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Tag : commercial photography

13 Oct 2017
FRENCHTOWN 150

WE’RE ALL SPATIAL

Everybody is somewhere. (Whether we know where we are is another question.)  For many businesses, it is all about location, location, location.  Where you are matters.

When it comes to commercial photography, the images produce often are created to show the feel and character of a business’s location.  This also is true for business communities, like Frenchtown, NJ, that rely on visitors.

Digital photography allows us to tag our files with latitude/longitude coordinates and on-line tools, such as Google Earth can read these coordinates and position the images in their exact location on a map.

So as an experiment (and to push the spatial envelope) I launched my latest project called Frenchtown 150.  I am coordinating a group of photographers to create a comprehensive visual and on-line spatial representation of Frenchtown to celebrate its 150th year anniversary and show just what it is like, now, in October 2017.

The first step was to generate a properly scaled map of all the proposed photo locations using GIS software (ArcView) as shown above.  150 locations were plotted ranging from forest trails to downtown businesses.

Step two will be to corral the photographers, instruct them on the project parameters, and then have them shoot the photos and tag them with coordinates.

The final step will be to compiled all the geotagged images on Google Earth which will enable users to fly in and view the photos on a three dimensional map of the Earth.  The photo below is an actual screen shot of Google Earth showing one of the embedded business photos floating above it’s actual location.

CITGO ON GOOGLE EARTH

I can see this being applicable for many businesses, whether a single location or multi locations.  We’ve got the tools out there.  Let’s use them.

www.BrokawPhotography.com

10 Oct 2017
HOT IRON

HOT IRON

Steve Sears bends metal.  The hard stuff, … iron.

Iron doesn’t want to bend.  It takes prep.  It takes conditioning.  It takes energy.  Steve’s energy.

Steve has been bending metal for decades.  He knows what he wants and how to make it happen.  Most people call Steve an artisan. He calls himself, “Steve.”  Bending iron is what he does, and does well.  He doesn’t worry about labels.  We all do what we do, whatever that may be at any given time.   Maybe we are label-able, maybe not.  It really doesn’t matter.

STEVE SEARS BLACKSMITH - BROKAW PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographing Steve was great fun.  It’s always a pleasure to be with someone who derives such great satisfaction from his craft.

STEVE SEARS BLACKSMITH - BROKAW PHOTOGRAPHY

06 Oct 2017

APPRECIATION

Road Spaghetti!

Traveling to a North Jersey assignment in morning rush hour, with accidents all around certainly make one appreciate GPS.

Thank you satellites and all those people who figured out where the heck I am going and how to get there.   One wrong move and I would have ended up twirled and twisted and driving the wrong way looking for a U-turn.

It feels good to appreciate.…

03 Aug 2017
Riverfest Vikings

BRANDING

Branding an event is as important as branding your business.  What’s it all about?  How do you get people to attend?  By having fun.

Every year, Frenchtown NJ, a Delaware River town and my home base, has an end of summer event call Riverfest.  It is fun but was never especially distinctive.  Two years ago some guys started dressing up like Vikings and created an event within the event called the Paper Boat Races.  Kids make paper boats, drift them down the river and see which one wins.  Simple and fun.  The Vikings moderate it and all the spectators can see the race from the bridge.

Just by being fun, goofy and original, the Riverfest Vikings became a favorite part of the day for everyone.  I am a big supporter of Frenchtown and thought it would be great to use the love of the Riverfest Vikings to brand the festival, so I got them together for a photoshoot.  First some high school-style headshots in the studio then a group shot by the river.  We used a green screen so we can clip and insert backgrounds later.

Once we got the shot down by the river it seemed like a great time to up the ante and spontaneously do a video.  So I sent them into the river, gave them their lines and let them work their magic. It’s a short clip and the guys are hilarious.  I think we’ve successfully branded the spirit of Riverfest.

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