Firefly Imageworks

by DJ Glisson II | posted on February 27, 2010 at 1:10 pm | Filed under: Life, Photography |

So, brace yourself: Firefly Imageworks will be all but unavailable from March 15 through April 14. While, email communication will still be very welcome, I’ll be in Kenya for thirty days, helping to film a documentary, take photos, and develop fundraising collateral for a group called One Home Many Hopes (OHMH).

So, do email. Do call. Feel free to touch base with me however you normally would for whatever you may need. I’ll still be here for two more weeks as of this writing after all. This is just to give fair warning of the impending trip, and to give some context to clients that come calling while I’m out of touch.

As for some elaboration into what I’ll be doing: OHMH, or Mudzini Kwetu as it’s known abroad, is a home for orphaned or abandoned girls in the Mtwapa, Kenya. It finds, rescues, houses, and educates former street children and develops them into future agents of change in their community; the overarching philosophy being that investing in education and family support of children is the most effective way of ending cyclical poverty.

So that’s where I’ll be and what I’ll be doing. I know this probably puts a few clients behind, or potentially poses a problem for potential new clientele. But I promise, I’ll be back in full effect, starting April 19 (which will give me a few days to get re-acclimated to the normal working routine). Thanks for your patience and understanding as I take this once in a lifetime opportunity to not only see an entirely different world, but hopefully contribute positively to a greater story as well.

In the meantime, for more information on OHMH or to make a donation to the cause, visit: http://www.onehomemanyhopes.org/

Additionally, there are two weeks left before I leave, and admittedly, there a few equipment needs that have yet to be filled. If you feel like donating to the cause of the documentary work itself (monetarily or otherwise), get in touch with me soon as I’d love to partner on this effort with as many folks that are willing/able to help as possible.

Thanks in advance for everyone’s patience, contributions, and prayers. This should be pretty great.

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More Than This | Album Design + Release

by DJ Glisson II | posted on February 22, 2010 at 5:01 pm | Filed under: Design, Photography |

Offering's newest album, More Than This

Recently I had the privilege of working with Jeanine Guidry and Offering on developing album artwork for their latest release, More Than This. Not only is the title of the album a track in and of itself, but it’s also an expression of the band’s overarching philosophy of music becoming more than just an end in and of itself. Offering uses their talent as a melodic vehicle to spur social action against the hunger and degradation of the human condition here at home in Richmond as well as abroad. You may recall that they’re the same band I accompanied to China for our work in the migrant communities there, for instance.

To express this idea, I had the thought of a record that had something more growing out of it. I settled on vines so as to keep the feel as organic as possible to accompany their acoustic style as well as communicate a feeling of ‘new life’. Thus you have imagery of a record that spins and as it spins these vines grow outward and spin wildly about into their own tales and stories.

Last night, I was able to attend the album release party, and was able to take a few shots while on hand. The lighting wasn’t the best thing ever, but I think I made do pretty well. Additionally, the band honored me with a commemorative plaque for my work on the album – something that’s pretty humbling because at the end of the day, I’m just doing my job. Feels great to know it means that much to people though.

Below is a gallery of photos from the show as well as some images of the album art that was developed. Additionally, if you’re interested in picking up the album itself, it’s not only a great creative compilation of various covers the band plays live – containing some wonderful reinterpretations of the classic tunes – but also will go to aid the bands ongoing efforts in the local community and around the world. So it’s new music AND you can feel like you’re giving to a bigger story! Do it.

To purchase a physical copy of the album (and this get your hands on my own work via the full album art design), contact the band directly via their website, offeringband.com, or buy one at any of their upcoming shows around Richmond, VA. To purchase it digitally, click here.

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Triptofantastic ‘09

by DJ Glisson II | posted on November 28, 2009 at 11:49 pm | Filed under: Life, Photography |

Hangin' Around

The last three days I got to break out my camera four times, and I figured I’d write a quick blog to share a little bit of the recent shots. Thursday featured the family Thanksgiving dinner and festivities. Photos ensued, and it was all was followed by a visit to my pals Doug and Elizabeth Paul’s house which turned into a shoot with their adorable little girl, Avery. Friday, I got to hangout with the Ford/Boswell families for some awesome times and photos. Then this morning, I went into Richmond with my Eikon Missional Community and brought some coffee to some of our friends in Richmond on the cold morning.

All in all, it was a really great start to the Holiday Season, and certainly a beautiful hint at the month to come, so stay tuned! A portion of the income from this weekends shoots went to buying a Christmas gift for a three-year-old girl named Laurel, the daughter of one of our pals in Richmond. Speaking of: obviously its the time for family portraits and other photographic gifts of/for loved ones. If you’re interested or any of these shots strikes a chord, hit me up about the great deal I have for going photoshoots this holiday season. Hurry though! Only shoots done by the 15th are guaranteed to have finished prints by December 25th. Hope to hear from you soon!

