Fun times at the crossing.

Here are a couple of previews from an awesomely fun and amazing shoot that I had with L. Demoll over at Pillsbury Crossing. I had not posted them before because we wanted her husband, who is proudly serving overseas (and we are proud of him for doing so), to see them first. I hope you enjoy the previews. I know I love these images.

Yes I am a NERD...and proud of it!

The term "nerd" is used freely nowadays, but I remember when being a nerd was a not only a lifestyle but a status, if you were a nerd then you wouldn't meet "chicks" and will live a lonely life. Probably you will work on some computer business type of work and you will make lots of money, but still you would meet "chicks". And I am an old school nerd, since I was little I was obsessed with video games. It started when my parents got me and my brother an Atari 2600, since then I was hooked. I still played outside, and we still rode our bikes once in a while, but with the arrival of the NES at my house those stuff got shoved under the "this stuff takes away from my gaming time" rug. So obviously I got a GameBoy. Yes the old white huge brick, and a clear one. And those shades of green was the best thing since sliced bread. I could play games on the go. Then came the Sega Genesis, and the SNES. Me and my brother had both. We still played outside and rode our bikes, but we had to make up time for that.

Then Sony comes out with this thing called a "Play Station?", worst name ever. But still we got it, well my brother did. My cousin got the Sega Saturn but that system didn't pan out that well. But then I got the N64 and Goldeneye, and that was college life awesomeness. Every year I would get hooked more and more on video games, and the love for graphic design. This lead to my love for photography anyways. Then came the PS2, the Sega Dreamcast and the Gamecube. And those where the days. Never got into the Xbox bandwagon because I thought that Microsoft was going to drop the ball on that one. But as it turned out it wasn't that bad so they came up with the new version, the Xbox360. And achievements, and now I am still hooked on games, even more so now that I can buy the games that I want without asking my parents for money.

But I had never loved a video games series more than Mario (and all the different iterations of that franchise) until I put it this new game called Gears of War on my brand new Xbox360. It was love at first chainsaw kill. I got so hooked in that game that I finished it in 2 days. And then came back for more and more. So then I read somewhere that they were coming out with novels inspired on Gears of War, novels that would expand the story and the universe, and I had to have them. I read every page of those books like a fat kid goes trough a cupcake (I am fat so its okay for me to use the "F" word). I devoured them, and then they came out with Gears of War 2. Better graphics, more story, and awesomeness all around. I was in heaven. A few books came out that expanded the story even more. And of course I got them and read them. And all of that lead to this day, September 20, 2011, a day that will always live on forever as "The Day Gears of War 3 came out".

I had preordered the game, but the store had me for the regular edition. But since I had the Limited editions to both previous games it wouldn't be right to just buy the regular one, so Thank The Stars I found one. I of course bought it without hesitation. And here it is, the unboxing of the best Gears of War Limited Edition box (yes, I did a photo shoot on a video game box). Hope you enjoy these.

Complete box, front and back respectively.

Without the jacket (left), it splits open (right). That is the video game disc right there.

You pull the top part and you have the Octus Medal granted to Adam Fenix for his work on the Hammer of Dawn (left), You pull out the disc box and under it is a C.O.G. Flag (right)

Cog flag unfolded (left).
Inside of the flag there was all this stuff. Adam Fenix last will, schematics for the Hammer of Dawn, two pictures (he looks like Marcus on the bottom one), a letter he wrote to Marcus when he was younger, and the Octus Medal "diploma".

Again, Yes I did a photo shoot on a video game box. Some people have cars, others have motorcycles. I have photography, bicycles, and video games. Yes I am a nerd, and even thought I cant play the game yet (because I have a photo shoot in about 1 hour from posting this, and if I put it in the console I wont be able to go), I cant wait to do so. Brothers until the end, because we are all stranded now. See you in the battle field, I'll bring my Lancer Rifle. I told you I was a nerd.



Did you know that photographers have a life outside photography?

Is a doctor, a doctor 24 hours a day of his life? Is a dentist a dentist 24 hours of his life? Is a mechanic a mechanic 24 hours of his life? I surely hope (for their sakes) that they answer with a profound "NO!". We photographers have a life outside photography. Not everything we do revolves around photography (well most of the time it does but still). Some have other jobs, others like to have different hobbies, and others just lay around and play video games and watch movies like regular people. I know of some that even go out on dates and go out to dinner.

