Author Archives: Heather Elder

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From the desk of Sady Callaghan: Tips for Producing in the Wild, Wild West

I have worked with Sady Callaghan for years on a variety of productions and she has never let down any of our photographers or our clients.  She is unflappable, professional and a fun person to have on set.   I love that when someone throws us a curve ball, Sady is always the voice of reason and has the perfect solution.

So it was no wonder when Mother Nature sent a dust storm her way she steered the production in a way that got the shot AND came in under budget.  Only Sady.

When I asked her to share her story, here is what she had to say about it.

“When Andy Anderson called me to produce The Richard Group’s new campaign for RAM trucks, I was thrilled.  The idea of shooting in the Wild West was really exciting to me; especially because of the locations.

Of course, there was a quick turn around – isn’t everything nowadays?   We needed to find 6 very complicated locations in very remote areas.  So, knowing that the back bone of a good photo shoot is good scouting,  we hired the best.  We called Joe Wolek and Steven Currie, shared the vision with them and told them to “just find it.”  To do so, they drove thousands of miles through Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.  They of course found amazing locations.

Well, as we all know, an amazing location doesn’t guarantee great weather.  The closer we got to shooting the more worried we became about the elements.  Parts of Colorado were still covered in snow and a lot of other areas were still in spring mode: no trees and no greenery.  Challenging but doable.

What we were not prepared for was the DUST. I have called a few weather days in my time for the usual suspects; storms, rain, fog and snow, but that was the first time that we had to call a weather day for 80 mph winds.

The first day of our shoot there were 60 mph hour winds.   Andy wanted to power through and  simply said,  “We can do it.”  We bought shovels, protective coverings for the equipment and outfitted everyone in goggles and hankerchiefs to cover their faces.  The crew braved the elements and after digging a couple of people out of the sand and waiting patiently for breaks in the storm. We got our shot.  It was great day for a shower.

We were not as lucky on the second day.  The wind was so ferocious and the sand so painful that we could barely leave the hotel.  It was just too dangerous to shoot so we called a weather day.

Even though it was a no brainer to postpone the day, we were sensitive to the fact that weather days are expensive and the client was worried.  So, Andy and I devised a new plan.  We rearranged the entire schedule; including talent and locations, so that we could still finish on time.   It was no small feat, but it was worth it.  In doing so we were able to get all the shots AND still come in under budget. 

Needless to say, everyone was happy and went home with some great stories from the desert.

So, if you are considering shooting in the Wild West anytime soon, consider these inside tips.

1. Stalk your location owners.  Be creative and resourceful.  Many people do not expect a scout to call them and will have no idea what you are talking about.  In one instance, we hired someone to stake out a house night and day to get permission to shoot.  In another, I called seven different levels of management to get approvals for a fertilizer plant. They were puzzled as to why we wanted to shoot there!

2. Call the Navajo Film Commission every three hours.  There is no sense of urgency in the desert.

3. Bring lots of cash.  You don’t know who you are going to have to pay.  Our scout warned us that different Navajo families owned different parts of the land.  I had a couple of families in the motor home every day – and they would only take cash!

4. Hire a great stylist.  Sourcing things in the wild west is very difficult.  We brought along Colleen Hartman and she managed to pull 2000 lbs of railroad ties, antique barrels, sheet rock and large machinery out of her magic bag of tricks.

5. Hire a great local guide.  The Navajo Nation requires productions to have a guide with them at all times.   Sisco was our street scout and our secret weapon.  He told us where to buy beer in a dry state and he dug our assistant out of sand storm.  His brother was our caterer.  We kept it all in the family.

6.  Be prepared for anything.  There are lots of surprises out there.  That’s what make our job so much fun.

7.  Appreciate your crew and your client.  We had a fantastic team on this shoot – and could not have pulled this off it we didn’t all work together as a team.  Everyone from the PA to the client were crucial to making it all happen smoothly.

To learn more about Sady’s production magic, visit her website.

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Solving Mysteries. 5 questions for Ilona Siller of Draft FCB in NYC.

