Reflecting

Well, looks like another winter day with snow falling all night and wind blowing the drive in to work should be another adventure. All part of the joys of being a Canadian and dealing with harsh winters. I am excited that this Friday and Monday are holidays. After fighting my bad cold for the last while I feel like I am in need of a few days off.

Things sure have changed in the last while with photography and me. As I have been doing lots of time for print work I have noticed an improvement in my work. Time for print has been to me like a sketchbook. I can try new things, work on my lighting, be creative and try and do some things I wouldn't normally try. I have to credit some of the awesome models I have had the chance to work with. 2 of the most important ones being Christie and Keri. They shot with me when I had no clue what I was doing. I joined http://www.modelmayhem.com/ and started asking lots of models if they would shoot with me. Hardly anyone would respond. I look at my work then and I don't blame them.

This past while I have had lots of models off mayhem and now facebook contacting me. Some that I never heard back from before are out of the blue messaging me now for shoots. It's a good feeling to be getting this because it helps remind me of my improvement. I have total respect for the models I have worked with. Some photographers have massive ego and claim it's "all them" when a picture is a success. I have to strongly disagree. We have the EASY job. Sure our gear costs money and we do have to use skill. BUT.......the model makes the shot, her expressions, her time in creating her look, the money she spends on clothes, the time she spends working in front of the camera trying to give the photographer that perfect shot. I think in the end a model deserves as much credit if not more. I know a lot of the compliments I've got are due to working with some top notch models. Just as an example Samantha Valentine is one amazing model. She comes to shoots with a strong makeup background, a natural beauty and for any photographer she's a dream to work with...I challenge anyone to try and show me a bad picture or take a bad picture of this girl.

Basically I don't see myself ever stopping doing tfp (time for print) work. It's just fun, rewarding and to me a growing part of being a photographer. I don't want to just do "paid" work and be charging people for the learning part of my experience as a photographer. That doesn't mean I don't want to get paid. I do!!! :) hehehe, however, I want to have chances to throw caution to the wind, try new ideas and techniques. TFP shoots are perfect times to do this, not during a paid shoot with a client. While I may have fellow photographers that disagree with me I stand by the tfp bandwagon and credit it with my success in photography. It's like anything in life, you need practice to be good. :)

I also have my wife Jenn to thank, she's always supporting my photography addiction and isn't a jealous wife when it comes to working with all of the models. I know I wouldn't be where I am now if my spouse was a jealous type...so thanks to my beautiful and sexy wife Jenn for loving me and giving me the chance to do photography. Lots of my friends wish they were me. :)

Happy Hump Day Everyone, off to the snowbound roads I go. :)

-Randy