Inspired Photo Blog

It doesn’t take much to notice the trend this year in laid back couples. Very informal, less traditional, it’s all about celebrating with their family and friends. Introduce Heidi and Shane, who set the stage for their wedding at the Adrianna Hill Grand Ballroom.

Located in the heart of downtown Portland, this old ballroom is a classic backdrop. To include a feel of the city, I asked Heidi and Shane to let me photograph their formals on the streets of downtown Portland. Given that the groom and groomsmen weren’t wearing any ties, this was not a stretch and I think everyone was happy to get out and enjoy the city before the wedding.

Heidi was beautiful and radiant. It may have been the heat, but I choose to think it was love that caused her cheeks to blush. The wedding party was large and you’ll notice that it must have been a requirement to have blond hair to be one of Heidi’s bridesmaids. At one point, all of us ran into the street, blocking traffic for the bridal party shot.

A few interesting facts I picked up from the wedding. Shane plays on a sports team and evidently, a competing team member arrived at a game in an ambulance. Shane thought this was fantastic and almost bought a used fire truck off EBay so his team could arrive in style. Heidi works at Moss Adams and is friends with another bride, Karra, who’s wedding you may remember from last summer. I’m not sure if they realize it, but this connects them to the circle of couples who are part of my 3 degrees of separation theme.

In the end, it was an awful lot like a wedding. Except this time, it was Heidi and Shanes turn. There were lots of smiles, even more sweat but very few tears. Congratulations to the newlyweds and their families. It was a pleasure meeting new friends and being a part of your day. I wish both of you a lifetime of happiness. Here are a few of my favorite moments from their wedding day.

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Sarah and Patrick are tying the knot…finally (or so some would say). They live in Vancouver, Washington but are celebrating their wedding day in Woodstock, Vermont. What’s extra special about this couple, aside from their unique quaintness is that Sarah is my album designer. If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you know her name quite well. She’s my creative partner and a vital link in realizing that vision for my clients.

I’ve known Sarah and Patrick for years. They are one of those couples that everyone knows are meant to be together. Every year, I’d ask Sarah if Patrick had proposed yet. When he did propose, she was elated to say the least.

Sarah works with many photographers and they made it clear that making the best choice involved doing their homework. I was humbled and honored to be selected as their wedding photographer. Sarah is very familiar with my work. She gets my vision and wanted my style of creativity on their wedding day. So, for their engagement session, she asked that I do all the things that she sees in my work that she loves. I jumped in and while I know the resulting images may not be for everyone, the work is honest.

As you know, I like to offer insight into the creative process as I take this journey with you. It’s definitely a process. In my personal work, you can see how those ideas and style choices influence my professional work. Being honest with the process results in art that is truthful to the artist.

“One difference between creating something you believe in and creating something that’s popular is that popularity seekers follow established steps. Do this, do that, do the other thing… lots of traffic. Do this, do that, do the other thing, a quick boost in Google. DT, DT DTOT and get a standing ovation…

The problem with this, that and the other thing is that you end up with a career filled with it. Instead of creating long-lasting art, ideas that matter and things that spread organically, you end up with a bunch of calculated mini-hits.” — Seth Godin

On to the images! This remarkable tree is where Patrick proposed to Sarah. I’ve dubbed it the Marriage Tree, as it shall be known from this time forward.

As an artist, it’s important to find inspiration in classic art. You never know how this influence will show up in your work. After creating this off-the-wall image of Patrick, I later recognized it as a direct influence of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.

We had a great time during this engagement session. Sarah and Patrick have set up creative vignettes for their wedding day and I know it will be spectacular. I’m looking forward to traveling to Vermont (where I’ve never been), meeting new friends and being inspired by a new part of the country. Congratulations Sarah and Patrick on your engagement! See you in a few weeks!

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It happens. Over time, everything will eventually fail, break down and fall apart. There’s a word to describe it. Entropy. There is something special about items which have withstood the test of time. Sentimental and nostalgic—a well worn pair of shoes, a ragged sweatshirt. On a practical side, they’re our trusted friends (and paid for) which is why we keep them around.

I’m a long-time Apple Macintosh enthusiast and my trusty 12″ Powerbook G4 has been with me since 2003. It’s not so speedy anymore, but it fits the fold down tray on an airplane and perfectly suited for writing, checking email, surfing the web and accounting. When the hard drive started making noises and running noticeably slower, I knew it was time to replace it.

