The Unseen Project
I am proud to announce the collaborative show San Diego UNSEEN: An Urban Portrait. The show is the cumulative efforts of myself and two other very talented photographers, Justin Lee and Sean Cassidy. Together we will present three distinctly different views of our city. I hope you’ll join me next Thursday, May 24 at 3RDSPACE: Co-Working and Private Club For The Creative. Want to participate? Get the details to submit your own photos here.
For me, this project focuses on San Diego past and present. The architecture of yesterday complimenting its contemporary counterpart. The old is coexisting with the new, and I’m fascinated by it.
It’s Not How, It’s Why.
Another highlighter-worthy book of the moment. This one from “How We Decide” author Jonah Lehrer. I enjoyed that book immensely and when I heard he was writing a similar documentary on the creative mind, well, no-brainer. Had to get it.
I am only into the first quarter of the book but already loving it. It’s less about how to be creative and more about why we are creative. It’s about the “a-ha!” moments, like the ones you get while in the shower. Can you take that scientific insight and make yourself even more creative or efficient? You bet. Just like by surrounding yourself with the best ingredients you can create a much more satisfying meal.
Buy it here. Can’t decide? Maybe you should read this one first.
Recent Ad Work
The print ad I shot for MacroAir industrial fan company came out along with an updated website and the beautiful video work shot by Emota. This was a really fun project to be involved with. Meads Durket did an amazing job with the creative concepts, the crew at Groovy Like a Movie transformed thier white cyc into this machine inspired design and Emota’s motion team knocked it out of the park with the RED camera work.
Since we piggy-backed the still shoot onto the video production, timing was essential. I was able to squeeze in about 400 frames in under 2 hours while the video crew took a break. The tech details involved 3 separate setups to get the fan, background and model for the final composite. We also did multi-frame captures of the model’s dress moving from still to blowing for a cool Flash animated sequence (harder than it sounds).
From there Kevin Stout, A.D. at Meads Durket, ran with the post production with terrific results.
Credits
Client: MacroAir
Agency: Meads Durket
Creative Direction: Tony Durket
Art Direction: Kevin Stout
Photography: Gary Allard
Video Direction: Chris Karcher / Emota
Executive Producer: Terry Parish / Emota
Producer: Bekah Christie / Emota
Ad Shoot Teaser and Outtakes
I shot a really fun ad gig a few weeks ago. The print and web versions will be released very soon but I wanted to post up a little teaser of outtakes and behind the scenes images. I worked closely alongside a great motion company using the RED One camera. They did motion, I did stills which was a lot of fun to say the least: Giant set, lots of build out, action, wind, hundreds of red balloons, a fog machine and pretty models in dresses! What’s not to be excited about?
Of course, the agency’s contract doesn’t allow me to post the final ad yet – That’s next week. Until then, here are a few photos I made in between moments that I can show:
All photos © 2012 Gary Allard
You Never Know…
… where things will end up. This is a roll of Kodak E-6 120 slide transparency film. I’ve had it for over 20 years. I’m not sure where I got it but likely it came from my high school’s darkroom class. I didn’t own a medium format camera until fairly recently but this roll of film was kicking around in my 35mm bag for years. Why did I keep it? I have no idea. But before a recent trip to Paris and Italy, I loaded it into one of my cameras and knew I’d get something interesting – maybe not good, but interesting.
Once back from Europe the exposed roll sat around for a while until I had a handful of other 120 rolls to process. I took it all in to the local lab and the E-6 roll was quickly bounced (no one in San Diego will touch it). I had forgotten that it was in the pile and frankly couldn’t remember where I’d shot it or in which camera.
I sent it off to Data-Chrome in Santa Ana (one of the few labs still processing E-6) and in a couple days got the slides back. I scanned a few and the images you see here is what 25 year old Kodak Ektachrome and a Holga looks like.
