Sweet Custom Cakes

Mmmhhh yummy yummy cakes!! Had an awesome day shooting with Sarah of Sweet Custom Cakes. She also fed me some delicious cupcakes! See below... Wonderful raspberry and chocolate icing... oh man it was to die for!!

Thanks so much Sarah for a fantastic day!

Diana and Her Boy Maverick

A wonderful session with Diana, her wonderful dog Maverick and a beautifully sunny morning!

Photolosophy

Been chatting with a new friend about photography a lot in the last 24 hours. I apparently have a philosophy about photography now!

Strange, but I guess I do. So lets see if I can figure that out based on that conversation and some public ruminating.

1. Photos are an important way to catch reflections of ourselves at various times and places. Ourselves as an individual, community, nation, world. There are iconic images that will last, some that come to my mind immediately are: 9/11 Falling Man, National Geographic's Afghani Girl, a pregnant Demi Moore, the Buddhist monk on fire. Photos help build a collective conscious and for this reason the act of taking pictures won't die out. There is always a place for my pictures.

2. Everybody looks better lit. A light source is needed to make any image at all (sunlight, flashlight, fire light, star light) but there is nothing wrong with helping out an image with some strategically placed strobes. I try to light my photos in this way as much as possible.

3. People are important. If you take a picture of someone, making them the dominant part of the picture is key. I prefer having my people front and centre. If I'm gonna take a picture of a couple I want most of the attention on them as a couple... put them front and centre, that's why they're there.

4. Be a geek. Geeking out about something = passion. If you're passionate enough about something to think and talk about it all the time, you're living the life. Too many people walk through life without passion, energy or excitement. Find that passion, be passionate, live passionately. I'm passionate about photography.

5. Learn much and learn often. I fail and make mistakes all the time. Sometimes I repeat those mistakes but it just means I haven't learnt my lesson yet. Study, read, try, fail, try and fail again. I shoot better pictures now then I did last year at this time. I know next year at this time I'll shoot better pictures then I do now. This can only happen by learning much and frequently.

6. Be driven. If you want it, go get it. I passed the "I wish I had..." stage of photography last year. "I wish I had a camera," "I wish I shot pictures of people," "I wish I was better at...." Do it, make it, create it, think it, build it, realize it, become it. Also, dismantle it and restart.

7. Deliver for your customers. If someone wants photos from you, take wonderful passionate photos for them but follow that up with the best darn customer service you can friggin possibly offer. Deliver and then over deliver on customer service.

8. Promote the pants off yourself. Talk about it everywhere and to everyone who will and won't listen. Take pictures of and for everyone and everything. Spread the word, hand out your card. You could take the best pictures in the world, but if no one knows about you, how are you going to be successful at it.

9. Know your history. Learn where photography has come from. Everyone knows the saying, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." What's photography's history. What are the failures, successes, struggles and triumphs of the well and little known photographers who bring us to where we are today? Learn about Alfred Steiglitz, learn about Man Ray, learn about Robert Capa. Know who Joseph Nicéphore Niépce is. Understand what a photograveur is, or what rayographs are. Learn what has influenced photography. Once you see the influences of the past, you can predict and determine the future.

10. Technological proficiency is a must. Natural skill, talent and luck will only carry you so far. I firmly believe that my natural skill and talent is very slim. Luck has and always will play a big part in my picture making abilities...it has to, there are too many variables. To make up for that lack of natural abilities, knowing my apertures and shutters and ISOs and how to light and even how to efficiently use technology to post-process images is massively important to my photography becoming better.

11. Shut up and take the picture already. After all that's what I love. Pick up the camera, adjust the settings, push that button, expose the film to the scene you've created and just shoot it now.

More soon...

You're Kidding Me Right?

So today I did my usual morning routine of getting ready to head into the day job, which generally consists of checking the following: facebook, various work, photography and personal e-mail sites, twitter and quickly glancing at my blog reader. (Yes, all before even setting one foot on the floor).

Usually there's a lot of interesting stuff on the blog reader, some fun things/photography things on facebook, not much on twitter, lots of work email and no personal emails. So imagine my surprise when I saw two notes from two different Kijiji ads I posted back in January, inquiring if I'm a female photographer.

"Yes, I am female.

