New colors

Welcome to the new Pink and Orange look. :)

I went camping this weekend. It was nice to not have to work. I also made some "arty" photos of myself and my friends.


I am thinking of taking this "look" and using it to photograph families. Maybe for a project I had in mind "the people that live there now." Portraits of people who now live in places that were once my home.


I would like to do these in a suburban house setting of a family. It would need to be a creative bunch willing to work with me - and it's obviously very posed. Kids with an ability to hold still would be nice... am I asking for too much now? I'm trying to decide the best way to find these models. I might start with people I know. Also maybe craigslist? Families of friends?

Also I met with a photographer I used to intern for on Friday, Jeff Stevensen. (http://www.jeffstevensenphoto.com) We talked about what I was doing now and he said "you may not realize it, but being a working photographer after graduating is a major success itself. So many get discouraged and go into something else." This was helpful insight to keep things in perspective for myself.

I tend to focus on what else I could be doing and hot to be MORE successful. He also things that my focus as a portrait photographer is perfect to work in the commercial market because it's one of the few things that clients will always need - current photographs a specific people. And you can't just "use stock." Something I hadn't really thought of - but a good point. We also talked about my marketing & branding (right now just focused on wedding photography). It's nice to hear what things other people are doing, and are not doing. All in all it seems as though, according to Jeff anyway, I'm on the right track. This is a good thing. Especially coming from working commercial photographer! I'm not sure what my career plan will be - but I do thing that commercial work will be a part of it. Maybe teaching as well. Art would be nice too - but seems like such a difficult way to make a living. Right now I'm just going to keep shooting Art and Weddings and hope the puzzle pieces fall into place and I continue to "make a living" with my camera.

Another reason to love Maine...

I forgot to list one of my favorite things about Maine - the photo workshops!
http://theworkshops.com/photoworkshops

Brooke & I went there today so she could meet with her mentor. I visited a friend from college who is working there for the summer, John Barduhn. I also ran into Liz Schrenk, who is also in my program @ AIB. I also saw some friends from last summer that I didn't know were back. I had a great time just sitting at the lunch table talking to people. It's amazing how much you learn just sitting there & talking. For example I HATED aperture (the program) because it locks your photos up in the vault and I find that annoying. However - if I move the vault to a big external drive then I can use it without having it annoy me & take up all the hard drive space on my laptop. Simple fix suggested in a 2 minute chat on the program.

I also went to visit Tim Whelan's Bookstore.

(207) 236-4795

25 Main St

Rockport, ME 04856

If you find yourself in Rockport you MUST go! I bought a Harvey Stein book and Tim says "Isn't Harvey teaching here this summer?" And yes, of course he is! And yes, of course I'd like to take his workshop! Looks like I'm signing up again. After last summer how did I think I could stay away?

Other notes from Tim:
• Photographic Historical Society of New England
http://www.phsne.org (meetings & yearly photo show & sale Oct 6 & 7.)
• Look @ Vicky Goldberg's book: Light Matters

I'm moving back to MAINE!

Ok, so I'm not really moving back to Maine - but after one beautiful summer day up here I would like to. I just want to take pictures - ALL THE TIME - when I'm here. Point and case - look at the view out of my friend Brooke's window!

Also, I photographed a couple who decided to elope in Maine yesterday. Not only was the sunset more beautiful than any light I could have chosen myself - but they also looked like models! I almost feel like I should have been paying them. ;) It was just the two of them, myself & another witness & their officiant "the captain". Being way out on a rock overlooking the ocean, and all by ourselves, I felt a greater creative freedom than I ever have before at a wedding. I've been told (in school) to start making "my pictures" at weddings - but this time I really feel like they were all my pictures. Hopefully these photos will convince brides and grooms to always let me do a sunset portrait!


See more of Melissa & Mike on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katie223/sets/72157601136939428