I met with Les and Mary early this year, about their wedding which took place on Labor day weekend….candids and bride and groom photos, location photos and ceremony the first day…..to return the next day for the reception. The wedding was to take place on their farm in Southern Kentucky. I was interested right off the bat because I really like unique locations, especially when it’s a location of special meaning to the clients…..it gives me a specific task to capture everything and everyone that means a lot to them. They explained when meeting with me that they did not want a traditional formal wedding…..but needed a journalistic and documentary style wedding photographer to capture the essence of their love for one another, as well as the people who meant a lot to them….not to mention the farm which has been ion the groom’s family for 3 generations I believe. When they explained that what they wanted was creative and unique, I was even more interested! After doing more research, as any informed client should, thankfully they booked me to photograph their wedding which would then be about 7 months out.

The next step was to arrange a tour of the farm so I could map the area, know my duties for the day, and brainstorm for specific ideas. My mom was here visiting the week of Memorial Day, so we both went up to tour the farm and have Sunday lunch which was delicious! I could see then that we’d all be a perfect fit, they really thought of everything. Flowers were made from egg cartons and hand painted, and really looked amazing….even a hand made cake and cupcake tiered tray made from tree stumps. Even a hand made painted set of stairs made to get people on the hay ride on the way to the meadow where the sundown ceremony would be.

The first order of business while Mary was getting in her wedding dress, and getting her hair and makeup done, was to photograph Les and his workers / friends at their workshop and do some candids, as well as area details. Then creekside bride and groom photos, country lane bride and groom photos, some family portraits and candids at the house, and then the hayride off to the ceremony! It was very hot and dry, hadn’t rained in weeks, but everyone held up well! Thankfully my assistant and I had plenty of bottled water LOL! The next day was a reception under a hay tent, with home cooked BBQ and all kinds of cool decorations, a home made photo booth, and the homemade flowers, and games for people to play. This was the wedding where after processing the photos, nothing jumped out at me as far as needing to be black and white, etc. because of all the colorful aspects of the setting and peoples’ dress. It was casual, but still very well planned and detailed which really added so much to the feel of the photos from this event. Everyone had a good time, us included, and I am so pleased with the outcome. The casual aspect is what some photographers local to them that they met with didn’t really bite because they were used to one style of wedding, or they didn’t feel connected to this style of project. So they searched out Nashville wedding photographers and I am glad they found me! I saw an opportunity to capture something new and different, and create lasting memories for them, and centerpieces for me to help me market to the unique wedding crowd as well…..win win!

In the Hendersonville / Nashville area! Dana has been one of my clients for several years and has referred people my way, and not to mention she always photographs well herself! Part of which is possible because of her meticulous hair and makeup skills! Anyone in the Nashville / Goodlettsville / Hendersonville / and Gallatin areas, she can provide that for you too! Dana is one of the main stylists at Bonnie’s Salon, link with more info here. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bonnies-Hair-Studio-Dana-McDowell/127762070603172 Dana is always looking for new clients, and is available for in salon makeup services including airbrush makeup, as well as certain on location assignments and bridal makeup if booked in advance. I highly recommend her not only because she is a client of mine, but the fact that she is honest and kind, keeps a very clean shop, fun to work with, and is VERY detail oriented. Please keep her in mind if you are in need of a new look, or need any of those services! Call the salon for more information or to book your appointment! (615) 822-1819 Here is a photo of Dana!

There’s no clear cut answer to this question, it’s all up to each unique artist. There are many dramatic aspects to a photograph that can be heightened by using the right black and white tone. One gross misconception is that black and white makes a poor photo artsy, or better. It all starts with a strong photo that can stand on it’s own! Usually when going through my work from any given photoshoot, if I like a specific photo but feel something is missing, or black and white or other tonal orientation would make that photo stronger, I try it and let it marinate for a while. It’s one of those things that are a personal taste, and there is no absolute right or wrong, but each artist should give it thought and do what they think makes their work command the most attention from their viewer.

