Studio Up-date

 This is one shooting wall behind the girls.

 This is the entrance to the studio as you can see the display cabinet on the right is now red with blue.

 This is the larger shooting wall.

 The smaller wall again just needs some more paint the yellowish spot is where I moved the cabinet.

 A view from the larger shooting wall to the left of the green cabinet will be the desk.

 Another view from the larger wall. The corner area is where the desk will be.

 A view from the smaller wall to the larger wall.

 A view from the doorway.

 My screen that I like but don't know what to do with yet.

 A view from the windows to the doorway.

 Some damage I will have to fix.

 The cabinet by the desk area. I bought the crate sitting there, the lights were left behind, and the bright green items you see are the shelves that go into the cabinet.

 My business card holder says Aloha and Hawaii on it and looks like leaves.

 My grumpy daughter was not happy this day.

Here you can see the red and blue a little better. I am looking forward to get it all finished. I keep saying soon but as we all know it takes time. Well I am off for now so Happy shooting :)

April

Studio Helpers

 Tabby gave my son a skunk hair doo...lol Glad it washes out.

 They were ready to paint.

 Paint attack...lol

 Mike and Tabby helped to paint.

 Mike taking a photo of the wooden box we found it will make a great prop.

 Studio doors that I am thinking will be stained Emerald green.

 I loved the color of this paint my daughter and I picked up for the magazine rack turned out sweet.

 The bright green my daughter also picked out for the cabinet shelves.

 My son textured the top half of the wall for me.

 This is how a Photographer lights a room when there are no lights installed yet....lol

The large cabinet ended up being two screwed together and like magic the small one fit in the old door way. Now I do not need to have one built in, though it is no longer green but now a med to dark grey. The larger cabinet is grey outside and green inside I will have to get pictures up soon.

Also Movember on its way I will he holding a Snap a Stache event on the 4th and on the 3rd there will be a craft fair in the building my studio in located. I will post more photos soon. Happy Shooting :)

April

New Studio

I found a downtown location for my studio. It is located in my old middle school with hardwood floors and french door. I am having work done now so I hope to be up and running by Dec. I also will be renting some studio time to other photographer as well. I will post photos so you can see the progress.
Happy Shooting.

April

Still Here

I am still here I know it has been a while since I last posted. My depression got me down pretty bad. I wasn't aware it had such a grasp on me until I broke down enough to scare me. I can't say that I am better but I can say I am more aware and taking each day as a step to become me again. Tomorrow is my 35th birthday and the day that I hope to take the steps needed to be a healthy new me. I know it won't happen all at once but I WILL get there.

On a much happier note I got a call for a senior session that I did and was pretty proud of, as well as a call on an engagement session yet to be booked that may lead to a wedding (crossing fingers here).
  I also meet a new person that gave me a great idea for a project. How we met: My daughter and I were going to Wally World to get a few things and passed by a homeless guy on the side of the road playing his guitar. It was 104 degrees out he was red in face. I told my daughter that we are going to buy some water and a sandwich for him because it is too hot to be out side like that.
   When we got back outside he was gone it broke my heart I looked all down the highway to find him. It wasn't until I was ready to give up that there he was by a pond. I parked my car and we walked over to him and I said "I seen you out there playing your guitar what were you playing?" He told me and we started to talk I told him I got him some water and a sandwich. He then said "I am grateful because I didn't make enough today to buy anything to eat and the water I do have is hot enough to make coffee with."
  I found out that he had just gotten here from out of town. This guy rode a bike that was packed with his belongings, he owned land in another state that his daughter lived on, but he chose to travel doing odd jobs. The man as slept outside, lived in a motel that took all his pay so decided to leave and go to another town. I was told of the different places he has been and seen. I got his name and I told him mine. I told him I could understand I too had been homeless before a short while but I experienced it. I know what it is to struggle as well and I told him "I don't have much my self but I like to try and do something for others." I told him of the shelter we have here in town that I once even had to stay at and they try to help people down on their luck to get back on their feet. I was told he might check it out. I left telling him that maybe we will see each other around.

Now from that experience I figured a photography project that I want to do that also would work for a contest I want to enter through Blue Earth. I will tell you all more once I have it set up as for now much planning to take place. Happy Shooting.

April

Time To Cut Big Mama Loose

     I am scared to say that it is time to cut big mama loose (big mama being me :P). I have been wanting this for some time but as my health gets worse , pain kicks in daily, and I just want to live longer and be there for my kids.
     I am at my biggest at 250 yes I said it 250. I went to the doctor for some pain in my arm the other day when the nurse weighed me I wanted to cry. I look in the mirror and what I see is not me, I was smaller at nine months pregnant. So it is time to kick big mama out and bring out the new healthy me.

   This is an older photo of me but I will post up news ones as I continue my journey.  I realized I have not taken photos of me in a long time.
    While at the doctor I asked about weight loss. The first step we are taking to blood work to see if I am diabetic, hypoglycemic, and check my thyroids as I have been nothing but tired, weak, and depressed. My doctor did say that the depression could come from being diabetic also that exercise will help with depression. I will be seeing a nutritionist soon too. So for now hard work and Happy Shooting :)

April

Why is Photography Costly

   Photography takes more than just buying an expensive camera and setting it to auto and clicking away. Ansel Adams said "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it."  So true the camera does not make the photograph the photographer does. Shooting professional photography is a skill acquired through years of experience. Professional photographers are professionals. No different than a mechanic, dentist, doctor, or electrician.

 

   We photographers have to know our lighting, framing, composition, shutter speed, aperture, iso, and much more. After we are done shooting the work goes on. We have to keep our business running while providing a product and make a living.

   That is where our prices come in, many people ask why is professional photography so costly. I will explain...in short the cost of shooting a wedding, cost of providing a product, cost of running a business, cost of tax and profit I too have to pay the taxman, and cost of living because I am trying to make a living.

    What I make pays for :props, backdrops, backdrop stands, lighting equipment, software, printer, laptop, marketing, wireless triggers, boxes, packaging, external data storage, mileage, and gas on my auto, office supplies, product samples,accounting fees, and that is not all.

    What is left over after the taxman gets his share and expenses are paid, compensates me for the time I spend editing, shooting, preparing galleries, cleaning/maintaining/ carrying equipment, searching for new props, answering emails/phone calls, driving, designing cards, and so much more. So are your memories worth it? 

Happy Shooting :)

April

Photography & Coffee

I have since started a group on Facebook called Photography & Coffee as a sort of support group for photography minded people. I was talking to a fellow photographer that said she could not talk to the photographers in her area because they were rude and would undercut her. I feel for her I once tried to talk to a few fellow photographers when I was starting out and I was treated poorly. So a place to chat with other photographers where there is no negative and only supportive people was needed. So born is the group :) and so far good things have been happening. I am happy about it. As for my photo it is my daughter on a chilly day with no not coffee but a blizzard type drink...lol I will take the coffee. Happy Shooting. :)

April