Trevor Paulhaus just finished up Instagramming for ILTP, so we thought it would be great to ask him a few questions about some of his most recent projects. Below, Trevor discusses his shoots  on assignment for Whole Foods and The Office of Angela Scott and his personal project on Sweet Trade.

ILTP: Let’s talk about your assignment shoots first. How did Whole Foods and Angela Scott find and get in touch with you to do these assignments?
Trevor: The assignment for Whole Foods was shot for Whole Foods Market Magazine. I was contacted by the photo editor at Rodale Grow to shoot the story. It was the third time they had contacted me to shoot an assignment for them, but the first that we were actually able to work on together. Like a lot of editorial clients, I am not really positive on the specifics of how they “found” me. Website, promo, blog, word of mouth, mutual connection of someone that I have shot for in the past, familiarity with my work… it could be a number of things. Regardless, it is always great to get the email from a new client and have the opportunity to build on that relationship. Because of my ties to New England, I am often back home for work in Boston or the surrounding areas. That definitely played a part in me getting this particular assignment.

The shoot with The Office of Angela Scott came about after shooting a portrait of Angela for an editorial assignment for a local Dallas magazine. Angela and I hit it off and kept in contact after that. One thing led to another and she soon asked me if I would be interested in shooting images for her 2013 lookbook/catalog …also leg modeling for the mens shoes, but thats a whole other story…

ILTP: Did you have a large role in the creative process or did they tell you exactly what they wanted?
Trevor: The Whole Foods shoot was obviously a little different, but much of the creative process was still in my hands. Like with a lot of editorial assignments, I was given my contact info, location info, details of what the story was about, a basic shot list… and that was about it. I knew I needed a few different environmental portrait options of Dan and several supporting images for the story, and after a few emails and short phone calls with the photo editor, I had a good idea of the basic feel/look that they wanted. But besides that, it was left up to me to shoot what I felt fit the assignment.

I didn’t have much creative input with The Office Angela Scott shoot. Angela knew exactly what she wanted and had a very specific concept for the images and how they would work with the design of her catalog. We tried a few different things on set together to really get the look that she wanted, but overall, the vision was all hers. Lucky for me, it was a real cool one.

 

 

 

ILTP: Could you talk a little bit about what equipment you used for these shoots? Do you use lights when working outside? Assistants? What kind of cameras/lenses?
Trevor: For the Sweet Trade, Office of Angela Scott and Whole Foods shoots, I shot with a Canon 5D MKIII. This is the camera I use all the time (usually with either a 50mm 1.2 or 70-200mm 2.8 lens), unless the specific needs of a job call for something different. The Sweet Trade shoot was shot using all available light, as was most of the WF shoot, with the exception of 2 of the portrait options we shot. The portrait that ran in WF Magazine was lit with 1 light, using a Profoto 7B and a 5′  Profoto octabank. I typically try not to use lights when shooting outside, but sometimes it is necessary to achieve the look that you want.

For the WF shoot it was just 1 assistant and myself, which was great. In that particular case, there was absolutely no room for any more of a production than that, but it was really a tremendous amount of help to have someone keeping both the equipment, and me, from falling off a boat into the Atlantic Ocean. With The Office of Angela Scott shoot, we set up a little white seamless studio in her home, then and her and I did everything ourselves over the course of a weekend. Again, using all Profoto packs and heads, beauty dishes and an octabank.

it was really a tremendous amount of help to have someone keeping both the equipment, and me, from falling off a boat into the Atlantic Ocean

ILTP: What got you started on this person project about Todd Moden of Sweet Trade?
Trevor: I met Todd through a mutual friend one afternoon while home visiting family in Rhode Island/shooting an assignment in Boston. We exchanged contact information and talked about me swinging by his studio to purchase one of his wallets before I headed back to Dallas. The next afternoon I met with him in his beautiful workshop, we started chatting about his craft, his past experiences, locally sourced materials, Rhode Island, so on. I eventually asked if he would mind if I ran down to my car to grab my camera so I could take some photos. The lighting/atmosphere of his workshop, and the personality of Todd was just too great to pass up. Todd was extremely generous and hospitable.

I eventually asked if he would mind if I ran down to my car to grab my camera so I could take some photos

I wouldn’t really say that I work on any particular personal “projects”. I love to shoot people. Whether it be static environmental portraits, more lifestyle-ish feeling shots, or even sometimes photo-jounalistic. So I am constantly looking for opportunities to do so.  One of the things I love most about being a photographer is the people I get to meet that I otherwise never would cross paths with. Even when I am not doing it for “work”, I try my best to get out there and travel, see new things, meet new people and create these experiences.

One of the things I love most about being a photographer is the people I get to meet that I otherwise never would cross paths with

ILTP:Have you seen client response to your personal work?
Trevor: Absolutely. The best part about personal work is that you are (more than likely) always shooting something you LOVE and are passionate about. I would like to think that it shows through in the images a little more. I have definitely gotten gigs, both commercial and editorial, based on things that I have shot just for myself. Portraits of friends or personal travel shots are sometimes the images I get the most response to from clients, buyers and art directors. Which I love, because it opens the door to the opportunities of shooting similar things for commission as well.

I have definitely gotten gigs, both commercial and editorial, based on things that I have shot just for myself