Season of Growth

Where do I begin? That's actually a question plaguing me for a while now as I pick up the pieces from an extremely busy, but good, 2012. While jobs were coming in and content was piling up, I have been getting increasingly more frantic just trying to keep my head above water. Add on top of it moving into a new office studio space and it has just been insane. I greatly appreciate my clients who have been patient with me during this hectic time. With all this new busy-ness I have been hiring an assistant on a regular basis and am now adding an office manager to the books. Hopefully between the three of us we'll be able to kick this studio into shape and maximize efficiency and get back on schedule. So without any further ado, let me introduce you to the new "crew."

As an aspiring photographer herself and a long-time friend, Sierra was an obvious choice as my assistant. Add her lively personality and mind reading ability and it is even more clear. She brings her own unique perspective to each shoot and helps keep the day light-hearted and on task. Assignments would definitely be a more dull experience without her presence.

It's kind of crazy that I'm putting Lenna in charge of my studio, but for some reason I'm convinced it is a good idea. As another close friend and one who "un-creepily" enjoys keeping tabs on my whereabouts [inside joke], she definitely met the pre-reqs. Considering the fact that she is organized just sweetens the deal! The majority of Facebook and blog content will be coming from her hand so make sure to stay tuned as projects roll through.

And... for those who don't know me. I am the wizard behind the curtain!  My name is David and I've been working at this whole commercial advertising photographer thing for several years now. It has been a hoot and I'm looking forward to many more exciting years before I throw in the towel.

BTS featured on fstoppers' Wednesday Rundown

I woke up this morning and checked out fstoppers website to see my name screaming at me in their most recent post. If you're not familiar with fstoppers CHECK THEM OUT! They're a great resource for photographers of all experience levels.


I recently submitted a BTS video to their annual behind the scenes competition. I still haven't heard anything regarding the final results of the contest, but I'd say this is a good sign.

Check it out!

Commercial Lifestyle Photography - Peoria, IL

As you can imagine it's really hard to find places in Illinois that don't look like... well... Illinois. What I mean by this is... It's hard to find locations that aren't just endlessly flat. Thankfully, with Peoria being a river town we have some bluffs that we can work to our advantage in creating the illusion of be on-location in the exotic locales throughout the United States.

Here's a few results from our photoshoot shot out at Camp Wokanda, A boy scout camp just North of Peoria a little ways off highway 29. Since Wokanda was located right on the river valley bluff we had some best looking "hills" illinois has to offer. I hope you enjoy this small series.

If you or your business are looking for a commercial lifestyle photographer I would love to discuss with you what Black Olive can offer you. We're a small company based out of Peoria IL. We are available for assignment worldwide.

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Portrait Portfolio Revamp

I am very excited to announce that we're in the process of revamping our online portfolios. We hope you enjoy your browsing!

Check out new portfolio HERE

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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More wedding shenanigans...

While shooting video this past weekend for a wedding with Katelyn Turner Designer + Photography (www.katelynturner.com) we had the great opportunity to take a "professional" group shot of ourselves before leaving for the night. This is seriously how you end a day well!

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Wedding "Behind the Scenes"

My second-shooter (Dirk) hard at work making proper use of an available chair. That's how it's done my friends!

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Film+Fashion BTS video shown on fstoppers.com

After re-watching our Film+Fashion photoshoot video I realized that it had received 1300+ views since this January when I posted it. While for some YouTube video's this isn't any great feat, for my lowly channel this was big. After investigating I found source of the spike. Our video was posted on fstoppers.com blog. Apparently the consensus is... I'm a hipster. Kind of odd since my whole purpose for the shooting film was to gain experience with a medium and I hadn't had experience with. Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool to get our video introduced to a bunch of photogs as a "great" video. Don't know if you'll appreciate it as much as I did, but hey, I don't care!

CLICK HERE to take a look at the fstopper's post.

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Friends!

Where would this world be without friends? Specially those who let you take their pictures.

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Commercial Photo-Op - Michael's Italian Feast

The thing I love most about the commercial photography business is the opportunity to be challenged and to experiment with something different. I just got back from the first of a mulit-part photo shoot with Michael's Italian Feast. If you're familiar with my portfolio you'll know that I haven't shot a lot of food before... actually before tonight I hadn't shot any. Here's a couple "Behind-the-scenes" phone images to give you an idea of what's to come!

Considering the time constraints I feel like I walked away with some great images which I'm super excited to see on their new website that'll be coming soon.

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Film + Fashion Behind the Scenes - Peoria, IL

Once I start a project I like to wrap up the loose ends quickly. So here I am, before my previous post is cold in its grave posting the semi-conclusion to the Film + Fashion photoshoot. I say "semi" due to the fact I still have not developed the film from this little expedition. That detail is dependent on others to make happen and therefore must wait. Anyway, it got me thinking. Why not release the BTS from the shoot now along with the digital images that were shot and then re-release it along with a developing BTS video once I get that developing bit taken care of.