Empowered with a set of tools and a strong heart and the power of the Internet, I decided I was just
geek enough to pull this off. (I must warn you that the following image is quite graphic and may cause some of you to squirm in your chairs.)

Searching the Internet I learned 10 ways to remove the hard drive, all of them different. With each screw that I added to a growing pile, my journey into my Powerbook continued. At one point I had to walk away, wondering if it were possible to reach the center of a Powerbook. Let’s not even talk about how I was going to get it back together again.

In the end, my inner geek prevailed. Everything went back together and there was no smoke when I fired it up for the first time. I must confess that I was amazed by this experience. How they cram all of this into such a small container and make it do the magic that it does is truly amazing. The new hard drive was slightly larger than my cell phone!

I know you’re asking yourself. How far does this geek thing extend in your life? Well, not only can I enact my own computer repairs, I’m the IT guy. I dabble in code (designed and built my web site) and I beta test for a number of software companies. In fact, beta testing for Photojunction just finished. It’s now called Remix and you can read about my involvement at their blog. This was a redesign from the ground up and involved months of testing and discussions. At this point, I can’t discuss other projects as I’ve signed nondisclosure agreements.

Why do this you ask? Because getting involved enacts much needed change. Many times software is so close and then misses the mark. Getting involved means you are working directly with the programmers and you help shape the future development. No more complaining about why this feature is missing or what were they thinking when they put this here…you get to be there when it happens and that is being a geek of the highest order.

One last geek confession. I’m an avid fan of the Harry Potter series. From preordering on Amazon to anxiously counting down the days until it arrives. It’s what I enjoy doing on family vacations every summer. As in years past, I had the final installment in my hands the day it was released. However, I did not read it. Perhaps it was because this was the end, the last book in this magical series. I’ve been glancing at it for over a year. This week, I decided it was time to jump into this world once more and finish the journey I started all those years ago.

Finally, if you haven’t seen the adventures of another geek, Matthew Harding, then treat yourself. Take a few minutes to watch this marvelous journey. I dare you not to laugh and smile. This is living life in the moment at it’s best. Enjoy the summer!

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

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Tomorrow is wedding day for Chelsea and Gabe! They are tying the knot at the Wine Country Farm, voted best Inn in Oregon’s wine country in Dayton, Oregon.

The weather forecast is for a very warm and sunny 90 degree day. Typical summer day in Oregon, which is why everyone seems to get married between July and September around here. Chelsea is a school teacher and Gabe works for Adidas and seems to travel a lot.

(I have another bride and groom who both work for Nike. I’m feeling a little competitive, fun-spirited jabbing coming on, but I’ll restrain myself for now. Their e-session is on Sunday.)

Congratulations Chelsea and Gabe! I’m looking forward to being a part of your day tomorrow and meeting new friends. Here are a few of my favorite images from their recent e-session at Portland’s Washington Park.

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I do, I do, I do
Want my own Professional Wedding Day Hairstylist. Describe the Wedding Day hairstyle you’ve always dreamed of. If selected, you’ll win your own professional Wedding Day Hairstylist compliments of Biolage, the official sponsor of the summer blockbuster Mamma Mia!

Enter to win here. Best of luck! Contest ends October 1, 2008.

Hey, you never know, right? What have you got to lose? You can’t win if you don’t enter, so if you’re a bride, take a minute to enter this contest.

Professional hair and makeup can make all difference in the world on your wedding day. It makes you feel and look your best and that confidence comes across in your photographs. A professional knows how to apply makeup that looks natural and photographs well. One of my favorite makeup artists locally, is
Nicole Wagner Makeup.

Here are a few recent brides who invested in professional hair and makeup on their wedding day. Just look at how beautiful, natural and radiant they are!

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Each year there are more than 20,000 graduates with degrees in photography released in the U.S. alone by colleges and universities. And every year there is a new crop of brides and grooms looking for a wedding photographer to cover their once in a lifetime event. Some of my biggest competitors are also my best referrers.

More than professional courtesy, it’s a commitment from all of us to each other. We do this for a living. It’s our full time job and we have a passion for what we do. We support each other because we know there is plenty of room in this industry for creative, talented and committed photographers.

