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No interesting links today guys. No ramblings on a new technology, a new photographer, or anything like that. Nope. This one is just about me.
I spent today, the first day of 2010, doing just about nothing. I really mean that. I woke up tired and just rode that wave all day. I watched more TV than is healthy, played video games, and just generally vegged out. I didn’t even go running, which I feel guilty about. Now, I’m sure some people would love a day to just do nothing and I’m really happy that I am in a position where I can actually have that. But if I’m being honest I must say this: I hated it. I feel like I wasted this day, overall. I just didn’t get anything accomplished and that knowledge is weighing on me right now.
What does this have to do with anything? Well, throughout the day I kept thinking about my photography. What I’ve done, what I’m currently working on, and what I want to do in the future. The bottom line that I came to was that I’m not doing enough. Nowhere near enough. I’m slacking, and I hate it, but so far I haven’t been pushing myself to do more. So, here and now, I’m going to make a small outline. Just some things that I want to work harder on. IF you have to, I suppose you could call these new years resolutions. That’s a big if, and no one is forcing you to. So, without further ado, may I present to you:
Looking Forward: 2010
(applause! Wooooo!! YAY!)
1. I will do much more to pull myself out of debt. This seems like something most people want to do right now considering the state of the economy but in thinking about my future I started to see how important it is for my photo work. Not too long ago I worked out a business plan for myself and one of the items in there was a rough estimate of how much it would take me to really get going. It was a lot. I said, “Okay, it’s a lot, but I’ll work on paying things down and it’ll all work out.” Well it hasn’t. I’m not doing enough. I will do more. It’s time to budget EVERYTHING. *tears* The good times, as they say, are over. As Blink 182 once put it: well I guess this is growing up.
2. I will go to many, many more Second Saturday events. I’m not sure how many people out there know what that means, so in a nutshell, Second Saturdays are held in downtown Sacramento (and other cities I’ve heard) on a monthly basis. On those evenings the galleries typically change all their shows, people are all around, there is music in the air and a lot of interesting things to be found. It’s like a block party out there on a good night, especially during the warmer months. I have never once gone out there and not been inspired to shoot. I’ve witnessed new photographic work, paintings, sculptures, interpretive dance (which was a bit weird), even live art shows with people creating pieces right there on the street. It’s just so amazing to be surrounded by people from all walks of life who appreciate art. It fills me with a desire to be better and do more. I want that.
3. Shoot. Shoot shoot shoot. Shoot for nothing. Shoot for practice. Shoot even if it’s just to test something out and then delete it. Shoot if I’m getting paid, of course. Just press the shutter. One of my professors in college, who due to my terrible memory will remain nameless, once commented on how low the requirements were in some of the classes. How few photographs we actually had to produce during the semester. If he had his way (oh! It was a male! That I remember!) we would be producing three or four times the requirement. I’ve found that with few exceptions if I don’t have a specific event to shoot for I don’t touch my cameras. Not that I don’t have ideas for things I want to create or that I want to practice, I just don’t get off my ass. That ends now.
4. Organize the last 7 years of my life. That is, roughly, how long I’ve been shooting. Between college work and everything that has come afterwards I think I’m up to two external hard drives, my laptop hard drive, my old desktop hard drive, several backup discs, and at least one thumb drive. I think. I’m pretty sure. This simply will not do.
5. Finish writing a short story. Writing is something I’ve done on and off for a while. I guess it was inevitable considering how much I’ve read in my life that I would at some point think, “hey, I bet I can do that!” Well, I’ve tried, and it quickly became clear how wide the gap between “doing it” and “doing it well” really is. Regardless, I want to really create something I’m proud of this year. I’ve mentioned before how so many different things inspire me and influence my photography. The reason for this, I suppose, is that even if something isn’t photo related many things expand my creativity and that’s the source of my best work. Writing is just one more way to do that very thing.
6. Revamp this here blog. This one. Right here. The thing you’re reading. It can be better. When I started this site I didn’t really know what I was doing. I had just scratched the surface of blogging and while I in no way regret my decision to start it how I did I’ve learned a lot that I want to implement. There will be a 2.0 version in the near future. It’s going to be awesome.
