they are some pretty rad guys.

Later peeps!

Personal work....smallville

2009-09-03T14:45:00.002-04:00

Small Town from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

I grew up in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. Fortunately my career allows me the opportunity to travel but I have yet to discover a place as charming and quirky as the areas located within Mercer County. The more I think about my roots the more I realize how out of touch much of America is with small town life. Once a thriving economy thanks to steel mill plants, Mercer County has undergone many changes. But the silver lining behind it all remains, core mom and pop attractions are still able to thrive thanks to their unique offerings. My hope is this book will inspire you to take a vacation that is a bit off the beaten path.

You can buy this book on blurb.

SPECIAL THANKS:
I'd like to give a very warm thank you to Laura at Tara, Connie at Daffin's and Peggy at The Winner. Without your willingness and hospitality this book would not be possible. Thank you for sharing. And Connie, thanks for the amazing chocolate!

FYI:
When I have some down time (is there such a thing), I'm going to put up some video footage I filmed while working on this project. You just have to see some of these places in action, especially the feeding of the fish.

Monet Monico on MTV P. Diddy's STARMAKER

2009-08-31T08:57:00.010-04:00

Monet Monico on MTV P.Diddy's Starmaker from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

photo shoot with Disney supa star, MONET from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: Bjork on this fine monday)

It feels great to see friends/clients you adore succeed. Case in point, Monet! Thanks to MTV you can watch her rock out on P. Diddy's STARMAKER.

In last weeks episode she was voted #1 with her rendition of Katy Perry's Hot N Cold. My crew and I have been lucky enough to hear her in person because she randomly sings on every shoot we've had together...and yes, she's got amazing pipes. Combine her talent with the charm and class bestowed upon her, thanks to her down to earth parents, and a Star is Born.

FYI - the first video contains never before seen images from one of our many shoots together. The second video is from our shoot at the roller rink. Stay tuned for many more shoots that have yet to be blogged about, more rockstars and some personal projects too. Happy Monday everyone!

Sparks the Rescue

2009-08-24T09:10:00.002-04:00

BEHIND THE LENS: Sparks the Rescue for Fearless Records from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

At MCO, heading to PIT for a week of work...as usual check twitter and tumblr for updates. Peace out!

So this is pretty neato, thanks PDN

2009-08-18T16:30:00.007-04:00

Lip Dub - Don't Stop Believing by Journey from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.
(itunes: sparks the rescue, entire cd)
I never enter things like this, never ever. But my studio manager, producer and friend Michelle Marconi gives me a hard time when each contest rolls around. So I caved to her suggestion and VIOLA! This video has been selected into PDN’s Self Promotion Awards, category: Digital Self-Promotions. It will appear in the 2009 October issue as well as online at pdnonline.com Thanks to the many music makers and rock-n-rollers that participated. And Michelle, thanks for believing, hold on to that feeling...street lights, people.....

View the youtube version here.

Boston + Salem this week

2009-08-14T10:18:00.001-04:00

Working on location all week, all of August totally booked with shoots, if the postings here get a little sparse check the goings on here:

Tumblr

Twitter

Youtube

Music Videos, yeah we do that too!

2009-07-31T16:17:00.003-04:00

BEHIND THE LENS: Million Year Echo from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes, off)

The lack of photography related posts this month can be directly attributed to the fact that we have been filming and producing a few videos. Soon to be shared with you lovely peeps. Here's some behind the scenes to tide you over.

Peace out-

I need an emotional Heimlich.

2009-07-27T15:44:00.003-04:00

(itunes: johnny cash and june carter)

Is it really the END of July. Man I remember time would pass by so slow when I was a child. Now my days are filled with work, love, cycling, yoga, cameras, pug, phone calls, emails, oh my...I really don't know where this post is going but allow me to recap this month.

If you do something you love, when you wake up every day, even if its your own stress, your own workload, your own life you can feel great about grinding away. Earlier this month I was in New York filming a RAD music video for Universal, the group, Million Year Echo.

When I got back into town I went straight into prepping a mini documentary/advertorial style for women's surf/skate company BellaSol. That was filmed last week. I learned how to spot dolphins and sharks in the water. Kudos to the surfers who have the balls to do what they love at New Symrna Beach. Swimming is a long lost love of mine but I'm seriously re-thinking wether or not to enter the ocean near the shark capital of the world.

To top it all off I had a shoot with Tony Little.. What a neat guy, and I have loads of video from that shoot also.

Yes, I swear I'll catch everyone up soon. But if I go back to NY on Friday it might be a while...fingers crossed...

Oh, yeah, hope you dig this photo of HAYES. It feels kinda subtle but magical somehow....I don't know, what do you think?

John Frank and his Fast Car

2009-07-08T08:34:00.001-04:00

Behind the Lens: JOHN FRANK from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: missy elliot, son of a gun)

Shooting NYC, very busy, but low and behold time to blog. Check out the video for a little inside joke regarding a Coke Zero plug. View the youtube version here.

While I'm filming in New York you can keep up with all the shenanigans via a host of wholesome online goodness, take your pick:

Tumblr

Twitter

Youtube

Sam Cook + Stevie Wonder = Jasper Sawyer

2009-06-29T10:40:00.001-04:00

Behind the Lens: JASPER SAWYER from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: Velvet Revolver, big machine)
This kid is so talented and such a sweetheart. Watch the video and enjoy a small sampling of his music. View the youtube version here.

And on a side note, how fast is this year going for you? I swear Christmas was a week ago. Pretty sure July will fly by too. 3 video shoots this month, one in NYC next week. I'm going to be updating my Tumblr on daily basis while working up there. Might even set up a video diary on Vimeo. We have access to some pretty sick locations so it might be fun to share. Have a great week everyone!

Yes the lightning is REAL.

2009-06-22T17:59:00.003-04:00

Behind the Lens: BRIE from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: tokyo police club, cheer it on)

How many photographers have the exact moment they captured lightning on video? I do. Check out the footage from our shoot for Brie and you will hear my exact reaction. Its quite embarrassing, loud and not very feminine, but its real, just like the lightning. Keep in mind I wasn't shooting with my shutter left open, I was shooting at 1/125th of a second. Skills, luck, maybe both but holy crap does it make the shot come alive. Everyone who was there for that moment knew what we created and the energy was electric (pun intended). View the youtube version here.

Half Ton of Props on Orange Avenue

2009-06-16T09:43:00.006-04:00

Behind the Lens: ORANGE AVENUE from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: nature boy, primus)

Vimeo giving you trouble, check out behind the scenes video on YouTube.

And yes, we really did have a HALF TON of props in the studio for our shoot with Orange Avenue. It looks so empty now I kinda miss all the dead tvs.

Lip Dub - Don't Stop Believing by Journey

2009-06-02T08:11:00.008-04:00

Lip Dub - Don't Stop Believing by Journey from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.
(itunes: don't trust me, 3OH!3)
No real planning went into this other than the fact that we all wanted to test out the HD video recording of the Canon 5D Mark II. Thanks to the many music makers and rock-n-rollers that participated. And Michelle, don't you stop believing...

View the youtube version here.

FYI, if playback is too slow, turn off the HD viewing button (roll over video on upper right side). If standard definition is too slow then your internet just can't hack the awesomeness of Journey.

Faces of Florida Music Festival...FMF

2009-05-26T14:13:00.008-04:00

Brook Pifer Behind the Lens: FMF 2009 from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

During FMF I had the privilege of meeting and shooting over 250 bands. Say that's an average of 4 people per band, 1000 faces. And here are the images. What a freaking amazing time we had. It felt a little like boot camp, pure adrenaline, outrageous and exhausting all at the same time.

Sometimes I had less than a minute with each person. I equate that to boot camp because it took massive amounts of energy, focus and mental stamina to make complete strangers comfortable in such a short time. They had to trust me fast enough for me to create amazing portraits. Holy crow it was a battalion of fun.

Adrenaline, well I had my very bodacious crew and A-list assistant Michelle with me keeping the traffic flowing. I can't tell you how many times I was neck deep in shooting but I knew she was taking care of all the musicians, making sure they weren't bored, carrying on stimulating conversations and supervising everything in general. Everything ran so smooth because of her and I was able to focus and connect with each person to produce the work you see here.

Outrageous, did I happen to mention that not only did I shoot people but I filmed them with the Canon 5D Mark II lip singing to Don't Stop Believing by Journey. The music video is in editing right now and I have one word, AWESOME.

Not only was I working during FMF but then I just had to go check out the bands at night. Four days with no sleep, you do the math. All in all it was so worth it. The photos, the new friends, reconnecting with old ones, good times to say the least. If you like what you see here check out my website for a larger collection of the faces from FMF.

Coming soon, the debut of the Journey video. Steve Perry, you rock!

BellaSol + Summertime

2009-05-19T09:24:00.003-04:00

Behind the Lens: BELLASOL from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: off, listening to NPR)

Summer arrived the day of the BellaSol shoot, very fitting if I do say so myself. BellaSol is a surf+skate apparel company. Our models were real troopers though and as for the crew, ah yeah, we are used to shooting in all climates. To all my Orlando friends, how are you liking the next 4 days of straight rain? Need an arc? I met a guy named Noah recently, maybe he can steer.

On an unrelated side note, Wolverine was good, Star Trek was better and I'm not even an aficionado of all things Enterprise. I'm going to see Terminator and Angels & Demons this week. Looking forward to Transformers, Up and Harry Potter. Summer movie season is in full effect!

Shut up and Dance

2009-05-06T14:14:00.002-04:00

Behind the Lens: SHUT UP AND DANCE from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.

(itunes: jefferson airplane, third week in the chelsea)

Can you make complete strangers comfortable in front of the lens? You need to if you plan to shoot people. Case in point, my amazing shoot with Shut Up and Dance. Due to each of us having busy schedules we didn't have the luxury of meeting prior to the shoot. No problem, its my job to form a bond with clients so they can open up, have a fun time and in the process make some genuine moments.

As an added bonus, Joey from SUAD was so kind to do a mini tour of my studio a la MTV Cribs style. Check out the video for a hilarious look into the inner workings of Penthouse Studios.

Random Funny Email of the Month

2009-04-28T15:03:00.002-04:00

(itunes: wild horses by rolling stones)

Kung Fu & Tatas - The Movie

2009-04-24T14:09:00.006-04:00

Behind the Lens: Kung Fu and TaTas from Brook Pifer on Vimeo.
(itunes: the lonely shepherd, zamfir)
Holy hotness! Need I say more? Well I'm up to 12 shots of espresso today so pardon my chattiness.

Part of being a photographer is rolling with the punches, high kicks and general smack downs a production can throw your way. Yes, pun intended. Originally the plan was to shoot our models in the logo tank for the movie. Easy peasy right? The morning of the shoot I get a call from one of the producers that they want to add to the shot list, a kung fu look, army fatigues and cute/sexy girl next door pajamas. All of which relates to the script. Rather than panic because at this point I'm an hour away from call time I tell the producer no problem, got it covered. Problem solve, call a wardrobe stylist, girl friends who like halloween, anything to get the job done and VIOLA! Not the most glam I know but its my job to make it happen.

