Justis Photography Has Gone Music Review Crazy

One more from Nate to add to the collection

 Comrades,

What do you get when you combine 600 people and three extremely talented musical acts? Pure energy and a vision of a collective group's hunger for creative success! On February 24^th I shot MacKayla Hunter’s CD release party at the Knitting factory in downtown Boise and for someone only 15 years of age, I was amazed to say the least.  With an array of band members who touted what seemed like every instrument in the book, MacKayla struck thunder into every one of the nine songs she played before an energized audience. Personally, hearing a fiddle in the midst of her music only served to remind me of the thought that has been put into each and every one of her songs. I mean let’s be honest here, it isn’t often you hear music from someone still in high school that contains any instrument other than drums and guitars much less a fiddle. Furthermore, in todays over saturated pop culture, it stands as a reminder that there are those who still have the foresight and appreciation to what is right about music, that being, instrument variety used to every end imaginable!

http://mackaylahunter.com/

 

www.natefowlermusic.com

Before MacKayla could even grace the stage with her presence, my good friend and very talented Nate Fowler raced through a set list of equally pleasing if not amazing tunes from his catalog of songs capped by his recent hit “Hurricane” (My Personal Favorite). To see this high energy version of Jack Johnson is to witness someone who knows how to motivate a crowd's interest for an entire set. I say this because Fowler’s short adaptation of The Backstreet Boys “I want it that way” would typically be met with bewilderment however, Nate actually gave the song however short, a life that 5 made for T.V. Hollywood boys couldn't even do. However, when you have charisma and talent like Fowler, you could sing a “Brady Bunch” song and it would sound cool! The opening act was a rather large crew of guys who call themselves “Reckless Abandon”. Somewhere between Jazz, Folk, and Hip Hop you will find this group of (I think) 6 dudes standing all alone, unique, and emotionally invested more than most bands I have seen. I noticed not one member of the group possessed an image matching that of their fellow band mates. From Lip Bizkit to James Taylor each member seemed to have their own thing and I not only found this refreshing, but their music kicked more ass than a donkey! Working on doing a shoot with them in the future so I can honestly say if that comes to pass, I will interested to find what makes this collective group of dudes tick. Special thanks to Duke VanCampen and Shawna VanBeek for not only hiring me, but allowing me to be a part of the entire process. Excellent people with big hearts. Justis Photography definitely has a place for you in its own Ring Of Honor.

Music For All My Friends,

Lance
Justis Photography
www.justisphoto.com

Vachel & Andrea & a Website Update

Comrades, 

When you brave the profession of photography, finding the ideal client that mixes well with your game can be a challenge. I think that is an often overlooked notion in this business. Finding jobs while important, is nowhere near as important as finding jobs with cool people. In that way I would at times, liken wedding/engagement photography to that of alchemy (Look it up if you don't know what that means) . With a ever growing population of photographers breathing down the necks of experienced pro's, you have to capitalize on every great opportunity and for me,  another great opportunity presented itself in the form of Vachel & Andrea (Pronounced Aun-Dre-Ahh). For a good hour plus, we floated on a cloud of expression that gave me pure satisfaction if only for the sincerity of it all. I even broke into my own "Superman" look & enjoyed using this on a client shoot for the first time.On the top you can see the latest man to wear the cape while I present to you the very two shirts shot at a different time by yours truly. The shot of me is close to 3 years old and it just goes to show, some ideas hang around for years until they are used with clients. I will say that Vachel makes a much better Clark Kent that I ever could and in his picture, he has the lady while I have the darkness. Some guys just have all the luck I suppose. Who knows what the three of us will come up with on the wedding day but that is just one of the many things that keeps my head in the game & you in front of the lens.

