Marqueta – A Future Actor.
I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph a beautiful young lady who is looking to take a crack at the acting world. She has a charisma that shines once you get her in front of the camera. She was a joy to work with and I wish her well. And as we finished with her session, I passed on some words of wisdom to Marqueta, from my friend and fellow photographer Matthew Jordan Smith “Always Dream Big”
P Thomas Lambert
Nice Pocket Watches.
Just finishing some catalog work for a client, these watches are just charming. I am a manual self winding wrist watch man my self, but if I was more sophisticated, I would have one of these in my collection. The specs in the face of the three dial pocket watch are diamond specs that was added by the watch maker. They glitter when the light hits them at the correct angle.
I am hoping to shoot some more fine jewelry in the future.
My Mask Project Test
Molly helping me in my technical test for my future sessions.
This is just the first of many Technical Tests that I need to perform before I start some serious shooting. There is more than just a studio shoot involved here. There are many hours of work in both Light Room and Photoshop. Every step has to be documented so I can reproduce every image exactly. This test is only a scratch on the surface of my final image design.
More to come.
P Thomas Lambert
Ok It’s a Squirrel
This young squirrel was bold enough to almost follow me into my garage this morning. when I closed that door he was sitting there staring at me through the window. Hay I am a photographer, so I grabbed my SONY E7 and the 70-200 and grabbed this shot before he bolted for our woods.
Two Year Break!
A view up our new driveway
Well, I took two years off to make several major life changes. The year we got married Molly and I made the decision that we would step back and take a more serious look at our photography business. A lot of events have dominated my life for several years before our marriage and the next few years after. Some wonderful, and some not so. In short, our studio was in a hugely competitive photographic market in the Washington, DC area, and in many of my fellow professional photographers were starting to use some despicable tactics to win over clients. We stopped work on our new portfolio, even after winning a international commercial photographers award of excellence in 2014. We sat back and watched the carnage, and even watched some very excellent photographers close their doors. It was time for a change of pace and location. We are also changing and improving our new photographic work.
Asheville North Carolina became our home.
Over a year and a half ago, during our trip to Nashville TN for a Professional Photographer Convention, Molly and I made a side trip to this Mountain City in Western North Carolina called Asheville. Winter time is not exactly the time to visit a possible new home location but regardless, Asheville won our harts. It’s charm and artsy community was so inviting to us, we could not say no.
A home in the mountains.
In April, we returned back to Asheville, and started the quest of finding a new home for the two of us. We decided early on that we would not get into home that would require any overhauling. We focused on much newer homes and came across this charming house on a very large yard and forest. This house was like it was built for us. It even had a very large second master bedroom on the lower level with it’s own oversize bathroom and two massive closets. A month and a half later, we had our new home. But we had a ton of work ahead, called moving. We moved most of the studio, section by section, but left behind many of our display stands and old lighting. We just did not have room in the move plus we wanted to rebuild our new studio. December was our final big move, what we considered essential was taken and the rest was donated. Glitter our Norwegian Forest Cat was the last to move. Show rode in my truck to whole trip from Maryland to North Carolina squarely planted in my lap.
This brings us to April or I should say the end of April. This is the first Blog entry for several years and I am hopping that this will not be the last one. We have so much to do yet with both our new home and massive yard and woods to the final setting up of the studio. Much more has to be done, from the removal of the carpet and painting the concrete floor white, to hanging two sets of backdrop holders to the walls and ceiling. We have started to shoot both Portraits and commercial work, but as soon as the studio is complete, then we can set our new hours and start to build a new customer base.
I will keep you informed as to our progress.
Completed Building my Location Lights
I have been testing a few lights this past year and after a few location assignments, I pulled the trigger and purchased two more. What are they, Adorama’s Flashpoint DG600 and DG400 Monolight Flash Heads. I was looking for a light that I could use on a location without the need for any AC power, a light that can be powered via a Battery Pack. Yes there are a few lights that have batter power packs like the Paul C Buff lights and ProPhoto lights. But first I do not have the budget to spend over four thousand dollars for flash heads or even two thousand. Nor did I want to have a heart attack if my flash head get ruined by someone miss handling or by nature.
I talked to one photographer who has the Prophoto and allowed me to use one his lights. I was ready to start saving for these lights when he called me and told me that he had a mishap and had to replace two of his lights. After covering the five hundred dollar deductible, his insurance company paid for the rest of the replacement, then placed new restrictions on his coverage IE: he could no longer use his Prophotos at outdoor locations or even away from his studio.
