Category: Personal Project

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Andy Goodwin

MashUps: Messy on Purpose
Ham-Handed, Lo-Tech Collisions, Just Because

I’ll be turning 68 this year. That’s something I used to keep quiet, worried that clients might assume I was past my prime, too set in my ways, or not up to speed on the latest tech. The truth is, while I feel like I’m at the top of my game, business has slowed over the past couple of years. And I get the sense a lot of others are feeling it too. Fortunately, photography has always been both my livelihood and my passion, and I still feel inspired to create every day.

I’ve really been focused on two personal series over the past few years. One is Driftless Artists: Creative Portraits from Wisconsin’s Hidden Region (agoodwinphoto.com/Driftless-Artists) a long-term project that will become a book later this year. The other is something very different, a stream-of-consciousness series I call MashUps (agoodwinphoto.com/MashUps), that’s low-tech, messy, and deliberately unpolished. In many ways they’re the opposite of the overly perfect AI images we see so much of today. I make most of them late at night on my phone with images I’ve shot, drawn over, and combined. Sometimes I’ll pull in a scanner or Photoshop, but for the most part they’re quick, instinctive, and not overthought. MashUps have become my way of loosening up, stepping away from perfection, and letting the work just be what it is.

I was reminded how good it can feel to work more loosely when my friend John Craig, an incredible artist in his own right, took me to visit an artist named Robert in Wisconsin. Robert is largely undiscovered, and his work completely floored me. What struck me most is that he doesn’t carry the weight of making a living from it and doesn’t seem to need an audience. He creates because he has to, and there’s something deeply refreshing in that. Once he is discovered, I just hope the attention doesn’t chip away at that unrestrained way he creates. I’m not anti-AI, I use it myself, but I am getting tired of seeing everything come out looking so perfect. Lately, I’m more drawn to something rough, human, and a little messy.

MashUps aren’t supposed to make sense; they’re just the flip side of creating photographs that are deliberate and precise. And they make me smile, which is enough.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Andrei Duman

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been captivated by the art of image-making—regardless of the method, setting, or medium. Over time, as I worked with increasingly sophisticated cameras and complex equipment, my curiosity deepened. I found myself drawn not just to the images they created but to the intricate mechanics hidden within them.

This fascination led me to explore the unseen everyday objects we use without a second thought, yet under an X-ray, they reveal astonishingly intricate internal designs. What was once familiar became extraordinary, sparking the foundation of my latest photographic series, Beyond the Surface: The Art of X-rays.

What began as a simple experiment—testing a few random objects—evolved into an ongoing six-year journey of discovery and documentation. With each new subject, my appreciation for the hidden beauty and structural elegance of these objects grew. It creatively morphed from one object to the next, driven by curiosity and the one question that always underpins it all: ”What if we X-rayed…? Ultimately, this body of work aims to inspire a deeper understanding and exploration of the world around us and, perhaps, a newfound appreciation for what lies beyond the surface.

To see more of this project, click  here

To purchase the book, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Kremer / Johnson

This project was born when we admired a friend’s paintings — and the idea snowballed from there.

How could we weave a real person into those painted worlds? What should the talent look like? Would wardrobe echo the canvas, or stand apart? Should the makeup reflect the brushstrokes? How should the light fall? Would pristine, flawless retouching make it feel alive, or just like another cheap AI image? Were we making a statement, or simply creating something beautiful?

To answer our questions, we did what we always do. We followed our process.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Cade Martin

Isla de las Muñecas – The Island of the Dolls

I have always loved a good story, with great characters and the opening sentence “Legend has it…”

These are stories to tell around the campfire, to pass along and keep alive – but some stories, I’ve just got to see for myself. The Island of the Dolls is such a tale.

Legend has it, a little girl drowned entangled among the lilies of the Xochimilco canal. Her body was found on the banks of one of the islands by Don Julian Santana Barrera.

Julian was the caretaker of the island and, shortly thereafter, he found a doll floating nearby and, assuming it belonged to the deceased girl, hung it from a tree as a sign of respect – to support the spirit of the girl. After this, he began to hear whispers, footsteps, and anguished wails in the darkness even though his hut – hidden deep inside the woods of Xochimilco – was miles away from civilization.

Driven by fear, he spent the next fifty years hanging more and more dolls, some missing body parts, all over the island in an attempt to appease what he believed to be the drowned girl’s spirit.

