I believe in keeping busy; my mentality is somewhat of a shark. Not only going strong after your target, but, like a shark, always be moving. I believe that I’m a business, I explain to my clients, “If your business stays static you’ll die.”. Now you’ve just read all of that smooth-cool-bull-shit talk for me to simply say always be doing something. When you’re not shooting,  edit, when you’re not editing write/sketch/ think, when you’re sleeping dream of a photo shoot/ idea for your next photo shoot and when you take a break sit on a beach, with a Corona in hand and think about your next move!

I knew I’d be bored sitting in the airport this morning, so, I left this image to write about and share with you. Nothing to tech about how I photographed the image. Honestly it was nothing more than a fun/ good looking model (my cousin), an assistant, lucky timing and a golden reflector (I don’t use gold as much but it was time to try a different bounce) and a little editing in Photoshop to keep me from being bored on last vacation trip to the Bahamas. You’re probably saying, “bored in the Bahamas this guy must be crazy!” The thing is if I get to relaxed in the sand of these beautiful beaches, one I’ll much darker and two I’ll never want to leave again – I have to keep thinking about a next move!

All of my shoots, no matter the size, I want my clients to feel comfortable and I want them to leave thinking, “Damn we had an awesome time with Photographer Dwayne Tucker it’s a must we do that again!”

I called my cousin up, got my mother’s neighbor to assist me, went to a house, had plans of going on top of the roof and plans to start shooting at time x. Shooting started one hour after time x because it took us that long to get the assistant on the roof. It was my fault to assume and not be certain that  everyone was not afraid of heights! If you are going to an extreme place double check the aforementioned situations. For example I’m headed over to Fresh Creek Andros in 20mins and my assistant who’s with me is afraid of sharks; it’s cool because along with some smooth-cool-bull-shit talk I was able to get the last assistant on the roof.

It’s all about professional work, positive attitudes and great times.

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Follow Dwayne on Twitter: @DwayneTucker

]]> http://dwaynetucker.com/fun-sunglasses/feed/ 1 http://dwaynetucker.com/hands-for-hunger-girls-portraits/ http://dwaynetucker.com/hands-for-hunger-girls-portraits/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:51:55 +0000 Dwayne D.C.Tucker II http://dwaynetucker.com/?p=2321 Warning: call_user_func_array() [function.call-user-func-array]: First argument is expected to be a valid callback, 'Array' was given in /home/dwaynetu/public_html/wp-includes/plugin.php on line 166
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If you’re new to the blog—I flew to Bahamas a few weeks ago to photograph for an awesome charity Hands For Hunger.Hands for Hunger’s mission is to stop editable food waste in the Bahamas and feed people who are hungry.

Above are three portraits I photographed of the female staff at H4H. The task was to capture/ illustrate welcoming and fun in simplest terms. The photographs are going to be used on H4H’s website-contact-page beside the girls names when the site’s displayed images are relaunched.

There are there stages of operation when photography with PFTDT.: Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production.

The first stage I sketch my ideas. To do so I use whatever is available – a sketchbook, my hand, a napkin; anything available to jot-ink ideas.

This task was to show that behind the seriousness, long days, hours and how stressful running the operation becomes, they have fun, because they are happy helping and happy finding food for those in need.

With a few ideas inked, I asked the girls to meet me at one of the H4H’s trucks. I made my way to the back of the truck with my SB-900 attached to my camera and the 14-24mm to the camera’s body, shot some test to find the right settings; that stage is identified as the production stage. The post is when we do minor editing in Photoshop/Lightroom/Whatever you chose to edit your photographs in.

Simple and fun! Remember to sketch your ideas of what you want your photographs to look like before you shoot then explore the outcome.

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DT.

Follow Dwayne’s Twitter: @DwayneTucker

Nike Running: I run Paris 1-3

(Click to view the images larger, and above link for original source – AdsOfTheWorld.com)There has been a ton of talk about these ads for Nike Running; mainly about the elements and confusion of the concept. People seemed unhappy with these because of the lacking elements of an ad: Headline, Bodycopy, Logo, Visual and Call to Action. The obvious ones stands out what they have and what’s no there. It’s not my job to talk about the advertising if you want to please visit it’s original source like I do and share the comments. Here’s to talk about the photography/concept within the advertising.

