If you want to see images from some of the best photographers in the world – check out Fearless Photographers. I am honored and ecstatic to be a part of such a talented group of photographers who see light, color, contrast, emotion, moments and beauty that is both simplistic and breathtaking at the same time. Gone are the days of just taking pretty pictures with which to remember the wedding day. It’s been kicked up quite a few notches, folks.
Here is my image that placed in the Round 5 competition. Yes, I won an award for taking a photo of a few butts!
While you’re at it, you should peruse the entire gallery of winning images from this round – Fearless Photographers Round 5 – and be sure to click LIKE for the ones you like as they narrow it down for a best in show!!!
It’s been a while and I am feeling in the contest hosting type of mood. Details are being worked out so just stay tuned for the big announcement. And I mean BIG this time!!! This contest will call for creativity and use various social media so add this blog to your RSS feed, follow Metimages on Twitter and become a fan of Metimages on Facebook!
It’s been a long time since I have had something new to share. I’m not talking about new photos or a new blog post but rather a new project. One of my current cameras has an added feature of HD video. I have been using this camera for a couple years and still hadn’t figured out how to use the camera to it’s full potential, in a way that would work for both myself and my clients.
Last fall I attended my very first photography related conference, Foundation Conference. After sitting through multiple sessions of incredibly talented wedding photographer presentations I was introduced firsthand to Fusion – the blending of still photography and video into finished productions. These pieces really spoke to me and I had my “A HA!” moment. I knew THIS was the way to use my tool. THIS was something I could offer my clients. THIS was something different and new and fresh.
Here’s a photo my buddy, Gian Carlo, took during one of the sessions at the conference . . . of my notes and my “A Ha!” moment.
My first venture into Fusion was our Holiday Greeting from last December. I came up with the idea, drafted a mock storyboard, begged and pleaded Victor to be a part of it, and finally on December 23rd when it stopped raining in the desert outside Yuma, we were able to head out and shoot the footage (all still photos!) Then, with 2 days to go before Christmas, Victor kindly edited it all together into a finished piece. Here it is again, in case you missed viewing it the first time – Victor and Rachael 2010 Holiday Greeting.
Now, the question is how does Fusion relate to Metropolitan Imageworks clients? For starters here is my very first Fusion project that I produced, from start to finish (with only tutorials from Victor, while I did the actual nitty gritty editing and learned new software.)
This type of project will work well for creative Save The Dates, Engagement Portrait Sessions, Children and Family Sessions a la A Day In The Life, Anniversary and Wear The Dress Sessions, Weddings and of course in a multitude of ways for our corporate clients. The possibilities are endless!
The Metropolitan Imageworks 2011 Wedding Season kicked off on Saturday in Payson, AZ at the Tonto Natural Bridge – believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. Congratulations Edy and Earl, it was the most gorgeous Spring day with sunshine, blue skies and temps in the 90′s. I’ve been to the Tonto Natural Bridge before, as a tourist, and it’s a pretty amazing site with lots of trails and obscene elevation changes. Thankfully we only hit a small, rugged trail to get to a waterfall with the wedding party AFTER the ceremony.
Edy and Earl were married against the backdrop of a rustic cabin right next to the lodge. Their sweet and tender ceremony was officiated by Edy’s uncle Edgar, which was such a personalized touch. After their vows and ring exchange, everyone regrouped for a round of family and wedding party photos. Then most of the women changed their shoes into more suitable hiking footwear and we headed out to hike down the Waterfall Trail. Let me just remind you that going down is so much easier than coming back up! But it was well worth it for a series of photos with the waterfall as a scenic backdrop. As I huffed and puffed up the 300 steps with 20 lbs of camera gear, I was glad the hard part was almost over. As a group we then made our way to scenic viewpoints 1, 3 and 4 for more photo ops and then caravaned back into Payson for a reception at Mojoes with toasts and more celebration for the newlyweds!
One awesome detail I noticed all day and evening – Edy is so genuinely vibrant and has an amazing laugh! She was such a happy bride and I loved watching her laughter exude over and over again! Earl can be pretty funny himself, too. As a visual artist and one whose job it is to watch and capture moments on the wedding day, it’s just so fun to work with a happy and carefree couple. I say carefree because Edy took even the littlest hiccups in stride. Don’t have something blue? No problem, as her sister applied a final coat of Moisturizer Chapstick in a blue tube and had Edy tuck it into the top of her dress! Forgot to grab earrings? No problem, as a dear relative (and mother of the flower girl) took out her diamond studs and handed them off to Edy! Can’t find the bouquets you and the girls worked hard on assembling in the days prior to the wedding? No problem, Mom has this one covered! (Disclaimer, it’s not recommended to “borrow” flowers at a State Park but if you’re stealthy it can work!) Groom dripped chocolate from the chocolate fountain onto his shirt and speeches are about to start? No problem, he’ll run out and buy a new one and be back in 10 minutes. Actually I think he was back in 9 minutes, it was that fast!
Edy and Earl, I am wishing you both a lifetime of laughter!
Here are some of my favorite images from the day:
My love of shoes continues
Yet another reason why I love weddings – it’s the special moments I capture between the special people.
It really depends! There is no one size fits all in the arena of digital cameras. I often get asked for my opinion on which Point & Shoot camera is the best one to buy and it really depends on a number of factors:
1 – What will you be photographing?
2 – Are you gentle or rough on your gear?
3 – Will you be around water?
