Family Circle Magazine, September 2010
In the September edition of Family Circle Magazine is a 4 page Back to School article that I shot in May. I photographed Barbara Blalock who is the director of a program called Treasures 4 Teachers that assists educators with limited funds in purchasing supplies for educational purposes. Barbara started the not-for-profit program in 2003 working out of her home and they now operate out of a 10,000 square foot warehouse in Tempe, Arizona. The center accepts donations from companies and individuals.
Excerpt from the story:
Several days a week, Barbara Blalock pulls up to the 10,000-square-foot facility in Tempe, Arizona, that houses Treasures 4 Teachers, her not-for-profit center which assists educators who have big ideas but limited funds. Inside, aisles and aisles of shelves hold bins of brightly colored buttons and beads, stacks of stickers and scrapbooking supplies, and an ever-changing assortment of paper, pencils and three-ring binders.
Barbara greets her crew and they all go to work preparing for the influx of teachers—50 to 100 a day—who arrive on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For a nominal fee shoppers fill as many bags as they want with supplies. They also have access to a die-cut machine, a copier, a laminator and a library of how-to books. There’s even an ongoing series of free hands-on workshops packed with ideas for how to use the materials. “Our goal is for everyone to leave here with lots of suggestions to implement in their classrooms,” says Barbara.
These are goods and services the teachers wouldn’t have any other way. Barbara first became aware of the need in 2003, when she was the regional director of 13 preschools run by the YMCA. “We didn’t have a budget for even the basics,” she says. “Kids can’t learn to write and draw without pencils and crayons and paper. Teachers can’t be creative and effective without binders and scissors and staplers and paper clips.” Parents, she knew, could not be expected to fill the gap. “It’s beyond most people’s budget,” she says.
With a little research she realized that the problem was more widespread than she had thought. In Arizona over half of all K-8 students can’t afford lunch, let alone school supplies—typical of many areas. Across the country teachers are averaging $493 a year of their own money to make up the difference, with 7% of them shelling out around $1,000, according to a study by the National School Supply and Equipment Association.
If you want to read more, here is the link to full story on Family Circle website.
Photo District News: Surveillance features American Railway Explorer
The American Railway Explorer campaign has been featured on Photo District New’s Surveillance. Below is a screen shot from the feature and part of the article…
Article by Barbara Goldman
Something wonderfully old and very traditional is new again. If you don’t want the hassle of plane travel across the U.S., you can travel in comfort with the new American Railway Explorer.
Not so long ago, people could see America exclusively from the comforts of the country’s railways. They would travel in luxurious rail cars, enjoy impeccable service provided by stately porters, and see expansive landscapes unfolding right before their eyes. Although railway travel was still a necessity, it provided an aura of luxury, romance and beauty.
That same experience is being brought back to the public today with the American Railway Explorer. The American Railway Explorer was built during the mid-20th century, and the cars have been updated with modern features, beautiful and rich interiors and deluxe appointments. Passengers will be able to view sites, make stops with tours, participate in activities and lectures to famous national parks and vistas of the United States, while also experiencing fine dining and the plush comforts of these trains.
“It’s not merely about where you go. It’s how you get there,” is the concept behind the new railway campaign from ad agency E.B. Lane of Phoenix, AZ. When you embark upon a rail cruise with the American Railway Explorer you are well on your way to seeing some of the grandest sites the United States has to offer. From national parks to miles of sprawling landscapes hardly seen by travelers, an excursion will promise memories to treasure for a lifetime. The American Railway Explorer will have four routes that start in 2011: The Western Explorer, The Southwest Explorer, The Northwest Explorer and The Transcontinental Explorer.
Read the whole story along with along with quotes from myself and the other creatives involved on PDN: Surveillance
See my previous post on the launch of the campaign: markpeterman.com/blog/2010/06/22/american-railway-explorer-campaign.
The Omnia in Zermatt, my favorite hotel in Europe
The Omnia Hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland is my favorite hotel in Europe. Why have I singled it out? Well it’s the experience of staying at the hotel that I remember, but I can’t forget the place because of their amazing promotional pieces that keep showing up year after year.
My experience with The Omnia began in 2007 when my wife and I spent 2 weeks traveling throughout Switzerland via train. We stayed in Zermatt and at The Omnia over a weekend in October. It was definitely one of my favorite places that we stayed on the trip.
