This weekend President Obama called on us to do whatever we can to raise money and help the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated the capital city of Port-au-Prince and much of the surrounding area. I now call on my friends to do the same, and join me in this effort and help me organize the first of several service projects in Haiti.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2005 gulf coast hurricanes that devastated parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, I launched a similar awareness campaign on JustinSchuck.com. Now I come to you again asking for your help and compassion. As we move forward I will provide additional resources on my dedicated Haiti page.

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
On Saturday, President Clinton and President Bush announced the creation of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund as a central resource to donate money towards the recovery and rebuilding efforts in Haiti. I feel very proud that these two former presidents have taken this call to action. Their presence will lend a unifying credibility to the fundraising effort. The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund will ensure that all funds raised go directly to the organizations and groups that need it the most. We are being asked to send only money at this time so that people on the ground can decide for themselves exactly what they will need to save lives.

Please visit their website to learn more: http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org

We've come a long way, baby.
Since the 2004 South Asian tsunami and the 2005 gulf coast hurricanes, we have seen great advances in technology and fundraising capabilities. The U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the American Red Cross used the power of mobile communications to raise an unprecedented amount of money via text messaging. By texting "HAITI" to "90999," users will be charged $10 on their phone bill, the money going directly to relief efforts. The swift action on the part of the government and Red Cross in launching this innovative program made it easy for people to give what they can.

In the months to come, I hope we continue to remember to text our donations so that we can provide a sustained stream of revenue for aid.

Where do we go from here?
Like many I feel restless to help, donations to aid organizations do not ease these tensions. Words eloquent enough to describe the range of emotions I feel for the Haitian people have not found my tongue. I want to be on the ground, getting my hands dirty, clearing rubble, building homes and comforting the impoverished of spirit. It will be several months before we are able to fully understand the scope of this tragedy, but my convictions are simple: I plan to organize, with the help of friends and partners, service projects in Haiti once the immediate crisis calms and the journey of rebuilding a nation begins—as early as this spring if the stars align.

I urge you to heed my call to action and join me in helping the people of Haiti. If you are interested in volunteering or contributing in any way to this effort, please email me directly with the subject "HAITI SERVICE PROJECT" to info@justinschuck.com.

Haiti Tags
To stay up-to-date on the latest from me, use this link to find my blog posts on Haiti.

Twitter Hashtags
I am asking my friends and followers to use the "#JustinSchuckHaiti" hashtag at the beginning of tweets to provide an easy way to follow the conversation on the web.

Labels: AIDS, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Bush Clinton Haiti Fund, Catholic Relief Services, George W. Bush, Government, Haiti, Justin Schuck, JustinSchuck.com, News, Twitter, USAID, Volunteer, Website

Today I am proud to announce that the latest iteration of JustinSchuck.com (ver 6.3) is now online and ready for your happy consumption. With this latest version you will notice the most stark change to the website since Version 1.0: the absence of the Justin Schuck Photography logo. There are now sections for my bio, photography, design, social media and marketing, charity work, and contact information. The JSP logo is also gone from the various social networking websites to reflect a change in the business.



As many of my close friends and a few of my favorite clients know, I have been winding down my business over the last 9 months to allow me to concentrate on my design and marketing projects. The last 18 months have been challenging for the business, and will continue to be so in the near term, but I feel a great sense of pride with the work I have produced. I am working hard to get "caught up" loading content into my Flickr account, as well as tying up as many loose ends as possible.


Since 1997 I have had the honor and privilege of working with amazing families, companies and individuals. My work has taken me to New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Athens, Mykonos, Scotland and Dubai. I have been so fortunate that so many people have shared in the experience with me and I look forward to growing in more creative ways going forward.


I've taken some time to ask (and answer) some question you may have about the future:


What will you do now that you won't be a photographer?
I will always be a photographer, just as I will always be a designer. I'm actually really excited that I will have loads more time to focus on my many pet projects that have taken a back seat to my production work. This includes especially my Guerrilla Photo Shoots project.


