I miss Colleen. She was my officemate for almost 2 years, and she recently moved out to get a bigger space for her growing design firm. I am using the extra studio space well, but I really liked having someone in the office to bounce ideas off of, or to jut shoot the breeze. Anyway, I did her portrait for her new website, and here they are.

I have a photograph in this month’s Bridge PAI exhibition. Come check it out if you get a chance.

This October, The Bridge will host an entire month of programs and events devoted to the themes of FOOD, FARM, and ANIMALS. In the Gallery: A group exhibition showcasing a number of regional, national and international artists on the Harvest themes. At the space and around town: Events ranging from workshops and talks to film screenings, slow food brunches and more. The Goal: To educate and inspire audiences to learn more about the many issues facing food, farms and animals in our local community and beyond.

Karen asked me to do some artist portraits of her in her studio, and I fell in love with her Star Trek art. This last minute shot we took is my favorite. I feel her and Kirk are in a love triangle or something.

My friend John Grant has an art show in October at 2nd Street Gallery. Jason Keefer and I made a little movie about John and his work. Definitely check out the show. This video does not do justice to his work. It is exquisite.

Jennifer Tidwell, Brian Wimer, and I are filming a commercial for OpenSpace, and we need some help. It is kind of a cross between a video, and an event, so if you are free, please stop by the metered parking on Water Street (where they have the farmers market) on Friday Sept 18 at 9:30AM and you can maybe be in the video, get famous, and then forget the little people who got you where you are today.

OpenSpace Commercial Filming
Friday, September 18, 9:30am
150 W Water Street

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety had their 50th anniversary this year. To highlight the improvements that have been made in cars in that time, they wrecked a 1959 Chevy Bel Air into a 2009 Chevy Malibu. Before the Bel Air was wrecked, I photographed the car for the IIHS’s calendar. It was sad to see the car get smashed, but it is good to know there is a powerful organization out there trying to save lives on the road. These guys have probably saved half a million lives in the last 50 years. Think about that. 1/2 a million people, all around who would not be. It blows my mind.

The calendar shoot was very interesting. They allowed me access to their mountain of lighting gear, and I was like a kid in a candy store. There is something about turning on a 50 foot softbox that makes you feel important. Also, the expertise and helpfulness of the photographers and staff at the IIHS cannot be overstated. They are chill, but they work hard. Amazing.

At the crash, I got to work with my friend Jason Keefer. He is a really good photographer, and it was nice to see his process.

After the crash, their tests showed that the dummy in the Malibu had a slight foot injury while the dummy driving the Bel Air had extensive injuries, and would probably have died.

Recently I had the opportunity to collaborate on a commercial for the Live Arts Gala. I think it came out really well, and really appreciate the experience of working with such smart, creative people. Serena Gruia, Matt Thomas, Hilty Hazzard, Jessica Priest, Wistar Murray, Zach Snider, Karen Thomas, Brian Wimer, and Wes Webb all helped.

We ended up doing a stop action movie, without stopping the action. I put my camera on a tripod with the motordrive taking tons of still images, and all the puppeteers moved everything around in the studio. Later we cropped, color corrected, and sized down, and assembled more then 600, 22 megapixel images to match the storyboard. Why do it this way? Because we are bananas!

Hope you like it.

My book on the Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers, “A CLAW to Remember:The 2008 Charlottesville Lady Arm Wrestlers Retrospective” is an honorable mention in this years Photography Book Now international photobook competition. This is a big deal. Out of 2400 entries, my book was selected as one of the best by jurors including representatives from Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Blindspot Magazine, in addition to sweet sweet Platon. If It couldn’t get any cooler, my good friend Jon-Phillip Sheridan is also in the show. He and I are going to roll up to the opening in New York, and show them how we do it down here in Charlottesville.

What should I wear?

Thanks again to Harvest Moon Catering, Abrakadabra, Monkeyclaus, and The Blue Moon Diner. Also, thanks to Wistar Murray for writing and editing. Alloy Workshop for design, Will May for conceptual vision, Jennifer Tidwell for being amazing, and my wife Jocelyn and son William for everything else. You all are wonderful.

And of course, thanks to the women of CLAW. You are beautiful, sexy snowflakes, and I love you all.

Buy the Book:

A CLAW to Reme…

The 2008 Charlotte…

By Billy Hunt

My Studio Party last Friday was a good excuse for me to get my space nice, and a chance to get people over here to see where I am and how I work. It was really fun, and since I took pictures most of the time, I did not feel embarrassed like I usually do at openings. Thanks to everyone who came out.

Finally, anyone who missed it should stop by and check out my fishtank. For some reason, it makes me proud.