Zelda from Eukanuba

Sierra in the Gunpowder

In December of 2010, I was contacted by an advertising firm asking about the use of an image of Sierra. (right) After a little bit of negotiations, settlement was reached and the rights to the image for a year were obtained. (see here for advert Eukanuba removed it, go here instead)
They renamed her to Zelda, used another image to blur the rocks on top a bit, and removed the red collar. They added some text about how good of a water dog she was.

I didn't think much more of it... until someone said they saw it in National Geographic. Not only in one issue, but in three months running. It may never happen again, but I had an image in National Geographic! (ok ok, it was for an advertisement, but still- work with me people!)

Then other folks started chiming with places they had seen the image of Sierra... Outdoors, Dog Fancy (back cover), Canine Review, Men's Health, and others. So they spent quiet a bit of cash showing off my dog to advertise for their product- I am still in awe of it all.

For the record, Sierra has never had Eukanuba.

Thanks again to the great folks over at Lab-Rescue of the Potomac for helping me find her.

Many more images of Sierra.

Strob'n

I can recall my first use of a non-built in camera strobe/flash. It was pretty significate, so the date sticks out like a sore thumb for me. 
The first time I used one was to shoot U2. Yes, the band- U2.


Here is a brief back story:
    I was getting in to photography, really feeling my oats so to speak. I had been looking at the idea of adding a strobe to my mix. However, I knew once I got it there would be a ton of settings, configurations, etc that I wasn't ready to take on yet. So I put it off. After all, I was an available light only sort of shooter. Why bother adding?! (Literally: Little did I know....)
    Then U2 released it's semi-autobiography: U2 by U2. They also announced a support run of bookstores in three cities. One turned out to be New York City, a no brainer for a band who owns places in that city. There were contests for fans to get a copy of the book signed, and I failed that entry. However a buddy of mine in the Baltimore area won. I won my own lotto of sorts when I said I wanted to get a press-pass to shoot the band. I was in!
However, here is where the problem started: It was indoors along side some of the biggest news sources in America. I couldn't shoot available like and be any bit serious. I didn't have a spare $300 for a strobe, and very little time toprepare. So I asked for help from a friend who I knew would be there, and had a strobe to lend me for the event. Thats right, I went in to shoot U2 with a borrowed strobe with no clue how to use it, no experience, and very little idea of what I was trying to do.
I think I wound up getting some decent shots. However it drove me, I had to face the monster- strobes would be something I would need to bring in to the arsenal.
(The ATU2 flickr set of the event)
    Since then I have moved away from available light. I have gotten almost snooty. For instance, my daughter was making sugar cookies with my wife this week. She was having a BLAST. Of course I wanted to shoot it... available light would have been awful. Bouncing the light was bad shadows... so I HAD to get out a lightstand and shoot thru-umbrella to give a wonderfully soft light to the fun. If I attempted the photos with the pre-strobe me, they would have been flat, grainy, and blech. Now I almost didn't take any photos because I wasn't happy with the light I was able to get. Thankfully my gear was nearby.
What was the differenece? A lot of reading, looking at how-tos, discecting photos, and not being happy with what I achieved. Even from my little photo shot of cookies being made, I still added some decent editing to make the image even better.


Here is a list of five sites that have helped me tremendously:

• Strobist
• S.U.M. on Flickr
• Digital Photography School
• Zach Arias
• And a TON of practice.  =)

City of Blinding Lights- adventures in advertising

The image that started this.

I had originally wrote most of this for @U2's series called Like A Song.

With the use license up for the image, I thought it was time to tell the story behind how I got one of my images printed in magazines like ESPN the Magazine and Rolling Stone.

I was contacted by an advertising agency in September of 2010 asking about the image seen to the right. They were looking to use it in an up coming Budweiser ad campaign called "Grab Some Buds." It wasn't anything I had heard of but the dollar figure they quoted made me seriously consider it. 


This also proves that a shot from anywhere can be had. This image was a mistake, as outlined in the piece below. I didn't mean to take it. I almost deleted it as soon as I took it. But I kept it... not only kept it, but had mind enough to shoot at my Canon S70's highest resolution. I also backed all my images up, so I was able to pull it my from archives. Lastly, this was my 8th photo EVER to be posted to Flickr back in 2005. Never forget that almost anything can be used, a mistake with P+S camera, and one of my first posted images via Flickr. Amazing.
I was worried though. This was an image from a U2 concert, not something made for selling beer. I emailed some U2 photo friends, and some "in the know" U2 friends to ask advise. The end result was that I should go for it, but in the contract to include an indemnity clause protecting me in case U2 world came at the advertisement with lawyers. 
The thing was, I had no idea if U2 had copy-written their shows. As in, something that was uniquely theirs, and any attempt to make it pass off as someone else's or to sell another product was illegal. If you know what you are looking for in the image above, Edge is in there. 

