eric setter arts & photography: the blog

An open letter to businesses and content creators.

2013-02-19T11:19:00.002-06:00

Dear businesses and content creators,

Please stop relying on stock photography to represent you.

It may be cheap but so is the effect. It's often pristine but plastic and if clients and customers can't see or feel the tie-in to you, the images leave a bland aftertaste. Bland doesn't connect (in a good way), bland doesn't represent you well either. People crave real. Idealized, sure, but real.

I see so many articles, print materials, and websites that use beautiful shiny images of people beaming but there is no appreciable tie-in to that particular business. The connection isn't there and when the customer/client sees the disparity between those images and the reality, it leaves you looking deceitful. That's never a good thing.

There are quite reasonable and good uses for stock images of course, but be careful how and when you use them. If you need to simply describe an area, object, or occupation and it's an internal memo or school project, grab some stock. If you're creating actual promotional materials, manuals, or social media content, hire a photographer to create quality images that are also real. Authenticity is key and people appreciate being able to relate, connect, and recognize what they see.

Yes, photographers are more expensive, but you get more.

The images can be used not only for promotion but for record. You can touch things up but also have photographic evidence of the flaws and that can help you self-analyze and improve. If you're not willing to do that then you probably shouldn't be in business. Hiring a photographer for your business allows interaction and customization you won't get with a stock image. You get the benefit of their experience, you get someone to bounce ideas off of, and you get to support another business that will likely help promote you as they promote their work. When you calculate expense, factor in all the costs and consider all the added value.

There are far more than enough our there that just want to put out 100% idealized images that transcend reality while their core is hollow. It will be found out. Why not position yourself to bridge the ideal and the true. Show ideal in a real setting. Show ideal with your own people. Just don't show some other ideal and pawn it off as your own. I want better for you and I hope you do too!

Sincerely,

Eric

Children's portraits

2011-09-28T18:48:00.000-05:00

It is always a fun challenge to photograph kids, as I'm sure any parents (and photographers) can attest to! A few weeks ago I was in Houston and had the opportunity to pop by a client's home to make some portraits of her boys in play in their element. I really do love this sort of photography as it is the sort that really capture memories in a place that both parents and kids will probably remember in varying levels.

As I mentioned though, there are challenges to this sort of portraiture... The first is of course the cornerstone of photography, light. When you go on location, especially to unknown ones, the lighting is a variable and that's a problem if you're not prepared. Thankfully I'm equipped with a lens that performs well in low light and also had some speedlights and lighting modifiers. The next challenge also affects everything, and that is the kids themselves. I'm guessing you already knew this but kids move. I'm not the sort that likes posing too much so moving the lights or swapping lenses quickly in time to catch that moment or two where light, expression, and reflexes all intersect is a workout!

These two young gentlemen were great though and while they did move, nearly constantly, we got some great shots. Still it amazed me how even in full midday sun that inside a home the light was still soft enough that in many locations I needed to use my speedlight and a softbox. Our eyes really are amazing in how they collect and process light in that what is a perfectly bright room to the eye is still stretching a camera's limits.

Another cool project came out of this shoot too, invitations to one of the boy's birthday party! I've designed some birthday and Christmas cards as well as a senior's graduation announcement so this wasn't completely new and I knew what to do. His mother had a couple design ideas that she liked different elements of so I created a mash up of the two with images from the session on a 5x7" flat card. The cool thing about these sorts of cards is that you have a large image or image collage on the back that doesn't have to be themed or have writing on it. That turns it into a gift memento as well as the practical invite or announcement.

If you'd like something similar done, now's the time to start planning it. Christmas is only 3 months away and I'm planning on having a session/card special ready soon!

Life flies by...

2011-09-08T14:57:00.004-05:00

"Life flies by at the speed of light, at the speed of sound, and speed of memories made and remembered. Sometimes you're moving a half mile an hour and sometimes nearly six hundred. Whether you're moving or not, life is. Hang on for the ride, steer what you can, let the obstacles come as they will, and navigate around them as best you can. This process and the moments that process are your life. Commemorate the milestones to help show that movement and help you see how far you've come and where you're going..."

I think I wrote this about a month ago while in the middle of a super-busy time where in the span of 3 weeks we were in San Diego, on a road trip to and from Minnesota, and Houston. A wedding, a family reunion, and business were the reasons for travel and through the travels I got to capture memories of images of hills, valleys, beaches, rings, lightning storms, towers of clouds, farmlands, sunrises, and sunsets. Needless to say there are a lot of photos I've been combing through. Some shots I've already posted on my facebook page. I'll cut to the chase thought and post some of the shots from San Diego not related to the wedding. It was beautiful of course and my only regret is just missing the sunset on the beach. What will be will be...

Whew!

2011-07-08T16:13:00.001-05:00

You may recall in a post last month (Don't Tick Off the Comptroller) that I was sorting through the finer points of getting squared away with the sales & use tax imposed on Texas businesses and, more specifically, me. Well the good news is that I now have that permit and that with my continued cooperation, Uncle Tex and I are on good terms, payments pending of course.

Today I got a letter from the Texas Workforce Commission.
*Dread*

It did introduce itself as an automated letter that was sent out because of my registration with the Comptroller but it included language that was ambiguous as to whether I was actually subject to the tax it oversees. The TWC (Not to be confused with Time Warner Cable) is the entity that manages unemployment insurance among other things. The Texas Unemployment Compensation Act (TUCA) is what requires employers to pay a tax that would help cover unemployment benefits for out of work employees. Being a sole proprietor and not having any employees besides myself, I would think it would be nuts to have me pay unemployment insurance tax as it seems pretty unlikely I would fire myself. With that said, I remembered one of my friends who does fiberglass work had mentioned he had to pay it so the issue seemed a little uncertain.

I went the the website listed on the letter and then did some research within and in the broader web. On the TWC website I found a FAQ page on employer responsibility which raised concern. To the question "who must pay unemployment tax?" the page said (with my emphases underlined):

The Texas Unemployment Compensation Act (TUCA) requires Texas employers - including sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations - to pay UI tax. Employers must pay UI taxes if they:

Pay at least $1,500 in wages in any one calendar quarter during the current or preceding calendar year, or
Employ at least one worker for a day or more each week for 20 weeks during a year, or
Acquires or otherwise receives, through any means, all or part of the organization, trade, business, or workforce of a subject employer, or
Are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (excluding churches and religious organizations) and have at least four employees for part of a day or more each week for 20 weeks, or
Elect to become a subject employer, or
Have Texas employees and are subject to the Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), or
Are a state political subdivision that one or more political subdivisions own, or
Pay $1,000 or more wages one calendar quarter for domestic service, or
Pay $6,250 or more wages one calendar quarter for farm or ranch labor, or
Employ a seasonal worker on a truck farm, orchard or vineyard, or
Employ a migrant and a seasonal worker doing the same work at the same time and location (Otherwise, the law may not cover seasonal workers)

As you can see, it's a little ambiguous still but they seemed to be making sure sole proprietors like myself are included. I called the local TWC office.

