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 ...