San Francisco or Bust!

My wife and I are going to San Francisco at the end of the month for a little work/pleasure. It's been 5 years since we last visited and we're really excited about returning. It is a beautiful city with a perfect climate.

I am already scheduled to photograph one engagement session, but I would love to photograph a couple more sessions. I have availability on November 1st and 2nd. So, anyone interested in being photographed, please send me an email or give me a call.

$2.99!!!

I don't remember the last time I paid less than $3.00 for a gallon of gas. WOW!

Pretty Smart

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I often said that the people I like share a common trait. They are all enthusiastic about what they do.

The Passing of a Institution

Bill Meriwether passed away Sunday.

If you had not had the pleasure, he was THE photographer in Macon for almost 50 years. (He actually photographed my in-laws' wedding.) He was a sweet man who spent his life gladly sharing his knowledge with anyone who asked. I only had the joy of meeting Mr. Meriwether one time. He shared a lighting technique with me that I still use to this today. It was a little thing, that made a big impression.

He will be greatly missed.

(Click on the title of this most to read the article about Mr. Meriwether from the Telegraph.)

How Little Does It Take?

I love out-of-focus, overexposed images. It is weird fetish, but it allows me to find gems where others would see only trash. Because of this unusual fascination, I started wondering how little visual information is needed for the viewer to know what is in the image.

Can a few black lines portray a person?




I've been a fan of Hitchcock since I was a kid. The caricature of him has always been a part of my visual reference. It is perfect. Not too much...not too little. The artist included everything needed with nothing extra. The ability to edit ones work is an important skill for any artist.

I notice the Hitchcock caricature finds it's way into my work on occasion. I am always looking for simple, graphic images that contain more information than would immediately seem. Recently, I captured this image at a wedding. I told the bride her mother might not recognize her, but I'm really pleased with it.

Fancy Book Learning

I spent yesterday in Atlanta learning more about Photoshop with two great friends from one of the most accomplished Photoshop trainers, Dave Cross. Heather and Jenny are both accomplished photographers and even better road trip companions. We had a great time and learned some great new tricks in Photoshop. (The photo is thanks to my iPhone. Great phone. Not a great camera.)

Macon Magazine Contest

Macon Magazine is creating a special NEW wedding section for their December/January issue. Many of my couples have enjoyed having their weddings included in past years. This year, Macon Magazine has made a few changes. A variety of sizes from 1/9 to full page are available. Also, unlike years past, there is now a small charge for the listing. Click here to see all the details.

But, for one lucky couple, a full page listing will be free ($375 value).

Leave a comment on this post with the couple's last names. The couple with the most votes will receive the listing. So, tell all your friends to vote for you! You have until midnight, October 18th to vote. Couples whose weddings were photographed by iNWARD STUDIO between January 2007 and October 2008 are eligible for the contest.

Good luck!

Recent Work in the News

Some of my recent images were included in the news story about the bridal show on Channel 13. My photo tree was shown at the beginning of the story. There is also a still from the video at the bottom of the page. Just click on the title of this post to see both. Too bad my name wasn't somewhere.

I actually missed the story, but the mother of the bride in the images called to let me know. Thanks Kathy!

What Makes a Great Artist?

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
— Scott Adams

I have always said that the difference between a bad photographer and a great photographer is the great photographer throws away the bad ones. There is more to it than that, but it is a interesting idea.

Inkjeteuos Home Printian Period

One of my daily rituals is to read What the Duck. It is an online comic strip about a duck who is a professional photographer (I think I actually blogged about this once before). It is really funny. Well, it is really funny if you are a photographer. The most recent strip is actually appropriate for non-professionals.

I have always said that printing on your home inkjet printer is a futile endeavor. I won't even do it. Fortunately, there are several labs locally, that will print your digital images. USE THEM!

Anyway, here is the strip.

Bridal Show

I wanted to remind everyone of the Macon's Wedding Ring Bridal Show on August 10th at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry. There are some really amazing things being planned by some of the members, so you won't want to miss it. The best wedding vendors Middle Georgia has to offer will be showing what they can offer to make your wedding unforgettable.

Even better, there will be a grand prize drawing for an outdoor living package (everything you need to throw a great backyard party) worth almost $1000.

My booth will be a small preview of the studio remodel I'm planning for January, and I'll be offering a great show special. You'll have to come by the booth to see what is coming and find out about the special! I really look forward to seeing many of you there.

SUPER GEEK ALERT!

I am a visual person.

