Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Bankers and Calendars



Community bankers in small towns are awesome and I always enjoy photographing them!  I have meant dozens and dozens of bankers in small towns with all my banking photography assignments.

There's a lesson to be learned from these approachable, friendly and customer service bankers.  On assignment recently at a small town's bank, I noticed a small calendar on the desk and the model of the month was a sexy shirtless male.  Each month was a different man, of course.  Then I noticed every female banker had the same calendar on their desk.  Joking with them they told us a local business man gives them away to customers.  He was planning on giving out the female model calendars.  Then his wife insisted he can only do that if he also hands out the male model calendars.

So, after a few laughs the banker went down the street and brought back a handful of calendars (male and female) for me, the female art director and my wife.  :)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Smiling in the Cold




As a location photographer I travel all over the world meeting and photographing wonderful people.  From small towns with a few hundred people to huge cities.  Every trip is always an adventure.  From the places I experience, to the people I meet.  I always look forward to these assignments.  The logistics of what to take, getting there, photographing amazing photographs, connecting with my subjects, and of course a ton of good stories I cherish for years.

Recently I made a trip to Nebraska for a corporate client.  We photographed in 3 small towns and the larger city, Omaha.  The assignment was photographing farmers, ranchers and community bankers.

Our goal was to take nice candids of these subjects working and also take connected portraits that are more along the line as candids.  Steer away from the polished portraits that we see so often (and I am also known for) and capture their slice of life.


Our biggest challenge was the cold and wind on this trip.  The first 3 days it was about 10 degrees and a wind chill of below 20F.  This is a bump in the road when you want to capture the life of a farmer and nobody really wants to go outside.  The above subjects only inside location of interest was their living room. Though I felt this would be too sterile of a portrait.  I felt an outside location with this couple would allow us to create a more connected portrait.  So, outside we went with a smile.

Have you ever smiled when it's 20 below zero and blowing like crazy?  A smile doesn't last long because your teeth begin to feel like they are going to fall out from being frozen.  The advantage of being so cold was the muddy cattle pins we had to drive and walk through were all frozen.  I didn't need to change to my boots.  So, off we went and drove out to the horses and photographed them feeding them.  I had the challenges of making the couple look a little warmer then it was and do this all in a few minutes.  It was bitter cold, though this scene made these subjects more down to earth, approachable and connected with the viewer than an inside portrait.  Anyone can be photographed in a living room.


Thursday, April 8, 2010

I'm very excited that I just released the 10 latest Revealed subjects.  Actually, this is the new project, THIS I BELIEVE REVEALED.


This I Believe - Rhode Island and Revealed are two projects that have been easily merged and complement each other to create a new project. This collaboration makes an even greater impression and impact on Rhode Islanders through print, radio and photography that create a unique and multi-dimensional experience and personal connection for the audience.  This I Believe - Rhode Island may be heard on Rhode Island's NPR station WRNI.

WRNI and Scott Indermaur have collaborated to create THIS I BELIEVE REVEALED. This project currently has 13 subjects and their essays may also be heard at WRNI’s website.

This project is made possible in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, through an appropriation by the Rhode Island General Assembly and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The images and esssays may be viewed at - Facebook, Revealedproject, siphotography and in a few weeks at WRNI's site.