The reasons I usually choose for deeming any given photo as a strong black and white are any of the following….a lot of good shadow and highlight detail, mixed with a candid / documentary feel can make a good high contrast black and white….or if the colors in the setting used aren’t flattering to the photo……wedding photographers especially can relate to this, if shooting in a church with blue carpet and green walls, LOL! Often for simple and artistic photos, the black and white can simplify the mood and help draw the viewers’ eye to the intended subject. I especially like black and white for journalistic or artistic style portraits. Or very old things filled with texture. Or like the photo below, shot with 35mm black and white film on the way to a recent Kentucky farm wedding, of an abandoned general store. No life, like life after people, no anything, is what I wanted to say with that photo…..to me it’s better as a black and white….well good thing I feel that way because it was black and white film, so color wasn’t so much of an option, LOL!

For that wedding, history was made for me. The digital photos I shot, after going through the processed images, nothing really spoke to me as needing to be black and white. Which is a rarity for me….I even conveyed this to the bride, everything was so colorful and well thought out, so with the exception of some subtle artistic color work (note the subtle word and basic correction, I felt the photos stood strong on their own. Well, the story about that unique and fun wedding coming soon….in the meantime, enjoy some black and white nostalgia with my Canon AE1 and Kodak 400 asa c41.

Art was a very well known photographer and educator, who held workshops for years at his Chicago studio. I had the pleasure of meeting him and attending one of his workshops about 6 years ago. It didn’t take long to see how generous and kind he was. He believed in anyone who took the art of photography seriously, and wanted to learn. He spent a good deal of his time during his classes about how to light in the studio, as well as making use of natural light. We stayed in touch after the workshop and not many will do that. He truly had the heart of an artist, as well as a brilliant teacher. Art knew how to be blunt but yet encourage you, especially if you show aptitude and keep an open mind. I was even considering attending a great lakes workshop he was putting on, and offered to take some time with me before the class to talk about the business end of photography. Another rarity, but that shows his level of kindness.

I’m sad to see him go, but am grateful that he passed his knowledge and experience along to others, me included. Which in the end is what it’s about….it does no good to keep it all to yourself. Art, we’ll miss you man, and thank you!

That line is thin. This issue mainly applies to advertising or commercial photography and wedding photography, where there are time constraints to deal with…..and you as the photographer must provide for your client. When meeting or speaking with clients before shooting for them, the photographer has an understanding about what that client wants. So it’s often up to the photographer to manage the time and know when things must be done, to get what is needed to fulfill their obligation in the time allotted. The whole thing is when shooting with groups especially, to create energy and fun in the photographs, you have to have a fun photographer, especially when not dealing with trained models.

So, when a photographer has to be a “schedule nazi” it has to be done in a clear assertive way, but remain positive and fun. There have been times when photographing weddings where the bride got flustered because of running behind schedule that she was going to skip a certain photo that I knew was important to her…..it’s my job to try to make it all do-able. Or when they were late getting ready for their evening outdoor ceremony, and we were losing our best light……there I had to step in and tell them that we need to get a move on it, or we will lose the light that this ceremony was planned around. That also may involve photographer assertiveness when managing group portraits……but it has to be done professionally so the subjects don’t get uncomfortable or feel bossed around……it may seem a little bit that way at first, but when they are viewing their wedding photos, they can be glad the photographer spoke up enough to get all the shots they wanted, even if things didn’t run as promptly as intended. In that context, I’m sure any reasonable client would appreciate that.

