Service

Week 25

Service
June 24, 2010

In theory, we all like the idea of it. Serving, that is. There are people out there that are down on their luck. A few because of poor decisions they've made, but mostly through no fault of their own, millions (if not billions) of people around the world could use a helping hand. You might say "The needs out there are so great, how could I possibly make a positive difference?" Well one thing is for sure, doing nothing will not make a positive difference.

I was asked to shoot a work-day for an organization that believes in doing something. Housing Industry Foundation, or HIF for short, is made up of a group of executives from the apartment management and related industries who work to provide assistance to people with a housing-related need. From grants for rent or a security deposit, to work-projects to improve housing for a family shelter and many things in between, the sole purpose of this organization is to help others.

I chose the photograph above from this shoot because I appreciate the movement and lines in the image. The powerlines above, the rakelines in the dirt, the motion as he pulls the rake across.. all interesting to me. Plus, the image illustrates this week's topic well, I think.

There are many other groups and movements small and large, ranging from food banks to the Red Cross, to Beautiful Day and local efforts geared to helping out a neighbor. I hope you will think of a way, big or small to pitch in and serve. I encourage you to make that transition from "good idea" to "where do I sign up?". Go ahead, it's good for ya... and you'll be surprised at the difference it makes. In your life as well as those you help....


image taken with Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 4L lens, 1/125 @ f11, ISO 400

Textured

Week 24

Textured #1
June 19, 2010

I recently started a commissioned series on texture. This is the first image in the series, and one that I really like. Taken of a piece of milled wood being used as a fence panel, this image to me isn't just a visual experience. You can almost feel it. Like a smell that triggers strong memories, I think we can be transported to an environment in some ways just by being stimulated visually.

Another reason I enjoy abstract texture images is that like most abstract work, it can speak to you as an individual. Sure, this is a picture of a piece of milled wood that shows grain and the remnants of a knot or branch within it. But to one person it could remind them of their childhood experiences at a family cabin. Another could see an eye poking out from behind the grain, lending personality and a story to this particular piece of wood, still another could see this as a sort of natural Rorschach, projecting what is in their mind's eye, and so on and so on.

Whatever the image does for you, I hope you enjoy it :). And feel free to let me know! I'd love to hear from you....



image taken with Canon 5D, 24-105 4L lens, 1/125 sec @ f/16, ISO 400

The In-Between

Week 23

The In-Between
June 7, 2010

To me, some of the best shots come from the times in-between what you are supposed to be shooting. Take the image above, for example. I think it captures my friend Joshua's personality, and says something different than the headshots we took that he will use to place on publications, executive profiles, and dossiers for his professional life. Nothing wrong with the headshots, mind you - they came out great, and will serve him well. That's not the point. I just find myself looking for opportunities during my sessions to get those unscripted moments, the ones that let you peek into the person a little deeper. Like the image above that tells you Joshua has joy in his life and loves to laugh, those candid shots are the ones you hang onto even if they weren't what you were there to shoot.



image taken with Canon 5D Mark II, 24-105 4L lens, 1/400 @ f4.0, ISO 400

4th & U

Week 22

4th & U
June 2, 2010

On June 2nd, I had a great assignment to shoot a property for Essex Property Trust, Inc, a California REIT. Essex recently opened this community on 4th Street called Fourth & U, not far from the well known University of California, Berkeley.

I was looking forward to the shoot for several reasons. One, it was a great opportunity to work with Essex, one that I look forward to developing into an ongoing, healthy business relationship. I also had not spent much time in Berkeley, and so this gave me the perfect reason to go up and explore a bit. From a photography standpoint, I just enjoy architectural images. The wide angle perspectives and use of lines and shapes can create so much for the eye to take in. You can take your time with the subject, get to know it a little, and find nooks and features you may not have noticed walking by, even hundreds of times. I like how the right image can give a viewer not just information on what a place looks like, but what it feels like to be there.

Thank you to the team at Fourth & U, and to my friends at Essex.



image taken with Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 16-35 2.8L II lens, @ 2.5sec, f8.0 100 ISO