If you want, before you read on, go to the commentary to take a pen and paper to write down how you feel about the ad’s photography before you read my thoughts.

Now that you’re back – I enjoyed the campaign’s photography and I think the concept is quite clear. I haven’t seen the photo brief but I could imagine it was to shoot the photographs at night making the viewers connect with the images as if it was them reviewing a night shooting with friends. If it were they accomplished the task.

Snap-shotty, simple and fun. Sort of how your images would have looked when you’ve uploaded them to your computer coming in from a night running with friends.

Use this post to get ideas of your own for simple and fun photography, come up with a concept and shoot; I’m brainstorming as I write. I shared those with you to discuss the photography so hit me up in the comments and tell me what you think. I’m the main time I’ll be preparing a new shoot of my own with it and find time to shoot it this year . Good luck if you decide to try something don’t forget to share!

Send me a tweet on Twitter or hit me up here on the blog!

Credits:

Advertising Agency: leg., Paris, France

Creative Director: Gabriel Gaultier

Art Director: Nicolas Denis

Copywriter: Frédéric Lutgé

Photographer: Félix Larher

Published: August 2010

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Follow Dwayne Tucker’s Twitter: @DwayneTucker

]]> http://dwaynetucker.com/nike-running-run-paris-13/feed/ 0 http://dwaynetucker.com/creative-advertisement-kia-service/ http://dwaynetucker.com/creative-advertisement-kia-service/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:40:42 +0000 Dwayne D.C.Tucker II http://dwaynetucker.com/?p=2242 Warning: call_user_func_array() [function.call-user-func-array]: First argument is expected to be a valid callback, 'Array' was given in /home/dwaynetu/public_html/wp-includes/plugin.php on line 166
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Kia: Service

(Click to view a large resolutions from it’s original source on AdsOfTheWorld.com)

I’m sharing this with you because I enjoy the use of this POV camera angle. The actors/models faces clearly reads that they are talking to a baby. Here again, the copy balances the ad  making the message clear that your car will be pampered. The copy reads reads, “Ultimate care for your car at Kia Service.”

Credits:

Advertising Agency: Art Grup, Istanbul, Turkey

Creative Director: Dogan Yarici

Art Director: Turgut Direnoglu

Copywriter: Orcun Alcin

Photographer: Gokce Erenmemisoglu

Published: October 2010

Message — I share creative ads that inspire me from ads of the world to help inspire people that’s crazy about advertising myself. If this happens to be you, I invite you to join the conversation, if you’re new to my blog introduce yourself to me and leave a comment with your thoughts towards the ad. My name is Dwayne Tucker and I’m a Miami, Florida | Nassau, Bahamas based commercial photographer for lifestyle and sports. If you digg a connection with me follow me on your twitter – @DwayneTucker

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Here are a few photographs I took for my commercial photography portfolio collection. 2011 is almost here; I’m looking forward to it. The images that will develop my 2011’s portfolio is to show art buyers I’m capable of creating, professional top quality images. My goal is to push my creativity and show a few agencies how hungry I am.

In the mean time, I’ll continue to scribble ideas in my book as the first step to producing creative conceptual images like these ones.

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Follow Tucker’s Tweets on Twitter: @DwayneTucker

So here’s what’s good! For those reading this for the first time, I’m ya boy Dwayne Tucker a.k.a. DT..Over the next few weeks I continue to be absent on the blog. I apologize, I’m taking sometime for myself. During that time I’ll be sketching tons of ideas on bristol paper or whatever I can find to scribble on when an idea is in my mind. I’ve been lacking articles here on the blog; blogging aint easy! Not after waking up super early and dealing with everything this dream of a job brings to me. At the end of the day I’m POW. To add to that I’ve got my sprints laced up with spikes at the bottom of them and I’m on a creative track and it’s the journey of my live. The laps = the years and everything gets tougher. With the correct condition, creative explosions, networking, skills development and business development and your continuous support I hope…

My next few articles/ series of blog articles I will be pulling other bodies of  creative work  I find interesting and writing about them my thoughts etc. Along with that I’m going to be welcoming back a friend of my blog, TheSuperModelsGallery.com and showing love to the beautiful models they post! I feel as if the deserve. These ladies are super hot and if me posting them on my site helps their career I’m all about it. I welcome you to give your feedback the reg way you normally contact me or if you’re new here leave a comment.

