The Dark Knight Rises - Photos

The Dark Knight Rises - Christopher Nolan's Third Installment of The Batman Series

The Dark Knight Rises, opening in the USA on July 20, will not only be one of the biggest American superhero blockbusters for 2012, but will be the most profitable of the Batman franchises. Christopher Nolan returns for a third time around to direct the film. Nolan co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan and the story with David S. Goyer.

Time will tell if Rush Limbaugh's jest about "Bane" being linked to Romney will have any legs.

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises is the third installment in the film series, the sequel to Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008), all directed and deftly crafted by Nolan. One of Mark Jordan Photography's favorite directors is Nolan, whose last film, Inception, left no doubt the genius of the man.

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

Though The Dark Knight Rises is expected to be the completion of the series, I cannot imagine that it won't be too long before we once again see the DC Comics character Batman - not if clamoring audiences have to say anything about it. Batman is much too fertile a franchise for Hollywood to allow it to remain fallow for long. Mark my words, there will come a day when see Alfred being played by a then aging Christian Bale...

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

Speaking of Bale, he returns for another go at his greatly anticipated role along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman, all from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. There are also a few new faces, not least of which is Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway. I'll leave the new characters to your imagination, but one plays Selina Kyle and the other Bane (yes, as in "a person who ruins and spoils" sort of bane...).

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

Though I knew The Dark Knight Rises takes place after the portentous conclusion of The Dark Knight, what I was surprised to learn was that it's a whopping eight years later. As you know, much can happen in that span, especially so when it comes to the gathering of dark forces. 

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises  

I also discovered that regardless of Nolan's phenomenal successes with his first two Batman films, he was skeptical about taking the helm for a third time. Eventually Nolan agreed to the project but only after his brother, Jonathan, and David Goyer, developed a great story. Nolan's primary concern was to end the series on the proverbial high note. From what I've seen so far, it looks definitively a crystal shattering, high-C.

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

At to the particulars, the filming of The Dark Knight Rises took quite the sequitious route, with locations all over the map. I am not certain where the film begins but along the way The Dark Knight Rises in Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Pittsburg (for an exciting Steelers game you'll never forget), London, Nottingham, Glasgow, and Jodhpur, of all places. 

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises 

Batman fans will be elated with the cinema photography, as Nolan has once again chosen to employ the IMAX camera for The Dark Knight Rises (not all but a great portion of it). Obviously, Nolan feels that same and you and I, who demand exceptional quality - there's no better camera than the IMAX to make the best use the visuals created by Nolan and his team.

The Dark Knight Rises 

I hope you enjoyed a few images I snipped from trailers. In case you're new to the Mark Jordan Photography blog (Photosical), wondering about the REVIEW, we first post images with "review" in the title so that when we actually do write it, we're already one step ahead in the search engines... The review of The Dark Knight Rises will be coming after the film is released.

And now, here's the trailer: 

Try On A Mask Yourself

Mark

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Photography Tips: COUNTING THE COST - PART 2 OF 2

Having touched upon the first part of the question asked of Mark Jordan Photography in Part 1 of this 2 part series ("How do you charge more than $50 for an 8x10...), we are now ready to continue in Part 2 by answering the second part of the question, "and stay in business?" This will entail a very brief discussion of Implicit Costs and conclude with a word on the Hobbyest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides "Accounting Costs," there's also another cost accounting factor: "Economic Costs." In brief, while Accounting Costs are primarily bookkeeping in nature, "Economic Costs" considers both explicit accounting costs (bookkeeping), and an animal we have yet to discuss, implicit costs.

In a nutshell, implicit costs are the costs realized by the forgoing of a viable alternative that would ostensible earn more money. In brief, the difference between what you could be earning at this other endeavor (say as a rocket scientist), and what your are earning now as a professional photographer, must also be considered when counting the cost.

