Over the years, the word I hear most when people are describing Andy Anderson’s photography is SOULFUL. That is because he has a powerful connection to the people and places he photographs. He doesn’t just take pictures, he makes friends. Life long friends.
On a recent trip to Northern Minnesota to shoot personal work of the ice fishing sub culture, Andy met some new friends. Link to Andy’s blog to read what he shares about his trip and why he thinks the ice trolls invented drinking.
I love how when I see a Kevin Twomey image on Instagram, I never know it is his. That is because he isn’t taking photographs of the things he does in his studio. Instead he is photographing exactly the opposite. And, being that he is a still life photographer, his world has opened up!
Enjoy a recent blog post he wrote confessing his latest obsession.
“If you have not yet succumbed to the crack-like lure of instagram, all I can say is, don’t start.
It began simply enough, with me capturing stills on my iPad. The iPad, as it turns out, is but a gateway drug: as a professional photographer, the limitations of its vastly inferior camera soon had me hijacking my wife’s iPhone to capture interesting images during our weekend hikes. First, it was with her permission, but after I vomitously filled up her phone with my addiction, she cut me off.
I wandered the streets, desperate to fill that 16Gb void in my soul, and soon found a smartphone dealer who would sell me an iPhone. As a still-life photographer, I had been so used to the 4×5, taking my time, carefully crafting my shots, that using something a fraction of its size and weight was absolutely liberating! I spent more and more hours under the influence of its euphoric filters, convinced that the next hit would yield that elusive high of PhotoShopped wonder. I found acceptance in the Instagram community.
Instagram takes care of me. It provides me with apps to nurture my creativity (first one is always free). It feeds my desire to observe and my obsessive need to shoot. After all, they are parented by Facebook, known for respecting -many- of the privacy filters they offer. Except on January 17th. Need I say more?
I can stop any time, though. I can control it. I’m not like those obsessive users driven to enter competitions, instacanvas and type-those-endless-keywords-on-a-scren-so-tiny-you-might-suck-it-up- your-nostrils-if-you-look-too-close.
It is just that it is my civic duty to mentor the social media generation, to impart professional wisdom gleaned from years of practice.
Or so I tell myself, as i watch my images flash by on my niece’s iPhone, shared and re-shared in a blindingly-fast display of teenage thumbwork.”
To view more of my instagram images please go to : kevintwomey.com/instagram
Last year, we decided that it was a good time to create an AGENCY PORTFOLIO. We had a fantastic group of photographers and many opportunities to show it off. We didn’t want it to be a typical group book that had a section for each photographer. While we like those and they are always very strong, we wanted ours to be a little different so that it would stand out more at events such as Le Book’s Connections.
What we came up with was a portfolio divided by SPECIALTY instead of by PHOTOGRAPHER. We liked this idea because it allowed us to showcase the type of work our group can offer while allowing the viewer to file our group away by different specialities. Of course it is always our main goal for a creative to learn who our photographers are and what they shoot individually. This will never change. But, by offering an alternate way for them to view the work in our group, we are opening up another opportunity for them to remember the work.
More often than not the Agency Portfolio is shown in conjunction with the individual portfolios so if a viewer is interested in seeing more, they can choose to do so right then and there. This is particularly helpful in a setting like Le Book Connections because there are so many books to view and it can get overwhelming for some. We have found that our agency book provides a breath of fresh air in a crowded market.
Take a look for yourself and see. It is no mistake that we chose the song, Breathe by Sia as the background music. Enjoy!
Click here to see the video of our Agency Portfolio
Last night, I watched on Facebook as people commented on the Superbowl commercials. The best post came from my friend Will Burns, President of Ideasicle, around the third quarter. It read, ” Do the ads know it is the Superbowl?” By the amount of similar posts it was obvious that people agreed.
I agreed until the Ram Farmers ad created by The Richards Group aired. Once that spot hit, Facebook was a buzz with cheers and recognition for a spot well done. The Paul Harvey speech was powerful, the message was powerful, the farmers of course were powerful. But, for those of us in the industry, it was also the photography that was powerful. How nice to see a tv spot, let alone a Superbowl spot, be a hero with photography. Wasn’t is just a few years ago we were hearing that commercial photography was dying? Well, thank you Ram Trucks and The Richards Group for reminding us that is still very much alive.
I am proud to say that our photographer, Andy Anderson, was one of the ten photographers that participated in this wonderful project. Andy was humbled by the opportunity and honored by the chance to document visually his connection to the farming community. To see what Andy had to share about this project, link to his blog here.
