My Book Cover Trilogy for Kelley Armstrong

I just received the catalogues from Amsterdam for the young adult book series by Kelley Armstrong that I photographed for HarperCollins Publishers. The 3rd book is not scheduled for release until May 2010 in th USA so you can get a little sneak peek. The American titles of the books I shot are: The Summoning, The Awakening and The Reckoning. More to come when its released in the states in May.

NEW AND REFRESHED

There’s a NEW SECTION in my portfolio now available for my shameless self promotion. Under the music category check out the NEW “POLAROID 600′S” section with behind the scenes Polaroids and comments from the actors/musicians we love.

http://www.carrieschechterstudios.com/

I just finished doing some major editing on my website and my portfolio, and I feel a hundred pounds lighter. You get so involved with your photos they become like body parts and sometimes the emotions you have connected with that shoot cloud your judgment of if it’s really a good image or not.

EDIT EDIT EDIT. Less is more and you’re only as strong as your weakest image. At a marketing conference Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa Stone said take your “hero” image and compare everything in your book to it. I go to my more famous shots, the girls at the piano from the Lovers Story, my unreleased new work, Scarlet Affair, Hades, etc. As each image is lines up next to my best work –  I hit the delete button or its a pass. Maybe I could toss a few more, some  already say I tossed their favorites, I did what I felt is right at the moment and I feel good.

Portfolios are shredded. New Portfolios are being printed as we speak. New (HOT) shoots are in and finalized (but not released) I feel like I just purged my soul in the sweat lodge. All my old marketing material that was left is gone and its on to bigger and better things. I’ve got some new people I’m working with and I have that feeling in my bones that something huge is coming.

**this is a repost from my tumblr account, my tumblr and my wordpress blog serve similar and different purposes, but for this post – I wanted it heard on both ends.

New Interviews

I just finished my interview for  my upcoming PDN Photoserve Feature!!!

For me, a photographer being in PDN, is like a band getting the cover of Rolling Stone.

My whistle was wet when I had a cover headline on Digital Photo Pro my senior year in college in 2006/2007 with an 11 page feature article. (cover to the left – article is in my “Press”  category on my website.) That was my 2nd write-up in the magazine. Following that came a spotlight feature in Altpick.com (i looooove altpick) , Design Taxi, and the list goes on. (goto “Press” on my website)

My marketing teacher at school always said; Be Seen, Be Remembered and Be Bought. Words to tattoo on your forehead or your bum, whatever you spend more time looking at. Put yourself out there, take risks, get a thick skin, and most importantly don’t copy other peoples work. You have to constantly reinvent the wheel, If you stop I think you die.

I love you PDN! I love you Photoserve! In 2009-2010 you chose my image to use on your marketing material. The support you’ve given me this year has given my heart some new wings to fly into the beginning of what I feel is going to be a HUGE year.

Glamour Kills + Gabe Saporta = Overnight Sensation….Finals….

We’ve gotten a ton of emails about my Overnight Sensation shoot for the new collaboration between Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta and the incredible Glamour Kills. The line is super hot, the cotton on the purple and grey shirts feels like big fluffy clouds on your skin – the wolf geek t is still one of my fav’s. We (we = Gabe) cut the shirts up for a ton of funky-fresh styles. (is there anything he doesn’t do?)  Here are a handful of the finals. There are more out there, hope you enjoy them as they release. As I’ve said a ka-zillion times before – Mark and Kyle from GK, Gabe from CS, the models, the crew – you all kick ass!! a special thanks to my 1st assistant Derrick whose arms we worked till they were jello.

Check the line here.

Cobra Starship here.

Behind the scenes of Overnight Sensation shoot here.

My shoot with Cobra here.

Me here.

You….over there.

Lights in Lost Skies

Here are the finished Lights In Lost Skies photos from our photoshoot.

http://www.carrieschechterstudios.com/

Lights In Lost Skies…

A few months ago, Lights in Lost Skies came down from their mountain top in upstate NJ for a photo shoot for their new album and press kit. (thats right there’s more to the jerz than the shore) The band consists of  Ryan on vocals and guitar, Quentin on keyboards and vocals, and Derek on drums. Samantha, one of my favorite right hand ladies in my office and I had a blast.