My personal life outside photography involves being with my wife, and two cats. I like to play video games (cant wait for Gears of War 3), but most of the time I do something that I treat as much of a passion as I do when I am out photographing. And that is bike riding. I love it with a passion, and can't get enough of it.

This is Clementine. She was born on April 26, 2011 at Big Poppi Bycicle Co. hospital, and I love her to death. (picture taken with my phone)

 I usually ride every day, at least 11 miles around the beautiful linear trail around Manhattan, KS. And a couple of days ago I had the courage to go in the mountain bike trail near the Linear Trail, and my love for this bike went up 10 fold. She loved it too, even tho I had to give her a bath afterwards. But there is nothing more soothing than the sound of your tires on dirt. There is a great saying by Louis J. Helle, Jr. and it says "Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own.", and I cant be more in agreement to that statement. It relaxes the mind, it soothes the soul, it is heaven in vehicle form. I have even gotten some great ideas for photo sessions (which I have not done yet) while riding Clementine. And there is nothing better than conquering a mountain or the elements and finishing up a ride with that accomplished feeling.

But with the coming of winter I will be riding my bike less and less everyday around Manhattan. But to my surprise (and Google's awesome engine) I found out about indoor trainers, so no need to stop cycling even if the snow is 4 feet high outside. The only difference will be that I won't have the beautiful scenery. So I'll be going to the bike store and get me one of these things, so now not even the weather can get between me, my bike, and the awesomeness of the ride (even if it is in my garage). After all, I spend less money on gas, about $65 a month, so the bike actually payed for itself. Also I am losing weight since I got it, around 65 lbs, since April 26, 2011, so that is a big plus. The least I could do is keep on enjoying it, right?

But like I said, photographers are not photographers 24 hours of the day (well at least we try not to be), and we are just like regular people. I happen to be the kind that loves riding his bike. I have yet to mix both, well I did it once and loved it (click here for the images). But I want to mix it a little more, but I am kind of scared of riding in my back with a 5D Mark II on a backpack. So untill I buy a point and shoot I might have to pospone that mixture.

If you like bike riding, and/or are interested in it you should definetely check out Big Poppi Bycicle Co. in Aggieville, Manhattan, KS. They are awesome.

Not just one season....

I lived most of my life in Puerto Rico. And even thought most people think it is a paradise and it is way too beautiful (which is both) I still moved away from the island to the States. And where in the States? Basically to the exact middle of the U.S., Manhattan, KS. Yes I know that Puerto Rico is beautiful and that there are a lot of beautiful images to be taken there. Yes it has great beaches all around, and a lot of vegetation, and yes even thought it has the occasional Hurricane coming in, or it rains almost 50% of the time, it is still a Paradise. But I still moved away from it. After 30 years of living in the island (with the occasional stint away from it because of the ARMY) I think that it was time and I keep on thinking that I made the right decision.

Cabo Rojo Lighthouse, Cabo Rojo, PR

As I said before there are a lot of beautiful scenery around Puerto Rico, from the lighthouses, to ruins, to Old San Juan and it's streets. Really beautiful stuff. but living in the island for 30 some years I was so used to it that I don't see the beauty as much as people who visit it once in a while. And I think I know how it feels since I moved to Kansas. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the Flint Hills, the parks, the lakes, Pillsbury Crossing, and I can go on and on and on.

Sunrise at manhattan, KS.

But the thing that makes me smile the most is that I actually can see the seasons go by. In Puerto Rico it is always hot (of course if you live there you are used to it), but it is hot every day of the year. In summer is extra hot, and on winter the coldest it gets is like 73 degrees at the most. Here in Manhattan, KS I got to see snow for the very first time in my life (it is magical), spring is not that bad with the occasional rain or thunderstorm but everything growing back looks amazingly beautiful. Summer is not that hot (even at 114 degrees) but Fall is the most colorful season with all the different colors on the trees and the leaves and the grass, simply beautiful.

Four Seasons, Manhattan KS

Do I miss the island paradise that is Puerto Rico? Yes, I do. Do I regret coming here to Manhattan, KS? A definite NO! I love it here, and hopefully I will stay as long as I can, so mother nature bring everything you got, and let the seasons show themselves throughout the whole year.

