Communication!

In the past I have left photoshoots satisfied that I got so many great images of my clients. I spent time curating, editing and then delivering the images with great satisfaction and enthusiasm. Then the dreaded email or text comes and the question that I know most photographers who photograph people get, “Is that all of them?” Or “what about this picture?” “Did you get the picture of my grandmother?”They send you a screen shot of an image their friend or relative took with their phone over your shoulder at the same time while you were shooting. They want that exact photo but the “professional” version. The frustration of going back to your files and trying to find that photo or one that looks close to what they were asking. You find it, but it turns out the flash didn’t go off or it’s blurry. You might even show them a photo that you spent time editing only to find out they don’t like the way they look. Or maybe the light and background were perfect, it was the shot that you wanted to get on your portfolio and when the client sees it they’re like, “eh, it’s okay”, or “do you have any with the other outfit?” It can drive a person mad. It drives me mad.

As a photographer, before any shooting has started there must be a conversation about expectations. If you have a process of how you choose, edit, and deliver the photos, the client needs to know before hand. There must be a clear explanation of what the client is to expect before during and after the session has taken place. And as a photographer you need to know what it is that the client wants and expects you to deliver. What they see in your portfolio is not enough information for them simply because they do not know what it took to get to final product. Will you be sending watermarked proof for them to choose or will you sit with them and help them choose? They need to know. Clear communication is key to working with potential and current clients, putting it in writing can help solidify what you are expecting from the client as well as what they will expect from you. Every photographer has a different process of how they work with clients, you must set yourself apart by educating them on your process and asking the right questions and communicate as much as possible every process that is to come. You might not get rid of every headache, but, in the long run you will have at least eliminated 90 percent of possible negative outcomes.Hopefully you and the client can come with your sanity intact.

Raphael and Brittany - Wedding at Daggerwing Nature Center

Last year I had the opportunity to photograph my friend, Raphael’s, wedding. Truth be told, it had been a while since shooting one so I made sure that Raphael knew it and I verbally set the bar low. I didn’t want to give the impression that I was a million-dollar wedding photographer. Jokes aside, I couldn’t have been happier doing this for him and his fiancé, Brittany. I have known Raphael for almost eighteen years, and seeing him happy brought joy to me and made this day all the more special. I met Brittany on the wedding day, just as she got off the golf cart to walk down the aisle. I could see the hope and excitement on her, and at that moment I knew Raphael chose the right person to spend the rest of his life with. It was truly an honor to be there to share this special day with them and to have the opportunity to capture this special moment in their lives.

The hope that you will spend a lifetime with someone you love and the unknown possibilities ahead are enough to terrify anyone. The journey is unknown, it’s a risk we take. We know there will be challenges ahead, not a care in the world will stop us. We know we can overcome any challenge as long as we are with the one we love. When you are blindsided by love, nothing else matters, neither the future nor the past, only the moment at hand. Love can come at unexpected moments in our lives, we have no choice but to take it head-on.

One of my favorite photos.

A new journey begins!

Palm Beach Engagement Shoot

What is it about love that makes us do such wild and reckless things? We abandon our plans and sometimes even leave our homes behind in order to be with the ones we love. We defy our families and risk everything just to spend a moment with the one who has captured our hearts. Even in the midst of war and danger, love can overpower us and lead us to make impulsive decisions. Some might call us crazy, or even insane. But is that not the very essence of love - to find that one special person, to embrace the unknown and the naivety of youth, to merge our hearts together as one, no matter the consequences? That is the thrill and the adventure of love.

It was a day that couldn't have been more perfect. The sun was shining, the air was warm and gentle, and there was an undeniable atmosphere of love. I'm a bit of a romantic at heart, so I can't resist these kinds of feelings. I met Kemia and Richard for the first time on the day of the photoshoot, but we had spoken on the phone beforehand to go over the details of what to expect. Kemia is a dear friend of my wife's, so there was a bit of pressure to deliver the best possible photos for them. But with such a beautiful setting and such a loving couple, how could I possibly fail?.

As soon as Kemia and Richard arrived, I knew that the photoshoot was going to be a breeze. It wasn't because of any particular skills I possess, but rather because I could tell that they were both relaxed and ready to have a good time. It's always such a pleasure to work with clients who are easygoing and fun, and I could tell that Kemia and Richard were exactly that. I could feel the excitement and joy emanating from them as we prepared to capture this special moment in their lives..

As a photographer, I am always on the lookout for new and exciting locations to capture the love and joy of my clients. That's why I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph a recent engagement session on Palm Beach Island in Florida.

Despite a few nerves and some awkward poses, the couple was a joy to work with. Their love for each other was palpable and it shone through in every photograph.

