Friends With Vision

Connor Walberg

If you wanted a shot taken of a guy on skis, jumping over a basketball stand from behind, dunking the ball in midair, who would you call to get the job done? Connor Walberg, that’s who. Now, judging not only from this introduction but also from some of his best known shots, which have been published in various sports publications, it might be easy and tempting to jump to the conclusion that Connor’s work is all about the action. And yes, it’s true, many of his images leave you wondering how he could possibly capture some of these fast-paced moments so perfectly and with apparent ease. But that does certainly not mean that Connor does not also master the other aspects of his photography with extreme finesse and care. Many of his intriguing “life” images, as he calls them, and his skilfully crafted, very peaceful architecture shots provide plenty of proof for that.

From a very young age, Connor has been shooting photos of anything and everything that surrounds him. It is in fact his technical mastery and his unique artistic approach that allow him to create extraordinary images of any subject. With the ability to ski and mountain bike any type of terrain, Connor is able to capture extreme sports in regions few other photographers can access.

Only in his early twenties, Conner is already signed with Getty Images and sponsored by various photography industry names. His work can be seen all around the world. Apart from numerous sports related publications that have published his images, such as Skiing, Powder, Freeskier, Outside or BravoSki Japan, he has been featured in Shutterbug and Photoshop User magazine, with one of his shots making the cover.

Connor’s portfolio and a link to his informative blog where he’s happy to share his knowledge of photography and business can be found at:

www.cnwphoto.com
www.actionphotoschool.com

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Rolf Nachbar

At its core, photography is of course about visual communication. There is probably no one who would agree more readily with this viewpoint than Rolf Nachbar, who sees himself first and foremost not as a photographer, but as a messenger of visual communication.

It is his clear grasp of anything to do with visual concepts that make the 45 year old German and his design, photography and post production team a valuable partner for his various clients, and communicating their message non-verbally is the sort of challenge Rolf likes to rise to on a daily basis.

There is however much more to this visual communications pro than what meets the eye at first sight. Rolf also has a passion not only for fine art, but for the very basic elements of photography; light, space and time, with which he likes to play. And his willingness to experiment with these elements for his independent works clearly pays off. Inspired by the “Rhythmgrams” of German photographer Heinrich Heidersberger from the 1950’s and 60’s, Rolf has for example published and exhibited a series of abstract images in which he captures lights, colors, contrasts and movements in unique and fascinating ways.

Links to his independent as well as his commercial works can be found on Rolf’s (german) Website:

www.nachbar.de

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Jean-Stéphane Cantero

Human interaction is the central theme of these moments that Toulouse-born photographer Jean-Stéphane Cantero likes to capture with his Hasselblad.

Long before he was awarded the “Grand Prix Graffic SFR” and all the international success that followed – various publications and exhibitions, including Paris Photo – the photographer who is now in his mid-thirties was out and about with his Canon EOS 650 (with which he is still, as he says, in an almost symbiotic relationship) to capture people and life’s situations.

Over the years he has refined his signature; particularly the dramaturgy in his works, achieved through the multi disciplinary use of black and white as well as color, have become his hallmark.

Commercial clients appreciate Jean-Stéphanes talents as well; most recently he has developed the Croatian tourism campagne for the French market. Those who want to see more of Jean’ Stéphanes’ broad spectrum of works can do that on his website:

www.js-cantero.com

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Nela König

What do Sting, Marilyn Manson and Sir Peter Ustinov all have in common? Easy: they’ve all posed for Nela König- just like the Pussicat Dolls, Gwen Stefanie, 50 Cent, Nelly Furtado, Rihanna and countless other musicians and actors did. The photographer, wife and mother who lives in Berlin first started out in the world of photography as a model, at the age of 20. Today she focusses much more on what’s happening behind the camera, and various celebrities take the role of the model for her.
What Nela loves most about photography are the contrasts, as well as the challenge to capture someones personality within very little time, she says. Her work is however not constrained to collaborations with celebrities. Besides her wide-ranging body of work in fashion, which she has been focussing on more strongly again since 2009, her portfolio offers for instance also fascinating landscape shots, highlighting an entirely different side of her artistry.
Maybe the variety in places she called home during her childhood and youth have had a little something to do with how diverse her work is today: Nela grew up in Venezuela, Tokyo, Sydney and Singapore before she finally returned to her roots in Berlin, where she began her long and successful modeling career. She got the chance to turn her passion for taking photos into her profession when the opportunity to study photo design at the renowned Lette Verein in Berlin arose. And the ambition to succeed in the industry as a female photo artist was for Nela what pushed her towards her very own demands for her images. As a freelance photographer she commutes between Berlin, Hamburg and Los Angeles these days, working for clients like Universal, Motown Records, Sony BMG, Maxim Magazine, the Rolling Stone, PETA, MTV, Jette Joop and many others – leaving no doubt that she has indeed succeeded. A glimpse into Nela König’s photo worlds can be caught at her official website:

www.nelakoenig.com

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Bruno Bisang

This Friend of Vision does not really need any introduction. In the world of professional photography Bruno Bisang’s name is as renowned as the names of his models and clients are to the rest of the world. The Swiss-born photographer has been working independently for more than 30 years now; with models like Monica Bellucci, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Ornella Muti,…The list goes on and on – just like the list of his big name clients, which includes Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Max, GQ, Chanel, Triumpf, Palmers and many more. Bruno works in various genres: fashion, glamour, advertising and certainly not least, fine art.
Bruno spent much of his youth in Ascona, a picturesque little town in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. At the age of 19 he attended the School of Applied Arts for Photography in Zurich, before starting a photographic apprenticeship. Bruno first started working as a freelance photographer in Zurich in 1979 – nowadays his renowned clientele keeps him busy between Milan, New York, Zurich and Paris.

www.brunobisang.com

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Doron Gild

Without light, there is no color. And when we look at the work of Brooklyn, New York based photographer Doron Gild, we can’t help but think that no one is more aware of that fact than him. “I’m influenced by German expressionism, Alfred Hitchcock, and Film Noir”, Doron tells us, but it is also tempting to compare many of his images to those of the likes of Jeff Wall or Gregory Crewdson, as they feature a quite similar type of cinematic lighting.
However, when it comes to concepts, Doron uniquely and skillfully balances his editorial humor and conceptual elegance. Where else can you see a re-enactment of the last supper depicted as a salesmen’s convention at a bar, a proud glam shot of aging rockstars, or a man suspended in insomnia over his bed?
Doron is a very hands-on visionary. He speaks warmly of setting up his lights, staging the shot and directing the shoot. Clearly his images reflect a creative who is centered in his beliefs, yet willing to challenge ones romantic visions with a twist.
His ability to capture an individual’s character is disconcerting: Looking at a portrait of Menashe Kadishman, one of Israel’s most celebrated sculptor and painter sitting in his cluttered office you can visually see the inner creative thoughts of this artist. Standing behind a kitchen counter ready to prepare a meal a burly male owns his role as domestic goddess, with tattoos.
To get a glimpse at Doron’s extraordinary work, visit his website:

www.dorongild.com

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Lara Jade

Lara Jade is one of these rare, inexplicable phenomena in the world of photography. After looking at her images you might be surprised to learn that the very talented british photographer has been shooting for only five years now. However, you’ll probably be even more surprised, that she started the age of around 14. Yes, Lara Jade is 19 years young – yet she creates artworks that show a level of talent and variety that few photographers can ever hope to achieve.
Lara gets her inspiration from almost anything, she says, but it’s mostly “music, movies, stories and the old masters in painting and photography”. Her first experience with photography was at school, during her secondary education, where she would research photography for her projects. She came across photography websites and got inspired to try it herself. After a year of college Lara started making money with model portfolios, and after a year of that, the then 17 year old registered her business “Lara Jade Photography”. She kept shooting model portfolios and did various shoots for dancers, actors, singers and bands.
Today Lara is represented by the Milan agency Sudest57. The list of her clients includes brands, agencies, publishers and artists from all over the world and goes on and on, just like the list of magazines and online publications she’s been featured in.
Lara says that, while she used to love creating the entire image herself, with just her and the model on location, she’s glad to nowadays always have a team with her for her shoots, because “I’m always bouncing ideas off of people!”
We highly recommend paying Lara’s website a visit:

www.larajade.co.uk

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Dean Zulich

We have a lot of very good Friends With Vision, and Dean Zulich is definitely one of our best. Not only did he graduate with honors from the Art Institute of Seattle Photography Program in March 2007, he also won fifteen different photography scholarships and contests along the way.
Dean’s focus is on conceptual fashion, advertising and celebrity photography. And ever since he received the Best Portfolio of the Show award at his graduation, his career has thrived: In December 2007, he was the runner up on Vh1′s reality show The Shot, America’s search for the next great fashion photographer. In both 2006, 2007 and 2008 he was the finalist in the Digital Photo Pro Magazine’s merging Pro Contest. And in May 2008, he was inducted into the Art Institute Alumni Hall Of Fame. Dean has photographed likes of Joss Stone, Ricki Lake, Victoria Secret’s supermodels Alessandra Ambrosio, Marissa Miler and Miranda Kerr, Seattle Seahawks, Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, Jamie Lee Curtis etc. If he is not on assignment, Dean teaches workshops and shares his inspiration with fellow photographers worldwide.

www.deanzulich.com

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August Bradley

August Bradley creates distinctive conceptual images with an artistic feel and a sense of drama and mystery. His objective is to tell stories, he says. And using a camera to do it is only logical for him – being a photographer’s son, he got in touch with the medium and begun studying it early.
Today, August works for clients ranging from designer labels to consumer brands to lifestyle magazines, as well as producing images for gallery exhibition. He was recently selected as a “Hasselblad Master” and his work has been included in the 2009 and 2008 editions of the Graphis Photo Annual featuring “The Year’s Best Photographs”. August and his team work both in his state-of-the-art studio in Los Angeles and on location worldwide.

www.augustbradley.com

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Settimio Benedusi

Settimio Benedusi calls himself a beauty hunter – a description that is very fitting. Ever since he got his first camera at the age of 12 he has been thinking about taking the perfect picture. He says he’s looking for beauty, emotions and feelings. And if you ask us he’s been successful at that various times. “I look at the subject and shoot – that’s the only way for capturing moments that otherwise would be gone like tears in the rain”, Settimio adds
He was born in Italy forty-six years ago and is based in Milan, where he also has his studio. He’s been a professional photographer for already 20 years now and his projects have taken him to places all over the world, working for all kinds of major magazines like GQ, Max, Vogue, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Sports Illustrated, Elle, and various big brands like Versace, Fila, Armani and Swatch.
Settimio also writes (in Italian) about photography on his blog and for the major italian newspaper, “Corriere della Sera”.

www.benedusi.it

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Paul Elledge

There lots of things that could be said about Paul Elledge. Not only has he worked with some of the best creatives and ad agencies, celebrities – from AC/DC to Willie Nelson, top CEOs and executives as well as many other people, “ranging from the richest in the land to those on death rowâ”, as he says; he is also a true all-round talent, having directed television commercials and music videos for such bands as Ministry, Anthrax and The Levellers. However, what we like best of all his work is his awesome photography, of which to say it was multifarious, would be an enormous understatement. His portraits are clearly outstanding, but there is much, much more to discover! A visit to his website should let you understand quickly what we mean.
Needless to say, that Paul Elledge has been published in many top magazines and books, has had solo art shows, and has been in many museum shows. As well as his published book Luna Bella Luna, Paul has worked on several published book projects with Chef Charlie Trotter. Paul has of course been recognized with numerous awards on the national and international level for work that is both individual and uncompromising.

www.paulelledge.com

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Ted Kawalerski

“It becomes almost pointless to create exact colors and tonesâ”, says Ted Kawalerski, “if the person viewing them isn’t seeing what you want them to see.” This doesn’t surprise, especially considering the important role that colors often plays in the work of the New York City-based photographer. His latest project, titled “Windows”, is a colorful and unique look at life and will become the focus of a new exhibit in 2009.
Kawalerski, who resides in Sleepy Hollow, just north of the Tappan Zee Bridge in West-chester County, has worked on assignments for corporations, graphic design firms and advertising agencies for more than 30 years. He regularly travels worldwide for clients such as Harris Corporation, Liberty Mutual Group, Praxair, Chevron, Ernst & Young and many others. Therefore it is only logical, that he knows how important a calibrated workflow is: “Proper color management was a critical factor for achieving the perfect color balance and skin tone in the image above. With so many colors reflecting off of a variety of surfaces there was no way I could achieve accurate skin tones without it”, Kawalerski says and points out that it’s equally important for photographers and graphic designers to ensure that clients are also calibrating their systems.

