by Grryo Community | Dec 6, 2013 | Featured Articles
The Step by Step Workflow of Skip by Andy B
I first came across the work of Paul Brown earlier this year. For me, Paul (also known as Skip from skipology.com) stood out from the crowd thanks to his artistic signature style combined with his choice of still life and street photography subject matter. This was also re-enforced by the detailed tutorial guides he often publishes on his blog which take readers through the creative step by step process he follows to produce his work.
Paul is a UK mobile photographer with quite a few credits to his name. As well as being an active member of the iPhoneography community, he is also a founding member of groups such as the ‘New Era Museum’ and the UK Lincolnshire based group ‘Instachimps’ and has had his work exhibited several times at ‘mObilepixatiOn’, ‘Pixel This’ and ‘My World Shared’.
I find Paul’s work fascinating as his approach not only showcases a finished piece of work but also tells the story behind its production. For me, this adds a third dimension to what could otherwise be viewed as a 2D image. My aim here is to find out more about Paul, his work, how he goes about creating such eye catching pieces and the inspirations that drive him.
AB: Andy Butler PB: Paul Brown
AB: Describe your introduction to iPhone photography
PB: iPhone photography was something I’d never really heard of 2 ½ years ago. I know now that there is a thriving community but when my wife bought me an iPhone all I really knew was it came with a camera. I’d never had a phone with a camera and my old analogue Olympus OM10 had been gathering dust somewhere in my man cave for years. Terms like iPhoneography and communities like JUXT, AMPt, etc and all the specialist Facebook and Google groups were waiting for me to discover.
As soon as I took my iPhone out it became an iCamera. My joy and passion for photography was reignited in the blink of an eye because I had this small gadget in my pocket. Every single day I’d take photographs. On the back of it I bought myself a DSLR but all that did was emphasise why I enjoy iPhoneography so much and indeed why my old Olympus had been gathering dust. Portability – both in terms of the capture and the edit. It revolutionised my coffee shop experience, tapping away editing images! I sold my DSLR and bought a Fujifilm X-E1 a wise decision for me but still my iPhone is my main camera.
It was a steep learning curve. Apps I take for granted today like Instagram, EyeEm, Hipstamatic, Snapseed, Camera+ (and a whole host of camera replacement apps), Filterstorm, etc (basically all the ‘original’ apps that were around back then and are still popular today) were all just names to me and each one needed to be learned and understood. It’s the same for everyone just starting out who gets bitten by the bug.
AB: Your work has a distinctive artistic style to it. How did this style evolve from one of taking straight photographic images to developing them into something more painterly that would be at home in an art gallery?
PB: Thank you, those are very kind words. Like most people I suspect I regard myself as a work in progress. Therefore, when my work gets described as a certain style, whilst that is true it is also only the case at this point in time. As I have said before I personally would describe my style as eclectic and inconsistent. One thing that is very consistent though is that in general I like to try to capture or create an atmosphere rather than a scene. I’m not saying I always succeed!
In terms of style evolution, I guess there are a whole host of influences. iPhoneography led me to social media and it’s amazing how much of a gravitational pull the iPhoneography community has. You find people and people find you and gradually learning and influences from within the community creep in. Some styles appeal at a point in time and you head off down that path.
On a more practical level though I looked at some of the expensive faux ‘canvas’ still life images in some chain stores and started thinking why would I want to buy that when hundreds or thousands of other people also have it. I loved the style and some of it was beautiful but I hated the consumer aspects associated with it so I played away trying to create and adopt that style for my own taste. That is why if you read through any of my workflows you will always see my first stage is to sort out the resolution in case at some point I decide to get it printed (or someone else does).
AB: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
PB: As I say I get my inspiration from a whole host of different places but I would add that I’m unashamedly introverted. I spend a lot of time thinking and really living in my own world. My mind is always ticking away. I don’t doubt that my thoughts are heavily influenced by the world around me but in the end a lot of inspiration comes from within.
The fuel for that though comes in the main from the amazing iPhoneography and wider mobile photography community. With a few exceptions it is such an open community and I firmly believe we all knowingly or otherwise draw inspiration from each other. You never know where or who it’s going to come from.
AB: Your work is a mixture of street photography and painterly still life portraits. Do you find your mood dictates your subject choice or that you gravitate more naturally towards one subject more than the other?