After 50 years of collecting dolls and hanging them on the island, Julian was found dead in 2001, reportedly found in the exact spot where he found the girl’s body fifty years before.

#LegendHasIt

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Stef King

Reflection of Beauty is a project I started about 15 years ago. It began as a series called Five Minutes With, which was essentially five minutes with a model in front of the camera. They came to the studio wearing whatever they wanted, with no professional makeup. It was a chance for them to be photographed as they were — to express their own perception of how they wanted to be seen, rather than how a stylist, makeup artist, lighting team, or Photoshop might shape their image.

It was a raw, honest portrait session centered around one question: “What does beauty mean to you?”

At first, the answers were simple — “To me, beauty is a great red lipstick.”, for example. But over the years, those answers have evolved into much more complex reflections, mirroring the growing complexity of that very question:

What does beauty mean to you? What does beauty mean to all of us?

My portrait of Katie (pictured at top) was taken after she underwent brain surgery to replace part of her skull. She explores how that experience has shaped her feelings about herself, her perception of beauty, and how others perceive her.

Onella Muralidharan is a model and fashion influencer in Melbourne, Australia. – “The patterns of my Vitiligo are a reflection of how connected I am to the natural world and the inspiration for my definition of beauty.”

Amy Evans (pictured above in wheelchair) is passionate about fashion, beauty, and horse racing. For her, there has always been a conversation around disability identity: whether one sees themselves as a person with a disability (person-first language) or a disabled person (identity-first language). However, she says, “For me, identity encompasses more than just what people see. My identity is my passion. My identity is Amy!”

Leaning on my greatest strength as a photographer shooting for fitness and beauty portraiture and my internal need to connect with other women on what our perspective of beauty is.

Reflection of Beauty has become something far greater. It’s an exploration of life — how we see ourselves, and how the world sees us.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Luke Copping

Chef Redbeard is a personal project that came out of the recent creative connection between me and Jeremy VanAntwerp (AKA Chef Red Beard), a chef with a background in both fine dining and deeply rooted comfort food. Jeremy runs a private dining experience where small groups of guests are served directly in his kitchen studio. It’s an intimate setting—no separation between the cooking and the people he’s feeding. The meals are multi-course, seasonal, and often tailored especially for his guests’ unique tastes and needs. It’s less about spectacle, more about connection.

What drew me to document Jeremy’s process wasn’t just the food—it was the atmosphere around it. The space is calm, focused, and quiet. There’s no rush, no chaos. Just the steady rhythm of someone who’s deeply at home in their work. This project captures that mindset. It’s about the collaboration between Jeremy and his customers, the repetition of the kitchen, and the intensity that builds as the event night approaches.

The series uses both still photography and motion to show the experience from different angles. I wasn’t interested in stylized food shots or polished plating. I wanted to photograph what happens: crisp edges as they come out of the pan, the way honey drips from a biscuit and ingredients being handled with purpose.

This project isn’t about trends or restaurants. It’s about one chef, his space, and how he has decided to step away from the traditional restaurant model and explore something more intentional and personal.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:   Megumi Bacher

THE ART OF IN-BETWEEN

PORTRAITS OF BICULTURAL KIDS AND THEIR IDENTITIES

A Celebration of Children with Japanese-American Roots

In The Art of In-Between, I explore the evolving meanings of cultural identity through the eyes of Japanese-American children. At the heart of this series is the kimono—a garment that once served as everyday attire in Japan and has since become a symbol of ceremony and tradition. Today, it is worn to mark significant milestones such as Shichi-Go-San (ages of 7-5-3 celebration), Seijinshiki (Coming of Age Day), graduations, and weddings. Beyond its beauty and formality, the kimono now carries a deeper meaning: an intentional act of cultural pride, belonging, and remembrance.

As a Japanese immigrant and photographer based in the U.S., I see these garments not only as expressions of heritage but as living visual narratives—threads that connect generations, carry unspoken stories, and shift with the people who wear them. For those of us living between cultures, tradition is not something fixed; it is fluid, responsive, and continually reimagined.

This photo series reinterprets the kimono through a bicultural lens. Rather than presenting it as a restrained or static artifact, I invite Japanese-American children to wear it as themselves—encouraging them to move, play, and express their quirks and uniqueness freely. Each portrait reflects more than heritage—it captures the individuality, curiosity, joy, and vulnerability of each child. It celebrates how culture and self-expression can not only coexist but enrich one another.

