This month’s client list included UPS, Well Fargo, and Verizon Wireless. So why am I showing you pictures of an obscure rock band from Long Beach that no one has ever heard of, and broke up shortly after this photo shoot? I like the images, I think they are fun, and I think you will enjoy seeing them more than photographs of UPS employees moving boxes. 
Die Midwestern is a band that rehearsed down the hall from my old photography studio back when I was in Long Beach. I became friends with the band members, and when I would go to listen to them we would talk about concepts for their CD cover. With a name that includes the word “Midwestern” and “Die”, images of guns and cowboy outfits quickly came to mind. One of the band members has a friend in the Palm Springs area with an old gold mine on it, and we planned to visit the location for the shoot.
My assistant’s boyfriend is starting a retro costume rental service, and was excited about getting sample images to use to promote his business. He loaned us cowboy hats, shirts and accessories that were up to 90 years old. We added rifles from the owner of the gold mine, and an old guitar from the band, and we had our props.
I used battery powered studio lighting to soften the shadows on the images near the building, and reflectors to bounce the sunlight onto the band members in the desert shots. However, I was looking for a “hard” light look, so I just used enough fill light to make the images reproduce well. I experimented with desaturating the color, making the images look old and faded.
These shots represent the kind of photography I like to do, vs. what I am usually hired to do. Although I love my work, a creative shoot like this is more fun than a corporate event or shoe catalog. But hey, if you have a shoe catalog you need photographed, let me know!
About Davis Photographic
Davis Photographic is based in downtown Los Angeles, about 4 blocks off I-10. Our studio is equipped with the finest ProPhoto lighting, the world’s best 39 mega pixel Phase One digital camera system, a full kitchen, wireless internet, client lounge area and lots of free parking. Davis Photographic’ client list includes Hewlett Packard, Bank of America, FedEx, Sony and Intel Corporation. We specialize in people, product and food photography for advertising. See our websites:
Phone: 213-434-3344
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