Fun with Photoshop

I always tell my students that they need to achieve as much as possible in camera and not use photoshop as a crutch. But...sometimes you just have a few different versions of a picture in your head, and it's fun to experiment a little. The first shot is the original, the next few variations.

Thanks

I'm thankful for two things this year. First my little family. In the last two years we've had two kids. We've doubled. It's been a big change, but it's been great.

My wife is so amazing in her ability to take care of our two kids and still participate in everything else she does. She is now training to run a 5k race. She had a baby 6 weeks ago. Like I said, amazing.

Sofia is such a sweet little girl. She is talking more and more each day. Her Spanglish is so funny. She'll say things like, "I need talco." She is growing up so fast.

Gabe has really brought balance to our family. It's nice to have another guy in the house!

I'm also really grateful for a job I love. Or I should say, two jobs I love. As a photography teacher I love helping students get turned on to photography. I love teaching them a principle and watching what they creatively come up with. As a professional wedding photographer, I'm grateful to all the wonderful clients I've had this past year. It has been such a pleasure to work with you all. I'm thankful that you have let me be a part of the most important day of your lives. The fact that I get to do something I love,(take pictures) with such wonderful people is something I am truly grateful for. Not everyone has a job they love or even like...I have two!

Stepping out on a limb

Ok so I'm taking a risk here. I've never posted something political on my blog. (You come here for great pictures, not lectures) But Kara and I watched a movie over the weekend that was just eye-opening. If you haven't seen Michael Moore's Sicko, it is well worth your time. This is Moore's least political film, and it's his best.

I thought the movie would be about the 40 million Americans that are uninsured, but it's not. It's about the rest of us that have insurance, and how crazy it is that people who have insurance are going bankrupt over their medical bills.

I think regardless of their political beliefs, most people agree that sick people should be able to get good medical care.

As a small business owner, I know of many other photographers that don't jump in to the profession full time for fear of losing the insurance from their day job. The effects trickle down to brides because with more full timers, I think that the industry would raise the bar of what is excellent, and in the end, brides would get better pictures...hmmm this is a photography post after all!

And you thought wedding season was over

Note to all future brides: You can get married in November! Aleina and Jesse were married at the Grand Ballroom in Salem. I loved their colors...brown is popular with my brides these days!

Danae and Andrew

Here is Danae and Andrew's engagement shoot. It's getting hard to come up with new locations around Corvallis, but some local photographers suggested a place by some railroad cars. Then we headed up to bald hill for both urban and natural look. 5d + 85mm 1.2 = SWEET!

Amazing Wedding Vendors

Just wanted to call a little attention to the right side of my blog. I wanted to start recognizing some of the amazing wedding professionals in Oregon that I've had the opportunity to work with. On the right is a list that are not only great wedding vendors, they are great people. I've had the pleasure of working with all of them and highly recomend anybody who makes "the list". If you are planning a wedding, check these guys out. You will not be dissappointed.

Stuff for Sale

So with the new equipment coming in I've got to make some room in my bag I thought I'd try selling it on my blog first....then hit Ebay

For Sale:

Digital Rebel XT body with battery grip and extra battery $375 Great little cameras have served me well!

Canon 10d body with a 28-135mm USM lens with image stabalization - $400

Canon 24-105mm IS f4.0 lens - $900 I love this lens, but I think it isn't the right focal length for my set up.


Canon Pixma Pro9000 Printer $300- This printer is brand new, in the box never been opened!

If you want more details just shoot me an email.

A-MAZ-ING

This one is for all your camera nerds out there. I picked up some new equipment. Well actually a lot of new equipment. I've been using Digital Rebel XT's for the past two years and while they are great little cameras, I felt like I had reached a level where I just couldn't go any farther with them. So I dropped them bomb. Here is my new line up:

Canon 40d
Canon 5d
85mm 1.2
24-105mm f4 IS
I think I'll add these to my already amazing 70-200 2.8 IS and my 17-40mm.
I am so excited about these new tools.

I ran out to the park with Sofia with the 5d and the 85 and the shots just blew me away! The background blur on these is amazing.The lens is SHARP! I don't think I'll be taking it off very often.