Charlotte School of Law Viewbook

As a commercial and advertising photographer, I most often create photographs that fit into a much larger puzzle of imagery for my clients. It's always nice when I have an opportunity to work with a great organization and art director to capture all of the images for an entire product line, a whole website, or a complete piece of collateral.

Just recently, I had an opportunity to do just that. I was asked to capture images for a new admissions book. The outcome of that shoot landed in my inbox a few days ago: the final PDF version of a printed Admissions Viewbook for the Charlotte School of Law. It is a great feeling to see a piece that is well designed and image-driven, especially when all the images are ones that I shot. I'm proud of this work and thoroughly enjoyed the process of creating it.

With about a dozen students standing by on shoot day, we were able to put together scenarios that made sense and made great photographs. We rolled from one scene to another using minimal lighting and just the right gear and camera angles. I'm really happy with the outcome. And I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to work with a killer art director.
Have a look.

A day in the Apple Orchard

It's apple season in the North Carolina Mountains. It's also a great time to hit the higher altitudes for a little relief from the heat and for a preview of what the weather will be like for the next few months. Cooler temperatures and lower humidity are just around the corner!

Along with great weather, you'll find two of my favorite things in the mountains - apples and home grown music. Put the two together and now you're talking about a perfect weekend. That's exactly what my girls and I did this past weekend.

Two hours from Charlotte and five minutes off the Blue Ridge Parkway, I find bliss. The apple trees and the music halls are absolutely full. So, take a drive, pick an apple, and listen to fine music.

Nice Surprises

Almost every time I hit the road on assignment, I find something that calls out to me "Photograph me." It can be something that has nothing to do with the assignment and very often it has to do with a life lesson.

On one very recent trip to South Carolina to photograph farmers, I was taken by the number of businesses closed and abandoned. With growth to blame, a large number of hotels, gas stations, and restaurants have been forgotten. Among the many I passed, I had an opportunity to stop and photograph just one. Looking back on the trip I wonder what it might have been like to live in the 60's. Traveling the back roads at a gentle pace, stopping occasionally to refuel or to grab a bite must have been very exciting.

In today's world we seem to want things quicker. We want more for less and we want it now. As parents my wife and I have discussed many times how we might make our children's lives more meaningful. One thing we agree on and that we sometimes have control over, is pace. So, let's all make a deliberate choice and sometimes take the slow road. I feel certain, we as a human race will find more gratification and more peace on the slower road.

It's probably too late for an entire generation of these old businesses and the buildings they occupied but it's not too late for us. So, get off the Interstate and take a path that, given the chance, I'm sure you'll love.