PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY + MOTION Feb 2015

Adrien Crasnault is a London-based photographer specialising in lifestyle, fashion and kids photography. He values the spontaneity and true emotions of his subjects. Originally from France, he came to the UK in 1999 and has since focused his attention on adapting his self taught photographic skills to this constantly innovating creative industry.

As a respectable inline skater and hugely influenced by music, he has concocted a portfolio of articulate and original images. His eye for detail and ability to catch the right moment is second to none.

Adrien is easy to work with and has a solid understanding of the requirements necessary to meet any brief, along with the ability to add value to a concept. This Spotlight highlights some of his personal and campaign work for clients including Cranes Drink and Front Up Rugby.

2015 is off to an exciting start for Andrea Mandel and is already filled with lots of fun and exciting projects. Some of her first projects include shooting a TV commercial for Huggies and a new ad campaign for Ziploc.

Andrea prides herself not only in her work behind the camera, but in the relationships she is able to form while shooting a diverse range of subject matter. There’s never a dull moment, and this energy comes through in her work.

Andrea is passionate about life and this extends beyond her life’s work, photography. She is excited for what this year has in store, "especially those things that are unknown!"

Barry Willis is an experienced people photographer producing engaging images for the lifestyle, corporate and advertising sectors.

“I love the collaboration of working with a creative team on large productions, but equally, I relish the more intimate approach when shooting for some of my charity sector clients.”

It’s the stripped-back, storytelling aspect of his reportage work that informs much of Barry’s commercial photography.

Recent lifestyle clients include National Bingo, Nuffield Health, Leo Vegas, CLIC Sargent and Abbeyfield.

Bastian Werner was born in 1975 in Opladen. After serving an apprenticeship as an ad specialist in Düsseldorf, he attended university of applied sciences in Dortmund to study photography from 1998 to 2003.

During that time he also worked as an assistant to several international photographers. Since then he works as a freelance photographer mostly in the advertsing industry.

Clients include: Bayer, Beiersdorf, Bosch, Burda, C&A, Caritas, Christ, dhms, DWI, Focus, Freundin, GEW, Goodyear, Grohe, Gruhner&Jahr, GS1 Germany, Hazemag, Henkel, Hermes Arzneimittel, Kinderschutzbund, Lindner Hotels & Resorts, P&G, Pelikan, Persil, Rinti, Siemens, Targobank, Technocell Vlies, ThyssenKrupp, Toni Gard, Toyota, Vichy and Vodafone.

Brian Kuhlmann’s favourite work to create is authentic, in-the-moment, lifestyle. While working fast to keep the energy moving, Brian strives to capture that moment when the viewer becomes one of the clan, hanging and celebrating as part of the group. He believes the success of any shoot depends on creating believable moments, and goes to great lengths to make sure what he’s photographing could really be happening.

Brian’s energy has been called infectious; his ability to direct without being over bearing, and gaining the confidence and trust of everyone he photographs, are two of his most noted attributes. He is light-hearted and easy to work with, which makes his crew and talent willing allies in creating unique, unexpected images.

With a strong narrative focus and constantly evolving creativity, Brian repeatedly attract clients of all types and sizes including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Crown Imports LLC, Dell, Electra Bicycle Company, GE, GlaxoSmithKline, HBO, Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniels, JBL, Jim Beam, Kraft Foods, MGM Resorts, Microsoft, Pepsi Cola, Philip Morris, Procter & Gamble, Reebok International, Samsung Electronics and Time Warner Cable.

Bags packed and vans loaded up with lanterns, beach blankets and thermos flasks: Christoph Siegert headed off to Denmark to shoot sandy beaches and sunlit moments. During the summer, Christoph shot hundreds of motifs - family fun, elderly couples out for a walk, children playing in the water, and many more. The agency VSF&P supervised the shoot for DanCenter holiday homes.

With the publication of the fabulous Stiftung Mensch calendar a dream has come true. 12 images show the inhabitants of the assisted living programme playing out their hearts' desires. This touching series of portraits was a long-term project combining Christoph’s photography, Susanne Altenburg’s vision, and lavish layouts from the ad agency SOP. An exhibition of the images is planned for later in the year.

Dan Escobar is a versatile photographer who is inspired by the execution of strong concepts. Whether it's the pure interaction of composition and light, the staging of stylised portraits, or the creation of complex environments or effects, Dan has been responsible for some of the most celebrated, image-driven ads of the last 20 years. He spends his spare time in San Francisco trying to figure out his kids and waiting for the Giants to win another World Series.

