Also from my beach shoot a week and a half ago is this shot. I love the sea grass and because the subjects of the portrait were a family who really connects with sea grass, this wallpaper is dedicated to them. I hope it brings some warmth to them up in Toronto!
One of my goals, year after year is to shoot more fine art work. In a seminar I helped ASMP South Florida host this year on pricing and marketing your work, it was mentioned that if the genre of photography doesn’t make up a certain percent of your income, don’t focus on it. That said, I agree that maybe on your website you don’t focus on it, but when you are inspired to shoot something, whatever it is, shoot it. So that is what I did last week. I had a portrait session I was shooting at the beach. Usually, in the time while people change, I am busy reviewing shots, making quick edits, etc. However on Thursday I decided to do some shooting for those moments. I dropped them on my computer and really loved some of them. This is one of my favorite shots!
In February I had the pleasure of working with Inspirato Magazine for the first time. They are a great team and need a Miami photographer to capture a group of jewelry pieces from designer Loren Jewels. Funny thing, when I went to her website I saw she was the designer of pieces I had been lusting after on Pinterest (cigar band ring, yes pleeeeease). So naturally I was very excited to be the photographer for the shoot.
Some of my favorite moments came from the challenges of the styling the image. The pieces were shot on large leaves that were not even close to lying flat, causing issue after issue. But the excitement of solving these issues (how to get earrings to look perfect while they are sloping down the side of a leave, without knocking over the ring or bracelet delicately balanced on the same leaf) made it a very fun shoot!
Here’s the shot!
I’m getting ready to send out my first email blast for e-commerce photography. This is going to be geared totally towards shoe companies and what I hope to do is show some new companies what they are missing out on by not outsourcing this (to me, of course). We all have things we are better at when it comes to taking pictures. I did not know that shoes would be one of the things I just get. It is really ironic because 1/2 the time I shoot, I’m barefoot. But there is something really beautiful about the design of shoes that I respect. So today, draft after draft, I have started writing my email. I want to make sure it will still have my voice in it. But how do we as photographers write original marketing pieces that sound professional? Where is the line of familiarity drawn? I don’t know these people, but I want them to get an idea that I’m a friendly, easy going, photographer who can make life so, so much easier for them. What images do I include? Lastly, how do I write this so it doesn’t sound forced?
Of course this is the day my husband does training and so, alas, no bouncing emails off him. Do you think it’s an abuse of the ASMP leadership list to email all the members and ask them to check my grammar? Don’t worry, I will only toy with the idea. Your VP knows that no one reads those emails anyway. Ha! Just teasing again!
Well, moving onwards and upwards, here is a little angle compilation shot of some of my typical e-commerce photography for shoe designers. I’m no graphic designer but what do you think? Hopefully this along with some clever writing will capture the interest of many shoe companies that don’t know what they are missing!
It feels like March just started. Actually, it feels like it is still February. I have lost all concept of what week it is. I know there is a lot of traveling coming soon, but how soon is a blur because I really have no concept of where we are in the month anymore. All I know is that I have been busy. Like, the busiest ever, and it is great! I’ve been shooting everything from editorials for magazines in Colorado to Billboards and TV commercials. Portraits, e-commerce (like crazy), and more portraits have eaten up March. To be fair, I suspect they ate quite a bit of February up too. And speaking of eating, who has time for that? I knew I was forgetting something today!
My blog is neglected as a result. But that is probably the best excuse for neglecting a blog you could have.
My studio is destroyed. I still have an umbrella open on the shooting table, stuffing for bags everywhere, steamers out (but off), lights everywhere, lenses everywhere, etc… because as soon as I shoot, I jump on the computer to bust out the retouching as fast as possible. I can’t be cleaning up! There is no time for that!
But I’m getting it all done. I think I can thank RISD for the ability to handle choices like, work, eat or sleep without any issues (work unless your work starts to suffer because your too hungry, work unless you eyes aren’t focusing anymore and then take a 20 minute nap -no more, no less, 20 is the perfect number). And also for my ability to make anything with a box cutter and some cardboard (actually had to use that skill yesterday while shooting some vintage Chanel handbags). The RISD alumni out there get that all too well.
Really, I can’t wait. I can’t wait for the moment a client gets back to me with his/her selections and I get to dive in and retouch it. I can’t wait to share some of this stuff on my blog and website! I love seeing the way an image finalizes. I love retouching because I have so much fun shooting and I get to explore those moments again in post production. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to do this for a living! Meeting new people is such a wonderful part of what I do, I find myself smiling while I work on their images, happy to have had the chance to capture a piece of who they are or of what they create!
And now, that moment is here. I hear the ding of my email telling me it’s time to get back in. Maybe I’ll grab a cliff bar and some more coffee first though.