Published : Mode Lifestyle Magazine Cover!

As featured on the front cover of print magazine Mode Lifestyle.

Mode Lifestyle Magazine Cover

Team Credits:
Stylist: Alicia DiBlasio/Belle Morte
Makeup: Jessica Colella using MAC
Hair: Jessica Colella
Model: Elyse Jankowski
Retoucher: Natalie Buskila
Photographer: David Cajio

Agency Testing - Fitness Shoot

Recently I tested with another agency model who wanted to update her book with some fitness photos. I spent a lot of time considering how to shoot this and eventually decided on shooting against a gray seamless background. Originally, I had wanted to shoot outdoors and do some action shots, however, with the cold weather and being we were shooting at night, I decided a studio session would be a better fit.

After deciding on the location wardrobe and lighting came next. Lighting is what I'm going to focus on discussing as I feel that is where a lot of photographers struggle.

I decided I wanted hard and contrasty light in order to emphasize the model's body as well using the shadow to draw focus more to the tone and muscles. The shots below were all shot with the same lighting, which is a fairly simple three light setup.

The background was lit with an open bulb. After metering and lighting the background, I used a beauty dish to only light the face and was very careful to keep spill off the body. Once the face was properly lit I then used an open bulb with barn doors to focus the light on the right-side of the body casting the left-side in shadow and forcing harsh light on the model's muscles and the water droplets across her stomach, bringing the viewer's eyes to focus more on the fitness side of the photo.

Published: Fantastics Magazine

I was recently published on the cover and featured in a 12 page fashion editorial spread in Fantastics Magazine.

The series titled "Western Union" and accurately described by Fantastics Magazine as "Where school marm meets glamour puss," showcases models Britt A W and Ryan Melissa shot at the Roebling Steel Mill in Steam Punk meets today's fashion at the corner of Attitude and Mystery. I was amazed at the level of professional and experience as well as talent that both models and the entire team brought to the shoot.

©David Cajio Photography

Team Info:
Photographer - David Cajio
Makeup Artist - Danielle Lambersky
Models - Ryan Mellisa and Britt A W
Hair - Paige Lewis
Wardrobe - Belle Morte ran by Alicia DiBlasio

Full story can be found here

Agency Models and Testing - Is It Worth It?

I get asked a lot from photographers whether it is worthwhile to test with agencies when they already have full books, especially because of all the risks involved. A single bad test shoot can ruin a perfectly good working relationship with an agency -- this can be especially harmful when the cause of the unsuccessful shoot may not be entirely the photographer's fault, but instead the new model's.

However, as far as I'm concerned the reward far outweighs any risk -- with the caveat that you are at least a semi-competent photographer.

Starting at the bottom of an agency's board you will get new models with very little experience or if you are lucky experienced models who have changed and need to update their look. However, even the new models have what agencies are looking for which means you will have an influx of new, stunning faces to work with. Posing and facial expressions can be taught, explained, and pulled from a model, but the look can only happen naturally.

Do a great job with testing and you may even get the chance to pull from the agency's higher tier for your work, which will open up even great opportunities for you. You can never have enough in your book and you should never let your book get stale, constantly keep testing, practicing and updating/upgrading what you can offer -- don't become a dinosaur.

Instead of explaining even more I'll show you some images from my most recent shoot and let you decide both how I did and whether it is worth it or not. Personally, I felt the model was amazing and the shoot turned out great.

©David Cajio Photography
©David Cajio Photography
©David Cajio Photography

Fashionable Dream

Sometimes you have a vision for a shoot and that shoot turns out perfect, everything falls into place. However, most times you have a vision and everything goes wrong along the way, but you end up with something better than you originally intended.

I had a vision for a shoot that involved a wooden dock with aged and weathered wood. Preparation began for the shoot after losing access to a location and so a set had to be built in studio. I called upon some friends to help build the dock and work began. After finishing the dock an attempt to age and weather the wood was made, however, days later the effect had still not worked and the finished dock did not fit the look at all. The background that was ordered suddenly become back-ordered and never arrived and one of my studio lights died. The thought of canceling the shoot was reverberating over and over in my mind, but everything had been planned for so long I decided to press onward.

The floor was replaced by a fake wood floor from Lowe's, a barrel was bought for prop aesthetics and a stone bench was borrowed to be incorporated as well. The final touch, however, was still missing -- the background. I found a perfect match in some wallpaper while buying the fake floor and immediately grabbed the last two rolls -- talk about luck.

The set finally finished, the model done in makeup and hair, and wardrobe prepared we began the shoot.

©David Cajio Photography
©David Cajio Photography

The post work, editing, retouching and wardrobe may seem odd to some, however, the vision of the shoot was that of a dream, a living doll, a clash and conflict of what is normal and everyday mediocrity.

©David Cajio Photography

Now I know some of you are saying: "What is with the helmet?"

I have a belief that fashion doesn't need to make sense, a belief that may be wrong, but it is my belief. Take a perfectly clean, pristine, elegant dress and you have an every day dress you would wear to the ball. However, take that same dress and put it alongside something that represents the complete opposite -- a helmet of war, a tool of bloodshed and violence, the exact opposite of elegance and pristine -- add some boots and you have a story. Something that speaks and tells a tale, instead of just an image, you have an inspiration. The helmet is the protagonist of the story, if you will.

Big thanks to my team and the model. Amazing images aren't possible without everyone involved.