JarvieDigital Photography Blog » Engagement Pictures

Baker is so Hot right now!

ScottJarvie — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 13:07:41 +0000

The purpose of this post is to inspire people to take pictures wherever they want. Old stereotypes be damned.

Baker is what many might consider one of the Ugliest towns in the United States, boring and hot. Good for gasoline and some fast food. So I was excited to shoot some engagement pictures there. The couple traveling with me seemed to think I was just being goofy and playing a joke, (understandable) so we only took a few.

(Above) This is just outside of Baker… the mountains are certainly nothing out of northern Utah… not the typical vision of beauty. But it makes it strong and unique. Yeah I wish I had shot for more than about 2-3 minutes. I also wish it wasn’t 100 degrees.

What’s the most distinctive thing about Baker? The tallest thermometer in the world.
So I convinced them to get out for a minute or two and shoot here in the middle of an ugly, empty, hot and dirty parking lot.

Looking back the iconic aspect of having the thermometer is cool but I’m such a fan of the colors and the sky. Made laying down on the burning hot ground worth it.

Underneath a billboard for some shade… hoping to get the trailer park a bit more in the scene. I should have stoop up high on something to get more of the scenery.

The colors of this place are distinct in the pictures… you can’t really tell it’s late morning and almost 100 degrees. I actually like the way the color of this place is mid day.

NOT BAKER (Below)

OK so we stopped several locations during our trip and this was mid morning outside of st. george off of some random street. The color and light was amazing when we passed by but we hit another location first and so we didn’t get back for about an hour. easily my favorite pictures of the event… even if I was excited about trying to make Baker look good.

I’ll do more spots in baker next time.

4th of july and there were no fireworks of significance in Las Vegas, but we took a cool picture anyway.

Gotta get an upclose smiling picture to send to grandma and all the people that just want to see what the fiance looks like… and really it doesn’t matter where it was because it’s not scenic… it’s utilitarian.

Along side the freeway as we crossed into the Nevada border. It was sunset so we had to shoot where we were. Time the cars passing by for shots and then flip to the direction away from the road for a few.

One man’s junk is another man’s place to take pictures.

(Left) Field not so nice but the background was pretty awesome. But you also have to search for the more manageable lighting situations like a patch of shade next to a squat water tower. (Right)

Baker is so Hot right now! is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Dynamic lighting in the canyons

ScottJarvie — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:19:52 +0000

OK so this post could be really long with lots of pictures… maybe you should just go see the gallery

I like to keep my pictures diverse so that they have a hard time choosing which one. They’re not choosing from a studio shoot where the only thing that changes is the expression or the lighting. Awesome pictures that could all equally work with entirely different moods and looks.

Thanks marco for working so hard to get awesome lighting… It was a new element working with the small softbox but I’m starting to do it a lot more often. Not because I didn’t like it before, but because time is a little more open and I wasn’t lugging a bag around… it stayed in the car and we didn’t ever venture far from the car.

From the moment I met this couple we were buds… we met at a bridal show and when I left I remembered them vividly and said to myself of all the hundreds of people I met today I hope that one couple gets a hold of me because their pictures would be awesome.

Awesome why? Because they wanted the best and because they connected with the photographer… me!

You already saw these two in a previous post (Below)

(Above) Using highspeed sync and f/1.4 first time in a while. (Using them less because of having pocket wizards that didn’t allow it)

Now I loved the color in all these pictures… but these two had such great chemistry and emotion in their pictures I made a whole bunch of the B&W to show that emotion off a bit better

To the 3 of us these pictures are even more fun because of where the two were standing.

(Above) This whole series was pretty awesome. We gave up the sunset on the peak for an amazing and moody grove of aspens. Aspens that still (because of the late winter) had No leaves on them. They looked like something like out of a movie in the eerie waining light.

Dynamic lighting in the canyons is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Wide Angle is not for Portraiture?

ScottJarvie — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:52:50 +0000

I beg to differ.

OK so I guess I don’t here this too often these days since most people are realizing new ways to come up with new stuff.

Yes obey the rule usually, but when you got a handle on the typical reason why not to do it, then go ahead and try breaking it.