PB: I can feel the psychologist coming out in you now Andy! I think this gets to the core of me as a person and my motivations as an iPhoneographer.
First and foremost I love the results of street photography but I don’t always enjoy the process of capturing. The risk of conflict and confrontation however unrealistic is always in my mind. There are also many elements you can only partially control and others that are completely out of my hands. Not great for a control freak like me! However, the rush I get when I capture a shot that I love is always rewarding. It’s like scoring a goal in football, an adrenalin rush that you only get from combining what skill you’ve developed over the years with the luck of being in the right place at the right time and everything clicking into place.
I guess my still lifes are the opposite, very safe, controlled and predictable. I think of them as my fall back. I love the process of creation and converting the initial capture in to something different. I am very much in my comfort zone. There’s no buzz that comes with street photography but it’s a style I enjoy and the process is less stressful and more in keeping with my introverted personality.
Why choose one over the other? You are exactly right Andy. Street photography doesn’t come naturally to me. I have to work at it or really be in a confident frame of mind. If I can’t get there then I’ll tend to switch to still life work. It’s great to have found such opposite styles that between them give me a whole range of emotional responses. There are few days that I’m not inclined to work with one or the other.
AB: You are an active member of several iPhone photography groups including being a founding member of the New Era Museum and the Facebook group ‘Instachimps’. How has being a part of such communities helped you in your development as a mobile photographer?
PB: Combined with social media they’ve influenced me massively. It was these communities along with the work and teachings of their members that convinced me that painterly or textured work was entirely possible with an iPhone and its apps. They are a constant source of inspiration. There is absolutely no doubt that they have helped me mould my style. They’ve also influenced my app purchases and clearly having the right tools is a big part of translating the vision in your mind to the screen. Most of all they give me support and confidence.
AB: You are well-known for your workflow tutorial guides. Could you talk us through the process you follow to create one of your images?
PB: I will admit to be being a little uncertain on the type of image to share, especially as I tend to think of JUXT as very pure photographical images and my eclectic style contains a bit of everything. In the end I will share an image that many would probably recognise as my style even though possibly not a traditional JUXT style. I think perhaps that is what this question is really all about.
Stage 1: The initial capture
My aim in general is to try to get good light and a clean background. I don’t have any specialist equipment to play with so depending on the subject and light I will either use a plain wall or a translucent window as background. In this case, the delicate nature of the subject meant that the diffused light from the translucent window was ideal. This is especially effective with any subject with a translucent quality such as leaves and petals as the backlight really enhances the colours. The problem of course is silhouetting because the backlight is much stronger than the lighting of the subject. ProCamera (along with many other camera replacement apps) provides for independent and lockable focus and exposure points. I therefore lock exposure in an area away from the subject to over-expose the background as much as possible and expose the subject as accurately as I can. The subject itself is too small to set exposure accurately.
Stage 2: Filterstorm
Crop and resize if necessary. This iPhoneography image was captured with an iPhone4. The maximum resolution on the shortest side is below the minimum 2,000px that I always aim for. Although the only crop is to change to an aspect ratio of 1:1, I also increase the image size to 2,000px square. I always do this as the first stage of the edit process so that future edits are applied at the final resolution. This is beneficial because filters and textures will be applied to each individual pixel and as such any possible quality issues caused by the resize will be rubbed away to some degree by future edits. I aim for a minimum of 2,000px on the shortest side to allow for printing at a reasonable size. I now have an iPhone5 and resizing is not really an issue as I only tend to crop for aspect changes and the minimum resolution is within my target.
Stage 3: Snapseed – Drama Filter (Bright preset and adjust saturation back to normal levels – Drama filters reduce saturation).
My target now is to create my base image. This is the cleanest version of the image and will be used as the basis for all future edits. Very often I will introduce selective adjustment spots to adjust brightness, contrast and saturation at various points to completely clean the background area. In this case the Drama filter alone was used. It will initially be used to create a texture which may well result in almost total destruction. It will also be used where necessary to reintroduce detail using layers and blending and masking techniques.
Stage 4: Snapseed – Grunge Filter (The initial stage in the texturing process)
Normally I will randomly flick through Grunge settings until something approaching what I’m looking for appears. Then if necessary I will fine-tune the effect by manually adjusting individual settings and textures.
