The Creative Struggle
A few weeks ago my wife and I were talking about one of my senior photo sessions. She told me how well it went and how much the parents seemed to like the photos. I responded by saying that I thought I could have done some things differently and some other things better. I wasn't beating myself up and I am not asking for affirmation. And she was correct. The session did go well and the clients seemed to be happy with the photographs.
There is something about photography that reminds me of golf. The more you play the better you become. I don't play golf anymore because I did not stick with it when I was younger and I quickly became frustrated. The same can be said of photography, or any art. I feel that I will never learn or master all of the skills and even on a good day, much like a good golf outing, I feel that I could have done better. The good news is that this means that I have learned something from prior sessions to help me with the next. That's why good golfers keep golfing and good photographers keep shooting.
I saw a video on a friends facebook feed not too long ago that summarizes these thoughts rather nicely. Granted it isn't about golf, or sports, at all. It is about knowing where you are and where you desire to be. I have seen the quote by Ira Glass before but some things are better represented through a visual aid and some words sink in deeper when heard rather than read. Take a look :
Have a great day and most of all, keep shooting! - Dwayne
Children's Photography | {9 months old and looking great!}
Last weekend Thomas and his parents took advantage of a crisp spring day here in Lexington to meet at Keeneland for his 9 month photo session. This was his fourth session in my Baby's First Year photo package and, like I told Mom, they just become more fun as that first year progresses. This is the time that those little personalities develop, and like Dad told me, he now has his own opinions! As a father of two and now having photographed children for a few years, I can attest that is completely normal behavior and part of the fun of parenthood. Capturing those little attitudes, smiles, and opinions are what I try to accomplish with each child. As I now know, they grow up entirely too fast and looking back on these stages of the first year will hopefully bring back a ton of smiles and memories!
Why I love cell phone photography
There's a saying that "the best camera you own is the one you have with you when you need it." Today, for the majority of the population, that would be their cell phone. The majority, if not all, of cell phones now come equipped with a camera and the majority of these cameras produce very nice images. This camera can often become the most valuable part of the cell phone and consumers are beginning to compare phones based on their camera capabilities.
I often use my phone for photography when I am out on rural, country roads and drive past a scene that catches my eye. It's a spur of the moment, grab the phone, and take a photo instance that often produces some very nice landscape photography. Of course, as with using a camera worth thousands of dollars, taking the photo is only one part of the process.
I also use my phone to edit the majority of my photos when I am out on the road. I have two favorite editing apps. One is VSCO, and the other is Snapseed. There are many different editing apps and you should try several to find out which meets your need and style. VSCO can be downloaded here for Android and here for iPhone. Snapseed is also available for both Android and iPhone.
Of course, once you take and edit the photo, you can then share to many different social media outlets directly from the app. The main one that I use is the very popular Instagram (Android) or (iPhone). I am sharing five recent photos from my instagram account to give you an idea of the results that are possible simply by using your phone's built in camera. If you like these and would like to see more of my work, simply follow my account on Instagram.
Jenny McNee Wedding Gowns
During my latest wedding, I had the opportunity to meet Jenny McNee. Jenny is a wonderfully talented wedding dress designer who just also happens to be the groom's sister. She has been designing wedding dresses since 2002 in addition to designing costumes for the American Shakespeare Company. I have included several photos of the dress in this blog and would encourage you to visit her website, www.jennymcnee.com, if you are interested in more information and would like to view more of her work. Thanks Jenny for your dedication and beautiful work!
Look Who's Turning Two!
Welcome to my new blog format! After years of blogging through blogger and using an external link, I have decided to streamline the blog and incorporate it into my website. This should help with navigation and make my website a little more user friendly. Social media buttons are located at several different locations throughout the blog and I would love it if you would click on one of those to share posts or stay connected in order to view future posts. My entire photography business has been built mainly through word of mouth recommendations and I would really have it no other way.
I could not have picked a better family with which to begin this new format. I have had to opportunity to work with them for the last 2 years and they were one of the first group of clients that helped this dream of mine off the launching pad. Last weekend I met with them again in downtown Lexington for their son's two year old photo session. It is hard to believe that he is already two as it seems I just started working with him only a few months ago. Time flies and months quickly turn into years, especially with children. I commend them for scheduling regular sessions to capture all these moments forever.
One shot we have always done for his session is a photograph of him wearing a UK necktie. This family, like many here in Lexington, is true blue to the core and I think it is a unique way to measure his growth. Since we were already downtown, we decided to go over to the lobby of Rupp Arena for this specific shot. They have a piece of the old court in the lobby that I thought would be a great backdrop for his tie photo this year. I have that photo, along with others, in this little preview from the day. Please take the time to check them out and feel free to share them if you like them!