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Eikon | Kairos Shirt

by DJ Glisson II | posted on November 19, 2009 at 6:33 pm | Filed under: Design, Life |

Kairos Moment Art

Been awhile since that last blog, and while I don’t feel like I’m writing two Eikon blogs in a row, well.. seems I am. There’s more varied things coming soon though. Promise.

For now though, I figured I’d share a shirt design I developed for Eikon. To really get it though, It might need a little elaboration. It’s based on a diagram of a “kairos moment” which is something we as a community have been using as a tool for understanding how God can more effectively interact in our lives and what that looks like as a process.

For starters, the word ‘kairos’ is a Greek word for time. Specifically in this instance, it’s not referencing time as a whole but moreso the moments in time that God enters into our stories and interacts with us in ways that cause us to rethink ourselves, our lives, and our relationships in a way that alters us in some way shape or form for the better.

We all know these moments: they’re often prayerful, but at the very least they’re honest and reflective. It’s when you’re sitting around in a restaurant and the boisterous patron to your right is getting on your nerves, yet amidst that, somehow you allow it to stop irking you in favor of trying to love and understand this person better, and it brings you peace. Or perhaps your life has shielded you from the plight of another kind of person, and once coming in contact with them, you are changed into someone that not only cares more for those kind of people, but strives to find justice for them amidst the chaos. Or, more personally, maybe you’re taking photos, and you start to see how your craft can be used to help people by bringing light to their struggles, and you find purpose within that realization. It’s those moments that the kairos moment diagram aims to help us analyze and maximize better.

Click here to see an image of the basic Kairos Diagram. The horizontal line at the top represents our path, and the circle intersecting from below represents the thought process we ideally will go through to fully live within and embrace these moments. Along the circle, we encounter steps of observation, reflection, discussion with others, making a plan on how this can further shape us, being held accountable, and living it out through action.

The art design of the shirt aims to capture this process and the beauty that can spring from it. We’re having one printed for each current member of the community, and they’ll be given out this Saturday. I’m looking forward to it.

Oh, and if you’re not a part of Eikon, but really dig the concept and would love to have the shirt for yourself, I’m sure we’re not above putting in an order for a second run of these if there’s demand for them. We’d probably sell them for $15 with all profits and proceeds going to the church and the work its doing within our local communities – suburban and urban alike. Shoot me a comment or an email if you’re interested, so I can gauge what demand might look like.

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Eikon Bulletin | September 13

by DJ Glisson II | posted on September 14, 2009 at 12:23 am | Filed under: Design, Life, Photography |

The Untold Story

Eikon is a community I’ve been involved with for the past year. With a name that, translated from the original Greek means “image reflectors,” its a new kind of church that approaches the weekly rhythm of Christian worship with a fresh perspective; meeting once a month for a large community worship service, and spending the other three to four weekends of the month, meeting as smaller Missional Communities (MCs) with a specific missional purpose. My MC, for instance, has a focus on meeting the needs of the less fortunate within Richmond, VA.

For each of the group’s monthly gatherings, I’ve taken on a key role in developing the visual presentation of the service. With services being less-frequent its easier to treat each one with a particular degree of specialness – a specialness that should (and does) filter down into even the tiniest of details.

With the service officially having launched earlier tonight, I wanted to share how this philosophy ended up effecting the church’s bulletin – which is normally a pretty staid convention. I didn’t want it to be something I just pumped out to achieve the classic objective: sharing necessary information with those that attended. I felt that in order to really be something special and unique in and of itself, it should really merge well with and become an extension of the teaching and themes being explored throughout the service it was used in – only using visual art to do so. Additionally, this should be something fresh and new for each service. The layout, typography, paper stock, and imagery shouldn’t be something that adhered to any convention, but should be fresh and aligned to that specific month’s service/celebration. Put simply, each month should be able to operate as it’s own independent art piece.

What resulted for our first night was the above image printed on one side, with the bulletin information printed on the back. The image itself began as a photo I took of one of the stained glass windows within the chapel we meet in. Within each individual pane I superimposed another photo of various community members I’d taken over the past year. Each image tells a story of the people within the image. The one exception is the blank pane in the middle of the blue cross.

The teaching itself was one that shared how the invitation into the full life and blessing Christ offers is an invitation for everyone, but all too often – be it because of our our own biases, baggage, upbringing, etc. – if we’re honest, there are people whom we personally hope it actually isn’t for. Perhaps its someone who’s treated us poorly, or someone (or some group) who we don’t like how they think, act, or dress. The list of reasons for these biases are numerous, but Christ doesn’t see it that way. Whoever wants in is in.

The center blank pane represents the person or group that we don’t want in (and sometimes simply won’t let in). With each beautiful story being told in the other panes, it asks us to consider the stories our biases are not allowing to take place; the stories that would complete the picture.

Sorry to get preachy, but I hope no matter who you are or what you believe, that you’ve found this interesting and hopefully a little inspiring. The idea – as I said before – is to have something like this on a monthly basis to share. See you on October 11!

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