New Champions...

That's right, a couple new champions were "belted" December 9th at XFS 55 as Nate Decker defeated Josh McBride for the vacant welter-weight belt, and Lonny Burton captured the bantam weight belt from Aric Iverson. Congratulations to both these guys for their dedication and hard-fought wins!

The rest of the fights proved to be entertaining as well. A couple solid knockouts certainly kept things interesting, as well as one fighter who, upset his fight was stopped, decided he might like to lose again, only to the ref Chuck G! I'm sure he wasn't thinking clearly as he'd just taken a "whoopin" from Gunner Weir... fortunate for him, he was stopped before getting to Chuck.

And, let's not forget the music for the evening. The band Workin' on Fire performed, and I thought did a great job. For three high school guys, they have played as much as anyone around, and this may have been their toughest crowd yet. I have worked with them in the past and they are always professional, as well as very talented.

All-in-all, a great night again at Qwest Arena in Boise, courtesy of Knockout Promotions! Now, on to the pics... click over to "Gallery" at the left of this page, and enjoy!

It's Been Awhile...

WOW! I can't believe how crazy the past 2 months have been! Between shooting, studying, family and work, I've had barely a moments rest. But I'm back, and I am stoked for Thursday night at Qwest Arena in Boise! XFS 55, and rather than tell you, I will share what Knockout Promotions has to say about the upcoming event:

XFS #55 "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" COMING TO QWEST ARENA THURSDAY DECEMBER 9TH 

Boise, Idaho: MMA history will be in the making as undefeated Aric “The Alien” Iverson returns to Idaho soil to defend his Bantam Weight XFS World Championship belt against the undefeated up-n-comer Lonny Burton in a much anticipated grudge match. 

“This should be the fight of the year.” says Knockout Promotions President Kasey Thompson. “This will be a major test for the Alien” 

“Nasty” Nake Decker will put his undefeated record on the line against #1 contender Josh Mcbride for the vacant Welter Weight XFS World Championship belt. 

There will be a total of (4) CHAMPIONSHIP belts on the line, in a night of action-packed, full-contact, cage fighting action! 

PLUS a whole lot more - with a total of 14 fights! That's XFS #55 - "NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS" in the octagon on THURSDAY, December 9th at Qwest Arena! 

Knockout Promotions gives back to the Treasure Valley this holiday season with tickets starting at JUST $5....That’s right $5…..Exclusively through the Qwest Arena box office, while supplies last. Charge tickets on-line at www.QwestArenaIdaho.com or call 331-TIXS. 



I'll be there, cageside as usual, capturing all the action, start to finish! I believe these may be some of the best fights this year in the Treasure Valley. Stop by and say hello!

Great Amateur Fights @ XFS 54

As is frequently the case, a few fights were dropped last minute. A couple were due to food poisoning, others due to some apparent confusion regarding the rules for amateur fighters. Whatever the case, Knockout still came through with a solid night of fights for the fans! I enjoyed myself immensely at cageside (blood spatter and all).

There were fights that kept us on the edge of our seat, there was one fight in which the fighter tapped to strikes at just 24 seconds into the first round, and pretty much everywhere in between. We witnessed many debuts of fighters, and saw a few fighters that have been to the cage a few times in the past. What really stood out to me at XFS 54 was the level of sportsmanship exhibited be each and every competitor. I was proud to be a part of this event.

It was also great to see and talk with Mike Kyle who has fought in the UFC, WEC, King of the Cage, Pancrease, and is a current Strikeforce contender. Originally from the Treasure Valley he has gone on to represent Idaho and have a great MMA career for the past several years. He seems to be a stand-up guy (no pun intended) with a great commitment to MMA. It was awesome to have him come out and show his support of our local fighters.

And now what you've all been waiting for... Images from XFS 54! Click on the gallery link at the left, and enjoy the latest shots of MMA action in Idaho. And if you haven't yet (or for a while), check out the older galleries as well. It will be well worth your time!

XFS 54: MAYHEM on October 1st!

