Just Some Photos that I Like!

When I blog, I like to write something that readers will hopefully find interesting and will compel them to read and look further. It's often a challenge, as I don't feel like a writer. As photographers, we communicate with our images. Ultimately, that's what I hope will draw people in. I know it won't be my words, but I hope that my words will serve as an introduction to my work.

This time, I only have my images. As a commercial photographer, I spend a lot of time creating photographs that are not strictly artistic. While artistry is involved, their role in life is largely utilitarian. That is true in a business sense, but the discerning client knows that they are more than that; they serve to evoke an emotion in the viewer. The esthetic value may be subtle, but it's there. That's why I can only shake my head in disbelief when I see a cell phone self portrait or a red cup party shot used as a business headshot. People! Potential clients are judging you, possibly unfairly, based on an initial impression. You've heard this rant before, I'm sure.

So since I have nothing to say today ;-), I thought I would post some business portraits and some actor headshots that I did recently and that I really like.

The first bunch of shots are of a young actress and dancer.

I also had the privilege of photographing this Boston attorney, who also does legal commentary on a TV network. She really understands the value of good images!

Mike O’Malley - Merrimack Valley Magazine Cover Story

Buy this magazine!

Mike O'Malley - Merrimack Valley Magazine Cover

This month's Merrimack Valley Magazine cover story features Glee star Mike O’Malley, written by Beth Daigle and photographs by this blogger! Mike plays Burt Hummel on the hit TV series. We shot the cover photo, along with an inside spread and several others, at the Ritz Carlton in Boston, when Mike was in town working on a new film.

Seriously, buy this magazine to see this article, as well as several others on which I worked, including Chris Markuns' Coffee Talk interview with Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s Executive Director Steven Leon, a story about Christmas decorating, and a piece about the great work of the Angel Flight Northeast.

Mike O'Malley

Living Independently

On September 19th of this year, I was to photograph someone at an assisted living facility in Chelsea, Massachusetts, for CE Pro Magazine. Unfortunately, the morning prior to the shoot I threw out my back. I would use the word "strained", but if you've ever experienced the same pain, it really is a feeling that resembles a jab or jolt of some kind, is really quite painful, and “strained” just doesn't describe it. This is a sensation that I have experienced several times since I was in my 20s, riding a bus on tour with a band. But that is another story for another day!

This day, I was able to engage one of my excellent assistants, Melissa Desjardins, who has her own studio in Nashua. I was so happy to have been able to get her to come along on such short notice because of the nature of this particular shoot. This was at the Leonard Florence Center for Living in Chelsea, where a number of people with MS and Lou Gehrig's disease live. My temporary physical pain was trivial by comparison and I was intent on having it remain invisible. Thanks to Melissa, that mission was accomplished.

I am mentioning this because it made our visit so much more real to me. When you feel lousy, even though everything aside from some single annoyance may be going well, it's enlightening to visit with individuals who struggle with far more difficult issues and yet have the most positive of attitudes.

That brings me to my subject. I was asked to photograph Steve Saling at the Leonard Florence Center. Steve is a landscape architect and was a Project Manager at Copley Wolff Design Group, among other firms before his diagnosis. Incredibly positive and friendly, Steve welcomed us into his residence at the center to pose for photos and to give us a crash course on living independently using a computer that he controls only with head movement. Selecting from a cascade of letters and words on a laptop mounted to his chair, Steve speaks in full sentences using digital voice software. He controls doors, lights, electronic devices and even the elevator using special software, again with head movement.

CE Pro Magazine

Please read the article for details on the technology that makes all of this possible. An online version is here. (Only one of my photos appears in the online article and is credited to me. It is the same shot as seen in the spread above.)

I think both Melissa and I walked away from the center that day with a memorable experience to appreciate on that beautiful September morning.

Business Headshots vs. Business Fun Shots

Kim Saltmarsh


Often, when professional people come to me to have me create their portrait, they have a vision in mind of what they want me to do that can be somewhat rigid and I think, stifling to both parties. Obviously, some organizations and the roles that some people play in their professional lives dictate a certain style of portrait. That's not always true however, even though the individual may feel that it is.

I certainly do create traditional "head shots" for corporate executives and other professional people, but given the opportunity, I am more than happy to try to break the mold and create something more interesting. I blogged a while back ("Got Style") about several people who were more than willing to be interesting, and it showed in their photos.

