Too often advertising is a lot about BIG. Especially automotive advertising. Big budgets, big gear, big egos. Big and boring. This latest Nissan commercial from TWBA Toronto, however, isn't big in those traditional senses. Instead, it's big on spirit, innovation, and effectiveness. Plus big points on photography/cinematography. Seriously great camera work. Enjoy the making of video here above, but be sure to click the 'continue reading' link below and enjoy the finished commercial after... read more ›
2K reads
Apr
05
Apr
02
Hopefully you've heard of TED talks. If you haven't, you must check them out. The annual big TED conference happens every winter in California, but there are a series of smaller events that happen worldwide year round... Just so happens that I'm delivering one of those talks at Carnegie Mellon University on this coming Sunday, April 4. Easter for those of you who observe it or like eggs and bunnies. I'll be talking about Fearlessness... read more ›
275 reads
Mar
30
I began posting portfolios of images shot with my iPhone more than two years ago now. And my love affair isn’t wearing off, it’s growing stronger. The best camera still is--and always will be--the one that’s with you.I post iPhone snapshots everyday to my twitter, facebook, and www.thebestcamera.com, but I haven’t updated my iPhone portfolio page in quite some time. Until yesterday. I dug through a huge pile of images and completely refreshed the gallery... read more ›
1.9K reads
Mar
29
Remember the campaign I shot for SanDisk down in New Zealand last autumn? T'was the campaign where SanDisk was cool enough to let me blog/tweet/facebook about shooting the ads in real time, which made it the first global campaign of its kind. In part, those ads I shot have been used to promote their Best Photo Sequence contest in partnership with Freeskier and Snowboard Magazine.Plain and simple, the best skiing and the best snowboard photo... read more ›
229 reads
Mar
26
I had a mini-epiphany after receiving some comments and re-reading a post I wrote earlier this week called Bet on Hard Work Over Talent.That epiphany is pretty simple. I forgot to include one or two key sentences: We shouldn't celebrate or over-dramatize that we work hard, because no one cares. If you're a professional creative, then working hard and being good at your job is the price of admission.We don't hear PGA golfer Phil Mickelson... read more ›
246 reads
Mar
24
Even after years of doing this stuff, I still get excited watching $70k worth of camera hanging 30 feet in the air off a couple of measly bolts.Last week I posted two 3 minute films that I've been commissioned by Russell Investments to create exploring the topic of 'risk'. In these vids (please check them out here if you missed them), our crew hauled a RED One digital cinema camera and a handful of... read more ›
1.2K reads
Mar
22
"If I’m going to be in this industry, I’m going to want to be the best at it. And yet I couldn’t guarantee is that I was going to be the most talented in this business. But one thing I could guarantee is that I was going to work harder than anyone else." -David Droga, Founder of droga5 AgencyCreative talent has always been a wispy thing, although you may know exactly where you fit in... read more ›
331 reads
Mar
19
Running dry on ideas to push yourself and your photography portfolio? Here's 5 ideas worth stealing. Perhaps one might catch your attention, or inspire to you do something similar. Or very very different. 1. Photograph one of your grandparents extensively. Might sound boring, but I assure you it will be profound. If you're lucky enough that your grandparents are still with you, spend an entire day--or better, a week perhaps--photographing your grandma or grandpa. 1,000... read more ›
75.7K reads
Mar
17
The times they are a changing. We're finally breaking into a new era, one that's much less about companies filling formulaic advertising buckets like single page ads and 30-second spots, and much more about finding new approaches to connect meaningfully with an audience.As a professional creative, this is a huge breath of fresh air for me. It’s with that in mind that I’m excited to introduce some of my latest work: two short films... read more ›
952 reads
Mar
16
There was a time when good advertising photos and commercials stood out because they were creative. When just having a picture in your ad could set you a part. But those times are long gone. In today's crowded, noisy world good advertising photography and video must transcend just 'creative'. Arguably, everything that is made is creative. But if you flip through any magazine or browse any interesting site, there are images that engage you and... read more ›
481 reads