Jody's story on "Storytellers"

This story about "Intimacy and the iPhone" was posted yesterday on the iPhoneography blog iPhoneogenic. Thank you Edi Caves for giving me the opportunity to share Jody Frost's story.
Below is the transcript of it.

Intimacy and the iPhone

Photographs have always been a marker in time for me. I remember taking my first photo when I was five years old sitting on my father’s shoulders in Yosemite. Capturing what’s in front of me and recording my life with a camera is in my DNA. People who are close to me become a life long subject. Looking at these photos take me back to places in my memories of the moment. Using the iPhone to capture markers in time has become more convenient. The iPhone is always in my pocket. It’s unobtrusive. It’s ubiquitous. Because of that I can sometimes become more intimate with my subject. This small device is so accepted in our culture that most pretences fall by the wayside. People tend to be more themselves when the iPhone comes out of my pocket.

This brings me to my very dear friend Jody Frost. We became friends because of our mutual love for art, photography and images captured with the iPhone. Jody is very use to being in front of the camera. Being a beautiful woman she had been photographed all her life. With those experiences comes a certain preset list of expressions, poses, and self-awareness. The more I got to know her, the more I was able to capture authentic photos of her being. Soon an intimacy would come. A time of trusts and total acceptance. A photo capture at that time becomes an authentic moment. We were able to capture these genuine photos before she was diagnosed with cancer. With the onset of her fight we never discussed if I should document her journey. It just happens, because she is a part of my life and I take photographs. It’s just acceptance among friends.

Most of the photos are shot with a DSLR because of the fantastic technical capabilities of the Nikon d3s. This is important to know as how I roll. I love a good crafted piece of art. Be it photographs, painting. Architecture or music, I appreciate the skilled hand of the artist. I love results of a thoughtful and practiced hand. From this comes beauty. This goes for people as well. Jody represents beauty in its purest form. Her beauty goes way deeper than skin deep. It goes down to an understanding of life and appreciation of what is around her. Of course she has her demons and fears. This is what makes her human. What make our photos together so compelling is her trust in herself and in me. Because of that trust there can be an intimacy with the moment and captured with the camera.

While Jody was in the hospital coping with the heinous side effects of chemo and radiation I would shoot a few images from time to time with my iPhone. This was very challenging for me because I am in the trenches with her as well as trying to document her journey. It’s a hard place to straddle, emotionally and technically, but it’s also the most precious of places as for intimacy of the moment. Using the iPhone to capture the marker in time was the perfect tool at that moment.

As for post-production on these types of photos I take, I tend to do minimal processing of the image. That is because these photos I shoot with my eye and heart are the evidence of how I felt at that moment of capture. Sometimes these photos may not be pretty, but there are always truthful to how I see things.

This single photo of Jody was shot during one of her most trying of times with pain. She tries to cope with meditation and relaxation, along with some very powerful pain medications pumped into her body. What moves me the most about this photo is that there is still evidence of an inner strength and magnificence in her soul, even in the midst of so much abuse on her body, there is grace and beauty.

The US Census Aims for Accuracy - Enlists Christian Peacock to reach the “Hard-to-Reach”

This was a press packet that went out a while ago about my Census 2010 project. This was one of the largest projects I have worked on. You will learn what it takes to produce a large scale multi-language photo shoot

Even for a photographer who specializes in photographing “real people,” Christian Peacock was given a very unusual assignment: find the “Hard-to Reach”

The client, The U.S, Census Bureau, was determined to reach out to groups that have been under-represented in past census counts. This could result in a disproportionate loss of Federal funding.

DraftFCB, the advertising agency of record, was responsible for the broad base awareness campaign and assigned IW Group of Los Angeles the Asian language advertising segment. Christian Peacock Photography was awarded the job of creating the photography because of his expertise photographing “real people talent” that had been central to campaigns for Lilly, Genentech and PG&E.

As a Pacific Rim nation there are many diverse Asian populations. The campaign focused on twelve different groups: Asian Indian, Bengladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Hmong, Lao, Pakistani, Thai and Vietnamese.

Over 2,300 people auditioned for 360 roles. It tool several months traveling throughout So. California for Peacock and his crew to find a cast of photogenic people that would represent a cross-section of society – infants, grandparents, young lovers, blue collar workers, and business professionals.

Traditional methods for casting do not work when your talent can’t read English nor use a computer. Emails were replaced by outreach to religious organizations, cultural event planners, and community centers. To reach the Hmong and Lao the casting net was thrown out as far as Fresno California where these cultures had immigrated when fleeing their homelands back in the 1970’s.

Christian recalls how some groups were not as responsive as others. “We were not getting the numbers needed for the Pakistani population until Cathy Eng, the casting agent, found out about a Pakistani pop concert. We set up at the concert and did the casting call right there.”

Finding the people is stage one. The next step is directing this diverse cast and getting the shots. Christian Peacock and his producer Connie Conway know how to run a smooth shoot even when twelve different languages are being spoken. The stringent requirements of government approved layouts also had to be accounted for to the degree that one day the creative director, John Lee Wong, was in Washington DC presenting final ads to a Congressional sub-committee rather than on set.

This was a large-scale production and almost the entire 360 member cast had never been at commercial shoot. The goal is to make everybody feel comfortable and relaxed.

Christian needed them to trust him and not get distracted by the crew of assistants, stylists, translators, pet handlers, digital techs, producers, site reps, police and fire marshals. On the census shoots there was always additional family members accompanying the selected talent making for a family reunion mood in the backstage area.

IW Group had created a multi-tiered campaign with the message that completing the census form was a way to help their communities. It was Christian Peacock’s job to take this message and put it into photographic form by having his cast convey pride in participation in the census.

A long shot list was repeated twelve times, switching out for each language group. One layout called for twenty people in one shot. They would be standing by a mailbox proudly holding up a census envelop while Christian made sure that everyone’s face could be seen clearly. There were babies, dogs, children and seniors. Christian juggled all these components and had all twenty people cheering toward the camera.

Getting the talent involved is one reason why Christian is successful with real people.

He encourages curiosity about the process whether it’s a technical question or a young girl’s fascination with the make-up stylist.

When discussing the project Peacock says “I am moved by the basic humanity that gets expressed without language. I saw strangers become family in front of my camera.” The final photos were used all across the USA in Asian communities. For the first time many of these people will feel a part of their new homeland. The census has been done, now is the time for tabulations. These diverse groups will be recognized and weaved into the American fabric.

Podcast with Jen Bianco Founder of "My Life's A Trip"

Jen Bianco was gracious enough to visit me on my other blog "It's All Related" and do a short interview. Listen as she talks about being a community evangelist for social media and mobile travel. What makes her blog "My Life's A Trip" uniquely personal. Plus find out what she really thinks about hotel room shower curtains.

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Days Like This - Jody Frost Big Shave

Jody Frost is fighting colon cancer with chemo & radiation treatments. When her hair started to fall out she decided to be proactive and just shave it all off. She wanted to be surrounded by people who love and support her and to give her comfort and joy. It helped her in the transition from full head of hair to beautiful bald woman.

This slide show on Vimeo is about the testament of the human spirit and facing head on the challenges before us with a life-affirming attitude. Please take a moment to watch, I think it will lift your spirits.

https://vimeo.com/37039942