Stages 1 – 4 are a very standard part of my still life texture blending work flow. From this point it becomes a bit more of a bespoke process depending on the image and the look I want to achieve. For this image I opted for the following processes:
Stage 5: Snapseed – Retrolux Filter (applied to further enhance the texture)
Stage 6: Mextures
I have created a small number of predefined textures made up of a number of layers of textures and light effects available within the app. It can be seen that this texture was applied with minimal transparency and resulted in almost total destruction of the image.
Stage 7: Superimpose
The detail of the image is reintroduced by importing version 6 as the background and version 3 as the foreground. The two layers are combined using ‘Multiply’. This reintroduces the detail of the image and at the same time allows the underlying texture to show through. Playing around with blending methods at varying transparency levels is useful at this stage.
Stage 8: Modern Grunge
The image is almost totally destroyed again with the introduction of a strong Modern Grunge preset with some manual adjustment of specific elements. The idea here was to make the image look like it has been splattered with paint.
Stage 9: Superimpose
The paint splash effect can be controlled and detail reintroduced by blending version 6 with 8. Version 6 is imported as the background and version 8 is imported as the foreground. The two layers are combined using lighten with zero transparency (standard setting). Although not required in this case, the blend can be manually adjusted by applying a mask if any of the Modern Grunge texture needs removing from important areas (think of this as partially restoring a painting). I find that a brush set to maximum size and smoothness with the ‘soft’ box selected gives excellent results.
AB: Finally, where can people connect with you online?
PB: I am Skipology – My blog links to most of my networks at http://skipology.com I can also be looked up via my about me page at http://skipology.me. If anyone wants to connect as a result of reading this feature please drop me a note with a tag on whichever network. I don’t want to miss connecting with fellow mobile photographers but sometimes I do miss things. I won’t miss a direct communication / tag though.
by Grryo Community | Oct 11, 2013 | The Temples
Alex Bittner, Skydiving Photographer
In June of 2013, I had the opportunity to do my first jump out of a plane. That was just the beginning of my addiction to the sport of skydiving and countless weekends of training. From day one, I had the privilege of meeting Alex Bittner, a skydiving photographer. He shot my first jump and we immediately became friends. Since then, I’ve become a licensed skydiver and have also gained a passion for the sport. In this sport, it’s important to pick a specialty that you want to focus on and train hard. For Alex, that specialty was photography. I recently sat down with Alex to discuss this rare style of photography.
K: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
A: My name is Alex Bittner and I currently live in Ottawa, IL. I am originally from the Daytona Beach area and started jumping in Deland, FL in 2007. So far I have made 1800 skydives, of which roughly 1400 have included camera work. My wife, Jess, and I both enjoy jumping and traveling together and intend to forever or until we die, whichever comes first.
K: How long have you been photographing this sport?
A: I didn’t really start flying camera until the spring of 2010. My first camera jumps were filming a novice 4-way team so that I could learn my systems, equipment, and techniques with a fixed group and not much pressure.
K: Did you have an interest in photography before getting into skydiving photography?
A: Yes, I would call myself an amateur photographer from the age of 15 on. I took photography classes in high school and often shot my friends during various action sports. I also did a backpacking trip through much of Western Europe and developed a taste for architectural photography.
K: What made you want to get into shooting this sport?
A: I honestly started flying camera because it is a good way to get free jumps and work on canopy skills. My season of amateur 4-way led to a full-time slot on the second-best team in the country which meant 500+ free training jumps each season. It also opened the doors for many other paid gigs like record jumps and event photography. I look up to people like Norman Kent, Niklas Daniel, and Rolf Kuratle as my role models in the sport.
K: Obviously this is a passion for you. What are the requirements to be a photographer in this sport?
A: To be a skydiving photographer you have to start by becoming a skydiver, obviously. Once you are a licensed jumper, the United States Parachute Association requires a minimum of 200 jumps before you can wear a camera in freefall, including small cameras like GoPros.
K: What type of equipment do you use to shoot with?
A: I jump with a Sony CX-100 as my primary video camera, a Canon Rebel T2i for stills, and a GoPro Hero 3 Black for fun.
K: What is your favorite shot you’ve taken and why?
A: My favorite skydiving photo so far was one I took of accomplished aerial photographer Norman Kent as he exited a SkyVan with a RED camera on his helmet during 66-ways last summer. (A 66-way is when 66 people join together in freefall in a formation.) Norman is a personal friend and mentor and it was super cool to capture him in his element.