...it really does make perfect.

Was is the key to getting better in photography? It is not reading books, it is not buying new equipment, it is not going to all the seminars they have to offer, and it is not watching all the YouTube videos out there. Yes, this can help in the quest to getting better, but the actual KEY to getting better in photography is practice. If you don't practice what you read in those books then what was the point in reading them? If you don't practice with that new equipment you just bought then what was the point in wasting your money on it? If you don't practice what you learned on that awesome seminar you just attended, then what was the point of going? If you don't practice what you see in YouTube video tutorials, then what was the point of wasting the bandwidth on it?

You have to practice as much as you can, you have to go out and take pictures that you don't think you could ever get, and then keep on trying until you get what you wanted in the first place. Conceptualize the shoot before it happens. And there are a lot of ways you can practice for any kind of photography. I will give you an example on how I "practice" for children photography, and you will not guess what it is...I'll give you a minute to think and guess. Ready? I go to the zoo. Did you guessed right or wrong?

You might ask "The zoo?", but here is why. I go to the zoo because the animals at the zoo don't care if you have a camera in your hands. They don't care if you have the settings right before you take the shoot. they don't even care what they are doing at the moment. And kids are like that, you go into their world, not the other way around. Just because you have a camera the kids won't behave if they don't do so normally. And just because you tell them smile, they do it if they want, not because you told them too. They move around a lot, and you have to kind of travel into the future even if for just a second to have the shot you were looking for before it happens. Again, go to a zoo and you'll learn a lot of how to shoot kids.

Another thing that I do is that I practice with my equipment what I read from a book, or what I saw in an image, or what I heard in a seminar, or a YouTube video. The more you practice, the more it becomes ingrained into your skull, I've been saying to myself "Head in a clean spot, Head in a clean spot!" for a long time, but now I don't have to do it because I KNOW. It is just like driving, remember that first time you got into the driving side of that first car? You slammed the brakes every two seconds. But after a while, and with practice, you can drive your car and not even think what you are doing, but you are just doing it.
It is easy to press the shutter and take 1000 images and then just delete the ones you didn't like. But it is better to just have that image in your head, set everything up and after a few clicks you have it, your done, on to the next one. Practice every time you want to try something new. You don't have a model? Make one up. I have used soda cans, spray bottles, I even used my bike helmet to see how would a mask would look like in a shot. In this following shot I was testing the octabox that I just got, so I used this little bottle to test it out, and then I took just this one shot of myself afterwards. After that I have done countless light tests with the octabox, so I can make "smart" and "educated" decisions instead of "wing in it" and "praying that there is a least a good image" at the time of an actual shoot with a client.

The key to get better in photography is to practice as much as you can. you can fix things in post process but why would you spend more time in front of a computer when you can take better images on the shoot and do less work in post processing. Practice makes perfect, so go out and practice more. You're images will thank you!

Why do photographers "charge so much"?

   I will be trying to answer questions that have been sent from potential clients. I will try my best to answer them as best as I can, and in no way, shape or form constitute a fact for photography, just to my business. Some photographers might agree, and some won't agree, but again, this is what I feel on the matter. Without further ado:

"Why do some photographers charge so much when others charge so little?"

   This question even when it sounds a bit "hard" to answer is one of the easiest questions that a photographer can answer. The matter of the fact is that we as photographers set our own prices depending on a lot of factors. Not all photographers use the same factors when pricing themselves, and that is why you will find different kind of prices out there. In my personal opinion the prices that I offer are on the cheap side, even if a lot of people think that paying what I ask for what I do is too high and it should be less.

    Like I said, there are a lot of factors that make up that "magic number" so to speak. For example the quality of the products, the quality of the service, the end product, the equipment used, the amount of hours needed to do a shoot, etc. Yes, you can print images in Wal-Mart for $0.20 because Wal-Mart (and any other non professional lab) just sells you the paper and the ink, out of convenience so you can walk all the way to the back of the store (where the photo lab is usually set up) so you buy stuff from the store. Again they just sell a print, photographers sell the image that is printed. These non-professional labs don't care if the images are overexposed, or they have a green tint on it, or that it is too dark, they just print what you tell them and that's it. Also you don't have any guarantee in the product, they don't care if the picture fades after a month, you can always come back and print it again right? A good photographer will treat the images so they can last for a long time, making sure that your investment lasts. Because photography even if it is a luxury it is still an investment not a cost. You invest in your memories that will be passed along trough generations.

