Gregg Riess Photography LLC

Aerial Photography: Kauffman Stadium for Kansas City Royals Baseball Club

2011-08-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Drew Temple.

2011-06-29T21:04:00.001-07:00

The Look.

2010-03-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

Kelly B of Miami makes me look like a great photographer over and over. It's an honor to have worked with her. Here are a few of my favorites.

iPhone Optimized Website!

2010-02-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch, you might check out our re-launched photography website at GreggRiess.com.
We have a new feature that optimizes the website to display on iPhone and iPod Touch. It's cool...behaves like an app should: we optimized the menus and portfolios of the website for iPhone viewing, complete with multi-touch gestures for zooming in on your portfolio images.
Cool!
Here's the link: www.GreggRiess.com

Baseball Sports Portrait.

2010-01-01T23:22:00.000-08:00

We're looking forward to Spring...and baseball season. Here are a few shots from a portrait session that included some images "between the lines."

"Late Nite" Featured on Photoshelter

2009-12-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

KU Late Nite 2009 - Images by Gregg Riess

You'll want to enjoy these images in "fullscreen" mode. It's the icon in the lower right corner.

Archive: Steve and Debbie Palermo

2009-12-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity the photograph Steve and Debbie Palermo for our client Assurant. Steve is the major league baseball umpire that was wounded in a selfless act of trying to help a bystander during a robbery attempt in 1991. You can read more about Steve and Debbie's story and their amazing passion to help others on their website as well as this recent article in Success Magazine. This portrait was used recently in the December 2009 issue of 435 South Magazine in an article written by Kimberly Stern.

Personal Project: Grandma's Christmas Card

2009-12-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Each year we gather the grandkids around Grandma Wilma for her Christmas card. Here is one of the out-takes from this year's production.

Late Nite In The Phog 2009

2009-10-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's the 25th annual "Late Nite In The Phog" at Allen Field House in Lawrence Kansas on the campus of the University of Kansas. Here are some highlights of the dancing, speeches and scrimmage game.

Old School BMX. New School Photography.

2009-10-16T22:07:00.000-07:00

Portfolio work: utilizing 5 strobes, and a bit of Photoshop to create this dynamic sports studio shot.

Trip To The Dentist.

2009-10-14T19:32:00.000-07:00

We were asked to produce a series of images for a local dentist that is building a marketing campaign to promote his growing practice in Johnson County. Here are a few of the images from the session. I've never spent this much time in the dentist office without nitrous oxide!

Flashback: KU Jawhawk Basketball

2009-10-14T08:55:00.001-07:00

From the archives: one of my favorite images featuring KU great Mario Chalmers making an unlikely shot in Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas. My unique camera angle created a very "clean background" which provides a greater visual impact. Mario's expression, and the familiar Russell Stover Candies signage make this a classic image.

Portrait Session: Abby the Dancer

2009-10-08T17:41:00.001-07:00

Some of our favorite shots from our recent senior portrait session with Abby.

Highlight Video: Tour of Missouri-Kansas City

2009-09-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Tour of Missouri: Kansas City 2009

2009-09-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday...the final day for the Tour of Missouri. I spent the afternoon riding to 4 different viewing points here in Kansas City. The "King of the Mountain" hill on Summit was very much alive with probably over 1,000 spectators lining the steep climb to cheer these professional cyclists for 7 laps around Kansas City. I was riding from point-to-point on my bike with a 30-pound camera bag slung over my shoulder. I rode up Summit with all of that weight, and it was a blast. It was great fun moving around the streets of KC talking with marshals, volunteers, fellow photographers, fans and some fellow cyclists that decided to take advance of the closed streets to take a spin. Here are some of my favorite shots from the day. You can see David Zabriskie wearing the Yellow Jersey, and his Garmin teammates providing protection up the climbs.

Tour of Missouri: Time Trial 2009

2009-09-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

I'm a cyclist, and I'm a photographer. And, I know my way around Missouri. This event was perfect for me! Many of the heroes from the last several Tour de France races are spending the week in Missouri to race the "Tour of Missouri." I was fortunate to spend the day in Sedalia for the individual time trial. After riding my bike around the area to scope locations, I found the perfect spot. I was sitting in the middle of the road up against a pylon. It was a perfect spot---I didn't say it was safe!!! I couldn't get much closer to the action. I had each cyclist zipping by me within the first 2 miles of the start accompanied with their police escort, marshals on motorcycle and team support cars. Then, I turned about 125 degrees and I was able to shoot the cyclists for their final 1000 meters from the same vantage point. I had a few close calls, but the corner marshals were delightful and very accomonadating throughout the day. Here are some of my favorite shots. Enjoy!

