I’m not dating a gal named Google. But building search engine love isn’t that much different than dating.
How so?
Patience. Both take time, but man is it worth it! Much like dating, it’s nice to see a little instant gratification, whether it be a first kiss or spike in web traffic. You don’t win a marathon by sprinting. Slow and steady as she goes.
Fear. Typing thoughts into cyberspace can be a scary thing, much like putting yourself out there on a first date. However, reassurance is such a sweet thing, especially in that getting-to-know you phase.
Giving. I love that feeling of giving on par with receiving. Especially love notes. However, it seems it’s just a take, take, take world…. especially in the vapid media world where we are encouraged to consume media on our iPad… on the TV at the gym… on Twitter. Happy Hour is no different, consume this, cheap that. It seems 10% of photographers actually share tips and tricks on their blog to help others. (Confession: I can’t stand photographer blogs that serve up little value… especially blogs that serve as bragging grounds for cute kids or the ones showcasing only their latest awesome shoot. What’s in it for everyone else?)
A friend commented I’ve been an open book lately. Yes, I have, thank you much.
I ask myself: Why?
Because I want to improve as a photographer, an instructor, and a writer.
To become a better writer, write more! In the last 3 months, I’ve managed to publish over 50 posts. That’s twice my ‘normal’ rate. The added effort has improved my confidence as a writer. Writer’s block seems a thing of the past (knock on wood). Blog topics get born from a simple email to my Mom or Twitter update (yes, I Tweet).
Patience is the most important trait of a good teacher. Patience is a virtue that can be learned.
You learn 90% of what you teach. As a photographer, that’s a more effective than just “doing.” Try it! The better you can learn and teach yourself now, the easier learning becomes in the future. This applies to learning a foreign language, learning to snowboard or fly (foreign languages to many, including Rio the bird).
When positive blog comments appear on a consistent basis, I feel like all this tedious hard work is paying off. (Thank you, readers!). My readership has grown 80% over last year!! (Again, Thank you Thank you, readers!!!!).
Words of affirmation are HUGE for me. That’s my love language (a foreign language to some women). To learn your Love Language, take this quiz.
Making Google happy means lots of giving with little expect in return… at least for the short term (90-days). The end result? A special call might ring from someone that likes what I do, likes my work, and pays me for what I enjoy: making creative portraits. It’s part of my Happiness Project.
Last week I photographed a US Army change of command ceremony in Fort Carson for dear friends, Meghan and Mark.
Mark possesses more strength in his little pinky than I do in my whole body. He’s a proven badass, having led Army forces in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan, a stronghold for Taliban fighters.
Mark served as a US Army Commanding Officer of B Company, 2nd Battalion,12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division Baker Company. CPT Moretti’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with the Valor Device, the United States military’s fourth highest award for valor and Purple Heart, among many others.
A bittersweet experience of tradition, A Change of Command Ceremony parallels that of an important graduation. Fellow soldiers, peers, and family hug and shake hands, some of which may meet again. Yet they’ve experience what it means to serve on the front lines of a war many of us only experience through modern-day media.
As an American, I’m proud to shake his hand, see him smile, and congratulate him. Meghan, the recipient of the Kit Carson Volunteer Service Award, gives great hugs!
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Show a person their portrait, most likely they will search for immediate “flaws.” As a photographer, we should speak to those weaknesses by not emphasizing them what our clients feel as their insecurities. How? Be specific about what we shoot and show how beautiful they can look. Photojournalists might might ace the expository essay, but what’s the point if clients don’t look and feel confident and sexy?
Different body types react to different angles. As wedding photographers practice, they should learn what works and what doesn’t. Magazines like Harpers, W, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, In Style inspire. However, most clients are not models. The goal for natural posing is to create a realistic, flattering, natural, and sexy portrait. It’s the PHOTOGRAPHER’S fault if a client looks goofy in a pose.
I see a lot of bad bad bad posing on The Interwebs. Myself, guilty, but have learned from my ways. I used to try tooo hard to pose. Ultimately, now, I want my clients to look, and feel, like models of themselves, real & genuine.
Which is why I share my black book of tips, illustrated for future clients and wedding photographer competitors alike. For free.
Three “P’s” of Posing (Peas & Carrots):
Pre-visualize. Sketch out poses and keep them in one place, a notebook or iPhone. Take photos of clippings from magazines and load into your iPhone by creating an iPhoto folder called “Posing Ideas.” Study those the next time you wait for the barista
Pass notes. If desperate, share that iPhone photos with the client on location so you both know the goal.
