Journey to the Edge at Burning Man in WMB 3D #3
The Burn is approaching. Anyone who has ever been to Burning Man knows that it is an unforgettable circus of color, fire and stars that no photographs or blog posts can ever do justice. That said, here’s my humble attempt.
This week—and the last week in August every year—tens of thousands of “burners” migrate to the Black Rock desert in northern Nevada for Burning Man. The week-long festival transforms the barren landscape into a hub for art, expression and exhibition. In Issue 3 of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful, I’ve created a round-the-clock photo-journal in 3D, to give the uninitiated a uniquely surreal look at the art of Burning Man.
For experienced burners, here’s your chance to see the playa experience in a totally new way. WMB 3D Issue 3 is available now on iPhone, iPad, Android phones & tablets and in print.
ART CREDITS:
Photos by Nick Saglimbeni
Temple of Transformation by International Megatropolis Art Crew
Face Forward by Christian Ristow
H.A.T.U. by Terra Cronshey
Parallel Lives by John Hagar
Trojan Horse by Douglas Bevans
Travelogue: Morocco IV – Moonrise in the Sahara
While staying with my nomad friends at Erg Chigaga in the Moroccan Sahara desert, I felt a calling to climb the dunes after sunset. With no light pollution in any direction, I knew that it would truly be an otherworldly experience to stargaze into the heavens.
So, at dark, I wandered into the dunes alone, bringing only my camera and a bottle of water. Given that there is no artificial light anywhere, one can easily get lost. In the dark, all dunes look the same.
When I arrived at the top of the tallest dune, I looked up and witnessed the brightest stars I have ever seen. I’ve done my best to capture it here, though I must warn you: Words, and in this case, even pictures, can’t describe seeing the sight with your own eyes. Within a few hours, the moon began to appear above the horizon, illuminating the mountains of sand. I encourage everyone to stargaze in the desert at least once in your life. It will change you.
This concludes my four-part Morocco travelogue. My thanks to the wonderful friends and guides who welcomed me into their country: Karim, Youssef, Tarek, and Brahim. See my adventures in 3D in Issue 3 of WMB 3D, available now on iPhone, iPad, Android phones & tablets and in Limited Collector’s Edition print.
Travelogue: Morocco III – Trekking into the Sahara
When life in the big city gets too chaotic, I’ve found a few sacred spots in the world where I can decompress and hit the reset switch. One of these getaways is deep in the Sahara desert, with my Berber nomad friends in southeast Morocco.
The serenity of the north African desert is unmatched; in fact, it is the only place that I can recall ever having experienced absolute silence—sand doesn’t make a peep. When I first laid eyes on the magnificent dunes, it was every bit as awe-inspiring as you would imagine. My nomadic friends and I traveled for days on camel along the Algerian border, stopping at makeshift camps, tent villages, and even hydrating at a real oasis, lush (by desert standards) with palm trees and a stream.
On my most recent visit, I brought along my 3D camera to capture the amazing scene for WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful . To see the full Magic in Morocco feature, be sure to pick up your copy on iPhone, iPad, Android phones & tablets and in Collector’s Edition print.
GALLERY INDEX:
1-5: Wild camels and the dunes of Erg Chigaga
7-9: The tents of Buono nomad village.
10-14: Tagine & tea during the Saharan sunset
Melanie Iglesias Takes WMB 3D to the Streets
Our good friend Melanie Iglesias visits Los Angeles hotspots to give new viewers a first-hand look at WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful. Audience reactions never disappoint, ranging from shock and awe to downright hilarious. See what real viewers had to say in the video above.
WMB 3D is available on iPad, iPhone and on Google Play. There are also a limited number of Collector’s Print Editions available in the Slickforce Store here.
WMB 3D: Kendall & Kylie Jenner at Ultimate Graveyard
It’s probably the alternator.
In Issue 3 of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful, I brought two of my favorite rising starlets out to Ultimate Graveyard for an apocalyptic shoot-to-remember. Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s fashion feature was styled by the insanely talented Monica Rose, who found the perfect pieces to complement the decaying location.
Here is a backstage look at the making of this shoot, with wonderful production images by photographer Joyce Park. WMB 3D #3 is available now for iPhone, iPad, and on Google Play. And check out the video below for a closer look at the shoot!
CREDITS
Photography by NICK SAGLIMBENI
Styling by MONICA ROSE
Makeup by GABY RAMOS TORELL
Hair by JAKOB SHERWOOD
Production Stills by JOYCE PARK for SlickforceStudio
Playing with Legends: Paul Oakenfold for WMB 3D
Meeting your heroes is certainly one of the perks of being a photographer. I’ve been listening to Paul Oakenfold’s music since the early 1990s. In fact, he was one of the only artists producing a very niche music at that time—at least niche in America. One of the founders of electronic dance music, Oakenfold pioneered multiple genres of music that have taken over pop music in the recent years. EDM—and it’s many incarnations and sub-genres such as House, Trance, and Acid Jazz—was a soundtrack to my early days as a digital artist, as I tinkered with computer art on my Amiga 500.
