The Average Jim

I was asked many years ago if I had gone off of the deep end?  My answer was yes! This was in regards to the entire photography industry.  I had told my friend (who is a damn good photographer) how I was sick and tired of the terrible workshops available to photographers and how instead of booking clients they were more focused on selling products to other photographers.  And these products were…

I was digging through my hard drives and I had no clue how many boudoir sessions I have shot over the years.  It is a lot!  I’m over 300 boudoir sessions in and I am still finding more.  I used to shoot so much!  I was shooting anywhere from 3-10 sessions a week back in the day!  I’m so happy I slowed down, and this also explains why I’ve gone through so many cameras! Part of what I love about…

Honestly I don’t really have that much to say today.  Just kicking back, making coffee, editing photos, talking to some cool people who are in town for the Cannabis Conference and looking forward to weekend 2 of Coachella! I went to weekend 1, I won’t be attending this weekend but I will be enjoying myself as much!  I can stream the performances, kick back and have a good time.  I may also…

I’m back!  My hiatus from working in the industry is kind of over.  I am not doing the same type of work I did before.  I am instead only shooting for magazines I like.  I will not pay to submit work to these new magazines that are out there.  Seriously, what a slap in the face.  Magazines used to pay for editorials and then they stopped paying but now there are so many photographers out there…

Another Girl, Another Planet

I’m kind of in a shit mood.  So instead of ranting on, wasting my time about something that I really cannot control, I have decided to let the lyrics of The Only Ones write today’s blog post. I really do have a lot to say, but I just can’t quite put it all down in words.  I’ve edited some images today from my shoots in the desert, kind of randomly to be honest. I just wanted to explore some new…

Nobody buys anything anymore.  Everything is online and if they can see it on their iPhone or tablet or laptop or whatever they don’t want to buy a tangible object.  It is sad.  Even my wedding clients just want digital files.  Whatever happened to printing photos? I still print a ton of photos!  I have a room filled with photos on the wall, everything from Polaroid prints to film prints, stuff I…

I’m definitely getting into more of a vintage vibe again.  I like the look of photos that look like you found them hidden under a mattress in an old house.  Like that little collection of hidden smut someone had.  Or whatever story you’d like to play out in your own head. Maybe it is the nostalgia of it all.  That vintage feel brings back my own nostalgia.  It reminds me of my own childhood and…

So the new trend is #VanLife right?  The funny thing is I have been photographing models inside of my cars, travel vehicles, RV’s, SUV’s or whatever was available to me!  Once again, I’m ahead of the trends and now out of touch again! One day I’ll be cool. Honestly, I love shooting in my cars.  I really really do!  If you’ve followed me over the years you would see all of my projects involving…

So I’m trying really hard to figure out this whole new thing about booking models via Instagram.  It is crazy and different and I know they’re getting so many dick pics and fake messages from weird fans, but it would be nice if they would actually respond to a paid gig every now and then. But who knows, maybe they just don’t like me?  Or maybe they don’t want to like me?  Or maybe they have so…

I was going through old images again. Just some test edits I did a while back. I found these images of Lucy and I remember how much fun this shoot was! This was our second shoot together and we had such a fun time playing around with different looks and then we finally got around to shooting the headshots she needed for her agency. I love that I have always wanted to shoot more than just the…

The Fun and The Crazy

I have been going through an old hard drive again, finding shoots from many years ago.  I came across my first shoot with Roarie Yum.  This was a very cool shoot which was the start of our friendship over all of these years.  I could probably (and should probably) make a book of all of our different shoots together.  I honestly don’t know the exact number of times we have shot together. This is…

This has been a very good week!  So good that I’ve been slammed with work and haven’t had time to post anything yet!  I’ve done my usual, worked with a past client yesterday.  I had done a boudoir shoot for her years ago and yesterday I got to photograph her wedding!  Yes, I still shoot weddings and I love it! Some photographers think I am crazy for wanting to shoot weddings, but as I have always…

Be F’n Honest

I have been outspoken, I have been brash.  But there is something I have also been, upfront and honest.  I discuss what the shoot entails and then that is what we shoot.  If the model wishes to add something to the shoot I will discuss it with her and then we move forward.  I say this because integrity is something you must maintain in your work. I’ve had models who have come to me later saying…

What I’m Best At

I actually restrained myself!  I didn’t make a comment on a post on Facebook about another mediocre photographer selling his Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets and teaching you how to make really generic photos!  Do people still buy into this shit? He’s in his little promo video with his greasy hair and manicured beard with his hand on his chin like the thinking man and we are supposed to…

I had a great conversation with a new friend last night.  She and I were discussing the photography industry and the issues I’ve had with it.  It seems my timing of coming back into this world could not be any better! I have a good number of models to work with, I’ve been making better connections than I have in the past and I have completely turned off my censor, well what there was remaining of…

So after a long time away from shooting full time and really pushing my work and getting it out there to magazines and all that “professional photographer” type of stuff I have decided to start shooting again.  I’ve been setting up shoots and they have been getting canceled.  But this is good. Once again I had a model who accepted that this job paid a little bit, not a lot at all, but some…

I really want to expand my horizons.  I want to push my own boundaries and I want to simply have fun every single day.  But with wanting to expand this also means needing to work harder.  These damn catch 22’s are starting to get irritating. Now that I really have no desire to work in the commercial photography world again it has become easier to explore my creative side without caring at all…