The President's image used for advertisements???

So here's a photo ethical dilemma of the day. Here is an article about a recent use of an image of Barrack Obama in an advertisement for a jacket.
ABC News
Fox News
LA Times
New York Times
New York Magazine
The articles state the photographer gave permission to use the image which he should have known better to license an image for commercial use without a model release. Also, it's an AP image so what was AP thinking???
Same thing happened with Michelle Obama and PETA. PETA should know better as well. Watch this issue close. If nothing is done with this then I can expect we will see more "unsponsored" and "unapproved" images being used without concern for repercussions.

If nothing happens, do you think other companies may be fighting for the chance of getting an image of the President holding their product. Can you imagine if a cigarrette company gets a picture of him holding their brand? What would Burger King say if all of a sudden there is a photo of him holding a McDonald's coffee cup in his hand on a billboard?

Why is there little chatter on this?
It blows me away.

Perhaps no one will notice when he goes to give his state of the Union speech wearing a jump suit with hundreds of company logos and brand names on it looking like a race car driver.

A few ideas that I can pass along.

Happy New Year to all.

Today was a pretty interesting day. But all that happened today didn't
compare to the 2 hours of powerful conversation I had with a Navy
photographer who asked for advice on his portfolio.
I have always taken the charge that was given to me many years ago to
"Give back as freely as it was given to you." I always tell people I
am always willing to devote the time and help young (by young I mean
less experienced) photographers in wherever they need it. From life
experiences to passionate and emotional thinking. From understanding f-
stops to elaborate flash set ups and capturing creative impact in
images.

What started off being a simple conversation in response to a
portfolio critique soon became a 2 hour 'power hour' on basic photo
thinking, life choices and keys to a successful photography career.
It was an exciting conversation and it felt good to hear things click
and feel that what was being said was being taken as gold and to heart.
There was many items discussed. Some specific to his photography and
career. Other items general towards what I deem to be 'bare
necessities' in photo thinking.

Some of the items discussed I thought I should mention.
Here are a few items that have been taught to me that I feel all
photographers should have in their minds.

6 things to look for in telling a photo story
- Overall
- Medium
- Close up
- Extreme Close up
- Detail
- Portrait

Whether you are a videographer or still photographer. This is a brush
stroke of 6 basic visual varieties to think about whenever a camera is
in hand. It forces you to think and see in different focal lengths and
angles. I STRONGLY suggest taking this and taping to the back of your
camera until they are memorized and become a natural list you look for
in every scene.

3 things to do PRIOR to taking a shot
- CONTROL the background
- FILL the frame with what is important
- WAIT for the moment

Again, this should be a mantra you say to yourself EVERY time you put
the camera to your face.

3 items to look for in editing every image (in order of precedence)
- CONTENT?
- COMPOSITION?
- TECHNICAL ABILITY?

Use these three questions in every image you are editing. Remember
that an image could be poor technically (over/under exposed), and even
poorly composed. But if it has content, then you may still have a
great image.

Try it!!!

So I have been out of sight for a while now on blogger. It doesn't mean, though that I haven't been hella busy. In fact, I've been all over the place in business, photos and more. One of the most important 'projects' I have been working on (or more my wife Anna) has been this super secret project shown in this video.

I hope you like it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a Happy and Thankful Thanksgiving. Now is the time
not to worry about the things you don't have, but to be very Happy for
the things you do have. Try hard enough and I am sure you will come up
with something. Being alive is one of them.

Legion Photo is up and running

So it has been a while since I put regular blog entires and I do apologize for that. But I now have a lot of catching up to do as I announce the release of my new photo agency, Legion Photo. This is a creative collaboration of 8 other amazing photographers from my military family. Each with a unique talent they all have very diverse styles, but combined we make up the top military background photographers around. Our mission will be to cater and target to a high end editorial and commercial client with photo and video needs in the aerial, machinery, military and special security and service genre.

Take a few moments and check out the site. I am sure you will be incredibly impressed.

Legion Photo is
Stacy Pearsall, Jeremy Lock, Andy Dunaway, Shane McCoy, Lance Cheung, Brien Aho, Johnny Bivera, Tom Sperduto and Aaron Ansarov.

2009 Black Team video

If you don't know about the Eddie Adams Black team then you really haven't lived. Each year a collection of the top passionate people in the industry get together to create the Black Team at Eddie Adams Workshop. Sure the workshop is greta and all, but being on the Black Team is probably the most important life altering experiences on can have.

Anyway, one of the many many things that black team members do (other than mowing lawns, setting up chairs, driving VIPs from NY and other things) is a Black Team video.

Here is 2009's video which was accomplished even with the heavy economy hit. Simply amazing!!! Great job guys.

Living magazines are coming. Get over it! Love it!

If I ever here one more old (ph)ogie tell me that video convergence is a fad, I will just cry.

Watch this now!

Living Magazine Cover & Spread - Outside Magazine from Alexx Henry on Vimeo.