That's right boys and girls, Knockout Promotions is again bringing you a night of non-stop, MMA action. Their press release is interesting, leaving many to question the accuracy as to who is fighting whom. Does it matter? Not really, because you know they will be putting on a great show, with great fights, featuring great athletes, and all right here in the Treasure Valley at Qwest Arena on October 1st! Be sure to come down and check it out... I'll be there capturing the action from cageside. See you there! Oh yeah, and here's the press release:

Boise, Idaho: MMA history will be in the making as Keith Forester returns to Idaho soil to take on Light Heavy Weight XFS World Champion Ronny “A Tron” Rhodes in a much anticipated grudge match.
“With Forester fighting and training in Texas against some of the top MMA talent in the country.” says Knockout Promotions President Kasey Thompson. “This will be a MAJOR test for the A Tron”
XFS Heavy Weight Champion Jason Torpey will put his undefeated record on the line against undefeated challenger Tyrell Butikofer.
There will be a total of (4) CHAMPIONSHIP belts on the line, in a night of action-packed, full-contact, cage fighting action!
PLUS a whole lot more - with a total of 14 fights! That's XFS #54 - "MAYHEM" in the octagon on FRIDAY, October 1st at Qwest Arena! Tickets start at JUST $12.... Exclusively through the Qwest Arena box office, while supplies last. Charge tickets on-line atwww.QwestArenaIdaho.com or call 331-TIXS.

Rage in the Cage III: Part 2

Tuesday, August 17th was to be a fantastic night of fights, with many VIPs from the automotive dealer world. Unfortunately of the 10 fights scheduled, only 5 fights occurred, most ending quickly. As such, the athletes gave it their all & the place was packed.

I'm confident the next FSF event will not be plagued by the many anomalies that wreaked such havoc on that fateful Tuesday night. On a lighter note, I heard the after party at Liquid was a rip-roaring good time!

As always, a few images from the event, can be found in the gallery (link to the left).

8/17/10: Rage in the Cage III

That's right, a mid-week MMA event at the Boise Knitting Factory put on by First Strike Fights! And while the card is being kept fairly quiet, I am confident it will be a very night of fireworks, MMA style! You'll be able to see fighters Talon Hoffman, Sarah Marang and more.

Tickets start at only $19, and there's not a bad seat in the house. Besides, what else are you going to do on a Tuesday night? So head downtown to the Knitting Factory Tuesday night and support local fighters, local gyms, local business, and local MMA! You'll be glad you did.

As always, look for fight photos in my gallery (link to the left) after the event. I'm sure you will enjoy. See YOU at the fights!

XFS 53 Grudge Match 8/6/10

HOLY S%@T! That was my reaction last Friday night... and that was just after the first fight! Josh Wick, a 15 year old from Kuna was the first victor of the night in what was surely "Fight of the Night", winning by referee stoppage in the 3rd. Other victors of the night included Marcos Titano, Pablo Ayala, AJ Paulsen, David Manery, Ryan Carpenter, Erin Quinn, John Medbery, Salvador Ramirez, Sara Thomas, Ronny RHodes, and last but certainly not least, Jeremy "Yabo" Yablonski. Congratulations to all the fine competitors!

While some of the fights went exactly as expected, there were several upsets as well, and many fighters making their debuts attained victory. The skill some of these previously untested fighters was incredible, and I believe we only caught a glimpse of what the future of local MMA holds at XFS 53.

Fans were left with a few questions though... what happened to the extravagant title belts of yore (new ones were a bit, eh hem, "light")? Why didn't David Herrera and Jeffery Jalon fight (they were on the card)? And what's with Aric Iverson? This is, I believe, the third event in a row where he was scheduled to defend his title, and the third in a row that he didn't (I heard a locally well-known long-time amateur came knocking, and Aric said no to the fight, but that is merely hearsay). Whatever the case, let's get the belt back up for grabs!

And now, what you've all been waiting for... pics! Click on the "Gallery" link to the left and visit a sampling of my fight photos... I think you will enjoy them!

Are You Ready...

This Friday, August 6th, at Qwest Arena in Downtown Boise, is the latest MMA offering from Knockout Promotions... Grudge Match! Tickets start at $12, and the doors open at 6pm. If you've never been to the fights, this is a great first time event. And those of you that are "seasoned vets" of fight fandom, you will be in for yet another MMA treat with this great promotion!

As always, local gyms will be well represented, including I believe 5 fighters from Team Hardcore, of course Yabo and Throwdown will be well represented, and I know at least one lady (Erin Quinn) that will be making her debut out of Combat Fitness.

