Harris RF Communications turns 50!
November 5th, 2010
Last summer, both John Myers and I worked on a really fantastic environmental portrait project for one of our favorite clients! The job we were hired to photograph for Harris Corporation’s RF Division would be one of several projects from the past year that allowed our studio to exhibit it’s ability to handle large-scale, or challenging projects by involving two photographers in its execution. This “Increased Ability” is one of several things that sets Myers Creative Imaging apart from most other commercial photography companies in our region.
We at Myers Creative Imaging have been so very fortunate to have had so many long-term clients over the years. We take pride in developing lasting relationships with our client’s companies, and have made many good friends in the process. It’s fitting, then, that a project like this one, that I would come to love so much, would be produced for one of our longest-lasting clients, Harris Corporation. In our best estimation, this relationship has been nurtured for the past 14 years. These are the folks we eat donuts in the desert with, the clients that clamber over rocky terrain with us, the art directors that breathe sand with us all day long, that lay on their bellies on the rugged ground beside us. They are truly some of the most excellent people.
During the course of this project, I created environmental portraits of 27 Harris RF employees over a three-and-a-half day period in Rochester, NY, and John photographed a 28th person while he was shooting on location in Texas for Harris RF’s Public Safety Division. This was also my first real opportunity to have worked alongside Kate Sonnick, a wonderfully creative writer, who conducted interviews with each of the people I had photographed.
Our subjects were people who came from many different areas of expertise, and backgrounds. Of the 28 people photographed, sixteen of the portraits would be chosen and used in a series of seven-foot tall banners that would hang in the convention center where the Harris Corporation 50th Anniversary Celebration was held. Each banner would be comprised of one person’s portrait and would feature a significant, “inspirational” quote that Kate drew from her interview with that person. The headline at the top of each banner read” “50 years. Harris RF Communications: Celebrating Our Past, Our People, Our Possibilities.”
For me, much of the “inner-fulfillment factor” of this job was having the opportunity to meet, learn about, and interact with so many interesting people in such a short, intense period of time. We had a really great time with everyone we worked with, and tried to make the portrait sessions fun experiences for each of the subjects! There was quite a bit of joking around going on as I recall, and plenty of good laughing! Three-and-a-half days may sound like a mini-vacation to some, but when cameras and lighting gear are getting deployed and then disassembled for each of the portrait sessions, and location changes are made, adhering to a predetermined schedule can be a bit ambitious! Thankfully, I had the fine help of K. Nicole Murtagh and Inga Mucha to help with the hustle, and keep things on schedule. Even considering that, I don’t mind admitting that I was pretty wiped out at the end of the day!
The images you see in this post are miniaturized versions of the large (seven-foot tall) banners that were produced. These and the remaining portraits were also used in smaller-scale display materials such as posters and table-tents. I wish I could have seen the final presentation live and in-person, but was able to see photographs of the decorated convention center later on. Everything looked so great! It was exciting to have been part of a project that, symbolically, brought attention to the many, many dedicated individuals who have put their heart and souls into their work to help make Harris RF Communications what it is today. Cool stuff.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Tisa Zito at Braddock Bay
November 3rd, 2010
It’s not too often, this time of year, that I’ll take time away from my weekends of bowhunting to work on extra projects that always seem to pop up! Usually, I tend to cringe if someone asks to steal some of my October or November “free-time.” This request, however, had a sense of urgency that I had to cave in to. My friend, Tisa Zito, a filmmaker, had come to me needing a new portrait that she could use for her self-promotion. We had been talking about this back and forth for a little while, but with our busy schedules, it had been difficult to agree upon a shoot date. She had sent me a text message, though, earlier in the week, announcing her imminent move to Oregon. If we were going to do this thing, it had to be now! We made a plan for Sunday afternoon at Braddock Bay State Park, along the southern shores of Lake Ontario. Despite the lousy weather forecast, we did quite nicely in the field, avoided all but the wind and cold, and got some beautiful photographs.
Tisa met me at the studio in the city that afternoon. She was just coming from work, and I had been on a morning hunt in Canandaigua. I had already loaded the camera, laptop and lighting gear into the truck when she showed up with her “sippy-cup” full of black coffee. We hopped in the Tundra and headed out of Rochester in the direction of Braddock Bay. Tisa’s coffee was smelling awfully tempting to me, so after a quick stop at Starbucks for a Venti Pike, I was good-to-go.
The weather forecast had called for showers, cold, and wind. Luckily, we avoided any rain at all. Braddock Bay was windy, though, and the temperatures hovered just under 40 degrees. As it turned out, the area we chose to shoot in was near a hedgerow at the field’s northern perimeter. That tangle of trees and scrub did a fine job of blocking much of that harsh wind. I had supplied Tisa with a couple of carbon handwarmers for her pockets, and she was sporting a new pair of olive-green wool mittens that she was super-excited about! Kneeling on a small blue tarp, among the grasses, we started our work.