Website Update

I have recently altered the pricing page of www.justisphoto.com in hopes of simplifying the pricing. Instead of forcing you to accept the items included in each package, I have decide to let the client choose what they want in the package. So if you want 6 hours of coverage, you simply pay for that time and then buy additional items to add until you have the package you envisioned. Hope that makes sense but feel free to call or email me should you have any questions. I can be reached at justisphoto@gmail.com or cell 208-899-5506

Drinks For All My Friends,

Lance
www.justisphoto.com

Wedding Season Q&A Part 1

(Ruiz Wedding One Of My Favs Circa 2006)

Ladies Who Are Destined to Wear the Dress,

This is your year, this is your moment, this is a time of stressful choices combined with the forces of gravity pulling & twisting your soul into a pretzel. This is the year you get married. Though I can't offer any family counseling nor can I be the secret service agent who shields you from the verbal bullets of friends & family when it seems that their opinion matters more than your own. What I can offer you is a backstage pass into 6 years of shooting weddings in the Treasure Valley more specifically, some of the questions I have been asked over the years along with my own observations. I hope that this gives you something you find valuable from someone other than a person trying to sell you something at a time when you least want it. As transparent as this may come off, to me it is the only way to say it to you and provide any real value because anything less,  means this persistent typing is useless.

Here are some of the questions that have remained embedded in my memory along with the answers as best as I can give them. Keep in mind that what you are about to read is written to hopefully give you some insight into wedding photography so as to help you relate to the other side of the equation. Also noteworthy is that this list should only apply to photographers who have been shooting professionally and not a newbie (They are still learning all of this themselves).Enjoy Part 1 of the Series

1. "Why are some photographers so expensive while others are not?"
Answer: This is a loaded question but what I can tell you is that some photographers offer a much deeper line of products than others. This is neither good nor bad but what you should know is that many of the albums, books, canvass prints, etc. are very spendy for the photographer and to remain viable, count on said items getting marked up. Also, some photographers spend thousands on new gear which if used right, can make your pictures even better! That being said, the equipment isn't free so it has to be made up somewhere. For example, a Nikon 24mm f1.4 lens goes for $2100 and that is just one lens! Factor in insurance, taxes, dues and I haven't even discussed the hours worked on both your wedding day and post processing. Lastly, photographers are very numerous in numbers but, not all are created equal and for the ones that are good at every aspect of the game, they will be highly pursued and the market WILL BEAR IT I assure you.

2. "Do you ever come across clients that you have trouble clicking with"?
Answer: Absolutely! After all, we are human first & foremost thus there are times (Though Very Isolated) where photographers are not able to blend into the entire wedding process with the client(s). When you lack synergy, it makes getting the very best difficult to put it mildly. That it is why it is very important to have those conversations, meet for coffee, shoot those engagements (if possible), and so forth. It is in that bonding period you discover what makes your photographer click while he/she is discovering who you really are in the fastest manner possible. Trust me when I say that a good photographer is also good at reading between the lines when it comes to every exchange he/she has with the subject(s).

3. "How come it takes weeks to deliver pictures and other products"?
Answer: During the height of the summer, wedding service providers are at their peak and the suppliers who provide photographers with books, albums, etc. are equally swamped. Like traffic on Causeway Blvd. (New Orleans) when there is a serious demand for something, the cycle will invariably slow down. I typically deliver NLT 6 weeks from the wedding date but if it takes longer, it could very well be because your photographer is using a much more elaborate or complicated form of album design than others. Also know that for some of us, we go through and edit EVERY image to ensure you look your best as well as the scene around you. Leaving duck crap in an image only goes to show  laziness on the part of a photographer.

