Myself Anew

I've been making some big changes in my life. I recently divorced my husband of two years, which was a relationship for nearly 8 years. Its strange but being there, being with him put me into a 'box'. Free from that situation I feel like I am myself again. All the creativity, all the confidence, all the drive & determination... My hunger if you will... It has returned and I am myself anew.

I can see it in my photos, I can see it in my business. I started doing photos in November of last year. Now I am have been doing it for a full year and I will end the year with 6 weddings (not counting friends or family, but unique client weddings). A full year of thinking I had drive, thinking I was motivated and I have 6 weddings to show for it. Since I have decided to stop settling, stop being idle, stop being a passenger in my life and take control I have booked 6 weddings for this next year. My prices have also doubled... This is huge. Now this is determination. I have been reading Anne Ruthmann's project blog PhotoLovecat and came across the following post called Getting Out of the Part Time Trap .

This article could not be more true. Could not be more me. It sums up my hopes and dreams, my fears... I am so scared to not have a steady paycheck. To quit my cushy 9-5 job with excellent pay and equally excellent benefits to pursue my photography full time. The article points out how working for myself is 'a lot less risky' than working for someone else. Some good points from it include:

• no one can fire you for taking time off to deal with family matters
• you can always have the corner office with the view
• you control how much money you make each month
• the profits you help bring in go to buying you a better house and car, rather than the executive you work for
• you decide how much your time is worth
• you decide how much you want to work

"Even if you stayed part time and simply doubled your prices and ended up with only half the amount of work - you're better off because you now have more time and are making more profit for less work! If you still have another job, now is the BEST time to raise your prices" <--- She was sooo talking to me. I'm taking the leap. I'm not looking back. I'm kicking ass and taking names and I am going to make it. When? My goal is to be full time without a safety net by next November. Look out world here I come! I leave you with my latest and greated favorite photo... Enjoy :)

Changes....

Oh my goodness I have been completely swamped. At one point I had over 2400 photos to post process! I have recently completed two weddings. Now all I have left is one new wedding, two senior photo collections and an appt for a family photo this evening.

Things have been exciting. I have been taking the chances I need to make this a very successful business. I have ramped up my advertising and invested in a brand new BluDomain site that can be found at http://stephiewilliamsphotography.com.I started thinking about wedding photography... how people are influenced, what moves them, what touches them... Because of its elegance, its stature I knew a total sensory experience was in order. I am going to be shooting State Gymnastics, Cross Country and Volleyball in the upcoming month with another wedding on Nov. 3rd. I am putting together portfolios to send out to newspapers in my new area to start doing more editorial work.

I feel excited. I feel motivated, ambitious. I feel ready.

Here are a few of my favorites recently:

Business has been strong. Has kept me insanely busy. I have been doing such a diverse range of work it has not only been challenging but very rewarding...

Since my last post I have... Gotten a new super computer and monitor combo to process my photos from, discovered a very affordable camera equipment shop that I am currently in love with and shot my little heart out on assignment after assignment. Here are some photos :) One of my goals is to become a lot better about keeping up with this blog. Not only is it cathartic and helpful in my own growth but maybe someone out there finds it helpful as well...

#1 - Photo of Jackson, contracted for his one year by his mother... Was a half hour session done in a rush but I was happy with the results. Full gallery can be found HERE .



#2 - Senior Photo work done for Ariday. Shot on location... CU Boulder Campus. Full Gallery can be found HERE .

#3 - Senior Portrait Sesson with A.J. Shot at DaKoeven Park... Full Gallery can be found HERE .

#4 - Bouque Hayes Wedding. Lionsgate Center in Thornton... Rained through the planned outside formals. Full Gallery Can be found HERE.

#5 - McDermott Wedding. Estes Park Colorado... Full Gallery can be found HERE.

Wedding Day Jitters...

I am a nervous wreck. I always get like this the day of my weddings. I don't think I will ever get used to the pressure and anxiety associated with this profession lol. Ofcourse this is mixed with anticipation and excitement as well. This afternoon I am shooting a wedding in Thornton Colorado. The venue is exquisite with roman columns, wildflowers. Outdoor wedding with evening formals. Should be really breath taking. The couple is wonderful. They are fun, young and trendy. They are up for anything and I am really excited to be able to try out some non traditional posing. T minus 4 hours and my stomach is in knots lol. Here we go...

Getting into the groove...

Life has been crazy. Photography has been really picking up on the business side of things. At the one year point of my journey into wedding photography I should have completed 10 weddings. That just blows me away. I have also been focusing on the portrait side of my work and doing a lot of childrens photography as well. I'm addicted thats for sure. Thought while I had some time I would post some of my favorite photos from some recent sessions as well as a trip to the Denver Botanic Gardens...

Not Dead Just Busy

I am alive and well just busier than I have ever been. Was going through the photos from a recent assignment and fell in love. This is as close as I have come to perfection with my wedding photography. I don't have the time to catch up on my posting currently but I will leave you with this eye candy for your viewing pleasure.

Lack of Substance

I need to go shooting. I was going through my portfolio picking out pieces to have printed for my office at work. I wanted to be able to glance at them and be reminded of the whole reason I come into work everyday - art school. I just wasn't very impressed. I mean yes I do have a lot of editorial work however I just feel like all of my pieces were paid for and due to that lacking in creativity. I think if my husband is up to it I may venture downtown tonight to get some city nightshots in. I need an infusion, I need to get out and take photos.

