Biography
Justin started his photography career at Towson University, At the time he started photographing his girlfriend and found out he had a love of creating images. Justin used his Canon rebel to start getting together a portfolio for his girlfriend as well as to express his artistic side that he was just discovering he had. At Towson Justin started taking photography I and II in his sophomore year at college. It was then that he completely fell in love with photography. Shooting black and white and developing his own film and prints was so much fun and a great creative outlet. He also took jobs at a few of photo labs, so he could really learn then whole process from taking a photo to developing a color print. Justin started shooting everything from landscapes to his cats, to people, to abstract compositions. Models eventually became his main interest, and he began experimenting with different lighting, different compositions, and anything else he could think of to try that was different. and would help build his portfolio. Around the same time he started shooting models Justin decided to try his hand at wedding photography as well. Justin became determined to make a living out of photography and started working for one company that taught him the basics of wedding photography but the company was not very reputable and did not treat their customers right so Justin decided to move on. Justin’s grandfather had then informed him that a childhood friend of Justin’s had started his own photography studio Bradley Images. He then went in and met with Brad and started working for him in April of 2000. Brad showed Justin the in’s and out’s to shooting weddings and also helped Justin refine his skills as a photographer. After about a year of working for Brad, Justin started his own wedding studio Priceless Images Photography. Justin continued working for Brad as well as several other studios, learning as much as he could from each photographer and taking the best of what he learned regarding photography techniques, customer service and other business skills useful in helping propel Priceless Images Photography to a successful studio. While learning the art of shooting weddings Justin still found plenty of models to shoot and kept improving his skills and creating his own unique style of photography. Over the next couple of years Justin saw himself improving rapidly when it came to wedding photography and models. Justin started winning awards, getting published in major magazines, and having articles written about him. Now that he has developed his own signature style of photography Justin has a vast list of clients that include supermodel Joanna Krupa, rapper Rick Ross and some of the industries top models. To this day Justin is constantly trying to improve his skills, always believing that he can improve his work and trying to produce better and higher end images.
What three words best describes your photography?
eye-catching, sexy, bold
How long have you been a photographer?
I have been a photographer for 15 years
Canon or Nikon?
Canon all the way
Do you see a solid career for the bikini models?
It depends on the model, what they look like, how well they market themselves, the quality of their portfolio.
Do models try to play you for gimmees? If so, does it work?
I have models all the time contacting me for tfp saying that we can help each others portfolio. Well i have been shooting for 15 years I have a pretty solid portfolio. There are two models I shoot for free my girlfriend Jacqueline Suzanne and my best friend Heather Shanholtz. So if I have a new idea that i have not done before I will try it with them not some random person that contacts me looking for a free shoot. When a models says she doesnt pay photographers I ask them how long they have been modeling. Usually its a year or two. I tell them if we were working at a company and I had been at the company for 15 years and they have been there only a year I would be making more money and have more seniority at the company than them. Same thing in the modeling industry, I have been around longer, I have more experience so I should be the one getting paid.
Do you bring Hairstylist and Make up artist to your shoots?
If the model wants to hire my hair and make-up person I have one on for them on set.
Have you ever fallen head-over-heals for a model?
Yes my beautiful girlfriend Jacqueline Suzanne who has appeared in Maxim, American Curves, Muscle Mag and a few other magazines.
What is better Myspace or Facebook?
facebook, although I am pretty fed up with my photos getting reported and deleted.
ModelMayhem.com or Paidmodels.com?
Model mayhem although I am getting fed up that now they wont allow a model in a thong as your main image. They even asked me to take off my profile page the cover french maxim that I shot with Supermodel Joanna Krupa because she is in a thong. Well to me that is my biggest accomplishment and I did not take it down.
Do you think photographers get a bad rap?
I think photographers do get a bad rap, but I think most of the time it is deserved. I feel like in the 80’s and 90’s being a photographer was such a glamourous profession. And then when the new millenium came and digital photography became prominent everyone ran out and bought a camera and started calling themselves a photographer. Well this over-saturated the market and all these weekend warrior photographers that offer to shoot models for free cost me business. Models now come in the industry expecting all photographers to shoot them for free because they dont know any better. A lot of “photographers” and I use that term loosely are just perverts that want to see young girls naked, they dont have business or moral ethics and dont deliver what they promised their clients.
Who is your favorite photographer?
Zena Holloway, an amazing underwater photographer
Have you been able to travel alot?
Yes I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the U.S. Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, Australia, and a few places I’m sure I’m forgetting
Where do you think most models live? Models are everywhere
What is the worst experience you can remember from a photoshoot? When I first started I had to shoot a 350 pound escort that wanted to drip candle wax on her ass for an escort website.
Mac or PC? Mac
What makes you different from the other photographers?