The hotel is a modern mountain lodge built into the foothills of The Matterhorn in Zermatt. The village of Zermatt is only accessible by train and cars are prohibited in the village. Visitors get around on foot, horse-drawn carriages or electric carts.
You enter the hotel from a cave/tunnel in the village and take an elevator 4 floors up through the rock to the lobby where the view overlooks the village. An added touch to the intimate feel and personal experience of the place is the fact that the rooms are lettered A-Z and not numbered.
As a past guest of the hotel, each year I receive a promotional piece from the hotel. The esthetic of the pieces are amazing with the design, photography and illustration completely planned down to the smallest detail.
I’ve included a few samples of their promo pieces from photos I created as well a photo collage from their site (above). I also included a few of my own shots, first photo is a view of the town from the hotel and below is a self-portrait from the balcony overlooking the mountains. Check out The Omnia website.
Bill Wohl, Health Leaders magazine
In May I photographed triathlete and heart transplant recipient Bill Wohl in Scottsdale, Arizona for Health Leaders Magazine. Bill was a heart transplant recipient over ten years ago and today competes monthly around the world in triathlons.
Top 100 Financial Advisors for Barron’s Magazine, Deeann Griebel
I have some work published in Barron’s Magazine this month. In late May, I photographed financial advisor Deeann Griebel here in Arizona for a feature on the Top 100 Financial Advisors in the United States. Deeann was a really interesting person to work with because her of her wealth of experience advising CEO’s of major corporations.
Of course I had to ask her during the shoot about her thoughts on investing for individuals in a difficult economy… her advice was pretty amazing “have a cash reserve at home, buy gold as an investment and plant a garden in your backyard to be self-sustainable”. A bit unsettling and unexpected… Just another day meeting interesting people.
Images available for editorial licensing in the online archive: Deeann Griebel, financial advisor
Christa Brelsford, Haiti earthquake survivor
I recently photographed Christa Brelsford a survivor of the earthquake in Haiti in January. Brelsford is a graduate student at the Arizona State University who was volunteering in Haiti in January when the earthquake devastated the country. After getting stuck in a collapsed building Brelsford had to get the lower part of her right leg amputated. She has been an avid rock climber for years so I photographed her at the Phoenix Rock Gym in Tempe, Arizona.
I was commissioned by People Magazine to photograph her and the article about Brelsford ran in May 2010. However at the last moment my images were not used. These photographs are now available for editorial licensing in the online archive: Christa Brelsford, Haiti earthquake survivor
American Railway Explorer campaign
I am excited to present an advertising campaign that I recently photographed. The campaign is for American Railway Explorer, a company that offers luxury train excursions across the United States and Canada. The tour packages will be starting in summer 2011. The campaign just launched in website and brochure form with creative direction by Arizona based agency E.B. Lane.
The final images were shot in two parts: I photographed a number of different models in studio to compliment scenic shots sourced from stock. In addition to the creative work done by E.B. Lane, the post-production and retouching was orchestrated by Randy Geske. Below are a few shots of the brochure and the website is live… Check it out here.
Agency: E.B. Lane
Art Director: Dave Klein
Creative Director: Chad Martin
Photography: Mark Peterman
Retoucher: Randy Geske
Hair/Makeup: Laura Flagler
See the entire campaign in my archive: American Railway Explorer
Journal Series
For years I have kept journals and notebooks as documentation of my life. They range from sketch books to more deliberate collage work and I use them to experiment and they often serve as a way for me to remember things that I have done. So in an effort to show something different than the commercial work I often post here, this is a new series on the blog showing some of my favorite journal pages both recent and not-so recent.
Some of my inspiration in this area comes from completely different influences. For years I appreciated Frank Ockenfels photographic work and especially his journals. I did a Santa Fe workshop with Frank in 2007, which only made me appreciate his work more and I learned a lot from him and grew from the experience.
Another influence in this area is Rob Gretton. It’s strange because he not a visual artist at all. He was the manager for New Order and Joy Division and an avid collector of all things pertaining to his life with the band. I’ve been a fan of both bands for years and I recently picked up a collection of notebooks and journals published by his wife in 2008, 8 years after his death. Check it out, it’s an amazing book called One Top Class Manager.
There are a few of my journals scans featured on my website in the personal work section. Look for a follow up to this series soon…
