Here are a few things to consider as you make the decision.

Having a NON-interchangeable lens means you have less to worry about dust, about losing parts, and about being ready for the moment. This is a good thing.

And a huge downside to the DSLR (and there fore, a plus to the point-and-shoot) is that they are bigger and heavier. Do not underestimate this. The bigger and heavier a camera is the less likely you are to bring it. And the camera you bring is the camera you use. And any photo is better than no photo at all.

However, unless you’re paying THOUSANDS for your non-SLR camera (which you can do and get the best of both worlds in some ways) then you’re also getting a much smaller sensor. This equates to more noise, less quality, and a greater difficulty in those cool tricks like making the background out of focus, capturing fireworks, and working in really low light.

For, kids, especially young kids, nothing beats the speed of a DSLR. The point and shoots get close… really close… but they are not quite there. For macro photography and photos of flowers, the point-and-shoots have an edge due to the mechanics of the small lenses and small sensors.

In reality, I have one of each (and two more for good measure and I’m not even kidding). Based purely on the average person, I’d have to say the top-notch point and shoot may be the best option. One of the Panasonic travel zooms (like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5/TZ8), or the beautiful new Canon G11 (or even the Canon S50 if you swing that way). These cameras are all smart, and fun, and fast, and take beautiful photos and all cost the same if not less than a DSLR would.

But, if you want that extra oomph in quality and speed, and really don’t mind the extra weight and size, go for a bottom of the line DSLR. I shoot Nikon, but, truly, Canon is just as good. As long as you have something in the 30-50mm range for a lens, the kids photography will be covered. If you travel or hike a lot you might want 18-200mm range.

There are a few tasks that one camera style is more suited to than another. If you want to mess with studio lighting and dedicated flashes go for the DSLR (and shell out the moolah for the lights). If you want to shoot sporting events, go for the DSLR (and shell out the cash for a big, long lens). If you want to do long, artsy, night time photos, go for the DSLR (and throw down some dough for a wider aperture). If you’re into macro photography, go for the point and shoot. It really is the cheapest easiest way to get that job done. If you want to take the camera to the beach, underwater, or on hiking trips in questionable weather, go for the point-and-shoot since the waterproof housings are cheaper.

“Pretend you live for a living.”

–Buddy Wakefield

Flickr’s Navel Gazing Society (otherwise known as Explore) is certainly no measure of greatness. Neither that of a photograph, nor that of the life of a photographer. But accepting it as an indicator I present the following:

I had 46 photos hit explore from 4/5/2005 until 11/23/2007.  That’s 18 per year.

My daughter was born in 12/2007.

I had 14 photos hit explore from 11/23/2207 until 12/13/2008. That’s 13 per year. A pretty steep drop from before, but still one a month. A baby does that to you and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

My wife left in 01/2009. After a few months of depression I was left refreshed, ready to take on the world, and with a young child under my care for roughly 75% of my previously “free” time.

I had 0 photos hit explore from 12/13/2008 until now. That’s 0 per year.

Again, I’m not complaining. I’m just trying to work it out in my head.

You see, the thing is, I’m very efficient, yet terrible at multi-tasking. Let me do one thing at a time and I’ll do it quickly and very well. Make me do two things at once and I’ll more than likely fail at both of them. Caring for a child takes at least some portion of my attention almost all of the time.

I don’t have time to take the photos I used to. It’s not that I don’t have time to hold a camera point it at things and release the shutter. Many would argue that a child makes a beautiful interesting photographic subject. And, despite always carrying far too many things, keeping a camera (or three) on me at all times is something I’m quite good at. I take plenty of photos. But photography is about more than just pressing a button. It’s about seeking out the light. It’s about waiting for the perfect moment. Looking for light and waiting for a photo are two things incredibly hard to do with a young child. They don’t like to sit still. And, doing so while watching a child is multi-tasking. So, I’m terrible at it.

I also don’t have time to edit. Editing photos is a two part process. First, we throw away the junk. Then, we make the good stuff look better. This takes time. Lots of it. Sitting in front of a computer isn’t something a young child enjoys, unless they enjoy it so much that they want to help, at which point, you’re not getting the job done at all. The good news is, I can do this when she’s asleep. The bad news is, that’s the only time I have to do lots of other things as well.

Finally, I don’t have time to promote. I used to spend a lot of time viewing photos, commenting on photos, discussing photos, and sharing photos. I have all but stopped doing any of these things.

So, now to the important part. How can I get back some of what I had without losing the wonderful things I have now? Because I can’t multi-task, I have to find ways to make what I do more efficient and to find ways to allow me to juggle tasks better.

Of course, just because you’re not me or not in this same situation doesn’t mean that these tips won’t make you more efficient too.

1) Take fewer photos

With film, releasing the shutter on your camera was a commitment to spending both time and money in order to actually see the image. Photographers acknowledged this and very few were willing to release the shutter until they were sure they had it right. When digital came along the mentality shifted: it’s just digital. Click away! Sort them out later!

