New Website

I have been spending too many hours of late working on my new website. When I was in Las Vegas for the WPPI convention, I was checking out websites with Lisa, who was looking to buy one. I ended up getting one myself (we both did). I had been thinking about it, but ended up with a different company than I planned. I'm really excited about the new website and hope to have it up and running soon. My previous host is proving difficult to contact for transfer info, but as I'm still creating the website, I have a little time. One of the really cool things about this new website is that I can change templates and the look of my website pretty easily, so it will be changing more frequently than before. I love my old site, but it needs updating.

Also at WPPI, I attended a class by some marketing consultants as well as a motivational class by Joe Photo. Both of them have encouraged me to be better about setting goals, not only business but personal. Though I have not actually written anything down yet, as they both suggested, I have some thoughts in my mind about accomplishing specific tasks and am working on them, so I'm happy about that. One of my goals will be to keep the blog better updated. This is a slow time of year for shooting weddings - I'm talking to a lot of clients and setting things up for later, but I'm not shooting much now, so I'm not posting much. I would also like to take on some personal projects as one of my goals.

I'm posting an image from a warmer time of year that I love. This is Mark playing catcher in a baseball game. You have to wait for a while during the game for the dirt and dust to build up in the glove and then wait for a throw to come into home plate that doesn't include another player or referee. When all the stars align, and you're in position, with the correct lens, the correct composition and the correct camera settings, you get what you were searching for.

Vegas Baby

So last week I got to go on my annual photography training trip to Las Vegas. I attended the WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) convention at the MGM Grand Hotel on the Vegas strip. Here is a picture of our lovely hotel:



I attended with my good friends Nancy and Lisa (pictured from L to R with me on the end) posing with some Vegas showgirls who were at our very last seminar on Thursday morning before we headed to the airport to come home. We're the ones not wearing a fancy headdress. Also rooming with us was my nephews wife, Melissa, but her flight was about the same time as this seminar so she missed the showgirl photo op.



As always, the convention was an overload of incredible talent, images and inspiring and uplifting classes that rejuvenate me for the coming year. I bought a new website, so be looking for that in the near future. I still haven't gone through all the notes and product information I brought home, but I have a lot of great ideas that I look forward to implementing into my business.

I always get a little fun in on these trips and this year I saw David Copperfield perform at the MGM (which was very convenient). We also went to the Venetian and enjoyed the "canals" and a nice dinner. Another evening we checked out the Wynn, which is a beautiful hotel. We always like watching the fountains at the Bellagio, though we did it this year from the comfort of the taxi cab - it was a wee bit chilly to stand outside and our feet were tired from traversing the huge MGM every day - we couldn't face having to actually walk the strip to get to the other end.

I think this was my fourth year attending WPPI and I'm glad I made it there again!

Savannah birth announcement

So trying to be a good Grandma, I started making a counted cross stitch birth announcement for Savannah. I made these for my children when they were born and it seemed a nice thing to do. I quickly discovered that I did those a long, long time ago and it is no longer my "thing". I was left with the choice of doing the cross stitch, which would have taken seemingly forever or coming up with an alternative, since I already told my daughter I'd make a birth sampler. I decided that using the skills I already have was a better choice and wanted to make a photographic sampler. I made one, but wasn't quite thrilled with it so I contacted another photographer extraordinaire (who is my nephew's wife) and sent her some pictures and let her create. Below is the result, which is perfect. You should check out her work or even contact her for similar projects at www.BluePrintsPhotography.com She's located in the greater Denver area, but if you're not, email and shipping work great!

More Chris and Becky

So, once again I have allowed too much time to go by without updating the blog. What can I say? It was Christmas. And, to keep things even more interesting, I had a trip to Idaho just after Christmas to get in a tiny family visit and drop a son off at college. Of course, that also included getting a child ready for college...Needless to say, I've been busy! But, I did want to share a little more on Chris and Becky and their fabulous wedding at Rocky Gap Resort in Flintstone, MD.

They got a beautiful AsukaBook Wedding album and I wanted to share the album with all of you. Now, keep in mind when you look at the images that the first and last "page" are single pages, so therefore square. The images in between are double page spreads, so you'll have to imagine the page crease in the middle of the rectangular spread.

River Hill State Championship Game

So, last entry I mentioned River Hill's 2A win against Eastern Tech at M&T Stadium in Baltimore in football. Also mentioned was the snow we had that day. It really didn't accumulate, just fell pretty much all of the game. It has truly amazed me that almost every varsity game I covered this year involved some form of precipitation. At least this time I didn't have to duct-tape an umbrella to my monopod to protect my camera gear and self. Luckily, I had my handy "professional" gallon sized Ziploc bag in my possession. I have a precisely cut hole in the bottom and I slip it over the lens to cover the moving parts of the lens and the body of the camera. I look silly, but my camera is dry and safe and I have lots of Ziploc bags available, which fit easily into my zippered flash card case.

