George Kamper’s creative goal is to capture “a heroic moment”. In pursuit of that moment, he forged his way westward to shoot a romantic, cinematic series on cowboys. In this interview, George describes the journey and explains that “purple haze”.
The use of blue and purple haze in the series is really striking and unexpected. Combined with the yellow dust, it makes for an intriguing palette! Can you tell us more about your vision for this series?
I’ve learned that what you don’t show can be as important as what you do show. So, in the case of my “West” series, you see a lot of dust flying through the air and my attempt to diffuse and flatten the images with color, fog, and dust, while adding a wash of color to them. Perhaps like a painter might add a wash over his colors or canvas, to mute and blend the thoughts together. I think these images look like we shot them with an old motion picture camera that had some lens leaks that affected the film while shooting – perfect!
We chose these particular colors for the warmth and humility they bring to the images. I wanted more of a painterly effect, as opposed to the crisp, clean sharpness that’s common when shooting digital. I work very closely with my retoucher Christine – we collaborate on the finishing of my images all the time, much more than typically, I think.
Non-models can often become stiff and uncomfortable in front of the camera – yet the charisma and personality of your subjects come through strongly in these images.
We were very fortunate with our talent. That morning my wife Sherryl had gone on a 3-hour horseback ride with the wranglers, so she had a chance to get to know them a little before we actually started shooting – I think that was helpful in getting them to feel comfortable in front of the camera. These guys did have fun, and they contributed their ideas to the shooting. I do shoot a lot of real people in my work, and I believe for this type of work it’s much more genuine and realistic.
Speaking of genuine and realistic, the West usually conjures up that stereotype of the old, grizzled, stoic cowboy. But your take is youthful, playful, and exuberant – without losing any of the cinematic drama and romance affiliated with this subject.
These are not your stereotypical Marlboro man cowboys and gals! These guys are the real deal. They do this everyday. I didn’t have to tell them how to hold the reigns, or tip their hat. This is their life, and I was fortunate to be able to capture a little of it. When you look in their eyes, you know this is a real moment for them – not just another pose.
This project was self-assigned, which means operating without the luxury of a big budget. How did you pull it off?
Many of my most successful images have been produced as a self-assignment, where I’m free to express myself outside the limitations of a “commercial” image. However, on a “commercial” shoot you always have the resources to shoot in any type of weather or adverse conditions. On a self assigned shoot, this can become quite daunting, and a major obstacle. I’ve been wanting to go out west to shoot cowboys and their environment for several years, but the cost of scouting, travel, production coordination, and crew seemed prohibitive.
I finally found my way into a ranch with access to the hands that worked the ranch, and their environment through a workshop. Once there, we were able to shoot all the images with available light, being very selective as to the direction of the light and its quality, the lens selection, and shutter speeds. We did use bounce reflectors in several of the images, and experimented with motion as you can see in some of the images.
I shot these on my own with no crew – just a couple volunteers that would hold up a reflector for me from time to time, and the help of my wife. The last image is of Sherryl, my wife, and I. She shot all the behind-the-scenes images.
Our assignment was to capture 10 hero images for use in advertising and other print and out of home media, plus 5 light effects shots for use as backgrounds. While additionally shooting as much potential stock for future promotions etc..
“Live Life Lucky”
SHOOTING IN A CASINO IS AS MUCH FUN AS IT IS A CHALLENGE.
Shooting in a casino has it’s own very specific set of challenges including lighting, security issues, crowd control, staging equipment and talent, along with finding and accessing power, overall safety, etc…etc…
This is my 5th or 6th casino shoot including several for Trump, MGM and now Indiana Live! They all have had a different dynamic. This is a particular type of shoot since we were tapped to shoot stills during the making of several TV spots. Having begun my career in the film business in NYC, currently directing and shooting, I am very aware of what’s in store for us when we sign on to this type of shoot.
Great words to live by: “It’s not about me”
What this means in everyday speak is “Get what you need, as fast as humanly possible, and don’t create a negative vibe or delay” Understand, in this world we’re a necessary nuisance; usually a surprise to the Production Company and Director, who have most likely condensed their shoot and budget to being as efficient as possible, prior to learning that a still guy would also be joining the party!
“Affable” is another great word.
I believe it’s tantamount to make nice with everyone as soon as possible.
