Learning With Rock Stars!

As my plane lifted off the ground and we winged our way up the Southern California coastline, the words "jewel of the coast" came to mind. San Diego is so incredibly gorgeous and on this picture perfect day, I drank it all in until the plane headed inland. I was on my way to Vegas that day to attend the Photoshop World Conference at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. I was anticipating learning a lot, but I had no idea how much there would be for my brain to soak up!

It had been miserably hot in San Diego, so I was concerned that Vegas would be even hotter, but it turned out to be perfectly lovely as my mom would say. Vegas had changed hugely since I was last there and I could easily see why it is called a playground for adults. The hotels are huge! And they are decorated with themes like "Paris" and "New York, New York." At night the strip sparkles like the costumed dancers in the nightly shows. It's magical! And if you don't pay too much attention to those that have had a bit too much to drink who are acting like fools, it's not half bad.

But I was not there to play, I was there to learn along with 3,000 - 4,000 other photographers, designers, and printers. The lineup of instructors was like a who's who in the world of Photoshop and photography. They are rock stars in the photographer's eyes and it was incredibly exciting just to be in the same room with them.

Scott Kelby, who started the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) almost twenty years ago is a great teacher and I took full advantage of his workshops. He focused on retouching portraits so I was able to pick up some great tips. I also learned some fantastic shortcuts and new to me tips from John Caponigro who happens to be from San Diego.

Since my goal as a photographer is to give my clients the best possible portraits, I was very happy to sit in as these "rock stars" shared how to do my job better and easier. For awhile now I've been learning on-line at the Kelby training site where so many of the instructors teach. One of my favorites is Joe McNally who, like Scott Kelby, is very funny and very good at sharing concepts in a way that I can understand. So when McNally asked for a volunteer who was wearing white to come up on stage and 'model' for a lighting demonstration, I shot my hand up in the air. And since I was sitting pretty close to the stage, he picked ME! I am sooo glad I decided to wear my white blouse that day.

It was great fun having McNally 'shoot' me. He joked with me, told the crowd that I had beautiful eyes, and in the process of working with him for a few minutes I actually learned quite a bit. Photography is not an exact science, and when McNally's photos didn't come out the way he anticipated, I felt very encouraged. If the big guns still have to try a second and a third time to get the result they want, then I won't feel so discouraged when my photography doesn't go exactly the way I want it to the first time.

I still can't believe that Joe McNally took my picture, well, quite a few pictures. If you follow NASCAR, it's like Jimmy Johnson inviting you to have a driving lesson in his race car. It's huge! A woman stopped me in the bathroom after the class and said, "It's too bad you didn't get to see the photos Joe took of you." The way he had me standing I couldn't see the giant screens. I asked her if they were really terrible. "No!" she said, "They were really good." Boy, I wish I had been able to see them and even more I wish I could have had copies of them. Can you imagine the bragging rights I'd have? I'm still excited thinking about it today.

Next time more about Photoshop World and my little challenge to myself at night on the Vegas strip.

Now go forth and try try again without getting discouraged.

How Much are They Worth?

I'm back after a very busy week and I have a question for you. How much are your memories worth? Last week I had dinner with a friend and while we looked through some photos I had done for her, she said, "I wish you had done our wedding." She looked really sad when she said it, so I asked her what had happened at her wedding.

Her husband and then fiance had hired a "photographer" to take photos of their wedding up North in the wine country. My friend had done all the wedding planning, but left her husband to arrange for the photographer. Apparently he knew someone at work who said, "Sure, I'll take photos for you."

Well, you might already have guessed how this is going to go. Every detail of the wedding day was perfect and the wedding was just beautiful. When the newly weds went to the home of the "photographer" to look at the photos, the new bride was devastated. Each photo was worse than the last and the comment from the "photographer" with each photo was, "Well, a professional photographer would have had the equipment to take care of that problem." After the fourth or fifth excuse, steam was billowing from my friend's ears. Her new husband knew better than to say anything to her as they left.

It turns out that the "photographer" wasn't a photographer at all. He was a colleague of her husband who fancied himself as a landscape photographer. What my friend saw of his work did not impress her at all. I guess the first clue that this guy was not a photographer was when he showed up at the wedding, all expenses paid I might add, and he pulled out a little pocket digital camera. Are we all thinking Oh, my gosh!!! at this point?

