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Blog » Musing On
The Story Behind Michael Phelps and More Olympic Athletes for VISA
By Poby
When do you have a photo job that gives you goosebumps and chills? Even after all my years in this business, photographing Olympic athletes is very, very special for me. Olympic athletes dedicate their entire lives for just those few weeks when they compete on the highest level possible against the very best athletes from around the world. Only a few people can imagine what the experience means physically and mentally. After the last Winter Olympics, TBWA/CHIAT/DAY and the creative team around CD Gage Clegg gave me the opportunity to photograph the VISA campaign for the upcoming Summer Olympics in London. All athletes have individual stories of successes and failures during their careers--this is what forms them. Even I have some stories from when I used to play water polo as a pro. It was amazing to meet MICHAEL PHELPS and see how dedicated and focused he is. This is a guy who won 8 gold medals in just one Olympic Games. Are you kidding me? We shot in, under, and outside the water. What more could I ask for than to spend a day with this guy in the pool? The shoot with Michael Phelps was one of the true highlights of my long career.
(Read more)
When do you have a photo job that gives you goosebumps and chills? Even after all my years in this business, photographing Olympic athletes is very, very special for me. Olympic athletes dedicate their entire lives for just those few weeks when they compete on the highest level possible against the very best athletes from around the world. Only a few people can imagine what the experience means physically and mentally. After the last Winter Olympics, TBWA/CHIAT/DAY and the creative team around CD Gage Clegg gave me the opportunity to photograph the VISA campaign for the upcoming Summer Olympics in London. All athletes have individual stories of successes and failures during their careers--this is what forms them. Even I have some stories from when I used to play water polo as a pro. It was amazing to meet MICHAEL PHELPS and see how dedicated and focused he is. This is a guy who won 8 gold medals in just one Olympic Games. Are you kidding me? We shot in, under, and outside the water. What more could I ask for than to spend a day with this guy in the pool? The shoot with Michael Phelps was one of the true highlights of my long career.
(Read more)
Welcome to Manhattman
By Norman Maslov
What the hell is Manhattman? Well, it’s not the island on America’s east coast that is thought by some to be the cultural center of the universe. Nor is it the great black and white Woody Allen film from 1979. It is a hybrid name that I think I might have made up years ago but probably didn’t… Another one of those semi-obvious near miss titles that never makes it through spell check.
Along with photography and music, hats have been a passion of mine for many years. I wear one every day from a collection that continues to grow. At some point, about a dozen or so years ago, the hat merged into my agenting business as several of my photographers started creating images of hats in still life, fashion, portraits and conceptual creations. We then started to include them on some of our promo pieces. And then a hat made it into my identity and eventually appeared on every cover of my annual photography promotional catalogue. My obsession had become my branding, leading up to the genesis and then execution of this blog.
Manhattman will present new images and projects from my Photographers each week. Friends and colleagues will contribute to the various categories with scribes about Martinis & Bites, Sound & Vision and Day Tripping. I will post whatever I am in the mood to write about or show on any particular occasion (music will be a high priority). Eventually we will see what shows up in the Air It Out section.
So, welcome to the new blog! Pontifications from a native San Franciscan (Norman Maslov) and his extended family and friends. Not from a native New Yorker, but from Manhattman.
(Read more)
Image by David Allan Brandt
The most inventive addition to the Workbook Blogroll this month is Agent Norman Maslov's Manhattman. As a hybrid of two naturally related art forms, Music and Photography, Manhattman succeeds in combining the personal with the professional. Norman creates a platform, including categories like SOUND AND VISION and MARTINIS AND BITES, which enables him to promote his photographers and express something about himself: his passion for music and a good martini. He adapts the standard Wordpress format and customizes the blog with the help of a web designer. Take a look.
What the hell is Manhattman? Well, it’s not the island on America’s east coast that is thought by some to be the cultural center of the universe. Nor is it the great black and white Woody Allen film from 1979. It is a hybrid name that I think I might have made up years ago but probably didn’t… Another one of those semi-obvious near miss titles that never makes it through spell check.
