Christmas 2008

As a photographer, I often wonder if I should treat my own family activities as I would an assignment or as any other opportunity. Christmas is of course a special time of year but for different people, it means different things. As we gathered for the morning, I grabbed my two cameras, put my lenses on and sat in my bean bag as I have for the past few years. My daughter handed out the gifts, as she has for several years and we all watched each other open gifts, saying the thank you's.

My two beauties


The joy of receiving (tickets to his first ever concert)


It's exactly what I wanted

Still around

I'm not gone or dead and apologize for no updates.

I still haven't been able to shoot the concept shot that I spoke of recently. So I have to modify it a little.....

What is it you ask? (Because you all reall really want to know right?)

It's a family portrait with a twist. I tell people all the time that I don't want to do things that are already being done. Too boring. But without giving the idea away, I will have to be a lot ambiguous.

For teh setting, I really wanted to do it outside in the snow, and I have to work within the family work/school schedule. It is a crap shoot to get all the elements of snow, 6 people and willingness to pose, all together at the same time. So instead of a shoot all together, I will use Photoshop. I am going to set up the background and lights then put the family in one by one as they are available. After all the shots are done separately, I will place the best image of each person into a final composite image. It's not how I originally wanted to do it, but it will have to happen this way in order to complete the shoot within the time window that it needs to be completed.

Difference of opinions

After I finished a home project this week I decided to put some of my prints in frames and hang them on the wall in our stairwell. I already had the frames and a lot of prints in sitting in envelopes in a box. The frames are the very simple, very cheap plastic frames you find at a local pharmacy/convenience store in your neighborhood. Most of my prints were 8x12's and the frames were 8x10.

Oops.

I ended up selecting a dozen or so prints that I could trim down to 8x10 size and put into the frames. On the wall, I measured out the start and end frame locations and did my division, then I marked the nail holes. Well, lets just say I got very lucky. I didn't take into account the width of the frames and really by pure luck, I was able to fit the frames in/on the wall side by side.....but only if they were portrait oriented (up and down). The landscape (side to side) frames won't fit on that line on that side of the wall. So I decided to put the landscape frames on the other side of the staircase.

At the bottom of the staircase is our entry way, (where I lay some marble tiles), is an 8 foot wide wall that is about 10 feet tall. I have great plans for that wall, but for now, I will put some pictures there. Actually, three pictures, in one frame. This framed picture set is what the Potter & Raccoon Red Devil Senior Cheerleaders received from me this year. Here is my daughters version.



Yes she's a cheerleader and no, the pictures aren't really that cheery. Sure, it has caused some consternation among the viewers of the picture set. Honestly, I like the fact that those images of her are different. I like different. I also like that it brings about discussion among those that are not afraid to voice their opinions. It doesn't hurt my feelings that viewers don't like it, but not everyone is willing to say how they feel. Well, not to my face anyway. So thus continues my foray into the world of art. It is subjective after all.

Trip summary

Beginning May 1, 2008 I spent the majority of 9 weeks among the Tamarack and Red Fir trees. I woke to the flowing waters of the Naches River in the Wenatchee National Forest not far from Chinook Pass and Mount Rainer. I also ventured to the desert region of the Columbia Basin where sand and nuclear energy co-exist among the flowing waters of the mighty Columbia River. Where wind blown tumbleweeds and sage brush become yard decorations. I was back home in state of Washington.

Goal one was to help a family member with some projects after his retirement. A secondary goal for me was to bring my kids here for their summer vacation. That second goal sadly, failed to materialize.

Of course, I brought my camera equipment to shoot when I could. I tried to save a little money, but I ended up buying some more light stands, a bike from Craigslist and a few dinners. Never resting (photographically speaking), I talked to a lot of people to see if I could take their portraits. Suffice to say, the Yakima/Naches area of Washington is a veritable vacuum of talent. There isn't much here. I even tried to get a MUA (Makeup Artist) to work a shoot, but she didn't find it important to check her messages except once a month. Maybe she was busy, maybe not, either way, it could have been communicated. A few people I wanted to shoot, one was very interested, and kept saying so, but would never commit. Wish I could have that time back. Another was so rude you would have thought I almost ran over her child in the driveway. The project I mentioned MANY MANY weeks ago, will not get done. I had planned on getting environmental portraits of employees of the two restaurants up here in the valley. I planned several poses out for specific people too. But because of their schedules and mine, it will not happen. I will put the idea in my idea book, and hopefully excecute it at another time and or place.