Over the last year or so, I have been working on magazine articles with Kim Saltmarsh who, along with her writing jobs, is a morning radio voice at WCAP in Lowell, as well as a TV Pledge Anchor at WGBH-TV in Boston. So I suggested to her that, rather than do something expected, we do something more that would show her personality. I have done this with people from many professions too, not just media professionals, but I thought that exploring a dignified but fun approach would be worth doing in Kim's case. I think it works!

The (money) Machine

A few weeks ago I was assigned an editorial portrait of Mad Man and film maker Erik Proulx for a magazine article on people who have "survived" layoffs. The article, for Merrimack Valley Magazine, focused on several people who have chosen to thrive in spite, or maybe because of their experiences in being jettisoned from the corporate world. Erik allowed me to see one of his films, Lemonade, which, at the extreme risk of sounding patronizing, really REALLY resonated with me. While never having experienced a layoff, I was one of those people in a cubicle farm working just to make a living so that I could continue to work.

Erik Proulx
I was very happy for many years doing the corporate peon thing. It paid very well after all! But after several corporate takeovers, the last company for which I worked was bought by the mother of all corporations in its field. I tried to make the best of it. I even remember being Mr. Pollyanna at the big meeting where they told us how much worse our benefits were going to be. The culture set in after a while though and I went through several years of being miserable. I know, many people would kill for a job like that one, or even any job at all. I told myself that every day. I had no right to complain. My wife always reminds me of the day that she came home to find me with my forehead on the desk in front of the computer. We both knew that I was done. With her support and encouragement, I was going to get out of there. It was over for me and The Borg.

It has been an interesting transition however, and in spite of palpable ups and downs, things seem to get better every year. I wasn't laid off but I did lay myself off. So many of the people in Erik's excellent film were speaking my language. Things can be tough at times, but like them, I have no regrets.

Get Erik's film! See his blog here: http://www.pleasefeedtheanimals.com/about-me/

That Was The Week That Was

My apologies to the grownups of my youth for using that title (Google it ;-), but it was quite a crazy week last week. Last Friday, Amy and I attended the Westford, Massachusetts, Parish Center for the Arts Regional Art Event presentations. We were both informed during the week that we had both won a prize for one each of our entries. They don't tell you what place you may have made until you arrive at the ceremony and look at the program. When we did arrive, I looked down at the pro category to see that I had won 1st prize! Wow! This is the picture as it was hung in the gallery.

I have posted it before, but here is the original:

Then I checked the amateur category to see that Amy had also won 1st prize! She was already nervous, but that news was surreal to her. It was a fun night!

Here is a link to her blog where she shows her work and talks about that night: http://amybisson.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/traveling-in-my-discomfort-zone/

The week ended with a Tweetup, hosted by Kathleen Pierce, AKA bistrobroad@ (http://bistrobroad.com), and myself, at the La Boniche restaurant, on Merrimack Street in Lowell (http://www.laboniche.com).  There was a nice group there and we all got to finally meet many people with whom we had only tweeted. Thanks to everyone who could make it!

But Tuesday was marked by a really big happening at Western Avenue Studios. The Mary Richardson and the WCVB television show, Chronicle HD, came to WAS to do a feature on the studios and several of the artists. I was one of them! It was a pretty exciting day. I was asked to follow the crew around and document the day.

I, unfortunately, don't have shots of myself being interviewed, but they did video me as I photographed Lindsey, who very kindly agreed to spend the day in my studio and participate. This shot is one that I took while being videoed for the segment.

I will post another blog as soon as I know when the show will air, along with any information that I have about the video on their web site. It is here, if you want to check: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/chronicle/index.html

The Boston Walkaround

Boston can be a great walking city. Some of the sidewalks can be annoyingly narrow, but they are, at the same time, really interesting, and usually not nearly as crowded as those in many other cities. The tourist guides will usually recommend the Freedom Trail, but if you spend enough time wandering around, you are apt to find far more interesting routes and destinations.

I have lived in and around Boston my entire adult life, having gone to college there in the mid-seventies. Yes, that's as in, 70s. :-) The city has improved much since those days, especially in terms of livability, safety and cleanliness. Boston is a great place to walk around. So I like to do just that periodically, to take things in, and to photograph. I happened to hit the weather just right last Friday, which was some sort of miracle. Here are some of the highlights.

I stopped to listen to these guys because they were really good. I asked them if they were students, and where, knowing of course that they were Berklee students.  They seemed really fascinated that I had gone to Berklee and graduated in those wonderful 70s.  I left before they asked if I knew Charlie Parker :-)

What sort of amuse bouche is my owner going to bring me from DeLuca's?

One of my favorite works of the I. M. Pei firm.

Yes, on purpose :-)