Yup, that’s right! I shot engagement photos of a fellow Nashville wedding photographer and his fiance! It was different for him being on the business end of the camera, and it’s not like he could shoot his own engagement or wedding photos, so I was honored to accept the task. The photographer who is the lucky groom is Marty Wayne who has been a friend of mine for several years, and has a good following here. His website is www.copleyphotography.com . I was really excited for him when he met Destuny, and later got engaged. Once in a while we meet at Hickory Falls restaurant in Smyrna and drool over the carrot cake….the last couple times we met, Destuny joined us, and I could tell how happy they are together….I was so glad to see that he found someone who took time to get to know him and appreciated him, which trust me, is not an easy thing to do these days when dating. He met Destuny who spoke with him about doing a photoshoot and they just clicked. Marty and I get along so well since we both are very charismatic and outgoing, and love what we do. Destuny is very nice, and I can tell that they really feed off each other,  enjoy each others’ humor and just seem so comfortable and energetic together!

So, we went on location to some places that mean a lot to them….the zoo, and a local marina and picnic area where they have spent time before. We wanted to capture them having fun and capture a candid, storytelling, journalistic mood in the photos. And that was done very naturally. It’s encouraging for photos to capture such emotion and love without having to prod them into looking like they like each other, LOL! They are working on a wedding date now, to take place at Belmont Mansion, which I look forward to as well! Congratulations Marty and Destuny!

I hope you all have had a great Thanksgiving holiday and enjoyed delicious food with friends and family! One thing I am thankful for is how light can be used in photography, and there is always something new. I was out driving through a rather industrial area a few weeks ago, rather unpopulated and ghost town like. The workers had gone home shortly before then….it had been an overcast dreary day. But just before dusk, there was a whisper of sunlight I never saw that day until then! I was like, DAMNIT I wish I had my camera and any lens I own. Like now….RIGHT now! Because it was that perfect contrast between the golden end of day light from the setting sun hitting the factory buildings, with no other sign of life around. And still a dark cloudy sky.

With those conditions, you may only have seconds to capture your photograph as the sun is setting quickly. I can be thankful for the times I was equipped with a camera. Like one I am about to show you. It’s my own old backyard shed. I loved that shed from the first time I looked at the house, the texture and old wood, I knew it was a photograph waiting to happen. And to boot we got snow….and it was that defining moment of the day where the sun was hitting it just right, and I had mere seconds to capture that light as I saw it.

Shutter speed even has it’s own camera mode, shutter priority or tv, time value mode. Meaning that you set the shutter speed and the ISO (if digital) (If film, you use different speed film.) And the camera selects an Fstop / aperture setting to properly expose. Those advanced auto modes are good if used properly, but manual gives better control. If in low light, and the aperture needed exceeds your lens’s capabilities, you will have an underexposed photo. The same way that if you use aperture value mode, and you get into lower light, your camera will select a slower shutter speed if your ISO isn’t bumped, and give you the blurs.

Anyhow, the topic at hand is what shutter speed does. When the shutter is open a shorter time (faster shutter speed), it freezes action more. And therefore lets in less light so you must adjust your fstop accordingly. The longer the shutter speed, the more light gets let in, similar to wider aperture / lens opening in that regard. But they work together. Also the more motion is blurred with slower shutter speed. And most people need a tripod for any shutter speed slower than 1/60 or 1/30 of a second, or motion blur / camera shake will occur. When dragging the shutter to photograph a moving object, a good rule of thumb for selecting a good shutter speed to use, is roughly calculate the time it takes for the subject material to pass through the viewfinder, and there is your shutter speed. The use of flash helps freeze motion. So if motion is an issue when making your photograph, shutter speed is a key element that professional photographers depend on.  Whether you want to freeze action at an event, sports event, wedding ceremony or reception, etc. or create motion blur, it’s a science.