At its core, The Art of In-Between is a celebration of children growing up across cultural lines—not in conflict, but in conversation. It honors their lived experiences and identities as both fully Japanese and fully American, without asking them to choose These portraits offer a space where representation, strength, softness, and cultural nuance can exist together

This work speaks to the emotional truth of the in-between—how identity is layered, how tradition lives and breathes, and how children, when seen and supported, become powerful carriers of culture in motion. My goal is to share a vision of heritage that is not preserved in stillness, but shaped with intention, joy, and playfulness. Through these portraits, I hope to contribute to a living tradition—one that evolves across generations, and one that children feel welcomed and empowered to carry forward as their own

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Brian Maranan Pineda

My “Oaxaca, Mexico” personal series is a vibrant, intimate look at the heart of this incredible region. I wandered through bustling markets, lively streets, and peaceful neighborhoods, drawn to the colors, textures, and the spirit of Oaxaca. What struck me most were the people—their warmth, openness, and deep connection to their tradition. Through candid portraits and vivid scenes, I wanted to capture not just what Oaxaca looks like, but how it feels: full of energy, history, and life.

This project is my personal tribute to a place that left a lasting mark on me. From moments of celebration to quiet daily rituals, I hoped to capture the everyday beauty that makes Oaxaca so unique. Each image is a small story of life there, reflecting the character and rich cultural roots of its people. I hope these photographs invite others to share in the wonder and appreciation I felt while visiting this remarkable part of Mexico.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Amanda Lopez

Mr. Arrieta was my roommate when I first moved to Los Angeles.

As a young photographer growing up in Sacramento, I dreamed of moving to L.A. to launch my photography career, but I wasn’t sure how I’d make it happen. One day, I shared my dream with a friend, and she mentioned she was looking for someone to look after her dad who happened to live in Southern California. If I was willing to keep an eye on her 92-year-old dad, she said, I could live in the home for free

It was an unconventional arrangement, but exactly what I needed. Moving to L.A. allowed me to intern with legendary photographer Estevan Oriol and begin working with some of my favorite publications. But the greatest gift from this time in my life was gaining the gift of a grandpa.

I never had a close relationship with my own grandfathers, so becoming Mr. Arrieta’s honorary granddaughter was something I didn’t know I needed. He was a kind, gentle man who spent his days tinkering in the garage and napping in his recliner. On weekends, he’d knock on my bedroom door bright and early to see if I was awake, so we could head to his favorite diner, Scotties. That became our ritual, and I loved it.

As our friendship developed, I began documenting his day-to-day activities and moments at home not just to process the experience, but to preserve it. Mr. Arrieta had such a kind spirit, and I wanted to create images that reflected that warmth. He brought so much joy and peace to my life, and I hoped that through these photographs, I could offer something meaningful back to his family.

Eventually, Mr. Arrieta’s health declined, and nurses began caring for him full time. Witnessing that transition was difficult, but my camera helped me navigate the emotions. Photography became a way to honor the dignity of his final chapter, and to hold onto the moments we shared.

Mr. Arrieta is no longer with us. But the images I made during that time are a reminder of our brief yet meaningful bond and a way of honoring the grandfather I never had.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Neil DaCosta

While searching for interesting subjects around Truckee, CA (where I had recently relocated to), I saw that an Arabian Horse Show was happening at the Reno Spark Livestock Events Center. Previously, I had been to the venue to photograph a go-kart race and knew it had some lighting/background constraints. Based on this prior knowledge, I decided that I wanted to focus on the participants of the event and keep the space it was being held in nebulous.

However, I had no idea what happens at an Arabian Horse Show and decided to wing it. Occasionally I like shooting personal projects with no prior research or understanding of the subject, forcing myself to be creative on the spot. This correlates to capturing unexpected images on paid assignments, which can be a nice added bonus.

After looking at the packed schedule, I decided to go on a day that had interesting sounding classes (Native Dress, Side Saddle, and Carriage Pleasure Driving). Again, I had no idea what to expect, but my intuition paid off. Armed with a long zoom lens, I headed down to Reno for a fun day filled with Arabian horses.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artists:  Evi Abeler photographer &  Hadley Sui food stylist

PEACH FUZZ

Food stylist and pastry chef Hadley Sui approached me with an exciting concept: capturing the essence of the Pantone Color of the Year 2024, affectionately named Peach Fuzz, through food photography.

