PHOTOSHOOT: Star City Meltdown

I got a call last month from the boys in Star City Meltdown, a Rock/Alternative band out of Johnson City, TN that I had the pleasure of shooting some promotional shots for last year. They were in town recording a new record, and their new label (Standby Records/ Victory Records) wanted some new shots. They were planning a new marketing campaign, so we knew these shots needed to be epic. We shot these in a backyard, while I was running to get into a secret concert with The Killers. Here is what we ended up with...


With Logo...


Models: Star City Meltdown
Shot On Location: Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600 & 800

PHOTOSHOOT: The Shea Family Christmas Card 2011

It's that time of year again. When people gather together and prepare for the most joyous and celebrated event of the last 365 days... the unveiling of the Shea Family Christmas card.
This year we decided to go with the 2nd highest grossing film of 2011, and one of my personal favorites of the year: TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON. I think its probably the best written of the series, and anyone who knows me, knows I'm a pretty hardcore Transformers fan. So check out the Wife and little Dude below, and see how there's nothing like the end of the world to bring a family together!


Models: Steven, Melanie & Victor Shea
Shot in Studio: Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, 800 & Ring Flash

PHOTOSHOOT: aXis Magazine Cover, Dec 2011

For this month at the magazine, the cover was sponsored by Coors Light, and features the Coors Girls. The original concept was to have the ladies enjoying a cold one at their fireside winter snow lodge (which luckily we have a winter lodge themed watering hole based in downtown Orlando cleverly titled, The Lodge). They were kind enough to let us take over and get some pretty cool shots (some with the help of their snow machine). Our adventures led us outside, and the shoot extended to the streets of downtown (much to the excitement of the male onlookers). The powers that be ended up deciding on an exterior shot, which I was still excited by since they turned out so well. I've always wanted to make a cover where it snowed on downtown Orlando, and here is how it would look...



Here is a Behind the Scenes video for the shoot, shot and edited by Paul Steward.


Models: Lauren Kiser, Ali Roberts, Melinda Sabina
Shot on Location: The Lodge & Downtown Orlando
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, 800 & Ring Flash

PHOTOSHOOT: Of Valleys

Ahh my brothers in Of Valleys. The rising Alternative/Pop group from Central Florida, who I completed the "dancing robot" music video for earlier this year. I have been with these guys for a while, and when it came time to do a new group shot, I had two concepts in mind... For concept #2, luckily I had secured a prop police car for a month while shooting our film "Two Days" and just so happened to have it standing by when the guys came down to shoot. We got some fun shots running around with it you can check out below...





I can't wait to release the next concept shot from the band we shot... plus we just shot a new music video that is going to be pretty amazing. Stay tuned!

Models: Of Valleys
Shot on Location: Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600 & 800 & the Sun

PHOTOSHOOT: Dollface

There is a pretty rad pop-rock powerhouse all girl band (and yes I say band, because they actually do play all of their instruments) called Dollface from Orlando that is starting to make quite a name for themselves. I had the recent ability to do a studio shoot with the band (after having shot lead singer, Tiffany Martin many times before). They were looking for a high fashion style, but of course mixed with my photoshopped sensibilities. Here is the fabulous shot we came up with. Each girl shot in studio individually, and then composited into the background image. I liked the idea that the girls were inviting the viewer into their lair... of rock.



Models: Dollface
Shot in Studio: Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600 & 800

PHOTOSHOOT: Sarah & the Shark

During a recent photoshoot for our boys in Of Valleys, I had the opportunity to bring in one of my favorite alternative models, Sarah Ann Martini. I had a hotel room for an hour, and that day I was super jonesing to do a shoot with a hammerhead shark... Sarah also happened to be standing nearby, and so this image was born.

Model: Sarah Ann Martini
Shot on Location: Days Inn, Casselberry, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600 & 800
Lighting Assistance: Joe Loffredo

TWO DAYS

This past October, I had the opportunity to come on board and help produce a new Police-thriller feature film to be shot in Central Florida.

TWO DAYS tells the story of GUY MARKS, a police officer with 27 years in the force. This is his last day before retiring. His job is being a police officer, his life is being a police officer. His entire existence has been the daily routine of patrolling seedy streets and dealing with scum. Now it is all coming to an end and all his inner demons finally will get a chance to surface.

