Dan Watkins

Relay For Life Fundraiser // Portait Mini-Sessions

dantheman241 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:31:49 +0000

Last year I took part in Relay for Life for the first time as a member of Team Kickbored. The team was created in memory of my brother-in-law, Matt, and I also walked in memory of my grandmother, Ruth, as well as in honor of my grandmother, Evelyn. This year I will be out of town during the event, but still wanted to contribute to the team, so I’m offering a day of portrait mini-sessions on Saturday, May 11th. These donation-based sessions are in support of our Relay for Life team, and 100% of all funds raised go directly to the American Cancer Society.

WHEN: Saturday May 11th, 2013.
WHERE: My studio, 840 Summer St. South Boston 02127
WHAT: 25 minute portrait mini-sessions, perfect for updating professional social media photos, actor or musician headshots, or professional portraits of you (or your pet!)
SUGGESTED DONATION: $75 for 3 edited & retouched digital images / $125 for 5 edited & retouched images and a 8×10/8×12 print.

HOW: Please email me to let me know more about what kind of portrait you’re looking for and what time works best for you that day. I’ll follow up to confirm and work out the details.

Also, if you’re not in need of portraits, but would like to make a donation to our Relay team, you can do so here.

Please share this event with anyone you think might be interested, and thank you in advance for your support!

In Print // Brendan Kelley for Performer Magazine

dantheman241 — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:47:50 +0000

I’m excited to share that a recent shoot with talented singer/songwriter, Brendan Kelley, is the cover story in this month’s Performer Magazine, which just hit streets on Friday.

Brendan’s music bounces between blues, soul, country, pop & rock, and though he’s only 21 he’s already lived in Boston, Austin & Nashville. To try and show the different sides of Brendan we decided to shoot a bunch of varying looks and utilize different styles of lighting during his studio session.

I had assumed I was just photographing multiple options for the magazine, and that Performer would print only the one or two looks they liked best. I was pleasantly surprised to find, however, that Ben the Editor and Joe the Design & Art Director put together a really cohesive layout utilizing images from nearly all the looks we shot.

The full story and some outtake photos can be found at the link above, and Brendan will be playing a Quicksand CD release party at the House of Blues Foundation Room on April 18th.

Are you looking for a music or portrait photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

In Print // Boston Chefs Feature for Improper Bostonian

dantheman241 — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:39:10 +0000

I had quite the lineup of talented chefs in the studio recently for an Improper Bostonian feature in this year’s Chefs Issue! It’s always fun to shoot chefs on location at their restaurants, but the opportunity to try something different and have them come for studio portraits was a great experience.

Jamie Bissonnette, of Coppa & Toro, is known for his charcuterie & nose-to-tail cooking. He’s nominated for Best Chef: Northeast in this year’s James Beard awards AND got through our entire session without any shots of him blinking.

Ken Oringer, of Clio, Uni and four other Boston restaurants, had just gotten back from New York where he & Jamie are opening a second Toro location. I was able to break him of his ‘weary traveler’ look, get some smiles out of him and make some great casual portraits.

Michael Schlow, whose most recent endeavors include The Sinclair & Barrio Cantina, is looking to open a Tico location in Washington DC. Michael also appeared on the Today Show a few weeks back when they broadcasted from Boston.

Are you looking for a portrait or food photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

In Print // Quirky Mod Style for Improper Bostonian

dantheman241 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:08:54 +0000

Here’s a fun page I worked on recently with stylist Dana Moscardelli for Improper Bostonian, as well as a few outtakes from during the shoot.
Cool hair by Timothy Robishaw and great makeup by Bre Welch.

Are you looking for a style or fashion photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

In Print // Food Trends Feature for Improper Bostonian

dantheman241 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:30:07 +0000

The Fall Dining issue of Improper Bostonian is on streets now and I photographed one of the issue’s feature stories. For the feature, editor Andrew Rimas asked local chefs & bartenders to highlight some upcoming food & drink trends. The results were as visually striking as they were tasty!

Are you looking for a food or restaurant photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls// 09.06.12 at Royale Boston

dantheman241 — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 14:15:45 +0000

Are you looking for a live music or promo photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

Larry & His Flask // 09.06.12 at Royale Boston

dantheman241 — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:32:32 +0000

Are you looking for a live music or promo photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss setting up a shoot.

Editorial // Shōjō

dantheman241 — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:59:56 +0000

Shōjō is a modern Asian bistro & bar, recently opened in Chinatown. I stopped by a couple weeks ago to photograph some food and drink for Improper Bostonian’s First Taste column. It was a great opportunity to try out the Canon 40mm “pancake” lens I recently picked up – and as you can see the lens had no issue capturing the little details of these vibrant and delicious dishes. Shōjō seems like a great place to meet up with friends for a bite and some drinks, and I look forward to going back soon.

Are you looking for a food or restaurant photographer in Boston? Feel free to contact me to discuss booking a session.
All Photos ©2012 Dan Watkins. May not be used without permission.

Promo Portraits // Wade Huggins

dantheman241 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:46:52 +0000

I recently shot with Wade Huggins, a local singer/songwriter and worship leader whose first studio EP is releasing this fall. Wade came to the studio to produce a few publicity photos and possible album art. Despite Wade communicating to me before our shoot that he doesn’t really like having his photo taken, I was able to put him at ease and create a variety of shots he enjoyed, and (according to his wife) made him look “totally bad-ass”. It’s always nice when someone who isn’t sure they’ll come away with anything they like has trouble narrowing down their final selections because they like too many! Here’s a few of my favorites from Wade’s shoot.

Are you looking for a music or portrait photographer in Boston? Feel free to contact me to discuss booking a session.
All Photos ©2012 Dan Watkins. May not be used without permission.

Editorial // Men’s Shoes for Improper Bostonian

dantheman241 — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:40:08 +0000

For the Improper Bostonian’s most recent style page, we switched things up and ventured outside to photograph some colorful and stylish men’s dress shoes in an urban setting. The brick and pavement offered some cool textures, and the skateboards were fun props to arrange the shoes on. Using just one off-camera speedlite kept things simple, and setting it just under full power (with the camera stopped down) got the edgy and dramatic lighting that made these shoes really pop.

As you can see from the pulled-back shot below, the final image that ran is pretty much straight out of camera, minus getting rid of some scuffs and boosting the contrast slightly. Other highlights from the shoot include getting styling critiques from some random guy in the alley, as well as learning that an ALDO bag can make a decent reflector in a pinch. Be sure to pick up an issue and check it out in print!

Are you looking for an editorial or commercial product photographer? Feel free to contact me to discuss booking a session.
All Photos ©2012 Dan Watkins. May not be used without permission.