Stunning works in black-and-white

Kawalerski’s personal work also includes a stunning collection of black-and-white images of the Hudson River and the people who live along its banks, which can currently be seen at the Beacon Institute’s Art Gallery in Beacon, New York. His collection of dramatic black-and-white photographs and kaleidoscope of color reproductions all have one thing in common. They rely on proper color management and system calibration to ensure the story he tells is as accurate in appearance as the subjects themselves. Therefore, he encourages photographers, art directors and advertising executives alike to calibrate their monitors regularly.
Ted Kawalerski knows that, what appears perfect on his screen may appear flat, inaccurate and even unattractive to an art director whose screen isn’t properly calibrated.

www.tedkawalerski.com

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Philippe Pache

Philippe Pache was born 1961 in Switzerland. After studying Applied Arts in Vevey he started working as an idependent photographer. On one hand, his activities include various mandates for publicity and press, on the other his personal work.
His images are exposed and published all over the world (Paris, London, Berlin, New York, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Houston, Beijing or Moscow) on regular basis. He has beend rewarded many times by prestigious prices, including the 3rd price of Biennial International of Photography in Tokyo or the Swiss Grand Prix of Photography.
His sensitivity in relation to bodies and faces soon brought him towards the dance in a natural way. After having snooped around in the slides of the Price of Lausanne (international Contest for young dancers) for quite some time, he became photographer of BÃ©jart Ballet Lausanne and official photographer of the Price of Lausanne from 1992 to 2003.
Today, Philippe Pache lives and workes in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is continueing his activities prefering the same subjects. Color is very important to him, but meanwhile he is not disregarding all the different shades of blacks and whites.

www.philippepache.com

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Sally Gall

Sally Gall was born in 1956 in Washington, D.C. and after attending Reed College and receiving a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1978 she settled in Houston, Texas. New York City became her permanent home in 1987.
Until recently, Sally has always worked in black and white photography with nature as her subject. She completed an extensive series of Diana camera images of European formal gardens in the mid-1980s and then switched to the Hasselblad – maintaining the square format but altering the focus and technical quality of her work significantly. In addition to her personal work, Sally Gall has taught extensively in workshops in the US and abroad, and also carries out editorial assignments for numerous publications.
Sally Gall is known as a sensual interpreter of nature who combines impressive printing skills with a rigorous but romantic vision. Her work both describes and interprets the visible world more as we might experience it than as it is. For more than twenty five years she has maintained her interest in landscape – but has emphasized different aspects through various series. Most recently Sally has started working also in color.

www.sallygall.com

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Carsten Tschach

Carsten Tschach was born in 1969 in Berlin, Germany, where he still lives and works. Being only a medium to catch holiday experiences in the beginning, photography soon became a passion.
For a studied physicist it presumably is rather untypical to turn to photography, but that’s exactly why Carsten’s work is so professional and rational.
The interaction of stolid technical workflows and the constant demand of achieving ambitious and creative pictures, makes his work so special. Photography always makes great demands and creates questions that cannot be simply answered with “Yes” or “No” – it is more about catching emotions and moods to bring the image to its full expression.
Before he puts his hands on the camera, Carsten has already created the picture in his head, sometimes even a full storyboard, defining single picture segments, was set up in his mind.
His pictures were published in several on- and offline media, such as “The Mammoth Book of Erotic Women (Carrol & Gref Publishers)”, “Naked Women (Quarto Inc. / Umschau Buchverlag)”, “Tomorrow (Germany)”, “Max (Germany)”, “Docma (Germany)”.
Carsten today works as an independent photographer in Berlin, shooting fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

www.bilderbuch.net

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Carlos Lumiere

Carlos was born in Spain and developed an interest in photography from an early age, influenced by his father, who is also a photographer. After studying architecture, Carlos moved to Miami, Florida in 1989 to work as a, press photographer for the Spanish press agency, Radial Press. Here, he was inspired by Miami Beach’s fashion boom to devote his career to fashion photography. Carlos went on to develop an extensive portfolio of work, living and working in New York, Hamburg, Munich, Milan and Paris, helping some of the largest names in fashion capture the images that best reflect their brands and campaigns. From the intimacy of his light and spacious studio in London Bridge to beautiful panoramic landscapes around the world, Carlos enjoys choosing locations to fit a shoot, something that his passion for architecture plays a key part in. He now divides his time between London and Paris, working on high profile fashion and advertising campaigns. He is best known for his rich, emotive and dynamic style, blending classic lines with luscious colours.

