The lead-in is my favorite part - it's very dramatic.  But the whole story is well-balanced and well-reported, and as someone who straddles the fence between media and media relations, I can appreciate that it could have gone either way. Props to reporter Shannon Hegy - she did a great job and I think this spot is better than many. 

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Ask my fellow bloggers and campadres NDP and ArcherVision what they do for a living, however, and you'll get a variety of answers. Producers. Filmmakers. Animators. Interanifilmowebbers. Whatever's en vogue in the new media world that hour week.

Most often, though, they just say they do stuff. As in, 'We do stuff. We get stuff done.'

They're men of few words, but they've found a way around the grunts and fake techno-terms (like techno-terms). When asked what the dudes do at DPD, all of us around them can now joyfully direct people to this handy little piece of AnimamultiWebpromedia goodness. 

Del Padre Digital Production Company Demo Reel 2008

 DVP is now DPD.  

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Eat right, get your circulation flowing, and maintain proper posture: these are the latest travel tips from the Historic Hotels of America .

In a press release from the organization, in tandem with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, seven historic hotels share some of their advice for healthy, tension-free traveling.

It’s a relatively ingenious press release, actually, as press releases go: it offers information and expert opinions, while at the same time publicizing a few of the nation’s more well-heeled tourism destinations.

“The Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, reminds guests of the importance of staying hydrated,” reads one bullet point, for instance.

In addition to getting your eight-glasses a day, here are some other tips HHoA member hotels suggest:

• Standing in long lines and racing through terminals takes a toll on the feet. To rejuvenate, Leah Wagner, lead fitness instructor at the Spa at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz , N.Y., offers a simple suggestion. Place a tennis ball or similar sized firm ball under the ball of your foot. While seated, roll the ball back and forth under the arch of your foot. This can be done in your hotel room, at your desk or even on an airplane. 


• A sure-fire way to feel tired and irritable after traveling is to indulge in junk food. Instead, Sheryl O’Brien, spa director at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, N.C., recommends reaching for fresh fruit. A quick candy bar or bag of chips at the airport or gas station might offer a quick fix, but will only bring you down later. A more nutritious snack will fill you up and provide a good source of energy. 


• Daniel Chong-Jimenez, executive chef of the Spa at Norwich Inn in Norwich, Conn., suggests eating light meals comprised of lean protein such as chicken breast, tuna and light ham, along with greens and vegetables. He says eating carbohydrates such as pasta, bread and sweets will result in drowsiness and diminished energy. 


• The Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, reminds guests of the importance of staying hydrated. This is especially true when traveling to warmer climates and higher altitudes. The El Convento offers abundant supplies of bottled water at various points throughout the hotel. 


• Kate Means, director of the Spa of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Va., which includes the Williamsburg Inn and Colonial Houses, advises getting adjusted to the new time zone quickly. Set your watch on the airplane, then focus on diet, exercise and relaxation and enjoy your surroundings. There are some great places in this world and you should take the opportunity to appreciate them. 


• Once you reach your destination, don’t just sit on the couch. Sue Andersson of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel in Jekyll Island, Ga., says getting up and out will start you off on the right foot. Take a 20-30 minute stroll early in the morning to clear your mind for the day ahead, to get your circulation flowing and to explore the sites. For instance, on a walk near the hotel you will see beautiful century-old cottages, the Jekyll River, the Historic Wharf and the huge oak trees covered with Spanish moss. 


• Maintaining proper sitting posture while traveling will help to prevent neck and back soreness according to Rob Vorhees, head personal trainer, and Phyllis Ellerman, fitness director at the Sports Club at Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottesville, Va. They suggest keeping your seat in a more upright position; keep your head in upright position; support your lower back by placing a small rolled-up towel between your lower lumbar back and the seat back; and keep your shoulders in proper alignment. 


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It ain't all history; the hot tub with fireplace, located at Cranwell Resort and Spa in Lenox, Mass.

For months, I've been getting press releases in my inbox from the Historic Hotels of America . I've even blogged about them here and there a few times - the releases tend to be these cool 'tip sheets,' offering little tidbits of information about how different establishments involved with HHA mix a drink, tell a ghost story, clean the house, and make travel healthier, among other things.

There are more than 200 HHA hotels in the U.S., including in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. All are included on the National Registry of Historic Places, but for the most part, that's where the similarities stop; each hotel has its own flair, its own sense of place, and its own stories to tell -- hence, the factoid press releases.

I have to be honest, of the hundreds of press releases I receive a day, the HHA media mail is probably the best. They're quick, informative, and well-written, not to mention they have a great shelf-life. Instead of announcing one-time events, they usually provide NTKs (Need to Know!) and DYKs (Did You Know?) that change little over time, and thus are infinitely publishable.