I did have a twinge of camera envy at some of the staff photographers of such newspapers as the Washington Post and the Baltimore Sun, among others, who were covering the game. They have the gear to really get anything from anywhere. I priced a comparable Canon lens and it's not in my budget; especially for something I'm not getting paid for! A 400mm 2.8 lens (for those in the know)auto-focus, image stablizer lens is $6800. Now, Sigma has the perfect lens: a 200 - 500 auto-focus 2.8 lens, for a bargain price of $22,049 (that's with the current rebate). I like the flexibility the Sigma offers - zooming in and out with a wide aperture but that's not going to happen : ) Staff photographers are fortunate in that their employers provide their gear. Those of us who are team parents providing a service at every game, not just the "big" ones are self sponsored and are actually providing a labor of love, so we use what we have. Now, my lens isn't anything shabby, I just don't have good coverage for action on the opposite sideline - it's too far away. But, for the plays in the center and on my side of the field, I don't do too badly. It's been a learning process and I hope you enjoy.

The first picture is during practice (hence the mouthguard hanging out). I love the moment just before the catch and I like seeing the Raven logo to the side. Very clean background and simple composition.



This next one I love - the Cheerleaders had prepared a handmade banner for the team to run through as they were introduced at the beginning of the game. Usually, at home games, we have an inflatable entry the players run through. Apparently, we couldn't bring that, so they made one and here the players have just broke through and you can see the banner just starting to fall as it's torn apart.



This next one is of our quarterback, Luke Hostetler. Luke is a great player and person. During his four year football career at River Hill he has never lost a game. Pretty impressive. His mom, Lisa, is also one of our team photographers and she does a fabulous job. This show is Luke getting off a pass - always tricky to capture.



This next shot is also of Luke handing off the ball to #2, Malek Redd, who had a great game as well. What I like about this image, is not only all the action, but it really shows the peak of the snowstorm and what it was like for the players on the field.



This last shot is the kind I love to get. A player, #32, Thomas Neuberth, suspended in the air as he makes a tackle. Again, a clean image - uncluttered background and simple composition.



My family finds it kind of amazing that I'm shooting football. I did not grow up watching football and I never really played any team sports growing up. I was not adverse to sports, I just was never on a team - gym was about the extent of my participation. I don't know what most of the positions actually do in the game and I don't usually recognize a penalty unless I see someone jump offside. The support staff and volunteers on the sidelines have been very kind in trying to explain things to me this year and I appreciate it. I have to say, I haven't always noticed it during the games, but the one thing I've noticed consistently in the images is the player support these young men provide each other. I have image after image of a player running with the ball with a teammate right in front of him blocking and clearing the path. Or, a player going for the tackle and his teammate right there to back up or assist. They worked so well as teammates and pairs that even I saw it! It's been pretty impressive. There are a lot of life lessons to learn in sports and it's been a pleasure to be a small part of the team experience and watch these players grow over the past several months. I appreciate the coaching staff and their time and dedication in leading and teaching these players not only how to play excellent football, but how to be excellent people as well.

Finally, More Savannah

I have been extremely negligent about keeping up with my blog - sorry if you've been checking and not finding new posts! I will try and be better. Football has finally wrapped up - I'll post more of those images later. Our varsity team, The River Hill Hawks went to the State 2A championship game at M&T Bank Stadium (Raven Stadium) and faced Eastern Tech. We won, with a score of 31 - 6. Keeping with the theme of crummy weather at every varsity game I shoot, it snowed the entire game. It was pretty and at least it wasn't windy too. More on the state game later.

To my great delight, Savannah (and her parents) came and visited for ten days at Thanksgiving. We had trouble finding time to do some portraiture - she was usually napping when the light was the best or we were out or we had company...time was running out but we made it happen. I'm sharing some of my favorite images here. Will probably do some composites later and post them as well.

It's been a very busy fall with sports photography and all the things that go on just in regular life. Hope you enjoy!

Beth & Sebastian

I had the honor of photographing Beth and Sebastian's wedding in late October in beautiful Annapolis, MD at the Quiet Waters Park. It was a lovely day - comfortable weather and diffused lighting (clouds) outside. The grounds of Quiet Waters Park are beautiful - we got some gorgeous shots. I could have spent a couple hours shooting on the grounds alone, but there was a ceremony scheduled... The next day was a severe storm with horizontal rain, so I'm glad the wedding was when it was.

They had family travel great distances to be there; Sebastian's grandparents came all the way from South America - I think they traveled the furthest. There were a lot of thoughtful touches throughout the ceremony and reception. One of the more unusual events at their reception was a tradition of Beth's family: they have someone dressed up as a gorilla run into the room and interact with the guests and they have an Elvis impersonator visit as well. Elvis just "performs" to the adoring women then leaves. Sebastian's parents also danced a traditional dance from Chile for the guests, which was quite lovely. They planned well for their wedding, involving many of their family and it was a beautiful wedding. I'm posting just 4 of the images from the day.