With several belts on the line, and some heavy hitters coming to play, Friday night promises to be the biggest MMA event in the Treasure Valley yet this year! It is a fight night you don't want to miss!

And most importantly, be sure to check back here for an overview of the night, as well as some of the best damn MMA photos you'll find anywhere, all here at BeauStilesCreative.com!

Rumble at the Races!

Last Saturday I made a mad dash to Kennewick, WA to shoot the UFO Rumble at the Races event. After a 5 hour drive, I arrived to find out there were some "technical difficulties", but all would pan out just fine thanks to some favors being called in (for a last minute light & sound system from Idaho Falls, a last minute cage from Seattle, in addition to all the locals who came through last minute for various other forms of assistance). The fight card had been reduced, which is fairly common last minute, leaving a few fighters without opponents (like Kristin "Barbie" Molina who ended up being a commentator). "Big" John McCarthy didn't make it, and as far as I know Jens Pulver didn't commentate from a secret location either.

What did happen however, was 16 fighters got in the cage for 8 matches and gave the small crowd everything they had. There were knockouts, submissions, and disqualifications on this night, with what I believe to be the best performance of the night coming from the Treasure Valley's own Casey Johnson who fights out of Driven TC. His strikes were crisp and accurate, with practically laser-guided precision, and he decimated his opponent. Jeremy Horn, who fought in the main event, was caught early with a slick punch from Warren, but recovered as he hit the mat, and went on to put on a clinic of how to strip the desire to continue from someone on the ground. Yes, Mr. Warren retired in the ring immediately following this fight. There is a reason Jeremy has over 80 wins, and only a handful of losses... he is a BEAST!

All in all, it was a great experience, with some solid action and some new friends despite all the hiccups and meager crowd. The venue was great, and I hope the Tri-Cities try to put on more MMA events. And without further adieu, be sure to click on the gallery link at the left side of this page to see images from Rumble at the Races!

Head 'em up, move 'em out...

It's late Friday night, and I am eagerly awaiting the morning. Why you ask? Because I am heading to Kennewick, WA tomorrow morning. What's so special about Kennewick, WA you wonder? Tomorrow night, at the Toyota Center, is "Rumble at the Races" of course!

United Fighting Organization has assembled quite an event which will include UFC veteran Jeremy Horn, "Ultimate Fighter 7" contender Mike Dolce, "Big" John McCarthy, Jens Pulver with commentary from somewhere, and many, many more!

So, as I hit the road tomorrow, it is with great anticipation of exceptional battles of courage, strength, determination, and all-out "ass-whupin'" that I go forth to the Tri Cities. And have no fear, I will return with plenty of images of the wars waged at "Rumble at the Races" to wet your appetite until the next round...

See you soon!

It's been a slow month...

Not much has happened in the MMA world since June 6th, at least not in the Treasure Valley. Sure, there were several UFC events, including the Ultimate Fighter Finale, and the invincible Fedor was finally beaten on Showtime's latest event, but unfortunately, I wasn't there to bring those events to you.

Locally, a few MMA events have been cancelled or rescheduled, and the next event, XFS 53,  is happening August 6th at Qwest Arena in Boise. Knockout Promotions is assembling an amazing fight card, and it promises to be one of the best events this year! So stay tuned, relax, and know that I will be bringing the best of Mixed Martial Arts Photography to you again, and soon!

In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for an article on Danny Zenor in the Owyhee Avalanche newspaper. He is a local fighter that is to be featured in his local paper, and I am lucky enough to be the contributing photographer for the story. Congrats Danny, and I am sure I'll be seeing you in the cage again!

XFS 52 @ Qwest Arena on 6/4/2010

With a fight card consisting of 14 fights for the night, it was bound to happen: From one fight that was nearly over as soon as it started, to an absolute slugfest, to true shows of heart the card certainly was entertaining, and again Knockout Promotions put together a fine event. 

Team Sacramento vs. Team Boise is how the event was billed, and for the most part that's how it went down. Urijah Farber and Kyacey Uscola brought some great talent up from Cali to meet some of the best Boise has to offer. 

Local fighters representing Team Hardore, Twisted Genetiks, Combat Fitness, Crow MMA, and more were all represented.

