Hi everyone!
In case you are following my blog and getting notified of new posts, I wanted to make you aware of the changes to my website.
I am focusing on making images and not websites. So I've decided to utilize WordPress and let those that are better at designing websites do their thing and focus my energy on making images.
There will be multiple changes to the look of my website as I haven't completely settled on a theme yet.
Feel free to take a look around and let me know what you think of the new site.
Thanks!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
(in)Decisions, (in)decisions...
It's been a long time since my last post. I've done a lot of soul searching in that time as to just what direction I want to take this thing. I'm torn between wanting to shoot what I love and feeling like I need to shoot what will sell.
I keep hearing that portraiture is where the money is. It's just not what inspires me.
So, I'm going to try something a little different. After attending a class on microstock photography by Pete Solutos it's really sounding appealing. So Kelly and I did a little brainstorming and came up with a good list of topics to shoot. I'm not really sure how applicable these will be for microstock but it will get us moving on the path of setting up shoots, getting the talent, the props, wardrobe and lighting set up, then scheduling the shoot.
I haven't followed up with Terry from SCORE yet as I'm still struggling with getting my bearings and settling down on a path to follow. Now that I've got that settled, I"m going to work on getting the Business Plan filled out.
In the mean time, it looks like I've got a line on some local talent but we'll have to see how that pans out.
On a different note, a good friend invited me to shoot a balloon launch where I got a couple good pics.
I keep hearing that portraiture is where the money is. It's just not what inspires me.
So, I'm going to try something a little different. After attending a class on microstock photography by Pete Solutos it's really sounding appealing. So Kelly and I did a little brainstorming and came up with a good list of topics to shoot. I'm not really sure how applicable these will be for microstock but it will get us moving on the path of setting up shoots, getting the talent, the props, wardrobe and lighting set up, then scheduling the shoot.
I haven't followed up with Terry from SCORE yet as I'm still struggling with getting my bearings and settling down on a path to follow. Now that I've got that settled, I"m going to work on getting the Business Plan filled out.
In the mean time, it looks like I've got a line on some local talent but we'll have to see how that pans out.
On a different note, a good friend invited me to shoot a balloon launch where I got a couple good pics.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
He shoots..... he S.C.O.R.E.S.!
Please excuse the bad pun in the title of this entry. I met with a counselor from SCORE (Service Corps Of Retired Executives) to get some advice on starting my business. It took a couple of weeks to meet up with a counselor but I finally did meet up with Terry.
He's a great guy that was very helpful in getting me headed in the right direction with regards to my focus on marketing and business structure. While I had some ideas on how to proceed it is really nice to be able to bounce those ideas off of someone who has "been there, done that" with regards to business.
One of the things that I need to overcome, is that my experience with business ownership is mostly growing up with my dad spending six to seven days a week at work trying to keep the doors open. Not good memories. I know that this doesn't have to be the way it works, but I struggle with that image when I hear that "it takes hard work" to start a business. With a wife and two kids that want to spend time with me, I have to be very careful to balance family time with job time and business time.
Terry, my SCORE counselor tells me that he hasn't spent more that 40 hours a week at any of his businesses after they have been established. Since I'm trying to build this business without any debt, I know that I'm going to come to a point where the business will require more time than my job and family will allow. When that happens I'll have to decide what things look like and see how we want to proceed.
In the mean time, I'm working on the business plan with Terry's help. The business plan is one of the tasks that I really dreaded. All the examples that I've seen look like someone is justifying their business to a banker in preparation for asking for a loan. Since this is not what I'm planning on, it just doesn't make sense to me. Terry had a good suggestion that the business plan should be what expresses me and my business.
I could go on, but I need to get back to writing the first draft of the plan.
He's a great guy that was very helpful in getting me headed in the right direction with regards to my focus on marketing and business structure. While I had some ideas on how to proceed it is really nice to be able to bounce those ideas off of someone who has "been there, done that" with regards to business.
One of the things that I need to overcome, is that my experience with business ownership is mostly growing up with my dad spending six to seven days a week at work trying to keep the doors open. Not good memories. I know that this doesn't have to be the way it works, but I struggle with that image when I hear that "it takes hard work" to start a business. With a wife and two kids that want to spend time with me, I have to be very careful to balance family time with job time and business time.
Terry, my SCORE counselor tells me that he hasn't spent more that 40 hours a week at any of his businesses after they have been established. Since I'm trying to build this business without any debt, I know that I'm going to come to a point where the business will require more time than my job and family will allow. When that happens I'll have to decide what things look like and see how we want to proceed.
