Well today was warm and humid. After speaking to my neighbor, he said I wish it would rain, and rain it did. I think we got about 3″ of rain in about an hour. But after, the lightning was very cool!
Here are a couple of photos from out in front of my home. The flagpole on the right is in my yard.
When I went back to NY to shoot Carole Anne and Neil’s engagement session I had forgotten how the weather plays such a big part of when to do things. Living in Arizona for the past 3 1/2 years, the weather is almost always sunny. Fortunately we picked one of the better days to shoot.
We met at Cedar Beach in Mt. Sinai where the sun was starting to set behind the clouds and the temp was starting to drop.
What a happy couple. I have known them both for some time now and am thrilled to see how they look at each other filled with love.
I am looking forward to the wedding in August!
Here are a few photos and if they gave you access, here is a link to the gallery. Engagement Photos.
Hello everyone. I know I wrote this before. Sometimes there is just not enough time in the day to do everything you want to do. I am in the process of trying to streamline everything so I can fit more into each day. Now if I can just make each day about 30 hours, I might make it. LOL!
I am also working on updating the blog more often with more useful information and also recent photo shoots.
If there is anything you would like to see, please drop me a line.
This is from a friend, please help if you can! Take care, Larz
Hi everyone! For those of you who know me.. you know this is a hard, awkward, proud, yet- healing press release for me to write. My father Rusty Hawkins Phoenix Police Officer & Hostage Negotiator was killed on duty almost 25 years ago. It’s strange how finally after all this time, I am just starting to heal. I am excited to host this event at The Wrigley Mansion and need any support I can get to make this event successful. Please let me know if you can attend or can just help get the word out for me. Hugs and thank you,
Why are Professional Photographers so expensive? (This article has been very well received by the photography community, and is now referred to by countless Photography websites, blogs and forums (such as LDPT, ILP and DWF)around the world).
In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home “photo printers”, when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8×10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?
Here’s why.
Simply put, you’re not just paying for the actual photograph, you’re paying for time and expertise. First, let’s look at the actual time involved. If you don’t read this entire page, at least read this first part.
For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local customers, we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.
For an eight hour wedding:
- I won’t bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.
Now for the expertise.
Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.
Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.
And let’s not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.
Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.
What about the cheap studios at the mall?
Please don’t compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won’t come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.
The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Martclosed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you’ll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you’re there, you’ll also spend $200 on other things. They don’t have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.
Conclusion
We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.
I had the opportunity to shoot a Roller Derby event in Phoenix, AZ. This was my first time at such an event.
I was fortunate to have “Dark” explain some of the rules and the event to me so I would understand. Then the MC explained it again as well as a demonstration.
When the event got started, you can see how much work and effort the girls put into this. Their facial expressions tell all as they give everything they have.
All in all it was an exciting time and I recommend you come out and take a look for yourself.
They also had raffles and giveaways. The cost is relatively inexpensive compared to the pro sports where you need to give your right arm to take a family of four.
Hi there - This is Whacks from AZRD. I met you this weekend at the game & was hoping to take you up on your offer to blog about my contest entry. Essentially, I’ve made it into round 2 of the Mix 96.9 “Oh Say Can You Sing” contest. The details are on the site. Just click the link below, enter your email, scroll down & find me (Angie Lewis) and cast your vote. One vote per valid email address per day. They do register the IP address, but there’s no issues with multiple voting as long as the emails are valid. There are 25 people in round 2 and the top ten with the most votes get to sing live for the judges and let them decide who wins. So, thanks for your help and have a great one! Can’t wait to see the pics from Saturday!
This is an interview I did a couple of months ago.
Q: Do you like to talk about yourself or your pictures? If yes, about what aspects of photography? If no, why?
A: I love to discuss my photos.
Q: How would you describe your attention span?
A: I am sorry, what did you say? LOL.
Q: When did you decide to become a photographer?
A: I am not sure. I have been into photography since I was about 10.
Q: What does photography mean to you?
A: Photography is capturing the moment, a moment that will never be repeated.
Q: Can you recall the first photo you took that made you go WOW!?
A: No, there have been many throughout the years.
Q: Do you have any formal training regarding photography?
A: Yes, some.
Q: How technical is your photography?
A: Not very. I do not think you need to be technical to be good, though some does help.
Q: How do you feel about cropping?
A: I like to crop, though I try to do most of it in camera.
Q: Where is your favorite place to live and work as a photographer in the World and why?
A: Wherever I have a camera, that is my favorite place to be. I can find beauty anywhere.
Q: Define the word “beauty”!
A: Beauty is something that is inside of each one of us, it is also in objects, you just have to look for it. That is what I do!
Q: What is your most favorite and least favorite word in photography or life? How do they make you feel?
A: My favorite is when a client says I love it! Least favorite is I am not photogenic. To me that is crap! If they are not photogenic then they have not found the right photographer. I have not had anyone leave after a photoshoot saying that to me.
Q: How does your personality change when you look through the camera?
A: I love what I do and am very passionate about it, I think that comes out when I have a camera.
Q: How do you feel about missed shots which cannot be recreated?
A: It is disappointing, but there is nothing you can do once the moment is gone.
Q: Ever concerned about failure?
A: Sure, who isn’t, but you can’t let it run your life. Things happen, mistakes happen, that is part of what makes us all human.
Q: Who are your influences?
A: Gosh, there are many. I don’t really follow people by names, I do like their work though. Some of them have been famous and others are just regular working people that have created images that move me and inspire me.
Q: What is your favorite image, either your own or someone else’s or both? Describe its creation or meaning to you?
A: Wow, I do not think I have one image, though almost all of the ones I took of my first grandson have great meaning to me.
Q: Describe a day in your personal or professional life.
A: Most of my day is spent working. Weather I am editing, shooting, meeting clients, networking, or just reading and learning.
Q: What are the biggest personal or professional challenges you face on a daily basis?
A: The biggest challenge in today’s society is success. The economy is not in a good place right now and many businesses are struggling to stay open.
Q: What has been the single biggest obstacle against growing as a photographer in whole?
A: Blocks. What I mean is for a long time while I was doing photography as a side job, my regular jobs did not allow much creativity, they wanted it done a certain way and that was that, so my own creativity was squashed.
Once I got out of those endless jobs and went full time with my photography, I was able to open back up.
Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: Anything! I love people and kids are awesome. Just to look into their eyes and see the innocence of their age is awesome! I also like to shoot sports.
Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: I shoot a lot in the gay community and was shooting a drag queen show. When I showed one of the performers her photo after it had been edited, she called me on the phone crying saying nobody had captured her like that before. That is what makes it all worth it.
Q: Have you ever thought about or actually stopped doing photography? What were the circumstances?
A: As I was growing up I had an on again off again relationship with photography, but about 7 years ago I started a business part time and have been doing it since.
Q: Do you ever have photographer’s block and if yes how do you deal with it?
A: I think everyone does. I read a lot and look at other photographers work. I also take one camera and one lens and go out and shoot something. Being limited like that makes you think more.
Q: What types of assignments are you attracted most?
A: I really like any that I am able to have a camera in my hands. My tag line is “We Will Shoot Anything Legal” and I really mean that, I just like to create images.
Q: Describe what black and white photography means to you?
A: Black and white is different and not for everything. I do not do much in black and white, I love the way the colors pop in the style I shoot. It does have its place though and I use it in weddings and some portraits.
Q: Do you think of yourself as an artist and what do you think of the word artist?
A:Without a doubt I am an artist. There are many different types of photographers. Some are just GWC (guy with a camera) others are just trying to make a buck, yet others like myself truly love what we do and put so
much energy and passion into it that when you see the photos you can tell the difference.
Q: How do you describe your photographic style?
A: It depends on what I am shooting. Right now I am shooting a lot of sports, so with that and weddings it is more of a PJ style. I try not to do too many posed shots, I like the natural look so much better.
Q: What has been the most surprising or most predictable reaction to your photographs?
A: Many people smile when they see my photos, you can’t really help it. I capture people as they really are, when they let their guard down and actually let you into their space.
Q: Tell a little secret about yourself that no-one knows …
A:Hmmm. No.
Q: Who or what would you love to shoot that you haven’t already?
A: I would like to shoot the Olympics. I think the excitement of the long days, the tough assignments, the poor conditions would be exciting.
Q: What would you have done differently during your photography career so far and could this be an advice to others?
A: Take business courses. 90% of businesses fail not because of the photographic end, but the business end.