I have posted some of the images from this fantastic night of fights in the gallery (link at left of page) for you to enjoy. See you at the next Treasure Valley MMA event!

Friday, June 4th... XFS 52

Beau Stiles Creative, in conjunction with FullContactIdaho.com will be on hand to photograph another exciting night of fights. As you can see below, there will be plenty of fights, plenty of action, and plenty reason to spend the $5 for a ticket to support local MMA! I hope to see you there...

Taken from Knockout Promotions:

"PROFESSIONAL MMA history will be in the making as Aric “The Alien” Iverson will defend his CCF Bantam Weight World Title against the Undefeated freak of nature Brenden “The Reaper” Raftery in XFS # 52 "Team Boise VS Team Sacramento,” Friday June 4th at Qwest Arena. “This will be a MAJOR test for Aric” says Knockout Promotions President Kasey Thompson. “He had better bring his A game or he will stand no chance against the Reaper.” There will be a total of (4) CHAMPIONSHIP belts on the line, in a night of action-packed, full-contact, PROFFESSIONAL cage fighting action!

From this seasons Ultimate Fighter, see special guest Kyacey “Ice Cold Uscola” as he brings in his team – Team Urijah Faber - from Sacramento, California to take on Idaho’s Champions. Also Ronny “A-Tron” Rhodes will put his CCF Feather Weight Champion belt on the line against CCF Light Weight Champion Ryan Portue in a winner takes all war.

PLUS a whole lot more - with a total of 16 fights! That's XFS #52 - "Team Boise –vs- Team Sacramento" in the octagon on FRIDAY, June 4th at Qwest Arena! Tickets start at JUST $5...that’s RIGHT $5 .... Exclusively through the Qwest Arena box office, while supplies last. Charge tickets on-line at www.QwestArenaIdaho.com or call 331-TIXS"

Bodybuilding.com and Driven TC present:

UNLEASHED...one hellacious event! The Bodybuilding.com Expo was great, with tons of vendors, pro football players, body builders and MMA FIGHTERS! In addition to local pro fighters Scott Jorgensen and Jens Pulver of the WEC, also in attendence were Kit Cope, Thiago Silva, Ben Saunders, Pete "Drago" Sell, Joe "Daddy" Stevenson, Robbie Lawler, Clay Guida, Jeremy Horn, Tony Frykland (just to name a few), as well as all the best local up-and-coming pros and amateurs.

After the expo, it was torn down, and the seating was set for a night of 9 fights, pro and amateur mixed. Some of the fights were over nearly before they started (I think the first bout lasted about 16 seconds) whereas others were all out slugfests. Most of the fighters came with their best games in place, and provided a night of entertaining MMA action.

The only downer was that attendance was well below what was expected. I suspect that was in part due to a high profile UFC 113 card where many fans likely opted out of local fights (shame) as well as the many various activities and events taking place throughout the Treasure Valley.

All in all, it was a great night of fights, back stage action, and time well spent. Thanks to all that allowed myself and Full Contact Idaho access, and thanks to all the fighters for putting up with us. Now, go check out the pics in the gallery, and be sure to watch for the relaunch of FullContactIdaho.com!

Earley VS. Flores

Again, the fights were entertaining, the fighters "brought it", and even the promotion was solid. We had some high profile guests including former UFC Champion Ken Shamrock, Former UFC Champ and current WEC veteran Jens Pulver, and our very own WEC rising star Scott Jorgensen. We also witnessed some of the best amateur fighters Idaho has to offer.

I have posted several great shots from the night under "Earley Vs. Flores" in the gallery. I selected some of my favorites from the hundreds of images I took, so take a look. I think you will enjoy. And if you are interested in purchasing high resolution images or packages from the event without watermarks, contact me directly for pricing. Also be sure to check out www.FullContactIdaho.com for the upcoming re-launch for all your Idaho MMA information and action!

Oh What A Night

So last night was Earley vs. Flores at the Boise Knitting Factory, a full card of amateur (and 1 pro) fights, and the action was impressive. I was there shooting for FullContactIdaho.com and can tell you, from ringside, every fighter came to win! Many local gyms were represented including Throwdown and Driven TC, in addition to fighters from the Lion's Den out of Reno, and others from across the state of Idaho. Ken Shamrock was on hand for a meet and greet, Jens Pulver could be found all over throughout the night, and Scott Jorgensen was on hand as well supporting/cornering his teammates.