Tomorrow I am credentialed for the Rapids game (Colorado Pro Soccer Team). I have not shot them before and have not shot soccer period since getting my new camera. I am really looking forward to it. I think this will really expand my portfolio in this area. I worked so much last summer taking photos of club soccer and never got to keep any of my photos. The only soccer photos I have in my portfolio are from early on with the paper before I think I got the hang of it. They aren't bad per say just not spectacular which is what I strive for.

Following soccer is a birthday party for a friend of mine. I will be bringing my camera to this as well to brush up on my candid party captures. I think it will come in handy for my wedding photography....

Back to work...need to stop dreaming about photography and finish out the workweek. Only 45 minutes to go!

Fun with raindrops

Weather has been dreary here. Rain and snow. On the way home brake lights from the car in front of my lit the raindrops on my windshield in an eerie red. That was my inspiration for the following photos. I made my husband drive me around in the rain without using the wiper blades in order to get them. I am very pleased and thinking about having them printed 12X16 as a set.

Heaven

I am in heaven. Photographically speaking ofcourse. My lovely D80 has come in and it is love @ first use for sure. I had a portrait session w/a family on Sunday and took my new baby for a test drive.

I read an exceptional article by Ken Rockwell that really hit home. It discusses how it is important to understand shutter speed, aperture, ISO etc...and how they all work. HOWEVER with over 150 years of photographic technology built into your camera shooting on Manual is probably more work than is needed. So I armed with my D80 I shot this session in "p" mode.

Experiment gone totally wrong. I used auto ISO which allowed me to take pictures in places I could not have before. Which one would have thought was a good thing. However the reason why I would not have chosen those particular places or poses is not because I did not have the ISO to do it, but rather with that ISO came grain which I hate.

The photos came out compositionally well. However they are not crisp, not clear, not the caliber that I would have expected from a professional photographer.

Back to the drawing board, armed with my manual I go forth learning from my mistakes.

Here are a few photos for you...

Expecting...

The most wonderful husband in the entire world bought me a Nikon D80 last night! It should be here within a week or so. I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! For those of you who don't shoot Nikon or just haven't heard of the D80 here is a quick breakdown of its features:

• Introduced in August of 2006
• 10 megapixels
• 23 jpegs per second
• 2.5" LCD
• A millon great in camera features

I just agreed to take some child photography photos for a woman and I am crossing my fingers that it comes in before then!

You must have been a beautiful baby!

Attempted some baby photos for an announcement of a friends newborn. Out of my element for sure but nice occasion to use my new 50mm f/1.8 which had me totally excited. The full gallery can be viewed HERE but as always thought I would share some of my favorites...

City Living

This would have to be by far the most challenging set of engagement photos I have taken. Both subjects wore white and the woman told me up front she did not want to sit on anything, walk anywhere or have her photo taken from the side. Not a lot to work with when we are downtown attempting to fill about an hour with portraiture. I feel bad but I made her lean, sit and walk anyway. After all they were paying me to get the best possible shots and that was what they called for. Anyway I am not very happy with these. As a set they are weak, they lack emotion. Some of them are unique and up to par but I know I am capable of doing a lot better. I hope they like them...I am kind of nervous. The full gallery can be viewed Here. But here are a few of my favorites to share...

Inspiration

What do you do when at work and completely bored out of your mind with what you do? Why browse the internet for photography porn ofcourse. As engagement shots are the name of the game this Sunday let me post some of the favorites that I came across today. Photos are not mine and remain copyright of the original photographers.

Gotta love the sihlouette and look at that stunning green...


God I need a tripod...


Ok so I lied I was brushing up on wedding photography porn as well...can we say addict? Here are a few of my faves...

Love the processing and high contrast on this shot...


Nice detail shot...


Ok can spend absolutely no more time on this. Have a ton to do. Tomorrow starts the beginning of my busy busy weekend. I am so tired already!

Things are going so well photographically. I would say I have been getting a reuest for info via email at least everyday. I am meeting with potential clients, booking weddings and expanding my photo horizons. This week will be very busy though. I have to work 4 hours overtime at my full time job. Then Thurs and Fri after work as well as Saturday morning to night I am covering state wrestling for an event company. Then on Sunday I am taking some engagement portraits as well as meeting a potential wedding client right after. Although I love making this extra income and being able to do it with something that I love I have to admit I am getting sort of stressed out…

It becomes harder and harder everyday to come to work and give my all to a job I dislike. I wish I could do photography full time and my degree wasn’t so important. I just have to keep reminding myself it is only 2 months until I can start my schooling and when I am done it will all have been worth it. Besides not like I am flipping burgers…I have a decent career with a very good wage and I am going to pay nothing for my schooling. I need to realize that my work is the venue for my photography to become more than just a side job.

I took some photos at wrestling regionals last week to brush up on my skills for State. I will post any keepers here with a link for your viewing pleasure.

Fendelander Wedding

Wedding went off without a hitch...ok I am lying (How did you know). Melted my flash. Now have to buy the better version *darn*. Really though it was an excellent learning experience. Their ceremony was short but I did manage to nail all the important shots. The formals went well but I probably could have incorporated a bit more time. Photos of objects and details during the wedding went amazing which is really great since this is one area I really felt I was lacking in. The reception photos were exceptable. I am betting they will be thrilled with them. I however know that this is the next area of my craft that I need to focus on. Getting the wonderful interactions of guests "naturally" and having these images be creative and pleasing, not just "candid" is now my new focus.

Since that wedding I have been on 6 "interviews" with one new booking and two I feel really insanely confident about. Cross your fingers mama needs some new equipment lol. I will leave you with a few of my favorites from this last wedding...