Spotlight
Memories in the
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Photographers and Designers Prepare for a New Season
Sid Unser and other WGI photographers get ready to capture more action.
By Alex Mendoza
Gary and Sharon Hansen of PepWear
W
GI Regionals are the product of a communal effort in which each individual plays a part. While some perform, others deal with the Regionals’ logistics and strategy (see “Who’s Running the Show?” on page 25). But it’s also important to thoroughly plan how the event will be documented and celebrated. Allowing spectators and performers to take home a lasting memory in tangible form, whether it’s an expertly captured photograph or a comfortable sweater bearing the WGI logo, involves a surprising amount of work. This year, WGI’s official photographers, Jolesch Photography, will be capturing the essence of the activity at every Regional—something that has never been done prior to this season. “Jolesch is always there to provide a good service to the participants,” the company’s general manager, Alan Parker, says. “We don’t get to really watch the shows, as we’re mainly working very hard at the never-ending task of organizing thousands of images and getting them ready for print production. We are typically one of the first vendor crews to arrive and one of the last to leave, often putting in more than a 17-hour day.” In addition to Jolesch, there will be other photographers at the Regionals, such as Sid and Linda Unser, who handle the photography featured in WGI-related marketing materials. “The real challenges in what we do are, for the most part, greatly reduced through the incredible cooperation we receive from the WGI marketing department,” Sid says. “The long days could be to some degree considered a challenge, but when the drumming, music,
or—in the case of, say, Onyx—sounds start, you tend to forget about the element of time. Most important as a performance photographer is the degree of anticipation. You’ve got to train yourself to envision that sabre spin, fl ag toss, leap, or drummer’s expression before it actually happens.” Those eager to take home a shirt or keychain from a Regional will turn to PepWear’s
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16 WGI FOCUS
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WGI material. Art director Sarah Phagan, senior designer Teri Steely, and designer Larae Salcedo share the task of planning the merchandise for each new season. “We start by researching what’s trendy and what’s on the WGI website,” Phagan explains. “It always has some type of theme, so we try to incorporate that. Once we’ve developed a design, we send it for internal and WGI approvals. It’s always fun to collaborate with Bart Woodley and Aaron Jenkins from WGI because they get us. They have a creative outlook and are always open to out-ofthe-box ideas. Of course, the best part is seeing the kids get excited over the merchandise. It’s thrilling to hear they sold out of an item we designed!”
www.wgi.org
1/5/11 11:51:07 AM