Try 14mm on a portrait… specially one where you want some landscape.
This isn’t the only one i’ve taken with this lens of people… I’ll do it often, but I really know my lens and what will be problematic.

Don’t rely on it… but play around.

I’ll also make sure to show off some portraits I’ve done with the fisheye that haven’t been the Jarvie Window

Wide Angle is not for Portraiture? is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Teasers: Either I’m mean or I’m nice

ScottJarvie — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:30:16 +0000

So just finished a pretty awesome photo shoot. (Up in American Fork Canyon)

I skimmed some of the pictures real fast (there were a Ton)

I thought to myself I could put up a quick teaser.
That would either be very nice to do so they could have something ASAP long before their expectations.

Or on the other hand it could be very mean to give them just a small bite and leave them hanging for a while til the rest of them are done.

So is it mean or nice?

I’m not really sure, I kind of just want to put these up so people can ohhh and ahhh and make me feel good about the pics.

P.s. Marco (one of the student-interns) came and assisted with lighting and took some pictures for himself. He learned lots about fun lighting and learned it’s all about setting stuff up fast in shoots like this. I made him work hard, but in the end I hope that helped him really know his stuff.

A couple color versions

Which brings up the question… Who’s more into the B&W these days?

Teasers: Either I’m mean or I’m nice is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Engaged in San Fransisco

ScottJarvie — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:30:27 +0000

(Above) I’m pretty happy with this picture because they wanted a picnic look and had these grand aspirations of the prototypical look, and when I saw this bright and yet rustic fence I thought this will be different and fun. They trusted me enough that their awesome idea would work in a grungy street in the middle of no where on a patch of here today gone tomorrow green grassy-weedy with a couple of surprise flowers. No big fancy set up needed… just plop down the blanket and basket and say, hey by the way we’re doing your picnic picture here now have yourself a little romantic moment while I lay down on this sidewalk.

A continuation

Last week I posted a teaser of some of the pictures I had taken at night of a couple in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Rest

Today I share the rest of the pictures taken throughout the day and throughout the city.

They get married in July in Idaho but she lives close to San Fransisco and I was already there doing a wedding, so he came down and we spent a few hours trying out dozens of locations throughout the city.

You want good pictures?

What makes for a great engagement picture session? a whole bunch of enthusiasm… and this couple certainly had it and it led to me trying out a bunch of new things. If a couple is good with “whatever” then that’s what happens, and if they want amazing and are willing to work for it, then that’s what we’ll strive for.

see the gallery of many many more pictures

No… no one is a pilot… but we saw it from the freeway and all thought it looked so scenic… and we were right!

(Above Right) – “Sitting on the dock of the bay -Watching the tide roll away - I’m just sitting on the dock of the bay - Wasting time”

Not many of the above look a ton like San Fransisco and that’s because some of them were north of town… but this one is right in the heart of the city (above)

As were the two below

Engaged in San Fransisco is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Solo Shots at the Engagement Shoot

ScottJarvie — Mon, 31 May 2010 17:55:14 +0000

Recently I’ve started to take a lot more individual portraits at the engagement (and other) shoots.

Figure they (and parents and friends) would appreciate them.
The parents can put them on their wall next to their senior pictures and they can even use them on facebook if they like.

Why not… just takes a few seconds… kick the fiance out and see their personality by themselves not in their comfort zone with their love.

Then I’m able to tag them as such and in SmugMug make a smart gallery that will pull all these shots into one album… like so

Solo Shots at the Engagement Shoot is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Bay Area Engagements

ScottJarvie — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:06:28 +0000

This is a little teaser of the long engagement session I did yesterday… this was the end of a long day. I didn’t mind because I don’t get to shoot in the bay area very often so why not take a little extra time and take a bunch of pictures all over the place. Now next time I am asked to come back and shoot around here I’ll know what to expect and have some great ideas.

There’s a reason why the end of the photo shoot is always the best pictures… often because the lighting is the most dynamic and also because when you take your best pictures you decide then that you’re about done and therefore the best pictures were at the end.