After an initial operator put me on hold for a couple minutes, possibly in homage to what the cable company with the same initials does as well, I was on the phone with a very pleasant lady named Kim who thankfully was able to clarify what my liabilities actually were.

For starters, and this is the biggie, because I'm a DBA sole proprietorship who does not employ anyone other than myself, I am not liable to pay unemployment tax. *insert blog title here*

Furthermore, even if it was just me and even my wife and/or kid(s) up to the age of 21 on the payroll, I would not be liable. This is good news. I'm not really close to getting any employees at this point but it's nice to know just in case. I was able to ask about other details like what constitutes a contract employee as well which is good because often I have done work for other companies that was part of their service that was sold to their customer. It was confirmed that in such transactions using the 1099 form is a good way to go. Kim also suggested that in general, making sure you invoice people you do work with is a good idea to maintain a paper trail and be able to account for income and expense as needed showing business transactions as opposed to an employment relationship.

So there you have it. That was my little adventure today. Admittedly this is not specifically photography related but I figure it is nonetheless useful to those out there that are running small businesses and wondering about liabilities. Heck, I like to share.

Speaking of sharing, a midst all the craziness of this past 30-something days, I wound up picking up Owl City's new release "All Things Bright And Beautiful" and have been enjoying the light and airy sounds as part of my stress reduction strategy. Check it out!

One hot and hectic month

2011-07-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

Things have been pretty busy around 172 the past couple weeks. There's some boring but important stuff and plenty of exciting things to overwhelm that. Sadly, some things I'm going to have to withhold until later on but suffice it to say, it was exciting!

There was a bit of a press to get the sales and use tax permit squared away, there was a sequence of events that led to my car being sold, I'm working on developing portrait packages for bicyclists that include posed and action shots, I got a gig photographing a very cool new product that will be announced later in the year, and I started talks for a wedding coming up later in the year too!

I do finally have my sales & use tax permit that needs to be framed and displayed. That's a huge relief to at least be mostly squared away and up to date with my tax liabilities. It's a good thing I had been saving for something like that. It wasn't enough to totally cover my liabilities but it took care of the whole of 2010 at least. New work is subsidizing this first quarter's remaining balance and next quarter should be much better since I won't be incurring late filing fees and interest which adds up (quite unfortunately). In any case, it feels good to be in the know and working fully on the level now!

Another project in development is showing a good amount of promise in one of my areas of passion, biking in the outdoors. A friend and neighbor of mine, who is an avid bicyclist, has been working with me to develop a portrait package for bicyclists that incorporates action shots on the trail as well as more formal shots in a studio environment. We went on a typical ride at one of our favorite North Austin mountain bike trails this past Saturday and then proceeded to scout and shoot at various locations and got acclimated to some points that should be great for the packages we're looking at developing. I'm going to wait until we have the whole package together to share that but it's tough not to give you a sneak peak... I may fold on that... :D

Another project that amounted to product photography is something that I'll be able to share in a few months and I'll be holding out on that for sure. What I can say now is that it was both a fun shoot and a test of my versatility and capability and putting together a product shoot with very limited preparation. It would have been nice to have a big studio and more time to construct and perfect shots but what we got turned out well and looks great!

Experiences like that product shoot are great because they always help me learn a little more about how to make things work, what to look out for, what to do to overcome obstacles, and they also just help bolster my confidence in putting out great images in whatever circumstance there might be.

There's also a friend's wedding that will be coming up in the latter months of this year and I'll get to head up to the Burnet area to do some bridal and engagement photos with them before covering the wedding at the beautiful La Paloma event center. Good times!

Given all the stuff I can't share yet, the photos I'm including on this post are from the drive home from a recent trip to Houston. It seems like there's always something I want to photograph along the way on drives. Sometimes it's just the road, sometimes the sky, and sometimes there's just something odd or noteworthy. Typically it's not stuff you see everyday and that just makes it all the more compelling to me. It'd be nice to have perfectly clear windows so I could get better images while on the road but then again, I guess it's not ideal to shoot while driving in the first place... whoops... :)

Brothers and Sisters!

2011-06-21T16:23:00.000-05:00

As you probably know, it was just father's day this past Sunday. What you may not have known is that I got to shoot a portrait session of two friends of my wife and I who happen to be brother and sister. Oh but this wasn't just a willy-nilly portrait session for the heck of it, no no no. This was a portraiture with a purpose and that purpose was to break the cycle in cliche gifts of ties and shavers. Why not gift your dad with a great photo of what made him a dad, one that reminds him of you in a more idealized setting where you're not draining his bank account, spitting up on his clothes, or making him carry a flowery diaper bag. Just give him the good stuff, your smiling faces that hopefully in some way resemble his own.

It was a hot day, like most these days, but at least it was dry and windy! These two were champs and we made it to a few different settings before having our energies depleted in the 100+ degree weather. Above and below are some of my favorite shots from the day. Thanks M & J!

Partner up?

2011-06-21T01:10:00.001-05:00

It's been a somewhat tough month or so it seems. It was capped off with my car blowing it's radiator literally as I rolled up to a recent shoot. Thankfully there was another vehicle we were able to ride in and I got my car to limp home after 2 pull-overs to try and cool down. Fun fun fun!

This has led to several realizations. #1, I need a new (to me) car. #2, we don't currently have the cash to buy a new car. #3, I need to accelerate my business. There's also another thought I've been having for a while now without really seeing the avenue to actualization of that idea. It would be very cool to partner up with another peer or mentor photographer in my area. I've been realizing that as much as solo work can be flexible and free, it's not ideal for getting perfect lighting, holding and adjusting modifiers (especially in the wind), and just being able to bounce ideas off of in conversation. I've checked a few places and with a few people but so far nothing has really connected. I'm still looking for anyone that might be interested in a second shooter or assistant so we'll see what turns up. It turns out that running a business solo is a pretty tough thing to do on a variety of levels and something I need to keep working on to get right. It is my first attempt of course so with all things considered, I could be in a much worse position. Right now I just feel stagnant and stuck on the business side.

The photography side I'm feeling pretty good about. There are some great images coming out of the shoots I'm doing and even interest in past work I've done. It's so cool to scout out a location, figure out what can be done with it and the tools available, and then make an image that expresses the life and beauty at that moment in time. As is the case with many who are into the arts, taking those appreciations and values into business can be a difficult task. Thankfully I'm surrounded with a number of friends and family that are full of good advice and are helping point me in the right direction on all this. Still, working with someone seems like a good idea.

