Zappos is all about traditions, past, present.. and those yet to come. We're trying to do our part in the photo department, by creating the new ones, and honoring the old ones. Our newest tradition was birthed from a conversation about pies... starting the monthly Bake off challenge!!!

There was a plethora of sweets from buckeyes to Bananas foster! Everyone that wanted to compete brought in their sweets, and they were judged by panel of judges chosen at random. Our judges were Kaya, our stylist, Taurie, a photographer, Lacy and Joe, who are both Production coordinators. They Chose three winners based on presentation, best flava and honorable mention. And the winners are...

(insert drum roll here)...

*Best FLAVA*- Carol D... who made cherry cobbler... it was flava-licious

*Best Presentation*- Theresa S ... I made Bananas Foster

(PS.. ice cream+ 100 degree Kentucky summer = melted bananas foster )

*Honorable mention*- Andrea 'Andi' L., who made Buckeyes.. and they were scrumptious!



Other entries were submitted by:

Carla B. made Hello Dollies

Lynn E. made no bake cookies

Debbie A. made peanut butter fudge

Abby B. made chocolate fudge

Angela S. made chocolate fried pies

Stayed tuned for next month's cook off challenge!!! An 'Iron Chef' inspired cooking tournament!

Written by Theresa S.

It is difficult to fully express the intensity of the relationships formed between co-workers in this fast-paced, ever changing environment. Occasionally, though, that intensity manifests itself in moments of dramatic, theatrical declaration. It was indeed a heart sweeping moment when supervisor Dan C. appeared in the Live Studio, draped with pink plumage, calling out to photographer Jeremy I. The lights dimmed, the music ("What is Love" by Haddaway) filled the room, and we all stared as Dan and Jeremy embraced and danced in perfect unison. It was a beautiful beautiful expression of creative teamwork. And, as the photographs prove, Jeremy and Dan make a beautiful team.



Written by Beth H.

Yes, we have no, bananas!! Working here at Zappos, you just never know what you may encounter. One thing is for sure, if you are a night worker, and something is left on your desk with your name on it, (so everyone will know that it belongs to you and you alone, otherwise everyone thinks all things are common) you never know what may be there to greet you when you return the next night. You can definitely be assured though, it won't look like what it did when you left!

Ahh!! Such a lonely looking banana. Jimmy must really think that this is a treat that he wants to enjoy tomorrow. Or, Wait!! Was he actually starting something that he was testing all the rest of us daytimers with? Well, Jimmy, we daytime members are a little more educated than what you give us credit for. Yeah! I guess we showed you!

So, next time you leave something behind, be prepared to have everyone get their hands on your banana! This was fun for most, but was not "appealing" to all of the others. But this is for you, Jimmy M.........


Written by Mark S.

Here in the photo studio the photographers and photo assistants have an advantage others team members don't have, we get to see all the new arrivals that will be joining Zappos.com web page. During the week bothcthe A and B shift photo assistants and photographers can prep and photograph 100's of new handbags, footwear, eyewear, electronics and more. New products, we love them and they love us. So much so that it seems some products have a way of joining in the fun and creativity. I'm not sure if it's magical dust that falls off the packaging that make the products come to life... or that it's just Friday but fortunate for you I have been able to capture this strange phenomenon. This may be a case for the X-Files.



Photos Top L to R- Photo assistant Tracy P. has a little tag along as she preps the handbags, while Ki M. and photographer Sandy L. seem to have been hynotized into trying out their new products. Hey Ki, we'll take 2 Whoppers please! Sandy, you make a lovely bride.

Bottom row: L to R : Having been taken over by a pair of Pleasers USA, our sweet, mild manner senior photographer Katie B. has had a total personality change that photographer Shane R. enjoys. Behave Shane! And finally, was it a good or a bad joke, which ever the case, our photo
assistant April S. can't seem to stop laughing. I think the devil made her do it :-)

Click on their names to view the products on our site!!

