Stress Test...

...not quite so stressful as it turns out.

So after the FB campaign launched, I was inundated with requests. It was a nice feeling, and I was really happy to try and accommodate all of the people looking to help me out. I could have spaced them out evenly, but I knew with the Holidays approaching, I would need to work quickly if the shoots were to be of use.

With that in mind, I decided to see exactly what I could handle in terms of scheduling shoots as well as managing my workflow for processing. Last weekend I was hit up for four sessions, and managed to complete all of the post-work by Sunday night, and still feel like I'd produced results.

I really had a blast spending a weekend doing it, and the fatigue is just setting in today after the 5th shoot. Hence resurrecting the blog, (as I forbade myself from editing this evening), and so waste my time rolling my eyes at the Biggest Loser. As I said though, I had a great time and really enjoyed the rash of work. The suspiciously warm weather was a great help and the families I worked with were especially wondeful.

I enjoyed it so much, I'm extending my stress test to this weekend, with another four shoots. A year from now I'll likely be blogging from a hospital bed babbling about a 12-month stress test, but thats neither here nor there as I continue to surf a wave of enjoyment...

So, if you havent seen the new work from this past weekend, hit up the FB fanpage, as photos and the awesome new video-slideshows are up and done. Video-slideshows you say? Why yes, Video-slideshows. You see, as I edit pictures, rather than get hung up on small details, I work in drafts, and revisit a slideshow after the initial edits. I noticed that if I do this to music, the pictures are much more emotive. As I pondered over how best to use this, I worked on producing short movies featuring highlights of a shoot set to music, and thats the first thing a client will see from the session, as a way of accentuating the impact of their pictures. I feel it was one of my better decisions.



So what else is on the cards for this happy little venture of mine? Well, upcoming sessions include not only family sessions, but some commercial work also, which will be interesting. As we hit December, I'm also launching on the FB page my 'A for Advent Project'.

Projects are common tools for photographers. You generally decide on a theme, be it a 365 (taking one picture a day for a year), drainpipes (admittedly probably not a common theme) etc, and commit yourself to following through on the assignment. The purpose is to force yourself to be creative and force yourself to shoot with a purpose each and every day.

So, with Christmas just around the corner, and 26 letters in the alphabet, I've plumped for an Advent calendar style done in alphabetical order. Will it be as dull as it sounds? Hopefully not. I intend to have some fun with it, and produce some solid shots. It could be dull however. You were forewarned.

Anything else? Well, the business side is pretty much wrapped up now. I know what I want to offer, and have it all designed. Its all boring. However, administration seems to creep into everything as I'm sure you all know. I'll endeavor not to let it creep into the blog...

Though one idea I do have and want to get it in print early is the concept of Legacy Pricing.

As I stated in my previous blog entries, I want to become a family's "go-to guy" for their photography. Legacy Pricing is one of my commitments to that goal. In a nutshell what it means is that the first time you deal with me, well, that's the price you'll pay for the rest of our relationship. I'm sure that the cost of doing business, and also my prices will rise, but if you were in with me from the start, that's what you'll pay regardless. The cost of those Senior Portraits for your child at age 18 will be the same price they were when I did their baby pictures...

OK, Biggest Loser is done and Leno is on. Time to accelerate the eye-rolling. Or I could just watch the local news and see how many people were shot in Milwaukee today. Either way, check out the new stuff, and let me know if you need anything..