Dan's clients include Motorola, Bank of America, American Express, DHL, Microsoft, eBay, Adidas, Yahoo, Adobe and Got Milk, among others. His recent Specialized Bikes campaign has won critical acclaim as a Kelly Award Finalist.

Dan has impressed creatives at BBDO, Goodby Silverstein, Ogilvy and Mather, TBWA, Leagas Delaney, EURO RSCG, McCann, DDB and Sicola Martin, to name a few.

Dennis Welsh is a commercial photographer/director who calls home basically anywhere he hangs his hat. On assignment in Europe or the Americas, Dennis has worked for clients including State Farm Insurance, Nike, Omni Resorts, Starwood Resorts, Walgreens, Kimberly-Clark, Green Mountain Coffee, Aveeno, Patagonia, New Hampshire Tourism and Thule, shooting both stills and motion.

Dennis has assembled a great team that can move quickly, work with speed and efficiency, and bring a high level of creativity to each and every project worked on.

“Travel light, travel fast, work hard, and have a little fun along the way.”

With that attitude, Dennis can execute from concept through production to retouching and delivery.

New for 2015, Dennis is excited to announce that he is represented worldwide by Doug Truppe.

Dominik is passionately dedicated to interpreting his creative vision across motion and movement. He enjoys creating images with all kinds of people, even those with little or no experience, including kids: “I like to create an atmosphere where performers lose their insecurities and feel free to become part of, or even highlight the scene.” This was an important aspect when Dominik shot the campaign ‘We believe in design’ for Leptien3 and Pesch design houses, where employees are being portrayed with their favourite piece of furniture.

Space and light have always been important for Dominik. The images taken for Daimler Financial Service, show the way he likes to see actors in their enviroment. With Dominik’s experience from his dance work, he enjoys to incorporate movement within his commercial work as well. This can be seen in the recent campaign shot for ABB / Busch-Jäger.

Also featured in this Spotlight, his latest work for Lufthansa, his lasting client for over 10 years now. Further recent clients include ARD, Telekom, Sony, Nintendo, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bahn, MasterCard, PWC, Schumacher Fashion and Nestlé.

Dominik is based out of his studio in Frankfurt and is represented by Severin Wendeler in Hamburg.

Fisher Creative stemmed from Mark Fisher’s desire to create a world-class production house that is comprised of the best people in the industry who share a collective passion for creating the most compelling, story-driven, fresh and unique still and motion content. 

Located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Fisher Creative team is incredibly solid, tight-knit, and able to channel this energy into every project creating results that exceed client expectations.  Equally important, the Fisher Creative team has an intense work ethic, love what they do and have a good time doing it, and are laid back, super fun to be on a shoot with, and work tirelessly.

Igor Emmerich has over 30 years' experience behind the lens, shooting a diverse range of subjects. He adapts easily to any working scenario, be it shooting with a large production team and its direction, or working solo with a creative brief. Igor’s interest in individuality and personality together with his social curiosity are inherent to his images.

He has just launched a new website, showcasing the very best of his diverse folio.

Born and raised in middle of Germany, Jan has grown to be an experienced traveller and athlete with passionate love and dedication for everything outdoors. He is currently based in Berlin.

Fascinated by the fleeting moments of honesty, spontaneity and confidence, by the way light moves and leaves traces inside of us and by the sheer pleasure of being alive, Jan sees and captures life around him in all its facets.

He shoots people, outdoor adventure and sports lifestyle (stills and film).

Clients: Chiemsee, Jack Wolfskin, Kappa, KrassFit, KWS, LVM Versicherungen, Occhio, SportScheck, and Telekom Deutschland.

The search for 'the genuine moment' took Karsten Koch and his team to various global locations over the past month.

The team worked for REWE Touristik Group shooting current images on location in Mallorca, before heading into the Alpenvorregion mountains for JOY Sportswear and location shots around Lake Kochel.

It was then off to South Africa to shoot a new campaign due for imminent release, along with personal work on the streets of Cape Town. Besides the still images, Karsten also worked in parallel shooting motion, producing both photo and video with his trademark look and feel under the same African sun.

Kim Öhrling is a photographer based in Florence, Milan and Helsinki, Finland.

Before starting on his own, Kim used to assist top photographers in fashion photography in New York and around the world. This helped him gain experience and expertise in both large and small productions and at the same time, honed his skills in lighting on location and in studio.

