32 Portraits in 2 Days

A few months ago, I was asked to help with the re-branding of a web site for a local financial group. I was told that I'd be photographing up to 32 advisers and support people from a local firm. I was also told that each image really needed to be exceptional and different. "We want personality", the AE emphasized.

Okay, normal people in front of a camera with sort of a time limit. Something different. Something exciting. These images needed to stand out. NO PROBLEM.

With my wonderful producer, Rosemary, we set out to put together the perfect scenario. We needed a few things: A space in the firm's office large enough for backgrounds and lighting, time, a stylist, assistants, and the freedom to work with each subject until we got it.

Can you believe we got it all? And, to boot, these normal people were anything but normal. Each one, perfect. Gorgeous and handsome. Great clothes.

Best of all I was able to work with an AD and AE and agency producer that let me do my job. The team from LKM rocked. Thank you so much. Let's do it again soon.

2 Days And Counting

I always know that Christmas is around the corner when I get the call from my pals John and Nick at Cotton and Crown. Time to shoot their annual Christmas poster. Always a pleasure, guys.

With each year comes a new concept. This year's concept included a Porta John and Santa Claus. While on set I also shoot an out-take video. This one had us (and the school kids gathered outside ImaginOn) laughing. Check out the un-edited video below and the Cotton & Crown version HERE.

United Way of Greenville

A campaign for the United Way of Greenville County fundraising effort recently launched in my home state of South Carolina. I am proud to have been brought in by Erwin-Penland to shoot the photography-driven posters and outdoor ads.

It has always been one of my policies to work with agencies and groups that do good things for people who are less fortunate. Giving back to the community is so important. With winter and the holiday season coming, we’ll all be asked to give. Maybe in the form of money or even a canned good. There are people out there that will need our help. Give a little or a lot, but just give.

As always, thanks for taking a look at my BLOG.

An Amazing Collaberative

After years of considering the benefits of a collaborative effort using my photography and the skills of a retouch artist, it's finally happening. I've been on this search now for quite a while. At times I thought that I had found the right team or the right person, only to fall short somehow. Maybe it was personality or maybe it just wasn't the right time. Now, I feel strongly that the time has come.

It's always been my goal to show the viewer something special, something they can’t see with their own eyes. Still, it has also been very important to me to maintain my aesthetic. Trends like the lens baby, cross processing, de-saturation, over sharpening, or those lovely fake film edges are okay, but should never carry the entire weight of a final image. Some say a trend is here today and gone tomorrow. Riding the wave of a trend might be nice, but to me it seems an unrealistic path. Keeping imagery classic has always been important to me. An image should last longer than the trend it was built on.

Part of what I like about the collaboration I'm fostering these days is attitude. The attitude it takes to see a project through. It's not only what I bring to the table; it's also what the re-toucher brings to the table. How can we both bring out of an image ALL that it has to say? Well, we have to listen. This is a relationship that has been built on listening. It's really like no other I know. I'm grateful. And this is how the story goes:

About a month ago I was called by an art director at an agency in Peoria, Illinois. He was in a pinch. Because of a NASCAR rain out, his photographer was suddenly and unexpectedly unavailable for a shoot that day. Tight deadlines meant the art director and client needed to shoot NOW, rather than wait for the photographer to be available. The MCP team went into action. My producer and I were able to postpone a shoot on my schedule, hire additional assistants, and get the truck packed. In less than an hour, we were on our way to Welcome, NC.

The assignment: shoot stills for an upcoming CAT sponsored contest while a video crew secured footage for web spots.

While loading in equipment and preparing to pull angles and light, I began a conversation with the digital assistant, Jason Dulin. We both thought that the standard NASCAR shot, driver and car on a cyc wall, had been DONE and DONE and DONE. As we talked more about what we could do with the time we were given (about 4 hours total), the collaboration was born and the decision was made to try something else. We're not the first to attempt a departure from the norm and we won't be the last, but for now we're very satisfied that we're on to something. We hope to do more work together in the future and we are dedicated to bringing something special to the table.

Thanks so much for visiting the BLOG today. Jason and I hope you like what you see.

To see more video and stills from the CAT Shoot please visit http://www.cat.com/daytona/home

Blogging

It seems often that I start my BLOG entries this way:

It’s been a while.

I’ve been told by the pro BLOGGERS out there that weekly entries are a must. I was reminded just recently when my wife and I found the rare free moment without kids to actually see a movie, Julie and Julia. It is, essentially, a movie about BLOGGING.

The movie was fantastic. A great story. I have to admit, though, that it left me feeling a bit, well, unworthy of my BLOG. I haven’t been honoring my duty as a BLOGGER. And, the worst of it is that I have so much to say. And as we all know, that’s what BLOGGING is all about.

So, as a BLOGGER I will try to do more. Hell, who knows, one day Hollywood might call and want to make a movie of my life. Doubtful, but possible.

Please Stand In

I remember fondly the days when I was assisting. The photographer would always, ALWAYS, ask me to stand in. It was just part of the job. I guess I didn't mind it too much. It's one of the reasons I have such a great record of the couple of years that I assisted. My favorite memory and image from those days documents my incredibly changing display of facial hair. In this case, in the form of a mustache. What can I say, Magnum PI was popular back in those days.

Enough about that and don't even ask because those images are safely put away in a bank vault far away.

The tables have turned and now I'm the guy asking the assistants to please stand in. Usually they are receptive and even happy about it. Today's lucky stand in was Lucas Rosin. Great guy and I have to say, photographs nicely.

Thanks Lucas for taking one for the team. Or should I say, thanks for letting me take one of the team.

From the Art Director's eyes.

To keep the theme going I thought I’d post another series of images from backstage. A VIP view into the world of a location shoot and best of all, it's from the perspective of the Art Director.
A ton of work went into planning this long week of photography at 7 different locations. It all started from the first call. Tim Bogert of Bolt Creative, a friend of nearly 15 years, called with a request for a quote. One of his clients was ready to push a series of products into the world of retail. It meant new packaging and point of sale for over 25 products. Thankfully he thought of us.

After working through product scenarios, uses, target consumers, schedules, and locations that really made sense, we were ready to go. After a month of planning, we set out for one week of shooting. Collectively, we all agreed that being REAL was the way to go. Only on a few shots did we choose to bring in hired talent. The rest of the shoot, we cast the real guy that uses these tools. Man, did it really work out well.

From a fiberglass-filled boat shop to a spotless race shop and an ant-infested farm to a dusty auto body shop (to name a few), we moved with great precision. Thanks again to Rosemary, everything was timed and the shoot moved like clockwork. And at the end of the week, we all felt two things, exhaustion and an incredible sense of accomplishment.

Check out some of the images captured by Tim. Thanks, pal, for the great coverage and the incredible project.