Recently, Workbook's own Colleen Stevenson had the chance to interview photographer Thomas Chadwick about his latest project, The Sketchbook. Here's what he had to say:

What is the story behind The Sketchbook?

I have always had all these photographs that I’d taken over the years that were personal. Every year, I would make my wife a book for her birthday that was a retrospective of the previous year. I liked to show the book to family and friends and the response was always “you should show these." I was conflicted about doing that because I felt they should be held separate from my commercial work. It seemed to me that taking pictures of your family or kids was very normal, and every photographer should be doing it. I didn’t think there was much that was special about the photographs, except that they were special to me.

Why the name?

My agents, Joe and Erica, convinced me it was okay to show the work on a blog that is separate from my commercial work on my website. A blog format is basically a modern day incarnation of a sketchbook. Meaning, a place where ideas, visuals, and concepts are developed or just noted for future reference and inspiration. A sketchbook is not a place for finished, polished work. It’s a place to put things for them to grow, a place to document your daily life, routines, and moments that you want to remember.

Do you like the idea of archiving your life while also sharing it with the world?

I’ve always archived my life. It’s what got me into photography in the first place. When I first picked up a camera, I was photographing my parents, grandparents, and brother. Now I photograph my wife and two boys.

When my boys are eighteen, I want to remember what their chubby toddler legs looked like. I want to remember what their morning breath smelled like from a shot of them stuffing their faces with sweets. I don’t want to forget these details. I worry that I might forget those small moments if I don’t take the pictures. Taking the pictures guarantees I will always have my three-year-old, even when he’s thirty.

Posting the photographs for others to see has shown me how universal the photographs are: a photograph of my son reminds someone of his or her boy who is now grown up. That connection to people, and people getting a flashback to their memories, is rewarding.

Most adults get a camera in front of them and they are so in their heads about how they look it’s harder to capture that genuine moment, but kids, everything seems so natural. Is that a draw for you?

Kids are engrossed in what they are doing. They believe they can do anything; they are in the present moment; they are authentically themselves. Their personalities show up all through their bodies; adults are more guarded. If a belly is sticking out, kids don’t care, and they don’t try to put on a face for the camera. Real and authentic is a draw for me. I point my camera at a lot of adults who let me know how uncomfortable they are, so I move away.

What’s your favorite post or series of posts on the site?

The above photograph was taken on June 22, 2012 during a family reunion at my wife’s family's cottage in Iowa. The cottage is on farmland, and there is a creek that runs nearby that the kids have named Magic Island, due to the sand banks that line the creek. (I catalog all of my work by the date; as time has passed it’s become interesting to look back on certain dates.) The hotness of the sun and the discarded shoes that were left on the sand banks to go creek stomping represent both of my kids’ childhoods, their boy-ness, their free spirits, their willingness to jump into streams: mud and go explore.

(Read more)

Christopher Ferguson was born in Sydney, Australia and has worked in the fashion industry for fifteen years. He has shot for Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and ELLE. Christopher has published his own successful magazines that are distributed worldwide. He has shot major international advertising campaigns for Wranger, Lee Denim, Diet Coke, and ASOS. Christopher has transitioned into directing with his first short film, Home, featuring True Blood star Ryan Kwanten. Now based in LA, he brings with him his signature aesthetic of natural, effortless style using natural light and timeless story telling. Workbook sat down with Christopher and discussed his view on photography, his favorite cities and his new venture in Los Angeles.



WB: How long have you been in the business?
Too long to remember. I started in the fashion business when I was young. I worked for a fashion designer in the cutting room. Then I became a model booker in Australia and New York. It was the best job to learn the business side of the industry. I learned everything sitting on the booking desk. I always wanted to take pictures so I started testing with models who were represented by the agency in New York.  Clients saw my work and began booking me for jobs. Soon I was able to transition into photography full-time. I was very lucky.

WB: Who or what has been you biggest photographic inspiration? What other photographer's work do you particularly admire?
I am inspired by many things including light, landscapes, and especially people. I really admire photographers who use natural light with no tricks. They don't rely on retouching or gimmicky props, they capture real moments: David Armstrong, Tierney Gearon, Venetia Scott, Mark Borthwick, early Jenny Gage, and Tom Betterton.  I also like the realism of Nan Goldin and Corine Day. These photographers are timeless, and their pictures will remain modern for decades to come.

WB: What campaigns have you been working on lately?  Have they been mostly Australian clients, or have you been working internationally?
A little bit of both. I just directed a LEE Jeans 3-minute film as part of their new campaign, which was fantastic. It feels natural to move into motion with the rising demand for original digital content.

WB: When will you be arriving in the US?  Why did you choose Los Angeles as your new home?
On May 20th I touch down in LA. I am really looking forward to it. I was very lucky I got a great agent. I previously lived in New York for two years, which I loved, but I also love LA. It’s a lot like Sydney: the weather, beaches, and lifestyle. I really think LA is establishing its own fashion culture, and I want to be part of it from the start. It really does have everything; you're an hour from the beaches, deserts, mountains, or downtown. They say if you can make it New York you can make it anywhere, and I think the same can be said about LA. It’s a tough town full of talented people.

WB: What do you perceive the biggest difference will be between working in Australia and in the US?
This will come as a big surprise but professionally speaking, Australia is a lot more like New York than LA. Photographers are more discerning about what they will and won't shoot. Australia has a lot of fashion magazines, so its fashion-based.  In LA you're a little more like a gun for hire; you can end up shooting anything and everything, but I think that could change. LA has amazing locations and light and beautiful people, and it always amazes me why so many pictures I see are over retouched and over lit. Why would you flash during the day with such beautiful light? I think LA should be captured as more natural, classic, and timeless.