© Leigh Beisch - http://www.leighbeich.com

For those of you who don’t know Ilona, you should.  She is one of the smartest, wittiest and most interesting art buyers out there.  Her Facebook posts alone make me laugh out loud.   When I first met her, it was at a portfolio show I was hosting and we spent the time talking and getting to know each other.  Her stories were so interesting and her wit unmatched.  I knew when I left I had made a friend.

When I asked her to contribute to our Solving Mysteries series, she did not hesitate.  Here is what she had to say.

How do you search for photography nowadays?

I start with people I met and worked with. Then I look through my promo cards. I am sure I am the only art buyer that actually loves promo cards. There is something that I love about physically going through them and looking for the right fit.  Then, I hit 51,265,381 sites I have bookmarked on my computer. I also do look through the Workbook.

Where do you find inspiration?

My inspiration comes from creatives. They are the ones with brilliant idea. I am there to understand and translate them into a possible visual.

What are you reading online?

I have a lot of photographer “friends” on facebook. If I have a minute, I like seeing their latest shoot or a blog entry. I also love Photo District News and read it cover to cover.

What are photographers doing lately to stand out from their competitors?  

Mmmmm. Red Velvet cupcakes always win my attention. I am kidding (partially).   I think it is important for photographers and art buyers to meet. Once you’ve heard a story behind a picture or shared a joke, it’s hard to forget that person.

What does your client value most from a photographer?  Does that differ from what you value?  And, has that changed  over the years?

Listening, cooperation, down to earth attitude, speed and great craft service.:) I don’t know about “over the years” since I am still so very young.:)

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Dandelions are not just for salads and wishes.

© Kevin Twomey – http://www.kevintwomey.com

In his own words, Kevin Twomey shares his obsession with all things dandelion.

“Last month while at a restaurant in Brooklyn, I saw that they were offering a Dandelion Salad as an appetizer.  After spending countless hours photographing them, I could not pass up the opportunity to experience the plant in another way beyond sight.

I wonder why we spend so much energy trying to eradicate them when right out on our lawns is a nutritious salad just waiting to be harvested? And what about the medicinal uses, not to mention the ever so important relationship it has with the bees?

For me, my obsession with the dandelion lies after the flower blooms and turns into that white fluffy ball, so fragile, just waiting for a subtle breeze to release the seed-bearing parachutes. ….and so many wishes.”

Kevin has a wide collection of ‘organic’ imagery that he showcases on his website.

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What do Elliott Erwitt and Hunter’s Freeman’s wife have in common?

When I asked Hunter Freeman to consider the questions, “Who is your hero?” for our blog series, I wasn’t surprised by his answers one bit.

Here is what he had to say:

“This is difficult to narrow down to one person.  Photographically, the closest I can get to one “hero” would be Elliott Erwitt.  He is to me the epitome of a joy-filled photographer.  He’s able to see so much love and joy and fun in our world, which can be an enormous challenge, considering all the tragedy that confronts us on a daily basis.

I feel that he would rather show us the love that is in the world than the hate, show us things that will uplift us, rather than depress us.  To help explain what I mean, for example, there are many reasons that soldiers make jokes in the midst of tremendously awful situations (which can often seem macabre to any civilian, including me), but with so much “awfulness”, I conclude that what they, and by extension, all of us, most need, is not for that awfulness to be constantly pointed out, but for something funny, or ridiculous, or just outrageously incongruous to spotlighted.

It allows us to relax, to feel at ease, not under pressure, not filled with the cares of this world.   Elliott Erwitt has persistently focussed on that which is funny, or charming, or goofy, or just simply lovely.  With so much crap out there bombarding us all, that persistence is heroic, in my book (or iPad).

My real hero, though, is my wife.  She is Love personified.  Except when she’s not, which is very rare indeed.”
To see more of Hunter’s work check out his website and his blog.  You can see first hand how his heroes have influenced his photography.
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Jim Smithson wonders, “What would Ansel do?”