What if I want you and only you to take my photo?
Well, I'm not ruling out taking the occasional photo, even for an old client, but in terms of a business, there will be no more Justin Schuck Photography. Anyone wishing to hire me may contact me directly by email. Each inquiry will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.


Will you shoot my wedding?
Absolutely not. No way. No how. Tough toenails. Sorry. Long before I made the decision to shut down Justin Schuck Photography I made a pledge to accept no new wedding clients. I photographed my last wedding on October 3rd 2009 in Boston.


So does this mean you're going freelance?
No. I have new endeavors and projects in the pipeline that will be my primary focus.


What does this mean for Justin Schuck Photography clients?
JSP will exist until all outstanding client obligations have been met. This may require additional time to complete certain elements of pre-paid packages. I am working very hard with the limited resources available to accomplish these in a reasonably timely manner under the current circumstances.


I have sent emails or letters to my clients recommending photographers whom they can turn to for outstanding imaging services. The four individuals I most recommend are Noah Deveraux (weddings and editorial work; New York-based), Henry Villarama (weddings, commercial, public relations events and individual portraits; Washington DC-based.), Tony Veloz (fashion photography and individual portraits; Washington DC-based) and my friend Michael Dumlao (all of the above except weddings; Washington DC-based).


Wait, why are you doing this again?
I'm doing this because I love photography so much that I choose to not make work of it. I want to get back to the excitement I used to feel every time I picked up a camera. Some of that has been lost in the last couple of years, not that there haven't been many great moments because there have been great ones.


Why is your Facebook fan page still called "Justin Schuck Photography?"
Unfortunately Facebook will not let me change the name. The only way to do that would be to make a new fan page and that would take a lot of work. I hope that will be clear. If it turns out that people do not understand the purpose of the page—that is to showcase the photography of Justin Schuck—then I will address that issue if it comes up.


What's the status of Justin Schuck and Company, LLC?
I will maintain the LLC for the foreseeable future to afford the protection that it provides in all my endeavors. Since I will still be operating JSDS and L/A Events, there is still a place for the company. Soon Justin Schuck Photography will not be a part of the mix.


What happens next?
We all walk forward. That's all we can do.

Labels: Big News, design, Justin Schuck, Justin Schuck + Company, Justin Schuck Photography, JustinSchuck.com, News, Newsworthy, Website, Wedding

Having started my day feeling sick, tired and achy, the present I received in my inbox just a short time ago really made my day: "CNN Breaking News: Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter will switch from the Republican to the Democratic Party, multiple sources tell CNN."

I have had a great deal of respect and admiration for the senior senator from Pennsylvania for quite some time. He has shown for years that principles count more than party loyalty. He is a shining example of public service and MANY democrats could learn more than a thing or two about the grace and dignity Sen. Specter has shown for his office. Like many people on both sides of the aisle, Sen. Specter understands the true meaning of patriotism—using it for unification, not obstruction.

I look forward to following where Sen. Specter and the White House lead this nation. He deserves not only our gratitude for making the right decision today, but more importantly, recognition for his nearly thirty years of honorable service to this nation in the U.S. Senate.

Get the news from every perspective::
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/28/source-specter-intends-switch-political-parties/

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/specter-will-run-as-a-democrat-in-2010/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/28/arlen-specter-switching-p_n_192298.html

http://specter.senate.gov/public/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124093451028864031.html

http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/apr/28/specter-seek-re-election-democrat/?subscriber/national

http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2009/04/28/specter-switches/

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2009/04/arlen_specter_switches_parties.html

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21798.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30456741/

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/28/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4974413.shtml

http://www.wtov9.com/nationalnews/19311990/detail.html#-

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/specter-to-switch-parties.html?hpid=topnews

http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/index.ssf/2009/04/us_sen_arlen_specter_of_pennsy.html

http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2009/04/ap_reports_sen_arlen_specter_t.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

Labels: Arlen, Big News, Democrat, News, Newsworthy, politics, Republican, Republican Party, Specter

Justin's photography will be appearing in the latest issue of Washington Spaces magazine, a sleek and informative shelter publication without the pretense. Emily Lyons' article about The Erie, an 11-unit luxury condominium residential experience. Carl Becker of Premiere Properties is the principal broker.