I recently stumbled upon this interesting and informative blog article about the theory and advantages to unplugged weddings, meaning the bride and groom establish a no camera or recording device policy for wedding guests. http://offbeatbride.com/2011/06/unplugged-wedding  It seems a shame to even have to do such a thing…..I can understand some guests taking a few photos at the reception during mingling time, but never quite understood the ones who are adamant about snapping away, when there is a hired professional photographer. I mean, is Uncle Fred really going to save the day by trailing along? LOL. As a professional wedding photographer, I have a clause in my contract that me or my assistants are the only photographers working at that wedding, and guest interference releases me from legal liability from not getting the shots I was hired to get. (more…)

Very recently I have had the pleasure of photographing Curb Records’ own,  Mr. Ronnie McDowell once again, along with some very special guests! All others have also been affiliated with Elvis Presley and a member of the D Stamps Quartet, Including DJ, Ed Enoch of the D Stamps Quartet (Also Elvis’ drummer in the 60′s and 70′s and lead vocals of the quartet), Millie Kirkham, and Ray Walker of the Jordanaires. It was exciting to meet them and work with them, and to think all of them played with the King of rock and roll! There aren’t many people who can say that, especially all in one place, together! I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Ronnie McDowell several times, and thankfully he thought enough of my services to bring other clients to me!

I first photographed Ronnie McDowell 2 years ago while photographing his Curb Records album cover, and a couple other promo packs since then to promote his tours and merchandise, etc. by shooting new portraits and headshots, and we always work well together. Thanks Ronnie for entertaining us, and for your business, and it’s truly a pleasure to know all these fine music legends. Here is a studio portrait of all 5 of them together, enjoy!

This is a little something different around here, about a story and song my friend Randy Starkey wrote, after the untimely and tragic death of his son to an automobile accident. It’s amazing and unbelievable how difficult this has to be for all involved, without further delay, here is the story copied and pasted from http://www.thereflector.com/opinion/article_22e5122e-c83f-11e0-a94c-001cc4c002e0.html . And here is a link to the song he wrote, and had musicians he knows perform the song for him….visit his iTunes page and show him some support please!! http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/room-at-the-top/id455700289

My wife, Jan and I, and our children, Amy and Nathan Starkey, lived near Battle Ground until the early 1990s. Our son, Nathan, was in 8th grade at Lewisville Middle School and our daughter, Amy, was a student at Battle Ground High School in 1988 when a serious auto accident fatally injured Nathan less than a mile from school. Amy was driving and pulled out without seeing a logging truck. Though injured, Amy, and two other children in the car survived. Nathan, age 13, was buried in the Venersborg Cemetery, east of Battle Ground, near our home.

In 1992, I wrote a song for the 1993 graduating class of Battle Ground High School, in memory of my son, who would have graduated with that class, had he lived. I tried to interest the powers-that-be at the high school to include the song, perhaps as sung by students. My efforts to garner interest in the song at the high school were rejected.

I just recorded a full production of that song, “Room at the Top,” here in Nashville under the moniker, “The Parakeetus Band.” It is really a song speaking for any high school senior. It can be heard and downloaded on iTunes or Amazon mp3. The band name is derived from our own Perkus S. Parakeetus, our beloved talking parakeet, Perky that we had for many years while living in Battle Ground. I hired some of the best singers and musicians in Nashville, TN for the project. The music lives on.

Randy Starkey

Kingston Springs, TN

Recently I photographed a wedding for a really nice young couple in Lebanon.  The flower girl I am guessing was between 2 1/2 and 3 was so cute and had so much personality, but was camera shy. I first photographed some details of the beautiful lodge building, and was awaiting the bride to make her entrance. The flower girl was out front with her mother, where the bride would soon arrive. I tried to do a few quick shots of her to capture a candid mood……but she was far to cunning to fall for that. She was clearly tired and camera shy, at least at that time, and possibly because I was a stranger. So I knew I could not pass up the opportunity to get at least one good photo of her in her dress and doing her thing. I started a game of peek a boo or hide and seek….she would cover her face clearly letting me know she wanted no part of the camera, LOL! So…..the game began.

