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Author: Jon Abrahams

The Tide

“The Tide” Set to Make Waves at NOVA Film Festival

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Film & Video, Music, Nova, Other, Publicity.

The city of Norfolk will be making a splash at this year’s Northern Virginia Film and Music Festival, taking place April 21st – 30th in the DC Metro area. The ten day schedule of seminars and screenings will showcase some of the best and brightest in the industry today, including a select from full-service agency Jpixx — their award winning music video, “The Tide,” is set to screen on Monday, April 25th at the Angelika Film Center in Fairfax, Virginia.

The Tide

Norfolk native, singer/songwriter Skye Zentz wrote the chart topper more than three years ago as an ode to her beloved hometown. The music video — a colorful tour through city’s iconic landmarks and scenic hot spots — has received heartfelt praise throughout the Hampton Roads area and uniquely captures the energy and spirit of those who hang their hats in Norfolk.

“The people in this region are proud to call Norfolk home. With downtown bustling and the Arts District taking off, we wanted to create something that captured the essence of this explosive, positive energy,” said Jon Abrahams, music video director of “The Tide” and Jpixx Founder.

Earlier this year “The Tide” was awarded Music Video of the Year at the 5th Annual Veer Music Awards, further solidifying the song as the perfect home-grown candidate for the official anthem of Norfolk. 

The Tide

“Since the video’s release, I’ve received countless messages from people saying how “The Tide” made them feel even more excited (or sometimes homesick) for Norfolk,” said Zentz. “Whether you’re a current resident, a former resident, or never visited, I believe our video clearly illustrates how bright and alive Norfolk is, and how so many great and new things are taking root here everyday.”

The Tide

“The Tide” began production in June of 2014 and is comprised of over 30 different shoots with 300+ volunteer participants, including the production and marketing crew.

“We announced most of our shoots publicly, and invited local businesses and anyone in the community to come out and take part,” added Zentz.

The Tide

Putting Norfolk on the map this year, The 2016 NOVA Film and Music Festival will not only allow viewers from outside of the Hampton Roads area to experience what makes the seaside city such a staple in the region, but they’ll see (and hear) why so many people are calling it home.

Want to make “The Tide” Norfolk’s official song? Click here to show your support!

Entrepreneur

Who Wants To Be An Entrepreneur?

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Feature, Other, Publicity.

Jon recently spoke to a room full of budding entrepreneurs in the Tidewater Community College Business Club. The topic of discussion was, “The Importance of Creating Effective Communication for Entrepreneurs.” 

Jpixx has taken off within the past three years and generated a lot of buzz within the local Hampton Roads community, thus Jon had great insights to share.

So, gather ’round entrepreneurs and take note of these tips that’ll help you effectively communicate with your audience and, in turn, successfully market and grow your business!

Marketing starts as soon as you have a business idea
Once the lightbulb turns on above your head, grab a notebook and get to work! Allocate a percentage of your time and resources each week to creating a marketing plan and bringing your ideas to life. Start by answering a few questions:

  • Where will your business be located?
  • Who is your customer and why should they purchase your product or service? 
  • How will you establish your brand identity? (Logos, imagery, website, tagline, print materials etc.)

 

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Remember to alway be efficient with with your energy by focusing on setting goals and achieving results.

Know your audience
After you determine who your customer is, do some research. Figure out what message will resonate with them the most and then find the best mediums to deliver that message.

  • Is the majority of your audience on Twitter,  Snapchat or LinkedIn?
  • What questions do they have and what do they already know?

Also, think about how you’ll establish a clear voice for your brand, whether it be humorous or heartfelt, in order to effectively communicate and engage with your audience. 

Build meaningful relationships
Take advantage of existing relationships and work on building new ones. You’re going to need help along your journey to entrepreneurship! Know what you can offer and barter with other young businesses so that everyone can benefit and grow together.

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Lastly, remember the importance of references, good business practices and customer service. Your reputation will either make or break your business!

