Tony Blei Photography

New post...

2010-10-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Some of you follow this blog and I'm grateful. Thank you.

This blog is not being used, but because you might be linked to it, I haven't shut it down, yet.

I have a new post at http://blog.TonyBlei.com. Check it out. It's a fun slideshow of Saturday bike ride (you may need to download a Quicktime plug-in if you don't already have it).

Tony

Good News...

2010-09-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Part of this who rehab thing-a-ma-bob is change. I'm changing some things that are ALL for the best. The big change for today is that I'm leaving this old blogspot blog because I've gotten a blog that's connected to my Web site. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have a link on my site. In the mean time, I would like it if you were to update your blog link to: http://blog.tonyblei.com/

As you can see, that URL is all about the Tony Blei Photography brand.

The nice thing about my updated blog is that it helps with my SEO and things like that.

So please, come on over and lets get to know each other at my new address.

The 12 Steps of Photographic Rehab

2010-09-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

Joey, a writer and friend of mine and I, were talking in regards to our business and vision for the future. I mentioned that my photography (and business plan) were in a state of "rehab." Before the lyrics of Amy Winehouse could get stuck in anyone's head, Joey blurted out Step 1 of The 12-Step Program: "Step 1, admit that you have a problem."

My "problem" isn't a physical problem or addiction. My issue is the same one that's plagued every photographer during this Great Recession. I've just come to the realization that it's time to stop complaining, and start working!

Rehab is my best option.

Time marches on and technology waits for no one. Canon has created a camera that rivals medium-format photography AND it shoots video. It's got other problem-solving bells and whistles too.

I have a list of projects that I want to work on. It's time to get crackin' so that my portfolio can be updated.

Expect to see my work in various sourcebooks. And just wait until you see my 2011 promos!

I've got a lot of work to do. It's all good. It's an investment into myself and my work. While you are waiting for me to work through my program, I leave you with my tongue-in-cheek 12-Steps.

I admit I am powerless without doing good photography—that without it, my life had become unmanageable.
I came to believe that there is no Power greater than Photography that could restore my sanity.
Made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of Photography as I understand It.
Made a searching and fearless inventory of my camera bag and cleaned all camera sensors.
Admitted to God, to myself, and to other art directors, the exact vision of my photography.
I am entirely ready to have God remove all distractions and from my Photographs.
Humbly asked Him to remove digital noise and keep images sharp.
Made a list of all persons that I could market to, and then began sending promos to them all.
Made direct friendship with such people wherever possible, except when to do so would piss them off.
Continued to take personal inventory of marketing materials and kept them fresh.
Sought workshops and consultations to improve my conscious contact with Photography as we understood It, praying only for knowledge of Its will for me and the power to carry that out.
Having had a photographic awakening as the result of these steps, I tried to carry this message to art buyers, and to practice these principles in all my affairs.

No Pictures (yet)!

2010-09-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that I'm a fan of Photo Consultant Leslie Burns. She's a guru. She's written a few books, has a blog and continually gives out great advice. In a couple of her books, she mentions something she calls a "Sparkie Folder." You can name it whatever you like but this is the drill. Find images that match your style. Tear these prizes out of whatever magazine you find them in and put them in the "Sparkie Folder."

You're not done yet.

Create a plan to shoot stylized images such as these. Now when I say that, I don't mean to copy them. (That would be copyright infringement.) Create your own works. Do this so that you have personal projects that get you going. The point is to get you (me) shooting (and shooting a lot of work that is relevant).

Later we'll revisit the folder so that we can contact the appropriate art directors.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the bookstore.

Rehab

2010-09-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time I feel really good. The clouds are behind me and I'm seeing a lot of sunny, blue-sky days. It's been two years since the sun has shone. And now I need sunglasses.

As my brother, son and I hugged and parted company, in Las Vegas last week, we realized that we had started writing a new chapter in our lives. Over the course of the summer months, we had refined our character and bonded. We worked through horrible issues we'd never seen before and dealt with them in the best ways we could find. I pray that my character is never strengthened again. It's been a summer of growth, it's just a shame that our dad had to pass away in order for that to happen.

This blog, at times in the past, was used as a tool to help me deal with my parents' passing. It has served its purpose. The Grim Reaper has been given his eviction notice and no longer lives here. This blog is about photography and being creative. I plan to discuss my future photography plans, shoots that I'm working on, fresh gear, and ways to overcome issues that pop up. Look for some photography too.

----

Before I left Las Vegas, a few people asked what my plans were. I've developed a laundry list. All of the items fall under the category of: Rehab.

I don't want to get into the mushy details of how I got to be where I am, and how I got here. Instead, I'm going to tell you how I'm getting out of here: Shoot, shoot, shoot!

For quite some time I've been keeping a folder of images that I like. It's mainly inspirational work I've torn out of magazines. Just to get me going, I'm going to emulate those styles and ideas and use it to get me shooting and also to add to my portfolio.

Secondly, I plan to travel. I've seen Las Vegas and Arizona. I want to shoot in places that have more of a trademark appearance. New York. Boston. San Francisco. Even if I never get a single image published by Vanity Fair, I will at least gotten out of this office and done the work that I got into this business to do.

Let's get down to business.

The Whole Kitsch And Kaboodle

2009-05-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Stealing is wrong. Steal from me and you've opened a can of worms.

In my previous post regarding "bloominidiot" and his decision to infringe my copyright, someone said, "woah dude, the person totally gave you credit..."

I would like to say that giving me "credit" is cool as long as you've had permission in the first place. What if I stole your car and drove around and told everyone, "Dude, look at my car. I took it from Eugene. He has others, too." You would be telling everyone that Eugene is your bitch and that you might go get another. Unless Eugene said, "You look like you need a car. Here, take mine." You would say, "Eugene was really cool and gave me his car." Unfortunately, Eugene woke up in the morning and didn't have a choice on which car he was going to drive.

I've been in touch with "bloominidiot." He said, "It would have been nice if you had contacted me first prior to threatening me with litigation..." I see that the shoe is on the other foot. He wanted to be contacted first — what about me? Shouldn't I have been contacted before the image was stolen? I've afforded "bloominidiot" the same courtesy that he afforded me.

Why did I head straight to the attorney? Ha! Imagine waking up one morning and your car is gone. You go searching and you find it a couple streets over in your neighbor's driveway. The doors are open and he's putting luggage in the trunk. Clearly, he has taken your car and he's not giving it back. What do you do? You could fight him (and maybe lose). You could shoot him (and go to prison). Or you could call the police and show that you are the owner of the car and let them recover it.

I sought legal council so that I didn't have to argue with some guy on the Internet.

Here is what my attorney had to say: "...you will be eligible for statutory damages since you timely registered your copyrights... it sounds as though you also have a claim for breach of contract. You may want to pursue this on your own in small claims court.... It technically is a willful infringement... Note that you have three years from the date of infringement to sue for copyright infringement." Hmm.

This site spells out the remedies for infringement. It's the US Copyright Office, so the info is straight from the horse's mouth. I suggest reading to the part about $150,000 for statutory damages.

Sometimes people can be so right that they are wrong. I don't want to be wrong.

If Mr. "...idiot' could find it in his heart to come to this blog, leave a comment (on this post) and admit his mistake, apologize and promise to never download anything without permission, I will call off the dogs. I believe in grace and forgiveness when a mistake has been made. I hope Corby is willing to wave The White Flag.

A Sort of Birthday

2009-05-14T11:33:00.001-07:00

Today is a special day for Tony Blei Photography (or should I say TONY BLEI PHOTOGRAPHY). Today is a day of rebirth. A sort of Birthday.

I don't think we should ever be happy with where we are. I think it's important to continually strive for excellence — and once excellence is achieved — find ways to improve. Resting is not an option.

I use to work at a couple of places where certain people didn't embrace the concept of e-mail. Oddly, one of the guys was in charge of the technology section of the newspaper (and we wonder why newspapers are in decline).

Not only is it important to be an early adopter, it's important to look for ways be be better. If you aren't continually moving and climbing, someone will step on you on their way to the top — and "The Top" is a mythical place. Our lives and careers are on an incline — or a decline — you choose.

Today, the caterpillar has shed its cocoon and a butterfly has emerged. Gone is the previous design that, for four years, was "SmartAz Photography" and in its place stands TONY BLEI PHOTOGRAPHY . This has been a long time coming and has involved a team of consultants, designers, printers and Internet gurus. TONY BLEI PHOTOGRAPHY is reborn and rebranded.