In theory, if you’re looking for a certain shot taking as many as possible helps ensure you get the right one. In practice, if one of them is terrible, the rest probably will be too. Multiple shots approaching with different ideas and at multiple angles is one thing and certainly a good idea. But taking photographs just in case they might be good amounts to nothing but waste.

By spending more time looking and less time clicking, I might be more likely to anticipate a shot. And having fewer photos will drastically reduce the amount of time I spend in Phase 1 of editing, and somewhat reduce the time I spend in Phase 2.

2) Bring a Photo Friend

Bringing along a photographically inclined friend, particularly one with similar distractions (i.e. children, in my case) leaves us both with the ability to explore an idea more closely. As something strikes me as worthy of further examination, being able to trust my child in the other person’s hands as I explore an idea more fully will let me free my mind completely for the task. And my friend gets the same benefit. Additionally, as children often become the subjects of photographs, it allows one of us to photograph while the other helps adjust and collect the children.

3) Involve the Children

This is only a small break, but every little bit counts. But sending the children seeking for the elements you’re looking for in your photo, their minds focus a bit more and it makes them easier to monitor. Kids are great at looking for shadows, sticks, flowers, trees, letters, numbers, and things like this. Just don’t ask them to look for soft lighting on the side of a fire hydrant with minimal background distraction. Or, at least wait until they are 12 or so.

Involving them in the 1st phase of editing (and parts of the 2nd phase as well) is also a good idea. You’ll need software that allows you to rate photos quickly and with at least 3 or 4 different levels of rating (junk, keep for fun/memories, good, awesome). With this in place, children love to look at photos from an adventure they just took. Especially if there are photos of people and things they recognize. Making a habit out of unloading a photo card in the same way we unload our backpacks after an adventure will bring a child to anticipate doing so.

4) Involve Friends for Promotion

Nothing makes me want to photograph MORE than knowing that my work is enjoyed and appreciated. Promotion allows this to be fully realized. Friends can be a fantastic resource for promotion. Between Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Buzz, Blogs, and Email your friends can quickly and easily help get the word out about how wonderful a certain photos of yours is. Take the time to share with your friends and ask them to do the promotion for you.

And, if you are the friend of a photographer *cough, ahem, ME!*, share their work. Expose their art. Most social media outlets have icons you can drag to your browser toolbar to make sharing as simple as clicking a button. Here are some for Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, and Tumblr.

I hope this helps you with your photography. Do you have any other ideas to share that can help get better photos with a partially distracted mind?

Reverend
I include the word “Reverend” in my online Persona (which is really just regular ole me with a bit more courage). Many people have mistaken this to mean that I am a Reverend of a Church. While I am, in fact, a Reverend of a Church, it isn’t the Church that comes to their mind and that’s not what this word signifies for me.

Reverend is defined as “worthy of adoration or reverence”, and reverence, basically, means respect. It’s my not so subtle way of indicating that what I have to say is important and that my words and I should be respected. I don’t mean this in an elitist way. I believe everyone to be worthy of reverence when they take an honest chunk of themselves and cast it out there for all to see, no matter the nature of that work, the medium it’s presented in, or the meaningful nature of it to a particular recipient.

Chaotic
It’s interesting to me that this word was even selected. Chaos is the natural state of everything and, simultaneously, the enemy to all that we’ve built and organized. To be Chaotic is to be pure and raw and elemental; to allow ourselves to attain the most natural state we can imagine. Yet, at the same time, it is destructive. And destruction can be good, necessary even. But at some point, destruction is wasteful and, eventually, irreparable.

Photo
Photographs are a moment in time. A slice of reality with a frame drawn around it and everything else erased. If you compare a photographer to a painter there are equivalents. A painter applies paint, a photographer, however, captures light. A painter applies it to a canvas, while a photographer captures his on some film or a digital sensor. But the tool the painter relies on most is his brush. For a photographer, this tool is four edges. That’s right. The very box that bounds the photo is what changes photography from a technical trade into an art form.

History
History is really the only thing that separates us from monkeys. History allows us to learn, not only from our own mistakes and successes, but from the mistakes and successes of those before us. If someone hadn’t collected and shared the concept of Algebra, for instance, we’d be limited to what one man could figure out in a single lifetime. History brings each of us an opportunity for eternity. And in that same way, the destruction of history is the destruction of that life.

I rarely build something that I don’t intend to keep some aspect of. Even the failed relationships of my past have left me with puddles of goodness. So good, in fact, that many of those relationships have been rebuilt into something even better than they were before.

Fatherhood
This is single most amazing adventure I’ve ever been on. And, in the big picture, it’s only just the beginning. Nothing could have possibly prepared me for the feeling I had the first time that little creature, my own creation — an organic, natural, earthly miracle — wrapped her tiny hand around my finger. I know it’s an instinct and had little to nothing to do with me. But I didn’t care. I was hooked. This little girl would rule my entire world and I would happily let her do so.

