February 29, 2012

When a Google Search & Good Fortune Collide...


You never know what a Google search will find. 

And, you never know when good fortune will make an unexpected appearance. 

Those truisms collided yesterday. I received a heartwarming surprise in the form of an e-mail. It was from a creative director at a national advertising company. Thanks to a Google image search, he saw one of my pictures. It was exactly what he wanted for his work, so he inquired whether I would be agreeable to a non-exclusive licensing agreement. After I consulted with my business advisor (sweet hubby, the retired professional photographer) and tossed some correspondence back and forth, we reached a financial agreement! I still retain copyrights to the image. 

So I am now officially, and accidentally, a professional photographer. Gracious! Here is the picture that caught his eye. This happens to be one of my personal favorites too, so the recognition is extra sweet.




The subject image is one that I “tricked out” in Photoshop with several techniques. The stone wall is not painted in real life. The stones are actually part of the structural support to the Pisgah Covered Bridge in Randolph County, North Carolina. The bridge was originally built in 1911 for $40. A flood tragically destroyed it in 2003. But local residents recovered about 90% the materials and rebuilt. The bridge, with its poignant history, represents a little slice of Americana - one with a unique, tough, and resilient spirit. That is what inspired me to create an altered image by digitally “painting” a flag over the stones.

If you ever spot my image in an advertisement, please let me know! I will probably have to change my pants.

17 comments:

  1. Way to go girlfriend. That is too cool. I love that picture!!

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  2. i can see why he liked it and wanted to use it! congrats!

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  3. Congrats! And I'm not one bit surprised. That is a great photo and I'm so happy that the person in question is an honest kind of guy. Win-win all around.

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  4. Congratulations, that is fabulous. I can just imagine your excitement. It is a great picture and I can see why he liked it.

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  5. WooHoo! Congrats to you! That is a beautiful picture. I'm excited for you!

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  6. WooHoo! Congrats to you! That is a beautiful picture. I'm excited for you!

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  7. You are to funny..."change your pants" This is wonderful news. We have some rock walls that were built up in my area do not know the history on them guess it is time to find out why they were built and get some pictures of them.

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  8. Congratulations! You certainly deserve to be paid for your beautiful work!

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  9. WONDERFUL News!!!! But WHY are you surprised??? I'm Not!!! You SO deserve this friend!!! Yes! Your work is That Good!!!
    I'm SO happy for you Girlie!!!
    (((hugs)))

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  10. We can say we knew you back when! Congratulations, all that hard work paying off. Can't get any better than that! :)

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  11. That's awesome. Congrats. Cool image too. Nice job.

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  12. GUESS WHAT? I just seen your picture it on was on our local news FOX 13 Utah, about 7:30 am it was on an advertisement for Orrin Hatch he is running for office (again). I hardly ever watch the news this time of morning. Way Cool!

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  13. HOORAY! It's about time. And I'm glad I knew you "when."

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  14. Wow! How cool is this!!! I've been to Pisgah National Forest. Had breakfast at the Pisgah Inn one day. What a view up there!

    Tammy

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  15. Congratulations, my friend. What an honor. You deserve it!
    ~Adrienne~

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