Elton Anderson Photography

2008-12-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

Out with the old....

2008-09-20T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

If you love this blog, you'll love the new blog ten times more!!!

Click here!!

Living for the 3 Day weekend.

2008-09-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

So after many days of no posts, I'm finally back after a great Labor Day Weekend.

I had some of my oldest friends in town and per usual we laughed, danced, drank and even did a little yoga. These are some of the most amazing people I know and I'm glad they decided to spend their holiday weekend with me.

Beaches and Logos

2008-08-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Emery Burke (The Fly Samurai)

2008-08-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

Check out Emery as he tries to pull off a Sunglass Campaign and then kicks it as a corporate Ninja...

(This is what happens when I'm bored on a Sunday)

I Fell in Love with Photography.... and Broke up with Running

2008-08-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

I've pretty much been a runner my whole life. My parents tell me stories of me as a 2 year-old kicking over my stroller and opting to run in order to keep up with their walking pace. This running continued all the way through high school and college as I geared up for the track team.

I've always loved running and although I haven't raced competitively for years, I've still found time to incorporate a few early morning runs into my schedule.... that was until I found photography.

After I picked up a camera a few months ago, its been so hard to put it down. I recently looked at my camera meter and I've taken over 30,000 pictures... some good, some bad and some I'm just embarrassed I even took. Regardless, photography has become my newest passion and is quickly growing into my own business.

This new love for photography, however, has nearly killed any free time I have for running. I have gone more than 2 weeks (the most in my life) without going for a single run. As I stare at my neglected Nike Pegasus in the corner of my room, I realize that I need to spend time with my old companion.

So I've done the unthinkable.... I signed up for a HALF-MARATHON!!! That's right, yesterday I registered for the Palm Beach Marathon and have opted to run the 13.1 mile version (26.2 miles was just a little too ambitious for me). I figured by having a goal to reach I would be more committed to find time for running. The marathon isn't until December 7 (which is ironically Bobby Staten's B-day, one of my motivators) but I'm on a 4 month plan to get in prime shape by then.

I'm sure this is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done but you can never really get over your first love....

I'll keep the updates comin'!!

Curissa + Larondo

2008-07-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

I can't thank Curissa and Larondo enough for giving me the chance to shoot their wedding. Even though this is only my second wedding shoot, they fully trusted my judgement and vision for how I wanted to tell their story.

Luckily, they couldn't have picked a more perfect day to get married. We started at the crack of dawn to capture Curissa as the sun was rising and I have to give it up to the girls for being up and ready at 6 am. Not only did I have the opportunity to get to know this amazing bridal party but we also got some great shots in as well.

The wedding pictures turned out ten times better than I could ever imagine and I can't wait to share these pictures with everyone!

If you want to see more pictures go to my website, click on "proofing" and the password is "curissa"

Jessica

2008-07-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

Jessica is a model, actress, singer and DJ from Melbourne, Australia.

Kim Brown

2008-07-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Meet my good friend Kim. She is the reigning Miss Black California. When she's not busy volunteering for numerous charities or speaking to young girls on the importance of education and self-esteem, Kim is actively pursuing a career in music. This girl is blessed with an amazing voice and I can't wait to see what she has in store musically.

She wanted a shoot that was inspired by one of her biggest idols, Beyonce. Here are a few pics of Kim I took in Atlanta.

I'm Official!! (Part 2)

2008-07-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

After weeks of waiting, the gracious people over at Leather Craftsmen have approved me for an account!! Leather Craftsmen is the standard when it comes to wedding albums and for good reason. I had the opportunity to meet with my Leather Craftsmen rep, David and was floored by the detail and beauty of their books. The covers are genuine leather as you would expect, but the books themselves take your wedding pictures to another level!! They have a story book quality that you have to see to believe.

Although, these books will ultimately increase the cost of my wedding packages, they are WELL worth the investment in my opinion. I am excited to bring my clients the very best in photographic expression!!

Samples coming soon...

Random Inspirations: L10_001

2008-07-17T04:01:00.000-07:00

I think inspiration is one of the most important things in this world. It spawns creativity, beauty & art in our daily lives and I wanted to start sharing some of my inspirations with you all.

The funny thing about inspiration is that it can come from anywhere and anything. How many times have you seen someone in great shape and been inspired to go to the gym? Or heard a scripture at Church and been inspired to live a better life? And I know every woman reading this has been inspired by Oprah in one way or another.

No matter where you find your inspiration, its what drives you and the world to constantly move forward.

Now, I call this segment of my blog "Random Inspirations" because they may seem like they come from left field but like I say, I try to find the beauty in everything.