The photos in the post are actually from a week or so ago when I did a little photowalk on the East side of I-35 along Lady Bird Lake. I wound up with a bit of focus on the ornithological subjects available as they were the most abundant subjects at the time. They really are works of art in their own right and a challenge to photograph well. Some were perched and steady until they noticed me raising my lens. Others, thinking they were out of reach from my 70-300mm lens, just hopped around in the tree canopy and hardly stayed still for more than 3 seconds. That was the case with the blue jay at the top. Others were amazingly stoic and stood their ground no matter how long I stood there taking their photo. That was the case with this bird below who I must have taken photos of for 5 minutes.

Austin has no shortage of yellow flowers of varying types and so of course I had to also photograph one of those that was jumping out of an otherwise uniformly green scene. The breeze was blowing stiffly in intervals and the straining and bending of this flower should come through to help communicate the very warm dry wind that was there. As hot as the day was there, the tall trees lining the shores (I really need to look up the names of these plants and animals) gave wonderful shade as well as contributed a graceful aesthetic with fern-like leaves and branches that swayed with the wind. The way those trees diffuse light and provide a rich soft green light really is peaceful. I really wish we had one of decent size in our yard!

Anniversary!

2011-06-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

This past 7 days has been very marriage focused with a weekend marriage conference and then my actual anniversary right after it. My wife and I still have our wedding attire and try and put it on each year on our anniversary as a kind of reminder and celebration of deciding to live our lives together. I'm lucky to have a very cute wife who is willing to step in front of a lens. As such, I've been making portraits of her each year in her wedding gown and this year we actually ventured out past our home and I'm very happy with the results!

Below are photos from 2009 & 2010:

As I mentioned, this past week has been very focused on marriage, and that brings me to a thought that the confluence of all the happenings instigated. Why doesn't every couple get anniversary portraits? Considering how so much emphasis is put on the wedding day and how it's only the beginning of what is designed to be a lifelong journey, doesn't it make sense to make a big deal out of every year you beat the odds and national averages? It is an accomplishment to keep loving someone year after year while getting to know the person in more and more unfiltered detail. You've made it through merging housekeeping differences, financial decisions, general misunderstandings, emotional events and swings, and more. They're still there, you're still there, and you still love each other. What's not to celebrate and memorialize when you find someone who's agreed to put up with you come hell or high water? Don't lie, you know you're a handful too!

So now I'm thinking that I need to put together some sort of package for you married couples out there that want to make a portrait each year of you and your significant other. You could include kids but really I'm thinking the focus would just be on you and your spouse because that's a special pairing all it's own and if you are a parent, I'm sure you're familiar with the extra complication getting them in on the plan! The session could be like an engagement shoot or bridal session with a variety of fine art takes as well as playful romantic shots and really be tailored to your taste. I like the idea!

Having already shared these on Facebook, you may have already seen a number of these shots but I really can't help but use them again. :)

WaterNow Benefit @ The Nutty Brown Cafe

2011-06-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

And now for an update!

Back on the evening of May 29th the benefit concert did go down and it was full of good times as I got to rock out with Paul E, Marc B, Cullen F, and Ryan T. on the stage of the Nutty Brown Amphitheatre. It was a warm day with some stiff breezes that occasionally caused small dust storms but we had a grand ol' time. I wound up taking photos pretty much the whole time we weren't preparing to get on stage with a couple breaks. #1 was when we found out that the back line drum kit did not come with a snare drum (I had only brought cymbals, hardware and sticks). I wound up having to drive back into town for my snare and missed a set or two but thankfully was in no danger of missing our scheduled 7:30 start. Somehow the set got behind by 30 minutes so I really didn't have anything to worry about. #2 was right after we wrapped up and I wound up keeping an eye on a very cool little dude while his dad went to grab him some juice. I wound up missing most of Todd Agnew unfortunately but, like the whole concert, it was a for a good cause. :)

As always, the Nutty Brown was a fun family venue and it was cool to see so many familiar faces out there. Many thanks to all those who came out to support us! As I was predisposed on the drums, I handed out my two cameras to a couple friends and a third had his own to snap away with. The collective of all those shots can be found at the address below and the images are color coded depending on who shot them. I must give credit where credit is due after all. Just know that I didn't actually take any of the pictures of our band playing but there's a 2 out of 3 chance it was taken with one of my cameras.
http://oneseventwo.com/photos/concerts/WaterNow2011

There is also a small gallery of highlights that I've posted on facebook that is more condensed and primarily features members of the various bands that performed. It can be found here.

Without further ado, let me post a few of those pictures out of the several hundred...

JR Taylor jamming out to open the show.

Miranda Dodson striking a pose.

Cullen, Ryan and Ryan's fiance' chilling before the show.

Todd Agnew & Paul Emerson hanging out in the green room.

Nate Navarro of Music For the City plugging WaterNow between sets.

Sara Overall and band. You can see the dust kicking up just down and to the left of he bud light sign.

Matt McCloskey jamming acoustically.

This kid was rocking out!

We were rocking out too. :)

Cullen & Ryan rocking it out.

Paul was having a good ol' time too!

My arms were a'movin'!

Marc Byers wailing on that guitar.

This shot of Gelan's, thanks to the flash really helps illuminate all the dust particles the wind kicked up!

Cullen and the kid head banging.

This was one of two guitars signed by the artists to be auctioned for WaterNow.

Courrier rocking it out to close out the show.

Don't tick off the comptroller...

2011-06-08T19:31:00.000-05:00

As part of my evolving self-education in the realm of entrepreneurship, I recently was alerted to the fact that there are several things one needs to really get set up right.

Set up your business structure (which can be as easy as setting up a DBA)
Get a Tax ID (Also pretty easy)
Get a Sales & Use Tax permit (not the same as the Tax ID)

The last one there is what just bit me. The permit is what many of you have probably seen hanging up in a public area of any business you've been in in Texas. It's a piece of paper with a Texas flag watermark and basically it allows you to collect the sales tax you're supposed to be collecting. Places get shut down if they're not in compliance or don't have one. The standard nowadays is to file quarterly and pay the state comptroller those sales taxes you've collected. Again, this is completely separate from your income tax filing.

I'm in the process now of filing an annual report for 2010 and another for the first quarter of this year. Let me tell you I'm not having fun finding out I've not been in compliance. In case you missed it, you need to file (and pay) sales & use tax reports quarterly. Also, know that photography as a service is still taxable. I am not a tax professional but so far what I've been directed to is a special publication by the Texas comptroller that directly addresses photography businesses. That publication is located here. One of the opening statements contradicts what had been my (mis)understanding of taxable products has caused me to re-visit my pricing structure and categorization of products in Quickbooks. Here is that paragraph with my added emphases underlined:

All expenses directly related to the production and sale of photographs and billed to the customer are subject to tax regardless of whether the photographer bills lump sum, atan hourly rate, or by itemizing each expense. Such expenses may include travel, meals and lodging while shooting on location, costs of acquiring props and models and “professional services” in shooting the photograph.

