Lots of updates

I know I haven't posted in many days...but your patience is rewarded. I have had 5 or 6 sessions in the New Brighton studio, all with Valentine's Day in mind. Without further adieu I give you Tabetha, Wendy, Kelly, Jenn and Cait (not in that order though).

All of them have full gallery pages of you want to see more. A few have posed in lingerie, but noting more than what you can see in a Sears or Victoria Secret catalog.

Valentines Day Shoot

I had a photo session Wednesday with a Valentines Day theme. I didn't do the feather boas or hearts or even candy. Just more on the beautiful, sexy side. The goal of the shoot was to get some images for a newspaper advertisement. I did get some good shots, but I don't know if the paper would allow any of them in an advertisement. The model and I are finishing up the shoot this afternoon and only have one more scene/wardrobe to shoot with. It's should take less than 30 minutes to do. Hopefully, I can get the image I need out of it for the advertisement. If not, then I can do flyers for some businesses and friends.

This image was taken with a single light (high and camera right), black background and one of the various chairs I have. I might have had a reflector at camera left, but I don't know if it was angled properly for fill.

The model was putting her head down and flinging it back to toss her hair. It took several tries to get the timing and the hair right. I was pretty happy with this one.

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.

First official football game

Six hours, three games, over a hundred cheerleaders and football players and 1469 images later, my first football game is over. Yes, ONE THOUSAND FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE. That actually isn't my record for an event. I think a dance recital a few years ago I shot 1800 images. I could have shot more, but after 5 or six hours, things start to slow down. Mentally and physically. (BTW ~ Sports Illustrated photographers shot more than 300,000 at the Olympics).

I shot the scrimmage game last week with a player roster. But I forgot it yesterday. I felt lost with no direction. Even though I have worked the 4 years prior to this without a roster, once I started to use one, it was kind of a secure feeling. I shoot with a roster to make sure I don't keep taking pictures of the same players every game. It's easy getting pictures of the receivers, running backs and quarter backs as well as the safety's and defensive backs. But the center, nose guard, inside linebackers....not so much. Some players only play special teams like kick off and returns. It's my job as a professional to get the great plays and the obscure players. And for me to do that, I work with a roster.

It took two hours to get the pictures from the memory cards to the computer. I rename them on the import so I can put them into the right folder when I edit. SO all the midget football players are in the midget football folder. Nuts and Blots cheer, in their own, coaches and crowds, in their own as well.

It will take a two and half days to edit them and put them up on the sales web site. I also have to select 10 images from each team for the gallery. There are three football and three cheer teams for 30 for cheer and 30 for football. Then I have to narrow that down to 5 of each for the blog. Sounds fun huh?!

After that, I have products to create. In the below post, I have my poster example. It's been receive well and the first winner of the poster raffle for Potter and Raccoon is Vincent Dutcher. I'll see what I have on hand for his player, and highlight him in the next few games so I can get enough images to create a poster. I am donating one poster for each home game.

On game review, I feel that I am capturing good action shots. But my timing is fractionally off. I have not put my mind into ANTICIPATION mode. Where I click the shutter button BEFORE the peak action happens. The ultimate goal for an image is action, face, number and ball in every shot. Or face number and action in a defensive moment. I seem to be getting it just as the action starts to come down. You don't see it, but I know that's what is happening. Little details are hat I focus on. Still, I feel that my game is on at the start of the season and not four games into the season. That tells me I am working almost at the professional level. Now I just need the pay check to go with it.

Here are just a few shots from Sunday's games. More will be in the gallery later in the week.
Pittsburgh Steeler #76 Chris Hoke greets our Nuts & Bolt players before their first game.


Cheerleader showin' some moves


P&R Cheerleaders greeting the MidWestern Panther Cheerleaders


The 2009 Cheer Captain keeping an eye out


Groovin'


A P&R Red Devil player Slowing down #20 of the MidWestern Panthers


P&R's #58 getting the wrong end of a stick


P&R #15 dropping back


Making a catch


Good things come in threes


Nuts & Bolt Cheerleader tells who they are


Pittsbirgh Steeler #76, Chris Hoke watches the coin toss prio to the game between Potter & Raccon Red Devils and the MidWestern Panthers


Got his eye on something, or someone


Termite Cheerleaders


#99 is the winner of the Sport Poster for week 1


The Termite line up


Termite player #7 goes for a touchdown

Freaking out

My mind is going a million miles an hour lately. Right now, I physically feel like I have downed a gallon of Mt. Dew and a couple of Snickers bars. But I haven't.

I received my NEW business cards from 4cusa.com. They are very very nice. My ONLY issue is that the template I used was smaller than the actual cards, so my image is not full bleed, nor does my text cover as much of the real estate as it was originally designed. No bother, I seriously doubt many other people will see that bit of detail. But as a photographer, it's all we see.

I will make adjustments on the next batch. in 1000 cards....LOL

I have been compiling a list of things I need to accomplish this month. It seems to be getting bigger every day. ACCKKKK! I have a few vendors to seek out, contracts to finish up, a few photo CD's to burn and ship, a poster to create and data backups to do. Of course each of those items has several sub items, especially the contracts and price lists.