After graduation I started working at Brand Labs full time. I had already been working there for a year as an intern. I'm their photographer and also a merchandiser. For the most part, I love my job and am very happy with it.
I had been living at the parent's house to save some money. My office is 3 miles from my parent's house so it just made sense. It's been interesting working in my hometown. I love Rochester, just not so much the people.
Of course, living at home is no picnic and I was itching to get out, but I think paying rent is stupid. So ultimately I ended up buying a house. It's in Pontiac (at Walton and Baldwin for anyone who is familiar with the area).
To that end I would like to extend an invitation to you kids. I know it's a little late notice, but I don't have internets at my house yet so I didn't really have a chance. Anyway, if any of you folks are in the metro Detroit area, or not, tomorrow (3/26) I'm having a little shindig at my new digs. It would be great to see you folks. Stop by if you can. Hit me up for the address 248.227.2918 or photo@ashalt.com
I'd also like to propose a future get together of whoever can make it. Blogs are fun and all, but I like people in real life too.
Done.
-Ashleigh
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The last 10-11 months
Hey guys and gals, I thought I'd give you a little update on where I'm at and the last year (almost) since we were all in the same spot.
I'll try and keep it brief! After the Show, I moved 6 flights up in the Park Shelton and spent the summer in Detroit. I slept on a used mattress on the floor, lived with a few illustration students, bumped heads at times, but for the most part was challenged to keep up the creativity. I had a few freelance gigs come my way but didn't see money for 3 months after the shoot, which is standard, but try telling my stomach that when it's eaten tuna for a week straight. I brought my bank account down to 31 dollars mid-summer and became one with the PB+J. It sucked. Despite sleeping on somebody's old mattress, losing one of my best friends to pneumonia that stemmed from a diving injury, and seeing my bank account dwindle, I had the support of friends and work slowly came in.
One of the highlights of my summer was going down to Cincinnati to photograph for RIDES Magazine. It's a national publication you can find at any CVS and I landed the title page! I also got to shoot from atop a scissor lift in a thunder storm, crazy but fun.
I joined Behance this summer and within days I began seeing my work posted all over the web, I suggest you join, it's a great networking site and your work circulates fast! (sometimes faster than you're prepared for so make sure you have what you want up before going full on!)
I also had an amazing opportunity to be the special guest on the 1 o'clock Takeover, a show on Oakland University's radio station. It was a pretty humbling opportunity and I was pretty nervous. It's weird going on radio, you're talking but nobody is in the room, strange! While I was there I took a shot of Kirby, the host, she is a former CCS student who is now over at Specs Howard doing radio and following her passion.
This last image is the first international work I ever did. ZOO Magazine from Germany (not the British nudie mag) found my work online and contacted me to photograph retired Boston Celtic Legend/ NBA MVP, Dave Cowens. He was living in Birmingham at the time and Assistant Coaching the Pistons. It was awesome to meet him, but also to do work for a magazine on the other side of the globe. The magazine was a special issue for Onitsuka (Asics Shoes) 60th Anniversary and was bound in a traditional Japanese binding and was a work of art. It was about an inch and a half thick. In the process I learned how/how not to wire transfer money and how to speak with a German accent.
And lastly, I was hired at Gibbs Technologies in late November to begin the task of photographing/making short films on the development of 3 prototype vehicles. I've learned a lot, met people from all over the world, and seen a different work environment than I ever imagined myself in. I'm still doing freelance work, more now than ever and I'm trying to stay positive. You're all super talented and the only thing that separates you and the next person is passion. Just find it, whatever it is, and chase it. The rest will fall in line if you let it. Hope this wasn't too self serving but I'm optimistic. Hope you're all working hard and staying at it.
PD
I'll try and keep it brief! After the Show, I moved 6 flights up in the Park Shelton and spent the summer in Detroit. I slept on a used mattress on the floor, lived with a few illustration students, bumped heads at times, but for the most part was challenged to keep up the creativity. I had a few freelance gigs come my way but didn't see money for 3 months after the shoot, which is standard, but try telling my stomach that when it's eaten tuna for a week straight. I brought my bank account down to 31 dollars mid-summer and became one with the PB+J. It sucked. Despite sleeping on somebody's old mattress, losing one of my best friends to pneumonia that stemmed from a diving injury, and seeing my bank account dwindle, I had the support of friends and work slowly came in.
One of the highlights of my summer was going down to Cincinnati to photograph for RIDES Magazine. It's a national publication you can find at any CVS and I landed the title page! I also got to shoot from atop a scissor lift in a thunder storm, crazy but fun.
I joined Behance this summer and within days I began seeing my work posted all over the web, I suggest you join, it's a great networking site and your work circulates fast! (sometimes faster than you're prepared for so make sure you have what you want up before going full on!)
I also had an amazing opportunity to be the special guest on the 1 o'clock Takeover, a show on Oakland University's radio station. It was a pretty humbling opportunity and I was pretty nervous. It's weird going on radio, you're talking but nobody is in the room, strange! While I was there I took a shot of Kirby, the host, she is a former CCS student who is now over at Specs Howard doing radio and following her passion.
This last image is the first international work I ever did. ZOO Magazine from Germany (not the British nudie mag) found my work online and contacted me to photograph retired Boston Celtic Legend/ NBA MVP, Dave Cowens. He was living in Birmingham at the time and Assistant Coaching the Pistons. It was awesome to meet him, but also to do work for a magazine on the other side of the globe. The magazine was a special issue for Onitsuka (Asics Shoes) 60th Anniversary and was bound in a traditional Japanese binding and was a work of art. It was about an inch and a half thick. In the process I learned how/how not to wire transfer money and how to speak with a German accent.And lastly, I was hired at Gibbs Technologies in late November to begin the task of photographing/making short films on the development of 3 prototype vehicles. I've learned a lot, met people from all over the world, and seen a different work environment than I ever imagined myself in. I'm still doing freelance work, more now than ever and I'm trying to stay positive. You're all super talented and the only thing that separates you and the next person is passion. Just find it, whatever it is, and chase it. The rest will fall in line if you let it. Hope this wasn't too self serving but I'm optimistic. Hope you're all working hard and staying at it.
PD
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Fotofest Portfolio
I'm going to Fotofest at the end of the month and I'm going to show a portfolio of 20 images from my Blue Water series. I wanted to select my strongest images while still showing the diversity and breadth of the series. How does everyone feel about this ordered selection?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Superbia
Here is a flip through of a book I just made. The best way to view it is on vimeo with full screen on and scaling off.
Sup·er·bi·a
Very good; first-rate; excellent. Of an extreme or excessive degree. An outlying part. A state of feeling or being. Delight or elation arising from some act, possession. Ostentatious display. Free from disturbance; disturbed.
New Work
I think a good first topic would be for each us to post some new work that we've done since we graduated. How does that sound to everyone?
- Noah
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Welcome to the Photo Potluck!
As always the photo kids are the best.
So, Micaela and I were thinking that it would be a fun and motivational idea to have our own blog with which to update one another on our work, and even to create assignment concepts for us to fulfill from time to time to keep us thinking and evolving.
So what do you all think? What do you think would be a good first topic or idea to address? Perhaps we can each take turns coming up with loose assignments. Feel free to post any other ideas for the group!
-Nate
So, Micaela and I were thinking that it would be a fun and motivational idea to have our own blog with which to update one another on our work, and even to create assignment concepts for us to fulfill from time to time to keep us thinking and evolving.
So what do you all think? What do you think would be a good first topic or idea to address? Perhaps we can each take turns coming up with loose assignments. Feel free to post any other ideas for the group!
-Nate
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