I’m a part of a small production company call New Renaissance Pictures that produces independent film content for the web. I joined while I was in college and got a ton of on the job experience from working with these guys. The thing that I’ve learned the most from being involved here is that if you want to do something creative, start working on it. Don’t wait until you’ve perfected your craft to make something. Our newest production is called The Tesla Archive and, without giving too much away, I’ll just say that it’s a FBI, spy show with some sci fi twists. It’s going to be really exciting. We just shot some material for the teaser last weekend and everything is coming together really well. The footage is looking amazing and all the crew has a lot of passion for this project. Since this is an independent production, everyone is on board because they love film and they love the opportunity to tell a great story.

*photo copyright 2012 David Halberstadt

I have the privilege to produce the Behind the Scenes show for the The Tesla Archive, which will give you a glimpse into what it takes for a small band of filmmakers to produce a Hollywood quality mini series on an independent level budget. It is going to be an awesome experience and I’ll be updating you on my process here. If you’d like more info about New Renaissance Pictures and our past shows, you can visit our website, check out some of our shows on Hulu, and follow us on Facebook.

P.S.
I’ll be making it a point to write more blogs each week. Michelle and I have just gotten settled at our new apartment, so we’ve been adjusting to our new area and our new schedule both working from home.

We had a lot of fun walking and taking pictures with Kaylie at Griffith Park. That location is so green and beautiful and contrasted wonderfully with her dress. One of the things Michelle and I like to do is meet new people and make them as comfortable as possible when we’re taking pictures of them. The good time we had is reflected in the shots we captured.

Michelle and I had a lot of fun on this shoot. We got to try a lot of new and different ideas for posing. The Demoff’s were really great to work with and we could tell the kids were having fun entertaining themselves throughout the shoot. It was cool to see their family dynamic and the love they share. We think that comes out in the photos we captured.

Working with the Sutton family was great. They came into the process with lots of fun ideas and things to try, which made the photography turn out that much better. You may not be able to tell, but the morning was freezing cold. Usually we like to shoot just before sunset when the light is just right, but we ended up only being able to schedule a shoot in the morning. It actually turned out great because we had that dramatic fog to work with, giving the photos a unique and cinematic look.

Jenny is an opera singer and friend of Michelle’s from college. She called us up because she was looking to get headshots to send out when she auditions to sing. It was a beautiful day to go take some pictures. Jenny wanted a natural and comfortable feel to the photos, so we headed out to Griffith Park in LA. The light and setting was perfect there. Being surrounded by that much green and trees makes you forget that you’re in LA. The park is surrounded by hills, so at the end of the shoot we ended up chasing the sun to the top of a hill. Thankfully we made it and got some awesome shots to cap off the afternoon.

Michelle and I always love it when someone brings great ideas and their own personality to a photography session. It helped a bit that Rachel is my sister, but she has always been outgoing. She brought along some umbrellas, suitcases, books, and hats as props for the shoot and it gave the photos a lot of character. It was also raining during the shoot, so that was a fun challenge. Michelle was holding the umbrella over me as I crouched down on the train tracks trying to get the shot. Check out the results of our awesome time below.