WB: Will you continue to work with your Australian clients?
Of course, but I didn't come to America to keep shooting for the same clients I have in Australia. I want to work with new talented creatives and with new clients. I'd really like to collaborate with other creatives in the same way Novelle Vague did in the 60s and The Directors Club did with film in the  70s. I'd like to bring focus to a new West Coast aesthetic with my magazine, STONEFOX.

WB: Tell us about your magazine STONEFOX?
I have just started on the third issue, which will now be based in LA. As I said, my hope is that it will promote collaboration among photographers here on the West Coast. That doesn't mean everything will be shot here, but I just want to give photographers and other creatives as much opportunity to shoot with a natural aesthetic that reflects a more West Coast attitude.

WB: You mentioned you have made the transition into directing?
Yes, I love it! I directed a short film called HOME with Ryan Kwaten from True Blood that did well on the festival circuit. I’ve got a few television commercials. But, I still love taking pictures; directing is a different beast with much more pressure.

WB: How did you connect with Alyssa Pizer?
I was shooting a job in LA, and my assistant suggested agents whom I should meet.  Alyssa had the knowledge and experience I was looking for and she didn't beat around the bush. She was very straightforward, and I appreciate that. A lot of agents look the part and say all the right things but fail to come up with the goods. I have been an agent myself and have heard it all before. Alyssa has twenty-five successful years in business and that says a lot. Also I think it’s a 50/50 partnership and you learn from each other.

By Colleen Stevenson


Tell me a little bit about the shoot. Who and what was it for?

The shoot was for Legal Shield, which is a company that provides legal insurance for everyday people. We shot a lifestyle library for their brand which included thirteen looks over the course of two days including twenty-two models.

What is the story behind this shoot; what was the message?

The message was to portray a carefree feel, enjoying life with your family without worry.

How did you want to portray that?

As with most of my lifestyle shots I try to include as much action as possible to convey energy and genuine emotion. We also tried to suffuse all the shots with beautiful natural or natural-looking light.

Your website mentions how you love meeting new people when you are on shoot. Do you get to know the people you are working with that day? Does it help when working with the people you are capturing?

Fostering a fun environment and getting to know the subjects is one of the most important things in lifestyle photography. The better you know someone and the more comfortable they feel on set, the more genuine emotion can come into the pictures, something which is endlessly challenging. Call it my Midwestern knack for small talk, but I will find something to connect with anyone about.

(Read more)

Workbook interviewed experienced photographer Jeff Sciortino about Prezent, his new iPad app that's a digital print book for both still and motion photography. Enjoy some screenshots below of this awesome new tool then download the app and start creating your next truly unique presentation.



WB: Was there a specific time when you thought an app like Prezent could be a helpful functioning tool for artists?
It’s been about two years in the works. A couple of years ago I noticed I was losing jobs because I wasn’t doing video. And of course, with the advent of these new DSLRs that have video capabilities, I was pushed into learning a new medium of expression. After I did a couple of video samples, I started to reach out to creatives. I would show my beautiful print book, then I would go to my laptop. I would just blow the presentation. I’m not a tech guy. I would fumble with my laptop and not find things, and I would click on the wrong things. It just ruined the presentation. It would just fall apart…a total disaster.

So I thought, there’s got to be a better way. I mean, the future is a combination of still and motion; okay, it’s not really the future anymore. As I’m sure you have all noticed, on the web it’s small clips, not even full-blown commercials anymore. So when the iPad came out and other portfolio apps emerged, I saw a great way to show my work. I love my print book, but I didn’t want to separate the two mediums. I wanted to keep the same identity as a still and a motion guy. At first I thought it was just going to be for myself, and then I thought it would be a great tool for a multitude of other occupations.


WB: So in a way the project emerged from having been both a still and motion photographer?
It was inevitable. I had to evolve with the times. I guess I learned my lesson when I was hesitant about moving into the whole area of digital. I held out as long as I could back then, but I realized this is just not a fad but the new way of selling products. In my opinion, video capabilities are essential to any photographer: portrait, still-life, lifestyle, etc. We are always telling a story, either with a still image or with video.

WB: What kind of collaboration took place in creating this app?
Well, my crew is awesome. They’re tech kind of guys and know what they are doing. They also had great insight into what they thought the user would need. I had an amazing developer out of Minsk, Belarus that put this thing together for us.


WB: In your discussions with the developers what were the specific features you wanted
Prezent to have?
Well, it had to be super clean and simple, not a lot of distracting features. I wanted to keep the integrity of a page-turning portfolio but in a digital tool. It had to be very fluid, no play buttons. It was essential for me to combine both still and motion into one presentation side by side. It’s almost like a seamless presentation where things will play when you want them to play. There had to be an open template for design because I didn't want any limitations for one's imagination. You can either design your pages in Photoshop, After Effects, or Premiere Pro. You can have videos integrated with still imagery or any creative way you want it to go.

Besides the auto-play, Prezent has another fun feature. Each page allows you to link to additional supporting material. The links are like pulling the skin off an onion, you can show behind the scenes, which everybody loves to see. For example, you can link to the way the image was used in the ad or you can link to a video. I really think it’s important to show the many layers that go into an image or video. I just think this makes the presentation a little more social.

WB: Have you encountered commercial directors who want to move into stills?
Actually I think it was primarily a part of budget concerns during the recession. Obviously, the spots were the priority since the budgets were tight. It was so much more economical to have the director just shoot the print stuff on the side. I still feel print guys are better at evolving into the motion world. In essence we are still capturing the moment but just letting the camera roll through the whole expression.

