A United Way NFL Partnership
In 2014, a creative team from United Way and I left Alexandria, Virginia for a six week road trip that would take us from the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida, to the Seattle Seahawks by road. Our intrepid driver and devout football fan drove over 12,000 miles criss-crossing America. We visited 27 stadiums, met the players and their reps and produced location portraits in a variety of chalenging places. Often, we we alloted no more than 30 minutes to make the photographs and return the player to the team. Sometimes that time slot had to be shared with television news crews. Using a Mamiya 645 medium format camera with a Leaf digital back and thousands of watt-seconds of strobe lighting outdoors, I made thousands of high-resolution portraits while always trying to keep it fun for the kids and players.
An early ad campaign for United Way: "We don't just get you on your feet, we give you the shoes as well." As United Way Worldwide expands its global reach, they have partnered with the National Football League and NFL Films to create moving and humorous PSAs which often air during the half-time show - no small act of generosity when you consider super bowl commercials cost millions of dollars per minute. The print/web ads portray a range of players who share a common belief that they can be agents for positive change. The children, both boys and gilrs, come to the field with their parents wearing their teams colors. The players are peppered with questions about the journey to the pros. And the responses are always the same. "You get out of life whatever you put in. Stay in school and develop your talents."
Iterations of my website have been online since 2000. While I always maintain a site, please note that my best work is reserved for personal interviews."
I began photographing in 1980 when my sister-in-law returned home from Germany and loaned me her camera during Christmas. I was hooked. I had a new one by Valentine's Day.
We are nothing without editors. It's too easy to love everything we do. I grew up in an era where we shot film and color slides. The demands for perfection were very high and unforgiving.
I use Bootstrap, HTML%, CSS3 and Wordpress for a variety of sites and presentations. It's a new digital world.
I have worked for United Way Worldwide for over twenty years. Here are a few sample images.
The person we hired for the assignment had a great portfolio but now we are starting to think they weren't his images. We need a re-shoot quickly but the budget is mostly spent. Can you save us?
Freddy Fast One
Young Art Director
We have to take the lowest bid when seeking a vendor. We may not get the best person but our hands are tied.
Penny Pince
Program Officer
We have a pretty good working relationship with the photographers we use. We don't need to look at any new portfolios."
Isaac "I've Seen it All" MacClutchsky
Acct. Rep, Closed Mind Ad Agency
I am a New York photographer presently based in Dakar, Sénégal. I am available to travel.
Almadies, Dakar
Sénégal
dixon@dixondeuxyeux.com
+221 77 3902 480
+1 917 674 0897