Time Trial: Photo Highlights: Tour of Missouri

2009-09-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Senior Soccer Star: Ali

2009-08-14T07:33:00.000-07:00

Ali is our latest "showcase" senior! Ali is one of the bright stars of Kansas City soccer, and she earned a spot on the "first team" of the 2009 All-Sunflower League girls soccer team. Here are some samples from her studio segment of her Combination Supreme Senior Portrait Experience. We're looking forward to her outdoor/location segment next week! You can learn more about our senior portrait experience and see other examples at www.KansasCitySeniorPortraits.com

Senior Swimmer.

2009-08-04T12:55:00.001-07:00

One of our recent "showcase" clients is a high school swimmer. Here are a few of our favorite images from her indoor/studio segment. Look closely and you'll notice that we shot images in the pool as well...which is not for the faint of heart!

Joakim Soria: Bullpen Patience.

2009-06-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

It was a hot day at the "new" K in Kansas City while the St Louis Cardinals were just a few outs from sweeping the hometown Royals. Although it wasn't a save situation, Joakim Soria would soon be seeing action during the 9th inning. Until then, Soria sat in the home bullpen waiting for his warm-ups. Even though I was out there as a fan, I was lucky enough to have my "pocket camera" with me. A lot of us have been talking about the Canon G9 as a pocket camera that still has enough capability to grab shots similar to what we'd expect with our professional gear. The G9 delivered. Here are 3 shots that I wanted to include in this blog posting...I feel like I was making eye contact with Soria, but I am sure his mind was focusing on the upcoming match-ups that perhaps would include Albert Pujols or other Cardinal hitters.

Urban Explorer: McKaela's Senior Portraits

2009-04-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

We had a blast collaborating with McKaela on her senior portraits. Tonight was the outdoor segment of her Combination Supreme session. We matched McKaela's personality and fashion with the rough and tumble world of the urban core. Here are a few of our favorites.
Ready to see more? Visit our senior portrait site at www.KansasCitySeniorPortraits.com

Soccer Evening.

2009-04-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful night. And, I had the best seat in the house. Here are a few of my favorites from the evening featuring the dynamic duo of Olathe East Varsity Women's Soccer: Kaitlyn & Claire.

Personal Project: Abandoned Truck.

2009-04-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

I found myself walking in the woods near Ozark, MO this weekend and came across several old abandoned trucks. This one caught my eye. The original sky was flat, so I wanted to make it a bit more interesting.

Soccer: Peak Action!

2009-04-11T11:19:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite shots from the early games of this high school soccer season.

OBC Leadership Portraits.

2009-03-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Headshot portraits featuring the Olathe Bible Church leadership team.

Feedback from client: "These are fantastic. I have to tell you, we have done this before and no one has been able to capture the personalities as well as you. You're the MAN.:) Thank you!!! I just showed your pictures to a few pastors in the office. They are PLEASED!! I am so excited to get these online...WOW...I can not thank you enough. I hope you had a good time working with the pastors. I know they enjoyed working with you."

Personal Project: St Louis Sculpture at Laumeier Sculpture Park

2009-03-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

"Kansas City has their shuttlecocks, but St Louis has their eyeball."

Here are a few snapshots that I captured as my family toured Laumeier Sculpture Park in St Louis. The weather was nice for mid-March, but the light in the middle of the day didn't provide the best environment...so, I tried to find some angles that would produce some interesting images. The relative size of the exhibits might be lost: for example, the large red sculpture made with oil drums reaches over 60 feet of height. You have to love the large eye sitting next to the park bench. And, the two slides that collide is very interesting as you stand before that sculpture. I experimented with post-shot infrared via Photoshop to emphasize contrast on some of the black/white images. Colors were boosted during RAW processing to avoid a drab look that was otherwise present (the skies weren't that blue until I bumped contrast, vibrance, saturation, etc.).

Miss Kansas City Premier

2009-03-09T20:16:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite clients, Kara Adams, was crowned "Miss Kansas City Premier" -- here are a few of our favorite headshots from our session with Kara.

And, here is what Kara wrote about us:
"You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.”I have been able to meet some amazing and gifted people in my journey to become Miss Missouri and I am thankful to have been able to meet Gregg Riess. I looked for months on finding someone to take my headshot pictures and after praying a link popped up on the computer to his site. He is so gifted when it comes to capturing the essence of the moment and my photos for Miss Missouri could not have looked better. His attitude was contagious as Gregg made the whole shoot fun and memorable. I know in the future I would work with him in a heart beat and I encourage you to look at his website which is www.greggriess.com. Thanks Gregg!"

Flashback: Mr. Buck O'Neil.

2009-02-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

We had the great honor of photographing Buck O'Neil for what is believed to be the last formal portrait produced of this great American. We converted the Negro League Baseball Museum's "field of dreams" in Kansas City to serve as our studio. The images were to be used in a commemorative poster that we produced for the Kansas City Sports Commission. It was the session that almost didn't happen, but the 3rd time was a charm. We first had it scheduled for early April 2006 but I needed to have surgery to help me recover from a BMX race accident. The next time we were to shoot: Buck was lost. They didn't know where he was due to some flight cancellations. He appeared a day later & we captured these images.