WB: What are the challenges faced by photographers who want to move into motion? What are the rewards?
Like I mentioned earlier, for me, it’s the same thing. I’ve always been directing; I always have a story/moment in mind—however, there are different aspects. With still, you can capture that one precise moment. Motion, you have a little longer to tell that story and let it run a bit more and really enhance it. It’s a different way of looking at it.

WB: What are the challenges faced by buyers who want to assign projects to still photographers who produce both stills and motion?
Something that’s hard for some photographers is keeping their motion feeling the same as their still. I think it’s important to keep the same aesthetic. It’s essential for photographers to make sure their motion feels the same way as their imagery.


WB: Do you have advice for photographers who choose to use this app?
Prezent is a great tool. It’s an open template to explore different ways of combining video and still imagery, as well as enhancing the social experience in the same vehicle of presentation. The Prezent app allows you to show your client a really exciting message and keep the viewer enticed throughout the entire presentation. I love when the little clips of motion come up as soon as the page is turned. It startles viewers – in a good way! The images can come to life. I’ve found it actually makes people slow down during the presentation, keeps the viewer engaged. As you know, we now need forty-eight hours in a day to get everything done. It’s been an amazing face-to-face presentation tool. There are so many different possibilities. I can’t wait to see how other photographers use it.

By Claire Semnacher of Held & Associates



WB: Have any life experiences shaped you into the photographer you are today? And more specifically, what made you want to focus on photographing animals?
I was born into a household full of animals, right next to a nature preserve. Before I was old enough to walk or talk I was learning my pets' body language. Our bulldog, Daisy, was just about at eye level with me then I suppose; perhaps I thought I was a bulldog and not a person at all! Regardless, I have always seen the animals around me as my peers or as something to wonder at.
I was also born into advertising. My father was an art director who worked on Madison Avenue, and I spent many days of my childhood on set. When the two worlds of animals and advertising came together for me, it felt very natural.

WB: Your series, “Shake” went viral last year and is going to be published into a book this summer. How exciting! Can you tell me how this opportunity came about?
Shake was something I never could have predicted. I entered the six shots I had taken so far of the very new series into PDN’s Faces competition, and it ended up as a finalist in the animal’s category. From there, little by little at first, it spread over small blogs and finally just exploded. I had millions of hits on my website and was suddenly getting portfolio spreads in magazines across the world. I got my book deal last May with HarperCollins and shot another 120 photos for my book [due] out in August of this year. I’m SO EXCITED about it; how cool, to have a book! I have a great agent and editor and a wonderful team over at HarperCollins that I get to work with to make the book happen, and it’s been a great learning experience.

WB: What has been your most rewarding experience working with animals?
Oh that is a really hard one, and it speaks more to my history in animal care than photography. I guess it’s always the stories of beating the odds, or overcoming adversity. Sometimes it’s as simple as a good day when an animal I’ve cared for, suffering from a chronic condition like renal failure, eats and drinks and wants to interact. Probably the most rewarding was when I got to foster a pit bull puppy that lost both his front legs due to severe abuse. I photographed his surgery for the court case my friend’s rescue was building against his previous owners. I was by his side almost every day during his recovery and rehab. I trained him in how to use a wheelchair; I got to watch him blossom from a reserved dog who had spent months in debilitating pain to a totally rambunctious, super-high-energy pit bull puppy, as he should have been the whole time.

WB: What’s your strategy for making the animals comfortable? Do you have to “get on their level,” in a sense?
I’m happiest when I’m 'on their level.’ I think that’s why I have such patience with them. I’m not a patient person by nature, but working with animals it seems totally natural to let them take the lead and slowly mold the behavior I’m looking for. I get on the ground with them, I play with them, I take the pressure off and do my best to make it fun for both of us. I’ve been working around animals as long as I can remember; I grew up seeing them as members of my family and playmates. I’ve worked around wild animals, abused animals, and animals that could kill me. You learn how to move around them, how to make them feel safe. I also read a lot of training and behavior books. As far as learning about animal behavior, I always tell people to volunteer at a shelter or read anything by Turid Rugaas or Jaak Pansksepp and anything pertaining to cognitive ethology.

WB: Animals can be unpredictable sometimes; have you had any scary experiences?
When I was 18 I was interning at a big cat rescue in Owasso, Michigan. A lioness grabbed my foot from between the bars and held it in her mouth, gently chewing on my boot and looking me in the eyes like a playful kitten. I froze knowing that kittens sure like to play with a moving object! A friend threw a hunk of meat next to her, and she promptly let go. I still have those boots with a tooth imprint from her, perhaps as a reminder that you always have to be aware of your safety first and foremost when working with wild animals. Aside from that, I have been bitten, scratched, knocked over, and had all manner of gross spewed at me; that’s just kind of life when you’re working around animals.

WB: I noticed that there are hardly any cats on your website, are you strictly a dog person?
There are cats on my main website; I am a cat lover too! I regularly photograph a fluffy-haired, one-eyed Persian that survived a viscous BB gun attack and a hairless sphinx that belong to my friend and has a comical amount of extra skin. They are kind of my cat muses, Regulator and Grandpaw.

WB: What is the most exotic/unique kind of animal you have photographed?
I photographed an Amur leopard being spayed. It was a powerful moment because the estimate is there are only ten of them left in the wild, and here I was witnessing one of the most endangered species in the world getting serialized. It was humbling. She had already been bred in captivity a few times, and they didn’t want to risk oversaturating the gene pool with her cubs for fear of inbreeding. There is actually a whole breeding program to keep track of how the gene pool is represented within zoological associations around the world. It is called the SSP or species survival program.