Now, Tisa tends to explain herself away as a more serious, subdued type of soul. “Darker,” perhaps. She doesn’t like being photographed. “I don’t photograph well,” “I hate being in front of the camera,” “I don’t smile for pictures.” These were the “disclaimers” I had received from her leading up to this day. Well, my perception of her wasn’t quite in line with her own, and I was curious to see if I was right about that. As it turns out, I was the one who was correct. Sure, Tisa’s a serious person, but hardly somber! She laughs easily, and is adventurous and energetic to a point that I can only aspire to. We had some really great conversation that afternoon, in the truck, at Braddock Bay, and over a couple of Veneto pizzas later on. I feel that the images we collected in that short hour-and-a-half at Braddock Bay sum up at least part of who Tisa Zito is. Some are serious, some are silly. I love the look of them, and the little chemistry that happens in them. We had a great shoot on that chilly afternoon, the kind you wish to have more often, and that, in itself, is cause for a little celebration.
We’ll really miss seeing you at Orange Glory, Tisa! Good luck in your big adventures, and please keep in touch! We’ll look forward to your next visit back East!
One of Tisa’s latest projects was to document a successful archery hunt for Elk in Oregon’s Starkey Experimental Forest. It was absolutely thrilling to hear her perspective on the experience. I can’t wait to see her finished footage!
Tisa Zito, getting it done in Oregon's Starkey Forest.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Perfection found at Up The Creek Farm
October 12th, 2010
Two weeks ago, I was contacted by Katy Collar, a designer friend of mine, who was in the early stages of a freelance project for Up The Creek Farm. Katy would be designing a new logo for the farm, as well as a website. She was in need of photography for the project, and thought that my visual approach and style would be a nice fit! I was thrilled that she thought so, and excited about the possibility of a fun side-project! The two of us met for a lunch meeting at Orange Glory Café a couple days later with our pens and notepads, and I listened to the details and particulars of what Katy was going to accomplish.
Katy thought that she would need six to eight images that together conveyed the feel of the farm in a way that stirs the viewer’s “romantic” senses. Beautiful landscapes, stunning horses, interesting details, and the strong connection between horse and human. Oh, and all of that with gorgeous light.
During our meeting, Katy and I were realizing that with the onset of fall, the changing weather, and our jam-packed schedules, we needed to hustle and get out to create images while the leaves were still on the trees! We scheduled a meeting with Brandy, the farm manager to get things rolling. Late that Sunday afternoon, we all met at Up The Creek to talk about needs, ideas, scheduling, and to scout the land and stables. We planned our shoot for the following Saturday, each of us agreeing to keep our fingers crossed and say plenty of “perfect weather prayers!”
I had watched the weather anxiously in the few days leading up to October 9th, and was so excited to have that “perfect forecast” that we had wished for! As I loaded camera gear into the truck around six that morning, I could tell that there was some light cloud cover up there in the diminishing darkness. I think that, standing alone in the dark driveway, I startled myself a little bit when I spoke out loud to the clouds, “Please don’t thicken up!”
I pulled into the curving driveway at Up The Creek Farm a few minutes before seven. The house was quiet. I was the first of the creative crew to show up, so I opened the main gate by the stables and drove out into the pasture. After closing the gate behind me, I stood there in the cool fog for a minute to soak it all in and decide where to begin. I could see several deer through the fog, not too far away, and small flocks of Canada geese were coming in to land in the pond to my south. I hopped back in the truck, took a tug of Starbucks Pike Place Roast, and drove down the gravel utility road to my first spot. The sun wasn’t quite over the horizon yet, but there was soothing, subtle light on the scene before me. I got the camera out, chose my lens, set the tripod low to the ground, and squatted behind the camera to look. My rear-end hovered just above the cold, dew-covered grass. It was too early to get wet.
Continuing down the road, I stopped to photograph another landscape, then proceeded on to find a third. I was looking for some special trees that would catch the sun as it rose over the woods to the east.
About now, Brandy, Katy, and her husband, Curtis, rolled through the fog in a white farm pickup and joined me. Brandy had brought coffees and a box of donuts. I claimed the pumpkin one, and walked through the wet grass with Katy to show her what I had captured so far, and what I was looking at next. She liked it, and we stood there, sipping our coffees, waiting for the right light to come. Once the sun started to clear the woods, I went to the camera and started to capture the scene. At one point, I asked Katy if she could see that flock of geese way out to the west. “Now you watch,” I told her. “Those Canadas are going to come in toward us, south of the big tree, then bank left to line up on the pond. That should put them in the upper right of the frame.” Katy looked at me questioningly, one of those “Whatever, dude” looks. I squatted behind the tripod with my eye to the camera and waited. Moments later, the geese came, banked exactly as they were supposed to, into the frame, perfect! Click, click, click! We looked at each other in amazement and exchanged a big “high-five!” Yes, that just happened! Are we a dynamite team, or what?
