Paradox Valley, Colorado

Outdoor Photographer Magazine produced a feature on Black and White landscapes this month. Black and white landscapes are most widely known by Ansel Adams.

I'm not a fan of Ansel Adams... probably the only person that isn't. Actually, I'm not a fan of the Zone System that he used to produce his images. But I do admire his eye for composition and the translation of said composition to film.

Black and white images have never floated my boat. They seem chilly. Even now, it's rare that I can produce one without warming the tones, which I've done here.

Nonetheless, being able to produce Black and White images is a task no photographer should ignore. It's not a matter of removing color or sliding the desaturation button on a digital image. Whether it's a story of majesty or simplicity, the story must still come to life. It must be saturated with the poignancy that is often missing from color images.

This shot is from a driving trip to Utah and with a return by way of Paradox Valley, Colorado. It is a beautiful route on highway 90 in Montrose County. We often end up in Telluride before heading back.
Photography in and around Telluride is outstanding. At least in the summer. (Snow is but a slight  acquaintance of mine. Been there. Done that. I spent a few years in Wisconsin and that taught me all I wanted to know about Snow and skiing… and living in a cold place. Not for me.)

Cadillac and Ford

Business Insider finds that Ford has destroyed the Cadillac commercial. The "arrogant" one that talks of American values and exceptionalism. Except that certain people think it's really about a rich guy spouting off about his own coolness.

So, Ford enters with a parody of the commercial that takes a swipe at self-absorbed rich men. It uses the founder of Detroit Dirt, Pasho Murry, and her plan to make the world a better place with Urban Gardens and locally grown food.

The problem is that back in August of 2013… well before Ford came up with this snarky little gem. GM had developed the Cadillac Urban Garden Program in Detroit. GM…who makes Cadillac... is a contributor to Detroit Dirt. You can see a photo of Pashon Murry in the below image from the GM Website. Detroit Dirt lists BOTH Ford and General Motors on their website as contributors:

ASTRO COFFEE
BODMAN PLC
CARHARTT
CASCADE ENGINEERING
CITY OF DETROIT
CONTINENTAL RAIL GATEWAY
DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY

FORD MOTOR COMPANY
GENERAL MOTORS
THE HAJEK FIRM
MOTOR CITY BREWERY WORKS
SOUTHWEST SOLUTIONS
TEAM DETROIT

Here's the thing. In their ad, Cadillac didn't put down one person or lifestyle. No insult was delivered to anyone. Ford's ad, on the other hand, was specifically designed to mock the Cadillac ad. N'est–ce pas? Of course, Ford spokeswoman Sara Tatchio described the video as “lighthearted.”
“I don’t think we’re mocking a competitor. We’re trying to showcase positive work being done in our community,” she said. (Think again, Sara.)

Personally, I don't care for snarky swipes like this or the brand of thinking that grants itself permission to take those shots. The word "Lighthearted" is spin, not truth. The ad is clearly mimicking Cadillac's ad and the "lighthearted" intent isn't to applaud Cadillac or the people who purchase their product. The intent is ugly, not lighthearted. Mature, professional people simply do not put someone down to make themselves look better. (For the record...I didn't like it when Apple did it either.)

So, time to turn in that F150, Gentlemen and get yourself a RAM or a Chevy because I don't think Ford much appreciates your hard work or your exceptionalism. (Wait. Come to think of it, I know two women that own F150s. So PEOPLE…get yourselves a different brand.)

And Pashon?
I also don't much care for people who bite the hands that help to feed them. It's manure.

#Cadillac
#pashonmurry

Womanbrandity

First published September 2013. Updated March 2014

Oh for the days of Cadillac's Kate Walsh commercials.

Compared to:

This or the "sexy long version" commercial with a James Bondish looking fellow.

No Comparison! 

What do women really want?

Far beyond connection to the brand, validation is really (really) important to brand loyalty. 

March 10th 2014 Updates:

This new Cadillac commercial is driving some people nuts. There's even petition to have it removed! No Kidding.  

American Exceptionalism is BAD because some people might feel bad that they don't have the same opportunities. In a comment I read, a protester actually said "Some people might work 3 jobs at fast food places and can't afford a nice car like this." So, in conclusion, they realized this commercial should be taken off the air since it is offensive. 

By the way… there's a new Barbie. She is described as "average" because old Barbie might make some women insecure about their bodies. 

The underlying messaging is horrible. 

Reach for the Stars has been replaced by Reach for the... Meh.

All in the story.

A well done story to promote a british food mix.

Cranky Apples = Angry Orchard

I recently ordered my first Angry Orchard Hard Cider. I've always been fond of apple cider until I found out about the arsenic. Huff Post might think low levels are acceptable but since the stuff builds up over time, I'm going to hold back.

I WAS anyway.

Now this:

(An eyePhone snap)

 It's good and it tastes exactly like cranky apples from an angry orchard.

Then, I went to the website. It's brilliant and fun. Scrolling sideways from morning to night and down into the root system of the orchard to discover the origins.


The product is fine. The Marketing is wonderful. From the whimsical name to the Fun website...

Two thumbs up.