Cheers,
Kathryn"

Got into the day job office and noticed there was some e-mail sitting in my personal account. It's a note from "Sweetheart" (fake name to protect the ignorant) and oh glory be, she's: "Looking to hire a female wedding photographer."

OH how lucky! I happen to be both female and a photographer! So far I'm winning!!

The wedding is in December, there are two days of festivities, and they are looking for a professional who can offer the following "styles:" candid, traditional, portrait, "fun/offbeat," and romantic. Interestiinnnnnggg....

It gets better....

My eyes bugged out at this part:

TERMS
1. Before agreeing to any contracts we must meet the actual photographer and see a portfolio of their work which must include proofs from at least one entire wedding, as well as your portfolio of "best shots."
Okaayyyyy.... a bit strange on the "proofs from at least one entire wedding" thing, but fairly standard otherwise.

2. We will not purchase any photo/print/album packages upfront before we receive our photos.
Again, okayyyyyyyy..... we have a cautious couple who aren't wanting to spend the $ on crappy pictures.... why are you hiring a "professional" if you're putting in this condition? You should be able to predict the results you'll be getting since you'll have seen the proofs from AT LEAST one entire wedding that I've shot and my "BEST SHOT" portfolio!!

3. We require a CD with high-resolution images of ALL photos taken including any "retouched" photos.
WhAT!? You want every single image? Including the "I'm checking the light levels and blinkies" shots? wHAt!? You want to remember the giant pimple you had on the tip of your nose that suddenly appeared on the morning of your wedding and then see how good you looked after I healing brushed it out!? WAHT!? You think you're going to tell me you don't want any advance print packages but you want a disk with ALL retouched and raw images and I'm not going to realize that what you're doing is taking the final ones to WalMart or Costco to get .30 cent prints of your most precious memories?!

4. We do not need our photos arranged in albums or framed. After our wedding, we plan to order prints and albums at which point we would be happy to discuss these items with you.
UHhhhhhhh...Seriously, do you think I'm THAT much of an idiot?! See response to "Term" 3.

5. The wedding pictures taken during the first event cannot be shared with others or be part of the photographers portfolio due to a religious accomodation request (These pictures are specific to the bride but others may be used.)
Okay, fair enough, you have a religious custom that needs to be adhered to...I get that, no pictures of the bride at the first event in my portfolio...not a problem.


Sweethearts e-mail then proceeds to tell me how they are holding a very large wedding and that they "hope to share our special day with a photographer who is flexible, easy to work with, has a good personality and a sense of humour." Yeah alright I get it....but can I write up "TERMS" that require my bride, groom and wedding party to be flexible, easy to work with, and not require me to do the following?


"HOW TO APPLY" (uhhhh did I find you or did you find me? This isn't Workopolis or Monster people)

Please apply through email with information on your experience/work, website, or resume (say what? June 2, 2006 - Smitherman Wedding, June 31st, 2006 - Johnson Wedding.... are you gonna ask for their names, addresses, phone numbers for references and then my SIN for a credit check?)

Please also include the BEST RATES (their emphasis) that you are able to offer us as we would like to narrow it down to a few photographers that we are interested in considering.

Thank You

Sweetheart and Prince


NOOOOoooo!!! THANK YOU! For providing me my first taste of wedding photography hilarity/ridiculousness.

I considered "applying" for this wedding. Really, truly, I did. I considered how nice it would be to purchase a D700 and a 200 f2 and how fun it would be to have some interesting photos for my portfolio. Got home tonight, sat down and read over the e-mail again. Highlighted the important bits, wrote in pencil my questions/concerns and what a potential response might be. Thought about that D700 and 200 f2 again...reallllly thought about it... and then went. NAHHHHHHHH FORGET IT!! I don't want the hassle, aggravation, pain, exhaustion, negotiation and probably an unpaid bill.

I am still considering sending Sweetheart and Prince a polite e-mail stating what my rates would be and that I would be unable to give them ALL of my pictures without them paying a large fee for that exclusive privilege.

Sorry, Sweetheart and Prince, someone else may be desperate enough that you'll pay them the price of a point and shoot from WalMart, but it's not me. I value my time, and abilities more than that.

More soon...

New Pocketwizard W00T!

Oh man! Hurry up and get the Nikon versions out there already!!! I need me some new Pocketwizards....