The key players include: the Executive Producer, Director, DP, Camera Assistant, AD, (this AD has a different function then the one the still guys are used to working with), the Gaffer, Key Grip, wardrobe, makeup…. These people need to be on your side and you need to make their lives continue to run as smoothly as possible! (By the way, don’t touch anything!) Though a nice gesture like plugging in a light, or moving a stand seems innocent enough, it’s someone else’s job.
When we’re working alongside a film crew, our first objective is to keep the production moving and not get in the way. Lots of times this means using the lights, camera angles and AD to help run the shoot for the still guy; while everyone else is reviewing the latest takes. This way, calling “Action” for the still guy, is running the same scene over again while the Director and clients are reviewing the current take. We only do this if we’re unable to get what we need from somewhere else on the set.
Remember-“It’s not about me”
It’s also helpful if you can set up the camera above, below, or anywhere there’s a hole to poke the lens near the motion camera, with the crew’s blessing of course.
I’ve included a collage of images, some Behind the Scenes shot by my buddy and Digital Tech Rhett Haynes, and some of my selects from the shoot.
You can get an idea of how many people are involved and moving in an amazingly coordinated fashion. This is the job of the production company and the Line Producers. These guys were amazing! They shot 10 scenes each day, flawlessly, and in a very challenging environment. The DP was amazing. He knew exactly what, where, and how many lights needed to go where… There was never any fidgeting with the lights or camera angle. I was very impressed. Of course he was able to rely on his Gaffer, who was on the same wavelength, and had impeccable notes from the Tech Scout. He got it right from the word go, even though this was the first time they were working together. I love the level of professionalism found on a film sets.
We shot for two, twelve-hour days, 3 commercials. Crew and Cast of over 30 people… . pretty impressive!
By the way, the camera crew was very gracious and allowed me to seriously infringe on their personal space.
You’ll see me over, under, and sometimes even riding the dolly with the DP and Camera Assistant! Also, I want to thank the Key Grip for allowing me to ride on the dolly.
I got there Sunday and wanted to spend as much time with the crew as possible prior to the shoot. Tech scout on Monday, and shoot on Tuesday and Wednesday.
I have to say that the Director, Tom, was a bundle of energy and joy! He was always smiling, happy and very willing to give the still guy time on set… love him! The Exec Producer and Line Producers were also incredibly accommodating and a great asset to the shoot. Thank you!
Lastly, my client is the best! We actually had just received news while we were on set, that we had won six or seven
Addys for a TV spot and print campaign that we had produced together for the Queen Mary. Way to go Rob!
By the way, the Queen Mary Blog is below if you’d like to catch the video or stills.
“This shoot came off without a hitch thanks to the great Production Team and Clients on the shoot.” It’s not everyday you get to shoot in Miami and make it look like the Cape or go from outside shots edited to look like they took place in the mountains to shooting in a beautiful penthouse.
All in a days work, well actually 3 days with one PrePro on my part. The casting, major production work, location procurement, hiring of the non photo staff all came from the Production Company. Oh, and did I mention, the client was from Lima, Peru!
Here you can see some of the behind the scenes images and some of my selects. This Campaign was shot for release in 2011, it’s all about men’s and women’s fragrances. Once I have the finals from the client, I’ll post them as well.
Thanks again, to a great Client, Crew, and Production Company!! Dos & Mas Communications & Productions
Do you think it bothers her that I don’t listen to her music and wouldn’t recognize her if she stopped by and said hi?
It shouldn’t.
Even if you’re a pop star, you don’t needeveryone to be a fan or a customer. And especially if you’re not a pop star, worrying about whether everyone laughs at your jokes, buys your product or even likes you is counterproductive.
Unless you’re running for something that requires a unanimous vote, it’s a mistake to focus on the frowning guy in the back of the room or the dolt who doesn’t get your subtle references or the miser who isn’t going to buy from you regardless…
You’re on the hunt for sneezers, for fans, for people willing to cross the street to work with you. Everyone else can pound sand, that’s okay. Being remarkable also means being ignored or actively disliked.
BTW, I’m virtually certain that Lady (do her friends call her that?) doesn’t read my stuff, so we’re even.
When you launch a new idea or project into the world, you’ll probably use connections to what has come before as a way to tell your story.
Caribou Coffee, for example, uses all sorts of metaphors and cues and even verbal tropes <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trope_%28linguistics%29> that we learned from Starbucks. These signals help us understand that the place we’re about to enter isn’t a steakhouse, isn’t a shoeshine stand and isn’t a massage parlor. It’s a place to get a latte.