Self Portrait.

2009-02-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

I'm a biker, and a photographer. So, after I rode my mountain bike on the singletrack course along the river in Lawrence, KS in unseasonably warm weather I figured I'd snap a pic. I used my Canon G9 with a 15-second timer along with a STE2 transmitter to fire an off-camera 550Ex strobe. I won't say how many takes this took...ha ha. Afterwards, it was time for some digital darkroom tune-ups to process the RAW file so that I could tweak the exposure, contrast, etc. I laid down a layer of motion blur with Photoshop so it looks like I'm fast. Then, I applied my secret sauce "DHill" look. What do you think?

Dancer Promotional Headshots: Augustin

2009-02-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

An agency referred Augustin to us for talent headshots to be used for his promotional purposes. I saw a dancer through my lens making multiple moves at every click of the shutter. As we're working throught the edits...I'm also seeing a bit of Lebron, Denzel and Jamie in the shots as well. Here are a few samples.

Dancer Headshot.

2009-02-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

Cassie is a professional dancer, and a respected dance teacher based in New York City. We were pleased to collaborate with her on this professional headshot. As a dancer, we put special emphasis on her bone structure higlighted by her collarbone, neck and chin.

Model Test Shoot: Jessica.

2009-02-13T21:58:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite pics that resulted from our Model Test Shoot with Jessica.

Photo Illustration: Carrot, Egg or Coffee?

2009-01-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo illustration from our archives. We shot this one rainy Saturday morning with my two boys after calling my wife ("Honey, how do we boil eggs?").

The concept was a point that an IBM sales executive was making during a keynote address about adversity. The story is told: put each item in boiling water, and what is the result?

Each of these objects had faced the same adversity...boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. "Which are you? When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Grandpa Victor Bopp.

2008-12-22T15:40:00.001-08:00

My Grandpa Bopp, forever the farmer, put his earthly body "out to pasture" today. He will be missed. But, I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to call him my Grandpa.

Read his obit on-line here.

View the FindAGrave entry here.

Victor W. Bopp, 88, died at 1:31 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, 2008, at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis.
He was born Feb. 14, 1920, in Batchtown, son of the late Herbert and Mable Bopp.
He married Maleta (Lane) Bopp May 2, 1953, and she died April 6, 1999.
He was a retired grain and livestock farmer and also did orchard work.

He was a member of Batchtown United Methodist Church.
Surviving are a son, Larry Hauger of Stoughton, Wis.; a daughter, Wilma Riess of Florissant, Mo.;

six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild;

two sisters, Lillie Martin of St. Peters, Mo., and Stella Jewell of St. Louis.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and a daughter, Ann Heffington.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26, at Hanks-Gress Funeral Home in Hardin,

where funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27.

Phil Grable will officiate.
Burial will be at Green Pond in Pearl.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to

the Batchtown United Methodist Church or the Calhoun Ambulance Service.

Simone 2008: Someday There Will Be An Award Named After Bowe

2008-12-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Hey sportsfans, welcome to the Simone 2008 Award ceremony. It's actually about 6 ceremonies in one...all for the same low price! It's all about high school football in Kansas City. This is our 5th year collaborating with the Simone folks, and it's always filled with lots of great fun & emotion. This year we found ourselves at Blue Springs South to honor Blaine Dalton (headed to Mizzou) as the top player in the metro. The part that was most memorable is Dwayne Bowe playing-up to the audience and declaring that "in 20 years there will be an award named after" Dwayne himself. Time will tell as to what that award should represent! Stay tuned.

MetroSports: All Hands On Deck.

2008-10-23T19:10:00.001-07:00

It's "all hands on deck" because Gregg Riess Photography LLC is setting-up shop in the MetroSports studio here in Kansas City. It was time to gather these popular, highly polished, and beautiful people (and that's just Rich Baldinger and his entourage!) for a group shot. We did a series of shots featuring the entire team, and then focused on the analyst group separate from the primary on-air talent. Lots of fun trying to make this feel not like grade school picture day. I was hoping we could mix it up a little so we didn't have 2 simple rows--but this is exactly what the TimeWarner Cable promotions department was looking for in a group shot. Hey - you don't want to argue with the promo department, and you don't want to keep these former elite athletes from making their next appointment, right?

Late Nite At The Phog.

2008-10-17T22:07:00.001-07:00

It's Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas hosting Univ of KS basketball "Late Nite At The Phog." This time was special...this time it was a chance to again celebrate the national championship with the KU fans while kicking-off the 2008-2009 season. Fun stuff. Seems like Bill Self was very thoughtful while he watched the new banners on display. You have got to believe that all of the recruits in attendance are pumped about the opportunity to play for this crowd. Strange to see familiar numbers on the backs of un-familiar players (was that Chalmers? Or, another new guy named Mario!?!?!).

