Only a few assignments for the Sept. issue of '08, but I was thrilled with the shots. Here's the first:
(top right image)
which is a "Cameo" Dep't. piece featuring Jim Lucio, a.k.a. "Defekto", a.k.a. The Polaroid Guy". Jim is known around Baltimore for being the guy always toting around one of several Polaroid Spectra camera's, taking shots and shooting portraits of anyone open and interesting enough to be photographed. In fact, over the past 6 years, Jim estimates he's taken over 2,500 portraits in B-more. There's a lot more to be said about him and his work, it's a shame the piece had to fit one page. To check out some of Jim's work, check out his website at
lastdaysofpolaroid.com and his Flickr page at
http://flickr.com/photos/defekto/I was really thrilled with the shoot with Jim. We did two sets, B-mag used one in the Table of Contents (sitting at his desk) and another for the article (in front of a wall of polaroids). The one they used for the article was great, here's another one of my favorites from that set:
The next assignment was for an Upfront Metro piece showcasing the famous "Big Boyz Bail Bonds" pens:
If you live in, or even remotely near Baltimore, you've seen these yellow and pink pens. From the article:
"From Owings Mills to Canton, they're everywhere. The owner of a Hampden sub shop takes your order with one. The clerk at a Fell's Point home decor store hands you one to sign your credit slip. Check your pockets: You might have a couple."
And it's true. If you live here and haven't noticed them, then you either haven't lived here for very long or (I'm sorry) you're not a very observant person. Big Boyz orders 400,000 of them a year and distributes them to businesses throughout Baltimore City and surrounding counties. Even during our shoot (which was just out front of a Big Boyz office), the guys were handing them out to passerby bold enough to ask, and whole cup fulls to those bolder few who promised to help give them out.
The last assignment was the opener for the "Local Flavor" section, and is on my list of most favorite shots for the year:
Bert Basignani, of "Basignani Winery". Located just about an hour north of B-more, Basignani Winery is one of 33 wineries in Maryland. It is known for it's free wine tastings where visitors can actually go into the fields, pick grapes, and learn about the process of making wine.
We had scheduled the shoot for sundown to get the best light outside, but unfortunately that means dinner time for most normal folks. The Basignani's were no exception. They were just getting ready for their meal when I pulled in to the winery; I knew this because Mrs. Basignani came out and informed me, in no uncertain terms. At which point I rolled down the window, turned off the car, and explained myself.
Haha, I couldn't blame her- I don't think Bert remembered to tell her I was coming, and by all accounts I would have seemed to her like a late coming tourist looking for a free taste of wine, just as they're preparing for a hard earned dinner.
Anyway, after shooting some quick views and details of the fields, Bert came out with a slew of border collies. I found the best spot for us to shoot - beautiful, thick vines and the sun just going down in the background. Fortunately I had brought my small wireless light kit, which is great in kind of quick and dirty situations where I don't have a lot of time to set up. I knew this would be the case because once the sun starts going down, your time with it is pretty short, but in this case there was also the pressing issue of a good dinner getting cold. I was a little nervous about the dogs running around my light stands, but they were good- just hung around Bert. And the lights proved to be necessary, otherwise he would have just been silhouetted by the direct sunlight behind him. It was also hard making Bert look natural at first; he was very aware of the camera, and a little stiff. When this shot happened, I don't even remember if I had asked him to look off camera - he just did and I was fortunate enough to click the shutter. Overall, the shoot didn't last very long at all, I wouldn't be surprised if Bert's dinner was still warm...
I think one of the reasons I like this shot so much is the layout on the page. Sometimes full page shots are just the shot alone, but this required text and the "Local Flavor" title, etc. It kind of fit perfectly together, and I couldn't be happier with the result.