Mr. Oakenfold was nice enough to allow me to follow him around during a live Las Vegas performance at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, where I photographed his adventures for WMB 3D. As expected, both the performance and the crowds were electric, and for this longtime trance fan, it was a dream come true.
Paul was equally open when I interviewed him for the magazine a few weeks later, and his candor gave me an even greater respect for the trailblazing DJ. See Paul Oakenfold’s 8-page feature in Volume 3 of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful on iPad, iPhone, Android, and in Limited Edition Collector’s Print. My sincerest thanks to Paul and his incredible team for the unrestricted access. Here is an excerpt from our interview:
WMB: What was the turning point for you?
Paul Oakenfold: When my friends were out partying, I was in chef training. I’d work lunch from 10 to 3, then dinner from 5 to 11, and then do it all over again the next day. I worked fucking hard. I had just turned 20 and I saw all my friends having a good time, enjoying their lives. So right after I passed my exams, I said to myself, ‘Life’s too short to be doing this. I’ve got to follow my dream of making music. If it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t happen. I can always go back to being a chef.’
There are a few moments in your life where you reach a crossroads. The first one for most people is when it’s time to leave home. You have to decide, are you gonna stay home and be a mommy’s boy, or are you going to go be out in the wild world? Of course it’s easier to stay home, but you know you’ve got to get out. You can’t go through life regretting and hiding. You’re allowed to fall down. We all do. But you pick yourself back up and try again. Succeeding is trying. Maybe you get up and say, ‘This wasn’t for me.’ But you’ve already succeeded because you’ve tried. It’s the people who don’t try—the people who sit there in that same position for 30 years and say, ‘I’m gonna do this,’ and ‘I’m gonna do that,’—those people are bound to face a very dark moment when they wake up and realize, ‘I just let life go by.’
Your stories from your early days are notorious, like when you were sneaking into Studio 54. Were you a troublemaker, growing up?
No, I wasn’t trouble. I was just young and in New York and I wanted to be a part of it all. I was intrigued. But I wasn’t old enough to get into those clubs, so I was going to try to get in by any way possible. I was sleeping on the floor in Puerto Rican Harlem. I had no money, but I was very inspired by the whole scene. I wanted to know what was going on inside the clubs. It was a pivotal moment in my life. I said, ‘This is it. This is fucking it.’ I got a fake ID made up, and I’m sure the English accent helped. In England, they don’t have ID—they look at you and go, ‘Nope.’ But in America, you show them an ID and you go, ‘Yeah, that’s me,’ with an English accent and they fall for it.
Shortly after New York, you famously went to Ibiza in 1987 to celebrate your birthday. This trip is widely accepted as the defining moment in acid house history, or—put another way—the birth of trance. What caused this perfect storm?
There were a few things. My friends were there. The scene was something new and special, and I was already dialed in because of my time in New York. It was the opening of major clubs, but in these clubs you were dancing under the stars. It was also the drugs, and it was the music. Ibiza was a musical playground. So I went back with my flag in my hand and said, ‘This is what we’re going to do …’
Fast forward 25 years, and today, electronic music is everywhere. It’s in hip-hop, it’s in rock-n-roll, it’s in pop. In your mind, what happened?
Now, house music is pop music. Mainstream electronic dance music—EDM—is what we used to call House in the ‘80s. What you’re hearing on the radio is all EDM-based. House has gone completely mainstream.
What excites you?
Being exactly where I am, at the moment. All eyes are on us, and we should make the world proud. It’s a good time to be living in our world, the electronic world.
Any advice to our younger readers?
Yeah, a lot of advice: Work hard, focus on yourself—your time will come—and practice. If you want to be the best at anything in life, you’ve got to practice. The problem with much of the youth today is that they just want to be fucking famous, but they don’t want to work hard; they don’t want to put the time in. It used to just be in America, but now it’s spreading all over the world.
Photographing Estella Warren for WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful
Alright, I’m just going to come right out and say it: I love my job. When I was kid, I could only have dreamed that one day I’d find myself in a career where I am constantly surrounded by the world’s most beautiful women. With all that said, it’s not everyday that you get to photograph an actual supermodel.
Like most, I had first “known” Estella Warren from seeing her in countless Chanel campaigns, and in Hollywood blockbusters like Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes. My first shoot with Estella was in 2011—when I photographed her for Breast Cancer Charities of America’s iGoPink campaign (read post here)—and we became instant friends. Her stories make me laugh, and on camera she conjures the most striking expressions with seemingly minimal effort—truly a photographer’s dream.
After the success of our first two editions of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful, I wanted to follow up with an unforgettable third issue. I envisioned a bold cover to round out the trilogy, and yet I knew that only an amazing and experienced model could make risqué look both artistic and classy. Estella delivered on all fronts, and she was charming throughout the shoot, despite the provocative and sometimes painful poses. She was particularly excited about being photographed in 3D.