Talent Headshot: Natalie Moultrie

2008-10-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

You've seen her before on KMBC-9, and now you'll be seeing her again. It's Natalie Moultrie! One of the most recognized television personalities in Kansas City. She's traded everyday news for the excitement of sports at our client Metrosports & TimeWarner. Welcome home, Natalie!

FEEDBACK FROM NATALIE: "Gregg, I wanted to follow up and let you know how much I appreciated the time you took during my photo shoot. The way you invited my input and involved me in the decision making regarding what I wanted to portray in this photo really made a tremendous difference. When I've had head shots taken before it was always about what the photographer wanted to portray, and not really about what I wanted. Some may ask what difference that makes, but I say it's the difference between a head shot that doesn't really "look" like me, and one that captures the sparkle in my eye, that connects to my inner-self--or the real me, it's the difference of letting my personality shine through in a photo, or having a canned expression. So thanks very much for the time you put into the photo shoot! It really was fun and I'm very pleased with the end result! Thanks!"

Baseball Player Feature: A Photographic Collage

2008-09-14T07:12:00.003-07:00

Powder Puff Football.

2008-09-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Good guys wear black, but great powder puff players wear white! The white team was victorious for the Class of 2011 Powder Puff Classic, and we were there to capture the winning team.

24-Hour Photography?

2008-09-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

Often we'll want to schedule a photo shoot featuring a new building after business hours. But, what do you do when your client is asking you to feature a 24-Hour Fitness center. It's not just a name...it's a schedule! No problem: we did some shutter drag to blur the innocent bystanders as we captured this great new facility.

Secret Data Center?

2008-09-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Al Gore might have created the Internet, but our newest client most likely created the Internet Data Center. It's hiding in plain sight, or is it? We were asked to go behind the scenes of the Midwest's largest data center and capture images for their upcoming announcement marketing materials. It's actually 3 data centers in 1, with lots of room for expansion. Generators, chillers, miles of cables and zillions of servers.

Senior Sports Portrait Featuring Simone Award Winner Nathan from Rockhurst HS

2008-08-14T20:37:00.001-07:00

2008 Simone Award winner, and simply one of our favorite clients. It's Nathan from Rockhurst HS. Here's one of the shots that we pulled from Nathan's senior portrait session. Definitely a fun shot because it's not natural for Nathan to give me a BA look. We've been through this before...he simply is too nice of a guy to look too BA for me! LOL. We'll produce an image like this to emulate some of the high-end looks that you're seeing in the Gatorade ads and ESPN The Mag. You can see that we pushed the dramatic lighting, and then did lots of post-processing to make this image pop with contrast, sharpness, burning and dodging in the Riess Photography Digital Darkroom. As always, we'd love to get you comments and feedback. Keep your eye on this space...we'll post more soon. To see more, visit us at http://www.KansasCitySeniorPortraits.com/

Wish we had half of her personality!!!

2008-08-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse into our studio segment with Ashlynn. She's so fun! Wish we had half of her personality!!! Great job, Ashlynn! We're really looking forward our the outdoor segment next week. See more of our senior portraits at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

Metropolitan. Cosmopolitan.

2008-05-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

"You can take the girl out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the girl." Frankly, we didn't even try! When we first started working with Marissa we knew that her style, looks & fashion sense were destined for great things in the urban core & beyond. In fact, when we were scouting locations with her in mind, we knew that we'd want something very powerful in additional to an "urban glam" look. We wanted bold shapes and designs (both 3D and 2D), and a lot of powerful elements. We knew she could overpower even the most powerful scenes and not get lost. Well, we were not dissappointed! Here's a few showcase images from that session. You can learn more about our approach and see other examples at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

MetroSports Basketball Players/Coaches of the Year 2008

2008-05-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

We had the fortune of photographing the 2008 baseketball "players & coaches of the year" as selected by MetroSports. This was a 2-part shoot because of schedules & logistics: we shot an old-school basketball gym in Kansas City a month ago, and then shot the players & coaches in the studio. With a little photoshop magic, they appear to be shot on location. Furthermore, in keeping with the same look & feel as the Football POY shoot, we pushed the final image with lots of grit, grime, contrast & other elements to give this an old-school & BA look. No players or coaches were harmed during this shoot.

Hello Molly!

2008-04-13T12:29:00.001-07:00

Here's a great headshot/portrait session that we did recently. Molly updated her looks by changing her hair recently, and we wanted to unlock her real personality. She already had a girl-next-door session & so it was time to expand on the look & feel of her portraits. We accomplished this through our initial consultation to establish expectations through mutual brainstorm (hey - simply put - we did a little dreaming together & agreed to push things a little bit, OK?). We're all proud of the results: they captured her great vibe, and also incorporated some things that are very personal to her & her friends. There are some tender moments, and there are some real spirited fun things here. Cool.