I like to do themed photoshoots with cute and sexy creative ideas and I also use lots of colors in my photos to make them stand out and grab people\’s attention.
Who is the most famous model you have shot with?
Joanna Krupa
Is there anything you want to express now that people should know about this business?
Modeling is like any other business, you have to spend money to make money. Invest in a great portfolio and you will see a return in the number of jobs you book and people interested in working with you. Just like anything else in life you get what you pay for.
My name is Aaron and I’m a photographer. I love taking pictures…but I really enjoy taking pictures of people. I specialize in glamour photography, casual and fashion, and wedding/engagement portraiture. I’ve also been known to do a little videography as well as a little web and graphic design. So here is my bio…short and sweet (which, incidentally, is how I like my women)… I live in San Diego California. I grew up in a small town about 40 minutes northeast of San Diego called Ramona. The town itself is famous for cows and not much else, but it was a great place to grow up. I went to school at Point Loma Nazarene University and graduated in 2002 with a degree in Music Education with an emphasis in vocal arts. With degree in hand, I headed out into the world. The most natural thing to do after getting a degree in music would be to start a career in mortgage lending. We all know how that business turned out…and since the bellyflop, I’ve been taking pictures full time…and I LOVE it. I’m not in a hurry to head back to the cubicle. I like to have fun. I would hope people would discover that within 5 minutes of knowing me. I am a self-taught photographer…meaning I don’t have any formal traning, per se. I learn by doing, by reading books, blogs, web sites, pamphlets, brochures, and other publications, by looking at examples, by listening to podcasts, and by surrounding myself with talented people.
What three words best describes your photography? Glamour with a hint of fashion.
How long have you been a photographer? 6 years.
Canon or Nikon? Canon.
Do you see a solid career for the bikini models? Yes.
Do models try to play you for gimmees?If so, does it work? Not really.
Do you bring Hairstylist and Make up artist to your shoots? Yes.
Have you ever fallen head-over-heals for a model? No.
What is better Myspace or Facebook? Facebook.
Do you think photographers get a bad rap?
Sometimes they do, but I feel it’s the bad apples in the crowd that give us a bad rap. The photographers that are in it for the wrong reasons, the ones who forget what integrity is all about, and the ones with less-than-honorable intentions are the ones that give us the worst name.
Who is your favorite photographer?
I have a few. Her glamour photography, look no further than Justin Price. For lifestyle/commercial photography, Nick Onken is one of my favorites. Josh Ryan is inspirational in the glamour/fashion realm.
Have you been able to travel alot?
Yes.
Where do you think most models live?
California or Florida.
What is the worst experience you can remember from a photoshoot?
I have yet to have a really bad experience. But I refuse to work with people that are not fun and have bad attitudes.
Mac or PC?
Mac.
What makes you different from the other photographers?
I like to have fun at my photo shoots. I know we are going to get good shots because usually it takes quite a lot of skill to take a bad picture of a beautiful woman. With that aside, I’m there to make sure that we have fun AND get awesome photographs.
Who is the most famous model you have shot with?
I’ve shot with a couple Playmates…one of the most well known models I have worked with is Jessica Burciaga…most people, guys and girls, recognize her immediately in my port.
Is there anything you want to express now that people should know about this business?
Stay true to yourself.
Daniel Richard is a Cocoa Beach, Florida native and is no newcomer to being around beautiful bikini models. Being a talented graphic artist for nearly 20 years and growing up judging bikini contest at the early age of 16 proves he knows how to pick em. Daniel Richard is a perfectionist and it shows. Her versatile style and crisp colorful photography gives the perfect balance to achieve striking bikini and lingerie photography that stands out from the rest. Currently located in the center of Florida he is able to quickly get to any location at a moments notice. Daniel shoots mainly in Florida but is willing to travel anywhere in Florida to capture the best sunrise or sunset. South Beach Miami is typically his best area to shoot with the combination of perfect models and sexy beaches. Dan is currently the main photographer for Mixed Magazine and he shoots all the Mixed Magazine Covers and Mixed Models. You can reach Dan direct at Dan@mixedmag.com
What three words best describes your photography? Colorful, Crisp, Creative
How long have you been a photographer? 5 years
How many times has someone asked you if you ever sleep with the models? every guy that finds out i shoot bikini models.
Canon or Nikon? nikon but canon is great also
Do you shoot RAW or JPG? JPG
Do you see a solid career for the bikini models? yes
Do you find yourself scouting at clubs for new talent? no because i try to separate business from pleasure but if I really see a girl that has what it takes i will go to work
Do models try to play you for gimmees? If so, does it work? always in the beginningbut not so much these days
Do you bring hairstylist and Make up artist to your shoots? no for several reason.. 1) i choose girls that know how to be hot on their own. it comes with the territory. 2) i can never find a stylist that fits my schedule. 3) there never seems to be a budget these days 4) i never get approached from eager stylist 5) worst case scenario.. is the mall does makeup for free
Have you ever fallen head-over-heals for a model? in the beginning always but now i’m desensatized
What is better Myspace or Facebook? Facebook because it’s all about the quickness and myspace not only is slow but models pages freeze my computer notoriously
ModelMayhem.com or Paidmodels.com? modelmayhem used to be good but they discriminate against people and never upgrade their system so both will be replaced soon i’m sure.
