New Branding and a Look Back

It's been a long time since I've had a look at this BLOG.  Like most people I wonder, who in the world looks at this and who in the world reads it.  That's a valid thought but it's not a valid concern.  As soon as we begin to do things just for others we loose the true path.

Writing in this BLOG has always been one of my favorite things to do.  First of all, I enjoy the written word.  Secondly, I enjoy sharing.  I remember when I left 1st grade and went into 2nd my biggest disappointment was that there was no longer show and tell.

It's a great way for us to become better human beings.  Allowing others to see a bit of ourselves helps us all realize that we're not all that different after all.

About a year ago I began the process of rebranding.  It's been a long process but one that has reenergized me and renewed my desire to continue this journey in photography.  At the request of my designer/consultant I went way back into the files in search of why I shoot.  Why did I choose photography?

What I found was photography chose me.  It's all I've ever wanted to do.  It's my way to express myself.  It's my way to speak.  It's not my job, it's my life.  I'll be honest, there are sides of this career that can burn you out and break you.  That's the career side and it's important to remember, a career is only that, a career.  To be a photographer is much more than a career and in that realization there is true joy.

So, I'll continue making photographs and studying light.  Hopefully I'll continue to make a living at it, my kids are counting on me.  But in all the joy and in all the strife that photography is I will never turn my back.

All my best,

Mike

BVI

The British Virgin Islands. If you've been there, I really don't need to say much more. Just recently I had the incredible pleasure of enjoying much of its beauty while circumnavigating the island of Tortola on a 43 foot catamaran.

For a very long time now I've had a dream of piloting a sailboat around the islands. Any islands would have been fine, but now that I've seen them, the BVI takes the cake. Well, my dream came true last week. Alongside my father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law and my wife and our oldest daughter, a voyage was launched.

Let me describe the mood. The weather was perfect. Wind blowing about 15 knots, easy seas, and a light overcast. The provisions were managed, the beer was cold, and Buffett was playing over the speakers. Our lines were cast at about 10:30 AM and we were off. With my father-in-law at the helm, The Batida was underway and within minutes under sail power. Our trip had begun.

For six days we had incredible sailing, swimming, snorkeling, and good times as a family. We experienced new culture, great locations, gorgeous reefs, perfectly clear water, and wonderful food. It was a trip of a lifetime. A dream come true like no other.

Normally this might be where I leave you and say thanks for reading but there's one more personal note to add. The water is where I feel closest to my father, a man that spent over half his life in the Coast Guard and on the world's seas. He died when I was 16. Though we did spend some time together on the water, I never had the chance to sail with him. It's something I regret.

So as I took the pilot's wheel the end of our last day, I thought of one thing, my father. I steered The Batida home the last few miles and I heard his voice. I listened carefully as he directed me to the docks. Our trip had been a successful one and the last few miles were an incredible gift.

Until next time Captain Carroll, if the course is hard, still steer.

And now I'll say thanks for reading. Have a great voyage.

A 'Typical' Day

Recently, someone asked me what my typical work day is. The question came in the course of a casual conversation with a person I’d just met. She has a talent for photography, so when I told her I was a Producer for a local commercial photographer, she was interested in finding out more.

What IS my typical day at work? It’s a question that usually brings a laugh from me. Not an easy question to answer. I’ve tried answering it a few ways. ‘Well, each day is different.’ Or... ‘The great thing is that there really isn’t a typical day.’

But neither of those answers really answers the question properly. They usually suffice as answers in casual conversation, but like I said, this person wanted to know more. So during this recent conversation, I recounted what I had done that day for an upcoming out of town shoot. Researched photo assistants, stylists, and equipment rentals in Seattle for an upcoming shoot. Booked an assistant and a stylist for a shoot. Reserved hotel rooms in Seattle. Acquired a Certificate of Insurance for an equipment rental. Looked into taxi & public transportation vs a car rental in Seattle. Began a production book/job sheet for the shoot.
And then there were the couple of other projects I was just beginning to estimate and the one I was wrapping up and billing.

While the tasks I performed that day are tasks I do often, it’s stretching it to say that it was a typical day. The most typical thing about it was that I was juggling a few projects. Spending part of my day on one shoot, switching gears to another, and then back to the first. Some
people go to work and have a very typical day in every sense of the word. They repeat tasks over and over. Or they deal with clients or customers in the same manner day in and day out. While there are tasks that I repeat daily or weekly, there are so many more tasks, conversations, places, and people that are different every day or every week in my work. It’s a refreshing challenge.

Slowing Down

As we all become more digital and we begin to use more tools to speed us about, I think we're loosing sight of what's important. Slowing down, though, is a conscious decision that takes some effort. Smelling the roses first takes finding the roses.

