Trifecta Wines & Cellars

Trifecta Wines & Cellars, a set on Flickr.

Some new commercial work recently created for Trifecta Wines & Cellars. The Napa Valley boutique private label is involved in many great charities, often creating custom magnums and offering support to such causes as The Tug McGraw Foundation, the National abilities Center and One Revolution. ArcherVision Photography and Del Padre Digital has worked with the Nyarady Family for 4 years, and earned a 2009 TELLY Award for a branding video we created for the label.

Ball field in winter

Ball field in winter, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

This loney baseball field awaits spring, along with the rest of us

Unwinding to some Police

, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Got to take a break once in a while, right? Well, I figure the best way is to fire up Pandora and play to some cool music...Peter Gabriel, The Police, Pink Floyd, Sting and Talking Heads all spew out on their own, I just play along, play over the top of in a totally different style, or just use the timing to woodshed some chops. Kit is sounding great, and the new year brought along a slightly new set up with the ride taking a position more like a conventional right-handed kit. Two floors, both with pressure tubes, and then two more rack toms, separated by the hat. Then, over the the left of that is a homemade octoban, a DW popcorn snare and small REMO Rototom rims used as a set of hats. Makes for some good ergonomics, and lots of stuff to hit.

Just the way I like to unwind.

Porter Lake at Dusk

Porter Lake at Dusk, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

The sun dropping fast, my trusty dog Justice and I trotted off in the direction it was setting, and finally got to the lake just in time. Dusk, and a not so fast lens forced me to push the ISO a bit, which added a nice grain to the image, and a very painted look, that I often think can better capture the subtle colors and textures of a fall setting. Crisp is always better in an image, unless it feels more warm, more real and looks more like what your eye sees.

I could have turned around, chalking it up to a late start and quick setting sun. But, instead I pushed on and took in what I could in those last minutes of light where things change moment to moment. Funny, seems that photography is often like life....stay on the trail and you don't get your shot. Assume the sun has set, and you miss the best part.

The best photos are the ones taken.

Nature's Pallete

Nature's Pallete, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Sometimes, when you look close, you see things you would just walk by. Getting close to nature and taking your time to follow the light can often reveal more detail than you can imagine. Shooting photos in a familiar setting can force you to take a different approach. I often purposely take one lens, a long one, with macro ability. It sort of forces you to look at your surroundings much differently, and although you might come back with less shots they may often be an interesting take on a spot you have been to many times. For me, I turn to the details, the light and the textures.

This particular shot was almost walked past, but the light hit this leaf, close to the ground and caught my eye. It turned into a bit of a waiting game, trying to get the wind, sun and my dog to all cooperate long enough to focus and frame. But I was struck by the color and texture of this one huge oak leaf. It shows the incredible process that New England foliage is known for.

Thanksgiving Carnage

Thanksgiving Carnage, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Sun and Wind

Sun and Wind, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Rapture

Rapture, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Contrails, Rocky Mountains

Contrails, Rocky Mountains, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Yes, they can appear to go straight up.

Happy Halloween!

halloween, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

No snacks were harmed in the making of this image. It may not look like it, but many of them were not only eatable, but tasty as well. This was not intended to represent actual treats given to kids but rather an attempt to bring light to the epidemic that is the potential for hazardous household items to be mistakingly entangled with candy intended for consumption.

Reflecting in Hawaii

Reflecting in Hawaii, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

I took a long walk on the beach tonight on Oahu. While headed back to my $110/night hotel, about 100 yards from the Waikiki Yacht Club, I came across one of the many homeless that call the streets of Honolulu home. I had seen this same 60ish year old gentlemen a few nights ago, in the same place, sleeping against a wall right across from the multi-million dollar Hawaii Convention Center.

He looked up and asked for a dollar for some food. I was on the way to the 7-11 so I brought him back a bag of food. A sandwich, some granola bars, a few bananas...the kind of thing we often would never think might make a difference. The kind of thing most of us would wolf down while watching some TV, comfy in our living room. But to him, it did make a difference. And the appreciation was obvious.

To me, it reminded me that any of us could be in his place. A little bad luck, a bad year, a failed business, no prospects for work, no help from the government. It reminded me that to many of us, ten bucks worth of food is a snack. A meal. To him, it was more than that. Might have been his only meal today. Might have to last him through tomorrow, if no one helps...just keep walking.

To me, it is reminder that nothing is for sure. Nothing is given, except that we all have a wall waiting for us. A doorway to sleep in. A sidewalk to watch the people just walk on by, headed to the beach..headed to their yacht... headed to their meeting or hairdressing appointment.