The entry level for a wedding photographer seems to be getting easier with each generation of digital cameras. Amazing advancements in technology allow nearly anyone to take a decent picture bringing in a whole wave of inexperienced “fake it till you make it” photographers. Additionally, anyone can take out an ad in a bridal magazine or website as long as you pay for it. There are no standards or professional ethics in place. I understand that everyone has to start somewhere—I was once there myself. But I never misrepresented my experience or abilities to any client. That’s why it’s important that you do your homework when considering any photographer and why we refer to our competitors. Now, more than ever, it’s important that we educate our clients and help them see the differences.

Recently, I was honored with a request to join a group of the best wedding photographers on the planet. The International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers is committed to raising the standards in our industry. All members must meet strict requirements for membership.

* At least 2 years in business
* At least 40 weddings as the principal photographer (not as secondary or backup)
* Sponsorship by an existing ISPWP member OR two email references from recent clients and two email references from fellow professional photographers
* Website review
* Agreement to operate your business in accordance with the Code of Conduct
* No unresolved complaints with the Better Business Bureau or other similar consumer protection organization

This is all well and good you might say, but what is more important, creativity or consistency? With all my years in this industry, doing nothing but photography for the past two decades, my thoughts are that consistency is the more difficult of the two.

I’ve worked with assistants who will pull off an artistic image on their first wedding. It may even make it into the final wedding album. However, ask them to do this again and most will fail without the years of experience behind them. Consistency is much more demanding. It requires a dedication to continuing education (most don’t even have a baseline educational background in photography) and years of time behind the camera. I don’t care how nice a camera you have, it takes experience to pull off a group shot on a summer day at the ocean with full on sun and no shade. The light bouncing off the water and bright sand will make the most seasoned photographer cringe. A professional is consistent and creative.

Being a part of ISPWP also means that I get to compete with my peers in quarterly contests. This is a fun way to be judged by a panel of the best photographers. I’ve never entered competitions as I don’t like catering to any standards other than my own. However, I decided it was time to participate. I quickly ran through some of my favorite moments from the past few months and am sharing them with you. Can you guess which ones I entered in the contest?

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Ready for a bit of fun? Who doesn’t like to take a quick poll and see how their answers stack up? I’d really appreciate you taking a few minutes to help me discover who is reading my blog. This will help me determine what interests you. No sense in posting things that bore you. I am committed to making this a killer blog with relevant content and YOU in mind.

I know a lot of you are stalkers. You quietly visit and every now and then I discover who you are. I’m always amazed at the number of people who tell me they read my blog. I’d love it if more of you would leave comments, at least then I’d know I’m not just talking to myself. However, for the sake of these polls, you are completely anonymous. Your secret is safe with me!

If you feel I’ve missed something, then tell me all about it in the comments box below. Thanks!

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When asked what he felt was more essential, artistic vision or technique, Minor White replied— “You cannot create great art without mastering your tools. Unless you transcend their influence, they will hinder your vision. Turning vision into art requires technique.”

It never fails. At least one person at any given wedding will approach me and ask if this is what I do full time. I always reply that this is my passion, it’s what I do full time. I photograph people. People getting married, models for a commercial shoot (models are people too), high school seniors (also people) and families (yes, a group of people).

However, a woman once replied, “so what do you do during the week?”. Suppressing a knee jerk response with something clever and sarcastic, I realized it was a legitimate question. My wife has been known to ask the same question on more than one occasion.

Supposedly, computers are saving us considerable amounts of time. My experience is completely opposite. I live behind a computer monitor. Being a professional photographer sounds exciting and with the tools available to the general public, it would seem anyone can be a photographer. The reality is completely different. Running a full time business is very demanding and requires that you have many different skill sets. More than I ever imagined, but for the past 18 years, I’ve been rolling with it and have learned that these skills are merely the tools of an artist. I’m still just as passionate about being behind the camera and appreciate being paid to create my art. It’s truly a blessing.

The blog is my baby and I haven’t been giving it the love it deserves. I am thankful for everyone who has written me asking where I’ve been lately and I promise to share more of what’s been happening behind the scenes over here.

In May, I was photographing the annual Microsoft CEO Summit. This was my 5th year photographing this event with the amazingly talented Gary Voth.