Take a look at the article featuring Justin's photos and to learn more about this magnificent structure, click here: http://www.washingtonspaces.com/2009/3/articles/embracing-change-in-adams-morgan

To view more photos of The Erie not appearing online or in print, check out Justin's Flickr.com photo set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinschuck/sets/72157613578253654/

Labels: Justin Schuck, News, Newsworthy, photography, washington dc

That's right kids, through some witty back-and-forth with @IncMagazine on Twitter.com, @JustinSchuck came up with this answer to their question "What is the best thing about being your own boss?"

See the full article at http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090301/we-asked-you-twittered.html

Labels: Justin Schuck, L/A Events, News, Newsworthy

As you may have noticed, there have been some changes to JustinSchuck.com recently. Well, it's official, I'm focusing on my corporate and commercial business. Some people may not believe this, but I actually like doing those "boring" events on Capitol Hill or at some hotel. The clients are easy to please and require relatively little production compared to weddings and families.

2008 was an extremely difficult year for me and the business, making it difficult to meet all of our obligations. It was my decision to not seek new wedding or family portrait clients after some very difficult deliberations. If you're one of my favorite families and are wondering what this means for you, drop me a line and we'll see what we can do. :-)

I've updated the site with a few images and links to Justin Schuck Photography on various social networks. I've also introduced a new special for first-time clients.

New Client Special: Running now through May 1, 2009 first-time clients will pay just $150 for up to three hours of event photography in Washington DC or New York. In addition to photo coverage, you’ll receive high resolution images on disk. We can even FTP them to a server within hours of your event or place the images online through Collages.net. It’s time you see the high-quality images our clients have come to expect. Join the Schuck family. (Ask about our assignment and extended-day specials.)

There will be an official press release coming in the relatively near future.

Labels: Big News, business, Justin Schuck, Justin Schuck + Company, New York, News, Newsworthy, Photo, photography, washington dc

As a gay American, I find that some of my greatest struggles with the Catholic church revolve around the issue of gay marriage and civil equality.

The teachings and history of Jesus Christ tell us that he embraced the most oppressed, the most burdened and did whatever he could to reduce their oppression and remove their burdens. Why anyone would use ancient documents written at a time when so little was understood about our world, the weather, our universe, to fuel hateful rhetoric and actions, is beyond my understanding.

This same book tells us that eating shellfish is a sin, along with eating pork, wearing two different types of cloth, mixing milk and meat, and so on. Should we execute everyone who has a ham on Christmas, that certainly would have eliminated my entire family tree. Or should we deny people the right to eat a cheeseburger? Has the affordable fashion industry committed a gross massacre of sins with their cotton-poly blends? (Well, that may still be up for debate. Just don't take away my cotton-cashmere sweater.) When in the course of human history do we decide to add a healthy dose of rationality with our Sunday sermons?

A church's duty should be to fight injustice, stick up for those with the smallest voice, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, serve the poor in pocket and lift up the poor in spirit. Who are we serving when we as a nation vote to restrict the rights of fellow humans who are living the life that God created for them?

Cenk Uygur made an interesting point on HuffingtonPost.com: "So, from now, I would like to tell the Rick Warrens of the world, you are perfectly allowed to say how much you would like to take gay people's rights away from them based on the Bible so long as you agree to do one thing first -- execute an adulterer. If you can do that for me, then I'll believe that you actually believe in the Bible literally and will accept your literal argument against homosexuality. Fair is fair. Step on up."