But as for all the other hundreds of pictures all throughout San Fransisco you’ll have to wait to see those I’m sure.

As well as all the travel pictures and the wedding I did on Friday.

So we got up at the point and there were a whole slew of photographers taking pictures… everyone had a tripod and one of the guys asked what I was shooting at. 1/13th at 1.4 and he wondered where my tripod was… um yeah my tripod were the two flashes sitting on the posts.

In fact to exagerate the point I litterally shook and moved my camera As I took the pictures.

Bay Area Engagements is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

I don’t care Where we go

ScottJarvie — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:54:50 +0000

The recap

Let me write a recap… at the beginning…
In the post I’ll tell you that stretching yourself to handle any situation, and to even embrace them will make you a better photographer.
And not just stretching yourself in photography (more specifically locations) but stretch and expand your horizons in all you do.

Finding the good, finding the beauty is an ability that goes way beyond photography and as an aspiring photographer can even be developed outside of your actual photography

Get ready for a LONG post.

Locations

I’m not one to stress about the location. I know many photographers are very concerned and controlling on the location and it works for them and that’s that.

As for me IF the client says a place and I’m happy because I’ve never shot there and I like that. Going to a place I’ve never been to stirs creativity, and going to a place I’ve been to a lot makes things roll along faster because of course I’ve been there before.

Been there done that

Going to a place I’ve been is often more of a challenge (which actually I love) because then I’m constantly on guard for the shots I’ve not done. The SLC Temple is just like that and I was so happy that the last time I went there to do a wedding I took a ton of brand new shots. (I don’t know if I ever posted those) And believe me I’ve shot at the SLC temple dozens and dozens of time, so getting something fresh is a nice challenge.

I think the advantage of going to a place that has meaning to a client is that those pictures become more theirs.

I understand picking the “easier locations”, the places with tons going on, the places with the perfect lighting situation, sometimes those ARE my picks when the client has nothing in mind or the style they have in mind matches… and I’m happy because they’re easier. I get overwhelmed sometimes (in a good way) with all the tons of choices of those “easier” spots, because sometimes I go places where there aren’t a ton of choices.

Make it work

I guess I pride myself in being able to make Anywhere work… I do focused workshops where we learn how to use locations to their fullest. I created a game for my students where they had to stand in one spot and not move. They could move their model around and see how many different background they could get. (I should post my results on that, I believe I got well over 15 awesome shots without me moving) And I love to move around in my photo sessions.

But really I won’t stress if a client likes a certain place, I usually have developed a relationship that I’ll tell them “Sure let’s go, and if it sucks I’ll tell you OK?” (With a fun smile, of course) And they appreciate knowing that while I want to make it work, I still want to get them the best pictures. And when I get there and talk about all the possibilities (even if it doesn’t have the same amount of spots in comparison to the big fancy places like Thanksgiving Point, or La Caille, or all the farms and gardens and city centers around) when I make THEIR spot work they get excited, and when they look at the pictures I think they feel a bit of satisfaction knowing they took part.

Our Spot

They’ll look at this arch and said that’s OUR spot. The photographer never shot there before and we made it happen. Perhaps he’ll go again but it’s our place and our engagement is unique because of it.

But of course I didn’t stop at the arch, yes we shot the arch from all sides, but we ventured around getting fun places.

Make anything work.

You want to be awesome at photography learn to make anywhere, anytime work.

The anytime was easy on these shots (Below) and the place was an asphalt parking lot with a couple scattered normal trees. I say normal, because that’s what I think many think (including the client) but that’s not what I’m thinking because that light changes everything, the way it glowed at that moment it was anything but normal of course. So you can go and see normal at one point in time and the next moment it’s inspiring. Then again even if the right light isn’t naturally there who’s to say you can’t add in your own light and make something awesome. Even block out the light hitting them and add in your own… so I don’t mind shooting anytime now days either. I often still aim towards the end of the day because it is sometimes easier and has a few more possibilities. Well the biggest thing about the end of the day is that light is constantly changing and that makes it fun. The middle of the day often stays the same for hours on end. Obviously every location reacts differently to all times of the day.