Along with photography and music, hats have been a passion of mine for many years. I wear one every day from a collection that continues to grow. At some point, about a dozen or so years ago, the hat merged into my agenting business as several of my photographers started creating images of hats in still life, fashion, portraits and conceptual creations. We then started to include them on some of our promo pieces. And then a hat made it into my identity and eventually appeared on every cover of my annual photography promotional catalogue. My obsession had become my branding, leading up to the genesis and then execution of this blog.
Manhattman will present new images and projects from my Photographers each week. Friends and colleagues will contribute to the various categories with scribes about Martinis & Bites, Sound & Vision and Day Tripping. I will post whatever I am in the mood to write about or show on any particular occasion (music will be a high priority). Eventually we will see what shows up in the Air It Out section.
So, welcome to the new blog! Pontifications from a native San Franciscan (Norman Maslov) and his extended family and friends. Not from a native New Yorker, but from Manhattman.
(Read more)
Bill Gates is now a Comic Book Superhero
Bill Gates is already a technology pioneer, Founder and CEO of one of the world's most powerful companies, and worth over 60 billion dollars. Now, he's added comic book super hero to his list of accomplishments.
The graphic novel titled, 'Bill Gates: Co-Founder of Microsoft' will serve as a biography of Gate's life, chronicling significant events such as founding Microsoft and his marriage to Melinda Gates.
The book is released by Bluewater Productions that has already released comics about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and late Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
"Bill Gates: Co-Founder of Microsoft" will be released next week and will also be available digitally on the Nook and Kindle.
Beautiful People vs. Beautiful People
By Heather Elder
After a recent trip to South Africa, Richard Schultz came home with a beautiful collection of images. He photographed such a wide variety of people, including an artist, a soldier, a skateboarder and a hunter. And of course, each image held its own special beauty. When we asked Richard to reflect some on the new body of work, here is what he had to say.
“Beauty certainly is in the eye of the beholder. Looking through the pages of elites in Vanity Fair and then National Geographic you would certainly get a different view of who populates our planet, but I think there’s beauty in both.
Models and movie stars are almost always easy on the eyes but what about the beauty one can find in everyday people? As photographers we get called upon to shoot fabulous models and famous people often, which we enjoy, but one of my favorite things to do is to make and find the beauty and uniqueness in the people we come across every day. I think the authenticity and the details around that authenticity are what really grab me. Those small caught moments that are so real it makes them special and gives a slice of, okay… just slightly idealized, life."
After a recent trip to South Africa, Richard Schultz came home with a beautiful collection of images. He photographed such a wide variety of people, including an artist, a soldier, a skateboarder and a hunter. And of course, each image held its own special beauty. When we asked Richard to reflect some on the new body of work, here is what he had to say.
“Beauty certainly is in the eye of the beholder. Looking through the pages of elites in Vanity Fair and then National Geographic you would certainly get a different view of who populates our planet, but I think there’s beauty in both.
Models and movie stars are almost always easy on the eyes but what about the beauty one can find in everyday people? As photographers we get called upon to shoot fabulous models and famous people often, which we enjoy, but one of my favorite things to do is to make and find the beauty and uniqueness in the people we come across every day. I think the authenticity and the details around that authenticity are what really grab me. Those small caught moments that are so real it makes them special and gives a slice of, okay… just slightly idealized, life."
Workbook 34 Cover Illustrator Raul Colon Interview
Posted by Workbook on 03/14/2012 — Filed under: Features, Headline, Interviews, Musing On, Workbook 34
The Workbook 34 Illustration edition is arriving on tens of thousands of desks. The man behind the cover shown above, Raul Colon, has years of experience as a successful illustrator, and provides some insight on the cover, his influences, and the creative industry as a whole.
What was your inspiration behind this image? Is there a certain place, memory, or experience that played a part?
This piece was commissioned by Nordstrom stores for (I think) Hispanic month. The theme is about romance or kissing. I wanted to convey the tropical feeling I had experienced on the islands, and of course there's nothing more romantic than the bliss of a sweet kiss under palm trees. The floating figures were influenced by Marc Chagall.