The photos tell the story I had forgotten. I loaded the film into my Holga in San Francisco, the last day of a 4 day trip. A couple of parting shots of the Waterfront and Bay Bridge. Later that month we are off to Paris. Looks like Pompdiou, Saint-Merri and the Louvre. Then over to Italy where we spend some time in Orvieto. The roll finishes on an beautiful sunny day at the Orvieto Cathedral. I’d like to think I gave this humble roll of Kodak film a pretty fantastic retirement party. So long, E-6. And, thanks for the memories.
Fun bonus feature: Click here for a map and timeline of this roll of film.
Want to be more creative? Remove the variables.
I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth a post of its own here: limits breed creativity. That’s the plain and simple idea behind this concept – work harder, get better, have more creative solutions.
For me to streamline my creative process I like to establish the variables that are present. It can be as simple as the kind of camera I am using. Or, where I am standing. Or, what time of day it is. There are a ton of variables and choices when we set out to create something and I like to start with the least amount. It lets me focus and completely explore an idea – to turn it upside down, inside out, and hopefully come up with something beyond my original vision.
Here are 4 variables I try to control when kick-starting my creativity:
Variable 1: Tools. Substrate, raw materials, or technology can cloud the possibilities with more . . . possibilities. Try stepping away from the keyboard/easel/Wacom and sit with a #2 pencil and a blank pad. Leave the digital rig at home for the day and shoot with your SX-70/ Holga /film SLR. And, whatever you do, don’t consider the things you could be making “if I only had the right tools.” This exercise is about getting out of your comfort zone so often that it becomes comfortable.
Variable 2: Time. Put a time limit to the process and stick to it. I have surprised myself on occasion when in the weeds, on a tight deadline, I miraculously deliver a product that has surpassed even my own expectations. That’s a good feeling and it can only come from digging in and doing the hard work, pushing yourself to do it quickly. Your creativity will become supercharged when challenged by time limits.
Variable 3: Habits. When it comes to creating something over and over like a photo, illustration, painting or design, most of us have a process or go-to starting point. That’s important, especially when professional creatives are valued partially by their ability to be consistent. But it’s all too easy to start from the same point and fall into the habit of producing the same work. That’s not part of being consistent. That’s just boring. And while there are many famous artists that have well documented rituals they stick to religiously, it’s safe to say they developed them over long careers. It’s a trial and error process. Change your habits to find new and more effective ones.
Variable 4: Criticism. Whether from others or yourself, criticism in the early stages of the creative process is a killer. Shut it out. Don’t listen. And if it’s coming from your own head, remember that no one ever has all great ideas. Forget what others have done even if it feels like you’re not being original at the moment. Just the fact that you recognize what an original idea feels like should make you pretty happy. That recognition leads to more.
You’ve got to work through a lot of ideas to get to the ones that stick. That means understanding and embracing the bad ones just so you can get to the good ones. That means having a lot of ideas. Having a lot of ideas means working at having them. Then doing it all again. When Hemingway would quit writing at the end of his day, he claims to have had a great anticipation to start again the next. That’s a pretty good way to feel about “work.”
Holga photo © Gary Allard
Related posts: What’s Inspiring Me NOW, “The Accidental Masterpiece”, Kodak Portra Still Rocks
Making Spirits Bright
It’s been a crazy month around here — lots to do, places to go, and people to see. It’s also important to pause and soak in a little bit of what we do it all for. I am so thankful to be surrounded by fantastically creative people and to live in a city that allows me the luxury to do what I love — be outside with a camera — nearly every day of the year. I spent a little time wandering the San Diego waterfront and made a few Christmas skyline photos of the city in all its holiday glory. Enjoy the season, friends. Let’s make 2012 the best one yet.
All photos © Gary Allard / GaryAllard.com
Painting for a Cause, Filming with a Phone
Here’s a fun little mashup of things: An artist who is a Content Strategist painting a canvas for a charity auction hosted by an advertisers organization and a fashion design school to benefit teen girls in need of clothing. What does that look like, you ask? Well, I made this 1 minute video with my iPhone to document the process.
Watch a Content Strategist Paint for a Good Cause from Shelly Bowen on Vimeo.