Project Background
Some of the "why" questions regarding this shoot will not be answered in the BTS video. I didn't think on my feet fast enough to talk about that on set. So, I'm going to take the opportunity to answer them now. Why film? well, I am a product of my generation and while I'm a photographer, I have actually never shot/developed film before now. I didn't go to school specifically for photography and therefore never had the opportunity handed to me.

However, the fascination with film as grown over the years and after literally 4 book boxes full of old camera's being dumped in my lap I couldn't pass up this opportunity to give film a whirl. Dirk Jaegle, friend and strong film advocate, came along to provide insight and shoot alongside. Needless to say we had a blast.

Throughout the entire day we tested out 5 cameras:
• Argus 35mm w/ a 50mm f3.5 lens
• Spartus Full Vue (120 film)
• YvigAlander Billiant (120 film)
• Tower (120 film)
• Agfa Isolette (120 film)

Another camera that you'll see a lot of throughout the video is the Kodak Dualflex IV. Unfortunately this camera shot 620 film which is harder film stock to come by so we weren't able to give it a run at this point, but it made for a great prop.

The Video
As always I was blessed again by Matt Blick of Cellar Media doing the BTS filming. Matt and I have done several gigs (Mission: Acquire, Herbie vs Challenger, Archer and Zowie) together and I love the work he produces.



To view the photos from the event click here

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Film + Fashion Photoshoot - Peoria, IL

This past weekend I invited some photography friends out for some experimenting with some old film cameras I received as a gift (see post: "unexpected gift"). We were blessed by the presence of two wonderful models, Caitlan and Alyson. Both models, surprisingly, were only in the area for a short period of time. One was from Idaho and the other - L.A.. To say the least... it was a fantastic happenstance. Due to the cold January weather here in Illinois we set up a black seamless in a large warehouse and hunkered down for a day of shooting.

Here's just a tiny preview of what is to come... unfortunately we won't have the film developed for another couple weeks, but hopefully this will tide you over until then. Oh and Matt Blick of Cellar Media, my favorite BTS guy, came and shot some footage for me. I hope to throw something together for you shortly!

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Herbie vs Challenger - Behind the Scenes

Many thanks to Cellar Media for capturing the day so vividly.  As you know, creative collaboration is something I love being apart of and this project is a great example of that. With all the people coming together on such short notice and being willing to work to make this happen, I consider myself blessed. Thanks guys! You can't help but smile while you watch this... I guarantee it!



Creative Director - David Price (Black Olive Photographic)
Behind the Scenes Director - Matt Blick (Cellar Media)
Herbie Owner - Wesley Garrard
Herbie Driver - Hannah Finley
Challenger Owner - Dan Stone
Challenger Driver - Kyle Motsinger
Assistants - Caleb Finley, Jacob Guenther, Aaron Blick,

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Herbie comes to Peoria IL

This past weekend was the culmination of a project that was a long time coming. Herbie vs. Challenger was yet another personal project in my series of story-driven collections. I have an instant fascination for vintage memorabilia, Herbie not being an exception. When I found out from a friend that he had restored a 64' VW bug to Herbie glory my imagination kicked into high gear. However, until I could find a contestant worthy of standing side by side with this American legend I was at an stand still.  Wesley, the Herbie's owner, and I combed the streets looking for options. "Would this mini cooper work?" perhaps. What does the owner say?

Until a month or two prior to the shoot we didn't have any workable options to move forward on. I then noticed a 2010 yellow challenger sitting in a drive on my drive to and from Peoria. It was a perfect melding of past and present and it's bright yellow exterior would pop in any photo. It had the energy needed for the theme.

Production:
In the way of production we were faced with a couple of hurdles. First off... location. We had to find a great scenic location while finding a rural enough road to minimize traffic congestion. This was difficult, but we managed to find some great spots just outside Hanna City. See my earlier scouting post for location photos.

The theme/plot:
What can I say, I wanted to create an action series that involved somewhat cheesy to best recreate the classic Herbie feel. My villian (Kyle Motsinger), I didn't want him to be seriously evil, but I wanted him to be more of a lovable villian. A character with a devious foundation and a structural frame of egotistical arrogance. For Herbie, I wanted a character that appeared inexperienced at first, but who in fact had a few tricks up her sleeve as well - Red Bull anyone?

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Commercial Experiment involving Herbie and a 2010 Dodge Challenger

I am working on a project coming up here in the next couple weeks that I am really excited about. Black Olive Photographic along with the assistance of several other highly creative individuals are going to be producing a street race themed photo shoot. Going head to head we have the lovable Herbie and in opposition a 2010 Dodge Challenger.  While this scenario is promising all by itself I am going to trying and throw in a commercial element for fun. Something that gives it a little bit of pop and energy.

Anyway one of preliminary tasks of a photoshoot is to scout out a location to shoot. Below are a couple of shots from the area I'm thinking of shooting at. Can't wait till next Saturday!

