IFF Rebrand

December 11, 2015 in Photo

It was an absolute pleasure working on this project over the summer. If you have a moment take a look at www.iff.com for more of my work.

National Football Foundation Annual Awards Gala

December 10, 2015 in Photo

Throughout the football season, records are broken, titles are won, and champions are made, but perhaps the most bountiful memories are supplied by the magnetic December dinner, which annually fills the Grand Ballroom of New York City's Waldorf Astoria.

Since 1958, more than 1,600 of the game's most enthusiastic supporters have gathered each year to witness this showcase and honor those who embody the spirit of the game: dynamic business, military and community leaders; national scholar-athletes; and former greats of the game who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

This black-tie affair is a homecoming for the football fraternity as the audience is graced with former and current coaches, Hall of Famers from yesteryear and generous supporters of the foundation and its mission.

Several awards are presented every year at the dinner. They include the Gold Medal, the highest award the Foundation bestows, the Distinguished American Award, the National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, and the highlight of the evening - the induction of the Hall of Fame Class.

Of the nearly $1 million that the Foundation awards annually, more than $300,000 is awarded during this grand event to the NFF National Scholar-Athletes, who are each awarded $18,000 postgraduate scholarships, with many receiving more depending on the area of study. Also that evening, the winner of the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and hosted by the NYAC, the highest academic award in the country presented to a senior football player, is revealed for the first time.

E. Braun & Co Party

December 10, 2015 in Photo

E. Braun & Co. New York is pleased to introduce The Jesurum Home Collection exclusively in the U.S. Founded in Venice in 1870, Jesurum is a family-managed premier Italian luxury linen manufacturer for remarkable home, yachts, private jets and beyond.

The Collection consists of Classic, Contemporary and Home product lines which offer modern beauty combined with timeless style. Jesurum offers a wide variety of exquisitely crafted designs – all reflecting the company’s signature philosophy “Arte del Vivere” – The Art of Living.

Treasuring the refined spirit of the Venetian culture and its traditions, such as classic laces still woven on time-honored looms and embroidered by expert hands with the skill of times gone by, Jesurum has continued to evolve with new, contemporary designs without compromising on elegance or the current needs of its discerning global customers.

ADT at The Security Investor Conference

December 10, 2015 in Photo

Young Farmers Conference at Stone Barns

December 05, 2015 in Photo

The Young Farmers Conference, at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, is convening some 250 young and beginning farmers for intensive workshops, demonstrations, business courses, conversations and dancing. Part of the Center's Growing Farmers Initiative, the conference is unique in scope and reach, bringing together thought leaders, creative practitioners and business experts in the sustainable agriculture movement with farmers eager for ideas, information and connection.

Young and beginning farmers attend to talk about improvements they want to make to their farms and, for most, dream about the type of farm they hope to have one day. They gather to share ideas, business models, tools and experiences that can help them meet the challenges of small-scale farming.

A study conducted in 2011 by the National Young Farmers Coalition not only quantifies those challenges but gives voice to the frustrations and fears of the farmers dealing with them. Lindsey Lusher Shute started the coalition in 2011 to help define the issues confronting this generation of young farmers and bring about the policy changes needed to give them a leg up. In a nationwide survey of 1,000 farmers, Lindsey found that some of the top barriers impeding them are lack of capital, credit and land.

The annual Young Farmers Conference, together with Stone Barns Center’s Growing Farmers Initiative, is designed to give beginning farmers the resources and information they need to overcome these hurdles, as well as be a vital forum for education and training.

Problem: Lack of Capital and Access to Credit. Finding the money to start a farming operation can be daunting. Inputs are expensive and the margins are slim. Of the farmers surveyed by the National Young Farmers Coalition, 78% ranked “lack of capital” as their top challenge. Yes, there are loans available from the USDA Farm Service Agency, but current rules are too restrictive, small loans are hard to secure and loans can take a long time to process. Financial straits frequently force beginning farmers to work second jobs: 73% report they rely on off-farm income to make ends meet. This year, the Young Farmers Conference is offering a Business Planning Track—a five-workshop series focused on establishing systems to promote efficiency and help farmers find their market niche.

Problem: Access to Land. According to the survey, approximately 78% of beginning farmers did not grow up on a farm. Without inheriting farmland, the prospect of buying land, and at affordable prices, can be unattainable for many, especially for those in areas with high real estate prices. Several conference workshops will explore the access to land issue from different angles, from urban farming to farm ownership.

Problem: the Need for Education and Training. All beginning farmers need hands-on training—both technical and practical. They need to learn techniques and ideas from experienced farmers and have an opportunity to put them to work. The survey cited farm apprenticeships as one of the things that currently is working—and arguably one of the things that Stone Barns Center does best for young farmers, with its dozens of apprenticeships offered annually. As the only national annual conference of its size and scope, Stone Barns Center’s Young Farmers Conference is leading the way in educating and convening young farmers. And it offered up education and practical courses in spades: backyard beekeeping, the basics of soil science, pasture-raised laying hens, greenhouse management, sheep-handling skills, poultry-processing, crop rotation, whole-animal butchering—just to name a few.

To learn more about the Young Farmers Conference visit virtualgrange.org!

Tectonic 2015 Summit

December 02, 2015 in Photo

BNY Mellon and Jefferies 1st Annual Global ADR Investor Conference

November 30, 2015 in Photo

BNY Mellon and Jefferies 1st Annual Global ADR Investor Conference

89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

November 27, 2015 in Photo

A prisoner float goes down 6th Avenue for the 89th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as seen from above street level on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Ben Hider/Invision/AP)

Ben Hider - Event and Portrait Photographer based in New York City and Westchester

Walmart and Governor Cuomo Thanksgiving Food Drive

November 24, 2015 in Photo

The Walmart Foundation's partnership with Governor Cuomo and the State of New York this Thanksgiving is part of its overall commitment to assist communities and families throughout the state. During the past fiscal year, the Foundation donated more than $25 million to charitable efforts in New York State, including donations of nearly 13 million pounds of food to local food banks — more than 10 million meals to those in need.

Walmart Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations Jason Klipa said, "We are proud to once again partner with Governor Cuomo and the State of New York to put a little extra joy on the Thanksgiving tables of thousands of New Yorkers. While the holiday season can often remind us that there are many in need, we hope everybody can find even the smallest ways to help those who are less fortunate throughout the entire year."

Ben Hider - Event and Portrait Photographer based in New York City and Westchester

New York Botanical Garden Holiday Tree Lighting

November 22, 2015 in Photo

Kick off the holiday season! View the lighting of a stunning conifer display by special guests, and join in an old-fashioned sing-along with the Westchester Chordsmen featuring carols from many traditions

Ben Hider - Event and Portrait Photographer based in New York City and Westchester