25th Sep 2010, 9:34pm

I've decided I'm going to try and tag a portfolio shoot on to the end of my regular studio sessions...so many times I have ideas buzzing around that I just need to shoot...or lighting setups I want to try (when I have time to fail!)...and while I'm there it's a perfect opportunity.  These sessions are free and I give 2 8x12 prints (or equivalent value) in exchange for a model release (you're welcome to purchase more if you wish).  And I'll be advertising these sessions on Facebook as they come up...so hop on over there and 'like' me to be first to hear about them.

When I posted my ad last week for two siblings to model for me at the hideous time of 6.45 I wasn't sure anyone would be keen.  I know how my kids are feeling by that time and trying to get them to pose for pics would not be a good idea! 

But Zanthe and Shelten were awesome...I had some quite specific goals from this session and they were brilliant at listening and following my (sometimes slightly vague!) instructions.  I asked them to bring their favourite outfits and something special to them, working on the theory that how we choose to dress when given no rules and the things we hold dearest express a deeper level of who we are.

And check out these dance moves!

Thank you so much Zanthe and Shelten, you are stars!

25th Sep 2010, 9:00pm

Usually when I go to the studio to do portraits I take a bus load of stuff; couches, my 'wooden' floor, you name it...but this time I decided I wanted to get back to basics.  Maybe it was all the discussion after the Iris Awards about the purity of photography or maybe it was the influence of Marti Freidlander and Diane Arbus whose work I've been looking at recently but I wanted to try to strip away all the other stuff and capture just what my subjects brought to the session. 

And I have to say, the Nyika's were the perfect subjects for this approach because they are so full to the brim with life and personality and enthusiasm...they really did 'bring it'...

Thanks so much guys, I had a blast!

23rd Sep 2010, 10:22pm

I just love catching up with my wedding couples a few years down the track and meeting their beautiful children. 

How cool is it that the last shot in Alice and Ben's wedding album was this one:

And here are their two kids, Oliver and Sophie playing in the same suitcase...

They were so not into posing and sitting still...I mean seriously?  There's playing to be done!  I love the interactions between them...

That's what being a sibling is all about right?

18th Sep 2010, 1:54pm

One of my jobs as Wedding Director for the NZIPP (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photographers) is to write a monthly thing for the Proreport magazine that goes out to all our members.  In the issue before Infocus I skipped the 'article' approach in favour of an 'Infocus Scavenger Hunt' (that I didn't seriously expect anyone to actually complete)...but then I thought it would be an interesting way to report back on everything that happened in what turned out to be the most incredible week


10 Business cards (and not all from the Trade Show) - I totally failed on this one.  And I think I only gave away a couple too.  On the upside I probably have 10 new facebook friends so perhaps we'll call it covered.

1 Conversation with someone you have blog stalked but never actually spoken to - I totally can tick this one off after having lunch with Michael Grecco.  In case you missed that I'll say it again...I got to have lunch with Michael Grecco *sigh* can die happy now :-)

6 Hours of print judging spread over at least two categories - I was so priviledged to have the job of doing the documentary photography of the print judging and that meant I had the best seat in the house, access to the behind the scenes stuff...everything!  Such a buzz and really quite something to be sitting 2m from the judges as they discuss your print!

A print's eye view of the judging process

1 Thing you bought at the Trade Show - I didn't even buy one thing...they had to wipe my drool off the new 85mm 1.4 but I was so strong.  Don't ask me about the Witchery sale because that was a whole 'nother story :-)

10 Brochures of things you wanted to buy at the Trade Show (but didn’t) - better than brocures was the ability to actually chat with my suppliers about the new things they're doing to help my business...LOVE that!

1 Emotional roller coaster ride - I think I may have overdone this one!  The whole week felt like a crazy rollercoaster...high points included hanging out with some of the most inspiring, fantastic, talented, generous and friendly photographers anywhere...seeing emerging photographers, whose work I had just seen go through the Q process, winning a swag of awards on their first time entering...having lunch with Michael Grecco (see how I just dropped that in there?  Subtle huh?).  And then there were the low points...seeing my first print up (which was my fav) crash and burn into 'professional standard'...seeing my friend's prints judged harshly with reasoning that was beyond me...tiredness...and the snooty chick at Starbucks who told me off for ordering 'non fat' instead of 'trim' (no, it's ok, I'm over it, really lol).  On balance of course there were so many more highs than lows.

My wedding prints that all scored Bronzes

Also a bronze for me, this time in the Illustrative category
 

2 Things you’re going to tweak in your business straight away - not sure it counts but I came home and weeded the pot plants outside my door and bought new plants for them!  And change was already in the wings but my packages were long overdue for an overhaul and I have some exciting stuff happening there too.

2 Things you’re going to think about changing over the next three months - yes, definitely got this covered :-)  Watch this space!

3 Depressing thoughts about never being that good - *sigh* yes, I may have had three of those

3 Optimistic thoughts about being better next time - and omgosh yes, so many ideas for next year!

4 Things you knew but needed to be reminded about - check :-)

1 Moment of despair - I tell you, I felt physically sick when my fav image got a 63 (70 is the cut off for bronze and I had silver hopes for it...clearly I was deluded lol).  But I'm a big girl and I dealt with it maturely and constructively.  By going shopping.  At Witchery.  Yup.

10 Great stories to tell that start with “This one time, at Infocus...” I have so many of these :-)  But my favourite might be the look of utter shock on Blair Quax's face when he won Wedding Photographer of the Year.  I swear he made it all the way up on to the podium, got his statue, posed for a photo and was back in his seat before reality hit!  So well deserved though!  And while we're on the topic of deserving winners...Emma Hughes won Wedding Album of the Year with this beautifully dreamy album.  So much talent and hard work behind those stories :-)

1 Moment of glory - well I suppose it might have been lunch with Michael Grecco (again, subtle right?) but nope, really it was getting my associateship.  Four years ago I attended my first conference as a total noob.  I sat there at the dinner and watched these photographers I idolised from afar going up on stage to get their medals as associates, masters, fellows and I wished for it to be me.  So it was one of those wonderful 'full circle' things to be going up to get mine.  And of course it's just the beginning really.  When I see that in the four years I have managed to get 10 points, Tony Carter has got 90...well, what can you say?  Now I have a new wish :-)

And no trip would be complete without a few iphone pics..

 
So there it is, my completed scavenger hunt!  Do I have to shout myself a drink for finishing it?