The graph for business for many photographer has gone from resembling a treacherous jeep trail to a cliff. Some have gone over, never to return. We didn't. Me an' Mrs. TONY BLEI PHOTOGRAPHY had a board meeting and decided that all of our resources would go into not only surviving in this market, but in positioning ourselves, so that in better times we would quickly recover, be stronger and in a better market position.

We aren't out of the woods yet, but clearly we're not a Babe in those Woods. If you haven't done so yet, go to our Web site and look at our new portfolio. We have a new addition that I call "Fresh Squeeze." It's new work. And that new work will be changed from time-to-time. I want it to stay fresh.

Adversity brings about change. I can't say this is a new beginning. It's a birthday. It's not a first birthday, but one of many. And like a birthday, it marks time and looks ahead to a future. A future of more change — and success.

The Kaboodle of Kitsch

2009-05-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had no idea who Taylor Kitsch was. Now I know.

Taylor Kitsch is a super-groovy actor that people just adore and because of their undying love they do stupid things like break the law. In my book, Taylor is a cool guy. His fans on the other hand...well...I've discovered one "bloominidiot."

VEE HAVE VAYS
OV KNOWING VATCHOO DON'T!

I photographed Taylor Kitsch a few weeks ago at the Wolverine: X-Men: Origins premiere (that movie title has a serious colon issue). Taylor is a dude the kids were going ga-ga over. I didn't think anything of it — until last night.

In case you haven't noticed, I have a newly designed Web site. I was hangin' out admiring the place's new paint job and thought I'd take a peek at how much traffic I was getting. I thought it was interesting to see that I was getting a lot of traffic from LiveJournal (not to be confused with LiveBooks, the Web-site developer). I clicked on a link and was taken to a page that, lo and behold, had one of my pictures on it! The guy who stole my image goes by the name "bloominidiot." He really is.

Let's Review

Copyright is established at the moment I push the button on my camera. I like to think of each assignment as an opportunity to create children — and I love them all. Ok, maybe not children but how 'bout Real Estate? No? Ok, property. I push the button and create property. My property. I create the property and license it to those who are interested. Easy — unless you are a "bloominidiot."

What it is!

It is what it is — and that is Intellectual Property (told you I was smart). Intellectual Property, or IP, is a photograph, music, software and even the written word (there are more examples but I'm stoppin' here 'cause you know what I'm talkin' 'bout). This blog? Yep. It's IP and copyright protected. Tru dat!

So. I take a picture of Taylor Kitsch and it's copyright protected. What does that mean? It means that I get to determine where my pictures go and what they are used for. It also means that if some "...idiot" steals my picture of Kitsch, things will go badly for my mouse-clickity-clickin' little buddy.

"bloominidiot" may end up with his computer confiscated. He may have to pay for what he has stolen AND because I've registered the image with the Library of Congress (specifically the US Copyright Office) he will have to pay damages, including court costs. Tru dat, too!

Dude, it's only
a friggin' picture, Chillax!

So you think it's only a picture, eh? Can I have your car? After all, there are millions of 'em. I should be able to take your Escalanche, right? Well ma'am, photography just happens to be what I do for a livin', an' I don't take 'em so that you can take 'em (know what I'm sayin'). If you built a house, could I live in it for free?

Imagine a world without art. No photos, no paintings, no movies, to TV, no stories to read. All we do is work and sleep. I can hear you disagreeing because you say you would go on picnics our out to dinner. Ha! Who would decorate your restaurant or weave the basket for you picnic. Art makes our lives better; more enjoyable. Artists need to be compensated and their property protected.

Permission

What you don't know is that I only become an asshole AFTER being pissed off. Normally, I'm pretty cool (at least in my mind). If Mr. "...idiot" had written a simple e-mail and asked permission, I might have agreed. My goal, after all is to have as many people as possible see my work. More than that, though, I want people to love my work so much that they become fans who promote my photography. True fans after all, help you succeed — not steal from you.

Ironically, the movie that Taylor Kitsch was recently in has been illegally downloaded from the Internet by its "fans."

I have a couple of friends who frequent this blog. They've come to me and said they really like some of my pictures and mentioned they would like to use them for their desktops. Cool (as long as it's for personal use).

"bloominidiot" could have come to me and asked. He didn't and now I'm pissed. I'm not going get emotional though. I will leave that for the attorneys.

Hip Replacement — Expletives Included

2009-05-07T14:35:00.001-07:00

My latest and greatest Web-site design was suppose to be up and running yesterday. If you've been to my site, you'll notice it's the same design as last week. Grrr!

I hired a designer to make me look stylish and hip. After all, last year's "hip" is this year's hip replacement. What the designer came up with is stunning. It's clean, simple and really sets off my photography.

In April the redesign was delivered to my Web host and for some reason it's taken a month to get it posted. Yesterday I received an e-mail saying the project was ready to go live. All I had to do was sign off on it.

An expletive is a word or phrase that is used to fill out a sentence or a line of verse without adding to the sense. By definition, you would think that expletives do nothing more than add fat to a sentence. This is far from the truth — especially when I saw that a switch had been made. Frankly, a lot of expletives were used. None of which were "fatty" words simply used in order to fill out my sentences. Nope. My expletives were specifically used to punctuate and communicate the fact that I was angry and not going to sign off on a foreign design.

The lesson I learned and want to tell you about is that we should always be nice to one another. Hire professionals to do that which professionals do. Pay their price (it's so worth it), but above all, be nice!

If you are a mean person, like the guy who called (before coffee) to tell me how much I "suck," you will be the equivalent of a metal trash can placed over someone's head that is being struck repeatedly with a club. You will only be annoying and provoke a negative reaction. And when your project goes bad, nobody will care.

By being nice, people think good thoughts and they might do a few extra "favors" simply because they like you (well, me anyway). Another thing about being nice is that when things go awry, you are much more credible and people will go out of their way to return you to your previous, happy state.

The new and improved Web site should be delivered tomorrow. It's going to be very nice. After redoing the files and shipping them to my site host in San Francisco, my designer called me from Seattle to make sure I was happy. She's also called my printer to make sure that work is on track and then she called a New York agency that I do business with — she wanted to ensure they were getting what they needed.

Always be nice until it's time to not be nice. Choose your words carefully and make sure your spicy expletives season your language, not make it fatty.

I would like to take this time, on this date, May the seventh, in the year of our Lord, two-thousand-and-nine, to thank you very much for coming to, and reading my Web log, also known as a blog. It is my hope that you have been most excellently uplifted by my less-than concise use of the English language.

Smart

2009-05-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

This isn't what I was announcing yesterday, but this is REALLY cool.

I want you to all think about this and do it!

Take an "S" and then an "M" and add it to the word, "Art."

This is one of the smARTest things around.

Coming SOON!

2009-05-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Read what it says above and check back Wednesday afternoon!

Now run and go play!

What are you still doing here? GO!

Fine. Clean up after yourself and turn the lights off when you leave.

Wolverine | X-Men Origins Premiere

2009-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

You know the state of the economy and that Swine Flu is the next thing to fear. But There is some good news to be had. The newest installment of the X-Men series premiered in Tempe, Arizona today. And of course I went.

Here's the cool part: I had a client, but no credential. Quicker than you can say Huge Ackman, I was credentialed and in!

I just buzzed the Arizona Republic's site. I can hardly believe they sent five photographers to compete against me! Ha! They had a couple of images that I didn't get — but you had better be getting those pictures when you send five credentialed shooters.

Click here to check out what I did!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

2009-04-26T13:57:00.001-07:00

I had a great time yesterday. I had coffee, painted a wall (a pipe burst inside my wall a few weeks ago and it has been an adventure that will finally be over in about two weeks), and took the train into Phoenix to watch a Diamondbacks game. We lost but it was nice to be in a different part of the world.

I have a hard time just going to a game and just sitting there. I often find my mind straying from the game's action and from there, my eye begins to wander. At a baseball park with a pool, there is often a lot to see. So I thought I would play my game that I call, "Find The Picture." If you've been following me for any length of time, you know the drill. I go out with a camera a lens and that's it. It's just a personal project/challenge to find out what I can do under extreme circumstances. Did I mention that I don't take a tripod?

