Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Ahh! - Opps! I Did it Again - Pretty Spots
This may very well be the last post on blogspot.com, my new website has a blog built in and you never have to leave the site. I wanted to post about the photography workshop I hosted this weekend but I'm trying to bite my tongue and wait for the new site/blog which should be live next week. I thought it would make a nice introductory post.
I did think of question that Rekita had asked at the workshop and I thought I would elaborate on my answer. Rekita's question "How do you normally choose your locations that you use for your sessions?" Well most of the time Kita (which I've know for years so I call her Kita) the scenario goes a little like this...
Shane, driving us to where ever our destination may be, out of the blue a gasp of AHHH! from me. Shane has slight panic, (insert indecisive tapping of the brake here) and his reply is WHAT! I realize I must respond in my timid, Opps I did it again voice..."that was a pretty spot". Eye contact about this time....I'm greeted with wrinkled forehead and the look of I can't believe you did it again. I have to admit I wrong...."I'm sorry" I say, "it's alright" he replys. I make my mental note of "new pretty spot" and vow not to that again. Until next time anyway...because there always a next time. Shane's heart now returns from throat back to chest. And that's how most of my locations are discovered.
Happy Wednesday!
I did think of question that Rekita had asked at the workshop and I thought I would elaborate on my answer. Rekita's question "How do you normally choose your locations that you use for your sessions?" Well most of the time Kita (which I've know for years so I call her Kita) the scenario goes a little like this...
Shane, driving us to where ever our destination may be, out of the blue a gasp of AHHH! from me. Shane has slight panic, (insert indecisive tapping of the brake here) and his reply is WHAT! I realize I must respond in my timid, Opps I did it again voice..."that was a pretty spot". Eye contact about this time....I'm greeted with wrinkled forehead and the look of I can't believe you did it again. I have to admit I wrong...."I'm sorry" I say, "it's alright" he replys. I make my mental note of "new pretty spot" and vow not to that again. Until next time anyway...because there always a next time. Shane's heart now returns from throat back to chest. And that's how most of my locations are discovered.
Happy Wednesday!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Self Inflicted Situations
So, I had a moment, not the kind of moment to twirl my hair, lay back have a Snickers, although I did eat a Snickers earlier, a what am I doing moment. What am I doing, freak out moment. Kind like the one I had a couple of weeks when I hired Nick Weeks of http://www.snaplifestudios.com/ to film a interview of myself for the website. I was perfectly fine all day, knew what I wanted to wear, had make-up nicely done and 30 minutes before Nick arrives I lost total control of what I wanted to say. Funny I keep putting myself in these situations, self inflicted situations. I don't sound to bad on my video, just did not say exactly what I wanted to .
So my fear is what if I do the same thing this weekend at the workshop. I've woke up out of my sleep in the middle of the night thinking white balance, srgb color space, ISO, shutter speed, apeture, focal length....etc..etc..etc. Your grabbing your manual right now aren't you. I was afraid that my information would not be enough for some reason. But this morning I wake up to a facebook comment from a long time friend of mine David. Let me copy and paste.....
" I strongly suggest that EVERYONE that reads this should sign up for Kristi's work shops . You will get a WHOLE LOT of VALUABLE knowledge that would take you YEARS to learn on your own.
The Quickest Way to Success and Wealth is to let someone who has already been there to show you the way ... And as you know Kristi is one of this Areas TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS !!!"
Needless to say this made me feel better, it calmed me because he is right, he reminded me that what I will be teaching, breaking it down and spilling every little secret I know. I will be talking about things that has taken me TEN years to figure out, learn and put to practice. Things that should roll off my tongue quite naturally. Some things I'm covering I just figured out a few weeks ago. So, ten years of what I have learned will be laid out on the table. And the value of it priceless. I wish I had someone do this for me when I started out. So, I will be fine, it's just not easy to speak in front of a crowd but, I will be surrounded by friends. Note to self....your gonna be fine, just breath and let passion take over. Happy Friday! Thanks David!
So my fear is what if I do the same thing this weekend at the workshop. I've woke up out of my sleep in the middle of the night thinking white balance, srgb color space, ISO, shutter speed, apeture, focal length....etc..etc..etc. Your grabbing your manual right now aren't you. I was afraid that my information would not be enough for some reason. But this morning I wake up to a facebook comment from a long time friend of mine David. Let me copy and paste.....
" I strongly suggest that EVERYONE that reads this should sign up for Kristi's work shops . You will get a WHOLE LOT of VALUABLE knowledge that would take you YEARS to learn on your own.