K: If someone is interested in photography in this sport, how can they get started?
A: Getting into skydiving is overwhelming enough as it is. Take your time and become a good, not just proficient, body and canopy pilot before you mess around with cameras on your helmet. I like to think that people should be able to concentrate on the shot and let the parts like getting to the group, getting away from the group, and surviving happen naturally. If you’re still learning those skills, be patient. Strive to be an old skydiver, not a bold one.
K: How risky is it to wear the gear on your helmet?
A: Flying a camera can increase the already risky activity of skydiving in many ways. First of all, it is a huge distraction. There is already so much to think about just to have a safe and successful jump; adding the elements of framing and flying good video or taking stills can take away from your ability to make good, safe judgment calls in the air. Cameras on helmets also add a risky element to parachute deployments. More weight on your head can result in hard openings and injury from them. A careless mounting system can result in snag hazards for lines during the deployment sequence.
K: Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview. Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?
A: In our sport, if it didn’t happen on camera then it didn’t happen. I like to capture moments for my friends to hold onto forever.
Norman Kent w/ the helmet cam
This is me! Alex jumped with me on my graduation jump and this is his shot.
Editors note: The photos in the interview were not taken on a mobile device
by Grryo Community | Sep 27, 2013 | Featured Articles
The Evolving Style with Mark T Simmons by Andy Butler
I first came across the work of Mark T Simmons earlier this year when setting up the Mobiography project. At the time he was producing a steady stream of stunning images based on the London Underground. It was the tonal quality of these images, the striking lines of perspective and the feeling of isolation which struck a chord with me and set his work apart from other photographers who I was following at the time.
The fact that his photographs attract a long list of comments on Flickr and that his work is a regular feature on mobile photography websites is testament to the connection people have with his work. I felt the need to find out more about Mark T Simmons and this is how we first met.
What I love about Mark’s photography is that it is continually evolving. He focuses on a theme and explores every aspect of that theme before moving on. His aim is to post images of quality rather than quantity and his photography is based on a basic foundation of composition and light rather than relying on the heavy use of post-production apping to pull something out of the bag. Consequently Mark’s work links together into tightly grouped themes which have evolved and developed into a series of photographs which document life in London.
My aim here is to dig deeper and find out more about the thought process behind his photography, his surroundings and how these have influenced the evolution of his work.
AB: Andy Butler MS: Mark T Simmons
AB: Could you start by telling us a bit more about yourself, your background and how you discovered mobile photography?
MTS: I was born in London and have lived between here and Australia for most of my life. Even though I have always been interested in photography, it was only when I purchased my first iPhone last year that I realized that I could shoot images, constantly, of everything happening around me.
This opened up so many possibilities to me.
Tuned to a Dead Channel
AB: You mainly shoot street photography and urban locations. How would you describe your style and approach to this form of photography?
MTS: I have always believed that when it comes to street photography you need to get in, get close, take the shot and then get out again; but never try to hide what you are trying to do.
In London, people move quickly with very little care for others around them and in a city with such a large number of cctv surveillance cameras, most people do not like being caught on film (or the digital equivalent). As someone aiming to capture a scene or a specific moment, you need to be quick but still show the necessary amount of confidence.
For me, a street image HAS to have something going on in it; a dynamic or a story unfolding between people and nothing added after the actual shot, especially birds or umbrellas. I HATE birds and umbrellas added to images, as everyone does them.
There Are Moments When We Are Ultimately Alone
AB: When we first met you were shooting a series based on the London Underground. How did this series come about and what was the aim of it?
MTS: I only started using my mobile as my camera after I bought the iPhone at the end of 2012. Around the same time I had also started a new job in the centre of London and began travelling regularly on the underground system. The only time I had to take photos was during my commute to and from work. After a little while I saw a pattern emerge in my work. It was like a motif and I was intrigued to see how this could develop and the direction it would take and that is how the “Live From The Underground” series evolved.
I do not try to capture the underground as Transport for London would like, but as I wished to see it; symmetrical lines leading the viewer into the image and toward the vanishing point with a single solitary figure adding to the sense of loneliness and alienation.
I am fiercely proud of those images and even though I have seen other mobile photographers shoot down there now, I have never seen anything that I felt bettered my work.