Guaranteed

What I say to them is… (In effect, maybe not in the exact words) I don’t care where we go, because I’ll make them look amazing. I want them to have total confidence that there is not even a possibility that their pictures don’t turn out amazing. I know I’ll continuously try to get better and never become complacent so I don’t worry about believing that believing it’s a guaranteed thing. I suppose that’s why I rose my prices, because before I took good pictures as well and people were getting a bargain, but now their getting consistency, a guaranteed hit in Baseball is a big thing, they all the ball to the same places but it’s the frequency of those hits and homeruns they pay the millions for. (I’ll write more about that later)
But I feel it’s this confidence that will let them let go of any worry and focus at the task at hand, their emotion and expressions, specially when it’s a couple thing.

I’m sometimes much more about the experience

I believe in good final result, but I believe (in my line of photography) that the emotions are connected to the pictures. To their experience with the place, and their experience with me. I don’t want to be a distraction to their pictures. “Loved the pictures even if he was a jerk, tool, boring, didn’t want to be there, treated us badly, shot down our ideas”. So i believe a huge part of the job is making them smile, or creating that atmosphere where they want to.

This is all the stuff you can’t put down on paper. Hi my name is Scott Jarvie yes my price is higher than Bob Photography but I make you happy. Sounds a bit corny I understand the tendency for people to go to the bottom line. “His pictures aren’t bad, and he’s half the cost”
It’s cool, but I guess I’m not directing my market towards them anymore (and yes they still deserve good pictures) but now I focus on the people that are more informed. That understand that photographers usually try to show you a limited number of their very best and make you feel that this is what they’ll get every time. Some photographers will and some photographers won’t.

Sometimes you pick someone with good pictures and cross your fingers and hope that happens to you, that they can handle any situation that comes their way. Any lighting, any time, any place, any couple, any stress… and still pop out those pictures you saw on their site.

Yeah I’ve gotten a lot into looking out for the consumer and look out for a future post where I do this even more

But for now I’ll go back to the task at hand. I don’t care where we go, i’ll make it happen.

Of course I care where we go.

I want to go to great places and I want to be there in amazing lighting. But that’s not the point, I’ll make it work, I won’t complain, and I’ll get surprised so very often at what fate brought me to.

Just like in my last post where I told the bride that it didn’t matter it was a stormy rainy day, those are often the best, and guess what? It was awesome. I believe you have to stick through with things, and of course there is some level of adapting plans, but don’t cancel for the weather, if you’re both willing to try it out and find the way. You’ll be surprise what this “fate” brings you. A gap in the clouds with the light coming down in a way you’ve never even seen before.

Vanilla photography is when you don’t allow for that extra spice.

Do the things you don’t want to do.

And the subtitle is: … But that are good for you.

Go out there and stretch yourself.
Try it out in the other things in your life. If you’re not into country music, or rap music, try it till you are. If it’s because it’s not clean enough (rap), or not dirty enough (country) don’t be so stuborn to believe there isn’t some sub-segment that might reach that criteria… or heck ever thought of adapting and allowing in all the options?

Let me just go out on a limb and make a fun over-generalization: Someone who is picky at their music selection and has a vocabulary that constantly says I don’t like, or that’s not my thing. Will probably SUCK AT PHOTOGRAPHY. Or at least will never allow for circumstances for those awesome occurrences.

My thinking is this: If it’s good for me, I should try it, even if it’s hard or I think I might not like it.

I think the key there is deciding if it’s good for me (i don’t 100% agree in if it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger but I 100% understand what the saying is getting at) I don’t say listen to a bunch of raunchy crappy music just to expand, but I’m saying in part there’s good in so many locations. But when we close ourselves to not see it, then we loose out on so much. And when we’re stuck in the position where we’re at that place we didn’t want to be or listening to the music we didn’t want to hear or eating the food we didn’t ever like before… Well one type of person will always be happy and one person will always come out with awesome pictures. And the other person will complain on twitter.

Now this rant isn’t to say hey look at me I’m the shinning example… I think I have some growing to do myself.

I think I still have a ways to go to make even “worse” locations look even better in my pictures. Specially the part about using “crappy” lighting for my benefit, or bringing in my own awesome light.

