This Was STC 2016 – Summary

 

This Was STC Miami 2016

Shoot The Centerfold’s annual seminar/workshop took place in beautiful Miami on April 2-3, 2016 and set its mark as one of the most successful STC seminars to date with the addition of a third day that focused on the business of photography. Seminar attendees once again travelled as far as Australia, India, Europe, and Hawaii and the international atmosphere did not stop there. The attendees weren’t the only participants who traversed the globe for the event.

The incredible models also traveled from all over. The road miles ranged from those who reside in Miami to kiwi beauty Sarah Harris coming all the way from New Zealand. Near or far, the sexy lineup of STC models and model ambassadors all left a life-long impression.

This was perhaps the most enthusiastic group of photographers we’ve ever hosted at an STC seminar. They were truly a remarkable group of attendees. There were many familiar faces plus a good number of excited newcomers. Everyone was energetic, involved, polite, hardworking, attentive and fun to be around.

Cameras clicked, smiles abounded and the mood of the group, from those who were there from set up day on Friday until the last images were captured Sunday evening, was completely upbeat. There was serious learning taking place and good work being done on five different sets, each with its own Master Photographer, plus many individual and impromptu shooting situations around Little River Studios.

 

 

The STC 2016 April seminar models and model ambassadors

The models couldn’t have been prettier, more professional or more fun to work with. We’ve had great models at previous STC events but none that topped this group. There was a variety of skin colors, figure types and hair styles and they were all beautiful and provided the photographers with a chance to add tons of great photos to their portfolios.

• Karolina Wozniak
• Dasa Podrzaj
• Ksenia Pilulka
• Sarah Harris
• Zienna Eve
• Latoya Janae
• Stormi Maya
• Jade Williams
• Jackie Kruz
• Jennifer Summers
• Megan Anderson
• Ines Juranovic
• Emily Perilli
• Gisele Lynn
• Paige Nicole Hudson

Model Karolina Wozniak at Josh Ryan’s set

 

The Seminar Starts

The seminar kicked into high gear with the introduction of the STC Masters and their slideshow presentations. The most current styles as seen in Playboy were showcased by newest STC member Josh Ryan which set a perfect balance between the other STC Masters’ creations by Slovenian Playboy photographer Ales Bravničar and British photography icon Byron Newman whose classic style paved the road for generations to come and serves as the blueprint of what Playboy once stood for.
Jarmo Pohjaniemi’s creations demonstrated inspiration from fine-art to commercial, fashion and high-end cinematic pictorial productions and how to reach industry’s top-dogs and get them asking for more. The STC founder also demonstrated the importance of adding video alongside your creations as an added value for today’s competitive industry.

STC’s Ric Moore got the crown for the most casual approach when filling the gap between heavy hitters and how to make the most out of it when all the odds are against you.

Gary Cole, STC’s senior consultant, kept his eye on the ball and offered his expertise and portfolio reviews with the most truthful guidance available anywhere. Gary’s experience and unbeatable track record resonated with attendees and revealed potential photographic futures. Realistic benchmarks were set for beginners and emerging photographers.

About Gary Cole

STC Masters 2016 from left to right: Ales Bravnicar, Byron Newman, jarmo Pohjaniemi, Josh Ryan, Gary Cole and Ric Moore

Mastering The Craft

What really separated this STC seminar from all the others, was the variety in photographic styles, teachings and locations that Little River Studios has to offer. Jarmo Pohjaniemi’s classic set demonstrated how to create magic by using 1 to 5 strobes. He explained how to up your game to a more modern style with ease.

Slovenian Bravnicar’s hillbilly set including a classic barn and a rusty vintage car was a much more challenging combination of light and weather control. As Ales explained,

Facing a real world weather condition that can change in the snap of a finger is part of this program. Never let your guard down and be ready for any situation possible without compromise.”

 

Shooting the Playboy Cover

And just when you thought you’d seen it all, attendees were invited to watch a live shoot by Ales Bravničar using the RingMAXX lighting modifier for a Playboy cover. The RingMAXX provided the perfect lighting scenario for the cover girl (and now Playboy Playmate) Dasa Podrzaj. Crowds gathered to see history in the making and witnessed the signature RingMAXX look now printed on the cover of Playboy magazine.

