Sitting in Traffic

Have you ever stopped at a stop light and looked at the people in the cars around you?

Each one is the center of their own world. Each one is the ruler of all they survey from within their mobile glass and steel microcosm. They can exert total control over this little world, directing where it goes and even how warm or cold it is inside.

And, within that bubble, anything they do is justified. After all, they are the center of that little universe, with God-like powers.

Or, maybe I am projecting a bit...

Have you ever sat at a stop light and realized that someone was watching you from the next car?

The image above was created a few years ago, based on an actual event. I was the little boy in the window in the background...

Back to the Tongues

Yes, we're back to the tongues.

I was looking through the archive for some other images and came across this little gem of a portrait of a good friend of mine who was just starting out his business and wanted a unique portrait instead of the industry standard, driver's license/passport photo headshot.

Of course, this was not the one he chose for his publicity campaign!

We started out with a very serious looking image and gradually broke it down until we were just laughing out loud about bad jokes (mostly mine).

Eventually, we came around to more casual expressions and captured some real expressions.

He said something interesting about the process and the goal of the shoot. He said that, while the photo was of him and looked like him, its reason to exist wasn't about him. As a personal photo, he didn't really like the portrait because, well, he wasn't 18 years old, etc. I can relate.

The important measure of success for the photo was how it would appeal to his target audience. Would they like it? Would they feel comfortable with this image? Would it help them to feel comfortable hiring him? Did it have the elements (props, wardrobe, expression, background, lighting, pose, etc) that would help the audience identify with him?

That would be the true measure of a successful marketing portrait.

But, I still like the tongue shot!

Cat Poster in Layers Magazine

Yes, you have seen this one before. In fact, it was part of an August 07 blog.

However, I just had to brag a bit about getting it into Layers - The How-To Magazine for Everything Adobe.

Of course, as a commercial photographer, you get to see your work in print all the time. However, there is something special about having your work chosen to be published, rather than specifically commissioned. It is like winning a contest.

My bank account would much rather be commissioned, but I still get a warm, fuzzy feeling from the contests. Plus, as I said, bragging rights!

If you have the January/February 08 issue, it is on page 28, in the Digital Canvas section.

Happy New Year!

Okay, so this is the last time we procrastinate our holiday card! Still, you get a whole year to do thank you cards after a wedding. So...?

Big doings in the works for this year. New Years Resolutions include things like updated goals, better planning, less procrastinating, new personal photography projects to keep me fresh for the all important client shoots.

Also, contacting old clients that I might have lost touch with and suggesting projects to my favorite collaborators.

Plus, finish building the new office, look for bigger photo studio space and spend time with the family.

Gonna be a fun year for commercial photography. Hope you can join me!

The picture above was done in the studio. The background was added after.

Posters and Composites

One of my constant inspirations is the art of the movie poster. Where else does the art of compositing come together to express the idea of a two hour span of time? It makes heros and villans larger than life. It conveys the central theme and drama (or comedy or whatever) to an audience through the common visual language. It is a dialog that happens in one composition.

For a while now, I have been exploring this art with a local community theater. (Yes, the same one that I just completed a 31 portrait series of its members. You can still order the book by clicking the link to the right.)

Once again, I was able to team up with Kristin MacDougall, on of the fine producers at the Footlight Club, and we brainstormed a poster design for Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Sleeping Beauty or Coma, two Charles Busch plays.

Principle photography took place over a few short hours, photographing the available actors, in costume, on a white background. Compositing and final design, however, took around 6 hours to put together the poster and banner to advertise the show.


This makes my sixth poster series for the club and I look forward to our next project together!

Real People - Education Ad

What can you do with "real people"? Well, anything you can with models, of course!

But, both the photographer and the creative who concepts the marketing piece need to keep in mind some limitations. Models and actors are used to being the center of attention and understand that what they are doing is part of a "greater whole".

"Real People" or non-models, often do not understand what we are working to create and may feel uncomfortable on center stage.

This means that the photographer and producers need to be very careful on how to handle and coach the non-model to get the best results. A photographer must be sensitive and empathetic to the person who gets put on the spot.

Of course, this is true for any subject in front of my lens! Models, non-models, C-level people or even products all have needs and desires that play into the dynamics of the production.

This, to me, is what makes this kind of shooting fun!

Reflections at the Footlight Club

The book project is almost done!

Last Saturday, we completed the final photography and started laying out the actual book.

The people in the photographs are getting their stories in to me and we hope to have it all completed and ready for the printer by the end of January.

For those not familiar with the project, I set out to document the current members of the Footlight Club, America's Oldest Community Theater, in Jamaica Plain, MA. I wanted to capture them in their self assigned roles, and learn about how and why they became involved in this institution.

The book, due to be published through Lulu.com, is going to be used as a fund raising tool and marketing tool for the group.

Stay tuned to find out about the actual publish date and the kick off party at the theater in April.

The photo above is Tonee, one of the stage managers at the club.