Hi everyone, here's some exciting news about an award I received last weekend. Pretty exciting on this end so I thought I'd share the news with you.

Cheers to you!  ~gregory

 

 

CASE Awards Honors Nashville Photographer as Inaugural Winner

(Nashville, TN) - This past Saturday, June 20, 2009, marked the first-ever CASE Awards, aimed to recognize companies and individuals in the Tennessee graphic design and image community for over-all excellence in the field.

 

Winning the "Best of Category in Photography: Entertainment" was Nashville's own Gregory Byerline. Rising above the over 350 entries, photographer Gregory Byerline's cover image for the Matt Flinner Trio's recent acoustic album release, Music Du Jour, captured the judge's nod. "These world-class acoustic musicians are more concerned about their music than their image," stated Byerline about his award-winning shot. "When shooting my square format film camera, this image was intentionally shot with no heads to emphasize their musical instruments. At the shoot, I felt this image would become the cover. Having the image honored by AIGA is icing on the cake."

 

AIGA members (the professional association of graphic design) served as judges for this year's CASE awards.  

 

"We feel that in this economy, it is now more important than ever to promote ourselves [design and image community] to the business community, and there is no better way to do that than through the work we produce," says John Thomas, Nashville AIGA board member.

 

For more information on the CASE Awards and a full list of winners, please visit the AIGA chapter website.

... and what we can learn from enjoying his music and watching his career explode.

Hey gang, today marks a sad day in musicland as Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, suffered cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. I've been a fan of his music since the Off The Wall days of the late 1970s. That's 30 years of enjoying his catchy tunes and visual playground of innovative dance moves.

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" remains on my list of all-time favorite recordings, with it's funky, energetic disco beat that makes this average white guy really wish he could dance a mere 1% like Michael Jackson himself. Not gonna happen in my lifetime though. I can feel it; I get it; I just can't do it. Then there's the electric moment during a live performance of "Billie Jean" when MJ debuted the Moonwalk. Then there's the world premier event of "Thriller" video. Then there's "Remember the Time" video that launched Naomi Campbell's career. The highlights go on and on.

Often a lightning rod for tabloid fodder, whether self-inflicted or papparazi-ignited, few people will refute that Michael Jackson, like all of us if we're truly honest, had deep-seated "issues" and emotional wounds/trauma/misgivings or whatever you'd like to call it. I imagine his artistry and Neverland Ranch were products of his longing to express what only he could express.

This struck me just a couple months ago while shooting at the studio and listening to my Michael Jackson playlist in iTunes. In the solitude and concentrated groove of making still-life photographs, I finally had a chance to really listen to a song I had previously skipped. That song is "Childhood" from HIStory and the Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home original motion picture soundtrack.

CHILDHOOD (words and music: Michael Jackson)
Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart...
No one understands me
They view it as such strange eccentricities...
'Cause I keep kidding around
Like a child, but pardon me...

People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things...
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates and adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me,
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?
People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things,
It's been my fate to compensate,
For the Childhood I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
The dreams I would dare, watch me fly...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me.
The painful youth I've had

Have you seen my Childhood....

He who entertained the masses practically his entire life ... missing a normal and regular childhood that the rest of us had ... recorded this tender and touching autobiographical song. In his own words, this is his "most personal" song he ever recorded. Creative expression or cry for help? Or both?

He holds the top two slots on the list of best selling albums of all time (Thriller and Dangerous), and it's been years since his latest break-out hit record. Still, at 50 years of age, he was scheduled to perform 50 sold out concerts in London. Fifty. Sold out. That's talent; that's stay-powering in the entertainment world.

Today, among the favorite Michael Jackson songs bouncing around my head, "Childhood" rises to the surface, and I ponder how common this sentiment may be among childhood stars. With our first child on the way, I'll reflect on this a bit more with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. Just some thoughts.

Farewell to the King of Pop. Thanks for the many years of musical memories. If I only I could have seen you perform live ...

OK, so we're a little crazy. That's a given. If you're unsure about that now, read on; we'll confirm it.

Tonight Meghann went to dinner with a friend (a mother of three boys under the age of three), and she came home with a mini-stroller for little miss Mollie Anneliese.

After a quick assembly ... without need of the instruction manual, thank you very much ... a test drive beckoned. Let's see. What little baby do we have around the house who could test drive the new stroller?

That would be Baby #1, the original Critter: little miss Sundae Delaney, OSP. She even allowed a couple quick iPhone pup-arazzi pics which we proudly publish for your viewing pleasure. Sundae gives the stroller "Two Paws Up." What a good sport.  8)

Howdy, friends. Yesterday was a landmark day for my lovely bride and me: the day we got to see our expectant little bundle at Meghann's 20-week check-up. Doctors say both Mom and Baby are healthy and developing well. Great news for us first-time parents.

As a photographer, the world is a visual experience for me. Over the past week, Meghann started feeling movements and kicks, but the movements were still too faint for me to feel from the outside. Even with a creative imagination to see the unseen, there was still an element of "seeing is believing" relative to our baby, whom we affectionately call Critter. I knew she was pregnant, but I didn't have the physical connection yet.