Stay connected with Jpixx by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram!

Sea Level Festival

The Sea Level Singer/Songwriter Festival is on The Way!

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Film & Video, Music, Other, Photography, Publicity.

The 9th Annual Sea Level Singer/Songwriter Festival is on Saturday, April 2 at the Tidewater Community College Norfolk Campus. This year’s festival is a pretty big deal for Jpixx because Tidewater Arts Outreach is honoring us with the 2016 Beacon Award during the Emerging Artist Contest!

The award is given each year to a community member(s) who has given significant and sustained energy to support the Sea Level Singer/Songwriter Festival, local music community, and mission of Tidewater Arts Outreach.

This year is the first time that the award is being given to an entire organization. Go Jpixx!!!!

Sea Level Festival

But, enough about us – let’s get back to the actual festival! There are going to be several events taking place throughout the day, from the Open Mic Stage to a special concert from Grammy-nominated singer John Fullbright and an Instrument Petting Zoo and Art Booth for the kids (there’s a chance of rain in the forecast, but let’s cross our fingers and hope that mother nature spares the children).

Sea Level Festival

Aside from the Open Mic Stage, you’ll get to see talent from right here in Hampton Roads during the Local Singer/Songwriter Showcase and Emerging Artist Contest.

So, here’s the low down on the Emerging Artist Contest:

Budding singers and songwriters from across Hampton Roads submitted their work to the festival and the amazing eight were chosen to compete in the Emerging Artist Contest. A panel of judges will rank three finalists with the number one seed being named the overall winner. This artist will receive some pretty awesome prizes and opportunities to further promote their talents.

*Drumroll please* This is where we come in! At 1pm on Saturday, we’ll be rolling out our interactive audience poll on Facebook that will allow you to choose your favorite artist from the contest. Your vote will bring one artist closer to receiving a music video produced by Jpixx…wait for it…FREE of charge!

The 2014 Emerging Artist winner Logan Layman was also the audience favorite and debuted her music video last year, which you can check out below:

Of course, our team will be capturing the best moments from the festival and we hope to see you all there! You can meet the Emerging Artist contestants and find details regarding festival event and ticket information, as well as tons of photos and videos on our BRAND NEW SEA LEVEL landing page.

Stay connected with Jpixx by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram!

Easter Bunny Meet & Greet at MacArthur Mall

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Event, Feature, Other, Photography.

X86A8737Parents and kids of all ages came out to California Pizza Kitchen at MacArthur Mall for Bunny Breakfast and Jpixx was there capturing the cuteness overload on camera!

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This is the only time breakfast is served at the restaurant. So, guests enjoyed a special featured meal (breakfast pizza..yum!) with the choice of coffee, orange juice or milk.

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Most importantly, the children got a chance to meet, greet and take pics with the Easter Bunny and they clearly enjoyed themselves!

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There was an arts and crafts table for the kiddies to be creative too!

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The Easter Bunny even took pics with the CPK staff!

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After the Bunny Breakfast, we made our way to Bunnyville where the Easter Bunny took official Easter photos.

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Bunnyville was immaculate and the backdrops, which featured Hoppin’ Fresh Bakery, Hare Salon, 24 Carrot Bank and Bunny House and decor were all quite charming.

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The Easter Bunny posed it up with pets too!

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IMG_9469If you haven’t taken your picture with the Easter Bunny yet, you still have time! The Easter Bunny will be at MacArthur Mall until Saturday, March 26th!

Happy Easter everyone 🙂

Case Study: Space to Village with SERVIR

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Other, Publicity.

As a video-led digital marketing agency, storytelling is a part of our DNA. We bring brands to life by using film techniques to craft narratives and visuals that go far beyond the standard TV commercial. Long gone are the days of simply flashing your product or service across your audiences’ screens. It’s essential that organizations have a plan for keeping their audiences entertained with their messaging, and how that branded content will fit into their marketing toolbox.