7. Enter some photo contests. This one is really related to #3 above but since I’ve already resolved to do that I should at least put a little competition into it. I imagine it will push me to be my best, even more so that is, and if by some chance I manage to win something along the way I wouldn’t turn it down. Especially if it’s a great cash prize, which would do much to help me achieve #1.
8. Have fun with my photos! Now, don’t yell at me, I know this more than any other sounds like a, “well duh you dumb ass” thing to say. But when photography stops being fun for me is the day I stop doing it. I hope that day never comes.
While my updates on this site may be sporadic and not always on the topic of photography there is always more going on in the background. More reading, more studying, more list making, and more planning, all in the name of my future in photography. There is also a lot of frustration, confusion, worry, and me generally wondering “WTF!?”
I previously wrote about a great book called the Photographer’s Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business. I liked the book the first time I wrote about it and I like it even more now.
What I most definitely do NOT like is how the more I learn the longer this path feels. This isn’t a yellow brick road I’m walking down, this sucker is lined with cash. Cash that I do not have. Whereas so many people my age spent all their credit buying random electronics and clothes while not worrying about the consequences I spent mine on camera gear, paper, film, and tuition. Sounds pretty reasonable doesn’t it? Well, it wasn’t. “What’s this? More film for one class and memory cards for another? SURE! WHY NOT!? I don’t really need to print all 300 of these photos but I’m going to do it anyways because I want to see how pretty they are! YAY ME!!!” Little by little my wasteful spending built up, hidden behind the thin veil of necessity. And now here it is, biting me in the ass. To get this photo venture off the ground in a real way I need money. To get this money I need to be out of debt. A debt that I really dug myself into finishing the photo degree which I wanted so I could make money from my images. Hell of a circle isn’t it?
I’m not giving up; this post isn’t about that at all. I just want to look back on these words in the future and know that without a doubt this was when one of the big realities of what I’m trying to do hit me. Here, in debt, with the national economy falling apart, with everyone I know hurting for cash, I was spending hours researching, reading, planning for and working towards something which will never get where I want without funding. It sounds a bit stupid, I’ll admit. But where’s the joy in life if you don’t do something stupid every now and then? 
There were a lot of things I heard about in college, from students and professors, that does me no good at all. I took classes that were a waste of time, listened to advice that is pretty much worthless now, and even got a bit of a smug smile from thinking, “I’ll never need this, ever.” Some of these things I don’t care to even mention because, frankly, I was right. What does get to me are the things I was told and knew were important but didn’t give the necessary attention to. Right now, specifically, I’m talking about networking.
It makes perfect sense. Be nice, meet people, leave a good impression. You never know when people will talk about you and what may come of it. This is when you want people to talk about you behind your back. I’ve been a little amazed over the past two weeks at how many connections have come to light. Let’s break it down: Andri, an amazing networker, knew Adam. I knew Andri from college and somehow my name came up since Adam was looking for someone to shoot some photos for a VHCLE article. I went and did that last Saturday and while talking with Adam I found out that he is old friends with a guy named Robbie. The only reason this is interesting is that I know Robbie as a coworker at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Adam even used to play with Robbie in a sweet Sacramento band, The New Humans.
And then, on Tuesday, I got a smaller dose of this same thing when I went to this amazing shop near my office called Le Petite Paris. I was speaking to Nicole, the owner, and she noticed that I had a lunch meeting with Adam on Monday (we were trying to get my photos to his hard drive, which was another issue all together). I knew that he really liked that place so it wouldn’t surprise me if they had met. I came to find out that Nicole’s daughter did some program at the YMCA, where Adam works, so there was an extra connection there as well.
One week, multiple connections, and so many good things that came from them. I should have listened more. I should have made more of an effort to get to know and keep in touch with so many of the great people I’ve met at various points in my life. I’ve been lucky enough to see first hand just how great knowing people can be. I’ll be keeping that in mind from now on.
I spent yesterday rolling around Sacramento with Adam Saake from VHCLE. They’re an online magazine covering design that will appeal to anyone who loves good writing, creativity, or art.
So where did I go? What did I shoot? What do the images look like? Well that’s the thing, I wish I could tell you. I’m not sure I can’t exactly, but I don’t want to chance it. Adam is doing a write-up on a Sacramento day trip and I shot photos for 5 locations around the downtown area. I’m still working on getting the images to him, which will hopefully be done tomorrow, but until the article goes up I don’t want to say too much. I just had a pretty good time getting it done and I will throw up some images from it this coming week!
