Shana Martin

Like so many of my models, Shana Martin was introduced to me through KjLyn.   Shana was my first “official” fitness model, and the one who got me started on this path that has become such a significant part of what I do.

Shana is one of those people who can make you feel insignificant while also making you feel special.   Your first impression is that she’s a powerful, dedicated, determined, woman who sets her goals high and meets them.  She’s a national champion fitness model, an international champion logroller, an vocal and active spokeswoman for Hunting’s Disease research, and… she’s even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro!  That’s enough to make anyone feel like a flabby slacker in comparison.

However, you will never hear her brag about any of those things–or the scores of other great accomplishments she’s achieved.   Behind the work, the awards, the championships, and the exceptional achievements is the sweetest young woman you’d ever care to meet.

While modeling is a only a  small part of all that she does, Shana brings her all to a shoot and makes it both productive and fun.

She’s a beautiful woman, an exceptional role model and teacher, and an inspiration for young women (and flabby old men) everywhere.

ShanaMartin.com

Shana Martin: Powerful & Beautiful

During college, I was introduced to dance.  I’d seen ballet before, but always thought of it as “people in tights prancing around looking silly”.  While working as a stagehand for a wide range of dance companies–from traditional ballet to modern to avant garde–I learned exactly how powerful and amazing dance really is.  It was almost a revelation to understand that these 90-lb girls were far more powerful and athletic than most anyone in professional sports.  I distinctly remember seeing a dancer with the Hubbard Street Dance Company–a woman in her 30′s (which is downright elderly in the world of dance)–and thinking “this is a woman who could kick holes in plate steel”.  A bit of hyperbole, perhaps, but probably not by much.

My exposure to (and expanding appreciation of) dance shaped my concept of “fitness”.  And my training in (and execution of) “dance lighting” created an aesthetic that would come back to me decades later when I picked up my camera to shoot models.

The lighting in theatre is highly stylized.  Dance takes it even farther.  The lighting in dance is designed to highlight the shape of the body–often at the expense of seeing the face.  And the scenery isn’t even given a 2nd thought[1].

When I first started working with “model-based” photography (rather than shooting theatrical sets and performances), I set up “proper” lighting.  The models were well lit, but it was rather boring.   I’m not sure what triggered the thought, but one day I threw “correct” lighting out the window and shot a model using “dance” lighting.  The results were fantastic.

Model = Marksman

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several fitness models–or models who are very athletic.  My style of lighting is both extremely flattering and extremely unforgiving.  For an athletic model, the harsh lighting highlights and accentuates muscle tone and the shape of the body.   Traditional lighting–designed to show a person’s face–de-emphasizes musculature.  You can see the whole body very well, but it gets “smoothed out”.

My approach to fitness photography takes a completely different vector.  What’s important is the body–the muscles, the shape, the tone.   I’m not interested in the traditional trappings of a “sexy photo”; that’s not what it’s about.  I strive to portray athletes as powerful.  Power, strength, and the perfection of form are inherently beautiful and sexy.

My approach to fitness photography is very different from the norm. Where traditional photographers seek to portray fitness models as “sexy”, I choose to present them as “powerful”.  A woman who can bench press twice her weight, run a marathon, or go 15 rounds in the ring shouldn’t need to put on a bikini and a cheesy smile to be seen as beautiful.  A powerful form–male or female–is beautiful.

Model = KjLyn

My single-source and sharp-angle lighting techniques are drawn from ballet and modern dance where the purpose of the lighting is to show off the body, not light up the face. My fitness photography is very distinctive and not at all like the “swimsuit model” images that are so common. Single-source lighting is both flattering and unforgiving: It highlights every contour of muscle on your body, accentuating muscle tone and the contour of the body.

My approach to fitness photography is very different from the norm. Where traditional photographers seek to portray fitness models as “sexy”, I choose to present them as “powerful”.  A woman who can bench press twice her weight, run a marathon, or go 15 rounds in the ring shouldn’t need to put on a bikini and a cheesy smile to be seen as beautiful.

Fitness photography should be able to portray the models as powerful, confident, and beautiful–without having to rely on swimsuit-model cliches.

Read more about my philosophy of fitness photography

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Model = Lee Kitten

Art isn’t only for the elite, and photographs are more than portraits.

Art is created from emotion, creativity, and vision. Step into the studio and create something that will make people stop and look–something that will make them think and feel.

Throughout the centuries, even the finest artists have used amateurs as inspiration for their greatest works. You needn’t be a professional model to create artistic works. Quite the contrary: the most artistic and powerful images I have created have been working with women who are modeling for fun. Some have been active amateurs, others have simply been intrigued by a specific project on which I’ve been working.

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Don's Marine :: Models = KjLyn & Chrystal

Commercial photography is a different kind of beast–one with a lot of variations. While it’s a small part of my business, I am available for commercial shoots showing your products in action or your facilities.

If you’re looking to advertise on your website, in magazines, direct mail, brochures, or any other visual media, it’s likely you’re going to want photos of your products, your facilities, or events where your services are being used. I can help you with that.