WB: There is a large section of your website dedicated to handicapped pets. Can you tell me a bit about the the little poodle, Ramen Noodle?
Ramen and I are kind of in love; his owner Jaime even says we have a bond! I think Ramen just makes people happy; he is such a good-natured dog, and people who see him are just overcome with wonder for this three-and-a-half pound poodle that walks around on his two hind legs like a tiny human. Ramen lost his legs in two separate accidents. After the first, one his owner signed his custody over to the animal hospital that performed the amputation. The second one was after Jaime, the vet tech during his first surgery, adopted him. He jumped off a chair and snapped the tiny bone in his second leg. Nothing could be done but a second amputation. Jaime was heartbroken, but just days later Ramen was already walking on his hind legs.

WB: I read in your bio that you worked as a zookeeper at the Oregon zoo. Tell me a bit about that. What kinds of animals did you work with?

So much of zoo work is manual labor: scrubbing, cleaning, building enrichment, and working on exhibits. I actually loved it. I loved watching the sunrise while scrubbing out the sea lion exhibit in waders and coveralls in the middle of the winter. I had a simple sense of pride about how much algae I could get off the underwater bridge or in how many of little seed packets wrapped in paper I could hide for the chimps. The fun part is training, that’s when you really get to interact with the animals, but it only takes up a small amount of the day. Keepers work really hard to make sure that we can give our captive animals the best life possible in captivity, even thought we know it doesn’t compare to actually living in the wild. We take pride in doing what we can to keep the animals in a good mental space.

I got to work with primates (chimps and orangutans, as well as some lesser apes and monkeys), big cats, marine life, including polar bears and huge stellar sea lions, and birds of prey. I actually worked the bird shows at the zoo, training the birds of prey and doing summer educational flight shows. It was really fun! I was also a photographer for the zoo, which allowed me amazing access.

WB: If you weren’t a photographer, what career would you have chosen?
A neurologist or a cognitive ethologist. I am totally fascinated by the brain’s emotional centers and how our emotions and behaviors are tied into our biological systems. Cognitive ethology is a relatively new study that explores the influence of conscious awareness and intention on the behavior of an animal. (read: NERD)















To visit Carli Davidson's website, click HERE.

Carli Davidson is represented by Janice Moses Represents.

We emailed Art Buyers and Art Producers around the world asking them to submit names of established photographers who are keeping it fresh and up-and-comers who they are keeping their eyes on. If you are an Art Buyer/Producer or an Art Director at an agency and want to submit a photographer anonymously for this column, please email: Suzanne.sease@verizon.net.

Anonymous Art Producer: I nominate Jeff Luker.



How many years have you been in business?

That is sort of a hard question for me to answer; I have been taking photographs as long as I can remember, and I think every photo I have taken has in some way shaped my current path. But as far as considering it as a “business,” I guess I would have to say that within the last couple of years I have made the transition to “professional” photographer, which to me means that my main source of income now comes from photography, and I am no longer working another job to afford my photography pursuits.

Are you self-taught or photography-school taught?

I am self-taught by and large; I had a few photo courses in college, but I was studying filmmaking in school, which is not to say that studying cinema did not have a great influence on my photography.



Who was your greatest influence that inspired you to get into this business?

Probably William Eggleston. After I finished school, I was really dabbling in all different things; I was really into taking photos but was also writing, playing music, and trying to pursue a film career, and this was on top of working whatever menial jobs I had at the time. So it was difficult to have the time and energy for everything.

Then I moved to New York, and the first week I was there I saw the Eggleston retrospective at the Whitney. Something really changed inside me. I remember walking around the city after the show and just feeling like, for the first time, I really understood something about photography I previously hadn’t. And from then on that was it; my love affair with photography was all consuming, and I said this is it, this is all I want to do.

(Read more)

By Claire Semnacher of Held & Associates

Heather Elder of Heather Elder Represents and Kate Chase of Brite Productions interviewed with Workbook about their special event luncheon called Community Table, which is designed to facilitate communication between advertising community leaders. In the past year, Heather and Kate have hosted Community Table events in three major cities and have been kind enough to share the collected information in a series of blog posts that document the various discussions that ensued. Workbook was very pleased when they both agreed to divulge some more information about how these brilliant events come together.



WB: How and why did Heather Elder Represents and Brite Productions decide to create Community Table?

Kate Chase: Heather and I are both from San Francisco, and we have a history of doing various shows together throughout the years. So this idea was born when we were brainstorming about having another social to get everybody together while we were both in LA and then, that kind of grew into “What if we made it more?”
Heather Elder: I think that sums it up really well. I think Kate and I were feeling like it’s always fun to host a party or to host a luncheon, but how could we make it more valuable and actually make people want to show up? And the fact it was the first time LA, or Le Book Connections had hosted something in LA, we knew people would pay attention and would be excited about the idea of the event. [But we still wondered] how could we add to it, make it a more valuable week for people. This idea just came from all of that.
Kate Chase: And then the idea got even bigger: to share—we could share that information with the community at large. There would be a nice component because we would not make it proprietary. Also, we were able to make our jobs easier because if we’re all operating with the same knowledge base, even though it’s certainly about executing, at least you have the information, and this doesn’t make the job harder. Common knowledge makes it easier because if you’re competing against somebody who might not have an agent, who might not know the nuances of what art producers like, then it slows down the process, and things get complicated. And we’re sending too many email blasts, and we’re all getting kind of lumped into those categories. So, I think to educate, that was important too. So, we invited a transcriber: Alison McCreery of the POP blog.

