The 51st Communication Arts Photography Annual looks at the best photography of the year, choosing 147 winning projects from the 6,075 entries. Among those to catch the jurors’ eyes are Jamie Chung, Michael Schnabel, and Stephen Wilkes. Says juror Jane Perovich of Getty Images, “Original, authentically inspiring images that are emotionally accessible will continue to be the foundation for what informs us, makes us think and ultimately captivates us.”
Pictured above: Michael Schnabel’s advertising campaign for O2, one of the largest leading mobile telecommunications provider.
The Deepwater Horizon oil drilling unit exploded on April 20th, spilling millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico and resulting in the deaths of 11 platform workers. Operated by BP, the company continues its efforts to halt the spill, drilling a relief well to intersect the original well. The relief well must strike a specific target that is more than 3 miles beneath the surface of the ocean; sensors and magnetometers direct the path of its construction. Once the relief well is finished, mud, cement, and other materials will be pumped into the original well to restrict the flow of oil.
The relief well is meant to be the final solution after several short-term attempts such as the containment dome and top kill failed. Stephen Wilkes embarked on an oil rig for Time magazine, capturing the latest events surrounding the aftermath of the explosion. Arriving via helicopter, Wilkes took aerial shots of the operation. Once on board, Wilkes chronicled the workers trying to stanch the spill, attending to the drill of the relief well and monitoring activity from the rig control room.
FriendsWithYou bring their signature magic, love, and friendship to Taipei, Taiwan for the Very Fun Park exhibition sponsored by the Fubon Art Foundation. “Field of Dreams” covers the facade of the Fubon Banking Center skyscraper in the eastern part of the city. A smiling cloud nestled in colorful flowers reminds us to look up at the sky, reminding viewers of their hopes and aspirations as children.
Very Fun Park extends throughout the entire city of Taipei, with “Field of Dreams” as one of the focal points of the exhibition. Other artists are displayed on storefronts, outdoors, and more, making the art accessible to all and dissolving the line between gallery and viewer. The theme of “looking up” demonstrates how in a small movement, one can be reminded of the vastness of the universe.
Alan Cresto reunites with Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo to direct a promotional video for Macy’s. Ne-Yo shows off his sleek and tailored style in clothing by Macy’s private label Alfani Red while performing “Nobody” off of the Year of the Gentleman album. Cresto shot the video over two days around New York City, filming a helicopter entrance, riding around the city in a vintage car, and Ne-Yo performing on a floating barge in the East River with the iconic skyline in the background.
Ne-Yo will release his fourth studio album Libra Scale in September. Comments Cresto, “Ne-Yo is a dynamic performer who gives 150%, and as we’d worked together before, there was a mutual trust and respect which enabled the project to go that much further.” Cresto previously collaborated with Macy’s and Ne-Yo for another Alfani Red promotional video that was shown nationwide. Both videos were shot with the RED camera system.
Armed with summer’s best and freshest offerings, Real Simple offers delicious and effortless 3-ingredient recipes in their August issue. Christopher Baker continues his collaboration with the magazine, shooting the cover, feature story, and a new section called “Secretly Simple.” The feature story “3 Ingredient Summer Recipes” opens with elegantly plated raw ingredients. Prop stylist Jeffrey Miller set the plates on backgrounds of varying shades of white, off-white, and blue-grey, making a clean grid.
Each plate’s contents gives the reader a clue as to what’s in store on the following pages where the finished dishes are revealed. Comments Baker on the raw ingredient grid concept, “It gives the reader something to think about – it’s a little bit of a puzzle for them, to figure out what’s what. Visually, I thought it’d be more striking than continually shooting close-ups.”
Vintage TV, a new television channel that covers material between 1940-1980, will premiere on September 1st in the United Kingdom. The station is aimed at viewers aged 50 and up, offering an alternative to mainstream offerings that cater mainly to youths. Shows such as Old Grey Whistle Test, Rock and Roll Years, and the South Bank Show are slated to return. Classic films such as My Fair Lady, The Commitments, and Singing in the Rain will also be shown. Viewers can also see 500 new music videos for songs recorded before the video age.
John McFaul drew on nostalgia to create a brand identity for Vintage TV. As the Brand Director and Creative Consultant for Vintage TV, he’s created assets for print, web, and more that are fun and eye-catching. Recognizable icons such as Campbell’s soup cans, Pacman, and cassette discs pull together to form playful typography that spells out Vintage TV.