It would be an understatement to say that I am generally paranoid. I spent most of yesterday morning packing for my trip and contemplating whether I should just call the whole thing off and stay in Dallas in case something happened or I was needed in some way.

About 2 hours after we hit the road, Jess called to tell me she’d been in a car accident with the baby in the car. Thankfully, everyone is okay. I’ll keep asking to make sure and worrying about it the time I’m travelling because that’s what I do, but I’m so very glad that everyone is okay. But stuff like this doesn’t help to calm my paranoia. Working it out helps, though.

There’s no way my presence in Dallas would have prevented that accident or any of potential consequences that may follow. It would have likely happened just as it did. The only difference I might have made was in how the situation was cared for afterwards. But Jess is handling it well and calls whenever she has questions or wants an opinion, so that’s good. It makes me feel like she is taking care of everything and that if something needs my attention or if a problem arises she will let me know. As long as I can hold onto that and trust in that, then there is no reason to worry about anything.

I hope working it out is enough to help me let it go.

So that’s that. Enough said.

A Bad Feeling

I’m also starting to see signs that, once again, my intuition can be trusted. This is very good.

Recently (now there’s a vague time word for you), I got a bad feeling about some aspects of some relationships in my life. Yesterday, while I’m fairly sure everything will be just fine in the end, I had a tiny scare that started a zygote of an idea which blossomed into full blown panic. It made me realize that sometimes the risk isn’t worth the payoff and that when my intution is telling me that it might not be, instant gratification is not always the best long term solution.

I continually seek comfort and communion with others and I’m okay with that. I think that’s part of what society is suppossed to provide us with. However, I seem to be seeking it in the wrong places; places that end up leaving me feeling less comfortable and less cared for and more alone. I think, in part, this is due to issues I have with vulnerability. I desire to be close to others but I shy away from the vulnerabilty that generally comes with that. So, instead, I seek action and responses that indicate familiarity and, eventually, comfort, but do so without that initial act of vulnerability. This rarely leads to the response I want which only increases frustration. I’m working on figuring this out. But in the mean time I find myself feeling frustrated and alone in the relationships that I do reach out in. So, while I work on things from this end, I’m hopeful that I find a friendship that will work with me from the other side. It’s not really something you can ask for though. It just has to happen, I guess.

SPOON!

Oh yeah. So, the part of the trip that happned outside of my head. We made it to the hotel around 6:30pm and wanted to get to Stubb’s (the venue Spoon was playing at) by 7pm, so not a whole lot happened before that other than driving and good conversation.

discarded memories

The walk from the hotel to the venue was nice though. I miss walking with a purpose. Celeste and I go on walks often, but the final destination is just back home and the walk, while fun, is mostly purposeless. It’s nice to walk with a purpose. I brought the small point and shoot camera and took a few photos here and there.

The concert was great, despite some technical difficulties. Spoon puts on a good show and when they perform they are just as tight and together as they are on their albums. The sounds was spot on and the bass was just enough to let you really feel the music. Outdoor venues, even in the heat of the Texas summer, are by far my favorite places to see live music.

But… I’m still doing something. It’s been far too long since I spent a weekend focused on Photography. So that’s the goal.

So, these are my options. While I may sound sarcastic and downplaying of each of these, I really am quite excited to do any or all of them.

• Still go to Atlanta… Atlanta, TEXAS, that is. It was, after all, named after Atlanta, Georgia, so I’m sure it’s almost the same as the real thing. Once the destination is reached, just go where the photos take me. Possible sights include Atlanta State Park, Caddo Lake, Jefferson, and Daingerfield (one of my favorite state parks).
• Visit Shreveport, Louisiana. Spend the day photographing urban decay (like Mike Rosebery does), spend the evening playing craps at some stinky casino.
• Drive down to Austin and stop by Hippie Hollow to go skinny dipping for the first time ever, arguably legally.  Then spend the evening photographing Austin sights and night life. Probably visit Hamilton Pool as well.
• See how many Texas towns within 4 hours of my house with stolen/borrowed names I can visit in the course of a weekend. Palestine, Italy, Oakland, Athens, Buffalo, and Eureka, are just a few candidates on a very long list.

Who among you will bring your sense of adventure and join me? I promise as much fun, danger, excitement, and expression as you put into it — which really is saying I promise nothing.

Ha ha hahaha. Just kidding.

Lost Maples an 8 hour drive for me, each way, and I’ll have to do it alone which exactly what I don’t need right now. Additionally, right now on weekends, Lost Maples has a 3 hour way to get in. So Lost Maples is out.

I had started making plans to head toward Arkansas for the weekend, but I just couldn’t work it out to where i was happy. Then the best plan ever finally hit me. I’m headed for central Texas including Colorado Bend State Park.

