Category Archives: Photography Tips & Techniques

We Won a 2022 Telly Award!

May 28, 2022 by admin | Comments Off

Hello friends,

We are excited and thrilled to announce that we have won a 2022 Telly Award (winner banner) for our production of “Around 2021“, a compilation of video that I shot around the region last year. It is a first for me to win at this level, especially since I haven’t really done much with video in the last few years-at least professionally.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 to honor excellence in local, regional and cable television commercials with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after. With the recent evolution and rise of digital video (web series, VR, 360 and beyond), the Telly Awards today also reflects and celebrates this exciting new era of the moving image on and offline.

The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world. The Telly Awards recognizes work that has been created on the behalf of a client, for a specific brand and/or company (including your own) or self-directed as a creative endeavor.

To say that I am excited to have received such a prestigious honor is an understatement. However, I am humbled to have been invited to submit and be even considered for such an achievement as there are so many talented individuals and production companies creating and producing so many beautiful and entertaining programs and I would never want to presume that what we do is anything greater or more significant.

I want to thank you all for your support over the years and encouragement to keep going.

Blessings to you all.

Chris.

p.s. you can find the video at this YouTube link or on Vimeo.

Also posted in Drone Photography, Landscape and Nature Photography, Shot of the Day Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Drone Photography Now Available for Business and Personal Use

June 26, 2021 by admin | Comments Off

Hello friends,

I am pleased to announce that I have passed my FAA Part 107 exam and am now a licensed commercial drone pilot with capability for drone aerial photography and/or video.

What does that mean for you? Well, drone photography offers a perspective that ground photography just cannot provide. In real estate, aerial photography is the perfect way to show off the surrounding environment of your property. Why? Because location is everything. And for many industries, location sells.  For others, the use of aerial photographs or video can be included in digital marketing (and print with photo) on your website, social media posts, and email campaigns. It really doesn’t matter what your business does or where your business is located, by adding stunning visuals it will truly complement your marketing and creative efforts on getting your message out. And finally, keep your employees and crew safe and out of danger by using my drone services for various inspections and assessment of hard-to-reach or potentially treacherous places and situations.

Our aerial photography and video services are not only just for business, but also for every individual. Consider a personal portrait session and wedding photographs that can now have a new perspective for a truly unique image. We are only limited by your imagination and what is legal and limited by FAA regulations.

Please give a call and let’s talk about how we can help you achieve your goals.

Blessings,

Chris.

BTW-don’t forget to visit our Instagram page.

Also posted in Architectural, Drone Photography, Engagement Photography, Event Photography, General, Landscape and Nature Photography, Real Estate Photography Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Repost: Improving Your Photography by Having Go-To Places

December 30, 2015 by admin | Comments Off

Hi Friends,

It’s been so long since I have posted any tips here, been way to busy with work, play, fun–life in general. Having said that, I found a great article that I thought was worth sharing. What this article is essentially saying, is that by having a specific location that you love, you can improve your photography by visiting it over-and-over again in various conditions (lighting, weather, season) without having to go out and look for somewhere to shoot. When you have a particular place to go, you are not wasting precious time looking for that particular place.

While not an actual spot (there are way too many), my go to place is Mt. Rainier in Washington State. I live about an hour or so from 2 different entrances, so it is very convenient for me to get in the car and go at just about any time.

The link below will take you to the article. Hope you enjoy.

Blessings,

Chris.

http://digital-photography-school.com/improve-your-photography-by-having-go-to-places-to-shoot/

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Returning from New York

June 15, 2015 by admin | Comments Off

Hi gang.

Chris here. Just got back from New York (my favorite city) with the family. Got some amazing photographs–not nearly enough in terms of quantity for a photographer like me–but great nonetheless. I will get a post together and get them out in the next few weeks (or month).

Happy June to you!!!

Blessings,

Chris.

Also posted in Architectural, Shot of the Day Tagged |

Best of 2014 (non-portrait)

December 7, 2014 by admin | Comments Off

Hi Friends,

Every year about this time, I put together an album of my best non-commercial (not paid) work. The hard part is I have way too many photographs to choose from, but somehow I always find a way to pare down the hundreds of photographs that are worthy of the title “Best of…”.

Anyway, here is my 2014 offering. And while I say there are usually non-portrait work I have a few of my family portraits sprinkled in (and a couple of self-shots too).

Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

Chris.

 


 

 

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SLR Lounge Lightroom Preset Review

August 7, 2014 by admin | Comments Off

Over the years, many people have asked me about my workflow for my images. I generally tell them about Lightroom and Photoshop, leveraging those tools to get the best images possible. I also tell them that with Lightroom, finding a “recipe” or a preset that work for their style will greatly improve their overall workflow and speed up their finishing process.