I then hid behind a pillar or around the corner of the building, then she’d look…..I’d quickly appear, and she’d cover her face, and now I saw a little sign of laughter. YES! I kept the camera down so she wouldn’t suspect anything….yet. She ran around to the other side of the building and I went in the front door inside the building. She came around and looked for me, and I opened the door, saw her sitting on the steps, look back and I hurried up and snapped a photo before the surprised look left her face. That was the one chance I got, so I wanted to make sure I exposed properly and kept it in focus. I don’t do much childrens’ photography because I don’t have a childrens’ style of studio, and I don’t consider it my specialty. But part of the details I must capture as wedding photographer, is to capture a candid mood with children and adults alike, by whatever means necessary! That’s where my area of specialty lies, and it’s fun to help create that mood, as well as get it when it happens on it’s own.

Once you start shopping around for venues and vendors for your wedding, you will see that there are ways to stay within your budget (if you have a realistic budget) or the sky can be the limit! It all requires a lot of time, meeting with vendors, and making informed decisions, especially if brides are doing this themselves and not going through a wedding planner. This meaning nothing should be left to chance or to decide later as it pertains to services you will be receiving from vendors. My tip in this article is to have a fairly solid idea about what you want as your final medium for the wedding photos, while meeting with wedding photographers long before the wedding day. Yes, I mean a wedding album. It’s very important to have an idea what you will want to end up with during this stage of planning, whether your wedding photographer takes care of the album, or you do it yourself. I try my best to educate my own clients about this and other matters, so I have found that makes a difference. Most of my clients have a wedding album whether they went through me, or did it themselves. I encourage them to think about this before they make all their financial commitments. That is the difference between a professional wedding photographer and someone looking for a quick buck, hand them a disc and see ya later type of shooter. Not about pushing or hard selling, but helping clients get the best presentation and value to suit their needs.

I know albums can get expensive, but if you think about it…..why hire a wedding photographer to tell a story about your special day, and not finish telling the story with a better presentation piece than a bunch of 400 pixel high images on Facebook? That 30 days from now will be old news to people. My point is, I have talked to many people who have already been married for over a year, who have never gotten around to making any kind of album or wall prints. This is why it’s best to do some preliminary planning before the wedding, and that will help budget around other things that you either need, or can live without. Sure, getting a disc of photos provides the necessary tool to create an album or prints, gallery wraps, etc. Here is why it isn’t the end all be all…. What happens a lot when brides deal with it after the fact are often these things. They run out of money from the wedding and are now working on other things as a couple, whether continued education, a house, or starting a family. Or they realize there is a lot of work involved with cropping photos, and layout, etc. and give up on it. That to me says that they didn’t get good value from their wedding photographs, which should not be. Even a fairly simple album designed to meet the client’s budget and a couple wall prints completes the story, in ways that digital files alone cannot. Whether or not you want an album, it’s important for you to know your desired media ahead of time so you get what you want.

I recently had a discussion with some professional photographer peers about this story one of us stumbled upon, about a guy getting caught taking pictures with his smart phone at a teenage swim meet. I am not for certain if it’s Junior high school or high school. At any rate, here is the link to the story. http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2011/08/04/parents-tackle-man-for-taking-pictures-at-swim-tournament/

Now that you have seen the story, you were probably thinking the same thing our discussion group was. The guy was definitely in the wrong and should be dealt with. All of us agreed on that. And the bystanders were also right to call him on it. It says he tried to run, which is being used against him in the media article, but wouldn’t you run if you saw a group of people after you? Granted, he shouldn’t have been doing that in the first place. In no way should this guy be considered a legitimate photographer, but even legitimate street photographers (which I used to be a street photographer) are treated the same way as this guy. Lots of public paranoia. Even though he was inappropriate, he is still covered under the same rights as any photographer, and the system should not pick and choose. In my personal opinion, him getting smacked around by those parents, getting a good healthy interrogation by the police, and being charged with public nuisance would be sufficient and be an effective deterrent. The guy is 46 years old and I am assuming he has no prior arrest record, or else the media would have used that to thicken the story. You don’t just become a criminal at age 46.