Here it is. Times are rough because, hell, it’s a road trip. (view route on Google Maps)

SATURDAY
5:00am: Leave Home
7:00am: Arrive at Cleburne State Park (Cleburne, TX)
* Enjoy Cleburne State Park
9:00am: Leave Cleburne State Park
10:30am: Arrive at Lake Whitney State Park (Whitney, TX)
* Enjoy Lake Whitney State Park
1:30pm: Leave Lake Whitney State Park
3:30pm: Arrive at Mother Neff State Park (Moody, TX)
* Enjoy Mother Neff State Park
* Sunset
6:00pm: Leave Mother Neff State Park
7:00pm: Arrive at hotel in Killeen, TX
* Dinner

SUNDAY
4:45am: Get ready
5:15am: Leave Hotel
7:00am: Arrive at Colorado Bend State Park (Bend, TX)
* Enjoy Colorado Bend State Park
11:00am: Leave Colorado Bend State Park
* Lunch
3:30pm: Arrive at Mineral Wells State Park (Mineral Wells, TX)
* Enjoy Mineral Wells State Park
6:00pm: Leave Mineral Wells State Park
8:00pm: Arrive Home

If you follow me on Twitter (as you very well should) you may have witnessed my consideration of making an impromptu Road Trip last Saturday morning. Well, those thoughts have not subsided. Maybe I’ll have better luck if I start thinking about it now, two days earlier.

I’d like to visit the Lost Maples State Natural Area. I’ve been talking about doing this for several years now and simply never have. The point of the trip is to see and photograph the leaves changing colors as it features a large, isolated stand of uncommon Uvalde Bigtooth Maple. According to the 2008 Foliage Color Change Report, last weekend was probably a better weekend to visit. A lot of the Maples have dropped their leaves thanks to the wind. On the good side, the Red Oaks are starting to change.

Of course that’s only the purpose, because it helps to aim your car in some direction if you have a purpose. The best part about Road Trips is what happens in all the unplanned parts, and how your plans twist into something even better than originally planned. I love Road Trips.

If I leave Friday night I figure I’ll stop off in Austin or San Antonio for the evening then head out again the next morning. If I leave Saturday morning, I’ll just head straight there. If I leave by 6am I should be there in time for a nice look around before sunset. For the return trip I’m planning to leave around noon. Leaving on Monday just gives me one extra day and can always be decided upon at the last minute.

If I do the Saturday through Sunday trip, I’ll have just enough time for a little hike and then a sunset. Then do a sunrise, and then have another little hike. Then head home. From sunset to sunrise I’ll bum around Kerrville, look for diners, decaying buildings, and things that would make for interesting night photography. I might also sleep. Maybe.

Of course if I do the Friday through Monday trip, I’ve got a lot more time. I can goof off in Austin or San Antonio Friday night. Take my time getting out to Lost Maples Saturday morning. And I’ll have a whole extra day for exploring or allowing for alternate impromptu plans.

I will get up pretty damn early regardless of where we are or how our plans change only because I really like sunrises. You’re welcome to sleep in the hotel room, car, field, barn, boat house, or whereever it was we ended up the night before if you’d prefer not to get up early. I won’t let the pigs nibble your ears too much.

So.. who’s in? Three people (plus myself) is about the maximum group size to make it fun and dynamic. I do pretty well by myself, but I’d much rather have someone with me.

Let me know SOON, because I need to book hotels and/or find couches to crash on in Austin/San Antonio and Kerrville.

I’m a photographer, damn it! And it’s about time I started acting like one.

Sure, I always have a camera with me. I mean always.

Even on busy work days when I know there is no chance I’ll ever even take off the lens cap, I bring a camera with me. Probably a tripod too, just in case.

When the chances of taking photographs are even slightly greater than that, I bring two cameras with me. You know, something quick and easy, and then something more elaborate in case the occasion allows for it. And, just to be safe, I bring a bigger tripod.

If the chances of there being people involved are high, I bring lights as well. And stands. And remote triggers. And modifiers. I keep it all packed in a light bag ready to go, just in case.

Yes. I’m that bad. Really.

Just ask my wife. When we go out of the house — anywhere — I have more bags and equipment to carry than both she and the baby put together.

I take lots of photographs. And I edit lots of photographs. Just look at all the images in this post that I’ve processed recently. I don’t actually take any photographs.

So what’s the problem?

First of all, despite always being prepared, I don’t take nearly as many photographs as I could. Yeah. That’s me. I’m the dumbass lugging around all this gear and doing absolutely nothing with it. I have the time, the knowledge, and the equipment. Yet I don’t use any of it. When I do take photographs, it’s because I actually planned to and not because the moment just struck me.

Secondly, I have no new photography projects that I am currently working on. I have a backlog of unedited images that just don’t seem all that urgent since no one knows they exist but me. I have no new models lined up. I have no new location prospects. I have no new items on my long list of ideas in need of a model, prop, or location.

