Looking at a exciting New Year!

This past February has been very exciting to us here at Kaizen-Foto. We not only had four model session, but we've also captured three weddings this month. Also our three successful weekend warrior seminars at Calumet Photo has been getting great reviews. We would like to give a special thank you to everyone at Calumet Events for giving us this opportunity to teach there Classes. I've learn a lot for so many years from Calumet as an employee and it was an honor to to be apart this seminar. The classes were filled with over 25 attendees and everyone left inspired & motivated to start trying new techniques in there photographic journey.
 
We've also made so many new friends this past month from workshops, seminars, and photo group clubs we've attended. We'll continue to network with our new found friends for years to come. We will continue to strive for perfection to make this a successful 2010 year, despite our economy and world tragedy!



Our hearts go out to everyone in Haiti and in Chile. Our prayer is with everyone!  

 Thanks again to all that made this month so wonderful!    

Kaizen-Foto! 

Aztec Queen series.

Hello everyone,

I've been having this series in my head for years. I finally gotten my skills as a photographer to achieve this vision, or at least I think I have. lol
Well with the help of my adorable wife's talent with make up design, and these huge amount of Aztec Goddess discussion during the diner table are starting to finally come alive.

This is my first shoot of this series and I would like to give a special thanks to my make up artist Annabel Corona for a great job on this design and style. As well as our model Felicia June for sitting patiently awaiting for this to happen.

A little story I would like to share about how small this world really is.


I invited a good friend to stop by and experience my behind the scenes photo session of  my new beauty work series. My friend Gokhan agreed. 

Not knowing the talent or who it was that was being captured, he stopped by and experience this production. Little that I knew and Gokhan knew that he'll come across a person he once cross paths at one point of there lives.

Gokhan totally freaked out after he started to remember who this models was during our conversations and who's girlfriend she was... Gokhan asked. Are you Matt's Girlfriend? YA! Where you in Arizona  a few weeks ago?
Ya!
Remember me?
Ohhhhh ya! Felicia starts to LHAO!


You're Matts friend... ya...ya... what's your name? Gokhan! hahahaha.. haha..haha..
What a small world.

(That's what I said)

Matt is on his way here, she said. What! I said.
He's running a bit late. Walter! ya Gokhan! hahahaha Gokhan says, Matt is another good photographer friend of mine. haha..haha.. hahha. and he on his way over.  What do you mean a good photogrpaher friend? :) He's a great Guy! I'm thinking oh boy! Another photographer looking over my shoulder. No pressure! Not going to show my skills today I guess. not knowing Matt yet of course :(

So my Kaizen kicked in! We strive for perfection, right? Don't hold back! Do your thing boy!

Long story short. We had an awesome time and Shoot. Anna and I got to meet some very special people that evening in the studio. Which I believe Anna and I made some long time friends as well.

Felicia was teaching Annabel some Salsa Moves ( oh ya... shes also a Salsa Instrctor and Dance competition champion) and of course I was chatting photo talk with my good friends. All of these of course after the photo session. I guess we needed some Wine to make it a real party. lol\

That should be in my things to do list for the studio. :)

Oh well! Just go's to show, that we do live in a small world. I was blessed to experience its special moment.

My series is off to a great start!

Thanks gang! 

 

 

Photo Assistant Contest!

Hello Everyone! Often we get an emails request from various inspiring photographers that would like to assists us on our Fashion, Beauty or even Glamour photo shoot session. We often get questions regarding how we set up our lighting, which light modifiers we used and where do we fine our talent.

Here at Kaizen-Foto We, strive for perfection!

In order to help our local peers, we came up with this idea to make this wonderful offer to everyone that would be interested in being an assistant for us. In connection with the model glamour contest we made on our Kaizen-Fotos facebook fan page  we’ve made the same offer to our fellow photographers and inspiring photographers peers.

This contest was limited to 5 contestants. We would like to thank everyone that submitted their names via email for this contest. We'll promise to put your names back into the drawing hat for our next contest.



Well these are the lucky 5 contestants that replied to this request buy submitting their images of themselves with names of their studios for voting.



Okay! How this works. Very simple! Everyone will tell their family, friends, Peers to come to this blog site to vote for them.  Yes it’s that simple! Just send them the link of course.