Do you think photographers get a bad rap? photographers are forever building their reputation so if they have a bad rap they better stop what they are doing and fix it quick (free advice) plus I’m sure models face the same situations in order to advance in the industry
Who is your favorite photographer? Nick Saglimbenibecause he doesn’t let anything slide.. it’s perfection to the fullest extent
What do you think models are really after? i think most of the models today just want to be known as the hottest girl for popularity reason. i don’t think they have their mind on their money and their money on their mind.. the small percentage of the ones that do are sitting pretty
Have you been able to travel alot? yes, i’ve been to Puerto Rico, Cali, New York, The Keys, San Antonio and all over Florida. Big things coming so keep checking back..
What is the worst experience you can remember from a photoshoot? no-shows are always bad but moms showing up and standing in front of the big shot while they try to use the camera phone for the same shot that i would give them on disc is the worst i’d have to say.
Mac or PC? MAC!!! Do pc’s still exist? did they all break yet?
What makes you different from the other photographers? perseverance, not many people want to deal with the countless situations that arise in shooting.. it’s always challenging on every level
Who is the most famous model you have shot with? Jessica Barton
Is there anything you want to express now that people should know about this business? I really do it for everyone which keeps me going. People love to see new stuff constantly so that alone keeps the blood pumping for the next shot. There are many dynamics to this business. The good, the bad and the ugly. So anyone thinking of doing this, you might just want to leave it to the professionals.
Nick Saglimbeni is the leader of the pack when it comes to shooting super hot and sexy models. You may know him for being the main photographer for Show Magazine. His style is simply perfect. His lighting is impeccable, his photoshop work is pioneering and his vision is unparallel. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Nick Saglimbeni moved to Los Angeles to pursue cinematography at the top-ranked USC School of Cinema. After shooting several commercials, music videos, and short films, Nick was recognized by the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) with a Heritage Award. That same year, after hearing from many actors and models about their frustrations with bad photos and even more awkward photo sessions, Nick opened SlickforceStudio in downtown LA.
Clients quickly responded to the cinematic nature of Nick’s photography, and Slickforce soon became one of the hottest studios in Los Angeles. True to the studio’s motto, “You. Perfected.™” Nick’s clients enjoy a photographic experience like none other, including state-of-the-art image capture, signature retouching techniques, and a stress-free environment.
Nick shattered all expectations when his 100th magazine cover hit the newsstand. In 2009, Nick won the Blackberry Small Business Award for his work with SlickforceStudio. The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) has awarded Nick with a staggering three Grand Prize Awards.
Nick currently shoots for a wide array of venues, including album covers, national and international ad campaigns, and many major magazines. Nick also continues to shoot for TV and film, most recently on the History Channel’s “Cities of the Underworld. Accolades:
Winner, 2009 Blackberrya/AT&T Small Business Award – SlickforceStudio
Grand Prize, Excellence in Photography- 2008 Photoshop World/NAPP Awards
Grand Prize, Excellence in Retouching – 2008 Photoshop World/NAPP Awards
Grand Prize, Excellence in Photo Compositing – 2008 Photoshop World/NAPP Awards
Heritage Award – 2002 American Society of Cinematographers Awards
An interview with Nick:
What is your ultimate goal as a photographer?
When I first got into photography, my goal was to level the playing field for non-white models. I felt it unfair that mostly-white models in mainstream mags like Maxim had access to quality hair, make-up, retouching, and photography, while urban models had to worry about whether a photographer could capture their complexion properly, whether a make-up artist knew how to make up dark-skinned models, or whether weave tracks and stretchmarks were going to end up in the magazine. SlickforceStudio’s tagline “You. Perfected.”™ was created because we were the first studio to evenly target models of all ethnicities, with the belief that anyone should have the right to an amazing photoshoot. It just so happened that black and middle-eastern models needed me more at the time, and that’s how I fell into the urban scene.
Now, I think the industry has been radically transformed. Mainstream mags like Stuff and FHM are failing, as are equally-polarized urban titles like KING. On the other hand, magazines like SHOW and ALT, which are not classifiable as “white” or “black” titles because of their diversity of models, have become the new mainstream.