As we entered the ultrasound room where medical technology would allow doctors to check on Critter's progress, we greatly anticipated seeing for ourselves and learning what team Critter would play for. Would Critter be a boy, the first in Meghann's family, or a girl? We had predictions, but not a preference one way or another.

After necessary examinations, measurements, and inspections, the ultrasound technician announced that everything looked fine and healthy. Then she said "I can tell you what your baby is, if you want to know."

Uh, yeah lady. That's partly ... OK, mostly, for me ... why we're here today, I thought to myself. After positioning the ultrasound image into place, I said "girlie parts, right?"

"Yep," she confirmed.

Then we saw the profile of our baby GIRL ... Mollie Anneliese. Just as we predicted. I knew I'd be destined to have a house full of women including my lovely bride, our furry girl Sundae, and now our baby girl Mollie.

Now with the Chordettes' tune to "Lollipop" bopping through my head, I present to you our first baby's first photo.

♫ Molliepop, Molliepop, oh Mollie Mollie Mollie, Molliepop ♫

Hi Friends,

One of my photos from our Italy trip is available for voting to be included in an upcoming issue of JPG magazine ... click here or the small photo below to vote. Voting closes June 2, 2009.

If this image resonates with you, please cast a vote. Also, if you're so inclined, I'd appreciate you forwarding this info to your photo-loving friends as well. Cheers everyone.  ~gregory

Here’s your hands-on opportunity to learn about commercial photography, on location and in studio. We are looking for 1–2 qualified interns for Summer 2009.

Qualified interns must:
• Love people and love photography
• Have a dedicated work ethic with emphasis on punctuality and professionalism
• Have a general level of think-on-your-feet creative problem solving skills
• Have at least a general knowledge of photography (exposure, composition,
   manual camera settings, etc)
• Have at least intermediate experience with PhotoShop CS2 or higher and
   Lightroom 2.0
• Be fun-loving, hip, and professional
• Be teachable and considerate of others
• Be able to lift and carry heavy, awkward objects
• Willing to commit to 3–6 months
• Have reliable transportation
• Be available 2–3 times per week

How The Process Will Work:
1. Send an email to "getshot [at] gregorybyerline.com" with the words “Intern
    Info”) and include a link to your portfolio if you have one.
2. In that email, send a brief responses to these questions:
        • Why do you like photography?
        • Why are you interested in this intern position?
        • What are your future plans/wishes for photography?
3. Also, send a copy of your current resume and a list of references or letters of
    recommendation in that email.
4. After a review of the initial information, we will contact you if we feel there is a
    good fit for both parties. If so, we will schedule a time to meet each other
    over coffee for an in-person interview.

If you are interested, we look forward to hearing from you!

Application deadline: May 18, 2009.    ~gregory

Hi Friends,

Yesterday I received some sad news about a furry friend I had the privilege of photographing back in October. "Today, we finally had to surrender Smokey to the pain free and care free life, that she deserved," wrote Jim by email.

"Your great photos of her are what we now have hanging on our walls and are greatly appreciated and respected. Thank you so very much for taking time out for her," Jim concluded.

I met Smokey while making photographs for the East Nashville Dog Calendar sponsored by East C.A.N. a few months ago. Jim and Sammie brought her to ArtHouse Gardens for Dogtoberfest. While I photographed many neighborhood dogs that day, Sammie doggysat our furry girl Sundae, and the two of them became fast friends. Sammie still writes every now and them to check on Sundae, sending over homemade treats like "honorary grandparents."

Smokey lived a long and lovely life, bringing joy to her non-furry parents for 14 years. Smokey was lucky to have Jim and Sammie to care for her, and I'm sure Jim and Sammie would say they are lucky to have had Smokey in their home. They are a beautiful example of a loving and responsible relationship between dogs and people. Rest well, Smokey.  ~gregory

Hi everyone,

It's been crazy busy around the studio over the past few weeks, and I'm a bit behind on the regular posting of "Quote of the Week." Had a moment today to update the blog, and I wanted to share this week's quote with you.

Very professional photographer! I have worked with photographers I would be ashamed to talk about... but Gregory was honest and up front... and cared a lot about the results. --Theresa

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend. See you soon.  ~gregory

Yesterday, a client of mine was awarded First Runner-up in the Miss Southern Tennessee Teen 2010 pageant. Caroline Sessoms, in her junior at a Hendersonville high school and a Harvard Summer Student, also won the Interview competition.

Twenty delegates from across the state of Tennessee competed at the Annual Miss Southern Tennessee Pageant held at Wright Music Hall on the Middle Tennessee State University campus in Murfreesboro, TN. Delegates competed in Personal Interview, Swimsuit, and Evening Gown before the Semi-Finalist was announced. The competition continued for the Semi-finalists with on-stage interview. The top three were then selected and each finalist answered a final on-stage question determining winner and runners-up.

Congratulations, Caroline. Here's to continued success with your endeavors. Way to go!  ~gregory

Hair & Make-up: Lisa Proctor www.lisaproctor.com

Click image to purchase at Amazon.com

I shot this CD cover for a friend's acoustic trio, and the cover was revealed last week. These acoustic musicians are real musicians who are more concerned about their music than their image. When shooting my square format film camera, this image was intentionally shot with no heads to emphasize their musical instruments. At the shoot, I KNEW this image would become the cover. So excited.

