Your Powers Combined…

Man, what an exciting week!

First off…let’s hear a round of applause for me updating the blog in under a month! Wooooo!

Remember me saying I was going to revamp my style a bit? It’s here…and I love it.

This is by far the highlight of my week though…

Just a few days ago I was notified that I had been nominated for something called “The A*List,” I had no idea what it was so I figured I should go check. Well, turns out that the city gets to vote on who they think is the best of the best…pretty cool. I’m in the portrait photography category.

So I spread the word around thinking I might do alright, but that there were a ton of great photographers in this city.

Here’s where I have to gush a little bit…you all (clients, followers, friends, family, fans, etc…) are incredible. In a few short days your votes have taken me from the bottom rung all the way to 1st place. Knowing that you all support me so much is a truly incredible feeling! I’m not a clever enough writer to be able to say it any better than that.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, or just haven’t voted yet…go check it out. Voting ends on the 27th, so there is still a long way to go but with your help I know I can stay on top!

Let’s talk more about photos though, and the lovely Jessica Crider…

If you’ve ever worked with me before, you know that I’m a bit spontaneous. This time my spontenaity got me, Jessica and her boyfriend Jordan all soaking wet. All because I decided on a whim that we needed to shoot in a lake. Yes, in the lake.

This wasn’t so much of a problem for Jessica (except for her aversion to mud) as it was for me and her boyfriend (my assistant for the day), she had plenty of swimsuits. Jordan and I both came without something to swim in. It’s so great when people are able to go with the flow though, I love it. Jordan didn’t even flinch when I asked him to get in the water and hold a reflector for me. He waded in jeans and all just to help out, and that made all the difference in the shots. I couldn’t have gotten them any other way.

Thank you to both of you for catering to me. I know you agree that the ends justified the means.

I also had some time last week to sit down and finish going over my second shoot with the ever-beautiful Randee Jean.

I don’t know what it is…I think she understands what I’m looking for before I do. Either that or I’m just that good at communicating what I want (don’t laugh too hard).

A big part of what takes me so long to go through her shots is that I can’t decide which ones I like the most…there are too many!

All of these photos were shot at the same studio where the workshop I mentioned in my last post will be held. I love the location because of how versatile it is. There’s a ton of space and it’s right in the middle of downtown so I can just walk outside if nothing indoors fits the look. How could I complain?

I firmly believe that the location can make or break a shot. I know that looking at beautiful people can make us critical of ourselves. Beautiful locations do something different though…they allow us to imagine ourselves there, I feel like they give the audience a kind of freedom. I wonder if it’s possible to shoot models in a way that eases individual insecurities while granting that feeling of freedom and empowerment.

Alright friends, it’s time for me to wrap up. A big thanks again to everyone that has supported me so far. Even if you choose not to go vote for me, the fact that you are here reading and looking at my work is enough!

Labor day is knocking on the door so, please have a safe and relaxing weekend.

-David

Jason and Jennifer – Wedding

Jason and Jennifer’s wedding…what a blast. You may remember them from the engagement photos I posted on here a while back. Maybe not, who knows.

The day started around 2:30pm with photographs of the preparation mayhem.

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Early November and Cheap-o Fog Machines

I can’t believe I forgot about this.

Halloween is over and that means that all of the tacky fog machines that places like Home Depot and Target carry, will be on sale now.

They aren’t quality products by any means, but for $30 or less you can’t help but grab one for grins. A little smoke can do wonders for an image. Fact is, nothing makes backlight cooler than a bunch of fog with beams of light shooting out of it.

Normal professional-grade fog machines are a few hundred dollars to start which is why the popular lust for cheezy halloween decor is a great lighting opportunity for photographers.

Also they tend to clog, so every few times you use one, run a half/half mixture of water and vinegar through it to clean it out.

It stinks like mad but it will keep it from clogging and therefore keep it running.

Jason and Jennifer – Engagement Session

What a cool couple. Let me just start there. After some unsavory weather on our first session the skies cleared up and gave us a beautiful day to capture these two.

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Roots N’ Blues N’ BBQ – 2008

Well readers, it is just after 11pm the Sunday after Columbia’s second annual Roots N’ Blues N’ BBQ festival, and like last year (before this blog was alive) I was in the thick of it. I had a blast, they put barriers up this year so us lowly photographers didn’t get trampled (thank you). As of this moment my lovely computer is putting the finishing touches on the 1,700 images I took over the 2-day festival. I’ve been giving it some thought, and I think it will be easiest to split up the images I want to show you by artist, rather than kill your internet connections with one huge post full of images.

There are a few that don’t fit that category though, like my hot air balloon ride over the city. So I’ll show you that now.

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Sarah and Erin

I had the pleasure earlier this month of photographing two photographers from Iowa. Sarah and Erin came down on a Saturday and spent the weekend with me snapping who knows how many frames.

The first location we went to was an open field with an abandoned home and some rusted out vehicles. It had been pretty sunny the week of the shoot so I figured that it would be pretty easy to get in and out. I was definitely wrong.

You wouldn’t know it from the photographs but, it was insanely muddy. I didn’t realize this until I had already driven my poor car halfway up the sludge-like road leading to the location, parked and tried to get out. So, fifteen minutes later when I’ve gotten my car back on solid ground we get to start shooting.

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Portraits With Ashley

Ashley came in for her second session with me last Saturday, stunning me with another breathtaking shoot.

She likes to be humble and say that she doesn’t know what she’s doing. That may be true and if it is, the girl is a natural. Any of you photographers out there reading this… Get a hold of her, not only could she use the experience but you know you need her face in your book. End of story.

I will post some more as I get her approval.

Until then, ciao my audience.

David Bickley, Professional Photographer