This American Express Commercial featuring clothing designer Diane Von Furstenberg is AMAZING!!! From an artistic perspective, the lighting, cinematography and flow of this commercial is impeccable. I love the opening when she's photographing the trees and they slowly come into focus, I love the simplistic piano music playing in the background and I love what she's saying. Her very first words are: "I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I knew the person I wanted to become". This is exactly where I am in my life and I'm sure a lot of you can relate.

This commercial has not only inspired me to follow my dream, but more importantly I am inspired to Become my dream.

"Become your Dream" - De La Vega

Courtney + Shawn

2008-07-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

This morning I headed to downtown Hollywood for an engagement shoot with Courtney & Shawn and had the time of my life! Shawn's mom, Camille was the one who actually found me on the web and told me what a great couple they were... she couldn't have been more right. From the first picture I could tell that not only were they totally in love but best friends as well.

In my opinion, this shoot was amazing! They were more than willing to be guinea pigs on a few new ideas and the pictures turned out better than I expected. I have to admit, although Courtney was great, Shawn was perhaps the best male model to date (he must have practiced in the mirror before he came).

I can't wait to shoot their wedding this November!! Enjoy

Kim + Jayson

2008-07-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

Remember the post I wrote about my first wedding.... well this is the couple! Kim and Jayson are two of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met and were great to work with. I do think I put my foot in my mouth when I told Kim I was an early bird because we started this shoot at 7:15 am. They had a lot to do on their wedding day so we had to get the pictures in early.

This was a totally new location for me but we all adapted pretty fast and knocked out some great pictures. I have to give a special thanks to my consultant/assistant Janeka. She woke up at the crack of dawn to help me out and made a lot of these pictures possible. I'll be posting a few of their wedding pics soon.

Headshots: Brian

2008-07-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Brian is a actor/dancer from Columbia, South Carolina. He has lot of talent and will definitely go far in his pursuits.

The First Time is Always the Hardest.... I Hope

2008-07-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

It's early Sunday morning and I have to admit I'm still in a state of shock. Just 5 days ago, I received a text from my friend Whitney about possibly shooting a wedding. Whitney has been so supportive of my photography from day one and is probably the best hype-man anyone could wish for (and the prettiest, too). Via text, she had already negotiated pricing and everything but there was only one kicker... the wedding was in 4 days!!

I'm not scared of much but this was kind of intimidating. This would be my first wedding and I only had 4 days to prepare, so I did what I always do.... follow my instincts and hope for the best.

To make a long story short, the wedding turned out great!! It was way more physically demanding than expected but after 2 cameras, 3 memories card, 8 batteries and a whole lot of sweat I think I pulled off some great pictures. I really have to say thanks to the beautiful couple, Kim and Jayson for including me in their big day and showing me a great example of true love.

Here are a few teasers.... more to come, I promise.

Lisa + Terrance

2008-06-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

So this was a huge day for me! I have officially shot my first engagement session, and it couldn't have been with a more perfect couple. Lisa and Terrance are both from Alabama and have been together for nearly 2 years.

From the second we met I could see this couple was meant for each other. They are both outgoing and equally hilarious (they had me laughing in between almost every shot). They were very comfortable in front of the camera and were surprisingly open to all my ideas, as crazy as they may have been.

I wish this couple the best as they approach there wedding date and I thank them for allowing me to capture the love that they share.

I Smell a Good Weekend....

2008-06-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

south beach + new friends + random guest appearances x great drinks = A hell of a weekend!! (and its only Friday)

The Glass

2008-06-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

It was a slow photography week so I decided to make my lenses do a little modeling. (they're kinda sexy right?)

These three beauties are so important to my business, but more importantly, they are important to my vision. My mind sees a lot of things that my eyes don't and I've learned that great equipment can help close the gap between vision and reality. Another gap that I'm trying to close is the huge gap in my bank account. These three instruments were not cheap; however, they were well worth every dime.

Here's a little back ground on each one:

Nikkor 85 mm f/1.4 - this is the best portrait lens ever!! I call this one my "David Copperfield" because its pure magic.

Nikkor 35 mm f/2 - this is the "Sex and the City" lens because it great for fashion shoots. I use this primarily when I shoot models, it works great close up and far away.

Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 - My favorite lens of all time!! This lens takes the most beautiful, buttery images ever. I keep "fitty" on my camera 90% of the time because its so flexible and the images are super sharp.

In the end, quality lenses are going to cost you but they are worth it in the long run. Start saving now.

Google Me Baby

2008-06-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

So, I was sitting around bored the other day and I decided to google my own name (everyone's done it, I'm sure).