In the end, we captured some truly stunning shots that the couple will cherish for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of such a special moment in their lives, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for them.

As always, it's a true joy to be a photographer and capture the love and joy of my clients. If you're looking for beautiful engagement photos on Palm Beach Island or any other location, I would be more than happy to help you create lasting memories. Thank you for reading!

A popular spot on the beach is this set of rocks. Perfect for that ocean background, and, on a good day, when timed just at the right moment, you can catch the splash of the waves as they strike the rocks.

The Clock Tower on Palm Beach Island

It’s all about the smooches.

"What camera should I buy?"

Every so often I get asked this question about what type of camera one should buy. My typical answer would be something along the lines of, “What are you planning on taking pictures of?” I would then go through a list of technicalities on types of camera and lenses and depending on the field of photography they are looking to get into is what determined the device needed. Nowadays people assume that if you have an expensive or name brand camera your pictures must come out great. And in all honesty when I first started out as a photographer I believed the same thing. Anytime I saw a photographer at an event of some sort I would always try and get a glimpse of their camera. If given the opportunity I would go up to them and ask. As I began thinking about what I wanted to write for this entry I started with a long dissertation about a story of a friend who asked me this question and I felt I was getting back to the technical side of photography. So I stepped back and considered the non-professional, the one who has little to no knowledge of photography, and thought what would be the best way to explain this to them? I decided to go through all my images that I’ve taken over the past years, Google and Facebook help out when they remind us with their “Memories” on our social media. I realized something as I scanned through each photo I took in the past years, about a decade of them. Most of them were taken with the one camera that everyone has in the back of their pocket. A phone. I’ve had different phones over the years and yes I’ve fallen for that new phone every year addiction phase because the camera was supposedly better than the last. But when I look at the photos taken I don’t think about the phone I had that year when I took it. I don’t wonder what the specs were and what type of lens I used when I took it. I start thinking of the memories of that day and how I was feeling when I was in the moment. I start to laugh at a funny photo and sometimes cry at the sad memories. I blush when I come to an embarrassing photo of me doing something foolish. It’s like I get taken in a time machine back to that very moment and all the memories come flooding in my mind. I realize the older I get the harder it is for me to remember details of my childhood. The memories of my daughters growing up seem to fade as the years go by. But when I look at a photo no matter how long ago it was taken every detail comes back and I smile. At times I try and hold back tears and act like something is in my eye, but of course to no avail. 

So to answer the question here you go. There really isn’t a right answer to the question, only opinions based on experiences. My opinion, save your money.  If you cannot shoot a good photo with what you have now then getting a new camera and spending an outrageous amount of money is not going to make your images any better. I believe memories are what are more important than the type of camera we use. Especially now when all is uncertain and most of us are stuck home during this Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic. Take the time and make memories with your loved ones and use your camera, even if it’s the one in your pocket, your phone. 

Memories I will always cherish!

Self-doubt

For years I have battled with self-doubt. The thought that I was never good enough because I lacked some type of training or know-how or that my background was not extensive enough to merit anything of good quality. To be honest I’m not exactly sure when it started. I think I can speak for most that when dealing with self-doubt we cannot pin point when our self-doubt begins. I used to preach and teach the Bible in my early twenties in fact I used to be a youth pastor. I remember being able to teach with confidence. I would see the leadership that was in charge of the youth ministry and think I could do better than them. And in some ways I did do a better job, but when the hard times of ministry would hit that’s when I felt like I was in over my head and my confidence began to dissipate. When I became a youth pastor in another church the same thing happened. I would start off with lots of confidence and then I slowly but surely start to lose it as soon as things got hard. I also started comparing myself to other leaders and speakers and I’ll tell you one thing, comparison kills confidence.

I had a few other stints as a leader but I decided it would be better for me be someone who stood behind the scenes because I felt that that was the safe place. I didn’t have the full responsibility as the leader but just enough to be known as a leader. Since then I’ve never really jumped at the opportunity to take the helm of anything that has to do with leading. I usually let someone else do it and just try and support. But when I did that I would feel regret and sometimes resentful because I felt I could do better. But I held back because I didn't want to get myself back into that mindset of self-doubt and comparison.

I have to confess though that even in the area of photography I tend to have self doubt in my work. I look at other photographer’s work and then look at mine and think “man I suck”. I see how others get jobs in areas that I wish I could and get envious and jealous because I’m working in a place that I don’t want to be at. There are also people who shouldn’t even be in this business and yet they are the ones getting all the work. (That’s a story for another blog). I digress.

