so good friends over at counter production are finally putting the finishing touches on their latest documentary – americans. was fantastic working with them last year in montana on the blackfeet nation. what an amazing place + amazing people with a heartfelt story to share.

this was the inspiration for my blackfeet gallery. of which we’ll be releasing more images once the movie is out so as not to give away too much. you can also see my pdn photo annual shot done on location on the reservation here. really stoked on cp’s work + the new site. keep an eye for release dates for this sucker, especially if you live near an independent film festival.

nico’s got fantastic production stills to share from this job + previous work all over the place – italy, new zealand, india + more. definitely take a look.

+ if you think you work hard, try making a small scale independent doc. nico + anna + crew busted chops for more then a year on this thing. entirely funded via donations + local support including a handful of local museums. here’s a shot of the trailer that was home in east glacier for a few months until it got too cold. + if you ever get the chance, jump in. it’s worth it.

follow what’s close to you, what you’re really passionate about + it shows.

if you have kids, game on. the challenge is making it match your personal vision. featured in the latest edition of pdn, uber talented shooter timothy archibald has nobly taken on this challenge. his book ECHOLILIA + the article feature stunning images of his son eli + their journey together. huge inspiration mr archibald.

my boys are on a different channel but i hope to capture + later present to them some of what i see, what we experience together.

you?

great little guy in powder magazine’s feb edition cover feature called ‘sonic youth’ featuring the top 20 skiers 18 + under on the continent.

i’ve had the pleasure of working with whitefish, mt native mitch numerous times over the past few years + nothing but good things to say. humble man with a ton of potential. + the fact that he’s the youngest by far in the draft says a ton. can’t wait to see what he does.

it’s not fancy or eye-catching. it’s not suave or the latest catch phrase, social media induced buzz shcmutz. it’s nothing fun like strategery. but strength is where it’s at for 2010. if this isn’t making sense you might want to check the previous post or catch seth godin’s challenge.

the strength i’m talking about is not about power or the guventor’s muscles. we’re not thinking along lines of sheer brute or blind energy. i’m talking about strength in line with tenacity. strength in the power of together. strength with the connotation of creative freedom, the energy + ideas to do what you know needs to be done. and do it your own way.

strength to not only correct what is skewed but better what is good, elevate what is strong. it’s not a lack of spine that necessitates what we’re talking about but rather a deep desire to change what’s in our power to change. to live up to your potential. to take risks + move beyond a status quo. in the words of william bernbach, “those who are going to be in business tomorrow are those who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.”

this past year has been thrilling + heartbreaking in many ways as the world’s had ups + down that no one could have predicted 365 days ago. with the future as uncertain as it’s ever been now is not the time to pussyfoot around. it’s not the time to slink off into the background or rest on your laurels. i think that we need strength to get out + get beyond.

on a personal level i lost a friend to cancer last week + have seen several people i’m close to in the industry lose their longtime jobs. i’m already digging into that strength.

as an industry, our visual media realm has taken a beating with smaller budgets, shorter timelines + increasing pressure from micro stock, point + shoot + the 16 year old down the street. we’re going to have to get up our strength for this. and if we have even remote plans of using video + hybrid material to it’s potential we need to push so much harder.

in the macro view, the strength applications are almost limitless. dive in, choose a cause, find support + start flexing your muscles – creative or otherwise.

is that sterngth part of our makeup? is that strength within our social fabric? that i can’t honestly tell you. i’m no cheerleader for positivity. but i can feel a change is needed + i think that a quiet, relentless strength just might do the trick.

talking with another photographer lately + interested in his take on publication as promotion. basically said that he works to get his name out in as many venues as possible, editorial + commercial, because that acts as advertising + promotion for his work. i’m not sure that putting one’s name anywhere is the best strategy but am enamored with the idea of publication as promotion.

nice spread here for southwest airlines in the current version of spirit, their in-flight mag.

great thought on mental twilight from author jonathan safran foer in the online version of spirit.