Get the Delorean Ready

I try to be introspective on a regular basis. While I spend a respectable amount of time reviewing failures and successes I’ve had, it feels like I still critique outside situations more than I critique myself.

A few minutes ago Adam’s Facebook told me I need to go read his new post.  You should really read it, too.  Cash Cat is the bomb.

On a related note I have (sort of) a photographic memory – which would make sense.  When I tend to look back on prior experiences (even when something just happens that makes me think of previous endeavors) I have hardly an issue with bringing up a memory that directly pertains to my current situation.  Well, that’s not really true either.

More than consciously sorting through a lifetime of experiences, my brain takes the wheel and makes the decision about what’s important.  I guess it’s relate-able to a Google search.  When someone says “spill” my brain does a little sorting and settles on the time I left a clear glass of clear gelatin in the fridge.  Then it broke.

Side note: when cool liquid gelatin and shattered clear glass come in contact with the shelves of a fridge – that’s well below the solidification temperature of gelatin – it’s a bad thing.

But anyway… It’s sort of like my cerebellum processes a query, brings up the first page of results, and auto-picks what it feels is the most relevant.  My mouth sort of blurts out whatever it’s told.

So HERE’S where the photo stuff comes into play.

I would like to know what else I know, but don’t know I know it because my brain tells me I know other things.  Make sense?   Essentially, I want to think about a certain topic and (instead of settling on the first search result) dig a little deeper to see what else I can dredge up.

As a result, I’ll craft a picture or pictureS around whatever prior experience or previously learned knowledge I come up with.

Sound good?  Well, I need some help.  See – I can’t just think up a phrase or situation out of thin air.  My current situation (a laptop, white wall, air conditioner and a foot that fell asleep) are filling my dome with stimulus that will invariably lead to a certain thought.

So I need you to bring up topics or ideas.  They don’t even have to make sense.  Licorice puppies wearing glasses on Everest would be just fine, but now that I thought about it, the thought process won’t be unique.  You understand.

Fill my brain, people!

– Jon

That’s some tasty layout

I’ve been doing some photo, branding, design, organization – basically I’ve been acting as a marketing/ad agent for a local company.  These guys —–> Wonderland Lanes.

It’s a bowling center in Commerce, Michigan that’s about to relaunch their grille as a no-holds-barred rockin’ restaurant.

Maybe a couple months back, I dropped a sneek preview at some of the food photos.  Now, we’re in the midst of full-on advertisements.

Don’t drool on your keyboard – it’s bad for it.

– Jon

 

A Good Old Fashioned Celebration

It was a brisk fall day in northern Montana… OK – that’s a lie.  It was the last day of June in Detroit and it was HOT.  Like really, really hot.

But that’s all I really have to whine about.  The rest of the day was super awesome.

Based on this post, some of you may know that I don’t regularly shoot weddings.  It’s not so much because I don’t like them (’cause I do).  It’s more that shooting a wedding for someone you didn’t know until they hired you has some drawbacks:

– They aren’t your buddies and there’s a chance they may feel a bit uncomfortable with a camera pointed at them (regardless of how good you are).

– You don’t really know a lot about their personal lives, so striking up conversation/making them laugh is pretty much left to the stock commentary that gets used with every client.

– (This is my big one) – Their personal bubble is a LOT bigger.

Those are just a couple of reasons why I only shoot weddings for family and friends.  I can get closer, make them laugh more consistently, and – most importantly – it seems like less of a job and more like fun (which GREATLY improves image quality).

So anywho – a friend/former instructor of mine got hitched at the end of last month and I was there along with Ashley Lawler and Laura Raymond for picture takin’.

Here are some of the nifty shots we got.

– Jon

I am the Dragon pt.2

A couple days ago, we dropped it like it’s hot… flaming hot.

As you might remember from the end of the post- one should take great caution when spitting flaming liquid out of one’s face.  Well, even though caution was taken, there could have been more.

I learned a new lesson.

– Jon

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I am the Dragon.

Back in the day (it was a Wednesday) I taught myself a neat-o party trick: FIREBREATHING!

It’s great for all kinds of things – weddings, kid’s parties, lighting birthday cake candles, even getting rid of hornet nests.  But, above all else, visual entertainment.

Here’s a little collection of some of my favorite shots.

Now, before you say “Hey, that’s nifty.  I should get down on some of that!” you should realize the downsides.

1.)  You’re shooting fire out of your face.

2.)  Thermodynamics

3.)  YOU’RE SHOOTING FIRE OUT OF YOUR FACE!

It’s pretty much a guarantee that the first couple times you try something like this, you’ll be ending up with a quick sunburn.  That’s not to say it’ll be completely safe after you’ve had practice.

Recently, I attempted a picture while standing in Lake Huron.  I was in one of the largest bodies of fresh water on Earth.  I soaked my head before I took the shot.  I also had my back to the wind – so the fire would just get blown even further away from me, right?

WRONG.

Apparently the oxygen that was consumed directly in front of my face because of the fire was replaced, and then some, by the wind wrapping around my head.  So, be sure to stop back in a day or two for the follow up pictures on why you should know more about physics when attempting something like this.

In closing, don’t be stupid… like me.  It could end really badly.

– Jon

 

 

Going Green… Decoratively.

Due in no small part to a connection from a close friend, I’ve recently begun some business with a local/national herbalogically-minded, interior decoration-based company.  I suppose that’s a bit wordy, but it’s a pretty accurate description of what these folks do.

The company is BrightGreen and they craft “Living Walls.”     These guys —-> 

Basically, imagine a unit that allows plants to grow vertically on a wall instead of on the ground or in pots.  Also, because each unit can hold multiple small plants, you can essentially plant designs on the wall that match the decor and such.

Over the past coupe weeks, we began work creating imagery for the new product from the company, the “Grovert.”  It’s the plant-it, hang-it, grow-it yourself unit for sale at  plant nurseries in the Midwest.

Here’s a bit of of the project –  a few of my favorite shots.  What do you guys think?

– Jon

Oh lookie – I have a commercial!

As you may have noticed (or maybe not) I’ve been lacking a bit on getting up “the content.”

Well, sure, I’ve been busy with some jobs – BUT – more importantly…

Jon’s learning video.

Yes indeedy, folks – while I will always rock out the single shots, I’m starting to love me some 24FPS.  So with no more rambling, please take a gander at my very own promo video!

Oh – be sure to watch it in HD – it’s just that much better.

– Jon

Home Grown Ads.

Hey y’all! Sorry it’s been a bit since the last post – Finals week sort of took up my time. But now I’m back and ready to rock out some new work!

Let’s start with a finish. Over the last few months there have been regular posts about a series of group adverting projects. We’ve seen hygene products, security systems, summer-y desserts… No we finish the series in the real estate industry.

Our task for this last project was to design a pair of single page ads, a 2-page spread, a billboard, and a commercial. The task was intended to focus on the service industry, so we chose the real estate sector (specifically residential real estate.

I’ll skip the long-drawn breakdown of why we did what we did – Enjoy!

Oh – and fair warning: the video is REALLY cheesy.

High Tech Self-Promo

This has been in the works for about 3 months now.

Since the start of term, I wanted to put together a booklet – kind of like a process book (showing clients how I get to the end of a project).  So, I did.

I won’t ramble about it, as it’s intended to be fairly self-explanatory.  I wouldn’t mind some thoughts and opinions, though.

Whadaya think?

– Jon