Meet Ken Weil of Bravecape Productions in West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Weil.

Ken, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Well growing up I can say that on and off, mostly on, I’ve had some kind of camera in my hand since I was nine. I was a shy introverted child which is great for the creative side of my brain. I spent a lot of time watching everything around me. People. Television. It was much easier to be a part of things with a camera. There are some shrinks that would tell me this was a way of keeping a barrier up. “Well, of course. I don’t need a Dr. to tell me that.”

So throughout growing up till the end of high school, I spent a lot of time learning different parts of photography. At home, I built my own small studio table to shoot still life and macro along with a darkroom to process and print my black and white film. I took community courses and picked up as many photo magazines as I could get my hands on. I started out using a Polaroid to a cheap but wonderful Fujica st605n 35mm to a Nikon FE then FA. I wasn’t able to buy the expensive Nikon lenses but it really didn’t matter because even the less expensive Nikon lenses were great quality. I still use a 24, 50 and 85 fixed lens and promise you that their quality is outstanding.

After high school, I took a few years off from anything photographic. It was my way of testing the waters to see what other things I liked to do. About 6 years later is when I started Brooks Institute of Photography.

Brooks is a three-year high intensity photography school which focuses it’s training on commercial photography. Working in the real world with high-end clients in working studios. It took me six years to graduate. Ok I actually took time off to move to San Francisco, work in a camera store, and start shooting for a modeling agency with a friend of mine. In a little over a year, I came back to Santa Barbara to go back to Brooks. After that it was all smooth sailing…Not really. Brooks was still very hard. And oh, btw I didn’t mention that I’ve had ADD all my life.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Well let me preface by saying that my biggest challenge had not been being a photographer. But like I mentioned, it’s being one who has ADD. Anybody who’s reading this probably knows or has a good idea that being a photographer and an artist is way more than taking the image. Even the post processing, which takes as much time as you put into it isn’t where most of your time must be spent. It’s of course the business side. The promotion. Getting out and meeting people. All the while trying to figure out where in the photographic world you want to be, putting yourself out there, and letting as many people as you can know about you and the value you can bring to them.

For most people this is a lot of work. For the ADDer…. It’s near impossible. Organization. Consistency. Making plans. Keeping plans. Trying Not to go from one thing to another without finishing the first. This has been, and still is a struggle. A huge challenge I’ve been dealing with all my life. It does have many positives though like when the creative side of my ADD is in full swing it’s incredible. But that can be random. Like a roller coaster.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Bravecape Productions – what should we know?
I moved back to Los Angeles in ’99 and for the next 3 or 4 years assisted some incredible photographers. Back then, early 2000s, having a Brooks degree opened many doors. As for my own work, I actually connected with a couple well know casting directors and started shooting a lot of headshots. I did that for a while until around 2005 a musician friend of mine asked me to shoot his band at the Whisky A GoGo. I was kind of a regular at the Rainbow Bar and Grill on Sunset so I was very happy to do it. This was the start of something I would be doing and be known for ever since. I didn’t really love shooting actors or models but musicians, on stage, in the studio, or location was always a blast. I had a great amount of leeway in what and how to shoot.

As of now, even though most of my paid work is people related, I absolutely love anything to do with outdoors. Landscape. Travel. Small towns. Interesting buildings and Architecture. I have a whole series of storefront images that I’ve working on for about 4 years. And just recently I started shooting a lot of beach and wave type images. I could definitely spend my days creating works of art from things I see all around me wherever I’m at.

Pricing:

• Individual Musician Images. Location. Starting @ $150 One retouched image per location
• Band Images .Location. Starting @ $250 One retouched image per location.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.bravecape.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravecape_productions/
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravecape
• Other: linkedin.com/in/bravecape

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