Gaia Girls

Yesterday we went out to get some footage of Rachel Kaplan, the farmer at Gaia Gardens, for a doc we're filming about her. What a pleasant surprise to find a field full of females, harvesting sweet potato greens.

Justin Dansby, Serenbe Farms

Besides being a computer whiz kid, Justin works part time at Serenbe Farms. Love the shirt, especially in light of all the brouhaha coming out of England with their silly slanted study of organic food.

Daniel Parson at Hub City Farmer's Market

Daniel used to farm in Georgia and is one of the stars of FARM!, our film about Georgia's next generation of organic and sustainable farmers. He moved to South Carolina where he continues to farm organically. After 12 seasons of organic farming he has become one of the South's leading experts, he offers workshops and consultations. Check him out!


http://www.parsonorganics.com/Parson_Produce/Parson_Produce.html

Skip and Terri

Skip has been farming organically for about 30 years. Along with some good advice, he gave Terri a 300 gallon tote which will help her to get water to her crops.

Terri Jagger Blincoe, Farmer, Ladybug Farms

Formerly involved in international business, Terri bought 14 acres near the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains last year. For her first year, she's farming a quarter of an acre and manages to feed 10 families thru her weekly CSA. Did we mention that she's doing this by herself? Hero!!!

Taking a moment...

Wes, Riverview Farms

We needed some farm footage for a project we're working on for the USDA so we headed up to Riverview Farms, one of the oldest and largest certified organic family farms in the state.  They raise the most amazing Berkshire pork, and grass fed beef, tons of vegetables and fruit.  Wes, who you may recognize from FARM! was kind enough to take the time to hop on a tractor so we could get the shot.  Check out their website!
http://www.grassfedcow.com/

Eric Cosby - Rhyme and Reason Farm

Words of wisdom from one of our local heroes...

Pink Beauty Radishes

One of the best things about visiting the farms is tasting food fresh out of the ground. These radishes have a surprising sweetness with a spicy finish.

Rachel, Farmer at Gaia Gardens

Rachel Kaplan is a young, urban farmer growing beautiful food on 5 acres. Recently, we spent the day filming her for our documentary project 'Who Grows Your Food?'

PDN (Photo District News) Magazine April 2009

EXPOSURES

Pro Bono: Farm Aid

Christine and Owen Masterson provide visual advocacy for sustainable farming.
April 2, 2009

By Edgar Allen Beem




Documentary photography often concerns itself with recording a passing way of life. Wife and husband team Christine and Owen Masterson, who do business as Anthony-Masterson, invert this tradition, using still and video cameras to show what could be.

For the past three years, the Mastersons have been working closely with the non-profit Georgia Organics to promote and encourage sustainable and organic farming in the state of Georgia and around the rest of the United States. They began their pro bono project in 2005 when they moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles, and, being dedicated foodies, had a hard time finding farmers' markets where they could purchase local foods.




"We wanted to put faces on farming," says Christine of the couple's mission, "and to make farmers rock stars."

For the first two years, the Mastersons primarily photographed farmers, farms and food, creating images that Georgia Organics and the farmers themselves could use on Web sites, postcards, publications, and promotional banners. The focus of Anthony-Masterson's (Anthony is Christine's maiden name) commercial work is food photography, so the Georgia farmers and their fare were celebrated in clean, elegant, light and airy images worthy of Cooking Light.

The Mastersons met in the 1980s when they were both in the music business. Owen was a guitarist and singer/songwriter with the punk rock band Yanks. Christine was tour manager for the San Francisco New Wave band Romeo Void. Subsequently, they both left music for visual media. Owen worked in front of the camera as an actor (a bit part in the movie Fight Club) and model. Christine worked as a food stylist. One day in 2000, Christine made a proposal to Owen: "I have an idea. Why don't we become photographers?"

Self-taught, the Mastersons learned their art by observing the photographers and filmmakers with whom they worked. "We do everything together," says Owen of the couple's collaborative process. "Owen is like the cinematographer," says Christine. "I might be the art director."