I long to see the day when philandering Christians are cast out and stoned for their incredulous behavior.* I hope the "married but looking" set at AshleyMadison.com are using protection. And may God help those lost souls looking for casual encounters on Craigslist. Sex outside of the bonds of marriage is striclty forbidden. And what of the children causing a ruckus? You know, the ones who were running around the restaurant throwing temper tantrums because they don't like ketchup on their chicken nuggets? The punishment for a disobedient child is also execution. The bottom line is that history has provided us with countless laws that seem comical to us now. What we as a human race need to understand is the adverse affect that these campaigns of hate and ignorance have on individuals who are seeking truth in their own lives.

This spring I was confronted with a crisis of a very serious nature: a friend attempted to take his own life and nearly succeeded. To protect this friend's anonymity, I will call him "Tim."

Tim was an acquaintance, a friend of my brother's. I remember at one point a few years back that my brother had asked me if I thought Tim was gay. I said I didn't know, but Tim was very cute (hot actually), so I began to pay a more attention to the way he carried himself. I was never really sure about his sexuality, except for the occasional glance here and there that gave me pause. One thing I did notice about Tim was his abuse of alcohol and his tendency of drink to the point of passing out. I don't, as a general rule, have friends who drink and behave that way. That kind of destructive behavior is distracting. (Not that I'm not guilty of an accidental binge once or twice a year...)

Anyhow, Tim sent me an email or two in February asking if I would want to "hang out" with him, perhaps as a "date." I could tell from the phraseology used in the message that he was hesitant, and unsure, but Tim knew that I was openly gay and wouldn't pass judgment. We messaged a little bit back and forth, yet made no firm plans to meet up, mostly because I was hesitant about his drinking. I was scared to reach out to him because I just felt that I couldn't handle the added "stress" of being a friend to someone who clearly had issues he needed to deal with. (And his attractiveness was an added distracting factor.)

Fast forward about a month. I get a call from my brother, who was coming over to my house to have dinner, telling me that Tim is in the hospital, he tried to kill himself, and he's lost a lot of blood. This isn't the first time that I've been close to someone who attempted suicide either. (SIDEBAR: I have way too much experience with the various causes of death for someone my age.) A feeling of sorrow, shame and guilt washed over me. "How could I let this happen? What if I were there, or had shown more interest or been a better friend?" I asked myself. Tim reached out to me and I showed him a closed door.

It was quickly determined that the primary motivating factor in Tim's attempt was his shame at being gay, and his fear of living an open life. His older sister had come out of the closet some years before and was roundly shunned by their parents. Tim's sister moved out of the country and hasn't returned since. The weight of his parent's reaction to his sister, and societal fear and misunderstanding of what it means to be gay, proved to feel too painful for him to continue living.

My brother and their friends spent the first day with Tim, through the surgeries to repair his lungs and chest. I was anxious. I couldn't sleep much that Sunday night, so I did some research to learn as much as I could about suicide. With the help of my longtime friend Alison Malmon and her organization Active Minds, I was able to find the books, pamphlets and other resources that would help me help Tim and his family. I also turned to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and PFLAG for their many valuable resources.

I worked through the night reading, reviewing, and printing out countless documents on suicide, addiction and coming out. I prepared an entire binder's worth of material for Tim and his family to read. I chose to visit the hospital on Monday at midday, when his friends and parents would be at work. At first I was worried that he would feel embarrassed or ashamed by my presence, or that I would say the wrong thing. Tim and I weren't very close and had never shared more than idle chit chat, but I felt this was a profound opportunity to help him positively change the direction of his life. I packed a bag with some goodies (clementines, peanut butter crackers, some candy, a portable DVD player and some movies to go along with all the information I put together), and headed off to George Washington University Hospital.

