-by Jules

What a way to ring in the New Year…a new project…in new media…it’s motion alright!  Shot in a part day in our studio, edited on another day. See the description below for more info.

Carol Engler/ Originator, Empathic Education from George C. Anderson on Vimeo.

George C. Anderson and Julie Schirmer take their years of enthusiasm and experience creating memorable still photography and step into video production with their first client-sponsored project, shot in George’s studio with sound captured by Jay Alton. Helping Carol convey her passion for Empathic Education, George and Julie consulted on script-writing, studio set, lighting, wardrobe/hair/makeup and of course, on-camera direction, to portray Carol as the authentic person she is: professional, informed and approachable. In support of Carol’s message, George and Julie licensed music from stockmusic.net and also selected and sequenced stock images from Shutterstock. They offered creative direction working with freelance video editor Eric Ringquist to finalize their collective vision.

Time to Say Good-Bye

Today turns over a new leaf. Much of the gear that fueled our business for many of the past years has been sold. It’s perfectly fine equipment and very serviceable. But it’s no longer of use to us, made obsolete by faster, sharper, cheaper and less fussy equipment.

Gone are the days when placing a Hasselblad on your tripod meant instant status. The images produced by the Zeiss glass and larger format did the trick back in the film era and early days of the digital revolution.  And while those cameras and lenses were beastly expensive to buy, they were workhorses that functioned perfectly with very rare exception. And when things would occasionally break, they were imminently repairable. And they didn’t need software upgrades every year or so.

Tens of thousands of dollars were poured into acquiring the pile of gear you see in the photo. We could count on the longevity and quality of the investment to come back to us without fail. Much of what you see here has been useful and been put to work for 15 years or more, in some cases. The gear held its value for years after its purchase.

It is, however, time to say good-bye. For my whole professional life, up to this point, I shot with Hasselblad gear. I had used Horseman 4×5 and Nikon, but my first choice tended to be the Hasselblad.  Now the only thing left in our studio emblazoned with that fabulous Hasselblad logo is a cinch-top lens bag…perfect, for carrying something other than a ‘Blad lens.

Today, there are many new pieces of gear we own. And what they are capable of doing is almost magical.

But when you put them on the tripod, they just don’t have that Ooh-Aah-Hasselblad wow factor!  No worries, it’s really always been about the image-wow-factor anyhow.  And the new tools we have just make that easier to create.

-by Geo

This past weekend, an event called “Art al Fresco” happened in Columbus, Ohio. Artists made spontaneous art in public places, starting conversations and evoking responses from people passing by. I was proud to be a small part of this, when 3 B&W photos from my “About Face: The Art of Being Human” series were chosen for display.

Additionally, these photos are “teasers” for another upcoming community building art effort, the “Columbus: Inside Out Project.”  It will be a group endeavor as part of the worldwide initiative known as “Inside Out.”  Inspired by the artist/photographer JR, winner of the 2011 TED prize, who said “I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we’ll turn the world…INSIDE OUT.” Six other Columbus-based photographers and I will be capturing portraits of local volunteers from all walks of life this Saturday 9/17/2011 at COSI from 10am until 12pm.  The resulting prints will be posted around town in public places. The hope is to create a feeling of community through the display of these portraits in areas accessible to all.

More info about the Columbus:  Inside Out Project at http://tedxcolumbus.com/2011/09/inside-out/

More info about JR’s global Inside Out Project at http://www.tedprize.org/jr-2011-ted-prize-winner/

-by Jules

Summer is a great time to capture evocative images. Everyone can relate to the sweet simplicity summertime brings to mind.  School’s out, days are long, temperatures are pleasant.  The livin’ is easy!

It doesn’t get much simpler than fun times in the sprinkler.  Just ask this boy.  Hopefully you won’t have to, maybe the picture tells it all.

We’ve all heard the phrase “Thinking Outside the Box” so much that it’s become a cliché. I was surprised to find the college students in my photo class didn’t know the brain teasing puzzle that started this concept. Follow this link to learn more about the puzzle. But I want to go a bit further.

A very astute and engaged designer friend, Crit Warren, has spoken about producing work that fits an audience’s “Circle of Understanding”.

The Circle of Understanding

The dot inside the circle represents a common group knowledge; everyone in the group “gets” what’s in the dot. The circle represents the outer limit of understanding of that particular group. Our messages need to fit the group and their knowledge.

For instance, if we need to show how to operate a fire extinguisher, our message and visuals had better be in the dot for everyone. When I talk to my photo students about photo styles and techniques, I will assume they have a larger circle of understanding.

Crit had said, and I agree, that good advertising should be right along the edges of the circle for your given audience. Make your viewers think a bit, and they will be engaged. No one likes boring.

Each audience is unique. We all have our own levels of vocabulary, and our visual vocabulary is no different. The internet and smart devices have enabled anyone with the resources to access a huge volume of imagery and data, expanding our limits of understanding. We can be edgy and still engage our audiences. As our viewers become more visually sophisticated, our opportunities as photographers just get more exciting.

