hi! so here you are! whether you just picked up a camera or have been doing this for years, you might be a little bit curious about my methods of business and photography. this page offers resources i use on a daily basis, as well as a few words of advice to starting photographers.
how i stay inspired:
my friends and family- keeping them a priority helps me stay fresh and keeps me loving photography.
green wedding shoes- i appreciate the fact that i get to see lots of different photographers' work all in one place.
setting goals- this is huge. i set a new and different goal for every shoot i do whether it be to try a new technique, concept, time of day, or composition to create that one jaw dropping photo. i also have monthly and yearly goals to keep me in ship-shape.
journaling to clear my mind and refocus
new music on pandora :)
i prefer working with natural light and enjoy keeping my setup simple. i shoot with:
2 canon 5Ds
15mm 2.8 fisheye
24-70mm 2.8L (it creates amazing sun flare!)
50mm 1.4
50mm 2.8 sigma macro (ring shots!)
70-200mm 2.8L (for ceremonies)
200mm 2.8L (why do i have essentially two 200mm? because as amazing as the 70-200mm is, it is giving me premature carpel tunnel. :) seriously. so the 200mm is much much lighter, my wrists can handle it, and it still allows me to stealthily capture unsuspecting people partying it up at receptions.)
2 580 EX II flashes
2 transceiver pocket wizards
a shootsac
a vintage 70's albinar camera bag from my dad :)
a think tank airport international roller bag/luggage
who handles my backups? i store in three separate locations:
pictage keeps my online backups - love them! (they also host my online galleries)
my external hard drives stay at my office
my cd backups stay at a local offsite location
what do i use for editing?
adobe lightroom
adobe photoshop
kubota actions
boutwell actions
what computers do i use?
iMac & macbookpro
western digital external hard drives
who designs my websites?
bludomain designed and hosts my main website
squarespace hosts my blog and i modified it
do i shoot jpeg or raw?
100% raw. better color, better detail, better depth, and easier editing...the only downside is the terrible amount of space the files require!
helpful resources for starting photographers:
how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie (read it!!)
do you offer internships?
yes. contact me if you're interested.
advice for beginners?
-first, do some soul searching. establish boundaries for your personal and business life. running and owning your own business can (and probably will) consume your entire existence if you don't set boundaries for yourself. what will you (and what won't you) sacrifice for your business?
-pay attention to the business side. don't skip the necessary steps like becoming a legal entity, getting insured, creating a business plan, setting up bookkeeping, and identifying your pricing strategy. please. :)
-shoot every day! expand your creativity by shooting for free (and often!). you'll grow so quickly if you really devote yourself to it. oh and, shoot manual...i can remember the slapped face feeling i had when millie holloman said "you're not a photographer in P mode. sorry." :)
-learn. see what's out there. what style are you drawn to? what techniques do you need to learn? how can you learn them? take your time learning and find a mentor.
-finally, stop looking at everyone else, set your fears aside, and embrace your approach to photography. hello freedom. :)