I have a contingent fund for my deductible, but if the insurance company is going to take issue to where I can use my equipment, then I need to find reliable equipment that I could afford to loose if a mishap happens. In steps Adorama with the Flashpoint Flash Units.
The Flashpoint DG600 is a Monolight with a few quirks, one that I like is that the light uses LED lights for a modeling light. Not exactly bright enough for use outdoors, and so I don’t use them outside, but they do work very efficiently in a indoors setting. The light power output setting is not as wide at my Paul C Buff Einstein, and that’s okay with me, I do not need the extreme range of power or light speed for that matter for a family portrait.
We also are mounting these lights on Adorama C Stands and modifying the lights with Westscott’s Apollo Orb and a six foot strip light and a twenty four inch strip light that we use for a hair light. Yes we are ready for any portrait assignment that come our way.
One photographer told me that hauling around all of this gear is overkill and we should just use one off camera strobe. I did that once, and the results were appalling. I have been hauling around small studio lights for years, but several years ago, I had to sell my portable lights to cover some unforeseen expenses from a life changing event.
Shooting on locations have been a struggle and though I have persevered in my location portraits, I needed to have some lights that I could confidently use on location and truly get the results I really wanted. The Adoram’s DG600 and the DG400 gave me what I needed in a flash unit and they are quite portable as well.
The Formal Bridal is here.
This is a page from an Wedding Album of a Client who's wedding we captured. And today this is still the way most
Bridal sessions are captured during her Wedding Day. The photographer is only allotted a few minutes to capture these
special images, but still the photographer is not really afforded a chance to be truly creative.Years ago, when I was actually shooting weddings, these Bridal Portraits were called the Formals. Looking back at the weddings I have done through the 1990’s and up to my last year as a wedding photographer, I realized that I was not doing my Brides justice with regards to capturing them with their Wedding Gowns.
Formal Studio Bridal Portraits have long disappeared with the emergence of the Photo Journalism Style of Wedding Photography. I am not stating that today’s Wedding Photographers are not capturing the Bride in her beautiful Wedding Gown, but what is being captured is limited due to time constraints, Bride’s own Stress and Locations.
I will give today’s Wedding Photographers some credit and having been a wedding photographer in the past, I know first hand what some of the struggles are in achieving some of the Bridal Portraits a photographer may want to capture. But let’s face it, during that special day of the Brides Wedding, having the time and the freedom to properly capture a real formal Bridal Portrait is more often not fully achievable.
Another burden on the Wedding Photographer is that they have to haul around more equipment that one would deem necessary. But if a Wedding Photographer wanted to capture that perfect Bridal Portrait, he or she would need to have with them a collection of studio lighting and a assistant to help with setting up those lights and arranging the Bride. Then again, all of this falls back on the amount of time the photographer really has, and the ability to control the time during a wedding day. The reality is your time limits have been set and the photographer cannot control it. Worst yet, every wedding is unique, and the best laid schedule and plans never get followed. There is always something or someone who will alter the Brides Wedding Day Schedule.
This brings me back around to the Formal Bridal Session. I got my start working in a portrait Studio in Silver Spring Maryland working for one of the finest Wedding Photographers in the world. Monte Zucker maintained that a Bride must have a formal Portrait Taken well in advance of the wedding for several reasons. First, there was no pressure or wedding schedule that the bride needed to maintain. Second, it allowed for a more relaxed portrait and gave the photographer the ability to capture the bride in a wide variety of classic poses. Third, the photographer is given full control of the lighting and the environment of the studio, and can further control the drama of the portrait that would best suit the Bride and her Special Wedding Gown. Fourth, these formal sessions also gave the Bride a Dress Rehearsal so to speak with her newly tailored Wedding Gown. She will have the ability to sit stand and be positioned in the studio that would in turn give the Bride a true feel of the fit and form of her Wedding Gown. Back in those days, and I am talking the 70’s and 80’s, a bride after having her formals taken more often than not will return to the Bridal shop and request a few more adjustments to the Wedding Gown, so she can be totally assured that she was going to have that perfect Wedding Gown.
Many Wedding Photographers will argue that there is no need to have formal Studio Wedding Portraits taken of the Bride in her Wedding Gown, but maybe they should ask their brides that question.