So there you have it in a nutshell, unless I'm working for an exempt business/person, or in very specific circumstances, everything I bill is subject to sales tax. For some reason I thought only physical products were subject, things like CDs or prints. Boy was I wrong. But wait, there's more! Depending on the location of services rendered or sold, the tax rate might be different. I'm still looking for clarification on this. What if I take pictures in another city on my own recognizance but then sell a disc of those images while at home but to another state or city? Where is the sales tax needing to be reported? This is a lot to keep track of for a one-man operation like myself. I see hiring a tax professional in my not-too-distant future.

Luckily, I've not been busting at the seams with business and hopefully the burden will be minimal. Still, I owe the government money and they can be jerks about charging interest and fees. Let's hear it for mercy for the little guy! I encourage anyone out there with a small service based business to check into what their responsibilities are because it's something you want to deal with sooner rather than later. As I think I mentioned before, the government tends to be pretty unforgiving in their charging of interest and late fees...

Time to play some tunes and get this business taken care of!

More than just photography...

2011-05-28T17:41:00.001-05:00

You may (or may not have) noticed that my business name goes by the subtitle "arts & photography." As we sit on the eve of an event that I'm a part of that is not photo-centric, I figured it might be a good time to delve into one of the subsets of those "arts" I reference.

Specifically in this case, it is playing the drums. I've been playing drums off and on since I was in middle school with a focus on the drum kit. While the kit is the main area where I'd been taught, I've also had some experience in percussion sections for small youth orchestras and a percussion group back in secondary (high school). For the most part I've played for youth groups and churches but there have been a few detours into other venues. Tomorrow evening I'm getting to play with Paul Emerson of The Stillpoint Band as well as 9 other bands including Todd Agnew and Courrier at the Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre. The concert is to benefit WaterNow which works to provide clean water to people who desperately need it in developing countries. As this is for charity, I'm not getting paid but I still roll that into business because I have had paying gigs before but this should be the biggest secular venue I'll have played and should be a ton of fun. I know we have a rockin' set and others will jam out a bit too to different degrees. In any case, it's all for a great cause and at $10 (pre-sale) or $12 at the door, it's a great deal!

Beyond this event and the drum kit, I also own and play the djembe (a single hand drum pictured on the left) which I love jamming out on. The cajon (a wooden box drum often fitted with a snare) is another fun instrument I dig. You sit on it while playing and can get a great drum & bass sound for such an ultra-portable piece of percussion. Playing with acoustic or just more mellow sets adds a good deal of diversity and flexibility to mesh with just about any accompaniment. Perhaps I'll be able to venture more into that as opportunities arise but for now it's just great to be able to play Sunday mornings!

I've also dabbled in writing but as of yet, none of that has seen the light of day. It turns out that it's tough to write and put something out there. If it was just music it might be different but when you put out lyrics it always seems almost too personal. With that said, why not right? Don't anticipate any albums out anytime soon though, the photography side of things is taking up enough of my time! That and non-business activities...

Well, I need to wrap this up and get moving as we have one more practice session tonight before the fun really kicks in tomorrow. If you're in the Austin area, I'd love to see you at the Nutty Brown!

Digital camera progression and reccomendations: Part 1

2011-05-27T01:21:00.000-05:00

Old school cameras...

I was reflecting on the the cameras I've used, and have used and thought that it might make a decent blog so here it is. We'll call it part 1.

My first real experience with digital cameras came with a Sony Mavica which saved images onto a 3.5" floppy disk. Those were the days... I think I had access while working a summer job in San Marcos Texas and it was used for photographing manhole layouts as we surveyed them looking for open conduit. It is a whopping 0.3 megapixels but still pretty great for it's time. I wound up getting to play around a little with it at the office and got to experiment creatively with pretty decent results, all things considered.

Yup, these were still relevant media back then... wow.

This model was still way above my available budget so my first owned digital cameras were glorified webcams with batteries and something like 8-16MB of storage. Just in case you're needing a point of reference as to how small that is, one photo off my current camera would take out about 12MB alone. The quality was dubious but it took photos and could stream small video as well which for the time was pretty revolutionary.

I still used film for pictures that might actually need to look nice in print, an old Canon point-and-shoot that I eventually had to retire thanks to one end of the battery terminal breaking off. The ability to shoot many pictures without having to get them processed to view them was addictive and I finally purchased my first proper digital camera that could produce print-worthy images in what would be my last year of college.


San Diego area, taken with a Canon point & shoot

It was a Toshiba PDR-M60 and boasted a magnificent 2 megapixel sensor and it took me through the next 2 years. The main drawbacks that eventually became clear was the limit on the memory card size. This camera took me from Longview to Austin and helped pass the time in what would turn out to be my new home town. It took some very decent pictures when it came down to it, they just weren't big. At this point it did everything I needed it to do and as it was the best I'd used to that point, I was happy with it.

About that time I was also given a donated Minolta film SLR that had some issues but was still usable.The inner lining was torn and for some reason I couldn't verify the film was loading right which led to two instances of me shooting a full day only to learn after trying to develop it that the film was blank. That was not fun. It did however get me interested in SLRs, it was a taste of things to come.

After about a year being in Austin, I did get megapixel fever and upgraded my Toshiba to the Kodak point-and-shoot (Kodak EasyShare DX4530 5MP pictured at right) that would eventually land me my first professional photography job and usher me into the world of DSLRs. I actually got hired to do a wedding with that Kodak but I knew just enough back then to know that a point & shoot like that would not have the recycle time to grab as many quick moments as would occur for that sort of event. As a further indictment of my absentmindedness back then, I'll tell you how I stumbled into Nikon...


Taken with the Kodak at a KOA in Wisconsin

As the wedding was fast approaching, I wound up popping by a Ritz camera shop. I talked to the salesman and wound up mentioning I had a film SLR and asked if the lenses might work on the digital body. Somehow discussing the finer points of this like whether Nikon mounts fit Minolta lenses didn't come up. Thinking that they would, for no reason in particular, I picked up a Nikon D50 with a kit 18-55mm lens. It wasn't until later that I discovered that the brands the merged were not Nikon/Minolta, it was Konica/Minolta and there weren't even adapters to make those two brands speak to each other. I might have started with a Canon, which were and are cheaper had I known this. Still, it turned out just fine. I wound up shooting with that D50 from Beginning of 2006 until late 2009 when I upgraded to my next Nikon DSLR.

