Thursday, December 3, 2009

Radio Interview

Yesterday I was a guest on Atlanta Business Radio. Listen below:

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Photo Shoot: Peggy Noonan





Here are a couple of images from the recent Peggy Noonan photo session. Noonan is an op-ed columnist for the Wall Street Journal and political talking head on all the major political news/gab-fest programs.
http://www.billadler.com/

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Assignment: The Coca-Cola Company


Just finished photographing The Coca-Cola Company Board of Directors for their Official 2009 Portrait. Special sitting with Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent.
Photo: David Rice
http://www.billadler.com/

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Photo of The Day


Dawn, Paducah, Kentucky.
Film: TRI-X.
(C) Bill Adler
http://www.billadler.com/

Monday, October 12, 2009

Photo of The Day


Cape Cod lighthouse near Provincetown, MA.
FUJI Neopan 1600.
(C) Bill Adler
http://www.billadler.com/

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Photo of The Day


Leon Russell in concert, circa 1974.
TRI-X film/D-76 developer.
(C) Bill Adler
http://www.billadler.com/

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Photo of The Day


Esquire Shine Parlor, Ninth Street, Chattanooga, TN.
TRI-X film/D-76 developer.
(C) Bill Adler
http://www.billadler.com/

Monday, October 5, 2009

Photo of The Day


Neighborhood children, taken in Chicago. TRI-X film/Edwal FG-7 developer.
(C) Bill Adler http://www.billadler.com/

Friday, September 25, 2009

Photo of The Day


This was captured with Kodak Panatomic-X 32 ASA film, developed in Microdol-X (1:3).
Copyright Bill Adler www.billadler.com

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Photo of The Day


Here is a shot I captured in Chicago.
Copyright 2009 Bill Adler http://www.billadler.com/

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

One Year Ago Today...


One year ago today I was in Denver, Colorado covering the 2008 Democratic National Convention as Special Correspondent for the Marietta Daily Journal. My pal Megyn Kelly of FOX News posed for a quick snap.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Combat Training Imagery


This is from a series of photographs I created for a global defense contractor.
(C) 2009 Bill Adler http://www.billadler.com/

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Long Afternoons at Jack Daniels - Lynchburg, TN


This is one of my test images from the Jack Daniels Distillery, located in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The company has never used an advertising photograph more than one time, ever.
(C) 2009 Bill Adler http://www.billadler.com/

Monday, August 17, 2009

Cheyenne Rodeo 1931



I found this great image while looking through some old family photos. Apparently this was snapped while relatives were on vacation traveling the West. After a little research I discovered this was taken at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, which is the oldest annual rodeo event in the world (known as "Daddy of 'em all). It was a big year for Frontier Days as the information from the Old West Museum below attests:
"The first Miss Frontier was selected in 1931 when the Cheyenne Frontier Days committee sponsored a contest. All six of the girls who entered were sponsored by a civic organization. Each girl was judged based on the number of tickets sold be her sponsoring organization. Miss Jean Nimmo Dubois had the honor of becoming the first Miss Frontier when the Cheyenne Post of the American legion sold the most tickets to the show." http://www.billadler.com/

Monday, July 27, 2009

Bill Adler Photography Receives 2009 Best of Atlanta Award

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- Bill Adler Photography has been selected for the 2009 Best of Atlanta Award in the Photographers category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org

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Monday, January 26, 2009

Cell Phone Pix

Here is an interesting shot from a recent AC\DC concert:















(C)2009 Bill Adler http://www.billadler.com/

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Eric Draper - Exit Interview with White House Chief Photographer

Eric Draper, Chief White House Photographer (his actual title is Director of the White House Photo Office) will be leaving after covering President Bush for the past eight years. His access to the President is said to rival David Hume Kennerly's access to Ford. Draper has set a high bar for the incoming photographer, Pete Souza. Photo District News featured Draper in an excellent article a few issues back. I found this video recently and wanted to share:

Friday, January 16, 2009

Remembering Eddie Adams
















On the set with Eddie Adams and Phyllis Schlafly.
(C)Bill Adler
Many years ago I had the opportunity to spend some time and study with one of the great photojournalists of the 20th century, Eddie Adams, who left us in 2004. He received the Pulitzer Prize for his chilling image of a Viet Cong guerilla summarily executed upon capture. All told, he won over 500 awards.
When I met him, he was becoming well known for his celebrity portraiture. He was using only a large soft box as the Key light, and black boards for a negative fill. This prevented the light from wrapping around the subject at close range and produced a window light effect with definable shadow quality. I had never seen the use of black boards and was intrigued with this scheme. It was always better to just watch him work than to ask a bunch of questions - which usually lead to an uncontrollable rath of fury. So, I just kept my mouth shut and learned by observation.
He also used a tripod, focused and then intentionally kept his head above the camera so as not to place any physical obstacle between himself and the subject. This created a sense of intimacy and trust, resulting in photographs that are revealing and honest. It was never about cameras or lighting or complex studio sets. It was all about interaction between Eddie and the subject. It was about creating a dynamic in which the capture became secondary.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Back Cover Photograph for New Hot Rods CD


Just submitted the final image to appear on the back cover of the new Hot Rods upcoming CD, The Hot Rods. Destined for big things, this "punkabilly" ensemble is backed by JustWest Entertainment (consisting of powerhouse promoters Lanny West and Leslie Fram, the morning radio personality at New York's premier rock station RXP 101.9) and Jonny Hibbert, the man that discovered REM and produced their first mega hit, Radio Free Europe. The band has just signed an exclusive deal with Universal Music Group.

Author Photograph: Geoff Smart and Randy Street

I recently received my copy of Who: The A Method for Hiring (Random House), by management wunderkinds Geoff Smart and Randy Street. We created the author jacket photograph last summer during our second photo session. This new study became the number one book in the world sold on Amazon.com and has been on the New York Times best seller list for weeks. www.billadler.com

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Providing Diplomatic Photography Services

This particular niche is an excellent source of business development. It allows front line access to high level personalities and events, while further positioning you among other potential clients. Obviously, geography is a factor in your success, as the majority of embassies and consulates are located in Washington, New York and other large metropolitan areas.

Targeting your prospects must be done with great care. You are there to provide professional services, true, but politics are always a consideration - whether your personal convictions or governmental concern. For example, providing services to the Canadians or Japanese is not an issue. The same cannot be said of the Iranians or North Koreans, so spend some time researching prior to contact.

Understand that it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge the qualities of personal manners, etiquette and decorum. Many times you may be traveling with a diplomatic entourage, and it is essential that you are able to completely blend in. Attention should be on wardrobe, with a predisposition to dark suits, white dress shirts and polished shoes.

When attending a gathering with a senior officer, such as an Ambassador or Consul General, always allow sufficient personal space to allow them to roam unrestricted. The actual term for this is to “not restrict their movement” as a Secret Service agent pointed out to me many years ago when photographing President George H. W. Bush. I was in just a bit too close to allow free movement in any direction, and I have taken this advice to heart. It is important to try to photograph each person speaking to your subject, but equally important to do so unobtrusively. Properly executed, you are not even noticed. Ideally, you need take only one shot. These particular images are important in that they serve not only as a visual database for future recognition, but a powerful public relations tool to forward to each guest. There is great news value in an individual “conferring with the Ambassador”. Make sure you take wide angle shots to capture everyone in the room. These may be required for security reasons.

Whenever possible, try to photograph using available light. Your gear requirements should include a vibration reduction lens to allow for razor sharp images in low light conditions. To further facilitate this process, a digital camera with a large chip, (such as high-end Nikon or Canon) is essential. Every time your strobe fires you cause a distraction, so use sparingly. Obviously this caution will not apply to all situations, such as a news conference or taking group photographs. I work with the least amount of equipment possible for numerous reasons. First, I enjoy the freedom of movement this affords. I dislike being bogged down with gear. Secondly, a bunch of cameras and a bag hanging from you simple takes up too much room in small quarters and are not practical. You want to avoid distracting any attention from your client. I usually work with one camera, one fast variable focus lens and one mounted strobe. My bag is small, containing an extra body, flash, media card reader and batteries. Usually there will be draped tables at events, and you can stash your bag there temporarily.

Timing is everything, and these images must be delivered as soon as possible. I carry a notebook computer in my car to allow me to burn a DVD immediately and pass on to the public affairs officer if needed. I can also FTP the images to a server for client download, create and post a slide show and email specific shots to news outlets as directed. This allows for almost instant distribution, increasing the opportunities for publication. My workflow includes importing the images into Lightroom for naming, global corrections and exporting high resolution files directly to DVD.

Other types of photography services needed may include staff photographs for websites and PR. Formal publicity portraits are common requests for the Ambassador, Consul General and other senior personnel. http://www.billadler.com/