Twitter – I’m always on twitter so follow me on twitter @DwayneTucker I’m not a cookie-cut photographer on Twitter; with that said, I prefer to keep it real as it is lol I think you’ll have a good time following me for whenever I tweet. Don’t be afraid to hit me up with a message either. Oh yeah and if you see me ReTweet something photography related ReTweet it so our photography lovers out their receives the memo.

Until then –DT.

Just a reminder when I’m not blogging I update my fan page and my twitter often: Dwayne Tucker’s facebook fan page | Dwayne Tucker’s Twitter. That shot above is from my computer’s webcam. That’s the first photograph of my representative (Tom Costanza) and I.  Tom was introduced to my facebook fan page a few days ago; now that I have time to write a little I’m doing it here on the blog. If you have any questions about shooting with me use the contact page and ATTN it Tom or TC.

A Photography Team

That’s a little snap shot of a team I had working with me about a month ago or so. The model (far left) is Daniel Mateus Lages from Next Model Management in Miami, Florida. In about a few days or so, or whenever I get to it I will be featuring Daniel on the Model Image Day section of my blog. Right now there are only females but we are creating another section for male models as well. I clicked on that link just now to make sure it works and my reaction was, DAMN I have ton of updating to do. My images grew so much from then.  (Go ahead join Dwayne Tucker’s facebook fan page and you’ll be notified when I post the images).

A quick little update about MID (Model Image Day) – I respect what models are doing out there. Working with a great model always makes my job as a photographer easier. I like to give back to the models I worked with and to other great models out there that I see pushing hard to make their way.

Back on topic…

The far right of that photograph is my buddy Ace. Ace assist me in some of my shoots down here in Miami, Florida. Ace is pushing his photography down in Miami as well. He photographs music bands. I met the lil hommie in Zumiez at SunSet Place when I went to buy some new skate-boarding shoes. I’m a huge fan of tattoos and he had a pretty sick sleeve; the crazy part about it was that he did it himself. Not be shy and afraid to talk to a person can go a far way; go out there and meet people!

I’m so A.D.D.

The black guy in the photographs is my male stylist Apuje Kalu. I said it like that because it beats me saying the other guy with the reflector is my buddy Daveed, Daveed helped me out because he lived in the area and scouted the location for us blah, blah, blah. You’ll notice that I keep it real as I am on this blog and I get straight to the point…excluding the time when I drift away from the topics as I’ve been doing.

Apuje is an amazing stylist. I love working with him because he brings energy to the set and he has a ton of passion for styling. Anyone I work with must be extremely passion about what they do. This won’t be the first and last time you’ll read his name on this blog.

When is the right time to create a team?

I mentioned that production is easier when you have a team, it’s also easy to make a fool out of yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing. There was a time and there are still times when I have to be my own assistant, stylist and MUA. I didn’t need a MUA for this shoot because I only use my MUA when I’m working with females. (I’ll introduce my MUA Jenna Marie Streitenfeld with a photograph shortly.)

Back on track…

I abide by you live and you learn – but, if you want to go out there an make an ass of yourself then be your own guest. My point that I think I’m struggling to get across here is that if you don’t know how to direct your team then why have one. The right time to build your photography team is when you’ve dabbled in the areas a few times know what to expect from the team that you intend to keep. I felt as if it was time for me to use a team because: I know when I wanted to use a diffuser therefore I won’t be guessing on set, I know when I would like my assistants to hold the reflectors, I know I would have clients on sets and it will save everyone’s time if I have assistants build the lights on set for me (time is money – I don’t own my own studio – if I did I would wake up earlier and do it myself (probably not); I can make this list goes on but you got the idea now.

