The other day, I was retouching an old photo while jamming to Jay-Z’s “On to the Next One,” and there was a line that really summated one of the biggest lessons so far in my career.
“…don’t be mad cause its all about progression”
I took this image almost two years ago. I was about six months into teaching myself photography and every friend willing, I gladly made my subject. This was one of my first forays into directing a model and using off camera lighting. Everything I wanted was there: chiaroscuro effect, highlight detail, perfect model form, and yet I was so disappointed it didn’t look like the Vogue covers Testino and Meisel were producing—it’s OK, I laugh too now. So I stashed in it the catalog and pined for the day I’d have the really expensive camera to make my photos look amazing.
So a few months ago, as I scanned the archives for new site worthy images, I come across this testament of scrappy days with a temperamental Canon 10D, some borrowed Lowell lights, and a determined heart. I saw some potential, so I decided to have a second go to see if I could breathe some life in it, and I’d say it was for the better.
Turns out, I didn’t need a fancier camera or better lighting, what I needed was the knowledge to know how to make good from mediocre. That knowledge comes from experience and the desire to keep learning.
I’ve spent the majority of the last two years shooting, reading, asking, following, researching and I’ve learned that the true genius of photography is not just showing what’s there, but bringing out what it could be.
I sent my before and after to a mentor* for a kick at the progress I’ve made along the way, and as mentors are supposed to, he sent it back with a lesson on dodging and burning and ways to make it even stronger. So I gave it another go, and again, I come away amazed at what subtlety can bring out of a photo.
Here’s the gist: photography, as most things in life, is about progression. You can’t settle for where you are, constantly strive to better your talents. Otherwise, what’s the point? I’ve done that in two ways I hope I never become dumb ”good” enough to stop.
So next time you’re frustrated about what you don’t have or what you can’t do, remember it’s all about progression.
*Thanks to my mentor, Rick Smoak, for always having an answer or a resource for my many questions.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of two really good friends. The night before, Jay and Liza, kicked off the weekend with some close friends in anticipation of a beautiful wedding day.
The chapel was beautiful and Jay and Liza made for a stunning bride and groom.
Jay and Liza decided to get a sneak peek of each other before the ceremony. It was such a sweet moment to witness.
The ceremony was such a great look at true love between two amazing people.
And this crowd closed the night in rare form, this was definitely the party to attend!
Last year, I met Miriam when she contracted me to shoot some promos for her music project. We quickly became friends and admirers of each others work. A few months later, Julius contacted me to help with his proposal. You can read more about that proposal over at The Knot.
After pulling off a successful proposal, it was time to capture Julius and Miriam’s wedding day. Miriam made for a absolutely beautiful bride.
The wedding came and went without a hitch. It was a real privilege to be apart of the Hamilton’s special day!
There have been a lot of things on my heart and mind lately, most pertaining to life and how I live it. My folks were God-fearing people who always taught me to leave things better than how I found them. It’s something I can’t shake. I think about the world and when I finally bow out, and how I’d like to know I bettered it and not stripped it. That just makes sense to me.
I was tweeting back forth with a famous photographer I admire and we were talking about the existence and prevalence of child sex slavery. He made a comment about how could such a terrible thing happen and how could we have gotten here as a people. I told him that the way I see it, such evil has always existed, it just seems that the ones willing to abate it have grown few. Society has become about the I and not the us, so evil runs amuck.
I’m guilty of that. I’ve spent countless hours of energy fighting to one day become the next star photographer. Hoping to be able to stick my camera in the face of celebs and starlets on the regular, as if that’s what the world needs. As if these famous people we idolize need their story told even louder.
Four years ago I sat in a landfill in the Dominican Republic. I had come with a mission team and our journey had brought us to a Haitian village burrowed among the refuse. I’ll never forget watching one of the kids pull a rotting mango from the trash and eat it, and moments later he was all smiles as he banged away on a drum fashioned from an old oil can.
Days like today, I wonder what would happen if someone flying aboard their private jet, browsing their iPad came across my work. And what if when they did they were able to see what I saw that day, would it break their heart too? And if it did, could it possibly move them to action? And what if even just some of the people they influenced were motivated to action as well? And so on and so forth. What if I cared more about telling the story of that kid then capturing the curves of Scarlet Johansson? Is there a way to have both?
Right now, I have more questions than answers. But gratefully, I have more resolve than questions. I will find these answers. I will grapple with how to really make my work count for something. I really don’t see another way.
One of my favorite moments of each wedding day is watching the ring bearer and flower girl tumble (sometimes literally!) down the aisle. Their innocence and joy seem to perfectly encapsulate all the wonderful feelings that compose such a special occasion. Maybe that’s why one of the saddest realities for me is that every minute, two children are robbed of that same innocence and joy as they are sold into sex slavery. And this is not just a reality of the undeveloped world. Even here in the US, over 100,000 children are forcefully engaged into prostitution and pornography.
But there is hope. Hope for a better future, hope for a return of innocence and joy to the lives of countless boys and girls comes at the labor of those diligently working to stop this injustice. LOVE146 is a Connecticut based non profit that specializes in the aftercare and prevention of child sex slavery and exploitation. They are a transparent, global workforce making huge strides with all the resources they can muster. They build and run recovery homes which aid in counseling, loving, and empowering victims of sex slavery as well working with law agencies and creative collaborations to prevent slavery and exploitation in the US and abroad.
It is my absolute privilege, starting February 2011, to partner with LOVE146 in the fight against this crime against children. From here out, 5% of every wedding I shoot will go directly to fund the work of these diligent laborers. And hopefully as my work grows, I will be able to give even more. Please take a moment to watch the video below about LOVE146 and visit their website for even more info on who they are and what they do.
For me, I look forward to watching those little ring bearers and flower girls march down the aisle now, because I know that wedding will have helped some child regain the joy that has been stolen from them.
Thank you in advance for helping get the word out.
