Miserere operates the blog Enticing the Light which covers a wide range of photographic topics from experience, equipment, tips, tutorials, and often humorous anecdotes that we’re all too familiar with. He booked this day last minute giving me a short time to pull something off. Though I’m always up for a challenge, he did provide me with a great story and prompt to work from.

The story is of a senator who was once being given a tour of a government research facility where scientists and linguists had been working for years on a machine to automatically translate text from one language to another. To demonstrate their almost-finished machine, they asked the senator to give them a sentence and they would translate it to Chinese. The senator thought for a moment and said “out of sight, out of mind”.

The technician fed this into the machine and after some whirring and hissing, a piece of paper with the translation emerged from the other end. As nobody in the room knew Chinese, they decided to ask the machine to translate it back to English. The technician fed the piece of paper into the machine, and after some whirring and hissing, another piece of paper emerged at the other end. The senator took the sheet and read what was printed out loud: “Blind idiot.”

Miserere basically wanted me to be his translation machine for Enticing the Light. Go check out the blog, it’s a wonderful read.

[About this Shoot: I loved the title of his website "Enticing the Light". I wanted to interpret this somehow. I came up with the idea, that since enticing basically means "to lure", that I would have a light source being tempted by something. What would attract light? Darkness, of course.

My goal was to give a certain persona to the desk lamp used in the photo, lured towards the darkness and shadows underneath the "old school" box trap. Curiously, the light moves closer and takes a peek up into the box, filling its darkness with light. Enticed by darkness, light provides the enlightenment needed for all vision and photography.]

See a Large Version of the Photo Here

Mud Hut – Monument Valley, Utah – 2009

I took this photo in the Monument Valley area of Utah last summer. The perspective is from the inside of a dome mud hut in the far back looking across a centered stove and out the front door. These structures are made of logs formed into a dome. Mud or clay is then applied to the outside several inches thick and a stove pipe exits the middle of the roof. From the outside it basically looks like a mud igloo. This structure, I’m sure, was a modern recreation of what a typical Native American mud hut would have looked like.

It was such a sunny day that the light out the front door is completely blown out white and enough of it trickled in to reveal detail to the logs, stove, and sandy floor. This was one of my all time favorite pictures I took last year and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Exclusive Deal: Call Tanya @ 303.929.6214, mention oncemany.com, and get 1 HOUR FREE COACHING SESSION by phone.

River of Opportunities is owned by Tanya Lelo and provides Coaching for Life, Business, and Success. Make no mistake, she’ not a therapist, she’s not a shrink, and she’s not a psychologist. Coaching is different and helps people through the crossroads in life, helps them look more closely at and realize the opportunities which exist, and teaches them how to make conscious choices.

These choices and opportunities are a large part of life; every minute, every hour, every day of every week, people are constantly making choices in their lives. Often these choices are made without analytical thought. Tanya helps people understand that they have total control over the choices that they make in their lives. You can learn to respond to the world as opposed to just reacting to it. When you make conscious choices you gain control and become empowered over your life and the path you lead.

Most everyone at some point in life finds themselves at a crossroads, caught in a rut, or a negative cycle they feel won’t ever end. Coaching helps them analyze more closely the opportunities which exist and teaches them to realize the choices so each person can best regain control and create the life of their dreams. A quote that Tanya delivered to me from Heraclitus of Ephesus was “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” It made perfect sense, I loved it, and I’ll remember it forever.

[About this Shoot: I met Tanya at her Golden, CO condo and we set off to get the fly fishing picture we'd previously discussed. As we're driving South towards the Platte River we had ample time to talk. She's the easiest person to talk to and I felt completely comfortable. Casual conversation became a small coaching session.

We got our shot (went with a vintage/retro feel) and by the end of the day I definitely had a better grasp on my life, what I'm doing, and where I'm headed. Call her (303.929.6214) to schedule a free 1 hour appointment. An hour out of your day could mean a lifetime of happiness. It's like talking to a best friend who knows exactly what to say to propel you towards a successful future.]

