Monday, November 19, 2012

Business plan

Obviously it is important to build on shooting skills as a photographer. There should be an constant effort to produce better and better images. i am a business person as well, so i also have to have a concrete business plan and marketing strategy... or so I'm learning!
I have been scouring the net looking for resources to help me establish the frame work I feel I need. There is a decent amount of info but not a lot of hands on resources that are free or cheep. What I have found though is pretty amazing!(links at bottom of page)
My hope is that in 2013 I will not only be a better and more confident photographer but that I will also be a smarter more organized business woman.

 Marketing education and  resources:
http://photographywebmarketing.com/
http://www.thejoyofmarketing.com/
http://www.gmarketing.com/
http://www.etsy.com/listing/115254652/free-photography-marketing-planner

Business planning resources:
http://blog.photoshelter.com/2011/12/2012-photo-business-plan-workbook/ it is dated 2012 but will obviously work for 2013
http://blog.photobiz.com/business-plans-for-photographers
https://www.nppa.org/calculator

Sunday, November 18, 2012

When the sun city throws you clouds and rain...

You make the best of it! First family session I have had in ages and my nerves were a mess! I have shot this family's beautiful little girl before but not them all together. Dad is army and home on R&R for two weeks only so there really wasn't an option to change the date. I had to nail it weather be darned! Ended up with the most beautiful defused light! It was to die for! The wet ground and benches not so much but heck, can't have it all right?! I can not wait to get these images polished!

Monday, November 5, 2012

what the heck to write?!

Trying to not let this blog fall by the wayside again...but am at a total loss as what to write about! Figured a totally random iPod phot was fitting to go with a totally random post!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

black hole


Wow, it has been since June that I have blogged! I had not realized it had been so long! It was not my intention to let it go. Why the silence? Simply I was depressed. Depression is something I have battled for as long as I can remember. I get moody off and on.I can attribute that to being a woman,or being an artist, or being overwhelmed with being a busy mother of 4, but depression is different. It sucks you in. you feel it tugging on you and you try to ignore it and go on with life but eventually it sucks you in to it's black hole.The falling into that hole is one thing the climb out is another! Thankfully I have just a bit more to go til I can lift myself complacently out of this place.

The images:a piece of home.where I go to find peace...even if only in my dreams.

Friday, June 8, 2012

100 stranger prodject

I wish I was more bold.,that I could walk up to anyone and just say "Hey, My name is Heather, I'm a photographer, and this is why you should hire me..." It just doesn't come natural to me! I see artists in my area who I know I am far more skilled than, that I have spent far more time educating myself about everything photography related from modeling to marketing than they have and yet they are far more busy than I am. Confidence in myself is what is holding me back in a huge way.

I found this project called the 100 stranger project that in effect force me to approach people and convince them to let me take their image. It is terrifying but I know I will learn so much by doing it

My first shot was taken at a multi tribe pow-wow. There were so many amazing things to see,taste,and purchase. I can tell you honestly had the girl not knocked over my gear I never would have asked, kind of felt that in that moment she would do it as an sorry for that type of thing! She and her sister where Navajo dancers. I loved their outfits, but adored their sparkling eyes.


The second shot I knew exactly what I planned to shoot before going out. It was national donuts day and I was taking my two younger sons out for a treat. The first person I asked turned me down.Her reason was that "she was so ugly" I thought she was beautiful, but what do you say to that other than "no your not" The second one was up for me taking his image but not much on conversation.



Other than just the image, you are suppose to tell about them. You are capturing the persons image AND their story! As a military family where we are right now is not a place we will likely see again once we leave so for me personally it is important to capture all my 100 strangers while we are in El Paso so I will not just be telling the story of 100 people but a slice of my family's story!


 The  link to my Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78847270@N02/sets/72157629800894096/with/7317197304/
 The link to the 100 stranger group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
 Links to a few other 100 stranger project photographers that are also bloggers.
http://naomi-nammo.blogspot.com/2012/03/dont-talk-to-strangers.html?showComment=1339214828417#c7953548956787717664

http://www.deinfaces.com/

http://weiry.com/100strangers/

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

I LOVE that! part 1: PSEP


I often find it hard to pin point what I want to write about. You could throw subjects at me all day long and I could come up with something...but ask me to come up with it off the cuff is so difficult! I don't want to bore my readers. I don't want this blog to become like a diary, all about how cute my kids are and what I made for dinner last night. I equally don't want this blog to become cold,clinical, and 100% business. I am a vibrant creative not a suit and I need that to show!
 For the next few posts  I figured I'd share what I love. These people or products are part of what I aspire to be or help me thew what they do to be all that I can,am, and dream to be!


















1) The Photographic Society of  El Paso.
This group is amazing! PSEP has been featured on the locally popular webpage, 915 lifestyle that highlights  entertainment, events,and eateries in El Paso .http://www.915lifestyle.com/index.php/out-n-about/events/item/156-psep-meet-123112

They do have a Facebook,http://www.facebook.com/pselp but it's forum is  private. They are a group of photographers, models,MUA,hair stylists,and fashion designers that collaborate together and trade their service to benefit all involved. The group has all skill levels as members from the fresh start-ups with a ton to learn to the seasoned pros. The have an organized shoot once a month and it is a great portfolio builder and networking event.

Here is a youtube video of one of the meet-ups. I missed this one because I was out of town for the holidays.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpLA8HB1FD4

Outside of just the portfolio building there is a wealth of information that these gracious people share freely and selflessly. I fell in love with photography long before we got to El Paso, but these people have helped me grow as an artist considerably.Long after I leave El Paso I will be singing this wonderful groups praises.


Sunday, April 29, 2012

Fun times at Ascarate park



           Water had always been a big part of life for both my husband and I growing up.


My husband is from upstate New York. His grandmother lived across the street literally from Lake Ontario. Big open water was always present for: fishing,swimming,boating,or whatever  else they could come up with.I'm from Colorado. Growing up we had rivers and lakes;nothing as grand as Lake Ontario,but beautiful all the same. We went camping often and thou I inevitably got sea sick I enjoyed getting on our family's canon and fishing the afternoon away. We lived in Georgia for seven years and there we had so much water between small streams,lakes and the ocean.

            

Our little bit of Texas, El Paso, is pure desert.Water to play in...find a swimming pool or drive 3-4 hours! That is with the exception of a park that if it had not been for getting completely lost one day I never would have found, Ascarate Park .http://www.epcounty.com/parksandrec/ascaratepark/lake.htm
Ascarate Park is defiantly kind of a smorgasbord of outdoor activity for family. On the 448 acres there is a golf course, baseball fields, a playground,a duck pond,walking and biking trails,places to picnic,and a 18 acre lake.

I won't lie,there are some things left to be desired at Ascarate Park. As you drive in,past the boat rental place there is a large area that has what looks to be an old race track,a room that looks like it could house a meeting room that are all but abandoned.If but to good use they would add considerably to the park but since they are not they are a bit of an eye sore. The place can get a bit dirty with litter. To fix those two issues would mean  money dedicated to fixing and maintaining this little hideaway.I found an story from the El Paso Times(link below) talking about just that,fixing up the park.I am glad to report on our lst visit there was evidence that work was underway. We will likely be on to our next home by the time they are finished but I can't wait to read about the  completion,
 http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_18728825