But I do know that so many many opportunities of being ok with so-so locations has stretched me that now if I’m in an OK location I feel like it’s a feast… and if I’m in an amazing location it’s almost too much for me now… I feel like my head is about to ’splode. When I get in those places (my students will attest) I’m a total schizo or a dog in a field of bunnies.

But see, this happens when you stretch yourself. The quality of your work shouldn’t have to depend on the location, the lighting. Well of course I suppose it does, but what I’m saying is make it work irregardless of all those things.

Adapt or Die

That saying I’m sure has had to be used before. I think it’s fitting. They probably use it in business don’t they?

Practice in every aspect of your life and when it comes to photography you’ll be set it’ll just come naturally… because you know what? Photography comes from the mind as well.

If you really want me to spell it out, if you really want some homework.
This next week, eat food someone else loves that you never have, listen to some music that someone else you know loves that you never have, go do some game or activity that someone else loves that you never have loved, read a book that someone else loves that you didn’t think you would love, go do something you previously mocked. I’m not saying do anything bad for you, don’t listen to music with bad lyrics, or eat something bad for you, or read a book with terrible ideals, don’t get yourself in trouble, but your objective is to find the redeeming qualities in all you do.
When you do this stop seeking out the bad and start paying attention to the good… I’m sure after a life of seeking out the bad and pointing out the faults, you’ll still be OK at that, don’t worry about loosing that grasp, we’re just saying don’t put it at the forefront for the moment and focus on another skill.

Learning photography… anywhere, anyway

You don’t just have to be taking pictures to become a better photographer… the mind set and the tools can be developed anywhere. Turning knobs and knowing buttons is just a few classes away, but won’t make you that amazing photographer (while of course they’re still important)

I don’t care where we go… does involve knowing how to handle all these circumstances… and yes this requires lots of knowledge and or lots of experience. So perhaps for a little while don’t jump in the deep end. Make it little by little, care a little bit for a while. But just stretch a little bit by a little bit. Get really really really good with lighting, get really good with your camera and your lenses and you can make it the following progression:

I shouldn’t care where we go
I’m starting to not care where we go
I don’t care that much where we go
I don’t care where we go
I don’t care at all where we go
I don’t care where we go, because I’ll make any picture awesome

Focus on the Emotion

I suppose a side benefit on not caring about the location is we’ll start focusing more on the subjects. Not just in making them have an enjoyable time, but getting the emotion and expressions.
This could have been anywhere (above)

Given the choice

Now if I had a choice… I’d still want to shoot your pictures on the beach in Maui at sunset. Or in the old alleys of Paris or Rome. At a fancy garden. But that’s not all my list includes.
For me I think I need to balance out again and start getting off my butt to try out those amazing places more often. Because I love me an amazing amazing scene, a unique location.

MORE PICTURES

To see all 200+ pictures go here (here for chronological)

I’m kind mean… I admire those who can select down their pictures to just a handful. But I enjoy being a little mean and giving them way to many choices. I like overwhelming them, and that’s just somewhat the attraction to my photography.
If all you want is one shot for your announcement and don’t care about the rest… I’m not your man.
I’m more for the person who wants tons of memories and wants a scrapbook or to put them all on facebook and let their friends see all the range of their love and interaction.

So in that spirit I present to you the following

I don’t care Where we go is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Under the Stands – Engagement Pictures

ScottJarvie — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:19:59 +0000

SEE FULL GALLERY

I edit and upload in batches (First batch will have 61 – look for more later)

Am I starting to like B&W more or is it just because the feel and the lighting and the mood of the day seemed to be better stated in B&W??

Under the Stands – Engagement Pictures is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Me finish editing! That’s unpossible!

scott — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:31:14 +0000

OK so I can’t honestly remember the last time I was caught up on my editing.
I think it might have been February… but then again maybe it was last November.

And as of this morning… well I still am not. (Kinda)
I’ll always have something to edit.
I could a few road trips I’ve never touched or even Europe pictures (2006)

But as far as shoots I’ve done for money… well I think I’m pretty much caught up! Hurray.
And I think I’ll stay pretty caught up all the way until the christmas rush.