In the mean time, I'm working on the business plan with Terry's help. The business plan is one of the tasks that I really dreaded. All the examples that I've seen look like someone is justifying their business to a banker in preparation for asking for a loan. Since this is not what I'm planning on, it just doesn't make sense to me. Terry had a good suggestion that the business plan should be what expresses me and my business.
I could go on, but I need to get back to writing the first draft of the plan.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
My first art show
Well, that was fun. No, really it was a lot of fun! The artists reception for the Color Explosion show at the Gresham Arts Committee was a real hoot. I got to meet a lot of really nice artists and their guests. About 12 of my friends and family showed up to support me. I am truly grateful for their support!
There were a number of wonderful works from local artists at this show. Gary Wilson had four outstanding photographs in this show. As well as a number of great images from students of the Focus On Youth program. I consider myself fortunate to be included in a show with such outstanding artists.
On a different note, I finally have an appointment with a S.C.O.R.E. advisor. That is set for Wednesday afternoon. I'll let everyone know how that goes. I'm hoping they can help me get going on my business plan and business organization.
Finally, the family and I went to the beach this weekend. We had a nice time and I think I got some good photos. We'll see how the post processing goes this week.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Bio - what?
Wow, who would have thought that writing a bio was that hard?!? It took me most of the day today to write up a small bio as I prepare for an artists reception at the Gresham Arts Committee tomorrow night. Yes, I know that this is something that I should have completed months ago. I just never got around to it. So, now I'm hustling to get the details done and ready for the reception. What actually got me through the Bio process was this page.
Now I'm getting ready to tackle the updates to the website. I've got new images to put up, logo updates that need to be done as well as a general update to show the new directions I'm getting ready to take.
Speaking of new directions... I'm considering doing some portrait work. I know that probably comes as a shock to anyone that has discussed photography with me. I've been working pretty hard to avoid portrait work up to this point. However I am beginning to realize that what I have been dreading is the bland, cheesy, classical "stand straight up, look into the camera and try to smile big" boring old portrait. What I've realized is that I don't have to do those boring old pictures. I can be as creative as my customers will allow me to be and by being creative, I'm appealing to a different customer. So look forward to seeing some portraits come up on my site in the near future.
For those of you that are interested, the impetus for this change began with a conversation with a potential customer. The family and I were checking out a local cake shop for a cake for my son's upcoming birthday. I noticed that the cakes on display in the shop where looking worlds better than what was on their website. I offered to do a few gratis shots for them to see if we wanted to do some business together. When we were done the owner asked, rather enthusiastically if I did any portraits. At that point I said that I did not, but her question got the gears in my head turning. I had to ask myself "why not?". The answer I came up with was in two parts. First, I hate (I mean detest with absolute disdain) the boring old portraits that come to my mind when I think of "portraits". The second part of the answer was that I'm just more comfortable by myself out in the woods taking my time composing the picture at my leisure, finding the emotion in the scene. When photographing people, the photographer needs to bring out the emotion from the subject/client.
So when I looked at it, I determined that my discomfort (or fear) wasn't going to stop me from meeting the needs of a client. Who knows, I may just end up enjoying working with subjects that are a little more interactive than a mountain scene.
By the way, if anyone is reading this and hasn't already received an invitation to the reception for the Color Explosion show, consider this your invitation. The reception is at the City Hall building in Gresham Oregon from 5:30pm to 7:00pm Tuesday Feb 16th. Hope to see you there!
Now I'm getting ready to tackle the updates to the website. I've got new images to put up, logo updates that need to be done as well as a general update to show the new directions I'm getting ready to take.
Speaking of new directions... I'm considering doing some portrait work. I know that probably comes as a shock to anyone that has discussed photography with me. I've been working pretty hard to avoid portrait work up to this point. However I am beginning to realize that what I have been dreading is the bland, cheesy, classical "stand straight up, look into the camera and try to smile big" boring old portrait. What I've realized is that I don't have to do those boring old pictures. I can be as creative as my customers will allow me to be and by being creative, I'm appealing to a different customer. So look forward to seeing some portraits come up on my site in the near future.
For those of you that are interested, the impetus for this change began with a conversation with a potential customer. The family and I were checking out a local cake shop for a cake for my son's upcoming birthday. I noticed that the cakes on display in the shop where looking worlds better than what was on their website. I offered to do a few gratis shots for them to see if we wanted to do some business together. When we were done the owner asked, rather enthusiastically if I did any portraits. At that point I said that I did not, but her question got the gears in my head turning. I had to ask myself "why not?". The answer I came up with was in two parts. First, I hate (I mean detest with absolute disdain) the boring old portraits that come to my mind when I think of "portraits". The second part of the answer was that I'm just more comfortable by myself out in the woods taking my time composing the picture at my leisure, finding the emotion in the scene. When photographing people, the photographer needs to bring out the emotion from the subject/client.