I now shoot with a Nikon D90 which is a great camera. I've now had it for around three years and have officially started my professional career with it. As you can see from my work, it is quite capable of producing some fantastic images. It was the first camera body I had that could remotely trigger flashes, the first with high definition video capability, and the first that got me up to 12 megapixels which is great for enlargements. I can got into more detail later but suffice it to say, it has served me well. With that said, I am finding myself bumping into some ceilings. Talking with some other pro photographers at a networking event, I was given the first of what would be a few nudges that are pushing me in the direction of full frame sensor cameras.

When it comes out, and I have the necessary funds, the Nikon D800 is in my sights. Currently the camera in that first tier of the upper echelon of full-frame sensor cameras is the D700. I mentioned the funds because this camera body (not including the lens) is $2700. As much as I'd love to be rolling in cash from a booming business and appreciation of my art, I'm not there yet and that body is having to wait. It really is about just getting that little extra wiggle room in difficult lighting situations as well as pulling that little extra pop that full frame sensors afford. Many may not notice an appreciable difference between full frame and cropped sensor cameras because they view most images via the internet or photos that are 16x20" at most. Still, used correctly, the full frame cameras can do things you just can't do as easily with cropped sensors. When you're photographing in fast paced, lower-light environments, the difference is especially appreciable to the photographer at least. But I digress...

I aim to write a review of the more recent cameras over the course of the next several blogs so you can learn a little about my experience with them and hopefully it will help inform you if and when you go out to buy a camera. If you do go with one of the cameras I write about, please consider clicking on the image/link of it which will help support my endeavors in the world of photography. Thanks!

Stock photos

2011-05-25T17:02:00.000-05:00

I've had the idea of selling my photos on stock photo sites suggested by a number of people and it kind of sounds like a good fit at first. I love taking pictures of nature, getting outside and shooting street photography, and of course just photographing generic everyday items. You never know what sort of need there might be for those types of images right? There is a market for those things but many of the popular outlets seem to throw the photographers under the bus, highly undervaluing the work and effectively running themselves and others into the ground.
For this reason I think having my own private stock portfolio is probably going to be the best way to go, perhaps networked with several other photographers in a co-op of sorts. There would be a few primary differences between this setup and microstock companies like Corbis and Getty that would hopefully be closer in model to the original structure and pricing of stock images. There would be tighter control on the use of an image. Lets say perhaps that once a photo is licensed for a business's website or promotional brochure, it won't be used for anything other than portfolio or personal use by me.

I came across the following blog that illustrates an issue that comes up with microstock thanks to another blog I was reading and it really is ridiculous. I know that when I see a generic photo representing a company my alarm bells go off. I want to see an authentic representation of the business I'm looking into and if they're willing to gloss over the reality of their setup, who knows what other corners they've cut and how that will come back to bite someone. I can't imagine I'm alone in that perception.

Optimizing online images

2011-05-24T16:49:00.000-05:00

It is becoming apparent to me bit by bit that it is necessary, or at least advantageous, to customize each photo for the size and use that it will be used for.

This has come about by seeing great photos I've put up look so-so on my Facebook page. When viewing the shots full size on the computer they look just right, crisp, defined, and so on. When looking at the exact same shot scaled down, some of the pop and definition just doesn't hold. In the interest of time I've not been worrying too much about that but more and more I'm leaning towards showing just a few web-sized images that remain true to the large-scale result. On these blogs I do have a bit more control and they do look better thankfully but I want you to see all my work as I do (in so much as that is possible considering issues with monitor calibration).

In case you're not aware, the exact same image can look very different depending on your display's settings. Some software has the ability to read calibration settings and some don't. Some computers are set pretty well by default and others don't. Apple displays in general are pretty well calibrated whereas other displays are usually widely variant. I recently calibrated my LCD television and was astounded at how far off it was. But calibration issues aren't the main thing I was talking about with my initial comments about customization for the web.

Web images are typically smaller to be faster loading and friendlier to a wide audience with varying screen sizes. More often these days people are catering to larger wide screen sizes and faster internet connections so images are getting bigger but popular websites like Facebook also have to think about all that hosting space that gets eaten up so their images are by necessity smaller which can mean smaller size as well as file compression which does degrade image quality. As such, it is a good idea (as it turns out...) to custom edit images that will be shown at a size that is often an eighth (or less) of the original image size. Contrast, sharpness, and saturation are three things I've noticed suffer when a third party has to compress or re-size the image.

Just exported

Optimized

Above you can see the difference between the two images. The one on the left, when viewed full size is plenty bright and crisp but when it was shrunk down, it lost some of that vibrance and clarity. The photo on the left was adjusted once it was closer to the web size and is notably different. Without getting into too much detail, I'd say the key is to get your image sized as close as possible to the size your online outlet will actually show, then review it to ensure it's qualities are true to the original file's appearance.

That's all I've got for now, stay tuned for more soon!

Living and Learning

2011-05-19T16:53:00.001-05:00

One of the keys to learning is to go out and do it as much as possible in as many ways as possible.

I'll make this a fun-serious-fun sandwich so bear with with me here!

Lesson #1 - Networking
This morning I got to meet up with a new local networking group that my friend and neighbor Holly had invited me to. She is a partner with J. Hilburn Austin (Men's Custom Clothier) and had mentioned the group several times and for one reason or another I'd not gone until today. In any case, meeting a bunch of professionals from a variety of areas was great and the purpose was in fact fulfilled. I got to speak with several people who were kind enough to either look into collaborating with me or help me get going with this business. I had actually already benefited from a direct referral Holly gave me to a small business consultant she knew through this group, a gentleman named Orlando. He (a part of the Small Business Development Center) and I have already started brainstorming and working on some research. In any case I met some new folks and possible collaborators ranging from the business side of things to potential musical gigs.

Just getting out and observing other business people is a great learning experience and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone at any stage of planning or running a business or franchise.

After attending the networking event I headed off to a local mall for what turned out to be an unexpected learning experience.

And now for some less fun more serious talk...

Searching Craigslist.com the other day for photo gigs I'd come across a posting for a website that was looking for photographers to take photos of hotels for their site with the purpose of showing the reality of the facility and amenities to compare with promotional photos that may or may not be photoshopped or taken in very controlled atypical conditions. It sounded like fun so I put my hat in the ring. They asked that as a test, we photograph this local mall and post the raw images for their consideration to see if my style and vision match up with what they're looking for. That brings me to lesson number two.