Here are pictures from the last shoot I did… get this… Friday (two days ago)
These were for an old friend Jason.
He grew up in Park City so that’s where we went.
This was the 3rd time downtown park city to do engagements… and I’m happy say we did all new places.
Park city has a lot of photographic spots to offer.

FULL GALLERY HERE

I specially loved how they were creating snow on the slopes and they were willing to go stand out in the field to get some… it was way cold there. (Much warmer downtown)

Since they met skiing they’ll probably like this one.

I love how in photography you’ll travel an hour just to get a picture of the sky.

The mayor of park city was here and he offered to get them married right then and there. In the end he just gave them a free print.

We were done but I just had to try out one last shot. Looking back i should have done more on this (meaning more poses to choose from)

The Rush is coming

It’ll be another fun and crazy christmas like last year, maybe just as much or more driving but with only 4-5 states.

Then a nice lull again to start getting on some projects that are long since needed to get rolling.

I’m getting more into twilight shoots. Too bad right around the time when twilight is pretty darn cold.
But it is at around 5:30pm so it helps those who can’t get off work earlier.

Me finish editing! That’s unpossible! is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

The Intern is Engaged

scott — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:41:45 +0000

This is Carissa and Jake

How Carissa became my first Intern

Carissa wrote me last winter asking to be an intern… at that time I thought it was out there and wasn’t really willing to commit to one person when I was having someone different come assist on each photo shoot. And i didn’t really see the place for an intern.
She was going to school in Indiana and was from Park City but wouldn’t be around until summer.

When school was over she came on a couple of shoots and then I had her come work on pictures… she got better and better and I was ready to make the plunge to let someone take over on the selecting and rating of my pictures.
She only had fridays and saturdays which were often days I was gone out of the state doing weddings but nevertheless I saw her progress a ton and get pretty darn good.

We made her a Blog and a Website

Now she’s back at college and won’t be back until May and then getting married in June here in Utah.
In the meanwhile I now have 3 interns to replace all of her great work.

She saw all my tricks and yet still had me go and do her engagement pictures… i guess that’s a pretty good compliment.

So for the above picture I had to play around and do something different on the edit.

I loved the crazy skies that day… thanks to wendy who came to assist on the shoot…
(the new intern assisting on the shoot for the old intern… i love it)

I had this one edited a little more regular… but I figured she wouldn’t mind another copy with a version more dynamic

Doing a virtual copy is a great thing in my opinion a lot of the times you can spend a while making a crazy looking pic and yet what they really wanted was a normal-er looking one. Let them see both… plus that lets them see the work you put into it… it didn’t just come out of the camera like that.

It was fun shooting with another photographer friend David Terry who Carissa asked to come along.
He was able to pose them a lot of the time and I would just steal the shots haha…
On the other hand I posed a bunch of them and I’m sure David enjoyed that.

The sky looked great that day and the old barn that carissa picked out was awesome.
Still don’t know if I like the phone post or not.

I love when people pick their own spots…

they’re more special to them (emotional connection)
I usually get to shoot somewhere new (add to repertoire)
My creative juices come out more when it’s somewhere brand new
If it doesn’t work it wasn’t my fault… haha

I had to add in a picture with her and sunflares because I know how much she enjoyed every picture i ever did with sunflare when she was working for me.

Even if I don’t have the most striking pictures ever … I pride myself in making people feel comfortable.
Getting them to relax and come out with their real smile and make it an all around enjoyable time.

I remember for this shoot I was singing a bunch.

I love giving the couple a wide range of looks and feels for their pictures along with the range of expressions.
David set this one up… great times.

And I’ll end with a few of the funnier pics… including her dog and it’s look alike and Mr. David Terry himself

The Intern is Engaged is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

St. George Engagements

Adele — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:35:06 +0000

I took these pictures July 3rd

Thought I’d post them to be seen… better late than never.
It’s a sign of all those from later in July and August to be posted some time soon.

