Wistful

There's a feeling that accompanies good photography. Anyone worth half their salt, takes the best photos when they themselves are in a good mood. Photography is about creating something bigger than yourself. I'm not saying that it's impossible to take good photos when you aren't in a great mood, but I certainly think it's impossible to take great photos. When you're in a good mood, that energy seems to channel through to the images you capture. The vibrancy and outright beauty of the moment.
All photographers can tell you about certain shoots they have been a part of, in which they felt, "on." The shoots when they seemed on fire and every shoot seemed perfect and genius. I think it directly correlates to their happiness.
With that in mind, may I present to you, some of the things that have been MY happiness in the past few weeks!
First, Mark, my love and fellow photographer was gracious enough to let me focus on him more than a couple times over the past few weeks!



Next, Chad Givens, a dear friend, asked me to do a photo shoot with him. This is one of my favorite images, seeing as he works as an Elvis impersonator. While nothing about the shot screams Elvis, I feel the idea comes through subtly. Additionally, he is the lead singer of a country band.


And lastly, Sarah Nester (though she'll always be Sarah Smith to me!) One of my best friends ever, and willing to indulge my trigger finger! I rarely see my best friends (ladies, you know who you are) and when I do, I can't even begin to explain how great a mood it puts me in!


These photos, they are examples of the great mood and feelings that have overcome me in the last few months. I'm happy, I'm content. And as a result, my photography is shining through.

learning the settings

Sometimes photography is simply maddening. I hate when i get bound up in the mechanics of setting up a shot and miss the moments.
To whit, I have a new camera, I've used it before, but rarely to shoot in color. It's now my main camera, and there's a bit of a learning curve. Meaning I've got to get myself up to speed on adjusting ALL the settings on the fly, before I can hope to function at the speed that I'm accustomed to working at.
I feel like I'm relearning to ride a bike.

It's frustrating, but necessary. And there's no avoiding it.
Most important is sorting the color settings as I move from sunlight, to shade, to indoors.
My subject is named Ana, and she was a total sport for humoring me as I practiced. Thank you for your patience!

inspiration

It's funny how and where my inspiration comes from. And how unexpected it can be. It's also an odd fact that, the more photos I take, the more I feel like an impostor with a camera. It takes a certain amount of pride to announce to the world that you are a photographer. And while I love what I do, I know that there are so many more talented people than me out there. It seems, the more photographs I take, the more I realize I have to learn. I guess that's the beauty of a hobby though right?
I do this because I love it. Because it lets me show people, literally, how I see things in an instance. It's like inviting someone into my mind, and letting them see the beauty.
My inspiration comes from so many things. Sometimes, it's as simple as a feeling of hope and wonderment from an event that happens in my life.

Children inspire me.
Children are perhaps my favorite subjects. They are completely unpredictable and a worthwhile session takes patience, smiles, and constant vigilance. Fortunately, when it comes to children, I have these qualities. The utmost joy that I capture in sessions with children inspires me to try to capture that happiness and reckless abandonment in their older versions. Children remind me to strive to achieve the same emotions in in all of my other sessions.

Easing back

In the past two months my life has changed drastically. In that time I've decided to step back from my hobby, and embrace my "real" career again. Don't mistake me, I will never step back from taking photographs. I still love to take them. If possible, I love to edit them even more. It's a funny feeling. When you take a photograph with an idea in your mind. That you know that you can "create" given the time and the tools. Though I think there's a lot to be said for those pictures that come out perfect, unedited.

Do you like processed photos better? I do. I feel it's true art, because it's the physical know how to take an awesome photo in the first place, coupled with the stylization of an idea that lives in the artists head.

It was a huge turning point for me to stop taking and creating those "pretty pictures." Or to, as I think of it, add a little grunge. Perhaps all of us see things with some kind of filter, be in rose colored (literally) or glamor. Maybe just that vivid pop which I admire so much from some of my friends work. Lately, I've seen nothing but "grunge." Muted tones, with overpowering blacks. I've seen the UN-perfect picture. I see flaws, and I like them. It makes me feel human.

This photo captures, in not the best original image, some of the ideas in my head.

There's a darkness to this manner of seeing things. It's one thing to portray perfect color. But, given enough time, anyone can shoot perfect color. Though, that is most definitely one of the talents I admire in my photographer friends. Overpowering colors, especially in this shimmering desert sun is a talent I am still working on with each and every click of the shutter.

I believe the hint of reflection in these glasses is the focus here. There's an undertow here. That's what I love about it. I wonder how many people who aren't photographers would notice the reflection. Always check the reflection in photographs, you'll often find a moment that was never meant to be caught.
I had an idea in mind when I took this photo. The beginning of an story; a fairy tale of sorts. But not the kind that would turn out so well.
My mind need not visit the gutter, of late, it's stayed in the dark tunnels located below.
I've often been accused of living in my own world. Perhaps I SHOULD keep my feet on the ground. But frankly, I like it better meandering the paths in my mind. It's not always the safest place, but to my joy, there are terrors and beauty. The dark underside hides always just at the surface.
At least, lately, that's the filter my eyes have been looking through lately.

working hard on advertisement. hoping to get some more clients booked for this month. let me know if you're interested!

Editing....

Ok, so I'm now working as a Photographer at one of the very busy wedding chapels located on Las Vegas Blvd. In the past two days I've shot eight weddings and edited no less than one million (or so it seems) photos. And I've learned some very cool tricks. So here are a few images to show off color isolation editing.