I felt anxious as I crossed the threshold of the hospital, but the gentle security guard at the front desk pointed me in the right direction, removing some of the fear. The corridor from the elevator to Tim's room seemed endless. Thoughts of rejection ran through my head like a bad 80's horror montage, but the surprise and delight on Tim's face when he saw me approach his room was spectacular. It wasn't some grand, effusive moment, but I could see Tim's face lighten. I sat in an uncomfortable chair next to his bed while the nurses took their measurements. We didn't talk much because it was March Madness, but he continued to smile. I offered the clementine and he told me those were his favorites. Score one for Justin. Tim was too weak to peel the tangerine, so I had a moment to feel like a dad and take care of him. We joked about hospital food and the poor selection of TV channels.We both agreed that it was a good thing there was college basketball to watch.

I visited Tim every day he was in the hospital. I came twice a day some times, saving him from horrible hospital food and the often creepy company of the various "Nurse Ratcheds" who haunted his wing at GW. One night I hopped into bed with him and held his hand. There was nothing sexual about the move. Sometimes human touch is a more powerful pain reliever than any drug because it helps heal a broken heart. Tim and I would watched movies or play cards until the night nurse told me I had to leave.

Tim told me how he felt it was too hard to be gay. He tried to live a gay life when he was in college, but it didn't work. He often talked about how "society views [homosexuality]." I told him flat out that he needed to change his environment. Living at home with mom and dad, hanging out with unsupportive fair-weather friends, and excessive drinking had helped bring him to where he was at that moment. Tim and I talked about finding his "center" as I call it, and learning how to be happy on his own. I learned a long time ago that happiness isn't a gift from God for good behavior. I wanted Tim to know that he has a friend, and an ally in me, and I showed him that he wasn't going through this alone. As it turns out, an ally is what he was missing most.

We all need a friend who will fight for us when we are weak, lift us up when we are down, and guide us to the path of a better and more productive life. This is the real lesson of Christ's life and what we should remember this holiday season. This is how true Christians should approach gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered, intersex, queer, and questioning individuals. An army of love is more powerful than an army of hate. As a people, we may lose a battle here and there, but the war is ours to win.

Gay marriage isn't about altering a religious definition of the union between two people. Gay marriage is about putting fairness, and respect back into the system. It's about allowing families to stay together, to weather the storms of illness and death as free and equal citizens in the eyes of the law regardless of the makeup of a family. Families come in all shapes and sizes, with mommies and daddies, or just one mommy, or just one daddy, or no parents and just older siblings, or grandparents, or two daddies or two mommies. Love is the only ingredient needed to grow a family, and it is this element that should be nurtured and promoted. We as Americans, as Christians need to focus more on respecting one another, supporting laws that treat everyone equally, and returning to the "big tent" country we set out to be 232 years ago. I'm proud to be a gay American and I look forward to a new year filled with hope.

UPDATE: I'm proud to report that Tim is living an open and honest life, he's found love and is living on his own. He's turned the corner is able to see a happy future for himself.

* I do not actually advocate than anyone be stoned for any reason, unless it involves an EZ-wider and some righteous ganja.

ALSO POSTED AT GLEE.COM/JUSTINSCHUCK + FAITHBASE.COM/JUSTINSCHUCK

Labels: America, Blog, ENDA, FMA, Gay, Gay Issues, Gay Marriage, Holidays, HRC, Human Rights Campaign, Justin Schuck, LGBT, News, PFLAG, Suicide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative provider of photography, design, consulting and event planning services, announced the soft launch of L/A Events’ website, anLAevent.com, via webcast from his family’s home outside Huntsville, Alabama.

“This is only the beginning ... We are actively developing our proprietary system within the company and through partners. It’s very exciting.” company president Justin A. Schuck said as he started his webcast. Andrea Kuchinski, president of After 5 Design and co-founder of L/A Events, designed anLAevent.com and has worked with JSDS on the branding. “The idea for the site and logo is to create modern luxury. We want everyone who comes to anLAevent.com to feel like they are stepping into a boutique. And while we offer services for every income bracket, I wanted to make sure that those using the consultancy also felt like they were working with a luxury boutique.”