Lesson #2 - Permissions and Considerations
Check with property owners or the management before taking photos. I'm always a little wary of infringing on anyone's turf but at first thought that since it was a public mall, taking unobtrusive photos wouldn't be an issue. As a security guard said, and later the manager I went and sought out confirmed, they don't allow photos on their premises. The main reason given was security of the facility and they don't want detailed imagery that could be used for nefarious purposes of various types. On one hand, you might think this silly. Just about everyone has a camera on their phone at least and often they also can record video. Certainly teenagers and young adults alike must have all sorts of footage of the place. Beyond that, if someone was scoping it out, there are surely more discreet and detailed ways to achieve it, not using a very obvious digital SLR. With that said, a pro camera can provide much more detail with a lot more capability so perhaps it would more of a threat. The thing is that as photographers, we do have a certain responsibility to be mindful of policies and seek them out if we're not aware or even sure about them.

I had no ill intent whatsoever but even so it is essential to be mindful of what we're photographing, what audience they may have is, and how they might be used (or misused). It's a very difficult dialog to have because there are so many ways to interpret and use photos. Should tourists not be able to take pictures of landmarks or shopping venues because there are a few bad guys who might happen to see the photos and use them to study a target for burglary or worse? Where does the line get drawn? Generally speaking if you're on public property, photos can be taken of whatever and if it's visible from public property or your own private property, it's fine. With that said, there are some places that even would like to prevent that around their location. The fact is that even if it is seemingly ineffective policy, it is our responsibility to try our best to comply with it, especially if it's meant to help keep us safe which is something we all want.

Upon getting approached by the security guard and told nicely that photography was not allowed in the mall, I went to their office and asked what it would take to get permission to photograph. The permissions were not immediately available there and I was referred to the corporate contact. I'm going to check and see if I might be able to provide promotional photos for them and even left my business card. I think the moral of this story is that in cases like this, it is best to seek permissions first and just be mindful of the purpose, use, and audience.

Speaking of storms of different sorts, here are some shots of the burst of weather we got a few days ago that included much needed rain! The downside is that we may have had a mini tornado or at least some pretty decent straight line gusts that knocked some fences and roof shingles out. I was looking out the window and at one point saw some items flying high in the sky. I thought maybe it was just cardboard at first but after hearing and seeing the fence damage I'm wondering if what is pictures is a section of fence about 50 feet up... Thankfully no one was hurt that I know of and the rain was definitely needed!

Notice the multiple specs of far-off debris in the air in addition to the larger chunk of what might be fence...

So that was kind of heavy... and now for something completely different..

Photo competitions! I'm going to try and find a few to enter and see what happens. Some have pretty steep entry fees but others are totally open (save registration). It would be nice to get some validation that way although the kind words of many of my past and current clients are really all that matters. That reminds me, if you are one of my clients, please feel free to write me with your thoughts about my services, I'd very much appreciate it!

A moment of clarity,

2011-05-13T23:28:00.000-05:00

I just had a moment of clarity with regards to my perspective on photographing people and I think it makes a great tagline...

You are real. You are beautiful.

I believe there is beauty in everyone and I like to capture those moments when real people, being real, show that intrinsic beauty. It may or may not show 24/7 because goodness knows we have ups and downs and sometimes visually things don't come together for a lens. Still, that beauty is there and it's my job to catch those moments so you can see what others see that you often can't.

Of course that tag doesn't just apply to people. I was outside and made it to a nearby water retention pond that doesn't have any developed trail or park around it and found a ton of naturally occurring wildflowers, grasses, and some small fauna in the form of bees and butterflies. It's amazing what you can find if you just look around!

I'll have more in store for you soon so stay tuned!

Medical Concentration

2011-05-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

This past week was pretty amazing even though I found myself in a medical facility 3 times over it's course. The good news is that only one of those occurrences was actually an emergency health-related issue but even that one occurrence turned out to have a happy ending and some good came of it.

It started off with an opportunity to join a neighbor of mine in taking some photographs of a local spine specialist. We were having a small neighborhood get-together, started talking and things just fell into place. He was doing some video work for their promotions and website and needed some updated stills, I was free. Perfect!

Medical portraiture was something I didn't have in my portfolio even though I'm pretty familiar with the setting thanks to my own little tussle with cancer. We wound up heading to the facility Wednesday and everything went really well. Being able to photograph some mock consults, procedures, and portraits was a lot of fun especially given that our handler was having a blast walking around in a hospital gown as our model patient. We covered the entry way, consult rooms, the physical therapy area, a procedure room and waiting areas, all of which were very nice. Of course there are challenges as well in making sure we didn't get actual patients or patient information in a shot to preserve their privacy but overall it was just a great experience with some results everyone is very happy with.

Later that afternoon when back at home I got a call from my wife that a family member had been rushed to the hospital and so I hurried to meet her there. It had sounded very dire at first but thankfully turned out to be less critical than initially thought. As we rotated ourselves and some other family members in to visit, I found myself witnessing an amazing sunset and cloud patterns as well as a very cute new nephew. Naturally I had my camera with me and photos ensued. At one point I was sent to grab some food for my lovely lady and unfortunately it was also right at the golden hour so a 20-30 minute round trip turned into more of a 30-60 minute endeavor. I'm a sucker for sunsets...

And that was just one day this week.

The next day I got to play both chauffeur and paparazzi to my good friend Roger who was going in for some physical therapy. He was looking for some photos of his experience and I was of course happy to oblige. As he went from task to task I tried to capture the both an overall frame and the focus of the exercise. It struck me how so much of our indoor lighting is actually so much more dim than we think it is. This speaks to the incredible optics we have in our eyes and figuring out how to pull that same sort of clear data with a photographic equipment takes a little work! Of course Roger was working harder than me as his personal ~~torturer~~ therapist gave him task after task to complete. It was cool that part of it involved the Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board and concluded with some good old fashioned electro-shock therapy! It is worth noting that the electro-shock was in no way related to the Wii...

So there you have it, 3 medical events all with their own unique photographic opportunities. Of course that's not all that happened this past week but I'm saving that for my next blog post which will be coming shortly!

Working Hard or Hardly Workin'?

2011-05-03T03:04:00.000-05:00

I'd like to think I'm working hard, but depending on what I'm doing, that can look very different from day to day.

In this business, like any other, there is a fair amount of learning that is required to stay with or ahead of the curve. Monday turned into a learning day for the most part thanks to a seminar DVD that showed up in the mail. It is one of several methods I use to keep current and growing in this craft. This installment of the touring seminar helped me in getting a better idea of how other professionals interact and instruct their clients as well as deal with issues of marketing and brand consistency. Of course there are also many gracious friends and family that have also offered very valuable advice in these fields as well. I like polling several sources just to see what different perspectives are, how they work, and if they'd work for me.

