Russell Sparkman

Current

• Co-founder, CEO at Fusionspark Media, Inc.

Past

• Freelance Photographer, Consultant at Sparkman Photo Imaging (Nagoya, Japan)
• Staff Photographer at Northeastern University

Education

• Northeastern University

Recommended

4 people have recommended Russell

Connections

107 connections

Industry

Online Media

Websites

• My Company
• My Blog
• New Media 2012 Event

Russell Sparkman’s Summary

I was on my way to Japan to work and live as a photojournalist when, in 1991, I was shown a little application called "Photoshop." In February, 1992, I took a 5-day course in Photoshop at the Kodak Center for Creative Imaging in Camden, Maine; for all intents and purposes, that 5-day course turned into a concentrated year and a half of studying digital imaging and multimedia with some of the best talents in America.

I still moved to Japan, in 1993, where I did a variety of things, from co-authoring best-selling Photoshop books, to freelance travel photography, to consulting projects with companies such as Toyota and Epson about digital photography. One project led to another until in 1999 I co-founded Fusionspark Media, Inc.

Fusionspark is a unique multimedia communications company focused on the application of authentic, online digital storytelling to expand awareness of important social issues. Our work has been focused primarily on the environment and health.

One of our greatest achievements over the past 6 years is demonstrating to the Florida Department of Environment Protection how authentic, photography-based storytelling can be an effective approach to persuading the general populace that protecting water quality and quantity in the state is a shared responsibility.

My goal is to continue to expand on the projects produced by Fusionspark Media. We manage all aspects of projects, from development of original concepts, to securing funding, to production of content and development of web sites.

Russell Sparkman’s Specialties:

As CEO, Founder and Executive Producer for Fusionspark Media, I am involved in all aspects of the company's business, from large project conceptualization, to new business development, to sponsorships/partnership development, to producing and project management of large, media rich web presences. I also act as principle photographer for many of our major projects.

Russell Sparkman’s Experience

• Co-founder, CEO

  Fusionspark Media, Inc.

  (Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Online Media industry)

  January 1999 — Present (10 years 11 months)

  As a Co-founder and CEO of Fusionspark Media, Inc., I am responsible for all aspects of the business, from new business/new project development to executive production of our projects.

• Freelance Photographer, Consultant

  Sparkman Photo Imaging (Nagoya, Japan)

  (Photography industry)

  August 1993 — April 2001 (7 years 9 months)

  I ran my own business in Nagoga, Japan, for eight years. My background in digital photography during the early '90s kept me busy with great projects, from co-authoring Photoshop and digital photography books, to demonstrating high-end, high-resolution digital photography capture and workflow to Toyota. The seeds for my company, Fusionspark Media, were planted in Japan, where I was able to successfully negotiate a two-year sponsorship of a groundbreaking web production called One World Journeys.

• Staff Photographer

  Northeastern University

  (Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)

  August 1985 — April 1992 (6 years 9 months)

  Staff Photographer in the Communications Office. Between the student body, staff and faculty, Northeastern University is the size of a small city, and my duties as staff photographer meant covering the campus, editorially, as "my beat," for both newspaper and magazine use. It also involved work that a photographer in a small city might be called upon, from brochures, to portraits, to documenting events, prominent speakers, etc.
  
  Honestly, it's one of the best jobs I've ever had!

Russell Sparkman’s Education

• Northeastern University

  B.A. , Political Science , 1988 — 1992

  Produced independent photodocumentary projects as Political Science projects; took a 9-course series in Journalism, Public Relations and Expository Writing; Graduated Summa Cum Laude.
  
  Worked my way through school as the Staff Photographer in the university's Department of Communications.

Additional Information

Russell Sparkman’s Websites:

• My Company
• My Blog
• New Media 2012 Event

Russell Sparkman’s Interests:

Professional Interests: Photography, video and audio for compelling interactive storytelling in support of communications initiatives. Personal Interests: My kids, SCUBA diving, underwater video, Mountain biking, Snowboarding, Bass guitar

Russell Sparkman’s Groups:

Chair, Economic Development Committee, Langley, WA
Member, City Council, Langley, WA
Member, Board of Directors, Whidbey Institute of Contemporary Arts (WICA)
Member, Board of Directors, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
Member, Travel Industry Association of America,
Member, American Association of Museums

•    Inbound Marketers - For Marketing Professionals
•    Coworking
•    Linked:Seattle
•    ThoseinMedia
•    New Media, Social Media, and Social Networking Participants
•    Social Media Marketing
•    FOLIO: MediaPRO -- Magazine & eMedia Publishing Professionals
•    Online Media Jobs -- Work in Internet Marketing, E-business, Web Analytics, etc.

Russell Sparkman’s Honors:

2001 - Laureate, Computerworld/Smithsonian Honors Program (for use of Information Technology to Benefit Society) for One World Journeys; see case study at:
http://www.cwhonors.org/Search/his_4a_detail.asp?id=4183

2003 - Best Web Production for FloridaSprings.org; Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
http://www.floridasprings.org/

2003 - Outstanding Online Reporting for FloridaSprings.org; Society for Environmental Journalists

2005 - Silver Davey Award for Wakulla Spring: A Giant Among Us
http://www.floridasprings.org/exploration/featured/wakulla/

2006 - Yahoo! Pick of the Day for Water's Journey: Everglades web documentary
http://www.TheEvergladesStory.org

Presenter, 6Sight Conference, Monterey, California, October, 2006

Co-author, Essentials of Digital Photography, New Riders, 1997 (Japanese and English)

Co-author, Photoshop A to Z, BNN, 1995 (Japanese Only)

Author, Collage with Photoshop, BNN, 1994

Presenter, ThunderLizard Conferences, mid-90s

Russell Sparkman’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• getting back in touch