The Quickest Way to Success and Wealth is to let someone who has already been there to show you the way ... And as you know Kristi is one of this Areas TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS !!!"
Needless to say this made me feel better, it calmed me because he is right, he reminded me that what I will be teaching, breaking it down and spilling every little secret I know. I will be talking about things that has taken me TEN years to figure out, learn and put to practice. Things that should roll off my tongue quite naturally. Some things I'm covering I just figured out a few weeks ago. So, ten years of what I have learned will be laid out on the table. And the value of it priceless. I wish I had someone do this for me when I started out. So, I will be fine, it's just not easy to speak in front of a crowd but, I will be surrounded by friends. Note to self....your gonna be fine, just breath and let passion take over. Happy Friday! Thanks David!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Thumbprints + Workshop and "They"
As I sit here my fingers can't help but google about the wedding photographers that inspire me. Not just through their images through their determination. While looking back on their older blog post I recognize where they have been, where I am now. I have a knot in my stomach constantly reminding to push, think, research, figure out where is the road that will take me where I want to be. I like instant gratification, things can never happen fast enough for me.
"They" say, and those of you who know me know that I want to meet "They" because "They" have all the answers. But "They" say checking your email to much makes you impatient in other areas of your life. Well, I'm a email checker, there is always a little suprise in there, I love suprises. Mabey thats why I'm impatient but, I'll work on that, narrow it down to a couple of times a day....mabey three, or five times.
Next weekend is a big weekend for me. My photography workshop will be next Saturday and I'm very excited to share my knowledge of the camera. Most responses have been "why are you wanting to teach other people what you know?" Because I'm not afraid, I'm know who I am as a photographer and that has nothing to do with the camera, well kinda sorta but you get my point. Although, I'm always looking for ways to improve because I don't want to ever be stuck, the world never stops changing so neither should I, I would be left behind.
My photographs have my my thumbprint, other photographers have their thumbprint. You could line up 5 different photographers and I could tell you who took what. It's just like getting dressed, we have shirts, pants, shoes but your not going to get up and put the same outfit as mine we don't dress the same just as photographers will not photograph a person or a wedding the same way. My photos have my personality in each and everyone, my relationships that I build with people help me photograph their personality, my emotion to the situation moves me to press the shutter button and that is why no one can copy me. You may go to the same places I use, but our photographs are going to different everytime.
I would like to thank everyone who is coming, I'm very excited to know that you want to hear what I have to say.......I think I might have worn Shane out. He says that I haven't, but it will be nice to have fresh ears. Now, off to the reality of laundry, cleaning and cooking! Oh! I also want to thank Melissa Cook she will be catering our lunch...she always has different yummy meals. Funny her last name is Cook! Happy Sunday!
"They" say, and those of you who know me know that I want to meet "They" because "They" have all the answers. But "They" say checking your email to much makes you impatient in other areas of your life. Well, I'm a email checker, there is always a little suprise in there, I love suprises. Mabey thats why I'm impatient but, I'll work on that, narrow it down to a couple of times a day....mabey three, or five times.
Next weekend is a big weekend for me. My photography workshop will be next Saturday and I'm very excited to share my knowledge of the camera. Most responses have been "why are you wanting to teach other people what you know?" Because I'm not afraid, I'm know who I am as a photographer and that has nothing to do with the camera, well kinda sorta but you get my point. Although, I'm always looking for ways to improve because I don't want to ever be stuck, the world never stops changing so neither should I, I would be left behind.
My photographs have my my thumbprint, other photographers have their thumbprint. You could line up 5 different photographers and I could tell you who took what. It's just like getting dressed, we have shirts, pants, shoes but your not going to get up and put the same outfit as mine we don't dress the same just as photographers will not photograph a person or a wedding the same way. My photos have my personality in each and everyone, my relationships that I build with people help me photograph their personality, my emotion to the situation moves me to press the shutter button and that is why no one can copy me. You may go to the same places I use, but our photographs are going to different everytime.
I would like to thank everyone who is coming, I'm very excited to know that you want to hear what I have to say.......I think I might have worn Shane out. He says that I haven't, but it will be nice to have fresh ears. Now, off to the reality of laundry, cleaning and cooking! Oh! I also want to thank Melissa Cook she will be catering our lunch...she always has different yummy meals. Funny her last name is Cook! Happy Sunday!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Taking Risks, Goals & Dreams
I'm the type of person that once I set my mind to something, get out of the way. If I'm presented a chance, I jump. Well, I just jumped and as of right now I will be falling for a many months before I land. Guess that's why it's called a risk.
