June 2011
61 posts
2 tags
“Loving what you do is almost as important as doing what you love, especially if...”
– Seth Godin
2 tags
Creating Mood Boards
Mood boards are something I’m finding myself using more and more to help get everyone on the same page with the styling and tone of a shoot. Basically, a mood board is a polaroid or simple snap shot of your subject(s) surrounded by a few inspiration images on either styling, make-up or the tone/energy/mood of a particular shoot. This one is for a test shoot with a fresh face at Click next...
New Website, New Images, Same Great Fun
A new city and focus deserves a new look. With that said, I’m very excited to release my new and improved website, branding and a whole slew of images. I’ve been working on this identity overhaul for the past several months. It has been a labor of love and I’m happy to send it out to the world. Defining your niche and identity in today’s market is important. It’s not...
2 tags
4 tags
Starting a Photog Business on a Budget
If you’re looking to start up a photography business there are a ton of basic office considerations you may not have thought of. Photography is a business just like any other. You need to remain profitable and present the best product possible to your clients. Inc. Magazine had a great article this month on how to save on some basic office expenses like logos, phone lines, business cards and...
“I would say the more work you’re doing the better you’re getting, the more your...”
– Nick Onken via APhotoEditor
2 tags
“If you are still thinking, “Who will pay me to take pictures?” you are heading...”
– David Hobby
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have...”
– Thomas Jefferson
1 tag
the new tumblr blog
As I move forward with a complete brand overhaul, I’m turning my past blog into a Tumblr. I’ve seen Tumblr grow pretty popular, and am confident it will be a good long-standing social media outlet to get into, while also being able to share posts and be a part of the community much easier.
Virtually all the posts below this, all posted June 1, are from the previous two years on my...
sumo wrestle to make connections
From May 7, 2011
If you’re feeling stagnant on the networking front, it’s time to jump in the ring and start sumo wrestling. Ok here’s why that analogy makes sense. Last week I attended a very cool networking event by Digital DUMBO, sponsored by RFI Studios. Basically it was a gathering of all types of digital professionals – from sound technicians to graphic designers, iPhone ap developers to...
learn to high jump
From April 16, 2011
The bar has been raised much higher than it was before to reach any sort of success in commercial photography. The amount of camera owners now donning the title of “professional photographer” has multiplied exponentially, but the actual number of individuals making a sustainable living from photography has divided exponentially. Gone are the days where technical mastery...
open yourself to the possibility of amazing
From March 27, 2011
I’ve just finished reading two great books that really connect with my new personal vision and how I want to grow my career and live my life. In both A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life by Donald Miller and in The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss there are some real insightful thoughts geared toward living a better life – telling a...
spring into the new season
From March 19, 2011
Temperatures are starting to rise again across the country and everyone is getting ready to enjoy some real Spring weather. It’s that great time of the year symbolizing revitalization and renewal. I wanted to jump into the Spring spirit myself and set up a portfolio shoot at a local plant nursery in Phoenix. Enjoy the images!
confidence, humility and hard work
From March 1, 2011
Being an artist and building a business around it takes immense work. At times it feels a little like waking blindly through a long hallway, and every now and then you manage to hit a light switch against the wall until you hit the next dark part of the hallway and find the next light switch. Ok my metaphors may suck but I think you get the idea. There are many paths,...
americana funarama
From February 19, 2011
I had been looking to set up an Americana photo shoot for quite some time, so I was really pleased when all the pieces finally fell together to make this happen. We had a great location to use down at the Orange Patch in Mesa, Arizona. The mix of old buildings, crates, tractors, orange trees and more gave it just the right feel. Photo shoots like this always require a...
assembling a call sheet
From February 3, 2011
If a call sheet isn’t already a part of your production, make sure it is from here on out. I’ve talked about their use before when shooting for model comps, but thought I’d get a bit deeper on this post and show you mine and how to make your own.
Call sheets are a single page that can be emailed between everyone on a photo shoot that has the proper contact information,...
it has to be real
A Rolex picked up off a cart vendor in Times Square just isn’t the same as the one you’ll get inside the Rolex store. The same can be said for that Louis Vuitton bag off the back of a truck, or those Uggs from the street side table. An imitation is never as good as the real thing – and today’s consumer is pretty good at spotting a fake. It’s especially true with photography.