Stay tune for more, the truth is out there!

Written by: Cameron T.

Every month the photo department gets a cake for everyone's birthday of that month, and to welcome the new comers to the department. There is so much cake going on in that department!

I guess the person making the cake didn't think that newbie was the right word or they thought it was a person? Either way, it's funny!

Welcome New Bies! :D

It began as a simple photograph of our new mannequins, for posterity purposes. I was uploading my image and showed it to a couple of coworkers nearby. Being the creative bunch that we are, we innocently thought of fun ways to alter the picture using photoshop. Then without hesitation Steven T. challenged me to a photoshop duel! Thus began the "Iron Photoshoper Challenge"!

The rules were very basic:

1) You must use the photograph of the new mannequins.
2) Size: 8.5x11 inches
3) Dpi: 72 - 300
4) You can manipulate the image any way as long as Photoshop was used.
5) BE CREATIVITY! Yes, creativity, which is more then just creative!

We had the whole weekend to work on our project, but both Steven and I kind of procrastinated until the last minute. I spent an hour or so working on mine with the idea of an 'Antarctica Nude Beach theme' since our mannequins were not clothed. Steven decided to take his mannequins to the dance floor! He even added a break-dancing mannequin!

On the due date, we anonymously turned in our pictures so the judges wouldn't be swayed by the artist. Our judges were Taurie M. and Jimmy M. who were both present when the challenged commenced. They decided to judge based on image quality, color consistency, technicality, creativity, angle accuracy, and overall presentation using a scale from 1 - 5. After all the points were tallied up, my picture won out. However, both pictures were rated very high for creativity which was the whole point of the challenge, so we were both winners!

'Iron Photoshoper' was a really great, friendly competition that pushed us into taking it a step further - to be more creative and think imaginatively! I hope that we can start a new trend and have more Iron Photoshoper Challenges in the future!

Written by Abby B.

Working at Zappos allows us use our creative geniuses and most of all, our inner children get plenty of exercise!! The entire warehouse in Kentucky celebrated our Zappos spirit throughout the week, allowing us to wear plaid and blue from head to toe, pj's, shave mohawks and other fun activities. Friday's designated theme was 'Crazy Day'. So going with the new warehouse theme of 'Superheroes', I thought it would be a fun idea to dress up like superheros instead! Our entire department came together on this, even going the extra step and using 'gods and goddesses' names to help us uniquely choose our characters.



From left to right:
Ashley P. (photographer) chose Aphrodite as her superhero goddess. True to form, her 'inner flower child' made Aphrodite into a play on words using instead AFRO-dite!! She wore a toga made out of curtains, a giant afro wig, and allowed us to paint funkadelic grape vines all over her face and collar bone! Ashley's said her reasoning behind Afrodite is to be the "the goddess of all things funky."

Angela T. (senior photographer) dressed as a super version of Persephone, goddess of transformation and Queen of the underworld. She is a child of the earth, living a double life with her mother on earth, and her dark husband in the underworld causing the worlds seasons to change from summer to winter and back. "This is my life!" Angela thought, when choosing what goddess to represent her!

Abby B. (photographer) chose to dress as the four-armed Hindu goddess, Kali, who is the goddess of time and change, often associated with death and destruction. She is also revered as the redeemer of the universe, as well as thought to be a benevolent mother-goddess. Abby chose this eastern deity because of the complexity of Kali's personality - with time and change we come to face many obstacles.

Taurie M. (photographer) was dressed spunky and tom-boy-ish as her chosen goddess Artimus. She is the Greek goddess of courage, known for being athletic, adventurous and a free spirit that can not be tamed!

Carol D. (senior assistant) dressed as the goddess Isis. When asked why she chose this goddess, she said "Because Isis controls all magic, and she's Egyptian, which is interesting to me."

Carla B. (assistant) chose a siren goddess, Lorelei who lived in the ocean and sang sailors to their deaths with her beautiful voice. Her costume was based on water and many shades of blue to reflect the ocean.