We were soon joined by Miguel, one of the horse groomers, and Tigerlily, a stunning bay. I really enjoyed watching the interaction and connection between these two, especially after learning that Tigerlily hadn’t initially meshed well with Miguel. Over time, he had gained her trust. Knowing this little story is part of the reason that I love the image of the two of them silhouetted on the knoll in the sunrise light so very much.
The day would only continue to inspire us. We moved nicely through the day from place to place, idea to idea, paddock to paddock, and seemed to get some really nice images from each! We kept to our schedule without feeling directed or hindered by it, and it all really just kind of “flowed.” We also worked with Jésus and Armando, Tonto and Tank, Caprice, Nicole, Lilly and Reilly. Some human, some horse, some dog. Each with a wonderfully unique personality and character.
We worked energetically all day, and ended our shoot with the sun falling in the western sky. Faces kissed by the wind and sun, and slightly chilled, we parted ways. Heading home, I could think of nothing better than a side-trip for a steaming dish of pasta bolognese at Veneto to cap of a day as perfect as this one had been. After a night of sound sleep, I woke early, and hauled my carcass and laptop to the Monroe/Oxford Starbucks for a “coffee and editing” session. Sitting in a cozy chair in the corner, in the span of a couple hours, I was able to take our 1,350 images from the farm, and whittle them down to 350 for Katy to choose from. I can bring my personal picks down to 20, I think, some of which you see here. I’ll look forward to seeing Katy’s picks, and the progress of the website as she designs it!
Reilly. He likes pumpkin donuts, too.
Curtis, Katy, and Brandy.
During the work week, Katy is a Senior Designer in the Vine Design division of Partners and Napier.
Thank you so much, to all of those involved with our great day!
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Matt Smythe for Blood Knot Magazine
September 22nd, 2010
Late morning. Hooking up in the lilypads.
As I type this post, I am really hit hard by how very quickly summer has passed. Somehow, it has escaped me. These photographs were made in mid-May and early June. In just three short hours, fall will have officially arrived.
First casts of the morning.
My good friend, Matt Smythe had contacted me back in May to talk about an idea he had for an article submission to Blood Knot, an online fly-fishing magazine. He would be writing about growing up in Upstate New York, fishing for anything that swam, a deep passion for the sport, and a reclaiming of youth. Matt needed photographs to support his writings. That’s where I came in.
Finding fish in the sweet spots.
I picked Matt up early that first morning, May 16th. We grabbed some coffees and egg sandwiches at the Tim Horton’s in Canandaigua, NY, and headed over to Matt’s in-laws place to pick up his canoe. By the time we put in at the lake, the Sun was coming up. Geese were coming off the water. We felt a sense of urgency, I think. At least I did. I wanted to get some great shots while that gorgeous morning light was still with us!
Matt's old Pfleuger® reel would be put to the test.
We paddled, scouted, fished, and photographed. Matt was determined to boat some fish, and for a while, the damn things just didn’t cooperate! Finally, we found a sweet little spot. Matt made a couple of casts. Nothing. I remember saying to him at one moment, “Matt, to your right. Inside that little pocket that’s in line with that submerged branch.” Just one of those gut feelings. Matt cast his fly, beautifully on target, there was a stout swirl, and he came tight with his line. And there it was. We had a good fish! Paddles down, fish and cameras up. We’d make some great shots, check the histograms on the back of the camera, release the fish, shake hands, and go find another. We found ourselves in a wonderful little cyclic, creative process. It was very therapeutic, and it was fun. I think we felt like we were kids again.
We’d had such a beautiful day on that body of water! I don’t think I could have conjured up a more perfect Spring day. I hated to drop Matt off that afternoon. Didn’t want it to end just yet. Fortunately, after editing the images and talking things over, we found ourselves wishing for more fish images, and planning another outing!
The previous Summer, I had found a great spot that I had done very well in with the Largemouths and Northern Pike. That’s where we were headed. Not long after we entered the wetlands creek, Matt was into some good fish! There were some pretty solid bass to be found that evening. It was amazing to us how in just two weeks time, the weather had dramatically transformed itself into summer. We had even remembered, this time, to bring a little beer with us in the canoe! This trip gave us a better opportunity to create some “fish forward” or “fish-centric” images. I just wish that Matt could have boated that “horse” Northern Pike so we could have photographed it! It wasn’t much under 40 inches! We put my canoe back on top of the Tundra in the dark that evening, and since, during all the excitement, most of the beer had tipped over and spilled in the bottom of the boat, we decided to head down the road. I was at the wheel, and Matt rode “shotgun” as he reviewed our new images on the laptop.