I may be preaching to the choir on this one but here I go: Slow down please is my message today. Look up and say hello to the person in front of you. Stop texting. Stop tweeting. Stop Facebooking. Just stop. Say hello to your children, to your spouse, to your mom, to your dad. Just say hello.

Okay, the preaching is over. How do we slow down? How do we stop even if it's for 2 seconds? It's tough, I know. We all have deadlines and we all have so much to say. Oddly enough, when I sat down to put this entry together it was not meant to be a message about slowing down and what ties me to this message will be odd to you for sure.

As I drove around today looking at locations, meeting with my producer, grabbing lunch, picking up my daughter and my taxes, I discovered that I was going a lot slower. Want to know why? Because I was driving a new car. That's right, a new car. Well, new to me. Why slower? Because this morning, after much debate and consideration, my good friend Michael Brawely decided to finally part with his 1977 Mercedes 240D. Let me tell you, it moves methodically.

And as I drove around to run these errands I noticed that I was present. I had the windows down to enjoy the great weather. I didn't pick up my phone to check email or even to text. I just drove. Maybe that's what life really is supposed to be like. Maybe that's what life was like in 1977. I think that's the ticket.

So this is my request to any of you that read my BLOG. Join me in slowing down and if you see me tooling around in my new 240D, please don't yell out HEY MICHAEL BRAWELY.

And now, a word from Rosemary

Rosemary has been working as my producer for nearly 5 years now. She joined the team after working at The Light Factory as their office manager and events coordinator. She's been a natural addition to the team here and has grown to be so much more than a producer. Let's just say without her I'd likely need 10 calendars, a couple of bookkeepers, a digital tech or two, and a bunch of interns.

With all that said, it's time for us to introduce her to the BLOG as an occasional contributor. I look forward to her upcoming posts and can't wait to have a view from her perspective.

These are a few images of Rose hard at work. As always, hope you enjoy.

Latest Travels

Just last week my crew and I, along with an art director, headed to DC. What a trip. My previous visit to our nation's capitol was about 6 years ago. It was a road trip and with every road trip there are special moments. A friend and I found ourselves touring monuments at 11:00 o'clock one evening. The first thing that grabbed us, no trouble parking and no lines. We roamed through the Lincoln memorial, around the Capitol steps, and visited Pennsylvania Ave. Other than the eerie alone feeling we had, we were blown away by how each monument stood out in the darkness with incredible lighting. Let's just say, I took a lot of pictures.

On this most recent trip, things were very different. First of all, I was there to work. There was scouting to do, logistics to manage, and crowds to control. Scouting was easy; we rented a cab for a couple of hours. Logistics, also easy. We were told by the Office of Public Information (tax dollars at work) that we could photograph anything we wanted to, as long as we shot from the sidewalk. Crowds? No way to control this, so I just didn't try. Two out of three ain't bad.

All in all my shoot went well. More on that in a latter post. For now have a look at these images from my time scouting and roaming around. DC is an amazing place. Please take time and visit. You won't be disappointed.

Yes, I have a new hobby

If you're a commercial photographer, it's likely that your hobby has turned into a career. This is true for me. One day I'm just playing around with a camera I purchased for 10 dollars at a yard sale, and the next moment I'm doing it for a living.

Well, not exactly. It's been about 30 years since I purchased that Yashica Mat 124G from the yard sale, but it feels like yesterday. The journey began that day and slowly photography became my passion. From shooting for my high school to studying at The Art Institute of

Atlanta, photography became my life. During late nights in the dark room with only the smell of fixer and really loud music to accompany me, I honed my craft. I was hooked the first time I watched a black and white print appear magically in the developer. Now I'm 99% digital and I have to tell you I really miss those times.

So, onto my new hobby, sailing. From the moment I was asked to crew on a J24 in The Key West Annual Regatta until today, I have slowly become a sailor. With the guidance of a few great guys I have learned the difference between a casual day on the lake and the feeling of 8 foot seas, racing within arms length of 20 other boats. Intense moments that make sailing what it is to me.

In the past few weeks the crew and I have been training for The Charleston Race Week. Never before have I been exposed to so much instruction and brutal repetition. From tacking to flying spinnakers I have found new muscles. And let me tell you, they ache with joy. There is nothing like it. I have to only hope that by April all the hard work pays off and we show well in the waters off of Charleston, SC.

I want to thank my fellow crew members Michael Brawley, Joe Corriher and Paul Zarbatany for all their patience and leadership. These guys are my friends. Here's to ya. Here's to ya.