Since a great many of photographers feel that "photography" is the only occupation they would ever consider devoting themselves to, and would rather die than do anything else (being infected by the same disease as actors), the Economic Cost component is more than likely a moot point. Where this is the case, such economic consideration falls well within the very real realm of "psychic income." To read more, just click the link. 

As to the "staying in business" portion of your question, this is another can of worms, which many may not like my prescription.

My personal sense is that if a viable business model cannot be established and supported, the one needs to be honest and call it for what it is: a hobby (regardless of psychic income).

It's the hobbyist, in my humble opinion, who are flooding the marketplace/internet. Like unrelenting waves of jellyfish, they're elevated in glory one moment only to be crushed upon the shore the next. Before they crash, however, they lure an unsuspecting populace with illegitimate pricing, all to the detriment of bonafide professional photographers, if not to sting the public as well.

I don't mind at all that hobbyists are attempting to make money from photography - not by any stretch. I only wish they would be aboveboard and announce they're a "serious hobbyest". That is unless one believes that the common practice of accepting money for one's service alone constitutes and defines a professional. I guess that would be true if one also acknowledges the nobel "professions" of paperboy and lemonade salesperson.

This not being the case, I think it is reasonable to suggest that the mere acceptance or exchange of money for services rendered does not a professional make. 

So then, what am I saying? If, after determining the cost of one's services, it is determined that the pricing required to sustain the business is not viable, then do what it takes to either make it a reality or find another "business." To go on pretending that one's hobby is a business, while undercutting the stalwart professionals who are striving to support their viable businesses (and families), is not what I would consider wholly honest. 

Hobbyist or Professional?

For me (photographer and owner of Mark Jordan Photography) it's a question of integrity. When one is weighing the matter, whether or not to be (a person of integrity), there is no question. Either a photographer counts the real costs and then proceeds to make it as a credible business, or they face the facts and represent themselves as a hobbyist.

In the end, everyone who undertakes disingenuous practices not only diminishes the profession they profess to be a legitimate member, but soon enough will discover that we humans truly do reap what we sew.

Again, my plea would be to count the cost, both as a caring, responsible citizen, and for one's own good conscience and peace of mind.

Hope this helps. Anything else, just let me know.

PART 1

Mark

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Photography Tips: COUNTING THE COST - PART 1 OF 2

Recently, Mark Jordan Photography was asked this question from a photographer: "How do you charge more than $50 for an 8x10 and stay in business?" I jotted down a quick reply, and on the chance that it might be beneficial, I thought I would post it here in my blog.
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Thank you for asking about how to price your photography.

Pricing one's work is fairly subjective, and so much depends on not only the quality of one's visual expression, but the market one is seeking to attract. Regardless, there are certain elements to every pricing structure that cannot be ignored and MUST be considered before deriving a price.

Counting the Cost Begins Early 

   

The vast majority of pricing considerations entail one's costs. That is, one must take into account such indispensables as tithing/charity, food, home/mortgage/rent, clothing, insurance (life, disability, auto, home, overhead, business, equipment, liability, etc.), overhead (studio space, utilities, phones, internet/cable/web-host/domains, maintenance, marketing, sales, salary, employees, cameras, furniture, stationery, computers, hard-drives, etc.), taxes (property, income, employees, federal, state, etc.), retirement/savings, medical, living expenses, education, auto, vacation, and least of which are lab costs - just to name a few.

Not until these annual costs are determined can one sit down and make a reasonable estimate of what it takes to simply exist.

Add to this list of actual costs the excess (i.e. profit) you must reap to cover other yearly costs for such "luxuries" as travel, hobbies, interests and fun (and my case, guitars and golf). With this complete picture in mind (and the appurtenant total), divide it by the number of sittings/sessions you want to book or the number you average a year. Now you know how much you need to average from each session. 

Then, ask yourself, what is the general makeup of each session? Do you sell primarily 8x10s or 40x60s? How many of each? For every photographer I've helped work these numbers out, I have never seen an 8x10 cost less than $50 - nearly always, it exceeds $100. When I did this exercise for myself back in the 80's, the $3.00 lab 8x10 cost me $87. 

