Justin Grant Photography

I had the pleasure of working with Scott Smith and the Icon fitness crew this fall for their Proform line.  Just now finishing the photos… big project.  Had a lot of fun, and I think we created some amazing stuff together.  Here’s a sample…

I have spent the last 14 days travelling throughout Kenya with the Non-Profit organization Quiet Way. I’ve been traveling along side Ron Hatfield and a film crew shooting and filming the marketing material for the organization. We have been all over Kenya (10 flights, hundreds of miles driven) visiting possible dam sites, delivering food, interviewing people about their living conditions, as well as researching organizations that can provide employment to the people of Kenya.  We’ve also met with the Vice President of Kenya, Steven Musyoka, as well as other top diplomats.  It has been the most amazing experience of my life.  We’ve ventured into villages miles from any paved roads, visited schools, hospitals, and have even been invited into several homes for conversation and meals.

The majority of people here, outside of Nairobi and other metropolitan areas,  live in the most primitive conditions imaginable, but they have the most amazing spirt I’ve seen in all of my travels.  Several people have asked me what I think about this trip, and what can we do for Africa.  We can certainly help out over here, but the thing that comes to my mind is what can the rest of the world, most specifically Americans, learn from these amazing people.  People walking 20 miles to get a few days supply of water will randomly smile and wave as you drive by.  These people are remarkable, and I will never be the same because of what they have taught me.  So grateful for everybody that I’ve met, and for everybody that I’ve driven by for that matter.  Enough words… here are a few images.

Shot this in Kibweze.  These kids just ran over to me and performed.  Love it!

Kakamega - Enjoy each expression… priceless.

Stopped on our drive back from Kibweze to interview a woman on the side of the road about her water gathering habits. This family strolled up during the interview.

Kisumu

Kibweze

Mombasa - I had seen this door earlier and really wanted to shoot it.  Meanwhile, this man asked me to follow him.  He wanted to show me his dog.  So, by chance, I got the shot of the door, as well as a great subject.  It was quite remarkable really.  He then proceeded to show me where the toilet was…I wont show you that shot!

Latest shot for Nextfit.  Great shoot!  Thanks to everybody for an amazing production.

I had the best time co-producing and shooting this ad with Phil, from Crowell Advertising!  Amazing shoot.  The models were absolutely amazing!!  And Jessica nailed the styling!  Can’t go wrong with a team like that. 

Edge Eyewear & Myself are producing some cool ads representing DANGER on the work front.  A few out-takes from today’s shoot.  The final shot should be pretty cool!!!  Behind the scenes shot by my right hand man Neo.  Pleasure hanging out all day with the gents at Champion Fabrication!  Thanks for moving tons of metal around for me.  I want one of those cranes in my studio!

During these tough financial times, it seems that everybody is struggling in one way or another.  A friend of mine, and an amazingly brilliant and positive person, was telling me over the weekend that he had to sell off a few personal items to survive.  Yet he remains positive and with a smile on his face.  As I take steps through my life, I’ve made many mistakes, and I’ve had great success stories as well.  But I don’t think that I’ve ever appreciated both, the good and the bad, so much as I do these days.  It’s been a very humbling year for me personally.  I was inspired to post words tonight, instead of pictures, because of people like my friend, and because of an email that I received tonight that simply came at the perfect moment in my life.  

A few years back, I used to manage my sons traveling competition baseball team - The “Dirtbags.”  The families involved were the most amazing people, and they were all a part of some of the best years of my life. The simpler times - when the major drama in our world was coach Justin getting kicked out of the game for arguing a questionable call.  The email that I received tonight was from Michael Olive, my old shortstop - “Chocolate Thunder!”  The sweetest kid in the world, and the most amazing family.  It has been a few years since we’ve seen each other, and he just wanted to say hi, and ask how I was doing, and to also let me know that he no longer dances in the batters box.  Hearing from him just struck a chord in me tonight.  I don’t know if anybody will read this, but I simply wanted to write tonight and say that I am grateful for everybody, and everything, that I have in my life.  And that I’m sorry to all of the umpires that I became upset with.  Thanks for the email Michael.  

JG

I’ve been working on a fun project with Suzanne for Theradoc.  The lovely Maryanne (one of my stylists) is now an official hand model.

Here are the images of the spectacular Miss Utah Laura Chukanov and Miss Teen Utah Tasha Smedley.  Good luck at National’s ladies!

Here are a few of the shots from the depths of hell…

Behind the scenes video coming soon.

While the rest of Salt Lake and the world were up in Park City enjoying Sundance, my crew and myself were trudging through piles of bird crap on our latest fashion/beauty shoot.  ”From Bird Shit to Beauty.”  The environment was rough…but the shots turned out incredible!  Can’t wait to show them off, but they are not quite ready yet.  Big thanks to a big crew (Janelle, Maryanne, Melinda, McKell, Steven Wood, Lauren, Bailey!)  Seriously a great day and a great team.  

Ori and Jeremy also came out to video the shoot.  So stay tuned for the new shots, as well as a very creative behind the scenes video, AND a new website in the near future.

Here’s a quick scene shot from the Boiler room.

Edge Eyewear was looking for a model that could pull off a “Sea Captain” look.  We ended up using my Dad (Michael Grant!)  Messing around during the shoot, without the glasses, we created this shot…

December 18, 2008 we were invited over to Gregory Haerr’s house, one of the stars of FOX’s “Secret Millionaire” show, to view the episode he was in.  Greg donated $150,000 total between three organizations and of course Melinda was crying throughout the whole show!  You can view more on Greg at Gregoryhaerr.com or www.fox.com/secretmillionaire/

Check out a shot we did for his webpage:

I’m working on a new project right now (all in my head so far.)  It involves a skate punk, and possibly an old lady.  Went out tonight to test phase one of the shots.  Hope to have the final shot finished within a few weeks…hopefully it’s as cool as the h2o shot.   (click shot to enlarge)

Photo.net called me and asked to interview me for an October 2008 article. When I first started photography I would post my work on Photo.net and learn from it wether from criticism or compliments.  I’m honored to be contacted by them.  The link is below if you want to read it:

Link: http://photo.net/featured-member/2008/september/justin-grant-commercial-photographer

I started December on a high note!  I just finished the H2o shot I had been working on over the last two weeks.  My new pride and joy!!  Many thanks to Melinda for the styling and makeup, Jaylene for the hair and my assistant Neo for pouring buckets of water in the freezing cold until we got the perfect water texture shots!  Hope you enjoy…

In October 2008 I shot the stunning Jennifer Taggert, soon to be Mrs. Neria, in her wedding gown.  I don’t shoot weddings but her boyfriend saw me in New York back in January and asked us if when he proposed to Jen he could tell her the news that I would be shooting her bridals!  He said he didn’t know what she was more excited about being proposed to or the news that she would be shooting with me! LOL  We did some really cool pictures so I had to share them…

Meli and I spent the weekend of Nov 14th, 2008 in Ogden, UT judging the Miss Utah USA pageant.  Ogden has some incredible restaurants and the pageant wined and dined us all weekend!  Who knew?  You must visit downtown Ogden.  The other judges were a lot of fun and overall the whole experience was great.  Laura Chukanov won the Miss Utah title and Tasha Smedley won the Miss Teen Utah title.  We sponsor the pageant and are excited to shoot both of them soon  Congrats ladies and to see more visit www.missutahusa.com!

I’m always asked how I got into photography, and I repeat the story of taking photos of my kids for fun, and realized I had a nack.  I stumbled onto some of the very first images today!  Thought I’d share…