This is a cool video of a product shoot from start to finish that Peter Belanger posted on his blog (here). You even get to go into the Art Directors office and see him slap the cover lines on the thing. If you visit the macworld website (here) you can discover this appalling fact about magazine production “[We] design twelve initial cover variations, meet about those covers, design twelve more variations, and then pick our favorite.”
Sounds like fun, doesn’t it.

Found it on Art Produce.

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38 Comments

  1. Fascinating video. Desperately dull cover.

  2. Hey, just put the thing down and shoot it. What’s the big deal? Does he jump out the window there at the end? Funny.

    Thanks.

  3. Cool video, boring photo and cover.

  4. Very cool video! Looks so easy (and I wonder what parts they didn’t show ;-) )

  5. At the end of the day, that bar code is a bitch!

  6. Nice shot, perfect for the client. Thanks for all involved.

  7. That’s why I never shoot products. S0 much futzing and so little pay-off. 2 years of assisting, back in the day, product shooters was more than enough to kill any desire.

  8. I love being able to watch photographers work behind the scenes and them being creative in how they present that.

  9. still life is easy… isn’t it?

  10. hmm. Shooting still life…..
    …I’m trying, but failing to come up with something better than the proverbial “I’d rather watch paint dry”.
    I just can’t.

  11. Wow, that was a really cool video. Thanks for sharing.

  12. Sure still life is dull, but retouching still life looks even more grim.

    • @Mark, It is never the object that is dull. It’s how the photographer chooses to photograph the object.

      • @Debra Weiss,

        hmmm…never miss an opportunity, eh?

        • @A visiting friend, Just stating the obvious, which must not be that obvious. I am always stunned at narrow and judgmental attitudes about photography. To Mark: Perhaps you should take a look at an Outerbridge or Penn or Aaron Jones still life.

    • @Mark, Man, I totally geeked out on this, being a still life photographer! Getting that light just right so it reflects just so … damn! That’s what it’s all about. I LOVE it!!! But then again, you put me on a fashion set and I can’t help but crack up at all the ridiculous and often over the top fake personalities. Different strokes …

    • @Mark, Not to gang up on you, Mark, but I have to agree with Christine. Still life is fun. The lighting is everything. Getting it right provides a sense of personal accomplishment. You can’t hide behind a great location.

      And, oh yeah, still life models are usually VERY cooperative. They show up on time, don’t mind working long hours and they don’t eat anything (although that last one holds true for a lot of fashion models as well).

      • @Tom, Yes still life is fun, if you have ideas it could be very creative too.

    • @All,
      Perhaps this argument reflects the difference between, ‘taking’ pictures and ‘making’ pictures.

      • @Tim,

        COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT BETTER, LIGHT IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING.

  13. Wow … equipment kings at work.
    How many people are involved to catch the lil scared cells ? :-)
    I tried to count, but drifted.
    A great show for the client.

    However, video is a great. Music too.

    Cheers, Reini

  14. Thanks for showing this! I love it when still life gets featured. Less glam, but it’s often more like a traditional art. Painterly and more individual in the creation. Sure, I’m a little bias, but from us out there who are, thanks!

  15. Although this making of video is pretty cool for a still life, wouldn’t it be even more cool to see this for Vogue or Vanity Fair? Someone with well-placed connections should drop the hint!

    • @Chris Schultz,
      some reps have making of videos on their blogs as well. I have seen some just yesterday. It’s ‘en vogue’ :-)
      I’ll try to locate the videos again and post the links.

      In the meantime you can enjoy Peter Beards 09 Pirelli Calendar shooting here http://www.pirellical.com/thecal/video_player.html (full length)

      Although I guess most have seen it already. But worth a 2nd look, imho.

      My favorite quote out of the movie: “Shit … NO film” :-)

      Cheers, Reini

  17. The overhead necessary for this business, in this case, ONE photograph, is obscene.

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  19. I almost think it would be easier to do a 3d render since they did so much post on them.

  20. Pretty cool. I really liked when the went out the window and landed at the front door of the building with Macworld inside. That was a pretty creative idea and worked perfectly in still frame.

  21. […] good, they’re cracking. I really hope the crop circle one was done for real. Bonus link: how a MacWorld cover comes together. Would love to have seen the process for some of these […]

  22. Still life requires a special talent. Whether you like the result or not, Peter Belanger delivered what the client asked for, and more, giving them a great video that gave Macworld and Peter much exposure; and many people, like us, are talking about it.

    This is the kind of value added service that we professional photographers can offer, instead of complaining about whether the photo is boring or not, or whether it took too much “overhead” for just one photograph. If the photo is too expensive, we complain. If the photo is too cheap, as in the Time $30 cover shot, we complain.

    As Monty Python would say, “Get on with it!” Stop complaining and create value for your client.

  27. hey, great video.. loved seeing the process as it brought back lots of good memories.. I shot many covers in the late eighties to 90’s for macworld. I was fortunate that they couldn’t mess up my backgrounds like they can today : ).

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