WB: Actually, that was one of my questions! The blog posts are very detailed; how did you manage to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

Heather: I think Allison McCreery brought equity to the table with her blog; we really wanted to show people we were serious and that we were taking this [project] seriously. So, it was really great to be able to say, “Hey, we value what you’re saying; we want to get it right, and we’ve brought in not just anybody, but somebody who knows the business and understands and interviews people.  Someone who is just like yourself with photographers, and we’re bringing her in because we know that she will get it right.”
Kate: The visual is fascinating because she has a recorder and then she’s also writing by hand.

WB: She was probably very busy.


Kate: Yes!

WB: What is the best part of Community Table?

Kate Chase: Community Table goes a little bit deeper, and there is a lot that can be shared that way. For example, we find out ten art producers like getting email and five don’t. It helps answer “What do people want?” So for me, that’s a good outcome from this venture.

WB: How do you go about choosing people to participate?

Heather Elder: At first, trying to figure out whom to invite was a little bit challenging because you want to get the right mix of people, and you also want to make sure you don’t offend anybody who is not invited. So, we needed to come up with a benchmark of who to invite and how to invite them. We thought the best and most fair way to go about it was to start at the level of managing art buyer or managing art producer and go from there. In a larger market, like NYC, there are more people to choose from than in a smaller market, say Los Angeles or San Francisco. We would have a conversation about the people who were options for us, and we would then go to the people we have heard speak in the industry or seen write things about the industry, or people with whom we have worked who have had experiences potentially valuable to the group. If someone from an agency couldn’t attend, then we would need a backup. Sometimes we would go that particular person and say, “Is there someone in your department who could take your place?”

WB: So far you have hosted Community Table meetings in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco. Did you notice significant differences in the discussions in different cities?

Heather Elder: The first two events, the one in LA and the one in NYC, had the same questions. They were marketing-based questions. At the Community Table in SF we decided to evolve the questions a little bit, and we focused on estimating and production. So, from a content point of view, SF was very different. From a community sense, all three cities’ representatives were very open and very interested and appreciative to have the time to speak up and share their experiences.
From a marketing point of view, I would say that New York and LA people weren’t dealing with the same issues, and while they didn’t share the exact same information, the tone and the interest in sharing and explaining their points of view were definitely the same. Everybody is dealing with how to handle email blasts; everybody is dealing with the best way to reach an art buyer, and if there were ten people, there were twelve different opinions, and that is what we wanted. We didn’t need a consensus; we just wanted to hear what everybody had to say and what all the different opinions were.

WB: Which did you like better: experiencing the close, tight-knit community in LA or being the force that brought people together in NY, introducing them and putting faces to names?

Kate Chase: I didn’t have any separation of church and state: I think it was kind of nice to participate in and witness both situations.
Heather Elder: I think both elements are very in keeping with the spirit of Community Table.

WB: The Community Table posts on your blogs are extremely informative for everyone in the industry. How have you implemented changes in your own business as a result?

Heather Elder: I thought the Community Table San Francisco that specifically targeted production and estimating, was very enlightening.  There were a couple of little tidbits in there that I hadn’t heard regarding usage, production, and estimating. It was very relevant and immediate information that people are questioning right now. I appreciate a new point of view or somebody sharing new information. I think we experienced this at the SF event because we dug a little deeper and tried to keep the conversation very specific. It will be a powerful one when we share it.

WB: What do you think creatives have taken away from Community Table? Do you think they have changed some of the ways they do business in response to their experiences?

Kate Chase: That would be a great question for Workbook to ask because we haven’t received specific feedback. I think Workbook would be the perfect catalyst for “Tell us what you think?”
Heather Elder: I think so much of the conversation is about art producers’ and art buyers’ connection to photographers and how they work together. We have touched on how to reach the creatives most effectively and what kinds of conversations happen around estimating with creatives. Those sorts of topics do enter into some of our questions, but I don’t know if enough of the content is specific to creatives, that they have actually paid as much attention as art buyers and photographers have. But I would be very fascinated to hear. All the emails I get and comments on the blogs are from art producers and photographers, thanking us and telling us they are happy for the information. We  have heard thank you from a lot of production people and vendors; for example, I have heard from some producers and some stylists who are just happy for the insight. I haven’t heard a lot from the creative group.

WB: Do you think Community Table helps facilitate the communication between creatives, reps, and photographers in terms of what they are looking for?

Heather Elder: Definitely.
Kate Chase: Yes.
Heather Elder: I think the whole idea about keeping the conversation, or at least opening up the conversation and then keeping it going, has been the main focus of Community Table. So, the fact people are just talking about it means that it will be stronger and more effective.

WB:  Did either of you learn anything that surprised you?

Heather Elder: I was pleasantly surprised by how eager and interested people were to participate. It’s not difficult to get people to come to the table. And I was really happy to see that. I think when you first start something, you get nervous and think, “Who is going to show up; will they take it seriously?” But we have built so much momentum, now it is even easier. Kate, Matt Nycz, Lauranne Lospalutto and I knew the project would be a strong way to communicate to the community, but again, I am pleasantly surprised by how much feedback we get from people. They like it and appreciate it.

WB: How did you go about about successfully pulling this off?

Kate Chase: There is a lot of back and forth between Brite Productions and Heather Elder Represents, the four of us, and we put a lot of effort into the questions we create for Community Table. We really try to put ourselves into the shoes of the art producers and to give them questions we feel relate to the world that they deal in, even though we don’t know exactly what that is all the time.
So, we put these questions together, and we create a flow as far as how they fit in the luncheon. Heather taps into some great resources that she has: the questions were all printed out on notecards. Everybody has a beautiful place setting. There is a wonderful menu, and it’s an all-out affair. It’s meant to be an experience, and we didn’t want it to be just a one-sided situation, like we are trying to mine them for information. We treat participants with a lot of respect and thank them for their time. We feed them well and make it something that they want to lend their voices to and participate in.

