Calm Photos

chad hunt photography

A photographer and photo journalist who has captured some of the most amazing candid portraits I have ever seen, in what could be considered the most challenging of shooting environments (no pun intended).

The best photo journalists are always those who master the art of capturing the emotion of the moment with an exquisite attention to detail. Chad Hunt is one of the best.

I did quite a variety of commercial and assignment photo shoots this past year. Everything from food, medical facilities, dental office, home interiors, waterproofing product application, small families, big groups and events.The following images are my personal favorites from those and other commercial photography shoots. I thought it would be important to emphasize this body of work given all the nature and landscape work I’ve been posting recently.

Is Jim Crotty a nature photographer ? Is Jim Crotty a portrait photographer ? Does Jim Crotty do commercial work ?

Yes, yes and yes - for God’s and cash flow sake, yes (just no weddings, please). I’m hearing more and more that here in Dayton I’m regarded as strictly a nature photographer. That could be part of the problem why I struggle do to business in this town. Sometimes I’m in a fight against my own success. But I still believe there’s another, more negative reason why this is the case. In fact, I actually know it to be true. More on that later. For now here are my personal favorites from my commercial assignments for 2007.

      

I realize that 2007 isn’t quite over yet, but these last few days are quickly closing in, especially with today’s winter weather.

Below is my latest YouTube creation - The Best Photos of 2007 - which includes my favorite images from both personal and commercial/assignment photo shoots. The images are arranged in order, starting with those taken last January and going all the way through, well, just about two weeks ago. If you look closely you will notice a definite shift in style and technique, going into place at about mid-September. Please comment if you can guess what it is.

There is also a podcast version of this video, available over on my Mac site, which you can subscribe to.

My daughter Emma along the shoreline of Rose Lake, late Saturday afternoon, November 10, 2007.

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 28-70mm f2.8 L, Bogen tripod and Kirk ballhead. Multiple exposure processed in Adobe Bridge and Photoshop CS2 as 32-bit image file, curve and contrast adjustments in Aperture.

Funny how God talks to us when we least expect it and reminds us of the truth of life and what really matters most.

There are plenty of photographers with good equipment and some technical skill.

There are a few less with good equipment, technical skill and the ability and experience to function as a professional - within their career field as well as with their clients.

There are far, far fewer photographers who possess all of the above in addition to what is most important - Creative Vision.

I am in that very small minority. The photographs presented with this post should illustrate my point. I am not just a “nature and landscape photographer,” or a “commercial photographer,” or a “portrait photographer.”

I am a visual artist who brings a unique creative vision to both personal and client-assigned work, bringing forth the extraordinary from the ordinary.

My photography is how I envision light and subject through my own creative approach toward life. Although my subject matter is widely varied, the one constant is my personal drive, skills and talent in capturing photographs and creating images that no one else could previously see and compose.

That’s what I bring to the table.

I actively seek clients - both for assignment work as well as purchasers of fine art prints and licensing rights - that are located throughout North America and beyond. In no way am I beholden to my local market - in terms of creativity, capability or short-term business necessity.

Please call 1-877-527-6889 or email jim@ohiophoto.org for more information about how my creative vision can enhance and add significantly to the visual effectiveness of your marketing and advertising efforts, printed materials, organizational web site or decorative presentation of your office location.

3V577 Indian Princesses Council Fire by Jim Crotty

Originally uploaded by jimcrotty.com.

Twice a year my daughters and I attend the weekend camp-outs for Indian Princesses (now officially called Adventure Princesses by the YMCA) held at Camp Kern, which is located between Lebanon and Oregonia, Ohio, on the other side of the Little Miami River from Fort Ancient.

When I was about eight or nine years old, way back in the early 70’s, I attended summer camp there, not taking a shower for a whole week, drinking lots of bug juice and getting scared at the old cemetery just outside the camp entrance. I never thought that at age 43 I would be back in those old cabins, missing a shower terribly after just two days, drinking bug juice (along with a few “dad pops”) and watching my own daughters, six and eight, getting scared with ghost stories and having a whole bunch of fun.

Camp Kern has become somewhat of a family tradition for many people who were raised in the Dayton-Cincinnati area. My nephew Sean, who also went there for summer camp as a kid, now is now the one of the Camp Directors.

The following were just a few images I captured during last weekend’s camp-out. I held myself to bringing just a camera body (Canon 5D), a Canon 85mm 1.8 and a Canon 100mm 2.8 macro. All images shot in raw format and edited in Aperture.