The week that is to come, and the day that was (ptII)

Here are a few little summary updates:

1) Chris Perry, a fellow photographer, passed on a lead for me to contact another area photographer that needs some help this spring.
2) Chris also got a call from a Cheer team that needs pictures. No other info, but it's this spring as well.
3) I also heard that there isn't any money in models or action sports photography....no kidding. BUT, it's what I want to do. I will figure out a way to make money.
4) I head to the middle school this week to work with sixth grade students to prep for career day. I won't be able to share any of those pictures, but I can keep you all updated with this project. I love career day!
5) Found a costume store in Pittsburgh's Strip District. I also met Kristin (sp?) that is a recent MUA grad and MAC Pro (?). Drop me a line!!!
6) I also found out that my future MUA niece is heading to the greater NYC/NJ area this summer. HOPEFULLY, the contact I give her can help her out....and the favor can be returned.
7) The picture that I had displayed at Fe Gallery will be heading to the west coast for a private hanging. Not sure if the whole set will go, or just that specific image.

Fe Gallery Image

I forgot to add the print that is in the Fe Gallery 250 years/250 artists exhibition.

Fe Gallery 250 Years/250 Artists

Just got back from attending the grand opening of the Fe Gallery's 250 years/250 artists exhibition. It was my first inclusion in a gallery exhibition and I was in some pretty neat company. There are some incredibly talented artists in the Pittsburgh region.

We were there early since the gallery is pretty small and Lawrenceville isn't exactly the largest metropolis around. Parking would be at a premium we were told. So we got there at 7pm and the doors opened at 730. We hung out in the rain as the artists trickled in and passed by. Some you could tell were ARTISTS, others, not so much. Me.....we looked waaaayyy to vanilla to be hanging out with most of that crowd.

I try to think I am open as an artist. I believe anything (almost) can be art. But some of the stuff I saw was really really cool.

I looked at the mock up of the catalog that is being printed. They were accepting pre-orders as well. For $35.00, it's going to be WELL WORTH IT. Many artists submitted different works for the approval process, the catalog submission and the exhibition. I was one of the artists that used the same image for all three. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, but it's what happened.

Here are some pictures from the night.
Waiting out the rain


Grand Opening


My picture is top left as you look at it (can't tell, but that's it)


The crowd 10 minutes after the doors opened (from the back looking to the front)


Thirty minutes after the doors opened (from near the front looking back)


My favorite of the night, This was a candle (no flame) and the motor turned a bunch of cards with pictures of a flame. So damn ingenious.


Title: "Candle Flip Book" by Wade Kramm

Business of the day

Strange as it may be, I haven't actually taken a day off of some sort of photography work in several weeks. I thought today was going to be the day, but it ended up being almost all photo related activities.

I started out with some emails about some photo events next month. Then I stopped in at the Dollar Store to buy some mailer envelopes for mailing CD's. Next, I went and did a little work at the new local studio for about an hour. After that I mailed off a CD to one of my models and got to talk to Jenn about shooting again now that I have the small studio in town.

Not bad for about an hour and a half.

On my way out of town, I stopped back at the house and grabbed my camera (just in case) and headed to the bank then to the craft store to pick up some materials for my photo display at the football field (that included a 16x20 frame for my picture that is in the Fe Gallery exhibition and clear picture covers). After that stop it was off to Fe Gallery to frame my matted print.

((Funny story: I finally found a parking spot in Lawrenceville and walked over to Fe Gallery. When I got there, the windows were all covered up with paper and cardboard. It kid of looked abandoned or closed, but I know it was to keep everyone from seeing the art being set up for the opening next week. So I knocked a few times and double checked the time to make sure I didn't get here too early or late. Time was okay.

Still waiting.

Then the door unlocked and opened just enough for a hand to reach out with a stack of printed invitation cards. Immediately, I felt like a drug transaction (or in Laurie's words, Trick-or-Treating).

I had to chuckle at the whole ordeal. I mentioned that I brought a frame for my piece as instructed. Laurie looked at me, then into the gallery, then back at me and said softly, "then you would have to come in?"

"Well", I responded "or you could do it for me."

Laurie replied, "or you could do it out on the sidewalk."

"Yes, I could." I said.

The door shut. A few minutes later, as I was standing on the sidewalk staring at this paper and cardboard covered window, she returned with a hammer and my print.

"Here you go." she said.

I told her I would knock twice when I was done.

So there I was, kneeling on the sidewalk and door stoop putting my print into a frame. It was very weird.

After I had finished putting all together, I knocked and had to laugh when she opened the door just enough to get the hammer and frame. Then she said "You knocked three times."....I walked away telling her this was the most entertaining part of my day.