Well listen up fellow photographers and Brides to be or Newlywed Brides, I am here to tell you that we are going to give the Brides their chance at those studio formals. I am not going to take work away from the local Wedding Photographers, in fact I want to work with you in providing you with a set of fully retouched and ready to use images for your Brides future Wedding Album. Let me say this and I will only say this once. I’m not shooting Weddings, I retired from Wedding Photography several years ago, but what I am offering is collaboration with the local Wedding Photographers to provide for your Bride the Proper Formal Studio Bridal Portraits that may not be achievable the day of her Wedding. In return for the use of my Bridal Portraits, you would give me the proper credit. And with those photographers that I will get a chance to work with, I will fully promote your services with other vendors and Bridal Shops.
To the Bride, I will make the process as simple as possible, and make your Bridal Session an enjoyable experience. We will offer with your session makeup and hair, and will even create an arrangement of your wedding bouquet all in silk for your session. We will primp and pamper you throughout your session and the best part; we both get to spend as much time as it takes to get your Formal Bridal Portraits captured perfectly. We encourage you to bring your mother if she is available and of course some of your brides maids who can help you with your preparation and primping. Also this give you and your brides maids a better idea of how you’re Wedding Gown will come together come the day of your Wedding.
Now I know, not all Brides will want a Formal Studio Portrait taken with their Wedding Gown, but then maybe you should ask your mother about that. Many mothers of today’s brides may have their Formal Bridal Portraits in the Studio I worked at in Silver Spring back in the 70’s and 80’s. And they will tell you that their mothers always wanted that special Formal Studio Bridal Portrait and it would break their heart if you said no to the possibility of the a Formal Bridal portrait for them.
You don’t need to have a session before your Wedding Day. In fact we have had Brides come to us weeks after the Wedding to have their formal Bridals taken. In fact, they even have their new husbands in the formals as well. Many of today Grooms will have purchased their tuxedos rather than renting them. As they see it, they can have a proper formal wear in the closet in the event of having to go to a special charity or party. Formal Studio Wedding Couples are making a big come back in Paris and London and we at Lambert Style want to be on that wave.
So what do we capture during your Formal Studio Bridals. We start with the Formal Full length bridal and depending on the Wedding Gown, we will position the Bride to capture both her and the unique design of her gown. We will turn and position her with a wide variety of poses and standing positions to achieve that perfect view of the stunning bride. Next we move to the three quarter sitting poses that is amongst the most popular with the Brides. The Bride will be positioned in a wide variety of poses that will further emphasize her beauty. We will also fine tune our lighting to punctuate the drama and beauty of both the Bride and her Wedding Gown. From there we will move to the head and shoulder portraits and focus on capturing the Brides Charm and Beauty. All of these portraits are taken in the comfort of a complete portrait studio with some of the finest lighting equipment that is available today. And to add, we work with a wide variety of painted backdrops and cloth backgrounds that can further give the Bride a more personally unique charm to her portrait. Besides having a complete Portrait studio, we also have a full changing room with a full Makeup station. During your session, we will offer you and your special attendants a wide variety of refreshments that will keep you and your attendants cool and refreshed.
If you are interested in learning more about having a Formal Studio Bridal Portrait taken or are a Wedding photographer who is interested in working with me, please call us at:
301-898-2192
Sleeping in the Studio – Literally
Yesterday was wonderful, no great, no beautiful and stifling Hot in our Top Floors of our Townhouse Studio. The studio was wonderful, 70 degrees and our Senior Portrait Subject and her fried were cool as a cucumber. But go upstairs too where we have our bedroom, office, and our makeup room, the temperature was at 86 degrees and still climbing. Our town house has two zones, The lower one has a gas furnace and central air while the zone on the second and third floors is managed by a heat pump. We tried opening the windows but it was getting worst. We finally after several sleepless hours, I broke down and pulled the Areo Bed out of the props room and set it up in middle of our studio floor. I do use this bed in the studio, but mostly for special portraits for special clients. But last night, Molly and I were the special people to use the Areo Bed and there would be no cameras used that night.
Thank god the temps are gong down this week, and maybe we can find out why the heat pump is not so cool.
We are Looking for 2015 Senior Models.
Lambert Style Fine Art Portraiture is looking for some New Senior Models for the Class of 2015. Interested Seniors will get a Free Modeling Test Session and a few images to use on their Social media Accounts.
