Photography
I recently did a portrait project for a client. We photographed a bunch of employees for posters to be displayed on workplace walls along with inspirational quotes. The plan was to create dramatically lit portraits to print in duotone. Here are a couple of the images. One was taken in the warehouse, the other in the offices. Let me know what you think.
Sometimes a simple portrait is all you need. We do headshots for a local credit union. Between their massive growth and modest turnover, we shoot quite a few. Many find the idea of getting a portrait unpleasant. It's like hearing yourself on voicemail. We try to make the process as pleasant as possible, which I think makes for a better headshot.
It's always fun to shoot beautiful things. This car is no exception. We only had a day and a half, and a long shot list, so we were moving pretty fast. It was pretty interesting working with Jerry, the automotive designer who designed and built the car. He had lots of insight into the shape and rendering of the values describing the vehicle. As always, I am interested in your thoughts and comments.
You know you’re living in the Twilight Zone when wearing a mask is controversial. So why not wear one as exciting as the times? Liam and Maria, my son and daughter-in-law, make these striking masks with 3D printing technology. Definitely more exciting than a cloth mask! Let me know what you think--and check out LMX Unlimited if you want to wear one yourself.
This portrait was shot at the client's office, but the background is from an office at the Domino’s Farms Office Park. It's a low, sprawling Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired complex. I'm not sure how Mr. Wright would feel about it, but I liked it. There are cows in the fields adjacent to the building. A pleasant environment. Let me know what you think.
Shooting glass products can be tricky. It's not just transparent – it's also shiny. It's essential to see the background behind the glass and have things (lights) reflecting in the glass to reveal it's shininess. The edge of the glass needs to be a different value than the background so you can see the shape. I think I solved those problems for my client that manufactures these industrial LED lights. What do you think?
Not a portrait of the environment, nor the "Environment" as in climate change. Instead, a portrait of someone in their environment. Perhaps including things in the background that tell you a little something about the subject. Maybe this person works in a trendy office, lab, factory, or plays the guitar. Let me know what you think.
I like shooting portraits on location. Getting people in their own environment. In some ways, it's easier to see someone's soul when they are on their home turf. This day I was photographing some exceptional women who were being recognized for there work. I enjoy the excitement of pulling together the location/background, the lighting, and posing until everything works. Or at least I think it does. What do you think? 
Shooting on location is often full of surprises. You’re never sure what you'll find when you get there, even if there has been a lot of pre-production. Often there is not. I enjoy the challenge of pulling a photograph together on the spot. Fortunately, this client had prepared well and knew what they needed. This makes it easier for me to make better photographs. I am in awe of the amount of coordination required for a factory to function smoothly. It was like watching a dance. I am lucky to be able to illustrate it with photography.
I did this portrait several years ago, but I think it illustrates the value of design. The C suite employees were represented on the website with these photos. My partner Dave did a few, and I think there were some done in Germany too. Everyone was wearing white shirts on a white gradient background, looking pretty serious. The style integrated with the website well. The total effect was striking. Let me know what you think!
You know that this oil can hasn’t been used in a while. Years? Decades? Hard to say, but that’s a fine layer of dust. The overall patina is pretty nice too. I can imagine some old creaky geezer oiling a noisy machine 60 years ago. A simple white background lets it speak for itself. Let me know what you think.
I had a project earlier this year photographing in a factory that produced Bush Hogs, among other things. Everything seemed to flow through the factory as if in a choreographed dance. It was a busy day. We had to wear shoes with metatarsal protection because of all the heavy things moving around in the plant. We were busy and made quite a few photographs. I am always interested in your thoughts.
This photograph is from a shoot Richard and I did a while ago. Not all pictures need to be dramatic, some only need to display the jewelry and describe it visually. One can think of this as an illustration, I suppose—but it still has to be attractive. It’s convenient for me that Richard makes beautiful jewelry. As always, I'm interested in what you think.
These parts are made for Harley motorcycles. They get machined in the next production step, which makes them shiny and more photogenic. Nonetheless, even at this stage they are way prettier than when they come out of the press. I like the perspective and texture. What do you think?
Lead-acid batteries have been the standard in cars since the beginning. They are rectangular prisms too. This is a lithium-ion battery, so it's smaller and lighter. But still a box! The orange background helps it out. What do you think?
That’s how I feel about plumbing. Is it really not leaking? Why is this thingie the wrong size? Rats, I’ve got to go back to the store again. No Fun!
On the other hand low-key images with lots of texture make me smile. Either it’s a metaphor for midwest industry, or just a couple of old monkey wrenches. Regardless, I like the color and feel of the image. Let me know how you feel.
We are all part of a larger whole. The scope of the larger whole is sometimes difficult to fathom. In this case, these are pulleys, not cogs, and they have a bit of silicone or rubber to absorb shock and vibration. Smoothing out the bumps seems like a good idea in many contexts.I like the way the translucent silicone looks. It's always fascinating how industrial parts are beautiful objects with the right perspective and lighting.
Your image is for you to decide. You can be all buttoned up, literally and figuratively, or a little looser and more approachable. Many companies choose for you and have dressing requirements. We've done photography for clients who had all their executives wear white shirts with no tie, others a suit and tie, and still others like the photo above. Let me know what you think.
In the course of my work I often photograph lawyers. For attorneys, putting your name, and face, out there is a crucial step in acquiring new clients. Websites, PR releases, business cards, and social media all benefit from a good portrait. Headshots like this one can be used to fill various needs. If it's cropped tight, it will work for a LinkedIn profile. Cropped vertically, it would work for a PR release. I am always interested in your thoughts.
My next-door neighbor has a lot of interesting old stuff. His door was open recently, and I saw this table saw. It's a working saw, my neighbor still uses it. I was drawn to the colors and textures. It feels like it's hiding wisdom. I asked him if I could borrow it for a few hours. I'm interested in your thoughts. 