Q: What are your thoughts on the paparazzi and their effects on photographers and photography?
A: Everyone has a job to do, some do it more reckless then others. To me it doesn’t matter until it puts people in danger, like Princess Di. That was tragic and that was wrong of them. Yes it is important to get the shot and get the paycheck, but the people you are shooting are human also and they deserve some respect also. I try to put myself in others shoes.
Q: How do you feel about digital manipulation and to what extent do you utilize it?
A: Well manipulation and editing are two different things. It also depends on what you are shooting. If it is editorial then there should be none. If it is for a wedding, then some would be OK. Every photo needs some editing weather in camera or on the computer.
Q: What other thoughts would you like to share?
A:If you are looking for a photographer, find someone who’s photos you like then go and speak to them. If you click and are comfortable with that person, don’t look too much at price. How do you but a price on forever?
After the event is over, what do you have besides a stack of bills? Photos! Do you have the photos you hoped you would and will look at all the time or do you have photos from someone who was cheaper, but the photos will sit in the closet. What is your family worth to you?
Ryan Huddy tallied a pair of goals including the go-ahead and eventual game-winner with 5:19 remaining in regulation to lift the Stockton Thunder to a 5-3 win over the Phoenix RoadRunners before 2,186 at US Airways Center in ECHL action Wednesday.
Stockton jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead only to watch the RoadRunners come back and tie it with a pair of power play goals before the period’s end. The Thunder (28-27-5) struck twice in a span of 50 seconds to kick off the scoring receiving goals from Huddy and Sebastien Bisaillon at 5:58 and 6:48 respectively. The RoadRunners (26-27-5) responded with their first of two power play goals at 9:37 when Kimbi Daniels beat Stockton goalie Andrew Perugini with a shot from the left-wing circle to cut the deficit to 2-1. Jim Jorgensen later netted the equalizer at 15:32 on a two-man advantage as his shot from the left point got through traffic and past Perugini to tie the score at 2-2.
Following a scoreless second period, the RoadRunners jumped ahead eight minutes into the third when Daniels banged home Ashton Rome’s rebound at 7:05 giving Phoenix a 3-2 lead. But it would be a short-lived lead as Mike Lalonde wrapped the puck around the RoadRunners’ net and through goalie Kyle Jones at 9:30 on the power play to tie the game at 3-3. Huddy’s goal would come just over five minutes later at 14:41 of the third as he beat Jones to the short side to give Stockton the lead back at 4-3. Cory Urquhart sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:53.
Stockton out-shot Phoenix 31-24. Jones stopped 26 shots but suffered the loss to fall to 6-11-1 overall on the season. The RoadRunners went 2-8 on the power play while Stockton was 1-4 with the man-advantage.
The RoadRunners return to US Airways Center at 5:05 p.m. Sunday when they conclude a four-game home-stand against the Utah Grizzlies.
Great seats are still available beginning as low as $8 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (480) 784-4444, purchasing online at ticketmaster.com or visiting the US Airways Center Box Office. Information on season tickets, half-season packages, and flex plans for the 2008-09 season of Phoenix RoadRunners Hockey are available by calling (602) 462-GOAL.
Mike Wirll had three goals and two assists as he led the Bakersfield Condors over the Phoenix RoadRunners 6-3 Saturday night in front of 3,292 fans at US Airways Center.
The RoadRunners (25-26-3) opened up scoring at 3:08 of the second period when Dan DaSilva scored off a rebound by Jim Jorgenson on the power play. Daniel Sisca had the other assist. The Condors (23-28-7) tied up the game at 1-1 when Mark Derlago scored five-hole on RoadRunner goalie Chris Beckford-Tseu at 4:52 on the power play. Wirll and Jay Langagerassisted.
Bakersfield took a 2-1 lead at 18:14 when Derlago fed the puck across the slot to Wirll who scored to the right of Beckford-Tseu with a two-man advantage. Dave Bonk had the other assist. Then just over a minute later Donny Grover gave the Condors a 3-1 lead, again with a two-man advantage, when he scored from the right circle at 19:17. Derlago and Wirll assisted as the score would hold through the second intermission.
“We got emotionally involved in the second period and it cost us penalties,” RoadRunner Head Coach Brad Church said. “The three power play goals in the second ended up being the difference in the game.”
The Condors took a commanding three-goal lead at 1:26 of the third period when Chris Kaufmancapitalized on a RoadRunner turnover and rifled a shot past Beckford-Tseu from the left circle. Wirll then gave Bakersfield a 5-1 lead at 5:36 when Derlago fed him a pass from the top left circle. Bonk also assisted.
“We played three games in three nights with travel and only played with five defensemen,” Church said. “Fatigue was definitely a factor.”
Jorgenson cut the Condors’ lead at 7:40 when he scored a shorthanded goal from Sisca from the high slot. Sisca then narrowed Bakersfield’s lead to two goals at 17:16 when he tipped in a shot from T.J. Campbell on the power play. John McNabb had the other assist. The RoadRunners pulled Beckford-Tseu with over a minute to play but Wirll finished off his hat trick with 10 seconds left in the game to give the Condors a final 6-3 victory.
“We didn’t quit,” Church said of the RoadRunners play in the third period. “The guys worked pretty hard, but we still need a little more.”
Phoenix outshot Bakersfield 32-29. Beckford-Tseu had 23 saves and fell to 1-2-1 on the season while Condor goalie Yutaka Fukufuji had 29 saves. The RoadRunners return to action Tuesday, March 3, against the Stockton Thunder at 7:05 p.m. at US Airways Center.
The NHRA Division 7 opener started this weekend. Here are the photos from Friday. They are all together in chronological order. I will be putting them into separate galleries soon, but this way you can view them if you want.
John McNabb had two goals and an assist as the Phoenix RoadRunners defeated the Alaska Aces 5-2 Saturday night in front of a season-high 5,096 fans at US Airways Center.
The Aces (30-20-3) opened up scoring at 9:33 of the first period when Nick Tuzzolino fed a pass to Luke Erickson who scored on a breakaway over RoadRunner goalie Kyle Jones’ glove. Phoenix (23-24-3) tied the game at 1-1 at 12:17 when McNabb slid the puck under the pads of Alaska goalie Kevin Nastiuk. Daniel Sisca and Ashton Rome assisted as the tie would hold through the first intermission.
“I thought we played a little sluggish in the first period,” said RoadRunners Head Coach Brad Church. “(But) we’ve been playing well the last 10 games and were able to capitalize on scoring chances.”
The RoadRunners took a 2-1 lead at 5:08 of the second period when Rome scored from the bottom left circle with Dane Crowley and McNabb assisting. Gino Guyer scored just over three minutes later when he netted the puck through Nastiuk’s five-hole at 8:26. Mark O’Leary and Dan DaSilvaassisted. Then at 12:46 McNabb gave Phoenix a 4-1 lead with Sisca and Rome getting the assists.
“Jones has been playing well for us,” Church said. “He’s battled all year long and it’s finally nice to see him get some wins under his belt.”
The Aces were able to narrow the RoadRunners’ lead to two goals at 16:34 when Brett Hemingwayscored to the left of Jones in an open net with two-man advantage. Matt Stefanishion and Matt Shasby assisted. O’Leary gave Phoenix a 5-2 lead at 12:59 of the third period off a pass from DaSilva. Guyer also assisted as that would remain the final score.
“It’s always nice to see a big crowd; it gets the guys jacked up to play,” Church said. “It’s great when you have a vibrant atmosphere to play in.”
Phoenix outshot Alaska 38-30. Jones had 28 saves in the win and improved to 4-10-1 on the season while Nastiuk had 33 saves and fell to 6-9-3. The RoadRunners’ next game is Monday, Feb. 23 against the Las Vegas Wranglers at 7:05 p.m. at US Airways Center.
The Phoenix RoadRunners outshot the Las Vegas Wrangler 46-23 as they defeated them 2-1 Monday night in front of 1,949 fans at US Airways Center.
The RoadRunners (24-24-3) got on the board first but not until the second period when Kimbi Daniels netted the puck past Wrangler goalie Matt Keetley at 1:47. Dan DaSilva and Merit Waldrop assisted. Ashton Rome gave Phoenix a 2-0 lead when he scored from the left circle off a rebound by Dane Crowley at 13:04 on the power play. Jeremy Swanson also assisted as the RoadRunners outshot the Wranglers 38-13 and took the two-goal lead into the locker room at second intermission.
