Photo 365 Project

Mistakes, moments of genius, and sleepless nights are typical for any small business owner.  I’m always analyzing (probably way too much) with charts, index cards and post it notes.

I believe to fully embrace faults, talents, ideas…you have to own it.  In public.  So I present my Year In Review: Rights, Wrongs and Changes.

The Rights:

1.) I’m pretty proud of my turnaround time (all shoots edited/sent within 2 weeks).  This is faster than most photographers.

2.) Buying all of my supplies in bulk.

3.) The realization that I need to outsource tasks I don’t enjoy/understand/have time for.  I finally am spending money on a web designer and other help with the business.

I could bore you with more (combining sales tax with all my shoots to simplify pricing, finally getting packaging I wanted) but hey – we all know owning up to my faults/wrongs is ten times more fun! So on with it, yes?

The Wrongs:

1.) I can’t say no to people.  I like to make people happy, but in return, I make myself miserable.  Exhibit A: I don’t do portrait photo shoots during the week because that’s for crucial editing time and shooting obligations with a newspaper.  But there I was, driving into NYC several times last year at 5am to do shoots when I was already overbooked.  Sometimes I worked so much, I lost myself.

2.) Do not be maneuvered into styles that conflict with my own.  Many clients book me and then ask for things I don’t do and haven’t ever done.  (Extreme Photoshopped images, fake landscapes, etc…)  Instead of spending hours trying to please and fit an aesthetic that’s not me, I need to simply find photographers who do this type of work and connect them with clients who would like it! Win-win!

3.) Trying to fit my portable studio into tiny NYC apartments.  Everyone wants me to come to their house out of convenience.  It is just not working.  My photos aren’t improving when I’m spending way too much time trying to fit in lights and equipment (and people) into small spaces that won’t ever create good photos.  No one but yourself to blame, Miss Covey! Shape up and make sure they have enough room!

The Changes in 2012:

1.) Make time to dream, be inspired and finish personal projects.

2.) Create a daily routine, including working out, eating better and going to bed before dawn.  (Looking out my window and seeing the sunrise…not beneficial.)

3.) Pricing.  Despite every living photographer telling me I should charge extra for the cd of images (for portrait clients), for years I refused.  I held onto the idea that if I provided a photo shoot at a good value, clients would buy affordable prints I offer too.  This worked 0% of the time.  HA! Yes you are allowed to laugh at me and my stubbornness…it worked zero times! I simply can’t run a successful business with no print sales year after year while handing over the disk for free too.  After reviewing with a business expert, the option was to either charge a lot more for the sitting fee or just charge for the cd.  (This will be easier/more affordable, however, for you high school senior clients who only need one yearbook photo.  There is a lower sitting fee and not that upfront charge for a disk with a hundred images of basically the same headshot.)

4.) Offering discounts for people who do their portrait session in my own studio.

5.) Accepting that I can’t re-invent the wheel (of running a photography business), no matter how much hard work, kindness or willpower I put into it.  Some traditional systems just work, despite my best efforts to blow them up. Ha ha…

So, 2012…welcome! I plan on having a stellar year, cheers to everyone chasing down dreams, making things happen and publicly owning their mistakes!

Every day I walk to work, I look up at a huge clock tower staring back at me.  I am appreciative that I get to work out of such an interesting and unique building in a great location.  It used to serve as a train station and now it is housed with offices and a giant printing press for the newspaper.  I have been wanting to climb up that tower since I spotted it almost exactly two years ago.  When the opportunity came, I nudged myself into the adventure! I am not really one for heights…as I was climbing my knees got soft and my stomach got a tad queasy.  I am such a wimp.  Luckily there was a railing that I clung to, all the while thinking…”just don’t faint in front of these people…”

The shots from up top were worth it though! First, you can see the tower and it’s history, here.

There was a murmur of chatter and laughs in the courtyard before it ended in a second.  You could hear your own heartbeat.

When she walked down the aisle, the silence was only interrupted by a few gasps among the crowd.

She was beaming, a precedent Jennifer set and continued throughout the day.