I'm continually working on new things. (Seriously, whether you are a photographer, a writer or a nuclear physicist, you need to always be moving your art forward (not that nuclear physics is an art, but you know what I mean). Don't just be satisfied with where you are.) Right now I'm inspired by High Dynamic Range photography. I'm taking multiple images at different exposures and blending them so that I can get the highest range of colors and tones. HDR is sometimes kind of squirrelly, and isn't right for all applications, but it really is beautiful.

In the scheme of HDR, a tripod is a key element. But unfortunately a tripod can hinder spontaneity. So, on this journey into town I left it at home. All of my HDR images were hand held. It was a lot of fun shooting them. I pland to go out soon and shoot more — and I might even try it with a tripod.

The Big Project is Nearly Complete!

2009-04-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I began interviewing photo consultants. It was a big task. There are many wonderful people who know a lot about the photographic industry. I wanted to ensure that I was seen for who I was as a photographer and that the consultant would give me sound advice. It was important to be able to reach an audience that I was previously missing.

My background is in photojournalism which is far from easy, but a photojournalist who is on staff at a metropolitan daily newspaper doesn't have to deal with issues such as marketing or what their portfolio looks like. Hell, the only time a portfolio is even necessary is if the photographer plans to change jobs. In the old days, a portfolio consisted of a series of slides that were tucked into slide pages and shipped off (to some distant photo editor) with a cover letter and résumé, never to be seen again.

After leaving the news biz, I needed to define who my clients were and how to reach them. I bumped around for a few years and finally came to the conclusion that whatever I was doing was wrong. So I hired a consultant. I also hired a designer.

After a long phone interview I sifted through more than 40,000 images to find 650 or so that I could send off to be edited. It took about two weeks for my portfolios to come back. Two weeks after the edit, Vanity Fair called in my book. (Panic!)

My designer is in Seattle and she had just gotten the edited images. At first we thought we were going to have to work around the clock to meet the VF deadline but soon learned that the book didn't need to be there until January. Whew!

This has been a long and painful process. I now not only know what a portfolio should look like, but I have one. As a matter of fact, I have two. The other is a collection of glamour images that just aren't right for my commercial Web site or portfolio.

The cool thing is that all of the elements of my new identity have been designed and are at the printer. The new design has been delivered to my Web-site host and that should be in place next week. I've just designed a promo piece that will be sent to announce the new look.

I think the worst part of all of this is that while I have had this project going I've also been out shooting. The economy has been slow, which means that work (for most photographers) has been slow, yet this has provided me with opportunities to get out and shoot images that I wouldn't have otherwise had time for. This means that soon, I will start this whole editing/portfolio process all over.

It's been a big and rough cycle, but isn't it great!

Smart and Getting Smarter

2009-04-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, in a career far, far away. I came up with a name for a business that I hadn't yet started. I figured that since I was an intelligent person who lived in Arizona, SmartAz was a great name. Further punctuating my way of thinking is that I just happen to be blessed with a quick wit. It all seemed so logical. Heck I even thought that if SmartAz Photography was successful, I might be able to be like the Dread Pirate Roberts (from "The Princess Bride") and sell off the franchise. I was mistaken.

About six months ago I stopped using the SmartAz name. I came to realize, with the help of my consultant, that the name, while creative, doesn't instill confidence. I've stopped using the name, yet it has continued to haunt my Web site.

Making changes aren't always easy. Making changes sometime require fistfuls of money to be thrown at those things in need of change. I've finally been able to finance that change. Crews in San Francisco are working 'round the clock to have changes in place sometime next week.

SmartAz was a great name and a great lesson. It taught me how to register a trade name. And it taught me to carefully think things through.

It's free to create a business with whatever name you give it. To change it however, is going to cost as much as a used car. The lesson is: Be sure you can live with the business decisions you make today because you may be dealing with those desicions for years.

SmartAz Photography was good. Tony Blei Photography is even smarter.

Dodging a Cruise Missile Attack

2009-04-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

The View From the Bottom is GREAT!

So this guy calls me up around 8:30 this morning and informs me that I suck. I think he had lost sleep over the images on my Web site that he didn't like. This guy was very emphatic as he ripped and railed and launched his Cruise Missiles my way. He went on to tell me that the images on my blog were far superior and that if I was a commercial photographer, why in the hell do I have pictures of girls in bubbles on my site!!!!

Wow! It must have been a slow day in his small world (some people should consider switching to decaf).

It was early in the day and I was caught off guard. I tried to justify a few things but my advisor's gums were flapping so fast and hard that I don't think he heard a word I said.

I don't think I need to justify anything to another competing photographer. The truth is that few of us have all of the answers. A bigger truth is that my photography is about me and my vision. I'm the one (with the help of my beautiful wife) who has crafted and honed my skills over the past two decades. As a photojournalist I've seen things that would make some people weep and have nightmares. I've also taken award-winning pictures that have made a difference in my community. I've photographed seven US Presidents. Furthermore, because of my knowledge and experience, I've been able to secure a teaching job at the number one high school in Arizona. I think I've earned the right to put anything I want on my Web site. After all, it is my Web site.

A year ago my photography business was doing well. I was on track to break the previous year's receipts. I had enough cash to shop around for a consultant. Someone who would take me to the next level.

I was a photojournalist for twenty years. A year ago I didn't really know my market. My consultant has helped me to define it. She has grouped my images and chosen pictures that I wouldn't have necessarily picked myself — which is why I hired her. My portfolio not only portrays vision and technical abilities, it delivers a feeling as you look at it. My portfolio was not designed to entertain other frustrated photographers.

Two weeks after the portfolio edit, my book was called in by Vanity Fair, REMEDY Chicago and Maxim Magazine. Three weeks ago I met with someone in a giant corporate fortress who called in another art director to look at my work. They loved what they saw — and oddly enough LOVED the bubble pictures that I shot at the rave! There might just be a method to my madness after all.

I tell my students that I love taking pictures. They ask, "How much do you love taking pictures, Mr. Blei?" I tell them, "More than food." They tell me that's absurd to which I reply that I can get food by taking pictures. They laugh.

Art isn't art until someone sees it. If you are going to wait for the phone to ring before you create art, then, as an artist, you have no soul and you may not be creating art. You may only be documenting something.

If I can't show images, then what's the point in shooting them? And if I know there is going to be a visual opportunity, but I don't take it, I am a failure. I shoot crazy images of teenagers dancing in foam at a rave because it's an honest slice of life and that's what makes me happy. Oh! And I almost forgot! A consultant — one that I didn't hire — said I should consider doing a book with those images (if I didn't post them, I wonder how they could have been seen...hmmm).

A Cruise Missile attack was launched at me this morning but in all honesty, it was a dud that was way off target. Some people should learn to mind their own business and find what makes them happy.

Their Eyes Have It

2009-04-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I wrote about taking a part-time teaching job at a charter school in North Scottsdale. I blogged a couple of times about this great opportunity — and then went silent. Let me explain why.

At first I was very excited and proud to guide young minds in a way they had never been guided. I enjoy kids and I firmly believe that each of us must plant a tree we will never sit under.

By the third week I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into. One third of the class had rallied against me and was working to take over the class. I don't want to get into the negative aspects of this experience but let me just say that the class size has decreased by 30% and the students who remain are smart, eager and talented. (Click here to see their work.)

Over these several months we've had great and very passionate discussions on copyright, legal issues (if a police officer orders you to stop photographing, do you have to?) and ethical matters regarding privacy. You see it's easy to take pretty pictures, but in some cases, you need to know when, where and if you can take those pretty pictures. Photography is a powerful means of expression and therefore a constitutional right. My students are responsible and well informed.

Their work excites me. I am going to miss them. Sadly, I have one week left in this teaching gig. I've found it to be incredibly rewarding as I've seen some wonderful kids become amazing, young photographers. They tell me that they look at pictures differently now. Not only can they take good pictures, but they can discuss the merits of a photograph and tell you why the image is good or bad.

I've enjoyed teaching. It has taught me what I really know about photography. The best part is that I've been able to influence a group of teens who have the beginnings of wonderful vision.

If you didn't click it up above, here is a link so that you can view what they've done. Take a peek and leave some comments to let them know how you feel about their work. To me, they are photographic rockstars.

High Dynamic Range

2009-04-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

This is a great time in history to be alive and working. Sure, we have our problems, but man, the technology that we are using is amazing.