Think about your audience and what resonates with them the most. Which emotions and visuals will spark their interest and make your brand unforgettable?

SERVIR

Last summer, we were tapped by SERVIR – a joint venture between NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) – to journey across the world to Thailand, Bangladesh, Kenya and Nepal capturing what the program encompasses and who it affects. Through the use of satellite-based Earth monitoring data, SERVIR helps developing nations combat environmental challenges from flooding to water and food security.

The organization’s immense impact on nations across the world warranted a film that took an out-of-the-box approach to the traditional way in which government videos are produced. We accomplished this by…

Taking a cinematic approach

  • Live action scenes: used throughout the film in order provide a more natural depiction of the citizens within their environment.
  • Unscripted interviews: we include multiple interviews from SERVIR representatives, including NASA SERVIR Coordination Office Director Dan Irwin and USAID Climate Change Specialist Jenny Frankel-Reed, in order to have multiple voices driving the narrative.
    • The unscripted interviews also help convey the passion SERVIR employees feel about the project, which really helps bring the story home.

Each of these elements make the film feel like more of documentary as opposed to just another informational video.

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Providing emotional value and scope

  • Connectivity: The film’s genuine connection with the audience is established by having our subjects looking directly into the camera and speaking from the heart.

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  • Scope: We play up the global scope of the project by opening and closing the film with steadicam shots of subjects walking away and towards the camera in their natural environments.
    • The film wraps with a video collage of hands being held around the world to demonstrate the bond each citizen shares because of the impact SERVIR has on their country.

Motion Graphics

We love bringing a commercial polish to our films, and working directly with NASA gave us the opportunity to create some really unique title and motion graphic sequences from scratch.  These illustrative cutaways not only increase the production value of the piece, but help visually explain information that otherwise could not be captured from cameras on the ground.

Results

  • Emotional Impact: Outside of serving as a wonderful marketing piece for SERVIR, the film left an emotional impact on both NASA and USAID internally.
    • Most notably, prominent figures within SERVIR were brought to tears during the initial viewing of the film.
  • Organizational Bonding: According to Stacy Whittle, SERVIR’s Senior Lead for Communications, seeing everyone’s hard work culminated into one emotionally riveting film helped facilitate a closer bond among everyone within the organization.

SERVIR

Overall, the team couldn’t have been more proud of this project! We were able to successfully craft a message-driven narrative that shed light on SERVIR and the environmental issues facing nations across the world. Now for the main event…

Take a look at the film below!

Visit Tumblr for a behind-the-scenes gallery of the trip!

Stay connected with Jpixx by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram!

 

Cox 11 Studios Takeover

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Film & Video, Photography, Publicity.

We recently teamed up with Cox 11 Studios for a photography session in order to create posters for the station’s TV shows. Cox 11, which is programmed and operated by Cox Communications, is known for being Hampton Roads’ only truly, local community station. According to Program and Production Manager Will Rodriguez, Cox 11 is, “for Hampton Roads, by Hampton Roads, about Hampton Roads.”

We had a great time taking over their studio for a day where we were able to shoot a variety of looks, from white and green screen to studio space. The Jpixx crew captured some super fun images of talent from:

Check out the Jpixx crew (aka the coolest kids on the planet) behind-the-scenes with Alexis and the cast of A Las 11 Por El 11 below!

Cox 11
Top-right photo courtesy of Patricia Avila

Of course, we couldn’t help pulling out our handy-dandy 360-camera! We wrapped up our A Las 11 Por El 11 shoot with a 360-shot that you can interact with below.

360 Green screen #photoshoot in progress at Cox11 with the “A las 11 por el 11” cast in #Chesapeake, VA #jpixx #studio #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

Jpixx has a great history and relationship with Cox 11. Our previous projects have included producing Hot Ticket featurettes, like last year’s Charles Dickens’ Christmas Towne. The station was also a proud sponsor of our sold-out Filmily Fest. We look forward to future collaborations with the gracious team and talent over at Cox 11!

