Mark Ruddick Mark Ruddick

Dance Shoot with Megan

I had some extra time in the studio last week and Megan came in to shoot a little dance with me. I had worked with Megan before as a ring girl from a boxing show. Megan was great and we did a little head shot work afterwards.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Teaser image from Fitness Photo Shoot

Bianca, a personal trainer for REFORM Fitness came to the studio for promotional images. She's very athletic and a kick boxer who was really willing to make some serious moves to great great images. Outstanding physique and an outstanding attitude make for a superior photo shoot. Keep an eye out for more images in the next few weeks from this set.

Toronto fitness model and personal trainer Bianca posing in studio showing off her abs.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Boxing images from United Promotions Boxing in Toronto

I went to Mississauga on Friday night for the United Promotions Boxing show. There were some entertaining fights on the card that say Josh O'Reilly move to 9-0 after crushing his opponent's body with a devastating left. Always a good time to get ringside for some fights in Toronto.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Athletic Nudes with Ballerina Annelie (NSFW)

A dancer contacted me on Facebook about modeling for my athletic nude series. I had never photographed dance before but sometimes you just go for it. Annelie is a travelling ballerina with the Canada's Ballet Jorgen based in Toronto. She had just finished up a nation-wide tour and was heading back to Europe the next week. The photo shoot came together super quick and we only had a narrow window to work together at the studio due to her travel schedule. In the 90 minutes we did have, dozens of beautiful images were made. Her grace, power and athleticism were apparent in her warm up. She did insane stretches seemingly without effort. For me it was like photographing poetry. I would love to work with her again when she returns.

If there are any other dancers out there (male or female) that would like to participate in the project, please contact me.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Athletic Nudes with Stefan

Stefan came to the studio to pose for my athletic nude series. Stefan is a former amateur boxer and now a fitness competitor. We did some standard fitness type poses and then broke out into some motion images. Fitness images are much more engaging with motion and muscles under load. Stefan was great and was up to try any poses / movement I had in mind. His physique showed well under the lights and I think we got some very good images.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Paint Photo Shoot with Tank Joey and Jaclyn (NSFW)

Models Tank Joey and Jaclyn came to the studio last week to have some fun with paint. I started with two large drop cloths to cover the floor and then placed white paper over top for a high key look. For lighting we use 3 lights, 2 lighting the background and a 7' parabolic with diffusion cover as the main light. I wanted to show colour more than muscle which is why I went with the softer look. Paints were finger paints from the local art supply store. Each of us had a couple of ideas and poses in mind, after that we just played with the paints. It really makes my job easier working with two really good models who know how to move and pose and smile, even when the paint is cold. After we did the duo shoot Joey stayed for a bit and we got some extra images as that man's audience are voracious consumers of his media. It was a good night and clean up was far less messy than expected.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Fitness Photo Shoot with Fitness Competitor Lindsay

Fitness competitor and model Lindsay came into the studio to do some fitness lifestyle images. I had done a winter outdoor photo session with Lindsay before and this time she came in even better shape. We shot a mix of high key and grey paper backgrounds in fitness and workout clothes and some body suits as well. We had fun that night and the client is very happy with the images she has received.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Cosplay Photo Shoot with Fitness Model

Fitness model Marcin had an idea for a Wolverine cosplay shoot. I love it when people come to me with their ideas. Marcin and I have done multiple fitness photo shoots together before and I knew he's come in, in great shape; he didn't disappoint. We shot a series of various poses and then decided on which ones we were going to have backgrounds added to. Some images we just edited up on a black background and others we went all out on. Fix the Photo did the digital art on the background images. Below you can see the evolution of one of the images from out of the camera, to edited, to digital art.

Contact me if you want to do  something creative and fun with your image.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Business Headshots with my Makeup Person

"Best client ever" - Melissa O'Leary

Melissa O'Leary of Melissa O Makeup needed some pictures for her website and social media. Melissa has been my go to person for makeup over the last couple of years. From fitness to creative, she really knows her stuff. She and I have worked on at least 20 different projects and have many more lined up. We shot a bunch of different looks and a couple of our favourites are below.