On a recent shoot in the back woods of Georgia, Jim Smithson had an experience he had never had on a shoot before.  When he shared it with us, we thought it was a perfect story to post on the blog.

Here is what he had to say.

“As a photographer, I’ve always felt that a camera in the hand (or tripod) was a magnet for attention. Some good, some bad. Some of that bad came my way recently shooting deep in the woods of Georgia.

Starting in Clearwater, Florida, I rented a car and proceeded to canvas the southeast states of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas looking to capture natural elements that would be comped together in post to construct a “Nature Train” for the freight company CSX and Mullen.

On day 4, I had made it all the way up to the northern reaches of Georgia. Pulling into a state park that will remain nameless, I parked my rental car off to the side of the road, grabbed my shooter and headed for the hills. I meandered freely (or so I thought) through the stands of georgia pines capturing the needed material for the gig. As I emerged from the forest towards my car I was approached by this imposing figure dressed in camo gear, dark sunglasses and packing a firearm. Instantly, scenes from the movie Deliverance started haunting my mind. I was slightly shaking inside. I could see he was obviously agitated as he proceeded to ask me what I was doing parked on his “property” and walking around his “backyard”. I explained to him that I was a photographer on assignment taking pictures of trees, rocks, streams, blah blah blah.

It wasn’t until he informed me that he was a park ranger (albeit off-duty) that the banjo music in my head finally subsided. He asked to see some identification, and since he was packing heat, I respectfully obliged. Upon seeing my Washington state drivers license, he immediately became even more perturbed with my rental car having Florida plates and expired tabs. Yeah, Hertz really cheesed me on that one. He called for back-up and informed me that I was not allowed to leave until I faced further questioning from the Head Ranger. So at this point I truly think he thought he had uncovered a terrorist plot to create some kind of mayhem in a small rural park in the remote hills of Georgia.

I’m not sure what he told the Head Ranger about me, but in the extremely cautious way he approached, I think he was more scared of me than I was of him. He ran me through the same battery of questions then took my ID and disappeared for 45 minutes, surely checking all the bad boy lists. Well, after all that it turns out I wasn’t a bad ass terrorist as suspected and I was free to go.

As I drove away, stirred and slightly shaken, a thought occurred to me, “I wonder if Ansel Adams ever had days like this?”

To see what else Jim Smithson has been up to lately, link here.

And, a quick thank you to Mullen, John Rosato, Justin Mace and of course Taylor James for the amazing opportunity!

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Ten Things you Don’t Know about Andy Anderson (alright, maybe you won’t be surprised by #9)

My husband always comments on how people are very true to their brand (can you tell that he is in advertising?).  Well, after reading Andy Anderson’s Ten Things you Don’t Know about Me, I was a believer.  Number 3 is my favorite.  There is no other photographer in our group that could own these ten.  I love that.

1. I love photos, expecially other people’s
2. The smell of Fix is exotic.
3. Family is everything and all else is wallpaper.
4. Collaborating is addicting.
5. I’m never satisfied with my work.
6. Vintage glass is wonderful
7. I’m always curious.
8. I’m concerned about our country.
9. The Tea Party sucks
10. Life is Grand….live it

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Diary of a Freelance Art Buyer: Going for it!

© Richard Schultz - http://www.rschultz.com

When Julia Cunningham, (previously an art buyer at an advertising agency in Chicago) shared with us her news about venturing out on her own, we were so happy for her.  When she called, we talked a lot about how the power of being on your own needed to outweigh the fears if she were to succeed.  We talked of the courage and independence it takes to start something for herself.  And we talked about how exciting it all was.

It got me thinking that her experiences over the next few months would be unique.  I wondered if she would be open to sharing her thoughts, fears and journey through our blog.  So much of what she will experience is relevant to not only other art buyers but anyone in the freelance creative community; photographers included.

Here is her first entry.  After reading this, I look forward to reading and sharing more about her journey.

“OK, I did it” I said to my husband over the phone in my office.

And, then my next comment was “What did I just do?”