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/31911404]
Here are the details: My partner Shelly Bowen, a content strategist (and sometimes painter) was asked to create a painting along with some of San Diego’s top ad and marketing people for the AD2 San Diego Cause Marketing Night to benefit My Girlfriend’s Closet. The paintings will be auctioned off for the charity on November 17, at the FIDM campus downtown. I thought it would be fun to document the process and make a quick video. One catch: I’m not a video producer and do not have a bit of video gear. Enter my phone. Shot entirely with my trusty iPhone 4 and edited down to 58 seconds of fun.
And, for anyone interested in getting a taste of making video, I suggest doing something like this. It’s a great way to understand the process, build your story and make edits that are effective. Even with a phone camera.
Italy: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
The second half of our European trip was possibly a 180 degree turn from our Paris experience. Where Paris was all about the two of us in a small city apartment, Italy was about meeting six of our friends at a 4,000 sf. villa in southern Umbria.
We left Paris by train. Settling into our sleeper car for the night was a unique experience. While it had its moments, I do recommend taking a night train through Europe (just be sure you have the right Eurail passes … I have a story). We brought snacks, music and plenty to read. Sadly I forgot the bottle of wine in Paris. Halting sleep and about 12 hours later we are in Rome. We take an express train to Leonardo Da Vinci Airport to pick up our rental car and two of our close friends arriving from Minneapolis. Our timing was impeccable.
I head our rented Opel north on the Autostrada and we arrive at the villa Laguscello. A giant farmhouse recently renovated into a modern rental complete with swimming pool, game room and wood pizza oven. Ample space for the 8 of us to base our daily adventures. Orvieto, Montepulciano, Siena, Todi, Bagnoregio, Montefiascone – All beautiful places with their own unique look and feel. Regional wines, meats and olive oils made every meal fantastic and different.
We end our trip in Ostia, a small coastal town near Rome. We have an early flight and a rental car to drop off the next day. The sites and vibe in Ostia are far different than anything we have seen so far and it’s a relaxing change. We enjoy our final meal in Italy sitting on the waterfront feasting on fresh octopus, prawns, squid and rissotto and wash it down with a bottle of prosecco. Buona notte, Italy.
All photos ©2011 Gary Allard / GaryAllard.com
Paris Perfect
I’m recently back from a couple of weeks off in Europe. It was a pleasure trip but as a working photographer I find it hard to turn off the camera in my head. Best to just run with it and be sure I’ve got some sort of picture-making device at all times (I had several). These are a handful of photos from the Paris portion in late September. We spent six days exploring the city, indulged in art of all kinds, fantastic Parisian meals, and practiced our very poor broken French on unsuspecting locals.
Be happy you didn’t receive a postcard from me. I watched this little dog trot down Rue Sant-Louis where he stopped to pee on postcard displays outside the shops.
Finding our way to the Metro near Jeu de Paume (a really fantastic photography museum).
Tourists haggling over Eiffel Tower statues. Louvre, Paris.
The smallest cobbler ever. The front door hits the back wall. Rue Bobillot
The Metro is the way to go. We went everywhere and did it quickly and affordably.
One night, too tired to go out, we pick up a baguette, bottle of Rhone and chunk of fresh goat cheese as an impromptu dinner. We lounged in our room, explored maps and planned our next day. That simple dinner may have been one of the best meals of the trip.
I would be remiss If I did not thank our lovely host, Marie at La Villa Paris. This beyond-charming little B&B in the Maison Blanche area (13 arr.) offered so much more than we expected. Fabulous breakfasts of croissants, cheeses, fruits, yogurts and my favorite, a soft-boiled egg with fresh baguette to dip. We left every morning full of great food and solid local knowledge given by Marie and Alex. Merci beaucoup!
Next up: Italy – Trains, Planes and Automobiles
For more Paris and Italy photos visit GaryAllard.com and browse the Traveling Life portion of my gallery.
Photos © 2011, Gary Allard – All rights reserved