We spent a day recently at the Levi’s Eureka Lab in San Francisco to profile the innovative new denim styling process delivered by their partnership with Jeanologia, a leader in eco-efficient solutions for fabric and garment finishing, particularly laser. This new process replaces the longtime recipe of hand sanding and chemical treatments. It was a pleasure to meet and photograph Bart Sights, the vice president of technical innovation at Eureka Lab.
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Recently spent a great couple of days photographing and getting know the local brewing scene here in San Francisco with visits to Magnolia Brewing Company in Dogpatch district and Black Sands Brewery, located in the Haight. I’ll admit it can be quite distracting trying to work in such venues, when the beer is free flowing and tasting is such an integral part of the job. We knuckled down and kept control of ourselves until the photography ended. Then managed to play some catch up post shoot, sampling an array of amazing brews. First up was Black Sands Brewery, and owner and head brewer Cole Emde. What a generous, charming and handsome chap he turned out to be. Not too difficult to make a good picture there (see below)
Here’s a little sample of the shoot in action.
The killer brewers gear!
Next stop was Magnolia Brewing Company and it’s founder and brewmaster Dave McLean a doyen of the industry and one of the most generous men you may ever meet.
With signs like this is was tough not to be distracted.
Meet some of the team.
The great temptation!!
The heavily layered backdrop.
A recent collaboration with the wonderful team at the MPP agency
in San Francisco gave us the opportunity to embed on the campus of Santa Clara University for 4 days and interpret day to day life for its student body and faculty. The project started with a unique location scout – a request for us to observe and interpret as we saw fit and come back with our commentary. It is such a gratifying feeling when you have the opportunity to truly collaborate with an agency, taking their original ideas and being given latitude to take the concept and add to it. A big thank you to Robert Maidens, Keith Pacoma and the MPP gang for their vision and their trust in our creativity. Here’s a small sample of the finished product.
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Great to see some imagery we shot for the boys at Trick Dog bar in San Francisco being put to good use. Travel and Leisure’s current issue showcases the best bars and nightspots across the globe. When it comes to SF of course Trick Dog is right up there on top. To Scott Baird, Josh Harris, Morgan Schick, the Bon Vivants well done boys, you are the cocktail geniuses. Drinks on you next time.
At Edge Face-to-Face. What a great night!
Stock Exchange Tower, San Francisco
Eszter and I spent Monday evening on the 10th floor of the San Francisco Stock Exchange Tower showcasing our work, along with an amazing array of AtEdge photographers to the best creatives and art buyers the bay area has in our third invitation to Face to Face. As usual it was an impeccably presented night by our good friends at AtEdge, a great line up of industry creatives and art buyers, a free flowing bar and more food than could be consumed.
David, Eszter & Kim Knight
To Glen Serbin, Susan Baraz and Elizabeth Owen a big thank you. To fellow photographers out there thinking about becoming apart of AtEdge we give them the highest thumbs up, the new Microview 43 has just mailed out and it is a thrill to be in it and see the quality of work out there in the industry today, alongside that the chance to have one on one meetings with the best creatives in the country makes it a very appealing party to belong to.
Face to Face in progress
It was especially enjoyable for us to again meet so many of the local creatives and a big thank you to the following, Whitney Baez, Justine Barnes,Vince Engel, Chase Madrid, Shelley Parsons, Dan Southwick and Michelle Spear Nicholson, and yes we will take you all up on those personal agency meetings you invited us to attend in the coming weeks. What’s more you have all been true to your word about inviting us to see your office colleagues, will be seeing you in a week or so!
Latest Microview book pg295
Eszter with a Diego Rivera
See you soon. David the photographer…..
Read MoreWith equipment in this industry evolving at such a volatile rate, it’s up to us to stay on top of current trends, software, and marketing patterns that may develop seemingly overnight. Social media being one of the most noteworthy, keeping up with how to better improve your brand can be a full time job (and for some people it is).
Luckily, with high end equipment that is built to perform and last many years, we get a little break from the insanely rapid development of new products that render yours obsolete. Take for example medium format camera systems. A digital back that was released in 2001 is still capable of producing a higher quality image (under the correct conditions) than today’s latest and greatest DSLRs. It may not be as convenient or quick, but the technology can still keep up.
The same goes with lighting gear. Our Profoto packs and heads are built to withstand anything short of the zombie apocalypse, but some new battery technology has dramatically reduced weight, recycle time, and maximum number of flashes out of a charge. The reduced weight especially comes in handy with air travel when you are traveling with this much gear:
If you know what Lithium Ion batteries are, you also know that they are a little bit lighter than a normal NiCad battery and significantly lighter than a Lead Acid battery (which is what comes standard in our Profoto flash packs, as well as underneath the hood of your car!). When we found out that we could save 5lbs per flash pack by switching to the new Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, we immediately called up B&H. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you are traveling with 5 or 6 batteries, it adds up. Not to mention it’s easier on the assistants shoulders when he has to carry all this stuff.
We don’t always buy every fancy new piece of equipment that comes around, but in cases like this, we couldn’t pass it up.
Read MoreI’m all by my lonesome in the studio this week which lends me a little time to reorganize my thoughts, and more importantly, the studio.
I hadn’t realized just how busy I would be before starting this job. The routine chores of daily life that a normal 9-5er does become almost insurmountable obstacles when you’re assisting for successful photographers. Eszter and David are exactly that, but their drive and motivation to create and succeed never fades, which carries over into the life of an assistant. Things like going to the grocery store, the gym, or even doing laundry become almost impossible when you have precious few hours of free time in your day. Every time I step through my front door, I struggle to bring myself to cook a proper meal when I know after I cook, eat, and do the dishes, I’ll have to go straight to bed. At times, it really feels like I’m back in college. Why spend that time cooking when I could just order a pizza? Why do laundry when the weekend is only a few more days away? Why go to the gym when I have so many other things to do?
The answer is “tenacity”.
I’ve witnessed the daily grind take it’s toll on friends, co-workers, and classmates and I’m no stranger to the effects either. Finding the drive and determination to get up and give 100% is daunting and many people I know let it get the best of them. Fortunately for assistants in this industry, we are given the opportunity to be surrounded by people who think 100% is not a passing grade. As you’ve probably read before, a key ingredient in success is surrounding yourself by those whom inspire you. Those you look up to. Those whom you aspire to be like.
Tenacity is what sends you to the gym after you’ve busted your bum on set all day. Tenacity is what gets you up at 4am for a sunrise shoot. Tenacity is what keeps you striving for self improvement every day. Bearing witness to this trait that graces many photographers I’ve worked with (Eszter and David being no exception), it has a tendency to be contagious. If E&D can manage a successful photo studio, become new home owners, raise two wonderful kids, and still find time to enjoy a weekend getaway… I can surely find time to cook a meal after a long day.
It’s feels great to look back on a weeks work and be impressed with all you accomplished. If you’re in a position in life you don’t want to be in, step back, look around, and find something or someone that inspires you. Find a reason to do what you love. Work hard every day, but remember to have some fun every once in a while.
Don’t forget: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES REID…
It was great to spend the day with the Atlas Wood working lads this week. Located very close to our studio here in the Mission District in San Francisco it really is from another time. A big thank you to owner Leigh for his hospitality and to our talent – well – very genuine indeed. Great blokes all of you.