It seemed to be a full house, and the crowd was supportive of all the fights and fighters, who all put on a great show. Thanks to all who made the night such a great success!

I will have images from the event posted to my gallery this weekend. And as always, if you want a high resolution, non-watermarked image or print, contact me directly for pricing. Thanks for all your support!

Round 1...

As promised, I have posted some of my images from XFS 11 at Qwest Arena in Boise in the gallery. It was a fantastic event, great fans and amazing competitors, and I believe I was able to capture much of that essence including pain, agony, winning and defeat. This was my first time shooting MMA and I learned some valuable lessons. I cannot wait for "Round 2". Thanks again to Tobe of Knockout Promotions and FullContactIdaho.com for the opportunity. Until next time, be sure to check out my gallery (link to the left)!

Playing Catch-Up

Let's see... I left of heading for the MUSE concert... AMAZING! The band, the stage show, the lights, the lasers, the sound... all AMAZING! I don't care if you like them or not. If you get the chance to see MUSE live, DO IT!

As for since then, after being sick, I shot my first MMA event at Qwest Arena on 4/9. The fights were exciting, the action pretty much non-stop, and all from cage-side! Thanks to Tobe of Knockout Promotions for the space to shoot, and thanks to FullContactIdaho.com for sending me to cover the event. I will have images posted by tomorrow night. I apologize for the delay, but with more images than I anticipated to sort through, my work flow was thrown off a bit. But don't worry, the images will be worth the wait!

Behind the Scenes & a Busy Monday...

I have added a few images from our FullContactIdaho.com filming last week highlighting a local promoter and 3 local professional MMA fighters, just as a teaser for what's to come from BSC and FullContactIdaho.com. It was a great night of filming, as we learned about the current state of MMA in the Treasure Valley, as well as what's to come. We heard about fast knockouts, 3 round grinds, and gymnastics (yes gymnastics)... Be sure to look for the relaunch of www.fullcontactidaho.com and watch the interviews, listen to the broadcasts, and of course, peruse the images.

Monday on the otherhand (today) is a throwback to the old days... a "concert dash" with my wife and our 2 sons to go see MUSE at the e-Center in SLC! For those of you unfamiliar with the "concert dash", it is when you head out on a concert road trip, down and back in the same day, so we can be back to work/school the next day... This promises to be one incredible adventure!

See you soon!

As Promised...

Well, I said I had an announcement, and I do. It's official: BSC will be providing photography services and more to FullContactIdaho.com! Not only will BSC be shooting local Mixed Martial Arts events, we will also be shooting contests, gyms, fighters and even ring girls, and anything else pertaining to the MMA scene here in the Treasure Valley! In addition, BSC will be taking part in FullContactIdaho.com's weekly video segments, and occasionally contributing articles for your online perusal. FullContactIdaho.com is nearly ready to re-launch (hopefully next week) so be sure to check us out!

As photo shoots take place, you will be able to see images at FullContactIdaho.com as well as in my online gallery, so be sure to keep checking back!

Announcement Coming Soon!

Within the next couple days, I will be making an announcement that is a pretty big deal for me and for BSC. Curious? You should be. I am very excited to say the least... stay tuned! It promises to be worth it!

Prints...

Recently I have had some people inquiring as to whether my images are for sale. The short answer is yes they are. All images with a BSC logo on this website are for sale, the cost depending upon what size you would like the print to be. Bear in mind, if you order a print, there will NOT be a BSC logo on your image (unless requested). For a quote, please email me at beau@beaustilescreative.com and I will get back to you within 24 hours. My prices are very reasonable, and I can also arrange for framing and matting as requested. I am also available for custom work, and am happy to travel to your desired location in order to capture a place or moment just as you want it captured. Thanks, and see you soon!

Our Nation's Capital

Last month I was lucky enough to make my first visit to Washington, D.C. I knew the trip wouldn't be all fun & games, yet I knew that somehow I could manage to see a thing or two while there, so before leaving home, I made a list of all the things I would like to see, places I'd like to visit, and so on.