I own a few presets packages for Lightroom, with one of them standing out above all the rest: the SLR Lounge Lightroom Presets. Without question, these presets are the best that I have found and always provide me with the results that I envisioned when I originally pressed the shutter button on my camera. Their presets have saved me countless hours of finishing work (moving from hours to minutes) and saved me from having to spend a lot of time in Photoshop (something I don’t like to do). The lessons that come with the system not only taught me how to use their presets but gave me confidence to use Lightroom as my primary edit tool.

I have been using SLR Lounge presets for about 2 years now, and will continue to use them as long as I take photographs.

Below is a before/after example of a photograph I recently took using the HDR SLR Lounge Presets for Lightroom.

Good job guys!

If you are interesting in purchasing them for your own use, you can purchase them at this link: http://www.slrlounge.com/lightroom-presets

Blessings,

Chris

Before-After SLR Lounge

 

 

 

 

 

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Shooting Locally

January 12, 2014 by admin | Comments Off

As you are aware, I love landscape photography. The lure of a faraway place-someplace of beauty, splendor, or mystique-often calls me. But like most people, I have a very limited budget for travel, and thus never get quite the opportunities, not to mention the time away from work and other obligations. So, when the itch to take a photograph strikes I have to scratch it. But I get bored, bored, bored of the city I live in–there is really nothing here and what is here are all quite familiar. I have to find another way to satisfy the craving.

One way to satisfy the craving is to find a new way to photography the same subject.

Because local locations are, well, local, our perception is that they are not the “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. And because of that, it should remove the pressure to get that shot we all seek. This should give us the freedom to explore without the fear of coming away with nothing. If we do come away with nothing, that’s OK since we can always go back. This will give you the opportunity to learn from the mistakes you made. And as an added benefit, exploring the same area during different times of day or season of the year presents you the opportunity to see how things might change and give you the opportunity for a different look and/or feel to the subject.

Anyway, I hope that you can see that shooting locally is a good alternative to shooting nothing when shooting at the “exotic locale” is not an option and a great way to hone your skills without breaking the bank. I am trying to live by my own advice and get out in my town a little bit more, I hope you do too.

Happy shooting and as always, blessings.

Chris

 

Also posted in Architectural, Landscape and Nature Photography Tagged , , |

How to Catch A “Fraud” Wedding Photographer

January 5, 2014 by admin | 2 Comments

As someone who knows a slew of professional photographers that have had their work stolen (including myself), and as someone who has seen numerous people pass themselves off as professionals, I thought that this article was relevant to you as you search for your wedding photographer.

http://allebachphotography.com/topics/tips-for-catching-a-wedding-fraudtographer-fauxtographer/

The gist of it, if you don’t want to read it, that in order to protect yourself from a poser is this:

  • Meet the photographer is person and ask questions;
  • Ask for references;
  • Ask to see an entire event;
  • Pay attention to photographic clues (including geography);
  • Google the photographers name;
  • Stay away from Craigslist.

Of course, blessings to you as you search for the right photographer for your wedding.

Chris.

 

 

Also posted in Wedding Photography Tagged , , , , |

Best of 2013 Photobook

December 12, 2013 by admin | Comments Off

Good evening, friends.

Ok, ok, I know that there are over 3 weeks left in 2013, but I am just so excited about this book I had to share now.

So I am testing out a new book printer, and I thought it would be fun to use some of my favorite images of this past year to have them print. So I designed a book and uploaded and it is now in their print and bind process. I am so excited to see what it looks like, but in the mean time I thought that I would upload this preview. When I get the book (scheduled for December 23), I will post a review and let you know if it was worth it.

Keep in mind that these images are not intended to showcase our work with clients, just our own personal non-portrait pictures (even though I have a few of my family sprinkled in) taken in the last year. Most of them I have printed out and are hanging on the walls in my house. And some of these are even for sale on Fine Art America (click the link on the right to be taken to my page).

Enjoy and blessings,

Chris

 

Also posted in Landscape and Nature Photography Tagged , , , , |

How to Save Big Money by Not Hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer

October 12, 2013 by admin | Comments Off

Good morning, Friends.

Talk to any professional wedding photographer and they will tell you that one of the biggest challenges they face two fold: first, the notion from potential clients that I can save big money if they do it themselves (that is taking your own photographs) and a very closely related second, the cost of a professional photographer is just too much money. Well, I’m not going to get into the why a professional wedding photographer costs money (there are plenty of blog postings that break down everything from the cost of professional knowledge and expertise, marketing, equipment, time, etc., etc.) but I would like to share something that came across my desk yesterday.

As you know, I am not one who regularly reposts other’s blog, but every once in a while something comes along that is worth sharing.This post will explain the monetary benefits you will reap by doing your own wedding photographs. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. Click on the link below to view the post.

http://petapixel.com/2013/10/04/save-big-money-hiring-professional-wedding-photographer/

Keep in mind my post is not intended to offend anyone, just provide a good humored look at things to take into account when considering taking your own wedding photographs. I can’t speak for the intent of the original author, however. 🙂

Blessings,

Chris

Also posted in Event Photography, Wedding Photography Tagged , , |