On a sidenote, but still related, I did contribute the army boots. Hey Dad, do they look familiar? These are the boots I bought when I was back in high school circa 1992. The look on my poor father's face when he first saw me in them was priceless. I then got a nice lecture on how girls aren't supposed to wear combat boots, especially with dresses. Needless to say, my stellar fashion sense and sentimental value for these boots came in handy for this shoot. So Dad, are you cracking up yet :)

NPR Dish

2009-04-21T11:10:00.002-04:00

(itunes: once soundtrack)
Last summer my crew and I got to shoot a cool two man band called Dish. Turns out Dish made it onto one of my fave media outlets in the world, NPR. Thanks for sending the link @shortformelissa.

A Day in the Life of a Photographer

2009-04-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

A Day in the Life of a Photographer, commentary by Brook Pifer from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Brian Vega, the Rainmaker

2009-04-07T11:40:00.003-04:00

Brook Pifer: Photo shoot with Briana Vega from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: tale as old as time, beauty and the beast soundtrack)

Busy bee...buzzz...

SHO Foundation and how you can help

2009-03-24T08:10:00.002-04:00

SHO Foundation Workshop at Digital U from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
If you need yet another distraction, another bookmark or just want to see what goes on in my personal life, check out Tumblr. You can see some of the behind the scenes action from yesterday's shoot with the SHO Foundation and Digital U. We hung out with 4th, 5th and 6th graders all day, showed them what a real photo shoot is like, had spontaneous singing, lots of hugs and high fives.

Many of these kids have never had a professional photo taken, not even school portraits. Once a year a school portrait photographer will come in and literally say "who has money for photos?" These kids live in and around the Paramore area. For those of you not familiar with Orlando, Paramore has more murders per year than Harlem NYC. And yes, the area has a big gang problem. Top that off with school art programs being cut, where is the outlet to express yourself?

Digital U is a great educational outlet giving these kids real world tangible skills with computers, Photoshop, video editing, music mixing and creative writing. Thanks to Traci at Digital U, we were able to partner with them and put on our first workshop. I will share photos very soon.

In the meantime, mark your calendar for Friday 4/10, 7-11pm. The SHO Foundation (Simply Helping Others) will be putting on a fundraising event at my studio. $5 donation/cover charge at the door gets you an open bar, catering by Black Bean Deli, local artists exhibiting, DJs who are certain to keep your toes tapping and many other cool little tidbits....again, details soon.

www.shofoundation.org

SHO Foundation on Facebook

twitter.com/shofoundation

Poetic Rage Clothing Company

2009-03-09T11:28:00.007-04:00

(itunes: jenny lewis, handle me with care)

Holy crow was this a fun shoot. Great client, Patricc Reed the mastermind behind Poetic Rage, cool models and as always rad production crew. This post deserves more than just this little blip so please check out the behind the scenes video for the low-down on this show-down.

Romeo + Juliet

2009-03-04T09:53:00.007-05:00

Brook Pifer: Photoshoot with Romeo + Juliet from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

This was shot in Brooklyn NY at an awesome studio called 3rd Ward. One thing about my Orlando studio that I dig is how high the ceilings are, amazing natural light, sexy floors. 3rd Ward is a little bit of home in my second home. Another charming factor about 3rd Ward is the membership they offer to photographers. Ranging from $35-$300 a month you can shoot in this rad studio. In Orlando the photography community doesn't have a resource like this. I think I'm gonna change that, very soon.

Video...I don't know why Vimeo is being retarded, the video does exist, until they fix the bug, go here to watch the lovely ladies of Romeo and Juliet: http://vimeo.com/3469390

Vacation Over

2009-03-02T10:18:00.004-05:00

(ipod: bjork mix)

Currently at LAX airport and very thankful I'm not feeling any jet-lag from my red-eye flight. I've been on vacation. That's right, vacation. The Big Island of Hawaii. Stayed in Kona, frolicked on black sand beaches, boogie boarding, major hiking up and down a 25% grade hill. I'm naturally pale so my tan would be "color" to most people. I think I look strange with a tan.

I met up with Kareem Black when I was in NYC in Feb. Asked him if he's ever taken a vacation. Yes he travels a lot for work, but not an official vacation. I get it. Heck I went 8 years without a vacation and it took me getting married to actually take time off. But since getting hitched 4 years ago, Mat and I make a point to set aside a measly 7 days once a year.

And yes, its very fracking hard to step away from the business side of things. Business always becons so we both bring laptops, wireless card, iphones, etc. I can still get business done and God knows I had to this time. But all in all, vacations are good for the soul. They refresh you mentally, creatively...yep, on this vacation I thought of a couple personal projects I want to embark on once I get back.

Moral of the story, stop and smell the flowers. Work will be there when you get back. Life will be there when you get back. You owe it to yourself to take some personal time and enjoy what surrounds you.

PS - photo shoots and videos from shoots coming this week...stay tuned!

Christian Wilson Rock-n-Roll

2009-02-18T08:14:00.000-05:00

Brook Pifer: Photoshoot with Christian Wilson from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Meet Christian Wilson, of Christian Wilson and the Wayward. Great guy, so much fun to shoot and my dog liked him. Too busy to elaborate so just check out the video. Peace out hommies!

Join me in New York City

2009-02-10T05:25:00.002-05:00

I'm in NYC over the next week and a half. Burr be dammed! I have a couple shoots and work related meetings setup. In between that, hang time with amigos. Join me in the city via daily photo blog postings on: http://brookpifer.tumblr.com

peace out-

Shooting Irrational

2009-02-05T05:43:00.002-05:00

Brook Pifer: Photoshoot with Irrational from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Very busy....but...
Check out the band Irrational here.

There is no I in TEAM, Football or Photography

2009-02-02T08:14:00.004-05:00

(itunes: here we go, Pittsburgh Steelers, updated version)
Still reveling in the history making Superbowl game last night. I've been sitting on these portraits of my Dad for 7 months now. Waiting for the day after the big game to either celebrate The Pittsburgh Steelers or to talk about how you love a team no matter what. I'm glad I'm celebrating.

But if you really think about it, is there such a thing as an MVP? Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking anything away from Santonio Holmes and his game winning catch, but football is a team sport. Big Ben is able to make the stunning plays he does thanks to his protection. Let's not forget about defense too. Then you have the coaches, coordinators, the owners...such a trusting, tight knit group striving for one goal.

Not unlike a photoshoot. Hear me out.

You could argue that a photographer is like a quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger, Terry Bradshaw). We do a lot of work, get a lot of credit, take the heat if something fraks up, but certainly we have people around us that help us get the job done, help us win the game, help us create brilliance.

Stylists, hair, makeup, wardrobe, they would have to be wide receivers (Santonio Holmes, Heinz Ward, Lynn Swann). Finess plays, attention to detail, keeping both feet inbounds, going that extra mile to make something magical.

Assistants, I'm thinking they are the Safety (ie. Troy Polamalu). They are intregral players, smooth running, spot problems before they happen and make the life of the offence/photographer much easier.

Business manager, rep, agent, whatever...head coach (Noll, Cowher, Tomlin). They help you get to where you need to go, can make your life easier, can make your life hell. All the while working with you to aid you in achieving your professional goals. In the words of Morpheus from The Matrix, these people can show you the door, but you must walk through it.

Team owners (Rooney) how about your significant other? Husband, wife, etc... With you through thick and thin, they are the ones that know your history, what you stand for and where you want to go.

Let's not forget the fans. Would we be the Client? Demanding perfection/victory. Knowing what our team is capable of. Or on the flip side, having faith in who we choose to shoot a campaign.

I am very grateful of the TEAM I have surrounding me. Any photographer that has a me, me, me attitude is full of crap, crap, crap.

Hopefully this makes sense because I'm writing this with very little sleep and a full plate of work. I'll be doing a couple shoots in NYC next week so there is a lot to do. Speaking of that...gotta run!

Yo Majesty vs Mother Nature

2009-01-28T13:04:00.000-05:00

Brook Pifer: Photo Shoot with Yo Majesty from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: hollywood undead, california)

What do you do when a shoot doesn't go as planned? ADAPT. En route to Tampa FL to shoot Yo Majesty I get an email (not a call) from their management saying there was a location change. Thanks to my trusty assistant Michelle for checking email on my iphone and successfully re-planning the route we made it there ahead of schedule.

Then en route to our shoot location it starts to thunderstorm. Not to fret. I decide we are still going to itty bitty Plant City corner store and shooting regardless. I think my do or die attitude to the shoot made mother nature hold off until we were wrapped. She, mother nature that is, knew full well a thunderstorm wasn't going to stop me and you know, I like the ominous vibe of the clouds.

How do you work around in-climate weather? I have tarps, I can shoot from within my SUV and there's something called back-up/indoor locations that work quite nice. But I didn't need to revert to my girls scout preparedness plans.

Uberfocus Interview

2009-01-26T13:09:00.003-05:00

If you speak Portuguese then you can read the interview here.

For my English speaking readers enjoy:

1) Let's start with the basics. What was your first camera?

Kodak 110 when I was in elementary school. Then I upgraded to a good old Polaroid in middle school. High school I was shooting with a Canon AE-1. Is that overkill, telling you about my first three cameras?

2) You are known for your bright, sharp portraits of rockstars. Would you say your favorite subjects are people? How did you discover that your 'path' in photography was to photograph people?

I've always loved shooting people, and I'm not even that violent. A little photographer humor there. Seriously though people can talk back, react, give back to me and I like having that energy on set. Its a very synergistic give and take. My path of shooting people happened upon me in a second semester portrait class. It was an intensive 8 week course, for the final we had to turn in 8-10 portraits. I went above and beyond, turning in over 100 different portraits. Shooting people became my crack. I couldn't get enough of it then and I still can't even to this day.

3) What is your camera now? Do you miss shooting film?

I shoot with Hasselblad cameras and lenses, Phase One digital backs and Canon 35mm digital system. I don't miss shooting film, handing it over to some lab and praying that they don't melt it. But I do miss experimenting with Polaroid processes.

4) As a commercial photographer, do you feel shooting digitally is a better option? What would you say about the still popular opinion that 'film is better'?

Commercially yes, digital works better for my clients. With uber tight deadlines, massive amounts of money invested in a production, my clients love knowing that when the shoot is in the can, it really was a success on all levels. That kind of piece of mind is priceless. I don't know many "film is better" people so I can't imagine that side of the debate.

5) Do you have a favorite lens when it comes to portraits?

Yes. The Hasselblad 50-110mm is very sexy.

6) How often would you say it's important to upgrade your equipment?

That depends on your niche and business plan. That's right I said business plan. If you don't have one, write one! With that being said, just take excellent care of what you do have and that will go a long way to extending the life of your gear. Anyone that knows me has seen firsthand how anal I am with my gear. The method behind my madness is rooted in not wanting to replace expensive equipment and invest my money into other areas of my business. Why spend thousands of dollars on lighting when I can put that towards marketing and personal work.

