Palm Beach Engagement Shoot

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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!

The Clock Tower on Palm Beach Island

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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.

It’s all about the smooches.

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.