Personal Projects: Steve Babuljak

The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own.  I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before.  In this new revised thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find.  Please DO NOT send me your work.  I do not take submissions.

Today’s featured artist: Steve Babuljak

The Oakland Beers baseball team was first introduced to me by a friend on the team. As soon as I heard their name I knew I needed to photograph them. I started going to their home and away games, practices, and hang out spots. Each time I went out I looked to capture something beyond the sports action. What intrigued me was the relational moments of the team and the one-of-a-kind creative details they each brought to the table. Without fail, every visit brought new visual surprises I could have never dreamed up. Capturing their story brought me back to a time before I entered commercial photography. A time free of pressures and expectations, a time with no one watching. It was just us, a field, and time to kill having fun.

After narrowing down the selects with consultant Peter Dennen I presented the project to freelance creative director Aaron James. He and I brainstormed the idea I had about a newsprint tabloid. He ran with it and thought of making it a program guide like the ones you might get at a game. The intention was to keep the project loose and gritty with a yesteryear feel to it. He also brought in illustrator Leo Zarosinski who blew us away with his Beers player characterization for our front cover.

To see more of this project, click here.

APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration industry since the mid 80s. After establishing the art buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999. She has a new Twitter feed with helpful marketing information because she believes that marketing should be driven by brand and not by specialty.  Follow her at @SuzanneSease.