A Thief in the Night

Comrades,

I come to you with not so great news. After promising to make myself more available via the blog I simply had to step away to deal with a setback. Making a long story short, somewhere late into the night on November 2, a group of less than stellar people managed to break into my garage and steal what amounts to my recreational implements. Additionally, they managed to walk out with my MacBook Pro which was stationed on my workbench. Some of you might ask why in the hell did I have a Mac inside my garage and I will tell you that part of my garage has been converted into a "Man Cave" of sorts where I keep many of the tools that I use for making pictures. Locked inside a rather large Pelican Case was just about every lens & amd camera body I own but lucky for me they were too stupid to look inside or they would have gotten somewhere between$15K-$20K worth of Nikon gear. Guess that won't be left there ever again.....Insurance is paying for about 90% of the loss but the true loss is what we all value the most, that being, TIME! I have never had to fill out so much paperwork in my life and that explains my lack of activity. Topping it off, the bastards managed to take my vehicle as well and for 5 days it was held hostage like an American in Iran in a place other than my residence. The story doesn't end there but instead of typing the long end of the tale, I will let you read how this all ended.


Here is the link, happy reading :)

http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/Boise-man-spots-stolen-car-on-street-106904313.html

Been taking a picture or two just for fun but have for the most part hunkered down to prepare for next year's class of wedding clients. You may have noticed some of the pricing changes on the Justis Photo website but it's worth noting that framed canvass prints (11 x 14) are the standard in each package now and rest assured, you will love them! They are offered Ala Carte on everything I do just so you know. Another new change for 2011 is the introduction of Smug Mug as the source for galleries and ordering prints. With that comes a more dynamic mix of offerings and flat out a better gallery experience for each client.

Just finished an engagement shoot today so keep tabs on the Justis Photo Facebook page for a sneak peek coming soon. Until we write & read together again.....

Car Alarms For All My Friends,

Lance

The Bird has Landed

Comrades,


Don’t you just hate it when people you rely on give you a bunch of excuses for not doing something? Well, I am going to allow myself to fall on the sword for levying a ton of excuses for being tardy on this blog. To save us both the grief, I am just going to list them accordingly and you can decide my fate.

1. Massive Home Repairs
2. Photo Shoots
3. Editing (LOTS OF THIS)
4. Slipping off to New Orleans for work related reasons (I admit, some of it was leisure)
5. Long Boarding
6. And many other things not blog related

When you live 50% of your life in front of a screen it is difficult to justify those extra few minutes writing away while hoping to God somebody reads the goods thus making you feel bigger than you really are. Even more, I have now joined the zillions who make up the attention deficit generation of Facebookers. That thing can keep you on for hours and this doesn't include the usage you dive into when you own an IPhone. Nonetheless, sometimes it is nice to have your own space designed the way you want it without the character restrictions thus, the blog is the island I should visit more often.

Did my photo thing for Nathan & Morgan’s wedding which started at the Depot, stopped off at Capital City Church just to say "I do", and then finished things up at The Stonehouse. Hot and muggy day no doubt but was a surefire process of shoot & move. Sometimes wedding schedules just go that way so it pays to be Johnny on the Spot. The “Wedding Gods” were gracious enough to ensure two of my former clients who were in attendance which brings me to my next point. It is truly awesome when surrounded by guests for whom you do not know, a familiar and kind pair of faces greet you while you work. Thanks Ty & Chel for the visit and the help loading my gear at the end of the night. Drinks on me.......



Jon & Melissa made the trek from the confines of Arizona and celebrated their day with perhaps the largest wedding party I have had to tackle to date. Earlier in the year I shot a wedding in Seattle with what I thought were the craziest groomsmen ever only to have that standard toppled by John’s crew. Always a good thing when people can simply cut loose and enjoy a fleeting moment and even better when there are pictures to freeze those moments in time. This wedding also marked the first time I gained access to the bell tower at the Boise Train Depot. If you are a shooter and haven’t shot up there, it is quite the treat if your creative gumption is in high gear. Many thanks to my crew from the “Cactus” state and may the comic relief shared with me that day, be shared with many more in the years that follow.