So if your interested, call us to setup an appointment and schedule Your Free Model Test Session, and you too can become one of our 2015 Senior Models.
Our hours to call are Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 to 5:00 Friday 10:00 to 4:00. Or just leave a message, and we will get right back to you.
301-898-2192
Or just visit our Seniors 2015 Web Site: http://lambertstyle.com/seniors
Part Two of our Sunday Session
Please note, we at our studio respect both our clients and our employees and in doing so we regretfully published some images that were artistic but upsetting to some third parties.
Because of this the images from this session were withdrawn from the blog.
P Thomas Lambert
Christines Pastel Dreams Part 2
Several weeks ago, we had a wonderful Pastel Dreams Session with Christine. After some time of checking and rechecking of the images from the session, we were able to narrow our final selection for a Pastel Portrait down to several images. We will finish those portraits and feature then in a future posting. We will also show you what is involved in creating a Pastel Portrait.
But for now please enjoy these additional images.
Waiting for his return
Garden Walk
Something Special
Lets not forget the people behind the scenes in making this session a success.
Makup: Natasha Sriracha Her link: https://www.facebook.com/NatashaSellsMaryKay?
Studio Assistant: Molly Wietz
Molly Love’s Tiara Day of Frederick
What more can I say other that I love them too.
Molly wanted to show off one of the latest fashion pieces from Maria’s Shop.
Her new top is from Indie Ella and is called Rosalie and is made of one hundred percent recycled materials, and is from the Silk Saree Collections. And Purple is a great color on Molly.
For more fine fashions and other great objects of desire, then go to The Place Where Girlfriends Shop, Tiara Day of Frederick. Tell Maria and Paul and Molly sent you.
Check out their Web Site: www.tiaraday.com/
Or go to their face book page: Tiara Day Face Book
Paul
Lambert Style Is On Line
Our new Portrait Photography Web Site has gone live today. We have a few additions and adjustments to be made, but this is the start of allot of exciting new Portrait Work and specials.
Also look here for a special offer in the next day of so.
Paul
Today is National Teddy Bear Day.
Photographer Teddy at Work
A Teddy Bear is a special friend to children all over the world. He’s cuddly. He makes you feel secure in an otherwise insecure world. He’s lovable. Your Teddy Bear is both a companion and a comforter. And, he’s not afraid of the dark. He’ll keep you safe.
He is even great in my photo studio. He is over 57 years old and still able to comfort my special little photographic subjects amongst all of my studio lighting and stands.
Spend the day and night with your teddy bear . Cuddle up to him. Talk to him. And, do all of your favorite things together.
Parents and adults: No child should grow up without a teddy bear. So if you know of any kid without one, use this day to buy them a teddy bear. As we become older, some of us find it difficult to give up our teddy bears. We feel there is no reason to give him up. Some adults have their teddy bears around all their lives and that’s perfectly normal as I will attest too.
So where did the Teddy Bear originate?
During the early 1900, Then President Theodore Roosevelt was in office as President of the United States. He was an avid hunter and while hunting in a state forest in Mississippi on an organized bear hunt he had spent three days in the forest but no bear. The people who had organized the hunt wanted to make sure the hunt was a success. On the last day of the bear hunt, a hunting guide with a pack of dogs happen onto an old bear and the guide had his dogs chase the old bear down until the bear was to exhausted injured to run. The hunting guide was then able to tie a rope around the neck of the old bear then tie the bear to a tree. The guide then called out to the rest of the hunting party with President Roosevelt, and offered the old bear as a hunting prize for the president to shoot. President Roosevelt looked at the old helpless bear and then yelled at the hunting guide stating how dare you place an old helpless and injured bear up to be shot in sport. This is not right and you of all people should know this. Then President Roosevelt ordered for the old bear to be put down as humanly as possible because that old beaten bear had suffered enough.
A political Cartoonist for the Washington Post by the name of Clifford Berryman heard about the bear hunt story and being a political cartoonist drew a cartoon panel depicting the event. In the original cartoon, the bear was of the same size as the hunting guide, but the editorial editor felt that the cartoon was a bit off and ordered Mr. Berryman to make the bear into a bear cub and showing fear in its face.
