We always like when our photographers shoot for editorial projects. They often come away energized and excited about either what they shot or how they shot it. On a recent shoot for Bicycling Magazine, Kevin Twomey was asked to photograph head badges. He enjoyed the project so much he surprised us with this blog post.
“One of my recent assignments was with BicyclingMagazine, photographing head tube badges. Before the project I had never taken much notice because most of todays badges are merely stick-on decals of the company’s logo, like the one on my Gunnar. The attention that was given to creating these badges was quite amazing, as seen in the opening spread of the story.
Most of the badges in the story came from collector Jim Langley, who is very passionate about anything to do with bicycles. He has been collecting badges since the late 1970’s and now has approximately 600 of them dating from the 1880’s to current day.
After the shoot, I went online to do a little more head tube research and found some people filling the void by creating their own badges. One bicycle shop in Maryland, The Bicycle Escape, created badges out of bottle caps. Another was a Star Wars Stormtrooper with what looked like a Hello Kitty bow.
So now when someone pulls up next to me on a bike, instead of checking out their components, I’ll be looking for a nice head badge.”
If you didn’t get a chance to see Andy Anderson’s spread in the December of issue of Garden and Gun, take a peak at the photos here. And, if you know anything about gun dog training, you will know that Mike Stewart is indeed “The Leader of the Pack.” Be sure to seek out the article online to read all about it.
Juliette Lewis from FoundFolios recently reached out to Ann Elliott Cutting to ask her permissions to share two of her images in their newsletter. The theme of the newsletter was “Unhinged; an exploration into what is real and not real.” Click here for the complete posting on their site.
Juliette asked Ann to provide some background on each of the images. Here is what she had to say about her Floating House image:
“This piece was created for an editorial assignment for Ladies Home Journal. The story was about a clean home. Knowing that many concepts are repeated in editorial stories, I try to have fun with the assignments and give them a fresh twist. When I sketch the ideas, the most important thing is to stay at it after all the expected ideas have been fleshed out. Sketching a few more ideas usually is when the gems appear. That is how this image came about. (The house model was built by an Architect, and the composite was made by photographing the house on a matt of grass and adding in the sky and flowers. The Art Director was Clare Lissaman.)
Here is what she had to say about the image of Man and Clouds:
“This image was created for a promo piece. It was a new take on having your head in the clouds. I thought that taking it on location and having it be as if the guy is put a little off balance gave the concept a new twist. The final image is a composite with the cloud. “
People always ask me how we think of ideas for our blog and is it hard to ask people to contribute. We are very fortunate to have a network of friends and colleagues that we can draw from and ask for their input. It is of course easiest with the people we know personally, but those that we do not are just as generous with their time.
Andy Anderson has photographed for Garden & Gun in the past so I have always been a fan of their photography. He spoke so highly of their photography director, Maggie Kennedy, that I thought she would be a great person to contact and ask to contribute. Even though we never worked together personally, she was more than willing to share her thoughts.
Even though Garden & Gun is a national magazine, it is often mistaken for a regional one because it is based in the south. This couldn’t be more far from the truth.
She and I agreed that a post about the little things that people may not know about Garden & Gun and her job would be a great way to share with others how special the publication really is.
Here is what she had to say.
I was honored when Heather asked me to contribute to her fabulous blog and thought it could be an opportunity to share not only my passion for photography and the magazine but share a few things about Garden & Gun and my job that you may not know.
• Garden & Gun is a national publication about Southern lifestyle and culture with an emphasis on photography. We have a nuanced view of the South so it’s not uncommon to find varied topics in one issue such as the best barbecue sandwiches in the South, a profile of Emmylou Harris, a photo essay focused on falconry or a feature on New Orleans artist Noel Rockmore.
• In one weekend in May, Garden & Gun won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence and a James Beard Journalism Award. We are still pinching ourselves.
• The magazine’s name comes from the old Garden & Gun Club in Charleston, South Carolina. The happening club/disco late 70’s, early 80’s. Our building, built in 1808, was once a girl’s school, Civil War hospital, and the city’s best apothecary, whose inventory was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1978. The doors, windows, and floors are all uneven.
• I love how the country seems to have a genuine interest in the South. Magazines covering food, shelter, outdoor, sport, etc. continue to highlight our region as well as dedicating entire issues to a Southern topic. This wasn’t the case a few years ago and it’s exciting to be part of this trend.
• The South is such a beautiful place so I consider myself very lucky to work with a publication where photography is a driving component of its’ design and reader interest. There is care and thoughtfulness put into each issue, each article and each photograph. I’m proud to have been a part of the team since the first issue in 2007.
• I love photography. I love my job. I love meeting photographers, sending them on assignments, hearing the war stories. To us in the office, the photographers are the rock stars on tour.
• I like to work with a combination of up-and-coming Southern shooters and nationally established talent. There are so many talented photographers based in the South. Some have spent years traveling the globe and have made their home here. Others have lived in the South their entire lives and are making a national name for themselves.
