The west coast has a lot going on. Some of the highest output blogger/photographers seem to be out there. Specifically Chase Jarvis (on the commercial end), Jasmine Star, and others. There is a real danger in being inspired while you're sitting behind a desk. As Chase pointed out recently, it is easy to be inspired. Not so easy to go and do something about it.

Last week there was a 5 day tube-a-thon of Jasmine Star preparing, teaching, and shooting an actual wedding in Seattle (through Chase Jarvis' co-creation "creative live." You can pay to watch it as a download from their site (I watched live for free).

It was interesting. I watched the chat room and the live stream. Many many people are interested in what settings are used to take photos. I suppose that is because people want great photography to be like cooking with a straight recipe. But, photography is like cooking. Anyone can have the ingredients but knowing what to do with them, how, and when make all the difference.

My take-away. I haven't been shooting enough. I get too busy on the business side to shoot every day. But I should be.

Also, there is the reality that you can't be everything to everybody as a professional selling services. This is obvious, but just looking at the front page here may make you wonder. I don't specialize per se. Why? Because I think all the genre make me a more complete photographer. Not as easy to sell though. Still, it's a work in progress.

Oh, on a different note I got an iMac over the weekend. It has been many years since I had a desktop computer (sort of... we have a smattering of machines including other imacs - I just didn't use them for me). So far so good. I'm not huge on the glossy screen. I had to re-arrange my office to point away form the window behind me. The upshot? I can look out the window now.

YOUTUBE VIDEO:

This is me looking at me for the first time since I moved my desk. It actually kinda works well. I can have a nice blank background. I should print out little 8.5x11's and hold them up so I can have picture in picture.

Liana and Michael were married this Sunday in Providence, RI. I, along with Amie and Bill, had the pleasure of photographing the day. Weddings are fun to photograph. It helped that we felt like friends along for the ride.

more to come.