About Syl Arena
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN PASO ROBLES
When Syl and Amy Arena moved to Paso Robles from Phoenix during the summer of 1997, their young family included two sons – Tom (age 4) and Vin (age 3). Four months later their third son, Tony, was born at Twin Cities. Syl remembers at the time that it was difficult to get dinner downtown after 8:00pm. Their family, as measured by the size of their boys, has experienced growth similar to that of Paso.
St. Rose School has been an integral part of the Arena household. Tom attended for nine years (K-8th) and now attends Paso High. Vin and Tony were enlisted in Pre-K and have known no other school. The Arenas (at least the parental ones) appreciate the rigerous, value-based curriculum that St. Rose offers.
Syl has served as Senior Warden (board president) of St. James’ Episcopal Church. Currently he serves on the board of the Paso chapter of the American Youth Soccer Association (”AYSO”) and as a Webelos Leader in Pack 65.
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PHOTOGRAPHIC SPECIALTIES
Syl’s slogan is “Creative Services for Cultured Clients™ - Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Viticulture “
Agriculture: Creating great photographs of California farms and ranches is a unique ability in the world of commercial photographers. Most photographers seldom think about who produced the food they eat - nor do they focus on creating beautiful photographs of California farm products. Syl Arena traces his roots in farming and ranching through four generations of his family to the founding of the Arena Fruit Co. in 1888. As a youth, Syl spent most summers working on his family’s farm west of Phoenix. He has never lost his connection to agriculture — nor his awareness of how vital modern images of farming can be to the industry. Knowing how to photograph food produced by California’s farms with an understanding of the heritage of the state’s vast farming resources is one of Syl Arena’s greatest skills. Agricultural photography calls upon a wide range of photography technique — shoots can range from macro photographs of fruits and vegetables to photographic portraits of farm workers, farmers and consumers to panoramic photographs of farms and ranches.
Horticulture / Floriculture: Syl spent more than a decade working in horticulture. As a former producer and distributor of unique garden roses, Syl honed his skills as a botanic photographer. Many images from his extensive collection of rose photographs have been licensed by leading publishers: including Martha Stewart Living, Sunset Magazine and Ortho Books. Capturing natural beauty while photographing flowers requires both a deep sense of aesthetics and photographic technique. Fortunately, Syl’s home in Paso Robles is centrally located to many of California’s leading breeders of flowers. Syl has also photographed gardens throughout California — including the famous rose collection at The Huntington Library near Pasadena, the Rose Hills International Rose Trial garden east of Los Angeles, the Walk of Roses near San Diego, Gaal’s Little Acre east of Ventura and the Flower Fields north of San Diego.
Food / Wine: Building upon the vast resources of the state’s heritage in agriculture, California is home to many of the nation’s finest producers of artisanal foods and beverages. Further, Paso’s 150+ wineries and thousands of acres of vineyards, make it a natural for Syl to photograph food and wine. Whether photographing on location or in the studio, Syl has the experience and tools necessary to create captivating images of our unique lifestyle on California’s central coast.
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PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PUBLICATION — MAGAZINES, ANNUAL REPORTS AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
As an editorial photographer, Syl Arena is qualified to produce creative photographs for use in magazine, annual reports and corporate communications. His photographs have been published by Sunset Magazine, Martha Stewart Baby, Garden Compass, Pacific Coast Nurseryman. Photographing for magazines, annual reports and corporate communications frequently requires that the photographer work on location. Syl Arena is very adept as a location photographer. Depending upon the vision of the art director, he can create natural light photographs or photos that are creatively lit as if they were shot in a photo studio. As a magazine photographer, Syl Arena understands the importance of delivering a portfolio with a wide range of options and the importance of delivering that work on time.
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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY ASSOCIATIONS
Syl holds himself to the highest standards of the photo industry. He is a professional member of many leading organizations, including:
American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), an association of professional photographers who work in many sectors
Editorial Photographers (EP), a professional association of magazine photographers
Advertising Photographers of America (APA), a trade association for photographers who work in advertising photography
Stock Artists Alliance (SAA), the association for photographers who license stock photography, and
PLUS Coalition — the consortium of photographers and other industries that promotes the licensing system known as UsePlus
Further, California Photographer Syl Arena is listed in the Adobe Photographer’s Directory.
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FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY / AN EDUCATED PHOTOGRAPHER
Syl earned his BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona during the 1980s. As a student, he spent considerable time studying the masterworks of modern photographic art at the nearby Center For Creative Photography. Prior to attending art school at the University of Arizona, Syl studied at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara — just two hours from his current home in Paso Robles.
Syl participates in many workshops each year. The Santa Fe Photographic Workshops are a particular favorite. He has also studied with Mac Holbert and John Paul Caponigro at the Fine Art of Digital Printing. Syl looks forward to attending the Palm Springs Photo Festival each spring.