For those of you who have emailed me and asked for a particular image you have seen say, on Facebook, I am about to make your lives much easier. Here soon I will have a gallery built just for you so that you can get that image, pay for it, and have it shipped right to your door. In times past this was not as much of an issue for me but due to the increase in requests, I am going to make the whole process easy. Even better, the cost doesn’t change but you will still have to email me if you want a canvass or other “specialty" items. Stay tuned, I plan to get this thing up in October. Lastly, I have incorporated canvass prints into 2011 wedding packages along with some other options that may change just a touch more before the end of the year so bear with me, the goal is to maximize the offering to the soul on the other side of my lens :)

Satellite T.V. For All My Friends,

Lance

Vagabond Longboarder

Comrades,

Lately I have been a collection of business and pleasure so much so that I am starting to get confused between the two. With destination weddings coming in for 2010 it has afforded me the follow things: Cruddy hotel rooms that looked great online, super cool locations, and a baseball game or two. That is what can be so cool about shooting weddings is that you just never know where you may end up. Made the trip out to Seattle at the end of July for Sean “Seam” (his nickname) & Kiersten’s big day. You may know Kiersten as the lovely and vibrant news reporter for Channel 2 here in Boise. Well, she used to be anyway given she now resides in Laramie, WY. where Mr. Seam took on an executive position in the sports world. If you are ever in Seattle check out Gasworks Park the place is something to see. There is a totally unobstructed view of the city with more hills to climb than one could imagine. It marked the first wedding I ever shot on a boat which was tight but very cool in the same sense.

I have gotten away from doing those pictures that are for me and by me. I vowed to ensure at certain points this year I would make that happen! To do so, I coordinated a couple of volunteers to basically give me but a slice of their time while letting my photographic desires dictate the end result. The first of perhaps three this year finally happened and though I have never carried my gear very deep into water, I figured it was time to take a chance. The end result, perhaps my favorite portrait I have done to date! Hopefully the folks at Nikon see it that way as well because ultimately, that is where I hope it ends up! Thanks Chelsie for doing what you do for your bud Lance.

Last but not least, I saw some of the craziest lightning ever last night and probably could have gotten some pics to die for but chickened out. For some reason, lighting sends me into a frantic tailspin so hanging out in the open with a camera and a tripod just isn’t my idea of fun. As a result, I was able to snap off one shot and run for the house! Know when you look at the picture of bolts driving down from the sky, a scared kid was on the other end!


Rubber Suits For All My Friends,

Lance

I

Some Light Reading

Comrades,
Well my friends, it has been a tad too infrequent a visit for me to the good old blog spot. Much has transpired since the last time I came to you. Between three weddings and trying like a maniac to balance my family life mixed in with some bang bang fireworks it has battered but not beaten this soon to be 36 year old guy. Let us get right into the three weddings before we get into anything else. First stop on the tour was McCall where I had the pleasure of working with Jake & Kassy. What is it with me and lawyers? I have shot more weddings for lawyers in the last three years than most people have in their entire careers! I digress, hanging out at Shore Lodge I yet again visited the gorgeous waters with my subjects known for making amazing picture. Funny thing is, it marked the first the first time the caterer gave me flack for trying to steal a piece of chicken at a wedding. To make a long story short…….Wait, you don’t need to hear that crap, all you need to know is that I am convinced little miss server had plans of her own for the food that was supposed to keep my blood sugar from hitting the ground like a bull rider with no arms! So to offset this nutrient greed, I went over to the lodge and had em make me a burger. Little did I know that I was about to get hit up for $15 just for a beef patty on bread! No wonder the world goes hungry in some parts! Seriously, I had a blast and realize more and more just how much I enjoy doing what I do with the people who entrust me to make their day memorable. Jake & Kassy are amazing people with the looks, smarts, and edge to go the distance in this world. I hope that my commitment to their day stands the test of time as well.