Books that want to be bestsellers work hard to look like previous bestsellers, from the store where they are sold to how many pages long they are to how much they cost. These signals help us determine that this object is something worth buying and reading.
Cable TV does this, politicans do this, computer resellers do this.
Here’s the thing: you can’t stand out if you fit in all the way, and thus the act of deciding which part isn’t going to match is the important innovation.
Matching an element almost looks like failure. Matching not-at-all, on the other hand, is the refreshing whack on the side of the head that causes attention to be paid.
When your car looks like a car but the doors are gullwing, we notice them. When your suit looks like a suit but the lining is orange, we notice it. When you apply for a job and you don’t have a resume, we notice it.
This was the secret of the golden age of comic books. 90% of every hero was on key, professionally done, easy to understand… which allowed the remarkable parts to stand out.
You can’t be offbeat in all ways, because then we won’t understand you and we’ll reject you. Some of the elements you use should be perfectly aligned with what we’re used to.
From the High Tide and Full Moon to the Underwater Lighting, every detail had to be planned in advance. (Well, almost…).
Presented with a wonderful challenge and having a can do attitude, GK was recently tapped to produce the 30′ spot for the Queen Mary “Dark Harbor” Campaign as well as simultaneously creating the Billboard and Web Banner images.
From start to finish this project had an open dialogue with the Executive Creative Director Rob DeLuke of the Y Partnership. Utilizing Rob’s and George’s point of view and eagerness to create something fresh and new, the sky (the depths actually) had no limits.
Believe it or not, this actually evolved from a predominantly studio shoot utilizing stop motion, to a full blown outdoor, nighttime, on the water production utilizing the Canon 5D MkII.
We took on this project because it was a challenge and Rob kept saying he wanted our input and vision in this. He wanted this to be super cool and scary- and Not Canned…
Before we move on, I should mention that this project had a pretty challenging budget. Which is one of the reasons we took it on!!
If this were a full blown Hollywood production, we probably wouldn’t have come out with something as fresh and raw.. Our motto is less money, more freedom!
We love the idea that we had to do everything ourselves, produce, scout, direct, light, camera operate, right down to providing the bug spray on site!
That’s not to say that we didn’t have a wonderful crew, everyone contributed in a big way because we all saw this as a Portfolio piece.
The first challenge was finding a location on the water where we could control the environment, didn’t have to fight the waves,(Remember Waterworld..) and could have some power availability and necessary shelter, rest rooms, food availability on site. Since we didn’t have the budget to have a motor home, catering etc..
We also wanted to shoot in an isolated area so we didn’t have to fight off any onlookers, other people’s flash cameras, potential theft etc..
By the way, it’s Turtle Nesting Season, so you can’t shoot on the beach in Florida at Night, we wouldn’t want to impede the Turtle Nesting Situation… (LOL)
Learn something new everyday
Lighting is the key to my work. I love it. When it works it can bring magic to a shoot! In this case, we knew the look we were trying to achieve and the key light had to come from Underwater…
We talked with Brownie Marine Group’s CEO, Robert Carmichael, who was willing to volunteer his services and equipment along with Mikkel Pitzner, both comprised the underwater diver/lighting solution. Brownies is known for its depth of knowledge regarding anything that has to do with diving and being around the water! They also work closely with Halcyon and the EUE, and hold several patents for diving solutions.
Of course, one of our greatest challenges was finding an actress who would be willing and strong enough to stand in the Creek on cinderblocks in 5′ of water, for 5 hours, at night, wearing a tattered ball gown, prosthetics glued to her face and hands, blood dripping from her eyes, with seaweed entwined in her hair with a crown on her head.
Believe me this was the perfect location, a Creek, middle of John Lloyd State park, purposely as EERie as possible! We have to give props to Ashley DeLuke, Rob’s daughter, who has been modeling for a while but more than that, is a budding actress who is willing to go the extra mile!! In this case, she swam a marathon for us!!
We could see the fish and crab in the water moving around. (Ashley didn’t know this, but part of the diver’s job, armed with a spear behind her in the water, was to fend off any sea creatures that got too close). Way to go Ashley!! On a side note, Ashley’s Mom, who happens to also be a commercial photographer, came to the shoot to offer moral support, and we were super happy she was there helping to coach Ashley and give her moral encouragement! Thanks MOM!
