Lisa Predko's Blog

Chicago Magazine January 2012: Dr. Geroulis

lisapredko — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:13:13 +0000

Chicago Magazine gave us the pleasure of photographing several Dr.s for their January issue. Although they were all great, we certainly have a soft spot for Dr. Geroulis up in Northfield. I knew this was going to be a good shoot when I was scheduling via phone with his wife, Mirofora; with her beautiful accent, she could read the phone book and it would sound amazing!:) When we arrived, we learned Dr. G is also an award winning sculptor (how fantastic is that?!) and the experience got even better when I found out there was a selection of bow ties for us to choose from (swoon!). Dr. Geroulis and the lovely Mirofora could not have been nicer people, I hope to see them both again soon!

Click to view slideshow.

XOXO!!:

Assistants: Sean Costin & Sarah Crump

Altpick, you are the Best too!:)

lisapredko — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:37:46 +0000

Thank you Altpick for choosing our Polagirl image as one of the Editor’s Choice:: Best of 2011 (and for putting ours first!!!)! Take a minute to check out the others, lots of great work!!:)

Design Bureau, Issue 8: Event Creative, A Photographer’s Dream

lisapredko — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:56 +0000

If you haven’t seen Design Bureau yet, go buy a subscription NOW!!!! Based in Chicago, it is a magazine featuring all kinds of design-and it’s, of course, designed beautifully. Issue #5 has a fashion section with type treatments so fantastic I want to hang them on my wall! And the PAPER, you really need to feel this paper!:)

Issue #8 was just released, and I’m thrilled to be a contributor!

Thank you Design Bureau for sending me to photograph Kelly Wagner, Phil Cooper, and Melissa Kirby, all talented designers part of the Event Creative team (as of the article release date, Phil however has moved on to another company). Walking into their giant warehouse for the first time, I could feel the energetic buzz of creativity! On staff designers, lighting techs, & carpenters (only a few of the endless crew specialties!) all work harmoniously to produce not just events but experiences. It all happens amongst rows upon rows, and stacks upon stacks, of props, lighting, and raw building materials. If only I could have the run of this place for a week-the sets we could create!!!!!:)

Special thanks to Mr. Cooper for giving me a shot that will forever make me smile!:) Family portrait below also includes Gigi-Event Creative’s official mascot!

Santa Claus: Naughty or Nice? ;)

lisapredko — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:32:25 +0000

Ladies and Gentleman,

I have the great privilege of introducing to you, an up & coming talent we’ve had the pleasure of working with for several years now. You might recognize him from small cameos in some of our previous photographs: May I have this dance?, The Inlaws!, and if you go way back, you may even remember one of his earliest roles in Holidad (Page 2 of the website, right column, 2nd row)! May I present to you, in his first time as the star of a feature photograph, Santa Claus: Naughty or Nice?, SANTA CLAUS!!!!

Santa’s co-star is another long time collaborator; playing Mrs. Claus, Delia Aces!!! Keep an eye out for her February 2012 show with Michelle L’amour’s Chicago Starlets. I wonder if Santa will be there?;)

Happy Holidays!!!

XOXO!!:

Mrs. Claus: Delia Aces: Martina Sykes

Assistants: Sarah Crump & Joanna Patterson

Intern: Casey Gorham

Chicago Magazine Janurary 2012: Ed Marszewski

lisapredko — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:23:40 +0000

Thank you Chicago Magazine for asking me to photograph the very charismatic and ambitious Ed Marszewski!:) Ed has his hands on the coolest of cool (all based in his Bridgeport neighborhood): Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar, Co-Prosperity Sphere Gallery, Lumpen, and Proximity, not to mention several other PRINTED publications! Hooray for print!!:) Along with his lovely wife Rachael, he has been working hard to improve their neighborhood and together they are on a constant mission of community development. Rachael, also an artist, has some pretty grand plans of her own-including a path towards medical school, with the goal of creating better access to healthcare in Bridgeport as well as the greater south side of Chicago. I wish the Marszewskis lived in my neighborhood!:)

From the magazine (subscribe here!):

And a few outtakes we shot at the gallery:

XOXO!!!:

Assistants: Lauren Butterfield and Nathanael Filbert

Hair & Makeup: Karen Brody

♥♡♥ GRACELAND ♥♡♥!!!!!

lisapredko — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:32:23 +0000

The first time I stood outside the gates of Graceland I was 7 years old. As we arrived, it was dark, raining, and hours had past since the last tour. We were all exhausted from the drive, but still enthusiastic about jumping out of the car, even if it was just to peer through the gates.

