Speaker and Panelist Bios
- Christa AboitizCreative Consultant - Photography and Art EditorSan Francisco - PanelistChrista Aboitiz is a San Francisco-based creative consultant for editorial and design clients. She has previously served as the Photo Editor for Wired magazine; Special projects director for Helmut Lang; and the Art and Photography editor at Interview magazine. She has been active as a curator, exhibition designer, and special projects editor, working with clients such as Whitney Museum of Art, Kunstalle Wien, Stone Yamashita Partners, Hewlett Packard, and BMW. She is the co-editor of the book and exhibition Autowerk, and is a graduate of California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles.
- Cradoc BagshawCreator, fotoQuote™ & fotoBiz™Los Angeles - PanelistCradoc Bagshaw is the developer of software programs for photographers including: fotoQuote; the industry standard pricing guide, and fotoBiz; a business management solution for the freelance photographer.
Cradoc started his photographic career at the age of 15 as the chief photographer for the Anchorage Alaska Daily News. He has shot for such magazines as Time, Life, Newsweek, Forbes, Business Week and dozens more. He has had agency affiliations with Black Star, After Image, Stock Boston, West Light, Gamma Liason, and others.
Cradoc has lectured extensively on photography and the business of photography in the U.S for dozens of professional organizations including: NYU, the International Center of Photography in New York, UCLA and Brooks Institute of Photography.
- David Walter BanksFreelance PhotographerAtlanta - PanelistDavid Walter Banks is a freelance photographer based in Atlanta, GA, specializing in documentary photography, portraiture and commercial photography. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia and has a background in newspaper photojournalism. David's clients include The New York Times, Stern, Fader, Bloomberg News and Atlanta Magazine among others. Awards include numerous National Press Photographer's Association clip wins, Georgia Press Association Photo of the Year, and recognition at the 19th Eddie Adams Workshop. David lives in Atlanta's Little Five Points neighborhood with his dog Highland.
- Todd BaxterFreelance PhotographerChicago - PanelistChicago-based photographer Todd Baxter was raised in New Mexico. He studied photography, painting, and drawing at the University of New Mexico and has taught art and photography for several years in the US and abroad. He moved to Chicago in 2002, working first as a designer and art director at several ad agencies in Chicago before becoming a professional photographer. Liz Miller-Gershfeld from BBDO commented in PDN that "themes of taxidermy, disaffection and 70's era A/V equipment made me look twice at Todd Baxter's unique vision of the world around him. His vision is strong, but its execution subtle." Todd now shoots commercially for clients including Energy BBDO, DDB, Digitas, Conde Nast/GQ, ACE Hardware, Random House, and Punk Planet.
- Marni BeardsleyGlobal Director of Art Buying, Weiden and KennedyPortland - Main SpeakerMarni Beardsley is a fourteen year veteran of art buying, having spent the past seven years as the Global Director of Art Buying at Weiden and Kennedy. In this capacity her clients have included Nike, Coca Cola, Calvin Klein, Microsoft, Target, LVMH -Belvedere+Chopin Vodkas, P&G, Miller Beer, Starbucks, EA Sports, Allsteel, ESPN, Oregon Tourism and the American Indian College Fund. Marni has been fortunate to work with some of the most esteemed photographers in the world including Richard Burbridge, Mark Seliger, Solve Sundsbo, Kenji Toma, Dana Lixenburg, and many others. Marni graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Communication. She has since continued her studies at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Photography.
- Kareem BlackFreelance PhotographerNew York - PanelistPhiladelphia native and New York-based Kareem Black has been shooting professionally for seven years. He specializes in celebrity portraiture, music and advertising. His clients include spin, Flaunt, Verizon, Vitamin Water, Vibe and GQ. Kareem has recently started directing and has just released his second short film.
