VITA PHOTO: Blog

Mini portrait session with Negative Scanner at the Empty Bottle

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 22:30:25 GMT

I got to spend a few minutes with Chicago's searing post-punk four-piece Negative Scanner before their show with The Spits and Gallery Night at the Empty Bottle this May.

Negative Scanner is (left to right): Tim Cassling, Nick Beaudoin, Rebecca Valeriano-Flores, Matt Revers.

It's no secret I'm a big fan of their 2015 self-titled EP, that has (along with Protomartyr's 2017 "Relatives In Descent" and Male Gaze's "Miss Taken") been a mainstays of those long weekend work commutes out to the suburbs this spring and summer. Give it a listen!

Negative Scanner by Negative Scanner

The new record "Nosepicker" is out July 20 on Trouble in Mind Records. Follow the band on Facebook!

Portrait Session: DJ & Event Coordinator Jennefa K

Wed, 30 Dec 2015 18:14:13 GMT

Here is a peek into our portrait session with event DJ & coordinator Jennefa K! We spent a couple of hours experimenting with different looks at the beautiful event space in Kitchen Chicago.

The amount of gear this lady carts around is impressive.

And she sets it up pretty fast too!

Using the visually striking lighting in Kitchen Chicago's event space (and plenty of our own!), we set to work on creating some dramatic images.

Can't wait to see what Jennefa gets up to in 2016? You can reach her through her website at jennefa.com.

Lincoln Park Photo Session with the Hendzel Productions team

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:19:57 GMT

Our friends at Hendzel Productions--some of Chicago's most talented wedding filmmakers--were interested in team photos for their new company web site.

We jumped at the chance to book a shoot at Lincoln Park last month.

As might be expected, it was a scorcher but Mike Hendzel stayed cool and collected for his close-up.

Despite the heat, we had a blast.

Learn more about how Hendzel Productions captures events at http://michaelhendzel.com.

Behind the Scenes at the VITA PHOTO Portrait Lighting Workshop!

Mon, 24 Aug 2015 05:26:51 GMT

We're excited to bring you a behind-the-scenes peek into the STEAM Studio portrait lighting workshop!

This summer, VITA PHOTO lead photographer Nicoletta Ruane was invited to host a portrait lighting workshop at YouMedia's STEAM Studio in the Chicago Cultural Center.

Five young people participated in the lighting workshop which opened with an overview and history of some of the elements of portrait lighting. Then we got right to work experimenting on each other!

We spent a lot of time studying each other's faces, positioning our light to get a desired effect, and testing exposure.

And then we did it again, and again, and again.

We also learned that when it comes to photography, patience is key!

YouMedia Digital Learning Instructor Jeff Lassahn was an excellent facilitator. He made sure everyone was able to experiment with the different lighting patterns and had a partner to work with. (Don't miss any updates to Jeff's website as he documents life during wartime.)

The portrait lighting workshop was a terrific experience. It was well-prepared, the participants had high expectations for what they were going to learn and they came away with a much improved ability to control light and exposure.

We can't wait to work with YouMedia and the Chicago Public Library again!

Chris and Kisma's First Wedding Anniversary

Sat, 06 Dec 2014 20:19:28 GMT

This lovely and talented young couple recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary with a portrait session. Kisma and her husband Chris were in Chicago for the opening performance of the Lyric Opera's production of Porgy & Bess, in which Kisma performed.

When we arrived to begin shooting at Union Station, the main hall was being decorated for the season.

The station was buzzing with weekend travelers but Kisma and Chris found it very easy to remain focused on each other!

And just as we were finishing up the session, a light snow began to fall outside. It was a near-perfect morning!