Just received word that the new portfolio has been printed and is in route from Asukabook. This will be the third portfolio I've partnered with them on and I couldn't be more pleased with the print quality and their attention to detail. Things seem to get a bit more refined each time we update the book. Upon receipt we'll slip the books into our custom designed cases which compliment the JCP brand nicely.

In addition to receiving the printed and bound book we were recently notified by an Asukabook representative that the portfolio is being featured as the "monthly pick" to be showcased on their website. Check out JCP Portfolio for a sneak peak.

Upon receipt I'll be showing the book both locally and nationally in person as time permits. Paula Gren will of course start showing nationally very soon.

Keeping the wheels in motion...
While we're spending many of our hours on a refresh of the website, collaborating on multiple video projects, and discussing the iPad and it's infusion into the business, we are still giving equal treatment to our printed materials.

Stay tuned - later this week the full motion video "Bright Lights: Metal In The City" will make its debut.

Modern medical equipment and accessories are rarely a part of most peoples' daily thoughts, however, at Universal Hospital Services (UHS) it's their focus and has been for nearly 70 years. As the country's leading supplier of outsourced medical equipment, UHS has a presence in all fifty states making sure hospitals have what they need to perform their duties. My crew and I were privy to a behind the scenes look at what goes into keeping up and supplying the medical community with the best technology has to offer during a two day photo shoot.

Working closely with the creatives at Schermer Kuehl, we set out on day one to help tell the story of the receiving, cleaning, repair and eventual dispatching of the rental equipment from one of the main warehouses in Minneapolis. The second day of shooting involved scenes demonstrating actual delivery and use of the equipment by hospital personnel in a medical setting. The next time you see a Baxter pump, IPAP, or other such equipment there's a good chance it came from UHS.

Another interesting project, roaming and collaborating with the A.D. and talent amid a varied backdrop of visual options. I found myself noticing / shooting more silhouettes than is typical. In this case they really seem to highlight / tell the story of UHS.

Stay tuned- our next post will be 100% video. The final edit is complete from the video portion of the, "Bright Lights, Metal in the City..." auto-shoot test. After a long string of e-mails and phone calls with the editor I am really pleased with not only the edit but the color / grading on the final piece...

"Without music, life is a journey through a desert." - Pat Conroy

As a long time resident, it's no secret Minneapolis and our neighboring city of St. Paul have a varied and eclectic number of options in terms of live music. On an otherwise quiet Friday afternoon before the lights went down and the amps got cranked up, we had the opportunity to spend time shooting local band Sing It Loud for their currently signed, Epitaph record label. As golden rays poured through the side windows of the Band Box Diner, our first location, we caught up with each of the five members of the band and learned a little more about what makes them Sing It Loud. Throughout the various locations over the course of the afternoon, we picked up on the individual traits of the five members along with a tight knit, cohesive nature they exuded as a group. Many thanks to the band for keeping the crew and I entertained during the shoot. It was a great way to spend a Friday afternoon. Their new album is due out this coming May...

invoko officially launches next week - the new collaborative side venture jointly marketing the talents of: sound designer Dave Schroeder--PilotVibe, graphic designer Nathan Strandberg--EightHourDay, and myself--Jonathan Chapman Photography.

When at the site be sure to check out the trailer for "The Emerald City Rediscovered," an unconventional take on Seattle and some people and places you typically won't hear of. The full version of this piece will debut in days ahead.

In the coming weeks and months we'll be hitting the pavement, talking to a varied list of local and national clients, spreading the word about our new collaborative effort of mulit-media / interactive storytelling. A great team, telling stories in fresh and innovative ways!

As promised in last November's post, the media portion of the running test is up and ready for review here on the blog or in the JC|P Motion section of the website.