  Another thing is that you are paying for the end product, the final piece, and you are paying to have that special photographer that you always wanted take your picture. A Picasso is a Picasso because Picasso painted it. I am sure that he used the same materials as every other painter, he didn't have a "magic" brush and "magical" canvas paper to paint on. If you were going to pay for a Picasso you are paying more because it is a Picasso.

    Not all photographers are the same, and yes I am sure that a lot of painters tried to emulate Picasso's style, but at the end every single one is different. Every style is different, even if they look alike. Not to mention the experience that you have on the photo shoot with that photographer. It is a customized experience, made just for you on that particular day at that particular time. Also some photographers have a studio, so they got extra utilities to pay, not to mention employees, insurance, equipment, gas, and still get paid.

    But don't let the price fool you either. Just because a photographer charges a lot doesn't mean he is better than the one who charges just a little. There are a lot of good photographers out there that under valuate their work, because, frankly, they are not educated on it. And with the boom of digital cameras and CD burners people think that just because a few "amateurs" charge $20 for a session plus a disc with all the images then all photographers that charge more than that are pricey. I personally do not sell Image discs. I include them for free when you buy a certain amount of prints and products. Why? Because what is the deal of having your picture taken to just show it on facebook, or just on your computer? Portraits need to be printed and hanged around the house. Imagine that electricity ceases to exist all of a sudden, then those images where lost in time because no one will look at them again. But a print, you can hang, you can put in your wallet, you can hide it in a book, and generations from now it will be still showing what you looked like.

    That is why photographers charge so much, because you are paying for an experience, for exclusivity, and for quality. Yes, you can pay less, but will the images be the same?. People could have payed less to a painter who was just beginning, but the final work wouldn't be a Picasso.

    My advice to you is that when you are looking for a photographer you should look at their work, and then check their prices. Why would you pay for something you don't like just because it is cheap? And on the other hand maybe a photographer is charging an arm and a leg for their work but you don't like their style, and you like the style of the one that is just beginning. Which the saying "You get what you pay for" sums up, you pay what you wanted for what you wanted. You wouldn't pay someone that only takes black and white pictures to take your pictures when you don't like black and white pictures, right?

In brightest day, in blackest night

    ...no image shall escape my sight. That is how I feel about photography. Like a superhero. We photographers use light to make our images, that is the basic principle of photography. But how you manipulate that light is the actual "superpower". It doesn't matter what kind of lighting you have, if it day or if it is night, fully bright or pitch black, you can always take the images you want. Some photographers work with natural light only, others with controlled "studio" lighting, others mix and match both. Maybe an off camera flash used as fill light to better expose the sky in the background. Maybe gel the light with different colors to make the images more dramatic. Use a reflector, or a softbox, or a diffuser, or all the nifty gadgets that are out there. Or even having a low shutter speed or using the camera in "Bulb" mode. But at the end of the day what we did was control light.

    Photography is all about light, the same image in two different light scenarios will express and convey different emotions. For example:

Almost identical images with different lighting situations. The one on the left is kind of more "moody" and...well, dark (pun not intended). And the one on the right is more "lively", still moody but not as much as the one on the left. By the way that is me rocking my Gears of War COG tags

That is the magic of knowing how to light a subject. The light you use depends on the final "emotion" or "feeling" you want to convey in the person that is looking at your image. There are a lot of techniques out there. And a self respecting photographer should at least know how to light a subject, even on natural lighting. Just because the sun is out doesn't mean that you can't use a flash, or a reflector, or a diffuser. All these tools are here for a reason, and the more you practice with them the more you get to see the light before it is even there. Here is another example:

    It was a particularly sunny day, and this image was taken around noon. But the location, which was a bench under a tree that was surrounded by flower bushes, was casting shadows all over the place. This was because the light was coming from the sun, trough the tree leaves, and then on the subject. So basically the lighting looked like camouflage on top of the skin. So how did we finish with this image? Well we used two reflectors on each side at 45 degree angles, the one on the left was exactly on top of the subject that way we made our own shade. And then we added an off camera flash to have the light streak you see on the top left corner. The image turned out exactly as I envisioned it in my mind.