Obviously, those photographers who are selling their "8x10s" for less than their actual costs and believe they are making a profit, simply because their lab bill states $3 are living in denial. It's not to say that a photographer who is booking a thousand sessions per year cannot make a profit with low margins, but I don't know many who have attained the volume that would justify charging only $50 for an 8x10. They might be a good photographer, but as a viable business, they are fooling themselves. 

Who me? Count the cost? I'm making $25 for an 8x10! 

A great many photographers I speak with DO NOT charge nearly enough and subsequently are woefully under-insured. This includes medical coverage, a retirement plan, disability insurance, and the list goes on and on. 

Sadly, I now meet many older photographers reaching retirement age and most do not have what they need to live comfortably - they will be working all their lives. Why? They never counted the cost. Sadly, this also extends to many a spiritual destiny as well, but that's a whole other story...

PART 2

Mark

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The 3p's of Fine Family Portraits

by Orange County Photographer, @Mark Jordan Photography - This post will soon been sectioned into 3 Parts (by readers requests). 
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AN INSIDE LOOK...

The planning, scheduling and creation of a Mark Jordan Photography portrait should be an enjoyable experience. To this end Mark Jordan has classified the entire portrait process into three detailed, yet simple, sessions:

1. Planning Session
2. Portrait Session
3. Preview Session

1. PLANNING Session
After an informal, informative talk, I will ask which of our three Portrait Sessions (and accompanying design services) best meet your particular needs. Your choice of the most appropriate Portrait Session and the corresponding nonrefundable commission retainer must be decided before we move ahead to the actual Planning phase. Therefore, if there is anyone besides yourself who might want a voice regarding the design of your portrait, it is vital that they accompany you.

Once I (Mark Jordan Photography) have been commissioned to create your portrait, I will segue into the actual planning/design phase. Besides discussing the spirit and style of your portrait, I will also assist you with clothing arrangements and consider possible portrait locations. Regardless of the vast majority of photographers in orange county not spending the time to plan the detail of your family portrait prior to your portrait session, I am convinced that the preliminary planning session is of utmost importance the success of your family portrait.

Lastly, I will also provide a Portrait Preparation Guide to serve as your personal, at home guide. If you already have clothing in mind, please bring them along. You’ll be one step ahead - quickly. We will never tell you what to wear but merely inform you of the consequences of the clothing you've selected. If requested, we will only help you choose and harmonize (not match) your clothing.

Though clients frequently want to wear "white" for their beach portraits, it's far from an ideal choice. I had to work

hard here to ensure there was ample white foam to balance their white shirts and make them appear not the focal point. 

2. PORTRAIT Session
• Once the preliminary design preparations have been made, a portrait date and time will be reserved.

• Outdoor portrait sessions may be scheduled on most any day of the week and, depending on the desired location, are set 1-2 hours before sunset. Because of their more casual, unstructured feel, outdoor sessions are fast paced and last only 30-40 minutes - fun and painless.

Remember, the quintessential difference between Photographer and Painter is that the photographer has the moment. Thought it's fashionable these days among the MWACs (moms with cameras) to boast of sessions comprised of hours of "shooting time," reality is, the perfect golden light lasts but only a fraction of that, and the rapid fire, shotgun approach might yield a boat load of exposures, but so very few precious moments. The professional photographer is one who not only captures honest, spontaneous expressions, but "paints with light," taking full advantage of its brief moment of glory.

• When the inevitable risks of wind, sand, tousled hair/clothing, and managing the challenges of a host of imperfections are not 'your thing,' we advise keeping with the controlled setting of the Studio. Since Studio sessions tend to be more structured, where I have exact control over lighting (as well as environmental conditions such as room temperature, comfort, etc.), and we are in no hurry to catch the last golden rays of sunset, they can last about an hour or so. The length depends on three primary factors:

1. number of people in your portrait
2. varied poses you require
3. number of groupings you request. 

