Final Album Artwork for The J.O.B. Single – Messenger

I am very excited to share with you the new album artwork for the soon to be released single “Messenger” by The J.O.B (Jim O’Ferrell Band).  I have been working with lead guitarist Jason Crawford over the last couple of months to compose an image that provides a visual background for the lyrics.  As we progressed through the project, I posted several times to discuss the process and give a behind the scenes look at the creative process that ultimately led to the final product you see above.  For the full history, visit these posts:

• New Album Art Project for The J.O.B. (TheJim O’Ferrell Band)
• Two Concept Photographs for the “Messenger”–The J.O.B.
• Union Station Washington, DC Black and White

So the purpose of this post is to wrap a bow around the project and recap the fun highlights of the creative process.  First of all, although Jason and I have never met, it was a real pleasure working with him.  Projects like this are always more enjoyable when you are working with good people.  I’m sure we will get together sometime for a beer or maybe Jason will venture up to DC for one of my signature wine pairings.

The great challenge and fun of this project was creating an image that evoked the essence of the lyrics.  We started by Jason sending the lyrics (sorry, still can’t share those, but the single will be out in a couple of weeks – check iTunes or visit The J.O.B. website).  What I can say is that the lyrics speak to a deep level of connection between people – much of it unsaid and below our radar of our consciousness.  Jason then pointed out a couple of the photos from this blog that hint at the concept and sent a couple of photos from other sources he was also attracted to.  Armed with this information I began shooting.  I actually shot quite a bit, but only sent those photos for consideration that I thought reflected the heart of the lyrics.

Adding to the fun and challenge of creating the “right” photograph was the fact that I was dealing with abstract ideas – and I had no idea of the music supporting these very powerful lyrics.  While the lyrics are full of vivid images, they remain abstract until the shutter is clicked and the band starts playing.  In the end, Jason selected the photograph below.

This shot was created by setting up my camera on a tripod and taking a series of shots as people moved in front of me.  The shots were all set at a sufficiently slow shutter speed to blur as the people walked by.  I then combined the photos by masking in the passing people while the background remained static.  My interpretation of this photograph in the context of the lyrics is an unseen connection between the people as we race through life unaware until someone illuminates those connections.

Having become a fan of The J.O.B. and their uniquely enjoyable style of Americana Rock, I encourage you to find them on iTunes, pull out your coin jar, and purchase “Messenger” when it is released in a couple weeks.  I have not yet heard the final production, but these guys are good and put a great deal of thought and talent into their passion for music.  I am confident it will get 5 stars on my iPhone playlist.

I hope to continue this creative relationship with Jason and The J.O.B. and soon be writing about the next single release in the coming months.

Have fun, and go make some great photography.

Craig

Union Station Washington, DC Black and White

Last week, Jason from the Jim O’Ferrell Band (the J.O.B.) suggested Union Station in Washington DC as a potential subject for the cover art of the single “Messenger” which they are now recording.  Easy stuff.  I took a walk over to Union station and got some shots.

The next photograph is an alteration of the first.  With the intent of reflecting the haunting lyrics of the “Messenger,” I decided to add a texture to muddle things up a a bit and add a mysterious feel.

I doubt that a photograph taken in portrait orientation will make the final cut, but here are a couple of shots from Union Station in a different orientation.  The repeating patterns of pillars, windows, scallops, and other architectural elements make Union Station a great subject – whether shooting in landscape or portrait orientation.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig

Two Concept Photographs for the “Messenger”–The J.O.B.

After a good night’s sleep aided by my last culinary adventure (see Craig’s Grape Adventure tomorrow when I post Trinidad Doubles with Cucumber Chutney and Trinidad Pepper Sauce Paired with 2010 Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc), I set out before sunrise to work on some photography for the new single “Messenger” to be recorded by The J.O.B. (The Jim O’Ferrell Band).

The photos featured here represent several of the concepts I have discussed with Jason Crawford (electric guitar extraordinaire) including the ghostly images of the subjects evoking an unconscious connection among them.  The purpose of this post is to discuss how I captured the images.

The first component is that of capturing the subjects in motion – leaving them with a ghostly blur.  This requires a long enough shutter speed to allow the blur to develop.  This is why I was out the door early.  I do not have neutral density filters (dark filters that limit light arriving at the sensor), so I had to rely on taking the photos under low light conditions to maintain exposure and achieve a sufficiently long exposure to capture the motion.

The second challenge was getting enough bodies in the photo to achieve the crowded bustle and energy I desired.  To do this, I composited 10 to 15 shots for each photograph.  More precisely, I set the camera on a tripod to maintain a constant composition, then took a bunch of shots as I saw people in the positions I envisioned.  In post processing I started with a base photograph, overlayed the other 15 or so shots, and then masked in the subjects to get all the bodies in the same shot.

Stay tuned for further updates on this project.

Have fun, and go make some great photography.

Craig

Ghosts at the Fireworks

Today’s photograph was taken just before the fireworks began on the 4th of July.  It was taken at 9:10 pm, with a 30 second exposure.  I was fortunate to have no wind at the time which kept the trees in sharp focus along with all other stationary objects.  Those things in motion (people mostly) are blurred and in some cases it appears as though ghosts are walking through the crowd.

There are lots of fun things to do with long exposure photography.  If you are experiencing a creative block, try some long exposure work.  The possibilities are endless.

Have fun and go make some great photography.

Craig