On the other hand, things were/are going well back in New Brighton/Pittsburgh. First, I was selected by Fe Gallery as one of 250 artists to represent Pittsburgh in a 250 year anniversary celebration/project. Secondly, the building where I was planning on putting in a second photo studio is still open and the owner wants to make sure I will be up and running when I get back or soon there after. Still, that "project" is going on seven months overdue. Also worth mentioning, one of the models I shot with in the spring wants to set up another session. She is/has worked with another local photographer because of my images he saw on her MySpace page. Finally, my MUA (well, she's not MINE, but it's the only MUA I work with), wants to shoot with me too. So things are significantly more promising in "da 'Burgh" than here in "the valley".

I did however get to spend some great times with my family here in WA. I attended a graduation, made it for mothers day, did a little golfing (pictures actually) and a family reunion coinciding with a school reunion. Most importantly, I had a great weekend with my wife when she visited for the graduation.

Regarding physical labor, I have shoveled about 7 tons of sand/gravel, screwed in 150+ pounds of 3 inch deck screws and bent more 20 penny nails than I care to admit. I have cut, chopped and loaded hundreds of feet of wood (did I say hundreds?). Painted walls, decks, railings and even myself. After I bought the CraigsList bike, I started riding it. Usually a couple of times a week. But near the end of my "tour" I was riding every day. My longest ride was 15 miles one way (up hill into the wind)(30 mile round trip). Many rides were 10-12 miles on average. Traffic wasn't a big deal, but the wind was. It always seemed to happen to blow towards me regardless of when I rode. Uphill, into the wind just really sucks.

This is not a "look what I have done" posting. It is to inform you all of my summer thus far. I haven't had an epiphany, nor have the clouds parted for the voice of God. However, I have learned a little about my family, my friends, and myself. Not since Air Force Basic Training and Tech School have I worked so hard (physically and mentally) for so long. (By the way, Basic Training is where I learned that the mind gives up sooner than the body). I hope these mini lessons can translate well to running my photography business and I eventually become very, very successful. I am coming to the conclusion that the world needs wood cutters, painters and construction workers. It also needs photographers, in which I plan to add myself to that list.

Weekend with family

Just a few shots from this weekend.

Family Portrait


My niece


Telling a story


A family that laughs together...

An 89th birthday

I was in town to see my paternal grandmother's 89th birthday.

Paternal grandmother's 89th birthday (on left with balloon).


My sister, her fiance and her son.


My brother David.


The birthday girl.


Ilene and Tim

The details

I will be heading back to Washington state May 1 to help a family member this summer in their own business venture. I won't be returning to Pennsylvania until the third week of July.

Because of the geographical location that I will be in, there is no cell phone coverage and based on the nature of my daily activities, I won't be available on the Internet very often. I will probably check email every few days while I am on hiatus. But not a lot of time for chat/IM and the blog will slow to only a few updates a week.....hmmmm about what it is right now. ACKKK

The photo updates might be a bit more varied (more nature/landscapes and perhaps some street/people shots). I guess it all depends on the amount of time I have to shoot though.

I hit a wall, and it was effin big

Well, there isn't an easy way to say this, but I was given an ultimatum. I won't get into the details ( did write about it but decided it be better to not post it). So, the gist of the situation is, I will be getting a job this week.

I actually wrote this blog post several days ago, but had to sit on it or I would have said some things I probably would have regretted. I also think the amount of commitment and the amount of work that it takes to get a small business up and running is more than many people are will accept. It is also pretty obvious I don't have the full undying support from my family. But the most disappointing part is that reality has reared it's ugly head and bitten me right square in the ass.

I have been given notice. I have to have a job by next week or bad things may happen.

Yes, the reality of food on the table is rearing it's ugly head. But I am so damn close to getting the photography thing going I can actually see it.

I have been working 60+ hours a week trying to find a studio location, make model/photographer connections, meet with makeup artists, hair stylists, and just last week I finally found someone in the fashion industry. I understand I can't eat dreams or feast on possibilities. But it seems that around every corner a door has opened up.

I had two meetings set up for next Monday with two new makeup artists. I was suppose to have met with the fashion person too sometime next week. But now, it may all be for naught. I made a promise to have a job by the end of next week.....

To many, it's a "yeah, that's what I do anyway". For me, it's pushing the pause on a goal I have had for the 25 years. I was finally able to begin pursuing that goal, and I feel it's getting tossed aside.

I am pretty beside myself at this point. Almost an out of body experience. Or it could be the cold medicine talking.

Christmas pictures

Then and now

I was looking into my archives for something compelling. But instead, I decided to take a trip down memory lane.

This first shot was from 2000. I had only had my first digital camera for about a week. (Thank you mom and dad!!) and got a shot of the kids.


This second shot was from May 2006.

Lunch

When my bride has a day off, the four of us sometimes head to lunch together. Today included a bit of Christmas shopping as a bonus. Or maybe it was the shopping and lunch was the bonus.