The operative mindset we advise is "keep things simple"- less is definitively more. 

Again, I know the current trend (and I've seen many in the last 30 years) is to "shoot" everything in sight, create hundreds of exposures (hoping something of value might be found), toss them all on a CD and proclaim professional status. 

Regardless of the latest fad, at Mark Jordan Photographer, we remain committed not only to the art of photographing people, but to you and your family in particular. After all, you're not commissioning a photographer for what you know about photography, but rather for a professional photographer who has dedicated himself wholly to the mastery of his craft.

• No Compromises: Mark Jordan Photography creates only one outdoor portrait per evening. Why? So that every creation is enveloped in that magical, setting light known as the golden hour. Besides capturing the moment, the quick setting sun is yet another reason for the fast paced nature of our outdoor portraits.

3. PREVIEW Session
• The final phase in creating your portrait is selecting your favorite expressions. Please note that I did say "expressions" and not "exposures." Why? Since the advent of digital capture, families today have the extraordinary option of choosing their absolute favorite expressions from each of their family members. I personally assist my clients through the entire selection process.

In brief, the selection process consists of viewing your previews on a large monitor (i.e. since we are a digital portrait studio, "proofing" is now a relic of the past), while "starring" each chosen expression to later compare. Our large monitor not only allows us to then zoom-in close to reveal expression details,  but also to evaluate as many as eight closeups at a time. For most, the expression that has had captured them best becomes readily apparent. For others, it might require a bit of nontechnical analysis on my part...

• There is no single best way to select your favorite expressions. While some clients prefer to see their previews for the first time sitting with me at our studio, others prefer the "sneak preview" approach, which simply entails me posting the images online for them to view at the leisure. Though both methods are valid, visiting the studio AND allowing me to help you through the process at our portrait studio is by far the most beneficial. I much prefer a combination of the two.

• Determine the appropriate portrait size requires another set of skills all together. While the vast majorit of clients instruct me to complete the digital retouching aspects of their portrait before selecting a size, some prefer to decide their favorite expressions AND their portait sizes all in one session. Regardless, of when, both approaches necessitate that I project their portraits. I perform this simply yet informative  task in our consultation room by projecting your selections onto a large screen.

While projecting every desired size, as well as alternative sizes in either direction (smaller and larger), we also consider the vital  elements of The ABC’s of Portrait Selection. Though you can learn more about the ABC's either in our blog post, or on our website, the primary factor that we must weigh is "head size." From temple to temple, an appropriate sized head must not be any less than 3 inches and no larger than 6 inches. Within this limited span there are some portrait dimensions that'll be more appealing while others that will not.

However, just as I cannot tell how much salt to pour on your popcorn, it's also not my place to tell you what size feels most lifelike and engenders the greatest degree of emotional impact.  Once you see it you will know. It's at this point we discuss the most appropriate surface finish as well as compare differing prices.

As always, should you have any questions, no concern is too small: www.markjordanphoto.com

Mark

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Miami Sewing Machines

by Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography
South Beach - Miami

Closing my Orange County photography studio (Mark Jordan Photography) to go galavanting across the country is not always easy, especially on a whimsy. But when a good bud offers to pickup the tab for a jaunt out to Miami for a few nights stay at the Versace Mansion (properly titled "The Villa"), who am I to argue? Goodbye California, wife and family, and hello South Beach!

Miami Sewing Machines - ©Mark Jordan Photography 

As it tuns out, the same chap who owns "The Villa," Barton G., also runs a posh restaurant just around the corner, and of the same name, Barton G. This dining phenomenon is yet for another post, but suffice it to say, it's more than worth the flight and expense to experience again, and again. In fact I did. This is where my story begins.

