"This could be the year..." -> Purina

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." - George Eliot

As you may recall from previous posts I photographed two dog shows for Purina via Colle+McVoy near the beginning of this year. At long last, I received several of the final print ads featuring imagery from the Palm Springs, CA show. I'm always curious to see the final ads and how the images were worked into the campaign as a whole. On that note, I am very pleased with how things all came together - concept + design + imagery. The project was right in line with my desired approach; working "off-leash," if you will, roaming alongside the A.D. amidst one of the most visual backdrops I've been hired to shoot against.

Thanks again to Colle+McVoy and Purina for bringing me on for this; great people (and dogs) all around.

"This could be the year..." -> Purina

Un Jour dans la vie d'un coureur...

"Run hard, be strong, think big." - Percy Cerutty

In the early morning light a lone runner sets out across an unforgiving landscape. The crew and I worked to capture the intensity of a serious runner in action set amid varied urban landscapes. The test was originally scheduled for early October, but due to the nature of both projects and inclement weather it was continually postponed. November and October seem to have traded places here in Minneapolis, and with a stretch of ideal fall weather, we hustled to get the running shoot back on the schedule. To broaden the post-shoot possibilities, we invited a video crew comprised of Jules Ameel and Alex Horner to gather matching film content alongside the stills I was gathering. It was great partnering with these guys and I'm anxious to see what the final merging of medias will yield.

Once again I cannot say enough how collaboration both renews and inspires creativity. Check out the “archive” section of the website to see additional imagery. Thanks again to the talent and the crew who were a part of this project.

Un Jour dans la vie d'un coureur...

Paula Gren Representatives + JCP

You may have heard I've recently partnered with Paula Gren Representatives and couldn't be more pleased with this collaboration and the road that lay ahead.

"Paula Gren Representatives is a boutique agency representing some of the top US lifestyle, location and portrait photographers. Established in 1997, the company has produced print ad campaigns for clients including: Nike, Bank of America, US Army, Pfizer, Novartis, AT&T and Visa. The company has offices in New York, Boston and San Francisco."

I look forward to continually refining my work while tapping Paula's insight and experience. In addition to an award winning roster of photographers, Paula offers a truly fresh approach to matching creatives with photographers.

Things have been moving forward nicely and I look forward to a continuation of this on an even broader level. Take a look at their new site and follow the the daily haps via their "hype" link...

Paula Gren Representatives + JCP

Mr. Budd in Memphis, after hours...

I was pleased to learn of another visit to Memphis last week - this time shooting at the Target House for Target's RED Magazine via Minneapolis based Little & Company.

Looking for something a bit different from the typical Beale Street haunts our Memphis based assistant, Peter Budd, recommended we check out Ernestine and Hazel's. A building of this vintage in a legendary city such as Memphis was certain to have a story or two within the walls. Through conversation with locals we learned the bar and grill has weaved in and out of Memphis history as a bar, a dry goods store, and in a more notorious fashion a brothel. Aside from the sordid past of Ernestine & Hazel's, which I'd highly recommend visiting with camera in hand, we discovered an interesting location just a few buildings down. A single flood light revealed a former store front turned grassy vacant lot with the remains of an old tile floor peering through. It seemed a place worthy of unpacking the tri-pod for a few shots including a self-portrait.

Thanks once again to Peter Budd for his work behind camera as well as his after hours role as unconventional tour guide. I always welcome a chance to learn a bit more about the "deep" in the deep south.

This week has a trip to Fargo N.D. in the works for an editorial project. Will work to tap the visual eccentricities a bit closer to home this time, something "deep" other than snow...

Mr. Budd in Memphis, after hours...