Don’t forget to tell them how important it is for you to get a great chance to work side by side with Walter Malabehar-Cantu from Kaizen-Foto. :) 
Good Luck!

This is what the Winner will win!

1.   The studios broom to clean the Studio
2.   A set of working gloves 
3.   Water for dehydration
4.   One on One talk with the Photographer. ( bring paper and pencil )
5.   A small lesson on the lighting we'll use for the session. ( which you'll set up )
6.   Techincal talk about the Camera system of choice
7.   A special surprise gift.  
8.   A 1/2 hour of time to shoot with the Glamor winnnig talent ( Bring your own Camera and Media)
9.   Another 1/2 hour of shooting time with another talent. ( Yes! They'll be two Models)
10.Diner with the Kaizen-Foto


Voting Starts on March 1,2010 and ends on mid-night on March 14,2010

Winner will be announced on our Kaizen-Foto Face Book Fan page so don't forget to join! 
Our Face book badge in on our blog. 


Good luck to all these wonderful contestants!



1. Joé Asencios

2. Aaron Tokarz

3. Matt Bigelow

 

4. Gokhan Cukurova

5. Tony Greco

Seminar with Rosalind Bordo and Chicago Photographer Group

I attended this great seminar last week from this great photo group called Chicago Photographer.  I became a member from their face book account and saw they were offering this great seminar. They offered a seminar about Marketing for your business with Rosalind Bordo which is an amazing instructor and photographer. We where able to pick up on some great marketing tools to offer our vendors and clients. I'm so eager to start applying this to my business. We also had a excellent night out with our fellow photographic peers after the session, always networking. 

Calumet 's Wedding Warrior Survival Guide Seminar with Walter Malabehar Cantu

Hello All!


I’m happy to announce that I will be the instructor for this exciting new seminar held at the Calumet Photographic retail stores. The Wedding Warrior Survival guide held this upcoming January 30, 2010 in Chicago, IL and on February 6, 2010 in the Calumet Oak Brook, IL location.

 
These seminars will be a full six hours of photo fun, discussing everything from the Essential Camera Gear, Portable Lighting Tips, Techniques, and we'll also have enough time to cover a photo shoot with Models. So get your tickets and bring your cameras! Because you'll be able to practice your techniques from this exciting new seminar held at Calumet Photographics. 

Also! Don't forget to follow us after the seminar dates, you'll be able to view pictures of these great events here on the blog.  
 
For more information and a link to these events follow the link below.  
 
Wedding Warrior Survival Guide / Register 
Wedding Warrior Survival Guide - OakBrook,IL  

Who's using Mola SoftLights

I have had the honor of using the Mola Soft light reflector for a few years now. I have base my lighting style and technique on just capturing images using a single light source. When I first heard of this lighting accessories by the founder of the Mola reflector, Walter Melrose made a comment; Great images can be capture by using a single light source. You can say I took it to heart.

I would practice my technique and my photographic style to just using a single light source for my fashion and beauty work.  I think I've finally nail it using this wonderful product.

I have been also honor by this great friend and colleague to honor me on his product line web site, on Who's using Mola? I know for a fact that theirs many great photographers using this product, by them selecting us, we at Kaizen-Foto Thank You! Here, We strive for Perfection!

Who's using Mola

These are a few more samples of the Mola-Light in action! All where taken just using a single light source
the Mola Setti-Silver with a Travelite 750w/s

Shooting the Groom at his House

A few weeks ago we talked about how I like to capture the bride for her getting ready images. Today we'll achieve those GQ shots of the groom getting ready.  Chicago Weddings at times don't often give themselves a opportunity to have these type of groom shots.  Besides he's part of the wedding too. :)

Brides totally dig seeing the groom getting ready!!!

Okay... most of my ideas come from International Fashion magazines, and my experience as a fashion photographer. Grooms usually don't like having their pictures taken, especially early in the morning. Do not be pointing your camera in there faces until you find that comfort zone. just an FYI.

I'll try to get everyone involved with the event once I get to there house. I don't start shooting right away, I first scouted the location and have a good idea where I'm going to capture the images. I have a conversation with the groom and family member, sort of like breaking the ICE.  It get's him more relax and he starts to add you like on of the boys. Once that happens, you can count on him for the rest of the night to help get great WOW images.


What do you think? Go for it!

Hope you like them.

Alex Wedding Oct-17,2009