L/A Events announced in November that it will push back the release date for aLAevent.com to sometime in the second or third quarter 2009. Schuck sited the news in his webcast calling the move “necessary to ensure that a stable beta version reached the market. I want our site to have the benefit of several months of in-house testing, rather than rushing an unfinished product live. This means we’ll have to push back the launch party to the summer, but in the long run I know it will make the difference.” Schuck continued saying that “a lot is riding on the software package Andrea and Dustin are putting together. Our developers are some of the best minds in the field and this was partly their decision. I’m smart enough to know that when an engineer needs more time, you give it to them. I’m not Lee Iacocca pushing the [Ford] Pinto to market.”

L/A Events also announced the signing of a alliance with Traveller’s Beach Resort in Negril, Jamaica. Not only will L/A provide event planning and coordination services to guests at Traveller’s, but Justin Schuck Photography has been tasked to capture images that better reflect the resort’s style.

Schuck ended his webcast with wishes for a happy holiday season and a more prosperous new year.

PR-LA_Events_weblaunch.pdf

Labels: After 5 Design, Andrea Kuchinski, Big News, Dustin Keefer, Holidays, Jamaica, Justin Schuck, Justin Schuck + Company, L/A Events, News, Photo, photography, Press Release

Originally Scheduled: November 3, 2008
Updated: December 19, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUNTSVILLE, AL – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative provider of photography, design, consulting and event planning services, announced in an online webcast today that it has completed the sale and merger of its various operations in an effort to raise capital and streamline operations.

Earlier this year company president Justin A. Schuck announced plans to sell domain assets, and merge the less successful divisions of the company in an effort to reduce overhead. Schuck also previously announced plans to move the company from Washington D.C. to Dallas, TX. While plans to formally move the company are in the works, the company is not likely to relocate until all restructuring efforts have been completed..

The merger of Innovative Brand Concepts and That’s Sick Viral Marketing into JSDS has been finalized forming the newly rebranded JSDS design + consulting. JSDS is now better capitalized to continue a projected path of growth through 2009, and Schuck also hinted at a new pricing structure for JSDS to better serve companies in the changing market. Acknowledging the company had seen an unexpectedly large number of account defaults in Q2 and Q3 2008 (totaling more than $50,000 in lost revenue), Schuck expects the division to regain full profitability within the next four quarters.

As part of the company’s drive to generate revenue, the Schuck Interactive Group (SiG) was sold to its strategic partner Enterprise Applications PH of the Philippines. JS+Co. will maintain ownership of the SiG domain (www.ischuck.com) and the rights to the SiG name.

“While our domain fire sale wasn’t as productive as I would have preferred, we are in negotiations to sell a bundles of domains, including those not previously listed. These negotiations are ongoing, but we hope to have the completed in the next few months.” Schuck said in his webcast. He continued saying that any unsold domains posted for sale would be sold through an online service.

Schuck said that while this has been a “tumultuous” year for the company, he expects the company to be in a stronger position going forward.

In August, Schuck announced the formation of a new partnership with L/A Events, the world’s new premiere event planning firm. “We’ve started the soft launch of L/A Event’s new website:
anlaevent.com. It’s very exciting.” Schuck continued that “although we are entering a deep recession, Andrea and I feel that L/A Events is in a better position than other event planning firms. Because of our unique partnership with preferred vendors, and the cost savings from our innovative website, we can offer our services at a fraction of the cost.”

PR-Nov3_Update.pdf

Labels: Blog, business, Dallas, design, DFW, Domains, Events, JSDS, Justin Schuck, Justin Schuck + Company, L/A Events, News, Press Release, Sale, Schuck Interactive Group, Texas, washington dc

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative provider of photography, design and marketing services, announced today a partnership with L/A Events of Gainesville, VA to provide a range of event planning services to existing photography and design clients. The new partnership announced this morning by company president Justin Schuck is part of the company's larger goal of "providing more opportunities to give our clients value-added services."

