ARTIST INFORMATION

 

James Lanahan has been deeply involved in the photography and technology markets for 40 years. 

 

- Lanahan began working as a photojournalist for national magazines and international photo agencies while in college in the early 1980's. His photographs appeared in such magazines as Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone.

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- In the 1983-85 timeframe, Lanahan viewed an early experimental 3D computer animation demo tape and was able to work on the first digital video editing system in Hollywood (the LucasFilm EditDriod). These experiences left him with a deep conviction that software platforms and digital hardware processing were about to revolutionize every aspect of image centric communication. 

 

- Upon moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1985, Lanahan took on a business role at a pioneering 3D animation software and hardware developer (working on SGI, Sun and PC platforms). He helped introduced 3D animation solutions to leading TV and film production studios in the US, Europe and Asia.

 

- Based on his unique blend of technology and photographic expertise, he was asked to join Apple in the late 1980s to help initiate and drive the company's digital imaging product, marketing and developer strategies. His work led to the development and launch of Apple's Quicktake 100 camera, one of the first consumer digital camera platforms. Working with Apple USA, he helped set up the market's first digital imaging / photography retail channel strategy. Lanahan was also one earliest proponents of bringing world class artists into the early stages of product development and marketing. In 1992, he established the first corporate artist grant program in the technology sector (partnering with Kodak, Adobe, HP and Supermac) and introduced digital photography / imaging to leading international artists. Later, as Apple Europe's Multimedia Marketing Manager based in Paris, Lanahan helped drive the introduction of pioneering multimedia product solutions. 

 

- After leaving Apple, Lanahan was involved in a number of successful venture funded tech startups focused on developing next generation digital media authoring and social sharing platforms. Consumer and professional level product development during this time included a pionneering real time 2D and 3D asset authoring architecture for PC and online games (1995), one of the first online consumer and professional photo sharing platforms (1998), the first browser based WYSIWYG media story authoring and social sharing platforms using digital photos, video, audio and text assets (2006), the first iPhone and iPad mobile app for fast authoring and social sharing of media stories using personal photos, video, audio and text assets (V2.0 included automated story creation / sharing)  (2011). 

 

- Lanahan returned to his personal photography interests in 2015 to pursue in-depth visual story projects that explore a variety subjects. His first project looked at the construction trades during the building of the new Stanford Stadium. This body of work was published as a photo book called "Straight Lines" (2015).

 

Current on-going projects include: 

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       Status Report     - A long term study of the technology centric ecosystem of the Silicon Valley region (2017-2025).

       Western States  - An exploration of the Western United States that is focused on its people, conflicts and traditions (2015-2020).