Kim specialises in portrait, lifestyle and fashion photography. Some of his clients include Nokia, Luisa via Roma, Tensione In, Crash Magazine, L’Uomo Vogue and Terra Mater.

His work can be viewed at his website. Kim is available for assignments worldwide.

Maks Richter is a professional photographer based in Stuttgart. In his lifestyle and people images he is passionate about the perfect moment. He captures professional talents as well as real people in the most genuine of ways for campaigns and his impressive image libraries for global brands.

Inspiring on and off the set, Maks exudes an air of creativity and control at all times, which is reflected in his authentic, genuine and touching shots.

A seasoned collaborator and worldwide traveller, Michael Spain-Smith is a Philadelphia-based advertising shooter known for capturing authentic, aspirational lifestyle moments often told in a story-telling, stylised way. Classic and pure, consistent and deliberate whether in-studio or on remote locations, he enjoys collaborating on all kinds of projects with all kinds of brands.

MSS has recently launched his new website featuring his latest visuals and photo blog, 'Capturing The Good Life'.

His clients include Loews Hotels, Trump, Ritz Carlton, Comcast, JP Morgan, Random House, Cat Cora, St. Germain and Harley Davidson.

In productions of any size, Paul Elledge creates images with connection and integrity. He loves the energy that unfolds when shooting lifestyle assignments.  The stage is set with the perfect light, location, styling and cast and the collaboration of creativity unfolds between Paul, talent and client to create images with human connection that are unique, real and believable.

Paul’s clients include major advertising agencies, design firms and corporations, not to mention numerous celebrities, magazines, and record companies. Paul ended 2014 finishing up a major project for the iconic American brand Weber-Stephen. Now, the studio focuses forward on new projects for 2015.

RLPhoto Studio’s creative team focuses on producing the highest quality commercial product and lifestyle imagery. Its state-of-the art studio, combined with over 16 years' experience, helps meet the demands of any project.

Growing over the years to accommodate large-scale projects for global clients, RLPhoto Studio is built to service the entire scope of production including location scouting, model casting, crew travel and location services. With scenic Vermont as home and backdrop, Rick and his staff have extensive experience both in studio and on location producing work that inspires their clients as well as themselves.

Based in the San Francisco area, Robert Houser has been shooting for national advertising, magazine and corporate clients for 25 years.  

His award-winning portrait and lifestyle work has a strong narrative focus, drawn from the connections he makes with every person he photographs.  Whether shooting the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a fitness model for an ad, or a young disabled patient for a pharmaceutical company, Bob’s ability to connect is uncanny - making his images genuine.

Getting his subjects’ to tell their stories, he is always flexible and fun with the utmost attention to detail, yet the ease of a visit with an old friend. Bob continually challenges himself creatively - constantly organising new projects from his ranch studio in the Oakland Hills.

Some of his recent personal projects, 'Facing Chemo' and 'Bodies', have been awarded recognition by Communication Arts, ASMP, APA and the APANY International competition.

Robert Neumann is a Michigan-based lifestyle photographer known for his ability to tell stories. It’s part art, but mostly the ability to see and capture hope, laughter, life - one frame at a time.

In love with travel and the lure of the road, his camera has taken him around the globe. He is as careful and deliberate making pictures of a landscape as he is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Clients include American Express, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Nationwide Insurance, Kellogg and Kimberly-Clark.

What a busy year! Simon Winnall’s feet have barely touched the ground in 2014. Shooting and directing campaigns for Microsoft, Vodafone, Dulux, Sainsbury's, Diageo, Berkeley Homes, Canon, Tesco, Purina and P&O, his energy and warm enthusiasm shine through in his vibrant work.

Simon is represented by Process in London and Apostrophe in New York.

"I’ve always felt that what I do is like making a jigsaw puzzle. I start off with a jumble of different pieces - casting, locations, props, equipment, the shoot, lighting, editing - and I bring each element together until I arrive at the perfect image. Unlike jigsaw puzzles, however, it’s something I genuinely love doing.

No brief is the same, and there’s always an element of the unexpected in every project. People become amazingly unpredictable in front of the lens. But years of experience have taught me how to get the best out of any situation. In fact, it’s where my name comes from - whatever the creative process throws up, I always get it sorted.

I love being part of a team, and I'm fortunate to be surrounded by enormously talented people who I work with to make everything happen. I have recently worked on stills and motion projects for BMW, Cancer Research, Superdrug, Tesco and Zipcar.