I have a goal, sometimes life, house, laundry, awesome kids, and time to get your hair-highlighted can become obstacles to reach goals in a timely manner. What is my goal you ask, to be solely a wedding photographer. It has been a goal since day one of playing around with a camera and thinking, pretty much out of the blue, I wanna be a photographer, a wedding photographer.
The sounds of a wedding day, the decor, the shoes, the sights and smells of colorful flowers, the sparkly things dangling from the reception table tops, the emotions of the controlled chaos of weddings is where I feel I belong. So, I'm going for it, I want it, I want my photos in the magazines. I had the privilege of working with another photographer years back, a wedding we photographed was featured in a magazine, some photos are mine that I took, I want to feel that again.
I love to build relationships with brides and I enjoy being around them on their special day, only a few months back they were a stranger and now the entrust in me to document their wedding day. They know that it's important to me that they experience their day and that's part of my job...to let them experience their day. Wedding are just my niche.
My new web site is being built around weddings. Fear not my clients I will still be photographing my sweet families and my cool seniors for the time being, I still love that, I just need to focus on one thing for my family and my brides. It's like doctors, you have your ear nose and throat doctor, your heart doctor and your foot doctor, they choose to specialize in one area. That's what I'm doing..specializing as a wedding photographer. I'm will not lie it's scary for me to do this but if I don't start somewhere, I will never reach my goal.
I write this post not only to encourage someone to take a risk and shoot for their dreams, but for myself as documentation of the day I jumped.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, Begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it, Begin it now.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
No one knows what he can do until he tries. - Publilius Syrus
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.- Joseph Campbell
Happiness depends upon ourselves.- Aristotle
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.- Mark Twain
You must do the things you think you cannot do.- Eleanor Roosevelt
I have a goal, sometimes life, house, laundry, awesome kids, and time to get your hair-highlighted can become obstacles to reach goals in a timely manner. What is my goal you ask, to be solely a wedding photographer. It has been a goal since day one of playing around with a camera and thinking, pretty much out of the blue, I wanna be a photographer, a wedding photographer.
The sounds of a wedding day, the decor, the shoes, the sights and smells of colorful flowers, the sparkly things dangling from the reception table tops, the emotions of the controlled chaos of weddings is where I feel I belong. So, I'm going for it, I want it, I want my photos in the magazines. I had the privilege of working with another photographer years back, a wedding we photographed was featured in a magazine, some photos are mine that I took, I want to feel that again.
I love to build relationships with brides and I enjoy being around them on their special day, only a few months back they were a stranger and now the entrust in me to document their wedding day. They know that it's important to me that they experience their day and that's part of my job...to let them experience their day. Wedding are just my niche.
My new web site is being built around weddings. Fear not my clients I will still be photographing my sweet families and my cool seniors for the time being, I still love that, I just need to focus on one thing for my family and my brides. It's like doctors, you have your ear nose and throat doctor, your heart doctor and your foot doctor, they choose to specialize in one area. That's what I'm doing..specializing as a wedding photographer. I'm will not lie it's scary for me to do this but if I don't start somewhere, I will never reach my goal.
I write this post not only to encourage someone to take a risk and shoot for their dreams, but for myself as documentation of the day I jumped.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, Begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it, Begin it now.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
No one knows what he can do until he tries. - Publilius Syrus
The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.- Joseph Campbell
Happiness depends upon ourselves.- Aristotle
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear.- Mark Twain
You must do the things you think you cannot do.- Eleanor Roosevelt
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
~Handy-man to Fiance~ Gadsden Wedding Photographer
She says he spoils her, she really loves that about him. Candace and Cole meet in college, he was her neighbor, her friend and her handy-man. Whether is was something broken in her apartment or a broken heart, Cole was there to fix it. Yes, he listened, consoled and gave her advice on her love life...which formed a beautiful friendship between the two.
Cole holds a state record in basketball, Candace told me more than once, you can tell she is so proud!.
It took some time for Cole to confess his feelings for her but, time was on his side. I think they make a wonderful couple and I'm honored to document their love for one another.
Candace presuded her career as an RN but I think she looks like a model.
Cole now teaches his talent by coaching a JV basketball team. Click here to view their slide show. People in love, what an awsome thing! I guess that makes me a lifestyle photographer of people in love!
I'm waiting patiently for my new website and blog. I'm working with Dustin Tanner at Simple Pixel Media and it's going to be faboulous, I'm so excited. Should be ready close to March.
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