Simon Puschmann on the Road with Porsche

Posted on April 1, 2013 by The Pick

18_Cayman_2013A master zoom lens on some of the world’s biggest stages with one of the most recognized icons.

Photographer Simon Puschmann shot 50 images for Porsche (ads and catalogue) spread over a period of a 40 day job including travel.  They shot in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Shanghai, Melbourne and Canberra.  Post Production took another 3 months to assemble the images in  CGI.

Client Porsche AG.  Agency Kemper Kommunikation, Frankfurt. Producers: Tim Michel Producer, Stillworks, Southern Media. Post Production and CGI Zerone, Hamburg. Photo assistants; Nikhil Monteiro, Sub Pig, Leon Puschmann, Merlyn Reuter. CGI dolly: Move n Shoot.  


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To see more of Simon Puschmann’s work go to his website and Altpick.com page.

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Lacko Illustration :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 27, 2013 by The Pick

Lacko Illustration AltPick Blog Samples

by John Lacko

Clients hire me for many reasons – mostly to help them translate
an idea into my stylized and colorful designs. My inspiration comes from
movies, street trends, and pop culture but sometimes it comes from
the weird things I find myself collecting when I travel. I’ve worn
eye glasses since I was a kid and when I’m on the road I find cool
frames made by regional designers or in vintage shops that I
have fitted with prescription lenses when I get back home. For me,
an odd pair of glasses is the ultimate souvenir… Living and working
in Miami Beach, it’s all about your shades.

I’ve gathered a few project samples that show my latest obsessions
with hand lettering, vibrant colors, stylized eyewear & monster motifs.

PROJECT [1]
WHAT: Infinite Jest was created for Altpick Promotional Deck of Cards
LOCATION: Miami Beach
CLIENT: AltPick Deck / Self Promotional
INSPIRATION / OBSESSION: B-Movie Monster Font / Playing Card Jokers & Jesters
Stylized Eyewear / Hand Drawn Lettering / Skulls

PROJECT [2]
WHAT: Rapper Freck Billionaire’s “Cloud Gang” Logo.
LOCATION: NYC
CLIENT: Freck Billionaire / Stable Communications
INSPIRATION / OBSESSION: Metallics + Gradients /
Stylized Eyewear / Hand Drawn Graffiti Lettering

PROJECT [3]
WHAT: Eight Point Five Clothing Brand – Tough Love Screen Tee Graphic
LOCATION: Toronto
CLIENT: Eight Point Five Clothing
INSPIRATION / OBSESSION: Hand Drawn Graffiti Lettering / Mash-Ups /
“All’s Fair In Love & War”

PROJECT [4]
WHAT: DJ Mafia – Australian Party DJ Brand Logo – Self Portrat of Maria AKA DJ Mafia
LOCATION: Australia
CLIENT: DJ MAFIA
INSPIRATION / OBSESSION: Screaming Hand of Santa Cruz /
M Jordan/ Tongue / Stylized Eyewear

PROJECT [5]
WHAT: Hasbro’s Cuponk Game. Snake Logo used for game sticker sets
LOCATION: California
CLIENT: Hasbro
INSPIRATION / OBSESSION: Snakes / Heraldry/ Hand Lettering

The product of a solitary 70s-era childhood,  John Lacko spends his days lost in illustrative story telling and demented design thinking. His art is entirely handcrafted using needles, pencils and pixels.  See more of his work on his website and Altpick page.

