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Why Cheap Photography Doesn't Serve Anyone

Scott Bourne recently wrote a tweet that became an uproar. I didn't read most of it, but I did read his response on his blog and I really appreciate the things he wrote. Not only does it express a view that I also subscribe to, but it is articulate, concise and very well written. As member of the professional photographic community, I for one appreciate that he took the time to write it.

The Question You are DYING to Ask Me

I just found out about this application where you can ask people questions called formspring. Not sure what I think about it, but if you are dying to ask me what I had for lunch or something a little more substantial, you can ask me here. You could start with "Is your social life SO lame that you are surfing the internet at 9:00 on a Friday night?"

What Kind of Tree is That?

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We have a tree in the backyard that people have been asking me about for the two years we have lived here. I have never checked, which is a very sad fact. I have never had much of a green thumb. More like a black one. But today I decided to tackle the beast. It is a pomegranate tree and they are not yummy, but they are kind of cute. And it is was an excellent opportunity to procrastinate. I am not much of a still life photographer, but I have been following in love with the food photography on two cooking blogs lately. They are Smitten Kitchen and Not Without Salt. You should check them out. Bookmark and Share

If I Were More Eloquent...

...I would have described my work almost exactly how one of my favorite photographers, Julie Blackmon, describes hers:“I believe there are moments that can be found throughout any given day that bring sanctuary. It is in finding these moments amidst the stress of the everyday that my life as a mother parallels my work as an artist, and where the dynamics of family life throughout time seem remarkably unchanged. As an artist and as a mother, I believe life’s most poignant moments come from the ability to fuse fantasy and reality: to see the mythic amidst the chaos.” Although our work is very, very different and I am no where near being her peer, I think her words are an amazingly accurate description about how I feel about my process as a photographer. If you are not familiar with her work, you should definitely check her out.

The Curious Case of Mr. Menuez

A few days ago my friend and fellow photographer Rebecca sent me a link to a photojournalist's blog. It is written by Doug Menuez, who is not only an amazing photographer, but a thoughtful and wonderful writer as well. I am now hooked and thought I would share this wonderful spot on the internet. Two of his recent posts I especially enjoyed. The first is an article about film vs. digital. Here is my favorite line from the article:"With film, not only might the exposure be off, but the processing is fraught with peril. Even if you process yourself mistakes can happen, it's chemistry for Christ's sake--and even the best labs have the rare but deadly disasters. Just protecting the film from the shoot to the lab is sometimes a minefield of stress and worry. Try getting a hand check at Heathrow security sometime. The rolls of film are like uncut diamonds, objects that simply cannot be replaced. You sweat, you bleed, you age until it's safe." I do believe digital can make you lazy, but I do not think it is 'easier'. I just think it is different. It is nothing special. It is one technique among many. Do I think digital photogs could learn something from film and darkroom techniques? Definitely. Is it a necessity? No. Good pictures are good pictures. It is all about how you use the box with a hole. Today I read a piece that was more emotional in scope. It is called Life Happens, Alert the Media and is about his personal struggles about balancing the challenges of work and family. I especially love this part: "The truth that I've learned to live with and embrace is this: how my son turns out is way more important than any picture I produce. His impact on his world, the world he grows into, his friends or future family, is my only real legacy." As a portrait photographer I do not face these exact challenges per se, but this piece was so moving to me. I document so much of my young boys' lives and sometimes when they fall or cry I shoot first, help later. And I wonder who this cold person is behind the camera, the one who cares more about capturing the moment than living in it. Check out his blog. He is the real deal. And thanks Rebecca for hooking me up.

A Kid in the Candy Shop | Destination Wedding Photographer

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It has been a rough day. Really. Very. Rough. But this has turned it around for me. I had two readers of the blog Offbeat Bride let me know that they found a post about Laurenn and Alex's wedding there. I was tickled pink. It takes so little to please me these days. AND they have even written a book called Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides (great title). So thanks Ariel for the post and thanks so much to Rachel and Garnprinzessin for the heads up.

Inspiration

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Kids are so resilient. Today I read and looked at a post on Blue Lily's blog that really inspired this feeling in me. It is a photoshoot she did with the Nielson children. Stephanie and Christian Nielson were in a tragic plane accident last August and have been parted from their four children since then. And although I am certain that these kids miss their parents almost more than they can bear, it is so good to see them laughing and loving and LIVING in the now. Love really doesn't go away, does it?

Girls and Science DO Mix

I usually do not post anything about events, but this one touches a subject close to my heart. This Sunday Girlstart, a non-profit organization created to educate and empower girls in math, science and technology, is sponsoring a "Spooky Science Extravaganza" from 2-5 at the Mexican-American Cultural Center. For more information visit their website.

Facebook

I have become a facebook addict. It is just what I needed--another way to procrastinate. So if you are on facebook and procrastinating too, let's do it together. Add me to your friends list so that I can see what you are doing to battle YOUR productive tendencies. You can find me here.

Hear, Hear

From Maureen Dowd's "NY Times" Coumn written with Aaron Sorkin:Call them liars, because that's what they are. Sarah Palin didn't say "thanks but no thanks" to the Bridge to Nowhere. She just said "Thanks." You were raised by a single mother on food stamps--where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I'd ask them what their problem is with excellence. While you're at it, I want the word "patriot" back. McCain can say that the transcendent issue of our time is the spread of Islamic fanaticism or he can choose a running mate who doesn't know the Bush doctrine from the Monroe Doctrine, but he can't do both at the same time and call it patriotic. They have to lie--the truth isn't their friend right now. Get angry. Mock them mercilessly; they've earned it. McCain decried agents of intolerance, then chose a running mate who had to ask if she was allowed to ban books from a public library. It's not bad enough she thinks the planet Earth was created in six days 6,000 years ago complete with a man, a woman and a talking snake, she wants schools to teach the rest of our kids to deny geology, anthropology, archaeology and common sense too? It's not bad enough she's forcing her own daughter into a loveless marriage to a teenage hood, she wants the rest of us to guide our daughters in that direction too? It's not enough that a woman shouldn't have the right to choose, it should be the law of the land that she has to carry and deliver her rapist's baby too? I don't know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she's got the qualifications of one. And you're worried about seeming angry? You could eat their lunch, make them cry and tell their mamas about it and God himself would call it restrained. There are times when you are simply required to be impolite. There are times when condescension is called for! Read it all here.