Here are some comments from Molly (we're now blushing!!! Thanks Molly!!!): "I had an amazing time when Gregg did my senior pics! I felt comfortable and you can see that in my pictures. I had such a fun time with the shoot that I had no doubt that they were going to come out great, and they did. He really cares about the person and the pictures not just with getting it done quickly. My pictures were unique and unlike anyone else's I’ve ever seen and that’s what was so great about it, his creativity collaborated with my own. I would recommend him to anyone looking for amazing photos! FIVE STARS for sure!"

Get Your Kicks

2008-03-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Soccer star. Football star. Future triathlete? Can this guy do it all? Here's a recent portrait session that featured the area's top soccer goaltender as well as football kicker. We combined style in the studio with action between the lines. Here are a few of our favs.

Young Actress Headshot

2008-03-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

We don't do a lot of headshot because we're often so busy with other projects. When we do...it's always an exception, and it's always a pleasure. We appreciate the opportunity to come alongside an aspiring actress to collaborate on their headshots. Here's a prototype composite from a recent session. Look for Katie on the stage in Kansas City throughout the years to come. She's a star!

Football Players of the Year for Metro Sports

2008-03-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

We did this shoot on March 11, 2008 featuring the Metro Sports football "players of the year." It's going to be used as a poster for Metro Sports as well as Time Warner Cable...sponsored by ARC (Athletic & Rehabilitation Center).

Nathan Scheelhaase is the offensive POY from Rockhurst. Josh Copp is defensive POY from BV West.

I wanted them to give me a real BA / tuff guy look. Josh is able to pull that off, but Nathan seems to take a little bit more coercing when I'm wanting him to look mean! Cool guys...I was smart to not keep them too long because they probably would have taped me to the goal post with duct tape.

Welcome to Africa: Beasley at Allen Fieldhouse

2008-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

LAWRENCE, March 1st, 2008: Our vote for player of the year, Michael Beasley, entered the University of Kansas' historical "Phog" Allen Fieldhouse for the second game of the 2008-version of the Sunflower Showdown between these two in-state rivals. The Wildcats upset the Jayhawks earlier on January 30th in K-State's Bramlage Coliseum (I was there!), and now the prediction that Beasley made ("We're gonna beat KU at home. We're gonna beat 'em at their house. We're gonna beat 'em in Africa.") was front of mind for many fans.

To add to the hype, ESPN's Game Day circus was planted all day in Lawrence and many of the features & comments were praising Beasley while admitting that the Jayhawks would most likely prevail with their balanced attack. More excitement was added when a mid-day game in the Big-12 posted a loss for the streaking Texas Longhorns: a result that would allow Kansas to join them at the top of the Big-12 league standings with a win against the boys from Manhattan, KS.

Could KU have their revenge & beat the Wildcats here in their friendly confines of Allen Fieldhouse? Would the crowd rise to the occasion as well? The answer to those questions seem to come immediately as the decibel meter was fully pinged to the max as these Jayhawks pulled into an early lead & never looked back. However, the game looked to be in the hands of the referees in the first few minutes as Beasley gained 2 early fouls along with KU's Darnell Jackson picking an early penalty as well.

K-State's Bill Walker was not a factor in this game...adding to his recent slump. The play of Sasha Kaun with aggressive moves on the boards & on the floor definitely set the pace for the Hawks. The second half saw a mending Sherron Collins kick it into hyper drive with a dazzling display including a run-the-full-court-and-score-against-Beasley play that will be in his personal highlight reel for a long time.

The result: Jayhawks 88, Wildcats 74.

Senior Portraits: Between The Lines

2008-02-23T10:56:00.001-08:00

It's baseball season! We're fortunate to come alongside a lot of great athletes at the high school level during our senior portrait sessions. For the lucky few, we offer the Ultimate Senior SporTrait. After we complete the portrait segments both in our studio and at a nice outdoor location, it's time to make a trip between the lines.

We're inspired by ESPN The Mag as well as the new crop of Reebok & Chunky ads: there's high contrast, extra sharpness, and a little bit of grit. A lot of that is Photoshop magic (and let's face it....it really is magic when you get Photoshop singing)...but without raw athletic talent--you have nothing captured on film. So, grab your gear and let's get on the field.

Here's one of the area's top infielders showing his stuff. The ball was buzzing pass my ear like a bumble bee in heat. Luckily, no photographers or equipment were harmed during this shoot. Dad's arm might have been sore the next day, and Mom probably didn't enjoy chasing balls---but it was great fun.

State Champ Headed To Mizzou

2008-02-23T10:00:00.001-08:00

One of our favorite clients, Drew is a key member of the Rockhurst football squad that went undefeated & won the state championship. I've known Drew for over 4 years...I count him as a special friend. We wanted to capture his athleticism & his intensity, but also wanted to catch his lighter moments as well his charm.