Although maybe this means the old "pick your nose" style Pocketwizards will be cheaper??
Yeah, I doubt it, since they've made the new Flex and Mini backwards compatible...sigh. One thing I did notice is how much the new Pocketwizards look like Elinchrom Skyports except with hot shoe mounts on them.
What this does mean is that I need to keep trying to make some more photography related money, or save some more photography related money to get my hands on some Pocketwizard goodness. There's going to be an 8 month lag time in letting the Nikon versions out..right guys?

More soon...

Facebook and Terms of Use

So in January this year Facebook decided to changes it's Terms of Use (TOU). They now say that:

"You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses."

While I'm not too surprised that with the crazy obsessiveness people use Facebook these days that they've decided to change the TOU to something a little more all-encompassing and long-term, I dislike the fact that anything that I now post in promotion of my photography is now "owned" by Facebook. Likewise with any pictures I've taken that a client posts on their own profile. The moment it now appears on that Facebook website, Facebook can do whatever they want with it and do not have to compensate you for the use of it. You have no say in anything that they do to any information that you've posted, any opinions that you've made, or works of art that you're sharing.

A major part of what irks me is that it appears Facebook has decided to retroactively put this clause in place. There wasn't general notification to users in January that the Terms of Use had changed and that to me is being irresponsible on Facebook's part.

Not sure what this means for my posting portraits on Facebook for clients to see and share with others. Do the risks of Facebook picking up my stuff to use for promotion ad infinitum outweigh the costs of me servicing my customers and clients who in all reality will probably post any photos I've shot of them to Facebook anyways? Probably not. Still is something to chew on though.

More soon...

Photo Featured in BlogTO Article!

It's not everyday that a picture of mine gets used in public media, so it's kinda cool when an older photo I submitted to an online publication, BlogTO, suddenly finds it's way into the sunlight.

Definitely not one of my favourite pictures I've ever taken, but it's served its purpose here!

Check out Lauren Wilson's article: "Digging for Underground Supper Clubs in Toronto"

More soon...

I'm a Litte Tired

It's been a busy week.

My 2009 is filling up really quickly it seems. Between shooting photos, editing photos, reading about shooting and editing photos, my job, volunteer activities, hanging out with friends, and just doing all those every day normal things like eating, coffee drinking, laundry, house cleaning and what not, I think I'm going to be a busy gal!

This is good.

A dating relationship that I was in for a number of years, ended over two years ago now. I've dated a bunch of guys in the mean time, but nothing that's lasted. It's tough to be single and watch those around you quickly meet wonderful guys and form lasting relationships.

Now what I'm NOT saying is that photography is filling a void in my life or that I'm desperately wanting to date someone.

No, in fact I'm realizing that even if I wanted to date someone right now, there just isn't the time to put any effort into it. That's great! All those late night phone conversations, dates, worrying, anxiety...effort... is being funnelled into something productive. And even better... a life goal; one that doesn't depend on someone else to make me happy.

I can shoot pictures for myself, when I want to, or when I've set aside time to shoot for someone else. It can be at midnight, middle of the day or early in the morning (uh that one's probably not going to happen often). I don't have to please photography. I can't let it down. It won't get upset if I'm late. It doesn't get annoyed if I'm in a crappy or whiney mood. I don't have to cook it dinner or worry if it really cares about me.

All that is really cool!

Even though I'm tired or maybe even borderline on exhausted I'm happier than a clam.

More soon...

Fine Dining Style Photography

Last week Thursday world renowned wedding photographer David Ziser wrote a post about how photographers, specifically wedding photographers of course, present their work to their clients.

His point was that too many photographers worry about quickly getting their just shot pictures up on their website so that the can quickly sell them to their clients. It's all about getting the quick turn around sale on a stack of prints and then moving on to the next event.

In the post Ziser is having a conversation with a friend about their work flow. The friend comments that: "It's not the time it takes to photograph the subject that takes up most of our time at my studio. Most of our time is spent editing the images and then creating our list suggestions for how the client might use and enjoy the photographs."

This got me thinking about customer service in general.

It's true, most bride's don't dream in wedding albums, they dream of the pictures that they see in bridal and fashion magazines. Crazy editorial setups that show them feeling and looking their best at a moment in time. So after you've determined which are the best 300 or so images to show the couple, then what.

