-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.

-by Jules

©2011 Julie Schirmer

A recent article in the New York Times advertising section reports a new nomenclature in the ad agency and PR firm setting.  Of course, reorganization and renaming are nothing new to our industry. But some of the monickers that we’ve come to know, love and understand are being replaced with more current, relevant titles. Here’s a primer so we might recognize who we’re working with.

Out with the Old, In with the New!

Out: Account Executive, In: Strategist
Out: Account Supervisor, In: Catalyst
Out: Designer and/or Writer, In: Creator
Out: Vice President, In: Executive Director

GolinHarris, a PR firm with 700 employees and owned by Interpublic Group of Companies, is formalizing this shift as of this week. They say it is in response to changing consumer behaviors “most notably the public’s fast and fierce embrace of digital and social media.” Apparently, new hires had the skills to be useful, productive team members, but the old job title system just didn’t seem to fit the bill anymore.

No mention of a new title for Photographer. Any ideas?

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 Geo

I’m currently teaching at Columbus College of Art and Design as an adjunct. The class is Fashion/Portrait Studio. The students are wonderfully engaged, and I enjoy the opportunity to bring some real world experience to the classroom. So I was pleased when Amy Morgan, Make-Up/Wardrobe Stylist, offered to come in and do a demo. I called up Carol Mosic at CAM Talent to see if she could spare someone, and she was able to provide Myrishka H. for us.

The demo progressed perfectly, and many of the students were pushing for dramatic colors. Amy did the basics, then went on to a more “colorful” approach. Each eye was done in a different color and style, as an experiment. Of course I took some photos.

It was only after I was looking at the photos that I decided to see what Myrishka might have looked like with symmetrical make-up.

In Photoshop, I copied the image to another layer, flopped that layer horizontally, and then masked out half of the face. The results, as you can see below, are surprising!

A big THANKS! goes out to Amy Morgan and CAM Talent. I couldn’t have done it without you!

-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)…

by Geo

This time of year, we often think about giving back and helping others with any special skills we may have. One way I’ve found to satisfy that desire is to offer my photographic services, pro-bono, to certain worthy causes. When it comes to entering into pro-bono projects, I remember some sage advice that a prominent designer once gave me. He basically said to work for free only if it’s your very best work. This is not to say that my attitude is “my way or the highway,”  but instead, to seek causes I feel strongly about and discuss an approach that will work for their needs as well as allow me creative freedom.  A pro-bono project should be seen as an opportunity to expand your creative horizons and do work that comes from the heart and goes straight into the portfolio.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana has allowed me to do just that. I believe in their mission, and they give me opportunities to make meaningful, compelling images. We are both grateful for the chance to work together.

As you may imagine, the Wish child’s family dynamic is quite different than the “norm.” I have seen some of the most touching moments between siblings on these shoots. Everyone realizes every second is special. There are few sibling rivalries as other families may have.

The Wish kids have also endured endless hours in hospitals, being poked and stuck, and told to hold still. They are the most compliant subjects I have ever worked with.  Their photo sessions provide a moment for them and their families to forget their troubles and be made to feel beautiful and special for all the “right” reasons.

Some of these images have won awards in local design and ad club competitions over the years. But the rewards are far greater than that.  I have had opportunities to meet truly fantastic families, immortalize moments in time, and express my creative vision in ways not always possible on commercial projects.

Many of these children go on to lead full, fruitful lives.  Sadly, some do not.  I feel lucky to have been a part of these kids’ lives if even for a few minutes.  One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received was when one Wish family contacted me to ask permission to use my photo of their son on his gravestone.

Working on this pro-bono project has been immensely meaningful to me, personally and professionally.  Consider reaching out and do your very own special work.

This image was chosen to be etched on this child's gravestone. I can think of no greater honor.