We were fortunate to work with a great ranger from the park who was always there just in case, but pretty much let us do our thing. Admittedly, we were a little nervous we might get stopped after the first take lighting the Queen Mary Life Preserver Ring floating on fire in the Creek. But, everything went smoothly and we were able to shoot several takes with the flames in the water!
One of the first phone calls I made was to Make Up artist June Ellis who does wonderful work and was up for the challenge of working with prosthetics, blood,seaweed and water! Let alone all the research and testing she did, she was a great presence on set, and constantly checked in with Ashley to insure she was doing ok. Five hours in Studio make up and 5 hours standing in the water! Gotta love crew that loves their job!
The wardrobe and jewelry were handled by stylist Melanie Whittle. I’ve got to say, from all the research she did identifying just the right style and fabrics, to personally sandpapering and distressing the gown, she’s become one of my new heros! I love how much she loves to contribute to a shoot. She was all over this! She really does have style!
Peggy Chase Jordao was key in helping me find June and Melanie.
While Peggy was confirmed on a shoot prior to mine, she jumped in with both feet anyway and took care of props for me while being out of the country on another shoot, making arrangements with Melanie and June to work on this production. Peggy is one of my go to people. If she doesn’t know the answer, she’ll go find it- or in her case, many times, just make it from scratch!
I also have to mention that gearing up for this shoot took a couple of weeks since I hadn’t fully made the transition to shooting video on my 5D’s instead of motion picture 16mm or 35mm film. We linked up with Chris King, who helped guide us through outfitting our 5D and was also on set to help with the camera etc.. Great guy, very helpful on set.
Special Thanks has to go to my #1 assistant Jim Wenger who through thick and thin, is right beside me-well in this case was in about 5′ of water getting the steam from the dry ice in his gloved hand to move in the right direction! He burned his hand when the dry ice started seeping through the gloves, and he just kept taking it for the team! (We didn’t know till later that the tingling feeling he was getting was actually burning his hand…).
I really appreciate his stick-to-it-ive-ness- Jim doesn’t give up easily- We had 3 different devices for pushing that dry ice on the water- at the end of the day, of the elements that make the shoot, it’s the perfect placement of all the steam and fog on the water! All Jim!!
You know what is said about film making- It’s really the sound that counts! The sound on this has everything to do with setting the mood and making it interesting, Mark Sunderland who composed and engineered this as well as V.O. Talent Zach Miller & Danielle Lillig did an amazing job for us!
Danielle Lillig wrote this spot with just the right amount of cleverness and restraint and we love her for it.
So every film maker knows it’s not only what’s in the can that counts, but how it’s cut together! I’ve got to give super special Profs to my Tech and Editor on this shoot, Zach Scheffer. You know when you’re out there shooting, dealing with the tide, lights, water, bugs,limited personnel and budget, etc.. etc.. you shoot a lot, covering your ass as much as possible.
Zach had the vision to put this spot together with the effects that really push it up a notch! He’s the man, and he gets lots of the credit! Rob chimed in as did I, but Zach was the man on this- Made a lot of disparate elements come together in a cohesive, interesting and unusual way! Special Thanks Zach!!
The Stills are as important as the video,especially when the still is going to be 20′ tall! We wouldn’t have those hands on that shot of the Queen for the Billboard if it wasn’t for my fantastic retoucher and budding editor Christine Craig. Chris has done all my still retouching for the last 3 years and has breathed life into many projects that needed that little kick. She did a fab job on the Queen’s skin and interpreting the lighting! As always, Chris is amazing.
All in all, the man that get’s the credit for this is Rob DeLuke for his willingness to step out of the comfort zone and back us up all the way. He has a great eye and is always willing to go to battle for a great visual or idea. If there was anyone that deserves credit for bringing this campaign to life, it’s Rob. The whole crew and I appreciate his vision and trust. WAY TO GO ROB!
This blog contains photos and videos created through the lens of premier photographer George Kamper. Here you will receive a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to make some of the world-class images seen in today's magazines, websites, billboards, etc..
Additionally, and perhaps as important, you will read about the production challenges behind creating the images. It’s our goal to make the images flawless and the experience fun and rewarding for everyone involved. Now you can have a first hand look and experience the challenge of actually making the shoot a reality.
Latest News from GK
George is being featured in this month's issue of After Capture Magazine!
What clients are saying about George and his Team!
“Thank you for everything.”
“Looks great man. You saved the account peoples ass on this one.”