4. "If we are running late, can you still get everything we expect for the money we have paid?"
Answer: Time is a very unforgiving concept and all the money in the world cannot bring it back. If you are running super late it changes things and requires a bit of luck and efficiency to keep things on course. When this happens, the time originally planned has now become a shell of it's former self (literally). However, it does happen and it should be something that is discussed during your initial consultation and or documented in the contract you sign. Some photographers will charge you additional time and who can blame them, who works for free? But it can also be said that in the spirit of customer service there should be some leeway to be offered by the photographer IMO. If you miss more than 1/3 of the scheduled time be ready to make a choice that involves a bit of sacrifice.             1. Allocate time during the reception to finish the pics or 2. Forgo that aspect of your pictures altogether. 3. Pay your photographer for another hour of shooting post-wedding and yes, that means you have to get dressed back up.  No photographer wants you to miss any of the pictures you expected but in the absence of a time machine, you are the boss and have to decide though the photog should help you weigh the pro's and cons.

5. "Will a shot list be ok"?
Answer: This is one of those things that while understandable has been known to send a few photographers to the ER with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The reason is simple, the outcome of your wedding pictures is much better left in the hands of a photographers instinct to what looks flattering and worthwhile vs. what isn't. That is what made you hire them right? Fact is, if for some reason a photographer isn't able to get everything on the list they will worry, they will sweat, their work will be affected from that point forward or perhaps before thus, you are not getting what you truly deserve. Hire the photographer for more than being a task master. Hire them for their instinctive abilities and chemistry with you. I once had a bride ask me to shoot pictures of people eating and if you haven't seen pictures of people eating consider yourself lucky. They are simply not something the people on the other end of the lens are EVER happy about regardless of how good the photographer is.

Stay Tuned For Part 2

Sequels For All My Friends,

Lance
Justis Photography
www.justisphoto.com
208-899-5506

Playing in the Rain

Comrades,

Let me first advise that if you are a photographer, shooting in rain mixed with freezing temperatures is not good for the fingers! I must have soaked my hands in boiling water for an hour to get them back to normal. Ok, perhaps that is a bit of an exaggeration but it no less tested my extremities to the end. Luckily, Matt & Ashleigh joined me with the attitude of someone on a Sunday stroll and without a care in the world. If you're given lemons, make lemonade they or at least that is what I hear. Well, we were given clouds and though we didn't make rain, we made good use of it. All the way from Spokane and a bit of fury and it's "Game, Set, Match"! See ya at the wedding gang....... 

My beloved Saints are done for the year and that signals the start of what I affectionately call "The Shooting Season". It is about this time I am immersed in engagements and Senior pictures alike. Bring it on for this lad has a severe case of Cabin Fever.

Enjoy the bonus shot. my son Devon pulling an Einstein during the holidays.

Thermals For ALL My Friends,

Lance

Yearly Awards for 2010

Comrades,

Life is a series of judgments against the standards of time's past. It is for this very reason that people create a “Year in Review List” or "The Top 100 Events" in (insert year). What in the world am I referring to is probably the question you just said to yourself as you read letters & symbols written by a fool smitten with his own proclamations. It is for the aforementioned question that I must now respond and with that response I continue to use more text than necessary just to keep the suspense lurking while doing revolutions around your patience. Ok Ok I’l stop but this  is just too much fun!  

The time has come for me to take a moment to reflect on the things most reflective in my eyes for 2010. Most of what you’ll find in this list revolve around people whom I have stood in the trenches with, shared a personal moment with, or just simply found common ground with. However, there will also be references to things that have no bearing on a personal relationship with (say it with me), P-E-O-P-L-E!
And now we commence the ceremonies...........

Most Rewarding Moment of 2010 (Non-Human Category): Seeing my beloved New Orleans Saints finally win the Super Bowl. If you are not from or have no ties to this great city than it is physically impossible for you to know just how big this was. 30+ years of loyal following for Mr. Lance and with a Father who attended the first game in 67, it is no wonder the impact of this win was so strong it made quick work of my sensitivities. Thank you Saints past, present, & future! 

Cheapest Beer Drank in 2010: Keystone Beer
Need I say anything more?