Digital Cameras are getting more and more sophisticated and so is the software. Adobe PhotoShop is a great program that no photographer can live without. Add to it Adobe LightRoom and you essentially have a digital darkroom. There are all sorts of filters and plug-ins that can be added to customize your images. Some are pretty expensive, and by the time you collect five or six, your, now customized, version of PhotoShop could cost as much as a used car.

A year ago I bought some software that included a PhotoShop plug-in that allowed greater control over the tonal range of any High Dynamic Range (HDR) photograph that I might produce. An HDR photo is a photograph whose tonal range is so high that only dogs can see it (just kidding). Seriously, the range is so high that printers and monitors can't reproduce the range. But with tone-mapping software, we can reel in the tones to the point that we get a photo that can take your breath away. The saturation of the colors and tones looks like a blend of film and imagination.

My goal for this week has been to work on a few HDR images and really polish the process. It's still fairly new and hopefully you will be seeing amazing HDR images in advertising and other commercial applications in the future.

Killer Rabbits

2009-04-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

Some days it just doesn't pay
to get out of bed...

Hopefully this Easter, you won't need
to use The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.

Jocks

2009-04-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

I had a great time last night. Mark Mayfield of KSLX is spending three days on location while seeking donations for the St. Mary's Food Bank.

I'm short on time so I'll just post a link to a slideshow.

Something To Rave About

2009-03-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Like a musician looking for a place to play, I'm always looking for challenging places to photograph. I have a personal exercise that I go through that I call: Find the Picture. I go to places that I'm unfamiliar with and — find the picture. Pretty easy eh? Not so fast. It's easy to find and compose images in broad daylight. I often go out at night and will only take one camera and one lens. Most nights, I don't take a flash — or a tripod. Find the picture. Deal with exposure issues. Keep moving and find the next picture.

A couple of weeks ago I had a job that was two-days long. While en route on the first day I received a phone call telling me about a rave that night. It was in an abandoned warehouse by the airport. I would be allowed to take my camera and photograph. I was curious.

I shot all day, took my assistant home, ate dinner and geared up for "Bubble Bobble," a foam party.

At first I was a little shocked. Teenage girls wearing items that I couldn't tell whether it was a bathing suit or underwear. And then the foam started pouring from the ceiling!

The body heat of twenty-five hundred dancing teens made me realize why it was a foam party and why the girls were dressed in a manner that would upset their fathers.

I learned a lot from this excursion. I can shoot and master any situation (I already knew that from years of working in the news industry). I love the diversity of life. I love and miss my teen years. I think that every teen should be forced to go to a rave at least once a week.

I seriously think the all-night dancing is great exercise. There were no tables or chairs. Your choice was to dance or go home.

I know, someone might complain that there are drugs at a rave. I never saw any. This doesn't mean there weren't any. But seriously, it's my understanding that kids can get drugs at school — and besides, I hate to say this but many, many people have twisted up a fatty in their time (this isn't the scope of this blog, I'm just commenting) (and in case you've forgotten, the purpose of this blog is fun, creative photography).

I love teenage angst (especially when it's directed in the right direction). The rave was a perfect place for kids of all ages to burn up some energy and fully express themselves.

Another great thing I noticed was that while the HOT teenage girls were showing a LOT of skin, they were keeping all of their lady parts covered. And the boys seemed respectful. I only saw one grope all night and I think they were a couple.

As I photographed, I noticed that most of the kids had really nice teeth. Clearly they came from homes with great parents who cared for their kids. I felt the rave was a way for the kids to step out of their perfect lives and experience a side of life they couldn't get at home. I felt the rave experience would eventually help the kids figure out who they were and what they wanted out of life.

With you or without you, life is going to happen. On this night, I was just an observer.

If you like what you've seen here, leave me a comment. If you didn't like what I posted, let me know. I'm always interested in other viewpoints (just be polite).

Do me a favor. If you havn't already, go look at my portfolio. I'd like to come to your office and show you the print version (it's beautiful). Also, it would be really cool if you could tell someone else about this blog and my work. Help spread the word.

Preparing For The Upturn

2009-03-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

In the distance I can see sunshine peeking through the clouds.

It's still cloudy and in places the rain is pouring down. Hard. It's going to be OK, though.

I stopped off at the auto parts store and bought a new set of wipers and an air filter. I recently had my oil changed and my tires are at the right pressure. With what I've planned for and done, I will weather this storm. I still want to get the new Kid Rock and U2 cds for the journey, but the road will still be treacherous for many more miles. I still need to concentrate.

The sunshine after all is still in the distance.

Photography's Big Picture

2009-03-23T08:43:00.000-07:00

It's almost lunch time on the East Coast and today the Dow Jones Industrial is up almost 4%. Hooray.

This blog is supposed to be about my photography, creativity and things related to the industry. It's not really for photographers (you can get your shutters clicked in a million other places). But I'm glad you're here.

I've mentioned in the past that because of the economy I had to take a part-time job. I wasn't going to take just any job, though. It had to be a job related to photography. So I took a part-time teaching gig at a charter school in Scottsdale. One of the things that I tell my students is that photography isn't only about taking pictures. Photography is about life. Not only do you capture beautiful pictures in interesting places, but photography forces me to have relationship with people and my environment. Photography is so much deeper than the obvious picture.

A year ago I was incredibly busy. I heard that a recession was coming. For some reason, I didn't realize the full impact of what was being predicted. In July I shot a huge project for a wonderful client. We had a lot of fun and made great images. Also in July the Dow Jones Industrial began to fall. By August, I could see that I was getting fewer hits on my Web site and the phone wasn't ringing as much. My brother David, said, "It's not you, it's the economy."

I wish we never had a recession. It's terrible. Yet behind every dark cloud is a silver lining.

I think this recession has helped bring this nation a little closer together. We're not perfect but we elected a President who would have been, during fatter times, been criticized for drug use, his age and other things that may not matter. This recession has also exposed the greed of those who are already so wealthy that during their lifetime cannot possibly spend their bonuses, let alone their salary. I'm appalled at the thought of someone getting a bonus that's akin to everyone else hitting The Lottery (while many across the nation are losing their homes). It seems they should be the ones bailing out America.

During the good times, I bought an HDTV so big that they can see it in Space. Yesterday I unplugged the satellite connection. As I pulled the plug on the receiver, I remembered buying high-performance cables that cost about $100 per cord. The satellite is lost in space. I still have my cords. The time has come for us to conserve and see what was already here all along.

Over the weekend, my wife, Susan, and I were talking about how good things really are (despite all of the tribulation). We've discovered a place where we can get coffee that is $7 for three pounds and it tastes almost as good as Starbucks. We now buy perfectly good things that previously were never considered. (Yet we also have conversations that we start by saying, "When we're rich... ")

At dinner we had wine. I'll admit that the $5 wine isn't as good as the $20 version. But we're having wine tonight too.

Right now it's a little after 9 a.m., the Dow is up almost 4½% (7599 points). We aren't where we were in July, but the phone is beginning to ring again. I'm shooting on Friday. The week after, I will be delivering 17 giant sized bags of beans to the St. Mary' Food Bank.

What I do for a living merely involves photography but it's really all about life and relationship with people. If you are a photographer and have read this far, you need to find a way to help others. Donate. Give. Volunteer. Sometimes we need to plant a tree that we'll never sit under.

Photography can save the world.

As You Like It

2009-03-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

Shakespear wrote:  All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players...

If all the world's a stage, why are we still sitting here? 
Find your spotlight and perform!

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit

2009-03-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Some really good things have started happening since I started the "Working Hard To Save Others" campaign. People as far away as Maryland, Chicago, and Texas have written to encourage me. Leslie Burns-Dell'Acqua featured me on her blog.

Right now I'm prepping for a shoot that I have from an agency in Canada. My client says she's "freaked out by the slowdown" and is glad to be helping. You probably don't realize that for 1 in 7 Americans, hunger is a reality. This means that millions of hard-working adults, children and Seniors are struggling with hunger. In a land of plenty, this is unacceptable.

312,966 Arizona children under age 18 live in poverty,
representing 1 in 5 of Arizona’s children.

Bev Damore at the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance says they need: peanut butter, tuna, canned soups and stews, cereals and juices, rice, beans. I'm thinking that because of our neighbor to the north, we can buy a lot of soup, rice and beans.

