AGILITY FROM DOGS to PHOTOGRAPHY!

Agility is defined as being deft, rapid light and nimble at the performance of a skill or act.

In this case, agility equally applies to photographer and ASMP-NJ Treasurer - Linda Bohm - and her inimitable dog (a seven year-old, Pyrenean Shepherd) named Whoopee!

The beginning of December 2007, Linda Bohm and Whoopee (who by the way, earned the distinction of MACH - Master Agility Champion July 2007) headed West again to Long Beach, California for yet another shot (their second) at the highly televised, annual American Kennel Club Agility Invitational. Agility, is AKC's fastest growing canine sport, which features dogs and their handlers moving through a challenging course of varying obstacles such as tunnels, weave poles, assorted jumps and seesaws.

Linda and Whoopee (whose full name is LaBrise Wild Whoopee, now one of the top five Pyrenean Shepherds competing nationwide in agility) rose fairly rapidly to MACH level in about a year and a half. This is exceptional because most other handlers take anywhere from about three to four years to achieve this level of proficiency.

Diane L. Bauman (a Wantage, NJ based leading dog trainer and author of numerous books on the subject) originally raised Whoopee and commented that Linda and Whoopee's success is a direct result of their special, one-on-one dog owner relationship.


No stranger herself to animal and dog photography, Linda Bohm previously contributed both the front and back cover photographs to Diane L. Bauman's BEYOND BASIC DOG TRAINING (Howell Book House, Copyright 1991). She and business partner Gerard Marrazzo have most recently shot over 150 images for Diane's long-awaited book DOG AGILITY FROM START TO FINISH.  Instructing dog owners how to train their dogs for competition, and for the sheer fun and sport of agility, Diane with Jessica Ajoux, promise that this is one book everyone will have to read. The book is being published by Alpine Publications and hits the bookstore shelves this March 2008! So check it out, and enjoy!

BOHM MARRAZZO ROCKS!

Photographing celebrated Rock musicians has become a new genre of promotional shooting for the Bohm Marrazzo studio. This past fall we had the pleasure to shoot a plethora of publicity images for British Guitar Virtuoso - Dave Kilminster's new PR tour brochure. Mostly known for touring with Keith Emerson (since 2002) and with Roger Waters on his "The Dark Side Of The Moon" 2006-2007 tour, Dave Kilminster is an award-winning guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and music teacher.

It was vitally important for Dave that we capture his many artistic moods: his sensitive, playful, meditative, warm and friendly nature. All the images were either shot with available light on location, or in our spacious and comfortable Montclair, NJ photo studio using original painted textured backdrops by Linda Bohm. One of our favorite images was shot zooming the lens while taking a long exposure to create and simulate the same type of dynamic energy that emanates from Dave when he plays his guitar to audiences worldwide.

This provided a mutually unique and different experience for both Dave Kilminster and our Bohm-Marrazzo photo team: we were specifically chosen by Dave not only because of our quality work, but for the fact that we weren't shooting from the usual hardcore Rock photography angle. Our style was free-form, fun and relaxed producing and resulting in a truly top-notch photo brochure that we were all pleased and excited about!

For info on Dave, contact his PR agent, Ellie Schwartz at 1-347-678-1760 or email her at DaveKTourInfo@aol.com.

What's Happened to Real Human Communication?

“Call me old-fashioned….I like to speak to my clients on the phone. The scope and breath of cyber technology is truly immeasurable. In some ways it’s the greatest invention since the wheel and in many other ways it’s the slow demise of human interaction as we used to know it.

In just a few years, the complexity of communication between people has been substituted for a screen which now oftentimes substitutes for the voice on the telephone or the experience of meeting a human being across a conference table.

Emotional, visual and audible cues are no longer tools used for business or personal relationships. Is this a good thing?”.