Theresa S. (photographer) had a goddess made up of her own, a name that started out as "Princess Couture" was changed to simply "Coutura" by her fellow team members, and will now forever be known as "the goddess all things high fashion".

Jenny H. (assistant) chose to be the goddess Bastet. With a cat head and a human body she is the cat goddess and also a deity over childbirth and motherhood. This was an obvious choice for Jenny because she spends tons of time with her nephews, and her love of cats!

Angela S. (product info) is representing Mania, the goddess of insanity in Greek mythology and goddess of the dead in Roman mythology. The outfit, and random feathers in her hair are supposed to represent both of these mythological goddesses.

I hope that we can always celebrate our weirdness and express ourselves as individuals at this amazing company!!

Written by Theresa S. & a collaboration of the super goddesses!

Oops, I mean "Safety" Olympics.

Here at the Zappos FC, we've been celebrating National Safety Month with various activities including Safety BINGO, the "HOOP"LA basketball challenge and the great Safety Olympics.

What exactly is this you may ask? Well, it's a timed obstacle course testing the knowledge of cart safety, proper lifting techniques, incident reporting procedures, and blade safety. In an effort to build a positive team and family spirit (CV#7), on a beautiful Wednesday evening, we went to cheer on and witness our fellow team members accomplish greatness! Finishing with a time of 3:26, Angela, Theresa, Kaya, Naomi and Lacy represented us loud and proud! Great job you all!!



P.S. The Bejing 2008 Olympic Games begins August 8th and ends the 24th!

Written by: Taurie M.

Even though Zappos never sleeps the photo department does slow down. Photographers and their assistants can stay busy updating the older pictures on the site, but the people who enter in the product information occasionally have to seek out something to do.

Late one night, after moving from one photographer to another completing all work possible, Angela (our PI girl) was bored. While talking to an assistant, Matt, she picked up some yellow putty the photographers use to prop up shoes and began making a three dimensional triangle.

By the time she was done it was a crazy cat lady with 6 kittens!! I snapped a few photos of it and posted it on the background of my computer.

Her creativity with a tool photographers use all day made everyone happy. People began throwing out suggestions to see what she could come up with next. Her creations went anywhere from a Koi pond, snoopy & woodstock, a derby horse & jockey, a clothespin and even a drunk guy on a beach!!

One of my favorites is a sculpture of a photographer. It was about four inches tall looking into an Orbiculight with a camera on a tripod, photographing a shoe. I couldn't help but think of the irony of me, a photographer, taking a photo of a photographer made out of putty, photographing the same way as if I was taking a photo of a shoe.



What will they think of next?!! *If anyone out there has suggestions, send them to us and we might be able to make it happen for you*!!

Written by: Andi L.

It just so happens that I came into work today, only to find everyone in the Photo Department crowded in the middle of the room. At one moment I could have tricked myself into believing I was back in 2nd grade. Everyone had out their markers, decorative pieces, and all other sorts of randomness!

Last week everyone in the department had their photo taken whether they liked it or not. Okay, that would probably just be Carol on night shift (who's photo turned out absolutely stunning)! We were told that they would be used for a Team Building exercise sometime in the following week. Turned out, today was that day!

As I approach the center of the room, and take a closer look, I notice everyone is designing a fish with their photo from last week on it. You've got people going absolutely all out on theirs, coloring of all sorts, fuzz balls and other designs on the fish.

The reason behind this activity was inspired by the book titled " Fish" by: Stephen C. Lundin. The book focuses on how to take an ordinary job and make it amazing. It gives tips on motivation, team building and the famous "Choose your attitude" which means it is up to you to decide if you want to be reactive or proactive about the things that happen through out the course of your day. So along with their own photo, everyone put something that inspires them on their fish, with everything from known lines such as, "With my mind on my money and my money on my mind" thanks to Alex M., or the more randomness of Beth H. simply stating, "Vegetable." You also have Dave J. who wins the award for "Most Original Design".