“It’s been in our game plan to get pucks and bodies on the net,” RoadRunner Head Coach Brad Church said of outshooting the Wranglers. “We just need to work on finishing more.”
Las Vegas (26-23-6) came within a goal of Phoenix at 6:46 of the third period when Tyler Mosienkoscored glove side on RoadRunner goalie Kyle Jones on the power play. Mike Madill and Peter Ferraro had the assists as the Wranglers were unable to tie up the game despite pulling Keetley in the final minute.
“We had a good save by Jones,” Church said of the pressure Las Vegas put on the RoadRunners in the last minute of play. “Then Carefoot made sure the puck got out past the blue line.”
Jones had 22 saves on the night while Keetley had 44 saves. The RoadRunners’ next game is Thursday, Feb. 26 against the Ontario Reign at 7:05 p.m. at US Airways Center.
After a few days of speaking online with my friend Bill, we decided to meet for lunch to talk about the past almost 24 years since we graduated high school. You know it hurts a little to write that, 24 years ago, it seems like forever. Anyway, Bill posted it on his Facebook page and I did the same. Fortunately two other people decided to come down. Teri and Don. Wow, it was great to see you both!
This was an informal get together, but it turned out to be a lot of fun! So many memories in a short time period. So many people were discussed that some of us could not remember. I can’t wait to get home to look in my yearbook.
We will be doing this again next time I come to town so keep an eye out, we will post something on Facebook.
To Teri, Bill, and Don, it was really great to have lunch with you today and catch up on the many years we have missed. Let’s not wait another 24 years to talk again!
And for anyone else reading this, take the reigns and call your friends that you have not seen in many years and have lunch with them. You will be glad you did!
As I am writing to potential clients now, I thought I would take a minute to talk about how I feel. At the DWF convention in January in Carefree, AZ an amazing man and a friend, David A. Williams was the keynote speaker. One of the things he spoke about is why it is important to have photos taken not just of your children, but with them.
I was a firefighter for 9 years and after everyone was safe I always tried to save the pictures. Some families had so many while others hardly had any. I then thought about this. When we are gone, what will be left? Memories and photos. What will your kids and their kids remember? If you have only photos of your kids, then there is nothing of you for them to have.
I know what you are thinking. I hate being in photos or I have to lose a little more weight, or blah blah blah. Tonight at dinner, look at our family, if you were suddenly gone, do you think they would care if you were a little overweight in the photos? We both know the answer to this. Think about the photos you have of your parents, are there many of them or just the ones they had to be in at Uncle Joe’s wedding.
Wouldn’t you like more? Wouldn’t you like to see them as they grew up with their parents? Do you even remember what your grandparents look like or their parents before them? Do you want your family to be in the same position? While everyone is different most of the answers are similar, the ones that can remember or have many photos are the few and lucky ones.
So today is a brand new day for you. What are you going to do with it? Contact your photographer and make an appointment today! If you do not have a photographer, look for one, but look for a professional, the experience will usually be better. Then when you go to sleep tonight, you can rest easy that you are doing something not only for you but for your children and theirs to follow.
Hello, I recently changed camera bags. As some of you have seen, I have a rolling bag that I carry a lot of my gear in. Well I just switched to the Think Tank system from the Lowepro system.
Now there is nothing wrong with Lowepro as I still have a lot of their bags, but for me the new Think Tank bag is just designed a bit better.
If you are thinking of getting a new bag, go to this site Think Tank, and use this code AP-261.
When you do, you will get a free gift from Think Tank, your choice of a few different bags valued up to about $50 as long as you spend $50 or more. Now the thing I like about Think Tank is that the prices are the same everywhere so it doesn’t matter where you get it from, but going through here you get a free gift. Not a bad deal.
Well that is it for now, I will be flying tomorrow with the new bag and will report back with my findings.
On Friday and Saturday, January 30-31 I was fortunate to be out at the FBR Open at the TPC in Scottsdale Arizona. What a great experience. I am looking forward to next year already!
Hi again, this is taking a bit of time as I try to organize this where it will be easy for you to view the images you are looking for. If you have any comments or suggestions, I am open to hear them!
Jon Rheault scored the game-winning goal with three seconds remaining in regulation and Kellen Briggs had 45 saves to lift the Ontario Reign over the Phoenix RoadRunners 2-1 Tuesday night in front of 1,861 fans at US Airways Center.
The RoadRunners (18-20-3) got on the board first at 13:33 of the first period when Kimbi Daniels scored in front of the net off a rebound on the power play. Brett Peterson and Dane Crowley assisted. The Reign (24-16-4) countered at 16:53 when David Walker scored from the point, tying the game at 1-1. Andrew Martens and Tim Kraus assisted as the tie would hold through the first intermission.
“We did some good things all night long and battled hard 5-on-5,” said RoadRunners Head Coach Brad Church. “We only had two penalties which is good, but our power play was not effective.”
The second period would remain scoreless as Phoenix outshot Ontario 12-6. Then as it looked like the game was heading to overtime, Rheault scored a breakaway goal on RoadRunner goalie Kyle Jones from the slot with three seconds left in the game to give Ontario a 2-1 victory. Walker assisted.
“We made a huge mistake at the end and it cost us,” Church said, adding that the team’s goal scorers were unable to score. “Jones has been unbelievable the last two games and I feel bad because he deserves better.”
Jones had 31 saves in the loss as Phoenix outshot Ontario 46-33. The RoadRunners kick off an eight-game road trip on Wednesday, Feb. 4, against the Utah Grizzlies at The E Center at 7:05 p.m. They return home on Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Alaska Aces at 7:05 p.m.
Hello everyone, We are in the process of making some changes to the web site. I have added a shopping cart and am in the process of integrating it to the site. Once this is done, there should be links from the main pages to the photos. Please be patient as the changes come. If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment.
Do you like hockey? Have you checked out the Phoenix Roadrunners? They are an ECHL hockey team that play at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. Their games during the week start at 7:05 PM. The fees are reasonable and the crowd is energetic!
Come on out and maybe I will see you there!
Here are some photos from the game on January 17, 2009.
Here is the headlines from the Roadrunners site by Alyson McCloy, reprinted with permission.
Bruce Graham scored two goals as he helped lift the Bakersfield Condors over the Phoenix RoadRunners 4-3 Sunday night in front of 2,350 fans at US Airways Center.
The RoadRunners (15-17-3) got on the board first at 1:44 of the second period when T.J. Campbell netted a puck that just trickled through the five-hole of Condor goalie Yutaka Fukufuji.Gino Guyer and P.J. Fenton assisted. Bakersfield (13-21-5) tied up the game at 4:33 when Brett Pilkington scored from Tyler Michel and Liam Huculak. The Condors then took a 2-1 lead when Graham scored over RoadRunner goalie Kyle Jones’ blocker at 14:07. Mark Derlago and Scott Balan had the assists.
Phoenix tied up the game at 15:38 when Mitch Carefoot set up John McNabb who scored stick side on Fukufuji. Graham gave Bakersfield a 3-2 lead less than a minute later though when he scored from the slot at 16:10 on the power play. Martin Frechette assisted as the Condors would take the lead into the locker room at the second intermission.
“We gave up a bad bounce that led to their power play goal,” said RoadRunner Head Coach Brad Church, adding that three bad mistakes by the RoadRunners led to Bakersfield’s three goals that period. “At the end of the day our mistakes cost us the game.”
Bakersfield added an insurance goal at 13:07 of the third period when Matt Pope scored to the right of Jones from Frechette, giving the Condors a 4-2 lead. The RoadRunners came back within one goal at 16:39 when Dane Crowley rifled a shot past Fukufuji, but it wasn’t enough as the final score would be Bakersfield 4-3 despite pulling Jones in the final minute of the game.
The RoadRunners have the next four days off due to the ECHL All-Star Game being played in Reading, Penn., on Jan. 21, and Church is looking forward to the rest the team will be getting.
“We need it; we’re banged up and only skated eight forwards this weekend,” Church said. “We have a heavy schedule in the second half and we’re going to take advantage of the week off.”
Jones had 26 saves in the loss while Fukufuji had 31 saves. The RoadRunners return to the ice after the ECHL All-Star break on Friday, Jan. 23, against the Stockton Thunder at 8:30 p.m. at Stockton Arena.