"To say that Lake Superior is the greatest of the Great Lakes is to say much, but it draws no picture of the vastness of this haughty queen of fresh water who has a copper crown, the iron hills for a footstool, and the coldest blue eyes in creation…" - W. Ratigan, Pretty Tall Water Here, in Shipwrecks and Survivals (1969)

Awaking at 4:30 a.m. on a recent morning, my assistant and I set off for Superior, Wisconsin on an assignment for Chicago Magazine. Our subjects were a husband & wife team, originally from Chicago, who made an unconventional late career change. Taking up a new life together, they have focused their efforts on the monumental job of salvaging 6 million board feet of virgin lumber from three free standing, 133 year old grain elevators along the shoreline of Lake Superior.

The images above were shot just minutes before we arrived, traversing Lake Superior as we left Minnesota for Wisconsin. While not an idyllic mid-winter destination, from a travel agent's perspective, I always welcome the chance to head north, shedding a bit of the city for however long I am able. For me it's the first glimpse of Lake Superior that signifies the arrival of "being up north." Travel north this time of year and at this time of day offered a new perspective to a fondly familiar place.

Our next project takes us due south to Texas for a week of shooting - a nice project + destination I certainly welcome this time of year...

Talent at the ready, four wheels and a skin of metal punctuated with a blue and white emblem translated to quite a visual afternoon + evening in late November. The shoot was loosely storyboarded as: a model, a car, and some pre-scouted locations within Minneapolis' Warehouse district. The logistics and weather came together perfectly to shoot this project which had been brewing for some time. The vehicle was acquired via Euro Cars in Eden Prairie and Matt our talent from Caryn Model and Talent Agency. As with the Runner shoot we brought in Alex Horner once again to capture video assets alongside the stills I was gathering.

I am always working to find something new to shoot- a person, place, or subject matter that I've yet to spend time amid. This was my first foray into shooting anything auto related. I approached visually as I have other unrelated projects and am very pleased with the imagery we came away with. Thanks to the crew for hustling this one together- seems to be the trend these days and I don't foresee it changing. I guess that's what keeps it interesting...

The video portion of this shoot should be out soon - I look forward to announcing in a future blog post. For now please check out the gallery of additional stills at the archive section of my site. I am also planning an upcoming e-mail blast based on one of the shots. Keep an eye on your inbox as this will hit very soon.

We've been keeping busy and have some exciting things in the works including a new portfolio- almost all new imagery. We've had a couple of pre-showings with local buyers to get feedback on image selects + pagination. Response has been very good with only minor tweaks suggested around pagination and flow- based on color palette and image selection. We'll be ordering up the books and anticipate them hitting the streets around mid-March...

"If it's flipping hamburgers at McDonald's, be the best hamburger flipper in the world. Whatever it is you do you have to master your craft." - Snoop Dogg

Just when I thought 2009 was over, one last hurrah came up days before the new year to shoot a project for McDonald's. It was also a nice first project to arise as a result of my recent partnership with Paula Gren of Paula Gren Representatives.

The project offered more creative freedom than is typical. I was told to "do what I do," within and outside the walls of one of McDonald's newest restaurants; one that features the latest in terms of design and architecture. Upon first glance the interior layout and design reminded me of something one would see in Holland or another northern European country known for their avante garde designs. The overall modern look and feel of the store didn't take away from the time tested expectations of the golden arches.

The project involved a pre-shoot casting in the restaurant, gathering a varied pool of "real" talent; everyone from toddlers to teens to seniors. The end product was a library of images - "a day in the life" from an employee and customer point of view. Young and old, people were genuinely psyched to take part. The content we came away with is as unique as the new look of the updated McDonald's.

I've got to say whether working or eating - people are truly "lovin it."

Recently EightHourDay was asked to be featured in the June 2010 issue of HOW Magazine. The 6 page article will feature an interview with Nate and Katie as well as an array of their work. In maintaining their small business feel they asked me to capture their day-to-day life(style) as an intimate design couple. The shoot took place at EightHourDay's studio and presented a rich palette of options suitable as stand-alone images or as backgrounds for the portraits. As always it's a pleasure to work with talented folks in the industry. I look forward to seeing the article in the summer issue of How Magazine.

A happy New Year to all who follow the blog. The best for all and the industry as we move into the new decade...