What is my goal now? Well, I’m not sure there’s that much more I can do in glamour. I think we’ve created the new glamour standard, and we’ve set the bar pretty high for what models expect. Photographers now realize that they can’t just be a dirty perv with a camera anymore, and it’s good for the whole industry—because models can now focus on shooting, and photographers are actually pushing themselves to make art. I’d like to do the same thing in the fashion and commercial worlds. I’ve got a few ideas that would make ad executives pee themselves. I like a good challenge.
Are budgets tight for you as much as it seems to be for everybody else?
Not so much anymore. And trust me, I’m not oblivious to the recession or the declining print industry. I’ve been very fortunate in my career, and hopefully it’s the result of carefully choosing the people in my network, as well as which battles I fight. I’ll usually do one shoot for a mag with a crap budget, and if they can’t see the value in my work after that, I’ll just move on. I had one mag tell me that my Jessica Burciaga cover was their most profitable issue of all time and they still wouldn’t bump my rate! Does that make any financial sense?!
At some point, I realized the energy I spend arguing with cheap publishers was taking away from the time and energy I could be putting into my work. I’m very lucky to be shooting mostly only what I want to shoot. But there are definitely a few projects I’ve taken mostly for the money, because it’s hard to finance your visions without cash. I often taken money from a shit project and use it to finance something awesome in my head.
Also, I think it’s pretty clear in my behind-the-scenes pics that I LOVE big productions. And a lot of photographers have told me that they’re inspired by the scale of the shoots! That’s so cool to me, because I used to look at Michael Bay and James Cameron movies and think “I wanna do big sh*t like THAT!” I mean, what guy doesn’t like playing with expensive toys? But somebody has to pay for all those toys…
Did you ever struggle as a photographer or has it been smooth sailing for the most part?
My battles are mostly with myself. I could have been a photographer who shoots out of his apartment using natural light, but instead I chose to grow Slickforce as a brand and build a team that actually produces the magazines you read. That’s never happened in any men’s magazine, as far as I know. Cover to cover, there’s not a page that wasn’t conceived, shot, retouched, and print-optimized in this studio. In fact, we’ve completely outgrown the “photograph-for-hire” model altogether. But with an amazing team of artists comes an even more amazing payroll! So my struggles have more to do with deciding just how big I want this beast to get. Sometimes smaller is easier.
What has been your favorite travel location to shoot?
Kenya is my favorite place I’ve ever been—I got to go live in an actual Maasai village with a tribe! Does it really get any cooler than that?
But if you mean for paid magazine shoots, I would say the Laura Doré SHOW issue that we shot in Italy along the Amalfi Coast would be pretty hard to top. You can see the production pics here, it’s unreal! http://nicksaglimbeni.com/?p=396
Who is the one model that just undeniably stands out in your mind?
Ha! I’m far too diplomatic to answer that question, but I will say that the first model that really left her mark on me was Lanisha Cole. She was in Pharrell’s Frontin’ video with Lauren London, and I had a ridiculous crush on her. I couldn’t take a bad shot of her, no matter how nervous I was, and I was like, “This girl is good.”
I’m probably too desensitized to pick a favorite now. I like girls that don’t bring drama into my studio. I don’t care about the NBA player that broke your heart again—you should know better. I mean, he’s plays in the freaking NBA! What about this surprises you? Some of these girls crack me up.
Do you think you will every marry one of these super beauties or will it be the girl that doesn’t know anything about the modeling industry?
LOL next question.
What percentage of Urban work do you do compared to celebrity, fashion, etc..?
It varies depending on the market. Recessions do funny things to people. When I first started my career, it was all Maxim, Stuff, and Loaded (UK). Around 2006, that shifted and the majority of my clients became urban mags like Black Men, Today’s Black Women, and SHOW (which was actually more urban in it’s early days.) That opened the door to urban music, which led to clients like Universal/Cash Money and Interscope/Geffen. We did some really cool work for artists like The Game, Nas, TI, Wayne, Birdman, and Nicki Minaj. In 2009, the client-base again shifted, this time to celebs with their own TV shows, like the Kardashian family, LisaRaye, and Brandy. I pretty much roll with the punches, but I know exactly where I’m trying to go.
Do you feel that your passion is so extreme that it will always keep you on the forefront?
God willing. I couldn’t possibly love what I do more than I already do. This job is THE BEST, no joke. It’s a lot of hard work, and lately I’ve been focusing on backing away from Slickforce so I can get back into really cutting-edge photography. In the battle between CEO and artist that rages in my head, CEO almost always wins, and that’s about to change. I have something up there that I hope will push photography forward a full generation.
Any advice for new photographers?
Master your craft. Push yourself to be the best. There are a lot of people who want the same job you do, and they’ll do it for cheaper—TRUST ME. Your only protection is your talent.
Contact Info:
Nick Saglimbeni
SlickforceStudio – You. Perfected.®
155 West Washington Blvd., Suite 650
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-489-9309 ext. 1
213-745-5858 fax