WB: Are you both going to continue Community Table and if so, how frequently?

Kate Chase: We are going to continue. We just started talking about the overall strategy of Community Table and are letting this unfold organically. We are starting to plan events in Chicago and Minneapolis.
Heather Elder: And we do like the idea of shaking up the Community Tables some. You know, shaking up the topics a little bit.

WB: Any final thoughts you would want people to know about Community Table?

Kate Chase: Well, before we went to NY, we did a blog post in which we asked people to give us their questions. I think that would be great to make it a proactive thing: allow people to submit their questions to us through various channels—Facebook or wherever.

WB: What is your favorite dish from one of the Community Table meetings?

Kate Chase: The pumpkin soup with crème fraiche.
Heather Elder: Oh yes, that was delicious!
Kate Chase: It was really good.

To visit Heather Elder's Blog, click HERE.
To catch up on Heather Elder's past Community Table blog posts, click HERE.

To visit Brite Productions' Blog, click HERE.
To catch up on Brite Productions' past Community Table blog posts, click HERE.

By Claire Semnacher

Workbook wanted to know more about skilled still-life photographer, Colin Cooke's journey and his involvement with Sweet Paul Magazine.




The biography section of your website explains that your passion for photography began in high school as a yearbook photographer. What made you eventually cross over to food, liquid, and still life photography?

I went to the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara to study photography. I learned to love shooting still life there, but we had to shoot everything for assignment. When I made it to NYC after graduation, I freelance-assisted with many different photographers. Working in many different fields helped me realize that still life was my direction. After several years of shooting everything still life (except cars), I decided, like most of us, to specialize. Food came easily to me. Most photographers can't stand waiting all day for the food to appear on set until about 4pm. When the food comes to set, it usually has a short shelf life, so the pressure is on. You shoot it and it's over. I enjoy the process.

What is your favorite shooting style, and why?

Natural light. After being trained to use tungsten and strobe to light everything, I find natural light freeing. When I came to NYC, the bank light was the big thing. Then it was a combo of tungsten and bank light and throw in the Hose Master. For photographers it is all about the light.

If you're willing to divulge, what techniques have you learned over the years that have garnered the most success? Can you give me an example?

The most important technique I have learned is simplicity. I used to have 24 strobe heads, 6 strobe packs, giant bank lights, and I gave it all up for a couple of mirrors, white fill cards, and some windows.

What is your favorite shoot that you have completed for Sweet Paul Magazine and why?

Paul wanted to do a story on oysters. We thought we'd find a gnarly, knuckled old sailor in the business, but at a cocktail party in Manhattan we ran into an attractive young woman with a journalism degree from Columbia, who happened to be a Maine oyster farmer. Go figure. It was perfect. I went up to shoot for a couple of days in Maine and had a great time photographing the process. Until the oysters get to the table, it's a real story of mud and guts. Paul and I shot the story weeks later, further south on the Connecticut shore, and the props, food, and surface we shot on came together beautifully.  http://www.sweetpaulmag-digital.com/sweetpaulmag/fall2012#pg104

Sweet Paul Magazine is fantastic for finding mouth-watering recipes, gifts, seasonal craft ideas, interesting articles, and some overall inspiration. Can you tell me a bit about your involvement? It seems like you have a lot of fun!

It is a lot of fun. Paul is great to work with and is one of the most creative people I have worked with. It's unusual in our business that he wears two hats: food stylist and prop stylist. So, his vision of the final photograph comes from [his] one viewpoint. He also works very quickly. We usually get about 8-10 shots done in half a day, and he really is a Sweet Paul.

What is the Sweet Paul Mission?

Sweet Paul is a magazine for people who are looking for simple, yet elegant recipes, stylish and fun craft projects, and cool shopping. Our motto is "Chasing the sweet things in life," and that's what we try to do in every issue. A reader told us that "Sweet Paul Magazine is like a Martha and Anthropologie love baby."

What is the most important piece of advice you would give to an aspiring food photographer?

It just comes with the business: work long hours; be nice to your employees and clients; learn to say yes to ideas before you say no, and take more vacations than you think you need.

What is your favorite cookbook that you have shot? What made it extra special?

My favorite is called Woof. It's about how to cook for your dog and also yourself! Paul and I shot it for a Norwegian publisher. Dogs eat almost everything that humans do. So, the author made lasagnas, fresh fruit cups with yogurt, stews, rice-chicken dishes, pasta, and cookies. The food looked beautiful, and he showed how your dog and your family can eat very healthy, very well, and very nutritious food. I traveled all over to get portraits of dogs, and we put that together with naturally lit food in a studio. We had fun.

I have heard repeatedly how difficult it is to shoot meat. Can you please explain why is it so hard to make meat look appetizing?

Yes, meat can be challenging, as can ice cream, hamburgers, and pizza. But, like everything else, it takes a few tests and practice to get it looking good, and it is important that the food stylist start with an excellent cut. But the lighting can also make it look mouthwatering or not. The light or the reflection of the fat on the top of the steak helps make it look juicy. The most important thing an art buyer might say is, "That makes me hungry." If the rep or the photographer hears that, you might get the job!

What is your favorite holiday dessert?

I never get enough of it except at year's end: Minced Pie!















To visit Colin Cooke's website, click HERE.

Colin Cooke is represented by Doug Truppe Represents.