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Keith Barraclough :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 25, 2013 by The Pick
BlueCross BlueShield
Keith Barraclough tries not to bring too much into his photo shoot, but rather keep it simple and let it just happen.  His influence behind the camera is subtle and he feels sometimes less is more.  Very motivated and always pushing it a little further encourages positive reactions from his subjects.  His influences are his two dogs, always happy, never angry and very curious.  In his own words, Keith describes some of his favorite images.
KB: The above image was an outtake taken during a photo shoot with BlueCross Blue Shield.  We were all waiting for some additional props to arrive and I decided to use the time to take some portraits of the lead talent. His attitude was so laid back.  There such a calm, serene feel to him, I just couldn’t resist capturing that in a photo.  Plus I just loved his hat.  Photographed on location in Washington, DC.
Blue Kerry Terrier
KB: Blue Kerry Terrier photographed on location in Salem, VA for Animal Planet.  The assignment was is photograph all 164 AKC sanctioned dog breeds.  We photographed for five days at a dog show in Salem, VA.  What I wanted to capture was both their personality as well as what makes them unique.  This Blue Kerry Terrier had such a unique profile – the beard, the neck, the color of his coat all came together perfectly.
Jackson Galaxy - My Cat from Hell
KB: Jackson Galaxy – Host of Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell”.  Photographed on location in New York City.  Jackson was very giving of his time and happy to do anything I asked.  Even if it meant jumping off a wall and screaming like a cat from hell.  We did five takes.  I found out later, from his assistant, that he has a very bad back.  He never mentioned it and just kept jumping until I was happy.
Maggie Gyllendaal and Austin Pendleton
KB: Actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Austin Pendleton.  Photographed on location at Maggie’s home in Brooklyn.  Maggie was extremely gracious in letting us invade her home – especially since she had just given birth to her second child a few weeks earlier.  The assignment was to take portraits of Maggie and Austin against a white seamless.  There wasn’t time to scout the location, so I was very surprised that there was no room for a 9ft backdrop.  The client agreed that the best scenario was to use the yard as the backdrop. We had lights leaning against trees, shooting through trees.  It was quite a production.  This shot was an outtake.  I love the intense interaction between Maggie and Austin and shooting horizontally shows the lighting effects we wanted. (the client picked a vertical, which didn’t do much for me).
Thailand
KB: Photographed on location at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.  While at the Grand Palace I wanted to get a photo of some monks with the architecture as a backdrop, but never found the perfect moment.  As we were leaving I noticed these two and followed them for a few minutes.  As we turned to exit the palace we passed through a large arch.  The perfect moment I was looking for.
To see more of Keith Barraclough’s work, go to his website and Altpick page.
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Ali Smith’s ‘Momma Love’ Kickstarter Project

Posted on March 22, 2013 by The Pick
by Ali Smith

Momma Love by Ali Smith

For the past twelve years Ali Smith has been working on a book called Momma Love; How the Mother Half Lives.

Gloria Steinem says – “Ali Smith has given us a gift with Momma Love: a fresh, eye-opening manifestation of motherhood’s contemporary realities.”

“After a disastrous experience with a publisher who folded, I’m excited to say I’ve decided to self-publish! To that end, I’ve started a Kickstarter fundraising campaign that will run for the next 30 days only, offering PRE-SALES of the book at a special DISCOUNTED price plus other really cool perks. ”

Ali continues to say, “I’ve met incredible women while making this book. Each has inspired me and helped to shape who I am as a mother and as a woman today. I’ve witnessed many triumphs and walked beside one mother in her final days. I know that their stories will move you as they have moved me. My strongest desire is to give back to these women for sharing their stories with the world.”

So please check out and support Momma Love; How the Mother Half Lives by clicking on the Kickstarter link below. And please send this to TEN (or MORE!) of your closest friends and family members to help SPREAD THE LOVE! Let’s turn this book into a movement and the forming of a community for all the mommas we love.

For more information click here for the Kickstarter Link.

To see more of Ali Smith’s work go to her website and Altpick page.

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Illustrator Blair Kelly :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 20, 2013 by The Pick

AwardsShowImage

Illustrator and printmaker, Blair Kelly, shares with us his favorite images and describes in his own words the inspiration and the idea behind each image.

BK:  AwardsShowImage (above image): I was commissioned by the KRW Awards Show in Toronto to create an image to represent the show appearing on programs, posters, tickets, online and on stage. (I actually won Gold- Best Illustration for another image at the same show, see next attached image).  The Kenneth R Wilson Awards celebrates the best in B2B magazines in Canada so I really just wanted to create a visually captivating image that also kind of referenced the Olympics (which was also happening that summer).

TwitterFraud BK:  Twitter Fraud: This image was created for CA Magazine for an article on Fraud and how social media users can make themselves vulnerable to fraud by sharing too much information. I really wanted to portray a bird, but not exactly the Twitter bird, and loved the idea of someone using a bird sock puppet to trick the bird into talking/tweeting. Since there are a lot of people online who pretend to be someone else, I thought this was fitting. This image won Gold – Best Illustration @ the KRW Awards Show in Toronto in 2012.

