Calm Photos

Another fun photo shoot that I completed recently was for Housetrends Magazine, a local publication here in the Dayton area that features fine homes, decorating and landscaping trends. I’ve always been impressed with quality of the printing and editorial content of Housetrends, which is comparable to many regional and national magazines. The photo shoot was the interior of an upscale condominium on one of the upper floors of Dayton’s Schuster Center. The focus of the article was the owner’s unique and impressive display of artwork. Photographing the condo and the art was a real treat for me to do. One of the images was even selected for the cover of the March/April 2008 issue. I will be having some more photographs from other interior and exterior architectural assignments completed for Housetrends appearing in some upcoming issues.

Yes, there is such a thing as press that’s less than positive. Sometimes it’s completely non-intentional and the negative effects aren’t realized until a few years down the road. Shortly after I started my photography business in 2003, the Dayton Daily News ran a full-page story about my work with nature and landscape photography. It was a good article. I can’t complain about that. The problem is that it ran at a time (early stage of going into business) when I held the mistaken belief that I could actually make a living solely based on the fine art market for nature, landscape and wildlife photography. The lasting negative effect of both that initial belief and particular article is that I’ve been permanently pigeon holed as just a “nature photographer” here in my local market, and I accept full responsibility.

I received a quick and expensive education to the contrary once the payables far outstretched the receivables. Even today people in Dayton keep mentioning “the article” and how much they are a “great fan of my nature and landscape photographs.” Daytonians love my work so much that they email or call me quite frequently asking me to donate a print to some silent auction or donate services or donate licensing rights. Donate, donate, donate. “It’s a great way to get your name out there.”

If I hear that phrase one more time I’m going to go out of my mind. Uh, I’m pretty sure that here in Dayton my name is out there. Perhaps that’s part of the problem ??

Here’s one the few certain things I’ve learned now that I’ve been in business as a photographer in the Dayton area going on five years now. The only thing that results from donations are more requests for donations, plus a whole host of hobbyists fishing for free info (that’s why I added paid workshops and lessons to my list of services).

Anyhoo, the truth is that my bread and butter is my commercial and assignment photography services, particularly in covering events, architectural projects, business portraits, products, processes, and a recent pick-up in activity for family portraiture.

Posted below is a new flyer I put together highlighting some of the recent architectural projects that I photographed. If I had to decide which area of commercial photography that I enjoy the most, I would have to say architecture followed closely by editorial and event work.

And yes, I will always hold-on to my first love of nature and landscape photography. However, I like to consider myself as a “renaissance man” in the field of photography. I can’t stand being pigeon holed - whether it applies to my professional or my personal life. What is it about this area of the Midwest that people feel so comfortable being permanently stuck in ruts - ruts of the same old way of doing business, day in and day out, and of applying convenient labels to one another.

Change, expand, adapt, learn, move forward. When things get too comfortable, then I know it’s time to light a fire under my @%# and get moving. In the words of Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.” Yesterday an old friend - originally from Dayton but who has also lived elsewhere (and that means out of Ohio) - commented that there’s just this “negative energy” to the area. I think it comes from so many of my fellow Daytonians falling into their comfortable zones and well, becoming permanent residents in the bland land of security and predictability. That’s not living. That’s just simply waiting.

BLACKFIVE: Ernie Pyle

Just recently a photograph has surfaced showing Ernie Pyle after he had been shot and killed while reporting on the 77th Infantry Division (US Army), fighting the Japanese on the island of Ie Shima in April 1945.

My Uncle Robert Crotty, 83, who I have a tremendous amount of respect for, was just 100 yards away when Ernie Pyle fell, being struck by a Japanese round from a hidden machine gun. Uncle Bob was later wounded in action during the same campaign for Okinawa, at the Battle for Shuri Castle. He left the 77th with two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star. Unfortunately I didn’t even know about his experiences on Okinawa when I was there during the summer of 1987 as part of my ATD with the United States Marine Corps Reserve. It wasn’t until much later that Uncle Bob opened-up one evening and went into some rather painful detail about his experiences in combat.

Ernie Pyle reported the horrendous experience of combat during World War Two directly from the front lines and from a grunt’s eye view, all the way from North Africa, o Italy, through France and then over to the Pacific. He was the very lifeline of communications from the troops in the field to the folks back home, and he did it the old fashioned way, with pen and paper.

The original “embedded” reporter. Ernie Pyle set the bar high for those who would later follow in his footsteps.

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.

      

What the heck, since I’ve already crossed that line into the realm of politics I might as well have a bit of fun. After all, everyone knows my deep, dark secret - I’m no artistic photographer, but rather one of those evil, right-wing, imperialistic, capitalistic pigs.

By the way, my co-star in this movie is Anna Kournikova. What can I say ? The girl wouldn’t leave me alone.

I try to stick to photography with this blog. Really, I do. But sometimes things occur that literally beg for public comment, and so I can’t resist.

On today’s page of “Hot News” on Apple’s web site the following were the first four entries, each dated October 12, 2007:

Gore and U.N. Panel Win Peace Prize
Praising “their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change,” the Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reports Walter Gibbs and Sarah Lyall (New York Times). [Oct 12, 2007]

Gore and U.N. Panel Win Peace Prize for Climate Work
Citing Al Gore as “ ‘probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted’ ” to combat global warming, the Nobel committee awarded the former Vice President the Nobel Peace Prize alongwith the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As reported by Alan Zarembo and Maggie Farley (Los Angeles Times), the committee noted how Gore’s ” ’strong commitment, reflected in political activity, lectures, films and books, has strengthened the struggle against climate change.’ “ [Oct 12, 2007]

Al Gore wins the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
“Former Vice President Al Gore and the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for their work to raise awareness about global warming,” CNN reported this morning. Gore, who won an Oscar for “Inconvenient Truth,” also sits on the Board of Directors for Apple, Inc. [Oct 12, 2007]

Al Gore “honored” as recipient of Nobel Peace Prize
The BBC News indicates that Al Gore feels “honored” at being awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, seeing it as a “chance ‘to elevate global consciousness’ about the threat posed by climate change.” The BBC reports that “the former vice-president has emerged as a leading climate campaigner. His 2006 documentary film, ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ was an unlikely box-office hit and won two Oscars.” [Oct 12, 2007]

Keep in mind that Apple’s Hot News section on their site almost always pertains to stories involving Apple products, as it should, so it’s a little bit more than obvious of Apple’s corporate support of a political figure and environmental cause.

Granted I will say I do think that some of the facts and observations in support of global warming are indisputable, the most convincing being a recent story published by the National Wildlife Federation regarding the dramatic changes recorded involving migratory birds and woodland areas in the northeastern United States, and I do love Apple products, all the way from my MacBook to my Mac Pro to my iPod to my iPhone. But for Apple to go all ga-ga for Al Gore is overkill.

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