Upon receiving my latest installment of HHA publicity -- Haunted Happenings, one of my personal favorites of the year -- I started thinking about how I could parlay the coolness of HHA into an article for BusinessWest. I had long been mulling a piece on some or one of the HHA hotels, but kept thinking in terms of my freelance travel writing career, and not my full-time gig at a business mag.  As it turns out, four HHA hotels are located within the BW readership, so off to the races I went.

The four hotels in our general region are a good sampling of all member establishments. One is an opulent luxury spot that welcomes celebrities regularly, one was voted among 'the world's coolest hotels' by Conde Nast Traveller, one is championing sustainable agriculture in its kitchens, and one is a premiere golf resort first owned by Henry Ward Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe's brother.

This diversity creates a branding problem for historic hotels; while their identity makes them unique, it separates them from the corporate-owned hotels, and more importantly, corporate-owned budgets.  That's where the HHA comes in. It groups all of these places together under one umbrella, promotes them in an annual guide and on their Web site, and through their cheeky press releases.

One of my contacts said since joining, her establishment's occupancy hasn't dropped below 50% in the winter. In the Berkshire Mountains where, as James Taylor says, the first of December is covered with snow and so is the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston, that's no easy feat.

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From Portfolio Magazine:

Photographer Leah Martin Adds New Flavor to Robert Charles Photography

By Jaclyn C. Stevenson 

Leah J. Martin said when she first joined the photography team at Robert Charles Photography (RCP) in East Longmeadow, Mass., she felt as though she hadn’t been recruited, but rather imported.  

“Like a fine wine,” she joked. “When I got the call asking if I’d like to join the Robert Charles Photography team, I was excited about the opportunity, and I feel very positive about my decision.”

Originally from Rhode Island, Martin has been an active professional photographer in New England for several years, and joined RCP as an associate photographer earlier this year. She has photographed in all 50 states and abroad, in locales such as Australia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, and said she now looks forward to bringing her global view to RCP’s client-base, offering the unique photography styles and skills that have become the studio’s trademark, as well as Martin’s signature strength – capturing life in motion.

“The countless ways images can be created keeps things interesting for me every time I photograph,” said Martin, offering some recent, favorite examples. “At a recent wedding, I was able to create an image with the look and feel of a café scene, by taking advantage of a quiet moment at the reception.”

Not long after, Martin was able to stretch her creative muscle again, this time during a session with an engaged couple at a local park. In addition to more traditional portraits, Martin captured the bride laughing while the groom break-danced on a picnic table behind her.

“Dancing has always been a part of their life, so it was important to provide them with an image that celebrated this part of their relationship,” she explained, adding that she has always enjoyed offering images that capture a moment, but stray from traditional posed photographs.

“I look forward to learning more, trying new things, and continuing to challenge myself,” she said, “and Robert Charles is absolutely the kind of studio that will allow me to exercise my artistic talent.”

Martin began her career with Stephen DiRado at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., and later studied her craft further through the prestigious Maine Photographic Workshops at Rockport College. She’s also worked on the management end, in retail and in digital printing and production, at Kodak KICK store Maine Coast Photo & Digital, before moving to Portland Maine to found her own business, SoMe Studios.

Since then, Martin has continued to hone both her skills and her presence in the photographic community. She attended her first national-level photography conference, sponsored by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), in San Antonio, Texas, in January and her first international film conference in London, England in February of this year. Her work has also been featured in Professional Photographer magazine.

Currently, Martin is working toward a master’s in photography through the PPA’s program, which awards the distinction only after a series of points and merits have been earned.

“It can take people a lifetime,” said Martin, “but the shortest amount of time anyone can finish the program is two-to-three years, and I’ve made that goal for myself.”

She said she’s also aimed to learn as much as possible about the photographic industry, from lighting to layout, through her day-to-day responsibilities at RCP, where she works closely with the studio’s lead photographer and co-owner, Robert F. Zemba.     

“I have learned so much from Bob already, and I hope to keep learning, keep up with international market, and eventually, I look forward to being more involved with the company as it grows,” she said.

Zemba was recently named photographer of the year by the PPA, and said he looks forward to both teaching and learning from Martin as her own career progresses.

“Leah is an asset to our company,” he said. “She has a vision that is her own, but also understands what we strive to offer our clients – thought-provoking, emotion-evoking images.”

Martin is about to complete her first year at RCP, and the ‘imported’ artist said she feels right at home in the bucolic hills of Western Mass.

“The team at Robert Charles Photography has become my family as well as my co-workers,” she said, “and everyday I get to do what I love - create photographs.”

About Robert Charles Photography
Robert Charles Photography has been in business since 1984. Clients of Robert Charles Photography, who typically hail from Greater New England area, have long recognized the businesses’ one-of-a-kind depictions of life in motion, which capture a moment as well as the spirit of that moment.  The business specializes in wedding, engagement, portrait, and corporate photography.

About PPA
Professional Photographers of America has been in existence since 1880. In addition to providing a community for professional photographers, the association offers business and personal protection, business discounts, and professional recognition. Today, PPA has more than 14,000 members in 64 countries.

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