Sure, tomorrow I might walk the same way towards the beach, and Magic Island and the Yacht Club. But I won't be able to just walk on by.

Would you?

Devil's Hopyard, Salem CT

Devil's Hopyard, Salem CT, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Life is upstream.

The Creative Process waits for no man nor beast

Mars_video_working_1, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Creative endeavors are never done. They are just out of time.
Houston:
T-Minus: Tonight!

Feeling Crabby ?

feeling_crabby, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

American Heroes

American Heroes, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

As we have just started the tenth year post 9-11, I am reminded of the consequences of that day. And the fact that they still are being faced by our braves troops, everyday. I met one of those solders today. He was enjoying a nice early fall day in New England, a picnic, some smoked chicken and had about 3 days before he returns to Afghanistan.

I have to wonder about Americans across the country today, enjoying their picnics and their freedom. Wonder how many of us do remember. How many of us do, in fact realize that as of today, a reasonable estimate of the amount of lives lost due to the war on terror, since 9-11 stands at roughly 146,000 lives.

Twice the number of American boys lost in Viet Nam. When the war in Viet Nam finally ended, I was about nine years old. The same amount of years since that day in 2001. And conflict ended in large part due to the activism and relentless Americanism of a generation that at the time was considered deadbeats. Well, I have to say that in no way does it seem that the same devotion to right exists today in the younger Americans.

Today, our 20-Somethings are more likely to be playing video games , ironically often war games, then they would to decide to get out and protest something. Like 146,000 lives lost. Of course, who do you protest against in this case? The terrorists don't seem deterred by large crowds with banners, regardless of what the banners might say on them. The wack-jobs on both sides that use religion as a convenient reason to keep on killing are the ones to blame.

But, they are scattered . Like rats. In hills and mountains of Afghanistan, the dirty suburbs of Baghdad, in the terror-friendly places like Pakistan, and even right here in our cities and towns of America. I often fly through the same gates those terrorist went through in Boston. And on Tuesday, while your at work, or at the grocery store, a brave young man named Brandon, and others like him, will board planes in Boston and Baltimore, Los Angeles and Louisville.

They will be headed back to places like Bagram and Tirkrit. They will face perils that match any that Americans have faced in war. Does not matter if the battlefield is a marketplace or random road through the dirt somewhere 7000 miles away from our picnic baskets and beer parties. It's the same battlefield as always. It is the battle for freedom. Freedom from tyranny, and freedom terrorism.

In a way, it is the same battlefield that Daniel Dodge fought on. Same battlefield a countless number lost their lives on in the pursuit of freedom and peace around the world, and here at home. Here in America, September 11th has become a day to remember, and a day to be thankful for our freedom, and the ones that make that possible.

It should also be a day to remember that peace is fragile and needs to be preserved. Yes, sometimes through might. But it is also though our collective determination to continue to be free, while always keeping in mind the price.

Leaf with light

Leaf with light, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Almost time to enjoy the fascinating process of chlorophyll production in New England!

BURNING MAN

BURNING MAN 2002 025, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Tonight, maybe right about now...many many miles from here..then 70 more miles down a twisty road leading into the Nevada salt flats...a Man Burns!

I have regretting not returning to the most incredible scene on Earth every Sat night on Labor Day weekend, for the past 8 years.

Put it on your bucket list. You have not lived a full life until you experience Burning Man. And, your missing out every year you don't return.

2011....?
Here's hoping.

Pay it forward.

Teaching while sleeping, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

4 hours sleep, 2 hour talk, 20 students, 5 staff, only a small coffee?

I took a slight break from the biggest and most challenging deadline in the history of the company to visit some design students at American Career Institute. 3 or 4 all nighters into the last functional production weeks of a three year project, I was clearly on auto-pilot. However, this is always the way I like to talk to students, actually. Let them see the real-world of media design, complete with it's lack of sleep and beta testing, which I actually did a little of during the talk.

Great attentive crowd, lots of good questions and I stayed on a stream of consciousness, which is always a great time when it all goes well. I also got a treat by being able to watch my old friend (and Burning Man pal!) Dave Hibshire all grown-up and teaching. Thanks for asking me in Dave, and glad to see you putting all those degrees and miles of experience to good use: Inspiring kids to learn.

Well, as I said, still in production. So, one phase down, a few days left to finish Mars Interrupted..and then it is on to Space Center Houston...and of course...
Hawaii!

Sleeping Dogs

Sleeping Dogs, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Archervision punk banner

Archervision punk banner, originally uploaded by ArcherVision.

Ended up being big for a banner. But, spins a good yarn if you look close.