7) What was your most nerve-wracking photo shoot? We are talking complete disaster here.

The client will remain nameless, but I had to shoot this very crazy and very talented rap group. They just got signed to a major label and now had all this money for a big production. I remember having meetings with them and they were drinking, smoking, dealing and packing heat. They could care less that they just got a record deal, they lived this lifestyle and nothing was going to change that. It took all the fibers in my body to not throw in the towel and drop them as a client. But I'm stubborn and hate to give up. Then on shoot day one of them freaked out and wanted to back out. It's a rap group, not a solo artist so I had to convince them to put aside differences and show up. I vividly recall being on the phone in a screaming match with the member who didn't want to participate. Thankfully my not backing down and forcefully reminding them it would cost a lot more money to cancel and rebook a date made the shoot happen. I quickly grew a pair of brass balls dealing with all the senseless, petty drama, the in-fighting. I had to play referee, mediator and photographer on shoot day. That was fun! But when you're in this business its your job to get the shot, not frack it up and make the client happy. Despite all the stress surrounding the shoot, the group and the record label was ecstatic with the photographs. The moral of the story kiddies, keep your cool, stand up for yourself and make good pictures.

8) What was your most exciting photo shoot to do?

Shooting Akon. It was short notice, on location, lots of logistics to plan in less than 48 hours. Just so much excitement and energy surrounding it. Then on shoot day my amazing crew and I were in such a groove. We had 6 different setups ready for Akon's arrival. Yes, he was late but that's expected of any celebrity. He was super cool, did everything that I asked of him and thanked every member of my crew personally at the end of the shoot. Very classy guy in my book, despite his reputation. And he gave me a jacket he modeled for the shoot. Sorry, I'm not selling it kiddies, I actually wear it when I need to go out big pimpin' style.

9) Is there any type of photo shoot/project that you will flat out refuse to do?

Bar Mitzvahs and christenings.

10) Last but not least, what is your advice to those starting in the business?

Do some research and formulate a business and marketing plan. Setting goals is not enough. If it was just that easy every jofa with a digital camera would do what we do. Your plan may only be one page long, but it needs to be written down. Deep down inside we are artists. We create. The business side can really get in the way of achieving success. As important as the business side is, don't forget what drew you to photography in the first place. Keep that love of the medium alive by any means necessary. Create work you are proud of, talk to your peers, learn from those that inspire and never stop shooting.

Crisis in Hollywood

2009-01-19T14:15:00.010-05:00

Brook Pifer: Photo Shoot with Crisis in Hollywood from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

(itunes: people are strange, the doors)

The moments in between. Natural, fun, worth more than a cliche 1000 words. I pulled out my 35mm just to have a little ambient fun on my shoot with Crisis in Hollywood. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Hassy and Phase One system, but capturing the organic moments like this is just as exciting. The camera I hold doesn't matter so much as my inspiration, passion and observation. Waiting for, not forcing moments like this. Gosh, with all this fluffy verbiage you might think its that time of the month.

Actually you can blame it on the natural glow of happiness I have thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers winning the AFC championship game last night. Superbowl, Tampa...we have to get to work on rings for our other hand :)

And the winner is...

2009-01-13T10:22:00.006-05:00

(itunes: feist, how my heart behaves)
Rachel. She's the inaugural winner of Make Me a Rockstar contest. I typically shoot people who are used to having a camera pointed in there face, so imagine Rachel having to acclimate to an entire shoot production, people around, lights flashing. Actually she loved it. That was the point of the contest. To take a someone and turn them into a Rockstar for the day. Shot on location at Plush Studios the day was full of fun, cupcakes, dog slobber and an overload of girl talk. Maybe if I do another shoot contest I'll theme it Make Me a Porn Star. Thoughts anyone?

By the way, I was just kidding about that last part. Sorry Mum and Dad!

On a lighting note, the coloring you see here is done with lighting gels, not photoshop. Pretty cool what you can do with a light meter, gaffers tape and pink gels.

Shooting Senate

2009-01-05T13:48:00.005-05:00

Brook Pifer: Behind the Lens with SENATE from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: 5 years time by noah and the whale)

Senate is the latest band to sign with Fuel Records. Check out the video for an infectious, cardio charged song. I have some work in NYC this month but plan to make it back to Orlando in time to check out their show on January 24 at House of Blues. Senate, Trust Company...I'm thinking a great show to kick off 2009...

Your camera doesn't matter!

2008-12-29T14:41:00.005-05:00

(itunes: listening to indie pop rocks on soma fm)

What kind of camera do you shoot with? What lights to I need to be a photographer? Yadda, yadda, yadda. Guess what, your camera doesn't matter. Case in point, this was shot with a Samsung point-n-shoot. Want more proof. Check out my tumblr for loads of iphone photos.

Don't get me wrong, when I first got out of school I was so hung up on how the crap I was going to afford all this equipment? I had my wish list of what I was certain I needed to succeed. 11 years later, I have some of what's on that list, some of it I don't. And guess what, I think I've done pretty OK for not having every piece of gear I wanted. Point is when you're a techno-gaget-geek like me, that list never gets any shorter. But what you can take away from this is that your equipment doesn't make you a top notch shooter. Your VISION, PASSION and LOVE do!

In these tough economic times, don't make big equipment purchases. Instead put on your business cap and solve your problems another way. Do you have insurance? If not you should. With business insurance you can rent anything and everything related to your craft. Then you can put your hard earned dollars in the box under the bed, just incase the banks screw up even more.

Moral of the (true) story...if you want to be a photographer, by all means go for it! But letting a superficial obstacle like brands of cameras and lighting equipment get in the way of that shows you are short sighted. There is a solution to everything and to be a photographer, period, you have to be a problem solver (both on and off the court).

And yes Patrick, I know I'm evading your question so here it is: Hasselblad H camera, Hassy lenses, Phase One digital backs, Canon cameras and lenses, Profoto everything, I use Photogenic for spots of fill and color, Apple computers. Keep in mind when I first started out all I owned was a Canon AE-1 and Nikon N90s. No studio, no lights, no marketing plan, no assistants, no idea what it would take to make it. Today when I shoot, doesn't matter if its with my Hassy, my Canon or my iPhone, I still WANT to make a great picture.

Tis the season to check out BETH

2008-12-24T09:26:00.006-05:00

BROOK PIFER Photo Shoot with Beth from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: Elenor Rigby, The Beatles)

I really enjoy the music of Beth. You will too so check them out.

And on a completely unrelated side-note, well not that unrelated being that it is Christmas Eve... after 12 years of being together (4 of them married), the husband has foiled my Christmas plans. He has my gifts at his office and won't bring them home until tonight. He has finally learned that I will search out every nook and cranny for presents and that my diabolical self will go so far as to unwrap and rewrap. You know I lived with my parents for 18 years and they never seemed to pick up on that. Or if they did pick up on it they said "oh well" and conceited defeat.

I hope everyone has a nice what-ever-you-are-celebrating. Yeah, I could go with happy holidays but I'm so over that. Oh and may the force be with you, always!

Best of List, 2008

2008-12-22T09:46:00.005-05:00

(itunes: i've changed, ll cool j)
Wow what a year...and man did it fly by! Seems every mag I pick up this time of year has a best of list. Why not be a lemming and make my own. Enjoy, or don't enjoy, your call.

Best of List:

- Movie, Wall-E, original story, beautiful visuals and a social commentary on what lies ahead if we keep consuming useless shit (not just food but possessions too).

- Record by a Chick, Katy Perry, One of the Boys, just good new fashion fun.

- Record by a Dude, Kanye West, 808's and Heartbreak, can this man get any more original? God he kills me. I know Stephen Colbert wants to humble him but I say let Kanye be. But I wonder, do you think he is one step away from turning into a freak like Michael Jackson did? Oh I hope not.

- Book, Twilight. Tease all you want but I love to read. Team Edward - WHOO HOO!! Oh and for all you Twilight fans I know this book didn't come out this year but I just discovered it this year. So don't get your panties in a bunch.

- Meal, birthday dinner at the Melting Pot, original location, just a few weeks before it shut down. Lobster fondue, Wisconsin cheese trio, Ying Yang chocolate.

- Concert, Shiny Toy Guns at House of Blues. Yes, Kara we are the best fans ever and miss you dearly.

- Guilty Pleasure, Gossip Girl. I can't really justify it so make fun, I deserve it.

- Night on the town, Tyrone's showcase. After-party at Blue Martini with Nick, Emily and Cindy. Bottle service and our own private security guard. Wearing the Konvict jacket Akon gave me after the shoot. And being possessed by that same jacket so much so that I started rapping to people on the dance floor when Flashing Lights by Kanye West came on. The fun continued after that but I'm afraid I can't share anymore. My parents read this blog.

- Close Call, getting pulled over by a Scientologist dressed as a cop. Don't convert me please!

- Day, November 4, 2008. I went door to door for some last minute campaigning for Barack Obama. You could just feel the energy in the air. What an amazing night. All the phone calls and text messages I received from family and friends. We cheered, we cried, it was just awesome.

Yes, I'm alive

2008-12-18T18:56:00.002-05:00

Fearless Records 2009 Calender from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
In the meantime here's something to tide you over.

Decibel Mag Cover

2008-12-09T09:56:00.002-05:00

Decibel Mag Cover from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: kanye west, 808's and heartbreak)
Here's the finished cover. To read about the shoot go here.

Desolate Farmland and Emily Rose

2008-12-05T11:38:00.005-05:00

(itunes: live your life, T.I. featuring Rihanna)
On a recent excursion to the farm country of Maryland I discovered this song while sifting through all the Sirius XM radio stations. When my subscription runs out I don't plan to renew. I loved XM and their musical offerings were so much more diverse. There are a couple gems on Sirius now that they are merged, but not worth keeping around when my itunes library is pushing 10,000+ songs. I could go on and on about what stations I like and don't like but alas, I digress...

I know I've never posted anything like this on my blog, and that it doesn't really fit the subject matter here but I felt like sharing anyway. These were shot on a private farm in Maryland. Its really surreal being out there. I'm so used to the hustle, noise and bustle of city life that I forget from time to time what much of America is made up of. Small towns where everyone really does know your name (cue cheers theme song), homes on plots of land in the middle of nowhere, turkeys flying in front of your speeding SUV, dead dear on the side of road, winding roads with blind spots galore. If you want to check out some alternate photos from this trip, head over to tumblr and check out the post from 11/29, its about 2 pages deep and well worth the look.

And on a side note, thank you Ron Irizarry for recommending The Exorcism of Emily Rose on DVD. Mat and I watched it before heading to Maryland and consequently were spooked the entire time.

Conversations with the Homeless

2008-11-21T13:48:00.004-05:00

Conversations with the Homeless from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: blue foundation, eyes on fire)
Experiences like this really can humble a person. I know the photos and content are a departure from my usual work and posts, but my soul needed this. Please take the time to watch it.