I really have no idea if or when anyone will read this. I highly doubt that anyone has followed this project of mine since it started. On the off chance that you’re reading this now and you did follow it from the start, thank you so much! That being said, you’ve probably already noticed that I’ve moved. That’s right, I pulled up my stakes, packed my boxes, hurt my back picking up all my crap and I’ve now landed on WordPress.
There’s no great reason I did this besides the fact that I was unsatisfied with Blogger. I liked how easy it was to create a new blog and to move elements around the page, which I haven’t figured out how to do here by the way, but all of the layouts seemed to be either really boring and restricting or required a level of HTML knowledge that I just don’t have and have no real interest in learning. So I took a page from my friend Amy’s playbook and started my work here. I hope this is a positive change for me. I plan on making this blog a big part of my photography work so it’s important that I stick with someone I’m comfortable with. I have high hopes for you WordPress. Don’t let me down!
I’ve had the technical school training. I’ve shot on my own. I’ve read books on photography. I’ve read blogs/websites/magazines about photography. With all this under my belt I’ve come to one conclusion: that the best way to learn is to study actual photographers. There is just something about seeing the work of others, reading their thoughts, and just trying my hardest to squeeze any information out of a wedding photographer’s website that makes my mind work in a very productive way. So in this post I want to share some of the best wedding photographers I’ve found out there. Check them out, and be amazed!
Jasmine Star
I’m sorry everyone else, but she’s easily my favorite. From how open and honest her blog is about her work and life to the amazing photographs, Jasmine does it all. She’s a constant source of inspiration.
Mike Colon
Finally, someone who isn’t afraid of grain! His style just caught my eye so fast I knew I wanted to follow his work and pick up a few things. So many of his images just have this classic quality that makes me feel like the wedding somehow fell through a time warp and really took place decades ago. I half expect to see Frank Sinatra in the background. But of course, it doesn’t happen, all I get is beautiful shot after beautiful shot. (oh no!)
Dane Sanders
Let me get this out of the way: his photographs are just beautiful. There, it’s said, it’s the truth, and it’s done. What Dane does better then anyone (for me anyways) is display an ability to anticipate, adapt, and fully explore new ways to do business as a photographer. His book, Fast Track Photographer, was one of the most eye opening books I’ve ever read. If anyone reading this wants to start any kind of photography business I highly recommend it. If you’re looking to start a wedding photography business it’s 100% essential!
The Becker
The Becker has an eye that can’t be denied. The vast majority of his images look like they belong in a magazine, like they were carefully crafted in the perfect studio setting. But they weren’t, this is just how good he is.
Ed Pingol
What can I say about Ed Pingol? Personally, he’s the model for what modern wedding photography can be. He is a master of creative angles and has had more “how the hell did he do that?!” shots then anyone else I have ever seen. Check him out!
This won’t be the most exciting post ever, so consider this your fair warning.
I am currently working my way through yard work. By yard work, I mean something boring yet very necessary. By boring yet very necessary, I mean I’m not really enjoying it at all but I know that to make this entire enterprise work I have a lot to learn and the only way that’s going to happen is to put in the hours reading. I started with the Photographer’s Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business and so far it’s been a great resource. All of this talk about business plans, budgets, marketing, and so many other topics are just vague ideas to me and this book is so far doing a great job of laying them all out for me. But where’s the fun in that? I am the kind of guy who likes a little panache and I just happened to find a wonderful mix of that plus the real world info I so desperately need. I am, of course, talking about Photojojo.
Thanks to the wonderful DIY emails from Photojojo I have enjoyed articles on making a paperclip tripod, helmet camera mounts, and how to make moving pictures like in Harry Potter. Recently, they started a multi-part series on starting your own photography business and the third installment has been an amazing resource. I never realized how many free (and pretty amazing) resources there were out there for people who want to start their own business. But don’t take my word for it, if you’re interested at all check it out yourself. In case you didn’t feel adventurous enough to click the first mention of Photojojo above (which you should have!) please take advantage of my subtle hint below.
STEPS TO STARTING A BUSINESS ALONG WITH WONDERFUL RESOURCES!
Member!