By Claire Semnacher

Workbook interviews Walter Smith to learn more about how he defines himself as a photographer and how his special personal connection to Ethiopia has shaped him into the artist he is today.



How long have you been a photographer and what is your favorite subject matter to shoot?
Professionally since I was twenty years old, so twenty-six years. I started when I was a little kid making movies with my father’s 8 mm camera. I was always a visual kid and not a great student...day dreaming, ADD behavior, whatever you want to call it. I remember abstract things like clouds and weather. I have always been into the weather and how it affects the photographs I make.

I don’t call myself a pure photojournalist. I'm more a documentary portrait photographer. Anyone with a story interests me, and everyone has a story.

I noticed you have a series from Ethiopia on your website. What prompted you to go to there?
My wife and I wanted to have another child. We had a biological son, Otis, and wanted to adopt the second time around. We did a lot of research and settled on Ethiopia. My wife works in the field of HIV, and we were well aware of the ongoing health crisis there. We did our paperwork and waited for about a year. We were “assigned” a baby and received pictures and video taken of her. Her name was Salam.  About three weeks after we were assigned the baby, she passed away.

I'm so sorry to hear that, Walter.
It’s a hard part of our history. We had waited for a long time, and it was a difficult time. The baby was born a twin, and her twin had passed away at  two months old. Salam was only six months old when she passed. Both babies were born with holes in their hearts.
There's a photograph in the series from the cemetery where both babies were buried. After our baby passed away, it was a hard time; we called the agency and asked if there were any other [available] children. Were were told about two girls from the Gurage Zone in Ethiopia whose paperwork was completed. My wife and I met in Central Park, and over the course of a fifty-block walk we decided that these girls were meant to be our daughters. We had to get our heads around the idea of going from thinking we were adopting a baby to adopting a three-year-old and a four-year-old, and it was fast. We went from a family of three to a family of five, with all the children the same ages. We wanted to meet the girls, so eight weeks after our assignment, we traveled to Ethiopia.
After our daughters were with us for about a year, we moved up to Nyack from Brooklyn and started thinking about adopting another child. Otis wanted to adopt a brother to “even it out.” We called our friend in Ethiopia and learned that a little boy we met the previous year was ready for adoption. Our son, Tariku,  joined us a few months later. From one child to four children in two years…there were some issues along the way, but it’s a nice family. A busy family, that’s for sure.

Walter's daughter Mihret, pictured below, is now ten years old:


In reference to your series from Ethiopia: visiting a country as an outsider, people need to be comfortable and accept you in a sense, in order to allow you to take their pictures.  As you’re a father yourself, was it easier to connect with these kids?
It takes a lot of work. I think being a parent is not the easiest thing, but it is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do in your life. It takes a lot of thought, love, and patience--patience is not something that comes easily to me. We are well connected. We have been like any family with ups and downs. The kids are patient with me and I am patient with them....wait, they might not agree with that.

How do you decide where to travel?
A lot of times, it’s client driven. It’s always magical to travel. I’m able to focus and concentrate on the project at hand, as well as do personal work, always. My commercial work is driven by my personal work and visa versa.

You have pictures from all over the world; where is your favorite country/location to shoot and why?
That’s a tough question. Let’s see...I think my favorite place to shoot, and I didn’t shoot enough of, is South Africa. I still feel very at home in Africa...Ethiopia, Morocco, and Cape Town to name a few. If I could spend six months traveling around, it would be in Africa. I have been to Johannesburg twice, and I have barely scratched the surface. There is no particular reason why, but is just a place I felt drawn to. Of the whole continent of Africa, I don’t know where it comes from, it [South Africa] is a place that interests me. India is a close second. If I had to get on a plane tomorrow, it would be hard to pick one place.

Do you have any trips coming up?
Yup. My wife and sons are visiting friends in Tel Aviv over the holiday break, so for an adventure my daughters and I are driving cross-country for ten days. There are places I want to see and for my daughters to experience. We’ll see how that goes.

Wow, you definitely went through some major changes in a short amount of time. It seems to have worked out for the best for everyone. Did you all hold up alright during Hurricane Sandy?
An old friend had a generator, and I drove out to Pennsylvania to get it. No heat, no TV...nothing for twelve days. It was challenging but nothing compared to how people have suffered in Brooklyn and the Jersey Shore.

In your portfolio, I saw a picture of Bill Clinton. What was it like to meet Bill?
He was a rock star. I have met a lot of celebrities, but he was really special...really special. He barely spoke to me, but it didn’t matter. I got weak in the knees. Ha!

If you could change one thing about photography, what would it be?
I would change how students are educated. I have been teaching college juniors and seniors in photography this semester, and I have found that they don’t understand how to trust their instincts. I think this has to do with how they are educated in photography. It’s amazing the quality that you get with the iPhone picture. The cover of Time magazine was shot with an iPhone, and it’s changed everything. My students have so many choices in front of them with digital and social media that they lack the knowledge of how to frame a photograph. So much at their fingertips makes it is hard for them to frame a picture and find their voice in photography.

What has been your experience with Workbook?
I’ve known about it for years; some of my ads have won awards with Workbook. I have known about Workbook for about twelve years. Of all the work, sourcebooks, and direct mail I have done, Workbook is at the top, in terms of getting responses.

Walter Smith is represented by Liz Baugher, of Emissary.

To visit Walter Smith's website, click HERE.