Part 2July 4th was not your typical shin-dig by any stretch I am here to tell you. What was supposed to be a small neighborhood get together turned into something resembling “Daddy Daycare” vs. the Pyromaniacs! Funny how kids will crawl from all parts of the world just to get their paws on your firework supply and I am certain at one point in the night I was randomly pointing bottle rockets at those pre-school agitators! Just kidding…..I was more than glad to share the wealth and to make things complete, my son & the crew he runs with spent the better part of two weeks designing a launcher that rivaled NASA. We managed to shoot mortars across the night sky without getting anyone killed so I venture to say it was a success.

Part 3 (Sorry, No Pics)

Had the chance to spend some time in Redfish with Andy & Sabrina has they had a small ceremony with the Sawtooth Mountains as a backdrop. Talk about awesome! Met some really amazing people and spent the better part of the after party camped out on the patio of the resort drink in hand of course. The sun is so direct up in the mountains my face looked like an apple by day’s end! I always love the type of weddings that end up in a bar long after the formalities are complete. It is there that you see people letting their hair down and taking you in as if they sent you an invitation as a guest. It symbolizes one more block in the wall towards this thing a good wedding photographer invests heavily in that being, relationships with people!

Part 4The grand finale or the hot tamale you can take your pick I found myself spending some time with the ever so adventurous Mark & Emily. This gig marked the first time I participated in a “trash the dress” session and that in itself was both different and a blast. I didn’t want to do the typical dump something on the bride instead, I felt a need to create a scene of confusion mixed colors further emphasizing the beauty of the moment. For all that fancy romance novel talk I just spewed at you let me share what I used. SMOKE BOMBS! Yes, I had her in the cliché water shot but to add some depth I figured red & blue smoke would give the viewer a dybamic caught somewhere between the cover of a romance novel and a Vietnam Flashback. As for the wedding, let’s just say I just keep getting so damn lucky to run with people who represent everything that is right in this world. Somehow I know I have not seen the last of these two and my hats off to Emily for being daring enough to push our pictures to edge and beyond.

I always like to thank those who have pushed, encouraged, and helped me as I continue to pursue the ever changing world of photography. I can always tell who the “real players” are for it is not their gross revenues that speak highest nor is it their talent. It is an understanding that in some way all of us must pass the torch of knowledge on to those who come behind us so that something as healthy and worthwhile like pictures lives on forever. To that end I say thank you to the likes of Scott Evans & Greg Sims for their ability to strip out the ego & secrecy that has become so pervasive in the industry.

Selling Novels in your Hood,

Lance

Lessons with a new wedding to show

Comrades In Love,

Ever felt that ping in the back of your head telling you that your brain machine has had just about enough of the rat race? In other words, the pounding headache from having too much to do and deadlines to meet! My friends all say I am a loof when it comes to that but my argument has always been that it is part of my charm (Smiling). To give you an example, I was shuffling through the Denver airport the other day browsing my Facebook on my IPhone. I placed the phone back in my pocket and proceeded to my gate. Upon hearing my boarding call, I begin to think I have entered the aircraft sans IPhone. Searching my pockets like a confused child I let the anxiety of the moment get the best of me not even realizing that I had brushed my hand across the phone sitting right there in my cargo pocket! Not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!!! Argghhh….Like a child I am but there is a lesson to all of this. Your wedding day can be much like the scenario I just painted for you (Yes it was a true story) & my offer is to tell you to relax and go with it regardless of how things go down. I know, you’re probably cursing me for throwing rocks in a glass house but at least you don’t have to see me in a dress! You on the other hand, will see yourself in that dress and the view is much nicer when you let the good, the bad, and the somewhere in the middle parts of your day flow for what they are, beautiful in their own way.

Had an awesome time shooting Mellissa & Noah’s gig 2 weeks ago. I would have posted earlier but vacations and the IPhone took up all of my time. Let me say that the lighting on their day was fantastic and I was on a role! Thank you guys it was fun, it was hot, and it was sultry! Until we meet again I say……………..

