k ward photobiography: photo/life/blog

It's been a while since I've posted...

2009-05-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Shame on me for being a slacker. ;-) Seriously, I've been busy, but unfortunately, not with shooting as much as I would like to be.

I've been thinking long and hard about the type of work I want to do. In general terms, I'll shoot whatever. I gravitate to weddings because it's a happy occasion for everyone, and I love being a witness to love. I love commercial work, because I get to be adventurous in ways I can't be for a wedding shoot. I love portraiture for the same reasons.

So...what to do? Ultimately, I need to keep shooting. When I'm not behind the camera, I get cranky. ;-0

I think this spring/summer will bring new opportunities to expand my book and delve into areas I hadn't expected to go.

Just discovered a new kewl tool...

2008-11-09T20:00:00.001-08:00

I've been sick the past few days, and it's not getting any better. What makes this latest bout with a heinous cold more "interesting" is that I shot a wedding Friday night for Jess and Heather. I'll have their photos uploaded shortly, and will post a couple here.

Back to the kewl tool - Slide. It's kinda sweet. I've been looking for a lightweight Flash-like application to run on my site. The challenge with Flash (IMHO) is that it has a steep learning curve, and then it can wreak havoc on folks that don't have cable modems or DSL or FIOS. Here's a slideshow that I created on Slide. I want to tweak it a little more, but I'm happy with it so far:

Studio Space...

2008-11-04T13:20:00.001-08:00

One of the challenges in working as a photographer is finding suitable studio space. There are lots of "spaces" available, but often choosing a space comes down to the vibe you get when you walk in, as well as the other inhabitants of the building/warehouse/studio, etc. You ideally want something that is client-ready (meaning you're able to effectively direct clients to it), and projects a professional appearance. Each of the spaces I've looked at (and they were all great) had one drawback or another: not central enough for easy access, not client-ready, too expensive, not enough space, etc.

I've typically shot on location - as (primarily) a wedding photographer, you go where the event is. But I'm increasingly finding that I actually need a space to call my own (other than the space I've taken over @ home).

So, after several fits and starts, I have secured a great space. It's a shared warehouse space near SAFECO Field. Each artist has their own slice of the warehouse to make their own, and it's full of highly-creative people. I'm really excited about being there, and look forward to all of the photography work that I can get done out of the rain and out of my living room. ;-)

I love this photo....

2008-10-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

I took this photo at Masie and Javier's wedding this past August.

I'll upload more from their wedding later.

Weddings and Commitment

2008-10-27T09:24:00.001-07:00

Here are a few photos from some of the weddings I've completed this year:

Molly & Michelle, September 2008 - Key Peninsula, Washington

Maggie and Mitchell, April 2008 - Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Kami and Charles - July 2008 - Mulkiteo, Washington

Casey and Caren, March 2008 - Vancovuer, British Columbia

I love weddings!

Shooting for a Calendar...

2008-10-27T09:06:00.001-07:00

So I've spent several weekends over the past couple of months shooting people for an upcoming calendar. I was hired by the Seattle chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority to work on their Young Black Professionals shoot. Locales for the shoot were supposed to encompass both what the subject did for a living, as well as a great Seattle landmark. We *did* have to cancel a few times due to rain, but all in all it went well. Here are a couple of choice shots:

This first one is of Kristin.

This is Tawanda.

None of these people are actual models, so getting them comfortable in front of a camera, let alone getting the right shot was a challenge in some cases.

The final photos, along with the calendar unveiling, is on December 3 at a cocktail party. I'm excited, as it will be the first time I've been involved in a project such as this, and I'm looking forward to the opportunities available to me a such a soiree. ;-)

So I've finally decided to blog about my photography work

2008-10-23T17:00:00.001-07:00

It took a while for me to warm up to the idea of blogging about my photography work/business. A lot of photographers do it, and I guess the purpose of blogging about your work is to show the "behind the scenes" work that goes into a successful shoot.

I just thought it was pretentious and cheesy.

....

It's not...really. Maybe that perception came from reading blogs of other photographers who refer to themselves in third person, and use lots of flowery (read=unnecessary) words to describe themselves/their work.

That's not me. Not in the least. I like to consider myself much more down to earth than that. I'd rather allow you, the reader, to get to know me better through my blog, and as you're trying to determine who the best person is to interpret your vision for your special day/event, that you'll get a good idea of the type of person I am, and the type of work that I do.

Cheers!