Inspiration
One of the many things I love about photography as a profession is the many amazing people I’ve met over the years. An assignment I shot in May for Fitness Magazine introduced me to another amazing human being. At the age of 16, Hilary Hopkins was involved in a horrific car accident that killed her sister and left Hilary basically a paraplegic. Through hard work and positive attitude Hillary is now able to stand without support, lift weights, and even walk for 60 minutes with some assistance. I can’t even begin to imagine all that Hilary has been through but am thankful to have met someone so remarkable. Hearing her story made our photo shoot that much more inspiring. It was clear that her positive energy and strength have a huge effect on those around her. You can read her story on Fitness Magazine’s website and in the July issue.
Seattle/Portland Bound . . .
I’ll be in Seattle and Portland later this month to show off my new portfolio and meet with local creatives. If you would like to schedule an appointment please call 801-560-6136 or e-mail mike@miketittel.com. I’d love to meet in person . . .
Portland, Oregon: Monday, June 21 through Wednesday, June 23
Seattle, Washington: Thursday, June 24 and Monday, June 28 through Wednesday, June 30
New Print Portfolio
After nearly 6 weeks of hard work my brand new portfolio is finally finished. I owe a great deal of thanks to those who have helped me along as I truly could not have created something of this caliber on my own. One thing I have learned over the years is that you can only get so far with your own knowledge/expertise. So when I set out to create a new book I knew I wanted to work with the absolute best in the industry.
Prior to starting the project I decided to hire a consultant to help me with image selection. I knew taking my personal connection to the images out of the equation would ultimately allow for stronger body of work. Little did I know how much the experience would push me. After tons of research and preliminary conversations, I decided on Suzanne Sease since I felt a strong connection to the way she thinks and liked the fact that she had tons of real-world experience working in high-profile ad agencies. Suzanne challenged me throughout the process to let go of images I was emotionally tied to, making way for stronger images that more adequately conveyed my vision/style. Although difficult at times, I honestly cannot say enough enough good things about the process and the way she thinks.
Knowing I wanted my book to stand out from the crowd, I hired Scott of Mullenberg Designs to build me a one-of-a-kind custom portfolio and slipcase to display the new body of work. I’ve been a fan of Scott’s for a while so I was excited to finally get the chance to work with him. He is a true craftsman and artist in his own rite. The internal pages were beautifully designed by Cheryl at Isaacson Design and printed on Moab Entrada paper by Lincoln at PushDot Studio out of Portland, Oregon. The end results far exceeded my expectations and I could not be happier with the team I assembled to help me take things to the next level.
This summer I’ll be hittin’ the road with my brand new print portfolio in hand. I’ll be posting updates on the blog with specific dates and locations at a later date. For now plans are in the works to be in the Seattle/Portland areas in June, Denver/Boulder in early August and Chicago/Milwaukee/Madison/Minneapolis in mid-August. If you are in one of these cities and are interested in meeting up shoot an e-mail to mike@miketittel.com. I’d love to buy you lunch and share my latest work.
Honduras
Nestled deep in the mountains of the Olancho region of Honduras sits the small village of San Antonio de Capapan. 211 people call this rural, mountain village their home. By western standards life in San Antonio is tough. The homes range from simple shacks to more elaborate adobe structures. There is no runing water, limited electricity and few of the homes have a floor from something other than dirt. Life consists of subsistance living–people grow their own food and raise animals and other crops as a means to provide for their families. Here in the US, many would feel sorry for the people of San Antonio. I do not. My heart goes out to them since they do not have the resources for some basic necessities like clean water and sanitation, but simple living is the life they know. It’s part of their culture and is something to be celebrated.
My wife and I just returned from a life changing trip to the village of San Antonio. We joined The Potter’s School, a non-profit organization that offers supplimental classes for the home school community, on their annual service trip (my wife teaches for the school). Partnering with a Honduran-run medical organization, Predisan, the school adopted the village of San Antonio ministering to it’s people and helping them with basic physical needs and spiritual health.
Mike Tittel Photography
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