Practice makes perfect. That’s wrong. PERFECT practice makes perfect. In advance, practice directing your different poses with a friend or loved one. Liking a pose is one thing, but making it happen is art.
My top 55 posing tips, 100% pre-visualized.
When 100% all else fails,make the prom pose “happen” in your style: Continue Reading...
I’m super stoked to announce a new series of personal mentoring session focused on the use of lightpainting techniques geared towards wedding and portrait photography.
Why learn lightpainting by mentoring?
Learning to lightpaint is much like learning how to ride a bike: you can’t master techniques by following blogs, listening to podcasts, reading a tutorial PDF, or watching a DVD. You learn by doing, getting on the bike, falling down, then repeating. Trial by fire while pulling your hair out ain’t fun. However, a patient instructor to give you tips, remind you not to get frustrated, then share in your success is what learning should be about.
Why should I teach?
I faced many challenges learning how to lightpaint: fun faded into a frustrating and extremely painstaking process. Like most things I try and learn by myself, I struggled. I spent toooo many hours experimenting with nothing to show for my efforts. I wasn’t experimenting in the garage with stuffed teddy bears, rather on actual wedding and portrait sessions after the sun went down. Many of my early wedding portraits I screwed up. I couldn’t find many books, videos, DVDs, tutorials out there to help me. Five years ago, the topic was borderline taboo, weird. The stuff the hippies did at Burning Man. There weren’t many peers that were doing this stuff that I could pick up the phone and call or meet in person. I was at the point where I started to not show clients my final images because I didn’t feel they were consistent nor represented work I was proud to share. I almost gave up. I say “almost” because there is one thing I know for a fact: steady persistent pays off.
Then a light bulb hit me. Literally. That’s another story.
Currently, I am offering the following three flavors of mentoring sessions, each detailing a specific part about lightpainting and how it relates to wedding, portrait, and commercial industries:
Introduction to Alternative Lighting (Lightpainting 101) – $150
This 60-minute mentoring session teaches the fundamental concepts and basic functions of lightpainting, the properties of how light works, and the structure of how to create lightpainted images. In the session, you will develop basic skills needed to effectively work with video & LED lights, learn how to visualize light, position & sculpt light effectively, and analyze common problems using common lighting tools.
Who Should Attend?
Individuals who do not have any prior experience with lightpainting. No pre-requisite required.
Goals
After completing this mentoring session, you will be able to:
Understand what lightpainting is, what it can do, and how others are using it
See how you can benefit from using lightpainting
Create a basic image using lightpainting techniques
Work with different types of lightingpainting tools
Apply a systematic approach to creating unique images using different patterns of thinking
Since 22+ people blog readers on this popular post addressing whether or not I should share my light ‘secrets,’ new photographer Chris Huri received a complimentary personal mentoring session via phone. Whoop whoop!
To share with you what we spoke about, I recorded our 30-minute Q&A addressing his top ten questions about my photography. A summary of responses here (full responses shared in the video below):
1. Are you creating your “light painting” imagines in camera, or with post work?
Both. I try to nail it all in camera, which clients love to see on the back of the camera. However, I composite in Photoshop sometimes in case something didn’t turn out the way I was hoping.
2. Would you be able to point me in the direction of what tools create such beautiful, clean looking light painting? (LED flashlights, Glow Sticks, Etc)
Spend time at your local Home Depot or REI, not Adorama or B&H. The law of diminishing returns stands strong when it comes to lightpainting tools. $30 video lights or $10 LEDs work wonders.
3. I have been using my Speed Flash during my long exposure shots to expose my subject . I have basically been shooting a 15 or 30 second exposure, popping my speed light at the beginning of the exposure, and trying to create the light trail with the remaining time left on the exposure. Am I on the right track with this?
Yippers. However, full power pops with a large strobe diffused with a softbox or beauty dish will ensure a second set of hands or blurring eyes don’t creep into your work.
4. When you are working with a couple, what are some ways your able to get them to be so comfortable and willing to just interact and have fun with the camera?
Laugh at yourself and ensure your clients know this is part of the creative process. You both feed off each other and that’s when it becomes a collaborative (lightpainting) project.
5. What are some good tips that might help me learn to network better and create more job opportunities for myself?
Spread the love and it will come back ten fold.
6. Are there any books or websites you would recommend that have helped you with your photography on either the creative side or the business side?
Dusty art books and anything by Seth Godin or Sean Low.
7. Lately I have been trying to get out at least once a week alone and shoot some pictures, It doesn’t matter where, I just like to get out and shoot. Do you find yourself out alone shooting for just the experience?