- Brittney BlairPhoto Editor, Chicago MagazineChicago - PanelistPhoto Editor Brittney Blair began her career at Chicago magazine in the summer of 2002 as an intern in the editorial art department. Her eye for detail and keen understanding of photography made her the perfect addition to the design team. During her years at Chicago, Brittney has built relationships with photographers both locally and nationally that serve to make Chicago magazine one of the premiere magazines in the Midwest. She has contributed directly to several award winning issues, including the magazine's prestigious National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2003. Brittney herself was recognized by Chicago's parent company Tribune Co. in 2007 for spearheading a groundbreaking Photography Special Issue in December of 2006. Brittney has produced numerous cover photos, photo essays, and features for the magazine.
- Bill FrakesStaff Photographer, Sports IllustratedAtlanta - Main SpeakerBill Frakes is a Sports Illustrated Staff Photographer based in Florida. He has worked in more than 100 countries for a wide variety of editorial and advertising clients. His advertising clients include Apple, Nike, Coca Cola, Champion, Isleworth, Stryker, IBM, Nikon, Kodak, and Reebok. Editorially his work has appeared in virtually every major general interest publication in the world. Bill won the coveted Newspaper Photographer of the Year award in the prestigious Pictures of the Year competition. He was a member of the Miami Herald staff that won the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of Hurricane Andrew . He has also been honored by the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards for reporting on the disadvantaged and by the Overseas Press club for distinguished foreign reporting. He was awarded the Gold Medal by World Press Photo. He has received hundreds of national and international awards for his work.
- Anthony GeorgisFreelance PhotographerPortland - PanelistAnthony Georgis is an up-and-coming advertising and editorial photographer based in Portland, Oregon. His simple, narrative based images are a product of frequent self assigned projects. This fresh approach has yielded assignments for a growing list of clients including Hewlett-Packard, American Airlines and Readymade Magazine.
- Shannon HallPhotography Director, Blackbook MagazineLos Angeles - PanelistLA-based Shannon Bates Hall has been the Photography Director for BlackBook Magazine since 2006. She previously served as Photography Editor at several publications including Outtraveler Magazine, Detour Magazine, and Icon, and as Assistant Photography Editor at Interview Magazine. She also has been active as a curator, film editor, post-production supervisor, and special projects Editor for clients including the Whitney Museum in NYC, Spin Magazine, Dazed and Confused Magazine, and H2o, Tokyo. Shannon received her BFA in Photography at NYU, and her MFA at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
- John HarringtonAuthor & Freelance PhotographerAtlanta - PanelistFor nearly two decades, Washington DC-based John Harrington has covered the world of politics, traveled internationally, and negotiated contracts along the way. Harrington's work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, and Rolling Stone; Coca-Cola, XM Satellite Radio, and Lockheed Martin are among his commercial clients. Harrington has produced three commissioned books for the Smithsonian, and lectured on business practices to numerous trade groups on the importance of solid business practices as a cornerstone of long-term success as a photographer. His best-selling book Best Business Practices for Photographers, published in October of 2006 is currently in its third printing. John also authors the blog Photo Business Forum.
- Roy HsuPresident - Stock Artists AllianceNew York- PanelistRoy is the president of the Stock Artists Alliance, an international association of professional photographers and other who create visual works for stock licensing. In addition to shooting stock photography, Roy is also a full-time Advertising Art Director having worked at Agencies including Ogilvy, McCann Erickson, BBDO and currently at Publicis Modem.
- Michael JangFreelance PhotographerSan Francisco - PanelistMichael Jang has been called a photographer's photographer by those who are familiar with his work. While a lifetime of commercial work can often taint one's vision, MJ has managed to not only retain his original style and enthusiasm for over three decades, but has also enjoyed success in both the fine art and commercial worlds. His work (which can be seen at www.michaeljang.com) has been shown at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and he is currently represented by Getty Images. Michael thinks he has a dubious claim to being on this panel, as he prefers film over anything digital and is still trying to decode the mysteries of making money. But these are exactly the reasons we asked him to participate- not to mention, he is a very cool guy with a unique and articulated vision, and we really like his work.