Here are of the few images from the studio segment. I can't wait for the outdoor segment: perhaps I should put on spikes & some shoulder pads so I can go 1-on-1 against Drew. Do you think that would be a good idea? I bet the medical staff would have to use a rake to pull me out of the ground after first impact!

Jet-Setting with Cancer Docs

2008-01-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

When the Midwest Cancer Alliance decided to announce their founding member hospitals in four different cities (all in the same day), it was for sure going to be a memorable day. That's over 1000 miles in a 12 hour period.

When hiring Gregg Riess Photography LLC, our client said, "there is nobody else I would want to capture this day!"

Thanks to a speedy jet & countless hours of planning, the "barnstorming" trip was a success. An extra spice of excitement was added when we borrowed Gov Kathleen Sebelius a few hours before she was giving the Democrat response to the State of the Union Address.

Awesome Gals: They Play, & They WIN!

2008-01-23T10:24:00.001-08:00

Each year we have the awesome opportunity to come alongside the Kansas City Sports Commission and their Women's Intersport Network (WIN-KC) as they celebrate women & sport during the WIN-KC Women’s Sports Awards Celebration. There's a prestigous award ceremony at a large luncheon, but our favorite part is meeting these very special ladies as we collaborate with them on our "Sport Portraits."

If you're lounging on your couch, or sitting at your desk, or fumbling with your Blackberry---you should be prepared to get your bottom in gear! I'm telling you: we all have little ailments that we think prevent us from getting out & being active. You're a little old. You have a sore foot. You're having a bad hair day. Well, let's face it: those aren't really valid excuses, are they? Not after you meet & get to know each of the women that we've met during the last 4 years. My shoulder hurts, but my gosh Olga only has 1 arm & she's a swimmer, soccer player, softball player. JoAnn sits there in her wheelchair & tells me that God has a plan for her life--and that plan includes her dancing in her wheelchair to hip-hop music & encouraging others to do the same! Maybe you're marathon days are behind you...but what's preventing you from coaching & encouraging young girls to be active?

So, go ahead & feel sorry for yourself...however, now's the time to get up --- step away from this blog --- and get yourself in gear! I wish I could bottle all of this beautiful optimism & leadership...I'd drink it every day of my life. Bye bye---I'm out of here to run.......!

GREGG RIESS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC is again the official portrait photographer of the WIN-KC Women’s Sports Awards Celebration held on Febuary 1st. It's the largest event of it's kind celebrating National Girls and Women In Sports Day. With over 1,400 attendees, this is always an inspiring day...click here to learn more:
http://www.sportkc.org/win_for_kc/WomensSportsAwardsCelebration2006.htm

See you there!

Actress Headshots...See You At The Audition, Baby!

2008-01-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

We accept a limited number of actress/actor headshots, and we were honored to work with this young emerging actress as she's set to audition for acting-specific universities, overseas programs and other creative opportunities. Here are a few of our favorites from the headshot session this evening. "The goal was to build a portfolio of images that represent the true character of this actress. We wanted something to showcase her inner strengths & outer personality, charm, and good looks. These resulting headshots can standalone, or they can accompany her to auditions here and in Europe."

Olathe East JV Soccer Ladies

2008-01-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

Here's a music video featuring our favorite new soccer team: the Olathe East JV Girls!

"There's No Off-Season" with our Multi-Sport SporTrait

2008-01-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

Your player doesn't have an off season...neither should the portrait. Feature your star across the sports they love to play. Here's a studio SporTrait using baseball, football & basketball. We utilize the right equipment, lighting, posing and everything else----but the real key is to capture that raw emotion found beyond the handsome exterior. It's this connection between the subject & the photographer that separates ordinary portraits from our custom SporTrait. Here's an example with these individual SporTraits blended together in a multi-sport SporTrait montage. SporTrait is a trademark of Gregg Riess Photography LLC.

OE JV: Girls With No Fear

2008-01-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a music video featuring our photography of Olathe East JV girls set to the music entitled "Girls With No Fear." Frankly, we're not familiar with that song, but the title sounded good & the beat feels great!

Bulldogs Baseball Music Video

2007-12-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

It's a music video: Here are few photographic highlights from our 2008 season.

"Lean on Me" & Other Great Hits at Rockhurst: The 2007 Simone Award Event

2007-12-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

For the 4th year, Gregg Riess Photography LLC teams with the Simone-Fontana Foundation and Monster Sports LLC to serve as the official photographer of the 2007 Thomas A. Simone Award presentation.

Wow - lots of spirit in the Rockhurst gym this morning. When Nathan was handing over the Simone Award to his football team in the front row...the rest of the student body was singing "Stand By Me" with the pep band....I have to tell you that I had goose bumps because it felt like that entire school was one perfect union of body, mind & spirit. Wow. I'll never forget that.

If you'd like to see a few highlights, you can visit our web page:

http://www.greggriess.com/simone_award

do you have the Will To Succeed?