OnlineMobs

BK:  Online Mobs: Created for Marketing Magazine for an article on anger and how quickly it can spread online, creating online mobs.  I think it’s fairly simple but powerful.

Sobriety

BK:  Sobriety: Published in Scientific American Mind Magazine for an article on Emotional Sobriety and how recovering alcoholics should detach from their emotions as a recovery tool. I went literal with the detaching part.

LossOfPet

PetLoss: I was commissioned by Time Out Chicago Kids Magazine to come up with an image about kids coping with the death of a pet. I submitted several sketches and this was the idea they decided on which also was my favorite. I now have 2 dogs but never had a pet as a child and therefore never lost a pet so this really made me emotional thinking about hard it would be for child, let alone an adult.

BeachGirl

BK: Beach Girl: This was a personal piece and i really just wanted to make something pretty. I was inspired on a trip to Mexico when i noticed how all the long-haired women wring their hair out when getting out of the water.

To see more of Blair Kelly’s work go to his website and Altpick page.

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Photographer Kristofer Dan-Bergman :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 18, 2013 by The Pick

Rodebjer 2

As photography evolves, especially since digital turned everything upside-down , so does the excitement with trying out new tools the market is offering to create photographs.  Kristofer Dan-Bergman’s latest discovery is the iPhone with the different apps one can use on the spot to manipulate the picture.  “Its quick and easy and you never have to put the file on your desktop, instant gratification especially with the quick upload to the different social media that are available.  I always have had an advance point and shoot camera with me (and still do) but this has added another dimension and excitement to my photography and my creative evolution.”  In his words, Kristofer describes some of his favorite images.

KDB: “Rodebjer” (above image) was from a fashion show and the cat walk during Fashion Week.  I was waiting with the camera pointed at her hoping that she would look at me and all of a sudden she did. I just love the way she is looking at ‘me’.

Red Pants and Sneakers
KDB: A shot from Grand Central Station during midday.  When I saw the shadows and light as I was exiting Grand Central I stopped.  It was amazing.  I knew right away to crop the heads out as I was shooting it. It was the shadows that was the main attraction here and the mystery. I call this picture ‘Red Pant and Sneakers’.
New Museum
KDB: A shot from a Press Showing I attended at the New Museum on Bowery.  When I came to one of the floors I was taken by the big room and orange carpet and then I saw there was an opening at the end with natural light spilling in.  There was one more person in the room and she was working herself towards the light.  I knew exactly what I wanted and hoped I would be able to capture it. I did, and even though I had been impressed by the bright orange carpet I felt it was much more suited as a b/w. The graininess, mysterious light as well as an unidentified person made the picture even more captivating to me.

Allen St.
KDB: On my way home from yoga I came across this scen on Allen and Rivington Streets on the LES.  The image I call “Life is a Mystery” from one of the comments I got after posting it. The night, graininess and the dramatic lighting and no people (visible) makes it sort of mysterious.
Galleries
KDB:  This is my latest shot from last night when I was doing the Galleries in Chelsea.  It yet doesn’t yet have a title except for  ‘Galleries’ or better yet ‘Spaces’.

To see more of Kristofer Dan-Bergman’s photography, go to his website and Altpick page.
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Photographer Chris Sembrot :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 13, 2013 by The Pick
RedHead_6
Photographer Chris Sembrot describes in his own words a new series of  redheads inspired by his mother.
CS:  The idea to start a “redhead” series was first and foremost an homage to to my mother.  My mom is a natural strawberry blond and was my first sitter. What began as an environmental portrait, morphed into what is now this more classical portrait series after a recent trip to The Barnes Museum with my wife.
RedHead_7
RedHead_2
SC: Unsure of the technical approach for lighting or even concept, and idea struck after that evening at the museum. Shortly after, I teamed up with a local wardrobe stylist, Kiley Baun (http://www.shophousedesign.com ) and we got working on a concept that was driven by an elegant wardrobe and utilizing props as symbolism (just like many early European painters).
To see more of Chris Sembrots work, go to his website and Altpick page.
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Emiliano Ponzi’s Dante

Posted on March 11, 2013 by The Pick

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In the “Sedicesimo” n. 28 published by Edizioni Corraini the sharpest stroke of Emiliano Ponzi’s lastest work is the idea of exploring the Hell through the filter of contemporaneity and universal icons, to revisit  by flashes of Dante’s Inferno circles.

