For the past year, I have been using a micro 4/3 camera-the Olympus EM5. I fell in love with this camera the instant I held it in my hands. The size of the camera and quality of the images blew me away. I started blogging and tweeting about it, unable to hold back my excitement. It seems my name and images were being sent to Olympus and after several meetings, I am thrilled to announce that I am their latest Visionary. I will get to use their equipment, help in developing ideas, and have more people see what these wonderful "little" cameras can do. 32 years ago when I first started shooting with Nikon, if someone told me I would be this excited about another brand, I wouldn't have believed it. But I LOVE OLYMPUS. Their latest camera, the EM 1 is AMAZING. I am so excited using it that I can just scream WOO HOO out the window.
Last weekend, I was picked up at my apt. by Keith Gordon from Mullen PR and we drove to Bethelem, PA for the InVision weekend and the chance to meet the other Visionaries and Trailblazers. After seeing the photo of the Visionaries, I was told I was the first female added to the program but I was thrilled to learn that another woman, Tracie Maglosky from Cincinatti, Ohio was the first Trailblazer. Upon meeting her, we instantly "clicked." As soon as we arrived in PA, I saw Jennifer Colucci with Olympus. Jen is a hugging machine-this woman gets so many hugs and that tells you how warm and friendly she is. We immediately met Rick Sasserath, also with Olympus and was our driver and "go to" man for everything Olympus. I met the other Visionaries and Trailblazers-John Sterling Ruth, David Wells, Jamie McDonald, Maitland Lottimer, Austin Lottimer, Victor Rodriguez and Alex McClure and we headed over to the Banana Factory where we saw local artists work and met with people from all over. We then headed to Frank Smith's house. Frank Smith is a very warm, friendly and handsome man who opens his lovely house up to the Visionaries each year for an after party.
After breakfast on Saturday, we headed to the cute and picturesque town of Jim Thorpe, PA and headed on an old fashioned train ride. Sticking my head out the window of the train and turning around, I discovered that there were several Olympus cameras facing my way! After the train ride, we wandered around town, had lunch, and wandered some more. Back at night, we had the Slide Luck which featured images by some of the best photographers around.
After breakfast on Sunday, Victor Rodriguez gave a studio demo to show how he uses the Olympus in his studio. We then went outside and with the old steel stacks as our backdrop, shot a wonderful 15 year old model and one another. I love how 20 photographers can be shooting the same scene, and get 20 totally different images. It was so wonderful to be around this group-all secure with their profession and willing to share-something that I do not find often.
After lunch we headed to the Leigh Valley for Go Kart Racing. Note to self: NEVER eat before racing Go Karts! Who would think go kart racing uses every bone in your body, plus your vocal chords! I asked the men f they were screaming and laughing under their helmets and was pleased to find out I wasn't the only one. I would love to have found out that their was a hidden microphone in the helmet that recorded us! Another note to self: NEVER try to shoot and race go-karts at the same time. FAIL! I came in last place for every race but it was still fun.
After dinner, I unfortunately had to leave to return to NYC because I was called for Jury Duty the next day. UGH! I missed meeting photographer and Visionary Jay Dickman who was arriving later that night.
I am so honored and pleased to be an Olympus Visionary and to be part of this team...a group so wonderful they feel like family.