I had resigned from my position of 8 years as a Sr. Art Production manager at a Chicago ad agency.   Who would have thought going into my HR manager’s office to resign would provoke sweaty palms and teary eyes.   I wasn’t being laid off; I was doing this of my own volition.   I thought for sure I would feel liberated, I was going out on my own wasn’t I?  This is good news, right?   I think the uncertainty of whether I was making the right decision had overtook my emotions.

It’s my personal opinion that most of us will come to several crossroads in our lives.  Where should we go to college, if we should have children, whether to take a job offer across the country, etc.  The list goes on.  My latest crossroad was deciding if I should continue working for the same company OR take on the daunting, but exhilarating challenges of starting my own Art Production consulting business.

Both shared the same recipe for success; hard work, rubbing elbows, and overcoming unforeseen challenges.  The biggest difference though is that on my own I would be in control.  I would be working for myself.

The support I received from family and friends was unanimous.  I heard lots of “Good for you!” “Congrats!”  It felt great knowing that so many people were rooting for me.

Of course, along with the feeling of self-satisfaction was my lingering uncertainty and a very long to do list.  I wish it had been as easy as “hanging out the old shingle” as my father put it.  But along with setting up the home office, building a website, updating the Linked-in profile, and networking like it’s a contest, I found my passion again.  My love of photography and illustration, my enjoyment of researching new talent, and the challenge of taking on comprehensive projects all appeared in a renewed light.

It’s easy to become complacent as we fall into familiar patterns and practices of the day to day.  Taking a step back to figure out what inspired me professionally was more complex, but in the end it lead me in the right direction.

Hard work, rubbing elbows, and overcoming unforeseen challenges on my own terms; this could be the motto on my metaphorical shingle.

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What do Peter Gabriel and Tom Seaver have in common? Just ask Kevin Twomey.

© Kevin Twomey (image from his college thesis)

I am always intrigued by what inspired photographers or who they look to as their heroes. I thought it would make for an interesting blog series so I asked our photographers the questions, “Who would you call your hero?”  Here is what Kevin Twomey had to say.

“If you had asked me who my hero was when I was 7 years old, I would have immediately answered , “Tom Seaver of the NY Mets.”  During my college years, maybe it would have been Tennessee Williams or Sebastião Salgado.

Today that is a bit more difficult to answer. It ranges from organic farmers to whistle-blowers, but in the creative realm, one person I have admired for years is the musician Peter Gabriel.

Beyond my appreciation for the catalogue of music he has created throughout his career and how he has branded himself, I have admired his passion for world music.  He was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the WOMAD festivals, as well as foundingReal World Records, a label that focuses on bringing together musicians from all over the world.

In addition, his involvement in Human Rights, starting the organization Witness to put cameras in the hands of people to document human rights violations, shows his focus is on solutions, not problems.

(In my eyes), he is truly a musician who is not just “mouthing the words.”

If you would like to contribute to our series and share who your hero is, please do email us.

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“To be really good at photography you have to be obsessed with it.” Andy Anderson

© Andy Anderson - wwww.andyandersonphoto.com

Just last week, Greg Bennett, Creative Director at WORKtoDATE  featured Andy Anderson their blog.  He republished part of the interview that Anne Telford wrote about Andy for a  Communication Arts feature story.  It struck me as I read it that Andy’s passion for photography is as timeless as his imagery.

Thank you Greg for sharing Andy’s work and vision.  To see the images featured and read the article, link here.

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Interested in hearing more about what’s top of mind for the listeners of One Hour Photo?

© Kevin Twomey - http://www.kevintwomey.com

Last week, Anderson Smith and Jillian Hayes of Armada FM’s One Hour Photo asked me back to co-host their radio show with photographer   Johnathon Orozco.  We chatted some about marketing techniques, staying relevant as a photographer, what can make or break a shoot and what to look for when choosing a rep.  It was fun to get back on the air with this team- they make it so easy.  And, to top it off, I got to give a shout out to my mom.  And, for those of you who know her – you can imagine how excited she was!

Link here to check out our conversation.