The D.B. Walker Band is a versatile Blues and Rock unit that is guaranteed to entertain. The band plays a broad variety of original material and classic rock favorites that get audiences involved, creating a party atmosphere in any venue. Featuring David B. Walker’s dynamic blues-infused vocals and soaring guitar work, this tight, professional unit never fails to rock the house.

D.B. lays the foundation with passionate guitar playing and gritty vocals to match. Add to that Lachlann Kane on Keyboards and Vocals, Mike Oliver on Drums, and Greg Jones on Bass and Vocals, all veterans of the local club scene, the band delivers great music that will hit you hard and leave you wanting more.

The D.B. Walker Band plays great acoustic and electric blues that harkens back to some of the greats like Ry Cooder, John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. The band pays homage in an original way that updates and expands upon the delta blues genre. The band often uses this as a jumping off point for musical journeys that can lead anywhere. With over 100 years of musical experience on stage, it can lead to some exiting places. Contact them for Booking availability.

[About this Shoot: I contacted D.B. after he booked the day to learn more about him and what he wanted to do for the day. He explained to me of the bands and his interest in photography. He mentioned he'd like to have a picture of a Dobro guitar with a female with Red Fingernails.

I contacted a local music store to see if I could use their equipment for the shoot. After stopping at a pharmacy and picking up fake fingernails and red polish, my girlfriend (pictured here) and I went to the music store to get the shot. I'm pleased with the results and I hope it transfers over into good promotions for the band.]

See Large Version of the Photo Here

Beautiful Habitat is a full service Interior Design studio owned by Tennille Wood and services the Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and mountain areas. Her design is so much more than a pretty room and she believes the spaces we occupy influence the way we live, work, relax and play, and a well designed space truly improves the quality of life for those living and working in it.

She named the company Beautiful Habitat because she likes to create truly personal “habitats” for each client, the ideal living environment for them. She believes in designing a home for your lifestyle, not the rules of what your home (or you) should be or do and certainly not to follow trends. In that way, She also becomes more than a designer and more like a lifestyle consultant. Tennille’s not selling design, she’s selling happiness.

She also has a blog where she includes free tips, advice, and “Ask the Designer” Q&A sessions. She recently had an article published in the Denver Post on their Ask The Expert blog. Check out here website and portfolio and consider following her on Twitter @b_habitat.

[About this Shoot: I wasn't able to meet up with Tennille to document her own work through photography. I decided to convey the message through the portrayal of bad design, a what not to do, and how to reach the designer for help.

I set up a scene and I'm pretty sure a rough cut pine wooden end table and a black and white vintage vinyl chair with chrome accents is bad design. I'm pretty sure crooked lamp shades and picture frames are bad design and I'm positive that a coffee cup fruit bowl are bad design. Even the subtle book on the table titled "The Crying for A Vision" sends the message.]

See a Large Version of the Photo Here

Vincent Mikolay lives in Los Angeles and is a working actor/model and strategic consultant with an MBA. He booked today with me to celebrate his brother Bill’s birthday and also as a tribute for life’s journey they’ve each endured and the connection they now share as a result.

Vincent + Bill didn’t always connect and were in fact polar opposites growing up. Bill, 5 years older, was a skater and lived against conformity while Vincent was involved in sports, the jock, the all american kid. It wasn’t until their father passed away that they really reconnected. Both young adults by then, matured, educated, and experiencing the trials of life’s survival; the brothers were suddenly faced with carrying on the family name.

Mikolay 2.0 was born, a generational evolution and the next iteration of a family surviving through the tribulations. Adventurous, Happiness, Love, Respect, and Continuous Self Improvement are just a few of the describing traits. The true meaning of family, the blood and bond, will now and forever live on between these two as they sustain the legacy for generations to come.

Bill is currently a teacher, married, and living happily in Pittsburgh, PA. Happy Birthday good sir.

[About this Shoot: I contacted Vincent about what he wanted to represent for the day. He told me about the story of his brother and his birthday. Since photographing them together wasn't an option, I wanted to convey the emotion of his story.

