A week or two following the shoot, Nikki sent me an email saying she intended to use my images as the cover & feature story for August 2010. I was thrilled. Fast forward to last Saturday when Joy & I arrived home from our vacation & the Key Largo shoot. When I went to the mailbox, there it was… the latest issue of At Home TN Magazine with my image on the cover. The article is really inviting & Lindsey Phillips did a great job writing the content. Overall, the magazine is an enjoyable read & is perfect for residents in the Tennessee region! If you’re interested you can find the magazine at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Target, & more. Or, visit www.athometn.com to subscribe today.

I look forward to what I hope will be a wonderful working relationship with a great magazine. Thanks At Home TN!

Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from my undergrad Alma Mater, the University of Mobile. It was special to me because it represented so much, namely, the incredible journey the Lord has taken me on these past few years. Just over two years ago, my wife was pregnant with our first child & I decided to resign from my steady & well-paying job (the one I have 9 years of higher education toward) & pursue two businesses I had recently started (w/ no promise of income), Ben Finch Photography & The Visible Group [Marketing & Design]. Was I crazy? Yeah… possibly, but it was & is worth the risk of failing to pursue my dreams. And have I failed? Geeze… countless times since, but it’s been completely worth it. There are mistakes I made in the beginning that you couldn’t pay me enough to do again. But, I cannot explain the amount of fulfillment & joy that comes from pursuing your dreams even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Since, I’ve had dozens of opportunities to share my story & it’s overwhelming how many people dare not to pursue their dreams, rather choosing stability, comfort, etc. I’m hoping I will have the courage to continue taking the ‘road less traveled’… it makes all the difference.

Back to the matter at hand, The Visible Group, was hired by the University of Mobile to design/develop two websites, provide commercial photography for print/web, & develop a new brandmark & identity material for UMobile. The scope of the project was huge but proved to be an incredible experience. I’m so thankful for a school like University of Mobile; it was the perfect place for me to help foster close relationships with fellow students, teachers, & administration. Choosing to attend UMobile has proved one of the best decisions of my life. I’m so proud of our work that I wanted to pass it on & get your feedback. I’d love to hear your thoughts… this was such a fulfilling project as I was able to give back to my Alma Mater.

This is the main University of Mobile website I designed (& developed by our web development partner, Nvisionative) located at www.umobile.edu. You’ll see my photography work throughout much of the site, primarily in the rotating image areas.

And here is the site located at giving.umobile.edu. I designed this site to appeal to a older demographic, specifically alumni & the business community.
This is the stationery for general office use. The recruiting office has it’s own stationery that is a bit edgier for a younger demographic. They both include the University of Mobile’s new brandmark, aka logo.
If you have friends or family who are looking for a great education & would like to head on down to the beautiful Mobile Bay, check out the University of Mobile. Tell them I sent you!

Let me say this… first, I love the University of Mobile. When I was a senior in high school I was recruited to play football in college & was planning toward that end. Yet, I decided to pursue college soccer & ended up playing at the University of Mobile. It was one of the best decisions of my life. For me, it marks some of the most wonderful times in my life. First, God did such a wonderful work in my life at UMobile. Second, it’s where I met Joy, my wife. But also, I am still inspired by the people of UMobile: staff, students, faculty, etc. I can’t quite explain it, but they’ve got a great thing going on at UMobile. I’m so thankful to still have close ties to my Alma Mater & hold their mission dear to my heart.

If you know a high-school student who is considering college, University of Mobile is certainly worth looking into. And, I’m not getting paid to say that!!

A few weeks ago I did a commercial shoot for my good friends at Camp Living Stones. I’m a bit partial to the folks at CLS & have the privilege of serving as a board member. When I spoke with directors, Jon Smeltzer & Matt Cushing, they mentioned the desire for me to develop a ‘fund-raiser’ brochure to send out featuring an update on the construction of the new chapel as well as raise awareness of some items camp needs. One of the main needs was the funds to purchase chairs for the chapel. As we talked further, Matt said they would have one chair available to feature in the brochure. Then… I had my Aha! moment.

What I wanted to do was create an ad that was humorous & captured readers’ attention while highlighting the goals of the campaign. As some of you know, in addition to photography I also serve as the creative lead for The Visible Group, a marketing & design firm. So… I was super excited that the project would involve photography but also designing the brochure & writing copy that would catch the reader’s attention. We have had incredible feedback from the campaign brochure. I think you’ll like it. It is a tri-fold brochure & this is what you see when you open it.

My favorite picture is the one in the middle where Jon has his hand on Matt’s back as if to say, “Maybe you’ll have a chair one day too!!!”

Inside

Additionally, I wanted to provide CLS with some images from around the campus. I was privileged earlier this year to design the new “Welcome to Camp Living Stones” sign. It turned out great & is a wonderful first impression for visitors. I love how they framed it out.

A view of the chapel’s exterior. One thing that is amazing about CLS is that all the buildings were built by the campers under the instruction of the camp staff. The CLS team is amazing!

The man, the myth, the legend himself, Jon Smeltzer. Jon has become a good friend & is a very godly example to all of us. His family is so much fun & we enjoy hanging out as often as possible. You should see the cabin he built for his family… seriously amazing!

Ladies & Gentlemen, The Matthew Cushing & his infamous sidekick, Wrangler. Like all dynamic duos, Bonnie & Clyde, Sonnie & Cher, Turner & Hooch, Kris & Kross, Millie & Vanilli (you get the point), these two won’t ever let you down… constant adventure!

How cool was it that this rainbow appeared when I was shooting! I thought it would look great to frame the shot as though to lead into the cross.

If you are interested in taking a group to a Christian adventure camp, may I suggest to you my friends at Camp Living Stones. You should really check them out! And, if you’re looking for a company who can take care of your design needs, me & the crew at The Visible Group are certainly able to help.