The pictures you see here represent my personal favorites. Take a few minutes, and please, go read Matt’s article, titled “Ten Again,” in Blood Knot Magazine‘s second issue. It begins on page 40.
In the process of writing this evening, thinking about Matt’s article, life, and the onset of Autumn, I find myself filled with a deep sense of nostalgia. Time, lately, has been passing far too quickly for my taste. I yearn for those missed Summer opportunities, the talked-about fishing plans that never got made, the good buddies of years past, old Vermont waters, 18-inch native Brookies, and a far simpler time when we were all just ten years old.
This dude was just plain mean. Look at that mug.
Matt Smythe is a writer, creative soul, and avid outdoorsman. More of his work may be explored through his website, www.fishingpoet.com.
Monday through Friday, Matt’s days are spent among the many other creative souls at Jay Advertising in Rochester, NY.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Phil Clement for BMA Campaign
September 20th, 2010
Phil Clement, of AON Corporation, photographed at Chicago's Soldier Field.
In early May, I had a chance to fly to Chicago and photograph Phil Clement, CMO of AON Corporation. I was excited for the opportunity, and would be traveling there with Faruk Sagcan, of Partners and Napier to complete the project. The segment of the BMA campaign that Faruk and I were assigned to was actually one of three portraits that we, at Myers Creative Imaging, would produce for the campaign. John Myers had previously traveled with art director, Jeremy Schwartz, to Denver to photograph Marian Robinson, VP of Marketing for Baxa, and to Chicago, for a portrait of Motorola’s Eduardo Conrado. One of the strong points of our studio, and something that separates us from other commercial photographers is the fact that we are able to provide two photographers for a particular project, when necessary, and that we can handle multiple projects for different clients on a given day.
In a whirlwind trip, Faruk and I would arrive in Chicago late one night, too late to have a nice dinner at the restaurant we had wished for! We got all checked in at the hotel, parked the car, and walked a couple of blocks to another joint that was still serving dinner. We were both pretty hungry, and were craving some good burgers! The fact that it was Ten-Thirty at night didn’t seem to sway our determination, either. Over dinner, Faruk and I got to know each other, and talked about the following morning’s shoot. The portrait of Phil Clement would take place in the stadium seats at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. The sports-arena environment would help to convey the significance of AON’s backing of Manchester United Football Club, in the United Kingdom.
Faruk and Grant at Soldier Field, Chicago, May 2010.
When I awoke the next morning, I was concerned that the shoot might not happen as planned. Heavy thunderstorms were pounding the Chicago area. The rain came down hard for quite a while. Fortunately, at just the right time, it eased up, and the sky brightened some! Things were looking up! Planning ahead, Faruk and I stopped into a 7-11 near the hotel, and bought four rolls of paper towels to dry off the stadium seats for the photo-shoot. We drove over to the stadium, met up with the freelance assistant and the makeup stylist, and were escorted into the stadium to set up and prepare for Mr. Clement’s arrival.
As soon as I had clamped the camera onto the tripod head and taken a few test shots, the sky darkened dramatically, and lightning bolts flashed violently. It started to pour again. We devised a backup plan to move our shoot underneath the overhanging stands of the upper levels. It wouldn’t be ideal, but we could make it work, and everyone would stay dry! We were going to get this thing done, no matter what!
Phil Clement arrived on time, introductions were made among the crew, and while Phil was sitting for the makeup stylist, Faruk and I went back outside to test further. We then realized, that right about the moment that Phil had showed up at the site, the rain had stopped, and the sky was brightening again! We just might get a crack at doing this thing the way we had originally intended! Typically, in my experience, when photographing top-level executives, their time on the set is very short. This day, I was to have about 20 minutes to photograph Phil. Just a little added pressure! No problem! In the end, Phil was very gracious, and opened his schedule a bit to allow us another half hour of shooting time! We began under the stadium overhang, and then moved out to a lower section that had been the original, desired location for the portrait. Our 7-11 paper towels were consumed in the drying of stadium seats, and we continued our photography. We captured several variations in posture, expression, and composition. Mr. Clement had been a dream to work with, and our support crew was spot-on. Despite the threatening weather, I felt that the shoot had been immensely successful!
It was still mid-morning after we had packed all the lighting gear and cameras in the car, so Faruk and I got a recommendation for a good, local breakfast joint. We sat at the counter at White Palace Grill, ordered up some omelets and coffee, and had a dynamite breakfast before heading out to O’Hare for the flight back to Rochester. Quick as it was, Faruk and I had a great, successful little trip. Maybe next time, we’ll get that dinner at Topolobampo!
The complete series of ads for the BMA campaign can be seen in the Blog section of the Myers Creative Imaging website!
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Vegetable Pairings for Menu Magazine
September 9th, 2010
Roasted Acorn Squash, finished with Wegmans Pumpkin Seed Oil. Great flavors for Autumn!