Come to Third Thursday @ City Arts Factory

2008-11-19T20:30:00.002-05:00

(itunes: iron and wine, flightless bird, american mouth)

Ron Irizarry and his Grammy news

2008-11-17T11:37:00.006-05:00

Ron Irizarry photo shoot by Brook Pifer from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: twilight original motion picture soundtrack)
Forgive me for the plethora of Ron Irizarry photos. I just had a super hard time editing them and the first draft of this blog post was 20+ images. Overkill I know. But you know when inspiration strikes you gotta take advantage of it. After shooting Ron in the studio we decided to go play on location. It was truly a magical jaunt down an unassuming alley. Beautiful light, Ron playing his guitar, Lotus filming most of the footage you see here. Good times.

From good times to good news, Ron is on this year's GRAMMY BALLOT! CONGRATS!!! The song he did for the Luke Wilson movie, Henry Poole Is Here is officially in the running.

Donkey Balls

2008-11-10T19:53:00.003-05:00

photography, cupcakes, peeps, oh my! from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: hank williams, cool water)

You know how there is no shortage of wedding videos that suck donkey balls? Here's a company that gets it. Instead of boring, stand there and look at it footage, they make a mini to feature length movie about the entire day. They film it like a motion picture, creative shots, emotional and most importantly, it doesn't suck donkey balls.

Cannibal Corpse Cover Shoot

2008-11-05T12:39:00.004-05:00

Cover shoot with Cannibal Corpse for Decibel Magazine from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: michael knott, rocket and the bomb)
Busy bee...buzz...buzz...

The Maine and Every Avenue

2008-10-22T08:02:00.000-04:00

Fearless Records, The Maine from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Fearless Records, Every Avenue from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: keane, the lovers are loosing)

Part of being a photographer is the ability to pull together insurmountable resources on VERY short notice. Another aspect is adaptability when things don't go as planned. Recently I got to shoot two Fearless Records bands for a 2009 calendar they are putting out, and yes dear readers, resources and adaptability were key to the results you see here.

Thanks to Social Media I was able to not only use my resources but I was able to pool from a large network of friends, colleagues and complete strangers to secure a London style double decker bus (thx Michelle and Rainer). Would I use this method again, heck yes. The budget constraints and timeframe left me very few options but thanks to Twitter, Facebook and Myspace I got the job done. The double decker you see here is courtesy of Firkin Kegler.

Adaptability, thinking on your feet, backup plans, backups for the backup plans. You get the picture (pun intended). When you shoot rockstars and celebs you need to know one thing, you should always be on time, even if they never are. I know I'm a stickler for being on time for work but I never take it personal when a celebrity is running late. Its just part of the territory.

Here's my itinerary for the Fearless shoot, then I'll elaborate on some much needed quick thinking:

9am, load up at studio
10am, meet The Main @ House of Blues/HOB
11am, arrive at location for styling and setup
Noon, wrap, head back to HOB to meet Every Avenue
1pm, arrive at beach for setup
2pm, wrap beach shot and head back to HOB so Every Avenue could make it back to load in @3pm

This schedule may look tight but trust me, I've had way tougher, and wear them like a badge of honor (or at least a girl scout patch).

And now for the kink in the schedule, Every Avenue was running late. They had press that held them up and by the time they were done it was 2pm, the beach location is out of the question with the 3pm load in time. Fearless requested a beach shot for the theme of the month they were portraying. Michelle and Cassie get on the phone calling like they were voting for American Idol. I knew hotels would be out of the question and I needed a place where I could shoot for a few minutes, location permit be dammed. Thankfully I thought of a beach volleyball place where I could sneak a shot. My crew and I were prepared to beg, borrow and bribe any volleyball players with all the girly persuasions it would take if we had to clear them out. But as luck would have it, the place was deserted. We roll into this location around 2:21, the shoot was done by 2:30, just in time for the boys to make it to a HUGE House of Blues show with Mayday Parade and All Time Low.

So do you want some dirt on The Maine and Every Avenue? Then watch the video...

RAD Video

2008-10-13T06:37:00.006-04:00

RAD 10.10.08 from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: fix it, ryan adams)

They came. They saw. They drank. They rocked! Check out the video from a RAD night. And yes, I'm already planning the next one. If you want to exhibit, DJ or rock out hit me up.

Are you a rockstar?

2008-10-12T13:13:00.005-04:00

(itunes: off, playing some lightsource podcasts while working)

I frequent Seth Godin's blog and this afternoon while taking a break from editing photos I read this little diddy:

A bonus quote for a Sunday afternoon:

A rock star is not someone who takes the temperature, who gauges the marketplace before he creates his "art". A rock star is someone who needs to create and is willing to tolerate the haters along with the fans. He’s someone who incites controversy just by existing. That’s what we lost in the dash for cash. Unique voices. I’m not saying we haven’t ended up with some pleasant music, but it just hasn’t hit you in the gut, it’s the aural equivalent of Splenda, it might do the trick, but it’s not the real thing. The real thing grabs your attention, drives down deep into your heart and lodges itself there. A rock star doesn’t follow conventions, doesn’t go disco or add drum machines just because everybody else does. A rock star exists in his own unique space, and if you met him you probably wouldn’t like him. Because he tends to be self-focused to the point of being narcissistic. Because he cares. He needs to get his message out.

Dilemma: This is a quote from Bob Lefsetz (his blog is profane, direct and will make some people uncomfortable). Bob is, in fact, a rock star. But it's his blog, not yours, and you should only read it if you want to be provoked. And you shouldn't read it if it bothers you to read things online that you disagree with. Some people will be upset by Bob's blog, which means that they'll be upset by my quoting any part of it. At some point, though, the web comes down to bumping into things we might disagree with. That's my favorite part. It's where the learning happens.

In Violent Times

2008-10-08T19:40:00.004-04:00

photo shoot: in violent times from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: homecoming by hey monday)
Fun shoot. Deserves a lengthier post than this but I'm busy hanging art with some cool peeps. Please check out the video, its quite hilarious and pervy.

Keep it Dangerous Radio Interview

2008-10-01T18:00:00.000-04:00

(itunes: vampire weekend, a-punk)
I know this is late in coming but we finally got around to posting the audio from my Dangerous Lee interview. Its under 10 minutes and you can check it out here.

LFO Reunion...well I can't say but here's Devin Lima

2008-09-29T12:50:00.002-04:00

Hangin' With You, Devin Lima Shoot from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: the cranberries, no need to argue)
This record takes me back to college days, shitty boyfriends, underage drinking and student apartments that were lovingly referred to as agony center (as in Allegheny center). Wow can I digress faster than a pandering politician...

This is my second shoot with Devin Lima (formerly of mega million records sold boy band LFO and currently the front man of indie rock band Devin Lima and the Cadbury Diesel). How does one go from pop to rock...easy. Its called the love of music, creativity and if you knew him it would make perfect sense. Devin is chill, eclectic and his open mind can eloquently tackle any subject of conversation be it Metaphysics or music.

Now, if I were to tell you I was shooting in the Elvis Presley Graceland suite...what would come to mind? Gold, gaudy, excess, right? As you can see from these shots, that's not exactly what we got. This prime Hard Rock Hotel suite is quite huge but the design lacks the pizzazz you'd expect from The King. There were a few redeeming features, baby grand piano that is perfectly in tune, guest book with loads of celebrity signatures and the ultimate bathroom. The tub alone is bigger than most New York apartments. When you're a rockstar I guess you aren't supposed to bath alone. Hey, just because I'm a chick doesn't mean my mind can't be in the gutter every once in a while.

Celebrity Branding Who?

2008-09-21T17:12:00.006-04:00

Celebrity Branding You from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: loser by beck, now spangle by jimmy eat world)

Celebrity Branding You. It's a pretty rad book on how to brand yourself. Photographers don't always think they need to build a brand around their work. I couldn't disagree more. Making yourself accountable as a BRAND forces you to pay attention to every little detail and aspect of your business. There is a higher level of quality and creativity demanded of you as a brand. This is a very welcomed pressure that for me induces, for lack of a better work, a sort of high. Being on set, knowing what's expected and then going way beyond that to make clients uber happy. That to me is rock star. I equate it to going to a live show, putting on an amazing concert...bam the crowd is happy...but THEN you come back out for 3-5 encores. Who doesn't love a good encore?

Yo Nick, if you are reading this I'd like an autographed copy.

I'm on craigslist, guess I've really hit the big time.

2008-09-17T07:22:00.001-04:00

(itunes: devil's dance floor, flogging molly)
The wild wild west of ebay has struck again! Guess I better forward this referral to my designer. Ok, now back to editing photos from my shoot with a rockstar in the Elvis Presley Graceland suite. Will share very soon...

Jill Greenberg vs John McCain

2008-09-15T15:25:00.005-04:00

(itunes: hey porter, johnny cash)

I've been a fan of Jill Greenberg's work since the mid 1990s. This famed photog is no stranger to controversy and has recently created a firestorm over some John McCain photos. Despite this fallout, I still dig her work...but...

As a photographer, I would never betray a client's trust, be it the magazine I'm shooting for or the subject I'm capturing, regardless of how I personally felt about them. Have I shot people in the past I didn't agree with or personally like all that much, sure. Did I make great photographs for them, yes. Did I treat them with respect, yes. Its kinda like a doctors oath.

Seriously though, I doubt this will hurt her career, income or celebrity status. What can I say, the girl has balls!

Evok Advertising, the E! True Hollywood Story

2008-09-12T11:00:00.004-04:00

Evok Advertising, the E! True Hollywood Story from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: kmfdm, material girl, nope, just changes to scarborough fair by simon & garfunkel)

Like I said, I'm a music fan, not a critic. This is how I justify my all over the place listening habits.

For all you ad junkies out there, put down your copy of Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This, Purple Cow and CA to check out Orlando power house, Evok. I was granted unprecedented access to the inner workings of this award winning agency. Unprecedented I say!

Silly Email, Silly People

2008-09-09T18:00:00.004-04:00

(itunes: come together, the beatles)

Funny that this song should be playing when I receive this email. Honestly, I do have a dinner meeting with my "webmaster" and plan to tell him about this laughable email. I'll take this criticism because my goal with this website is to show off BIG, SEXY photos. Thanks to his Jedi skills, my website has won every major interactive design award on the plant. Hmmm...I think I'm gonna stick with his expertise on this. And that's my final answer.

The Soul in BellaSol

2008-09-02T14:21:00.004-04:00

photo shoot for BELLASOL from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: off, the daily show with john stewart is on in background)

NO WAY, I just watched one of the dudes from the daily show pick up Anderson Cooper from CNN and spin him around 360 degrees. Too funny...

Anyway...back to work. This shoot was for surfer wear company, BellaSol. I shoot bands and dudes mostly and let me say, love it. But when I actually get chicks in the studio...oh we turn into silly girls. Its like a slumber party doing the hair and makeup, munching on food, goofing off. That type of relaxed environment is critical to a shoot like this, especially when you are working with less experienced model. Actually having a comfortable environment is important in any shoot I do. Without a subject that trusts you and can relax in front of you, the photos will suffer.

This was a two light setup...one guess where they were? Yep, one behind model exuding the glow and one higher at camera center lighting the model. Miss Molly the model was lit with a Photoflex 5' octodome.