Some of my favorites…

After I grabbed some shots of Jennifer and her father, I whipped around to grab her soon to be husband.

The enthusiasm, hope, dreams, anticipation and excitement was all wrapped up in that gorgeous grin…

This beautiful couple, Jen and Dan, committed their life to each other in front of a backdrop of pink roses, smiling faces and love.

Much thanks to The Desmond Hotel in Albany, whose staff and accomodations made for a relaxing and enjoyable afternoon!

After they were married, there was a moment they just stared into each other’s eyes with ease and joy.  It was spectacular!

The reception was fantastic.  I was eagerly anticipating what they had up their sleeve for their first dance.  Word was they had practiced…and it didn’t disappoint!

They looked like ballroom dancers up there, look at these moves!

The guests had some moves of their own.  here’s the maid of honor being swung around by her lovely man…and she’s looking fab doing it!

Special shouts to the awesome dj, who kept people on their feet all night! Mike Sylvia was amazing!

The surroundings inside the Desmond gave a little west coast, tropical kind of feel to the formals! Not that this couple needed to heat things up anymore!

Bridesmaid dresses by David’s Bridal. Bride’s dress by Paloma Blanca, bought at Angela’s Bridal in Guilderland, NY.  Makeup and hair by Kimberley’s in Latham.

I alway try to get a few shots when they’re unaware I’m still shooting.  Holding hands, about to face the world.

Much love to you both, I am so honored I got to meet you, know you, and photograph your perfect day!

I remember with great detail the last time I tried to quit caffeine.  It was my first week in Connecticut and I was having lunch with my new boss and HIS boss.  Yes friends, what a time to abandon my two-shots-of-espresso-a-day caffeine addiction… MY FIRST WEEK ON MY NEW JOB! What’s wrong with me, you ask? Yeah, that is a GREAT question.  Don’t know what I was thinking with that one.

I was at some fancy lunch place and I remember distinctly how I was ready to crawl under the table and die.  Meantime, I had to be personable and charming — and overall — make sure they knew they didn’t hire some inept addicted freak.  About an hour in, my boss mentioned we should all go to Dunkin’ Donuts after lunch.  (Hallelujah!) Despite the blaring headache and piercing pain in my temples, I managed to say, (all casual, natch) “I actually just quit caffeine this week, I’m kind of dying for one right now…”

Both of them looked at me like I just cured cancer… “You mean you haven’t had any caffeine for a WEEK? How are you doing?” I broke down, told them I was actually a walking disaster and barely hanging on. They both agreed they’d be much worse off…

So, my friends, here we are again.  But I must say, this time it was MUUUCH easier.  I’m a month in and feeling totally fine.  Had minor headaches for a short time but really no big d.  Today I was dying after 3 hours sleep and I had a cold one to pick me up.  I’ll revisit my old habit every now and then, but it’s nice to know I don’t have to have one every day!

So, my blog peeps, another thing crossed off my 33 things to do by the time I’m 33! Caffeine cured!

I’ve been exceptionally busy, even for me.  This past week was a whirlwind of shutter clicks, chaos and enthusiasm about life and what’s ahead.  I’ve been meaning to update y’all on my 33×33 Project as well. It’s coming along swimmingly.  Here are the completed tasks thus far:

1.) Overhaul my website with redesign

4.) See someone I haven’t seen in a very long time

5.) Shoot a wedding for free (this is scheduled for this summer! The bride is AMAZING!)

6.) Run a marathon

9.) Move to a new apartment

11.) Make a fun cake for someone

14.) Don’t be such a pushover

16.) Get over addiction to caffeine

17.) Move to cash only system

21.) Buy a lottery ticket

24.) Continue blog

25.) Get new camera

26.) Get new lens for said camera

30.) Do something that I would never dream of doing

Soo, I’m almost half done and I’m at the 6 month part…so I think I’m on track.  Some of the toughest ones are still ahead though! To those who are also doing similar bucket lists…GO FOR IT!

Starbucks cups are changing it up a bit! (Do you sense an addict among us?)