L/A Events is named for the middle names of the founding partners Andrea Lynn Kuchinski and Justin Andrew Schuck. Along with partner Shannon Jacobs, Kuchinski has developed custom invitations for businesses and individuals for special events. With over 14 years in the event photography business, Schuck brings his first-hand experience on both sides of the planning spectrum.

"I've done some really crazy, intense weddings and corporate events through the years. I always talk about this one wedding in 2003 that went from awesome to insane and back to awesome. The church put up scaffolding the morning of the rehearsal, and the bride wanted photos at the U.S. Capitol where the couple met among other things. It was Memorial day weekend and the limo driver disappeared while we were shooting at the capitol – which took a while because of the enhanced security and permit verification process. In the end, we piled the wedding party of 16 into a Honda Accord and a small limo. It was insane, but amazing." Schuck went on to say that the bride and groom still send him messages thanking him for his help that day. "I've had to coordinate permits, lighting equipment, and large staffs for every event under the sun, so it's a natural addition to the business."

Kuchinski, a design graduate from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY began her career in design working on brand development, logos and website design. She brings a conceptual eye and a terrific balance of print and web skills to every project. Kuchinski started planning events in New York and Washington, including several weddings. "I'm excited about teaming up with Justin. We work really well together, and by combining we can do what no other event planner can do: everything, well. I'll never say we're perfect, but we enjoy what we do and that comes out in the process and the final product."

L/A Events will be announcing the launch of it's new website in the coming weeks and asks people to expect a party. The first event of the new partnership is the "Raise for Cancer" fundraising event in Washington DC benefiting the American Institute for Cancer Research in September.



PR-LA_Events.pdf

Labels: business, Events, Justin Schuck, L/A Events, New York, News, Newsworthy, photography, Press Release, washington dc

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, announced today that it will sell a portion of its domain holdings. The following 15 domains will be available for purchase:

ShameClothing.com
ShameBrands.com
ShameJeans.com
ShameDenim.com
AndrewLiberty.com
AndrewTennant.com
FosterIndustries.com
TheFosterCompanies.com
CrackHeadBitch.com
PunkMotherFuckers.com
PoliticsAside.net
MyGayPenPal.com
TimeIsGoingByReallyReallyReallyReallySlow.com
RolleLaw.com
LAgenceDeSchuck.com

The domain sale is set to begin on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 and will continue through September 30, 2008. All the domains being offered will have a set-price of $35 through the sale period. Domains not sold by September 30 will be sold through BuyDomains.com at variably higher prices in addition to brokerage fees.

Any inquires about specific domains should call (301) 300-1350 or email info@JustinSchuckCo.com.

PR-Domain_Sale.pdf

Labels: Domains, JSDS, Justin Schuck, News, Newsworthy, Press Release, Sale, Schuck Interactive Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, announced today the discovery of 3,673 previously unread emails on it's "Deer" server at SIG's Fremont, California collocation facility.

"As part of our reorganization and the preparation to sell company assets, we discovered thousands of emails that were captured and quarantined by the server since January. There are approximately 600 emails sent from JustinSchuckCo.com and JustinSchuck.com addresses that never reached their intended recipients. No error message was ever delivered to any of the affected emails, nor was there any information in the server log." company president Justin Schuck said, clearly shocked by this discovery. "The unfortunate thing about this is that there were vital communications breakdowns on both sides that may have contributed to misunderstandings between the company and our clients. But the vast majority of email appears to be junk mail. We are aggressively sorting and processing these emails and we will address any problem that might surface."

The discovery of the emails comes at a time when the company is suffering from a dramatic loss in revenue brought on by recent client account defaults, as well as rising energy, vendor, and insurance costs.

Any client who believes they have been affected by this server error is asked to call Justin Schuck directly at (301) 300-1350.

