Contemplating Engagement Photography

When I started my first go around as a photographer I promised myself I would not shoot weddings or porn. Mostly for the same reason. They pay well, lack creativity and you can be very easily pigeonholed into that genre. I only broke that promise one and a half times. I shot a wedding for a friend that turned bad when the photo processor ruined the film. The half was a shoot involving a tattoo shop, a tattoo covered stripper and another stripper in a nurses outfit. It got out of hand.

Times have changed. Terry Richardson has made a mainstream name for himself in fashion after starting in porn and wedding photography has moved away from the traditional to a very creative hybrid of photojournalism, fashion and fine art. I've seen some amazingly creative photographers during a search for my own wedding.

I have agreed to do another wedding for a friend this April and am looking forward to it in large part due to the influence of the next generation of innovative wedding photographers. People like Fer Juaristi, Jasmine Star and Benj Haisch have caught my attention and I've been reading their blogs to prepare for the upcoming event. I still don't think I am interested in making wedding photography an offering because of some personal reasons and I think there's just too much pressure in that environment. But I am starting to get interested in a related field.

Before I got engaged, I never realized there were engagement shoots. Laurel was telling me we needed to do one. I like being behind the lens, not in front of it so I was definitely dragging my feet. We had a non-photographer friend shoot them with me setting up the shots and coaching her. I also did all the post-production. To my surprise, the engagement session was a lot of fun. Laurel and I had a great time and got some fantastic pictures.

It's hard not to get playful when vamping it up for these sessions.

I recently did and engagement session with my friends Katie and Tyler and enjoyed it very much. The shoot was fun and I enjoyed seeing the playful and affectionate side of both of them come out. There is an easy-going attitude for an engagement shoot that is the opposite of a wedding day. It's just about the couple connecting rather than all the pressure of the "special day" with family, friends, pomp and ceremony, not to mention the pressure of everything being "perfect" for one day only.

Katie and Tyler didn't have a serious moment the whole shoot..

So now I am thinking of doing more engagement session work. I'm just not sure about the feasibility of only doing engagement photos. The interesting thing about it is most wedding photographers try to add the engagement session on the the package after they have booked the wedding (or they sell it as part of a larger package from the beginning). How would I market myself as just an engagement photographer? How would I turn down couple who are happy with my work and want me to photograph their wedding as well? Why would a couple hire two different photographers when one would do both events in a package deal? Those are the questions that immediately come to mind. The easy answer would be become so good at it that couples would want me under any terms I set (that's easy, right?).

Obviously, I am not going to limit myself to one type of photography so I wouldn't have to worry about making a living only in this one niche. So if these sessions come along infrequently, it won't be a big deal. The bottom line is that I get some happiness and satisfaction beyond the image and that counts for a lot. Every type of photography I want to do is related. They are some form of portraiture. I think there is a larger journey in this for me. More of that will come out as this blog progresses.

Oaxacan Photographic Adventure

Continuing with the theme of travel to Latin America this year, I have confirmed a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico in October for the Día de los Muertos celebration. I am going with a small group including humanitarian photographers David duChemin and Jeffrey Chapman.

After reading a few of duChemin's books, I was intrigued with the idea of doing some travel and humanitarian photography. I love to travel, and when I get the chance, experience the local culture. I'm not really interested in tourist hotspots. So, in theory, I'd like to do some humanitarian and travel photography. I say in theory because I had a little problem connecting with the locals on my last trip to Mexico.

There was much tequila consumed on my last trip. I suspect there will not be quite as much this time.

I'm excited to go with David and Jeffrey to see them in action and work with them during this special holiday in Oaxaca. They have been all over the world shooting for various NGOs and I think there will be a lot to learn from them. Plus, I'm sure they have plenty of great stories of life in remote locations and cultural shocks a-plenty.

It is a week-long trip traveling around the Oaxacan Valley to various markets in preparation for the festivities and cemeteries for the holidays. The holiday itself is a time of remembering and celebration. There is going to be food, music and lots of decorations to honor the altars of the dead. There should be plenty of people and places to photograph as well as a great time to experience the Mexican culture.

Between Costa Rica and Oaxaca, I'll have to really get fired up on the Rosetta Stone lessons. I would love to go being able to speak Spanish fairly well. At least then I can have some conversations and maybe learn more.

Costa Rican Offer

I am in transition – vocationally, personally, spiritually and geographically. This entire blog is mostly about the first but this post is mostly about the last.

I left New York in the beginning of December (2010) and returned to Phoenix. I floated around Arizona for the holidays, spending it with family and friends. Then, in mid-January, I landed in Bakersfield, California. This was not a destination, it was just a stopover on the way to LA, an easy location to get my bearings and finish up some freelance projects so I could get paid and then find a home in LA. I had expected to be in my own place in LA by now but that hasn’t happened.

One of my freelance clients has been dogging it and a project that was supposed to be two weeks has now turned into two months. I can’t complain too much, it has turned into more work, including producing a video of their process. So now I am planning a trip back to Phoenix to shoot video and portraits for this company, delaying my move another month.

So this is not Costa Rica but it is Roatan, Honduras so I imagine they look similar.

I was given an opportunity to go to Costa Rica in the next couple of months for some shooting and some free time. It wasn’t going to pay much but it also wasn’t going to cost very much. I originally turned it down because I didn’t want another delay in getting my life started in LA. But, recently, I reconsidered.

I don’t really have to be anywhere at any time. I have no rent, no car payment and no job I have to go to at a specific time. I’m sure I’ll have other opportunities to go to Costa Rica in the future but why not take advantage of this opportunity while I can? Who knows what the future will bring?

I will be going for 2-3 weeks. I will stay around San Jose for a while but then have some time at Playa Herradura on the Pacific side photographing condos and resorts there. I will also go to the Caribbean side to photograph a former cattle ranch on 1000 acres of land overlooking the ocean. In addition, I found out that my trip will include a side-trip to Panama City to photograph more condos and land. Visit two countries for the price of one–too good to pass up.

So I am in the stages of planning the trip. I have to finish the video and also have to coordinate schedules in Costa Rica so it looks like I will be going towards the end of April. That will delay my move to LA another couple of months, but I am ok with that. This will be a great adventure and allow me to practice many things, including my Spanish.

I want to improve my Spanish because I have another trip planned for October. But more about that trip next week.