New work + new site both on the way!

I've had some excitement building for a while now about some new work that's been officially released and also for the new site that is on the way for my work.

I've been slammed with preparing images for different shoots and getting portfolios together for the new site which has limited my time for blogging but the plan is to step it up again once carynorton.com is officially unveiled.

For now I'll mention a project I worked on earlier this year that I'm really proud of. I partnered with Slaughter Group to create a new library of images for the longstanding local manufacturing bulwark M+B Hangers. I've never really thought about how hangers are made but I had my mind blown like a tiny child being in their manufacturing plants. It was like living the show How It's Made right in front me.

The first goal was to explore their Leeds, Alabama manufacturing plant—the last metal hanger factory in the United States—and get a sense of their lovely employees as well as document the process by which their various hangers are created.

Step two was to do the same process at their factory in Piedras Negras, Mexico and stop by their distribution warehouse in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Everything was photographed in a very simple way. Most shots are available light shot on a Mamiya 6x7, Canon 1V / 5D, or Leica. I had support in Alabama from Caleb who made it possible to manage all the gear, reflectors, and the occasional low-key light setup (total Strobist style..580EXII on manual shot through a medium shoot-through umbrella).

The process was legitimately fascinating to my science-and-nerdery-driven brain and I couldn't be prouder of the images we created.

Their are viewable currently on the M+B HANGERS website and there was some talk of a physical book down the road, but that's far from confirmed (though I'd LOVE to see these in print instead of just on the web).

Above is Phillip, an energetic and warm employee at the Leeds plant. Below I'm going to put together some of my favorite shots from both locations. We also put together a special advertising series for M+B, but I'll wait to talk about that for another post.

There are so many more I love that really fill in the story. Check out the site to see more.


Cheers