We would like to inform you that Dean has compiled some of his ‘office safe’ images into a calendar for 2011. You can find the link and download it for free at www.diestrafbarphoto.com or choose to order a hard copy for $39.99 + tax. Thank you for your support and Happy New Year!
This year has proven to be one of the most trying years I have existed. Through the personal and professional struggles; we have managed to continue with our small business to help out some new friends while meeting more people in our untapped industry. Who doesn’t need pictures? I will be happy to see this year off and welcome new ideas, talents and success with DSP.
I would like to personally mention a few of our new friends and thank them for using our business for their promotion. First, the Frank Wicher Band they sought out Dean for a promotional idea. Dean met and maybe exceeded their expectations by mastering a photo composition used all over the area. We still enjoy walking into venues and seeing our poster, it puts a smile on our faces. We hope to have future projects with FWB.
Next, Terry from WQSU who has promoted our photography business on her radio show “Home Made Jam” and “Happy Hour”. She has been a long time friend of mine and Dean’s and though she runs on a much higher energy level than most people, her zest for new ideas, people and love of the arts; gets us excited to work in conjunction with her!
Next, Michiko Egger and PA Crude. Personally, I love live music. I could watch bands play all day. These are just two pockets talent from this tiny geographical area. We have been fortunate to work closely with these folks and produce art that may have never been possible; not to mention, attend concerts and speak with them about their musical philosophy. We enjoy being part of the equation when it comes to promotion and helping these bands form their image.
Thank you for being part of our success! There are many people I didn’t mention but don’t worry, I will. Happy New Year! Cheers!
Catastrophes and stressors are a normal part of our day. Everyone thinks that their life is the hardest simply because of one’s particular perspective. Who knows, maybe it is but realistically, awful things happen to everyone. You can’t escape it. Where I am going with this idea is: no matter what amount of planning or preparation anyone does or is involved in there is always the ‘unknown unknown’ factor. Interesting idea, there are things/situations one can never plan for or factor into a problem or a solution, for that matter. I firmly believe that other than waking up and the sun rising there seems to be little else one can plan with any kind of precision. Sometimes, I think what little grasp we hold on our lives.
On a different note,I am happy to announce that DSP has a few new adventures on the horizon. Specifically, we have a few new techniques in our photography that Dean has been exercising. He was learning how to take these amazingly detailed shots compiled of 15-119 photos. Once stitched together and finished, these came out to be ridiculously humungous images most of them were 9′ by 6′! Unless we had a corporation interested, I doubt we could ever sell them. We’d have to price them in the thousands and realistically who would purchase them? Needless to say, we’d love to be cosigned to photograph your business or aspects thereof and produce one of these amazing photographs for you! If interested, contact us!
In other DSP news, we have successfully produced our first poster, designed completely by Dean! He was approached by Frank Wicher, of the Frank Wicher Band to use some of Dean’s images for a poster to advertise upcoming shows, etc. From all the local buzz, they were a hit! I’ve had people come up to me, not knowing who made the posters and comment on how much they’d love to have something like that as well. It feels great to hear positive feedback and get the ball rolling in other directions! We have been photographing more live bands, recently. Getting out in the local music scene is a great new branch of where our business may take us. I will try my best to keep a better grasp on writing on the blog weekly. I do enjoy this (the business, the photos, the marriage) I need to better manage my time and devote a bit more to thoughtful writing.
Here’s to the unknown unknown!
On the side to exercise my artistic and technical skills, I do a bit of web design. A friend turned me on to jQuery and I’ve been consumed with learning the language through pet web projects for local bands. It somehow wraps all my interests together. Because I have had an interesting (read: frustrating) experience, I feel compelled to share.
In building a certain web site, I intended to have blocks of content appear and disappear with certain events (click, mouseleave) but found frustration when trying to animate them using the $().slideUp and $().slideDown methods. To add to the confusion, the block entering from the window top seemed to work with these methods, but a menu that slid up from the bottom did not. I saw unpredictable behavior; blocks would not move yet their successful callbacks would fire, the blocks would bounce in and out, or the blocks would show the opposite behavior as intended.