(Read more)
Let it Snow
By Steven Currie
Talking about production on snow-related projects seems ironic during one of the warmest winters in United States history. But our clients have needs, and it’s our job to fulfill them.
I will start with the most important aspect of working on or in snow: TIME. You must understand that working in snow takes 25-50 percent more time than working on dry land. Whether it’s transportation, lighting, catering, communication, safety, or simply walking from point A to point B, snow just takes more time. I will quickly go over some time-saving elements to consider, but you must allow for more time working in snow, or your expectations will not be met.
(Read more)
Talking about production on snow-related projects seems ironic during one of the warmest winters in United States history. But our clients have needs, and it’s our job to fulfill them.
I will start with the most important aspect of working on or in snow: TIME. You must understand that working in snow takes 25-50 percent more time than working on dry land. Whether it’s transportation, lighting, catering, communication, safety, or simply walking from point A to point B, snow just takes more time. I will quickly go over some time-saving elements to consider, but you must allow for more time working in snow, or your expectations will not be met.
(Read more)
Jason Mecier's Whitney Houston Portrait Made Out of Pills
Jason Mecier created a portrait made entirely of the vice which led to the late singer's demise: drugs. Mecier is an artist known for using a wide variety of materials to create original, boundary-pushing portraits. More of his work can be seen HERE.
Minimalist Posters of Pixar Films
Melbourne-based designer Wonchan Lee has created minimalist posters of Pixar’s animated films.
Lee's interpretation of popular movies such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc. and so on features simple yet iconic vector graphics.
"Because it has really broad demographics, in terms of age bracket and cultural background, it was very challenging to come up with something that pleases such a wide audience whilst satisfying myself as an artist and as a fan of Pixar, too,” says Lee.
(Read more)
Lee's interpretation of popular movies such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc. and so on features simple yet iconic vector graphics.
"Because it has really broad demographics, in terms of age bracket and cultural background, it was very challenging to come up with something that pleases such a wide audience whilst satisfying myself as an artist and as a fan of Pixar, too,” says Lee.
(Read more)
Helicopters as Photo Studios
Nothing can be more exhilarating than hanging out of a helicopter over the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico shooting sleek Chris Craft boats. This was the assignment for photographer Chip Henderson, who specializes in making whatever he shoots look dramatic and in having fun doing it. “We took the boats out in the morning and had them run 3-4 mile rectangular legs so we could shoot the sunlit fronts, backs, and sides of the boats, which maximizes the drama of the photos. The helicopter pilot maneuvers to the designated rendezvous point and lets the boats plane out, while we work our way around them. Then we have the boats turn for the next leg and start all over again. If the helicopter is really steady, I will even put my feet out on the skids.” Rarely does Chip use a harness, but he is always wearing a life vest, just in case. For the record, Chip has never lost a camera or his breakfast, but he has heard of the ultimate disgrace: a photographer toppling out of the helicopter. In 2008, Chip built a studio inside Chris Craft's plant to shoot the entire product line, but his specialty is hanging out of cherry pickers, hot air balloons, and the aforementioned helicopters. When Chip is closer to earth, he likes four-wheelers, jeeps, and kayaks to get the ultimate location shot.
From the Pool to the Track
By Matt Hawthorne
I've been working with Life Time Fitness for the past year and a half. We have done a good mix of in-club fitness photography and on location sports/activity photography at many locations throughout the US. The last shoot took us underwater to get some shots of an athlete powering through a freestyle stroke. One of the fun parts of photography is figuring out the best way to accomplish a shot, so I really enjoyed working with underwater equipment and freezing action under the surface. They have been such a great client to work with, giving me a lot of freedom to just make cool imagery. I love my job!
I've been working with Life Time Fitness for the past year and a half. We have done a good mix of in-club fitness photography and on location sports/activity photography at many locations throughout the US. The last shoot took us underwater to get some shots of an athlete powering through a freestyle stroke. One of the fun parts of photography is figuring out the best way to accomplish a shot, so I really enjoyed working with underwater equipment and freezing action under the surface. They have been such a great client to work with, giving me a lot of freedom to just make cool imagery. I love my job!
