WIP.CRACKER

I'm getting there on the portfolio creation. I've been printing it, although that's only muddling along, so I've got some test prints at the lab that I need to review.


But I'm planning this bright red plexiglass portfolio, and I think it's going to be killer. I found Google Sketchup, which is awesome for modelling 3D stuff quickly, and built out this model for the plastic machine shop.


Plastic machine shop? Why not just to TAP Plastics you say? TAP is great and all, but every time I went in and even started talking about what I needed done, they were like "Oh...no, we can't do that." I eventually realized that they're a chain and they do what they do. So yeah, plastic machine shop. I'll send these drawings to the ones that TAP recommended and see what they say.


And the bookbinder's been great. Not only do they listen patiently when I bring in this kinda crazy idea, but they point out problems that might occur and help to come up with solutions.

Got my new business cards and...sa-weet!

My new visual identity is way more pro than my old one. Jennifer Pyle did a great job on the design.

I'd sleep with them next to me but I worry I'd fold, spindle or mutilate them.
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Went to a photo assistant event last night. The photo buyers on the panel started off by saying that it was totally cool for assistants to promote to them, on the set of the hiring photographer. I was all....no way.

That reminds me. I was working on an ad set for the first photographer I ever worked for. There was a whole creative team there. I got a little crush on one of the designers, so about midway through the shoot, I gave her my card 'if she ever needed it' (I swear, I didn't wink). Further, the account exec was getting married, and hey, I can shoot a wedding, so I gave her my card too.


After we wrapped, and were loading gear, the photographer walked with me along the hall. I can't remember exactly what he said, but it was basically, "So, there's not to be any passing out of cards to the creative team on my shoots." I immediately realized how my actions looked and felt horrible. I explained the wedding/crush angle and he explained that I can do that, no biggie, I just need to alert him to it first.

And that makes sense to me. At last nights event, the panel eventually got around to expressing what I think had been their assumption all along - promotion like that happens, but it's got to be low-key, appropriate, and timely.
Photographers, assistants, and buyers know:

• that assistants are pursuing careers in photography
• that photographers would like to keep working for their buyers
• that buyers need to work with new photographers

Everybody's on the same page, and it's inherently awkward. The whole assistant/photographer dynamic could be so loaded with tension I'm surprised it works so well.

Usually. I worked for one photographer who approached the client of the photographer he'd assisted, and that client abruptly hired him to the exclusion of the old photographer. When I first heard the story I thought it was nasty, but now I'm not so sure...perhaps it was time.

There was another photographer I worked for, and on one shoot, the AD handed his card out to everyone (me and the photographer - it was editorial). Five minutes after the AD left, the photographer turned to me and said "I'll take that business card if you don't mind.", and I was all "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA here you go, chief." I don't work for guys like that for very long.

And happily, I have my own gorgeous loving girlfriend now, so there's no passing cards around for that anymore.

I was travelling the last couple of weeks, assisting a photographer on some portraits in Boston and Minneapolis.

The art director from the Boston shoot knew we were going to Minneapolis later and asked us to get some photos of 'the famous bathroom'.

I think I don't understand 'fame' any more. Or maybe I never did. I'd have thought this bathroom would be notorious, not famous, but I guess it's a matter of interpretation. Like Paris Hilton.

We were on our way out of Minneapolis when we remembered the art directors request. Since the photographer is a woman, I volunteered to take the photos, helpful assistant that I am. I picked up her digital 35MM with the 24-70 zoom and headed over.

I got some views of the outside, and without really thinking about it, moved inside. I was just concentrating on documenting the thing, really, and it seemed some shots of the stalls in question were vital.

Once inside, I picked up on some serious vibes. Like, "What the hell are you doing with a camera in the mens room?" vibe. Oh geez. I tried to be discreet, you know, pointing the huge lens at the floor if anybody was nearby, but it was only when I'd come back out that I realized how ridiculous my behavior was.

So, back to the photographer, showed her the pictures, all's well, and I'm repacking the camera. Suddenly, the long arm is right there, the real thing, not a rent-a-cop. He's talking to me in that weird way that's kind of addressing me, but kind of addressing his radio:

"So what's the deal with taking pictures of people in the mens room?"

"Ha, ha, well you see....". I explained, showed him the pictures, told him there were no people in the shots and that they were for nonpublic use. He asked for my ID, and wrote down my address. Said that someone had complained.

Pretty reasonable, all told. I would have done the same thing, I think, were I in his position.

Next time somebody asks me for pictures of some infamous bathroom, it's one shot with a camera phone and I'm 5000.