Sooo, for months and MONTHS I’ve been complaining that one of my cameras casts and orangey-yellow hue.  I’ve talked with other Nikon shooters, who scoffed and said I was crazy.

Well color me red.

It was after midnight and I was at work getting ready to leave…I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to try my theory out.  I usually shoot on the camera’s neutral setting, but I’ve noticed that skin tones aren’t perfect and I have to fix them in Photoshop.  Tonight, I found the problem.  I know you really don’t care, but it bothered me for awhile and I hate when people say I’m nuts! I manually toned down the red saturation in my camera and did side by side comparisons in real life to make sure the photo was an accurate depiction of the scene.  Finally I calibrated the color scheme and took a hundred photos in different color spaces so it looks perfect! The proof of my initial hunch is below (the left photo is what my camera WAS shooting…doesn’t it look a little yellowy? The photo on the right is my new official color space.)

Soooo, I was at a boutique type store that caters to local artisans: clothing, handmade clocks, pottery, paintings, photographs, etc.  I was wandering around looking at the items when I overheard two women ooohing and ahhing about a cluster of “photographs” above their head.  Of course I wanted to see what art prompted them to stop dead in their tracks in admiration.  And you really wouldn’t believe me unless you saw it for yourself.

I will attempt to explain.

Hanging on the wall in actual picture frames were… well, they were once photographs, until Photoshop puked out… something else.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of awesome things you can do in Photoshop — it has saved some pictures I thought were ruined from poor lighting.  But there are some little used functions in Photoshop that make your picture look like “artists renderings” (term used loosely) and turn the photo into a sketch, a watercolor, stained glass, etc… I didn’t think anyone over the age of 12 actually used these functions, but here they were, hanging above me in picture frames! And to boot, they were $200 DOLLARS.  It should be noted, that ACTUAL paintings used with a PAINT BRUSH weren’t even $200 dollars.

And these women were clearly quick fans.  “Wow, its like she made the building look like a watercolor!” “Oh yes,” the other replied, “She does that with all kinds of scenes.”

So, for your viewing pleasure (or pain) here is my version of the exact thing that some artist is doing all over New York and — apparently — making money doing so. Hey, I’m not trying to rain on someone making money.  In fact, I’ll tell you how! Take a picture, go into Photoshop: hit “filter” then “artistic” and pick your poison…

Now give me $200 dollars.

What better reason to clean out stuff than when you find a new apartment? As I comb through drawers, closets and nooks… I realize I need to throw things out.  I’m far from a hoarder, in fact it could be argued I should keep a lot more than I do.  But once I form a connection for/with something, I never want to give it up.  These pink and purple sneakers I’ve had forever (clearly).

I remember adventures with my shoes and clothes like most people remember memories with old friends…

The purple sneakers and I ran through the sandy coast along Highway 1 in Monterey Bay.

I also threw out knee high black leather Franco Sarto boots that took me two years through Seattle and one year through Connecticut, walking to work every single day.  I remember the day I bought them…a rainy day at the Macy’s in downtown Seattle.  I excitedly put them on outside on the street and never took them off.

I decided with shoes should come clothes — including an awesome three piece gray suit that I like, but am always reminded of the job I didn’t get, so away it went.  So did the Banana Republic wool coat.  So did the pale blue linen shirt that I would wear every summer.

Here’s to fresh new memories in a fresh new place come January 1!

…to kill time when they’re looking to unwind.  I don’t.  I don’t even own a tv.  Or a stereo.  Or any sort of entertainment system.  I don’t even know how to pronounce Tivo… is it TIE-voh, or TEE-voh? I just sit.  Alone.  And think.

I think about ideas for pictures, paintings, or collages … I think about how to figure things out and how something was made.  I am my own entertainment! Last night I was having one of these moments.  After staring blankly and thinking for a good hour, I went out last night.  On my list? Glitter, glitter flakes (YES they’re different!), laser lights and colored cellophane.  I have a shoot this weekend that will allow me to do whatever I want and I want to make it stand apart from what I normally do. (Enter all of these random items.)

I’ll let you know how my ideas turned out after the shoot, but for now…fun with my new laser lights!