When I was done at Fe Gallery, I made it home to check on the evening activities. In the mail was a wedding contract so I headed off to make copies for the bride and groom as well as deposit the check for the calendar schedule fee that had been included. On the way back we stopped at Hanks Custard for a treat while I talked to the bride about her wedding day, the formals and a few other details.

Tonight, I have to put together the display and get everything ready for the football game tomorrow. I definitely won't forget the roster this time.

Weekend (to come) update

Well, it finally stopped raining. It's been more of a mist, but water from the sky nonetheless. The sun is now out (drying my grass so I can mow it) and the season's first football game is slated for this Sunday. Soccer is still a week away. Photographically I am still trying to get last weeks scrimmage game edited and posted to the sales site. But alas, we have company coming and the Clean House crew hasn't arrived so I have been picking up the slack. LOL Another item on the football front is a raffle item. I will be donating a sports poster to every home game of Potter & Raccoon Football/Cheer. I have the mock ups on paper and need to scratch one together before the game on Sunday. I suppose I have about 6 hours of work for that.......need more hours in the day and days in the week.

I booked a wedding for early October. It's a small one so not a lot of stress as normally associated with the huge production weddings.

This week I had talked to a dog groomer about doing a little referral work. Still need to work out details, but hopefully she can send some of her clients my way. I will be getting some prints for her to put in her salon in the upcoming few weeks.

Wednesday and Thursday I worked at the studio above Head to Toes Salon. I am hoping to get the key to the building next week. I put up insulation and hung some drop ceiling then I swept and vacuumed. Once I am in, I can start high school senior marketing. The poster is almost done and I had Lori D look it over and she gave me the "not bad for a non-graphic artist" comment. I took it as a compliment. :) I also pushed a logo design job to her this week. Can't wait to see that too.

The invitations for the Fe Gallery have been proofed. I will pick up printed versions next week and electronic versions will be forthcoming. The exhibition opening is Sept 12th. The pre-orders for the printed catalog are available, if anyone wants to order one, they are just under $40. I can send you an order form if you send me an email. Remember, this catalog is almost 300 pages, glossy FULL COLOR paper. It is a top notch production. The artists are from the 13 counties surrounding Pittsburgh PA, but more than that, they may be the next best artist to be. Given the limited print run, it's a $40 well worth it.

I also contacted the middle schools counselor's to begin work on this school years Career Day. Last year was so fun for me, I want to bring it to "the Next Level".....if you will. I proposed two presentations. Depending on which one is selected, will depend on how much work I have to do over the next 4-5 months. I hope they pick Idea#2.......when they do come back with the acceptance I will let everyone know what's in store.

ALWAYS looking for opportunities

I dropped off the prints at Fe Gallery right on time. I got to speak to two of the MOST wonderful people today. Laurie and Mel, of Fe Gallery. WOW, incredible women. So absolutely kind helping me out with any questions I had about presenting. I did mess up on one thing though, I should have had my picture in a frame (with glass). I only had it on a white mat board. That means I have to go back to the gallery before the opening to frame it. Oops, my bad.

I was able to talk to Mel for a few minutes but just couldn't get Laurie's eyes out of my mind. She has incredibly piercing blue eyes. Just beautiful. WOW! Both of these women were beautiful I honestly wanted to start shooting pictures right then and there. But I did hold myself back. Maybe some day. Maybe.

Talking to Mel, she offered to drop my name with her friend Michelle, who is a wardrobe stylist. So we will see how that turns out.

Ooohh, and the picture Laurie selected, was Merry Go Round (see it below, or on this post). I like it, but it's not my favorite. It was also one of the images from the original submission packet.

I also had a meeting set up for tonight with Lori D, a Makeup Artist. She has done some incredible work in the Pittsburgh area. Our meeting is at the Beehive in Pittsburgh's trendy, hip (?) South Side, on Carson Street. I decided to head over there and do some people watching. I drove past the Beehive and circled around the block, then came out at the right corner, with a parking spot right there. BONUS!

As I started to cross the street, I saw a woman waiting for someone. Sensing an opportunity, I hung out on the corner and observed. She was checking her phone for the time, so it was probably close to when they were to pick her up. I approached her, handed her my card and casually asked to take her picture as she waited for her ride. She agreed. I also asked if she would sign a model release. We looked it over and she signed it. As we were starting to shoot, she did say she didn't think she had a nice smile. I wholeheartedly disagreed. I thought it was wonderful. She has a presence that is coy, but entrancing. Unfortunately, we were only able to shoot 16 shots before her friends showed up. Hopefully she will see the images and call me again for another shoot.

Below is just one shot. See the web site photo gallery for a few more.

Melissa

That's a negative Ghostrider, the pattern is full

Fall is an incredibly busy time in my life. Three sports and school all hitting within weeks of each other. I think my schedule has an opening the second week of NOVEMBER.