My list included all the regular stops, as well as a visit to our National Grange Offices, The Octagon House, The Kennedy Center, Old Ebbitt Grill, and many more (52 total on my list). By the end of the week, I was able to complete all but 10 on my list, and my feet had the blisters to prove it!

Of all the places I visited, the Holocaust Museum had the most impact, walking up the steps of the Supreme Court was the most empowering, and... well, it was all incredibly amazing, especially for me, a huge fan of history and architecture! Everything was seriously fantastic, except the gnarly food poisoning from the food at the National Museum of the American Indian (took me OUT for a night).

If you are ever headed to visit our nation's capital, and want some info, please let me know. I would be happy to share my experiences and make recommendations. In the meantime, I have added a few of the better photos to the BSC Online Gallery (link @ left) from my trip. I hope you like them, and travel well!

Sad, Sad Day...

As I return from an AMAZING week in Washington DC with my lovely wife, I go straight to my email to see what fantastic photo entries I have to resize and post for the latest BSC Photo Assignment. You know, something "yellow" as decided by the winner of the last assignment. The logon screen slowly gives way to my inbox, and I notice something strange... there are NO new messages (at least not ones with images to be posted). I think to myself "what the hell?" and then I realize... it's worse than I thought... no one submitted any images of "yellow". What am I to do? Should I just post the image I have?

Instead, I have decided to not post my image of yellow, and to put the BSC Photo Assignments on the back-burner for a while. The participation, or lack thereof, is disheartening to say the least, and I feel the space here might be better devoted to other interests, such as my personal exploits, photo ideas, or new images that I decide I just have to share.

My fabrication project has been put on hold as I am still sourcing some specific materials. As that changes, I will post updates. My project with my hair design friend... still a go, we just have to get some time together and make it flow. We are going to cause you to check your eyes! Stunning on multiple levels is what we're shooting for.

So, that's the skinny on BSC for now. Regularly scheduled updates to follow!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's...

YELLOW! That's right, the winner of the last BSC Assignment Challenge has spoken. Ms. Corinna Stiles wants the next challenge to be something yellow... You will all have until 11:59pm on February 28th to submit up to 3 images of something YELLOW to beau@beaustilescreative.com for consideration. All images will then be sized and posted for the public to vote on. Voting will last for 2 weeks, the winner being the image receiving the most votes (as always, I ask that people only vote once). Oh yeah, and the WINNER will get to select the next BSC Assignment Challenge!

This assignment throws the door WIDE OPEN as to creativity, with the only restrictions being:
1) Images must be taken for this assignment (no old photos)
2) Images are not to be of "adult content" (if you are uncertain, ask)
3) Images MUST be your own (no exceptions)

I cannot wait to see what you come up with this time. Happy Shooting!!!

The Latest from BSC

I am afraid I haven't been out shooting much myself lately. Between school,  weather and other obligations, I just haven't taken the time. Next week however, that will all change as I will be in Washington, DC for several days, and should be able to capture some great images of various landmarks, people, and hopefully the obscure. My greater hope is it will kick-start me and be part of my motivation to further develop my portfolio.

I am also in the planning stages of a killer new project with a hair design friend of mine to create something that will knock you out! I can't say much more than that right now, but over the next couple months more details will be announced, culminating in a release/launch you won't want to miss! (needless to say, I am stepping out of my box on this one)

And the Winner Is...

Accoding to the recent poll results, "Frost" by the AMAZING Corinna Stiles (of www.kuna360.com fame ) is the latest winner of the BSC photo assignment challenge with her semi-abstract rendition of a "shot of chocolate". With a great use of visual elements and textures, it was sure to impress, and did!

As the winner of the Beverage Assignment, Corinna will get to select the next "assignment", which will be posted very, very soon. In the meantime, feel free to peruse the BSC photo gallery (link at left) and check back for the next assignment.

Thanks to everyone that submitted photos, and thanks to those of you that voted. Your participation is much appreciated!

Here They Are!

Here you go folks. These are the beverage images submitted for the BSC beverage "assignment" this past week. I think we've got a few good ones to choose from, so please cast your vote (only once though) in the poll section to the left of the page. Whichever image wins this week (voting ends 11:59PM on 2/14) will have the photographer highlighted, as well as allowing the winning photog to choose the next assignment. Thanks for visiting, voting, and being a part of this creative process. ENJOY!

frost

griesbecka

oops

blackjack

spill

guinness

Are You Ready?

