Pro’s Talk Shutterbugs: A Rock Photographer Shares His Pick

With Coachella kicking off this weekend in the desert, we’re celebrating in the start of Festival Season with a rocking collection inspired by all things musical, courtesy of our Pablove Shutterbugs students!

Seeking inspiration? Breeze through our Music Lovers collection to find the perfect piece for you.

Naomi, 15 years old, #jamsession
“I love this photograph, Naomi managed to capture an image that has a very youthful yet very timeless feel to it. This image would never get old or outdated in anyone’s collection, it is a classic.”

– Chapman Baehler, Rock Photographer
 Chapman and Sabrina

Chapman shoots talented musicians from Queens of the Stone Age to Katy Perry. He is also a 6-year Pablove Shutterbugs mentor! (Pictured here with his mentee, Sabrina)

Like what you see? Purchase #jamsession by Naomi here! View the entire collection now.

Spring Into… Light + Color!

The light-filled photos in Simon’s Artist of the Month collection arrive just in time for Spring-forward. These photos transport us to the Eastern Plains and deliver a much-needed dose of sunshine. See for yourself!

Simon took many of these photographs outside on his family’s property – they live on over 40 acres of land in rural Colorado. The natural light he captures lends a vibrant crispness to his images, pairing nicely with shots that experiment with black and white tonality.

Simon had never taken a photography class before, and was just 16 years old when he signed up for Pablove Shutterbugs. His skillful compositions and thoughtful subject matter show his maturity as a photographer coming to life.

Simon, 16 years old, Morning

“Morning”

In this photo, the raw beauty of the rural landscape takes on a personality of it’s own. Simon experiments with creating a different type of landscape photograph than the ones he was used to taking. He remarks: “I got up earlier than I usually do to take a picture of a sunrise before 6 a.m. I took this at home from one of our porches. I like the colors of the sky and how the sun is starting to light the land.”

Simon, 16 years old, Destiny Ahead

“Destiny Ahead”

Can you guess which photo is Simon’s favorite? It’s this staged scene of a bionicle. Simon explains his technique: “I positioned him in the grass and made him look like he could be a full size robot. I went outside and got him set up and had to kinda lie down on the ground to get a good enough perspective.” The use of horizon line and the positioning of this character against the textured backdrop of the Colorado plains make him appear larger than life – primed to shoot off straight into outer space!

Simon, 16 years old, Upward Facing Dog

“Upward Facing Dog”

The title says it all! Simon expertly poses his dog, Panda, in a shot utilizing worm’s eye view. He explains, “This was also taken during the time that we were learning about perspective. I thought it would be kinda cool to get a picture of Panda looking up while I was down low on the ground.”  This playful portrait captures his pup from a fresh angle.

Simon, 16 years old, Cat and Saxophone

“Cat and Saxophone”

This energetic self-portrait encapsulates Simon’s love for music. He poses for the camera, playing from sheet music while his sister looks on. Simon explains, “I tried to get the camera set up on the self timer. I had to do it more than once to get it good enough.” Practice makes perfect. Nice shot, Simon!

“Buy one of my photos and be awesome – you don’t have to do both but at least do one. If you buy this print you will be awesome not just because you have amazing taste, but you also will be supporting an awesome organization and cancer research.” – Simon

Simon is 18 years old. He lives in “The Middle of Nowhere”, Colorado (his words, not ours); about an hour outside of Denver, CO. Simon is very musically talented – he plays both the saxophone and the violin – and plays in a band. The next instrument he’s aiming to master is the guitar! He wants to be a professional musician when he gets older.  

A Valentine’s Day Treat from One Tough Cookie

In honor of the Month of Love, we’re all about sharing the photos we <3, with you! And what better way to get struck by cupid’s arrow than with Artist of the Month 12 year-old Gracie from Freehold, NJ. Grace, aka “Cookie” is an avid photographer and likes that her camera is small and portable, which makes it easy to take it with her wherever she goes!

Grace’s motto is, “You have no choice but to be strong, but you can choose to be happy and positive!” Pair that with photos that are sweet, thoughtful, and easy-on-the-eyes – it’s hard not to fall in love. The images in her collection share a “slice of life” immediacy that comes with always being camera-ready for the next great shot. Take a second to contemplate her images in this collection, because there’s almost always more to them than can be seen at first glance. You just might become smitten yourself!

Grace, 13 years old, Colt Sunrise

Colt Sunrise” by Grace, 12 years old

We’re glad Grace had her camera with her just in time to capture the sunrise in this cool, atmospheric landscape shot. She photographed the mist rising over the baseball field from the car taken while dropping her brother off at school. Grace says, “I liked how it looked like a painting, how the land and trees are mixed in with the fog and sun.” She titled the photo “Colt Sunrise” because her brother’s school mascot is the Colt. This image is painterly, pastoral and perfect. Bravo!