Return Of The Shadow Men
AB: Could you describe your transition from the underground to your next series titled ‘Killers, Thieves and Lawyers’?
MTS: It might seem obvious but you cannot keep shooting on the underground forever. It had actually started to affect me as I was starting to search out remote parts of the network to shoot on. I needed to try something different.
Many photographers have said that you should try and shoot what is around you in your life. As I work in the Wall Street equivalent of London, I decided to see if I could capture the inhabitants of this strange place when they drop their guard, show candid moments of people who are usually very guarded in their business lives.
What I found most surprising about this project was just how lonely everyone looked. Not what you think of when you are surrounded by some of the biggest corporations on the planet.
Mental Intrusion Of The Graphs Of Gloom
AB: You have just completed another series which documents life on the streets of Shoreditch in London. Why Shoreditch in particular?
MTS: For me, Shoreditch is both the most inspiring and depressing area in the whole of London. Even though I am a South Londoner, I have always loved visiting Shoreditch, especially for its local traders, its killer street art and fantastic Indian food. I loved it because it was unique. You could buy an opened tin of paint, a black and white television or a gas mask on a Sunday from the markets there. The place just had a great vibe.
However, it is disheartening to view how much it has changed. There is now an awful lot of money moving into the area. Real estate is changing; with massive new apartment developments taking place, even the street art is becoming predictable. I knew I wanted to capture the area in a series of images right now before it totally loses its identity and becomes just another London suburb of boutique clothing retailers, craft beer emporiums and cupcake sellers.
By now, it probably already is.
End Of Season Sale
AB: Do you have any plans for future photographic projects?
MTS: I am taking a break from mobile photography and social media at the moment to think about the next direction I want to take my work in. I get quite bored after a while of working in one genre of photography and I think sometimes moving into another, even for a short period of time, can improve your skills.
I have only ever taken one portrait with my iPhone and was really pleased how it came out, considering it was off the cuff and very quick but it’s definitely one direction I would like move in.
A Place We Can Go
AB: How do you manage to keep inspired and motivated so you can continually evolve your photography?
MTS: Becoming a better photographer is all about looking at other photographers work, for me. If there is a photographic exhibition on in London then I make sure I get to it and if I am travelling I seek out photography shows in those places as well as taking as many photos as I can while I am there.
I am also always looking at the work of a number of very inspiring people on Flickr. People like Shel Serkin, Brendan Ó Sé, Giovanni Savino and especially Albion Harrison-Naish who post, constantly, brilliant images of what is happening around them.
The X Factor
AB: You have a feature on Mobiography.net where you ask a mobile photographer about the photo they are most proud of. Could you tell us about this and what have you learnt from speaking to other mobile photographers about their work?
MTS: When I was fortunate to be asked to contribute a weekly feature for Mobiography.net, I knew I didn’t want to do a showcase or an interview but actually allow a fellow mobile photographer I admire, rather than a reviewer, to choose the image they are most proud of and talk about it. What makes that one image special to them and why they rate it above anything else they have done?
I can honestly say that I have learnt something from every artist who has provided an image for that week. It’s not just from the image itself but what they have written to accompany it. I suddenly gain a greater understanding of what they tried and succeeded in achieving with their shot and can view it in a much more personal way.
Chance Street
AB: Do you have any favourite photos and stories that have come out of this feature?
MTS: That’s a difficult one. Although it has only been running for a couple of months, the feature has already had some amazing images and stories provided by the likes of Paula Gardener, Ryan Vaarsi, and Shel Sherkin, but for me the one that that really stands out is Janine Graf.
Everyone knows Janine Graf for her amazing series of images involving a rhino, a giraffe, balloons and a backdrop of some of the most amazing places in the world, however, the image she was most proud of was a Hipstamatic shot called “She Played Pretty Music”. It was a picture she took of a busker in Seattle that set of a chain of events involving the local newspaper, the family and a wonderful email she received from the mother.
For me, it was everything I had hoped for with the feature. You can never second guess the image an artist loves the most. I have been constantly but pleasantly surprised by every image that has been selected so far.
Priorities
AB: Let’s turn the tables on you for a moment. Of all the photos you have taken which is the one you are most proud of and why?