The client was blown away with the results and I am supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Awestruck and Alphabet Cereal

2008-08-26T10:59:00.002-04:00

Awestruck Photo Shoot from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: its not easy being green, kermit the frog )
Meet this lovely bunch of fellas, AWESTRUCK. There music is quite brilliant and if you check out the video you can hear what I mean.

Despite having a butt crack of dawn call time for everyone, the boys and my crew were in crazy fun moods. Heck...a couple people hadn't gone to bed from the night before. How rockstar is that?

Speaking of rockstar, I'm probably gonna ruin their rep by telling you how many laughs we had at the expense of pirate jokes, Nicky's blood and alphabet cereal. By the way, alphabet cereal does not contain all the letters to the alphabet.

Lastly, as you can see I got a little HD video going on thanks to the Samsung NV24HD. Its a pretty neat little camera for shooting casual point-n-shoot style. I like the 24mm lens and I'm pretty happy with the video quality for the price point of the camera. Its not a professional grade HD cam but it will do for documenting shoot shenanigans.

I love that word, shenanigans.

Not your mom's Corelle, meet Dish

2008-08-11T17:12:00.005-04:00

(itunes: shadow of the sun, audioslave)
Is there anyone under the age of 25 who gets this blog post title....didn't think so.

When a band like Dish comes along I feel very lucky to do the job I do. Not only were they a peach to shoot but I got hooked up with their upcoming cd...it's FANTASTIC! It kills me that bands like this exist. I mean that in a good way...a very good way. I could continue to gush about Dish but I think if I do I'll cross the line from consummate professional into psycho fan. I am a psycho fan about enough things in music and life...don't need another obsession.

Buy their record, support music that doesn't suck, you get the picture: myspace.com/dishtheband

47 Clothing...check it!

2008-08-01T11:02:00.008-04:00

(itunes: metro station, shake it)

FYI, the photos I shot for 47 are NOT on their website yet, but you can shop online.

fortysevenclothing.com

Girls just wanna have fun...

2008-07-31T07:52:00.004-04:00

(itunes: narrow your eyes, they might be giants)

This is long overdue...

First let me share something completely unrelated to this blog post (but my friends and family will get a kick out of this and probably roll their eyes at me for mentioning it again)...but I have fallen in love with something other than photography. Its the series of books about vampires written by Stephanie Meyer, starting with Twilight. And I am very relieved that I didn't fall in love with them years ago. I thought waiting for each Harry Potter book to come out was bad enough, waiting for an epic like this would have driven me mad I tell you...MAD! I can blame this obsession on a Client of mine who finally tipped me over the edge to give the books a try. Despite the awesome Entertainment Weekly cover story on the movie version of the books and the dreamy photo editorials that accompanied it, I still wasn't convinced. But my Client said something about the author publishing the first chapter of book 1 on her website written from another characters perspective....hmmm...intrigue. Ok, so despite the slammed work schedule I pushed myself to go an entire weekend without sleep to read the fracking books...all 3 of them. Right now I'm a very happy girl who truly enjoyed the story. I just hope when book 4, the final installment Breaking Dawn is released this weekend it has a happy ending...I'm a suck for that crap.

Anyhoo...this summer has just flown by! Recently I got to shoot this chick right here, Emily Stine. These images were shot on the set of her music video for GIRLS BOYS MAKE NOISE. I wish I could say more about the goings on but I'm sworn to secrecy...signed a contract in blood and everything. LOL...just a little vampire humor. Oh...I do need help....

Go buy Emily's music because she's what REAL ROCK and ROLL is all about. That is, if you can handle it. I know the recent (actually not so recent) inflection of boy bands who play instruments has you by a stranglehold (stranglehold by ted nugent...is an awesome song, oops, off topic again)...but let your ears hear something original and stimulating.

myspace.com/emilystine

Rena is moving on...

2008-07-14T17:29:00.006-04:00

Untitled from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: beck, gamma ray)

Dirty Chamber recording artist, Rena, is a doll. She's working on her debut release right now with some A-list producers. I wish I could drop names but I keep my promises and told them I would keep it on the DL. Rena and the CEO of Dirty Chamber, Felix were totally fun to work with. Can't wait for our next project together.

Check out the video. It was shot with a crappy little point and shoot camera (samsung nv10) and it died at the end of the shoot. I was so bummed out because the club I was shooting at the day after Rena's shoot would have been so cool to show you guys (and gals).

Ok, I'm audi 5000....

Henry Poole is Here - Ron WINS!

2008-07-12T14:13:00.004-04:00

Please vote for my friend and longtime client Ron. The song he and Joel Wild wrote for the movie is beautiful. You can vote once per day and voting ends on 7/14 so hurry up and support this very talented songwriter/singer:

http://www.myspace.com/henrypooleishere

UPDATE: he won!!! check out the video for a touching thank you from someone who really deserves all the success in the world.

http://www.myspace.com/ronirizarry

Gnome lovers and tales from the city, aka NYC...

2008-06-27T16:03:00.009-04:00

photo shoot with oh romeo from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(track 8 of mix cd #3 jillian made for me, wish i knew who it was because i love the song)
I'm feeling unexplainably chatty today so dig in for shit that only happens in the movies.

But before we get to that meet a lovely bunch of guys that took their clothes of for me...and I'm not even that type of photographer if you catch my drift. A bunch of gnome lovers they are, Oh Romeo just inked a record deal and what better way to commemorate their success with a photo shoot! Check the video and look for their debut dropping real soon. Big props to Cesar, Brad, Rob, Jason, Chris and Pierpong the gnome.

Now for some tales of the city. Not exactly what Armistead Maupin had in mind but entertaining regardless. You know how things can happen and you think to yourself, only in the movies. Well, at least I think that on occasion. I had that quintessential NY moment this past trip to the big apple. It all started while I was enjoying some "sex drugs and rocky road" rice pudding from Rice to Riches in Soho when I spotted THE GLITTER VAN. It was something out of the 1970s...100% of the exterior is decked out with glitter paint depicting various flying creatures, hearts, stripes, women. 1000 words couldn't describe the awesomeness of that van. Immediately I stop it in the middle of the street because I'm thinking what a rad shoot prop it would be. I give the owner my business card, I get his number and that's that....or so I thought...

The next day I hit up S.I.R. Studios with my good friends Emily and Patsy. We meet up with Beef who gives us the nickel tour. Apparently Madonna was just here and we just missed Jay-Z. He showed us Joan Jett's new custom Gibson and where she stores all her touring gear. It was cool to see that side of the music biz. From there we went to this groovy little bar called Bongos. Its pimped out in authentic 1940s furniture, glassware and decor. The owner is a real peach and again...can't wait to shoot in there.

While we're at Bongos the owner of the Glitter Van, Patrick rings us up for a night on the town. I had to work the next day so I knew this Cinderella would have to be home by midnight even if everyone else decided to party like its 1999. We meet up and get to ride in the Glitter Van itself. I was mortified because there are only 2 seats (driver and passenger)...YIKES no seatbelt! But then I felt a little better because the back of the van was covered in shag carpet...of the American flag. I-kid-you-not.

We pick up 3 of his amigos and I'm like wow...these people would so stick out in Orlando. I mean that as a compliment. The fashionable threesome is made up of Parker, a hot little sweetheart that reminds me of an Olsen twin, Raven, the dark and mysterious movie director and Hal, a white guy with a fro!

Immediately they break into pretentious conversation about having dinner at a place they can't get into. Dorsia from American Psycho comes to mind but I decide against that recommendation. The group settles on La Esquina...I don't even know if I'm spelling in right. Anyhoo, we park outside this very unassuming diner. Parker does the talking, apparently knows the code word and BAM, we are lead to a secret door that lead down a flight of stairs, though the kitchen and into another world of Old Mexico with a modern flare.

Margaritas all around! I check out the menu and delight washes over me because its my favorite...Mexican culinary delights. I order the quesedilla. But its no ordinary quesedilla, it has a fancy cheese that I can't pronounce and is priced around $15. I should have caught on when the regulars were ordering like 3 dishes each because the portion size is teeny. My fancy, shmacy (but very yummy) meal measured 3 inches. I-kid-you-not!

After dinner this chick-a-dee cashed in for the night. Emily's adventured continued at the Bushwick Country Club but that's her story to tell...not mine. One thing I will say is that she has a battle wound from the nights festivities...all thanks to the Glitter Van.

TTFN

Christian Siriano = Fierce = HRC

2008-06-10T17:31:00.005-04:00

photo shoot with project runway winner Christian Siriano from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: man by the yeah yeah yeahs)
I wish I had more time to tell you about this fierce, fabulous and fun shoot I had for the HRC/ Human Rights Campaign. I gotta type fast so forgive the typos. Bravo TV's Project Runway winner Christian Siriano designed the super hero fierce shirt...thats what the shoot was for. Also pictured are Shaun and Paul, two of the models from the tv show Janice Dickenson Modeling Agency. Their photo made the cut to be used on big billborads and transit ads in the San Francisco area...and they are going to press this week for it. There was also a news crew on hand during the shoot...can you say crazy busy day!

Need to kill some time? Watch the video for highlights such as Christian doing a perfect mid-air split in jeans, hot naked boys and a Madonna dance party. Oh, just kidding about the naked part, but they are nearly naked and oh so ripped!

Speaking of which, check out my website for not so buff guys in their undies (i heart you oh romeo)...blog post and video coming eventually. I'll be tied up in NYC over the next two weeks so time is tight, sleep is missed, but lovin' this life!

Thanks to all the people who were at the shoot, the models, the crew and the catering! Later alligator!

MTV covers my shoot with Sean Kingston

2008-06-03T11:08:00.007-04:00

Sean Kingston Magazine Cover from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Photo shoot with Sean Kingston and MTV from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

Emily Stine's New York Invasion

2008-05-28T17:42:00.004-04:00

photoshoot with rockstar EMILY STINE from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: down on my by miss janis joplin)

New York Rockstar, Emily Stine...check her out RIGHT NOW. Her music is fracking awesome. She has written many songs that I adore. One of the favorites is WHAT IF I PUNCHED YOUR GIRLFRIEND. Don't take it the wrong way, I don't think she's very violent. Another great track off her cd is a song she wrote inspired by Paris Hilton's attempt to be a music star...its called SHE'S NO ROCKSTAR. Being that actress Scarlett Johansson just released a cd of her own I think we can safely assume that she's no rockstar either. Oh well, guess the recession is hurting Hollywood too.

Don't give your money to hollywood starlets, give it to bonafide rock-n-rollers like Emily Stine. Trust me, buying her cd or her music off of itunes will not be a waste of money but music to your ears.

Emily Stine website

Bre Morgan has that High School Musical vibe...

2008-05-14T21:49:00.005-04:00

photo shoot with Bre Morgan from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: kelly clarkson, since you been gone)

From one pop princess to another, may I introduce the adorable Bre Morgan. This pint sized pop tart has enough spunk and talent to fill at least 20 football stadiums. Yes, this one plays guitar and has been making music since she was just 9 months old! Lets all react together...OMG! Crazy but true. I have it on good authority from her rents.