Special thanks need to go out to the Ram Trucks client, The Richards Group, Jimmy Bonner, Rob Baker and Deb Grisham for their commitment to their vision. And of course to the ten talented photographers: William Allard, Andy Anderson, Jim Arndt, Daniel Beltra, Mark Gooch, Andy Mahr, Kurt Markus, David Spielman, Matt Turley and Olaf Veltman.
There is nothing quite like an RL Burnside song. And, there is nothing quite like an Andy Anderson portfolio. You can enjoy both here. Welcome back!
Link here for video of Andy Anderson portfolio.
And if you are interested in seeing any of the other video portfolios from our group, please link here.
© Kevin Twomey
Back in October we shared with you some photographs that Kevin Twomey took on a summer trip to Italy. He included a corresponding post reminding us the importance of slowing down. Well, Kevin’s trip also took him to St. Moritz. And, it was here that he tested out his newly healed arm after a break and hiked a hard to reach summit. He recently shared his experience with us and the beautiful photographs that he created.
“While on vacation in Italy, we took an overnight trip to St Moritz and I found the journey far more interesting then the destination. The first leg was from Oltre il Colle to Tirano, where we took the scenic route through windy roads and over the San Marco pass. We stopped at the pass to stretch our legs and take a few pictures. What I captured was one of my favorite images from the trip. I was drawn to the the modern day electric wires that followed over a road built in the 16th century. For me, it was about the layering of time.
© Kevin Twomey
I was told that the pass was built as a trade route between Bergamo (ruled by the Republic of Venice at the time) and cities to the north so they could avoid paying the high tariffs to Milan. The modern road over the pass is a favorite for many hardcore cyclists.
The second leg was a 2 1/2 hour train ride from Tirano to St Moritz. It was a gorgeous ride through the Alps with breathtaking scenery, where the tracks climb at a 7% gradient and stop close to Brenina Pass at an elevation of almost 7,400 ft. I can only imagine what this trip would be like in the winter!
There are 3 things to do in St Moritz; ski, shop and eat. Since I am not a big shopper, I was happy to just sit on the slopes of St Moritz (minus the snow), and enjoy my delicious cured meat and cheese sandwich while basking in the sun.
After returning from St Moritz, I decided to hike up to one of the lower peaks of the nearby Mt. Alben. On my way up, I met three lovely people who were on their way to the higher, more difficult-to-get-to peak and was invited to join them. The rock scrambling tested my arm (which I had broken 8 weeks earlier), but the payoff was worth it when we hit the summit. The weather was on my side at that moment with storm clouds in the distance to help give me the right atmosphere for my photograph, but far enough away so I cloud return home dry.
© Kevin Twomey
© Kevin Twomey
© Kevin Twomey
© Kevin Twomey
If you would like to see more of Kevin’s work, please link here.
© Kevin Twomey – http://www.kevintwomey.com
Kevin Twomey spent a few magical weeks in Italy this summer. When he shared his photos and stories with us, we suggested he share them on the blog as well. Kevin’s account is very beautiful and reminded us of the importance of slowing down.
“”When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” When it comes to food, that saying won’t steer you wrong anywhere in Italy you happen to visit and enjoy a meal.
This past August I went to see the in-laws in northern Italy with my wife. We spent a week in the Alps eating, hiking and eating some more. I am a big proponent of eating home cooked meals and locally grown food and I am happy to report there was no shortage of either on my trip.
A mile up the road from my in-laws summerhouse, close to the town of Oltre il Colle, is an abandoned ski resort where a handful of cows graze at the granite peaked base of Monte Alben for the summer months. These cows belong to a local herder, Tobia. Tobia and his brother have lived amongst these mountains their whole lives. Things are much simpler than my current urban city life and it was good to see the old methods of doing things were just the present day routine for people in the surrounding villages.
© Kevin Twomey – http://www.kevintwomey.com
We met Tobia and his brother as they were milking their cows. Sonoyo, my sister-in-law, gets her milk products from Tobia and thinks nothing of the daily errand that I found to be such a luxury. Tobia didn’t have any fancy milking machine, no weird tools or suction devices. A bucket and an old wooden stool to sit on was all that was required, go figure.
After a few introductions and a brief conversation about weather, health, family and how two of his cows will be turned into Bresaola this fall, Tobia took his bucket full of fresh milk and filled up Sonoyo’s liter bottle.
