Client profiles-Words and phrases




Lonely Planet

Find
Explore
Blend in
Overland
Among us
Sustain
Live with it
Adventure
Spirited away
Travel locally



Personal Business

Beginnings
World class
Affordable
Preserve
Celebrate life
Record you dreams
Professional
Stress-free
Live it up
Bright



Manchester Craftsmen Guild

Creative solutions
Arts in action
Growth
A new way(up)
Try (and try again)
Life is for the living
Through
When?
On a mission
Art is necessary

Heaven and Hell Statement of Intent

In his play No Exit Sartre writes, “Hell is other people.” However to me, the idea of hell is embodied by solitude. An abject feeling of complete and utter isolation. This can take on two forms – being alone in the literal sense, or the feeling of alienation that can occur in a room full of people.

Imagery that comes to mind in this personified hell would be a post-apocalyptic landscape of sorts – barren and desolate. Another could be the use of a forest, being disoriented and unable to find a path out. I also think that a long, winding road with no clear origin or destination lends a sense of loneliness to it.

One composition I had in mind would involve a figure in a barren landscape surrounded by a group of people that are experiencing a more positive environment than the central figure, as if they are in a different world. Techniques that I could use to invoke these feelings would be diffuse light, muted color palettes, and cooler tones.

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Conversely, the essence of my own heaven would involve a sense of freedom, a feeling of independence, and the self-determination to go anywhere and do anything.

The kinds of images that I envision would involve large expanses of water and boats, as they invoke the feelings of freedom to me. The images would also incorporate a strong light source, warm colors, and a vibrant color palette.

*Footnote: these are just some of my initial thoughts. I have to work all day tomorrow (Saturday), so I wanted to make sure I was able to post some of my ideas.

Heaven and Hell Research

After a fair amount of image searching I culled out these three compositions from the world of advertising. In these, some are more overt(Camel ad, Heineken ad) than others(Annie Leibovitz's Disney ad) in their display of "positive imagery". But all three show an ideal of some sort either from imaginary views of California living and the world of fairy tales to a psychedelic look into where beers are born.

Since I was searching for images in advertising I thought it would be interesting to find products with few redeeming qualities (cigarettes, beer, Disney) to explore how an artist or designer can manipulate a viewer and/or consumer. The first thing that jumps out at me is the use of light in all of the images. In the beer and cigarette ads it is almost flooding the layout with a partially obscured sun near the center of the composition drawing the eye in and up to the item on display. In the Disney ad an almost painterly vision of two movie stars residing in the world of make believe seems to be almost entirely manufactured. The use of artificial light in this one helps to focus the eye on the stars of the portrait in a way that leaves little doubt as to the "goodness" of these ladies. The background stands in stark contrast to the subjects further emphasizing this. There is also an ample supply of whimsical shapes and forms that adds a dimension of humor and light-heartedness to place the viewer at ease and maybe give rise to a grin. Also, the use of bright colors runs through all of these. Inviting hues of blue, green and pink are used to great effect.

In these images, the ones from advertising-more accurately public service messages-guide the viewer to an unequivocal point of view in regards to the subject matter. With the Liebovitz's image of Elizabeth II the interpretation might be a little more complex. All three have a similar color palette. Many grays, blacks and dark browns are spread throughout the compositions. The color temperatures are very cool as well. These together lend an ominous feel. In researching the Elizabeth II image I learned the background was added later. Perhaps this can take the viewers mind to issues of family turmoil or popular discontent with the system of British monarchy.

With the simple placement of faces, hands and caps an optical illusion is created for the MADD poster. Subtle but effective. All three of these basically take iconic figures and events and flip them on their head to make a point that is negative.

Client Profile/Non-Profit Organization

In 1968, Pittsburgh was a city racially divided and economically distressed. Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild was founded by Pittsburgh native Bill Strickland to help combat the economic and social devastation experienced by the residents of his predominantly African-American North Side neighborhood. The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG) is a multi-discipline, minority directed, center for arts and learning that employs the visual and performing arts to foster a sense of accomplishment and hope in the urban community.

The MCG’s mission is to use the arts to educate and inspire urban youth, to stimulate intercultural understanding, and to enhance the quality of life of its students.
MCG provides a broad spectrum of creative visual arts experiences, serving approximately 3,400 students annually, primarily from the Pittsburgh Public School District with free, year-round programming that includes classes in Ceramics, Photography, Digital Imaging, and Design Art.

The Photography program at MCG was created to address the interests of community members, and because Strickland understood that artists needed good pictures to promote and help sell their work. Positions for working artists within the Photography department would include opportunities to curate, educate, manage the historical archive of photography, develop community programs, as well as photographing general institution events.

Through exhibitions, lectures, workshops and residencies, visiting artists employ the creative process to enhance the quality of life through beauty and purpose; pose meaningful questions and responses related to life's challenges and inspire the quest for community and empathy. This organization is one that I aspire to be a part of someday.

Client Profile/Small Business

I’m going to go out on a limb a bit with this one. At the moment I’m working on starting a small business with a close friend and collaborator. Our aim is to offer visual documentation services for social and business events. Standard stuff but not a bad way to make a living if you can get the work.

It will be a three-person operation with 2 photographers and one marketing/client relations manager. With some professional grade equipment already in house and very low overhead, we hope to be able to offer reasonably priced services for weddings, meetings, trade shows, conventions, award ceremonies and the like.

This field has a high level of competition, but I feel there is room in this market for an operation that can supply a quality product below the going rates I’ve seen on offer. There is a neglected segment of the market for whom documentation services can be cost-prohibitive: young couples, start-up businesses, non-profit organizations. With the advent of high quality digital photography and video, along with the image editing software now available at reasonable prices, I feel like we can service this niche.

Client Profile/For-Profit Corporation

Having an interest in travel and photography, being employed by Lonely Planet would be an ideal situation for me. Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide publication worldwide. Its focus is on backpackers and low-cost travelers of all kinds. Many of it 500 publications delve into destinations around the world that are far off the beaten track.

Founded in 1978 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler shortly after they married, their first publication centered on their groundbreaking overland journey from Great Britain across Europe and Asia ending in Australia where the couple lives today. After receiving encouragement from friends after the trip they put the first book together from notes and diary entries. The company has grown now to have internet, television, and magazine entities along with the travel guides. Offices are located in Melbourne, London and Oakland, CA. They employ 500 permanent staff members and 300 authors. Sales of their merchandise remain solid, and they are presently hiring photographers and writers for assignments all over the world.

I’ve taken advantage of Lonely Planet’s product more than once, so to have an opportunity to help create these informative and enriching guidebooks would be truly rewarding.