Sweatbands For All My Friends,

Lance

Jeff & keri all the way from L.A.

Comrades,

Had the pleasure of shooting my first wedding of 2010 on March 7th and as always, I had a blast. Just to be "Anti-Establishment" I will refrain from telling you the days events in chronological order that somehow get the words "Emotion", "Love", & "Feelings" jumbled into the paragraph so that you think I was in this zen state of being with my subjects. That would be fake and one way to placate the memory of my subjects to the point of sounding like a Hallmark card that you always forget to take off the fridge. I digress, Jeff & Kari flew up from L.A. to have a ceremony right here in good ole Idaho. With a glaring sun ready to do battle with me I found myself spending the first 2 hours getting a feel for my subjects. Sometimes it is just like that in photography, you spend a bit of time earning trust for it is not everyday somebody takes 400 plus pictures of one set of people. I almost love the challenge that it presents because being the competitive guy I am, when I have conquered that obstacle whether real or perceived, I get a sense of satisfaction not found in anything else I do.

Given that no two weddings are alike, I am always pleased when a couple isn't as worried about the status quo and I can say that Jeff & Keri were all over that. Even better, I am always blown away when two people are making this huge commitment to one another and yet they come off without a worry in the world. Without a doubt, these two fit that description. The funny thing is, I was probably more the worried than them it was my first gig for 2010. Funny how you have to get your "Sea Legs" after not shooting a wedding for 6 months and yet, I have always found my first wedding of a given year to be the one I remember the most. Of course all that matters are that 1. I am satisfied with the pictures 2. The subjects are satisfied with the pictures. Ok maybe not satisfied but ecstatic! The whole experience was yet one more gateway to another time created by the 3 of us that I can only hope they reflect on down the road. Wedding photography is that one thing where we are allowed to cross the lines of business and friends and with that said I am very happy to have been a small part of a new friendship if only seen through the memories of what we created .

Flying Over Your Mother's House,

Lance

Micha & Carrissa

Comrades,

Excellent engagement session capped by sunny skies and a gentle breeze. Always felt like engagements were the time to work out the kinks and find what fits a subject best for their wedding day. This of course, is like the pre-season for weddings and already I feel like I am in mid-season form. I am ready, are you?

Airplanes & More Rain

Comrades,

So many galleries to build and so little time! That is what one gets when trying to shoot weddings while moving into a new home. Who cares just get it done right? Regardless, I drove up to lovely McCall, Idaho to shoot Darrin and Stacy’s wedding at the Northfork Lodge. Little did I know there was this old abandoned airplane sitting outside the entrance. Who would have thought? As I am pulling in I started thinking of how I could incorporate the plane into some pics and the groomsmen seemed to fit the bill. Given that Murphy’s Law always lingers I noticed drops of rain falling into adjacent puddles thus I knew for the second consecutive week, rain was on the menu! Luckily, the rain halted itself just long enough to get this event done and as for my airplane shots? Well, when the guys arrived they began to climb onto the damn thing which is something I NEVER had in mind but I went ahead and blasted a few and got em off. Honestly I am shocked they all climbed up there but it made for cool pics! Stacy was a gorgeous bride and both her and Darrin’s family made me feel like one of the crew. Big high fives and mucho thanks for the California Red Wine :)

Sunshine for all my friends,

Lance

Got Weddings On My Mind

When you just can't get the ideas to translate into actions you simply write them down no matter where you are. Maybe I am neurotic but I keep thinking of a barn that I will be using for this weekend's wedding.