If you’re looking to gain exposure for your short film, web series, music video or short documentary, great news! Short Film Showcase is currently accepting entries. Reach out to Cox 11 and be sure to include “Short Film Showcase” in the subject line. Good luck! 

Filmily

Meet the Filmily – Maria Soliven, Video Editor

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Feature, Film & Video, Publicity.

Today marks the start of our “Meet the Filmily” series and the debut of our new short horror film, The Cut! Over the course of the year, we’ll be spotlighting members of the Jpixx team. We’re kicking things of with one of our incredibly talented video editors, Maria Soliven. She’s been with us for over a year slicing and dicing exceptional work and for some reason, she is the only one who has a history of hearing creepy things in the night!

As a notorious night owl, Maria can often be found working late at Jpixx headquarters. In The Cut, she has a frightening encounter with a familiar face during one of her late-night work binges. Without giving away anymore details, here’s our new horror! (created by Karla, Jon and of course Maria) *Disclaimer – you just might wet your pants.*

Stick around for a Q+A with Maria below!

What do you like most about working at Jpixx?

The people. I’m surrounded by people who love what they do, and it makes for such a great environment. I’ve learned so much from everyone since being there, and they’re always down to give me feedback and help me produce bigger & better things. They’re a bunch of characters, too. They’re jokesters, firecrackers, talented, professional, laid back, & crazy. Good crazy.

What has been your favorite project to work on and why?

There’s like an eleven-way tie, but I have enjoyed editing ESI’s webisodes. The actors are hilarious & the scripts are great. Sometimes I’m giggling to myself like an idiot while I’m putting the video together. And no matter how many times I watch a scene over, I’ll keep giggling.

If you could switch jobs with anyone else within Jpixx, whose job would you want?

Epic (Jon & Teviya’s 2-year old daughter). She just kinda strolls in and owns the place.

People would be surprised if they knew…

How much I love Chick Fil-A

What’s your motto or personal mantra?

Whenever I make a mistake – “It’s part of the joke”

When I find enough money under the floor mat to pay for a toll – “It’s part of the joke”

When the power goes out while it’s crunch time – “It’s part of the joke”

When the server gets my order wrong – “It’s part of the joke”

When I run into someone I’ve been meaning to see – “It’s part of the joke”

When I go grocery shopping on Columbus Day and my total adds up to be $14.92 – “It’s part of the joke”

When I’ve had a long day and I throw my keys onto the table and it lands in a bowl of soup –

“It’s part of the joke”

It keeps my attitude light. Life can be ridiculous & unbelievable, but if you just go with the flow and wait it out, there’s always something good at the end. Punchlines everywhere.

Filmily

If you think Maria is super cool, there’s plenty more to come! We’ll be back in April to introduce another member of the Jpixx crew. Stay tuned!

Portsmouth Public Schools – Chrome Book Launch – Google Education

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Feature, Film & Video, Other, Publicity.

By Karla Espino, guest blogger

2016 has brought about some amazing new technology for Portsmouth Public Schools. A couple weeks ago Jon and I had the pleasure of filming different Portsmouth High Schools as each student received their own Google Chromebook for use throughout the school year. It was interesting to see and hear different reactions from students and teachers and there was no doubt that the overall feedback was very positive. A lot of the students expressed excitement considering they did not own their own laptops or computers at home. Other students who did already own a computer were just as eager to get on the Chromebook and explore it’s possibilities.

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Of course these thousands of chromebooks came about after a lot of testing and research. Director of Information for Portsmouth Public Schools, Dean Schlaepfer, as well as teachers like Phil Hines, Technology Research, and Biology Teacher, Curtis Williams, are thrilled to give students so much access to their education beyond the classroom walls. The Chromebooks contain their daily lessons, homework, textbooks as ebooks, links to communicate with fellow classmates, and even websites they can access for help after hours. Having everything in one place should make it much easier, more efficient, and even more fun for students to complete their work. The distribution process was quick and simple allowing students to dive right in and discover a more effective way of learning. Each laptop came with everything needed, cords, chargers, straps, and even a case with a stitched school logo on the front.

