1. photo shoot: family sunrise

Having burned the candle at both ends on the Video Letter to Obama project for the previous month, I was very excited the actual International Day of Climate Action had finally arrived. Time to rally the family, friends, school community and neighborhood to create some press-worthy photo ops that 350.org could include in their worldwide media campaign.

I live in Hollywood so choosing to shoot with the Hollywood sign was a no-brainer, but I thought the photo would be more compelling if I could capture the warm raking light of sunrise on the massive white letters. I knew the magic moment only lasts a few minutes, so I spent a couple mornings scoping lines of sight and compositions before dragging my family up the trail in the pre-dawn darkness.

3. the oaks school campout

As one of the founding organizers of The Green Committee at my children’s elementary school, The Oaks School, in Hollywood, CA, I took the opportunity of our cherished annual campout in the Santa Barbara backcountry to gather 300 people in a single 350 shot.

2. photo shoot: neighborhood

Later in the morning we regrouped in another location with a broader coalition of activists from the neighborhood and school that I had coordinated with 350.org’s action-planning page.

With walkie talkies, a mountain bike, and a long telephoto lens I captured my wife and kids holding the 350 just as the light broke over the ridge. From my tripod a half mile away, they were dwarfed by the landmark sign another mile in the distance behind them.

After the strategic shot, we regrouped and chased the light down the hill, capturing a couple other beautifully lit moments.

4. get it out there

The whole point of all the photo shoots was to give 350.org and the media some press-worthy images to add to the worldwide message. It was really rewarding to see them popping up in various channels with thousands of others from around the world.