If you don’t RSS Scott Hanson’s blog you should. He’s an extremely talented graphic designer with a very creative and unique style. He is constantly blogging new work. Check it out…
Posts from March, 2008
Always a good time shooting with Nick Thune. He’s writing a show with the writer of wedding crashers for ABC starring him, so we threw down a round of publicity photos yesterday. I love how ideas spawn in the moments.
If you don’t know who Nick is, you should check him out. He’s a comedian that’s blowin’ up down here in Hollywood. Here are a few links:
http://www.nickthune.com/
http://www.myspace.com/nickthune
http://www.funnyordie.com/nick_thune
Here’s the story we shot yesterday:
http://www.nickonken.com/Stories/NickThuneIII/
In lou of yesterday’s post, I’ve decided to start passing around a desktop image once a month. If you like it and/or know anyone who you think would enjoy the image, pass it on.
This image was taken last week in LA. It’s Michael Copon breaking on a gritty street downtown.
APE posted an article last week on the future of photography. There’s been a bit of controversy over the article as Leslie Burns talks about in her post. The basic idea is passing your work, or making it available to be passed around to create "fans". Creating a bigger fan base increases your market.
It got me thinking of how digital technology is moving us into to a viral content world. Think about how much we love to share things with our friends. Random pieces of content that we think is so great, so we prostilitize it to everyone we know. Thus the concept of "Viral Content". Advertising age just reported that GE, the country’s third largest advertiser is moving to shift half of it’s $3 billion budget into digital and one-to-one marketing within the next 3 years. That said, they as well as many other brands will be spending a lot of money on creating viral content.
So, why don’t we as photographers use our own work as viral content. People pay us to create our own viral content (well, if it lines up with our creative vision), or we can go create it ourselves. If people, AKA fans are posting it on their walls or desktops, passing it to friends. Is that any different than me sending a promo poster to potential clients to hang on their wall? Or sending a print to a potential client. They can still scan it if they really like it.
My point is, making our work available to a be passed along in a personal use level that promotes the artist is a great idea. Maybe someone blogs it, maybe someone sends it to their friends, or makes it their desktop. You’re creating fans. Eventually, it might make it into the right hands. If you have your images registered with the copyright office, that gives you even more power if someone chooses to use your image in a commercial venue and violate copyright. The web world is getting smaller and smaller so finding images that are used without your permission is becoming easier and easier. There are even image tracking companies that will track all images used on the web. Besides, if it’s passed around low res, no one is going to use it in print anyways.. or at least we hope.
My friend Chris over at Chiat Day just showed me this article written by Ted Royer at Droga5 in NY for Boards magazine. This article talks about how he wants to marry a producer for a few different and very valid reasons.
Article: I want to marry a producer
It’s always been an ideal of mine to marry a producer. Someone I can travel and work side by side with. I love the idea of working with someone as a team getting stuff done. More than that, someone that can partake in the wonderful adventures that this career can provide and spend the quality time that is needed.
The article is a funny idea, but has a great reality to it. I wouldn’t mind marrying a producer myself.
My friend Marianne recently led me to Sam’s work. I must say, it’s hard to for me to sit down these days and get inspired by every image on someone’s website. What is inspiring to me about his work is that it’s so slice of life, and personality driven, and most of all mostly natural light. Within that natural slice of life element, he has strong concepts through out most of his images that resonate with the personality he’s shooting. He’s shot many amazing Esquire editorials as well as covers.
I just received his book, The Here and Now in the mail, and it’s fantastic. Definitely recommend it as a book for your coffee table.
My boy Michael Copon and I went downtown to throw down a little publicity shoot. Michael is an all around cool and talented guy. He’s starring in the new Scorpion King movie that hits the theaters this summer. It’s a prequel to the previous Scorpion King and he plays the Rock’s character at age 19.
It was good to shoot something a little harder than I normally shoot.
Here’s the story: http://www.nickonken.com/Stories/MichaelCopon/
I was having a great conversation with my friend Johnny last night over some Shabu Shabu. He was telling me about this video of Terry Richardson and his best kept secret of the Yashica T4 point and shoot. (If you’re unaware of who Terry Richardson is, he’s one of the hottest photographers right now. Look him up.) There’s another video of him shooting Lindsey Lohan for the cover of GQ with his Yashica. So simple.
It inspired a conversation that this video adds to the point that equipment is only the entry point. Knowing how to light is only an entry point to creating a good photograph. It’s the quality and composition of the elements you put into the frame that is the most important. This includes, good models, locations, styling, prop styling, hair, makeup, and most of all how you direct your subject. What is your subject doing? What emotion are they exuding? How are they interacting with the environment, or with the other subjects? What is the concept of the image? All these are key elements in making a good photo.
Cholada, and my friends who’ve partaken can attest, is straight up amazing Thai food. Every person I’ve brought here has loved it. Don’t be fooled by the beach shack look of the establishment. The food quality is up there with well, Thailand, and is the best I’ve had here in LA. Plus, how can you beat an amazing restaurant right on the beach? It sits right on the PCH and overlooks the ocean. If you’re venturing to LA, or live here I definitely highly recommend you give it a whirl. What could be better? A cruise up the PCH on a sunny day, and finishing with a lovely meal at Cholada.
Amazing food inspires!
Literally. Last night I found myself at Brett Ratner’s party with my friend Kristin. We walked in to the house and she ran over, "Patrick, Patrick how are you?" There was Patrick Demarchelier hanging out by himself. A quiet humble Frenchman who is a photographic icon amongst Annie Leibowitz, Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Ellen Von Unwerth, etc. I found myself a bit tongue-tied and I had no idea what to say. I ended up being able to get the words "What are you doing in town this week?" and he replied nonchalantly with a distinguished french accent "Oh, I’m just in town for a day shooting the Vogue cover." A moment later, he came and sat down by us, and showed us(along with supermodel Tori Praver, whom I’d love to shoot one day) one of his fine art books. His work is beautiful, and iconic. He’s among the greats, and if you don’t know who he is check his work out. (His website is terrible, but he’s in that echelon where he doesn’t need one. They know who he is.) It’s between him, Mario Testino, and Steven Meisel who shoot every high fashion campaign.
Here’s a few links to his work(I’m sure you’ll recognize a lot of it):
http://www.demarchelier.com
http://www.demarchelier.net/advertising.html
http://www.younggalleryphoto.com/photography/demarchelier/demarchelier.html
We then sat there amused as we watched Brett’s assistant chase Cuba Gooding Jr. back and forth through the livingroom. He was throwing a fit about something. People watching at parties is probably the most fun thing to do.
All that said, It was amazing to meet a photographer who’s work has made a huge impact on the photography industry.