Early Days
Thomas Piatt
Professional Photographer
Experience
I'm the one on the left sitting beside Cinders our backwards Dalmatian. The occasion was my sister's birthday, although she doesn't look too happy despite the new roller skates. My brother's pretty excited about something. I'm not sure what. The camera hanging from the strap around my neck is my first, a Kodak Brownie Reflex Synchro.
Family gatherings, vacations, holidays, special occasions, like everyone else I take pictures to memorialize and to share. Over the years though, I've learned professional photography is something very different. Making images as opposed to taking them. Not that when you are simply taking pictures you can't produce some wonderful images. The image on the right is a favorite. I took it with my trusty Brownie Reflex Synchro.
Serendipity, I thought I was photographing just the clock.
Family gatherings, vacations, holidays, special occasions, like everyone else I take pictures to memorialize and to share. Over the years though, I've learned professional photography is something very different. Making images as opposed to taking them. Not that when you are simply taking pictures you can't produce some wonderful images. The image on the right is a favorite. I took it with my trusty Brownie Reflex Synchro.
Serendipity, I thought I was photographing just the clock.
ImageWirx - Then
ImageWirx began life in 2004 as a web development and photography company but after a couple of years I shifted the focus to strictly imaging. I was fortunate to be selected by the Allen County Public Library to photographically document their $65 million renovation project. I made the images on Sunday mornings over the course of several weeks. Ultimately, the images were used on the libraries web site and in other media. One of the images was published in "The Library Journal".
In addition to architectural photography, another aspect of the business was digitally scanning original artwork and making giclee prints. I really enjoy working with artists and the technical challenges of reproducing their work accurately. I used a 4 x 5 digital scanning back and Sinar camera for the highest possible quality scans. Epson large format printers and papers for the prints. I consulted with and advised artists about marketing their work. I also developed a database for tracking sales of open and limited edition prints.
The next big project for ImageWirx was to design and develop an automated photography machine for Peapod in Chicago. Peapod is the largest on-line retail grocery/delivery service. My experience in programming for one of Indiana's leading industrial automation companies, combined with many years as a machinist in the tool and die industry, college background in Electronics Engineering Technology, and experience as a professional photographer, gave me a unique skill set for the project. I started working on what would come to be known as the "Producator" in 2008.
In addition to architectural photography, another aspect of the business was digitally scanning original artwork and making giclee prints. I really enjoy working with artists and the technical challenges of reproducing their work accurately. I used a 4 x 5 digital scanning back and Sinar camera for the highest possible quality scans. Epson large format printers and papers for the prints. I consulted with and advised artists about marketing their work. I also developed a database for tracking sales of open and limited edition prints.
The next big project for ImageWirx was to design and develop an automated photography machine for Peapod in Chicago. Peapod is the largest on-line retail grocery/delivery service. My experience in programming for one of Indiana's leading industrial automation companies, combined with many years as a machinist in the tool and die industry, college background in Electronics Engineering Technology, and experience as a professional photographer, gave me a unique skill set for the project. I started working on what would come to be known as the "Producator" in 2008.
itemMaster
The Producator was designed to make multiple images of consumer products quickly and efficiently. It has a range of motion that to the best of my knowledge, still hasn't been exceeded or even duplicated today. It was the first photo workstation for what has become one of the leading digital content creator/providers for the consumer product goods industry. I am one of the co-founders of that company, itemMaster.
During my time at itemMaster we captured nine high quality images of over 75K products, roughly 675,000 images. We also captured all the data printed on the product packaging. We worked with literally every major CPG company, thousands of the best-known brands in the country. Our content was made available for free to hundreds of local, regional, and national grocers as well as application developers, marketing and advertising agencies.
Under my leadership, we also developed a production management and tracking system, a digital asset management system and a web portal, all from the ground up. To accomplish this I managed a diverse group of photographers, image editors, data capture specialists, software engineers, sales professionals, and support staff.
After the first couple thousand products, I was with increasing frequency, pulled away from the camera. It seems strange to have been so intimately involved in imaging and yet not be the one to press the shutter button. Even so, I learned more about photography and imaging at itemMaster than I ever had before.
I left itemMaster in late 2015. I'm glad to be back at ImageWirx and personally making images once again.
During my time at itemMaster we captured nine high quality images of over 75K products, roughly 675,000 images. We also captured all the data printed on the product packaging. We worked with literally every major CPG company, thousands of the best-known brands in the country. Our content was made available for free to hundreds of local, regional, and national grocers as well as application developers, marketing and advertising agencies.
Under my leadership, we also developed a production management and tracking system, a digital asset management system and a web portal, all from the ground up. To accomplish this I managed a diverse group of photographers, image editors, data capture specialists, software engineers, sales professionals, and support staff.
After the first couple thousand products, I was with increasing frequency, pulled away from the camera. It seems strange to have been so intimately involved in imaging and yet not be the one to press the shutter button. Even so, I learned more about photography and imaging at itemMaster than I ever had before.
I left itemMaster in late 2015. I'm glad to be back at ImageWirx and personally making images once again.
ImageWirx - Now
In the past year my wife and I have traveled from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, through the San Juan Islands, Washington State, and Vancouver, British Columbia. We now live in Wilsonville Oregon. Chicago is a great city, vibrant, exciting, and access to the arts is nothing short of amazing. But the change of pace and scenery is welcome. We have the whole of the Pacific Northwest as a studio now and our ImageWirx jeep to take us there.