It’s always a challenge to shoot in a “location” that doesn’t technically exist yet, so we instead focused heavily on the people and the neighborhood. We searched out locations in the area with the right vibe and energy and subtly finessed in some Circa props to help loop back to their brand. The shoot went off without a hitch and we walked away with more images in the can than our initial shot list, which is never a bad problem to have.

One of the reasons I became a photographer was that I saw how images could move people emotionally. They can incite change, rally people to support others, or donate money to those in need. The images from Nepal during and immediately following the earthquake a few days ago are finally pouring out into the news and social media outlets and people are starting to understand the gravity of the situation. This disaster feels more personal to me than others have in the past because I was recently in the region. Unfortunately I never made it to Nepal, but I did make a trip to the foothills of the Himalayas, where I was struck by the natural beauty and the generosity of the people I met there. Now I feel trapped on the other side of the world, wanting to be there on the ground helping and taking the photos that affect people to make a positive difference.

Unfortunately a ticket to Nepal is not an option for me right now, so instead I’ll focus my efforts here on raising money and awareness. I’ve decided to sell photographic prints, donating 100% of the proceeds to Nepali aid via the Red Cross. Print sizes and pricing below. Please view the gallery of what is for sale

www.ryandearth.com/CLIENT/INDIA/

4 x 6″  – $20

8 x 10″  –  $75

11 x 17″  –  $125

16 x 24″  –  $175

Contact me to order or inquire about more sizing.

All proceeds will go to the Red Cross unless you have a specific charity you would like to donate to, in which case please specify. If you would rather donate directly here are some easy options:

Paypal is taking direct donations to different charities providing help

Rokpa House is a local Nepali charity fund providing help from inside the country.

Early this year, or maybe even at the end of last year, I came to the decision that I wanted to evaluate and revamp my business. It became obvious that I needed a major update to my portfolio, which I hadn’t been great about keeping up. It had been nearly 4 years since I started my site with APhotoFolio.com, and in the past year alone I had shot thousands of photos – none of which were up on the site yet. I wanted to curate the images in my web portfolio to create a stronger visual brand that people would recognize as mine.

A while back I had heard some words of wisdom about success that really stuck with me. The idea follows that success in both business and life are most likely to occur when you do something that incorporates all three of these important factors:

1. Do something that you love and are passionate about
2. Do something that you are actually good at
3. Do something that you can actually make money at

It made sense to me and I didn’t forget it, which is rare for me. I wanted to build a business with that in mind, so when it came to building my portfolio I wanted something that not only showcased where I had been, but where I want to go next. It was important to show the authenticity that I think is key to my photography, all the while showing depth and consistency. To do that, I worked with Peter Dennen at Pedro and Jackie to help with the edit. I’ve learned the hard way that photographer’s are terrible at editing their own work and I’m no exception. I knew I wanted to bring someone in who understood what I was going for and with his experience, Peter was that guy. We started sorting through almost every photo I’ve taken in the past, oh, 10 years or so? I narrowed it to 700 images and Peter brought it down even further. Then we started the toughest part of the edit and began to build galleries. We ended with four sets that were heavily focused on people and lifestyle. Ideally, each group transitions seamlessly to the next, while retaining the integrity of its subject matter. Not surprisingly, most of the work that made the cut was shot most recently, with a few old favorites still lingering – exactly what you want with a fresh portfolio.

In the end, I think the new site speaks for itself. We managed to work in a lot of my favorite images that would never have worked on the old site. Not only is it a better representation of me and my photography, it sets me up to better incorporate all three of those factors I mentioned into my business and in turn make me more successful from here on. For the time being, mission accomplished.

If you haven’t already, go check the site out and let me know what you think of the new look – www.ryandearth.com

Cheers,
-r