Clement Asante came from Ghana to build on the American dream, and to serve. In the latest installment of a video series for N2 Publishing, we see “Clem” describing his job with deep gratitude. It’s obvious he takes his work—and the trust N2 has in him—seriously. Clem’s responsibilities include quality control. He is the last person to touch the magazines before they are seen by readers. As you watch, I think you’ll be inspired by his humble and gentle spirit.
Blog
“The Sin Seer”
The other day I found myself on the set of yet another movie being filmed here in Wilmington. This time I had the pleasure of watching Isaiah Washington, Michael Ironside and Lisa Anderson display their talents for the camera in the 2015 release of “The Sin Seer.” Lisa plays Rose Ricard, who uses her gift of reading minds to solve crime cases and bring closure. Even after all these years, it’s still fun seeing famous faces on both my camera’s LCD screen and the silver screen. Here are a few choice moments of the actors in their element. Director: Paul D. Hannah
Clayton Homes – Corporate Headquarters
No wonder their employees are so happy. The main office of Clayton Homes in Knoxville, Tennessee, is very impressive. Not only do they have their own workout facility (including a full-size basketball gym), but a “no walls” policy keeps the interactive aspect alive. Everyone can see and speak with anyone, anytime, even the boss. My assignment to capture happy workers engaged in collaboration went very well. Light-filled rooms and sincere smiles made for a great shoot. I love capturing the real faces of today’s corporate America. Why settle for cheesy stock photos when you can have authentic pictures of your company’s own people?
Lumina Station – Shop, Dine, Relax
As part two of my assignment for newly acquired Lumina Station (see previous post), the client wanted to show a fresh, modern look for those who frequent this retail oasis. I suggested pairing two models I had worked with before, and the agency pulled the trigger. The challenge was telling the story without featuring a particular store since the materials were designed to market the entire property. Shop owners kindly provided the season’s latest looks and we scored a beautiful day. Special thanks to Melanie and Hannah for making this shoot one of summer’s best!
Sotherly Hotels, Part 2 – Wrightsville Beach, NC
Since the Sotherly group owns hotels all over the Southeast, their agency Big River in Richmond also wanted to show a taste of life by the sea. It just keeps getting better. With Matt’s excellent casting, the perfect little family was created. And we pretty much let them interact and play in the salty air. The trust that both Matt and I had built with creative director Geoff Stone was there. His confidence in the professionals he hired could be an example to others. And his approval came through with words like “stunning” and “remarkable.” Let’s hope this leads to many more southern adventures!
Sotherly Hotels, Part 1 – Atlanta
Talented director and friend, Matt Batchelor, was hired by Richmond ad agency Big River to create a short film for a hotel group. He reached out to me because they also needed some stills. After a great pre-pro call and a thorough look through the brand book for Sotherly, I got really excited. They needed someone who could creatively capture their property along with some unique details of southern life in and around Atlanta. Can you say tailor-made assignment? When working with a new creative director, the pressure gets pretty revved up, especially when there’s a lot on the line. But after seeing my rough edit from Day 1, he graciously agreed to let me revisit some of my old stomping grounds all by myself. That’s called trust. And in my book it’s better than any advertising award. A sincere thank you Geoff, Rina and Cara at Big River, and to all the people who have put their trust in my eye for so many years.
In Their Own Words – Josh & Christie
When long-time client N2 Publishing reached out wanting to share a glimpse into the backgrounds of two senior employees, I decided to mix it up a bit. My approach to this one was a little different because I actually interviewed both Josh and Christie with no cameras – audio only. Not my usual MO. But hearing their stories in their own voices made the piece more authentic. Add footage of them working along with some chill music from Josh himself and this is the result.
Lumina Station – Portraits
One of our town’s hidden gems is a retail property called Lumina Station. Full of welcoming shade trees, cute shops and excellent eateries, this is truly a local’s spot. During a new property-owner transition, Lumina’s marketing agency, TGK, wanted to feature some of the characters who call Lumina Station home. Initially, the idea was to set up in an empty suite and have the various business owners come to us, but I believed we’d get better results capturing each person in their element. Not the easier option, but definitely worth it. Here are a few of the selects showing the personality and pride of these individuals. Big thanks to the agency for wrangling the schedules.
Beach to Battleship Triathlon
Pharmaceutical Product Development (a.k.a. PPD) sponsors an annual Ironman Triathlon and I love shooting this race. It’s hard to not get caught up in all of the passion and emotion exuding from these amazing athletes. Although I’m only using a small amount of energy compared to the participants, inside I’m quietly cheering them on with all my might. Here are a handful of my favorite images from the swim portion of the 2014 PPD Beach to Battleship Triathlon.
Huntington Bank
I enjoy making ordinary places and things look extraordinary. Take photographing a bank, for example. Big yawn, right? It doesn’t have to be. The art of the craft is seeing with different eyes and meeting the client’s needs. Huntington Bank in Columbus, Ohio, wanted to show their employees as relatable and having fun in finance. These people are pretty happy at work, and it shows. Big thanks to the folks at Huntington for letting me do my job while they did theirs.