Ziser's friend's suggestion of conducting a presentation session that shows off the couple and your work makes sense. Setup that presentation room. Set the mood, turn down the lights, offer a glass of champagne and a platter of tapas and show off their photos set to music. Then, sell them their options.

Maybe this means not showing them all 300 or so images. Maybe this means showing them the best 50 or 80 pictures of the batch in different frames at different sizes. Show them what a potential wedding album can look like in a leather bound and embossed book, or as an 8x10 framed in mahogany.

So why put in all this work in the first place?

Well, because you should, because it's what will differentiate yourself from every other photographer that's out there. Because wedding photographers are sometimes sleazier then a used car salesman, it's important to make the couple feel like they're the only client in the world that matters to you. It's very likely that they're not, but in that hour time slot they've bought into the idea of your photography and your artistic skills, so sell them on the best options you can give to enjoy what you've worked so hard on.


Caring about everything that happens after you've shot the photos is where you make your money and generate repeat patronage. Shooting and burning your images is the photographic equivalent of standing on the street corner hooking for your dollars. It takes some effort but being the high class full service photographer will bring more business and more money in the long run.

More soon...

Being Taken Seriously

Had a conversation today with my friend Isaac. He's just getting into this photo chimping thing and was showing me the newest camera that Pentax has released which, interestingly, is white. Yeah, you heard me...white...See? Have a look for yourself!

So our general consensus was that we're not liking the white so much, and more specifically the white with the little black accents...it's just...well...all wrong. Isaac wanted to know if other camera companies had gone white with their DSLRs ...I didn't think they had because - I reasoned - most of the other camera companies have people who want their cameras to look pro and unfortunately in this industry that means just black.

From there we got on to the conversation of looking professional and what that means ie: showing up looking like you can handle a photographic situation competently, being able to impress and please the client etc.

Now I'm just going on pure reasoning and logic here, but it seems like an industry full of creative types who have an insatiable desire to be remembered and differentiated from the others in the pack would want to have a camera that looked different from everyone else.

If Nikon offerred a bright red camera body tomorrow...I think I'd be out there trying to trade in my D80 body for the red one. Don't get me wrong, I love the blackness of my Nikon gear but it'd be fun to have something that made my camera and in turn myself stand out from the crowd.

Think of it this way. You meet a client you do a great shoot, you're personable, warm and friendly, you're efficient and they love the results you've churned out of your camera. In short, they're pleased with the entire photographic experience and by some miracle you've managed to turn it out without a hitch.

Yeah, totally unrealistic, but it's my scenario.

Lets say now that you did that entire shoot with a blood red camera. They could get their pictures done by some other photographer who has the same old boring black camera but what will they mention when they're trying to remember your name to ring you back?

"Hey Billy Bob, what was the name of that photographer with that crazy red camera?!" Yeah that's right, it's called differentiation and recall... just thought I'd toss in some marketing type buzzwords for y'all.

So seriously now, why does an industry of creative types insist on having boring black cameras? Nikon, if you're listening, it's my idea, you can have it, but the least you can do for me in payment is send me a blood red D3x, really...how hard is that.

More soon...

Warm & Sunny

It's nice and sunny today and although still cold outdoors my office feels really warm which is nice when you're under the weather.

Found a few cool links for ya'll to check out:

1. A DIY Flash Gel Kit - So doing this at some point...although I do have coloured transparencies that I purchased from Michael's Crafts and having just bastardized my flash with velcro the other day I may just test those out first.
2. Brad Moore - ex-Joe McNally assistant and current Scott Kelby assistant shares his "I screwed up bad" story.
3. David Tejada's Basement Bounce...hmmm think I'm gonna keep this in mind for my basement studio.
4. The husband and wife team at Del Sol Photography and their blog at FlashFlavor.com are huge inspirations for me. I want a cave in Mexico where I can regularly stage cool shoots like these.
5. I want me one of these.
6. And most of this reading list.
7. Cool performance art?
8. And how can I use this mouse for photography evil?

There's always cool photography stuff on the net. Don't know if I'll do this update daily, or just collect the ones that I love and share it at some point. We'll see.

Photoshoot tonight...which I can't wait for!

More soon...

Unveiling the Plan!

So for the last few weeks I've been hinting at a special project that I'm going to be working on, and well today is the day to unleash those plans on an unsuspecting world.

First, the reasoning.