The image below was shot with stage lighting only and no flash. This kid loved the spotlight and entertaining his audience. It was at the bridal show I worked, for the fashion show put on by Street’s Tuxedo and Bridal Country. If memory serves me, I shot at f2.8, 200 shutter speed, and 800 ISO. With walking subjects, 1/200 sec. is usually plenty fast enough to freeze motion. With this little boy dancing, to freeze motion would require approximately 1/400 sec shutter speed, which in turn would have required higher ISO since I was using a 2.8 fstop lens. I wanted to have the shot in focus and not to have the whole thing blurry, but wanted to show signs of movement, so 1/200 was just right in this case. Season to taste and try something different

For the recent bridal show I had a booth at, I needed several printed marketing materials including brochures, sale sheet inserts, contact form stationery, and a large indoor / outdoor Jay Farrell Photography banner. I used an independent printer whose work I had seen before and it had been good, but unfortunately,  she didn’t get the order to the press in time for me to get a proof to detect this issue with the brochures. Everything else came out great! But the brochures almost had a “banded” quality on part of the images on the brochures. Almost as if you went into Photoshop and did the posterize filter at about 20%….I was definitely not happy to see those in that condition, that close to the show when I had little recourse. I was definitely smoking hot, but had to stay focused on a game plan.

So I called Fedex Kinkos and asked them to produce a proof, after they told me they could do an emergency run of new brochures. I know they aren’t a real print shop and use color copiers, but I just wanted something better than what I had. Same crap. They told me they saw that same thing on their monitor. My designer created the artwork on a Mac in Photoshop CS5, same format and Photoshop version as I have……the files looked fine from our ends…..as well as others I have showed. Come to find out my printer, and Fedex Kinkos both used PC with Photoshop CS3, so I suspected a compatibility issue between that file format and the platform / outdated Photoshop version. I had a local print shop run me a proof and theirs was perfect. Midtown Printing in Nashville. That confirmed my suspicion. So you can bet I will order another run from them before next show. I’m offering my services in a visual sense….it’s definitely not flattering for a wedding photographer to hand out crappy looking brochures to potential brides at a bridal show. Even though most eyes are not as discerning as mine, it’s a matter of having pride in your work and putting your best out there. Designers should be current on their software programs….and this is another “Next time call a licensed plumber” example, unfortunately.

This sample album I have added to the stable is a more traditional style of album, but far from ordinary. I went with 10 spreads and 44 images, and had 2 different weddings in mind that would be perfect for this album, but could not decide. So I incorporated both weddings into this one album, but both are separated and go in chronological order so there is no viewer confusion. Both of these weddings were fun and energetic, but more traditional in style than the farm wedding, which is why I went with the leather. But the design has the same elements, only with semi lustre print surface. So that is what helps this album stand out and not be viewed as cliche. More sheen and texture, and better color pop than the matte, so from that standpoint, I’ll always love lustre photographic paper. In fact, it’s been a favorite of wedding and portrait photographers for decades. Really dynamic mood, great contrast in the black and white and color photos, this album presents very well! Collages.net really sets their albums apart with their great design services and trendy but timeless product line! Here are sample photos of the album.

As mentioned in earlier blog articles, I bought 2 studio sample albums from www.collages.net after forming a relationship with them, and them being my album provider of choice. If I am going to offer wedding albums to my clients, it’s going to be something new, and interesting…..and great quality! They have delivered just that! This particular studio sample album of the farm wedding has 10 spreads and 45 images…..a little smaller than most customers would want, but it’s purpose is to show customers what an album of this style looks and feels like in their hands, and how well I can capture a story, with less or more. This way I can show customers how the story of their wedding and their lives can be told. After all, that is what wedding photographers are hired to do…..tell the story and capture the love of the couple and their family.

I am attaching some sample photos of this album…..there is no way a photo can flatter the album the same way as if you see and feel it, but it gives a basic idea of build, design, and layout. This is a 10″x10″ metal cover album with distressed leather trim, true lay flat pages on 1/8″ thick art board and dry mounted matte printed pages, with satin finish. This is the premier option of print surfaces offered by collages. That particular feel is soft, and the colors are nice, but slightly subdued….it just looks rich. It just has a soft intimate feel. In fact, this particular bride and groom came to see this sample and ordered one for themselves for Christmas! They chose the photographic cover album with matte pages and cover, in the works of the design and production process now. Some opacity and translucent boxes are used in the design element. Have a look below, or better yet come see them in person!