In case you are wondering why I'm doing this, you need to know that for two decades I was a photojournalist and I realized that my photography had the power to change people's lives. The days of the newspaper are behind me, but my power has never waned. Even if you aren't in a position to hire me, you can go shopping and make your own donation.

You and my photography can make the World a better place. Now let's get busy!

Working Hard to Save Others

2009-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Integrity: The quality of being honest
and having strong moral principles;
moral uprightness.

To me, integrity is doing what's right — even when nobody else is looking. For some, rough times are often seen as a time of having license to do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. I've heard of people breaking into vacant homes and businesses and making them their personal shelter. I suspect that shoplifting is on the rise because people need to eat and feed their families.

President Obama recently outlined his rescue plan that will help many — but unfortunately not all. I really don't think we can wait for lawmakers to save us. We need to do something to help each other. I have an idea.

Working Hard to Save Others is a program I've created that will feed those in need. What I am going to do is, for the rest of 2009, donate 25% of my photographic licensing fees to the St. Mary's Food Bank (or food bank of your choice — maybe the one in your city).

Critics might argue, that I'm just trying to drum up business. I am. And I'm donating a portion of my income to those with no income. Together, we can make a difference.

Magazines, ad agencies and other corporations have budgets. There will be no misappropriation of funds, you will simply be hiring me to take beautiful pictures and I will go grocery shopping or make a cash donation.

Here is the promo I'm sending out. Look it over, leave a comment, but more importantly, tell someone else about what I am doing (especially if they are an art director, photo editor or art buyer):

Working Hard to Save Others

I think we can work hard to save others.

In a repressed economy, people don’t have the resources to give. People with the least resources suffer the most. Together here is what we can do:

From each project with your company, I will donate 25% of my licensing fees to the St. Mary’s Food Bank (or food bank of your choice).

Why the food bank? It boils down to trust. I don’t want us to invest in any more golden parachutes. And by donating to a food bank, we can be assured that the right people are being helped.

I plan to continue “Working Hard to Save Others” throughout 2009. You may not have a project right now but you can RSVP for sometime this year by replying to this e-mail or calling me at 480.329.8178.

With a little imagination, you and Tony Blei Photography can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

In the World's richest nation, nobody should be hungry.

Failure Is The Only Option

2009-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? You probably wouldn't do anything. There's no reason to. Not failing is safe. It's warm. All of your friends are there.

When failure isn't an option, there's no risk. Without risk, there's no character development. Without character, there is only mediocrity.

Failure hurts and is costly. But there we stand. It's dark. We're wearing tight white spandex and holding a pole. Your left foot slides onto a rope stretched over a big drop. The people on the ground look small. Don't look down.

Your mouth is dry and you can hear your heart beating.

Plant your right foot as your palms sweat. You wonder what in the hell you are doing here and you adjust your grip.

Take another step.

We could stretch our tightropes at twelve inches, twelve feet or 120 feet. At twelve inches, there is no risk. At 120 feet, the tightrope walker needs to be sharp and in tune. At 120 feet everything is being risked. At 120 feet, the tightrope walker is truly balanced.

Sometimes it's dark, cold and lonely. Sometimes I don't know where to plant my foot. Sometimes I wish I were on the ground where it's safe. Yet daily I slide my foot along the rope. I have to. It's the only way.

What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail? I would quit my day job and embrace a career where failure is an option with significant consequences.

I'm mixing my metaphors here, but anyone can get that which hangs low. For the sweetest fruit, you need to go out on a limb.

Just don't give up.

Barack Obama In My Backyard

2009-02-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama unveils his rescue plan
at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona.

I previously posted that President Obama arrived on Air Force One and that I photographed him at the airport. I also photographed him as he unveiled his rescue plan.

Members of the media, and other, set up their gear
and for the next four hours, wait.

Barack Obama made a visit to Dobson High School, which is within walking distance from me. To photograph him, I needed a credential, which I was able to get (calling the White House was kind of cool experience), and I also needed to wake up at 4 a.m., so that I could arrive, find a spot and then leave so that the bomb-sniffing dogs could do their part. This means, be set up by 5:30 a.m., leave and not come back until 8:30. The President was scheduled to speak at 10:15.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer shows off
a newspaper headline regarding the President's trip.

Just before President Obama spoke, the Presidential Seal is placed on his podium.

During a long wait, a member of the audience
takes a picture before the President arrives.

President Barack Obama is greeted by his supporters
as he arrives at Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz.

I've now photographed seven US Presidents. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were my favorites because they broke protocol which allowed me to get pictures of them doing something interesting. Sadly, I can't tell you what they spoke of because most of the Presidents were usually campaigning. I think that with this President, I'll remember that he wasn't talking about doing anything for himself, he came here to outline a plan that will help Americans keep their homes. Yesterday I photographed President Obama in my back yard as he gave us hope.

The conclusion.

Forty Four is Seven To Me

2009-02-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned before that during my time as a photographer, I've photographed six US Presidents. That was until today.

Today I photographed President Barack Obama which brings the tally up to seven. What's especially nice is that I am a fairly smart and resourceful photographer. I made my own contacts and got credentials without being affiliated with a newspaper.
You just have to be like The Terminator
and not give up when someone tells you "no."

Air Force One is really a majestic aircraft.
My friend Rick said it can fly at 620 mph.
I looked it up. He was wrong. It flies at 630 mph or .92 mach.
It can fly at an altitude of eight miles high.

Maybe we could put some ordinance on the plane
and call it the O Bomber.

While we waited for Air Force One, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and his son, Jake brought one of Shaquille O'Neal's shoes
to give to the President.
I'm wondering why he didn't bring Shaq.

Normally they say that if the shoe fits...
Yeah, that ain't gonna happen.

Photo op for Governor Jan Brewer.

Barack and I are tight. It was nice of him to wave good bye to me.

Don't worry, I promise not to sell this on eBay.

On Wednesday, February 18th 2009, I get to photograph him at Dobson High School.
It's within walking distance from my house.

Experience should be valued

2009-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Mr. Happy President's Day

I'm dedicating this Presidents' Day to Bill Clinton.

I just returned from Las Vegas business trip. I wasn't there to gamble or party (I did, however, put a buck into a machine, double my money only to lose it all). Before heading back to Phoenix, I read a newspaper story about Natalie Dylan, a woman who is auctioning off her virginity. I find it amazing that she has world-wide interest, hundreds of bids, and the top bid is around $3.8 million dollars.

What I find interesting is how people are willing to form a line and pay millions of dollars to someone who has absolutely no experience! This to me is crazy — especially in this economy. People should consider spending and investing their money wisely. Experience should be valued.

I've worked consistently as a professional photographer since 1984. I've photographed celebrities, criminals and US Presidents. I have years of award-winning experience and I don't cost near as much as Natalie. And as an added bonus, my photography has the potential to be an investment. When Natalie's highest bidder is done, he'll only get a nap and a story that he won't be able to tell his wife or girlfriend. You can tell everyone about me.

As it turns out, Natalie Dylan isn't even her real name. has fake breasts and a Brazilian wax (like all good virgins). She says she is raising the money to pay off school loans (Oh please).

Am I the only one that sees her BS in Women's Studies for what it really is?

Jump! Keep Jumping!

2009-02-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

When I was ten-years-old my parents and I moved into a new house. It was the typical house in the typical neighborhood. It had three bedrooms, two baths, blah, blah blah.

When I was about 14, as I would walk through the house, I would jump and try to touch the ceiling. For the longest time I couldn't quite touch it, but I was getting close.

Eventually, with the tips of my fingers, I could feel the ceiling as my fingers brushed it. I began to have contests with my cousins and friends. By the time I was 17, I could stretch while standing on my toes and touch it. (By this time, my dad would get pissed because he was afraid I was going to leave fingerprints).

Today, when I'm at my mom and dads, I don't even try. I know I can do it and I've set my sights on higher things.

Yesterday my portfolio was returned from Vanity Fair with a hand-written note on a really nice note card. The photo editor thanked me for showing my work.

It seems that once again, I've brushed my fingertips on the ceiling. With a little more growth and hard work I'll touch that ceiling.

Jump! Keep jumping!

"Expensive" is a Four-Letter Word

2009-01-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

The other day I received an e-mail where I had been carbon copied. I was being referred to someone but my work had been described as, "Expensive but cool..."