So when I looked at it, I determined that my discomfort (or fear) wasn't going to stop me from meeting the needs of a client. Who knows, I may just end up enjoying working with subjects that are a little more interactive than a mountain scene.
By the way, if anyone is reading this and hasn't already received an invitation to the reception for the Color Explosion show, consider this your invitation. The reception is at the City Hall building in Gresham Oregon from 5:30pm to 7:00pm Tuesday Feb 16th. Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Confluence
One of the definitions of confluence is "a flowing together". I really feel like that is what has been happening in my photography lately. Mostly through the PMPA I've been contacting more photographers who are willing to help out a total newbie and give me the direction that would take years of my own stumbling around to figure out.
So, now I'm wet, having jumped off the dock and have a vague idea of where I'm going. Times like this tend to be emotional. If you look for the negative, they will be stressful and frightening. If you look ahead with a positive expectation they can be exhilarating! I'm choosing to go with the latter.
It looks like there are some prospects for events coming up early next year. I'm working on my branding and business details now as I get ready for the new year. I promise that I'll have more information soon!
Unknown to him, the start of my season of confluence began with some blog posts by Zack Arias. Zack is a commercial photographer in Atlanta that is very talented and has a great blog! A recent blog entry asks how many of us are "standing on the dock" wondering how to launch out into this sea of uncertainty called professional photography. Then Zack hits us with Dope Soap & Hope, another from-the-heart entry that really feels like God saying, "what's your excuse?".
So, feeling like I've been given the challenge to actually do something rather than just soak in information, I attend the November PMPA meeting where Ron LeBlanc stands up and says that he needs an assistant for their Pictures with Santa booth at an upcoming event. As soon as the meeting was over I jumped up and nearly tackled Ron letting him know that I'm interested. Ron and Kate, being the gracious folks they are agreed to let me help them for the event.
Then I read Zack's A Call To Action and find out about the Help Portrait project. A little research shows that there is a Portland group that is organizing an event. Still buzzing from the Dope Soap & Hope example, I jump into the Help Portrait project offering to help how ever I can.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I had the great pleasure to assist Ron and Kate with their "Pictures with Santa" booth at the huge Christmas Bazaar inside the Portland Expo Center. This was a 6 day event that spanned two weekends. For a first-year effort things went really well. We had a great team and a fantastic Santa. After the first weekend I decided to purchase a complete green screen setup with cool lights and event level software. Now I'm stepping off the dock into waters who's depth are unknown to me, but with the confidence that God won't let me drown.
Now I can offer to use the green screen setup and software to provide a "photo booth" at the Help Portrait event in Portland. We all had a great time and were able to give pictures to over 40 families on Saturday! Elee Yang helped me out with our photo booth that gave every family a picture to take with them from the event. The other very talented photographers will be getting their images printed this week and will be delivering them.
So, now I'm wet, having jumped off the dock and have a vague idea of where I'm going. Times like this tend to be emotional. If you look for the negative, they will be stressful and frightening. If you look ahead with a positive expectation they can be exhilarating! I'm choosing to go with the latter.
It looks like there are some prospects for events coming up early next year. I'm working on my branding and business details now as I get ready for the new year. I promise that I'll have more information soon!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Connections
It's been a while since my last update. I find it funny how my timing and God's timing aren't always in sync. Okay, I'm always in more of a hurry than He is. But then I remember that I don't have the big picture like He does, and I settle down and let things happen as they should.
A recent series of events has helped bring this to mind.
Early in July, while at a good friends house, I met Jared. Jared stopped by to drop off some salmon for my friend to cook up in his smoker. Jared and I started chatting and quickly found out that we had a few things in common. Primarily, he was in the middle of a couple of business projects that were going to need the services of a photographer and that I was a photographer in the need of some business projects. Funny how God puts the right people in the right place at the right time.
It turns out that the original project we discussed is on hold for a few more months, but another project has come up that needs more immediate attention. This works out perfectly for me as I happen to have the time and energy to really put into these photographs right now.
Jared and I recently met at a local cafateria and burned through three hours of planning, joking, laughing and just getting to know each other. It's amazing to me how quickly three hours can go by when you are in good company.
When I stop to think of the thin thread that connects all of the wonderful dots in my life I am reassured that when I let him, God really does make everything work out on His schedule.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