It’s the media’s job to make the story, and they are not afraid to patronize the subject to do it, and create advertising opportunities. I preface this by saying I do not support this guy’s actions…..but for him to be charged with C.P. is a stretch, and for the media story video to have flashing words that say “sex crime” is an effective tool to create public anger and hysteria and to get the support of the public in the legal proceedings. In court, that would be known as leading the witness. He did not speak to any of the subjects, or touch any of them. I could buy those charges against him if he snuck into the locker room or something more invasive to their privacy, but his view even with his camera was the same as every attendee of the event could see. To me, the way the media and the legal system is using this guy as an example is equally or more irresponsible than his own actions. Why did this even make national news?

I really don’t feel sorry for this guy, but for the extent they are trying to prosecute him, it would mess up his life forever, and I think the system is abusing their power. It’s a double standard when illegal immigrants get more rights than a tax paying citizen who did a stupid thing. In this case, the system and the media doing an irresponsible thing to make an irresponsible person be responsible, seems like an oxymoron. I’m sure a good lawyer would have a field day with this, but that shows it’s all about the money, more so than a fair and just legal system.

My first tip when shooting headshots, as discussed here before, is to think about your lighting as relating to your subject, as well as choosing the right angle. I also recommend shooting headshots with 85mm or greater focal length prime lens or telephoto zoom lens, to eliminate wide angle distortion. It’s not only the focal length you use with zoom lenses, but the focal range of the lens, that contributes to wide angle distortion. Headshots are isolated and telling. This article deals strictly with shooting techniques for subjects with different shapes and lengths of noses. Thinking about these sciences and photographing accordingly is what separates a true portrait and headshot photographer from a snapshot artist that does Photoshop butchering to cover up their mistakes or laziness to capture in camera.

One thing when dealing with the public and shooting portraits of them, they are often aware and self conscious of their “flaws” and if they are proofing these photos from their session with the photographer, don’t you think it would bode well for the photographer to choose the most flattering angle to to compensate for that “flaw” that concerns the client? I definitely think so. With a crooked or wide nose in nostril area or the bridge of the nose, it is best to shoot into the bend, usually slightly from an above angle, and try to avoid too much shadow play to emphasize the problem area. Shooting a wider nose straight on will only emphasize the issue. If the nose is wide and short, a slight side angle and shooting from slight downward angle from up top can also help their cause. For a long nose you are better off NOT doing that, shooting from a slightly lower angle and straighter on angle will likely be more flattering. Assuming this subject doesn’t have chin issues, in which case you have to be at a higher angle but still think about the nose, LOL! I love challenges! Dealing with this properly will make the customer like you better and help their self confidence. That way the amount of Photoshop is reduced and it’s win win!

For years I have used a Colorvision Spyder 2 Pro to calibrate my monitors and it has served me well. But it clearly failed after a recent calibration, so it was time to replace it……no complaints though, it has done it’s time with me since 2004. I generally calibrate every 1-3 months to ensure color accuracy as the monitor slightly ages and the color profile shifts ever so slightly. Now, here is the thing that is confusing and infuriating to many people, but it just is what it is. You can look at the same photo on other peoples’ monitors, and even if everyone’s monitor is calibrated, the results may not be the same. In fact, they will not be. I personally use an Apple Cinema Display with a matte finish, which has proven to be a good monitor for what I do. There is no one size fits all monitor. You can’t go to Wal Mart or an office supply store and get a monitor designed for photography and color management. Monitors made for color management have a different response time and contrast ratio, therefore not making it the choice for gaming, etc.

One thing to avoid is a TN panel monitor where the color and exposure changes as your viewing angle changes. I bought a Dell Ultrasharp a few years ago before buying my Apple monitor, and it had that problem…..which is worthless. It got sent back the same day. Some would argue that even my monitor isn’t ideal for color management because of the lack of RGB controls and other manual adjustments. But for my use, and calibration with my new Xrite Colormunki which takes ambient readings too (and even my old Spyder) my prints matched the color on my screen which is what counts…..and that makes the other peoples’ monitor comparison null and void. Another consideration when assessing the color accuracy of your workstation is the colors in the room and bleed. If your profiles match and your prints match what you are working with, you know you’re on the right track. Some people make it harder than it has to be.