Most Dynamic & Creative Photographer of 2010: Greg Sims
Never have I seen somebody unify the world of photography and digital art the way this dude has. From military jets to NCAA & NFL sanctioned sports, this man has had his hand in the game and has forced the world to take notice that the standards of photography are only going higher on his watch.I call him "Jedi Master", you can call him Greg. For more info on this dynamite guy check out http://www.tri-digitalgroup2.com/

Cosmopolitan Person of 2010 Marc Pagani: Facebook has evolved in a way that allows all of us to participate in other people’s lives without having to physically be around them all the time. For better or worse we can argue that one later. For now, I have enjoyed reading about the travels of Marc Pagani who is based out of New Orleans. From the highest mountains to the sands of the Caribbean his tales of adventure and photography have been nothing short of captivating and insightful. If you are looking for a someone who will tell you what is and isn't as he as personally seen,  Marc is your guy. He also is a pretty dammed amazing photographer who has his hand in just about every type of photography known to the human race.  http://www.paganiphoto.com/

Person Whose 15 Seconds Are Up Justin Bieber : A child that has polarized the pre-pubescent minds of girls across the globe. Unfortunately, he has no talent and a ridiculous hair do that resembles something between a beehive and a birdhouse. Just wait, in a couple of years we will be reading of how he lit a hotel hallway on fire after going through a gallon of Vodka. 

My personal favorite picture from 2010: Chelsea Cassity in “Lake Waters”
There should always be a series of mountains one climbs when trying to establish excellence. 2010 was kind enough to bestow what I feel is the successful trek up just one of those mountains. It started over a series of conversations lasting 4 months & when the shutter closed on a setting sun in Lake Lowell, I knew I had something I would cherish forever. This is one of the rare moments where tooting your own horn never felt so good.

7. Best Movie of 2010: “Restrepo”
With the over the top computer graphics of today’s movies, it is nice that we still have a desire to see raw & unbridled films about the world around us more importantly, the wars that continue to suck the life out of our own futures. If you’re curious as to what a member of the U.S. military goes through in a place like the Korengal Valley this is the film for you. I saw this film and felt like I was back in Bosnia (circa 96) and the bond these men form with one another is yet another reminder that despite the wave of chaos that surrounds us, standing your ground for the man beside you still matters most. 

8. Biggest Consumer Product for 2010: Apple
This award is for a company who continues to streamline everyday things while making it cool, fun, and flat out reliable.

9. Most Disappointing Aspect of 2010: Our Population of Voters
Not because we are divided by this made for TV thing called “Party Affiliation”, but because we have emptied our loads exhausting precious energy for words instead of getting things done. I often wonder if our success as a country hinges on some sort of controlled chaos instead of harmony. Just a thought.....If you think either party truly represents you make sure you Fed Ex some of the same drugs you're taking to my address please.

Coolest City Visited in 2010: South Padre Island, Texas
Man oh man they love their Tex-Mex and cold beer! From the beaches to the jet skis,  this place is a poor man’s tropical paradise. The fishing is awesome and the accommodations are more than adequate. Seriously, give it a thought if you are looking for something different.

Well there you have it folks. What you just read was my own little collection of notables for 2010. For everyone who has supported "Justis Nation" I really can't thank you enough for it is you that enables the wheels under the bus I have been riding on for 6 years strong. May 2011 be better not just for you, but for the masses of eyes that make up the world we live in. 

Honorable Mentions for 2010

1. Learning to use the word "Seam" in a way I never imagined. 

2. Saying "No" when I absolutely had to

3. Seeing people finally realize there is more to pictures than the push of a button

4. Getting a new mayor in New Orleans

5. Andy Rooney

6. Colin Charland and his continued search for the Taliban in your living rooms

7. Soutwest Airlines

8. Getting up close and personal with the New Orleans Saints at their Metarie training facility

9. The beginnings of the NCAA's demise

10. The human ear! How unappreciated that asset is in our lives and unfortunately, under used. 

Champagne For All My Friends, 

Lance

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