An ODE To You

I posted this photo on Facebook and asked my network of friends to leave a one-word description of the man pictured above based on their impressions. People wanted to meet him. Some wanted to hire him. And there were a few who asked me if he was available to date.

We get a lot more from a photograph than we might think. A transference of sorts occurs. Something emanates from the image. Often it’s subconscious. And it’s not really about the quality of the photo, though that’s a factor. It’s more about what the person is projecting and what the photographer is calling in.

People came back with all sorts of descriptors in response to Marshall Guttenberg. Kind, Confident, Brave, Genuine, Helpful, Present, Honest, Strong. They all liked him. They all had good things to say. And the words they came back with are exactly the qualities you’d want to convey to a hiring manager, an investor or a customer.

Introducing the ODE — evocative portraits photographed in magical locations, overlaid with brief quotations, testimonials, song lyrics, poetry, personal tag-lines and bits of biography — designed to convey the depth, personality, and character of a three-dimensional human being.

An ODE is not a fluff piece that plays to your ego. It’s designed with an editorial eye and journalistic integrity, without hyperbole, exaggeration or the trappings of self-promotion. They’re created by objective writers and designers committed to the story of you. Because the truth is more than enough.

The truth about Marshall is that he is all those things people said about him. We were able to capture his authenticity because he embodies it.

We create ODEs for individuals and groups looking to showcase their mojo, and enhance their online personas to convey the unique story of their personal brand.