I did a shoot with two males, standing close with an arm resting on the others shoulder, facing outward on a peak over a view of a city, lights, and landscape. Invoking a feeling of accomplishment, looking back on the past but ready to turn towards the future. Reflection with an air of happiness and love as if to say, we made it.]

See a Large Version of the Photo Here

Of the 59,526 books you’ll find about branding on Amazon, you won’t find another quite like this. “Defying Gravity and Rising Above the Noise” is a large 11″x13″ hard cover, coffee table style book written by David Brier of DBD International.

The book lays out 8 Principles for Brand Elevation and is written without “brand speak” in an easy-to-understand language with even easier-to-understand examples, shown in full-color between its covers.

Brands either stand out or blend in. Brands are either leaders or followers. Brands can either inspire or perspire. If your in the brand + design industry or just interested in great branding, design, and marketing, this book is a must-have for your collection. Read more about the book here.

DBD International
Follow on Twitter – @davidbrier

[About this Shoot: This was the 3rd installment for David Brier. We wanted to keep up with the theme of defying gravity with a bit of a retro tinge to the photos. This one depicts the possibilities of gravity defiance through simply reading David's book.]

See Large Version of the Photo Here

Noelle Swan Gilbert is a Los Angeles native who has been in love with photography since she inherited her father’s Argus C3 35mm camera at the age of 12. Capturing the world through its lens changed the way she saw life around her, and Noelle was rarely without a camera in those early years.

Noelle is mostly self-taught, with the exception of some classes and workshops, and gains inspiration from the many great photographers whose paths she has crossed in her photographic journey. Noelle continues to live in Los Angeles, and is still rarely without a camera. Check out her website and work at http://noelleswangilbert.com

Noelle has ties to Boulder, CO which unfortunately are very tragic + sad. Her sister Laura Swan lived in Boulder with her husband and two children. In 2007 she was murdered in her home by her ex-husband Mike Strauss. Her children are now living with Laura and Noelle’s parents in Seattle, WA.

Noelle wanted to dedicate this day to the memory of her sister Laura Swan and also to Safehouse: Progressive Alliance for Non-violence. Friends of Laura have dedicated and installed a park bench in her honor at the North Boulder Park and we thought it perfect to capture this bench for the memorial photo.

If you knew Laura or know her family, please feel free to post any thoughts in the comments and consider supporting the non-profit Safehouse in their fight against non-violence.

[About this Shoot: It was a lovely sunny day when I arrived at the park to get a shot of the park bench. I quickly found the bench as the sun shone directly upon it. A single shoe was resting on the bench and appeared to be a child or small women's shoe. I don't know if it was purposefully placed there or not. Nevertheless, I liked the symbolism it shared and the long shadow it cast upon the bench, so I never disturbed or removed the shoe.

I did several shots of the bench. This one, where my girlfriends shadow is cast upon the bench (hair blowing), I thought delivered a strong and poignant emotion and memory.]

See a Large Version of this Photo here

Today was booked several weeks ago for Erudite Expressions, the photoblog of photographer Eugene Buchko and we were going to use the spot to collaborate and promote his work. However, Eugene contacted me shortly after the earthquake in Haiti occurred and wanted to donate his day to bring awareness to the situation and present the creative ways the photographic community is offering art and donating all the proceeds to help the efforts for Haiti.

Some options we’d like to highlight:

1) A Flickr group “Charity Print Auctions” displays prints from various artists. You may bid on any print and if you win you donate directly to the charity. Eugene has submitted a print to this cause which is up for auction until Jan 26th. Go make a bid on it.

2) Images Without Borders is a campaign which sells Limited Edition prints from World Class Photographers to benefit Doctors Without Borders. More details here.

3) A photo journalistic magazine, Haiti: Onè Respe which translates to “honor and respect”, has been created and is for sell at MagCloud with the full purchase price donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund for Haiti relief.

4) Eugene is offering for sale any prints on his own site and will be donating 50% of the proceeds to his choice charity Partners in Health.