Back in late April of this year, I was asked to photograph five different vegetable pairings for the Fall 2010 issue of Wegmans Menu Magazine. The magazine hit store shelves not long ago, and will be available from now until the holiday season. The vegetable serving ideas we illustrated were designed by Wegmans chefs to be easy to prepare, as well as healthy and yummy! Each pairing recipe features fresh seasonal or packaged produce, paired with a Finishing Butter, or a drizzle of an oil from the deliciously extensive Wegmans line.
When Wegmans art director, Michael Buckley, arrived at Myers Creative Imaging that morning, I was already talking over a hot coffee with food stylist, Joan Keyser, and photography assistant, K. Nicole Murtagh. Hugs were exchanged among everyone, and once Michael had settled in with his hazelnut latté (one pump, nonfat, please,) we started making a plan for the day. We pulled produce out of the studio refrigerators to see what we had to work with, and began to decide which serving dishes from our prop shelves would be appropriate for each pairing. Our prop and wardrobe stylist, Kathy, had also brought in a broad collection of plates, serving platters, and table lines in Fall colors. We began to pair some of these up with the white plates we had selected for each vegetable dish.
Steamed Asparagus with Béarnaise Finishing Butter.
Once we had figured out the props we’d use for the first shot, Joanie scooted off to the kitchen to get to work on the veggies! While the pairings themselves were relatively easy to prepare, a great deal of care is taken during a photo-shoot in the arrangement of the food on the plate, and with sauces drizzled just-so! Typically, the food is plated up in the kitchen at the studio, carried over and placed in the set, and then the final tweaks are made with attention to every detail. Sometimes, it comes down to the addition of a few grains of pepper or herbs in a strategic spot. Tiny things can make a very nice difference!
The Vegetable Medley, with the Garlic Cheese Finishing Butter.
Three of the vegetable pairings would feature one of the several Finishing Butters that Wegmans produces. Two of these would use produce from the “Cleaned and Cut” line. Neatly packaged, fresh, and ready to eat or cook, these pairings came together in a short amount of time and were scrumptious. These recipes, especially, are designed to acommodate the busy schedules that we all seem to have nowadays! Cleaned and Cut Broccoli, Cauliflower and Vegetable Medley were combined, cooked, and then topped with the Garlic Cheese Finishing Butter. Cleaned and Cut Asparagus went with the Béarnaise Finishing Butter, and the Roasted Fingerling Potatoes were accompanied by the Lemon Dill Butter.
The article, titled “Take Your Veggies to Another Level,” begins on page 58 of the Menu Magazine Fall Issue, on store shelves now!
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon Dill Finishing Butter. Cozy!
The remaining two pairings were my favorites, and were approached a little differently from the rest. Rather than being graced with one of the prepared butters, the Beet Greens received a very simple and delicious drizzle of Organic Olive Oil, and some sea salt. The Winter Squash was brushed with Basting Oil, roasted, and then finished with a drizzle of Pumpkin Seed Oil. Talk about Autumn flavors! As I recall, I took home all of the remaining squash. It was really, really good!
Blanched Beet Greens with Organic Olive Oil and sea salt. Simple and delicious!
Camera: Hasselblad H2 with Leaf Aptus 65S Digital Back.
Holterholm Farms for Menu Magazine
June 30th, 2010
Fifth and Sixth-generation farmers! Ron Holter and his son.
In early August of 2009, I was sent by the Wegmans Advertising Department to Jefferson, Maryland to photograph for a day at Holterholm Farms, a supplier of milk for Organic Valley. Established in 1889 by the great-great grandfather of Ron Holter, the 207 acre farm has been a producer of organic dairy products since 2005, and is now run by Ron, his wife Kathy, and their two children. Accompanying me on the trip was Matt Byham, from Wegmans, who was writing the feature article on dairy suppliers for the Summer 2010 issue of Menu Magazine.
Jersey Cow number 139. She's a good milker!
The morning that Matt and I arrived at the farm was absolutely stunning! There was enough atmospheric haze, that natural light was just perfect for photography, and it stayed that way for most of the day! It was hot, though, even early on, and it would only get more so as the day progressed. Matt and I met with Ron and Kathy Holter and got the lay of the land. The Holters were making preparations for a visiting group from Wegmans, and while we waited for the group to arrive, Matt and I walked the pastures to photograph the land and cows! A short while later, Ron and his son joined us in the fields and discussed with us the family farm’s history, the move to organic and sustainable farming processes, the great health benefits of organic foods, and of course, how very important it is to have happy cows! I could tell, during our time afield with the Holters, that Matt was getting some great material for his article!
Part of the pastureland that I loved so much.