Ready to vote that is. I received some great pics of beverages this week, and will post them tomorrow for all to see... and vote on. Remember, the photographer of the image receiving the most votes on this assignment will have the opportunity to select the next assignment. Pretty cool, eh? I thought so.

I also want to encourage anyone and everyone to participate in these assignments. I don't do this only for certain people with certain equipment, but for everyone to get out there and look at something in a different light, and then share that with others. It is a great way to blow off steam, get competitive, or just free your mind. And let's face it, we could all use some mind-freeing activities these days.

With that, I bid you adieu, and look forward to sharing this voyage of imagery with each and every one of you! Oh yeah, and be sure to check back and vote for your favorite beverage image (only vote once please).

Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It...

For the next BSC "assignment", I am thinking more of an inner-warmth kind of submission. Something that starts on the inside and radiates to the rest of your body. What could I be referring to? A beverage of your choice of course! Whether that be a steaming cup of java, a can of your favorite soda, or maybe that perfectly crafted martini, it doesn't matter, so long as it is a beverage, YOU take the picture, and the picture was taken during the timeframe of this "assignment". Remember, the idea is to get us all taking more pictures, challenging ourselves, and getting those creative juices flowing again!

No more than 3 submissions per person please (email them to beau@beaustilescreative.com ), and be sure to include your information, as well as any pertinent info about your equipment, location, settings, etc. Submissions for this "assignment" will be accepted until 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 7th. Voting will begin February 8th ending 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 14th. I will announce the winner on the 15th and share any info provided about the winning image, and any info the photographer might like to include about themselves. And remember, PLEASE only vote for your favorite image once... after all the winner gets to select the next "assignment"! (some restrictions apply)

I can't wait to see your submissions this week, and thank you for taking on this assignment. Now get out there, shoot some amazing images and watch out... This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds...

So, Who Won?

With an AMAZING 73% of the votes in the last 8 days, "Blue" won by a landslide! This photo was submitted by Michael Lindemann. It was a simple, yet vibrant composition, with that bold blue and linear sensibility that just drew you in! Congratulations Michael, and thanks to everyone that submitted photos and/or voted throughout this assignment.

Tomorrow, Monday, February 1st, I will post the details for the next "assignment", with all the various particulars like the subject, restrictions, and maybe, just maybe, some incentive to get out there and shoot!

Remember, the whole idea behind these assignments is to inspire all of us to get out there and take some new pictures, and to challenge all of us to look at something in a new light. Going forward, I will select random assignments that might focus on a particular subject (like doors) or might require that you break a fundamental "rule of photography" (for example: centered compositions only). Whatever the assignment, it's important to remember that the intention is always to take new photos and challenge the creativity in each of us.

I look forward to seeing your images, and sharing some of my own with you. Thanks for joining me on this journey, and by all means, invite others along. It promises to be one hell of a ride!

Vote for the one you like best...

Here are the entries for the first BSC photo assignment. Please vote for your favorite in the poll box in the left margin (PLEASE only vote once). After 7 days of voting, the winner will be selected, and I will reveal the photographer, as well as some more information on the winning image. My sincere thanks to those that participated! Oh, and be sure to look for your next assignment coming up in only 8 days!

blue

boy toy toy

hands

past

wood

ENJOY!

Your First Assignment:

Alright, after a few of you voted to go ahead with the assignment idea, our first assignment will be a door or doors. Yep, that's right, you read that correctly. Why have you guys submit pictures of things everyone always shoots, when we can shoot unconventional things that are usually thought of as mundane and uninteresting? I want this to be more interesting.

Each person can submit up to 3 images for each assignment via email to beau@beaustilescreative.com . Please include any pertinent information regarding the image, the equipment you use, your name and contact info. And don't worry, I won't publish your contact information on here. It's so I can contact you when you "win". I will post all images within this blog, number them, and have a vote. Submissions will be accepted through midnight the 24th of January, followed by 7 days of voting, with the winner being announced the 1st of February.

I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with! Happy Shooting!