Following a lively brainstorming session, we decided to showcase Peach gummies, Meringue, Bellini, and fruit yogurts as our subjects. Collaboratively, we crafted a mood board and defined the art direction, laying the groundwork for our shoot. Fortunately, we were able to secure the talented hand model Danielle Iwata to join our creative endeavor. Here are the fabulous results of our collaborative efforts. 

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram  (Evi Abeler)

Instagram  (Hadley Sui)

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Robert A Ripps

Growing up in New York City, inarguably one of the greatest cities in the world for street food, I was able to enjoy everything from hotdogs to pizza, giant pretzels to shaved ices, Blimpies to bodegas. Probably my favorite NYC street food is your classic slice of Neapolitan pizza, preferable from a brick oven, topped with a sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes and a pinch of dried oregano, folded in almost in half and eaten with one hand as I am walking, while a little grease runs down my wrist.

Recent immigrants, and the broadening of American palates, plus the proliferation of food trucks, have introduced us to the joys of Halal carts, birria tacos, Indian dosas, California burritos, and pretty much anything you can stick between two slices of bread, roll up in a tortilla, or serve atop a pile of rice. Or so I thought.

However, it seems like America has nothing on Asia when it comes to varieties and types of street food. A recent trip to Vietnam allowed me to sample some of the most delicious, as well as most inexpensive, culinary treats, that were for the most part previously unavailable to me. Food establishments are mainly on the sidewalks or in the streets, so pretty much every meal becomes street food.

The first night I arrived in Hanoi, I was a bit taken back to see people cooking food and washing dishes on the sidewalk, right next to the people sitting on their brightly colored chairs, enjoying a meal. Being famished, I quickly got over my western bias and soon found myself hunkered down on a way too small plastic chair, hunched over a steaming bowl of noodles in soup and ice-cold beer.

Most dishes in Vietnam were served with plates of fresh shredded vegetables and herbs, small limes to juice over your food, and often, ancient looking plastic containers of homemade pickled condiments or hot sauces.

One street in Hanoi had several vendors deep frying beef jerky, right out in the air, which was still was warm when I got it, with a subtle aroma of five-star powder. Another street had several vendors hawking platters of giant snails, which once I get over the thought of eating a giant snail, were very tender and quite delicious with their accompanying sauce and condiments.

Just about everywhere I went, I came across people selling food out on the street – not just from storefronts, but more often from bicycles, which could be equipped with baskets for fruit, or sweets, or amazingly, some sort of oven or steamer to cook or keep food warm.

And the variety of what you could sample was amazing- you could usually find Vietnamese iced coffee, grilled pork served over noodles (Bún chả), grilled corn on a stick, grilled rat on a stick (which for some reason I did not try), fertilized duck embryos in their eggshell (ditto), crispy rice crackers topped with mung bean paste or chicken floss, all types of sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf and young coconuts, not to mention all varieties of dried squid snacks, plus your basic “Tteokbokki” and “New York” flavored potato chips (think NY strip steak).

Of course, there were also open-air markets selling the freshest fruits and vegetables, as well as all varieties of hacked fish and animal parts, most of which I could identify. They also sold lots of noodles and pickled vegetables – at one I tried to find out what something was, so the woman reached in, grabbed a handful, and offered me a taste, which would’ve been impolite to turn down.

In Hue, we met a woman lugging a small cabinet on a yoke, housing a pot of warm tasty ginger soup. Which we tried less than 10 minutes after we finished demolishing three or four small Bahn Mi from a nearby vendor working out of which felt like an empty garage. The problem was not being able to find or afford all these different types of street food; it was being able to have the room to taste everything you came across!

To see more of this project, click here

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Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Adam Ewing

I had the opportunity, through a client connection, to follow a team at Bonneville’s Speed Week. Each year, hundreds of speed freaks bring their machines to Bonneville with the goal of setting a land speed record in dozens of classes from vintage motorcycles to futuristic rockets on wheels.

The legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, with its expansive vista that stretches 12 miles long and five miles wide, has been likened to the surface of the moon. In this series, I sought to capture the dizzying speed of the man-made machines, being tested on a surreal landscape.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  James Evangelista

I create images that celebrate the spirit and beauty of the American Landscape, and like my father before me, photography is my passion and my career. In the world of solidity and structure, the silence of the desert, the play of light and shadow, and the forces of wind and water resounds with images that are stirring, touching, and profound. These are the places that occupy a special spot in my imagination. Places that seem to suggest more than just another beautiful spot. Transcending conventional clichés of location, each photograph is more than a record of natural beauty. Within the image, a feeling of vanishing moments when light, tide, and time hold one’s being in their grip and solicits a quiet and introspective moment that reflects the solitude of the work that I’ve done over the years.

I find my photography restorative, and often, while I’m travelling, I am inspired when I see places where priorities – nature and traditions that respect and preserve the land, all seem sensible, humane and in balance. With decades of dedication to the craft, my photography reflects a mastery of technique and a deep connection to nature. I work to capture those moments where the camera and life come together to create a feeling that’s authenticate and real, and although the stories I tell through my photography may vary, my dedication to finding beauty and originality is constant.

To see more of this project, click here

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Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Stefan Falke

LA FRONTERA: Artists along the US Mexican Border

A personal long-term project by Stefan Falke

I photographed over 200 artists and art supporters on both sides along the entire 2000 miles long divide to show the vibrant cultural side of a region that is usually portrayed by the international media with the sole focus on violent crime. The high security steel fence erected by the US over most of the 2000 miles long border did its part to create a physiological and physical barrier. This had particular significance to me ever since I moved to New York – probably because I am German and because I have lived with a wall dividing Berlin and my country until 1989. Artists are the pulse of a society, and I believe if we ignore the cultural side of troubled places, we will soon stop caring about them all together. I met with both internationally renowned as well as only locally known artists. It was not about the value of their art in the eyes of the art market, but about the value and positive impact of the often highly visible creations and activities on their communities.

A book about the project was published in Germany. The project has been featured by major publications: BBC, The New York Times, Wired Huffington Post and Hyperallergic. The work had solo exhibitions in museums, galleries and photo festivals in the US, Mexico and Germany.

To see more of this project, click here

See more at my project’s website borderartists.com

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APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world.  She has been involved in the photography and illustration advertising and in-house corporate industry for decades.  After establishing the art-buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999.  Follow her on Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Lucas Foglia

Recently featured on NPR The Picture Show

Constant Bloom follows Painted Lady butterflies on the longest butterfly migration ever discovered, spanning Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. My photographs trace both the path of the butterflies and the people they encounter, offering an allegory for our delicate, interconnected, and resilient world.

To see more of this project, click here

Order Constant Bloom book

Exhibitions here

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Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Stanley Greenberg

Waterworks, an exploration of New York City’s water supply and wastewater treatment systems, was originally published in 2003. This new and expanded edition is a complete reworking of the book, featuring 362 photographs, made between 1992 and 2024, and two new large, folded insert maps. Greenberg visited reservoirs, aqueducts, tunnels, gatehouses, water supply and sewer pumping stations, water tanks, wastewater treatment plants, stormwater retention facilities and maintenance covers throughout the watershed and around the city. The maps identify over 400 sites in the system, from upstate reservoirs to abandoned systems and tunnel shaft sites. In the late 1990s, Greenberg received unprecedented access to photograph the system, which made much of this work possible. After 9/11, all facilities were closed to the public. Since then, Greenberg has located hundreds of sites in plain view but largely unknown and unidentified; anonymous street furniture invisible to most people. The book and map — a field guide for anyone called to their own exploration — show a mostly underground and hidden system. The map is based on field investigations and historical documents and is designed by Greenberg and Larry Buchanan.

To see more of this project, click here

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To purchase Waterworks, click here

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.

Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist:  Howard Schatz

Dancers In The Museum

 I worked for three days making photographs of the innumerable spaces and galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, using my imagination to “picture” what it would look like with ballerinas in the various spaces.

In my studio, working with two dancers from The American Ballet Theater, Camila Ferrera and Betsy McBride, as well as a fashion stylist, Nikko Kefalas, hair stylist, Anike Rabiu, and make-up artist, Magdalena Major, I made images that would “fit” in the Museum’s spaces.

To see more of this project, click here

Instagram

Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist. Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.

As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.

Instagram