A few days later we went to Tobia’s house to buy cheese. The first thing I noticed was the breathtaking view surrounding his home. Lush green rolling hills as far as the eye can see, mountains upon mountains towering over on all sides. And the garden! He had a rich array of so many different kinds of vegetables, it was quiet a sight and put my town’s community garden to shame.
© Kevin Twomey – http://www.kevintwomey.com
There was a separate room devoted to storing and aging Tobia’s home made cheese. He had some that was days old to a couple years and he wanted us to taste them all. We had our tasting and made some hard choices of what to schlep back to the states. We walked away with about a two month supply.
It was refreshing to see things done old school style with little fuss producing such high quality product. Tobia has been doing things the same way his father and his father’s father and so on and so forth. Generations not obsessed with doing better but instead knowing what works is sometimes the best way to do it.”
© Kevin Twomey – http://www.kevintwomey.com
If you would like to read more of Kevin’s blog posts, please link here. He has a particularly moving post that he wrote after the earthquake in Japan.
© Andy Anderson – http://www.andyandersonphoto.com
Andy Anderson always makes time to shoot for himself. He schedules it like it is a commercial shoot and is so committed to it that isn’t easy to get him to move the dates! I have always admired that about him and think that so much of his success is his insistence on making time for his personal work. He has traveled all over the world photographing more things than many will see in a lifetime. From bull fighters in Spain to transvestites in Cuba his images are epic and enthralling. We are never disappointed when he shares what he discovered. That is why when he returned from a trip to the deep south we were expecting something amazing. And, boy did he deliver.
This series has been the most talked about series in his portfolio. Every portfolio show we attend, people want to know the story behind the series. I asked Andy to let us know about his inspiration. Here is what he shared.
“A major motivation in my photography is curiosity. So much so that I named the photography book being published by Rizzoli, just that; Curiosity. I am constantly exploring things and seeking out those people that excite me most. Over the years, many of the relationships with the folks I have met have become more important to me than many of the images. I value so much the friendship and intimacy that goes into each one of my photographs.
That said, I tend gravitate to the moments in peoples lives that are magical, powerful and sometimes even raw. I understand that there are very few times in your existence that you are able to actually witness such sacred times so when I do I am very appreciative. I was fortunate enough to do just that at Camel Lake Campground in Bristol, Florida.
Since I spent my childhood growing up in the deep south, I constantly am drawn back to explore a place that I love dearly. One of my dearest friends that I have gotten to know on my travels is Reverend Shearer. Over the years I wandered into her town many times and saw countless baptisms taking place. I always felt privileged to be there but understood that those were private moments not to be tampered with; but only to witness. Over the years, the friendships with both Reverend Shearer and her congregation grew.
Well, last spring, I received a call from Reverend Shearer. She told me that she would love for me to come and photograph a baptism that she would be preforming in her home town. So I “Criss Angeled” myself the next week to Florida. There are no words that can explain the experience. Trust me, the human spirit is alive and well. ”
To see more of Andy Anderson’s work, link here. And, be sure to consider subscribing to our blog so that we you can be the first to read via email our latest entries. (Upper right hand corner of the blog)
Ron Berg recently shared with us a series of images that are getting some attention. When we were at Le Book Connections in NY, the images were a big hit and everyone kept asking what the story was behind them. When we got back, we asked Ron to share with us what his inspiration. Here is what he had to say:
“Over the last couple of years, I traveled some in in France, Italy, and Croatia and it was in those magical places that the root of the idea began. Like most typical photographers I love to seek out areas that are not the norm and strive to find the areas were the locals hang out. I occasionally venture out on my own or wander off from my wife. She would say that I “get lost,” but really I am just exploring the sights and sounds of the local culture and go wherever my instinct takes me.
During these particular travels there were these string of occurrences where I kept seeing someone in a mask. Of course this never happened when I was near my wife and it always happened so quickly that I would never be able to document it. She thought I was crazy or seeing things. And who knows, she could have been right. Who knows if I was. Sometimes those local libations have a somewhat unusual effect!
Needless to say, between the masks and the architecture (and local flavors!); I was inspired.
As far as the meaning of the images, I honestly don’t know. I just know they were in my mind and I had to photograph them. Maybe they will inspire others to make up a story to go with them. As Shakespeare wrote for Hamlet, “God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another…”
© Ron Berg
© Ron Berg
© Ron Berg