That last odd behavior made me think. Why would $().slideToggle work but not $().slideUp or $().slideDown as expected. After searching I came to the idea that the “up” and “down” parts of the method names are not absolute directions! So I quickly tested this idea on the bottom block that is intended to slide down upon $(document).ready after a slight delay. I changed:
$(‘#menu_block’).slideDown(900);
to
$(‘#menu_block’).slideUp(900);
et voila! It worked! Now, using the $().slideUp method I have commanded the block to slide down. Why? I suppose the reason for this is that these methods are based on the idea that all elements are relative to the top. Every example I found demonstrated an element sliding down from the top, none that slid up first from the bottom.
So, in the end I discovered that $().slideUp behaves more predictably if thought of as a method to hide an element and $().slideDown acts to reveal an element despite the actual direction the element travels.
I think that I’ve done a fair job in getting Dean and his photography out into the community. We are continuing with the trend of creating a name for ourselves and our business (I can’t anticipate that ending any time soon). The only constant is change. So after a writing hiatus (me) and a photo hiatus (Dean) we are, again chipping away at how to approach our next ideas/projects and planning, lots and lots of planning! Sometimes the biggest challenge is splitting time between these things that need completed vs the things that aren’t necessary for the function of our microcosm. With that tidy introduction, a few events of note are on our plates. First, the Bloomsburg ArtWalk taking place in Bloomsburg’s Main St, May 6th from 1600-2000. Look for the local businesses with sandwich board signs located near their doors denoting participation and check out what the arts have to offer! To aid in promoting the ArtWalk and it’s activities, Dean and I had the opportunity to sit down with WVIA’s Erika Funke. Her interview should air on 89.9 FM around 1230, give or take a few minutes, she’ll feature songs by JT and Ann Kerstetter. If you miss the live show, it will be available on podcast at some point in the near future.
Secondly, Dean has been asked to have a few of his abstracts on display at the Ditty-Wilcox Art Gallery located in the Pajama Factory in Williamsport. The opening is Friday, May 7th from 1700-2100. From what I have heard first Fridays are a really busy time! The weather should be beautiful and we’re excited to have this opportunity, opening new doors for our business.
Come out and see us!
ArtScene with Erika Funke listen here
On February 12, Dean was asked to present his art work at the Dress Red Luncheon held at The Pine Barn Inn. He featured 4, 20″ x 30″ photographs printed on metallic paper and mounted for display, all were within the “red” theme.
Both Dean and I put a lot of thought, time and effort into these photos; shopping for props, working on lighting techniques, making blood. We were very proud of them (as we should be). After selecting the correct printing company and viewing the test prints, we sent out our order only to receive them a few days ahead of schedule -ugh, down to the wire! We were completely happy with what our finished product was and were so very excited to show our work to the patrons of the “Red” event. Full well knowing that our art wasn’t necessarily what people expect to see at a benefit luncheon, we prepared to be booted from the event. We had emailed some people who were in the area to get a fan base and were successful, which was great!
With all this said, I am somewhat delighted to relay to you that one lady who helped put the event together was very vocal about our art being inappropriate for the event! I was so proud upon hearing this! Our images are all featured below and as you will see, they all contain similar ideas but there is no outward idea, just simple hints for the viewer’s enjoyment. I also have checked the event’s website to see if they have any PR for us to pump out to our fans. Other than the blog listing us as a featured artist, there is no image of our work or mention of our contribution for the event. Dean always wants the viewers’ of his work to have a reaction, mission accomplished! And a HUGE Thank You to our models Tim Coyne, Sadie May Dorman, Sarah Irene Hamill and Brittany Kanour, you were all wonderful to work with. Cheers! Click on the images to enlarge.