In other words, the photographs I am taking, while awesome in their own right, aren’t anything new or challenging or experimental or difficult.

It’s just not right.

And I intend to change that.

Starting now.

First of all, I’ll be taking more photos while I’m out and about. Not in that annoying “oh my god if you take one more photo of me with that damn flash in my face I swear I’m going to kick you in the balls” way as Kyro is prone to. More like the “oh my god, why is the paparazzi here? is there someone famous here?” that Jonathan exudes when he does what he does. Except with an added touch of “why is he taking a picture of THAT?” and “oh my god that photographer is HOOOOOOOOT” and “please, Mr. Photographer, take my picture have let me have 10,000 of your babies”.

Second of all, I’m detailing some new projects to work on and I’ll be revisiting some old projects. Many of them will require models. By models I mean YOU.

It’s difficult to use a model for a project that I’m not already comfortable working with. So, volunteer. Right now. Right this second. Tell me you’re interested in being in one of my projects and let’s set up a time to do a quick session and get to know eachother. Or if you have a project idea of your own, let’s hear it. Now. Don’t wait.

Finally, I’ll be making a more directed attempt at visiting new places that are photographically interesting and scouting new locations for photo sessions. If you like driving around aimlessly, standing in for test shots, and causing trouble with the locals, then you certainly want to come along with me. So say something. Now.

Stay tuned. You won’t want to miss this.

This Saturday, November 1st, I’m heading out to Eisenhower State Park for some sunrise photography on the lake followed by a nice hike on some of the park’s outstanding trails. The plan is to arrive there around 6:15am.

If you’re interested in photographing, being in photographs, hiking, or just watching the sunrise, let me know.

Yes, this is the morning after Skwid’s Halloween party. That makes it a no-go for many of you.

At the same time, while a lot of what is written there is an ongoing conversation with people you may or may not care about, a lot of important stuff is said too, since the platform is so readily available throughout the day. So I’m going to try something new. Once a day, week, month, year, whatever works out in the end, I’m going to collect the important bits and use them as jumping off points for more thought and clarification.

Please, let me know what you think of this. As I’ve said many times before, while I write these words for me, if you’re not reading them they are pointless. Let me know if you like these all in one big post like this, or if I should spread them out into tinier posts throughout the day, or if I should just not do it at all.

# – We have been Wiifitted. Wee! Or rather, Wii!

It started out as a silly idea. I thought the WiiFit was an absurd idea for a “game” and at the same time, an absurd way to “work out”. In my mind, it didn’t fit either role very well. In practice, I was 100% right. However, it does have it’s own sense of charm. It takes all of the instruction, timing, counting and tracking out of exercise. While it doesn’t make certain you are doing the exercises correctly, it at least tries to make sure you stay balanced while you do them. That plus everything else, and it’s about 50% as good as a personal trainer that comes to your house whenever you want her to. And cheaper too.

I particularly like the strength exercises, the yoga practice, and the step aerobics. But, like others, # I find myself wishing the step aerobics were more varied. There are only two “courses” after which comes “free step” which is quite boring. A couple of people think that there will eventually be a Wii Step Aerobics game that will capitalize on this wish of mine. They’re probably right. So release the damn thing already.

# – I’m VERY sick to my stomach. Too much coffee, not enough food. Email me distractions for the next few hours until I can get lunch. Please!

As I get older I’m starting to realize that food can affect me quite a bit more than it used to. Too much of one thing or not enough of another and it can really throw me off. However, I haven’t quite figured out what’s good and what’s bad, what can be tolerated and what should be avoided at all costs.

Yesterday I had 6 “cups” (per the lines on my coffee pot) of coffee in the morning. By 10am I was spinning like crazy and very sick to my stomach. At almost 1pm I got something heavy to eat. Within an hour I felt 75% better. It wasn’t until a had a little down time and another meal that I felt 100%. But, by the end of the day, I felt okay enough to get on the Wii Fit again.

A special thanks to those who sent distractions. I find that, for many of my ailments, keeping me from thinking about them is the easiest way to get around them.

# – Time to build up my harem. Apps are being accepted! Especially if you like stairwells. Maybe this is a good time to use Craigslist. :)

This is a case of “ha ha only serious“. It’s clearly a joke. I don’t have a harem and therefore, don’t have a harem to build up. At the same time, the group of friends and special people that I share physical closeness with is dwindling for various reasons. I certainly don’t require a large group by any means, but, those that remain are largely unavailable. Physical closeness is one of those things that I crave and yet, at the same time, can be absolutely petrified of. It’s a need I don’t fully understand and yet feel very strongly about. It’s comforting. It’s safe. It’s sexy. It’s silly. It’s warm. It’s freeing. And, sometimes, it’s dangerous. All good things.