We shot for 18 days throughout October, on location from Sanford, FL to Lake Wales, FL. We had a great crew and cast, and knocked the project out on time and on budget.

Here is a concept poster I shot and designed-


Here are a couple of the film stills I grabbed while not running around the production office like crazy.



We now are working, editing the film in Post. Find out more about it at it's Facebook page here.

PHOTOSHOOT: aXis Magazine Cover, Oct 2011

I've fallen behind in the Blogging, due to two new feature films Ive been working on... so here come the updates!

I shot the October 2011 Cover for aXis Magazine, featuring my buddy, Tiffany Martin (Radio DJ from The Monsters on Real Radio 104.1 and lead singer of the gnarly girls rock group Dollface) The shoot was set up at the UCF World of Beer, where the cover promoted their WOBtoberfest event coming up. Here is the final image...


Here is the Behind the Scenes video, Shot & Edited by Paul Steward


Model: Tiffany Martin
Shot on Location: World of Beer, Orlando
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, 800 & Ring Flash

PHOTOSHOOT: alt NOIR Magazine

I've been super stoked to release the images from this ExtraTerrestrial themed shoot for altNOIR Magazine. I teamed up with Orlando model Lily Le Roi to do a shoot based on Katy Perry's "ET" video for the Out Of This World themed issue of the magazine. The article is used as a makeup tutorial. The shots came out stellar! You can check out the tears below (FYI: I did NOT shoot the cover), and see more info on the magazine at their site here.






Model: Lily Le Roi
Makeup: Lily Le Roi
Shot in Studio
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, 800 & Ring Flash

PHOTOSHOOT: Et Cetera Magazine, Fall 2011

For the Fall 2011 issue of Et Cetera Magazine, I got the opportunity to shoot with two very influential people: Michael McRaney (who runs The Beacham, The Social & McRaney's Tavern in Orlando) & Watersports legend Scott Byerly (Founder of Byerly Boards and creator of the Byerly Toe Jam). Two very triumphant citizens of Central Florida.

For McRaney we set up a shoot around his stomping ground, The Social. For Byerly, we built a mini studio in the living room of his beautiful Windermere home.

You can check out McRaney on the cover, and the editorials below. The mag is on stands now.







See more on Et Cetera at:
http://etceteramagazine.com

PHOTOSHOOT: aXis Magazine Cover, Sept 2011

Usually each year the September aXis Magazine cover goes to Wall St's Rumfest event. This year was no different. We set up shop outside of Waitiki, to grab this shot with two of their bartenders. The girls were a lot of fun, and I think we pulled off a fun cover...



Here is our standard Behind the Scenes video, shot by the infallible Paul Steward.


Models: Kayleen & Jessica
Shot on Location: Waikiti, Downtown Orlando
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, 800 & Ring Flash

Video by: Paul Steward
Edited by: Steven Shea

Featured.

I was chosen as the Slice Creative Network's Featured Freelancer of the Month for September. Choice!

http://www.slicecreativenetwork.com/FeaturedFreelancer.html

PHOTOSHOOT: aXis Magazine's 20 Coolest People

Since we were out of town on our little family vacation the first week of August, I missed the cover shoot for that month's issue of aXis Magazine, the 20 Coolest People in Orlando edition. However when I returned, we had decided to do a little video shoot, interviewing a couple of the people, and doing a couple new promo shots for them. I met up with our hostess, 2010 Playboy's Playmate of the Month for July and repeat aXis cover model, Shanna McLaughlin, and we cruised around town to interview some of the coolest people. I also did a couple promo shots with 2 of our candidates...

Chris Kirkpatrick (of 'Nsync fame)



Johnny Magic (Radio host on XL106.7)


Here is the final video we produced for the segment...

PHOTOSHOOT: Sarah Ann

For a while I've had a concept that I wanted to pull off. An overheated model outside needing to cool off... but the only liquid nearby is a can of gasoline and she is addicted to cigarettes. This concept spawned into the shoot below with the lovely Sarah Ann. Between hurricanes, blown tires, and southern security guards, we pulled this shot off. I call it, "Smoke Break."

Special thanks to Whitney Hayes for the assistance.


