It's been a while

Wow! I can't believe it's been almost a year since I last posted. I've been very busy since then. I'll condense this and not ramble on. Last year was an amazing time for me as a photographer. We landed one of the largest jobs I've done in my 25 years of shooting. In May of 2010 we started on phase one of a seven phase project for the USDA. We ended up shooting throughout the year and completed the project in February of this year. The concept was building a photo library that related to healthy eating, lifestyles, and choices for lower to lower-middle class families. Also included in this project was building awareness of breast feeding that we shot for WIC. The production was huge. We shot in houses, schools, hospitals, cafeterias, grocery stores, and parks. We casted an army of talent young and old throughout the year including pregnant moms, newborns (2 months old), and nursing moms. It was a lot of fun. Every 4-5 weeks our rambling crew of fifteen (assistants, props and sets, wardrobe, hair and make-up, food stylist, producer, art director and yours truly would meet at the newest, scouted, and approved location. Most phases were 4 days of shooting, 2-3 weeks of production. It was great working and hanging out with a such a professional group. Good karma goes a long way on a multi day shoot especially when everyone signed on for the whole project. Samples of the work are on my website www.peterhoward.com, click on USDA portfolio. Here's some happy snaps on some of the phases.



Billy with Ginny


Grant in power pose in the grocery store


Fun at school

Food stylist with elephant mask, Hmmm....


Boys will be boys part 1


Part 2


Billy- green grocer


Put some country in this here shoot


A moment alone


Feeling left out


BUTTernut squash


My dog made the model cut


I was also able to go back to Switzerland three times last year and once this year shooting for one of my clients over there. The last trip my assistant (Billy) and I went over early to snowboard for a week. The conditions were not the best (lack of snow) but we made the best of it. One of the things we did while there was shoot video of students from the Leysin American School (my client) skiing and snowboarding. I decided it would be more realistic if I rode right next to them filming the whole time. We got some cool footage. I must say it worked well on runs with no moguls. Some of what we were shooting were videos of various students talking to the camera on white. We ended up using shop lights from a local hardware store that was down the mountain, white balanced them, and supplemented with our Lowel lights (after buying 220 bulbs for the lights). It worked great. We kept the cost down for the client and didn't have any problems with voltage (220v110). Here are some snaps from our last time there.


sunrise over Leysin


me out when it's dumping


Billy in Zermatt


on the cog train heading through the mountain to the top


no snow


Billy on the lifts


Swiss pride


toilet in town-love the color



I think one of the most fulfilling jobs I did last year was photographing Andy Griffith at his home in North Carolina. We shot an ad campaign for Medicare using him as a spokesperson. We arrived the night before and met for a production meeting at one of the local restaurants. One point that was brought to my attention right away was that Andy does not like having his still picture taken. Inside, my brain is going "that's just great", but my response is, "no worries here, most people I photograph don't like having their picture taken". I went to bed that night thinking how we will expedite the shoot quickly but get what we need. The next day was beautiful, crew call at 7:00 am. We arrive at the home around 8:30 am. The film crew is already setting up (shooting commercial at the same time). One thing I forgot to mention, my assistant Billy is from Mount Airy, NC, the birthplace of Andy Griffith. He will be my trump card. Andy is in another part of the house chillin so we chill. I realized right then that I 'm in the house of an American icon. I grew up watching The Andy Griffith Show when I was young. I had my boys watch to give them a sense of true Americana. Looking around the house one can see and feel the history; it was simply amazing. Well Andy comes down the hall in his wheelchair and says hi to everyone. I think people were nervous to talk to him. I noticed the regular greetings but nothing more. My assistant notices that the granite in the kitchen looks like it was quarried from Mount Airy. He comes up to me and says "this stuff is from Mt Airy". I see my in right then. I say "let's go and ask him". Billy and I go up to Andy when no one is watching. Billy asks where the granite is from and Andy replies "son, it's from a small town called Mt Airy, you've probably never heard from it". Billy's reply is "I grew up there". After that we talked to Andy for a little while, mainly small talk. When it was time for me to shoot (we shot him on three separate locations after the TV shoot) Andy's wife was always near to make sure he was comfortable and happy. When we wrapped our still shots his wife gave me a big hug and kiss and thanked me for being nice and genuine. I'll never forget that. Afterward, when everyone was leaving I sat with Andy and his wife and asked him about a specific picture I saw on the wall. It was a painting of his old agent. We talked for 30 minutes or so about the old TV days, how he got into the business, and the way things are now. I left there with no doubt in my mind that I had met and talked to a true American Icon. Here's an out take from the shoot.

That's about it. I could go on but wanted to just touch on some of the memorable ones. Till next time.