Summer 2015

Poppy
Creative
Agency

Other Works

Creative Magazine Summer 2015







A Note From The Editor

Since I was a child, summer has always
been my favorite time of year, simply
because my birthday is in June. The
beginning of the season meant the end of
the school year, parties and presents, long
days spent on the beach, nights asleep in
tents and nonstop fun with friends.

Growing up in Southern California, summer
days were filled with sunshine, the smell
of the salty ocean, wet sand between my
toes and warm breezes in the evening.
We’d play outside for longer because the
sun was out later. Afternoon barbecues
with family were a regular affair. Weeks
were spent camping in the redwood
forests, laying around by the river reading
books and daring each other to dive into
the chilly water.

Though now my summers are spent
in Northern California, things haven’t
changed much, especially once I left the
foggy city and moved to Marin County.
The days still linger pleasantly on, which
means more down time, lazy days on the
beach with my dog, and balmy nights on
the deck, a glass of rosé in hand and my
husband next to me.

The following photos and thoughts from
my team are meant to inspire that same
carefree summertime feeling. I can almost
smell the saltwater myself…

Cheers,



Contributors

Eric Zepeda Sean Dagen

A budding food photographer with With a keen eye for capturing the mood
an amazing way of making even the of any everyday object through his
vegetarian’s mouth water at the sight camera, Sean is always creating stunning
of his grilled ribs, Eric enjoys everything still photography. He is the least likely
outdoors. When not shooting for a client, guy to enjoy hunting, but does, and he
he’s at home, test shooting his latest also loves his son Cypress more than
edible creation. any father I’ve ever known. Sean has an
amazingly talented wife as well.
Paul Raeside
Shaun Sullivan
Our northern European photographer,
based in New York City, rounds out our Shaun is Poppy’s veteran photographer
love for interiors and architectural details. with 20+ years experience in shooting
Paul has the most romantic sense of light beautifully elegant images for a wide
and his hauntingly beautiful photography variety of clients. He has a reputation
makes me smile every time he sends for being the most amazingly calm guy
his latest shots. His love for beautiful on any crazy set and always gives the art
things comes through in every image. His director and client something more than
passions include the love of his girlfriend was expected.
Jenny and his furry friend Molly.
Caren Alpert
Ana Homonnay &
Ashley Thompson Caren brings to Poppy Creative a new
way of looking at food through both an
We’re delighted to announce Poppy artistic and analytical eye. Her passion for
Creative Agency’s newest members, cooking is obvious from her keen sense
Ana Homonnay and Ashley Thompson! of design, presentation, and beautiful
Ana was born and raised in São Paulo, images. Her experience as a photo editor
Brazil. After receiving a film degree and gives her the ability to think about the
working as a documentary director for whole picture. She also teaches others
MTV, she packed up her cameras and how to turn a passion into a career – and
moved to California to begin the next who doesn’t want to learn how to do
phase of her career. Ashley, born and that? Caren tops all of this off with a
raised in Arkansas, grew up with a strong beaming smile and a bright laugh.
connection to the art world, leading her
to pursue a degree in Art History. Her love
for the American landscape prompted
her to document her vision of the USA.
Fascinated with the magic of childhood,
the storytelling photography duo formed
Thompson Homonnay in 2014.

Magazine Design: David Valentine
Copy Editor: Lindsay Pietroluongo

Rivers an

A Reason f

It’s dark and still cold when I start slipping
on my waders in the cabin. The chill of
winter hangs in the air and the ice cracks
sharply on the grass as I make my way
down to the river. The water is freezing,
which means the fish will be sluggish to
strike a fly, but that isn’t the reason why
I’m here.

It’s the ritual - the planning, the myriad
phone calls to reserve the cabin and to
let my buddies know things are set in
motion. The packing of gear with my
son, who has been counting down the
days since I announced the trip in early
January. The sleepless night before our
morning departure. I have done this
whole routine countless times and yet it’s
always the first and the best, a reset every
new year.

On the river, I’m startled when I miss the
first take. While cold, the fish are hungry
and will hit if the fly is close enough. With
shaking hands, I check the leader and fly
and get ready again, laughing to myself
that I still get this excited over something
I’ve experienced thousands of times. I
look up to see my son coming down to
the water for help, wearing his fishing
vest and camouflage pants, his Snoopy
fishing rod a big tangled mess. I’m proud
he’s here and more than happy to help
sort it all out. My buddies, who probably
had a long night at the saloon, will soon
be out to join us, and even though the
fish may not appreciate all the racket,
I’m okay with that. Long ago, I arrived
at a place where catching the biggest or
the most fish was not the reason to be
out here. It’s those little things that flow
between friends and the river that make
me feel that once again everything is
right, that this year will be right.