Notes For All My Friends,

Lance

Loren & Angela Tough it Out

Comrades,

I am sitting here in Rexburg, Idaho lying around enjoying the confines of a dumpy hotel while working on pics and contemplating just how in the world I plan to move into a new house and not lose my mind. To escape the thoughts of life’s transitions I bring to you a couple that endured what ALL wedding couples fear and that is, RAIN. After all the planning and coordinating brides and grooms alike commit themselves to they are sometimes forced to make serious changes when the sky opens up and this wedding was no exception. Did I say that it also makes it somewhat difficult for the photographer too? I have read on various forums hosted by other photographers on how when it rains a “real” photographer can tough it out. I am stumped by these statements simply because I know that I can’t give my Nikon’s a rare motivational speech that makes them water proof nor have I EVER come across a wedding portfolio that was shot in the rain all day without serious equipment problems. I realize trash bags can be fitted to protect your gear but that in itself limits one’s ability to maximize their talents. On the day of Loren and Angela’s wedding we planned on meeting at the Rose Garden due in large part because it has a gazebo that provides shelter in the event of a downfall. Lucky for us we started while we had a shred of sunlight but ominous clouds hung around like a bad relative does when they overextend their stay. Funny thing is, I think I was more worried about it than Loren and Angela and that was just the breath of optimism I needed to get er done, well almost done. We shot throughout the day and luckily the torrential showers waited to fall until evening. The downer is that we never got to do our shots when the sun was setting so being ever thankful for their flexibility, we decided to re-create that part at a later date. Ahhhh, flexibility is better than a brand new set of snow tires! If the two of you read this know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart and look forward to the final chapter of our shoot. As for everyone else, if you want a photographer with equipment that can withstand rain for a good 3 hour period I suggest you call the Discovery Channel.

Umbrellas for All My Friends,

Lance

P.S.

Loads of new wedding galleries are soon to be posted so stay tuned.....

Dan & Bea

Comrades of Spring,

Well last Saturday I had the opportunity to shoot a wedding for Dan & Bea and from the friendliness of the weather to the flow of the day I could not have been happier with how it turned out. I am still shaking off the cobwebs from just getting into this years wedding season but all in all, I was feeling up to snuff. For once in my life I was actually up early enough to have the days first shoot all set up and ready over on 9th Street and the guys did a fabulous job playing the role. Using multiple speed lights and some wireless trippers, I was able to give them the look of a born-again rock star waiting to take the world by storm. Of course, all the planning in the world doesn’t eliminate Mr. Murphy! Just as we started one of the cables that fed the lights failed thus delayed my flow. But, despite the setback we made it work sans crappy cable! There is nothing I hate more than having to make my subjects wait on me to replace or repair faulty equipment but with electronics, comes malfunctions!

Bea looked fabulous and was a great little traffic cop while I bustled people in and out for some bridal pictures. I just love it when brides help me get the herd together because after all, I really don’t know any of the people invited thus they often are reluctant to play ball when it comes picture time. I have mounds of pictures to work through but hope to have their wedding portfolio posted in the next couple weeks. Mucho thanks to both Dan and Bea’s families for the fun and the nice dinner at the end of the night.

Wedding Food for all My Friends,

Lance

Engaged

Comrades,

Been hanging out with some cool couples of late getting them all ready for the big day with the pictures that will end up in the invitations. Will and Laetitia were last week’s victims of my neurotic ways and we blasted through a quick set under a warm sky. Later in the week came Nate & Megan and using downtown as a backdrop, we made some music over the course of an hour. I always find myself wondering how many different ways can two people embrace? Whatever that number is I am sure it is greatly reduced once a couple knows they have a camera pointed at them. Engagements while important are not the top of the mountain for any couple who works with me. Rather, they are the chance for me to gauge what works and what doesn’t in terms of pictures so that come wedding day, all stars are aligned. Besides, there is nothing cooler than glitz and showmanship a wedding offers any photographer willing to lose themselves in a Zen state of creativity.

May 4th marks the commercial shoot for Roaring Springs and the new slide that is set to open for this season. I love working with them for two reasons. One, it is a free for all type photo shoot and I often see the results of the shoot on billboards all over town. I will be setting up some serious lighting action for these shots provided all goes as planned. Now let’s see if I can keep myself from getting electrocuted in the process.