Commercial rates start at $650. This includes:

• Photographer’s time
• Image processing
• A DVD with final images in full-resolution .TIFF format for print, full-resolution .JPG format for print, low-resolution .JPG for digital publishing, and web-optimized .JPG for web site use.
• All rights to copy, publish, and distribute–including for commercial use. As copyright holder, I do reserve the right to block usage which I find to be morally objectionable (e.g., promoting racism).

Need more than just a photographer?

You’ve got a business to run. You don’t want to be dealing with details for a shoot; you just want it to happen. Through my network of contacts and photography associations, I can provide models, wardrobe crew, make-up artists, and even some specialized locations for your commercial shoot. You can specify what you’re looking for or leave it to me.

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Shana Martin

Excluding “snapshots”, portraits are what most people think of when they talk about “getting their picture taken”. Then their minds, invariably, drift to those photo stores in the mall, where you sit in under the bright lights, in front of the same boring backdrop that everyone in the history of photography has sat in front of, with a fake smile and a stiff pose. When you get the photos back, they really don’t look like you, but… hey… it’s a “portrait”, right?

Or… those hideous pictures they take for the yearbook at school…. Even the typical “hand-on-chin” senior class photos. UGH!

This is why people hate having their photo taken: The results are boring and repetitive and… well… not very appealing.

A portrait should say something about you. It should reveal a little bit about who you are–not just what you look like. Strong, shy, energetic, mysterious, adventurous, reserved…. what do you want to say about yourself? What’s your story? How many stories are there waiting to be told?

Let your portraits speak for you–in your own words.

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Photographer

I first started working with photography early in high school. Even at that time, I was interested in looking at things differently; standard portraits and landscapes just didn’t do it for me.

I hold a Bachelor of the Arts in Technical Theatre (design) from the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. 2 decades of working with lighting and design for stage and dance has given me a strong understanding of the rules of lighting and presenting objects and people–and the courage to step beyond those rules to create stark, powerful photos.

Philosophy

My job, as a photographer, is not to shape you into the pose I want; it’s to let you be you and capture the moments that show it off.

The moto of my company is “Truth, Lies, & Beauty”. Beauty is not only skin deep, and the camera always lies. The skill is in finding the lie that reveals the greater truth about a person’s beauty.

The photos I take are not airbrushed or “photoshopped”. If you’re looking for a glamorous photo with perfect skin and every hair in place, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for photography which understands that imperfections are what make a person interesting, this is the place.

Ownership

With most artists these days–including photographers–you’ll hear a lot of blustering about copyrights; namely all the things you’re not allowed to do with the photos you buy. A few of us operate under a different philosophy that’s come to be known as “copyleft“. There’s a lot of variation on the particulars, but the core idea is “Yeah… I still own the images I take, but I’m not going to get all bent out of shape if you choose to use them for personal stuff.”

As the photographer, I do own the rights to the images. But I’m not going to come chasing you down to check if you’ve made copies at the local photo-shack, or if you’ve posted them in your online profile. I’ve got better things to do with my time.

Where I will assert my rights is if you intend to use the images for commercial applications (advertising, for example), or for promoting things against which I have strong moral objections (racist propoganda, for example).

If you want to use the images for commercial purposes, we just need to add a rider to the contract stating that you’ve paid for this use (see the Rate Card for details). Not a big deal.

Operation

I work out of my small home studio, or on location. I’m casual, easy-going, randomly irreverent, and prone to get into strange contortions to get just the right angle for a shot.

During a shoot, my shutter is constantly moving. It’s common to average about 200 shots an hour. A lot of those will be junk. The vast majority will be okay, but not good enough. The few that remain, however, are where the camera’s lies reveal the truth.

I ask that models come to the shoot with a selection of their own wardrobe (excluding, of course, fashion and commercial shoots based on wardrobe). We will select the outfits that work best. A few tips on wardrobe:

• Solid colors work best. Large patterns can work okay as long as they aren’t too complex. Small patterns–especially stripes and checks–can cause strange effects when photographed. These effects are usually enhanced when images are resized. So… while the pinstripes may look great in real life, they can become a spastic disco pattern when posted online.
• Black fabrics will not show up as black. Black dyes are based on either a red base or blue base. Under studio lighting, that base color will show through. Our brains know how to adjust for the color changes of lighting; the camera does not. A black blouse & skirt combo that appears to match perfectly may show up as purple and green in a photo.
• Unless there’s a reason for tighter-fitting clothes, loose clothing tends to work better. Especially under harsh studio lighting, tight clothing tends to exagerate bra lines and panty lines and other unwanted features. Loose clothing also makes it easier for you move around and be yourself during the shoot.

I ask that models come to the shoot without makeup, but (if applicable) bring along a basic makeup kit.

Always remember that the shoot is about you. Don’t be afraid to do your own thing, ask questions, or make suggestions. Just don’t be offended if I choose not to take the suggestions.