In Ron’s words, he and his family are farming as God has intended it to be. The Jersey cows of Holterholm Farms dine on a nutritious mix of grasses of different types. They are free to roam the pastures that are open to them on a given day, and each day, they are milked in a comfortable, cool, open-air parlor that creates a very stress-free environment for them. The result is healthy, happy, grass-fed cows, and delicious, organic milk that is higher in antioxidants, other nutrients, and Omega-3′s than that which is produced at conventional dairy farms. The cows are not grain fed, they do not receive hormones or antibiotics, and no persistent pesticides or synthetic fertilizers are used on the farm. Managed as a seasonal farm, calves are born in February and March of each year, and the cows are milked from March to December.
Following the cows in for milking at the day's end.
This farm had such a wonderful feel to it. It just seemed that everything worked in this nice, relaxed harmony, and that things were the way they should be. The land was just beautiful, the cows were healthy, happy, and well looked after, even the cats seemed extremely content! The Holter family proved to be very gracious hosts, are amazing people to visit with, and had a tremendous passion for educating others about the great benefits of organic farming. It was obvious from the beginning that these are folks that truly believe in and love what they do, are fully immersed in it, and are more than willing to share what they’ve learned with others. All of this benefits the consumer, other dairy farmers, and of course, the cows!
The Holter Family, photographed on their farm, August 5, 2009.
One of the many beautiful faces we would meet that day.
Ron Holter describing sustainable pasture management.
The Wegmans group from Maryland.
The Jersey contingent.
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mark 2.
North American Whitetail Cover!
June 15th, 2010
The July, 2010 North American Whitetail cover. On newsstands NOW!
It was back in early November of 2009 that for me, at least, the groundwork for this project began to form. It was about that time that my friend, Garret Armstrong, of Elite Archery, shared with me pictures that he had just taken in the field of Chris Kiernan’s 2009 Illinois archery buck. I’m pretty certain that my jaw dropped, and I laughed out loud in amazement when I first saw how truly incredible this deer was! Back in November, though, I had no idea that I would have the opportunity to photograph the mounted buck for the July 2010 “kickoff” issue of North American Whitetail Magazine!
Chris Kiernan, of Illinois, is a member of the Elite Archery Pro Staff, and has several big whitetail bucks to his credit. On November 1, 2009, he killed what was to become the pending Illinois State Record for a non-typical whitetail taken with bow and arrow. I was able to meet Chris at the ATA show in Columbus, Ohio in mid-January, and it was at this point that we started to discuss the possibility of doing some studio photography to accompany the field images that Garret had done in November. Chris was in the early stages of writing his article, exclusively for North American Whitetail. It was also at this time that I was able to meet and have a conversation with Gordon Whittington, Editor in Chief of the magazine, and begin to understand what types of images they would need for the upcoming article.
The Kiernan Buck as photographed on April 4, 2010.
It wouldn’t actually be until early April, though, that Chris and his lovely wife, Maria, would drive the mounted trophy from Illinois to our studios at Myers Creative Imaging in Rochester, NY. We had made arrangements a couple of weeks prior to the shoot, and I had previously done some lighting tests with one of Garret Armstrong’s bigger whitetail mounts. When the Kiernan buck arrived that Saturday morning, we were all set to go. Once we had the mount arranged on a solid post in the studio, I spent some time with Chris and Garret just looking at the deer. The antler structure and mass were just incredible. There were so many details in the antlers that required close examination! Lots of “Ooooh’s,” “Wow’s,” and “Holy cow’s!” as I recall. I was blown away seeing the deer up close like this.
With Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts cups in hand, we spent time walking around the mount, looking at it from different perspectives, trying to decide which camera position would ultimately tell the best story of this buck. The perspective we kept coming back to is the one you see in the image used on the cover. After shooting some more refined tests, and working on the lighting until we were happy, we proceeded to make the cover photo, and then turned the pedestal at different increments to capture the buck from all angles. The shape of the buck’s antlers change dramatically when viewed from the sides! One of the side views we photographed, shown below, accompanies the article in its opening spread.
A stunning view of the whitetail buck's left side.
Several hours after the buck came through the front doors of the studio, he was gently packed back up in the truck, and before the Kiernan’s headed back to Illinois, we headed over to Dinosaur Barbecue for a little celebratory lunch of pulled pork, brisket, and loads of other good stuff! The Spring day was warm enough that we could sit outdoors at the Dinosaur and overlook the mighty Genesee River as it rushed North to Lake Ontario. It was a very satisfying way to end a really great day.
The story of Chris and his buck is one of a lifelong passion for deer hunting, of strategy, restraint, persistence, and success. It’s a really nice read! I would encourage you to hit up your local newsstand for a copy of North American Whitetail to check it out!
Camera: Hasselblad H2 with Leaf Aptus 65S Digital back.