Speaking of the business side of things, another source of information (photographer groups on facebook) posted a link to another mini-seminar video that dealt with the troubles creative professionals can have conducting it well in order to stay viable. It was actually for design professionals but the concepts and issues translate well to photographers as well. Aside from some prominent course language it is a very helpful video made by Mike Monteiro. The title gives away it's most offensive and prominent word so if that is particularly offensive to you, don't watch it. The main gist of it is to always write up a mutually beneficial contract before you start work so expectations are clear, don't be afraid to fire clients that don't value your work or try to take advantage of you, and also that it's a good idea to lawyer up so that you are protected. The winning strategy was actually stated as:
- Contracts up front - Get one written up before starting work.
- Internal allies - Develop a good relationship with someone in your client's company
- Advisers - Get a lawyer to work with, they'll go to bat for you and get you paid.
There were also a number of other great tips like making sure you're courteous and attempting to maintain relationships even if there are some hiccups in the process of working things out. In any case, I found it informative and a bit of a comfort that creative professionals have rights too, even though we sometimes tend to be treated less than that due to the subjective nature of our work.

It is definitely difficult to transition from a hobby that is done simply for the love and enjoyment to a business where sustenance must be procured out of it. There's a reason the term "starving artist" is so widely recognized. Thankfully I am not starving (yet) so you can just hold on to those cans of beans you were about to donate. :)

Aside from educating myself through the many wonderful resources available online and through friends, I've been working on some senior portraits and flushing out some other projects as well. I'm not sure when I'll be able to share more on that but one will be a medical business and the other is a local boutique. I hope they both pan out as it would be fun to work on both commercial and fashion-related projects!

Aside from all that, there have been sunsets caught and sunsets missed, interestingly decorated cicadas, and surprise gifts of roses from a friend (thanks Gayle!). Even beyond that, all the way back to semi-business-related topics, I've been asked to play (drums) with Paul Emerson at the Nutty Brown Cafe for a benefit that will contribute to WaterNow, an organization working to help provide clean water to people in developing nations. It's coming up on May 29th and for just $10 you'll get 10 bands including Courrier and Todd Agnew. In any case It'll be the first time I've gotten to play a full set there and should be awesome. Usually I'm taking photos of the bands there, not playing in one of them on stage. So yes, very cool things are happening! Stay tuned for more from this wild wacky world of Austin Texas...

Things have been hoppin'!

2011-04-28T00:45:00.000-05:00

This past weekend saw a flood of Easter activity from my neighborhood Easter celebration to one my church sponsored at a local elementary school. It saw a ton (tonne for you Aussies and Brits) of cute and brightly colored eggs and outfits with kids running to eggs and beating candy drops out of pinatas. I'm not sure where the pinata thing came from but then again, bunnies and eggs don't have much to do with Easter either so I'm not judging.

Last year I'd donned the Easter Bunny costume and character and nearly hopped into a heat stroke. I also learned firsthand that being in a costume often opens you up to a certain amount of abuse from kids although thankfully, aside from the heat that was affecting me, the only thing that really was in danger was the costume itself. In any case, this year I got a reprieve and just ate hot dogs and took photos. Much more relaxing.

The party did remind me of the difficulties of shooting underneath spotty shade. For those who don't immediately understand the challenge, lets just say that whenever there is a high contrast of sun and shade, it is very tough to get good detail in both areas. It gets easier if you're focusing in close on a face or single small person but when zoomed out and covering a larger area, you get spots blown out or in deep shadow and it tends not to capture the feel of the moment very well. This of course speaks to the amazing apparatus that is our brain and it's visual arm, the eyes. Well anyhow, the area where the party was at was filled with changing spots of light in various patterns and levels of diffusion. I was still able to pull out some decent images but it was a good challenge.

The next day saw a larger scale egg hunt at a local elementary school and that was a whole other level of crazy! There where open fields in Texas green (golden and tan that is) where children sprinted across picking up candy-filled eggs with veracity and determination. This was of course while having a blast and you could just see in their eyes what they were thinking, which is what I'd be thinking too if I were one of those kids, "candy.... candy... I'm gonna have SO much candy and it's gonna be AWESOME!!!!"

That was a big chunk of my weekend and now I'm looking forward to some proper portraits and possible business work! Here are some more photos from the weekend, enjoy!


If you zoom in on this image, specifically on the frisbee, you'll notice an uncanny resemblance...

Camera lust and photog fellowship

2011-04-21T18:34:00.000-05:00

This morning I got to hang out with a whole bunch of photographers for a breakfast meeting up near my old stomping grounds in North Austin. It was organized by Elizabeth Jayne, a photographer friend who I hadn't seen in a while but have kept up with thanks to social media. Being the rebel that I am, I decided to get french toast at the pancake place. Take that pancakes.

Anyhow, besides the food I met a couple fellow Nikon shooters, Nadine and Anne who were quite gracious in sharing a bit about what they do and how they do it. The downside was that I walked away longing for a new camera based on some high recommendations. The reason this was a downer was simply that it is certainly priced beyond my current budget. But there is an upside and that is that I can still take some pretty decent photos with what I've got. At least that's what I've been told.

The question this highlighted for me was the ever-challenging "what technology is worth it and what is mostly hype?"

You can search the web for reviews on the latest lenses and cameras, the best lighting systems and modifiers, and the best software to enhance those photos and you'll get all sorts of answers. A good rule in my experience has been "go with glass" when facing the question of whether to invest in lenses or camera bodies. A good lens can make a huge difference in the quality of the pictures you can make, especially if you know how to use it.

With the advent of cheaper digital cameras that are more available to enthusiasts and hobbyists, I've been wondering what helps really separate the full-on professionals from the rest? First there is the knowledge and experience, then the creative eye, and then the equipment. There are cameras that will cost you up to $1700 for the body (no lens) and then there are the lenses that truly test your devotion to (or reliance on) photography that start at $2600. That's a bit of separation for ya.

The question is whether or not it's necessary.

For some things it sounds like it is. The more expensive cameras have significant performance advantages in low light situations especially and for pros who tend to wind up doing weddings can attest to, low light is an all-too-common occurrence. In order to work in that industry on the higher tier, some photographers and clients demand that versatility and I can see why from my own personal experience dealing with the low light in post-production. Although I can get good results, it requires a lot more time and effort when adjusting in that post production. Time is money I've been told.

So maybe it is necessary but then there is the budget issue. I've been trying to start up this photography business without loans or debt. So far so good with the notable caveat being a very low personal salary which is not a sustainable situation. So I suppose this camera upgrade issue is now even more incentive to get out there and see if I can't drum up some more business. Considering the amount of pro-bono work I've been doing, I'll probably need to prioritize paying gigs more.

I also need to thank all those who have let me work with them or simply hang around and capture moments of their lives. I am horrible about writing notes but it needs to be done because I do appreciate all you who have and continue to support me and my work. Thank you!