Apparently I made a mistake when reporting about Firebird Raceway and the time trials this weekend, I thought it was an actual race, but it is more of a practice/autograph session then a race.
Wow, does time fly after the fact. What I mean is when you are looking forward to something, a vacation, seeing old friends or someone important to you time seems to drag along, but once you get there, it is as if someone hits the fast forward button and before you know it your time together is over.
That is how I feel after the DWF Convention. My friend Hillary puts up a countdown timer as soon as the dates are announced and it is usually over 300 days to go. It seems like we checked in to the resort and checked out the same day. We also didn’t get the chance to sit and talk to all of the people we wanted to.
The convention has been over for me for three days now but it feels like weeks have passed already. Playing catch up on the phone calls, email, and other work is difficult. As is recovering from a lack of sleep as we try to fit so much into the short amount of time we have there.
This was another great trip for me. Aside from the fact of being local here and not having to fly, I met some great people I had not met before. We had a chance to sit and talk about various topics and had a truly enjoyable time. It is quite amazing the friendships that can be generated in such a short amount of time.
So, next time you go someplace, make the most of it. For there will be someone off in the shadows hitting the fast forward button.
Well the sadness will now begin. The Digital Wedding Forum convention is now over. All the learning, the partying, the photo shoots, hanging with friends, booty shaking, karaoke is all over until next year.
The convention is just like Christmas, we look forward to it all year, when it comes we are very excited, but then when it is over we are sad. We will hopefully use what we have learned to advance our businesses and be more profitable.
I have not seen it yet, but I am sure very soon Hillary will have a count down timer until the next convention.
I wanted to say thank you to everyone. This was my second convention, last year a met a bunch of great people, this year I added so many more.
To everyone I met, thank you for making the week fly by, for taking my photo and for partying with me. I look forward to next year! I hope your businesses flourish!
Where they spoke about shooting with flash and ttl. Not only did they teach about that, but there were also tips on flash settings. I think everyone came away with something positive from this seminar.
Then it was off to Mindy Sonshine and her seminar on easy money. Ways to work with your clients to get more money into your hands.
Then it was the final seminar of the convention, the amazing Storey Wilkens. All I can say is WOW! I consider Storey a friend and have had many chances to sit and speak with her, but this night I saw a different side, the amazing person side. Storey blew us all away with her thoughts. When she was done, there was a standing ovation for her and many hugs from many of the participants.
Storey, on a personal note, thank you! It was amazing and I owe you a neck thing. ;)
Then a group of us went to a French restaurant in Carefree.
When we got back, it was time for Karaoke. Oh boy, some were amazing singers like Jerry Ghionis and others were not so good, like, well if you were there you know who they were.
Joe Prezioso, wasn’t really blurry, it was how I saw him on the last night of partying. LOL!
And of course David Pearce singing Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy!
To view more photos from all of these events, click here.
Hello everyone, Tuesday started with a trip to the Phoenix Convention center for the Imaging USA trade show. Unfortunately I didn’t realize it closed at 2:00 PM until almost 2:00 PM. So after leaving the trade show, we went to Fuddruckers for some well deserved lunch. This is the group that I went to the show with.
If you have not had a chance to hear Justine speak, it is worth your time. She went over many different parts of portrait photography from what sizes to show to recommendations to your clients. You can view more of the photos from her seminar here. None of these photos have been edited so that I can get the online faster.
Once the seminar was done it was off to a quick shower and change clothes for the annual DWF Convention Party. With good food and a live band, it was time to party!
All the photos you will see on the web site where they are lit from below were taken with the amazing JMC
There were some amazing photo shoots going on and as always the very talented were willing to help.
I know everyone is anxious to see and read more. I am home and finally got some real sleep. Actually I slept for almost 14 hours. LOL!
I am processing the photos and will be uploading and posting to the blog hopefully some time later today.
I took a few thousand photos at the convention this year, so it is taking a bit of time.
Also, when you view the photos from the convention, please keep in mind, these are not edited, just resized as I just have no time to do that now. If you do see a photo of yourself and want it, let me know, I will edit it and send it to you.
Hello again, well that is another night gone and only a couple of more days left.
Tonight started with a ride into Carefree for dinner then to see JMC, John Michael Cooper of ALTF. To say john put on an amazing seminar would be an understatement, but then again, we would expect nothing less from him. With a down to earth fun way about him and an easy to understand basic way to do things, John explained how he made some incredible images and then proceeded to make some of them right in front of us. I know most of us were blown away, especially when he said there is no need to buy anything special, but if we did, under $100 could get us results that could be spectacular.
After over 2 hours most still did not want to leave as John made it look so easy. Here are some photos from tonight and the rest are on my web site. Also check John’s site as well for some of the photos he took from tonight.
David Williams is presented custom albums from John Michael Cooper from the roadfamilies trip.
After this we went back to the resort for some partying. There was drinking, snacks and a live 2 piece band that were very good.
Lighting for this photo by Chris Mann.
Enjoy the photos, leave a comment, and feel free to link to this.
Today was the official start of the 2009 DWF convention. Registration was a breeze as it appeared everything was in order.
Then at 3:00 PM, The Bebbs gave their Fusion seminar. While a lot of people thought it was going to be about the 5D MKII, it wasn’t. It was about ways to bring new things into your business and profit from it.
After that, we had a break for a couple of hours until the Keynote speaker, David A. Williams. I only have one word to say, WOW! David blew us away with a VERY powerful and emotional seminar. Not only did he get us to think about many things, he also tugged at our heart strings.
David, you were very inspiring, thank you!
Isn’t this the truth!
Then Jeff Caplan came riding in on a horse and just as he was finishing saying that the horse might leave something, well look at her tail.
Right after that, it was time to wish Jeff a happy 50th birthday with the candles that do not blow out.
Well after David made everyone teary eyed, it was time for the after party. We were in the main room for a few hours after, but then moved to the bar. Here is a photo of none other than Jake being Jake.
This is just a few of the photos from today. Sorry there are not more as we did some partying after the event. You can view more photos at LNL Photo.
Feel free to link to this blog as well as leave comments.
OK, I didn’t get a chance to blog about this last night so I am going to back date it so it is in order of when it should have been.
The full moon was amazing, I organized a group for an informal gathering to shoot and we had a good time. There was a great amount of talent there shooting and fortunately some of the guys found a better spot from where we started to see the moon rise over the horizon.
This is a photo while we were waiting for the moon to come around.
Well I am at the resort, got here about 3:30 PM. Met a few new people and some old friends in the lobby during check in.
When I went to my room, it is a deluxe villa so we have everything in there, utensils, glasses, plates, etc. Though I do not think we will be using them much.
I had organized an informal shoot at 4:30, well we had about 10 people there and it was a nice little get together, discussing settings and new gear and how to pack your bag. We walked around the resort and found a few cool places, but when the moon started to rise, we were in the wrong spot, fast forward and someone found us a good spot. The moon was great, got some great shots as well as everyone else.
I will be posting them probably tomorrow as I am going to download them now but have to get out to Booty Shake.
After the shoot, it got cold when the sun went down, we went to eat in the bar and met some more cool people. Hi Robin and Josh from Chicago, along with some others and we shared a nice dinner.
Well it will be off to booty shake soon. I do not think I will be bringing my camera to this one though, so if someone has a point and shoot they want to bring, well that will be that.
OK, this really is the last one before the convention. I am ready to leave now. I have a photo shoot to do then off to see all those great people at the DWF Convention.
This is exciting as I haven’t seen most of these people since last year and there are so many new ones I can’t wait to meet.
So when you see me, make sure you come and say hi!
I won’t bite, but don’t talk to David A. Williams.
Hello everyone, in about 24 hours I will be at the convention in Carefree with about 500 other photographers.
This is exciting, last year was a blast, this year I hope will be even better. I know there are a lot of new people coming this year, and all I can say is relax, this will be a great time for everyone.
As a matter of fact, I do not remember anyone getting mad the entire time in Tampa.
So kids, the next posting should be from the convention.
Wow, we are so close. I remember when my friend Hillary put up a countdown timer for this event and there were over 300 days to go, but now we are just about there.
Saturday I leave for a photo shoot, then straight to the resort. The Carefree resort is hosting the DWF convention this year, and it looks like it will be a blast!
Last year, when it was in Tampa, Florida I was brand new to the forum and looking to get into wedding photography. But…now I have been on here over a year and know so many more people that I can’t imagine how good it will be this year.