Matt Flinner (mandolin), Ross Martin (guitar), and Eric Thorin (bass) will be performing at Norm's River Road House this Friday (April 3, 2009) to celebrate the upcoming release of Music du Juor, the latest from Compass Records. The CD features 12 tunes from MF3's Music du Jour tours over the past couple of years ... each day they wrote music to perform on that night's show, and they picked their favorites for the new disc. This Friday's show is a "du Jour" show as well, so you never know what might happen! 

Norm's is located at 7695 River Road Pike on the banks of the Cumberland River on Nashville's west side. The sound quality and food are both excellent so arrive come early! Additional info at Norm's MySpace page or 615-356-6314.

Check out this record, whether recorded or live. World-class musicians making some great music. Cheers everyone.  ~gregory

Hey everyone, it's been a while since I've been able to post. Much has been happening in our world, and it's been tough to blog as often as I wish.

Wanted to share some fun outtakes from today's photo shoot for Brittany, a Cincinatti-based model who rolled into town for the weekend. First, a little back story.

If you've been to my studio, you have likely met our furry girl Sundae Delaney, OSP. She loves to be in the studio, loves playing with clients, and enjoys her status as one of Nashville's most photographed dogs (if not THE most photographed dog). She even wins over the occasional cat person who visits my studio.  8)

At today's shoot with Brittany, Sundae took it upon herself to sneak onto the set as we prepared for third look of the day. Somehow she knows when attention has been on someone else for a while, and she definitely knows dog people when she meets them. Brittany and Michelle (hair & make-up stylist) were great sports with Sundae, and I had to share a few photos of Sundae's sneaky move.

Click image to enlarge

Play by play: (1) Sundae turns on the charm ... (2) "Dad, do you thinkg she'd let me star in her photo?" ... (3) "Apparently so, Sundae Girl."

Add this to her ever-growing number of photo shoots. Come on by; she'll probably try to sneak into your shoot too! Cheers.  ~gregory

Last week, Gregory Byerline Photography was selected as the official photography sponsor for the Mrs. Tennessee America and Mrs. Mississippi America pageants. Winner of the 2009 Mrs. Tennessee America crown will be photographed at our studio in preparation for the national competition for 2009 Mrs. America pageant.

The Mrs. Tennessee pageant ... held on May 1–2, 2009 in Jackson, TN ... is open to married Tennessee residents over the age of 18.

Bob & Delayne Bridges are the Executive Directors of the Mrs. Tennessee and Mrs. Mississippi pageants. They were honored with the 2007 Seymour Seitz Directors of the Year award by the Mrs. America Pageant. Bob & Delayne have directed the Mrs. Tennessee pageant for 16 years and are in their third year as directors for Mrs. Mississippi.

Having worn the crown of Mrs. Tennessee USA in 1992 and Mrs. Tennessee America in 1993, Delayne enjoys helping other women find their voice and become the best they can be. We are excited about this opportunity to partner with the statewide organization that benefits local charities and non-profit organizations.

More info about the 2009 Mrs. Tennessee America pageant, including entry deadline and tickets, is available at www.mrstennesseeamerica.com.

"I first found Gregory Byerline on my neighborhood listserve. I was in need of the services of a professional photographer to do a headshot for my webpage. I was blown away when I visited his website and viewed his online portfolio. I knew that he was the one I wanted to shoot my headshot. He was very personable, warm and professional. The shoot was quite fun, and the end product has recieved lots of praise. So many people have given me positive feedback of the photo on my webpage. He skillfully and beautifuly captured just what I was seeking, and his photo helps to convey exactly what I want when people visit my site. I am a psychotherapist in private practice, and I want people to get the sense that I am safe, welcoming, and have the potential to connect with them. Gregory's photo has gone a long way towards helping me to achieve those goals. Should I need the services of a professional photographer in the future, he is the first person I will call. I have recommended him over and over to friends, family and colleagues."  -- Sonya Thomas

Hi Friends,

Yesterday I received some sad news about a furry friend I had the privilege of photographing back in October. Stan, the Singing Wonder Dog, is now singing in the Heavenly Choir after a neighborhood accident.

I met Stan while making photographs for the East Nashville Dog Calendar sponsored by East C.A.N. a few months ago. Stan's mom Jenny brought him to ArtHouse Gardens for Dogtoberfest, and proudly informed me that Stan was known around the neighborhood for his vocal talents. Always ready for a little canine cabaret, Jenny and her friends burst into a funtastic version of "Happy Birthday" and Stan joined in whole-heartedly.

Stan was a loyal companion and instant friend to whomever he met. He will be, and is already, deeply missed, bringing to mind my favorite quote from the late great Will Rogers said "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Sing on, Stan.

 

I saw this video today, and it snapped things back into perspective. He makes some great points and is correct in saying that "Everything is amazing, and nobody's happy." What a humorous reminder of perspectives. Great food for thought; just wanted to share. Cheers everyone.