By Claire Semnacher

Jason Mecier has made a name for himself as a "Celebrity Junk Artist" and has been featured on The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, and CNN for his intricate mosaic portraits of pop culture icons. Jason has also carved out a niche for himself in the commercial art world and takes advertising to another level when he's hired by a company for an ad campaign. He utilizes specific materials that embody the product brand, or the actual product itself to create the artwork. Once his artwork grabs your attention, it's close to impossible to tear your eyes away from exploring the assemblage of individual parts that make up the whole, and leaves the viewer with a multifaceted message about the product or person he is depicting.
We were very happy when Jason agreed to answer questions about some of his amazing projects, methods, and inspiration. He always leaves us wondering what he will create next!

Who or what inspired you to take your art in this direction? Is there an artistic progression that lead you to the artist you are today?

Though I have no formal art training, I did have an excellent mentor in my grandmother, Anita Tollefson. When I was young, I remember being mesmerized by her paintings, weavings, mosaics, sculptures, collages, and stained glass work that filled my grandparents’ house and yard. If Anita was working on an art project, she would set me up at a nearby table with a project of my own to work on. One of my earliest pieces is a mosaic made from beans, noodles, rocks, and cut bamboo sticks glued on a piece of wood. My grandmother encouraged me to create masterpieces using materials that were readily available to me. She would rather paint on the back of her cigarette cartons than buy a canvas. I learned from her that I can make art out of anything I want and that there are no rules.

Your most recent portrait was of pageant and reality TV star, Honey Boo Boo. Do you tend to choose your subjects based on their popularity in the mainstream media?

Yes, but in addition to popularity, I usually have to like the subject or feel somehow invested in the artwork. I don't just Google who's trending at the moment and try to cash in on that. I'm obsessed with Honey Boo Boo! I would do more current pop culture work if I had all the time and money to do whatever I wanted, but I spend most of my time doing commissions, illustration work, and commercial work.



Do you consider yourself a Pop Artist?

YES!

Do you usually work off of a picture or a personal color sketch?

I usually start with a photo and then draw on top or use Photoshop to change it to my liking.

Do the materials you select for each portrait reflect the person who is being depicted? If so, how much research does this typically take?

I enjoy trying to match the perfect items, colors, and themes with the essence of each unique subject. Some fun examples include: Rosie O’Donnell made out of junk food, Snoop Dogg made out of marijuana, and Sigmund Freud made out of pills. Sometimes the name suggests the medium, like Kevin Bacon made out of bacon and Condoleezza Rice made out of rice. I'd still like to make "Dog The Bounty Hunter" out of dog food and Kat Von D made out of cat food.

Where do you search for the trash/junk to create your portraits?

I have spent years collecting things off the street or from junk shops, and a lot of my friends and family save things for me. At this point my studio is full of bins of junk, sorted by color or theme.

How much planning goes into placing all the objects accordingly, or do you experiment as you are creating the artwork?

I lay out all the possible things I will use for the piece, but then I just have to try out each item to see where it will fit, like a jigsaw puzzle.

Typically, how long does it take to create one of these portraits?

50 hours

Have you ever thought about expanding your subject matter beyond portraits and animals?

For my personal work I prefer celebrity portraits, but I will do whatever people hire me to do. I've done buildings (W Hotels), cars (Ford Edge), landscapes, and sometimes people want me to do lettering.



How does your artwork fit into the commercial art world?

I don't know. I think there's a big trend now of "Things made out of things," so that is on my side. If someone wants my style I don't think there is a lot of competition, so if they want my style they will probably hire me. For example, there are a lot of SHAG inspired artists, so if you like his style you could chose between dozens of artists for the same project.

I saw your campaign for Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum. Did you use any special folding techniques to create these exceptional images? How much artistic leeway did they give you? Was this a difficult project?

I usually work in real scale, like I wanted to just fold and manipulate the gum and wrappers and put it all together. Wrigley was actually really difficult to work with because they wanted me to just do my thing and didn't have strong direction for me, but then made me redo it over and over again. I ended up color xeroxing the wrappers in different sizes and collaging them. In the end I was happy with the job, and the art pieces are hanging in the Wrigley building in Chicago, but that was one of the hardest assignments.



Some of your works are made of perishable materials. Do you have a problem preserving them?

I love working with things that can be glued down and shellacked, like candy and beef jerky. I use Krylon Triple-Thick clear coat, a super high-gloss spray paint.
I HATE working with things that just need to be assembled, photographed, and thrown away immediately, like fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. The food is wilting or rotting before your eyes; you have to work flat; ants start parading by; if you bump the table the whole thing would shift...and I don't get the final time to reflect and make changes at the end.
(Below is the Jack Link's Beef Jerky campaign)

Do you have a method of preservation if someone buys your artwork?

Shellac and hope for the best. I have everything photographed, so like the Kevin Bacon [portrait] for example, you could have a framed photograph.



What are some of the largest pieces you have completed?

I made a giant portrait of a marathon runner made out of Asics shoes, Power Bars, Gatorade cups, and sunglasses. The piece was up in the Asics store last year for the marathon. Also, I did three giant portraits (mom, dad, and daughter) to use as billboards for the Marin Centre Mall in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. That job was amazing! They flew me and my partner to Switzerland to hand select all the Swiss brand items to make the artwork.





The largest food piece was a Christmas landscape used for an Albertsons TV commercial. I had to fly to Dallas and do it in a refrigerated room with about 20 assistants and a huge camera crew. It took 3 days, and we had to keep switching out the food because the broccoli would wilt. It was really difficult but came out great.



What is the smallest piece you have completed?

I created a 3" x 4" Condoleezza Rice portrait out of rice.



Watch Jason create his Honey Boo Boo mosaic portrait!



To visit Jason Mecier's website, click HERE.
Jason Mecier is represented by Munro Campagna Artist Representatives.