If you are a member of the DWF, check out the convention section and see how much good stuff is being planned by the members going.
There are photo shoots with models, trading photo shoots with other photographers, because we have almost no photos of ourselves and sometimes the loved ones want photos of us, or the ex wants something to burn.
We also have the adventures of Chris and Jesus, and their Unhip road trip. Check out their adventures here.
I will be posting at least once a day with info and photos. Feel free to link and leave comments.
Hello everyone, yes a year has passed since the DWF convention was held in Tampa, Florida last year. This year it is being held in Carefree, Arizona. Yes it is nice and close to home for me.
I am looking forward to seeing the friends I have made in Tampa and to meet the friends I will make next week. Keep an eye out as I post photos during the week.
I hope you enjoy reading about our adventures and seeing the photos.
For those that do not know, DWF stands for Digital Wedding Forum, it is made up of a lot of photographers, mostly wedding photographers that help each other on a forum. If you are a wedding or portrait photographer, I recommend you check them out and tell them Larz sent you.
Wow, I almost forgot to wish you all a Happy Holiday season and Happy New Year!
Amazing how fast time flies, it is 2009 already. Just think, almost 10 years ago, the world was worried about Y2K. Yes 10 years, that is how fast time goes by.
So, here is my resolution and suggestion to you.
Work very hard to be nice to people. Tell those you care about how you feel. You never know, you or they might not be here tomorrow.
As a good friend of mine used to say, the day you are conceived two dates go in the book, the day you are born and the day you die, and there is nothing you can do about either one of them. His name was Charlie Calace, and at 49 years old, found that out. My point is you never know what will happen, so don’t wait, enjoy life, live each day as if it is your last for one day it will be.
This is a subject that comes up often on many of the busier forums where a lot of pros hang out. Should we shoot things for free?
Well this is a two edged sword. On the one hand, sometimes people feel they need to shoot for free to get access or gain experience. Others feel if your work is good, then you should not shoot for free.
Well what about those people that want and sometimes expect for photographers to just give them photos at no charge? Yes we all hear the same stories. I will promote your company or I will give you access to something you would not normally have access to, or I will introduce you to so many people.
While sometimes this is a good thing and each person has to determine what is best for themselves, I have been thinking about this for some time.
Here are my thoughts. I have shot for free for all of the above reasons. Was it right? I am not sure. I know I did get access into events I would not normally have gotten access to. I also became friends with some of the acts that I was shooting. I also made connections with some of the people involved in the operations of different businesses. This has helped me to get some paid work.
Yes, many pros will complain that you are hurting the industry by shooting for free, and yes I do agree with that, but like I said, sometimes you do what you have to do for you.
What bugs me and many others is when people expect you to shoot for free. Let’s break it down for a minute. They want a professional photographer to drive to the location, spend X number of hours shooting, drive back, spend another X number of hours dowloading the files, backing them up and then editing them. Then they want us to give them to them.
Well what about the cost involved for the pro? Let’s start at the beginning.
Gear. Our gear is expensive. Yes someone could get by with one camera body and one lens, but then they wouldn’t be the pros. Pros usually have back up equipment on hand should something go wrong, and yes it does from time to time.
Insurance. We are insured not only for our gear against theft and damage, but also liability, should something happen while shooting.
Time. What is your time worth? Would you work for your boss if he said this might help you in the future if you work for free for me now? I am not talking about an intern as that I understand, I am talking about someone who is good at what they do and know what they are doing.
How is us asking to get paid for what we do and different then your mortgage company wanting to get paid each month to live in your home?
The bottom line is nobody can continue to work for free and survive. We all have bills to pay, and to pay them requires money, money from the client willing to pay the photographer what they are worth, because in the long run, everyone will benefit from that. The client will get quality work and the photographer will be able to feed his or her family.
So if you are the client, think about someone asking you to work for free and what you would say. If your answer is no, then why should it be OK for others to work for you for free?
Hello everyone. Sorry for not being around in awhile, I lost the password for my blog and could not get on. Everything is OK now though and I am back. I will be working on posting more often now and keep you up to date.
I am redoing part of my web site to be able to offer the convenience of purchasing photos right from my site.
You will be able to pick the photo you want, size it, crop it and even convert it to B&W if you like. You will then be able to pay with a credit card through Pay Pal.
Hello everyone who reads my blog, I apologize there have not been any updates for almost three weeks. As you have read by my earlier post, I was going through a tough time. Well it is not over, but things are looking up. I have some help with my business, someone who was a manager of a studio previously, and he is also a friend. So thank you everyone for your patience!
It is amazing how things happen, life is like a roller coaster. You have ups and downs. Back in August 2007, I left my job and pursued photography full time. Was this a bad decision? I don’t think so, the timing could have been better. I had been living in Arizona for about 1 1/2 years and still did not know a lot of people. I had been working to build the business on a part time basis before, but now here we are, my only source of income.
Did I make mistakes? You betcha! I did so much stuff for free or the “I will introduce you to everyone and help your career”. Well any photographer knows how that goes. So I spent at least 18 hours a day working on building the business, creating the foundation. As those know this business is not like a big store where you open the doors and have instant business. It has to be built and without a storefront, it makes it harder for people to find you.
I don’t want to turn this into a poor me story, I am just expressing my feelings right now at a low point in my life. I love what I do, photography is a passion, and to be good it takes a gift, which I feel I have. To me photography is an honor, when a family asks you to capture them in photos, wow! They are asking you to photograph their most prized possessions. I just wish business was better. This is where I do not have much experience, business. I think it is hurting me. Hopefully some of the projects on the horizon will come through before it is too late. It gets difficult to run a household on one income.
I do believe and try to keep the faith, but at times like this it gets hard. I feel like I have pushed everyone away, my family, my friends, all for the business. And why? Back to the title, for the money. So I can pay my bills and enjoy a good life, but at what expense? Is it worth it?
There is no right answer to that question. To follow your dreams and to do what you love is a gift that should be embraced like a newborn child.
So if you do what you love and can afford to continue, consider yourself lucky! Most people cannot say that. I for one am doing what I love, but don’t know how much longer I can afford to do it.
All I ask is wish me luck and keep me in your prayers that a steady flow of income comes my way and I am able to have a more stable “normal” life.
Today was the Chandler Chamber of Commerce monthly event Business after Business. This event is designed to bring many members of the Chamber in touch with each other and a local business. Sponsored by Guaranteed Clean Carpet Systems, Norma does a terrific job. Todays event was hosted at the Radisson hotel, located on the S/E corner of I-10 and Chandler Blvd. Ted the general manager and his entire staff did an amazing job. The dress code was beach attire, unfortunately some of the members could not dress accordingly because of their jobs, but others did and everyone had a good time despite a 110+ degree temperature day.
There was bar outside, with a DJ, fruit, steak kabobs, shrimp, so much food. They also had some fun activities, hula hoop contest, limbo, water balloon toss, putting contest, and a special contest, Ted threw some discs in the pool and whoever found the red one got a happy hour for six people. Look at the photos and you tell me if they wanted it bad. LOL. With 2 day getaway prizes to various Radisson hotels, the prizes were worth trying hard to win.
After seeing the photos and the fun everyone had, if you are reading this, you should either be joining the Chandler Chamber of Commerce or if you are a member, get yourselves down to the events.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Today the Chandler Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of being at the National Bank of Arizona, located at 6025 W. Chandler Blvd, 480-705-6273. Headed by their branch manager Darrell Washington, this looks like a place you want to bank at. The specialize in relationships with their clients. They made everyone feel very welcome and there was a fun atmosphere the entire time we were there.
If you need a bank that cares about you and doesn’t treat you like a number, this is the place to go. Tell them Larz sent you.
OMG! Words cannot describe how I felt seeing my first grandchild. Julian is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. OK, maybe I am biased but I don’t care, it is my blog and I want to brag. I think that is what being a grandparent is all about. The pride of seeing one of your children that you raised create something so perfect, WOW!
He is so little and I was nervous of hurting him, but looking at him while holding him in my arms was one of the best feelings in my life!