Summer suddenly happened and that means wedding season. Couples scheduling engagement sessions and price lists in need of being updated for 2009. The web site needing to be overhauled and propagated with new content. There are quarterly taxes and Federal taxes and piles and piles of to do lists. Album designs and new album and print samples. I do all my own web site design and coding, so that means hours and hours of research and testing. I also spend time beta testing new software releases for a couple of major corporations. It’s easy to neglect the blog, which sits there in the corner like a plant.

I know we are all busy. I’d love to share with you all the things I do as it’s obvious that no one has a clue. My job is to educate as well as create. Master the techniques of business and photography so I can focus on my vision as an artist.

I remember my mother saying “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”. I refuse to be one of those photographers who post merely for the sake of posting. I want to contribute content, in my own way to the people who stop for a moment to share in my world. I used to worry about those readers, but I’ve learned to let it go. They will come and go, but for the most part, they’ll stay. They get me and it’s the understanding and support they give that drives me forward. If you have me in your RSS reader, then you’ll get that little knock on the door that says I’m here every now and then. Until then…don’t give up!

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Directly on the heels of my Blog birthday, I decided to share with you a few of my favorite posts from the past. Most readers only skim over the first page of a blog and miss content buried in the archives. Without further ado, here are some of my favorites for your consideration.

Life from the Ruins: This from a series of personal work that I’ve been doing this year. The process of observing, growing and subsequent change.

Living Your Dream: This continues to inspire me and is one of the most syndicated posts on my blog. Thanks to Sean Kelly for sharing his thoughts and allowing me to use them.

Senior Album Designs: It’s always amazing to me seeing my work graphically designed by Sarah. It brings the images together and breathes new life into them.

RSS in Plain English: You want to follow your favorite blogs and be notified whenever new content is posted. You know it has something to do with RSS feeds but have no clue as to what the heck RSS is and why you should be using it…well look no further.

Ambassador for Change: The idea that if we all tried to make one change in our life to help the environment, then collectively we could change the world. Still not using plastic water bottles.

It’s a Groove Nation: The beginning of my push towards doing more personal work. Taking studio lighting equipment on location and pushing myself creatively.

Amber, Michael and Jackson: It’s hard to pick out a wedding favorite. First of all, I truly do love all my couples. Singling out one wedding is fraught with difficulty. I don’t want anyone to feel slighted, but this event easily rises to the top in recent memory. A destination wedding at a spectacular outdoor location. Reuniting with a couple who’s wedding I photographed years ago and their family, the amazing Judd Grossman and his music and a colleague living in Jackson, Wyoming that I rarely get to visit.

The day the General came to town: The day Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace came to town.

Seasons of Change: Yes it’s true, change is inevitable, but what a difference a haircut makes.

Happy Father’s Day: Vintage photographs keep you humble.

My Life. My Card: Funny story about my youngest daughter. According to my web stats, this post continues to be the single most hit entry on my blog.

Did I miss one of your favorite posts? Let me know!

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Today is Inspired Photo Blog’s birthday! Three years ago I jumped into blogging with no idea where it would lead or the adventures we would share. It started with The Blank Canvas and continues today as I begin my 4th year of blogging. What better way to celebrate than with a bit of decadence from St. Cupcake?

I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with any cupcake at St. Cupcake. My featured choice today was the pistachio buttercream with a gelato base on buttery vanilla cake. Mmm…

My blog would be nothing without it’s readers. To each and every one of you that come here, week after week and share your inspiration with me…Thank You! There have been many times that I’ve wondered why I do this and then I’ll meet someone that shares with me how much they enjoy the blog and I find a new reason to keep writing.

What have I learned from the past 3 years you ask? It takes far more time to write than I ever imagined. I’ve worked hard since I started to become a better writer, but I still labor over every sentence. I’ve also learned that a post without an image (for a photographer’s blog) is pathetically lame. I’ve learned that it’s hard to keep up with the blog— that I created a monster that needs to be fed on a regular basis. I’ve grown to enjoy writing and have become addicted to blogging and hate that I don’t do it more often.

If you have any comments to share, please take a moment to connect with me. Let me know what you like or don’t like about the blog. What direction should I take this year? More photos, less talk? More personal work or more of my assignment and wedding work? More frequent posts? Or just keep doing what I’m doing and let the journey continue?

Thanks for sharing this day of celebration. Happy Birthday blog!

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