So yes, this morning was a great time to talk, learn, and share with some of the vibrant photographic community here in Austin. I also noticed that there was a steep percentage of ladies to gentlemen in the the group which means I'm a minority. That being said, there are also a high number of Erics in the male photographer ranks so I'm back to a majority... within the minority anyways.

...and that is what I learned and pondered today, the end.

What a weekend

2011-04-19T17:32:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how packed this weekend was! There was a rocket run to Houston for a friend's wedding and then some drumming action followed by photographing a church event at Austin's Barton Springs. It was a load of driving, not much sleep, and tons of photos. As such, this is going to be a photo-heavy blog... just keep scrollin'...

I was reminded of how much I love taking photos during a normal course of events in a day. No flashes, no photographic reflectors, no posing. It was all real and all good. People are often amazed at the shots that come out of these situations but they need not be. That's part of what I see and enjoy about photography, the amazing images that are our daily lives. There are special moments every day that are every bit as intriguing as some posed shots with special lighting. I appreciate being able to make and shape light to exact specifications too, but there's a certain satisfaction that comes from using what is present at any given moment. It helps preserve the feel and reality of a moment and that's a big part of what I want to photograph much of the time.

Catch it before it's gone!

2011-04-15T17:39:00.000-05:00

Life flies by minute by minute and whether we see it as special or not, it is. Although not necessarily evident now it eventually helps to see a snapshot of who you were at a previous time. It can help you show and tell others the story of your life as well as remind yourself of who you were.

This all comes up, in part, because of a trip my wife and I made to a high school track meet to watch a friend's daughter compete. While watching (and of course photographing), I was reminded of my own experiences in junior high track, albeit brief. The thing is, although they were brief, they did happen. Having photographs of those achievements of just being there and competing are worth remembering. That's one thing I love doing, capturing real moments in people's lives (or their surroundings) for posterity and their own reflections. Once an opportunity has passed, it may not come back, certainly youth does not. :)

So get photos made of you to remember what you've been blessed to experience, if a photo is worth a thousand words, think of all the journal time you can skip! Of course it's good to write too, I don't mean to minimize its importance, but photos are a wonderful way to supplement words in a truly unique manner.

With that all being said, give me a call or shoot me an email if you'd like my assistance in making some photos you can look back on and smile! I'd love to talk to you and see what we can work out, we just need time and a place and I can come to you or meet you at any number of locations around town.

Senior portraits are perhaps something that is coming down to the wire and I have packages for you set up. You could be a young professional or couple too! This time of year is just about perfect for outdoor shots without too much heat so don't delay, and I'll be looking forward to hearing from you!

It is more...

2011-04-14T00:08:00.000-05:00

‎"Being a photographer is much more than carrying a camera in a bag. Creating a good photograph demands more than technique and skill. Good photographs require that we use our mind and our heart. If we want to make pictures that cause change, we must be the first ones changed by the pictures that we make." -Chris Orwig (Quoted in a post by Radiant Squares)

It seems quite true, what Orwig said about being a photographer. Seeing what I've seen has changed me and I, in turn, want to share that perspective with others. The change being spoken of isn't necessarily big. It could be something as simple as appreciating a flower on the side of the road that was previously passed by. It could be just looking up at the sky more often to appreciate the painting of clouds, light, stars, or planets above. It could just be the change that happens when you look at someone and see a bit of character or even just a quality you hadn't before. That changes you. Sometimes it may even be a matter of seeing a photo of yourself and being able to analyze what others see in you. All these things can instigate change, and that's what a good photographer will offer.

I try to be a good photographer. Of course there is always a curve of learning to make the equipment and circumstance conform to an accurate and evocative capture of a particular moment. Even so, moments will often be powerful enough to register on film or sensor regardless of photographic perfection. It helps to have the right skill and tool bag to increase the odds though!

.

East Austin

2011-04-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, a week ago I met with Geoff at Progress Coffee and, understandably, got inspired to take a walk around the area afterwards. Specifically I was trying to head home and had to stop when I saw this rockin' Caddy parked along one of the streets. They just don't make 'em like this any more... probably cause they can't even touch 30mpg unless it's rolling down a mountain.

In any case, I took the opportunity to play with more fulling manual settings and focusing. It is very freeing artistically to not rely on auto focus because you can pay more attention to the framing rather than repositioning and locking focus. Of course this is something that is much more fun when there is time to try several angles and focus points just in case my eyesight betrayed me the first time.

All I know is that I love being able to wander around and find things like this. Geoff is fantastic about that sort of thing with his clients and has some amazing shots as a result.

This all starts me thinking about East Austin and how it's brightly painted buildings and character are a real treat. In suburbia with landscaping being the predominant method of differentiation from your neighbors in terms of colors and style, it can often get a little boring to look at. This does help highlight the skies and people that might be bright spots but it's nice to have variety.

How do I start?

2011-04-13T12:49:00.000-05:00

It's been an interesting year or so trying to start and run my own business. Full of trials and sparks of potential, it is a challenge that has been long dreamed of, albeit in much more vague detail.

This past 14 days has been especially fun with meetings and assignments. There have been hiccups but overall, it's been very rewarding.

A returning client, ShowBox in Houston, recruited me to come cover one of their client's open house events. At the end of that week I got to cover an event at Austin's Zilker Park for a young lady battling a rare and daunting form of brain cancer. Later that afternoon, celebrating another friend's return home after having brain surgery (also cancer), I fell into an impromptu portrait session that yielded some images I'm pretty proud of.

Meeting with other photographers has been amazing as well. I was able to meet up with Geoff Duncan at a very cool place in East Austin (called Progress Coffee) and then Lori Luza at Kerbey Lane Cafe. They both do great work and we had some very good conversation about the business.

It's been a struggle trying to wrap my mind and will around getting this thing off the ground. There are so many things to consider, priorities needing to be established, budgets to devise and adhere to, prices to set and stick to, distribution methods, equipment, presentation... and the list goes on. Thankfully over the past year I've also had friends and family like Ray Detwiler and Jason Arcemont, not to mention my lovely wife, who have also been giving tips and assessments that have been very helpful, even though some things haven't been implemented just yet.

Suffice it to say, I've got a lot to think about at the moment! There are little but important things like facebook "likes" that are nice encouragements throughout the day. Also having friends support me at the opening party for my showing at fab'rik austin was a huge lift, thank you Ben & Emily for your purchase! Just a few hours ago I got another nice lift as my online storefront just got it's first order! Of course getting taped by old and new friends for possible assignments is awesome as well. Thank you Brooke for letting me in on Madeleine's food fight!

Then there's the music aspect of the arts in "arts & photography" where there have been opportunities popping up for my djembe and cajon playing, not to mention a possible gig for Memorial Day weekend. It's all pretty exciting!

So yes, there's a lot going on and it's looking to be full of fun and good times. I'll keep you posted!