I’m not sure how to start this post since its not exactly fashion related but all FujiFilm driven. Then again, fashion is more about WHO YOU ARE versus what you wear and when the band HINDER dressed up RatPack style, the essence of their rocking entertainer attitude still shines through.

It all starts with a late night phone call from Joe “Blower” Garvey for a studio session for future promotional materials for next year’s casino tour. The band already had a shoot setup in Tulsa’s Hard Rock Casino earlier in the day, but having a backup plan is always wise specially if everyone is dressed up.

This was a perfect hard test for the X-T2 camera in the studio and tethering to the MacBook Pro would prove the reliability for other commercial sessions. Just think about how you would handle an internationally acclaimed music group walking into your studio for a casual shoot. It can be a little overwhelming on the photo tech side not to screw things up while balancing the raging excitement of a teenage girl on prom night. Frank Sinatra and the Las Vegas gang would approve with the tip of a martini glass and manly hat nod.

The setup was simple. White seamless background, Interfit S1 with a large beauty dish, two bare bulb Interfit Honey Badgers for edge lighting with the FujiFilm X-T2 mounted with XF 16-55mm f2.8, all feeding captures through a TetherTools orange cable into Adobe Lightroom for larger screen preview. Since the final images would be edited for an ultimate composite image, the camera rig was held steady using my favorite Vanguard Tripod AltaPro +2 263AT with a massive Alta BH-300 Ball Head ensuring camera registration for easier editing. All that Fujifilm gear has to be transported with the durable Think Tank Photo / SKB Rolling Hard Case 2011-7DL that helps me get a height boost occasionally. Yes, I trust it with my - over 200lbs - body load.

The one thing that wasn’t planned (or expected) was the need for a separate - paid - plug-in to tether to Lightroom called FUJIFILM Tether Shooting Plug-in. I really expected the software to natively connect to my new heartthrob without extra needed software. After installation and rebooting Lightroom, everything worked like a classic guitar riff in your favorite rock song.

Towards the end of the group shots, we opted for some solo performances from each member to add in composites later and true to their claim to fame as the Red Solo Cup Rock&Roll Soldiers each threw down some spice in an epic curtsy finale pose.

Here are those last images that captured the fashion side of Hinder’s Bad Boys. Comment below with your favorite band member and give us the why!

Special thanks to Jamie Cobb from PhotoVille for the use of the studio in Arcadia, OK. … oh and future FujiFilm shooter.