In motion

I don't know about you, but I love motion in photos. Static subjects can be quite beautiful but shots where you know something or someone was moving always take the cake for me. I got this shot of my little one the other day. All I did was ask her to shake her head really fast. After I showed her exactly what I meant I got several frames of awesomeness. This one takes the cake.

I'd like to do more of these, but we gave her a haircut tonight. We'll have to see how different her hair moves.

Anyway, that's all for today. I was really excited about this image and wanted to share.

Keeping the ball rolling

I've had a great week! I've had people interested in the work that I can do, and that's exciting to me. What I really would like to do is keep this ball rolling. I know that if I really want to make this my life I need to keep moving forward! A big part of that plan is to make real relationships with my clients and subjects. I want a relationship that could go beyond just a photo and check. Something substantial and real is what's going to make me different.

For a number of years now, my Aunt Karen has paid for Holiday photos of the kids. They're usually taken at places where you can buy underwear and groceries. They charged $XXX for a photo session that lasted all of 15 minutes and then we were rotated out like old stock. Last year, the photo was taken and it was horrible. The photo was way too blue: My kids looked like they were holding their breath! In addition to that, the photo was inadequate for printing a 4x6, let alone anything larger. I was extremely disappointed. Worst of it all, my poor Aunt Karen paid for the photos even though they were just... disappointing.... I loved the photos because they were of my kids, but not cause it was a great photo by any means. That experience inspired me to be better than "those places." Just because they can "have everything you need in one place" doesn't mean they should.... So that's just a peek at what I'm striving to NOT be.

If you've had a bad experience at one of "those places" leave me a note. Don't mention the company name, just the experience and what you liked and didn't like.

In other news, my friend Lauren (both photos on the right) is up for helping me for personal work, and that's totally awesome! We shot a little bit last Saturday evening, but we soon discovered that light fades really fast when you need it to hang around longer. We plan to shoot again soon, and I really excited about trying new things with light (or lack thereof).

I've been trying to think of different themes and ideas to shoot. There's a possibility that I have too many ideas! I really should learn to draw or something so I can get these ideas down on paper. Stick figures are awful models for remembering themes and ideas. :-)

Jackie and Michael

I have a few photos from my shoot with Jackie and Michael this past Saturday. Everyone was really excited about the event because these photos were to document Jackie's pregnancy with her first child. Jackie was glowing, gorgeous, and was the perfect model. Michael was pretty quiet, but took direction well and through that you can see that he genuinely loves Jackie. They're both very excited about the little one that should be arriving in their lives sometime in the next month.

There's a small and grassy alley by my house. I had scouted this location earlier in the week and knew that the morning light would be perfect for just such an occasion as this. The back light was perfect and very romantic and warm.

Thousands of people drive by this place every day. It's practically untouched by humans. I know that there are many other places just like this all around my house. It'll be fun to try to find them all.












Jackie and Michael also wanted some classic black and white photos in my studio. Even in this digital age I still love the look of black and white. When film makes its big comeback, I'll welcome it with open camera backs. Both Jackie and Michael were naturals here, and their closeness is obvious here.

Sometimes as we grow older we forget that we were once young. Perhaps we have something to learn from those couples that have the relationship that these two have.

I really hope that I have the chance to make photos of these two again.

I'd really like to thank Jackie and Michael for giving me the opportunity to work with them. Without someone to appreciate my art and the way I look through the lens I'd just be a lonely man with a camera.

What a week!

So this whole week I didn't post anything. Why? Because I was so nervous about shooting today that I didn't want "OMG OMG OMG" to be my posts for the week. The truth is I was so excited today that I thought I was going to pee myself. I'll be posting some pictures here soon, but I really just wanted to relay that today... I really did live the life of a photographer:
a)I got up early. (holy crap)
b)I ran the kids to my parent's house so I could focus. (dog went too)
c)I got home in enough time to clear the living room (another reason for a studio)
d)My first clients showed up early. Lovely couple. (Known her for years, him only a few months)
e)Shot my first pregnancy photos. It was nice. (I know more about giving birth than the average dude.)
f)Booked it back to my rents to hang out. (well... proverbially.)
g)Went to my parent's town's Harvest Festival. Kids had a blast. (very crabby when leaving)
h)Brought kids home and Caitlyn (lovely wife) took them to McDonalds for dinner.
i)Second client was a little late (traffic sucks)
j)2nd Client and I are dudes though, So I forgave her. (yes, I said she's a dude. proverbially.) (Lebowski)
k)Ended up talking to her more than actually shooting. (excuse to schedule more shooting time)

I hadn't planned to go to Z just so you know.

Oh, to my wife, Cait. I know you'll never read this, but your support has been amazing. I plan on buying you flowers on a regular basis when we have the money.

My Goals

It came to me that I should make goals and see if I can get them accomplished. So in no particular order, here's what I'm thinking:

1)Get my name out there.
2)Get a less-frustrating lens.
3)Get an Alien Bee.
4)Get a better camera body.
5)Get better at client relationships.
6)Perfect my work flow.
7)Find my niche.
8)Find cool locations.
9)Not get arrested (see #8)
10)Provide for my family well enough to become Full Time.

I figure all of those are going to be hard, so this isn't a goal for the next 3 months. I'll be happy if I can accomplish most of that list in 3 years. I think I should start posting a photo with each post, but I'll have to get my internet at home turned back on... That's where my pictures are.

My ex-whatever-she-is and I had a court appearance yesterday. Custody and Visitation is a really ugly thing. I don't agree with what she's doing any more than she agrees with what I'm doing. At least we got child support fixed last month. It'll be nice to not feel crushed financially. Now I'm just going to feel uncomfortably squeezed between two sumo wrestlers.

What's my third thing for today....? Oh, I saw some interest from a few marketing lures I put out there. By marketing lures.... uh... I mean that I announced my business page on Facebook to my friends. I know... I'm quite the marketing genius.... Or so incredibly scared that I made the page 3 months ago and just now showed my friends... Seriously. What am I afraid of?

Here we go.

If there is anything that I've learned it's that everything in this world revolves around relationships. The relationships with your parents, your friends, your loved ones, your kids, your teachers, your boss, your clients.... all of these are important.

For a while, I really thought that in order to get my photography business off the ground, I'd have to present myself in the most professional manner possible. This problem with that is that I have no idea how to be professional. I just know how to be me. I filter myself on occasion, but for the most part, I'm just me. The good and the bad. I've decided that in order to get my business off the ground I need to just be myself to get clients.

In advance, I apologize if what I say has no bearing in photography, or my life, or my business, or... anything at all. I'll just write what comes to mind.... even though it sounds dangerous! Danger isn't even my middle name.

(wow... that was really formal. sorry....and or my bad.)