Once got a call from a local ad/marketing outfit, they wanted some promo shots of a credit card embossing operation in Miami. I flew down with two cases. One with the Nikons and optics, one with half a dozen Vivitar strobes, various colored filters and scrims and some Reflectasol brollies. Once in the facility, the "art director" (a subject in and of itself) seemed unhappy. As we went around the place and he gave me some idea what he was looking for, he then "came clean" with the questions: "You have no assistants? Where are the lights? Where is the Hasselblad gear?"

I just told him I had a small stellar event contained in one case and the end-use for the images being a tri-fold "envelope stuffer" to mail with credit card bills, the 35mm 'chromes would do the job quite well. I used color gels and wide lenses, some close-up (macro) shots of cards by the hundreds... how "dramatic" can a card embossing process be(?), made plenty of images and left without seeing that guy again. The check cleared and the resulting brochure was quite nice in the end. But never got another Miami job from that agency. I didn't have a traveling circus to salve the art director's ego. The end product was secondary, apparently.

He felt you needed a "team" to photograph credit cards? Sheesh!

The art director was probably hoping for an Annie Leibovitz type. "We need an elephant, right NOW!"

I guess I should have given my Hasselblad stuff to you so you'd
be prepared for the high and mighty s in the future.

Well, the fifth of August WAS my birthday. But the 'blads were gone long ago in favor of Nikons. They're good for 'bride chasing' and studio work (on sticks) but too cumbersome for photojournalism.

By BD is only 3 days different that yours! Hint: It is the date that the Declaration of Independence was actually signed.

Greg's in the August lineup as well. Leos must be predisposed to common interests!