Cupids for all my friends,

Lance

Delayed but Delivered

Comrades,

Sorry it has taken me so long to post a couple of pics from the last two engagement sessions. What is a man to do when he is on vacation, work? Well, I guess they were right when they said there is “No sleep for the weary” but still, enjoying some time off is vital to ones sanity given that wedding season is about to push me in the stamina department. The first session was with Jenna and Tyler and I soon learned that shade is still at a premium around here. We must have had a good 12 o’clock fireball sitting right over us making the shoot difficult at times. Unfortunately, the trees are still feeling their way in terms of sprouting a leaf or two thus, shade was nill. Despite my admissions for making false assumptions about the timing of nature’s shade coverings, we made some great images together and ended up with a nice set.

The following day it was off to McCall to meet up with Stacy and Darrin for a session in downtown McCall, Idaho. Like the previous day, the sun was giving us fits but we had plenty of places to hide from the unflattering glare via the downtown structures. Counting my lucky stars for the science of physics as it pertains to light and objects, I had a great time getting some rockstar shots of these two love birds. The good news is that come summer when I head back for their wedding, I will have them an entire day thus will be able to take advantage of the lighting conditions as they calm down during the evening hours of the summer months and to be honest, I enjoy that aspect of every wedding. To me it is a natural insurance policy of sorts.

All this talk of harsh sunlight has left me wondering how I have for the most part been able to avoid it up until last weekend. Lets just say that taking nature for granted is sure to come back to bite you in your favorite lens! Research, research, and more research of not only the surroundings one plans to shoot in, but also the study of overcoming such conditions is the only way we can make music in less than desirable conditions. This means we don’t settle if at all possible nor does it mean we lay out in the wide open and admit defeat. Light modifiers are everywhere we only need to look and evaluate. I was emailed a link from a pal last week that demonstrated what not to do in the harsh light that is our sun. Without going into to details, I will only say that I am super glad I am not the one who was forced to deliver the pictures that I saw and can only imagine how and why these shots I speak of were even attempted.

More stuff to come soon including some wild shots that my son took in Vale, Oregon over Easter not to mention some wild landscape shots I enjoyed taking using a 10mm lens that makes the clouds look pretty damn ominous let me tell ya :)

Easter Cold Ones for all My Friends,

Lance

A Campaign For All

Citizens,

Sometimes one must put the perspective of business aside for things that affect the very fabric of life. Saturday marked an important public awareness campaign that I had the chance to help out with while making some new friends. After being referred by a friend, I met the group organizer, Duane Quintana at one of my favorite spots to do a photo shoot that was simple in setup yet forceful in its message. Getting the point across required no more than a little bit of duct tape and some off-camera lighting on my part. The models who volunteered their time were total troopers as we spent the better part of an hour working on our craft while the slight chill that left us shivering did it’s best to drown our spirits. In case you are wondering, the duct tape represents our refusal as a society to openly discuss the issue of HIV and given that Idaho is such a rural state that point rings louder than war. I want to thank everyone who participated and for Duane’s commitment to driving home the issue to those who simply have failed to pay closer attention to a cause that needs to be at the doorstep of every American. Talk to your kids, your friends, and anybody else who will listen because unfortunately this problem is as pervasive as the air we breathe.

Awareness For All My Friends,

Lance

Red Skies At Night

Comrades,

As the weather finally starts to turn warmer some of the wicked things we can do with a camera become a little more enjoyable. For some reason, my thing of late has been to “Paint with Light” which requires a shutter release device, a great light source, and a clear night sky. For me it represents the calm before the storm simply because as we inch ever so close to these warmer temperatures, wedding season falls right on my head. So last week I did a series of shots using two locations around the Lucky Peak Area. It was a matter of tying a flashlight to a string and keeping the shutter open for about 55 seconds. Here is what I ended up with so enjoy. I am thinking that if the opportunity presents itself, maybe I will post a bride and groom under a night sky like this. Any takers?