For the past few months Kareem Black has been documenting his nightlife escapades with a special section on his website entitled /LIFE. Whereas his commercial work is what he shoots during the day, /LIFE is Kareem Black uncut and unbridled in the evening – dirty Chinatown toilets, flowing Champagne in dingy dive bars, and girls riding inflatable fish balloons.
When New York Magazine approached Black to photograph a story on the hotel nightlife scene in New York, the extension of his /LIFE project in a new environment was only natural. Jackie Ladner of New York Magazine explains, “I could see from the free style of Kareem’s ‘Life’ section on his site that he had a positive spirit and a strength. Though this shoot was a slight challenge (July 4th weekend and the hottest day), his way with people made him perfect for an assignment that required him to step into a room, capture people unguarded having a great time as if they all knew each other, and with an amazing eye for details, found moments that were so familiar yet still alluring.”
Coca-Cola introduces it’s Coca-Cola Zero “Wild health” campaign to China. Coca-Cola Zero boasts its zero calorie and zero sugar features, made with artificial sweeteners Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium (Ace K). Coca-Cola Zero gives calorie and sugar conscious consumers an alternative choice to the traditional Coca-Cola recipe.
Ruud Baan caught models Carlos Koo and Miranda Louey in high-energy motion, their intense action is amplified with red energy lines and icy graphics. Says Baan, “We shot every moment meticulously until we had the right pose and attitude. We wanted the models to jump and box but still look relaxed and not forced.” The eye-catching red and black campaign can be seen in print, on billboards, and over the web all over China.
Apple opened its newest location in Shanghai on Saturday, July 10th. Inspired by the glass cube of the Fifth Avenue store in New York, Apple uses some of the largest pieces of glass in the world to construct its first cylindrical store.The surrounding plaza echoes the shape of the store. The glass cylinder represents a pebble dropped into a pond, and the concentric circles stand for ripples of water and the energy that radiates throughout China.
A spiral staircase in the cylinder winds its way down to the retail shop below the surface. Roy Zipstein captures the signature clean lines of the Apple store in his photos, continuing his collaboration with Apple. He was present at the opening to document the interior and exterior of the store, as well as the natural pandemonium that accompanies the anticipation of every new Apple store.
Kyra Sedgwick graces the cover of the current issue of Hamptons magazine, shot by Stephan Würth. The shoot took place on location at the historic Baker House 1650 and the Baker Carriage House on the East End where Würth and the team tried many variations of space and wardrobe. Würth was attracted to one look in particular, “I feel Kyra has a very classic Hollywood look, which I wanted to explore with the red dress shot.” Würth’s inspiration from his elegant muse proved fruitful, as the image of Sedgwick standing lithe and poised in an elegant, draped gown was chosen as the cover of the publication.
Gary Baseman, Jeremyville (pictured), and Thunderdog Studios were among the 100 artists chosen to participate in The Vader Project. Artists were given a 1:1 scale replica of the Darth Vader Helmet used in George Lucas’ Star Wars films to re-imagine and customize. The villainous Darth Vader’s helmet is instantly recognizable in pop culture; in the hands of artists the helmet takes on a new life.
The project premiered in 2007, starting in Los Angeles and then making its way through Europe and Japan before ending at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The helmets are now on display at Freeman’s Auctioneers and Appraisers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until they are auctioned on July 10, 2010.
For those of you who were in Toronto June 10-20th, we hope you had a chance to experience the magical world of FriendsWithYou’s “Wish Come True Festival”. Commissioned by the Luminato Festival of the Arts, FriendsWithYou spread their message of “Magic, Luck, and Friendship” throughout the city. Queens Park in downtown Toronto was converted into Rainbow City, a colorful alternative dimension of gigantic totems, magical mushrooms, oversize bounce houses, and inflatable characters that came to life. Appearing in Rainbow City and around Toronto was the Rainbow King, Wish Come True Festival’s very own ambassador. Rainbow King was present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Rainbow City, opened the Canadian Stock Exchange, walked the red carpet at the Prima Donna opening night, and more. A walking piece of art, the Rainbow King thoroughly enchanted all the people of Toronto to join in the magic that was stationed in many parts of the city. The Wish Come True Festival was a complete transformation of the city into a beautiful place where dreams and magic became reality!