I compare too much. I look at others social platform and then look at mine and think “what the heck”? Yet I’m not out there creating content like I should. Then I complain and my poor wife has to hear it all. Speaking of my wife, she is my biggest supporter of my work and what I do. She tells me I do great work and tells me that people are out there that love my work. I have friends who tell me I do great work and see how I’ve improved over the years. And yet I still fall into the hole of self doubt.

So what do I to combat this thing called self doubt. First of all I need to stop comparing. Know that everyone has something different to offer and has their own unique way of displaying it. Stop seeking approval and know that only those that matter to me are the one’s I need to worry about and value their opinions. Stop looking on social media and comparing my work to their work. One thing I learned is that there is always someone better out there, but to not compare myself to them. Too often I forget that and the self loathing and doubt sink back in to my mind.

I took this photo about 2 years ago when I was challenging myself with a 365 day photo project. Needless to say I only made it a couple of weeks.

My Journey

As a kid I remember my dad setting up a backdrop using a blanket so that he could take portraits of my little sister and I. A few years after I remember our house getting broken into and seeing my dad a bit frantic. I didn’t find out till after he passed away in February of 2017 that what was stolen that day was his camera equipment. My mom told me he was very upset when it happened. My dad was a hobbyist photographer so when I was in middle school he bought a Canon SLR film camera and showed me how to load the film and shoot. I remember him telling me to not shoot things like cars and houses but to photograph people. I think I remember doing both. I would use it during the summer times and on weekends and shoot around and open the back of the camera while the film was still unexposed when I wasn’t supposed just so I can make sure I loaded the film correct.

Over the years I would use disposable cameras here and there to document life with family and friends but nothing serious. I did the same about ten years ago when I was shooting for our young adults group at our old church in Boca Raton not really knowing how to shoot in low light and all. Somehow I made it work blurry photos and all. When my daughters were in baton that is when I really started to think I could make something of this thing called photography. People were liking my images and were happy that at least someone was taking good photos of the team. Things began to snow ball from there as I began gaining more experience in photography. I did some street photography and then came the weddings. Weddings are the most stressful but they bring in the cash flow. Portraits is where I want to focus more of my attention when it comes to taking photos.

I guess my reason for writing this is I want to show a little of my journey to where I am and where I want to be. My goal is to do it full-time but if I don’t get there and continue to do it on the side I can die saying I did what I love to do. It’s the journey that I’m enjoying the most and through that journey learning more about myself and the people I get to meet along the way.

My dad in his early twenties at the Magic Kingdom

FINDING YOUR PASSION

If there's one thing I want you to get out of this blog entry it's this: 

Find something you love and do it! If you find something you love and can get paid doing it then go for it! More power to you. 

One of my passions is photography. I love creating art through photos. Being able to see what others don't see and capturing that moment in my camera. The point is I love doing it and if I cold do it all the time I would. The problem is that it's not my main source of income. I have gotten paid a few times but not enough to break the bank. My goal is to one day do it full time and make six figures while doing it. How do I get there? Well for one thing I need to stop spending time on things that don't matter like social media. Don't get me wrong not all social media is bad but it's when I spend lots of my time looking at everyone else's life and comparing it to my life. Or in terms of photography I begin to compare my photos to others. You don't need to cut it out completely but cut back. The time you use to scroll through the feed can be better spent on something more productive and creative. 

Anyways find what you love to do and do it. Don't worry about the criticism of others or the haters out in the world. There will always be someone that doesn't like what you do you just have to keep moving. Find your passion and do it! 

P.S.

As a reminder, don’t get so lost in your dream that you lose sight of your loved ones that have been with you since the beginning.

DREAM CHASER

I feel as though I’ve been looking at everything wrong. For the past year and a half I’ve been on the “Entrepreneur” bandwagon. In some ways I’ve gained little traction for my business by putting myself out there and taking some risks to get my name out. Grant it I only do what I can with the little time I have between my regular full time job and my personal life. This is where the crux of the matter comes to play. I’ve listened, watched, and written down everything that I could get my hands on when it comes to being an entrepreneur for my business. Gary Vee is trending and rightly so. He has a way of motivating you to get out there and get things done. Content content content daily is the name of the game. Stop complaining and making excuses and just get it done. Do free work if have to but you need to just get content out! Stop watching Netflix because that’s consuming your time from your daily grind. Not to mention draining your wallet. There’s one thing though that I think we tend to miss when it comes to getting things done and grinding your way to the top, family. Every speaker that is out there will tell you that you need to hustle but also that you need to prioritize your life. You do not want to become a success in your business at the expense of your family. We entrepreneurs have a dream that we want to fulfill and nothing can get in the way of that dream. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves.