Bre has been busy at work in the studio writing and recording loads of new songs. But for her shoot day we got to let our hair down a little bit and act like silly girls all day long. We had an absolute blast shooting Bre. It was a long work day but man, did the time just fly by....

Wanna know more about this talented teen...check her out because she is Unstoppable!

bremorgan.com

Twin Takeover, Ice -n- Chedda

2008-05-12T06:56:00.001-04:00

photo shoot with ICE -n- CHEDDA from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: clap your hands say yeah, yankee go home)

Check out my boys, Ice, short for ICEMAN and CHEDDA. We had a fun time shooting, talking NBA, shooting and talking more NBA. The boys are big LeBron James fans...not so big on Timmy Duncan. They grew up around St. Croix, where Timmy hails from. Oh well, I still dig the big man in Texas. We did agree on Orlando Magic SUPERMAN, Dwight Howard. It was great talking basketball with someone other than the husband. All the members of my shoot crew sorta zone out when it comes to NBA chatter. And on that note, GO MAGIC!

The magic behind ACDG Clothing Co.

2008-05-06T01:08:00.001-04:00

photo shoot for ACDG Clothing Co. from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: madonna beat goes on, featuring kanye west)

ACDG...a clothing brand that totally ROCKS! Pictured here are pieces from their spring line. The shirts are made from the softest cotton material on Earth, the foiled pieces are incredible and the quality of the screen printing blows Ed Hardy out of the frackin water. Sexy shit...check it!

Special thanks to clothing designer Nick Law and his partner in crime, Miss Cindy! You guys are awesome and I can't wait to work together again.

And we can't forget the crucial members of the shoot crew, Nicky B! and Em...thanks girlies!

Ok, back to work, busy bee...buzzz....buzzz...

Fabugo, the reason I fell off the wagon.

2008-04-28T16:12:00.007-04:00

photo shoot for BVK and FABUGO from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: 4 minutes by madonna feat. justin timberlake and timbaland)

Here's a whopper of a whirlwind shoot. Short notice, tight deadline, easy, peasy...

Thursday: I get a call from Milwaukee based BVK who needs the CEO of Fabugo.com photographed for print ads that need to go to press in 3 days. Short notice with a capital S! The day this takes place is the same day I had American Idol Robbie Carrico in the studio for a shoot. Prior to his arrival I was able to get a rough estimate out to them, then in between set-ups we were able to touch base via phone and email to hammer out details. By the time I left for my location shoot with Robbie I had a signed contract.

Friday: Shot a magazine cover in the afternoon. Still need to blog about that.... After the shoot my crew and I setup for the BVK shoot, ordered catering, watched some Battlestar Galactica and hit the sack. Oh, and keep in mind the wardrobe stylist for the shoot was working with me all week and she had to shop Friday night for the shoot on Sat.

Saturday 8am: Stylist arrives with an entire closet. She purchased a lot of things and borrowed even more from local boutiques.

9am: Jason of Fabugo arrives, followed by BVK's Gary & Giho. Commence shooting!

1pm: Its a wrap! We all lunch at PF Changs because the sushi joint Wazzabi was frackin' closed.

4pm: Giho and Gary sit down with me to have a look at the entire shoot. Decisions were made on 5 images that needed to be retouched. One catch, they had to be worked on that night so Sunday the ads could be worked on and submitted first thing Monday AM.

6:30pm: I have my first bit of caffeine in 2 months. 3 diet cokes and 8 shots of espresso. Do I know how to fall off the wagon or what. Thankfully the pesky little side effect/allergic reaction I have developed when I consume large amounts of this liquid speed never kicked in.

2:54am: Yep, I just checked the exact time I sent off the email that gave them access to the FTP site for the images. Mission Accomplished. Do I get a banner? Nope, I get even better...the best compliments, praise, reaction from my clients. They loved the photos, loved the crew and had a fun time. SCORE!

Wanna know more...

www.fabugo.com

www.bvk.com

For a slightly unrelated diversion, Gary the AD told us to check out a cool youtube video of his wife in labor. At first I was a bit grossed out until he clarified that it wasn't that kind of video. For a good laugh, check out his birth announcement. Congrats guys!

Fox American Idol, Robbie Carrico

2008-04-08T14:38:00.007-04:00

photo shoot with Robbie Carrico from American Idol from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: wilco, kamera)
Love it or hate it, American Idol season 7 is in full swing. I think its widespread popularity is to the point now even if you don't win it all, you can still have a great shot at a big time music career. Case in point, this awesome guy, Robbie Carrico. He made it to Hollywood, to the live shows and now he's working with some A-list people in the music biz. I can't say who but they are Grammy caliber peeps. Robbie Carrico is a sweethearted rock-n-roller, please check him out and buy his music.

robbiecarrico.com

myspace.com/robbiecarricoidol

Million Year Echo + Epic Records

2008-04-01T05:25:00.004-04:00

(itunes: playing a joan jett mix)
Check out Million Year Echo. I've been a fan of their music for years now and major label Epic Records is catching on. They just signed them to a demo deal so kudos gents!

Styling by Nicky B. Shenanigans by Levi, Alan, Jon and Nate.

John Frank at The Social

2008-03-28T16:24:00.005-04:00

photo shoot w/ John Frank at The Social from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: portishead, cowboys)

Portishead, wow, I love them.

And now back to my regularly scheduled blogging...

Meet John Frank. This was my second shoot with this dramatic vocalist, songwriter, musician extraordinaire. Props to stylist Nicky B and assistants Belle+Michelle. Shooting at a night club, let alone the legendary Social is not an easy thing. For example, sticky surfaces in numerous places, no A/C for half the shoot and haunted girls bathrooms. If you want the inside scoop, check out the video for some entertaining conversations and behind the scenes hullabaloo.

Monet, Disney Radio and Roller Skates

2008-03-17T19:02:00.012-04:00

photo shoot with Disney supa star, MONET from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: to youth by flogging molly)

What do you do when a fantastic long-time client calls you up needing a photo shoot asap but your booked for the rest of the month...shoot on your one and only day off. You see, photography is fun, its invigorating, its a new person and a new set of challenges every day...it never feels like work. Then top it off with a sweet client who gave the stylist and I carte blanche on the shoot concept...you have a recipe for perfection. I love days like this!

We had less than 48 hours to pull this shoot together...hair, makeup, wardrobe and our shoot location. I think if we had 20 days the results wouldn't look any better than they do now. Working with such a great team makes all the difference.

Speaking of ROCKIN...check out the video of Monet. She is such a cool, down to earth chick for being a big shot. A regular in the rotation on Disney Radio, Monet has opened for Jesse McCartney and American Idol star Catherine McPhee. Her musical talents also span the small screen with appearances on The Bernie Mac Show and Disney's Zoey 101. But it was her dual role acting as herself on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody that helped solidify her as a superstar. And she can regularly be scene gracing the pages of Popstar Magazine...way to go Monet!

For more on this rocker version of a Pop Princess check out:

myspace.com/monetofficial

And special thanks to Debby + Delilah at semoranskateway.com.

Semoran Skateway is a family owned business and deserves your patronage. They have all sorts of theme nights perfect for any age.

On a sidenote, Debby is involved with various Greyhound rescue and adoption groups. You can find more info here:

Rescue Greyhounds

Tony LeBron is not related to Lebron James

2008-03-10T13:40:00.007-04:00

photo shoot with Tony LeBron from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

(itunes: la la la, the bird and the bee)

Tony is a cool guy. Great voice, check him out. ok, back to work!

TonyLeBron.com

myspace.com/tonylebron

A very weird ASMP presentation + Phase One ROCKS!

2008-03-10T09:58:00.014-04:00

(itunes: unchained melody, righteous brothers)

Recently I attended an event put on by ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers). It was "pitched" as THE GREAT SHOOT OUT. They were going to put to the test all the high end medium format backs and two 35mm bodies. On the chopping block were the Hasselblad H3D, Phase One P45, Leaf AFi7, Canon 1Ds Mark III, Nikon D3.

I think where they went wrong was this event was sponsored by a Hasselblad dealer/salesman. Was there an obvious bias during the presentation, yes. Lets face it, the price point for MF digital is about the cost of a luxury car. These guys have to make a living too. I don't fault them for that but the tactics were dishonest.

The subtle pros to the Hasselblad integrated/closed architecture system and obvious hits to the Phase One offering were plentiful. My crew and I are well educated on medium format digital solutions. However, many of the photographers there weren't as familiar as we were and I feel for them, not being presented the full picture of what solutions are available. There were other Phase One photogs there and we all agree that the information they presented was misleading. I went into this event expecting to be blown away or at the very least think twice about what I'm shooting with. Instead I walked away feeling great about my MF digital setup and that it can out-perform what Hasselblad is currently offering.

Some of you might be scratching you head saying, wait, I thought you used Hasselblad? Yes, I do use Hasselblad camera bodies, lenses and accessories. Love them! But my digital back of choice is Phase One. When it was time for me to make this purchase I did months of research. This was a serious decision and I wanted to make the best choice for my business. As it stands right now Phase One is leading the market. The digital back is user intuitive and easy to use. Quality of the files are unmatched. I put my camera though a variety of intense shooting conditions and it has met every test with straight As. I am such a satisfied Phase One user that I'm breaking my own blog rules to share this info with the world.

In regards to digital workflow....If anyone out there is shooting RAW files (as I am), you owe it to yourself and your business to look into the Phase One Capture One software. Its a life saver! I was worried that when it came time to learn a new program there would be downtime in my studio. Not the case with Capture One. It is just like the back, user intuitive. Despite having a plethora of features it took no more than an hour to learn. The big time saver is how quickly I can turnaround an assignment. Guess what that means, more shooting days...more revenue. I'm a photographer, I don't want to be stuck in front of a computer all day. Capture One allows me just that.

Phase One is the leader in medium format digital solutions...could that change in 2-5 years, sure it could. And would I consider switching if something better came along....yes. Photography is about using the tools that are right for you. Hassy cameras and lenses combined with Phase digital backs...they are right for me...right now.

For the record, I am not sponsored in any way by Phase One. But...if anyone would like to get in touch with me regarding strategic partnerships shoot me an email.

PhaseOne.com

The Rock 'N' Roll Art and Exploitation of Stainboy Reinel

2008-02-26T18:53:00.002-05:00

I shot this totally RAD DUDE! Go buy his book!

Vicious Intent: The Rock 'N' Roll Art and Exploitation of Stainboy Reinel

Available now from Dark Horse books!

Twenty years ago, if you had told Greg "Stainboy" Reinel that the punk-rock flyers and gig posters he was creating would one day be coveted by collectors, or that there would be books published of his work, he would've laughed in your face. "I was a snotty little punk living way out on the edge", Reinel states. "I couldn't have cared less about a 'career' in graphic design." Cut to 2008 and that's exactly what has happened. While undertaking a 2006 tour exhibiting his rock poster art, Reinel was approached by Dark Horse Books editor Chris Warner. Vicious Intent: The Rock 'N' Roll Art and Exploitation of Stainboy Reinel is the amped-up, this-book-goes-to-eleven result. "There's no shoe-gazing ambiguity in Stainboy's work," says Warner. "It walks straight up to you, grabs you by the throat, choke-slams you, takes your wallet and keys, and drives off in your car with your girlfriend. And she laughs at you, man!"