I have decided to donate the full purchase price of today’s booking to the Partners in Health: Stand With Haiti and am also offering a 13″x19″ Limited Edition (1 of 1) print of this photo represented here on the Flickr group Charity Print Auctions.

The winning bidder will also receive the signed, hand painted t-shirt I created for use in this photo. (the t-shirt isn’t wearable or washable as it’s hand painted). The auction runs through Feb 13th so please offer your help by bidding on this Print + T-Shirt now.

See a Large Version of the Photo Here

dojo4 is a technology services provider and hacking collective located at 2030 17th Street in downtown Boulder, CO. It is managed by dojo4 llc, a partnership between @drawohara, @digidigo, @jlarrimore, and @hoosteeno.

dojo4’s domain of technology expertise includes massive custom Ruby on Rails application design and development; iPhone and mobile application development; UI design and production; and CMS implementation and customization, among others.

dojo4 is open daily. Visitors and inquiries are welcome. Check out Justin Crawford’s blog for more goings ons around the dojo.

[About this Shoot: I met up with the 4 founders at their downtown Boulder "dojo", a new workspace they've acquired and modeled with a plethora of macbooks, toys, and various implements of destruction. These guys are coding Ninja's and can hack out any custom development you need.

It was great meeting them as they love what they do and make it a fun atmosphere to visit and work in. We crammed all four of them in a tiny bathroom and did a shot like something you'd see on an album cover as they're Rock Stars in their own right.]

See a Large Version of the Photo Here

Photoinduced.com is the first stop in your photographic life. If you’ve ever taken a photo, this is the place for you. Whether you need help taking a better snapshot of your kids or you want reviews on the latest photo gear, software, or books, they’ll help point you in the right direction for the answers and share their opinions from first hand knowledge.

While digital innovations in photography continue to provide us with amazing ways to share our lives, they can often be somewhat overwhelming to approach and use. Photoinduced.com will give you the means and knowledge to use these technologies in the most user friendly manner. Don’t wade through scores of search pages to find the information you need when you can go to one main source.

You’ll find insightful articles on equipment, education, and the latest information on the people and events of the industry. Their resources page places all the useful information in one convenient location. They also host a Readers Gallery to submit, showcase, and promote your work to gain the exposure you’ve been looking for.

It’s their mission to inform, educate, and entertain the community and they even offer weekly giveaways of photography related items. Go now and become a free member of one of the hottest online photographic communities going.

[About this Shoot: As a long time fan and follower of the blog, I contacted Damon about featuring my project to the community. He was excited about the project and agreed to write an article and went one step further and booked his own day. I wanted to do a piece that was creatively relational to how photographic information is absorbed.

I wanted to portray an alternate way for photographic info + data to enter the body. I used the scene of an IV patient but replaced the IV Pole with a tripod, placed a camera in a bag hanging from the pole with the USB cable being the lead directly into the arm. I used B&W for heightened emotion. I like the results and think the message isn't blatantly obvious and requires further thought and inspection.]

See a Larger Version of the Photo

DBD International is a prestigious design + branding firm created by “Chief Gravity Defyer” David Brier. He and his firm have received over 300 industry awards for their work in identity, branding, and package design.

DBD International focuses their attention on the minute details which makes a companies brand rise above the noise of the rest. It’s these differences that cause people to notice and become drawn towards a brand causing business growth to drastically increase.

From startups, to companies persuing that next level, or mature brands needing a breath of new life into their identity; DBD International are the ones to contact. They’ve helped countless companies stand out when all they’ve done previously is blend in. Their work “Defies Gravity”, “Rises above the Noise”, and elevates your brand to the top.

The World of DBD International
Defying Gravity and Rising Above the Noise
Follow David on Twitter – @davidbrier

[About this Shoot: This is the 2nd article in a series of 3. On Jan 14th I highlighted David Brier - The Brand Elevator. For today's feature of his company DBD International, David wanted to stick with a theme of "defying gravity". We came up with the simple concept of the classic "is the glass half full or empty" analogy but the twist being the top half is full and the bottom is empty. He wanted to keep a retro, 50's style coloring to the theme. Be sure to check out the 3rd installment of David's book here on the 25th.]