Model: Sarah Ann
Shot on Location: Downey Park, Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4L Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 1600, & Natural Sun
Makeup by: Cristal Texidor
Photography Assistance by: Whitney Hayes

A Brilliant Lie @ The Haven

I was asked by my good friend Tara Lightfoot to shoot a promo video for her band for an upcoming show at The Haven. They wanted to do something to showcase their sound, style and humor. We came up with this funny concept and video. Hopefully it turns enough heads to come check out the show!

Check them out at:
http://www.facebook.com/ABrilliantLie

Vacation 2011 - Sapphire Valley, NC

We had the opportunity this year to vacation at a beautiful 3 story timeshare in Sapphire Valley, North Carolina, that was going to go to waste from a friend of our's parents. Ironically, the same area where we had vacationed before, where Melanie's good friend, Nikki lives. She was our tour guide for the week as we introduced Victor to new things such as Reindeer, Waterfalls, and best of all, Mountains!

PHOTOSHOOT: 100 Monkeys - Live at House of Blues

For our dear friend Madeleine's birthday, she chose to celebrate by a night out at the (Cursed) Disney House of Blues to see the popular band, 100 Monkeys. Ironically, the band is fronted by Jackson Rathbone, recently of the "Twilight" Movies fame, but also the starer of our friend (and recent housemate for the past week) Anthony DiBlasi's film "Dread". I grabbed a photopass through our buddies at Et Cetera Magazine and brought my sister Caitlin (who is a huge Twilight fan). The evening was most eventful, and here is a handful of the photos to give you an idea...

PHOTOSHOOT: The 1930s

With all of the excitement around the fact that a new 1930s comedy film might be shooting soon in town, I've gotten the call to do a few different 1930s themed shoots. Recently, I teamed up with Makeup artists Sarah Okun & Amanda Coleman, Hair stylists Rebekah Futrell & Kaitlyn Matlock and our lovely models Leigh Anne, Jenn & Dayna to create some new 1930s-homage glamour images that could show off everyone's abilities. I like the idea that these photos were found in a dusty old box in a deceased Grandmother's attic somewhere. Worn, and handled over the past 80 years, from all different places. Here is what we came up with...





Models: Leigh Anne Thomas, Jenn Henry & Dayna Louise
Shot on Location: Orlando, FL
Canon 5D Mark II, 50mm f/1.4 Canon Lens
Lighting: Alien Bee 800, & Natural Shade
Makeup by: Sarah Okun & Amanda Coleman
Hair Styling by: Rebekah Futrell & Kaitlyn Matlock

PHOTOSHOOT: Empyrean - Live at House Of Blues

This past Saturday I hit up my favorite (and least favorite to work with) venue in Orlando, House of Blues, to shoot stills for the best Metal act in Orlando, Empyrean. The staff were only slightly less aggravating then last time this band and I had to deal with them. Here are a couple of the keepers from the "House of Empyrean"...




You can check out a bunch more at the band's Facebook Page.

PHOTO ESSAY: Wynwood

Last week, I spent seven days in South Florida with my Mother and family as she went through an elaborate valve replacement surgery in her heart. One of the nights I was there, I was lucky enough to crash with my longtime comrade, Chris McDaniel, who owns a nice little property on South Beach. Besides the usual hijinks (cruising the promenade for Models & stalking Michael Bay's house) Chris turned me onto a little area nearby called WYNWOOD. Wynwood is a major arts and fashion area in Miami, where there are literally blocks and blocks of buildings covered in graffiti and street art, from some of the biggest names around the world. I got up early (after a late night out) and took to the streets of Wynwood to try and capture a bit of the essence. You can check out some of my favorites below, and trust me, this is a very small portion of the area...


The famous American street artist Shepard Fairey seems to have been hanging around...


He also did a full mural on the inside of the famous "Walls at Wynwood" gallery (which unfortunately was CLOSED on Tuesday when I was there.)


You can also catch a glimpse of an original Space Invader in the back right corner of this shot... I don't know how I missed it. Other then dodging the scary looking homeless folks all over.


Can that be a Banksy?? Maybe..Maybe not.




























It really is a site to be seen, especially if you are a fan of Street Art. Check it out the next time you are in South Miami!