When I’m not working I’m usually watching films (Star Wars, Wizard of Oz, anything by Kubrick or Linklater), running marathons (eleven at the last count) or dreaming of one day going into space."

"I believe in working every day to achieve the highest quality and artistic experience; that line where art and commerce meet. It is with unique vision, well planned production and seamless execution that I do this with both large and small projects.

As a third generation shooter with a degree in painting, I bring a perspective unique in my field. Everything is approached with the preparation and research of an artist. Be it large, highly produced campaigns or intimate portraits and life style shoots, it all comes down to one thing: a clear vision for creation."

A photographer for over 20 years, Stephanie Trenz has both experience and a clear focus on people photography. Covering all aspects of a shoot, she is the energetic and enthusiastic boost many people need to open up and express themselves in front of the camera.

Stephanie's desire to create natural and engaging images allows her to capture the essence of people and their situations. With her professional attitude she creates striking images of people, within an efficient time frame. Featured in this Spotlight are her recently completed images for major German insurance company Württembergische Versicherung.

Her client list includes Bausparkasse Wüstenrot, Daimler AG, Porsche, ElringKlinger, Groninger, Klafs, Schwaebisch-Hall, Gasversorgung Süddeutschland, Voith and many more.

Her full portfolio can be viewed on her website.

Suzanne Karsters is an Amsterdam-based, globe trotting photographer who likes to observe and stare at people using her camera as an alibi! Whether it is a staged or real life setting, natural light or lots of flash, she works with whatever fits the purpose.

With 20 years of experience in life style and advertising photography, she is a reliable multifaceted creative force.

Visit her website for more information.

Global campaign photographer & director Tim Müller is based in Berlin, New York and Cape Town.

In his lifestyle and people shootings, Tim is passionate about the perfect moment. He captures professional talents as well as real people in the most genuine moments for his worldwide campaigns and impressive image libraries for global brands. Inspiring off and on set, Tim exudes an air of creativity and control at all times wherever he is, which is reflected in his authentic, genuine and touching shots.

Tim has worked for a range of international clients from advertising to editorial, including BASF, Unilever, Lilly, Barclay's, Nestlé, P&G, McDonalds, Volkswagen, Sunrise, Shire, WeightWatchers, Blue Cross, Blue Shield and many more.

Visit Tim's recently updated website to view his portfolio and also his new film projects.

Tomas Kauneckas (born 1979) is an advertising and lifestyle photographer. He started his career as a wedding photographer, but soon became a reporter for various national newspapers and magazines, Corbis and Getty Images, and foreign media. He is currently art editor of Versus, a monthly business magazine.

In March 2004, Tomas co-founded Cyclopes Photo Production house, offering a full range of services for professional shooting. Cyclopes is the currently the biggest production house for commercial photography in the Baltic states, serving the visual needs of advertising agencies, manufacturers, fashion and business magazines.

Tomas works mainly in Moscow with leading advertising agencies and trusted clients including Aeroflot, McDonald’s and MTS. He is a member of the Lithuanian Press Photographers Club and a permanent participant and frequent winner at its annual Golden Snapshot awards.

In 2009, Tomas created an official portrait of Dalia Grybauskaitė, president of Lithuania. His personal exhibitions 'Fashion Backstage' (2005), 'Imprisoned Clothes' (2007), 'Year 2039' (2008) and 'Don’t Play With Water' (2009), have been shown in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and a number of other countries.

Spending most of his career as a magazine art director and photographer, Tyler Darden has worked with a wide variety of subjects from senators and beauty queens to chefs and turkeys. He enjoys the time with the personalities he photographs - the gratifying part is hearing their story and capturing that moment in time. Tyler’s images are imbued with a sense of wonder and amusement, finely crafted with impeccable timing.

His work has been recognised in the creative industry’s leading publications, including Art Director’s Club of New York Annual, the Communication Arts Design Annual, Print magazine’s Regional Design annual, Creative Quarterly, Photo District News, Society of Publication Design Annuals and SPOTS competition.

​Weston Fuller (Weston Fuller Photography) was recently chosen as a 2014 PDN Photo Winner.  A Utah-based commercial, editorial and advertising photographer, Weston seeks to create visual narratives in lifestyle, product and portraiture that evoke emotion from the viewer. His style can be defined as commercial art.

His client list continues to grow and includes both national and international clients.

Weston can be contacted at +1-801-836-9766 or at [email protected]​.

Additional work can be seen here.