Tonight is the BIG night for my dear friend Tod Alan with his latest amazing endeavor... Scandalous @ China Blue in Downtown Boise. Doors open at 7pm and the show begins just after 9pm. With 45 or so models, this should be quite the extravaganza! Tod is well known for his off the wall, creative and awe inspiring fashions, and tonight will likely be no exception. Being billed as "Dr. Seuss meets Victoria's Secret meets Cirque de Soleil", it will no doubt shock and amaze everyone in attendance. This will be an event for the ages! I for one cannot wait to see what this creative soul has achieved! I hope to see you there!

Here's My Idea...

I have been trying to think of a way to get YOU more involved here, and I have an idea. How about a weekly or monthly photo assignment, where I would post a "photo assignment" for everyone to get their best shot of, say, transportation. You would then email your single best shot in that category with all pertinent information about the image, and perhaps a short bio piece on yourself. At the conclusion of the assignment, I would select one image and photographer to highlight, posting the submitted image (with full credits of course), image specs and their brief bio for all to enjoy. Maybe I would create an album with all submitted images and let you guys vote for the "best". What do you think? Vote in the poll at the left, and feel free to comment as well.. Until then, enjoy one of my favorite snapshots from days gone by...

What a Weekend!

Wow! What an excruciating couple of days I’ve had (in a purely technological way). Saturday afternoon, as I sat down to upload some pictures, post a new entry and the like here on beaustilescreative.com, all hell broke loose within my computer.

Startup programs refused to work, google was taking me to various sundry websites with every search (you can only imagine the content that popped up), and I came to a scary realization… I don’t have ANYTHING on this computer backed up (first mistake). At about that same time, I remembered something else I had been meaning to get to for quite some time; I needed desperately to renew my virus protection software. I had let it expire for roughly the past 4 months (second mistake). Knucklehead.

Ordinarily, I am an overly cautious computer user, never visiting strange websites, never downloading anything I don’t know, and ALWAYS having the best virus protection a home consumer’s money can buy. However my not-so-recent lapse in judgment had placed my computer, photographs, and iTunes in great jeopardy. Headache.

I immediately downloaded the most recent version of KAV, and it found nearly 100 issues right off the bat, the most serious being a virus that couldn’t be removed. I also started having more programs shut down, wanting windows to search and find a solution. There is no piece of mind that comes with THAT. Panic.

Long story short, here I am 2 days later, 3 additional software downloads and custom scripts later, and I believe my computer is finally virus free. I also have a new external HD and have back-ups of all things important from my computer. Learn from my mistake. Back-up and keep protected!

Like the Jeffersons...

Just like the Jeffersons, Beau Stiles Creative is movin' on up. Today, I added an online gallery with images from the old website, making new categories to assist in finding sample or stock images easier, as well as adding tags to nearly every image. It is a process, and I will be working towards a more user-friendly and interactive product as BSC moves forward.

What's on the horizon for BSC? Well, for starters, I have nearly 1000 new images to go through and select from to add to the site, some of which are stock photos, or simply samples of work, while still others can be ordered as prints if you like them (sans BSC logo of course). I also have three steel fabrication projects in the works. I am currently sourcing materials for two of them, but hope to begin the first project within the next week or so!

Feel free to peruse the images that are in the gallery for now, and be sure to check back frequently. I will be adding images on a regular basis, and will get into a rhythm of writing (blogging) once the basics are in place. Also, your feedback is always welcome, so feel free to leave a comment or send an email. Thank you for your patience, and especially for visiting. See you again soon!

Aloha!

As I sit here missing the warm sun, cool sand and gentle waves of the Pacific island of Oahu, I can't help but to want to share the experience with you (and go back as well). That leads me to the latest incarnation of beaustilescreative.com! I will continue to share various images of people, places & things, all of which have made an impression on me in one way or another, and will include some background on these same images. My intent is for you to be intrigued, learn something new, and maybe be inspired yourself. I am continuing to fabricate as well, and have a few projects already in mind. As these come to fruition, I will surely let you in on the process, as well as the end result!

As for the image above, it was taken from my table at the Hula Grill on Waikiki Beach, where my family & I enjoyed our Christmas dinner. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, and a light sea breeze kept the temperature most comfortable, adding to the perfection of the MahiMahi and Mai Tais!

Thanks for being a part of this endeavor, and I look forward to the future of Beau Stiles Creative!