“They Love Each Other, Lord You Can See That It’s True” – Jerry Garcia

The Pascoes – Mike, Stephanie, and their 6 month old miniature schnauzer pup Maia reside in wonderful Boulder, CO. Mike is working on his PhD in Neurophysiology at CU and Stephanie is a practicing physical therapist. They met during their junior years at CU in an Anatomy Lab when the teachers assistant said “find a partner”. They took the command quite literally as they’ve been together ever since.

They shared a beautiful wedding together last summer tying the knot on July 25, 2009. After returning from their honeymoon and settling into their Boulder home, they decided to expand the family and added Maia from 4 Bar D Kennels (who coincidentally was born a day before their wedding). Maia also appreciates the value of a good education and attends puppy training with Mike + Stephanie every Thursday.

They enjoy exploring Boulder and its surrounding landscapes, spending time with family, snowboarding Copper Mountain, and attending fellowship at the Calvary Bible Church in North Boulder. While they’re blessed to have such a wonderful life at home, Mike + Stephanie love to get away to far away places when they can and spent 3 weeks in Peru during August of 2005. Check out the pics from their trip here.

[About this Shoot: We settled on doing this shoot at the CU campus as its a special place for both of them. Mike + Stephanie are about the two warmest and nicest people you'd likely meet. After letting Maia run off some of her puppy energy, we began exploring various locations and situations for the shoot.

The shot represented here says it all I think. I loved them holding hands, heading down the path with Maia in the lead, looking at each other with smiles + admiration, and with a backdrop right out of a postcard. Great stuff. I wish you three all the health + happiness in the world for your future.]

Moxie Sozo is a 20 person Design + Advertising agency founded in Boulder, CO in 1999. Their mission has been to create great work for a select number of clients. From initial strategy to final delivery, they are fanatical about coming up with original solutions; they obsess about the details; and they are not happy until their clients are happy. Consequently, they have never lost an account. They take pride in offering all of the capabilities of a large agency, yet they retain the personal attention of a boutique shop.

A brand is many things. It is a living, growing, evolving organism that has personality, values and a unique identity. It is also the collective experience of consumers in relationship to your company. Strong brands are cultivated slowly and with care. Brand development is more than just a logo or a tagline: it is the consistent, impactful use of many elements working in unison to distinguish your company from the competition. Whether developing a name, website, packaging or an advertising campaign, Moxie Sozo has helped build highly distinctive and memorable brands.

Moxie Sozo has just finished some beautiful soap packaging design for Leap Organics out of Boston with more product line designs for the brand coming soon. Check out the post (via The Denver Egotist) here and view the results.

Give them a follow on Twitter – @moxiesozo

[About this Shoot: I met Leif Steiner at their Boulder location. Their space is one of the most unique, intriguing, if not weird places I've been in. From the oddball taxidermy to the macabre illustrations of human + animal anatomy, their office space made for a fantastically fun photo op. Had a good time meeting and perusing the space as their design work is quite possibly the best I've ever seen. (Pictured here: Charles Bloom - Art Director - Moxie Sozo)]

Zack Shapiro is a entrepreneur + journalism student at the University of Colorado in Boulder and he’s also the Social Media Editor at the CU Independent.

Zack has developed a really useful iPhone/iPod Touch App for anyone that travels by RTD Bus in Colorado. You get access to the RTD AB and B Bus schedule + times. The app even works offline using published bus schedules allowing users to access upcoming bus information from anywhere, regardless of cell phone signal strength or internet connection.

The App is officially called “RTD Mobile Bus Times” and can be downloaded here or search for it through the App Store on your iPhone. Go get a copy of the App and never waste time waiting on the Bus again. Version 2.0 (a free upgrade) is currently in the works and is expected to add even more features and Bus schedules.

Check out Zack’s blog here http://zackshapiro.com
Follow him on Twitter @ZackShapiro