If you're looking for headshots for your business, please contact me and we'll setup a photo session.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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5 Tips for Preparing for Your Fitness Photo Shoot

I photograph a lot of fitness competitors, model and athletes. Just like any competition preparation for the photo shoot is key. Here are a few things to consider once you've booked your photo shoot.

Style, Theme & Communication

Figure out what style of session you are looking for. If you have ideas for poses or pictures, please send sample photos to me or bring some magazine cut outs on the day of the shoot. Give some thoughts on how you want your pictures to look. (Hard core gym, commercial fitness, something a little sexy)

I have a fully equipped commercial photo studio with lots of fitness equipment but we can do the session outdoors or in a gym. I have access to fight clubs and private gyms all over Ontario so if you have a location idea in mind, let me know and we'll set it up.

Many of the people I work with have never had a photo shoot done before. That’s no problem, I’m very good at helping people pose and coming up with ideas. I show you the back of the camera a lot and demonstrate how a small positioning change makes a huge difference with the final picture. 

If you don’t like part of your body or are uncomfortable with something, let's discuss it. We’ll come up with poses and looks to minimize it.

Clothing

Clothing is important. If you are spending money on a photo shoot, have the right clothes for the pictures you want. It’s great when a model shows up with a big bag of clothes. Too many choices are better than not enough. You’ll get more looks with more clothes. Clean athletic shoes are important. Make sure the clothing is clean, not wrinkled and not faded. Have matching or coordinating clothing with minimal logos. The day of the shoot, don't wear any tight clothes as you will be able to see elastic lines on your skin.

Tan / Hair and Makeup

A nice base or spray tan will help define your muscles and show off all of your hard work. You don’t need to go as dark as a competition tan. Tanning professional can steer you towards the proper shade. Blotchy self tans or old spray tans look terrible in pictures and require a lot of extra editing. If you are going to tan, use a professional.

Hair and makeup always looks best when handled by a professional. I have access to some great hair and makeup people. That said I have shot very successfully where models have done their own hair and makeup.

Posing

Practice the poses you want to photograph. The more you practice the more you’ll see which way your body looks best. The more comfortable you are with your poses the more shots we can take and the more ideas we can explore. If you don’t have any poses, don’t worry I’ve spent the last couple of years pantomiming fitness poses from bikini to bodybuilder. We’ll figure out what looks best for your physique.

Things to Bring

A few things to bring to the shoot that will make it go much smoother. My studio is very well equipped with the essentials but it's always good to bring:

  • Snack / meal (posing is hard work, you will get hungry)
  • Drink (I have water bottles and coffee at the studio but if you're on prep and need something specific)
  • Hair Tie (if you have long hair)
  • Hairbrush
  • Oil or lotion for your skin
  • Jewelry and accessories you want in the pictures
  • Sponsor clothing to give shout outs to the people helping you

I'd love to document your fitness journey, contact me (mruddick@markruddick.com) to set up your shoot.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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Fitness and Boxing Photo Shoot with Sam

Agency represented (Swagger Management) model Sam came down from Toronto to work with me a couple of weeks ago. We split the day between Powerhouse Training Systems and Warriors Boxing and Fitness.  I've worked with Sam a couple of times before in Toronto and he always brings a great enthusiasm to the shoot as well as a killer physique and work ethic.

I have access to cool locations like these for photoshoots as well as my fully equipped studio. So if you need images done for sponsors, agencies, promotions or just you, message me and we'll set it up.

We went for a bit of a cinematic feel for this image.

We went for a bit of a cinematic feel for this image.

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SHAW BOXING 2017 - Pro Boxing in Toronto

The Shaw Boxing event is a fund raising event held every year to benefit the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I was shooting for Below the Belt Magazine and Dameon Okposio.

Kevin Higson defeated Ryan Young by decision to capture the North American and Canadian super welterweight titles.