After seeing the revised cartoon in the newspaper, toy store owners, Morris and Rose Michtom, wrote to President Roosevelt, and asked for permission to call their stuffed bear toys “Teddy Bears”. President Roosevelt gladly gave the Michtom’s permission and the Teddy Bears had become a popular display in the window of their store. Teddy bears became wildly popular from that moment on. As for Morris and Rose Michtom, their toy store grow to be come a toy company known today as the Ideal Toy Company, one of the largest toy companies in the world.
Have a happy Teddy Bear Day!
Today we can Waffle.
Today is National Waffle Day, so go out and enjoy your favorite Waffle.
It all started in 1869, when a man named Cornelius Swartwout received the first U.S. patent for a waffle iron. Waffles are a delightful breakfast food and can be paired with almost any topping. Butter and maple syrup, fruit and whipped cream, a big scoop of ice cream. I even seen recipes for waffles with chilli on top, the choice is yours!
Did you know that the first waffles originated in Ancient Greece! Yep it’s true and the Greeks would cook flat cakes called “obelios” between two metal pans held over a fire. Today, all you need is a waffle iron and a yummy recipe for waffle batter. For an example try adding blue berries or even sliced strawberries, crushed walnuts or even almonds. I even heard one person say that they have carrot cake waffle batter.
So go out end treat your self to some Waffles today or pull out that old waffle iron and make your self some at home, and enjoy National Waffle Day.
Paul
Some of my Best Portraits I Can’t Show, but that will change.
My Studio waiting to be used for my next session.
Sounds weird but it’s true. Lately, a majority of my clientele have requested, no demanded that I do not used or publish or put on display any of the portraits that I have taken of them and or their family. My Self and my Staff are even bound to a Do Not Disclose Contract. So don’t even ask, you will be wasting your time.
But what I can say is that a lot of the images that I have produced is among the finest that I have produced. You just have to take my word on that.
Lately, many of my clients have asked that I not use any of the images from their session and in turn, they have sent me new customers. So when I was asked about whether I could survive without shooting weddings, my answer was I already have.
But this does bring me to an interesting dilemma. I am planning on competing this year in several print competitions in the portrait category, but I have this agreement with most of my current clients that will forbid me from using their images in any way including in a competition.
I do have an answer and will require some help from the outside.
So here is what I have in mind, a Portrait Model Search. This is a chance during July and August to have a in studio and possibly an on location portrait session (Depending on the weather) with me as your photographer, and help me with the creation of a future award winning competition portrait.
So what is the catch? Well, your session fee is free and that is a $125 value alone, plus I will be giving you one fully finished 8X10 print worth $25.00, plus 5 web ready images to use on your Facebook page, so, no Catch except I will be allowed to use your portrait in both my studio, blog and best of all the Print Competition.
I am looking to compete in several portrait print competitions and that will be costly enough, two years ago I spent over $5k to compete but did earn three Gold Metals and other top honors.
The process is simple, if you would like to be considered, please send me an email with your name, age, contact info and what you would like to do for your portrait. Also, you must understand that when I shoot your portrait, I will be putting it on display on my blog and if your portrait is selected for competition, it could be seen worldwide an in a few magazines as well. I will not promise that will happen, the competition is tough out there and that is the way I like it, and that in turn will make me work that much harder to produce the best portrait for both of us. Sounds like a Win Win for both.
If you are interested, please send me an Email to portrait@photographybylambert.com
You must be over the age of 18 and must be able to prove it. Also you will be required to sign a model release for the session. Everyone who is booked will be required to attend a pre portrait consultation meeting to help plan the portrait session. Women are encouraged to bring and friend or chaperone to the session. Most sessions will average about 2 to 3 hours in length and will include several clothing changes.
Getting Real !
This year started with a few changes with my Wedding Packages, and a lot of couples looking to me too shoot their weddings did enquire. But, I only booked two Weddings and the last wedding I shot was a shocker. One half of the wedding couple during the preview session of their wedding images came out and said “This is not 6000 images”. I responded with “when did I state I would give you 6000 images let alone shoot 6000 images”. The truth be known, I am old school and had cut my teeth with Hassleblads and Rolliflexes shooting 12 exposure roll film. Back then, it was a miracle that I delivered over 300 images for a full day of photography. But this last wedding, I had an second photographer and in the end we did shoot over 600 images between the two of us, but then we pared it down to just over 450 of our best images, and that is mighty good in my book. My client on the other hand was very upset and did not see the quality but only want quantity.
