Blog

brother

This is my brother. He accompanied me on a recent portrait project and stood in for my test shot. I'm not able to publish the images we captured just yet, but I'm excited about this project! A book should result from it in the coming months. Thanks for your help, man!

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer

fleeting look | julie wheat

Graceful. Fleeting. Julie was a figure model in St. Louis. She was a welcome subject of mine for several years, and always professional. These images are some of my earliest work in the studio, and represent a time of great experimentation and study. Lit with a single Profoto in a large softbox, Julie's skin appears porcelain. I shot her against black seamless paper, then added the subtle blue and texture in Photoshop. Sometimes one light is all it takes.

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer

place of legends | monument valley

Tim Kotthoff. You've seen him here before. I've written about his extraordinary gifts as a video editor, a mentor, and a teacher. In May of 2011, we took to the road on a quest to conquer The American West with cameras. Maybe it was the mountain air, or maybe the ghosts of legends like John Ford, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne who walked here before us, but in the midst of the desert, most notably in Monument Valley, I watched this man come of age as a photographer. And he has the work to prove it. His black and white prints hang gracefully throughout the halls and offices of a St. Louis marketing agency, and they bring an epic element to the space. This shot most successfully communicates the triumph and grandeur I witnessed out there. We're going back. Soon.

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer + Cinematographer

the gem

On a recent location scout for a music video with none other than the legendary, Gary Winchester, we came across an abandoned movie theater that looked promising for what we had in mind. Not wanting to miss an oportunity for some great images, Gary jumped out on a mission to find a way inside. It wasn't long before this "Here's Johnny" moment presented itself, and I fired one frame from the car. Obviously, he was pleased with his success, and the images that resulted were as epic as that grin!

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer + Cinematographer

bridget + justin


I recently had the chance to pull off an engagement shoot on location for an old friend. We shot at a winery in St. Gen, where they are to be married this September. Bridget and Justin were great to work with, and we came away with some memorable images. Thanks to you both for sweating with me, and being great sports about it!

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer

the cracken | apple stl

Meet Eric McCracken. A genuine genius, a born leader, and a lover of hugs. This guy holds it down at the Apple Store, Galleria. You'll find him blazing a wizardry path behind the Genius Bar there. His role? None other than Lead Genius, AKA, Shot Caller. Really though, his sincerity and ability to empathize with a customer is unparalleled, and he's always willing to lend a helping hand. They're lucky to have him.

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Portrait + Commercial Photographer

tim kotthoff | editor extraordinaire

This is Tim Kotthoff. He's a man of many talents and one of the most talented and knowledgable editors I've ever worked with. I'm privileged to call him a friend! Tim's the kind of editor that can take an otherwise uninspiring mess of footage, sprinkle his magic editor dust on it, and deliver you something that will leave you asking yourself if you really shot it. His dedication to his craft is unmatched, and I've witnessed him continually learn and hone his ability over the years. His passion keeps him sharp as a tack, and his gentle way of directing a project brings the best out of everyone involved. I look forward to our next great adventure!

Cheers, sir.

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Photographer + Cinematographer

sisters

Meet Robin and Erin. Two of the sweetest girls I've ever met. They wanted to do a maternity shoot, and I was happy to oblige. After shooting some casual images, we decided to kick it up a notch and take a more commercial approach to the classic belly bump shot. I worked to rim light their curves, and accentuate the beauty of the female form while expecting. These two images are my favorites from the shoot! Ladies, thanks for hanging out and trusting me to experiment with our direction!

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Portrait + Commercial Photographer

katie + maisy | volleyball

These two girls are awesome. They are fierce competitors and are both in the running for volleyball scholarships when the time comes! I was hired to create portraits of them for the purpose of sending to agents and coaches, and I thought what better way to feature an athlete than to treat this as a shoot for a Nike campaign or the Olympics. With that in mind, I worked to create striking (no pun intended), attentiona grabbing images of both girls to elevate their image and help them on their quest to a higher level of play.

Thanks for hanging out and best of luck to you both!

Ryan Walters  |  St. Louis Portrait + Commercial Photographer