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The interviews were my favorite part of this shoot. Although we were not able to feature everyone we spoke to, it was great hearing both teachers and students hype Portsmouth Schools as well as the Portsmouth community. During the short tutorial after receiving their Chromebooks, students sat attentively listening and following instructions on how to navigate and productively use their new piece of technology. Students from all grades expressed interest throughout the entire process and even more so appreciation. Receiving these books has ensured personal trust to many students who can now advance confidently and prepare for future.

2016 Instruments of Art (TAO)

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Blog, Event, Feature, Other, Publicity.

By Guest Blogger Karla Espino

On February 6th, I had the pleasure of attending Tidewater Arts Outreach‘s 7th Annual Instruments of Art event and I can easily say it was amazing! Held at Decorum Furniture, the space was filled with carefully crafted pieces of artwork, gift certificates, and even vacations that would be auctioned off to support TAO’s mission. The theme was Havana Nights and everyone had a lot of fun dressing up in fedoras and Guayaberas.

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But being fairly young and not yet in a great place financially, I was most excited to witness the live auction and see the many goodhearted and hardworking individuals of our area raising their programs to signify a bid. It was almost heart-racing to watch some couples bid back and forth for a 6-foot tall silver flamingo guitar…but it was all in good fun and for a great purpose. Not to mention it was a masterpiece!

 

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While filming, I was able to meet some very influential people who spend their days working with people in health and dependent care environments, helping their healing process through art. Here’s a fun little video we put together to recap the evening.

I’m glad I was able to capture everyone doing what they loved while doing what I loved. Please visit TAO’s website and become informed of the many events all around Hampton Roads. Get involved and let your creative freak flag fly, we did!

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“The Tide” wins Veer Music 2016 Video of the Year!

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Event, Feature, Film & Video, Music.

“The Tide” written and performed by Skye Zentz, music video directed by Jon Abrahams won Music Video of the Year (2015) at the 5th Annual Veer Music Awards!!!

We attended the Veer Music Awards on Feb 10 at the Naro Cinema and were so excited to take home the award for Best Music Video of the Year. Jon & Skye accepted the award and did we mention Skye received a standing ovation for her performance of “The Tide” with The Chosen Few (gospel group) to open the show?

Take a 360-peek at their acceptance speech…

BEST MUSIC VIDEO Acceptance Speech at the Veer Music Awards – #Jpixx #skyezentz #WeAreNFK #TheTide #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA

…and a pretty nifty 360-video-victory dance 🙂 Ohhh sweet victory!

You can view all the results of the Veer Music Awards here.

Relive the magic of the music video that captured the energy and spirit of Norfolk through local sites and the beloved people of a town we call home!

Don’t miss the Behind-the-Scenes making of the music video “The Tide” where all the magic took place!

 

If you haven’t had enough, take a peek at our BTS photos too 🙂

The Tide crewSpecial thanks to Skye Zentz for writing such an inspirational song, the City of Norfolk, everyone who had fun on camera and the crew who made all the magic happen!

Skye and Bob Zentz

And of course a HUGE thanks to everyone that voted! You took “The Tide” to the next level! Thank you 🙂

The Tide trophy
photo credit: The Tide NFK Facebook page

“The Tide” featured in “View Our Shorts” festival

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Blog, Event, Film & Video.

The American Theatre hosted a local film festival last week called View Our Shorts and Jpixx’s “The Tide” was one of the many projects shown at the local event in Hampton, VA. We got a chance to see some familiar faces of our filmily and meet some new film friends as well!

Filmmakers and local film supporters came out to see some of Virginia’s finest talent. All of the films were aesthetically pleasing coupled with fantastic storytelling!

