Engaging & Musical

 

Comrades, 

I have come to the conclusion that we live in a world full of people who are hell-bent on making us worry about whether or not a new day will come. Nothing seems positive anymore when we speak of the future, everyone lives in a bubble of fear, and we have a two-party system that can't seem to get along if their lives depended on it. However, I do not plan to subscribe (At Least Not Today) to that jargon instead I bring you what is right, what is happy, and what breaths optimism into the depths of confusion even amongst the mice. Wanna guess what that might be? Freedom! That's right, and I am not talking about freedom from oppression or any ridiculous news station buzzword. I am talking about the freedom of living in the moment! Take my two partners in crime above, do they look like they are worried about the negative energy that swarms around yet can't seem to penetrate their shell of laughter? It is because in this world of "doom & gloom" we still have those who are free from worry and live life as if today would be their last as cliche as that may sound. Without delay I would like to introduce you to Scott &Kirsten......For what we are planning next year for their wedding I am going to need a crew of 5 just to serve as "roadies". Ok, maybe not 5 but let me clue you in to the fact that for the first time in 5 years of shooting weddings, I will be creating an orchestrated story, frame by frame carefully scripted between a sea of able minds. Each will be a continuation of the last with less worry for "candid" and more concentration on the use of _________(Concealed) & _______(Concealed Again) to bring out personalities that could only be owned by these two. Will I share what we are planning in detail? Nah, just wait until sometime after August 4th of next year but given the volumes of input all three of us are putting into the pot, this one is sure to exceed that "different" I am always searching for. 

Had the opportunity to do new promo pictures for local talent MacKayla Hunter last week. Though we still have one mini-session left to go, so far I am very pleased with the results and really and I mean really, love shooting for bands and musicians alike. At the age of 15 she is writing her own music and has joined the few and the proud who are self-taught on the guitar. Wanna meet the coolest support group in the world? Look no further than MacKayla's Dad Duke, who has to rank as one of the nicest people I have worked with in this business. The greatest thing about shooting local artists is that for just a brief moment I get a small sense of what it is like to shoot pictures for performers who like me, live and die by their creations. If you haven't had the chance, check out MacKayla on Facebook and who knows, years later you may just be able to stake claim to being one of the earliest supporters of this amazing talent.

10 Things I Think

1. Every residence in the U.S. should be issued BB Guns just so they can shoot their cats out of the Xmas tree!

2. No matter how cold the winter, a spring time lie just ahead.

3. The Saints are headed back to the big game!

4. BSU for all their efforts can never take down the BCS

5. Seems as though Photography is not the novelty it was a year ago.

6. On that note, if you are starting out and are struggling only one thing can help. PRACTICE!!!!

7. Justis Photography is stronger than ever yet selective still

8. I love "Grey Goose"

9. Apple is about to take over the world!

10. I can never value enough the relationships I have formed through pictures. That has been the grandest payment of all!

The Goose For All My Friends,

Lance

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

Football Season and a Few Pics

My Fellow Citizens, 

Been shooting some new material for both the 2011 wedding season and the Justis Photo website. Finding that the Fall is flat out my favorite time to shoot with the colors and the feel of the air that seems to breath new legs under this old body. First up was a very dear friend and former bride (Chelsea Oyler) who gave me just a few moments of her time to snap off a dramatically lit shot of a woman perched high above the hills. I felt the fitness theme lent itself well to the shot and that was fine with Chel given she was training for a marathon at the time. I love shots with a desert theme and love bright off cameras lights even more! A great friend this lady is and a righteous Justis thanks is in order!

Dustin and Michelle met up with me at a little place situated behind the Boise Foothills where privacy and the calm are as abundant as the air we breathe. One cool day for shooting it was except for the massive birthday party we stumbled into hoping to use it as a backdrop for the final shots. This mother whom I don't know had rented out just about every party toy known to man. She even had some company bring out one of those giant inflatable balls (you know the kind you can climb inside of) that the kids were going crazy in. I admit, I was tempted to sweet talk my way into getting a picture using that contraption but Mom was having none of it. What can ya do? 

Starting now I am no longer with printroom for gallery hosting. SmugMug has sucked me in and so far I really like the layout of the galleries. This means that you get a much nicer gallery for 2011 and I get a bed of comfort knowing things will be run in an orderly fashion. Check out the link at http://justisphoto.smugmug.com/
From there you can order prints or simply enjoy the various slideshows put together with any, you guessed it, music. I think everyone knows how Mr. Foster feels about that :)


Smugs For All My Friends,

Lance

Long Winded

Comrades,

Every so often, I find myself with a little more time to spend doing engagement pictures particularly, once the rush of weddings has subsided. A couple of weekends ago I met up with Brain & Jen to help them complete the front end of their wedding pics. Since they are getting hitched at an all inclusive place down in Arizona, my three dollar tail won’t be making the trip with em. However, I was still shown a slither of opportunity to work with them when it came to getting those engagements done. After being told we were not allowed to stand on the larger fixtures perched on the steps of the Capitol Building (Rent-A-Cop), we slipped into some alleys, parking garages, and finally Julia Davis Park. With our hunger for dinner kicking us square in the teeth, we packed it up, went our separate ways and headed for kitchens all over the town. Thanks guys and wish I was coming with ya….If you read this, tell your photographer I will be watching him (kidding of course).


Nate Fowler is a subject that has begun to show up in more than just a few portfolios’ of mine. To know this man is to know a guy focused on climbing a mountain with every ounce of energy he can muster all the while singing his latest mix of music. I had the pleasure to shoot his wedding, one of his EP covers, and now I am assuming his newest release. There have only been maybe a small handful of people over the years that I have shot more than twice whereas this was my third and hopefully not last shelling by way of the shutter with Nathan. When you have shot the same person a number of times, I notice that it takes little time to find your rhythm. If you're wondering why it is because we know what each expects from the other the minute we arrive on location. Even better is while Nathan is jabbing away at his producer, I am noticing that I am hitting homers one after the other with each picture snapped. Perhaps it is my bias and desire to shoot bands for a living that has me charged or could just be that Nathan defines everything that photographers desire when it comes to automatic chemistry. Life is a fun ride and our passions generate buzz, hope, vision, and for me thankfulness to be able to do what I do.

My Best Impression of Socrates


My Bud Sam Marvin

My good buddy Sam from LMP Sports trekked up the trails that lead to the base of Mount Cramer just outside of Stanley, Idaho. If you live around here and want to see what the reds, ambers, and greens look like for real, this time of year it is the place for you! Though our legs were about dead after 5 hours of hiking, the pictures we were lucky enough to get will last lifetimes! When it’s worth it, it’s worth it!

Best Movies Seen So Far This Year:
1. Crazy Heart
2.Restepo
2. Shutter Island
3. Book of Eli
Now if I can just find time to see Wall Street 2 life will be grand!

Movie Tickets 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