commercial photography

Guided Tour to the New Focal Flame Web Site

Sometime when you're in the thick of things, it's hard to slow down enough to capture it all. And ever since we founded Focal Flame Photography, being "in the thick of things" has definitely been one of the best aspects of what we do. But after over two years, it was clear: the time had come to update our web site. This was more easily done during the winter season, when the pace of any outdoor pavement-related endurance sports scene slows in the upper MIdwest (although there was plenty of off-road fun to be had, to be sure.) Because, really, hibernating is overrated.

So after many sessions of coffee-fueled writing and coding, we present (drum roll, please) the new and improved Focal Flame web site. For a behind-the-scenes look, here's the guided tour.

Home

The home page has been completely redesigned. Our goal was to present a full-screen slideshow of images with a clean, minimalistic design that kept the viewer's focus on the photographic composition. The navigation bar is subtly placed at the lower right-hand portion of the screen, and social media buttons allow one-click sharing. The photo changes every 10 seconds. Now, try this: resize your browser window by dragging. The home page automatically resizes to fit the new dimensions. How sweet is that?! (OK, we're geeks...but you have to admit, it's pretty cool.) In a nutshell, the home page looks really simple by design, but it's kind of like a sports car: under a sleek hood, there's a lot of power. We've tested it on every browser we can think of and so far it has been bullet-proof and dishwasher-safe, but if you notice any issues please let us know. It's also mobile-friendly for viewing on smartphones and iPads.

Custom Photography

Next, check out the Custom Photography page. We've added some description that helps address many of the most common questions we hear about custom sports photography, and there are links to other pages that describe the process for starting a custom photography project and how you can arrange a session for your sports team or club. We've also added a page about other types of photography services we offer, such as career portraits, family and birthday party photography, weddings, and real estate photography. But the feature that we're most honored to include is the set of testimonials from past clients. Each one represents a custom photography project that was borne out of their determination and dedication as an athlete, and it's hard to express just how meaningful it has been to play a part in recording their journey.

Event & Race

From there, take a look at the Event & Race page. We describe a little bit about our approach to sporting events, because we know that competition day isn't just any day - it's the day that you've been working towards, sometimes for months or even years. You can also see an at-a-glance overview of events that Focal Flame Photography will be covering in the near future. Check back often, because we are adding new events all the time. There are also special pages just for Race Directors/Event Organizers and helpful tips for anyone needing assistance with finding their images and purchasing photo products. The Event Status page provides up-to-the-minute updates on photo availability for events that we've covered.

We'll just take a brief pause in the guided tour to point out that the new site is extremely social. Every page can be shared with your contacts via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or via e-mail with a single click. So go ahead - chat it up.

Commercial Photography

Next, let's take a look at the Commercial Photography page. We admit it - we love visual storytelling, and businesses and organizations are just bristling with both energy and photo opportunities. For several case studies, take a look at the links on the right-hand side of the page.

Fine Art Photography

The Fine Art page is our creative playground. We believe that art is essential, and that fine art photography really does have the power to change the world. In addition to an Artist's Statement by Focal Flame Photography founder Clint Thayer, there are links to descriptions of exhibits and projects on the right-hand side of the page. We have several creative projects in the works at any given time, so check back for updates.

Portfolio, About Us, and Store

The Portfolio page provides several galleries featuring sample images in a range of subjects, and once again, content will be updated periodically. The About page tells a little of our own journey, and also provides a link at the right-hand side to some of our Photolanthropy efforts. (Not familiar with the term "photolanthropy"? Visit the page to learn more.) The Store is, of course, your one-stop shop for dozens of galleries from events we've covered, and the Blog is...well....if you're reading this, you're already familiar with it!

So there you have it. We've tried to illustrate the range of photography services we offer, and the types of creative projects we undertake. Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear them. Just drop us a line.

And as always, thanks for your support. Your passion, dedication, and determination is what inspires everything we do. Let's get ready for a terrific 2012! On your mark, get set.....GO!

To follow these and other stories, join the Focal Flame Photography facebook page and follow us on Twitter!

Focal Flame Shoots Ad Campaign for Bike Fed: Reasons to Commute by Bike

Some of the best days in photography happen when the phone rings, and after the call ends, you think, "Wow, we HAVE to be a part of that."

That was the situation when the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin asked Focal Flame Photography to be part of their 2011 ad campaign to help promote cycling in the Madison, Wisconsin area. Starting on June 9, 2011, a series of advertisements will roll out in newspapers, magazines, and billboards around the region to help spread a simple idea: bikes are a great form of transportation.

All of the ads will feature photographs taken by photographer Clint Thayer, and all will feature local Madisonians - often in iconic locations. The campaign is produced in partnership with 20BY2020, a Bikes Belong advocacy effort that envisions 20% of all transporation occuring in the Madison region by bicycle by the year 2020.

To learn more about the message of the campaign, writer Robyn Perrin interviewed Amanda White, Associate Director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.

Focal Flame Photography: What inspired the ad campaign?

Amanda White/Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin: We are so fortunate to live in Madison - one of the best cities in the country for biking. We have incredible bike paths, over 50 miles of bike lanes, and new bike boulevards that will prioritize bicyclists.

However, when we compare Madison to the world's best bicycling cities, we are far behind. Currently, in Madison about 4% of all the commute trips are made by bike. While in cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, over 50% of trips are made by bike. There are cities in Germany that support 20% of trips made by bike. Not only are these amazing bicycling cities, but they are also healthy, vibrant communities that have very strong economies.

By trying to achieve 20% of the commute trips made by bike by 2020, we are not only improving our bicycling, we are also improving our community. By biking and walking more, we save money on expensive gas, we provide exercise opportunities needed by both children and adults, and we support healthier air quality.

We are using the ad campaign to promote the benefits of bicycling, in addition to promoting our 20by2020 goal. Bicycling is good for individuals, it's good for families, and it's good for Madison. We hope our light-hearted, fun ad campaign will generate buzz around the joy of bicycling.

FFP: The sites for the images were carefully chosen. How did BFW and 20 by 2020 pick these particular locations?

AW: We had a brainstorming session with two excellent marketing volunteers. The message concepts came from these ideas. I then picked the locations based on the messages we were trying to portray.

FFP: Why did you decide to use commissioned photographic imagery in the campaign rather than stock photography or graphics-only?

AW: Using a skilled, professional photographer to shoot local, Madison sites was vital to the campaign. The images are central to the campaign and the most powerful aspect of the ads. We wanted folks to connect with the people in the images and imagine how they themselves may bike. In order to achieve this important connection, it was vital we use real Madisonians and images of popular Madison locations that people would recognize.

We were so fortunate that we had an amazing photographer! The images are exactly what I had envisioned!

Focal Flame Photography is honored to be part of this important effort to spread awareness about cycling in Wisconsin. The first advertisement will be released today, June 9, 2011. Stay tuned in coming months for additional ads and blog posts on this project! And of course - give bike commuting a try! It's simple, fun, and a great way to get around!

To follow these and other stories, join the Focal Flame Photography Facebook page and follow us on Twitter!