So, while I don’t actually have a harem, if physical closeness is something your situation allows and something you desire, then, please, really, “applications are being accepted! Especially if you like stairwells.”

Should I use CraigsList for such a purpose. Probably not. I’m better at being close with friends than I am with strangers. But, at the same time, it seems to be well suited to finding such new friends.

# – wanted list: friends: skype, stumble; wishes; harem members; photo: subjects, partners; dreams; dinner friends; progress; peace.

This doesn’t require too much explanation, really. It’s a list of things that I currently desire. Not matieral things. Emotional things. Mental things.

Skype Friends. Check out Skype. It’s the best cross-platform Video/Audio Chatting application I can find. You don’t have to have a camera or a headset to enjoy it either. Sure, it’s more fun if you do, but not required.

Stumble Friends. Check out StumbleUpon. It’s a way of browsing new, interesting websites, as well as sharing new websites that you like with your friends. It’s very easy to use and quite addictive. I’m looking for people to share their interests with me, for people interested in sharing my interests, and hopeful that people will Favorite my photographs so that others will be introduced to them through the world of Stumble.

Harem Members. See above.

Photo Subjects. It’s been ages since I’ve done a portrait session. My studio has been torn down, which makes this harder. But that doesn’t reduce my desire to create and to use the human body as a subject and muse. If you’re interested in being photographed, I’d love to hear from you. I’m specifically looking for people who have free time on weekends to go out to interesting places and be photographed in nature. Additionally, I’m looking for someone who would like to be photographed in the rain. I’d like to set up all the details and logistics so that the next time it’s raining, all it’ll take is a quick phone call and we’ll both be ready to go.

Photo Partners. This is similar to the above, except instead of being in front of my camera, you have your own to stand behind, or, at least, enjoy walking around in various places and stopping for lots of photos. It can get fairly boring to be out alone all the time. I’m looking for someone to share these times with. Someone to lean on for encouragement, to share the waiting with, and to get excited with.

Dinner Friends. See my post from yesterday — you’re invited to dinner — for more information.

Wishes. Dreams. Progress. Peace. These are all self-explanitory.

These are the words I have so far. If I missed any, I’m sorry. Most of them came through Twitter and Text Messages, so they get lost easily. Please give them to me again if I did.

If you’d like to add to this, please leave a comment.

Em: Quiet. Glistening.
Justin: Ursine. Renal.
Jess: Beautiful. Carefree.
Nic: Angular. Angry.
Mary: Pricey. Steamy.
Whitney: Irreverent. Felicity.
Mario: Buxom. Penguin.
Ian: Sensual. Being.
Morgan: Hi. Dark. Bounce. Here. Why. Smile.
Sara: Tasty. Messy.
Tony: Ominous. Evil.

Look at yesterday. I got up at 6:30. I got caught up online, did a little work, wrote, edited a photo, and got myself ready by 9am. I walked to breakfast then walked to work. I was there by 10 and worked until 7pm taking only 45 minutes for lunch. After work I drove to dinner. Then I took some photographs of the city, drove around a bit, and ended up at the hotel by 10pm. I went to bed reading at 11:30 and spent the time in between online. While I could certainly stand to cut back on my time online, it’s not like I’m even a little bit lazy. I do plenty of stuff. I just lack the motivation to do the things I know I should do that also tend to be time consuming or require some form of commitment.

At least for the first year or so, my goal is to take photographs of Celeste every month on or near her month birthday. For a photographer one quick and easy photoshoot at home should be no problem but, somehow, I keep putting it off. Two weeks from now she’ll be 6 months old and I still haven’t even come up with an idea for her 5 month photos. I did take her 3 month and 4 month photos but I still haven’t printed them or mailed them to anyone. The only reason they are edited is because my mother-in-law forced me to do it while they were here. Something so simple and rewarding shouldn’t be difficult to convince myself to do.

Look at all the abandoned photography projects or photo adventures. With the projects, I just keep saying I’m working on them. For the photo adventures, I always have a good excuse. I can find the time and I certainly have the energy. It must be motivation that keeps me from doing these things.

I think I actually have the opposite of motivation: anti-motivation. Maybe you could even call it inertia. I think it is fueled, in part, by a fear of commitment. These larger projects have so many aspects to them. They require planning and dedication. There are people who expect them and are waiting patiently for them. There is something in my head that clicks in all the wrong directions and pushes back on these things. I think I’m afraid of letting myself or others down so much, that I don’t even bother to get started. Give me a series of small tasks to perform today and I’m fine. Give me a larger task to accomplish over a period of time, and somehow, it never gets done.

I have great time management skills. And I’m more than capable of managing very large projects with intricate time lines and rushed due dates. I do this all day every day at my day job. But, when I get home, some how that all shuts off.