- Chase JarvisFreelance PhotographerNew York - Main SpeakerChase is an acclaimed sports, lifestyle, and popular culture photographer based out of Seattle and Paris. He has been shooting commercially for 10 years for clients including Volvo, Nike, Microsoft, Columbia Sportswear, REI, Patagonia, Jeep and Red Bull. In addition to his shooting, Chase lectures actively including recently for Apple, Nikon, Microsoft and Hasselblad. Jarvis has also worked in film, including as Executive Co-Producer of 'Willing Suspension of Disbelief,' a ski film short that was a Telluride Film Festival Selection in 2004-2005. Chase earned his BA in Philosophy and Human Biology from San Diego State University, and his MA in Philosophy from the University of Washington.
- Jennifer KilbergFormer Photo Editor - SCI FI Channel, Marketing ConsultantAtlanta, GAJennifer Kilberg's unique insight into the photo industry is a result of her extensive experience and understanding of all aspects of photography.
She has worked as a freelance photographer, business account executive for Kodak Professional, American Photo/Popular Photography, as a photo editor for the SCI FI Channel, as an educator at institutions like Parsons School of Design, FIT, School of Visual Arts, and most recently with D-65, a boutique consultancy dedicated to education on the world of digital photography to photographers and buyers alike.
Jennifer lives in Atlanta with her husband and her brand new baby boy, Austin.
- Amanda MarsalisFreelance PhotographerLos Angeles - Main SpeakerSan Francisco-born and LA-based Amanda Marsalis graduated from the California College of Arts and Crafts (now California College of the Arts) in 2001. Her work has taken her across the world, and has appeared in books, magazines, art galleries, and ad campaigns. Her clients have included Dazed and Confused, GQ, Newsweek, Time, Vibe, Wired, Adobe, Apple, FedEx, Roxy, Sub Pop Records, Urban Outfitters, and Visa. Amanda has been a PDN's Rising Star, and was in the PDN 30 in 2003.
- Chris McPhersonFreelance PhotographerLos Angeles - PanelistChris McPherson is an LA-based photographer who shoots for a host of advertising and editorial clients. His most recent ad work includes an ongoing campaign for Cadillac. Chris' editorial clients include Esquire, Details, ESPN, and Rolling Stone, to name a few. In his free time, Chris enjoys riding his dirt bike in Mexico and hanging with his French Bulldog Steve.
- Bryan MeltzFreelance PhotographerAtlanta - PanelistBryan Meltz is a freelance documentary and editorial photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Much of her editorial work focuses on Atlanta's hip hop community and regularly appears in The Fader, Vice, XXL, Blender, and Vibe. Bryan specializes in long-term documentary projects on social issues. From 1999-2006 she extensively chronicled the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, focusing on the growing epidemic of HIV in the South. For the past two years she has been photographing a Somali Bantu refugee family as they resettle in Clarkston, Georgia. She graduated with a degree in photojournalism from The Brooks Institute of Photography.
- Jen MillerFormer Photo Director, Jane MagazineNew York - PanelistJennifer Miller has been involved in the documentary, art and commercial photography world since graduating NYU Tisch School of Photography in 1986. She was the Photo Director at Jane Magazine for seven years and worked with such photographers as Larry Sultan, Carter Smith, Martin Parr, Jack Pierson and Paul Jasmin. Freelance projects include two issues of BIG magazine, photo editing for Stora Enso and guest lectures at NYU, SVA and ICP. She has also worked at the Aperture Foundation, Magnum Photos and as Photo Editor at George Magazine.
- Liz Miller-GershfeldSr. Art Buyer at Energy BBDOChicago - Main SpeakerA native of Detroit, MI, Liz Miller-Gershfeld began her production career in 1993 working on feature films, television commercials and music videos. She has held her current position as Sr. Art Buyer at Energy BBDO since January 2000, working on client accounts including Wrigley, Jim Beam Brands, Bayer Brands, Dial Brands, and LaSalle Bank. Liz currently lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons, ages two and four.
- William NabersFormer Director of Photography, FortuneNew York - PanelistWilliam Nabers was an editor at Time Inc. for fifteen years, finally as Director of Photography at Fortune magazine. He is now a freelance picture editor for books and magazines, and adjunct faculty in the history of photography at the School of Visual Arts.