Words are secondary, but FONTS are great! For me, the look of the words is at least as important as the meaning. I know it is a bit strange. I have been obsessed with fonts for a long time. I have spent days searching font websites for cool fonts. I even looked into creating my own font, but it was HARD. You needed special software and...talent. That has come to an end. Talent is still helpful, but not necessary.

To prove this, I have created my own font in about an hour. The tools work in your web browser so there is no need for software. You can sign up for a free account and start creating your own. I love this cloud computing stuff.

Click on the title to see my font. You can download it and try it out. It is only the capital letters, but I'll be tweaking it in coming weeks.

Second Anniversary!

Two years and counting!

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the last two years. I'm blessed to have the best customers in the world. I am constantly amazed by the people who walk through my door, and I'm excited to see who walks in next.

As a thank you to all of you, I'm introducing a new product in the newsletter this week. Best part...it's FREE! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Here's to many more years of fun and wonderful people coming through the door.

St Simons at Last

Our week got off to a fantastic start with dinner at 4th of May and swimming until midnight. Being of Scottish descent, going to the beach has always been a day of fun followed by days of suffering from a sun burn. Swimming in the dark has its advantages. Unfortunately, it is hard to make a beautiful portrait on the beach in the dark, so hopefully the sunscreen will do its job. We have a full week planned, but there are a few open sessions available, so don't hesitate to call if you are interested (478)361-2500. We'll be here until Saturday. Hope to see many of you around.

iNSPIRATION

It comes from strange places. While researching a new album I'll be offering soon (don't you love a good tease), I found this quote from Dr Seuss.

Did you know he started off doing political cartoons at Dartmouth...a far cry from children's books.

Anyway, here is the quote.

Be who you are and say what you mean because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. -Dr Seuss

What an interesting place it would be if we all lived that way.

Melissa:Matt Matrimony

Here are a few of my favorites from Melissa & Matt's wedding at Houston Lake Country Club a couple of weeks ago. It was quite hot, but the wedding was beautiful and they never let us see them sweat...sorta. It was 100 degrees!

San Diego Part Trois

Here is a slideshow of images taken by Michael Andrew at the Shootshop in San Diego. I thought you might like to see a little more of the workshop, and I really appreciate him for offering this to all of the other photographers. He did a great job!

Picture Time

Here are a few images from my time in "sunny" Southern California. The first four are from Carlsbad. Enjoy!






GEEK ALERT!!!

San Diego's airport is known as Lindbergh Field because the famed "Spirit of St Louis" was built in San Diego by Ryan Aeronautical. To pay tribute to the airport's namesake, a replica of the "Spirit of St Louis" hangs over the baggage claim area. The original plane hangs in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Oddly, I just saw it in October.



Sorry for the geek out, but I was raised around airplanes. To this day, I cannot resist.

"Sunny" Southern California

I'm in San Diego for a photography workshop called Shoot Shop given by the amazing Kaisers at the image is found. I've followed their growth and success for several years. I'm constantly amazed by the fun, creative images they create. When I found out they were offering workshops, I couldn't wait to attend. Unfortunately, I wasn't alone. The spots were harder to get than Rolling Stone tickets. I finally got a spot last month and have been anticipating it ever since. The up side is that they were well practiced for my class.

I learned too much to process. I have pages of notes to review on the flight home and new ideas to try out on all of you. If any of you are up for something different, give me a call. I'll be doing to test sessions to experiment. It will be a great fun, and you're guaranteed to be on the website and blog.

So, I've been here for almost 48 hours and I just saw blue skies. Ironic.

I'll be back to the studio tomorrow, so I'll be returning phone calls and emails then. I'll also post a few pictures of "sunny" California.

Two Loves

So, I've mentioned my love of TV...or obsession, but I don't know that I've mentioned my love of cooking. You might have guessed from the Simple Pleasures posts. Naturally, cooking shows are a big part of my day. I used to fill my need for cooking shows with PBS on Saturday afternoons, and they still have some quirky offerings (America's Test Kitchen being a prime example). Then Food Network changed everything. If you love supper slick, well produced cooking shows, Food Network will give you your fill. I do have many favorites, but it is refreshing to find a guy cooking in his kitchen with one camera and no fancy lighting. Sam the Cooking Guy fits the bill. Up until recently, you had to watch clips of the show on his website. Now, Cox has started airing his show on channel 15. They used to call 15 "Locals Only", but Sam is from San Diego. I guess local doesn't mean what it used to. If you haven't had the opportunity, visit his site. It is filled with great, easy to make recipes. He proves that you don't need a commercial kitchen and staff to make great food.