Tim Cronin defeated Nathan Millier in a close decision to become the new Canadian Light Heavyweight champion

Tariq Ismail defeats Dylan Rushton in his professional boxing debut in a 4 round decision.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

- The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about, the era of Shaw’s lifetime.  In the Spirit of George Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival provokes the mind and stirs the soul through a theatre experience so compelling that, year after year, ever broadening groups of artists, audiences and supporters are drawn to our work in Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond. The Shaw produces 10 to 12 plays each season, with approximately 800 performances in our four theatres, to audiences totaling about 300,000 people.

- The Shaw Boxing event provides a unique opportunity to interact with clients and network with colleagues in the business community, during the reception and throughout the evening. Hosted at the venerable Fairmont Royal York, guests enjoy first class hospitality throughout the evening including a gourmet dinner, wine, after-dinner spirits, and refreshments during the boxing matches. The three bouts are professionally sanctioned fights, providing the chance to enjoy high-quality sporting action close to their table. The guest list includes 700+ CEOs and senior executives from the ranks of Canada’s leading companies including audit, tax & advisory, major banks, law, investment, private equity, and real estate.

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Duo Shoot with Models Jesse and Krista

Models Jesse Cronk and Krista Rushton got together at my studio for a duo shoot. Special thanks to Lace Canada who provided the lingerie and underwear for the shoot. The clothing looked great on the models. We started out with some silhouettes in front of a massive softbox, the did some black and white on grey and finished up with some high key images on white. Both models were great and we had a lot of fun on the photo shoot.

Models Jesse Cronk and Krista Rushton got together at my studio for a duo shoot. Special thanks to Lace Canada who provided the lingerie and underwear for the shoot. The clothing looked great on the models. We started out with some silhouettes in front of a massive softbox, the did some black and white on grey and finished up with some high key images on white. Both models were great and we had a lot of fun on the photo shoot.

Thanks to Melissa O Makeup for doing the makeup for the shoot.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a photographer servicing London, Ontario and Toronto who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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SHAW BOXING - Pro Boxing in Toronto

The Shaw Boxing event is a fund raising event held every year to benefit the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This year on April the 4th is a great night of fights. I've personally know 5 of the 6 boxers on the card and have previously photographed 4 of them.

The Shaw Boxing event is a fund raising event held every year to benefit the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This year on April the 4th is a great night of fights. I've personally know 5 of the 6 boxers on the card and have previously photographed 4 of them.

There are some real good fights on this card, especially the main event. I photographed both of those fighters multiple times. I'm hoping Higson / Young becomes a by-word for great Canadian boxing. I'm covering the event for Below the Belt Magazine.

Kevin Higson - NABA Champion

Ryan Young - NCC Canadian Champion

Tim Cronin

Dylan Rushton

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

- The Shaw Festival produces and presents the work of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and playwrights writing anywhere in the world during, or about, the era of Shaw’s lifetime.  In the Spirit of George Bernard Shaw, the Shaw Festival provokes the mind and stirs the soul through a theatre experience so compelling that, year after year, ever broadening groups of artists, audiences and supporters are drawn to our work in Niagara-on-the-Lake and beyond. The Shaw produces 10 to 12 plays each season, with approximately 800 performances in our four theatres, to audiences totaling about 300,000 people.

- The Shaw Boxing event provides a unique opportunity to interact with clients and network with colleagues in the business community, during the reception and throughout the evening. Hosted at the venerable Fairmont Royal York, guests enjoy first class hospitality throughout the evening including a gourmet dinner, wine, after-dinner spirits, and refreshments during the boxing matches. The three bouts are professionally sanctioned fights, providing the chance to enjoy high-quality sporting action close to their table. The guest list includes 700+ CEOs and senior executives from the ranks of Canada’s leading companies including audit, tax & advisory, major banks, law, investment, private equity, and real estate.

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Pet Photography with Sara, Chester and Otis

I've been playing around with dog portraits in the last little while and it is a fun outlet, totally different from my fitness photography. Sara (who I had done some fashion work with) came into studio earlier this winter with her dogs Chester and Otis. They were both cute dogs and enjoyed exploring the studio. We did some solo pictures and some pet and owner pictures as well.

- Mark Ruddick Photography is a full service London, Ontario photographer who specializes in fitness, boxing and mma photography

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