I was hoping that my website would be the first thing listed, instead I found something very surprising. I, Elton Anderson, was actually a very popular blues singer in the 50's.... who knew?

Here's a little history on Elton Anderson:

Elton Anderson, from Lake Charles, LA, was a guitarist as well as a vocalist. During 1956 and 1957, he was featured with the Sid Lawerence Band regularly at the Southern Club in Opelousas, LA.

Anderson’s "Secret Of Love" charted in 1960 and did very well nationally. But his two follow-up 45's for Mercury in 1960 and 1961 did not fare nearly as well; and the label dropped him.

After Capitol tried again with another Anderson 45, they lost interest; and the guitarist/vocalist's few remaining releases were issued on Lanor around 1963. When they did not sell, Elton Anderson left Louisiana for California; and, as far as I know, did not record again.

After reading his story I felt bad for Elton and decided to buy one of his classic singles "(Love) I'm gonna have to pass". Found it on EBAY for $7.99... hopefully he'll get at least $.45 from this purchase.

Now all I have to do is find a record player, download it to an MP3 file, get T-Pain and Kanye to do a remix and then the original Elton Anderson can make a comeback (after I get my 30% of course).

I'm Official!!

2008-06-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Elton Anderson Photography is now on the web!!

I haven't really announced it to anyone because its still under much construction, but for the 5 or 6 people that actually look at my blog please go check it out and tell me what you think.

I'll be really busy for the next few weeks adding more photos to my portfolio. Hopefully I'll have an official launch in August. Stay tuned!!

www.eltonandersonphoto.com

Ania

2008-06-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Ania (pronounced on-ya) is a model/host based in Miami, Fl. She is an amazing model who's personality is just as great as her look.

Maurice

2008-06-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Maurice is an aspiring model from Georgia...

Agustino

2008-06-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

Agustino is a model/actor from Argentina. He's currently based in Fort Lauderdale and is really great to work with. Look out for him in a commercial near you.

Adia

2008-06-01T19:19:00.003-07:00

Adia McKenzie is an author based out of Miami, Fl. Her first book, Ana's Magic, is self-published and currently available in select locations. Stay tuned for her second novel due Spring 2009.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Memorial Day in Miami (aka Black Beach Weekend). I don't have too many pictures because when I'm with friends I prefer to live in the moment rather than capture it. I did, however let a talented polaroid photographer capture a pic of me and my friends.

Next time I will document a lot more of the festivities and foolishness that occurred.

ATL

2008-05-19T14:31:00.001-07:00

I was in Atlanta this weekend and really didn't take many pics... I did grab this quick snapshot in Atlantic station though.

The next few weeks will be very hectic and hopefully there will be some great new pictures to post.

Maikel

2008-05-13T06:13:00.001-07:00

Maikel is an aspiring model based in South Beach, FL...

The Weekend

2008-05-11T19:14:00.001-07:00

This weekend was fairly relaxed. I spent half my time at the beach and the other half searching for new photo shoot locations, which can be very time consuming.

After a while, I decided to hop on the skyrail and look for locations from up above. I snapped a pic of this guy who was so chill and didn't seem to have a care in the world..... one of these days that'll be me (minus the pink pants).

Scouting Locations

2008-05-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

I usually take my friends with me to help me scout locations and then end up taking pictures of them to test the lighting. Here are few shots of Antonio, Maikel and Emery. I'll be having a "real" shoot at these locations very soon. Stay tuned.....

Skate or DIE!!!

2008-05-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

I think skateboarders are some of the coolest people ever!!!! Ever since I picked up a camera (only like 4 months ago), the first people I wanted to shoot was a group of skateboarders. Yesterday, I kinda got my wish. Although, these kids are young, they still have the passion and love for the sport as most professionals. This is one of my favorite shoots to date.

Sofia

2008-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sofia is a fitness model/student from Italy. She currently resides in South Beach, Fl. Visit her website at www.sofiafitness.com

PHILLY

2008-04-25T05:22:00.001-07:00

These are some great shots I took during my first trip to Philadelphia. The thing I love most about Philadelphia is its historical charm. There are tons of parks, historic landmarks and the people are very friendly. My goal for this shoot was not only to capture the historical elements of "Philly" but the humanistic elements as well.

Action

2008-04-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

Beach Shots

2008-04-16T17:50:00.001-07:00

People

2008-04-16T16:53:00.001-07:00

These are pics from my first event. It was a Boyscout event in West Palm, FL.

Places

2008-04-16T16:44:00.001-07:00

The Beginning...

2008-04-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

This blog is a vehicle to display my photography. I hope you enjoy.