So back to my original question. What are your memories worth? Are they worth as much as you pay for the liquor or the flowers or the huge limo? So many people choose to splurge on everything but the photography and like my sweet friend, they spend every year after the wedding regretting that decision. It's been five years since the fateful pocket digital camera incident and my friend has not looked at the photos once. It's just too painful.

I've offered to take the couple out to the beach in their wedding attire and have a do over, but even that will not erase the sadness of losing all the memories from that special day. So the next time you have a decision to make about hiring a professional photographer or asking Uncle Harry to take the photos for you instead, consider this - how much are your memories worth?

Go forth and make it a day for great decisions you won't regret!

Elizabeth

Celebrating Dad, Good Memories, and Passion

August 17, 2009

I'm thinking about my dad today. He died exactly a year ago today on his 82nd birthday. I miss him a lot. So, I got to thinking about my growing up years when so many people I know developed the passions of their lives, like trains or surfing, or baking, you know, stuff like that. I didn't actually begin to take photography seriously or become "passionate" about it until I was in my mid-thirties, so where did my passion come from?

Dad was a terrible photographer. We'd wait FOREVER for him to get us posed so we didn't look like we were posing. Then the picture would come back with mom and the five of us kids with quiet looks of desperation on our faces. He had the right idea, but he didn't do so well at the execution of it!

Dad was an artist - water color and oils. He also sang opera. He had been trained in it since he was a little boy growing up in France. I think perhaps that his artistic abilities spilled over into our day to day lives without me realizing it. I'd watch him paint and talk to him about colors and how to put them together. It was all just a part of life back then.

We'd be driving up to the mountains in the old station wagon and dad would point out the lines and textures in the rocks. Or when he and mom took me San Francisco the year I graduated from junior college, I can remember him pointing out the architecture of the buildings he loved and all the features that reminded him of the architecture in Paris where he grew up.

I think of photography as an art form, although, I've heard many paint brush in hand artists who would dispute that with me. But for me it IS art. Painting with light, colors, textures, leading lines, all the things that make up good composition and elements of art. My photos are simply a different form of art and one that, whether I realized it at the time or not, was greatly influenced by my dad.

In the years before dad died, he would encourage me every time we talked. He loved my photos and he'd tell me, "I showed your photos to so and so and he loved them too. Everyone loves your photos!" I hear his voice in my head every now and then telling me to press on and not to give up on my dream, this crazy, wonderful, wild dream I have of becoming a respected photographer giving people memories for a lifetime.

Dad, I love you and I miss you so much. I honor you today for being my dad and instilling in me an artistic eye and the mind of an artist always looking at my work critically and enthusiastically to improve and grow and succeed. I press on toward my dream enjoying the journey (most days) along the way.

See you next time. Thanks for stopping by.

Elizabeth

Another Saturday Night in Gorgeous San Diego

Welcome back! It's Saturday night and I'm loving living and working in San Diego. The cool air tonight is wonderful after the heat we've had here, but you can't beat being a photographer in this gorgeous setting heat or no heat. My studio is anywhere I want to go whether it's the beach, La Jolla Cove, Wind and Sea, Coronado, or Griffin Park steps from where I live. And why not? The morning and evening light is perfect and gives me the opportunity to take gorgeous photos.

An indoor studio is great if you can afford to have one, but since I can't at this point and I love being outdoors, it just make sense to use it to my advantage. My clients love it too. After all, they are in a place they enjoy being, so they feel more comfortable having their photos taken. When I'm at the Cove, for example, the crashing waves, the stunning blue sky, and the smell of the salty air is completely energizing. I work better in that kind of atmosphere and my clients have no problem smiling. A win win situation for all, I'd say.

I just got an email today from a photographer friend who has a studio in a beautiful spot along the coast of Oregon . She just closed it down and will be working outside exclusively now. With the economy being what it is, it just makes sense to use what is available. She and I are blessed to be able to work in such beautiful cities.

So I guess tonight I'm celebrating San Diego, my studio, and all that it has to offer a photographer who is willing to get out there and use it to its full advantage! So here's a challenge for you: go forth and shoot photos where you live and take full advantage of the gorgeous spots in your city. You might be surprised by what you find!

Good night and I'll see you here in a couple of days.

Elizabeth