Nothing signals the upcoming summer
like the first fishing trip of the season.

photography by Eric Zepeda



















summer,
where do you begin?
I’m dreaming of days that never end...

photography by Paul Raeside



Bold Brazil

For Brazilians, summer is a very special,
almost sacred season. It is a time when
the country gets hopeful, excited, and
– almost impossibly - more vibrant. The
Brazilian coast has an immense cultural
diversity that makes travel so interesting.
After 10 years of living in San Francisco,
there is nothing I miss more than the
warm water and the highly contrasting
colors of my beautiful country.
Viva Brazil!

photography by Ana Homonnay















A Photographic Trip
Through Mexico

While most of my vacations are spent
locally, kid in tow, campsite set up in
the middle of the night, bugs feasting
on my legs, the summer of 2014 was an
exception. As it ended up, all I needed
was a little encouragement from my
good friend and fellow photographer,
Amy. “Vamos a la Sayulita?“ she asked.
I replied, “Si Senora! Cuando?” “This
summer,” she said. Six months later,
there we were, cameras in hand, kids
back at home and our brains bent on
capturing the truest essence of Mexico
that we could. We set off for a great
photographic journey and summer
vacation, with the hot sand between
our toes, warm water for swimming
and cold beer for drinking. This was the
perfect summer vacation: street tacos,
beautiful people, ocean breezes and
great moments to be captured through
the lens.

photography by Ashley Thompson















Summer is camping.
Summer is cocktails outside with friends.
Summer is watching your children grow.
Summer is barbecuing in the backyard.
Summer is watching the sun set.
Summer is ice cream melting down your arm.
Summer is your favorite fishing hole.
Summer is swimming in the lake.
Summer is the county fair.
Summer is finding tadpoles.
Summer is mosquitos buzzing in your ear.
Summer is getting a sunburn.
Summer is learning to ride a bike.
Summer is lazy days with nothing to do.
Summer is being too hot to move.
Summer is iced tea.
Summer is a midday nap.
Summer is road trips with friends.
Summer is warm nights.
Summer is a bonfire on the beach.
Summer is made for memories.
Summer is freedom.
Summer is new love.
Summer is... here.

photography by Sean Dagen











71°F, Part

Foggy in

the Evenin

I grew up in Arizona. That meant all of
my formative years included summers
that topped 100 degrees, starting in April,
sometimes, and not relenting until mid-
September.

Being raised there, I always wanted to
get out. Get out of the house. Get out of
town. The summer landscape was brilliant
blue skies and brown hues as far as the
eye could see, brush and scrub with
burnt colors from the artist’s palette. (I
never appreciated the natural beauty, of
course, until years later.) During summer
vacations from school, Tucson was a flurry
of excitement before 10:30 a.m., at which
point everyone sought an indoor reprieve
from the heat: shopping malls, watching
TV in the house, going to movies...
anything to stay inside. We wouldn’t go
back outside until after 4 p.m. For a kid on
school break, this wasn’t ideal.

Now living on the West Coast and in
San Francisco, summers have a whole
new meaning. It’s foggy and cool, often
requiring a scarf and jacket in the middle
of August. Walks are crisp and enjoyable,
and colors are everywhere. There’s no
rush to do anything on any given day to
protect yourself from the weather. Fruits
and veggies prosper, not wilt. When
the ice cream truck rolls by, you are
actually outside to see it happen. Or, more
accurately for the area, hipster food truck
parks abound; the latest artisan ice cream
novelties and sweet treats are highly
priced and always sold out.

Now, when the mercury rises past 85
degrees, I think, “What is this heat wave?”
How quickly the mind and body forget
what we’re able to tolerate, and the taste
buds have the chance to experience a
whole new flavor chart.

photography by Caren Alpert















Summer

I am just going to come right out and say it.
Summer is not my favorite season.
I can almost hear the collective gasp and
“what?!” Let’s face it: here in California we
haven’t been digging through eight feet of
snow to our car only to find out we dug out
our neighbor’s car, and we don’t have to
put on seven layers just to check the mail.
I get it when some people can’t wait for
summer to roll around.
Don’t get me wrong - I wasn’t always a
Summer Scrooge. I have fond memories of
summer. The last day of school signaling
that summer was finally here and spending
the next three months taking in the sun,
the sand and the ocean - bliss! I can close
my eyes and be right back there. But give
me a drizzly, foggy winter or a crisp, low-
sun fall day anytime. That gets me going.
Now, summer does offer a couple of
redeeming things, one of which is one of
my favorite subjects...
Flowers.
Dahlias as big as your face and roses
with their varied scents scattered around
the yard. Lilies and daisies, poppies and
hydrangeas in endless supply. These
temporary subjects come and go and
seem to beg to be photographed, and I am
happy to oblige summer after summer.

Enjoy your summer!

photography by Shaun Sullivan