Today is my 27th birthday. I'm now three years away from my goal of being a profitable photographer and for the last month I've been trying to figure out how I can improve both my portfolio and my skills. The barrier to this being a lack of actual commissioned work.

I've been doing a lot of running around shooting things as they happen in the community taking the photojournalist route of learning this craft, but it's time for me to work on my studio work. That's a little scary to state, but having tried a bunch of different things out this year, and having conversations with fellow photographers, I've come to the conclusion that: 1.) Wedding photography is not for me 2.) I don't want to be locked into a pure portrait based business either 3.) Although I love the concept of photojournalism and becoming this transient being that roams the world shooting in the face of danger...that's not me...I love some stability. 4.) Commercial photography (what you see in magazines etc) is really where I want to do my work...whether that's in fashion or commercial portraiture... ideally I want to shoot people, but I want to see my pictures in Vogue, in the fashion spreads of Vanity Fair...you know...that sort of work.

So working backwards from my goal...how do I work to achieve that.... Many people do a photo a day project where they work hard to take and post a picture each and every day for a year. Yeah I tried that in the spring...didn't go so well.... Okay so there needed to be both a timeline and something that would allow me to not get caught up in the intense daily process.

Okay okay...so the plan....

Starting today and ending in 2009 on this day I'm going to do a photoshoot a month for FREE...haha NOW you see it all coming together don't you. The ideas can be suggested by people, I welcome volunteers to be my subjects, but for the most part the shoots will be my doing from concept, sourcing, planning, execution to completion and posting to this blog, my flickr account and my website that I'm working on building.

So here are the rules I'm setting out for myself:

1. One shoot a month.
2. Shoot must involve a lighting setup of some kind.
3. Shoot must be FREE and for the building of my portfolio.
4. Shoots must involve people...not necessarily "models" but
5. I must still shoot for myself a minimum of once a week.
6. I must share my successes, failures and photos with you.

There you have it! Feel free to suggest ideas for shoot themes, volunteer yourself to be in the shoot, suggest locations for shoots to happen!! Really I'm open to any possibilities that this project may present.

Next year at this time I hope to have 12 amazing shoots to look back on and yes, the project starts tomorrow. I have a shoot at 5:30 tomorrow night that is mine all mine.. I'll share pictures when they're ready!

More soon...

Just Some Pictures

Not much to say tonight. It's really cold outside (a "feels like" temperature of -22!) so I hunkered down at home for most of the day.

Ventured up to the office later in the day to deliver files to a client and shot some pics. Now enjoying some hot tea...my throat is killing me...



More soon...

Shooting for FREE

Okay, so this is a double edged topic for most photographers. Trying to balance out the idea of making money for shooting pictures and also getting the opportunity to shoot pictures in the first place by not charging money for it.

Really this comes up today because of a post on David Hobby's Strobist site. Have a read, and this post might make more sense.

For the last while I've done a lot of pondering about this interesting dichotomy and had been reading some things that helped me form my opinion....

So, here is what I think of it.

YES, it's perfectly acceptable to shoot for free. I would say this even if was pulling down major bucks to shoot on a full-time basis.

The reasons? You ask?

1. I refuse to shoot anything at a discounted rate. The rate I would charge someone for a shoot is the rate that is required for me to meet my basic costs, pay for my skills and training, the maintenance of my gear, storage of final files etc. Discounting my rate hurts me, devalues my work and devalues the industry as a whole. If I'm not going to shoot it at full value then I'll shoot it for FREE. But...

2. Shooting for FREE happens when one of two requirements is met: a.) I've created the project from scratch, b.) I feel the proposed project would otherwise not happen because the person/group is unable to pay for it and that project is worthwhile/will have added benefits down the road.

3. I'm in the process of building my portfolio and shooting what I want for that portfolio means having to come up with the ideas myself = doing it for FREE.

4. Doing things for FREE gives me opportunities that I might not otherwise get if I were to charge people for them.

5. The possibilities that can come out of me setting aside some personal time to shoot projects for FREE are endless.

All of this comes up at a very opportune moment. It makes me really happy to see that my thinking is in line with a lot of photography's heavy hitters and I feel like my plan (yes, still being vague) is right on the money.

More soon...

Scared

Today it's become painfully obvious to me. I enjoy the taking, processing, planning, creating pictures thing way too much.

My heart is just not where I thought it was, and I think most people know that now. I know there are two places where my heart does lie...but to make that change scares me pantless.