Lights in Lost Skies are unbelievably sweet, funny and very helpful. Derek is about 15 feet tall, and he was super helpful as we were changing sets..who needs a ladder with these guys around. We laughed the whole day, they’re total pranksters and their wasn’t a dull moment. I completely loved these guys, they know what they want in life and are also open to anything you throw at them. They have a brightness to them and can really energize a room. I can’t wait for their future!!!

Also check out my cover shoot with Quentin for his solo project.

Go check out their music and hit them up, you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.myspace.com/lightsinlostskies

http://www.carrieschechterstudios.com/

me shooting a jumping series with the boys

Cycle of Style

Finals from Bicycling Magazine. Behind the scenes.

See it All!!!

PDN’s New Postcards = Carrie Schechter

"The Paino" from The Lovers Story. ©Carrie Schechter. See the whole series on my website under fashion/stories.

Just received my copy of the newest marketing campaign for PDN’s (Photo District News) Photoserve!! I was thrilled when they asked me a few months ago if they could run my image. I joined Photoserve 2 years ago, they featured me as photographer of the week in the first year which resulted in a surge of visits to my website, I didn’t even think twice at another wonderful opportunity. Thank you PDN!!

Find out all about PDN and Photoserve here.

My official site.

Cycle of Style. Behind the Scenes

Recently I photographed a fashion spread for Bicycling Magazine called the Cycle of Style. It’s a special fashion spread that they don’t do very often and I was extraordinarily excited to shoot for them. The shoot was on a beautiful day in NYC,  on set was photo editor extrodinair Stacey Emenecker, Mike Cushionbury was Art Directing, we cast 5 fabulous Ford models, Christopher Ritchey on hair, Deidre from RJ Bennit on Style and Ro on MU. My assistants were Derrick and Ross (Ross took the behind the scenes shots).

We shot all setups twice on two different backgrounds completely across the studio, we worked like cheetahs on 15 shots of espresso, it was amazing. It was a very creatively stimulating set, Mike was changing his game plan with the article as we were shooting, and to see him getting excited just got my creative juices all fired up. The clothes are so HOT! I don’t ride bikes much..I rode when I was 10, and when I tried to get back on one while living in Santa Barbara a few years ago..I actually forgot how. Isn’t there a saying about never forgetting how to ride a bike? Lies…all lies.

The models were gorgeous!! The vibe was upbeat and positive, the pictures came out great. Check out the December Issue of Bicycling Magazine on news stands now! Finals to come soon…

Official Site Here….

Behind the Scenes: Overnight Sensation – Glamour Kills

carrie schechter, the Masters of Glamour Kills, and Gabe Saporta

Glamour Kills met with Gabe Saporta & it is an Overnight Sensation.

I recently was asked to shoot the new line by Glamour Kills and Cobra Starship’s Gabe Saporta, OVERNIGHT SENSATION. The shoot took place in Chelsea, NY with Gabe & friends and the creative genius of GK. The line is amazing, I’m in love with the Wolf Geek T.

Gabe had a huge hand in the shoot which was great – we were bouncing ideas of each other when needed, he had a good idea of what he wanted, his ideas were solid, & we went for it. Everyone on set was amazing, the shoot was full of positivity.

What we shot is a different style of light than what I’m mostly know for, but it was what was the best way to show the lifestyle of this line. My normal light was a bit too “pretty” for Overnight Sensation. As a people photographer, it’s about people and connecting to your subject. I am technically trained, I can shoot in any style and its easy for me to see light and shape it. I currently enjoy the light I’ve been playing with that makes up my portfolio, it keeps me challenged and it keeps the blood hot and pumping. I love expressing myself through light, I love doing things differently, and I love switching it up. For this light setup we went for simple, direct, sexy, in your face, and to the point …like the line.

I first met Gabe shooting Cobra Starship for AP Magazine last year, and since then we worked on their current myspace together and now OS. Gabe and Glamour Kills are pretty sensational to work for and I am excited to be part of the release of one of the sickest new lines in ‘09.

See the ad campaign wherever Glamour Kills Drops Them (and on my website soon) My official site.

behind the scenes of Carrie Schechter's shoot for Glamour Kills & Gabe Saporta's Overnight Sensation

behind the scenes of Carrie Schechter's shoot for Glamour Kills & Gabe Saporta's Overnight Sensation