My mom is the one who of course inspired this first pilgrimage!:) I can remember being a kid and dancing with her to Elvis records in our very 70′s family room. She and I watched countless Elvis movies together (somehow my dad and brother always had other things to do!). And EVERY Christmas we listened to the two (one is not enough!) Elvis Christmas albums she had as we decorated the tree and again as we opened presents-a tradition I still honor!:)

I think most people who know me, know: I LOVE ELVIS! And I love it all-young Elvis, old Elvis, the good movies, the bad movies (maybe I love the bad movies just a little bit more!), even Elvis tribute artists. Seriously, how can you not love a man in a bedazzled jumpsuit?!

I was very excited to be in Memphis recently, and of course had to visit Graceland once again!:) Mom, this one is for you!:)

Click to view slideshow.

Time Out Chicago, Issue 354: Holiday Party Fashion

lisapredko — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:11:23 +0000

Holiday Fashion? Yes, please!
Andrew, Kevin, and Jessica? Yes, please!
Improv Olympic? Yes, please!
Puppets? YES, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!:)

Thank you Time Out for thinking of us again this year for the Holiday Party Fashion (here is last year’s if you want to take a peek!)!

A special thanks to the iO cast from Joy! – An iO Family Christmas Special which is running for just two more Wednesdays (December 14th and December 21st) at 9pm , buy your tix here! The show is described as a bit of old school Christmas review feel with guests from around the theater popping in and joining on stage (the perfect kind of show for my short attention span!). AND at the end audience participation is encouraged for a round of caroling down Clark St!:)

Click to view slideshow.

Another special thanks to Dinner Party who sells and rents fabulous vintage tableware, linens, and home decor (some of which looks like it came out of my own kitchen cabinet!)! You can also see some of their wares at the next Dose Market on February 12, 2012!

XOXO!!!:

Talent: From Improv Olympic (l-r in spread) Caitlin Barlow, Nathan (Jon Forsythe), John Pantlind, Katy Colloton, Jesse (Cesar Jaime), Nnamdi Ngwe

Wardrobe Styling: Kevin Aeh and Jessica Herman

Hair & Makeup: Martina Sykes and Emily Massa

Food Styling: Tobe LeMoine

Assistants: Sarah Crump and Joanna Patterson

Retoucher: Sarah Crump

What do Lauren and I like to do when we get to location early?

lisapredko — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Take pictures of course!:) Check out her blog debut here, and this time WITH glasses, the oh so lovely Lauren Butterfield!

Click to view slideshow.

Ben Wahhh for Laura Roeper’s Permanent Canvas

lisapredko — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:45:55 +0000

When Laura Roeper shared with me her concept to film the contrasting work and home lives of Ben Wahhh (Deluxe Tattoo), I couldn’t wait to work on it with her! Check out her blog, Permanent Canvas, to read their interview and of course take a peek at this super talented artist in our video below (HD option in the top right corner once it starts playing!)! Special thanks to Laura, Ben, and also to Jason Kraynek for editing!

Can you guess who’s closet this might be?:)

Chicago Magazine November 2011: Donuts or Doughnuts?

lisapredko — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:11:40 +0000

I do not like eating doughnuts. There, I said it! I think I am perhaps the one person not interested in standing in line 3 hours at that new place downtown.;) Certainly a lover of sweets, my weakness lies in desserts filled with that deadly combo of sugar plus a touch of salt or just about anything Vosges makes with dark chocolate! Mmmmmmmm! Photographically however, DOUGHNUTS ARE FANTASTIC!!:) Seriously, the variety, the shape, the colors, and of course the more sprinkles the better!! Makes me wonder, maybe I should go stand in that long line just to see what my camera is missing?!!:) I was very excited when Chicago Magazine asked me to photograph their story about doughnuts and the family that loves them! Meet the Loevys and the Segals, a family so fun we are hoping to be invited to their next family get together!:) Click to view slideshow.