Taylor Chace for Boston Globe Magazine
March 24th, 2010
Taylor Chace, for Boston Globe Magazine. This is the image that the editor picked to run in the magazine's "Boston Uncommon" article on March 7, 2010.
As I write this post, Taylor Chace is still in Vancouver, British Columbia. I would guess that he and his teammates are probably still riding the high of having won Olympic Gold. To me, that realization is both incredibly wonderful and surreal, and it makes me wish I had been there to see all that had transpired in the four weeks since I photographed him for Boston Globe Magazine.
Heather had taken a message for me one day when the main line rang at Myers Creative Imaging. The editor had called from Boston Globe Magazine to ask if I was available to photograph Taylor Chace, a defenseman and Alternate Captain for the US Men’s Sled Hockey Team. Taylor and his teammates were here in Rochester, NY for training prior to their trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Paralympics. The deadline on this project was super-tight, and once I understood the details, things were set in motion pretty quickly. We had an extremely short window of opportunity, and once I had talked to Taylor on the phone and learned what the team’s training schedule was like, I realized just how tiny that window really was!
Usually, I would prefer to do this type of photography on location. The team’s ice, for instance, a locker room, a training facility, a frozen pond. All these ideas were knocking around in my brain. When I thought of the time crunch, though, I decided that we could pull off an equally strong image within the confines of our Richmond Street studio, and maximize our time taking pictures rather than traveling to a location and lugging lighting gear.
I’d had a few different ideas about how to execute the photography in the studio, and by the time Taylor had showed up that morning, freelance assistant, Amy Millert and I had our lighting setup ready and all tested out. We went over wardrobe that Taylor had brought with him. All official USA Hockey Team gear, warm-ups, game jerseys, helmet, pads, sticks, gloves, the works! We made a plan to start with just the warm-up uniform and progress forward, giving the Boston Globe editor as many options as we could provide. In the end, I think the best images came from the early stages of the shoot, as well as the final stages. I went home that night, and spent a couple hours in Adobe Lightroom, editing the job down to my favorite 25 images. I separated those from the rest of the image files and processed all of the RAW files into JPEGS, all to be uploaded to an FTP site the following morning. The editor in Boston downloaded them and got back to me with a selection that afternoon. Then, I spent a little time retouching and color correcting the image, preparing it to go to press. Final file, FTP upload, deadline met!
Early in the shoot. Warm-ups. Relaxed expressions. Taylor, I'd like one of those sweaters, please, in XL.
Taylor Chace was a great person to hang out with. He was so easy-going, happy, funny, patient with all of our questions, and very helpful. Perhaps what struck me most about him, though was his modesty, and dedication to his teammates. I had, early in the day, voiced my expectations to Taylor regarding the shoot and had told him that we would probably be done after a couple of hours time. That seemed like a pretty long time to him! He really just wanted to get back to be with the rest of the team as soon as he could, and was really trying to downplay this whole photography thing. This was a super-important time in their training program, and while I assured him that I understood the importance, I distracted Taylor, and had Amy hide his truck keys and lock the studio door. We had a job to do, too! We were able to convince him later to sit and have a nice, relaxed lunch with us, though, before he headed out.
After the shoot, we walked out to Taylor’s truck with him, Amy lugging a huge hockey bag full of gear. Taylor was apologetic for the bag’s “locker room smell.” Part of the game, I guess. As I watched Taylor’s truck turn on to Main Street and drive away, I knew he was heading off to take part in some really big things. It would be a few more weeks, though, until I learned just how big those things would be.
Wanting to learn more about Sled Hockey, or Sledge Hockey, as it is called in most places outside the US, I went to Team USA’s Saturday morning practice on the ice at the ESL Center in Henrietta. I was blown away by what these athletes did, and how very good they were at it. I mean, heck, I’m watching Olympic athletes, here! I walked out of the arena after their practice that morning feeling incredibly inspired. When I finally got home that night, I hopped on my computer, and went to USA Hockey’s website to learn some more. I was excited to find that I could either watch live coverage of the Sled Hockey tournament at the 2010 Paralympics, or follow a “Live Game Blog” that gave by-the-minute updates during game play. I tuned in when I could, which was for most of the tournament, and this is a summary of how things went in Vancouver:
March 13: USA, 5 – South Korea, 0.
March 14: USA, 3 – Czech Republic, 0.
March 16: USA, 6 – Japan, 0.
March 18: USA, 3 – Norway, 0.
March 20: USA, 2 – Japan, 0.
Team USA claimed the Gold Medal in Men’s Sled Hockey on March 20, 2010. In the entire tournament, not a single puck crossed the line into the US net. The last time team USA had won Gold in this event was in the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Taylor, all of us at the studio are so proud of you guys! Congratulations on attaining such an incredible goal!
Taylor Chace. Photographed February 17, 2010 at Myers Creative Imaging in Rochester, NY.
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.