At work, the reward for accomplishing large projects on time is obvious: a paycheck and the promise of more work. However, at home, it’s harder to find motivation to make these personal commitments. Most of the people I know undertake projects that benefit themselves and possibly their immediate family. Going beyond that is rare. This isn’t a complaint at all. It’s just the way it is. But the projects I undertake are generally intended to impact more than just myself. I think that maybe the reason I find it so hard to commit to this work is because the rewards are not nearly as obvious.

So I’m looking for help. Someone to share a project with or someone with a goal of their own so we can keep each other in check. Someone offering a reward (silly or serious) for the completion of a project. Or someone to monitor and praise my progress during a project.

Here’s what I’m working on: Skins editing, summer camping trip, celeste monthly photos, wet/water shoot with model, website redesign and migration, sensual anonymity (more models and more photos), rural night photography, clean studio shots of random objects (hi tech catalog type work).

Last week doesn’t count thanks to the fact that I was out of town and without the technical means to publish a photo thanks to my stupid laptop. So let’s look at the week before that and see how well I did.

Breaking Out – This falls into Non-Landscape. If I were very lenient with myself, this might also be considered Other Portrait.

cold skin, dead eyes – This falls into Non-Landscape.

a shock of life – This falls into Non-Landscape.

a long, lasting look – This is Landscape.

the distance between us – This is loosely Landscape. But could also be considered Non-Landscape.

what button do I push? (personal) -This is a Self-Portrait, It’s also an Other Portrait since the image was designed.

they grow up so fast -This is a Casual Baby Portrait. If I wanted to be really tricky I could claim this was an Advertising Photo as well, but we both know better.

In summary, I did okay. I hit the non-Landscapes really hard. Clearly, they were on the brain. I missed the Advertising / Stock photo all together. The Other Portrait required my daughter as the model. This is perfectly fine but I’d like to vary the portrait subjects I work with in the coming weeks so that I’ll have a more varied set of subjects to choose from with publishing. Volunteers?

Now… let’s see how this week goes.

My Self Portrait Project is a good example of how well this works. In that two week span, I produced an image almost every single day. At least half of them are among my most popular images. Of course the other half are pretty trite and uninspired. The two sort of go hand-in-hand.

Additionally, I spend a lot of time photographing landscapes. However, due to time constraints imposed by my day job, travel time (both by car and by foot), external cooperation from nature, a very narrow operating window, and the huge editing requirements, it’s one of the most difficult types of photography for me to engage in right now. Right up there with a full-blown portrait session (the more difficult of the two depending on specifics, like the model’s flexibility and travel distances). The point is, there are other forms of photography that are more casual and fit better into a packed lifestyle. They need some exploration.

So here are the tentative goals, subject for review in 2 or 3 weeks. Notice there’s a difference between what I take and what I publish.

Self Portrait – 3 concepts per week; Publish 1 per week (personal)
These are very beneficial. Not only do they allow me to work without any assistance or requirements from any one or any thing other than myself, they allow me to try new concepts on a willing subject, and offer advantages in my personal life by improving my body image, forcing me to work alone, giving me time for reflection, and encouraging me to improve myself, physically.

Casual Baby Portrait – 3 photos per week; Publish 1 per week (personal)
For a photographer, I have WAY too few photographs of my own child. This is uncalled for. We do a porttrait session with her once a month and, at this point, that’s plenty. There’s no excuse for not taking more of her outside of the studio. However, if I were going to make one it would be that when I’m around her, I’m either holding her, driving, or she’s sitting in her chair which makes for a boring backdrop after a while. This will encourage me to vary my interaction with her and to be more creative with my surroundings.

Other Portrait – 1 concept per week; Publish 1 every other week
This can be in the studio, a lit location photograph, or taken casually. Because it is concept driven, it should be pre-thought, even if that means only 5 minutes before. Generally speaking, each concept should produce 2-3 usable photos. However, due to the fact that this requires me to either approach strangers, steal photos of friends, or set up appointments each week, I’m being a bit lax here to see how much I can handle. Planned sessions with other people always add a layer of complexity because there are two schedules to mingle and if either person is late it can really throw things off.

Landscape - 1 outing per week (3-5 photos); Publish 1 per week
Despite being difficult to engage in, it’s still a whole lot of fun. Considering evening walks with my family, sunrise shots with my dad, late night photography, weekend hiking, and the occasional solo outing, this should be doable.

Non-Landscape – 3 photos per week; Publish 1 per week
Not being 100% certain on how this will work, I’m being a bit lax here as well. Regardless of where I go or what I do, I should be able to manage taking 3 photographs a week. These can be the result of concepts or taken casually.

Stock / Advertising – 1 concept per week
There’s a lot of money to be made in advertising photography and stock photography. Despite this, I very rarely venture into this realm. One concept per week will be my method of dipping my toes in and seeing how it goes. This can vary from a product shot to a photo meant to convey a particular feeling or message and may or may not include a human element.