I like that someone thought my work was cool, but thought it important to address the "Expensive" part. "Expensive" is a dangerous word to throw around. Dangerous because it's a relative term. Expensive for one person could be a reasonable price for another. Another problem I see with the word "Expensive" is that it could denote that something is over priced and is a poor value.

My pricing structure is based on my cost of doing business + actual production costs + licensing. Please know that I'm not licensing the picture, but its copyright (as defined by the US Copyright Act of 1976).

My goal is to create photography that is an investment for my client. Because it's an investment, my photography should be valuable, and of value, for everyone involved. My photography should give you a return on your investment and that, if you ask me, is the opposite of "Expensive."

The Creative Roundtable

2009-01-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

Once a month I meet with a group of creatives and we discuss the business of being creative. Being creative is easy. It's the business of being creative that's intimidating. It's a closed group and is intended to provide security (as we've been together for almost three years, have built great relationships and can safely say anything).

The disciplines of our group range from writer, graphic design, proof reader/prop stylist, interior design/prop stylist, artist rep, photographer and concert pianist. Collectively and individually, the group has made my photographic business better.

This month, we did something different. We met at the Phoenix Art Museum. Imagine what it would be like to go to an art museum with some of the most talented people you know. It's inspirational.

One of my favorite conversations of the night revolved around Dada art and whether an artist was even aware of the Dada Art Movement and Surrealism or just copying something he'd previously seen. My guess is that people often copy. It was just nice to be with people who had an understanding of art and art history. It was nice to be with smart people who could understand why I get pissed off at "artists" who don't know the difference between art and decoration.

We looked at and discussed some thought provoking art. This was a great experience that allowed us to be visually stimulated as well as get to know each other that much more. Oddly, as we strive to be more professional with our art, I've come to know that it's the relationships that we build that truly advance us.

We closed down the art museum, walked down the street, caught the train and went for coffee.

What was nice is the train allowed us time to talk about what we
had just seen,and how GREAT the art was. The train took us from pleasure, to business. We chatted as we rode and then as we got to Lux, the topic turned to business.

Tonight's business topic was our rate. It seems that clients have been asking creatives to cut their rate. I thought it was survival of the fittest as long as you aren't more fit than th client. Tough discussion.

You know it's great night when you can close out two places. Lux either didn't like what we were discussing or wanted to send their server's home. They dimmed their lights, we left and we caught the train back to the museum.

I don't care if you are an art director in Chicago or a graphic artist in Arizona. I encourage you to get involved with the creative community and do things that you normally don't do. It will help you get out of your own head and see things in a way that others do. In short, your horizons will be expanded.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

2009-01-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

E.T phoned home and the City of New York called the Ghost Busters. But who are you going to call?

When people need a photographer, they often call a newspaper. Why not? They have a whole department full of photographers.

There's trouble in the world of that which is Black and White and Read All Over. Newspapers are sick and dying. The Tribune, where I use to work recently lost 40% of its staff. This means there are fewer photographers at fewer newspapers. And who do you think these newspapers are laying off? Their veterans. The ones who cost them the most. Their best people are out on the street. This means that if you are in the market for a photographer and call a newspaper you will be talking to a photographer who could be inexperienced, overworked and underpaid (so of course she will leap at your offer).

Instead of calling the newspaper, you can go to ASMP.org. They have a "Find A Photographer" resource to help you find the photographer whose style is right for you and your project. You don't have to cover your eyes and stab at a list of names. ASMP's photographers are experienced people who have had to have someone vouch for their work as well as their work ethic.

Sadly, because newspapers aren't thriving, few can afford the once great photojournalist. So who are you going to call? You can always call me — I'm an ASMP member.

Something Glamorous

2009-01-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

A while ago I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with this whole photography business. I did what a lot of people do: photograph attractive women. Like a lot of people, I love fashion and glamour photography, and the world is full of beautiful women.

I stopped doing shooting "hot chicks" though. I just couldn't find a way for it to be valued enough to generate revenue. While I might have loved doing it, the models never wanted to pay for my services, and the one magazine I shot for had a bigger budget for the models than for the photography. So I put that in my past.

I was showing a friend some photographs and the glamour stuff popped up. She seemed to really like the work. I told her that that type of work wasn't what I wanted to be known for.

I was in my studio and I have some images, like the one above, tacked to the wall. They're beautiful. I love what I did with the light and my lens choices and everything I did to bring out the best in the women I photographed. I got to thinking that maybe I was thinking too small. I told a photographer once that you need to see where your talent will take you. Keep pushing the boundaries. I need to take my own advice.

I may never be a Helmut Newton, but I think my work is competitive on a national — or maybe even a world scale. It just needs to get into the hands of the right people. So I sent a letter to Maxim magazine. They spent more than eight minutes on my Web site and then sent me a response. My contact person said, "If you would like to just send your portfolio to us I would be happy to circulate it through our department." What's cool is, I have no glamour work on my site, and they are still interested. So I made a glamour portfolio.

I have one portfolio at Vanity Fair and now I'm walking out the door to send a portfolio to Maxim. I've never been here before (and this blog entry is marking the day that I have two portfolios out for the very first time). I've always felt that the best thing you can do — in a good economy or bad — is keep forward motion. Invest in yourself and think of ways to get noticed so that you can do that thing you love to do so much. And remember to aim for the top.

I may not have originally wanted to be known for glamour photography, but I think I could just amend my statement to: "I don't want to be known for glamour photography under low-ball conditions." But if I can be published in the top magazines, I certainly want to be known for fashion and glamour. I guess it's all about setting your sites high and not embracing mediocrity. If I can't be on top, why am I out a limb?

Seeds

2009-01-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

First Cheech and Chong sang, "No stems no seeds that you don't need..." Then there was the seedless watermelon and then the almost seedless cucumber. Recently, Burpee, the gardening-seed king, announced a sweet, seedless tomato. Really?

Bet you didn't know I had a green thumb. I don't. It's actually brown. Well, that's not true either. My thumb nail's brown. It's stained from the years of developing film and making prints in the darkrooms of two newspapers. As the years went on, the process became more automated and then we started scanning our negatives. Eventually things went digital. No more discolored fingernails or fixer stains on my clothes, but the memories remain.

The deeds of my past are my seeds. Planted, watered and cultivated my photography has grown. It has flowered more than I ever expected. There's been some fertilizer too. But the flowers' sweet scent overpowers the crap.

Not every seed planted has been allowed to grow. Event (party) photography was one such seed. I'm not a camera boy who wants to walk around taking what my friend, Brad, calls "Happy Snaps." I felt that was a waste of my talent and not what I need to do — which is be creative. The plant was uprooted. No flowers. No seeds.

I did some glamour work for a time, but nobody wanted to pay. Nothing grows with all fertilizer and no water. I still have some of those seeds. I'm just waiting for the right conditions to replant them.

Would you believe I'm eating sunflower seeds as I write this?

For a while I've felt that Spring was coming. I've planted my seeds and I can see they are beginning to germinate (Southwest Graphics magazine, Shutterbug magazine, and Creative Artist's podcast). Today I put 24 pages of seeds on a big white Fed Ex truck and shipped them to New York to be planted on the farm that is Vanity Fair. We've said our prayers for sunshine and plenty of rain. We need a healthy crop.

Like a farmer whose very life depends on his crop coming in, I'm looking for fertile ground. My plants aren't cucumber, watermelon or tomato. The flowers of my plants are photographs, and each one a seed. My seeds can lead to prosperity. Not just for me, but for my clients.

Sorry dude. I need my seeds.

Getting noticed

2009-01-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

I often find myself telling people that when you are a photographer in the newspaper business, the one thing you don't have to worry about is marketing. Since leaving the news biz, I've learned a great deal about how to get noticed (I think).

Without being pushy, I try to get my work in front of as many eyes as possible. To be a successful [fill in the blank] it's important to get noticed. Actually, I often think that being good at getting noticed might actually be better than just being good at what it is that you do. If you're good and nobody knows, will you get work? Have you ever looked at someone's work and wonder, "How did they get THAT job?" It's simple. They got it because they connected with someone. They were noticed.

In the past thirty days people have noticed me. Southwest Graphics Magazine published a profile on me and Peter at Mighty Imaging put the feature on his blog. Go here to read the article. A few days later, Rosh Sillars mentioned me in his Prosperous Artist podcast. And now if you go to your favorite magazine rack, there is a feature my Maria Piscopo on self promotions and I'm quoted extensively.