I have learned since, that this person was informed that all wedding photographers will shoot on average of over 4000 to 6000 images on an average wedding day. Even one of the photographers that was competing for this couples wedding told them that she would shoot at least 6000 images just to get the best images. What, are you kidding me. Let’s look at this. This couples wedding day was just over 12 hours from beginning to end. Now if I was to shoot 6000 images for that wedding day then I would need to more than “8“ eight images a minute or 1 image every 7 seconds none stop.
I don’t have memory cards big enough to allow me to shoot that way. Yet there are photographers that will tell a bride this garbage in order to make a booking. Then I was told that these photographers justify these statements because they are shoot anywhere between 5 to 9 images per second in motor drive mode. Ok, so these photographers are doing what we call in the industry “Spray and Pray”. But are these photographers really doing their clients a true service with the delivery of 4000 to 6000 images. Then the couple will have to look through all of these images and after a while they lose sight of the fact that these are images of their wedding day.
Capturing a Wedding is more than the family shots or captures of the cake or the flowers, yes I do shoot those, but real wedding photography is the capturing the story of a couple in love and how they shared that love with their family and their closes friends.
Wedding photography is not a catalog of the wedding day the church, guests, food, reception hall, flowers, the vintage limo, or even park setting. Some of these elements are captured, well most. But my point is this, my work as a wedding photographer is to capture love between a couple and put together a story of the special day that will be the start of their life as a married couple.
Well, I have had enough. I will not try to tell a soon to be Wedding Couple that I am the best for capturing their wedding day because I care and will deliver the true feelings of the love and romance of that Dream Wedding. No, I will not even try to win a contract by offering massive discounts, even if it means I am just breaking even. I am in this to make money, this is not a weekend hobby, I have far too much time and money invested to throw it all away.
But today’s Brides have been wrongly informed about what real wedding photography is and by that fact, I have chosen to not shoot weddings after the month of July. A few couples have inquired just recently but again they are looking for quantity and not quality. And to them I say, book that other photographer and good luck.
Yes I sound bitter but I am not. I started seeing this trend several years ago and when I was told by another photographer that “Spray and Pray” (she did not call it that) was what couples are looking for. She further stated that today’s Wedding Couples want Quantity for their investment. After hearing this from that same photographer who shoots weddings on the side and has over 40 bookings and her average is $500, and she simply hands the couple the CD’s with ALL of the images, I knew that it was time to focus on my Portrait Work.
So if you visit my site at the end of the month and notice that I no longer have a link to my wedding web site, don’t be alarmed, I am retiring from shooting weddings and concentrating on my real love, Portraiture Photography.
Oh, and to those other photographers, If I have offended you, I’m sorry, but the fact is that you need to take a deep look at yourself, your service, and the quality of the work that you offer.
One more thing, if you really want me to Shoot your Wedding Day, and you are willing to allow me to capture your Wedding Day the way it should be captured, go ahead and call me, but remember I will not promise large number of images, but what I will promise is the my best work and quality and images that are meaningful to you and truly capture the true essence of your Wedding Day.
Paul
Congratulations to Three Special Young Adults
There comes a moment in time of a persons life that we would call a Life Changing Event. These Life Changing Events do not come often, but when they do, they alter the direction of that persons life.
The Direction of the person who experience this life changing event, is always dictated by the decisions that this person had made.
In the case of a young person, their decisions and hard work often pays off with a life changing event that has a positive impact in their life and will set a direction for their future.
I am proud to have photographed three exquisite young people this past year who have worked hard and set a positive path towards their own future.
I Want to personally Congratulate them in their Own Life Changing Event.
Earning their High Diplomas and moving on to Collage.
So here is my shout out to:
Abbey
Kelsey
And Xavier
May your future bring goodwill and a positive influence to others.
Paul
A Happy Mothers Day to my Mom and all of my Mom’s
First, I want to wish a Special Happy Mothers Day to my mom. I know she can’t read this posting but I know she will have a special moment with my sister this weekend. I will be up in June to make up for missing Mothers Day this weekend.
And to all of the other Mothers in my life, Clients, Friends Like Karen and Karen, Marcia, Marsha, Mary Beth, Molly, Mary, and Mary, Tanya, Kristin, Cheryl, Jo-Ann, Ana, and all the rest (There are too many to mention)
Happy Mothers Day to You All
Paul
Breaking the Silence
I have written this article at least twenty times on paper and a hundred times in my head. The fact is, what I have had to endure and will continue to endure has resulted in major changes in my life. These changes have come about due to my lack of attending to important issues that needed tending too from the beginning. Wealth was lost, hearts were broken and the breaking up of a family was the result. Sounds like the making of a book, but this is in fact my hard reality.