MTS: Easy. “The Blue Pill”. I had seen an exhibition of the work of William Klein and Daido Moriyama in London and watched a documentary there on Klein. How he would get in really close to people, to capture the moments that only close proximity can accomplish. He was fearless. The following day after work, I walked on to London Bridge, got down on my knees in front of the on-rushing commuters and just started firing off shots on my phone.
The subject in the image was clearly in a stressed state and appeared as one does in that moment when you have gambled everything in your life and then it suddenly starts to unravel, while all around him life continues and his fellow commuters just keep coming.
It’s emotive, it’s in your face and it’s the closest I have ever got to a perfect street image.
The Blue Pill
AB: You are very active on Flickr. How has this community helped you connect with and meet new people or develop new ideas?
MTS: I love Flickr because the community on there is very special. Not only do you receive encouragement from followers of your work but also suggested improvements and tweaks. It’s not so much about promoting my work; it’s more about the connection with this amazing community. I just don’t think you find that anywhere else.
Seeing the constantly high standard of photographers on there just makes you realize how fortunate we are to be living at this time when with just a phone, a person can capture, produce and share amazing images with others.
Reclaim The Street
AB: Finally, how can people connect with you?
Flickr // Twitter// Oggl: @marktsimmons
HeyGate
by Grryo Community | Jul 19, 2013 | The Temples
From Your Phone to Your Wall – A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Instacanvas by Dave T
If you’ve been on Instagram long enough, then you’re probably familiar with a company called Instacanvas. They pioneered the concept of turning your everyday photos into works of art, while giving Instagram users the chance to make a little extra cash by opening their own online store. The founders, Matt Munson, Todd Emaus and Kevin Freemon started with an idea which has quickly become one of the fastest-growing startups in Southern California. They have also added many new product offerings to highlight photographers’ works.
I recently had the privilege to interview the members of this incredible team.
K: What is the main mission of Instacanvas?
IC: Instacanvas is a tool for the world to discover amazing art and photography, with the option of turning those discoveries into beautiful pieces of art by printing them onto a variety of amazing products. That also makes it a place for artists and photographers to express themselves to the world and gain exposure for their work. –Meaghan Emery, Community Manager (@meagems)
K: How did Instacanvas begin?
IC: We were seeing imagery and artwork in our digital lives that was far more interesting that what was on our walls. We were interested in bringing the best of our digital lives into our physical lives. We thought other people might like that idea too. –Matt Munson, CEO and Co-Founder (@mattmuns)
K: What have been the biggest challenges faced?
IC: Scaling from zero to millions of users in less than a year is not without challenges. We’re really fortunate with the caliber of engineers we’ve been able to attract to the mission. -Matt
K: How can Instacanvas benefit photographers?
IC: Mobile photography has really democratized creativity by making photography itself an incredibly accessible artform. We strive to democratize and foster that notion further by giving artists an even field to play on. On Instacanvas, you’re not limited to followers or micro-sized networks because our site framework allows your photos to be discovered by anyone who visits the homepage. On top of that, photographers can easily get inspired by the work of others here because the discovery process is really intuitive. Of course, there’s also the 20% commission you get when someone buys your pieces! -Meaghan
K: What tips do you have for photographers to promote their gallery?
IC: Having a successful gallery really comes down to constantly honing in on your skills. We admire our artists for constantly growing and improving because we’re simultaneously trying to do that as a company and give more back to them in turn. As your work progresses and you start really defining your voice, it’s important to organize your gallery for maximum impact, almost like a storefront. Promoting your photos with links back to them on any of your social networks is definitely powerful, as is making sure that all of your photos are tagged and categorized properly on Instacanvas itself. There’s really no end to the amount of people in the world who love beautiful art and photos, so the possibilities are truly endless when it comes to promoting. -Meaghan
K: What makes Instacanvas “special”?
IC: Our users come first. Every single feature we build is with you in mind, and if it doesn’t work, we are determined to find out what will. Your success is synonymous with ours, and we’ll constantly ask for your feedback in order to ensure it. Also, we are freaks when it comes to quality– you’d be hard pressed to find photo products on the market that are as beautiful as ours. -Meaghan
K: What new things can we expect from Instacanvas?
IC: We’ve put together one of the top mobile development teams in the country, so stay tuned for some exciting developments on the mobile app front. -Matt
Thanks to Instacanvas for taking the time to do this interview. And now, some behind-the-scenes photos of Instacanvas and the crazy crew.