    Now take this two self portraits for example:

    We can stop motion with a flash. Once you know what you want you'll start knowing how to set the lights, and how each light is going to light the scene. In this images I only had a flash right behind me, because I knew that once that flash fired the water in my hand would be like a giant mirror reflecting that light all around. The hardest part of this shot was keeping my eyes open.

    Stuff like this makes photography fun and spontaneous, but at the same time controllable, because you don't have to feel that you missed an opportunity because the lighting changed (or will change). Instead if you control your light you have better results and less time "fiddling" (is that even a word?) with the settings on the back of the camera and concentrating more on the client. So my advice is: "Be a superhero and control your light. Your clients will love you even more"

Style and quality > price

There is a saying that says: "A good picture is worth a thousand words" but I have a personal saying and it is "A good picture is worth a thousand words, an amazing picture will leave you speechless". That is what I try to do every time I grab the camera, to capture that amazing picture. We capture the essence of a scene, we capture memories and emotions. That is why "...we capture memories and emotions" is my "slogan", because that is what we strive to do. To make the customer feel something when they see an image. So before you go and check the prices of any given photographer PLEASE check their portfolio first. A photographer might be charging what you consider a lot, compared to another one that only charges a small amount. But remember that no two photographers are alike, you are not paying for the paper in which the images are printed but the actual images printed on it. Compare styles first, get the one that you like the most and then check their prices. If you can't afford that photographer then save for it, because that is the only way you will get that style, because each and every photographer has their own style. Some might find it similar but none are the same. And if you go with a photographer who charges less for their work, remember that you are compromising because of money, so don't expect that photographer to "copy" the other photographer's style.

Also remember that in that price that the photographer is charging for (be it a photo shoot, a wedding, documenting an event, etc.) you are paying for the quality of their work and their service. That price (at least with us) includes making you feel as awesome as you can possibly be. You can always go and have your portrait taken in what I call a "Sit, Click, Next" type of businesses or you can have a custom session made just only for you, not generic but customized to your liking. Just because the photographer has a "big" camera doesn't mean that they know how to use it, or that their images will instantaneously will be amazing. A great photographer can take a great image with a point and shoot, or with a cell phone. SO don't let the equipment they use fool you. Quality and style are your best bets when finding the perfect photographer for you. I have another saying and it goes like this "A Rolex is a watch and it tells time, but a Rolex is not a Rolex because it is a watch and it tells time", just because all watches tell time it doesn't make them the same, that is why different quality has a different "price tag" . But photography is an investment, you are investing in your memories, that generations from now will see and cherish. So don't look at the prices and go "They charge too much"  because at the end of the day what you are saying is "I am investing too little".

Just check out all the photographers that you like, look at their galleries to get a better sense of their styles, choose the one(s) that you like and then inquire about prices. That way you will have a better experience than by just going with the cheapest one you could find. And I am not saying that just because they are cheap they are bad, by looking at the styles you might have picked the cheapest one, but it will surely feel better when you see your images and they are just what you expected and maybe even more, than the other way around. Think about it, you'll thank me later.

Buying new equipment

Don't you just love when you click that "Place your Order" button on a website to...well...place an order? I love it, it is a convenience that never seems to stop amazing me. I remember when you had to get up, put on some pants, a shirt, some shoes (or flip flops if you were lazy) and get into the car, waste gas, get into the store, walk around trying to find what you were looking for, then walk back to the front of the store to stand in a line with all these strangers who are just like you, get to the cashier, pay for your stuff, get into the car agan, and waste gas on the drive back. But now you just wake up, with your laptop or iPad, still in your bed and wearing your underwear while ordering stuff online that is going to be delivered to your door in a couple of days. Yes, some people complain about the shipping and handling fees, but I rather pay $5 to have it delivered to my door, than doing all that stuff I said before and get it on a store (unless it is groceries, I wouldnt ever by food over the internet).

Also you might think that I am lazy, but my day is more important than wasting time standing in a line waiting to pay for my stuff. I rather be using that time doing more photography, or editing stuff, or working on my business, or just like I am doing now, blogging.

So now after clicking the "Place your oder" button, I can't wait to get the new equipment that I just ordered. I think that if I sit by the mailbox the mailman will bring it sooner, so here I go!