Image used in ad in ESPN the Magazine

Well, now you know my story. I've only seen the image in ESPN the Magazine, as seen to the left here (October 4, 2010 issue), and Rolling Stone in the store. [interesting on the opposite side of a page involving Edge]
Now with some of the personal back story to this image and song.


The follow piece is taken from an article I wrote for @U2.


When I first heard "City of Blinding Lights," I was impressed. It was a big song for U2, and I thought it should have been the first song on the album. I had no idea when I first heard the song that it would twist through my life and supply me with distinct memories: from inspiring me in song, to inspiring me to help, to repaying me. 


MARCH 26, 2005 – LOS ANGELES

I was in San Diego early to take in the first two nights of the Vertigo tour. I was assisting with the @U2 pre-concert party, and hanging out with two great friends, fellow @U2 staffer Sherry and her other half, Steve. We took the day to drive to L.A. because we had time, and of course, U2 was rehearsing. If this was going to be a U2 vacation, we were going to geek it up. Then, the magic occurred. Fans who were gathered at the L.A .Sports Arena were let in with the radio contest winners to watch the last rehearsal for the Vertigo tour. To see a preview of what's to come for free before opening night was like winning a golden ticket. They opened with "City of Blinding Lights," and it was just magical: the confetti sprinkling down, the sheer joy of the moment, Bono singing "Oh you look so beautiful tonight" at full tilt. It was a defining moment in my U2 fandom, one I doubt I will be able to top. The song was perfect for opening the show, just as "Zoo Station" was perfect for the Zoo TV tour. It set the tone for the entire show.

MAY 14, 2005 – PHILADELPHIA

An accident occurred at this show for me that turned out to be somewhat magical. During the opening of the concert, Bono "appeared" to rise up under a shower of confetti at the front of the ellipse. I wanted to photograph that moment with my fancy point-and-shoot camera. I made sure the flash was turned off. While I knew what to expect, I missed the moment entirely -- I snapped too early. The resulting image, however, has easily become one of my favorites. I have moved on to more serious photography interests, from a point-and-shoot camera to a digital single lens reflex camera. I have had opportunities to officially photograph U2 for @U2 at events like the "U2 by U2" book signing, Bono receiving the Liberty Medal, and a couple U2 concerts (1, 2, 3). My interest in photography and U2 led me to the African Well Fund, where I organized three different photo auctions of U2 material by fans. The auctions raised more than $20,000 over the three years it has occurred. I put that image of "City of Blinding Lights" up for auction twice and was amazed at the money it raised for the cause. FALL OF 2010

An ad agency contacted me last fall about using that same image for a high-profile ad campaign. The money they paid me allowed me to upgrade my camera gear -- something I couldn't do easily with a young family, and one thing I couldn't have dreamed of when I took the photo five years earlier.  Every time I hear the song, I think of those distinct moments in my U2 fandom, from golden tickets and mistake shots to helping a Bono-inspired charity, and how they all came full circle in giving something back to myself.

11/11/11 A football game- recap

Shooting sports is not something I do that often, though I think I really like it. Therefor- it is VERY hard for me and I get frustrated.

As I predicted, my 70-200mm lens was on my 7D body for 95% of the game. And as the game was under the lights, I was glad for the usable higher ISO and the low low f/2.8. Getting the right angles, figuring out what is important, and following the action is even more interesting. (read hard) I think if I had more pratice and more of a direct goal, it could/would be easier. I do know a 70-200 is not going to get me very far in the sports photography world. I would need at least one more body and a 300mm or 400mm prime lens. The 70-200 is good for 'closer' up photography... in my case, it was the best I had and I 'happy' with the results.

I took well over 500 photos, but it was easy as the Canon 7D made shooting 7 fps much easier to snap crazy.

It was also a little frustrating as a lot of the action wind up being away from me, run away from me, or generally not easy to shoot. However, I did position myself to snap, as it turned out, the winning score. It was right in front of me, and I recognized the play pretty much right away.

Woot. Life is good for that one.

For the rest of the set, check my flickr set for them. It helps to have a relationship with the subject in question. I've shot other games, and I was able to call the day of and get permission to shoot this. Thank you again Calvert Hall.