This is what I live for. This is what puts fire in my blood and makes me feel alive.

It seems that everywhere I turn something is happening. So much that I feel like Maverick in Top Gun and I am being told "negative, the pattern is full."

Yesterday I picked up my prints for Fe Gallery and my portrait promo. They're 12x18 prints and came out FANTASTIC. Damn, I was excited to see those in print. Normally, I don't print much, but these images that size were just stunning.

I'll head to Fe Gallery Friday morning and hang out downtown Pittsburgh until a meeting Friday night at the Beehive in the South Side. I am meeting with Lori D a makeup artist. It's really strange, the last MUA I met with, moved to Miami a few months after the meeting. Lori wants to head to LA/So Cal...maybe I am good luck for those that want to move on and up. Either that or I repel people so much the move out of state....

Next week I will be working a couple of days at the Hookstown Fair. I haven't been to a fair for several years, and being able to shoot pictures at an event that is so colorful, with so many people and constant blur of action, just has me jazzed. A few items on the board are a senior photo shoot, a fashion show of some sort and maybe a few portrait shoots. Of course the myriad of personalities will put me into sensory overload.

This weekend is also a regatta in the town across the river from us. I don't remember it last year, so I will have to head down to check it out.

So many things going on. I should have lots of images to post over the next few weeks and I changed the main page of the web site. I had been putting up quotes as I find them on the 'Net. Now I put up some code to load quotes automatically every time the page loads. Check it out beginning Sunday when I do the next update on the site.

Time to buzz the tower.

Fe Gallery

Tomorrow, I will be dropping off four images to Fe Gallery for the upcoming 250th Pittsburgh anniversary In the Making 250 years/250 artists. Of those four, I selected three portraits and one still life. The still life is actually the Merry Go Round image from the original submission packet. The other three are my favorite portraits over the last year or so. The gallery managers/curators will select one of the four images for display. I want to be known for my portraits, so that's why I weighed it in that regard. But, maybe the Merry Go Round image is a stronger image. We'll see. Here are the images I am submitting for the exhibition.

Merry Go Round


Jenn


Model "L"


Ashia

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.

Pittsburgh 250 Catalog submission

I was really hoping for a flurry of comments on the image selection, but only one person actually made a suggestion. THANK YOU!

This is the image that is being submitted to Fe Gallery and the Pittsburgh 250 artist catalog.

Merry Go Round

Two more images to ponder

This top image gets some of the most comments in my printed portfolio. The second image gets a lot of comments too but I only have it online..... I might have to change that.

What do you all think? I can really still use some comments on the images I already submitted and these two. See this post for the 5 images I submitted to be SELECTED. I need to pick t least ONE image in a few days. This first image will be the one printed in a 250 page catalog.

Original Fe Gallery submissions

You can leave a comment and PLEASE share the blog with others. I really need some more input.

These are the images I submitted and from these I was selected to be one of the 250 artists representing Pittsburgh during it's 250th Anniversary celebration.

Keep your head in the clouds


Drive-In Tickets


Merry Go Round 1


Watching You


Merry Go Round 2

Pittsburgh 250 update

I received another email today with a few more details about my selection in Pittsburgh's 250th celebration.

Out of the 350 artists that submitted, I was one of 250 selected. But not all of them were photographers. I don't know how many were, so I am pretty excited that I might be one of a smaller group. Included are all types of artists. Sculptors, painters, visual arts (video) etc.

I was selected as an artist/photographer, not so much that one of the images I selected was chosen. That too makes it all the more cool.

The hard part now is to select a SINGLE image that is extraordinary that will be placed into a 250 page catalog that will be marketed to all the art galleries in the country.

Whoooa! (as Joey would say)

I will get a single page and a simple text byline. (Name, zip code). The image for the catalog can be different that one of the images I submitted or it can be one of them. I can also have a totally different image that will be in the gallery for the celebration. The catalog image has to be selected and submitted via snail mail by next week. Not much time. I have all my 2008 images with me, but I have only a few 2007 images on a separate disk with me. I don't have anything older than July-07-ish....so my options will be limited to the last 12 months.

I will post some images beginning this weekend. Hopefully you can all help me select the one or two images that I will submit.

I have mentioned it before, but share my blog with others and they too can participate. I may choose your selection, or go with my gut.....I won't know until it happens. Regardless, I have to have the CD in the mail by WEDNESDAY 6/4 so they will receive it by 6/7.

I have been selected

One (or more) of my images has been selected to be in the Pittsburgh's 250 year celebration. I received the selection notice via email. My image will be on display and in a catalog with other artists that have taken images of the Pittsburgh area.

Once I have more info, I will pass it on to you.