So thought I'd share a note I sent a friend:

"I'm scared that three things are becoming painfully obvious to a lot of people:
1. My heart just isn't in this magazine thing any more.
2. I'm too distracted by photography related things.
3. I need to sell my place.

What's scarier is that if I do all of the above ...
1. How do I make my income
2. I like the lifestyle i can sorta afford right now.
3. I want to cry

So there yah have it ... a really honest glimpse at my life right now. To make matters worse I have a parent that's encouraging me to setup a studio in the family business offices and I'm not sure who in the family I can really talk to about all this. I work for them and I don't want upset/disappoint them.

It's tough.

More soon...

Shoot This Week!

So the craziness continues...

I've got a shoot lined up for this Thursday night at 9pm. Shooting a boxing training class and then doing a model shoot of people modelling a fitness clothing line. Very very cool.

It's not a paying gig, but I've decided that getting out there and shooting whatever comes my way is more important than the money that comes from it. I'd rather shoot for FREE to build my portfolio so I can start to charge what I'm worth than having to beg, borrow, and steal for people to want me to shoot them and then charge a reduced rate. My philosophy: get paid full value or not at all.

Debating on whether I hand the guy an invoice when I deliver the final images and mark it as paid to show him the value of what I do, or if I should just leave it. I'm leaning toward the marked as paid invoice.

In the mean time. I'd like to pick up at least a shoot through umbrella between now and Thursday. Unfortunately, it looks like the only time I'll have to do that is on Thursday night several hours before I do the shoot ...and that makes me a little uncomfortable. I don't want to be figuring out how to setup my new equipment on site. But I think the lighting would be softer using a shoot through than if I used my bounce umbrella. Will have to think more about this.

Later tonight I'm planning to work on editing and posting some more pictures from this past weekend's activities.

Work-Passion-Life Balance is definitely coming into play rather quickly...

More soon...

Inspiration

It's a funny thing this inspiration stuff.

In an artistic medium - writing or photography - you're always looking for this sort of thing. It's a constantly elusive quality. You need it to keep going from day to day and when you don't have it you're desperately trying to find more and any source to give it to you...come to think of it ...it sounds like a fricking drug addiction!!

Well it was and amazingly cool thing to hear today that I'm an inspiration to a young budding photographer. Isaac's work is really great! He's got an awesome eye for colour, exposure and composition and I can only imagine that he'll become a photographer of note as the year's go on.

So Issac, thanks for the notes I read today! It truly brought a huge yet humbled grin to my face, and a sense of responsibility for what I do photographically. To know you enjoy my work and draw inspiration from it makes shooting all that more exciting. Keep sending me your questions! I'll keep answering.

So to all the people I'm inspired by in my photography, both those that I personally know and those I have yet to meet.. THANKS! Your work truly inspires me. It reminds me why I love taking pictures and why I'm pursuing this passion.

More soon...

Interesting You Say??

Yes, very interesting weekend.

There was the Ten Thousand Villages Christmas Festival all weekend at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto (shame on you for not going! I don't care what your excuse is!)

Okay, well unless that is your dad played with the puppy and is now suffering from injuries mostly seen in young pro-athletes. Ha ha...poor dad.

Spent the majority of today sitting with dad in the hospital getting his leg looked at and wrapped up in a temporary cast. We went for the traditional crap I hurt my leg celebratory meal.. McDonalds drive through. This time however it was not marked with the hilarious statement "Oh, sorry for keeping you waiting!" uh...but I'm off my point and that's a story for another time.

So volunteering for stuff can be extremely tiring. You're up early, you put in a lot of effort, and you do the "happy networking face" even though you're dead tired for a few days solid, and is often the end result of using said "happy networking face" you get some "happy networking face results".

This is what I'm trying to get at. Had a lot of AMAZING conversations with people this weekend about my passions: language, writing, publishing and PHOTOGRAPHY!

Some interesting opportunities have presented themselves in the publishing area...although this one I'm a little hesitant to go for...it's politicky, and maybe not the politicky that I'm okay with. But we'll see.

The photography opportunities are really really exciting though! A friend of a friend would like me to shoot some pics for their body building portfolio...OOhhhh so cool! Earlier this year, this guy won either first or second place at a competition my photographer friend was shooting one of his friends at...weird hey? Regardless, the ideas are percolating through this messy brain of mine. Potential shoot date of next weekish sometime.