Aaron von Buseck, Richard Sanborn and “Show and Tell” crew (photo credit: Hampton Arts Facebook page)
Tomeka M. Winborne and “Pass Me By” cast (photo credit: Hampton Arts Facebook page)
James Shearer and Hunter Thomas produced and directed “Special Delivery” (photo credit: Hampton Arts Facebook page)
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Jpixx in the house representing for “The Tide” (photo credit: Hampton Arts Facebook page)

The film “Special Delivery” directed by Hunter Thomas and produced by James Shearer won 3rd place.

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(photo credit: www.braincoproductions.com)

2nd place went to “The Other Side” directed, written and produced by Beecher Reuning.

And 1st place went to…drum roll pleasseeeeeeee!!

Terrance directed by Justin Garcia and Raquel M. Sangalang! Check out some flicks below 🙂

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(photo credit: Terrance Movie Facebook page)
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(photo credit: Terrance Movie Facebook page)
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(photo credit: Terrance Movie Facebook page)

Quick reminder – today is the final day to vote “The Tide” for Best Music Video of the Year (2015) for the 5th Annual Veer Music Awards!

Check out some other captivating films that were shown below.

Stranded Eyeland produced by Skelly Films (Ernie and Heather Smith)

The Colonial Parkway: The Foundation of Our Economy

Holiday Season at MacArthur Center

Written by Jon Abrahams on . Posted in Advertising, Event, Feature, Other.

By Guest Blogger – Karla Espino

This holiday season has been a busy one for Jpixx. Along with the rush of buying presents, decorating for the season and paying taxes.. a few of us have been out and about covering the many events MacArthur Center offers throughout the winter season.

The MacArthur on Ice and Winter Carnival just outside of the mall allows children from ages 1-92 to submerse themselves in a world separate from Norfolk. With a 55-foot-tall LED Ferris Wheel, Tilt-a-Whirl, ice skating rink, and more, it was easy to capture smiles and laughter in every frame we shot. From the first event of the season, the opening of the Ice Palace, to the last of the season, the Norfolk Admirals Cerebral Palsy Skate, we braved the cold (35 degrees some days!) to find each event warmed our hearts within minutes.

 

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Enjoying the Tilt-a-Whirl

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Family Skate while at MacArthur on Ice

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Selfie with the WAVY team!

With 13+ different events scheduled, we divvied up the dates between Jon, Jessa and me – and Chandler signed up for the nightmare that is BLACK FRIDAY. It actually didn’t look too bad..

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Carolers

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Share the Spirit – $50 Gift Cards were randomly given out to MacArthur Center patrons, and an extra $25 was given for them to hand out to someone else of their choosing. You should have seen the look on some of their faces!!! Jon even had someone come up to him to ask who the mystery gifters were…. but he remained tight lipped.

Regardless of four different photographers individually at each event, we were easily able to create fluid content that captured the holiday season as it should be, full of joy! I did have the opportunity to work side by side with Jessa at my favorite event, Pet Photos with Santa. People crowded MacArthur Center on a Sunday night to watch their pets climb up on Santa’s lap dressed in ugly sweaters, antlers, tutus, etc. aside the Ice Palace.

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One boy even brought his hedgehog!

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Great family photo

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If you watched our MacArthur Center Holiday Highlight above, you probably noticed clips from Signing Santa. I was not personally at this event but seeing the photos and videos while editing brought about an admiration for Karen Husselbee, Marketing Director at MacArthur Center. Karen is amazing at what she does and I’d like to thank her for allowing us to capture children and adults alike that do not experience your ‘typical’ day-to-day routine, and organizing events that allow them to meet similar individuals and communicate with their heroes, whether it is Santa or the Norfolk Admirals.

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Signing carols to the children

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Signing with Santa

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Enjoying the Ice Palace

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The ladies and gentlemen of Cerebral Palsy of Virginia join the Norfolk Admirals on the ice rink under magic snowfall.

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While the holiday season can be crazy, it is events like these that allow all of us at Jpixx to step back, focus on the different and amazing people of Norfolk, and capture their lives creatively.