“The RingMAXX does a beautiful job when you know your right ratios for all four strobes. This was my very first RingMAXX experience, but certainly not the last.” Ales used the same classic car from his main set that was now parked right beside a tin wall giving it good contrast and an industrial look and a feel.

Californian city slicker/beach boy Josh Ryan powered his set with a single strobe and mustered magic with minimalism in mind without compromising any quality as seen in today’s modern publishing from Playboy to fashion. This new style and Josh’s approach is the latest we’ve seen in US Playboy before the nudity ban began.

“To get the best out of your set you must improve the quality of your styling to match your final outcome,” says Josh Ryan.

Ric Moore’s beach house set was exactly what non-Floridian’s would expect. It was nothing short of SI swimwear meets Miami, while Caribbean-style cabana walls, palms and babes set the atmosphere adored by the world as a dream location for fun and sun. No wonder Ric’s photography career in the lucrative advertising world has embraced him.

 

Byron Newman once more designed his lighting scenario with precision and accuracy which also serves as the backbone of his legacy. Often imitated but never quite duplicated was his admirable trademark constant lighting set that kissed the skin-tones of lovely STC models. His set separated all of the others in a league of its own as is Byron himself. His lighting is the rock & roll of photography.

Behind every great seminar there is a great organizer and Jarmo certainly has one in Mary Alejo. She is the glue that holds the entire seminar together—organizing models, overseeing makeup and wardrobe, making sure everyone and everything is where it is supposed to be, insuring that lunch arrives and is served on time—plus taking care of a thousand other details too numerous to mention here.

 

STC Business Seminar

For the first time, this April’s Shoot the Centerfold seminar offered a third-day option for those photographers intent on improving not only their photography skills but their ability to make more money doing what they love. Sixteen attendees took advantage of the opportunity to get practical photography business advice from Jarmo Pohjaniemi, Gary T. Cole and David Gallagher from Capture Integration.  Get the whole scoop by clicking here!

 

 

Phase One Camera System

After the presentations, the workshop shifted gears to shooting which had previously been reserved for the second day during STC seminars. Shortened business topics and detailed industry insight were saved for day three (the business seminar) which allowed attendees a rich photographic hands-on experience, with five Phase One cameras and digital techs on each set provided by Capture Integration. Dave Gallagher from Capture Integration orchestrated a perfect score with the highest quality images provided by the 100-megapixel Phase One camera systems which were displayed on seven separate Eizo monitors.

The participation of Capture Integration/Phase One was a stellar addition to seminar. What an impressive camera system with equally incredible people backing it up. The magic of the Capture Integration/Phase One system clearly demonstrates how new technology is redefining what is possible in the age of digital photography.

The staff of Capture Integration brought their knowledge, skills and equipment to the seminar and clearly we all benefited from learning what it can do.

The incredible detail and clarity made editing the images a pleasure and some of the images are now are available for you to see in the pages of International Playboy. We believe that the Phase One XF offers the best possible quality currently available on the market.

Dave Gallagher from Capture Integration ensured a perfect workflow from the camera to the Eizo monitors. The smile on his face says that he liked what he saw. To find out how you can get your hands on a Phase One camera system, click here!

 

Capture Integration support crew:

• Dave Gallagher – CEO Capture Integration
• Chris Snipes – Camera Specialist Capture Integration
• Ziv Argov – Vice President Phase One US
• Cam Williams – National Rental Manager

And hats off to STC’s all fine sponsors—We could have never done it without your support:

• Hensel
• Capture Integration
• Phase One
• Chimera Lighting
• Sunbounce
• Lightware
• Carousel Studios
• Miami Daylight Studios
• Think Tank
• Alien Skin
• Verti

 

We would like to thank all the hair & make up artists who made our models look beautiful

• Dawn Marie
• Jill Carmen
• Tommi Stuart
• Michelle Lelia
• Kellie Mua

If you missed this seminar, decide right now that you will not miss the next one. Look for scheduling information on our website www.ShootTheCenterfold.com in the near future.

 

Additional Images and Behind The Scenes Gallery

(Some images are “Gif images” which may take longer to upload to your device)

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