Night shift took part in this activity just a few hours later. Everyone had a great time writing quotes of inspiration and decorating. It brought our fellow co-workers closer together, which is something we constantly strive for here at Zappos.com

"Just Keep Swimming", as Dan C. would say.

Written by: Dave W. and Angela T.

As of June 13, 2008 Stephanie Tang's photographer ID is no longer in circulation. Her ID, 827, was retired today as she left through the studio doors one last time. The Photographer ID is a number that is unique to each photographer in the Photo Dept. For the last month and a half team members have been at a loss with the ever so rapidly approaching departure of Mrs. Tang.

We consider ourselves blessed to have worked with her during her 5 year tenure at Zappos and none of us were ready to see her leave. Sure, we are all lucky. Who wouldn't consider it an honor to have known and worked with Stephanie. She paved the way for so many of us and we are all very thankful for what she has done. When you work with someone like Stephanie you realize that the Zappos.com Core Values are more than a mission, they are a lifestyle. She embodied each and every single Core Value and when you work with someone of this caliber it is hard to say goodbye! We wanted to do something special, in her honor, to let her know just how much we appreciated all that she's done.

We were able to fashion two Zappos t-shirts with the addition of her Photographer ID and the name of her last round. One of the shirts was given to her as a going away gift and the other will hang from the rafters of the Photo Studio. We felt that this would be the ultimate sign of appreciation, just as it is done in all major sports. As she continues to pave paths for others we hope she has a blast under her umbrella, drinking freshly brewed coffee, while splashing through puddles of water in newly purchased galoshes. So, from all of us here at Zappos, "Have fun in Seattle!!!"

Written by: Mike M.

That's what kept running through my head as I choked back the tears while driving home today. I can't say I had no idea that I would feel this passionately about a co-worker leaving but I guess it really has to be put into context to understand.

It struck me in the middle of her big send-off. Thankfully the lights were off, and as the good-bye video played itself out in front of me I thought back to everything it took to get where we all were today.

She wasn't just another employee- she was one of the cornerstones in a department that I remember just three short years ago. She was there before our core values had ever been set and I believe that she was the inspiration for all of them. Even though I was a photographer, before I ever set foot in the door she was the one who taught me how to shoot shoes "the Zappos way". Her passion for the company was scary at first but you couldn't help but be inspired with her around. She gave you all the security of being cradled in mothers' arms and you felt like you were part of a family at her Thanksgiving dinners, after reading hand-written Christmas cards that would melt your heart, and pep talks that gave you the courage to go on even after you had thrown in the towel.

As I watched the video of 72 people saying their goodbye I realized that most of them never knew what it was like. What kind of staggering growth their company has gone through in such a short time. In my three years she was one of the few constants amid a sea of continual change. That kind of dependability is invaluable.



I lost something very close to me today. All I've ever known about this place you taught me, and it scares me to think that I won't be to others what you were to me. Good-bye and good luck Stephanie. You are Zappos.

written by Dan C.

I had the pleasure of interviewing the woman that started it all for us in photo department recently... before a very tearful goodbye as her and her family move to another state to better their lives and leave their loving Zappos family behind. I won't go on because we are so passionate about her that a few people in our department are writing about her and our hawiian style farewell... but here are some of her final words about her life here at Zappos, how much Zappos has meant to her and her advice to all of us in the future.

Steph, if you are reading, you will be happy to see that I did not include the part about your nasty toe fungus ((wink)) LOVE YOU!! And promise us that you always follow your yellow brick road, for it is only there, that you will find your Emerald City.

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-How has Zappos changed you as a person?

I've grown up at Zappos, from 22 years to now 28. I have been through everything, deaths, marriage, and the birth of my two children. I used to work in health care with elderly terminally ill patients and being here has given me the other side of the spectrum. People here are positive, uplifting and look forward to their futures. Being here has helped me really learn how to communicate with people on their own levels, not just in my own way of communicating. I've also learned what it is like to have a really great job. I know now what to expect in a company and what my needs are for myself to be happy.