Stainboy's Day-Glo color, powerhouse linework, and love of pop-culture trash have made his eye-assaulting silkscreened concert posters a perennial favorite among cutting-edge rock bands, including Queens Of The Stone Age, Flogging Molly, Motörhead, Buzzcocks, Sevendust, New York Dolls, Joan Jett, and Nashville Pussy. Dripping with violent wit, dark humor, and blasts of fluorescent color, Stainboy's posters demand immediate attention. His imagery is armed with loaded guns, busty vixens, menacing muscle cars, and tributes to classic exploitation cinema. As Reinel says, "Subtlety is not an option."

While many graphic artists and illustrators remain anonymous, Reinel is no recluse, crisscrossing the country to show his work and meet the public. Usually clad in leather, the spikey-haired Stainboy looks like a rock star—because at one time he was a rock star . . . almost. From 1996 to 2003, Reinel fronted the legendary Orlando-based power duo, Nutrajet, who released several albums and relentlessly toured the US and UK. Reinel has no formal art training and although he's been drawing and painting his entire life, he doesn't consider himself an artist. "This is something I've always done for kicks. It accidentally became my job. My posters are just loud eye candy. They're designed to look cool, get attention and create a buzz for a rock 'n' roll show. I'm really more of an entertainer."

Vicious Intent: The Rock 'N' Roll Art and Exploitation of Stainboy Reinel is the first printed collection of Stainboy's work, featuring his retina-searing rock posters, handbills, art prints, illustrations and more!

Vicious Intent: The Rock 'N' Roll Art and Exploitation of Stainboy Reinel • Foreword by Frank Kozik

Dark Horse Books
On sale now
Hardcover
ISBN 978-1-59582-135-5
112 pages
$19.95
Check out the Dark Horse preview online:

http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=14-660

http://www.stainboyreinel.com

http://www.myspace.com/stainboyart

Big Pimpin’ with Sean Kingston + MTV

2008-02-11T19:59:00.000-05:00

Photo shoot with Sean Kingston and MTV from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: sam cooke, having a party)

Another frackin’ amazing shoot in the can!!! My crew did a steller job, so big THANKS to Mat, Emily and Nicky! If it wasn’t for your hard work, the $20 mojitos and orangutan aerobics the Miami trip would have been lame.

Guess what the opposite of lame is?…Sean Kingston. I just photographed this Jamaican sensation for the cover of Jamrock Magazine. This talented guy just turned 18 on Feb 3. In honor of the occasion MTV is commemorating his birthday with a super sized version of their Sweet Sixteen show, eloquently dubbed, Sean Kingston’s Super Sized 18 blow out party extravaganza (or at least something to that effect).

Now for the shoot low-down...

We arrive at Hotel Victor in Miami’s trendy South Beach district the day before our shoot for scouting. That night we get the call that MTV wants to film the photo shoot for part of the show. Who knows how the editing will end up, might be 14 seconds, might be 2 minutes. Either way Tivo will tape it for me when it airs sometime late February/early March. I hope there isn’t too much footage of my frumpy blonde hair. When I work I really could care less about my hairstyle. And by the end of the day, my sleek pony tail looked quite ragged.

Chesa the BOMB hooked us up with the penthouse suite at Hotel Victor. We had to wrap by 2/3pm so it would be ready for the Indiana Pacers that evening. My crew and I started setting up at 7:30am because just incase Sean arrived on time at 10am we wanted all the different setups ready to go. Around noon he rolled in with MTV in tow. Hair took the longest but makeup and styling went fairly quickly thanks to some rad ladies. We started shooting just after 1pm and pulled off 6 different setups by 2pm. Checked out of the sexy hotel by 3:11, home by 9:30 (rush hour, rain storms and three bathroom breaks).

Sean Kingston ROCKS, MTV ROCKS, Jamrock Magazine ROCKS…and so does photography…

The best blind date of my life

2008-02-07T14:46:00.001-05:00

(itunes: listening to lucid fly, the entire cd, its awesome)

Read about the best blind date of my life. Read it to know what I mean by that. Don't worry, I am still madly in love with my Asian man. And yes, photos shoots posted soon...or eventually...

waringis.com interview

HI-FI LIVE Interview

2008-02-04T13:10:00.000-05:00

(itunes: akon, blame on me)

Here's the interview I did with Joe Marconi of HI-FI LIVE. So, if you need reading material for your morning constitutional, check it:

http://hifi-live.com

I'd rather be naked then not have my Head Dress

2008-01-16T12:03:00.001-05:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Head Dress Couture, behind the scenes from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: helter skelter by the beatles)

How rad is fashion! Don't get me wrong, I love shooting rap stars and rock bands. However, this couture shoot was such a fun change of pace. Check out the video to learn all about Head Dress Designs, crazy out takes, Lindsey (our supermodel) delivers a killer left hook to Nicky (our celebrity stylist) and loads of other goodies. Miss Katie and Heather are the fashionistas behind this powerhouse. Check them out:

Head Dress Official Website: www.headdressdesigns.com

Head Dress Blog: http://headdressdesigns.blogspot.com

And you can even find them on myspace: myspace.com/headdressdesigns

Five A.M. is Still in Love With You

2008-01-08T08:43:00.000-05:00

(itunes: off)

Technically speaking, its paused so I could watch this STUNNING video from Five A.M. The video stars Ice-T as God and Edward Furlong as…well, just go watch for yourself. Bravo gentlemen.

FIVE AM website…www.fiveam.com

Trent's blog...www.morphinelife.com

Photos from my shoot with Five A.M.

Resolutions are for quitters

2008-01-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

(itunes: matt collins, track 1 from ghost)

Holy macaroni Batman, did this last year fly by! I love new days, new months, new years. Call it my Anne of Green Gables syndrome: tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes. Anyway, before I turn into a sentimental sap a quick update on all things photo biz.

This month I'll be exhibiting some work at a very cool rock show put on by ReAmp Entertainment and Of Truth and Stories. The show is on 1/18 at the Plaza Theater. The very next day I get to speak/present at the AIGA Re:Solutions workshop. I plan to make it a fun, interactive, rockstar experience. Also some nifty shoots in the works, photos posted soon.

Lastly, here's the Alternative Pick 2008 calendar. All the winners will be a part of the Altpick Awards Gallery Show on 2/8/08 in Los Angeles.

Ok, gotta get loaded up for a shoot...peace out!

Musicians call Brook Pifer for 'rock-star' photos

2007-12-28T08:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you Mike, you RAWK (and made me blush). I'm so used to being on the other side its a bit strange having the tables turned.

Florida Today: Musicians call Brook Pifer for 'rock-star' photos

BY MIKE NUNEZ
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

For this year-end column, I want to do a little something different. I want to feature the most impressive figure in the business today; the type of person who makes a writer's life a little easier with her body of work and visual imagery, yet may have gone unnoticed until now.

She has been featured in this space more than any single artist, yet she has never sung a note, never played an instrument and has never been on stage.

She is the most sought after individual in the Central Florida music scene, yet she doesn't write, record or produce a single note.

So who is the mystery woman causing such a buzz that even rap icon Akon personally requested her services? She is rock star photographer extraordinaire Brook Pifer.

Pifer's photos have been seen in feature stories here about Brevard County bands such as Fall Term and Lucid Fly, and countless other musicians. The 31-year-old photographer based in Orlando gives bands an edge over their competition with visually appealing photography that speaks volumes.

I spoke with Pifer recently about her unique photography, strange photo shoots and recent work with Akon. So let's Shake, Rattle & Know: Brook Pifer.

SRK: Each photo shoot of yours is so unique. How do you conceptually decide how you are going to shoot each artist?

Pifer: It really depends on the artist and what their ideas are. We may take a line in a song, or the title of their CD and come up with something that complements that.

It may depend on the branding ideas of the band and what they wish to get out of (the shoot). Sometimes we'll just dream up something from scratch. I try to listen to the music and get a real understanding of the artists and where they are coming from and try to fit photos into the same genre and are in line with the identity of the band or singer.

SRK: Of all the subjects you have photographed, who is your favorite and why?

Pifer: I would have to say it is really close between the band Lucid Fly and singer Emily Stine, because I have known them both for so long. They really just say, "Brook, do whatever you want, we trust you," and turn me loose.

I decide location, styling, wardrobe, you name it, and they just let me take creative direction with it. I really appreciate that trust factor, because it allows me to just be as creative as I can be without limitations.

SRK: How are so many bands finding out about you?

Pifer: It's pretty much all been through word-of-mouth. I really don't do a whole lot to market myself other than my blog, my Web site and MySpace. I would say 90 percent of people hear about me through other artists that I have shot.

The Web site gets a lot of traffic, and there is video there so people get a chance to see what a photo shoot is like with me. I believe that has helped a lot.

SRK: How did the photo shoot with Akon come about?

Pifer: Wow, that's a wild story. I won't bore you with the whole story here because the complete story is on my blog. But I really got a call on Monday, and by Wednesday I had to be in Miami to do an entire photo shoot with Akon for his new line of clothing.

They needed a last-minute photographer and just found me through the Internet. It was a whirlwind couple of days, but I guess it turned out well in the end, because I have been asked to shoot the photos for his ad campaign. I guess that is one of the benefits of always being over-prepared, because I was able to handle it on short notice.

SRK: What equipment do you use?

Pifer: I use Hasselbald everything, Phase One digital backs and Profoto gear. It's some beautiful machinery.

SRK: What is it about your photography that makes it so special?

Pifer: A lot of it has to do with the lighting. Also, planning the right concept from the color to the background to the lighting all matters. Through the photos, I have to be able to tell the subject's story.

SRK: Do you stick to only rock star photographs, or do you do the routine stuff as well like families, kids, headshots, etc.?

Pifer: I primarily stick to musicians. I do occasional work for ad agencies, too, but usually even then, it is when they are looking for that "rock-star" look to the ads.

SRK: What's the strangest location you have ever used for a photo shoot?

Pifer: Oh my, there have been a lot of strange ones. Outside of San Francisco, we once shot in an 1800s brick-making facility. There were parts that had some creepy graffiti painted on the walls, and overall the whole place just felt kind of haunted.

I've been asked to shoot bands popping up out of disgusting lakes and ponds and all sorts of different things. I once had a magician that wanted me to photograph him sawing a woman in half. I would say that qualifies as bizarre.

SRK: Did you study photography in college or is it just a natural gift you have?

Pifer: I went to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and studied photography. I think that is a great way to learn all the technical terms and build a foundation, but I wanted to see how far I could go with this, and learned a lot by just doing it on my own.

For your viewing pleasure...

2007-12-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

(itunes: dixie chicks, its so hard)

Laugh at me all you want, but I'm a music FAN, not a music critic. My tastes in music, although primarily indie, are really diverse.