Solitude and personal projects are a beautiful thing. I complete several each year.
8. What is your “go to” diffuser for your off-camera lighting setups: soft box, octobox, or beauty dish?
Go big or go home, but no matter what: KEEP IT SIMPLE. While a five-foot Octabank provides pretty light, a beauty dish is more compact and won’t blow over. But a single speedlight can be beautiful thing, too. It’s not how big it is, it is how you use it… Isn’t that what she said?
9. Who inspires you to work harder, learn more, and become a better photographer?
On working hard: While I’m all about that, I’m more about working SMART. I’m a self-starter, so I motivate myself with encouragement from family and friends.
On learning more: If continuing education is important for a doctor, its gotta be important for a photographer or artist. Take at least one workshop per year (preferably out of state) then follow my tips on how to get the most out of a photography workshop.
On becoming a better photog: You are either getting better or worse. There is no such thing as hitting a plateau. Back yourself into a creative corner and think yourself out. If you don’t scare yourself into creating an important photo, repeat.
10. I currently work a full time job as a photographer/artist relations assistant. I find myself leaning towards being a full time working photographer but am struggling with the mental aspect of not having that steady paycheck, do you have any suggestions or tips for starting out in the free lance realm?
Follow the adage: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Read Laurence Kim’s thoughts on the pursuit of photography for love or money.
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To see and hear my detailed responses to each of the questions posed above, watch the full video here :
Want more specifics? While in 30-minutes we explored answers to 10 important questions in-depth… imagine what we can cover during an 60-minute mentoring session in person !?!?
Contact me to learn more about personal mentoring. Sessions start at $150/hour with no holes barred and all questions answered.
*** Stay tuned on Friday for a big announcement regarding new tutorials on lightpainting***
Goals keep you accountable, fostering dreams into reality. We all know that. But does blogging about your intentions to run a marathon before you turn 40 actually help your efforts? Decades of research on the topic proves not. This shocked me!
Does sharing goals help or hinder?
Keep your goals to yourself, says Derek Silvers, as they shape only the present, not the future. Carving goals in stone tricks your brain thinking you are one step closer to reaching those goals. This feeling of confidence makes it harder to actually work towards the goal. I enjoyed watching Derek explain his perspective on a recent Ted presentation (aka Tweeting goals isn’t that good of an idea):
If sharing goals doesn’t help, why have them?
One day, I want to become a full-time professional photographer. If I told everyone that was my goal, chances are I’d never become a Nikon Pro.
However, if I broke down my “big goal” into 101 smaller steps (repeated actions), this would encourage the daily effort needed to obtain a bigger goal.
Most goals have several steps needed to achieve the final result. Finding a mechanism that works for you – sticky notes or blog posts – reminds you to take little steps thereby forcing repetition in your brain that your goal hasn’t been achieved, yet.
Should you keep goals to yourself?
No. I say share those goals, because your friends and family want to witness your success. Sometimes they just need a tip, like strategic *hint* dropping during the holidays (my advice: earmark open Patagonia catalog, leave on kitchen table).
I like sharing goals. And I’m thankful for opportunities which resulted, ranging from shooting sports teams, creating a promo video, getting published, etc. Simply telling others my ambitions helped me and vice versa. A lesson I learned: keep your ego at the door.
Who’s right? There isn’t an answer. The point is what find what works for you and your personality and DO IT!
Plan. Create. Motivate. Achieve.
These are the words of Day Zero project, my recommendation if you need a lit candle under your bum to get things done…. especially if nothing else has worked.
As a blogger, however, my list 101 goals in 1,001 days serves as my self-imposed 4:45am wake-up call. Sticky notes are overrated. And checked-off lists on sticky notes are HIGHLY underrated!
I wanted to document in a single photo two little HUGE accomplishments which took an immense amount of sacrifice, worth every second and penny. Here’s to a paid-off car and 20 days of snowboarding in a single season: Product review notes:2010 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI w/ moonroof that gets 43 mpg really rocks, a Patagonia Men’s Primo Down Jacket keeps me warm below zero yet cool above 40 degrees (dunno how it does it, but the pit zips help), and my Smith I/O goggles guards my photographer eyes from burning Colorado UV, protects me from elements of disguise, fits snug, is super comfy, and most times I forget I’m wearing it except when it falls off (Not a Trojan ad, I promise).
These three almost-but-not-quite-mainstream companies which offer products I believe in and match my lifestyle. That’s a 5’ Creative Light Octa in reflection.
PS : This image inspired by Christian Bale in Batman and Tom Cruise in Top Gun.
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Product review notes: 