After eight years as still photographers, the Mastersons set their pictures in motion in 2007 to create QuickTime movies for Georgia Organics to use as "Support Your Local Farmer" public service announcements. In 2008, they used a Flip Ultra video camera to make FARM!, a 13-minute documentary aimed at encouraging young people to go into farming.



Most recently, Anthony-Masterson has been busy with a borrowed Panasonic DVX100A shooting a 30-minute documentary about urban farmers within metropolitan Atlanta, and making a documentary about Georgia Organics' farmer-to-farmer mentoring program.

"They've kind of forged their own path and we're following them now," says Alice Rolls, executive director of 1,000-member Georgia Organics. Rolls says she has been amazed at how a couple who came to Georgia Organics three years ago to get connected with organic farmers in Georgia has not only helped "put a face on our food," but has also inspired the organization to improve its Web site, and has brought many innovative farming situations (such as farmers who work for residential developers) to the attention of Georgia Organics.

Georgia Organics reports that farmers' markets in Georgia have increased from 18 to 62 since 2005, and community-supported agriculture projects have grown from 8 to 35.

"They're really pushing us," says Rolls of the Mastersons. "We've got to catch up with them." But the Mastersons say all their work on behalf of Georgia Organics has essentially been enlightened self-interest.

"We now have our choice of farmers' markets to go to," says Christine. "So it's working," adds Owen.

The lovely and amazing Severine Von Tscharner Fleming

Farmer, filmmaker, activist, a strong voice for the next generation of America's farmers. We photographed her at Love is Love Farm during the 12th Annual Georgia Organics conference.

On Assignment...

... in Atlanta.  Shooting our own home for Atlanta Home Magazine.
Easy commute. Great music. Terrific lunch. With Lisa Kline Mowry

Spring 2009 Issue 

Farmer Joe, Love is Love Farm

We have been photographing Joe since he began farming. He is one of our favorite subjects because he always takes a great picture.

Murray Grey cattle, Nature's Harmony Farm

Free Range Chickens, Carlton Farms

On Assignment....

in Atlanta. For Endless Vacation Magazine

Bartlett Pears

MK, Yeoman Farm Girl, Serenbe Farms

yeomanfarmgirl.blogspot.com

Christina, Farmer, Jubilee Partners

Paige, Farmer, Serenbe Farms

Becky, Farmer, Able 2 Farm

Celia, Farmer, Woodland Gardens

Early Fall Fig Salad

Jenny-Jack Sun Farm, Pine Mountain, GA

Really young farmers

Late summer foods

Back to our first love...

Wes, Farmer, Riverview Farms

Joe, Farmer, Love is Love Farm

Daniel, Farmer, Gaia Gardens

Daniel was awarded the Georgia Organics Land Stewardship Award for 2009.  He is an amazing farmer, a great teacher and above all, a wonderful human being.  We think his smile and the warmth in his eyes in this shot says it all.

Liz and Tim, Farmers, Nature's Harmony Farm

Paige, farm manager Serenbe Farms

Collins, farm manager Dillwood Farms

After having spent most of 2007 shooting interiors, we began to feel creative claustrophobia setting in.  We decided to take some time off from assignment work and started working on some personal projects, both still and video.  These portraits are from a project about Georgia's next generation of organic and sustainable farmers.

Butter Lettuce, Woodland Gardens

On Assignment...

for GO- Suzuki Magazine

On Location...

... and on assignment and what we love about this job.

Not the same old-same old. On top of downtown high rise construction site getting the shots.

The Anthony-Masterson Photo Blog

... photos, thoughts, observations, film clips, and whatever else gets our attention and in our line of sight.

This blogs marks the beginning of our "southern adventure." We just moved us, our business and some favorite furniture from Los Angeles to Atlanta. 

So here we go...

Original images are © Copyright ANTHONY-MASTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY Inc.
Don't test it- we will prosecute. If you want to share let us know; it's too easy not to get yourself into trouble stealing intellectual property.
Regards, Christine Anthony & Owen Masterson