I wanted to mention that part of my decision to do business with Collages.net was by seeing sample albums that a friend and fellow professional photographer showed me, that Collages had done for him. He’s a very well established Nashville based photographer who does destination weddings as well as teaches photography to students. So I wanted to thank Mr. David Wright for meeting with me to help me with my album selections, as well as help inspire the centerpiece for the metal album with the deckled edges and green border. His website can be seen here. http://www.davidwrightphotography.com/

Every once in a while I like a very random blog article, and this is about as random as it gets people! LOL. My buddy who is the man behind Kill City Spaceship, “The P.” is a one man band….keyboards, guitar, drums, bass, all done by him and mixed in his small basement studio. He keeps his Kill City Spaceship identity as more of an unsung hero type to separate his creative outlet with his professional life, understandable…..especially because people unfortunately sometimes judge or fear what they don’t understand. Before I heard his music, I asked him what style of music it is…..and he tells me industrial / electronic. Oh, like Depeche Mode? Because they have always been a favorite of mine! His response was something like, a more sloppy and unorthodox version of them, perhaps. It just is…..have a listen! So I did.

It’s definitely creative and different, and could build a cult following of it’s own if it got out there more…..which is one thing I am trying to help with right now. The P. shoots his own video to accompany the song, and has a very guerilla feel. So, especially if you are into garage bands and electronic music, I hope you will check his stuff out and tell your friends! It’s definitely something entertaining, creative, and different…and a style that Nashville can use for a little added variery! The You Tube page with various selections is here http://www.youtube.com/user/KCSpaceship#p/u/3/wYoi82yoCmw and the website is www.killcityspaceship.com I hope you enjoy!

I am excited to announce some recent changes made to my website and blog…..for a more inviting visitor experience, as well as making it easier for them to find what they need. With some help from my friends, these changes were suggested, and made possible. First, the blog has a different theme with a more warm and inviting color scheme, and easier to read larger text, and a side widget with Facebook page. The website has a matching sage green background, also now has black text. This color is still easy on the eyes and not in your face bright, but has an inviting appeal to it which was my biggest reason for doing it. A very important thing especially with attracting wedding photography clients and portrait clients. Site can be seen here of course, www.jayfarrellphotography.com

Besides the cosmetic changes to the website, changes have been made to the information pages. The about page is more on point and organized…..as is the services page. There is now a separate information page just for weddings, since it’s a topic in it’s own. Having it separated makes it less cluttered and easier for each client to find the information they want, quickly. So I am hoping these changes will prove positive for my visitors, anyone here who remembers before and after, please chime in and add your own suggestions, this isn’t a closed shop!

I am glad the day finally came…..I was so excited, I knew I would totally enjoy it, and I am actually surprised that it wound up being almost exactly like how I thought it would be! It was the Here Comes The Brides bridal show at The Factory in Franklin, TN. which is an affluent area and nice historic venue. I was thankful to have a good relationship formed with the show coordinator and she was kind enough to let me come the day before when they were setting up, so I could see the place and where my booth would be…..that way it made it easier to brainstorm about how to set up my booth.

The hardest part was getting set up in the midst of the hustle bustle of everyone loading in 400 million things, LOL! There were all kinds of wedding vendors there, from photographers, bakers, dress and formal wear shops, etc. It did seem a little overwhelming that some vendors needed large trailers or trucks to bring their setup to the show….there were many elaborate setups, and for some types of businesses such as florists and designers, that type of setup is necessary to showcase your work. I decided to go with a simplistic approach and stick to the point, since I knew visitors have lots to see and don’t have time to spend much time at each booth, so I decided I’d make what was most important quickly available to them, and I feel that approach worked well for me. My helper, Melissa and I worked the booth…….on the wall I had a company banner, 6 11×17 mounted prints, on the table had an iPad slideshow of various wedding images, 2 sample wedding albums, and brochures/ sale sheets to hand out. Everything was nicely lit with small halogen clamp on lights….on the edge of the booth by the aisle were 2 20×30 prints on easels, one being a company poster. This way, those things quickly caught the viewers’ eye.

