On the beach for UHC + AARP...

A vacation destination to rival that of Florida's hot spots, the city of Myrtle Beach has been welcoming visitors for over 100 years with its pristine Atlantic waters and soft sandy beaches. Last week we had the chance to spend a few days in North Myrtle Beach profiling Andrew and Julie Pytosh for the first of four United Health Care "Member Stories" under the badge of invoko. Our scope for the project included interviews by Dave Schroeder - Pilotvibe, art direction by Nathan Strandberg - EightHourDay, and still + video capture provided by myself - JCP.

I'm excited to look back on this first leg of the project documenting AARP supplement members knowing that the crew and I have raised the bar in terms of collecting content and implementing video into the overall endeavor where appropriate. As I've mentioned before, there's never been a more fascinating time to be in the business taking part in the merging of the still + video media realms. The new gear we've integrated as well as partners in shooting and post production are keeping things quite exciting as we move forward with new clients and expanded project requests.

The latter half of June and most of July have us running at full speed with travel to NYC, Houston, D.C., and Atlantic City. Check out the blog and keep pace with us as we share new people, places, and content.

On the beach for UHC + AARP...

Let's Go Fly... -> Part I

"Imagination is the highest kite one can fly." - Lauren Bacall

As we quickly approach the longest day of the year, we decided to take advantage of the early light and spent the better part of a Saturday morning out in the countryside flying a kite. The project featured the use of new still + video equipment and allowed further exploration into the creative capture process.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts and the eventual final edit, Let's Go Fly...

Let's Go Fly... -> Part I

An early influence and memorable subject...

It's one of nature's ways that we often feel closer to distant generations than to the generation immediately preceding us. ~Igor Stravinsky

Upon a rare dig into the archives of some of my earliest images I discovered a sheet of negatives from a shoot I remember and look back on with fond memory.

While I don't have any "got my first camera when I was eight," stories, I do remember a mid-90's visit to my Grandmother's house in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul, MN. On any given spring, summer, or fall day you'd find Grandma in her backyard, sitting on her back porch swing, glass of lemonade with book or magazine within arms reach. Never in a hurry, always having plenty of time to genuinely listen to whatever topic surfaced; a quality she possessed that seems evermore valuable in today's time and space.

On this particular visit I arrived with a bit more zeal than was typical, my latest camera purchase at the hip- a new 85mm portrait lens ready to try out with a subject I knew would be more than willing and happy to oblige.

I am often asked about what steps or influences shaped my decision to tread upon this path and profession. My Grandmother on my mother's side, Garnet Rice, was the person most likely to have camera on hand, at the ready. She traveled near and far including multiple trips overseas. If I remember correctly she proudly stated she'd been to all fifty states, which for a woman of her means and her era, was quite a feat. There were always piles of 4x6 picture packs laying on her dining room table- she always ordered "double prints" so family members could take home their favorites.

Here's to being inspired by those before us; no doubt my work has a thread of my past woven into it. The road has gotten easier in many ways, yet more difficult and sometimes unnecessarily more complicated in others it often seems.

Grandma Garnet passed close to 10 years back - a vibrant and active woman of 93 years of age. A favorite person who still inspires, encourages, and smiles upon me. For this I am thankful and humbled...

An early influence and memorable subject...