4 – What is the final purpose of the images – online sharing or making prints?
5 – If you will make prints – how big?
If I had to guess the majority of the time I am asked this question by a Metropolitan Imageworks client it is because they have a child who is mobile and their current point and shoot digital camera is not producing the results they desire. Before heading out and spending money on a new camera I would suggest trying a few things with your current one to see if it’s even capable of capturing the images you want. This can also serve as a quick tutorial on getting the most out of your camera.
Read the manual. I am serious! You should learn all about it’s functionality and the different settings that are available and learning to use them in the appropriate situation. I know each camera varies on the available settings and the names and icons so I will try to talk in general terms. The Auto setting will do everything for you and you only need press a button. It will produce fantastic results sometimes and awful results other times, this is because the camera is assessing the scene and making assumptions on ISO, shutter speed and aperture and if you need flash or not. The Portrait setting works well when you are photographing a stationary subject, just make sure you are aware of your lighting – if they are backlit by a window letting in harsh sunlight you may not get the expected result. Try photographing the subject in a few locations until you are pleased with the image. Night settings will work well if you have a tripod or a flat table or ledge to rest the camera on while taking the picture. The Sport setting just might help you capture your star soccer player kicking a goal. Don’t be afraid to practice and experiment with your flash – turn it on and off and test the fill flash in different lighting situations until you find a pleasing result.
I have found over the years sticking with certain brands also produces great results – Canon, Nikon and Olympus to name a few. Ask your friends and family which camera they have and why they like it and how they have found the resulting images. My point and shoot digital experience has personally been with Fuji and Olympus and I am very fond of my Olympus Stylus SW 1035. It’s a few years old and they have rolled out updated versions but for me the 10.1 MP is sufficient. Most importantly I am pleased with the shockproof and waterproof features as it has held up extremely well on all of our outdoor activities – kayaking, hiking, biking, backpacking etc. I have even submerged it in pools and hot tubs over the years to grab some underwater shots. And yes, I have dropped it on many occasions so while the outside casing has signs of wear and tear in the form of scratches and dents, the optics and electronics are still functioning and it produces some very nice images.
These images were captured with my Olympus Stylus SW 1035, which works great for my needs. All of my image sharing has been digitally – on the blog, on my Facebook page and over email. I have yet to make a print from anything I shot using this point and shoot.
Hopefully this gets you started on the quest for the perfect point and shoot – for you! Don’t forget to do some research when you have narrowed down to a few options and read reviews as that can also provide insight on features or quirks as well. Happy shopping and most importantly, Happy Shooting!
Metropolitan Imageworks and The Crystal Lake Jaycees are teaming up for a photo fundraiser for the Burleson Scholarship Fund.
The Burleson family (Dad, Mom, 3 kids and family dog) were on their way home from Great America when they were hit head on by a drunk driver. The Dad, Thomas, was the only one to survive the crash besides the drunk driver. The Crystal Lake Jaycees reached out to Thomas, who in turn wanted his children to live on through a memorial scholarship. Each year the Crystal Lake Jaycees award a $1000 scholarship to a deserving high school senior in Crystal Lake.
To raise funds for this year’s scholarship we’ll be having a photo fundraiser at the historic Dole Mansion in Crystal Lake. You can call or email me to schedule your session.
There are times, as a professional photographer, when I find myself humbled. And awed. Usually it has to do with viewing inspiring images that placed in competitions. The winning images from the Winter 2010 International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers contest were announced this week and I must say I am very moved, motivated, honored and of course humbled by the winning images.
I feel the winter competition is one of the most competitive and intense since hundreds of photographers have an entire year’s worth of images to pull from and submit. I don’t envy the judges that have to go through thousands of images and judge them on content and quality.
Please take the time to have a look and get a sense of the visual experience of the best of the best in wedding photography around the world. ISPWP Winter 2010 Contest.
I received the email notification that the entries had been judged and the link to the winning images was online. I held my breathe as I scrolled through the winning images in each category – pausing to take in the beauty of each one. Finally I uttered a simple sigh of relief as I came across one of my images that placed.
ISPWP Winter 2010 The Wedding Dress Category – 20th Place
Here are some of my images that have placed in previous ISPWP Competitions:
Summer 2010 ISPWP Contest
Spring 2010 ISPWP Contest
Winter 2009 ISPWP Contest
Summer 2009 ISPWP Contest
Spring 2009 ISPWP Contest
The International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers is a unique organization in that they have strict criteria for the membership – you have be a professional photographer with experience, talent and professionalism and have a peer review before being granted acceptance.
Metropolitan Imageworks and Moya Make-up are partnering together again to bring you the 12th Intimate Moments Marathon in the Chicagoland area. We treat you like it’s a day at the spa and we unleash your inner beauty. There are no reasons except doing it for yourself (of course your significant other can always benefit from the images) and there are no limitations on who you are or where you are at in life. We show you how stunning you really are – 87 women have already had IM sessions with Metropolitan Imageworks since 2007- that many cannot be wrong!!!
Here’s some images from the last IM marathon in February to help persuade you.
Step 2: On February 1tth I will open up the SNOWPOCALYPSE 2011 album to a voter’s choice and the image with the most Likes by the end of the voting period wins a portrait session of their choice, a $500 value! Runner up will win a $100 Metropolitan Imageworks gift card for products or services.
Rules: Photos must be of SNOWPOCALYPSE 2011. One entry per person. Participants must not earn their primary income from photography.
