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Why Learning to Build Hollywood Flats Changes Everything
Want to learn how to build your own photo sets?
We are launching a new Set Building Course where David teaches you how to build a Hollywood flat from start to finish. Step by step. No assumptions. No gatekeeping.
A flat is essentially a f...
Sigma Photo Blog Feature
Jada and I have a new feature up on the official Sigma Photo Blog, breaking down the exact lenses behind some of our creative shoots.
When we're designing a new set, the focal length is the absolute first thing we figure out before I even start cutt...
We Were Guests on the Summer School Podcast!
We recently sat down with Summer Grace on her podcast, Summer School, to talk all about our journey from wedding photography to full-time set design.
We actually first met Summer at a conference in Tennessee, and a few months later, she invited us...
Why This Became THE Image: Episode One
Here’s how 1,000 photos became one.
We built an elaborate submarine set out of plywood and paint, and drove it all the way to Nashville for a photoshoot. It was a ton of work, but we had a really specific vision for this shoot and we jus...
Attic Series Set 5 | Creating a DIY Thrifted Photo Set
And so it continues! This is Set 5 of The Attic Series.
The Attic Series is a personal project about using what you have and not waiting for perfect circumstances to create the work you want to make. So, we turned our attic into a photo studio ...
The Hidden Mental Exhaustion Photographers Experience Behind Every Photoshoot
Photographers never really talk about this, but I think all of us feel it at some point.
Actually, I think a lot of people experience it and don’t even know how to put words to it. But it definitely impacts photographers, and the more shoots I...
Attic Series Set 4 | Shooting Portraits with a 15mm Fisheye Lens
For Set 4 of our Attic Series, we built an entire portrait shoot around a 15mm fisheye. Most lenses are chosen to flatter a subject. This one bends the frame and forces a completely different approach.
We used the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Diago...
Attic Series Set 3 | Building a Slide Photo Set in Our Attic
What happens when you try to build a really functioning slide photo set inside a cramped attic?
This was easily one of the most unpredictable builds we have taken on, and it pushed both our set design and lighting in ways we did not fully expect.
...
Attic Series Set 2 | We Built A Coffin In Our Attic
This set came out of a hard week.
My grandmother passed away, and everything felt… off.
We had just gotten back from a super fun cruise with our friends. And the day we got back, she passed away. Major highs and lows mixed together. My bra...
The Attic Series Set 1 | Creating Under Constraint
Sometimes it's really about just starting before you're ready.
Over the next 100 days, David and I are building 25 photo sets inside our attic.
And yes, I mean our actual attic.
Technically it used to be our bedroom. The previous owners converted ...
Shooting Live Music With Prism Lens FX Filters
David and I do a lot of studio photography, and we love mixing in different Prism Lens FX filters to change things up. They are one of those tools that can instantly transform a photo and make it feel a little more surreal or cinematic.
But one...
The Attic Series: Creating 25 Photo Sets in 100 Days Without a Studio
A few years ago, we challenged ourselves to create 100 sets in one year aka the 100 Set Project. That project completely reshaped how we work. It redefined who we are as artists, built a strong creative community, and resulted in some of our most mea...
3 Reasons We Stopped Buying Backdrops and Started Building Sets
We used to shoot on backdrops all the time.
They’re fun. They give great pops of color. They make it easy to get started.
But every time we wanted a new color, we had to buy a whole new backdrop.
Then we built our first pair of...
Printing Changes Everything: Why Presentation Matters More Than You Think
Most photos never make it past a phone screen.
They get edited, posted, maybe shared, and then they live their entire life as a glowing rectangle in someone’s hand. And that is fine. But it is also not the full experience of the image.
Phot...
Creativity and Constraints: What Teaching at Imaging USA Taught Us
Most of us think we would be more creative if we just had more time, more space, more money, or better gear.
That belief came up again and again for me while teaching at Imaging USA, because the class itself had to exist inside some very real creati...
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Jada + David Parrish are mixed media artists whose work explores the connection between painting, sculpture, motion, and photography.