These last few months have been a wake up call in my efforts of success as a business owner. I truly want to get noticed for what I do and want to do more but it always seems like there’s something in the way. Or at least I’ve convinced myself that there is something in the way. I’ve complained, griped, felt sorry for myself, gone through small bouts of depression, and even doubted that I can actually succeed in this. And through all of it there is one person that has been there for me, my wife. There were times that I’ve felt like quitting and she was there to remind me that I can do this and that I can be successful. She was there when I needed help to hold a light even though it was heavy and made her body ache. She was there when I’d get upset and become negative and at times get frustrated at her for no reason whatsoever. The point that I’m trying to make is don’t get so caught up in the dream that you forget those that are with you and have been with you since the beginning. I get it the negative people you need to get rid of but the ones that support you no matter what and are willing to put up with your roller coaster of emotions those are the ones you need to keep close to you. I have learned that yes I need to make sacrifices to have a successful business and that I need to go out and hustle to make things happen, but not at the expense of my family.

If today were my last day on this planet and I had a moment to look back at my life, would I be more proud that I was a great dad, friend, and husband. Or would I be disappointed that I didn’t sacrifice enough of my time and friendships and family to further my career as a photographer? If I lost everything today but had my family(my wife and my girls), I’d die a happy man.

Using ND Filters and Flash

When I was starting out in photography I did what most people do, go on YouTube and see what everyone else is doing. I saw photographers with these expensive cameras and flashes that produced some awesome images. One particular type of image that was created was the use of a high speed sync flash. The flashes I had didn’t have High speed sync. So I decided to go the cheap route and use ND filters. I had the opportunity to photograph a friend of mine and I decided to try out some ND filters and flash to see if I could get the same effect of high speed sync. I used my Sony A6000 with a 50 mm 1.8 lens with an ND8 filter attached. Off camera flash with a 32 inch umbrella flash modifier. 

I used a low cost ND filter brand from Amazon, Ranger to be exact, because at the moment I cannot afford a high speed sync mono light. 

My camera settings were ISO 100, aperture at 1.8, and and my shutter speed around 200. Anymore than 250 and I get the black stripe in my photo. My flash was set to about 1/16 power maybe 1/8 to get enough light to light my subject. With some editing in Lightroom to clean up the photo and Photoshop to enhance the color and clean up some blemishes this is my end result. What do you think? 

Sony A6000, 50mm f/1.8, ND8 filter

Expect the Unexpected

December of 2016 we set out to do some photos for a sponsor that my daughter represented, Bra Strap Designers( http://www.perteh.com/ ), in Downtown West Palm Beach. We had the location set, the time set, and the wardrobe that she would wear set. I set up my one flash with a 32 inch octobox umbrella and stand and while setting up my camera the wind blew my flash set up. Oh was I upset. I tried to fix the umbrella but to no avail, it was missing a small metal piece that held it open. Frustrated I wanted to give up and call it a day but it took time to get our here and I didn't want to waste any of it. So I had no choice but to go bare flash. I was afraid that I wasn't going to get good soft light on my model but I had to do what I could. Bare flash was what I had to do. I was pleasantly surprised at the results. Here is one shot I did I a small nook outside one of the buildings. my oldest daughter held the flash about five to six feet away.

Remember any light is good light as long as you know how to use it. If you can manipulate the direction and power of the light you can produce some really great results. Always look for available light from the sun or from buildings. Always be prepared for the unexpected because something is bound to happen.  

Coffee House

Rarely do I get the chance or I should say take the chance to go to a local coffee house. Starbucks is usually my place of choice simply out of convenience. I go in I know exactly what I want which is usually a grande hot skinny vanilla latte with whip. It's easy but expensive. Out of laziness I usually don't like searching for coffee houses plus add to the fact that I have no idea what to order so I go to something simple like a regular coffee or cappuccino. I can't take standing in front of the counter trying to figure out what I want. 

The thing like about this particular coffee house in Downtown Delray Beach, Florida is the  size of the windows and the amount of light that beams in. It sits right on the corner of small intersection on a very popular road so there are windows on all sides allowing lots of light. It was perfect because the light bounced off the wall of the building across the street and created a soft light on her skin. Shooting wide open to f1.8 on a nifty fifty makes for nice bokeh blur. 

A couple of things to keep in mind when shooting in a place like this:

1.Always make sure it's ok with the owners if you can take photograph in their store. It's better to get in their good graces just in case you want to shoot there again. And who knows you make get free coffee if you give them free advertisement.  

2.Look for the best light. A window would be the best ambient light to use otherwise look for whatever lighting the location has. 

3.Just have fun.

Sony A6000 50mm f/1.8