Real, refined,...
football with the men of ford/rba
From January 4, 2010
It has been a goal of mine to keep working with larger groups, and to start working out of my “younger” demographic. I’ve noticed most of my tests have been with models in their teens and early 20s, so I’m trying to raise the age bar a bit more to round out my book with a bigger range in looks. I’m hoping to set up a shoot or two with an elderly couple as well. I’ve found...
separate yourself from the crowd
From December 30, 2010
If you’re not a fan of intense competition, then the world of commercial photography is not for you. Every day tens of thousands of people are reaching for the same small piece of pie in this industry. It takes more than just passion. Lots of people want “it” but less of them seem willing to put in the honest work it takes to be successful. When it comes to photography...
the space between your ears
From December 23, 2010
Yesterday I asked on my Facebook page what kind of camera followers were using and why they had chosen a particularly brand. The vast majority was split between Nikon and Canon with a Sony and Olympus sprinkled in. Why people were using a particular brand ranged from lens selection to image stabilization to ergonomics to “I’ve got too much gear to switch” and a few brand...
getting over a creative block
From December 18, 2010
Creative block – two words that can conjure up nightmares in any photographer (or any type of creative person for that matter). It can be pretty stressful to ask yourself, “ok what next?” And no answer is coming forth. I run into creative blocks from time to time as well and used to bang my head against the wall trying to get around them. Over the past year though I’ve...
an arizona road trip
From Dec 10, 2010
Road trips conjure up all sorts of images of adventure and fun, and that was the purpose of this road trip photo shoot with Vanessa. There are so many ways to put together a great road shoot, and there are lots more I’d like to do, but this is one that I’ve always wanted to do. A drive down from Phoenix to Picacho and around the old buildings there and the Rooster Cogburn...
in pursuit of dreams
From November 16, 2010
Starting December, my life will take on a new direction. I will be leaving my full-time job and pursuing my dream into the world of commercial photography. The shift certainly doesn’t come without thought, hesitation or fear. But over it all there’s a sense of excitement that I can hardly contain.
To quote one of my favorite movies, the Shawshank Redemption, “I think...
the lanikai girls
From November 10, 2010
Photographing kids is always a blast because of their raw honesty and ability to just go out and have fun. When I was figuring locations for lifestyle photo shoots before leaving for Hawaii, I knew Lanikai beach was somewhere I really wanted to shoot at. This small strip of beach on the windward side of Oahu has the most crystal clear blue waters I’ve ever seen. It’s a...
malia on the north shore
From October 20, 2010
Our second day in Hawaii was spent on the North Shore with Malia, who just signed with Wilhelmina in LA. She’s got a great personality and came ready to tackle the shoot. We started out around Haleiwa (pronounced Hall-ee-ay-va), stopping around Waimea Bay and along the coast toward Turtle Bay. The light with bounce from the sand has such a nice golden cast that it really...
sailing waikiki bay
From October 12, 2010
While in Hawaii I had an afternoon between photo shoots to take a quick little boat ride out into Waikiki Bay for a few travel images. It’s a really great perspective back on the city from the bay. The waters got especially choppy the further we got out. I don’t normally post just travel images, so I thought I’d share a few of these. Enjoy.
the north shore crew
From October 4, 2010
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to post, but it’s been a busy few weeks of travel and then catch-up. A few weeks ago I made a trek to Hawaii with a friend and fellow photographer to shoot for my portfolio. Always expanding your eye, your creativity and your personal vision is so important to be competitive in today’s market. That’s what this trip was about. Trying...
the car wash crew and lifestyle emotions
From August 24, 2010
I put together this quick and fun lifestyle concept a week and a half ago. The idea was to get three friends out having a good time at a self car wash. Splashing and playing around, working the group interaction. Props to 82nd St and Indian School Car Wash in Scottsdale for letting us take over the place for two hours. If you ever need/want to give your car or truck a good...
working with kids
From July 11, 2010
Working with children can be a task. They don’t always want to go along with the concepts you come up with. In fact, here’s a line I got on a kid’s shoot once before.
Me: “Alright, do you want to hold onto each other and spin around?! It’ll be lots of fun.” 7-year-old: “No I don’t want to.”
Well I didn’t quite know what to say to that. I guess I’ve been...
my recommended reading list
From July 4, 2010
Without any formal education in photography, books and assisting other photographers has become a crucial element in advancing my technical and business knowledge. Books are a great resource in providing inspiration, advice, technical data and information on business practices. No matter what level you’re at, there’s a book out there that is sure to help you advance in your...