The Villa Barton G: Our Balcony - The Villa Entrance at Night - One of our Rooms with 12' Wide Bed 

After thoroughly gorging myself at a scrumptious dinner extravaganza at "Barton G's The Restaurant" in Miami, rather than accepting a ride back to my hotel (this visit at the Canyon Ranch Hotel and Spa) I decided to walk off a few calories by rambling the streets of South Beach. Also having my trusty Canon 5D in hand gave me all the rationale I needed to walk a few miles when I could have just has easily been driven.

Mark Jordan - View from from room balcony at the Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa 

Being a Friday night, things were hopping in Miami. Either you like this sort of frenetic activity or you don't. My temperament leans somewhat to the latter, although there is something intoxicating about the energy and youthful lust for life - it percolates my blood. Not to mention the exotic cars, enticing aromas, reverberating sonance and provocative ensembles, if not the trappings of great wealth. Okay, so I was enjoying myself more than I thought.

Regardless, I felt very much the voyeur - a man out-of-place, brandishing an equally out-of-place appendage: a large professional camera. Each time I lifted my cannon [sic], faces would either grimace and scatter, or sparkle and shine. Nonetheless, it was not the people upon which my intent was focused, nor my camera. My fascination was the environs that seduced them - like moths to a flame it brought them by the thousands. The Miami turf, more than anything, captured my attention.

Well then, for all my talk, you'd think I'd post a few fairly outrageous images. RIght? Instead, I document my Miami stroll with a sole image of a window strewn with sewing machines. Well yes, that's me. This was my favorite image and one that seems to encapsulate best what my emotions were transmitting.

Raw Digital Image 

For all the excitement and stimulation, for all the glitz and glamour, and for all the anticipation and fertile hopes, there was an almost suffocating atmosphere of loneliness. It was these sewing machines I spotted in the All Saints window that spoke to me the loudest - each one suggesting the nature of the lives that scurried about. So many with latent design and purposeful intent, but idly active, on display, shelved and disconnected.

It also did not get lost on me that the agents of my curiosity were confined within a store boasting the emblem "All Saints." Although it's commonly thought today that "saints" occupy the realms solely defined by Websters as "persons recognized with exception holiness in the Christian Church by canonization," the Book whereupon the narrative of "saint" was first penned was a characteristic attributed to and attainable by every person. The contrast of this distinction was striking.

For me, these abandoned, inert and impotent machines, seemed to piece together my sense of the walking contradictions before me. So may lives that, though intertwined by activity, were nonetheless isolated and barren by the same force they sought to unite them. I guess if I had observed a display of robitronic zombies I could have substituted their image instead. But in lieu of such a discovery, these Miami Sewing Machines, I believe, will do just fine.

Mark

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Mini Cooper - Through the Eyes of Portrait Photographer

by Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography was recently asked by Mini Cooper Crevier to create a unique perspective of their Mini Coopers. 

CLICK TO READ FULL BLOG POST

Mini Cooper Photographs by Mark Jordan Photography – Laguna Beach, CA

Mark

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The Bourne Legacy - Photos

While we're anxiously waiting for the release of The Bourne Legacy, I've posted a few images and The Bourne Legacy official trailer for your convenience.

New poster with enticing tagline: "There was never just one." 

Besides the obvious,  i.e. Bourne Legacy is based on Robert Ludlum's novels, not much is known about the story except that it is centered on a new CIA operative in the universe.

The Bourne Legacy - The New Uber-spy supplanting Jason Bourne 

The Bourne Legacy is scheduled to be released August 3 with Jeremy Renner (recently seen alongside Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol) being asked to undertake the seemingly impossible task of superseding Matt Damon of the highly successful Bourne franchise.

The Bourne Legacy - There Was Never Just One 

Renner, however, is taking on an altogether different role as yet another lethal agent inducted into the covert realm we were first introduced in Bourne Identity. Finally, we are just now getting our first glimpse at Renner as the new uber-spy.

The Bourne Legacy - Jeremy Renner taking aim at an Airplane that was in the original trailer. 
It's been replaced by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Though the trailer's still air with the
airplane, you won't see it in the actual movie.