As I listened to the podcast and read both articles, I was inspired. I am a photographer who is not only good at what I do, but people are noticing. More evidence of that is that Vanity Fair has invited me to send them my portfolio. I'm sending it off tomorrow.

How vs. Chance

2009-01-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

A long time ago, there was a American Indian Man who, when anyone passed by him, said, "Chance."

He did this for weeks.

One day someone approached him and said, "I always thought American Indians said, 'How.'" To which the man said, "I know how —I just want the chance!"

A Short Blog About Today's Blog

2009-01-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

This will be a short blog because I wrote another blog that was quite long and kind of mean spirited (someone called me a name). After composing that entry and getting that issue off of my chest, I felt better. Since I felt better, there was no reason to publish a mean-spirited blog entry.

What's nice is: You get to read a short blog entry today.

Who I am and where I'm going

2009-01-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new year is a great time to reflect on where you've been, where you are — and where you're going. I've spent the past couple of days organizing my thoughts, setting some goals and writing a Vision and Marketing Statement (VMS) for my business. I've never done this before, so hopefully it's on target and not too clunky:

Vision and Marketing Statement for Tony Blei Photography
Tony Blei is a creative person who loves photographing people — and he does it with style. Whether with studio or available light, Tony uses his photographic experience to capture the life’s unguarded moments for national, regional and local clients in the editorial, commercial and corporate arenas. Operating on location and in the studio, his relaxed attitude and sense of humor allows Tony’s subjects to relax and reveal their inner self. His photographs are typically of real people in real-life situations that are created in camera, not the computer. Tony is known for his fun personality as well as his ability to deliver ahead of schedule. Tony’s work has been seen around the world via the Associated Press, AFP and other picture agencies. His work has been published in Time, US News, American Indian magazine and World Report and has shot advertising that has appeared in Money, Inc., Fast Company and Business Week. For Tony, his work is serious, creative fun. Creativity happens. Daily.

A one sentence tagline:
I create images that are a visual investment that offers a significant return for my clients.

Whaddaya think?

24

2009-01-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

"Dear Mom..." This was my first award-winning photograph.

Today is a day for me to celebrate. Today marks 24 years of living a dream. Today is my anniversary for becoming a professional photographer. It's been an interesting journey.

I was 24-years-old when the Las Vegas Sun newspaper was an afternoon daily. Boy did they have a job for me. My job was to photograph about 40 houses a day. The pictures would be reproduced one column wide and appear in the classified section. I did this job so well that it wasn't long before I was photographing cars too. All this for $100 a week!

When I wasn't shooting cars and houses, I was hanging out in the photo department. The staffers started taking me on assignments with them. I also went to title fights and would reload cameras and develop film for them. After ten months, I was given a staff position (but I still had to photograph houses, cars and other in-house advertising). During that year I won my first award. My wage more than doubled. (Continued after the slide presentation)

Here is an old collection of images from
my newspaper days.

Working for a newspaper can be like a religious calling. The hope and the goal is to make a difference in the lives of other people. (I think there was even a vow of poverty.)

During my time as a photographer, I believe that I've made a difference. I photographed Mikey, a baby who was born with AIDS. I spent weeks with Mikey and Diana, his adoptive mother, during a time when people felt that AIDS was "the gay man's disease." On top of winning an award, I feel that story helped to make people realize that AIDS is an issue that affects everyone.

"The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted,
and afflict the comfortable.”
~Joseph Pulitzer

There were other stories with a social conscience. Mark and Vera lived with Roy and his dog in Roy's car by the side of the road. While photographing them, Mark had a heart attack and wound up in the hospital. That story did well in the awards that year, but most importantly, Mark and Vera were given a place to live — and because of that story — the community donated more than $4000 to the newspaper to give to homeless charities. Oh, I almost forgot. I wrote the accompanying story.

Las Vegas is a great city for news and opportunity. During my ten years there, I got to hang out with people like Jerry Lewis, Chris Isaac, BB King, Lance Burton and I've been to the home of Sigfried and Roy. I'll never forget the day that I made Red Skelton (a long gone comedian) laugh. Or the day that comedian Louis Anderson told me he was going to be really big and said that I should call him because he would need some headshots. I thought he was full of BS and threw his card away. Two months later I sat on the couch with my son and watched "Life With Louie," as Saturday morning TV show starring Louie Anderson. [insert bad words here]

Have you ever seen a hotel blow up? It's cool. I was there when the Dunes Hotel was imploded. I'll never forget the sound — or how much dirt hung in the air.

Along the way we moved to Phoenix and for eleven years worked for another newspaper. I'd like to tell you about day I met "Jesus Christ" but that story is fairly complex and "Jesus" ended up in a mental health institute (where he came from in the first place).

I've been to the SuperBowl, the College World Series and have been on the road to photograph the Phoenix Suns during the NBA playoffs. I've been to Mexico to photograph poverty issues. I won a first-place writing award.

I almost forgot to mention that I've photographed six US Presidents (Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush). One day Al Gore walked up to me at the Sun and said, "Hi, I'm Al Gore. I'm running for President." Soon we had a crowd in the halway and someone mentioned his wife's efforts to sensor rock lyrics. He was a nice guy and as everyone chatted I thought "yeah, you're running for President, uh-huh." Several days later I photographed him at the Landmark Hotel and a couple of weeks after that he dropped from the race. Many years later he became the Vice President.

An assignment that sent me to the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas on New Year's Eve was interesting. After the game I wanted to go into Juarez to experience New Years from across the border. That was until someone asked, "How good are you at dodging falling bullets?" I went to Applebee's instead.

Working for a newspaper is a demanding job. You are always on the go, the pay is low, and sometimes your family takes a back seat. It's a great job when you are 24, but as I got older and had done so much (more than I've mentioned here), it was time to move on to greener pastures. So I decided to leave the news business and go back to school.

While in school, I would shoot an occasional assignment for someone. The longer I was in school, the more frequently the phone would ring. I dropped a research class twice along with a couple of others. After my fourth semester I quit school. My clients deserved my best and I didn't want to be distracted by Finals.

I started with just a single digital camera, a couple of lenses and some flashes. I worked out of my house. Business has been good and in order to get all of the lighting equipment out of the living room, we opened a small studio in Tempe. Today I have several cameras, some amazing lenses and, as I mentioned, a truckload of lights. In my office is high-speed internet, computers with six terabites of storage and gobs of RAM. I can, and have, sent images to other states and countries.

I'll never be able to turn my back on my photojournalistic roots. I believe that working for a newspaper is one of the greatest things a photographer can do. Not only has it given me a chance to make a difference, but it has forced me to become very good at doing all kinds of photography in all kinds of (sometimes adverse) circumstances and situations. I can confidently go into any situation and make a great picture.

Today I don't serve just one client as I did in the days of newspaper, I serve many. My work has been published in US News and World Report, Time, Money, Inc., and Fast Company. Over the summer I did some work that ended up in a magazine published by The Smithsonian. I can go anywhere and do anything. I'm only limited by, well, nothing really.

In 24 years, I've seen a lot of change. We use to carry a minimum of two cameras. One with color film and the other with color slide film. From there we moved to print film, scanners and PhotoShop. Today I shoot digital, but still carry two cameras.

This has been a great career, full of rewards and opportunities. I've come a long way since first shooting houses and cars. And I have further to go. I foresee taking pictures for another twenty years. The only difference is that I'm dropping that stupid vow of poverty.

Support Your Local Journalist

2009-01-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I ordered "All The President's Men" on Netflix. It arrived in my mailbox yesterday. I watched it this morning.

The Watergate Scandal and the Washington Post's role in bringing down a US President were, sadly, one of journalism's finest moments. It also led to many people to go to college and become journalists to hopefully affect change.

I was a photojournalist for 21 years and my goal was to make a difference with my photography. Some of my colleagues, whether writers or photographers, had similar goals. We did a lot to make the world a better place. I think we were able to shine a light in some dark corners. Because of what we did, people with AIDS were able to get help. Homeless people's lives were made easier, and people in power were made accountable to The Fourth Estate.

As I watched the story of Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein, I was reminded of how important a newspaper's role in society is. I also saw that the reporters were biting, kicking and clawing their way into the Watergate story. Ultimately, they were working for The People. The story HAD to be told.