www.carloslumiere.com

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Denis Olivier

Already early in his childhood, Denis Olivier was in touch with the world of Art and Photography. His childhood is affected from the light of a red lamp and a special chemical perfume. Photography, Architecture and Art were always present in his Family and he still remembers the black and white exhibitions they visited.
When he was a teenager, he continued to draw and started to paint a little. As well he took part in some local exhibitions. He started to study biochemistry, but after three years he changed to “Poitieres school of fine-arts” and was interested in computer graphics and generated imagery.
While he was there he meets Alain Fleig who introduced him to the art photography. In the second year he had his first personal exhibition in a gallery, which was a great experience for him, then a training placement with Philippe Salan, who was at this time the developer of Robert Doisneau. Following he did some commissioned works. In December 1995 he started then to work with computer graphics and made use of the Internet.
Then digital cameras came along and he found a way to work quickly and experiment without using too many resources. He continued to produce some material and he is involved and maintain collaborative projects such as Art Limited or M42.

www.denisolivier.com

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Dorothy Shoes

Dorothy Shoes is a 28 years young French photographer and also a drama actress. She’s still a story teller but now speaks with her photography shooting with her heart and brain, but without technical guidelines.
Moving, sensitive, poetic, meaningful – her world is really special. Human playing with reality and surrealism. Imaginary deals with day-to-day.
Her work talks about loneliness acceptance, broken dreams, and escapes. Nothing is vapid. An individual eye for universal feelings
She works for many artists, music bands or theatre companies, as a graphic designer and as a photographer, in France and USA.
After her first personal exhibition in Belgium in 2006, she showed her works in France, in Indonesia and the Ukraine.

www.dorothy-shoes.com

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Ed Kashi

Ed Kashi is a photojournalist, filmmaker and educator dedicated to documenting the social and political issues that define our times. A sensitive eye and an intimate relationship to his subjects are the signatures of his work. Kashi’s complex imagery has been recognized for its compelling rendering of the human condition.
Kashi’s images have been published and exhibited worldwide. His innovative approach to photography and filmmaking produced the Iraqi Kurdistan Flipbook which used stills in a moving image format. Also, an eight-year personal project completed in 2003, Aging in America: The Years Ahead, created a traveling exhibition, an awardwinning documentary film, a website and a book.
Along with numerous awards, Kashi’s editorial assignments and personal projects have generated four books. In 2008, his latest books will be published; Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta and Three.
In 2002, Kashi and his wife, writer / filmmaker Julie Winokur, founded Talking Eyes Media. The non-profit company has produced numerous short films and multimedia pieces that explore significant social issues. The first project resulted in a book and traveling exhibition on uninsured Americans called, Denied: The Crisis of America’s Uninsured. A one-hour documentary film pertaining to this crucial health care challenge is currently in production for release in mid-2008.

www.edkashi.com

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Erica Shires

Erica Shires is a New York based artist. At 34, she began a new career by moving to NYC to study photography at Pratt Institute. She was selected as one of PDN’s (Photo District News www.pdnonline.com) “Top 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch” in 2006. She has photographed for such clients as Ad Council, Kodak, Nike, Nivea and New York Magazine. Shires’ personal work has been exhibited in New York, Paris and Belgium. She currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Share a week in Toscany this summer with our Friend With Vision!

Erica will teach at the TPW. Her workshop is for commercial photographers who would like to revamp their portfolio, and give more strength to their work in order to get more focused assignments. It is also designed for young photographers with a strong personal vision entering the business world, and that would like to keep and apply that vision while working in the commercial field.

www.ericashires.com

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