In case you don’t know the story, let me fill you in. Young Julian was due May 31. So my wife and I flew from Arizona to New York the morning of May 30, we figured we will be here before just in case he comes early(lol) and stayed until Sunday June 8. Well when we left there was still no Julian. My DIL was scheduled to be induced at 5:00pm on Sunday. Unfortunately the little one did not want to come out so at 3:56 pm Monday June 9, our first grandchild came out via C-Section. Well needless to say we were very disappointed that we missed it. So Thursday night I found out that I was free this weekend, so Thursday night - Friday morning at 2:00 am, I booked a flight back to NY. The problem is it left at 6:40 am, yes just over 4 hours. So I packed and left, made it to NY safely and got to see my grandson. I only wish my wife could have been here with me. Do not worry, she will be here next week by her self as I will be in New Mexico.
So that is the story, I hope you enjoyed it.
To Lauren and Kenny, I cannot thank you enough for bringing this beautiful baby into our lives! You have made me SO PROUD!
Now for the part I know you have been waiting for…the photos. Well here are two, click the link at the bottom to view more at my web site.
Thanks for looking and feel free to comment on my blog.
Today we all learned about D2U shuttle Service. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce was on hand for the ribbon cutting as we learned that D2U provides a shuttle service from your home to participating bars or restaurants and back. They also have airport shuttles, concerts, sporting events or your special event, so you never have to worry about getting a DUI and wearing Sheriff Joe’s Pink Underwear.
When you need a ride, give them a call, 480-289-1156, tell them Larz sent you.
Wake up Chandler is sponsored by Wells Fargo. Today’s event was held at the Wells Fargo branch located at the NW corner of Chandler Blvd. & Alma School. What a great turn out it was. The first thing you notice was a lot of purple little people all around. TJ with Purple Pig Promotions was on hand with a lot of kids handing out samples to everyone, be sure to look at the van. Jerry Bustamante, the President and Ceo of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was on hand to give us some words of wisdom.
All in all it was a fun morning and a chance to meet some new people and network with others. If you are not a member of the Chamber of Commerce or do not come out to many things, I recommend you do. Just look at the photos and see what you are missing.
Today we had the chance to join the Chandler Chamber of Commerce at Sushi Eye Sushi Restaurant. What a good turn out we had. Now I do not like Sushi, but judging from some of the photos, others thought it was delicious. Whenever you see someone cleaning their shirt after eating is a good sign they weren’t worried about it, the food was too good. So stop in and give them a try. They are in the Downtown Chandler Business District. 480-686-8183
I am so excited to tell everyone that we are now grandparents! My son and daughter in law just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy!
Julian James, 7lb 4oz.
Unfortunately the only photo I have was sent to my cell phone.
I am so proud of them, what a beautiful baby he is. It is an amazing feeling being a grandparent. I am sitting here right now with my eyes watering up I am so happy! I didn’t imagine I could feel like this.
For those of you that do not know me, my three kids are not mine by birth. They are my wifes from her first marriage, but we have been together 19 years in August, I consider them to be my kids. I love them all dearly and have them tattooed on my arm. So I was not there when they were born, this is the closest I have come and I am so happy!
I just wish he would have come a couple of days sooner when we were in NY waiting for him.
So to the proud parents from extremely proud grandparents, we are so proud of you!
To our grandson Julian, we love you so much and can’t wait to see you and hold you!
Hello everyone and thanks for taking the time to read this. I want to talk about my goals for my business and myself.
I want to change things from the way they are. The way people think about someone who they perceive as different. Different then whom? YOU? You are different then they are. Who are we as a people to judge someone else? Who is to say we are right and they are wrong? Who said he who is without sin cast the first stone?
So who should be judging others aside from God or whoever you happen to believe is there or not there.
I also want to become a household name. I want the Gay and Lesbian Community, GLBT and everyone associated with them to feel comfortable with me and for me to be the one they call when they need photos of anything. I am hoping to become big enough in this industry that big name people in this community will contact me to take their photos and shoot their ceremonies wherever they might have to be held.
This is something I believe in and am very passionate about. I really believe I have a gift in photography to capture that twinkle in you eye and create an amazing photograph that you will want to look at for years to come.
So if this is you, contact me now to book your photo shoot and be one of the ones in the beginning of my career in this direction. Won’t you want to look back in a few years and say “Hey, that is Larz, he photographed us, look at him now!” And then contact me and have me contact you back.
I never want to forget where I came from. I want to build friendships now that will last a lifetime!
Hello everyone, thanks for taking the time to read more about me.
This is about my photography and how I am.
Photography is one of my favorite things to do. I was asked once if money was no object what is the one thing you would want to do and without a thought it was photography. I consider myself blessed for I get to do something I love and make a living at it. Others are not so fortunate, to them I say keep looking, your one thing is out there someplace and I wish you luck finding it!
Back to me. I am often asked what will I shoot and where?
Well my tag line is “We Will Shoot Anything Legal”. Now this goes into some gray areas as gay marriage is not legal in some places, but I would be honored to shoot that. I am originally from New York and travel back there 3-4 times a year. I am actually writing this from there right now.
So I am almost unshockable, living in NY for over 35 years and I was a volunteer firefighter for 9 1/2 years, so I have seen most things. If there is something you have in mind, feel comfortable to approach me with it and not be judged.
The other question is where? I tell my clients I have a passport and a suitcase, I will travel wherever you need me.
To be asked to photograph someone to me is an honor. You are being asked to capture a special moment of their lives for them to cherish forever. So to my past clients, I say thank you! To my future clients, I say let’s get going and capture some amazing memories for you.
I have also changed my target market. I will still shoot anyone, but my main market is the Gay and Lesbian market. This group of people needs people that will not judge them because someone calls them different. So until next time, feel free to contact me with your questions, I am happy to answer them. Also please leave a comment on any of my blogs and comment the photos as well.
If you have read my my space blog you have seen the things I wrote, if not I will be writing more here.
I have decided that my target market is the GLBT community who are looking for someone to catch the twinkle in their eye.
The reason I decided this is to be my target market was after reading about a wedding photographer who was sued by a gay couple for refusing to shoot their ceremony.(now before both sides get crazy, I understand both sides myself. I understand the gay couple for feeling like they were discriminated against. I also understand the photographers side. Most do not have a problem shooting same sex next to each other, it is when the time comes to be intimate with each other that some photographers are uncomfortable, and is this the person you want to shoot one of your most important days? I also understand the religious aspect of it where to some religions it is a sin. Now with that aside, let’s move on) So I decided that since I have had gay friends most of my life and am very comfortable with them, why not be the one who helps capture who they are on their most important days.
I was fortunate to be invited to shoot a drag queen-drag king show at Club Vibe by Anson Reign and had one of the best times. The show was so much fun, the mood was joyous and the people were all great. Nobody made me feel like an outcast, they welcomed me in to their environment with open arms. To all of you at Club Vibe that Mothers Day I say THANK YOU! Thank you for making my first experience an enjoyable one.
After that night some of the drag queens loved my photos so much they started to talk. Next thing I know I was invited to another show at The Rock. WOW! Another warm welcome and another great show. So as time is going on, I am meeting new people and getting a chance to show them my work. Well now more and more people are approaching me to do photo shoots and so it has begun.
The way I see it is the GLBT community needs someone that is comfortable with themselves and comfortable with them to be able to capture that twinkle in the eye. I choose to be that person. Now this is not all I intend to do. I plan on continuing with my tag line of shooting anything legal. (yes legal is a grey area).
I also want to do something even more with my photography. As I was waiting for a show to start on Memorial day that I was hired to shoot, I read an article in the Echo, a gay magazine. In there was a story about a politician who said some very negative things about the GLBT community. Well that pissed me off!
First off, why are they being discriminated against? Spoken about like outcasts? They are not. Let’s look at the term gay people. They are people, HELLO…human beings! Yet they are treated much worse. Illegal aliens who do not pay taxes or work legally get more rights then those American citizens who have legal jobs, pay taxes obey most laws, and are great people. I ask you, what is wrong with this picture? Why are we treating our own people like this? Well I for one think this needs to stop and stop NOW!
How? I am not sure yet, I now there needs to be stronger voices in politics. The GLBT community has been fighting for the rights that should be theirs all along, but some jackass politician decided that it was a sin and took away those rights. Well it is time to take them back.
If you have any ideas on how to do this, feel free to post them here. If you have an idea and my photography can help, count me in! I am more than a photographer, I am a human being and an American citizen and feel all American citizens deserve to be treated equal. I will do what ever it takes to bring this point across.
Help me to achieve this goal! Post comments on this blog, link from your blog and my space page to this blog. If we can get enough people looking and talking about it, maybe the right person will see it and have an idea how to turn this around so that the gay community has the same rights as everyone else, those same rights that they deserve!