See More after the Break

To view the entire gallery, go to http://jarviedigital.smugmug.com/gallery/8827398_JXtxE

St. George Engagements is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

My first ever Photo-shoot

scott — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:16:29 +0000

So this is part of the story of my jump into Photography as a career.

A big part of that was this couple.
I had no intentions to doing paid jobs.
I had bought the D70 with no intentions of making money.
Megan asked if I’d do their engagements… I looked at it as something fun to do.
If they didn’t turn out I told them (and we both understood) that a Real photographer could easily do them.

I can’t even remember which picture they originally chose on this shoot.
The photo shoot was in March of 2005 if I remember right.

Below was the result… above is picture i just re-edited yesterday. (A treat for the couple)

(Above) – In fact this is better than the original edit… i think I edited the above one a year ago.
Would be interesting to see all 3 versions I’ve edited.
The first editing program i had 5 years ago was photoshop elements

(ABOVE) – As you can see I’ve re-edited a bunch from the shoot.
Like i have my whole career I’ve always taken TONS of pictures.

THEN OTHERS CAME ALONG

Their wedding was 4 years ago. Wow how the time passes.

When other friends found out and saw what I had done for this couple they started to jump on the band wagon.
I had some natural ability, i was easy to get along with.
But probably the most exciting thing was that I cost almost nothing… haha
$300-400 i think was the first couple weddings. (I offered to do the wedding for this couple for free of course)
I stayed under $1000 for a while

EDITING

Looking back my way of interacting with the clients hasn’t changed too much.
I think it started off great since I took pictures of so many people I was very comfortable with first.
I was able to continue that for the years down the line. As I just learned to make the subjects my friends while I took the pictures… so i could goof off and have fun and connect with them.

I don’t think I would have even considered the picture below years ago…
But the re-edited one above looks rather fun edited.

Looks almost as if I had just taken this picture.

I’m also glad I had a great looking couple to start off with… i think that made things easier.
I didn’t feel pressured to come up with tons of ideas. They knew it was my first time… they approached me!

Dang JPGs are so much harder to edit… this took a while because on JPGs the colors are so closely connected… you can’t seem to edit the contrast and blacks without screwing up the colors.
I’m still not completely satisfied with the tones but am liking the trees in the background.

TO THE WHITE FAMILY

Megan if you’re reading this, the originals of these new ones are online if you’d like to save them and have them.
Also I’ll be doing another Charity Shoot this fall… you’re invited… it’s on me!

OTHER OLD JOBS

I bet it would be interesting to go through and edit the pictures from my old jobs!
Probably a little fun…. but in the end I’m sure I don’t have the time.

There’s a business prospect in there somewhere… haha

WHAT DOES IT SAY

What should I think that many of the brides I’ve taken pictures of have actually turned to pursuing photography as a profession or at least a involved hobby.
I think it’s pretty fun.

MORE HISTORY

I hope to write a few more posts reviewing the past… i think it’s fun.
Was it helpful?
Any questions about the first couple jobs or that part of the history.
Many know the rest of the story of how I started getting into photography… I’ll get to that. When things around JarvieDigital start to slow down.

My first ever Photo-shoot is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Engagements in the Garden (park ward)

scott — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:42:56 +0000

These pictures were taken at the Garden park ward in SLC, Utah

I actually went assistentless for this one and did the whole thing with a light stand.
It’s kind of funny because for years I did everything without assistants or lightstands.

I hope I’m not chained to lights forevermore.

Anyway I thought it was funny.

See the Full Gallery

So many of you know the trick but for the rest of you… go high f/stop for the star effect.

More pictures after the Jump

Or just go to the full gallery

giggle giggle … heee hee heee

Engagements in the Garden (park ward) is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog

Summertime Engagements

Adele — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:26:55 +0000

I took these a little over a month ago… thought I’d share them.
The pictures were picked by my PA Adele.

I did this photoshoot with a lightstand. Usually I have an assistant there to hold lights.
But this made me consider the location of the of camera flash a little more carefully since I’m kinda lazy.

To view the full gallery go to http://jarviedigital.smugmug.com/gallery/8942464_jqBTB

Summertime Engagements is a post from: JarvieDigital Photography Blog