Mark Jordan Photography is excited to hear my favorite characters/actors are returning, Joan Allen, Albert Finney, Scott Glenn and David Strathairn, though I am already lamenting the loss of Julia Stiles. The film's cast includes the addition of one of my favorite actors, Edward Norton. Other newcomers to the franchise are Oscar Isaac, Rachel Weisz and Midnight in Paris's Corey Stoll.

The Bourne Legacy - Favorite Characters Return 

Stay tuned for movie stills as they become available.

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography
Orange County Family Portrait
Orange County Beach Portrait
Orange County Senior Portrait
Orange County Children Portraits
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Belly Art Photography
Wordle™ Puzzles

Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography, an Rancho Santa Margarita Photographer, specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer (with a Rancho Santa Margarita portrait studio), and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County and Southern California. Mark Jordan's Orange County portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where Mark Jordan photography studio services are offered are as an Aliso Viejo Photographer, Anaheim Photographer, Costa Mesa Photographer, Coto de Caza Photographer, Dana Point Photographer, Dove Canyon Photographer, Huntington Beach Photographer, Irvine Photographer, Ladera Ranch Photographer, Laguna Beach Photographer, Laguna Hills Photographer, Laguna Niguel Photographer, Lake Forest Photographer, Mission Viejo Photographer, Newport Beach Photographer, Northwood Photographer, Orange Photographer, Orange Park Acres Photographer, San Clemente Photographer, San Juan Capistrano Photographer, Santa Ana Photographer, Tustin Photographer, Villa Park Photographer, Westminster Photographer, Yorba Linda Photographer, Corona del Mar Photographer, Riverside Photographer, Temecula Photographer, Chino Hills Photographer, Loma Linda Photographer, Rancho Bernardo Photographer, Carlsbad Photographer, Coronado Photographer, Del Mar Photographer, Escondido Photographer, San Diego Photographer, San Marcos Photographer, Solana Beach Photographer, Carmel Mountain Ranch Photographer, Rancho San Diego Photographer, Rancho Santa Fe Photographer, and San Diego Country Estates Photographer, Turtle Rock Photographer, Shady Canyon Photographer. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

The Real Life Story - Behind Our Christmas Card

Steve Jobs and A Man Who Has Indelibly Changed Our Lives

Each year I am presented with the daunting task of creating the "Mark Jordan Photography" Christmas card that is on a par with the previous year. Some contend that my attempt should be more lofty, and that I should strive to top each year's card. Whether or not I embrace such pressure is not my concern, but instead prefer to simply concentrate my efforts on designing and expressing something new, fun and creative. I don't think in terms of better - only that a Mark Jordan Photography Christmas card represents excellence. It's to this aim I commit myself, each and every year.

The Inspirational Headshot of Steve Jobs

With that said, this year was especially challenging. Why? Believe it or not, my goal is to not only create impactful family photography, but that my design in some way reflects a meaningful event of the year. As you might recall, the third leg of the Mark Jordan tag line, immediately proceeding Timeless and Simple, is Meaningful. As such, it's not only relevant for my family portraits, it's important for me to infuse meaningfulness into the various facets of my portrait photography. 

This year, one of the most significant events of the year for me, and millions more throughout the world, was the passing of Apple's progenitor, Steve Jobs. Say what you will about Jobs, no one can argue he was not solely responsible for altering the way the world goes about its business. There's not many men in history who have left such an indelible mark.

The challenge then was how might I intertwine a portrait of my three children into the untimely departure of the behemoth icon? What possible design element could I pull together to render the faces of my most cherished gifts in a relevant manner to the "God of the The New Apple"?

To be candid, after mulling it over in my noggin I figured the contrast was too diverse and there was no feasible way to draw a parallel. I nixed it from the list of possibilites and went on to the next. Regardless of putting great effort into the another interesting concept, the challenge of making a credible link to such a strong divergent contrast kept nagging at me - unrelenting so.

