On a gorgeous Saturday night, the Aren’t We Clever team ventured out into the El Mirage dry lake bed (think Kanye West’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” video) for my album cover and website photo shoot. Aren’t We Clever was also behind my Don’t Forget To Tip Your Bartender EP cover art and music video, and we wanted a natural progression from that look. My upcoming full-length album is titled Open Your Eyes, and for a successful marriage to the music, this album art needed to convey beauty, peace, and a sense of something ethereal, timeless, and almost otherworldly.
The end result was spontaneous, slightly unpredictable, in-camera effects that some might even confuse with Photoshop.
Model Nikki Fanning graced the Bartender cover, and for Open Your Eyes, we recruited model and actress Asia Schneider, who, despite chilly temperatures, heavy winds, and a very late night, remained unphased and performed wonderfully. Throughout the night, we experimented with photos of Asia, me, and a few with the two of us together.
Zac, who obtained a master’s degree in painting before fully delving into video and photography, infused his roots into these shots, painting with lights during exposures averaging 30 seconds. I’d never witnessed such choreography in photography, as he would run back and forth with various LED panels and gels, ordering us to duck down after a carefully-timed flash or two, and filling in spaces with colored light. The end result was spontaneous, slightly unpredictable, in-camera effects that some might even confuse with Photoshop!
I can’t wait for everyone to see the finished images. For now, enjoy the sample shot!
-Alex Niedt