- Emily NathanFreelance PhotographerSan Francisco - PanelistBased in Oakland, California, Emily Nathan shoots lifestyle and editorial work focusing on family, food, travel and portraiture. Emily is a natural light location photographer who specializes in finding beauty within a broad spectrum of scenarios. She also seeks to portray people in a natural and humane way. These two traits (seeking beauty and portraying naturally) constantly bring Emily across the country and around the world for clients including Apple, Real Simple, Travel and Leisure, Budget Travel, Bon Appetit, Gourmet and The New Yorker. Emily was named one of 2005's "30 Under 30" photographers in Photo District News. Her work has been featured in several publications including Communication Arts - Fresh.
- Landon NordemanFreelance PhotographerNew York - PanelistLandon graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in American Studies. After three years of shooting for newspapers he studied photography at the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University, where he was awarded the National Geographic Internship. Landon moved back to New York in 2002 to freelance. In 2006, Photo District News selected him as one of 30 emerging photographers to watch. Landon is a contributing photographer to Saveur magazine and The New Yorker, and his has been recognized by several organizations, including the Magenta Foundation's Emerging Photographers (2006); American Photography 21 (2005); ASMP Image '05 (2005); Pictures of the Year International (2003); The Best of Photojournalism NPPA (2002); the New York Times (2003); and News Photographer Magazine (2003).
- George PittsFormer Director of Photography, LIFE & Professor, Parsons School of DesignNew York - PanelistGeorge Pitts is a Professor of Photography at the Parsons School of Design. Previously, Mr. Pitts was Director of Photography at LIFE Magazine and Director of Photography at Vibe Magazine. Mr. Pitts is a Fine Art photographer, painter, and writer whose paintings, drawings, and photography have been shown in numerous exhibitions in the United States, incl. in New York, and Los Angeles. His writing and photography have appeared in The Paris Review, Vibe, The New York Times Magazine, Werk #5, New York Magazine, Esquire, Nerve, Vice and many other publications in the U.S. and internationally. As Director of Photography at Vibe magazine, George received numerous honors in Photography including the SPD Gold Award in 1994 and 2004. While working for LIFE, he received the Lucie Award for "Picture Editor of the Year" in 2006. Mr. Pitts was also previously named one of American Photo magazine's nineteen "Movers and Shakers for the Future."
- David SangerFreelance PhotographerSan Francisco - PanelistAn active leader in the stock photographer community and an award-winning travel photographer, David balances editorial and stock shooting with running his stock photography website www.davidsanger.com. David's images have appeared in thousands of publications throughout the world. His book, San Francisco Bay — Portrait of an Estuary, produced in association with the National Audubon Society, received widespread acclaim. He is a member of ASMP, EP, ASPP and is legal chair and past-president of SAA, Stock Artists Alliance, the international trade association of stock photographers.
- Asha SchechterFreelance PhotographerLos Angeles - PanelistAsha Schechter recieved a BFA in photography from CCA. He worked at Jane magazine as a Photo Editor for 3 years, then at The New Yorker as a picture researcher for 2. He begins the UCLA MFA program this fall.
- Catherine TalesePhoto EditorNew York - Main SpeakerCatherine Talese is a photography editor. She has won awards from American Photography, Communication Arts, and the Society of Publication Designers. The magazines she's worked for include; Absolute, GQ, Interview, Marie Claire, and Quest as well as art directing catalogues for Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters, books for Knopf Publishing and CD packaging for Ira Glass at This American Life. She began her career with the agency Art + Commerce as an associate agent and has been a judge in numerous photography competitions.
- Martin ThielFreelance PhotographerPortland - PanelistMartin is a Portland based commercial and editorial photographer, whose clients include Wieden + Kennedy and Starbucks and has been published in magazines including Blackbook, Graphis, and Res. Martin's photojournalism background began at the University of Oregon student paper and has translated into a natural, documentary style that has caught the eye of commercial and advertising clients. Martin has recently signed on with agent Deborah Ayerst who represents him throughout the US.
