Pele Gold

The American Advertising Federation District 13 Hawaii held the annual Pele Awards over the weekend; for the best in year's Hawaii advertising, design & editorial features. 

Oahu mega agency, LCA-Anthology, swept the awards with 18 honors in multiple categories.

Part of an ongoing advertising campaign I've had the privilege of working on over the past couple of years, the ad below received a  Pele Gold & Silver Award! 

"Shave Ice"
Agency: LCA_Anthology Group
Creative Director: April Rutherford
Account Executive: Stefani Li-Zaborski
Client: Maui Visitors & Conventions Bureau
Pele Gold Award: Spread, Multiple Page or Insert (Four-Color)
Pele Silver Award: Travel & Tourism,  Magazine-Advertising

Today's Ironic Moment

Coin Divers, Java Indonesia

Received an email today from an Art Buyer for a very slick glossy featuring editorial content of and targeted at the very well heeled. With the word LUXURY in it's title & planning a future feature on one of our island's well-known residents, the AB requested a quote for use of one of my portraits to run with the story. Pulling up very reasonable numbers from various resources, I responded with a very fair quote and fired it off in response. The reply came quickly that the budget was very tight and could we negotiate? Sure... why not? Wouldn't want to deny the penthouse dwellers, would we?

Spring Promo

March Marches Out

Today the inbox contained a note from Agency Access with a link to today's wisdom: 

6 Unspoken Rules of Successful Blogging. 

Rule# 1: Post Frequently But Don't Overdo It

Little chance of overdoing things here despite  best intentions.

Some of the stuff we've been up to during the past month:

• Celebrated another lap around the sun
• Drank tequila for breakfast with an attorney
• Got rejected from two consecutive juried exhibitions
• Sold a print that had been entered in one of said exhibitions
• Received a phone flogging from a local arts org ed
• Met some goats and worked on another farm to table story
• Cut sampled the cheese
• Photographed a state politician and exploited his family
• Attended the grand opening of a great new restaurant
• Drank more tequila but not for breakfast this time
• Met a really cool dog
• Worked with new & talented make-up stylist
• Worked with a really talented chef & shot some more food
• Shot some products
• Watched it rain. A lot.
• Started the application process for a new nonprofit corp
• Hosted my weekly radio show
• Surrendered any attempts to manage the unmanageable
• Compiled the annual packet of lies accounting and handed them off to the cpa
• Schemed an east coast getaway in May
• Schemed a s.e. asia getaway to follow
• Watched it rain some more
• Attended a couple of swanky dinner parties
• Overran my mobile phone texting limit
• Downloaded (legally) some great new & old music

And in pictures... (click for larger view)

The Day the Stock Photography Industry Died

Getty contributors take it in the sorts again. Why do they stay?

For an excellent analysis of Getty's latest move and a bit of speculation on the motives behind the move, read here:

http://thedambook.com/getty-did-what/

Quiet Storm

A late season winter storm has settled in over this tiny island, bringing with it buckets of rain, cool temperatures and a threat of snow to volcanic mountain peaks. Massive surf pounds the northern coastlines, leading to a capsized 24' boat & crew during early morning hours. Rescue efforts managed to rescue all involved, boat included. No casualties reported. Seemingly moments later, reports of a 6.6 earthquake off the coast of Japan began filtering in. Twenty minutes later an all-clear came in and another potential for a massive Pacific tsunami has been averted.

Weather aside, most of the previous week has been spent scouting, preparing for and executing a two day assignment in food porn. All went well and the weather has provided the opportunity to dodge outdoor domestic duties to hunker down and move towards finishing up the post-processing & edit. The best of the new work will be up on display as soon as the commissioning party begins making use of it.

It's also exhibition season in these parts with two juried shows rapidly approaching. Intended submissions for Art Maui have been picked up from the framers and are even more stunning, if I am allowed to say so, when viewed behind glass. Five other works submitted last week to the upcoming show in H'lulu. Word on jury results should arrive on thursday.

And... as mentioned in a previous post, I will be conducting a one-day workshop on portraiture at the University of Hawaii New Pacific Media Center in Honolulu. The date now set in stone just a short time ago for the class Portraiture: From Street to Studio, an all day event with lecture, discussion and hands-on demos/opportunities for all participants. Mark you calendars for August 9.

Ferry Passenger, Java, Indonesia

Correction... word has just come in that due to scheduling conflicts, the workshop Portraiture: From Street to Studio has been moved to June 28.

Standing Room Only

For the second year, I have been invited to speak at the University of Hawaii, Maui Campus' Culinary Arts class on the subject of alternative careers in the culinary arts. My topic... food photography & food styling.

Equipped with A/V materials on the subject matter and a handful of videos courtesy of YouTube, I managed to blather on for well over 90 minutes. The students, all fresh-faced and inquisitive, remained rapt (much to my surprise) throughout the presentation. A long & interesting Q&A session ended the presentation... great, thoughtful questions from the standing room only crowd. I will be back to do it again next year.

More news on the Photographic education front, I will be teaching a one day workshop at the UofH's H'lulu Outreach Campus' Pacific New Media Center this summer. Portraiture will be the subject matter covered. Dates not yet determined so stay tuned.