Today is January 1st, 2009. The Tribune newspaper, where I use to work, has just kicked 142 people, or 40%, of it's staff to the curb. The newspaper is only going to publish four days a week. What's sad is that it seems that the community doesn't seem to care.

Who will report the news? TV? I don't think they will. Sure, they will tell you about car wrecks, house fires and other things, but it seems that the goal of TV news, unless something major and obvious happens, is to do not much more than entertain us. TV news happens in 20-second snippets of time.

It's unfortunate that those who have dedicated their lives to getting you the real story, graphics and photographs are being mocked by people who write on the paper's blog, "Great...another 142 employees for Wal-Mart."

Across the nation, as newspapers continue to downsize and close, there are people in power who are secretly doing Fist Pumps because there are fewer reporters to shine a light on their misdeeds.

Today, after you read this, turn off your television and go buy a newspaper. The money you spend will be an investment into what's going on around you — and it will keep food on the table of a journalist who simply wants to report the news.

The Elements of Great Photography

2008-12-30T21:52:00.000-08:00

What makes a picture a good picture? Focus? Rule of Thirds?
Lighting? There might be a little more to it than that.

This has been a great year. People have been preaching gloom and doom, but I've decided not to parrot what I'm hearing. I think the best thing to do is find your way through these times the best that I can. Teaching has taught me a lot.

I knew I knew a lot, but I didn't know what I knew until I decided to teach others. I want my students (and you) to think critically about photography.

Some have said photography is subjective. Subjective to what an opinion? Game over, man. what we need is, a measuring stick.

So what makes a photograph a great photograph? There needs to be some criteria, otherwise, you end up with: "I don't know but I'll know it when I see it."

I think most people learn "The Rule of Thirds" for basic composition, and most people try to get their images in focus. Yet there are a lot of pictures that are in focus and are composed with the subject right on a Crash Point, or intersection of The Rule, that aren't necessarily good pictures. The converse is also true.

There are other things to consider: Does the image have a theme or point of view? Does the image focus the viewer's attention on the subject of the photo? And finally, does the photograph simplify? Focus, Rule of Thirds, exposure, and lens selection are some of the tools that a photographer can use to accomplish these three points.

An image should have a message, theme, or point of view that is clearly communicated in the photograph. In my opinion the picture is like a story. The subject and verb need to agree.

The subject of the photo should be obvious. Lens selection not only makes an image more aesthetically pleasing, but a good lens choice will guide the viewer's eye to the subject.

And finally simplification. The photo should tell the tale and no more. Eliminate distractions and everything that doesn't add to the image's overall theme.

Whether you are a photographer or someone who enjoys photography, you can think critically of the images you are creating or viewing. If photography were subjective, Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz were pretty lucky for a long time.

Riding the Light (Rail)

2008-12-27T21:13:00.000-08:00

"I don't care about Santa, Christmas or anything, just make sure I get to ride the train on Saturday," is what my wife, Susan told me a few weeks before Christmas. Perfect. I can be cheap for Christmas.

I'm a visually stimulated person and I once took a job as a page designer. It's the only time in my life that I felt paralyzed. I love finding pictures and creating images. So I turned a turned a train ride into a photographic exercise. It was fun.

It only took seven hours for a round trip train ride from Mesa, Arizona to Phoenix (and back).

Except for two people who cut the line after we had been waiting 45 minutes, everyone was cool. We got to chat with people who would have ordinarily been strangers on the freeway. I kept my photography to pretty much Susan. I've documented so many people's lives, I thought I would photograph her on her big outing. Click here to see the slideshow of our adventure.

The End is Near

2008-12-26T10:31:00.000-08:00

Wave Goodbye to 2008

It's the day after Christmas. We made it! Whew!

What a year. In spite of the gloom and doom of "the economic downturn," it was a great year. I learned a lot. Set some goals and plotted a course of action. Along the way I was able to create images for people that, according to them, exceeded their expectations.

In January of 2008 I started looking for a consultant. This has been one of the best business decisions I've made. Seriously. By working as a staff photographer in the news industry, I never had to deal with marketing. I realized that I didn't know: A) How to market. B) Who to market to. C) What a portfolio should look like.

Leslie Burns-Dell'Aqua was my first stop. By the time I was ready to work with her, she was off to Law School and unavailable. She was really nice and gave me a list of other consultants to check out. I ended up hiring Suzanne Sease in Richmond, Virginia. She was great! She edited my images, gave me some GREAT advice (and a marketing plan) and then handed me off to Nadine Stellavato Brown at Brand Envy in Seattle.

I can't say enough about Nadine and Suzanne. They were able to identify what needed to be shown and then polished it to a high gloss.

So what's left for 2008? Nothing. It's all been done. I've learned that to be a successful photographer, I need to be an even more successful marketer. In order to be more competitive, you need to understand who your competition is and then, not just compete, but win.

Author Seth Godin says that if you don't want to be the best, then you shouldn't even try. If you only want to be mediocre, what's the point?

Adversity builds character and crisis brings change. In that regard, this has been a great year and I hope that 2009 is a year where we all prosper because of what we did over the past twelve months.

Booked Book

2008-12-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

In a Big Brown Van filled with Christmas Toys and other boxes, my portfolio is making its way home. This book is probably one of the finest books I've ever created. It's great because I had help with the editing and design. About all I had to do is step back, nod my head and smile. But the nicest thing is the richness of the prints in all of their 300 dpi glory.

It goes without saying that the portfolio is useless unless someone is looking at it. So, my job has been to get my book in front of people who know what they are looking at. Hi Def computer screens are nice, but in the end they are only 72 dpi. That's 228 pixels shy of optimal viewing. Even digital photography is best viewed as a print.

My goal is to make my portfolio more traveled than I (for a time).

Vanity Fair was the first to step up and ask to see it. They seem VERY organized and I have an appointment to ship it in January. In the mean time, I've been trying to show it locally.

Late in October REMEDY Chicago contacted me and said they didn't have anything currently in the works, but would like to see what I had going on. So I booked my Book a trip to Chicago and sent it on its way.

On Tuesday, Dave Sieren sent me an e-mail to let me know that he enjoyed my portfolio and that it was on it's way home. He said, "I agree that its always in everyone's best interest to see work in person rather than on a screen! Your images really are fantastic and I'll be keeping you in mind as projects come up in the new year." I think I've scored a hit.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that while the Internet and other mediums are wonderful, you don't get to see the images in all of their glory. Another thing is that by seeing an artist's Book, you will be able to see how they value and invest in their work. If this is their "best work," how do they show it off?

My portfolio is printed on a very beautiful 100% cotton paper (that you cannot buy in Arizona) with archival ink that will last 300 years. The pages are in a beautiful Plexiglas cover from Lost Luggage which is shipped in an elegant black bag. I don't care how nice your monitor is, the in-person presentation beats out most Web sites any day.

If you are an art director or an art buyer or a photo editor, do yourself a favor and start calling in photographers' Books. Mine won't be available until February. Call or e-mail for an appointment. I would love to show it to you.

Prosperous Artist

2008-12-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

Last week I was out of town for a serious family emergency. In the midst of the storm I received a truly wonderful e-mail from Rosh Sillars and Dean LaDouceur at ProsperousArtist.com. They said that I was their featured "Who's Creative" for Dec. 17. I didn't get to listen until today. They said a lot of nice things about my photography.

Their news was like having ice cream on a hot day. Very nice. Certainly appreciated.

As for the family emergency: It all worked out well and a full recovery will be made.

Peace.

Value

2008-12-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

I received a call from Michelle Murray at Cree, Inc. in North Carolina. Cree offers lighting solutions for home and business and Michelle was in a bind. It was Monday and she needed photographs of her company's lighting that had been installed in a Burger King. She needed it by Wednesday or Thursday.

What's nice is, I was able to help Michelle — and before her deadline. I was on my way out of town but had enough time to shoot, process and ship via ftp before she came to work the next morning. We negotiated the terms and were off to the races.

I worked into the night and shipped the images sometime around 1 a.m. In the morning, Michelle had e-mailed and was praising my work. Along with the praise was an offer to increase the payment by 35%. (I swear I had to reread that part about five times.)

Because the pictures of the Burger King were so nice, she wanted to expand the usage and pay me more. I love my job.