2007-12-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity this evening to attend the annnual celebration of the Will To Succeed Foundation http://www.willtosucceed.org/ We were guests of Will & Senia Shields. Most everyone that knows of Will Shields and his all-pro efforts with the KC Chiefs is also aware, at least to a certain extent, the fact Will & Senia are involved with our city. We all know that major sports figures have ties to a charity or two simply because it's good public relations. I will tell you that the Will To Succeed Foundation is a lot more than just window dressing or a banner at Arrowhead Stadium.

The best story that I can tell you is that in May I was building a temporary photo studio at one of the Foundation's charity locations (St Vincents / Operation Breakthrough http://www.operationbreakthrough.org/ ) for use in my SporTrait of Will. In walks Will & he was carrying his football helmet for the photoshoot. The kids wanted to know why Will was carrying a Chiefs helmet. Do you understand? In the modern "me" era surrounding pro sports--where sharpies are being pulled from socks & entourages are appearing with full press coverage for a simple photo op to help charity--these kids did not know Will Shields the football player: they simply knew him as "Will" the big black guy that comes to the shelter a lot to help the kids, families & teachers. Wow - that blew me away. It was subtle & almost silent: "why does he have a Chiefs helmet" Here's my favorite shot from that session. The image was produced for use in our 4th poster for the KC Sports Commission (Mr. Shields won an award for achievement in professional sports). A few more shots: http://www.greggriess.com/will_shields

Senior Sports Portrait

2007-11-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

What's a Senior Sports Portrait? It's when you forget the rules & produce a sports portrait with emotion. It's Sports plus Portrait. Here's one of our favorite new seniors (headed to Kansas State University) in a sampling of his Senior Sports Portrait. See more at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

Show Us Your Business Culture!

2007-11-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

A consulting firm is seeking environmental portraits that feature their associates tangling with complex business problems (and an occassional round of eight ball!). We come alongside their team and produce the shots they need for their website, brochures and proposal inserts. Here's a sneak preview.

LifeStyle Portraiture & Fall Colors

2007-11-11T20:02:00.001-08:00

I'm in favor of "lifestyle portraits" for my favorite clients. Forget about over posing, and rely on natural light. These lifestyle portraits are less formal than your typical family pictures...they're more real. Take a beautful family & sprinkle some fallen leaves & you have the ingredients for a series of lifestyle images on a pretty fall afternoon.

Put Me In Coach, I'm Ready To Play

2007-11-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

A few high school senior ball players that we photographed this week. All 3 are pitchers...I wonder if I could hit their fastball? Hmmm...probably not. I'm looking forward to seeing them "between the lines" as the season begins at Olathe East, Pembroke & Kearney in March. See more at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

Team Captain

2007-11-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

We love coming alongside young athletes with great skill, intelligence, & humor. Justin is certainly one of those guys. No wonder he's the team captain of his high school basketball team. Here are a few shots that we've pulled for the blog. See more at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

KU Cancer Center: Leadership Portraits

2007-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to our "Game On" project with the Kansas University Cancer Center, we were asked to produce leadership portraits of their top leadership for use in internal & external communications. We wanted the images to feature each unique personality & strength within their environment: this meant working with rigid schedules & taking over a research lab along with a few other locations on-site. The challenge was to provide different looks, while keeping a very contemporary, open look with what appears to be natural lighting. We brought various strobes & reflectors to produce that bright, even, natural light. Lots of beakers & furniture were moved, and it was great fun to come alongside these brilliant leaders in Cancer research.

Ready for College Basketball? Late Nite at The Phog

2007-10-13T09:54:00.001-07:00

"Last year was great, but it ended on a sour note. The only thing last year's team didn't have was seniors. A team is only as good as its seniors allow it to be. This year, we've got five studs. We've got to get the big prize. We've got to cut down the nets in April," says Bill Self to a capacity crowd at the annual Late Nite at The Phog hosted at Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas.

Sprint Center

2007-10-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

If you get our newsletters, you might have seen our special addition featuring the Sprint Center. We're providing a behind the scenes look, a few highlights from our architectural catalog of Sprint Center images, and an overview of the Workers' Wall project. This and more at the following links:

http://www.greggriess.com/sprint_center_workers_wall_feature.htm

http://www.greggriess.com/sprint_center_feature.htm

http://www.greggriess.com/sprint_center_architecture.htm

Baseball Boyz

2007-10-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Three brothers captured as baseball stars here in our studio.

Family Portrait in Parkville

2007-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Cute family.....family portrait in Parkville.

Model/Actress Headshot

2007-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Cute girl with a bright future in front of her.

Kansas Speedway

2007-10-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

Kansas Speedway hosted NASCAR's "race for the chace." Crazy race with lots of rain delays & crashes. The winner (Biffle) might have been out of gas as he crossed the finish line. Crazy.

Actor Headshot

2007-10-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

James is your man for the romantic leads. Unfortuneatly, he didn't pass along any tips that I can use on my wife (lol).