• Our photography strives to be iconic Southern, not kitchy. Soulful images that make our readers want to be there, in the moment. Lots of natural light, lifestyle, rarely conceptual. You’ll find gritty as well as a more polished look which supports our editorial range.
• We love to run full page photos and print on high quality paper stock. I pay close attention to color proofs and reproduction of the images to ensure the photography is going to look its’ best.
• I want to put our photographers in a position to succeed by allowing them to express their creativity during assignments. I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to work with so much talent. Shooters are hired based on their individual style. They get what the magazine is all about and bring their interpretation visually. If a project is too controlled beyond the basic who/what/when/where, I believe the end product will suffer. I love it when I see Garden & Gun images on their website or in a portfolio.
• I get to assign/edit projects ranging from taxidermy to five-star cuisine and everything in between. Did I mention I love my job?
• I enjoy continuing to build a strong stable of shooters both nationally and in the South. I always welcome pitches from photographers when ideas fit within our content. We’re also increasing our photo essays online so I’m always on the hunt for creative material.
If you are a photo editor and would like to share with us what it is like to work at your publication, please email us. We would be happy to feature you.
Andy Anderson was so proud and excited to share with us the feature he shot for Town and Country Magazine about The American Hotel in Sag Habor, NY. He was honored to be able to collaborate with Design Director Edward Leida at the publication.
After the success of our Dear Art Buyer, Dear Rep letters, I thought it would be interesting to hear from a photo editor to know what makes for a successful relationship on their end.
I reached out to a few photo editors and received this letter back from Amy Feitelberg of Outside Magazine. It struck me once again that we are all up against the same challenges and that mutual respect, open communication and common courtesies are the keys to any successful relationship.
Thank you Amy for letting us know how to best work with you.
Dear Rep:
One of the best parts of my job is to get to know all the great talent that is out there. I love photography and feel so fortunate to be in this business and surround myself with such amazing imagery and fantastic talent. When Heather reached out to me and asked me to write a letter letting photographers know how to best work with me, I came up with a list of the top five things to consider if you want to work successfully with me.
Here they are:
1. Phone calls
I want to hear about your photographers and I want to hear who’s going where. I promise I do! But phone calls are really hard for me. Email me. I promise I’ll look. I am really good at that. Those of you who know me, know that If I had the time, I would chat with everyone!
2. Direct Access
I need direct access to your photographers as soon as we have agreed to work together – if not sooner. So, as soon as you and I have agreed on the details of the shoot please put me in touch with them right away. I know sometimes it is easier on your end if the coordination comes through you but I much prefer at that point to be in contact with the photographer; especially if I have not worked with this photographer before. I don’t want to take the chance that something will get lost in translation. Besides, this is the best way that I can get a feel for how a photographer and I will work together. Feel free to be involved, but please do make sure I have direct access as well.
3. Contracts
I know there is a lot to read and review, but please return photographers contracts in a timely manner. We have so many rights to negotiate these days that many departments need to know immediately from us if we can use the images in our foreign editions, online, on our ipad, etc.
4. Scheduling
Scheduling is so hard nowadays – on both ends I am sure. So, let’s agree to be very clear on which dates are available as well as any changes. I know this is a dance between us, the photographer, the subject, the location….and when that other job comes in while we’re trying to make this all work. But if I’m given parameters from the outset and I work within them – you should have to adhere to them as well. Please.
5. Websites
I know this sounds obvious, but you would be amazed at how many sites are still a challenge to use. Please make sure they load quickly, the photos are big and the site is easy to navigate. Fancy flash and graphics take a lot of time and I just want to see the photographer’s work.
Also I love, love, love when it’s made clear where a photographer lives and if they’re a travel photographer, where they’ve been. It’s also so great when an agent has their photographers broken down by category. When a rep’s site is organized like that, I go back time and again to look at what’s new, who’s shooting what, what I can use for stock, etc.
Thanks again for all of your interest in Outside Magazine and your passion for your craft. We are fortunate to work in such a creative industry and I am honored to be able to get to know as many of you I have.
Ann Elliott Cutting has a knack for everything conceptual so when I asked her to send me something visual for the blog I wasn’t surprised when she sent me these images. None of them were shot together nor were they for the same project. This is just Ann pairing images that go well together. That common thread that runs through all of her imagery sure does runs deep with her.
Thank you Style Scene Daily for the nice shout out. It is always fun to be mentioned in the press, even if they spelled Lauranne’s name wrong. (It’s a tough one, for sure!)
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not know.
• The South is such a beautiful place so I consider myself very lucky to work with a publication where photography is a driving component of its’ design and reader interest. There is care and thoughtfulness put into each issue, each article and each photograph. I’m proud to have been a part of the team since the first issue in 2007.
• I want to put our photographers in a position to succeed by allowing them to express their creativity during assignments. I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to work with so much talent. Shooters are hired based on their individual style. They get what the magazine is all about and bring their interpretation visually. If a project is too controlled beyond the basic who/what/when/where, I believe the end product will suffer. I love it when I see Garden & Gun images on their website or in a portfolio.