In Christ,

David Price

Black Olive Photographic

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Eureka College - 2010/2011 Faculty Headshots

This past week I photographed the Eureka College faculty staff. Shooting this number of headshots at one time was new things for me. For all my photog friends out there I've posted a pic of my mobile studio.  If you're interested in getting professional headshots for your business or organization please contact me to schedule a shoot!

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Lifestyle Photoshoot - Mtn. Biking at Farmdale, IL

A couple days ago I got my lazy butt moving and set out with friends to add some commercial mtn. biking pix for my portfolio. I was shooting for something that would entice people to the recreation and create excitement at the same time. Movement was important. Thanks to my friend Dirk, he was able to hook us up with a great model... TR for the photoshoot.

In Christ,

David Price

Black Olive Photographic

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Furniture, Remodels, and Reformation Project

Last week I spent a day photographing three locations with Will Waibel of Dan Waibel Designer/Builder. The primary subject matter however was not new constructions, but rather custom made furniture and an art deco remodel they finished. I'm unable to post these photos at this time, but I can't wait to be able to share them with you.

Other happenings last week included the inaugurating meeting for the Reformation Project. I'm incredibly excited by all that's happened in such a short period of time. Here's the run down. We have a our three, I mean four scenes selected:

• Plow Boy Controversy (optional)
• Tyndale Translating
• Print Shop Raid
• Prison Interrogation

Other topics discussed were the distribution of job titles/responsibilities. We had a bunch of people step up and offer to help out on the project along with a few brave souls who offered to take on an on-going responsibility. Here's the break down:

Director: David Price (Me)
Producer: TJ Draper & John Creath
Historian: Colton Evans
Set Manager: Justin Ryken
Wardrobe Manager: Lily Riggenbach
BTS Director: Unknown

I, just today, sent around the initial storyboards to our set and wardrobe managers to get things moving along in both of those departments. In addition Behind the Scenes scripts are in the works despite vacancy in job title. I personally think this past week was a great starting week. Let keep it up!

If you're at all interested in staying apprised of all that occurs this blog will do a fair job of documenting the project, but if you want a more blow by blow account you can become a fan on Facebook. However, if that's not enough and you want to get involved, we'd love to have your input - send me an email at david@blackolivestudios.com

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Reformation Project

I have dawned yet another new "on-going" project which I am dubbing the "Reformation Project". Here's what it's all about. I have been looking for a way to direct my interests in creating theatrical driven images toward something artsy. Yes that was said slightly tongue n' cheek, but it's the fact of the matter. As I sift through a very large art book we have I've noticed that a lot of great art pieces are of pivotal, important events or people. While reflecting on modern art, I recall the likes of Picaso. Now, while I'm not begrudging Picaso his art, I'm intrigued by comparing the difference between his work and paintings like "Washington Crossing the Delaware" painted by Emanuel Leutze in 1851.


It's my intent to embark on the Reformation Project as it means to bring back a greater purpose for art. Rather than expressing one's self, I hope to express the impact God has had in history. Now, my gifting is not in oil on canvas, but I do have a gift for creating visual art via the medium of photography. To inaugurate this project my first piece will be of William Tyndale.

For those not familiar with Tyndale, he set out to translate the (currently latin) Bible into English. Against much opposition he ended up having to continue his work on the European mainland and smuggle the English Bibles back into England. He was later betrayed and captured and burned at the stake as a heretic. What better historical figure could I have chosen?

Tyndale is a great inspiration for me and I believe his story a great first project. If you haven't quite followed all of this, I'm planning a create photographic images of pivotal historic figures and events. The resulting images should be similar in composition to the painting above, but also very similar to the works of Rembrandt. I will be keeping this blog updated with all the happenings. I've also considered starting a special Facebook page for the Reformation Project. Stay tuned!

In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Peirao Group - April 2010

This past weekend was the first Peirao event of the summer. The group spent the day in downtown Peoria musing ourselves in the industrial area. We had a good turn out, 8 photographers, 3 models.

The Peirao Group is a local Peoria Illinois collective of photographers. We range from hobbyists to professionals and come together to share techniques and to just simply have a great time taking pictures. Often times, photographers can get hung up with making a profit and forget entirely why they first picked up a camera. We don't do that.






In Christ,
David Price
Black Olive Photographic
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Peoria Home Show.

I popped in at the Peoria Illinois Spring Home Show to pick up cards and potentially meet venders, but more specifically see the booths utilizing my photos. This past year I did work for two builders in the area - Hoerr Building Group and Dan Waibel Designer/Builder. This coming year I'll be continuing work for each of these guys along with picking up some new ones. Anyway, here are a couple photos of the booths at the home show.

Don Hoerr of Hoerr Building Group

Will Waibel of Dan Waibel Designer/Builder

In Christ,
David Price,
Black Olive Photographic
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