Daily Photographer – Day 47

I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am that it’s finally starting to warm up.

I’m not made for winter. If Kansas would stay a nice even 75 degrees I would never want to leave.

Anyway, enough dreaming of drastic climate change. Here is today’s shot.

Do I really even need to say how much I love this shot? Lisa did a great job!

I still have mountains of photos to go through so I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.

-D

Daily Photographer – Day 46

Soooo happy about today’s shot. It’s the first part of a series that I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time.

A big thanks to Lisa for flying out all the way from California just to shoot with me.

There are some really cool shots coming from our sessions, but this is definitely my favorite so far.

See you all tomorrow,

D

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

The Past Before the Future

I know.

Deep title right?

Ha!

Aside from actually writing a blog entry I think coming up with the title is the hardest part…so, I give up…from now on it’s going to be the first thing that comes to mind no matter how stupid.

Anyway, today’s is relevant, thankfully. Last night I got the urge (as I sometimes do) to go through the discarded images from last year’s sessions and see if I could find a few gems to spark some creativity.

Some of them turned into very close crops like the one of Ashley above. I originally discarded it because the eyes aren’t tack sharp like I like them to be in my shots, but the crop wowed me so I had to work it and overcome that pickiness.

It’s been quite some time since I dirtied up a photo. I love playing around, and although I prefer clean n’ simple looking shots embellishments can really transform a piece.

The one above was done when creativity woke me up at 5 this morning. Such is life.

Back to work now, I have some jewelry photography to finish up today and then hopefully I’ll be able to post that up here too.

Hope you all have a great day!

-David

Central Missouri Humane Society – Charity Shoot

Finally!

I’m so happy this day came. I’ve been trying to do a particular project with the Central Missouri Humane Society for months.

See, here’s the thing. The Central Missouri Humane Society is having a very hard time staying afloat. They don’t turn animals away and they don’t have the funding for the essentials of care, let alone the space they desperately need. I don’t have much to donate except for some photo skills.

I felt this needed to be done.

So that’s what happened.

It was so much fun too.

A little difficult, but a lot of fun.

Read on for more photos.

Read more »

What a week!

I was doing so well on updating consistently. Then as per usual, I get busy and the blog is the victim.

So here’s what been up this week, and in a way I suppose this can be an outline for what posts will be coming soon. Innovation!

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Erica and Kyle – Engagement Session

If there is one thing I love more than taking photos, it’s taking photos of friends. I know it sounds really cheesy, but it’s true. Maybe it’s just because I know fun people. Erica and Kyle are no exception.

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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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Pierpoint – Band Photoshoot

Pierpoint’s photo shoot has been a long time coming. I don’t know how many times we had to reschedule, but we finally got all the details worked out and found a date everyone could do.

The results?

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Rock Bridge High School – Brochure

A month or so ago we were asked to make a brochure for a local high school. You all know by now that I have to stay pretty tight-lipped about things until they are published no matter the size of the project. Now it’s been printed and released so, here you go!

The brochure is an offset Z-fold. what that means is that the green bar you see on the right of the cover, is actually the right edge of the panel behind the cover. Involved I know, but it makes for a much more interesting piece than a standard tri-panel brochure.

Anyway, I got to do both the photography and the design of the piece. I love it when that happens because it means that I get as close to freedom as you can get in this business. It doesn’t happen often, but man I’m tellin ya’ when it does, it rocks.