We watched her take some info about a business and word it in a way that everyone wanted to go talk to that person. That is a gift, especially how quickly she was able to do that.
From my personal experience there, it was amazing! As a photographer, I have a wide range of clients and shoot such a variety of items that it has been difficult for me to focus on one particular market as I didn’t know how. With Victoria’s help and the help of everyone in the room, I was able to establish my target market and places to find them, so to all of you and especially Victoria, thank you for your help, time, and guidance.
For those now wondering what my target market is.
My target market is the Gay and Lesbian community that wants photos capturing them with a twinkle in their eye.
Now this does not mean that is all I will shoot, it is just that I was invited to shoot a few drag queen shows and had such a warm welcome and such a good time that this is where I wish to focus my attention.
It is an unfortunate circumstance that the country we live in discriminates against gay people yet gives so many right to illegal immigrants. That is when we know something is wrong.
Look for more of this in another blog post, coming soon.
Today the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was at Just A Tease Salon and Boutique. They are located at5865 West Ray Rd. Ste.#1 in Chandler. The S/E corner of Ray & Kyrene.What a wonderful place filled with friendly people. There was food and conversation and one special person, the massage therapist who let anyone try her service for about 10 minutes. I was lucky to be one of those and it was fantastic!
So go there and enjoy their company and their services.
Today we had the opportunity to go to The Buttes. What a beautiful place this is. With the waterfall in the restaurant and overlooking the pool, it needs to be seen. On hand was the Chandler Chamber of Commerce for the cutting of the ribbon.
Dear models, here is a guideline for you from a photographer.
1-Be on time! Our time is very valuable.
1a-If you are scheduled for a shoot make sure you show up or call in advance. The time is slotted for you, if you do not show, someone else could have been there and we lose money and time.
2-Be polite, you make look good but we make you look great!
3-Be clean. I know, but sometimes it needs to be said.
4-Make sure your finger and toe nails are clean and polished if that is required. They might be seen in the photos depending on the shoot.
5-Feel free to bring someone with you, BUT…NO boyfriends, husbands, significant others, NO EXCEPTIONS.
6-Put your cell phone on vibrate or turn it off so it does not disrupt the shoot.
7-If you have minimal experience, please do not tell us you have plenty of experience. We can tell in a few minutes. It is much better to be honest from the start.
8-If you want people to look at your web site or My Space page, please make it appealing. Flashing things that are distracting are not helpful, neither is tExT lIKe THis, iT is aNNoYInG aNd HaRdeR To ReaD. So to be honest, most photogs will pass you by if we see those things.
As I think of more, I will add them. If you are reading this and have any, please post them in the comments.
On Thursday May 22, 2008 the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was invited to Artistic Mystic for their grand opening ribbon cutting. Deborah has assembled an assortment of amazing artists to showcase, stop down and take a look. They are located at 2050 N. Alma School Rd, the N/W corner of Alma School and Warner. You can also call them for directions at 480-917-4566.
Just two of the amazing artists I had the pleasure to speak with and photograph were Marti Beson and Howard Scherer.
This morning the Chandler Chamber of Commerce held its monthly Member Welcome Breakfast. This is a great event where new members and current ones can meet and learn about the Chamber, and then network with each other. If you have not been to one of these, I highly suggest you go.
This one had a little surprise… Jerry Bustamante, the new president and CEO joined us with some words of wisdom. It was the first time I had the chance to meet Jerry. What a nice man to speak with!
I hope you enjoy these photos. To see more from this and many other events, click here.
Today we were at Desert Allure Med Spa located at 245 S. Dobson Rd. in Chandler for their Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting hosted by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. They do everything here and then some.
What a spread they put out as well, wraps, snacks and a home made cake, mmmm.
If you have not been to one of these, I recommend you go. It started out at 98 South Wine Bar & Kitchen who put out a wonderful spread of food, from there Brad supplied a map of the local area and all the participating businesses. From there we visited each one, got to see their stores and left a business card for a chance to win some great prizes. We then finished up at San Marcos, where more food was prepared for us.
Here is a list of all the businesses that I visited and was able to get a business card from, in no particular order.
The situation that brought this on was Principle Hensley made a deal with his students. In an effort to get them to read more which has been an annual challenge, he proposed that if they read a certain amount by a set time, he would jump from a plane. Well as you can tell by the photos, they met that goal and a man of his word, he jumped.
I had an opportunity to speak with Principle Hensley before and after the jump. We spoke about some of the previous years events such as kissing a pig, staying on the roof of the school for the entire day. We also spoke about the unexpected lessons from this, such as when a student asked if he was scared and he replied yes, the student said I didn’t think grown ups got scared.
As you can see the entire school was on the field to witness this as were many parents and members of the community. When I asked if he would do it again, he said probably not.
Principle Hensley, you are a true man of character. I only hope other people look at your example and try to follow. You have my utmost respect!
What a tremendous turnout from the membership. There was food and drink, great people and many prizes (which I didn’t win).
If you need a printer or ink I highly recommend you go see Darline at Cartridge World. On the other hand, if you need help with your business, go see Stuart Preston. You can sign up for his tips online ( I highly recommend this, I did)
Here are a few photos for you to enjoy. If you are a Chamber member but do not come out for the events, I suggest you do, this is a great opportunity to network and catch up with friends.
Ken the owner and Karina the Marketing Coordinator put out a wonderful spread of breakfast items including bread pudding (yum).
If you have not had a chance to go to Famous Daves BBQ, I suggest you give them a try. They have great food and amazing people working there who take the time to listen to you and care.
For those members in the Chamber that have not been to a Wake up Chandler event, I highly suggest you go. Not only is this a chance to get your name and business out to about 100 people, but also a great opportunity to network.
If your business is not doing as well as it should, I suggest you come out to some of the events that the Chamber schedules. Come out and make some new friends and chat with old ones.
On Tuesday May 13, 2008 the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was on hand to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Gateway Pediatrics located at 205 S. Dobson Rd. Suite 1 in Chandler on the N/E corner of Dobson and Frye.
Led by Dr. Chandrasekhar, her family and staff, we were treated to a wonderful feast of desserts. There were over 75 people at this event. This truly says something about this practice that so many community members and patients came out to show their support.
If you have not had the time to look at her site, I suggest you do. This is an amazing woman. A fitness model for 10 years, she looks amazing. I had the chance to shoot her on Saturday May 10. What an experience it was.
Nita is a little woman who more than makes up for it with enthusiasm and energy! I enjoyed our time together to learn a bit about her.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed shooting them.
Today the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was invited to the ribbon cutting for a great new restaurant called Carden’s Cafe. Their place is located on the S/W corner of Gilbert and Queen Creek in Chandler. Carmela and Dennis are wonderful people who relocated from Connecticut. Their restaurant has a warm friendly feel to it, a place you could sit and speak with friends for awhile. They put out a spread of sandwiches and cookies and chips, enough to make us all wish we had stretch waists on our pants.
Go to their web site and view the menu, then wipe your mouth and go get something to eat.
To Carmela and Dennis, I wish you all the success you can handle.
Today we were at Shane’s Rib Shack at the S/E corner of Ray and 54th St with the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. If you have not had a chance to try their food, myself and my belly suggest you do. Dana and her staff have built a great place to get together with friends and have some fantastic bbq foods. Dana’s dad was on hand to give a prayer during the celebration. You will also see photos of empty plates as Dana let us sample their menu and had everyone licking their fingers.
So give them a call or stop in, their number is 480-961-RIBS (7427), and tell them Larz sent you!
PS. On May 17 they are having an official grand opening. The first 100 customers will each win a free 1/2 rack of ribs, a large Coca-Cola Zero, and a free Shane’s Jersey T-Shirt.
Today I was fortunate to be on hand when Jennifer and Clay celebrated their one year anniversary with their business, A*V*E. If you have not had a chance to stop in and see them, I suggest you do. They are wonderful people to be around. They are located on the S/W corner of Queen Creek and Alma School in Chandler.
What they do is take any media format you have and convert it to modern day media. So if you have some old vhs tapes of your kids, bring them down there and they will turn it into a DVD for you.
Enjoy some of the photos taken today at their celebration.
ON may 1, 2008 ICAN had a thank you dinner for the volunteers that help with this organization. There was food and soft drinks, dessert, and the Chandler Police Department Gang Unit was on hand to give a presentation about the gangs in the area. It was very informative and enjoyable.