For photographers, making something appear to be simple can actually be pretty involved.  Here’s a 2.5 minute video from the above shoot where the object was to photograph some community members with the wind turbines they helped engineer and facilitate…caution, there is a soundtrack so you might want to adjust your volume settings!

Behind the Scenes with George C. Anderson Photography from George C. Anderson on Vimeo.

-by Jules

I saw a piece on the Today show recently which featured an author of a book I did not know. Apparently everyone else on the planet has heard of this writer’s book, which stems from his blog, but in case not, I wanted to share here. It holds some basic truths that I think can be helpful to creatives who own their own small businesses and sometimes suffer not only the economic challenges shared by all small businesses, but also the extra difficulties of staying positive and producing creative ideas when forces in life may seem to be conspiring against you.

The author was Neil Pasricha and his new book is called “The Book of (Even More) Awesome.” The way he tells it, he had started a blog just chronicling little everyday events that brought some kind of simple joy to his life. He didn’t think anyone would read it. His first fan was his mom and then his dad, then his dad’s friends and so on. ‘Til the blog had a ginormous following and now, he’s a bestselling author.

Why go on and on about this fellow and his story?

When we make our income by parlaying our creative gifts into tangible, communicative messages, it’s not always an easy path.  Yes, it’s all hunky-dory when you’re booked solid and budgets are ample.  But when the calendar is lacking and every budget feels parsimonious, we have to find ways to appreciate the small things in life.  The bigger stuff will work out.  It always does.  And in the meantime, it’s important to buoy yourself up, because the best creative comes from a well within each artist.  And feeling satisfied helps feed that wellspring.

For example, this morning,  I realized I was wailing away to a song I was listening to in my car.  I like to sing, and I don’t always even realize I’m humming along to something on the radio…but today, I actually took note of how much pleasure I was experiencing in the moment.  Plus I’m pretty sure the guy in the car next to me at the stoplight got a big chuckle from my antics, although he was probably thankful it’s not warm enough for open windows just yet here in Ohio…

In the fast-paced world we all live in, and the occasionally ego-crushing creative business we’ve chosen to work in, try to remember to stop once in a while and revel in something simple and fulfilling.  Maybe it will inspire your next photo?  Maybe that something little can be the start of your next big thing?

by Jules

There is no denying that texting can be efficient, emailing unobtrusive and smoke signals…well, uh…pretty?

But as visual collaborators, there is nothing to beat a good phone call or personal meeting to hash out the how-to’s in a shared creative endeavor. As photographers, it is typically our role to execute others’ vision, research and layouts. A good conversation can go a long way to making this whole experience more satisfying and successful overall.

When interpreting others’ aesthetics, can we really get the full description as quickly and thoroughly via text rather than talk? Let’s admit it, most creatives got into this business because they are image people, not necessarily word people (our friends, the Copywriters, aside of course). Many times, they are also hunt-and-peck keyboardists who struggle to scratch out a few lines of text. How dreary it must feel to attempt tapping out all the subtleties they could better describe in even a brief chat!

So, when you are working with someone and are going to be the photographer who ultimately stands with your trusty camera at that critical moment in time and “makes it all happen,” I hope you’ve been able to have a previous conversation with your client. There will be things you’ll discover that simply can’t be communicated and discussed any other way. And you’ll do a better job for having a better understanding of your client’s wishes.

I know we’re all pressed for time and the natural inclination now for so many entering the working world of the communication arts may be to reach for their inter-planetary mobile device and send a message, even if the recipient is just across the hallway.

I encourage us to seek conversation. Audio, visual, person-to-person. We can keep it short, to the point, and in the process, perhaps we may remember that in fact, the spoken word can be more efficient than we ever realized.

-by Julie

Our interns often look surprised when they read our list of “dos and don’ts” and just what activities are appropriate when nothing directly billable is at hand.  Item #21 is “Have fun and laugh.”  Many of them have never considered a work environment where seeking fun, laughing and sanctioned play time is not only accepted but encouraged.  Seriously  kids, lighten up!

Because what we’ve learned in our business is that being creative is fundamentally what it’s all about.  And having a wellspring of personal energy to dedicate to maintaining an at-the-ready-creative stance is worth cultivating.

And that toys help.

Fortunately, our friends and family understand this too.  Just this past Christmas, Geo received these totally nifty ExecuHelis. RC, with dual blades…pretty sophisticated engineering for $25 a pop.  Thanks, brother Don Anderson (and Best Buy).

The flight path in our hulking studio’s free space is ideal for unencumbered helicopter action.  (And boomerangs, and Red Ryder BB targets…not to mention the indoor swing hanging from our rafters on 12′chains …)

So- play is good.  We’ve got the toys, and when time allows, you bet we get serious about having fun.  It makes us happy, it inspires us to lofty ideas.  OK, well not always lofty per se.  But a playful mind is a resourceful mind and that’s what it seems our clients want time after time..brains in gear with good ideas to offer.

Pardon me, I want to get back to messing around with the ‘copters.  Just trying to properly get this New Year off the ground (excuse the pun)…