In January I was invited to participate in a photographer's discussion about creative inspiration, hosted by Carbone Smolan Agency (CSA), a leading brand strategy and design firm. The purpose was to create a Canon app to help inspire photographers. In a blog titled, "Photographers Who Inspire Me", I wrote about the thrill and disbelief I felt sitting on the panel with some of the world's leading photographers. It just couldn't get any better.
Until now. A few weeks ago I received an email from Paul Pierson, CSA partner and design director.
"Dancers Among Us was a real inspiration to us. It was such a pure expression of a photographic idea that is then expertly translated into a great series of images. I'm introducing the Canon app for the first time at PDN PhotoPlus on October 28. I would love to use one of your images as we demo the app. Do you have some time to come back to the office so I can show you how the app turned out, and how your image inspired us in creating our inspiration machine?"
Holy s@#t! Did I mention that the panel was filled with an awesome array of talented photographers who presented stunning, inspiring images? To be included on the panel was enough of an honor. To be selected as the inspiration for the app blows my mind.
Fortunately I never mentioned that I shoot with Nikon.
When Paul showed me the app, I was truly impressed. It's called Canon Idea Mine, and it will definitely help photographers evolve and expand their ideas. If you're stuck for an idea, the app can generate billions of unique image concepts from scratch in just two taps. If you have an idea, the app helps you create an inspiring to-do list for executing the idea.
Since presenting the app to the world on Friday, Paul has received an extremely high degree of interest. I'm not surprised. When it's available later this year, I'll download one for myself.
And not just because I inspired it!