The second photography opportunity is with a girl/young woman that attends the youth group I've been heavily involved with for the past five years. She goes to an arts high school and loves photography herself and had mentioned to me how fun it would be to do some shooting with me. So on Friday night when I saw her we sat down and had a quick chat about my ideas for doing a shoot real soon at my new offices.

SHE LOVED IT! So either next week, or another time real soon, she's going to come over after work and we're going to play! Can't wait!!

I also can't wait to share the results with all of you!!

More soon...

Lessons I've Learned

Okay, I thought I would continue the lessons learned part of my last post on another day, but I'm feeling like I need to wrap a few things up in the next few weeks before the next stage begins and so I'll post them now. (Yes, I'm being deliberately cryptic :D).

Further things that I learned in the last year:
-To stop saying "One day I will ______" and just start doing ______;
-That practice may make perfect but sometimes perfection is elusive;
-Digital allows you to make mistakes over and over and over again until you figure out the right way to do it;
-Film is so underrated;
-Patience may be a virtue but I love getting results now;
-When you love a hobby you don't care how much time you spend obsessing over it;
-That it helps to have charged batteries when taking pictures;
-That it also helps to have empty memory cards when trying to take pictures;
-Flickr can become a great way to get praise: "Love my photo! Please tell me it's as great as I think it is! Hello? Anyone?"
-You can have more photography related magazines than you have time to read and still keep getting more;
-Suddenly you critique every picture ever made right down to the ISO, how the model did or didn't flex her foot, or the post work on her left eyebrow;
-Although I've never met them, I have weekly meetings with Kelby, Hobby, McNally, Prihoda, Talkington, Jarvis, Laforet and Ziser;
-Being nervous as hell is okay, just remind yourself that you know what you're doing;
-Making mistakes is all part of learning. Keep screwing up, you'll keep growing;
-Lens envy is a very easy disease to catch;
-So is camera envy;

But most importantly I've learned to shoot what I love.

More soon...

My Story

So the story goes like this.

I've always taken pictures, not usually of people or friends, but whenever I would go somewhere I was out taking pictures of the places, the architecture, the things I saw, what was happening around me. My parents would often comment "Weren't there other people there with you?"

I can recall going to an art festival at the cottage one year, and seeing these awesome black and white photos of trees in the mist. "Very cool," I thought, "but I could take that same picture, if I had a good camera;" and that's where I'd always left it.

One day at work a really nice camera arrived. I was super jealous of this really nice camera, but really excited because now I had access to a really nice camera on evenings and weekends. I would beg and borrow this camera drag it along to places when I could and even had the chance to do some really wicked shoots for work with it. But it just wasn't the same as having my own.



Then in March of this year, a few areas of my life all met roadblocks. I was looking for a creative outlet and had been joining a friend on several photowalks around the city while he worked on his photo-a-day project and then it hit me: "Put up or shut up!" I told myself.

I called my friend to meet me for lunch and to help me pick out my new camera. Linda, as she would later be called, came in a bright gold box that said D80 on the side. It was the happiest day of my life! Uhm err...okay probably not THE happiest day of my life, but it was pretty darn exciting.

This has led to many really awesome photography experiences over the last year.




I've shot:
-Zombies looking for brains downtown Toronto
-Hundreds of people bashing others with pillows
-An air race in Windsor
-A wedding
-The youth group I volunteer with on a retreat
-An independent fashion show
-A Soling regatta in Kingston, ON
-An auto show
-Friends and family for fun, Christmas cards and websites
-LOTS of architecture

I've learned:
-How to use my camera's light meter (haha)
-How to make a stick-in-a-can
-How to use studio lights
-How to get my flash off camera
-What bokeh is...and that out of focus does not equal bokeh
-How to obsess over every magazine, book and new product on the subject
-How to spend more money on photography gear in my mind then in reality
-That Starbucks sleeves make for fabulously cheap snoots
-That it doesn't matter how expensive your camera is or how many megapixels it has, you can still make beautiful photography.
-That any light source really counts as "natural" light...cuz it's still light right?
-While shooting movement, triple tapping your shutter usually brings something cool and unexpected on the second or third frame.

I've learned a lot more than that...and maybe that's another post for another time.

More soon...