Grace, 12 years old, Untitled

Untitled” by Grace

Paint splatter? An other-worldly phenomenon? This image is delightfully deceptive – these celestial green bands appear both flat and three dimensional at the same time. What’s her secret? Grace photographed this image in her backyard at night, while her father shone a green laser on the grass. Using a slow shutter speed to capture the movement of light, she expertly layers texture, line and color to create an artful and intriguing composition. Take a closer look and you can even see the blades of grass on the ground!

Grace, 12 years old, Untitled

Untitled” by Grace

This bold red image contrasts nicely to green composition above – it is a different kind of study in color and light. Grace captures the bright warmth of a row of candles in a church. For her, “the candles represent a different person and each person saying a prayer.” Her photograph is soft, subtle, and calm- yet the message speaks louder than words.

Grace, 12 years old, Untitled

Untitled” by Grace

This next photo tricks the eye with its interplay of shapes, color and pattern. Plus, it’s an example of Grace’s favorite color (pink!) and favorite lesson in perspective – worm’s eye view. This grand image was created by simply getting down on her knees to snap the shot from under the table at a restaurant. Grace adds, “I like the patterns in it. If you look at it once you wouldn’t see all the details, but you look at it again there’s a little something hidden.” Nice work, Grace!

“Photography helped get my mind off of everything that was happening. It was a good distraction, to have something else to focus on other than my cancer treatment. I like photography because you can tell a story through it. You can turn one picture into a billion different things. And I like doing it! It’s relaxing and stress relieving.” – Grace, Pablove Shutterbugs student

Grace is 12 years old (going on 30, says Mom) and lives in Freehold, NJ. People who know her well call her “Cookie”- a nickname she’s had since birth because her parents knew she’d need to be a tough cookie to put up with her boisterous older brother. Grace has lived up to the nickname ever since, and is returning to the seventh grade this semester. Go Cookie!


The Pablove Shutterbugs Road Show

Let’s take this show on the road! It’s art fair season, and Pablove Prints is jumping on the bandwagon. Did you know that the very first Salon Art Exposition took place in Paris in 1667, and it featured work from students at the Ecole des Beaux- Arts? Now, 350+ years later, Pablove Shutterbugs students will have the unique opportunity to enter the same canon.

Pablove Prints will be on display alongside fine art photography at two prestigious art expositions – Photo LA and the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair!  

Alec, 9 years old, Untitled

Untitled” by Alec, 9 years old

The accomplished and mature images in the collections for Photo LA and the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair speak to the diverse audiences at these Art Expositions. From colorful closeups to artful abstracts, these images are sure to please. See for yourself!

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Art + Music = Love

December Artist of the Month: Isaac

This December, we’re showing some love for our home city of Los Angeles. With our Gallery Show coming up in just a few days, we’re showcasing one of our talented Los Angeles alums, Isaac. He lives in South LA, works in music, and has participated in both our 8-week mentorship program and our Alumni Summer Camp.

Isaac’s portfolio of photographs is a thoughtful and personal reflection that paints a picture of him as a talented photographer, musician, and creative thinker. It’s no doubt that these photos are easy on the eyes, but what’s truly impactful are the stories he has to tell about them. Let’s take a glimpse!

Isaac, 19 years old, Swept Out
“Swept Out”

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Happy Birthday, Model T!

Henry Ford, Model T, 1908
Henry Ford and Model T, circa 1908.

Over a hundred years ago, on October 1, 1908, the first Ford Model T car rolled off the assembly line in Detroit, Michigan. The Model T was the first car of it’s kind to make the automobile affordable and accessible to many Americans. This huge technological advancement paved the way (pun intended!) for the rise of car culture in the US. And so began our love affair- at 107 years young, we are still swept up by the magic of the automobile.

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October Artist of the Month: Juliett

It’s no surprise that Juliett likes reading The Grimm’s Brother’s fairy tales- her photos have an eery, magical quality that’s part fantasy, part reality. Juliett’s images in this October collection are fittingly ghostly for the Halloween season (which just so happens to be her favorite holiday). Beware, they just may send a chill down your spine!

Juliett, 14 years old, Untitled

As you can see, her photographs are steeped with muted colors, feeling, and an air of mystery. Juliett is interested in creating images that mean something to her, and likes to use the black and white feature to create an older, more vintage feel. Scroll through the collection and you definitely get a sense of leaving this era and finding yourself in another.

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