The internal pestering refused to diminish, which had me wracking my brain for an apt allegory. This, in turn, had me scanning Google images for photos of Steve Jobs, hoping it might trigger the hook I was looking for. As fate would have it, I came across the headshot above. The proverbial light went on - ideas began to formulate. 

Now then, I don't know if anyone is all that interested in what transpired over the following weeks and the detailed narrative of incubation, but suffice it to say, the journey from initial concept to execution was anything but linear. It was one revision after another. Or put another way, re-vision after re-vision. Each time I thought I had it tacked down, a new wrinkle surfaced, causing me to question my interpretations and approach the divergence in an unlikely way.

Once my concept solidified into a workable cast, another seemingly insurmountable obstacle arose: how to overcome the limited dimension of the card in relation to the substance I wished to incorporate - too little space for too much content. I then began to chip away, but to my surprise the answer was not in elimination but expansion. Instead of incorporating only the kids, the answer was adding our two dogs to the mix. Synthesis then became my operative taskmaster!

The Front of Our 2011 Christmas Card 

At that point, having already overcome the dilemma of identifying relevance and design, other quandaries could no longer generate sufficient friction to slow this train from chugging forward. I didn't question whether the vision was possible and instead bulldozed ahead feeling confident the solutions would arrive. You know, a kind of "build it and they will come" scenario. 

The trick then was to synthesize every detail relating to the inference of Steve Jobs, while maintaing a subtle, clean aesthetic, which might tickle the eye as well as the heart. Tall order, but doable. John Wooden, who knows a thing or two about success (and who I had the joy of photographing), once said, "It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." 

The snowflake for instance, a minor detail, yet actually has greater significance than simply suggesting winter. Without revealing too much, let me remind you that snowflakes are six-sided. Did you know the price of the very first Apple was $666? I'm sure you also recall that Jobs designed his logo which conspicuously reveals a bite taken out of an apple...

First Apple Computer: Price tag - $666 

Possibly, Steve Jobs was telegraphing his intentions all along, hiding in plain sight. I've even heard him speak from his pulpit, expressing his plans of global domination where every human will be touched in some way by Apple's reach - which arguably has "indelibly changed our lives."

Clearly, I also strove to craft each portrait as a parody to the much celebrated and renowned studio portrait of Steve Jobs. I'm not much for relying on assumption, but reasoned my astute friends would readily detect each kid/dog costumed in Jobs' trademark uniform. 

Even our card's sentiment, "Homage To A Man Who Has Indelibly Changed Our Lives," was carefully designed to direct the reader into connecting the dots, making the association to Steve Jobs. On the one hand I wanted to make sure there was no possible way for anyone to miss the tongue-in-cheek reference, yet plant just enough ambiguity so that when the tables were later turned, all would make sense. 

Snowflakes are Six-Sided - This one has a bite taken out of it...

At the risk of being too apparent, I couldn't resist taking a bite out of the snowflake. I questioned whether I then rambled over the top by posing our Schnoodle's paw upon her chin. However, if all the questions I've received is any measure, apparently not...

I know what many of you were thinking, but no, Kacy cannot actually touch her chin with her paw. And in case there are any PETA campaigners reading this blog, we did NOT forcibly contort Kacy's paw into this position - I accomplished this feet [sic] in Photoshop. 

As to our verse, once I baited the viewer into concluding that our Christmas card was in honor of Steve Jobs, the next step was to flip that understanding - in an instant. The abruptness of the small lone word, Jesus, at the top the verse, quickly proclaims that we are not as whacky as it would seem, and that any other possible focus of our affection the reader supposed was simply a product of an overactive imagination. Everything is as it ought to be - of course. 

Tension...followed by resolution.

The Inside - Verse 

Lest you're wondering why I would invest my time to write this blog post to simply explain a Christmas card, I'm doing so to save time and sanity. This way, each time I either meet someone on the street, get an email, or receive any sort of inquiry, I can quickly point them to my blog. I would appreciate greatly if you might consider doing the same.

Mark

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