The show was a perfect size, about 200 brides, great to meet lots of people and get a little face time with each. It was rally nice to meet some great brides, and hear about their upcoming wedding events, and get to know other vendors there, definitely a good opportunity to gain new business and network. I seem to have had a great response to my product and services, and definitely generated some genuine interest! I’m excited to see what transpires from it, and I already look forward to doing the next one in March! There was also a fashion show with gowns and mens’ formal wear….in face did some photography while I was there, during that fashion show…all natural stage lighting.

A little off topic for this blog but that’s how I roll sometimes, random!! I met my friend at the Pied Piper Eatery here in East Nashville recently, and we discussed restaurants a lot before we got to photography discussion. Pied Piper is a local business that has a diner type menu with cool music memorabilia as a decor. My preference is to support local establishments that East Nashville has many of, over chain / corporate type restaurants. The decor is generally more creative and unique, and the food often is as well…..plus I like supporting small local business. My friend mentioned that I think it’s Chef Ramsay, who endangered restaurants try to recruit to have him save their business, and how he encourages a less is more menu. I am definitely on the same page as the less is more thought process, but for a restaurant menu, not as much so.

It does get a little overbearing looking through a 4 page menu, with all different kinds of foods….then I wonder what is their actual specialty? I like how Pied Piper does it….they are different, and are known for breakfast anytime of day, and they have many diner type favorites, done with their personal style….Mad Donna’s as well. Some burgers, salads, and sandwiches, but also pastas and a couple other unique entrees……just the right sized menu and the pricing structure makes sense. Cool atmosphere as well. Recently tried a fairly new place, Cooper’s on Porter with my friend, was a cool place and great outdoor patio. I thought they had too small of a menu when I read it….and couldn’t find what I wanted. Basically the choice was burgers or a chicken sandwich, or the price doubles and you get ribs or steak. I’m not a penny pincher by any means, but like anyone, I have to watch at least. The chicken sandwich was really good…..maybe they are just trying to figure out what works for them before expanding, but they’re definitely worth trying again sometime.

So really, if the service is friendly and personalized, and there is something identifiable about the food, and the selection is decent, but not too overwhelming, it’s generally all good. Of course Las Maracas hands down for Mexican food and margaritas!! If there’s one thing that is really unfair, it’s cheap tippers….and it’s especially embarrassing when it’s one of those in your company. I mean really, if you can’t leave a decent tip, you shouldn’t be going out to eat. I don’t go out super often but when I do, I am representing my business and want to be remembered next time, in a positive way if possible.

I guess in this world, there has always been, and there always will be hosts and parasites alike, lol….but there’s no way for me to water this down, that obtaining software through cracks or less scrupulous file sharing pages, is illegal, and it’s stealing. The software developers know that there will be a certain amount of their product out there that isn’t purchased and registered, and their hope is that the use of their products by more people become seen and give them publicity, for a certain percentage of more purchases. My guess is that is why they don’t police the piracy websites and cracks as they could, not only that but it would be like playing whac a mole at the fair.

However, in a way, this probably did have a positive impact for registered users’ Photoshop costs, as well as getting a discounted rate for student usage, as well as upgrade versions. This discussion was sparked from a recent get together where I met several newer student photographers, and we had this discussion. I had told them I recently upgraded to Photoshop CS5 and was very happy with it, and they gave me a further discount when they looked into the crash reports I filed from CS4. One asked me why I would purchase Photoshop when there’s so much out there for free? I just told him…..we are at a coffee shop now, and we’re all outside on the patio, the tables and chairs aren’t anchored down, why not run off with them and use them at your house? They can afford to replace them if need be. He sortof got it then, haha.

I understand that not everyone who uses Photoshop is using it professionally in any realm. But to me it becomes more disgusting when someone who is supposed to be a professional photographer or designer, etc. is using a cracked copy. That only shows they don’t really care about the industry they are in. Photoshop is a tool I use as part of the services I provide, so by me supporting Adobe by buying their software, I am supporting the developers that make it a better product each time a new version comes out. I haven’t agreed with every decision made by Adobe…..but if I wasn’t a customer, I wouldn’t have a voice. All of us have jobs to do, and I imagine all of us like to be paid to do it. It seems disingenuous to use others to make money, and cut out the people who helped you make it. Just my 2 cents.