Publish at least 5 photos per week while meeting all of the above requirements (1 self portrait, 1 casual baby portrait, 1/2 of an other portrait, 1 landscape, 1 non-landscape). The self-portrait and baby portrait may be published personally (depending on feel) and, therefore, not count towards the 5 photos. Additionally, categories can be combined. If I take a product shot in studio for baby soap that features a woman bathing Celeste it’d count as my Advertising shot, my Baby Portrait, my Other Portrait, and my Non-Landscape photo. I’ll stick my foot in frame and make it a Self-Portrait too. Additionally, the photographs being published do not have to be those taken that week.

This may seem to be going in the opposite direction of what I need right now — a very clearly defined niche to claim as my own in order to gather more interest in my work, more free time, and a looser schedule. However, I think that forcing this work will allow me to get back into a place where photography becomes an extension of my life and part of the routine. Taking more photographs and making photographs easier to take will help me to develop that niche.

Your thoughts, comments, and offers of assistance are greatly appreciated. At the very least, wish me luck. I’ll revisit this in a few weeks and make any needed adjustments.

Yes, I’m very clearly crazy. You knew that already.

Every day I see Photographers making it big. And every day I see photographers loving the craft, doing what they can, and not even trying to make it. But I didn’t realize how many people there are out there in my exact same situation. And most of them aren’t photographers.

I like looking to musicians when thinking about photography because like the public’s taste in music, taste in photography is subjective and attracting people to it is way more complicated than just creating the best image.

– Rob Haggart // where are all the goddamn photos

Creating the “best image” is only a very small part of this. Yeah, Martin Prihoda is awesome. But as I watch him work behind the scenes with Delerium, aside from appreciating the results, which are fantastic, my single strongest thought is, “DUH!”. The lighting is simple. The framing, average. The location, obvious. Yes, it’s a fantastic shot. But it’s certainly not outside of the realm of what I’m completely capable of. But he’s getting paid, and I’m not. So, there’s something more to it than getting the “best image”. A lot more.

The photographer has got to stop thinking they deliver a product TO BE framed. Rather, they need to deliver a product that is already framed. Build the story, build the frame and you can grow the revenue.

Here’s the real kicker, though. You have to have to have something to say. And it’s a hell of lot more work to build that frame.

– Sean Cayton // comment

I’ve always considered this to be the case: in this crazy, overstuffed, digital age, being the best isn’t enough. Lots of people are the best. I’ve got to have a story, and a reason, and a drive. I’ve got to be different. I’ve got to be special. I’ve got to have someone as interested in looking at the subject I’ve selected as I am in photographing it. And it helps a lot if I bring a few people with me.

But if I’m passionate about a subject, and I’m following a particular photographer who distributes (for free) a work-in-progress on that subject, and once it’s finished she asks me to pony up for the book?

It’s a no-brainer. Of course I’m going to, ’cause I’m a true fan.

– Sean Cayton // comment

Regardless of your choice of art form, if you leave out the “big break” effect, the True Fan is the key. For every head-over-heels, stark-raving-mad, TRUE fan you have, there is a circle of friends that surrounds him wishing he’d just shut up about you. And that’s they key.

Anyone producing works of art needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.

A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can’t wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans.

[...] Assume conservatively that your True Fans will each spend one day’s wages per year in support of what you do. That “one-day-wage” is an average, because of course your truest fans will spend a lot more than that. Let’s peg that per diem each True Fan spends at $100 per year. If you have 1,000 fans that sums up to $100,000 per year, which minus some modest expenses, is a living for most folks.

– Kevin Kelly // 1,000 True Fans

I used to think that finding True Fans began with my friends. I thought that if I could impress them with my work, gain their interest, acceptance, and word of mouth, that it would spread like wildfire. What I’m starting to realize is that people aren’t generally stark-raving-mad about their friends. Not publicly, anyway. Not to strangers. And if you’re good friends, then you already know all the people they know, which rules them all out too. I have an example of this exact situation.

I met a girl once at a party. I had only a very vague idea of who she was, but she knew me. The minute she realized I was me she became giddy and star-struck. The whole thing was surreal and amazing. I was high from it for weeks. I wanted more. I thought that the best way to nurture that fanatic was to befriend them. I don’t regret that for even one second as she is a fantastic friend to me. But that whole giddy star-struck thing went away as soon as I became real and human to her.

Friends are often willing to say, “I know a guy who take photos. You should talk to him” when the conversation is directed that way. But friends aren’t the people who post a new blog entry that says “Have you seen Daniel’s newest photo?! OMG, I want to have like 10,000 of his babies!”

Friends are great. They fuel my work, they support its creation, they offer ideas, and subjects, and sounding boards, and shoulders. They are incredible, and amazing, and beautiful, and necessary. But they don’t pay the bills.

I need to attract some fans to my work — some true, stark raving lunatics. Thankfully, I’ve got an excellent, inside source of information on them: I just happen to be one.