July 2011

The Denver 48 Hour Film Project – Ready? Set. Go. Participated in the Denver 48 Hour Film Project along with a talented crew of some 50 people over a one-day – 18 hour schedule. Check out the 48HourFP website for more information. A special thank you to Rodney Wilson, Director/Actor and Zach Lee, Director of Photography for allowing me the chance to be part of this great project. I operated a Glidecam System, 1st and 2nd Camera and “chipped-in” as a Production Assistant, as well. All in a days work, right? See you next year! “Hey Mister – do you need a ride?”

I’ll post more Behind The Scenes images after the films *August 7th release.

*Please attend the August 7th – Group C showing and support our film called WORK.

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Created executive portraits for Van Gilder Insurance and EnRisk Services.
*Final images will be posted after selection.

Location Scout – No matter how well you think you may “know” a location – it never hurts to “scout” anyway.

Red Rocks Park, Morrison, Colorado & Boulder Falls outside Boulder, Colorado. ©Don Cudney

Vanity Is Bliss – Stopped by the corporate offices of Hooters Colorado to discuss an upcoming location shoot and found this little gem hanging in the lobby (see image posted below). “Our favorite – everyone loves this image.”

DCP Apparel Online – If you haven’t checked out my CafePress Online Store – please do and Make A Statement Today ! If you are an ASMP Member, I highly suggest you purchase a “I’m With Don” t-shirt and wear it to your next ASMP event. *A $5 cash reimbursement to ASMP members that send me an image of themselves wearing the t-shirt at the event (limited to the first 20 participants).

Assignment/Tearsheet – Photographed Amanda Glazar, PhD, CCMEP, and Allison Kickel, CCMEP for the cover of the July/August 2011 issue of Medical Meetings Magazine.

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Something completely different. Received an assignment from ARCHITECT Magazine asking me to photograph three young architects (and one young engineer) playing volleyball for an upcoming article on team building within large corporations. Location: Washington Park, Denver, CO.

*Final layout will be posted after publication.

Outtakes.

Assignment/ Tearsheet – Sometimes it takes forever to receive a Tearsheet – or in this case – track down a tearsheet. I had forgotten about this photo shoot until I was reviewing my weblog – as a web-based log of my photography career – and suddenly realized – “I’ve never received or seen the ‘final layout from this shoot.'” A quick Google search revealed the published cover and now I just need to have the AD or PE email me a PDF and hopefully a hard copy.

*I apologize for the awful reproduction – I’ll re-post after I receive a PDF.

Kathleen Sanford of Catholic Health Initiatives

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Traveled out to Golden, Colorado to create a cover and feature image of Steven Gould/GouldGlobal for an upcoming issue of Vetrepreneur Magazine. * Final layout will be posted after publication.

Steven Gould – Welcome To Golden

Video Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Myself along with 10 other talented videographers captured video footage of brand-new Microsoft employees for Run Studios and Radarworks.

SHIT Happens – And another one “bites the dust?” In this day and age of digital and DoItYourself – are magazines really going to disappear? HELL NO. Honestly – I’m doing EVERYTHING to get away from my digital devices and there is no way I’m taking an iPad to the loo – ewww gross. But that’s another post and another rant. More importantly, an art director has lost their job and I’ve lost a client;  Booooo Hissss.

Hi Don.

This is XXXX, the Art Director for XXXX. I'm  really sorry to say this, but we will no longer
be needing you to do the  shoot. Unfortunately, the company that owns XXXX has unexpectedly
shut down. I'm not really sure what that means for the magazine, but at this time, we all no longer
have jobs. I'm really sorry to have inconvenienced you. If I had been able to foresee this, I would
not have wasted your time. 

Thank you,
XXX

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Created images of Matt McChesney former Colorado Buffalo & Denver Bronco lineman and current voice of The Pro & The Pundit for the September 2011 issue of Mile High Sports Magazine.

*Final layout will be posted after publication.

1st Frame & BTS Images

Location Scouting – Drove out to Cherry Creek Reservoir to perform a location scout for some upcoming bikini photo shoots in August. I sure wish I could convince the client to fly to Destin, Florida; I know some great beaches there!

Cherry Creek Reservoir – Aurora, Colorado

ASMP CO Event – Attended the Chimera Lighting event at Denver Pro Photo and learned a thing or two about light modifiers and new products from Chimera. A special thank you to Terry Monahan of Chimera, the beautiful model that Chimera provided and all those members and non-members that attended. I was surprised by the attendance considering there was a golf ball-sized hail storm just minutes before the event.

View “better” BTS images – HERE.

It Happens – I had a really cool assignment for Architect Magazine “postponed” because of monsoon rain in the Denver Metro area. Denver, Colorado rarely receives this kind of rain and I rarely have to reschedule a photo shoot because of the weather, but it has happen twice this month.

Behind The Scenes – Easy Come? & Easy Go! It is always a great feeling (a real high for me) when I receive an email or a phone call from a new or existing client inquiring about my schedule, my fees and my expenses. But it can be a real “bummer” when that same new client or existing client “(decides) that (they) do not need (the) shot after all.” This situation only occurs 2 or 3  times a year to me (and usually results in a Kill Fee), but it is always a little – depressing when I lose the chance to shoot for a new client. I just love creating images (not editing images); it’s that simple.

Update: I found out in September of 2011 that “the potential new client” actually hired another (wedding) photographer that resides in Colorado part time and in all honesty – their published image was weak ! Can you believe – the Photo Editor lied to me? LOL. They got what they deserved!