Kansas Univ Cancer Center "Game On"

2007-10-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

Photography project to support advertisement campaign (newspaper ad, billboard, website) featuring three cancer research doctors and four KU football players.

"KU is assembling a world-class team of doctors, nurses, and researchers with one goal in mind: defeating cancer. This year, nearly 13,000 Kansans will be diagnosed and 5,300 will die from cancer. That's unacceptable.

Together with many partners across the state, KU is building a nationally recognized cancer center, giving Kansans access to the best cancer prevention, early detection, and treatments right here at home. At KU, when it comes to fighting cancer—Every day is Game Day."

New Senior

2007-10-06T11:04:00.001-07:00

One of our latest senior portraits......Jordan is headed to pre-med, but now she enjoys athletic cheer. You go girl!

See more at http://www.kansascityseniorportraits.com/

The Sprint Center

2007-09-30T21:06:00.001-07:00

While everyone is freaking out about not getting tickets, I've been busy taking pics inside & outside the Sprint Center. Before Hannah Montana, Sir Elton, Garth, Billy & others arrive, there's a lot of work to be done to build this impressive landmark in the heart of downtown. We're photographing most of the union workers associated with the construction (so far we've captured over 500 construction workers!). It's a project that we call Workers' Wall...it's to celebrate the heart & soul of Kansas City building the new heart & soul of Kansas City. That's a fun gig to come alongside these workers and welcome them into our little on-site studio. Lots of character in those men & women! It's really a photographer's dream to come in contact with each & every worker----it's a thrill to strive to create something extraordinary in terms of an image that represents each worker. Beyond the workers, some of my interior & exterior images will be used in the on-site exhibits in the Sprint Center.

The Dancer

2007-08-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun project.......it's a high school senior that specializes in dance. We shot various stunts, actions, moves & portraits ... and then blended them together using our "digital darkroom" into this montage that we call Senior SporTrait.

Just so you know, I tried to do a few of these moves after the session----let's just say that I'm not injured, but simply humbled! I really appreciate the beauty & grace, as well as the power & technique, that Hailey demonstrated.

Can Athletes Be Pretty?

2007-08-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

I am amazed when these top local high school athletes throw the switch and step into our studio. I say "throw the switch" -- meaning, they switch their exterior to this glam girl beaming with both confidence & beauty. The result is great portraiture that showcases the "real" girl!

Snakes...Heat...Oh My!!!!

2007-08-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

We had to defend ourselves against snakes & the heat, but the result was worth it. We call this the Combination Surpreme----it's our most popular senior portrait session that includes lots of time in the studio as well as an extended visit to a special portrait location (the lake, the urban glamour, etc.).

Athlete Beauty.

2007-08-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Here's another concept we're developing. We are lucky to photograph all of these wonderful athletes, but I'm always most concerned about the beauty within. Beyond the great looks & powerful skill, I'd like to reveal the beauty under all of the exterior. We've created a virtual gallery of some of these recent projects....you can view at http://www.athletebeauty.com/

Urban Glamour: Kayli

2007-08-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been developing a concept called Urban Glamour. UrbanGlam is a trademark of Gregg Riess Photography LLC. You can see why the look is very catching. We're leveraging the textures & color palette of the urban core, and then applying contrast with a beautiful senior dressed in prom looks as well as casual clothes.

Baseball Senior Sports Portraits

2007-08-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some Senior Sports Portraits (that's a name that's trademark Gregg Riess Photography LLC) that I shot this week. It's about 90 degrees and 100% humidity. This player gave his all. This is a fun type of session---to come alongside a player & learn about his craft. The balls where zipping past my ear like bumble bees. The raw power & quickness were impressive to see & capture. Then, with a bunch of remote strobes & stuff, we did some portraits. You'll notice I did a lot of tweaking on a few---I was wanting to have the images to look like throwbacks to the baseball portraits from 60+ years ago. That's what's cool about baseball--it's got the same basic rules from generation-to-generation-to-generation. When I'm on the diamond, I'm always thinking about that........I think about my father playing first base with his claw, and I think about my youngest (he's a first grader) trying to play shortstop & making the thow all the way to first!.

Opening Remarks

2007-08-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I've been doing most of my blogging on my website at www.greggriess.com/recent_projects but now I've decided to hop in here as well!

Obviously, my passion is photography. Mostly people photography---I'm looking for emotion in my portraits. I am seeking to tell a story through the images. My secret sauce is not equipment or anything else---it's getting intimate (boy, that's a strong word, isn't it?) with my clients. Not cuddly---but, I want to get under their skin. I'm willing to research & invest myself in terms of time, emotion & energy to connect with the subjects that I'm photographing. And, this is really not a 1-way street....I'm expecting my subjects to collaborate with me each step of the way. Do you follow me? If you're not willing to come along for that ride, please hop out of the wagon right now. Ha ha---that's something that my Grandma used to say on the farm. Enough said for now.