young girl playing an imaginary guitar

Any commercial photographer who has ever worked on a large production shoot knows what is involved. There is the all important producer to secure, location scouting, the talent search, assistants and digital techs to confirm, the logistic considerations for the agency personal and client, the stylist, make-up artist, props and clothing to content with, the catering to worry about, the permits to file for, etc., etc., oh and of course there’s the estimate and budget to stress on! After all that the actual shooting is actually fun and relaxing.

Now imagine all the above X 15 for the same client and all part of the same job and the stress level can jump off the charts. (Word of advice, hire a good producer!)


boy in school

Partial team members:

Abdiel
Gene and Stacey
Hector, Stacey, Mike and Mary

Fortunately for me I took my own advice when DraftFCB called in behalf of their client Boeing Corporation with an assignment for fifteen different ads . Now before you think that it was fifteen shots under the same production umbrella, don’t! It was fifteen separate and unique shots done under completely different circumstances and locations and requiring an almost ‘start-from-the-beginning’ approach for each one.

newborn baby
student girl with insect
sculpture

Global Corporate Citizenship was the campaign that Boeing wanted the photographs for. It’s part of an outreach programs for communities around the country. Each ad was to depict a personal human story showing the efforts, compassion, dreams and humanistic side of people and to provide inspiration and hope to others. The images needed to emphasize the person more than the environment though they should depict the variety and make up of the United States. It was a tall order but as I advice earlier, take it one step at a time.

ballet teacher and student
grandfather with granddaughter
construction
new home and  family

With a crackerjack producer, agency personal and team we managed to shoot the job in three stages and in three different locations, South Florida, New Orleans and Seattle. No cliches about ‘long hard work’, ‘endless hours’ or ‘early wake up calls’ are necessary. That’s just part of the work. However, what isn’t always part of the work was the incredible good times, conversations, dinners and bonding that became part of this job. The memories and hopefully the images will have a lasting impression on all of us.