Lauren Tracy for Boston Globe Magazine
March 23rd, 2010
Lauren Tracy, filmmaker, in the Editor's pick. This is the image that ran in Boston Globe Magazine on November 01, 2009.
Every so often, a job will come along that is so very enjoyable, it makes me feel as though I’m getting away with something! I mean, nobody should get paid to have such a nice time, even if they’re taking their October Sunday afternoon to do the work! When I got to photograph Lauren Tracy, a film student at RIT, on October 4, 2009, I realized not too far into the process that this would be one of those especially wonderful scenarios.
When the studio phone rang that Friday afternoon, I had actually been halfway to the front door to leave for the weekend. The week had been pretty crazy, and I was ready to kick back and relax for a little while. I set my things down and picked up the phone. On the other end of the line was an editor from Boston Globe Magazine with an immediate need for an environmental portrait of Lauren Tracy, who was being featured in a section of the magazine titled “Boston Uncommon.” The article showcases Boston area citizens who have risen to do something of significance for their community, or perhaps even on a grander scale. After getting the details of the job and some pertinent information about Lauren’s background, I hung up from the editor and gave Lauren a call to introduce myself and set up the shoot. Lauren immediately struck me as someone who was very intelligent, energetic and well spoken. She also seemed as though she really loves what she does, and is very dedicated to her craft. We talked over the necessary details, and decided that we would shoot sometime over the weekend, probably on Sunday. Now, I just needed to find the perfect location!
Lauren in one of my five favorite outtakes. I really loved the simplicity of the green top, and the way it was complemented by the environment.
On Saturday, I spent some time in the morning researching and reading some more about Lauren, and what she is accomplishing. Lauren has created, along with her father, a fund raising organization, X-Factor Filmmakers, which provides grants and scholarships to help female filmmakers produce their projects and bring their vision to the big screen. Helping to increase the number of women enrolling in film schools is a major focus of X-Factor as well. Funds are raised by donations, partnerships, and through sales of some very cool t-shirts that are available on the X-Factor website.
The name, X-Factor, is symbolic of the fact that females possess two X chromosomes in their genetic make-up, while males only have one. X-Factor celebrates the idea that this “genetic formula” creates a vision that is special, and unique to female filmmakers. At the time of this writing, X-Factor Filmmakers had just begun a new Short Film Contest, open to both female and male filmmakers. Entry is open until April 19, 2010, and the winner will pocket $1000 for the production of their next film! People interested in submitting work are invited to follow this link for the 2010 X-Factor Filmmakers Short Film Contest.
Now, back to our story.
Later in the day, after spending some time away from the city and in the woods, I headed back North to do some location scouting and finish getting the components in place for the next day’s shoot. As I was driving back into Rochester, my mind was working feverishly to think of just the right place for the photography to happen. Suddenly, it came to me. After a couple of calls from the truck, I was all set to shoot in “The Snug” at The Old Toad, an English pub on Alexander Street in Rochester. The Snug would provide the environment of an old sitting room with a British flavor to it. Interestingly, I found out later, that one of the films Lauren had directed had been set in just such an environment.
I think this outtake would be my favorite of the day. The wardrobe was a little more sophisticated, but still warm and natural. I love the way Lauren is engaging the viewer here.
We rolled into The Toad just before 1:00 that Sunday afternoon, unloaded the truck and got to work. I was working without an assistant that day, so while I set up the camera, laptop and ProFoto gear, Lauren was back and forth down the hall to show me the different wardrobe options we had selected from the collection she had brought.
Once everything was squared away with the lighting and wardrobe, we started taking pictures, and things just really fell into place very nicely. Though the room was pretty small for photo-shoots, it offered several really nice perspectives that fit my vision perfectly. It was a little bit of a challenge moving around such a small room once I’d brought in power packs, extension cords, strobes and scrims, but we managed just fine. Actually, Lauren managed just fine because she mostly sat, smiled and ate Shepherd’s Pie. She had arrived that day with a large Ace Bandage on her leg from a soccer injury, and I had given her explicit instructions to enjoy the sofas and chairs while I hauled the gear around.
I think both of us would have liked to have had more time to explore this environment! It had some really relaxed and playful potential.
I really would have loved to spend more time with Lauren that day. We each had some additional ideas that we could envision and would like to have explored. The reality was, though, that I was flying to California with John the following day, and had to go and get everything ready for that trip. In the short time we had, though, we did some good things! Lauren had been a dream to work with, the editor was ecstatic, and felt he had a tough job ahead of him because there were so many of the shots that he loved. I was thrilled to have that kind of feedback! Any time I can create a difficult edit because of the number of great images, I feel I’ve done things the right way, and done them thoroughly, too!
Lauren Tracy, October 4, 2009. In The Snug at The Old Toad, Rochester, NY.
Camera: Canon EOS 1DS Mark 3
