Good Assistant / Not So Good Assistant

I've been photographing a lot lately but no bribe has been enticing enough to get Atticus in front of the camera to get decent shots of his ever more handsome face. Instead he's been my assistant on recent photo shoots, holding the flash as needed and only asking to get paid in Skittles (not the 2 or 3 pieces as rewarded for normal tasks but a whole pack). "Oh, yeah!", he would say. Resulting in first photo below.

Good assistant? Scratch that. -  There came the turning point when I learn my good little assistant had only wanted me to stop shoving the camera in his face and let him loose as the fun kid he is. Here he is in front of the camera on his own terms. Even though he raided the shot, I couldn't possibly be mad at such a cute kid.

Photos/graphics by Sophorn. Processed by Alienskin Exposure 4, Kodak Technical Pan 24.

Union Ave Baptist Church Mission Icons and Banners

The recent flurry of work has been dizzying. Though in a rare moment to pause, I truly have no reason to complain. I'm thankful for all the new work and the amazing people who entrust me in realizing their vision.

Union Avenue Baptist Church in midtown Memphis led by Pastor Travis Fleming wanted their personal and community vision of growth and true transformation expressed in graphic icons representing four actions - Connect. Grow. Serve. Go. The more I placed my mind into the words, the more my heart connected with their meaning. I also in the process saw the amazing heart and soul of this church. Because of their generosity, the fee I received will go to support a special project/person in Cambodia, which I'll definitely explain later in a future post.

Connect or learn more about UABC through > Web.  Facebook. Twitter. 

Thanks to my sweet friend Tricia for the referral. Posted are the final and study graphics for the outdoor banners in their parking lot and indoor floor banners for their lobby.

Singapore Part V { Maxwell Food Centre }

The best way to sample Singapore's local cuisine is at the famous Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown with over 100 food stalls. Variety is guaranteed. During the bustling lunch hour, we snagged the first available seats next to several people we didn't know. Community dining just added to the urban experience. I probably spent more time looking at what everyone else ordered than my own plat.

Bear with me as I slowly post my travel photos from Singapore. Chinatown and Marina Bay photos are next then you can virtually travel with me to Cambodia. Thanks for visiting.

Photos and graphics by Sophorn.

Logo Design { The Station BBQ }

 

I joked on twitter when I got this assignment that living in Memphis, I knew it’d happen eventually – designing a logo for a barbecue restaurant. The new restaurant is actually not in Memphis but in West Memphis, west bound near I-55/I-40, but will be in the spirit of the great Memphis barbecue joints that owners Paul and Sarah O’Neal admire.

Working with architect Rob Norcross at LRK on the building design to convert an old gas station into a restaurant, Paul described the restaurant experience and interior to feel “delightfully tacky.” In contrast, we opted for a more refined logo that meant they were serious about good barbecue. They wanted to keep the gas station feel thus the name “The Station BBQ”. 

We had tested some versions of the flying pig but this simple pig silhouette more effectively made me crave barbecue. Is that crazy or does it do that for you too? Here are a few studies for their logo and signage layout along with tests on bags, napkins, shirts, and stickers. I’ll hopefully post more throughout their progress.

Graphic design and layout by Sophorn under LRK inc.