thanks.

{photo by Michelle V. Agins for the NY Times}

debut.

After much blood, sweat, and...well...yeah...it's finally here! - the 2008 University Book Store Holiday Gift Guide. Designed by my co-conspirator here at UBS, the lovely Liza, with all photography and styling by yours truly. Like I said earlier here on Rough Hewn, I'm really proud of the shots I took for this catalog. I'm able to see a significant improvement from last years work as well as the influence of all the expirimenting and photo research that I've been doing the last six months or so.

All of this shooting and styling has been really motivating as I begin building my first website (!) but it's also really showing me the areas where I still need a lot of training and experience. I was reading an interview of a great food photographer - Francesco Tonelli - who offered this advice:

"...while you’re still young and you are able to afford not to be paid--or not to be paid very much--and also while you’re still not threatening to professionals, try to go under the wing of some great master. That’s somehting I wish I had done myself at the beginning of my career. But it’s something that I failed in terms of A) not believing I could go so high, aiming for the best, most famous, most talented chefs, and B) being caught by some more rewarding salaried position where I’d have an important title instead of washing dishes for a master. Learn all you can—from the best. Wash dishes for a master while you can afford to."

I would love to begin working with/observing great photographers (DREAM: Roland Bello!, John Kernick or any of the photographers from Gourmet or Martha Stewart, for that matter!) and studios - soaking in as much knowledge and experience as I can. With such a small readership lately (patience, patience...), this is a total shot in the dark, but if you or anyone you know have a connection to a great photographer or studio who are willing to take an eager beaver under their wing....shoot me an email/comment.

Calling all Great Masters!!

[Excerpted from Radio Lab episode - Emergence - first broadcast 7/14/2008]

[Jad Abumrad] Think about a Seurat painting. The one where they're all on the banks of the Seine. You know the one?
[Robert Krulwich] I know the one.

[J] If you look at it up close all you see is dots.
[R] Right.
[J] You pull back and the picture emerges with all the ladies and their parasols. But the question with these systems - the big question - is whether there is a Seurat to make the dots, to paint the picture, or if somehow the painting just materializes on its own.
[R] Hmmmm....uh......well...You know that I have an opinion about this.
[J] I do.
[R] It's not a science-y opinion. Uh...I think it's not just fascinating that there are these hidden patterns and hidden rules. I think it's...umm...this is going to change the whole tone...I think its kinda...Holy. And I don't have, there's no scientific evidence because there's no science behind this, it's just an instinct. I think when you look at the way ants work or the way a Seurat painting emerges before your eyes...you're looking at an author.
[J] See, see, when you say that, all the air just gets let out of the balloon for me. It's like, the magic is gone.
[R] Really??
[J] Yeah, I think so.
[R] But, see, what you're left with then, everything you see when you wake up in the morning, as beautiful - and we all agree that its beautiful - is...empty of purpose. Is that okay with you?
[J] Yeah.
[R] Huh...

relief.

My roommate Becky, after seeing my Obama pin last night, said, "Hold on!!!" and ran to her room to grab this Kennedy pin that her grandmother was "just going to throw away". Looking down at identical buttons, I seriously got chills. That wave of history washing over you. If I ever doubt the power of design and image, I'm reminded that whoever designed my button had no doubt referenced the other in hopes to instill the same visual iconography and hope as there was needed back then. And today, this design makes history for a second time. We shall see what lies ahead, but I trust that God is soveriegn and am hopeful and excited to see history in the making.

{UPDATE! All of the rad Obama design pieces, including this button, done for MoveOn.org were by the folks at Print Liberation! Thanks, guys, for spreading rad design to the masses and helping impact history - both design & otherwise!}