[Excerpt from “Linda’s Soapbox”; ASMP “Exposure” Magazine; Fall 2007 issue]



Linda Bohm’s most current editorial contribution covers a most critical and thought provoking topic – the trend and negative effect of cyber technology on social and business interactions! I mean...c'mon! As if real life isn't complicated enough, now through such cyber options as “Second Life” (a new 3-D cyber world, which encourages a person - that’s you or me - to adopt a fictitious persona called an “avatar”), we can spend more of our precious hard earned incomes to buy virtual land, clothes and act like a “human” in a completely faux world.

Like Linda, I also consider myself an “old fashioned” girl. While email has its place and often comes in handy, it also provides a certain sense of anonymity, not to mention provides the receiver the ability to choose to ignore acknowledging incoming communications.

Still and all…it will NEVER measure up to the pleasure and profoundness of developing a relationship with someone either in person and/or over the phone. The human voice, with all its vast shades of tonality, warmth and humor….is the reason why I personally take the time (and believe me, it is time-consuming!) to follow-up with my written communications by placing a friendly phone call. It is never meant to harass; only to let people know that they are dealing with a veritable (not “virtual”) human being.

So, if you’d like to hear what any of us sounds like, and/or would like a copy of Linda’s Soapbox article (as mentioned above), please feel free to pick up the phone can give us a call. ☺

Leslie
(973) 746-3434

Leslie E. Hendricks, Marketing Director
BOHM MARRAZZO Studio
leslie@bohm-marrazzo.com
www.bohm-marrazzo.com

• “Second Life” – a new 3-D cyber world, which encourages a person (that’s you or me) to adopt a fictitious persona (called an “avatar”); to buy land, clothes and act like a “human” in a completely faux world.

Hi! And, welcome to the world of BOHM-MARRAZZO!

We are delighted to welcome and introduce you to the wonderful, whimsical, digital wizardry (and sometimes whacky) world of BOHM-MARRAZZO blogdom. The life of a commercial, full production photography studio can be quite exciting, and this is the place where we'll share our experiences and stories. So, I invite you to check in often!

It requires a tremendous amount of work, focus (oh, how we were tempted to procrastinate putting this together) and collaborative effort to redesign and give a fresh new look to our former website. But, after all the effort we put into it, we are well pleased with the results, and truly hope you will enjoy it, too!

Feel free to peruse our various photo portfolios and sections regarding our facilities and state-of-the-art digital technology and services. Familiarize yourself with our great photo team; their background, personalities, talents and skills. This includes our in-house animal friends; whether it be Gerry Marrazzo's "Luna" cat, Linda Bohm's inimitable Pyrenean Shepherd named "Whoopee"; or our fabulous and colorful salt water fish.*

We encourage you to stay tuned on a regular basis for behind-the-scenes "Show & Tell", humorous photo shoot anecdotes, information pertaining to our latest national ad campaigns, and so much more!

From all of us at BOHM-MARRAZZO,
Thanks! And, ENJOY!


*We are sad to say that our adorable 14 year old, porky little Dog Face Puffer fish named "P. Diddily" recently passed away. He was such a unique fish....every day upon walking through our studio door, I was curiously compelled to go over and give "P. Diddily" a kiss. He'd follow my hand as I traced the outside of the glass tank until he'd be eye level with me...then I'd plant him with a great big smooch.

Trumpet playing aside, Louis Armstrong had nothing on this Dog Face Puffer who was playfully (and similarly) named after the famous Rapper. With huge bulging eyes and lips that were in a continual state of pucker, this adorable and senior 14-year-old salt water fish also did tricks. No kidding! Linda Bohm's talent for training and preparing her dog, "Whoopee" for the agility ring extends well beyond the canine race. Over the years, she had managed to train "P. Diddily" to swoosh excitedly back-and-forth when he recognized his very own special blue coffee mug. No..."P. Diddily's" wasn't a caffeine addict - he's was just a really super smart fish! And, no doubt, he'll be sorely missed. - Leslie E. Hendricks, Marketing Director