Thank you to ICAN for giving back. To Emily Halbur, I want to say a special thank you. I appreciate how you have helped me to bring my program to the kids. I wish you well on your new venture back to Minnesota. (brrr)
Take a look at the ICAN site and see if you can’t help out as well. They do something very good for our Chandler community.
On May 1, 2008 the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was invited to the Kids First Pediatric Dentistry ribbon cutting. What a great idea they had, specializing in kids dental care. After viewing the office, myself and many others asked if we could be treated there. There were TV’s everywhere, in a big room, waiting rooms, and on the ceiling. To Dr. Tyler and Dr. Randy, we wish you much success!
On April 30, 2008 the Chandler Chamber of Commerce was invited to a ribbon cutting at The Yellow Apple located on the S/W corner of Queen Creek and Gilbert Rd. A good time was had by all, good food and great people made it a fun evening.
Friday nights at The Waterfront in Chandler, S/E corner of Ray and Dobson there is a Hot Moms Contest. This started April 18 and runs to the finals May 9. Contact them for more information or to sign up at (480) 732-0929.
Here are a couple of photos from Friday nights event.
Hello everyone! Today I finally had done what I wanted for some time now. I had the back window of my vehicle lettered. This is an inexpensive way to get your name out there. How many people will see your back window in a week? 100’s or more depending on where and the time you drive. Just keep in mind now, how you drive is a reflection on your business.
I had my sign done by Signs By Tomorrow located in Chandler, S/W corner of Ray and Cooper. The process was painless. The staff there were very professional and easy to work with, thank you Danna, Susan, Cole, and Kat. From start to finish, it was less then a week, but that is because I wanted a change on the original design.
Kat did the installation in about 20 minutes and I couldn’t be happier.
Here are photos from the process. Feel free to contact them and let them know I sent you!
Since I have not been to sleep yet, the day is not over yet for me. April 23 is my oldest son’s birthday. Happy Birthday Kenny, 30 years old. I am so very proud of you, the man you have become leaves me speechless. I know you will be an excellent father!
Remember always that I am here for you and that I love you!
To all the models and those that want to be. Here is a bit of advice. I just spent the last 20 minutes looking through a site where there were models looking for work. Here is what I found. There were very poor photos posted, one was even from a web cam. Show a variety of photos, all angles, and what you are comfortable modeling in. If you are comfortable in a bikini, show photos of that. If you don’t have photos, hire a photographer, there are many out there. I am running a special for the rest of April, only $65 for a model shoot and edited photos on a CD. I am looking for models now for a client that wants hard bodied women. If I can’t see what you look like you are going to get passed over. Also, fill in your profile. On this site, there were spaces for your height, weight, measurements, and many others. Fill them in to help those that are looking find you. I know for myself, if I am looking for something specific, I might have to look at hundreds of profiles. I won’t take the time to click to another site to see your photos or send you a message to find out details that should be listed.
Many people dread Monday morning. The first day of the week, back to work after a fun weekend, five more days until the next weekend. But…if you look at it like that, it is easy to see how you could become depressed and dread the week.
Why not look at it from a different view. Try to always see the positive side of everything. I know what you are saying, yeah right. I will admit, I do not do it as often as I would like to.
If you just said to yourself, man, this was a great weekend, now I am lucky to have a job that pays me enough to enjoy the weekend the way I want to. Without the bad you do not appreciate the good.
Plus it is easier on your body both physically and mentally to enjoy life.
We are only here for a short time, enjoy each day as if it were your last.
Today, April 17, is our 9 year wedding anniversary. I am so thankful to have met a woman like Linda. I realized it more when she went to New York for a few days for the baby shower. I was without her and missed her so much. You do not realize sometimes how much you miss someone until they are gone. Fortunately it was only a few days, but for some it is forever. So, do not wait until tomorrow to tell your special person how you feel. When I think about this the song by Garth Brooks, “If tomorrow never comes” always comes to mind. What if today was the last day you saw each other, would they know how you feel?
Unfortunately our society is such that we all work too much and are after the better way of life, more money, better jobs, nicer cars, bigger house, BUT…at what cost? Stop and ask yourself, what am I working so hard for? Can we get by with a bit less but spend more time with each other? Everyone will have a different answer for this and my goal is not to create a debate over right and wrong, just to stop and have you think about things for a minute.
So to my wife Linda, Happy 9 years! I love you more now then ever and do not want to imagine a day without you!
I made a decision on April 3, 2008 to join my local Chamber of Commerce. I believe it was one of the smarter things I have done for my business. Since I have joined, it is just over a week now, I have met some amazing people.
I have spoken to others that have joined various chambers in the past and when I asked them about their experiences, they did not have positive things to say. Then I asked the question, How often do you go to the activities and how involved are you? Well the answer confirmed what I had thought. The said they did not go very often if at all, and they were not involved. I then said thank you for your time and moved on. After I joined the chamber and spoke to members that were active, I asked the same question and they were very positive about the results from joining.
So joining this is like anything else, you get out what you put into it. For myself, I want my business to be very successful, so I am putting in a lot of time to creating networking bonds with the many wonderful members in my local chamber.
Good luck in your business and if you have any questions, I would be happy to try to answer them.
Ask someone who shoots either brand and there is a little ribbing among the two as to who is bigger and better. Each will say their own. But now we have proof, take a look.
Hello everyone, as some of you know, my son and daughter in law are expecting their first baby, a son the end of May. This will be our first grandchild. Are we excited? In one word, YES! My wife even more so then I am. She has been waiting for this her whole life. Right after Linda found out, she started shopping. Every week she would come home with look what I bought our grandson. I just have to smile. To see how much joy this is bringing her makes me happy.
Linda is flying out in the morning to go back to New York for the baby shower. The larger suitcase needed to be used for all of the things she purchased. I should have taken a photo of all the outfits that are in there.
I will keep you up to date and let you know when our grandson comes into the world. They said they have names picked out, I said little Larz is a really cool name. I don’t think they are going to go for it.
Myself and many pros are often asked, what kind of camera should I buy? Here is my answer for almost everyone. Decide what you want to shoot and what your budget is. This is just my opinion, but I suggest that you stick to Nikon or Canon. I am a Nikon shooter, but either brand will be fine. In my opinion, they are the two best out there. Then go someplace that has these cameras and find comparable models to see how they feel in your hand. How do the controls feel? Are they easy to get to? How is the menu to navigate? When you find the one that feels like it was meant to be in your hand, congratulations! You have found your camera. Now go create some magic with it!
This is where I have bought camera equipment from and been very happy.
In this profession, people always ask, what kind of camera do you have? The reality is it does not matter. Is a mechanic good because he has good tools or a chef great because he has great pans, in one word, NO! Does it help to have good equipment, absolutely! There is so much more to it then that though.
If you want to try a little test, find a pro that is good at what they do and someone else not so good. Let the pro use a simple camera and the other use a pro body, then look at the results. I did something similar at a concert I was shooting. I showed someone a shot I had captured and they said, no wonder look at the camera you have. OK, so I took out my iphone and took a photo with that. When I showed him the photo from the iphone, he had nothing to say, the iphone photo was good as well, obviously the quality is different, but the composition is the same. My point is do not get hung up on what kind of camera you have, go out a take photos, enjoy your time behind the camera. For me I am happiest when behind the camera for I capture memories.
As with anything new, many of us sit here and wonder where to start. It sometimes becomes so overwhelming that we just quit. The only way to overcome this is just to get started somewhere, so here I am.
A little bit about me. I am a photographer based in Chandler, AZ . I moved here from New York in April, 206. I have expanded my business to be able to travel anywhere a client needs me. When they ask can you travel, the answer they get is I have a passport and a suitcase, I am ready when you are.
I try to take a different approach to photographing people. I like to have fun! This is a photo of me at Country Thunder, 2007 in Twin Lakes, WI. Photo credit, Paul Schneider of www.PASPhotography.com
Look for more photos coming soon as soon as I get things worked out with the blog.
Hello everyone and welcome. Our new site is active as of this week. We will be adding many new photos and content for you to view and comment on. If there is something you would like to see, please let us know.
There are many different events we have to blog. From weddings I have second shot for to an amazing experience with John Michael Cooper and Dalisa Cooper from ALTF, shooting with them on their Zero Package.
Subscribe to this blog and we look forward to hearing from you!