_____________________________________________

Hi Don,

We are looking to shoot (photograph) athletes ________ & ________. They will be in Denver this weekend for
an event, and they are giving us a few hours to shoot them in a studio. Do you have a studio? We would
like to shoot them like the sample below, which we saw a lot of similar images in your book. For each
subject we would need: 1- high-key, edge-lit portrait shot (in studio) 2- high-key, edge-lit running
shot (in studio) Our day rate for this shoot is $750. Can you get back to me with an estimate of your
equipment + studio expenses.

Thank you, XXXXXX

 Hi Don,

Thanks for checking in, I am meeting with my creative director to confirm if we still need _____ and _____ shot.
I will be in touch with you asap.

Thank you, XXXXXX

Hi Don, 

Thanks for checking in. We have decided that we do not need _____ and _____ shot after all. Thank you for your
support. We often shoot all over the country, so if a story comes through in the Denver area, I will be sure
to keep you in mind!

Best, XXXXXX

Thank you XXXXXX.

Yes, please keep me in mind for future XXXXXX Magazine assignments. I love to travel, so please don't hesitate
to call me about any assignments in the Western States area. Please visit my Weblog for recent work + behind
the scenes images & videos. Would it be alright if I occasionally email or snail mail you a "recent work" promo?
Thank you again for the opportunity to work with you on an issue of XXXXXX Magazine.

Have a wonderful day, Don

_____________________________________________

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Traveled out to the laboratories of Allosource to create advertising and sales images of Alloskin and Allowrap. *Final layouts will be posted after publication.

Assignment/Behind The Scenes – Created portraits of Caleb Folan of the Colorado Rapids for the August 2011 issue of Mile High Sports Magazine. Aiko = “Love Child” in Japanese. *Final layout will be posted after publication.

Outtakes. Caleb Folan, 2011. ©Don Cudney

Location Scouting – Spent a couple (unpaid) hours driving around Denver scouting/checking locations for an upcoming photoshoot. Update: production was “moved into the studio” due to a monsoon rain storm.

Various Locations Around Denver

Tearsheet – Join Jackson’s Bar / Denver On-The-Rooftop to help choose the 6 Lucky Ladies who will be photographed in Jackson’s “Angels & Athletes” section in the December 2011 issue of Mile High Sports Magazine. Featured Athletes: Marvell Wynne (Colorado Rapids), Chris Andersen (Denver Nuggets), Dexter Fowler (Colorado Rockies), TJ Galliardi (Colorado Avalanche), Renaldo Hill (Denver Broncos), Ryan O’Reilly & Brandon Yip (Colorado Avalanche) and Brad Richardson & Tom Ethington (Colorado Mammoth).

Tearsheet – Created images of Conor Casey and Lodi of the Colorado Rapids for the July 2011 issue of Mile High Sports Magazine. Nick Heckman, Art Director.

Conor Casey – Outtakes © Don Cudney

Tearsheet – I photographed DaVarryl Williamson, professional boxer, for the 2008 Fitness issue of Mile High Sports Magazine, but the Art Director never found good use for this outtake – until now. DaVarryl Williamson, 2008.

Playing Around – I’m always looking for a reason to “practice” my cinematography skills. Below is a video still from recent footage of two Robins? feeding their young. Location: my girlfriends third story porch.

Video Still from “Feed Me, Feed Me”

Happy 4th of July – I love photography and I have a great respect for the “business of photography,” but even I need a break sometime; for me – a holiday is a day without composition, exposure or the f-ing computer. Hallajulla – what a day.

One (iPhone) Frame.

The Good, the Bad, and the Not So Pretty – If you read my weblog regularly than you know “I have lost my patience with the commercial photography industry (mainly the photographers themselves). Why? Because most photographers are under the impression that we MUST adapt and change along with the rights grabs and disrespect that commercial photographers are currently facing. I could go on and on (and often do) but let me just say – Clients need imagery and we can provide – at a cost. What has changed in the industry? The simple fact that today – “many do not understand the tangible value of our imagery. I blame this trend on the misconception that digital photography is less expensive than traditional film photography and I believe this simple ignorance has driven the value of our profession down along with our creative fees. – Moving forward the only photographers that will truly be able to succeed will be those whose work has a real point of view, have a real knowledge of production and are really smart at business. Our profession has been blessed, and cursed, with the fact that too many people think it’s a glamorous profession and are willing to work for glamor, rather than cash.” – Debra Weiss.

With all that said – here’s some GOOD and BAD NEWS. Bad News first – A local ad agency stole an image (off of Flickr) from a local ASMP photographer and was “using it” on their website and on YouTube. I suspect the Agency knew it was illegal and were just playing the – “better to ask forgiveness” card. The Good News – Rather than being “flattered” like soooooo many other photographers would have been (I just don’t understand) the photographer sent the Agency an invoice. Guess what. Like any good business dealings – the photographer was paid and the Agency apologized profusely. Is this a random event by a random photographer? – IT SHOULDN’T BE. Why aren’t all photographers this smart and this PROFESSIONAL??? There is light at the end of the tunnel – we can make a living as commercial photographers – if we stand up for our rights, demand respect and, at least, appear professional.

Assignment – Congratulations to Elizabeth Leith, the City & County of Denver and the State of Colorado’s newest District Probate Court Judge. It’s always nice to have a Probate Judge as a friend (or client).

Tearsheet – If I was you – I wouldn’t miss the 2nd Annual Michael Breen Memorial Golf Tournament being held at Arrowhead Golf Course on July 15, 2011; whether you golf or not!

Archive/Tearsheet – Created conceptual images of Jane Wollman Rustoff (I think?) emerging from a pile of hay and holding a large needle for an article entitled – Needles: Less Hay for the July 2004 issue of Benefits Selling Magazine. Location: Broadway Studios East, Denver, Colorado.