I am not going to throw anyone under a bus or point fingers, these acts are pointless and will only reopen wounds that have been healing but still needs time to complete the healing process.
For the last two and half years, my life has been a roller coaster ride with as many ups as there are downs. I have been working out many of my financial issues that only after the next few years will be resolved. My personal life has been taken a positive turn. But even with carefully taking a new path, I still will need time, and understanding from others before my life is truly on solid ground again.
Even my photography has taken a hit on several fronts. Having to concentrate on getting my financial life back in order, and then working out my own emotions and trying to find my mines eye again has been a struggle. Thankfully I had a lot of very special people helping me and giving me the guidance that I needed to turn most of my life around. But not all is okay yet.
I have a few hurdles ahead of me and I have to work hard to get over them. But I have started to become one with my camera again and have regained my mind’s eye again. Now I need to work on sharpening my mind’s eye and producing some killer images for the future.
Also, I have started to take down allot of my barriers, so you should start to see more of my writings and my photography in the future.
Next stop, some changes to my web sites.
Paul
Forever You Portraits just for Valentines.
During the remainder of January, we are offering a special portrait Session call Forever You.
The Sessions can be up to 2 hours and the package includes two beautifully Framed Custom Printed and retouched 5X7 prints. All for $175.00. We are booking only for this time period so we can assure your portraits will be ready for Valentines Day. This packages includes both In-studio or On-Location sessions for up to (2) Two Hours.
We are also offering other special packages as well for Valentines Days but please call for more information or your appointment.
Paul
One Year Ago Today.
It was a year ago on January 1 2011 when Teri and Steven got married at the Dutch’s Daughter Restaurant in Frederick MD. The event was mostly family and a few special friends, but still quite memorable for all.
So to Teri and Steven, Happy Anniversary, and may you have more.
Holiday with the Family
Nothing is more precious than to spend time with your family during the Holiday Season. So I want to say “Happy Holidays to all of my fellow photographer friends and their families”. But most importantly, Happy Holidays to my Family.
Paul
A Photographers Remembrance of 911
Don’t forget the one photographer who lost his life covering the events of that day in Manhattan.
Bill Biggart died while photographing the events of the 9/11 attacks as they unfolded in New York City. He survived the collapse of the first tower, but was caught in the middle of the collapse of the second tower. Some of Bill’s Camera’s and belongings that were recovered and are now on display at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
The path that eventually led Bill to the World Trade Center the morning of 9/11 took him through Northern Ireland, the Middle East, Berlin, and deep into the heart of racism in his own country. He never stopped moving until the end.
As a spot news photographer, Bill chose to cover stories that most interested him, not the ones an editor selected. He focused on presenting the minority side – the Palestinians in the Middle East, the Catholic/IRA “troubles” in Ireland, and the issues of natives, blacks and gays in America.
Bill was born in Berlin in 1947, the son of a Army officer, he came from a family of 12 children. Bill and his family was forced to leave Berlin on one of the last trains before the Berlin Wall was erected.
In his time in New York, Bill worked as a commercial photographer, while also pursuing his passion for photojournalism. In 1973, he traveled to the Wounded Knee Indian Reservation to cover the American Indian protest movement. He managed to get past the FBI security perimeter but was captured by the surrounded protestors who assumed that he was a FBI agent. He eventually was released, but some of his film was confiscated.
After about 12 years, Bill received his first press card and closed his commercial studio to entered the world of news photography and photojournalism. Over next few years following, Bill covered events such as the Racism in New York, the KKK in the South, the Palestinian uprising and refugee camps in Israel, the life of people in Northern Ireland, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. He was one of the first members of a cooperative photo agency, Impact Visuals, which was devoted to issues of social change and alternative news.
Aside from photography, Bill loved gardening, planting street trees in New York, sailing his boat, listening to Yankee games with his sons, and living in the center of what he considered the greatest city on earth. He died there at the age of 54. A life fully, fiercely and passionately lived.
Bill is survived by his wife, Wendy Doremus, and three children – Bill Jr., Kate and Peter.
A special thanks goes out many of the sources for this post:
http://www.billbiggart.com/about.html
photographybylambert.wordpress.com 