Matt Beardsley Photo Wedding Photography, online at http://beardsleyphoto.com

As a side of the business I take for granted, I have to admit to not updating my wedding photography portfolio nearly as often as I should.  I’m happy to say that the site is finally fresh and up-to-date!  I’ve been fortunate to be part of many beautiful events this summer, entrusted with the awesome task of creating family history (and hopefully some rockin photos too!)  It’s not always an easy juggle for me, balancing the two divergent sides of Matt Beardsley Photo, my commercial work and my social work (weddings and family portraiture.)  Clients on each side, also, tend to shy away from photographers with horses in both stables.  But I’ve decided to chuck convention and shoot in both camps and to approach every shoot, whether for a family or a corporation, with my best creative effort. Read the rest of this entry »

The Photo Cooperative, online at http://thephotocooperative.com

I’m excited to be launching a new photo agency, in fact, a whole new Way of doing a photo agency.  We’re off to a humble start, with 6 artists in diverse fields of professional imagery, but are officially online!  I set out to gather artists to cover a wide range of styles and offer us all to professional clients without the traditional middle man, the agency.  I believe the current model for initial interaction between professional artists and potential clients is nearly all online.  Print books and mailers are important, but are a followup to the meet and greet that takes place on the Web.  So where does the traditional agent fit in?  Valuable, certainly, but more likely to be an editor, a Web page moderator, and a contract negotiator.  I’m taking representation into my own hands!

Artists were chosen based on talent, diverse specialties, capability, and general friendliness.  As artists, we can deliver!  (with no agency markup)  I’m excited about this newest effort and look forward to taking it to the Top!

I decided on a recent trip to South Carolina that someone should put forth a new term and guidelines for its definition.  ”Ad Terrorism” is my new phrase and what follows are guidelines for determining when we, as consumers, are being frightened into submission.  And, allow me to lead off with with the bottom line: Ad Terrorism is Wrong!

Shock Tactics from AAA Carolinas

How to spot Ad Terrorism:

1: Is a product, service, or action being promoted, or is something or someone being abused?

2: Am I being encouraged to act (to make a worthy purchase) or am I being lead to think falsely (positively or negatively) of a company or product?  Example: is thinking erotic thoughts appropriate to encourage purchasing food at Carl’s Junior/Hardees?

3: Are the emotions to which I’m being lead appropriate to achieve the desired action or purchase?  Example: is thinking sadly about pound puppies appropriate to encourage me to purchase Purina dog food? Read the rest of this entry »