PR-Email_Quarantine.pdf

Labels: Blog, business, Justin Schuck, News, Press Release, Security

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON DC – Justin Schuck and Company, an innovative photography, design and marketing firm, was founded just over four years ago by an optimistic entrepreneur who knew a thing or two about success in design and photography. Formed out of the ashes of The Foster Companies, Justin Schuck and Company provides a diverse international clientèle with a complex suite of services including photography, design, and domain management.

Since 2004, company founder Justin Schuck aimed to provide the highest level of customer service with an emphasis on personal relationships and client confidentiality. "Serving high-profile clients in five countries has been an honor." Schuck says. "I've had the great opportunity to meet amazing people and work with some of the most important people in the world."

In a meeting on August 1, Schuck announced that one of the company's largest clients, a political organization, will be defaulting on an invoice of over $5500. This client has canceled future contracts worth over $18,000 due to their pending bankruptcy reorganization. The client's identity is protected by a mutual confidential disclosure agreement that will remain in effect until both parties agree to the public disclosure or if Justin Schuck and Company is named as a debtor in the client's bankruptcy.

Schuck goes on to say, "This will be an extremely difficult time for the company. We are looking into what options are available for us to generate revenue to compensate for the shortfall. With the dramatic rise in energy prices over the last year, we've seen a decrease in the size and scope of many contracts, but we never expected this. When our clients don't meet their obligations to us, especially for completed services and delivered products, it makes it very difficult for us to maintain our financial and contractual obligations."

As a result of this loss of business, there will be some significant changes to the company. Effective immediately, Justin Schuck and Company's newest venture, That's Sick Viral Marketing, will be folded into the JSDS division as part of the consolidation of the business. "Innovative Brand Concepts and Schuck Interactive Group's merger into JSDS will be accelerated in an attempt to drastically reduce overhead. We need to cut our losses while we still can." Schuck contends that the company can come out of this period stronger and leaner, but it's not going to come "without some serious shrinking pains." He adds that "our operations and ability to survive will depend on our ability to renegotiate our existing vendor contracts, reduce labor costs and significantly reduce overhead. We have photography contracts stretching in to 2010 and I want those clients to know that we will be there to capture those special moments."

The company is expected to announce in the coming days plans to sell assets in order to generate revenue, in addition to entering into negotiations with clients who are more than 30 days past due on their accounts.

"If we are not able to secure additional revenue streams it will be difficult to keep our heads above water. I've been doing my part to keep costs under control as much as possible, but as indicated in our recent financial disclosure filings, I have not drawn a salary since May." This isn't the first time Schuck has forgone salary to help his business maximize liquidity. For part of 2000 and 2001, Schuck went without compensation during the reorganization of Foster Companies.

"I'm a tough cookie and I know that in the end, my life will continue to be blessed with new opportunities for success." Schuck said.

PR-State_of_Company.pdf

Labels: Blog, business, JSDS, Justin Schuck, News, Press Release

So I was sitting at my desk listening to the news this morning when a bulletin came across saying that there was a developing story related to a fire on Elm Street in Bethesda.

According to news reports, Pepco was responding to a manhole cover explosion on Thursday on the 4700 block of Elm Street in Bethesda. Pepco employees may have been working on a feeder line into a transformer when the explosion occurred shortly before 10:00am this morning.

Emergency response teams were on site investigating the explosion. As seen in the images here, smoke was billowing out of a vent in the street, and there appeared to be considerable fire and/or smoke damage to a truck belonging to First Class Plumbing, LLC of Virginia. (Their slogan: "We put the Squeeze on Pricing." Their new slogan: "We're Smokin'!")

From a photographic perspective, I was disappointed that there wasn't greater chaos, but I'm glad no one was reported as injured.

Justin Schuck Photography & Video media contact number: 301-760-7476

Read/See the NBC-4 news report:
http://www.nbc4.com/news/13425533/detail.html?dl=headlineclick

Labels: bethesda, Blog, Explosion, Fire, Fire Department, Justin Schuck, Maryland, Montgomery County, News, Newsworthy, Photo, photography, property-casualty, washington dc