Night Lights For All My Friends,

Lance

All Of Me To You

Dear Cell Mates,

Last weekend marked one of my final weddings of the year. Charles and Ali were married at St. John’s Cathedral here in Boise and what a gorgeous church it is! I want to personally say thank you to the both of them for the opportunity and that they are awesome to work with.

Given the state of the economy I have had several conversations about the pricing structure several photographers use and if it will remain viable during these times. I say and I stress this with the utmost importance that each and every photographer needs to stay true to themselves as much as they can. In the Boise market most of us are charging way below what most markets are already charging so in turn, the prices I have seen are pretty darn good not to mention Boise has access to some excellent photographers. So let’s break this down a little more shall we?

Let’s say you book me taking package #2 at $1450
I am with you for about 6.5 hours
Post production and consultations come out to another 7 hours
Subtract Cost of Goods Sold in the Package to about $140
Your total cost per hour is $97

That is a steal no doubt and if you look at similar packages I am willing to bet the hourly rate comes out about the same. In the end, you get great stuff for one excellent rate. This doesn’t even factor the fact that most photographers provide you the digital negatives for free ($600) value or the cost of insurance, fuel, professional memberships, equipment, etc. . Just some numbers for you to ponder the next time you look at photography from a pricing standpoint.

I have loved every minute with every subject I have worked with in 2008 & I really am grateful for the chance to raise the bar with all of you on board. For my newlyweds, I want to wish all of you the best as you embark on your journey with your new partners. Thank you Tiffany Quillici for putting my stuff on billboards all over town what a flattering feeling for sure.

Random Things

Most of this economic stuff is driven by fear. There won’t be breadlines anytime soon but if there is, I will be the one bringing beer and pizza.

The New Orleans Saints are beginning to drive me insane!

Change is coming America, brace yourself!

Scott Evans (Atlanta Based Photographer) is bar none the example of doing things your own way & the right way that all photographers should aspire to.

I encourage the world to keep buying the things they want, just make sure you use cash every chance you get. Your standard of living goes as the state of the community business environment goes so don’t let the fear of the year ruin your desires.


Last but not least, Happy Birthday to my man in the sand Devon Justis. Ten years of joy you have brought all of us buddy. Love you with all I got! Enjoy your presents just make sure the helmet is on at all times when skateboarding! That is a direct order from your Dad.


Saints Victory Parties for All My Friends,


Lance

MySpace is Your Space

Comrades,

Is it just me or was summer short and super mild? Seems like the heat didn’t last long so I ask you this, is Global Warming really happening? Ok that was a bit of Al Gore sarcasm but seriously, it just seems as though summer was here today and gone today. Oh well, guess we all get to save on those A/C bills. Not much going on lately as I have been concentrating on learning the mandolin because frankly, I am running low on photography ideas of late. Like anything in life, you do it enough sometimes you have to step away from it to recharge your batteries and mine seem to always charge back up just fine. Ok so I have been doing some interesting reading regarding the posting of wedding images on MySpace, Facebook, etc. Some photographers have gone irate over this while others could care less. Just to clarify with the folks I have worked with and or may work with in the future, if you buy the rights to my images (most of you do) I encourage you to post them to your MySpace or whatever account. Honestly, it makes me happy that you like enough to share them like that. Some would say I am giving my stuff away and my response to them is “worry about your own prints”. I have neither the time or desire to force brides to display their images in a place that I and only I see fit. The only caveat to that is they don’t sell the images to bridal stores, florists, etc. That would be a copyright violation and giving businesses freebies for which they should have paid Muah. Most of my brides have a MySpace account and I have enjoyed reading the comments by people who have seen the pics. It actually helps me figure out what works and what doesn’t without ever having to ask. Sorry for the blab, had to clear all that up for ya…..

Nothing else new to report except that I am crossing my fingers that the hurricane that is looming down south doesn’t screw up my trip back home to New Orleans in September. Knock on wood and drink a cold one for me will ya? I hear it’s good luck.

Football Season for All My Friends,

Lance

P.S. The picture up top is a homeless guy. We will call him "Jim"