I’m proud to announce that today, you can see Estella’s cover, interview and 8-page photo feature in Issue 3 of WMB 3D. It is available on iPad, iPhone and on Google Play. There are also a limited number of Collector’s Print Editions available in the Slickforce Store here. (read about the printing process here). I’m in awe of the beautiful work rendered by the glam squad, and I am eternally thankful to Ms. Warren for our most memorable cover yet.
Enjoy!
CREDITS
Photography by NICK SAGLIMBENI
Makeup by THERESE WILLIAMS
Hair by AL INGRAM
Styling by NATALIE YURI
Production Stills by JOYCE PARK for SlickforceStudio
Behind the Scenes: Shooting Arthur George for Neiman Marcus
Last week at SlickforceStudio, we photographed the Arthur George designer sock line for Neiman Marcus. Created by Rob Kardashian, Arthur George features wild designs for both guys and girls, ranging from socks to stocking to leggings.
After seeing just how bright and colorful so many of the designs were, I opted for a neutral photography palette to allow the socks to pop. The models did a wonderful job of showcasing the brand, and I give them a lot of credit for proudly conveying a young, energetic label. Having photographed both Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s very first modeling shoots, it is also awesome to witness just how comfortable they have become in front of the camera.
Congratulations to Rob Kardashian and John Burtzloff on producing an amazing campaign. Look for Arthur George at your nearest Neiman Marcus store or visit agsocks.com for more info!
CREDITS:
MODELS Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Matilda Price, Pia Mia, Matt Cook Jr.
PHOTOGRAPHY Nick Saglimbeni for SlickforceStudio
MAKE UP Etienne Ortega
HAIR Guy Romeo
STYLIST Matthew Ryan
PRODUCTION STILLS by Joyce Park for SlickforceStudio
Press Checking WMB 3D #3 Collector’s Print Edition
If you’ve ever held a copy of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful in your hand, you know it’s a beast of a publication. With 2D and 3D sides combined, the magazine measure over 1/2 inch thick, and boasts over 225 pages: each one meticulously photographed, retouched, and designed by our art team. As such, I don’t like leaving the printing up to chance.
After years of seeing my work printed for other publications, one of the printers that always delivered stellar results was Canadian print-house Lowe-Martin (formerly Dollco). For this reason, I chose them as the official printer of WMB 3D. When I received the first shipment of Issue 1 in 2011, I couldn’t believe I was looking at CMYK printing—the colors were nearly as rich as they were on an RGB display. For Issue 3, I decided to make the trip to visit our friends in Ontario, and document the process for you. (Be warned: I’m going to get technical, so the faint of heart should just skip to the pretty pictures now.)
After we locked the layout for the publication, the master PDFs were generated and sent to the printer via FTP. Once the images are cleared through preflight—file prep which insures color and registration accuracy—a high-resolution set of color-match proofs was sent to me in Los Angeles to review. Upon approval, color-separation ink plates are burned (at a microscopic 20 micron resolution) and mounted onto press for printing.
Issue 3 was printed on a brand-new Heidelberg XL 40″ 10-color press. In the case of WMB, five ink bays are reserved for one side of the page (typically Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, and then a spot-color or varnish), after which the page is perfected (flipped in line) and the back side is run through the next five ink bays.
The pressman color matches individual ink densities using the Inpress control sheet reader. Once approved, the switch is thrown and the sheets are printed en masse. The Estella-Warren-graced cover was then run though press a second time to apply the spot gloss varnish to the WMB logo and to Estella’s boots, making them extra spiffy. Finally, the images are collated, bound, glued and trimmed on a perfect binder, where they are made retail-ready.
My thanks to the stellar team at Lowe-Martin for taking such wonderful care of our progressive publication: Pam, Dave, Brad, Cathy, Paul, Noah, Rose, Rob, April and the rest of the team. To see this beautifully printed book up close, visit the Slickforce Store to order your copy of WMB 3D Issue 3.
VIDEO: Lighting Melanie Iglesias for WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful
This was my first shoot with Melanie Iglesias, for the premiere issue of WMB 3D: World’s Most Beautiful. Glamour is a tricky business, because it’s very easy to fall into the “men’s mag” category. I wanted the glamour in WMB to be as classy as it was sexy.
We found this beautiful mansion in Pasadena; they had all this really great furniture and huge windows. I like to shoot at very slow ISOs, so we augmented all of the natural light with umbrellas and diffusers. For this particular setup, where Melanie is in the chair, I had one diffused umbrella on a 2400w/s pack keying her, and an Octabank outside the window boosting the ambient sun. I was using a lot of fan on this shoot, so I wanted a really fast shutter, but I opted to keep it at 1/125 so we didn’t lose the natural light exposure. Enough of the hair exposure came from the strobes so we didn’t have too much motion blur.
Mel and the whole team did a great job on this shoot, and to this day it’s still our most downloaded gallery on WMB 3D. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes video…we left the original production audio track in for a more authentic shoot experience. Download the FREE WMB 3D here for iPad, iPhone and Android.
CREDITS:
Photography by NICK SAGLIMBENI
Hair by AL INGRAM
Makeup by GABY RAMOS
Styling by SARAH WALLNER