Anyhoo...there are a plethora of ripe new photographs added to my website. Check them out in their full screen/high-def glory...Take a bite, you know you want to:

www.brook-pifer.com

EMILY STINE rocks out with Joan Jett!

2007-12-06T05:04:00.000-05:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Emily Stine and My Pug from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT: Emily Stine and Nicky Save the Pretty from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT: Emily Stine, that's a wrap from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: the warrior by scandal)

Emily Stine is a brilliant singer, songwriter, ROCKSTAR. Go see her kick some music ass when she opens up for one of her idols, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in downtown Orlando on 12/29/07.

Currently Emily is in Los Angeles for 3 weeks recording new music (and will hopefully be playing some of her new stuff at the show). Either way, being a Rockstar photographer has its advantages because I’ll get to hear her new stuff when she gets back to town. One of the studios she’s hitting up is the place My Chemical Romance recorded The Black Parade (amazing album). Miss Em is certainly hanging with the upper echelon these days…

Despite the progress in her musical career, she is still one of the most genuine people I know. In an industry where persona is valued over real people its beyond refreshing to interact with someone who doesn’t put on airs. Emily’s quirky mannerisms that she does on stage follow her off stage as well. Its not an act, its who she is and it makes live shows all the more special.

Emily also differentiates herself from the pack because she is an authentic rock-n-roller. Some have drawn comparisons to the blues of Janis Joplin, the vocal power of Ann Wilson from Heart and the stage presence of Joan Jett…but while I see the inspiration, Emily Stine finds a way to make everything she does her own. And to think, she doesn’t even need American Idol to train her.

We all know pop crossovers who now want to do rock music because it’s the cool thing to do. That’s about as hilarious as me pretending to be a rapper. I think I have mad rhymes but at the end of the day, despite standing ovation I get when I do Kanye West karoke, I know I’m a photographer.

I challenge everyone to read this to go, RIGHT NOW and have a listen to Emily Stine’s music. Its just some fun rock-n-roll. You can buy single downloads from her website, her cd MUSIC FOR MY FRIENDS is for sale on itunes…just go have a listen, rock out and spread the word.

Emily Stine ROCKS, her music ROCKS, shooting her ROCKED and I know her show with Joan Jett is gonna ROCK MY SOCKS OFF!

Emily Stine website: myspace.com/emilystine

Five AM's brand of California Rock...

2007-11-27T05:21:00.000-05:00

photo shoot in san francisco with FIVE AM from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

photo shoot in san francisco with FIVE AM from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

photo shoot in san francisco with FIVE AM from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: Jed's cowboy shirt from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: Ella's dance moves from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: Jed's socks and shoes from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: vulture school of driving from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: getting dizzy from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: in action from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: lunch from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT in San Francisco with FIVEAM: thats a wrap from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: ok go, million ways to be cruel)

I was going to write a long post chronicling my whirlwind journey west to San Francisco, California to photograph the fine young chaps of rock band Five AM. But I’m slammed with work so I’ve decided to condense it into a David Letterman inspired top 10 list.

TOP 10 MEMORIES FROM MY SHOOT WITH FIVE AM:

10) Ella dancing. Just watch the video here. That girl was rockin’ out to Five AM’s new music. Cool stuff…

9) Hammer navigational unit on their tour bus. Again, watch the video.

8) 75 miles per gallon in a Toyota Prius dubbed GREENMA. For the record, we had every square inch of that sucker packed full of heavy arse photo gear, we had to do some city driving and highway driving and it still rocked the road. Overall I was pleasantly surprised at how well it drove and how spacious it seemed for such a little car.

7) Staying in a DOPE $1.4 million dollar penthouse overlooking the Bay Bridge and AT&T Park/home of The Giants and Barry Bonds…

6) Good conversation and adult beverages with the band at Upper Fourth.

5) Jason and Zach being chased by obsessive crazy girly fans (or a bachelorette party).

4) The prequel to the smack down between Benjie’s puffy shirt and Trent’s root beer shirt.

3) Climbing through a sewer pipe to arrive at our pre-scouted shoot location.

2) Teaching the band about crunk, crunktastic, crunk-a-fied and crunk-nizzle.

1) Learning the meaning of CRATEY. Use it, own it, work it.

All in all, my crew and I had an AMAZING time photographing the supa dupa guys of FIVE AM. We had the privilege of hearing some new music and you are gonna LOVE IT! Show your support by visiting them online till they come to a city near you:

FIVE AM myspace…myspace.com/fiveam

FIVE AM website…www.fiveam.com

FIVE AM ROCKS, their music ROCKS....and so does photography!

PS...Happy birthday to my little brother, Brian Turkey Daniel. Enjoy your 20's while you still can!

My shoot with AKON for Jamrock Mag

2007-11-20T17:15:00.000-05:00

my Jamrock magazine shoot with AKON from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: weezer, beverly hills)

Here's the link to read the original post about my WHIRLWIND shoot with Akon. Let me put it to you this way, the life of a rockstar photographer can be VERY HECTIC, sleep can become scarce and coffee is a necessity. Read for yourself:

Akon, Konvict Clothing, MTV VMAs + more!

This ain't Mr. T's A-Team

2007-11-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

PRE SHOOT SHOPPING w/ ATEAM from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT: Ateam, Hemi wants to play Xbox from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: off, watching the amazing Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic pounce the New Jersy Nets, well, hopefully...it's still the first quarter)

Oh yeah, this is the A-Team. They are a crunktastic group of ghetto fab rappers that hail from Haines City. Blackboy, The Prez/aka Creep Boy, Hemi, Chauncy, Rambo and the first lady of the Ateam, Tina in DA HOUSE!

Now back to basketball...GO MAGIC!!!!

My pug crashed Luke Davids shoot

2007-11-14T20:29:00.001-05:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Luke Davids from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: fall out boy, thnks Fr Th Mmrs)

Busy little bee, just the way I like it. Please enjoy the Luke Davids material. They are a fun bunch of guys. TTFN

I luv Alayna like a fat kid loves cake.

2007-11-07T06:46:00.000-05:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Alayna from the UK 2 from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT: Alayna UK 3 from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

(itunes: bjork, dancer in the dark soundtrack)

Alayna ROCKS! Her music is daringly original, fun, just have a listen…like NOW! The tracks Circus and FAT KID are too cool for school. Alayna flew over from the UK for our shoot and then she went out to LA to record some music for her upcoming cd. It drops early 2008. In the meantime, get your British invasion on here:

Alayna’s website…www.alaynamania.com

Alayna’s official myspace page: myspace.com/alaynarock

Alayna’s blog post about our shoot.

The link below doesn’t really have anything to do with our photo shoot but it’s still worth a read. I really respect her point of view.

Alayna’s blog post entitled: Mummy I want to be beautiful…

Check out my Penthouse Studio

2007-11-06T17:03:00.007-05:00

Welcome to THE PENTHOUSE. Its 2500 square feet of contemporary beauty. Two full baths, complete kitchen, conference room, client lounge, private offices, state of the art digital production facilities, free wi-fi, 20 foot ceilings and last but certainly not least…a pug dog for a mascot!

This space can be rented out for photo shoots, fashion shows, art shows, etc. Contact us for rates + availability.

1ST Place in the ALT PICK AWARDS

2007-11-06T07:02:00.000-05:00

(itunes: off, watching steeler replays on espn)

Well, I've gone and done it again...another big award for my website. It won 1st place in the interactive category of the fourth Annual Altpick Awards. Big props to Mat Gaver, the mastermind behind it. My website will be part of the Altpick Awards Gallery Show on February 8th, 2008 in Los Angeles and will also be in the 2008 Altpick Awards Calendar.

award winning, supa dupa, kick ass, high definition, full screen, eye candy galore, website: BROOK-PIFER.COM

The 4th Annual Altpick Awards Site

My Theory on Minister Theory

2007-10-18T17:24:00.001-04:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Minister Theory from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: yes, i've gone back to across the universe soundtrack...i just can't hear enough of it)

I like these people, A LOT. You will too.

PS...The STEELER NATION RULES!

Riccy C is Smokin'

2007-10-18T15:51:00.001-04:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Riccy C from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.
(itunes: run lola run soundtrack)

Things have been uber busy here. We are all moved into the new penthouse studio. Its awesome! Eventually I'll post photos for my many stalkers out there (LOL, just kidding).

As for photos, this is Riccy. He's 14 and has a killa' set of pipes on him. Think Justin Timberlake meets Enrique Iglesias. Riccy ROCKS, Photography ROCKS and so does my NEW STUDIO!

The Police are searching for Corey Lista

2007-10-08T14:10:00.001-04:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Corey Lista + Da Police from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

PHOTO SHOOT: Corey Lista from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

(itunes: across the universe soundtrack)

For the record, any warm blooded female that doesn't swoon at the vocal stylings of "Jude" (aka Jim Sturgess in across the universe) is from another planet. Maybe Mars? And wow!!! does Evan Rachel Wood have the voice of an angel...

Speaking of singers you can swoon at...check out Corey Lista. He's got the voice, he's got the piano and he's a pretty fun dude to shoot. Incidentally while we were on location the police were conducting a manhunt...or a woman hunt. About 10 different cruisers drove at very high speeds and even went so far as to drive through the woods. At one point they informed my crew that if they heard gun shots that it would be a good idea to duck and cover. However I suspect their intentions. One cop said he was looking for a caucasian blonde wearing a grey tshirt and brown pants...hmmm, that description fit me to a tee that day. Guess cops do have a sense of humor. And so does Corey Lista. He was a terrific sport despite being in peril.

For more on this talented guy go here:

http://www.coreylista.com

PS - I move into my new studio this week. Yes, I'm STOKED! More info to come :)

Hey Mum, I won a few CREATE AWARDS

2007-09-26T16:09:00.000-04:00

(itunes: don mclean, american pie)

They may not be the colorings I did as a kid but you could still hang them up on your fridge.

BEST OF INDUSTRY for Brook-Pifer.com
GOLD for the AIGA Dog & Pony Show photo campaign I did with FRESH
SILVER for my photo of Stainboy
SILVER for my photo of Lucid Fly (photo of couple in website screenshot)

http://www.thecreateawards.com

Ryan Joy…good girl gone bad…

2007-09-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

PHOTO SHOOT: Ryan Joy from Brook Pifer RockstarPhotographer on Vimeo.

(itunes: pink floyd, time)

Promo shots for her upcoming cd release next month. I’ve had a listen to the tracks and man she writes some great songs about love, broken hearts and boys.

This is my second shoot with the lovely Miss Ryan Joy and she pretty much let me do whatever I wanted. I asked her if she would mind doing a bit of a spoof on silly Hollywood starlets who’ve done jail time. As you can see she was totally game. Therefore when you see the fake bag of dope sticking out of her pocket know that it is a tiny tribute to LL. May rehab treat you well and you get to make Mean Girls 2, The Summer That Wasn’t.

Oh, for more on Ryan Joy go here: myspace.com/ryanjoy