- Brian UlrichFreelance PhotographerChicago - PanelistBrian Ulrich lives and works in Chicago and in addition to teaching at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Columbia College, he curates exhibitions, maintains a popular photography blog, and actively lectures across the country including recent talks at the Aperture Foundation, the School of Visual Arts, and the San Francisco Art Institute.
Ulrich earned his MFA in photography at Columbia College Chicago and a BFA in photography at the University of Akron. Since finishing his graduate studies in 2004, Ulrich has had solo exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego; the Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago; the Julie Saul Gallery; and the Robert Koch Gallery. His work has also been included in many group exhibitions such as the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and will be included in upcoming exhibits at the Walker Art Center; the Carnegie Museum; and Galerie f5.6 in Munich.
In 2007 Ulrich was named one of the years 30 Emerging Photographers by Photo District News magazine. His work has been recently featured in several publications including the New York Times Magazine; Mother Jones magazine; the Chicago Tribune; Artforum; Harper's; Leica World; and Phat Photo (Japan). Brian is represented by Rhona Hoffman Gallery in Chicago, Robert Koch Gallery in San Francisco, and Julie Saul Gallery in New York.
- Laurie WilsonFreelance PhotographerLos Angeles - PanelistAlthough currently based out of LA, Laurie Wilson spent her youth between California, Hawaii and Asia and still considers San Francisco her home. She studied photography at San Francisco Art Institute and received her degree from Art Center College of Design. Laurie shoots portraits, travel, and lifestyle assignments for clients including Jane, W, SOMA, Tokion, Angeleno and many more. She is also the founding member of Photo Department (www.photo-dept.com), a collective internet space for photographers that is also now expanding to include other mediums of creative and popular art.
- Katrina WittcampFreelance PhotographerChicago - PanelistChicago-based photographer Katrina Wittcamp started her career as a photo editor, working first at the Times in Munster, IN, and then for the Chicago Tribune for almost seven years - including three years as the Photo Editor for the Tribune Sunday Magazine. She left the Tribune in 2002 to re-start her career as a freelance photographer and now shoots for numerous local and national magazines, in addition to selling her work through Getty. Katrina and her husband recently rehabbed a 100-year-old storefront building in Ukrainian Village, where they now live with their young daughter Ella. Wittcamp graduated in 1994 from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a degree in photojournalism.
- Carolyn WrightIntellectual Property Attorney & Freelance PhotographerAtlanta - PanelistAtlanta-based attorney Carolyn Wright aims her practice squarely at the needs of photographers. A professional photographer herself, Carolyn practiced law with the Atlanta firm King & Spaulding, one of the top 50 firms in the nation, and Neely & Player for more than 10 years. Prior to specializing in IP law for photographers, she represented clients in multi-million dollar litigations. She provides free information for photographers on her blog, www.photoattorney.com, and also recently published her first book, "Photographer's Legal Guide" (2006). Carolyn earned her J.D. from the Emory University School of Law, and her B.A. and M.B.A from Tennessee Technological University. In addition to regularly writing, teaching and lecturing on the subject of photography law, Carolyn is a member of the Advisory Council for the Picture Licensing Universal System (PLUS).
- Michael ZagarisFreelance PhotographerSan Francisco - Main SpeakerMichael Zagaris is a San Francisco based artist who broke into the scene shooting rock & roll and fashion. He now concentrates on professional sports and photojournalism. He is currently the team photographer for the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco 49ers.
- Meagan Ziegler-HaynesDirector of Photography, PhotoShelterAtlanta - Main SpeakerShortly after earning her BFA in Photography from the Rhode Island School of Design, Meagan started a career as a photo agent and producer for some of the most respected photographers in the industry at Z photographic. From there she started her own NYC-based independent photo agency, MZH Photo. As founder and agent, she promoted her clients and guided them through advertising and editorial assignments. After two years, Meagan switched over to photo editing for magazines such as Vibe Vixen and Jane. Meagan is currently the Director of Photography for PhotoShelter.