Stephen Roke

McKenna – David Duchovny

stephenroke — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:19:00 +0000

Not often you get asked to shoot a genuine Hollywood star in his hometown …

This campaign has now gone live after shooting September 2011 in Hollywood. Went as part of the NZ team headed by Zephyr, to LA where the TVC, my stills of David and location shots for background treatment were taken. The product shots I shot back here in NZ. Art Direction : Quentin Pfiszter

[ LINK TO CAMPAIGN IMAGES ]

As a stills photographer I was interested to see the TVC shot on Canon 5D’s using Zeiss lenses of course.

Here’s the TVC ( Credits : Curious Films – Director Josh Frizzell )

Watch this video on YouTube.

A Photo Walk

stephenroke — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 03:56:43 +0000

Recently it seems the craze in the states is for photographers to go on a photo walks – usually in large groups and often around city streets.

There is nothing quite like going for a walk and talking a camera – especially in a new town or area. Often however just walking streets around your home can provide some great shots – the light is always changing – even your mood can affect things. I can not imagine doing this with a bunch of other people however, for me it’s a very personal time. I have walked past and shot this sign many times – quite taken with handwritten signage at the moment so was hard not to shoot this again. A reminder to pull all my Oratia shots together sometime soon.

Parker Road, Oratia March 2012

Remember Who You Are

stephenroke — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:44:56 +0000

Inspired when walking the pavements of West Hollywood, arguably the home of altered reality,these few photos might give rise to what potentially is a much a lager series of photos. Posted my first thoughts here – more a scrapbook of ideas at this stage. Select image – or here – to go to Gallery at stephenroke.com.

Time in the Archive

stephenroke — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:34:28 +0000

Tim on Waterfront, 2011

It’s amazing when you go back through a bunch of photos and find a few gems. Last week the guys at Chew The Chilli held their first print discussion. We all brought along a couple of prints for discussion – these could either be our own or some other photographer’s work.

In the process of looking for an image or two to take to this, I came across this shot – which has quickly become a current favorite. Just a reminder to me to keep looking back at images previously shot and archived. Inspired me to create a new category on this journal – Lost and Found.

It was also a reminder to get shots out of the computer and onto paper and on the wall. Spent half a day today printing – great !

New Season

stephenroke — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:21:27 +0000

It has been so long since I have done anything on the West Wine project – I am embarrassed. Spurred on by the new growth and ripening Syrah at Artisan , just down the road, I am keen to move things along a little.

Artisan, Oratia February 2012

Worth Looking At …

stephenroke — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:56:29 +0000

Spent a but of time over the break looking at the new version of Final Cut Pro. Made me wonder if I could upload videos to this blog … not that I am anywhere near having video content worthy of publishing … but I am naturally intrigued. However to test the theory I saw this intro today – thought it was great. It seems that the James Bond crowd might have some competition …

Watch this video on YouTube.

CREDITS

Client: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Agency: Blur Studio Creative Director: Tim Miller

Visique Print Campaign

stephenroke — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:32:12 +0000

Recent shoot for Visique. Apart from the insects all shot in the studio.

Visique Butterly

Two shots were supplied to the retoucher Kevin Hyde, the main shot with glasses / background and the specular highlights as a separate shot. he put the bugs in ofcourse.

Visique Bees

Venice Beach, California

stephenroke — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:20:43 +0000

On location in LA for a shoot recently and took a quick walk down Venice Beach, California. Was strangely more quite and peaceful than I had imagined it would be. Was intrigued by this long shelter wall which was covered in art.

Tools of a Generation

stephenroke — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:29:06 +0000

My Grandfather died a few years ago now. At the that time my family was actually living in his house whilst our home was being built. He had been in a rest home for a while and had no need of the home. When he did die, I wanted to record something of the home in which he lived. It was very obvious that this had to be his toolshed. He was of a generation that collected and fixed.

The house was to be sold and so the was a sense of urgency to get something recorded before all that had remained in the shed was distributed through the family or dumped. This process I am sure happens to families all the time, but I did find strange just how the collected mass of one life dissipates on death.

He and his wife were missionaries based in Africa and some of the items found in the toolshed reflected that, a medical kit and dental implements which were used to pull teeth in exchange for a chicken. He was a keen gardener, loved keeping bees and knew met things about keeping his car on the road.

I decided that I would shot as many items as I could get in the studio in one photo and then shoot some as object on white – the former more truly represents the state of the tool shed, but there was something quite amazing which happens when placing on a clean white backdrop.

View the Series

Work in progress still, but here is the group shot and a link to some of the individual shots As is obvious, I am still very much undecided on the grade.

Muriwai Beach, NZ

stephenroke — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:03:43 +0000

One of the rare occasions when everything seems to fall into place in the space of a few minutes and disappears even quicker.