View from the Instacanvas HQ in Santa Monica
Kiley, CEO Matt’s Boston Terrier/office mascot
Customer Service – Michelle Foster (@shhellz) and Community Manager, Meaghan Emery
Head of Product Todd Emaus (@toddemaus) and Creative Director/Designer Kevin Fremon (@kevinfremon)
CEO Matt Munson + prism
CEO Matt & Customer Service Michelle
by Grryo Community | Jul 10, 2013 | Featured Articles, The Temples
Saving Lives One Leash At A Time by Dave Temple
Mark Twain once said, “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.”
That couldn’t be any further from the truth. When I very first heard of Found My Animal, a New York-based company that makes “accessories for adopted animals and people”, I had to reach out to them and find out more. Being the owner of two rescue dogs, it just made sense to connect with them.
I had the privilege of speaking with founder and owner, Bethany Obrecht. This former artist/photographer, turned entrepreneur is doing amazing things to help raise awareness of adoption of dogs from shelters. Check out the interview below and be sure to visit their website at www.foundmyanimal.com!
K: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
B: I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. My parents had some land and I had lots of pets. I studied photography at the Rhode Island School of Design and moved to Brooklyn, NY after graduating to pursue a career in photography. Soon after, I met artist Anna Conway on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, and realized that animal welfare came first and decided to create a brand focused on rescue animals.
K: How did Found My Animal start?
B: Inspired by a fisherman in the family, we made our first three-strand, hand-spliced and whipped rope leash for our rescue pups back in 2006. So many people stopped us in the street to admire our unique nautical leads that we decided to share them with others.
My business partner and I met on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn while walking our two rescue pups, both of whom were named Walter. The Walters were sizing each other up and we started a conversation that quickly revealed our passion for animal welfare. We decided to become partners after discovering we had more in common than two rescue dogs with the same name. We had both attended great design schools- Cooper Union and Rhode Island School of Design- and were passionate about animals. Animal welfare and a love of the principles of good design.
K: What would you say is the ultimate mission of Found My Animal?
B: Our mission is to help promote animal welfare through celebration of animal adoption in a very direct way: let your animal wear the message. Both Anna and I discussed how easy it had been to transform the minds of friends. By encouraging one person at a time to look into rescuing instead of buying an animal, we hoped to form a company that would deliver that simple but very important message.
K: How are you planning to use Instagram and photography to show what you’re doing?
B: There is no doubt that a picture is worth a thousand words. A funny or cute picture of an animal can make your day, and sometimes all it takes is a picture of an animal in need to generate the energy and enthusiasm for change. We need to harness the power of photography, and a visual platform like Instagram (@foundmyanimal) helps remind us that these creatures are often completely dependent on us for survival and happiness. We owe them that!
K: Tell us more about the rescue orange leash.
B: Orange is the color of animal protection awareness. We manufacture our own orange rope here in the US. The color is perfect for getting people’s attention, and most importantly inspires conversations about this important topic. Our orange rescue leash highlights (literally) the message. “Hey, I was rescued, join the club!”
K: What can people do to help?
B: Adopt, foster, and volunteer to walk a dog or pet a cat at your local shelter. Support your local shelter with food, towels, and beds. Convince friends to choose adoption, share your adoption story at the dog park, online, and with us!
K: Name some celebs who have purchased or supported Found My Animal
B: Jessica Biel, Drew Barrymore, Bradley Cooper, Martha Stewart, Amanda Seyfried, Erykah Badu to name a few.
K: What is the dream for the future?
B: If you’re lucky, small dreams become big ones. Our greatest dream would be to see an end to puppy mills and an increase in effective spay/neuter programs. Anna’s rescue pup Walter lived in a cage in a puppy mill for 5 years as a breeding machine. My Chihuahua Walter was a product of a puppy mill and was severely inbred with all sorts of health issues. If enough voices come together, legislation will follow. Access and awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering of all pets is critically important to help stop the flood of unwanted animals into shelters. We also dream about having our own Found My Animal Sanctuary, and that our orange Rescue leash will become a symbol of animal adoption worldwide.
Author’s Note:
Bethany is an amazing person and even sent my boys, Jack and Gordy a little treat. See photo below.
(L to R) Gordy and Jack