-What was your most memorable time at Zappos?

Probably life in W1, at the very beginning of my career here. It was my first warehouse job ever and things were very crazy. We didn't have HR in KY yet and there was very little management. We would go out to lunch every day and had a lot of out of the ordinary fun times.

I will always remember and take with me the constant passion that occurs at Zappos that I call the "Zappos high". I will take that with me wherever I go.

-What was it like shaving your head 3 years ago for the "bald and blue" tradition, and would you do it again?

It was LIBERATING! And yes I would do it again. I felt like it proved my dedication and love to Zappos.

-I hear you are quite gullible? Tell me about this...

Well, I guess I eavesdrop a little sometimes, I have big ears or something, but I would hear other people's conversations while I was shooting and sometimes I would jump in the middle of them without being invited. I guess sometimes I wasn't listening as well as I thought and had confused some of the information, then some of the photographers would joke about what I had thought I heard and really had me going a few times. I even believed a couple of photographers were going to get a house together and all kinds of crazy stuff. I totally believed them!

-What will you miss most about working at Zappos?

The relationships with people I have made here. I want to keep Zappos as a big part of my life somehow for years to come. I will miss the exciting changes and new adventures with new products and company development.

-What is something weird about you that not many people know?

I would always park pretty far away in the parking lot in the mornings so I would have time to self-motivate on the way into work. I would honestly think about the core values and try to make a plan on how to use them that day and leave everything else behind.

And because of how often this has come up in the photo department, I am very aware of how often I blink my eyes. So many people have commented over the years that I seem to stare at them or I weird people out when I talk to them so I try to look around so no one thinks I am trying to burn a hole in their head. http://blogs.zappos.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif

-Do you have any advice for the newcomers on the team?

Break out of the mold as soon as you step in the door. Be ready to become something new, go with the flow, and HAVE FUN!


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THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts - and KEEP IN TOUCH!!

Last night the B shift photo department had a going away party for our beloved Jeremy I. and Travis A.

Luckily, Zappos is not losing these fine boys completely, but our shift will have some big shoes to fill now.

Jeremy has been working at with us in the photo department for around 11 months. He has been an asset to the apparel department during his 9 months on B-shift Photo. Next week he is transferring to A-shift Photo!

Travis, has been working at Zappos for almost a year. He has been working as a very helpful photo assistant in the apparel studio for the past 3 months on B-shift Photo. He will be venturing back out to the FC as a C-shift Receiving team member.

One of our apparel photographers, Abby, had an opportunity to ask them a few questions during the party:

Q: What are you going to miss the most about B-shift photo?

Jeremy: I am going to miss pranking A-shift with the annoy-a-tron. Since I will be on A-shift, I won't be able to play pranks on them with the annoy-a-tron, but I will miss working with the B-shift crew, and 11 o'clock trivia!

Travis: I will miss everyone's sense of humor and inside jokes with random people!

Q: Are you excited about your new position?

Jeremy: I'm nervous about waking up so early, but excited to have my nights free!

Travis: Yes! It presents me with new opportunities to better myself.

Q: Tell me a memory from working in B-shift photo.

Jeremy: Winning the annual photo Beard Off! (After 12 weeks Jeremy won the beard off and donated his winnings to Dreams with Wings.)

Travis: The going away party with great food, especially the awesome queso and dirty rice!

Q: Do you have any parting words of advice as you venture onto your life outside of B-shift photo?

Jeremy: In the words of our old pal Joe C. "Liquor before beer never fear. Beer before liquor never sicker."

Travis: Make sure when you are in the LS, (the apparel studio) everything is straight, steamed, and ironed or there will be heck to pay, HECK I TELL YOU!!

GOOD LUCK GUYS WE"LL MISS YOU!!