Two more shout-outs then I’m out of this bitch…

Above is MUA Jenna. I met Jenna a few months ago. I get along with Jenna because what???  – because she’s passionate about her work. To add to that I really respect her because she’s a hustler, something I relate to, hustling hard. If you want to, go a head and check out some of the images she worked on over at her website: KissThisMakeUp.com

My final shout out goes to Christine Bourie and Patrick DeCarlo from Total Recall Vintage to close this brief write up of photography team work info, short updating about the newest members of Team DT. and giving shout-outs. I met Christine when she was styling for a buddy of mine. I fell in love with her work, I fell in love with her professionalism and most important what?? — I fell in love with Total Recall Vintage because they are super passionate about what they do. Patrick and Christine are awesome people. The photograph below is a mix of both of my stylist working together. The  photograph below the male was styled by Apuje and the female was styled by Christine. That’s about it yall! Peace!!

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My phone rang late one night, it was GG asking me if I could take some portraits of him. We stayed up on the phone until about 3 a.m. and started shooting the images at 9:30 a.m. the same day. A ton of planning involved, I’ve worked with GG before, I love his hustle as an artist, we work easy together therefore the shoot was fun.

I’ve been going back and forward with the suburban editor of the Miami Herald about getting this interview in the paper…it has been a few weeks now. I get their drift. I’m persistent with my photography. With seconds of my life  to come,  I hope they get my drift. If they ever call me, I wouldn’t turn them down, I’ll be happy to know they finally understand me.

If the interview article ran it would have been like this:

Dwayne, what made you explore the life of GG with your photographs?

I respect GG’s passion for his work. I met GG about a year ago and
like everyone else, I became a fan and as well as a collector of his work.

If you looked at GG’s Artwork, his paintings tells stories.
I relate to his style of story telling because I tell stories with my photographs.
Therefore I decided to give GG a story of his own with my photographs.

The portrait of GG shows the viewer he’s a painter.
To do this was easy, I had him hold his paint brush.
I love connecting my subjects with symbolism.
You will notice a Rubix Cube is consistent throughout the story.
I used the Rubix Cube to illustrate/to symbolize the complexity/the struggle of being an artist.

The story begins.
GG sleeps and dreams about his future.
His painting stays on the side of him to show his work is close to him.
Even when GG sleeps he’s being inspired for new pieces.

GG reads about world problems and gets inspired to create new pieces.
It’s important for GG to stay up to date with the current times.
Along with that, it’s important to have a business mind to go along with talent.
I placed a phone on top of the Rubix Cube to illustrate: while GG’s gets new inspirations
he’s also waiting new opportunities phone calls.
On the front cover of that paper is a soldier talking to a little girl telling her know that everything will be okay.
This takes us into the next photograph.

Their are rockets on the canvas GG’s carrying on the way to his journey to the galleries.
This painting reflects the inspiration of the soldier talking to the little girl. The rockets on the canvas symbolizes
the war and the broken hearts symbolizes the little girls sorrow.

The complexity of his purpose in life starts to makes sense as he walks towards the gallery.
Like a rocket, GG throws up the Rubix Cube.

GG’s foot is in the door.
I highlight the climax of my stories by photographing the climax image in black and white.
Here, GG gets his foot in the door. Getting your foot in the door takes away a portion of the complicity. However,
we as the viewers knows the cube’s still in his hand; therefore life is still complex.

We can sit here an analyze this photograph talking about reflections, talking about the sign on the door saying “Open, Come In”, all the way to his Nike shoes symbolizing, sometimes you just have to, “Just Do It.”

Hard work pays off.
This is the only photograph where the cube is not twisted. However, it’s still not solved. In fact, it’s the beginning of all problems for an exciting and complex journey waiting to be solved.

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Chase and his crew looks as if they had fun shooting the video. Great vibes, quality work and having fun are my ingredients for awesome projects as well! View the video below.

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