godspeed.

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.

back east recently + damn good time. sweet when the humidity is down. and thanks to everyone there. can’t wait to head out on the sailboat asap myste + beck. came across a trove of cool stuff so here’s a few images + lo down on the the adventure.

lomography gallery store 41st w 8th st nyc – great little space with examples + cameras from across this style spectrum. fun neighborhood if you have the time.

cooper-hewitt natl design museum nyc – brilliant design in all it’s form. really like the moma store as well as muji myself for the take home pieces.

institute of contemporary art boston – shepard fairey – this just ended but was great to see the street promos done in his style that randomly popped of neigherhoods while out walking city streets. acting out by five artists might be sounds like a very worthwhile alternative + is still showing.

museum of bad art boston – in their own words, “is the world’s only museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms.”

then more recently in the ny times another look at what has become known as ‘photoshopping’ in certain circles though was around far longer then the mammoth program we know today.

Talking with a PE at one of the larger, well established travel mags this week he piqued my interest when he said, “nice to know you’re out there, the last thing I need is another shooter in New York”.

Richard Florida has more on how it all fits together here.

Gotham it’s not. But working as a location photographer some distance from anything of standard metro value really suits me. Aside from the obvious choices for quality of life, family, space and a ginormous spectrum of recreation the people and pace make a difference.

The way the blogs roll these days it’s hard to not to hear about everything that’s happening. Sure, I know folks that don’t have an email address but it’s for the right reason and suits the lifestyle just fine. My Mac tech on the other hand has an iphone, two old school cell phones and a server farm that registers a noticeable percentage of energy consumption on the local grid.

But I’m down with these discrepancies and I know I’m not the only one. As my office is booking regional and national accounts for the year it always amazes me who chooses to look beyond the options in front of them and who doesn’t. I’m thankful for each client that I get to establish a relationship with but I don’t think they have it too bad either if they get to come visit the Rockies for a week.

With everything from cajun to sushi and amenities that cater to those with means beyond most of us the possibilities for a damn good time are endless (as long as you don’t stay for more than a week). Location wise there the opps are endless – a national park, a lake larger than any freshwater west of the Mississippi, ski resorts, wilderness, Native American communities, vast fields, mountains, and more.

And the thing that ties it together and always brings the greatest of color into my shoots are the people. It’s amazing how rock solid people still are. Access to almost anything here in the northern Rockies is a simple polite question away.

My point is, look around. It’s way too way too easy to get caught up in the latest fads and the current homogenous mindset. It’s common sense to be in touch and up on the latest but that shouldn’t be at the expense of what’s right in front of you. After all, the real adventure consists not of seeing new sights but in seeing the sights around you with new eyes.

“Make visible that, which without you, would never have been seen.”

Robert Bresson

Likewise, with the new year underway I wanted to dole out props to the past year – a great one it was. The numerous clients, agencies, assistants, models, athletes, behind the scenes people and others have really come through. Special gratitude to Lowell – your the man, good luck on the next adventure.

As for this outlet, I’m typing furiously with intentions of sharing how the business of location photography works for those of us motivated enough to brave it outside metro areas. Nearly all materials (books, lectures, etc) on photography have been and continue to be focused on specific areas, ie, places with resources, rental shops and excellent sushi. With the expanding role of technology, however, business, visual media and photography are exponentially more mobile and less dependent than ever before on place.

What counts more heavily in the world today is business sense, tech knowledge and of course camera skills (though sharing a name with a candy bar never hurt either). None of which are inherently locale dependent. With that in mind, I’ll be floating ideas here that work or don’t as they pertain to location photography and the ability to excel in the business regardless of your local population base. Besides, any day is better when, like this AM, you can get a sunrise summit and a few turns before work.
Looking forward to the dialogue,

Heath