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Dante’s “sleep” procedes in Ponzi’s narration by visions.  Daily nightmares drown in the flat background colours of each image.  A suffocating uniformity of colours cutting the ribbon of time and freezing the figures in the eternity of punishment.7_88b5f33f640e4

In the ‘Sedicesimo Inferno” Emiliano Ponzi creates a “punishment of colour” that kneads and washes the human feature of the damned in which it only emerges the identity of their role in society or history. “Inferno” is the 28th “Sedicesimo” of the 3_44c07e8prestigious book series of edizioni Corraini that hosted the most important signatures of art, design and communications, such as Steven Heller, Frank Chimero, Steven Guarnaccia, Italo Lupi and Giulio Iacchetti.

To see more of Emiliano’s work go to his rep’s website or Altpick page.

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Scott Council’s Surfing Grommets

Posted on March 5, 2013 by The Pick

surf-kids-6

SURFING GROMMETS

When I spent the afternoon with the Grommets down in San Clemente I saw something I don’t see all the time when I am surfing. They yelled and laughed and romped around in the water enjoying every minute of the beach, the waves, friendship and fun. They were shouting at people in the water like they were at a hockey game. I originally went to the beach to capture the soul and drive of the mini athletes and try to photograph them as little heroes. What I ended up with is the pure joy of surfing and fun. I mixed the two shots together because as in life there is never one side to anything always everything is yin and yang. They are serious and skilled but most of all they represent something greater that is so important to remember. They represent how simply happiness and joy can be achieved. The real reason I love to surf is because I get to be a kid when I am out there. Nothing matters accept that moment and catching a wave. I love the feeling of conquering the waves and making a wave my own. I feel that way about photography to but not as much as in the beginning because I get paid for it now. The search for an image is like the chase of a good ride accept “no one is ever going to pay me to surf”. When you get that good ride no matter how you feel you have all this power to chase another. This shoot just makes me want to shoot some more. SHOUT OUT!!: Thanks to all the parents and the kids in San Clemente for spending time with me and allowing me to see a bit of your world. I made two box’s of prints for them that I really hope they will love.

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To see more of Scott Council’s photography you can go to his website or Altpick page.

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Graeme Bandeira :: In His Own Words

Posted on March 5, 2013 by The Pick

Fish

Graeme Bandeira’s work is best described as quirky.  He is spontaneous and his general approach to illustration is to dip a mapping pen into a bottle of ink and let his imagination run riot! He says “I don’t concern myself with mistakes too much. If I draw a line that doesn’t conform to regularity then it’s best left in there. The same applies to spillages and splats of ink that just happen by accident. I think that is what gives my work its quirky element. Sometimes areas can looked over-worked but I like to delve into the finer details of the subject. I think it’s important when doing caricatures that you try to establish what the person is really about and hopefully the character will come to the fore through the line work”.
In his own words, Graeme describes some of his favorite images.
GB:  I did the fish illustration when I was just starting out in 1997 and to this day it’s still one of my favourites. I’ve had good offers to part with it but it still remains close to my heart. It was an experimental piece that started out as a study about fish but then developed into a collage of materials and colour.
SUBMISSION 6
GB:  This parrot illustration was a follow-up to the fish piece. I experimented again with collage and used real newspaper to emphasise the fact that the parrot is actually reading a paper. I did a series of these illustrations based on the poems of Edward Lear and this got me started on the editorial illustration highway….

SUBMISSION 1

GB: Diego Maradona: A caricature of my favourite football player and currently part of an on-going theme. He posesses all the ingredients one needs to do a portrait full of character, charm and attitude. I think it helps sometimes if you are already familiar with the character. The style is relatively carefree which mirrors his personality.

sardines

GB:  Again, another spontaneous approach, this time depicting food. These illustrations were produced for cookery pages for the Yorkshire Post and the aim was to ensure they looked as fresh as possible!

Tomatoes for WOMENS POST

To see more of Graeme Bandeira’s work, go Altpick page, to purchase some of his fabulous prints and swag check out his Society6 page.
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